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Valuation Gap or Value Trap? The Case for Hinduja Leyland Finance

Valuation Gap or Value Trap? The Case for Hinduja Leyland Finance

Nikhil Singh Nikhil Singh
Nikhil Singh

I am a versatile professional known for my expertise as a technical analyst, insightful co... I am a versatile professional known for my expertise as a technical analyst, insightful contributions as a part-time investor, and creative talents as a content writer. With a strong background in finance, I seamlessly combine technical know-how and fundamental analysis in my role as a part-time investor. Read more

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18 Mar, 2026
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Summary

This article explains the business model growth strategy and investment potential of Hinduja Leyland Finance. It begins by describing how the company evolved from a captive finance arm of Ashok Leyland into a large diversified NBFC that provides vehicle loans housing finance and loans against property across India.


Executive Overview

India’s credit system is going through an important structural change. The economy is becoming more formal and the government continues to spend heavily on infrastructure. At the same time a growing middle class is driving consumption across the country. All these factors are changing the demand for credit. In this environment Non Banking Financial Companies or NBFCs have become very important players in the financial system. These institutions often work in areas where traditional banks are limited. Because of this they help provide credit to borrowers who are not fully served by banks and also finance niche asset categories. In this context Hinduja Leyland Finance Limited offers a strong example of how a captive finance company can gradually transform into a diversified lending platform.

The company was established in November 2008 and its headquarters are in Chennai. In the beginning the company was created mainly to support the vehicle sales of Ashok Leyland Limited which is the flagship automotive business of the Hinduja Group. The early business model was simple and focused mainly on financing commercial vehicles sold through the Ashok Leyland dealership network. Over the years the company expanded far beyond this limited role. Today it is operating as a systemically important non deposit taking NBFC Asset Finance Company. It offers a wide range of lending solutions that serve both retail customers and commercial borrowers. The company also operates across urban markets and extends its reach to semi urban and rural regions where traditional banking penetration is still limited.

One of the key drivers of the company’s evolution has been diversification into different asset categories. Commercial vehicle financing still remains a major part of the business. However the company has gradually expanded its portfolio to include used vehicle loans two wheeler financing construction equipment funding and loans against property. This diversification has helped the company enter higher yield segments and at the same time reduce its dependence on one cyclical category. Another important step was the creation of Hinduja Housing Finance Limited in 2015 which marked the group’s entry into the affordable housing finance segment. This move expanded the company’s addressable market and also added longer tenure assets which support better balance sheet stability.

The company’s steady growth can be clearly seen in the expansion of its loan book. By the end of Financial year 2025 the consolidated Assets under management reached around ₹61,692 crore. The growth has also been supported by the strong capital base and business ecosystem of the Hinduja Group. The group provides valuable support through its dealership network distribution strength and strong brand presence across India’s commercial vehicle and financing sectors.

Looking ahead the company appears to be approaching an important turning point. Hinduja Leyland Finance is planning a reverse merger with NDL Ventures Limited. Through this transaction the company will be absorbed into the listed entity which will allow public market investors to participate in the business. Because of this development the company’s unlisted shares have started attracting growing interest from institutional investors and high net worth individuals. Much of this interest comes from the belief that there is a valuation gap between the current price of the unlisted shares and the possible valuation that could emerge once the merged entity begins trading in the public markets.

Company Origins and Strategic Evolution

To understand the current market position of  Hinduja Leyland Finance it is important to look at its history and the background of its parent group. The Hinduja Group was founded in 1914 by Parmanand Deepchand Hinduja in the Sindh region of undivided India. In the early years the business mainly focused on merchant banking and commodity trading. Over more than a century the group has grown into a large global conglomerate. Today it operates in more than 38 countries and employs over 200000 people. The group has businesses across many sectors including automotive manufacturing ,banking, specialty chemicals, business process management, healthcare and media.

During the early years the company depended heavily on financing new Ashok Leyland trucks and buses. However the management soon realized that relying too much on the commercial vehicle market could be risky because the sector is highly cyclical. To reduce this risk the company decided to diversify its lending portfolio. It started providing loans for vehicles outside the Ashok Leyland ecosystem including passenger cars multi utility vehicles and tractors. This move helped the company expand the size of the market it could serve. A major turning point came when the company moved into the retail mortgage segment. In 2015 it introduced Loan Against Property products. Around the same time the group created Hinduja Housing Finance Limited to serve the growing demand for affordable housing loans especially in tier two and tier three cities.

