HomeCirculars › RBI/2025-26/226

NBFC Capital Adequacy: Revised Treatment of Quarterly Profits

NBFC Regulations
Quick answerThe RBI has amended the NBFC capital adequacy directions to clarify that free reserves now include quarterly profits, provided the statements undergo a limited audit and the profit is reduced by 25% of the average dividend paid over the past three years. Current‑year losses are fully deducted. The change is effective immediately.

What changed

Paragraph 9(iii) of the Master Direction now permits inclusion of quarterly profits in free reserves, subject to a limited audit and a deduction equal to one‑quarter of the three‑year average dividend. The formula EP = NP – 0.25 × D is introduced. Any loss