Comprehensive Business Model and Strategic Segmentation

The operating structure of Hinduja Leyland Finance follows a scalable and customer focused hub and spoke model. This structure allows the company to maintain a strong physical presence across the country. Today it operates in 23 states and 2 union territories through a wide network of more than 1800 business locations. This local presence is very important especially in rural and semi urban areas. In many of these regions formal credit data such as credit scores is often limited. Because of this local market knowledge and physical collection systems play a major role in maintaining good asset quality and responsible lending.

Vehicle Financing: The Core Economic Engine

The company benefits from its close partnership with Ashok Leyland which remains an important part of its business model. Vehicles from Ashok Leyland still contribute about 23 to 25 percent of the company’s assets under management which shows the strength of this captive financing relationship. At the same time the company has worked to diversify its lending. Its vehicle finance business now serves many types of borrowers including fleet operators small truck owners first time buyers and self employed transport operators.

To balance risk and returns the company manages its portfolio carefully. Commercial vehicles construction equipment and tippers together make up about 50 percent of the total loan book. Two wheelers and three wheelers account for about 11 percent. As competition increased in new vehicle financing the company shifted more focus toward used vehicle loans which now represent around 17 percent of the standalone assets under management.

Used vehicle financing offers better yields and higher interest rates because of the higher risk and depreciation is involved in it. competition in this segment is also lower because many banks lack the local expertise needed to evaluate used vehicles or manage repossession. With the support of the Hinduja Group and its strong automotive knowledge Hinduja Leyland Finance is able to assess vehicle value accurately and lend confidently in this high margin segment.

Mortgage and Housing Finance

To reduce the ups and downs of the commercial vehicle market Hinduja Leyland Finance expanded into the mortgage segment. The commercial vehicle business often depends on economic cycles and freight demand. Because of this the company wanted to build a more stable lending portfolio.

A key part of this strategy is Loan Against Property. This segment now contributes about 26 percent of the standalone assets under management. The product mainly serves self employed individuals and small businesses that need quick working capital or want to combine existing loans. Borrowers use residential or commercial property as collateral which makes the loan more secure.

Another important step was entering the affordable housing finance segment through its subsidiary Hinduja Housing Finance Limited. By March 2025 this housing business contributed around 22 percent of the total consolidated assets under management. The company mainly provides home loans to low and middle income families especially self employed borrowers in smaller cities and semi urban areas where banking access is still limited.

The housing finance business adds stability to the company’s balance sheet for several reasons:

  • Home loans are long term assets

  • Default rates in housing loans are usually lower

  • Long term loans help match long term borrowings

  • This improves the company’s asset liability balance

Another benefit is a steady income stream. Housing loans are repaid over long periods which creates predictable cash flows. This helps reduce the volatility that usually comes from shorter cycle businesses like vehicle financing. Because of this the company can maintain more balanced and stable growth.

Digital Platforms and Ancillary Ventures

As the logistics and automotive sectors in India move toward digital platforms Hinduja Leyland Finance has also started building its own digital ecosystem. The company understands that technology can improve vehicle trading financing and logistics services. To capture these opportunities it has launched platforms that support different parts of the transport and vehicle market.

One major initiative is Gaadi Mandi Digital Platforms Limited which was launched in 2022 as a wholly owned subsidiary. This platform works as a digital marketplace where people can buy and sell pre owned commercial vehicles tractors and construction equipment. The platform uses a digital bidding system that connects buyers sellers and dealers in the used vehicle market.

This platform helps the company in several ways:

  • It generates fee based income from transactions

  • It creates a strong pipeline for used vehicle loan customers

  • It helps the company sell repossessed vehicles faster

  • It improves recovery efficiency

The company also has a strategic joint venture in Gro Digital Platforms Limited. This platform works as a digital freight broker that connects cargo owners with logistics operators. Through this platform the company becomes more involved in the daily operations of transport businesses which are also its main borrowers.

These digital initiatives strengthen the company’s overall ecosystem. Customers who use these platforms are more likely to take financing from the company. At the same time the platforms generate useful data about freight activity vehicle usage and borrower cash flows. This data can help the company improve credit assessment and design better lending products in the future.

Exhaustive Industry Research and Macroeconomic Trends

  • NBFC Sector Growth

    The Indian NBFC sector is going through strong growth. Retail credit demand is rising while regulations are becoming stricter and the competitive landscape is changing quickly.

  • Vehicle Finance Industry Outlook

    The Indian vehicle finance market is expected to grow at a CAGR of about 15% to 17% until FY2027. Total industry assets under management may cross ₹11 lakh crore. This growth is supported by strong economic expansion infrastructure spending and increasing logistics activity.

  • Shift Toward Used Vehicle Financing

    Used vehicle loans are growing faster than new vehicle loans. Pre owned vehicle financing has grown around 15% annually while new vehicle financing has grown about 11%. Higher new vehicle prices due to stricter emission and safety norms have pushed many buyers toward the used vehicle market.

  • Opportunity for NBFCs

    NBFCs are well positioned to capture this segment because they have stronger local market knowledge and flexible underwriting models. The share of used vehicles in NBFC loan books may reach about 41% by March 2027.

  • Rural Credit Opportunity

    Rural India contributes nearly 47% of the country’s GDP but receives only about 8% of banking credit. NBFCs are filling this credit gap because they can operate efficiently in smaller towns and rural regions.

  • Electric Vehicle Financing

    The shift toward electric vehicles is creating a new financing opportunity. Government schemes such as PM E DRIVE with an outlay of ₹10900 crore are encouraging EV adoption especially for two wheelers and three wheelers.

  • Regulatory Framework for NBFCs

    The Reserve Bank of India has introduced a Scale Based Regulation framework. NBFCs are classified into different layers based on their size and systemic importance.

  • Position of Hinduja Leyland Finance

    Hinduja Leyland Finance falls under stricter regulatory supervision because of its scale. While compliance costs are higher the framework strengthens financial stability and allows well governed NBFCs to capture a larger share of the credit market.

Promoters and the Hinduja Group Ecosystem

The reputation and credit strength of Hinduja Leyland Finance come largely from the backing of the Hinduja Group. The group has been operating for more than a hundred years and has businesses in banking automotive and financial services. Because of this long history the company enjoys strong credibility in the market. As of FY2025 the promoter group owns about 74.5 percent of the company. Ashok Leyland holds the largest share at about 61.12 % while Hinduja Automotive owns roughly 12.7 to 12.9 %.

Hinduja Leyland Finance also works very closely with Ashok Leyland. The NBFC finances around 8 to 11 percent of the vehicles sold by the manufacturer. This support becomes especially useful when liquidity in the financial system becomes tight. At the same time the finance company benefits from access to Ashok Leyland’s large dealer network across the country. This makes it easier to find customers and reduces the cost of sourcing loans.

Furthermore, the company has been financially supported by its parent group through the provision of new funds at various times throughout the life of the cooperative business model. During FY2025, Ashok Leyland obtained ₹2 billion of investment via a preferential equity share offering made by its parent group (Hinduja Group). This enabled Ashok Leyland to strengthen its SACR ratio, allowing it to continue growing its loan portfolio.

Lastly, there is significant representation of the Hinduja group at both executive management and Board levels of Ashok Leyland. Dheeraj G Hinduja serves on the Board as Chair; Sachin Pillai functions as MD & CEO/Managing Director. Therefore, having a high level of involvement from major shareholders provides additional assurance to shareholders that Ashok Leyland is positioned as a stable business and one that will grow into the future.

Shareholding pattern of hinduja leyland finance

The ownership structure of Hinduja Leyland Finance shows strong promoter control along with participation from institutional investors. As of FY2025 Ashok Leyland Limited remains the largest shareholder with a stake of 61.12 percent, making it the primary holding company. Another group entity Hinduja Automotive Limited holds 12.71 percent of the company.

Apart from the promoter group several institutional investors also hold meaningful stakes. Abridge Investments Ltd owns 6.42 percent, while Aviator Global Investment Fund holds 5.23 percent. Elara India Opportunities Fund Limited has a stake of 4.75 percent in the company. The remaining 9.77 percent is held by other investors.

The ownership structure demonstrates the backing of the Hinduja Group as well as the confidence from institutional investors regarding the company's growth potential over time.

Corporate Restructuring: The NDL Ventures Merger and Value Unlocking

The most important development for Hinduja Leyland Finance today is its planned reverse merger with NDL Ventures Limited. This move will bring the large unlisted NBFC into the public stock market. The goal is to unlock shareholder value and simplify the Hinduja Group’s corporate structure.

Earlier the company planned to raise capital through an IPO. Later the management chose a merger route which is faster and more efficient than a traditional listing process.

NDL Ventures Limited which was earlier called NXTDIGITAL Limited is a listed company within the Hinduja Group. After selling its media business to Hinduja Global Solutions the company remained listed but had no major operating business. This made it an ideal vehicle for merging Hinduja Leyland Finance and taking the business public.

The boards of both companies approved the merger in late 2025. Since then key approvals have been received. The Reserve Bank of India gave its No Objection Certificate in August 2025 and the Competition Commission of India approved the deal on February 17 2026. The merger is expected to take effect from April 1 2026 after final approvals from regulators and exchanges. Source

A major part of the deal is the share swap ratio. Shareholders of Hinduja Leyland Finance will receive 25 shares of NDL Ventures for every 10 shares they hold.

Because of this structure the market price of NDL Ventures now acts as a reference for valuing the unlisted shares of Hinduja Leyland Finance. For investors this merger creates a clear path to public market liquidity and reduces the uncertainty usually seen in the unlisted share market.

Exhaustive Financial Performance Analysis

The financial data up to March 2025 shows that Hinduja Leyland Finance has been growing steadily while keeping profitability stable and asset quality under control.

The loan book has increased strongly over the last few years. Advances were ₹21,766 crore in FY2022. They rose to ₹28,415 crore in FY2023 and then to ₹38,463 crore in FY2024. By FY2025 advances reached ₹47,854 crore. The gradual increase in vehicle financing and retail lending indicates that the company is establishing its foothold in these areas.In addition, the increased lending has also increased revenues for the company. The gross interest revenue grew from ₹2,780 crore for FY 2022 to ₹3,113 crore for FY 2023. Gross interest revenue grew further from ₹4,010 crore for FY 2024 to ₹5,364 crore in FY 2025. The growth in other income represents a significant increase as well, from ₹319 crore to ₹917 crore, which indicates increasing fee income. With the growth of the loan book, the company's cost of borrowing increased as well; gross interest expenses increased from ₹1,534 crore for FY 2022 to ₹3,540 crore for FY 2025. The company's operating expenses increased as the company expanded its branch network from ₹369 crore to ₹1,043 crore. Even though the total cost of operations has increased, the company's net profit after tax has increased as well; net profit after tax was ₹341 crore in FY 2022 and increased to ₹489 crore in FY 2023.

 It reached ₹636 crore in FY2024 and rose to ₹774 crore in FY2025. Earnings per share also doubled from ₹7.26 to ₹14.2 during this period.

Asset quality also improved. Gross NPA moved from 4.2 percent in FY2022 to 4.87 percent in FY2023 but later declined to 4.3 percent in FY2024 and fell further to 3.63 percent in FY2025. Net NPA improved to 2.13 percent which shows better recovery and risk management.

The balance sheet has also strengthened. Book value per share increased from ₹87.32 in FY2022 to ₹159.48 in FY2025. Return on equity stayed around 8 to 9 percent. The price to book ratio declined from 2.5 to about 1.37 which may indicate potential valuation upside if the company continues to grow.

Financials ( Figures in Cr )

P&L Statement

P&L Statement 2022 2023 2024 2025
Interest Earned 2780 3113 4010 5364
Other Income 319 388 649 917
Interest Expended 1534 1721 2561 3540
Operating Expenses 369 456 632 1043
Provisions and Contingencies 747 646 572 652
PAT 341 489 636 774
EPS 7.26 9.14 11.88 14.2
Gross NPA 4.2 4.87 4.3 3.63
Net NPA 2.8 3.34 2.7 2.13

Financial Ratios

Financial Ratios 2022 2023 2024 2025
Advances 21766 28415 38463 47854
Book Value 87.32 104.63 127.25 159.48
P / B 2.5 2.68 2.2 1.37
ROE (%) 8.31 8.74 9.34 8.9
 
Balance sheet
Assets 2022 2023 2024 2025
Fixed Assets 84 106 358 535
Cash and Balances 850 1266 3211 3683
Investments 1191 1828 1921 3254
Advances 21766 28415 38463 47854
Other Assets 585 804.02 924.16 1206
Total Assets 24476 32419.02 44877.16 56532

Liabilities

Liabilities 2022 2023 2024 2025
Share Capital 469.89 535.02 535.16 545.24
FV 10 10 10 10
Reserves 3633 5063 6275 8150
Borrowings 18335 24891 35029 42661
Deposits 0 0 0 0
Other Liabilities 2038.11 1930 3038 5175.76
Total Liabilities 24476 32419.02 44877.16 56532

 

Cash flow statement

Cash Flow Statement 2022 2023 2024 2025
PBT (%) 449 652 841 1040
OPBWC -865 -348 -426 -598
Term Deposit 0 0 0 0
Change in Investment 0 0 0 0
Change in Advances -777 -7139 -9721 -8631
Change in Deposit 0 0 0 0
Other Changes 1344 1190 1598 1846
Working Capital Change 567 -5949 -8123 -6785
Cash Generated From Operations -298 -6297 -8549 -7383
Tax -108 -124 -185 -164
Cash Flow From Operations -190 -6173 -8364 -7219
Purchase of PPE -3 -16 -269 -212
Sale of PPE 0 0 0 0.3
Purchase of Investment 0 -849 -537 -2481
Sale of Investments 0 34 385 1143
Others 45 0 2 -186.3
Cash flow from Investment 42 -831 -419 -1736
Proceeds from Borrowing -7467 13309 20208 21071
Repayment of Borrowing 7198 -6966 -9561 -10608
Dividend 0 0 0 0
Proceeds from Equity 0.48 11.25 0.8 200.59
Others From Financing 408.52 886 0 -1435.59
Cash Flow from Financing 140 7240.25 10647.8 9228
Net Cash Generated -8 236.25 1864.8 273
Cash at the Start 819 810 1045 2909
Cash at the End 811 1046.25 2909.8 3182

 

Peer Comparison and Relative Valuation

To understand the relative value of Hinduja Leyland Finance it is useful to compare it with other listed NBFCs that operate in the vehicle and asset finance segment. Some of the key peers in this space are Shriram Finance Limited Sundaram Finance Limited and Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company Limited.

Shriram Finance Limited is one of the largest players in used commercial vehicle financing in India. The company operates at a very large scale with assets under management of about ₹2.81 lakh crore. Because of its strong presence in rural markets and its long operating history the company benefits from large economies of scale. In the public market Shriram Finance trades at a price to earnings multiple of about 21 to 22 times and a price to book ratio close to 3.4 times. The company also maintains a strong return on equity of around 17 percent which supports its premium valuation.

Sundaram Finance Limited is known for its very conservative lending approach and strong asset quality. Its gross stage three assets are around 1.44 percent which shows high credit discipline. Even though the company operates at a smaller scale with assets under management of about ₹51,476 crore the market values its stability and long reputation very highly. Sundaram Finance trades at a price to earnings multiple of around 30 times and a price to book ratio above 4 times. The company usually delivers return on equity in the range of about 14 to 16 percent.

Financial Institution Listing Status AUM (₹ Cr) Implied P/E Ratio Implied P/B Ratio ROE (%)
Hinduja Leyland Finance Unlisted 61,692 ~16.5x ~1.5x ~8.9%
Shriram Finance Listed 2,81,309 ~21.7x ~3.4x ~16.9%
Sundaram Finance Listed 51,476 ~30.3x ~4.1x ~16.3%
Cholamandalam Inv. Listed >1,40,000 ~30.6x ~5.5x ~18.0%

Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company is another major NBFC backed by the Murugappa Group. The company is known for its strong growth strategy and rapid expansion in both vehicle finance and mortgage lending. Because of its high growth profile the market assigns it a higher valuation. Cholamandalam trades at a price to earnings multiple close to 30 times and a price to book ratio of around 5.5 times. The company also maintains a strong return on equity of about 18 percent which supports this premium market valuation

Unlisted Market Dynamics and Trading Parameters

The unlisted shares of Hinduja Leyland Finance have started gaining strong interest from portfolio managers family offices and investors who specialize in unlisted equity. The shares have an ISIN number INE146O01014 and the face value of each share is ₹10. These shares are traded in the secondary market through demat transfers using the NSDL and CDSL depositories. Depending on the broker the minimum investment usually starts from around 100 shares while some deals are done in larger blocks of about 1000 shares which allows both small and large investors to participate.

The share price movement over the past year reflects growing confidence in the upcoming merger with NDL Ventures. Earlier the shares were trading close to ₹200 to ₹210 which acted as a support level. As regulatory approvals started coming in the price gradually moved higher and reached the range of about ₹240 to ₹265.

The final value of these shares will largely depend on the merger swap ratio with NDL Ventures. According to the approved structure shareholders of Hinduja Leyland Finance will receive 25 shares of NDL Ventures for every 10 shares they hold. Because of this investors closely track the market price of NDL Ventures which is a listed company. By observing its price investors can estimate the potential value of Hinduja Leyland Finance shares and identify opportunities before the expected listing around April .

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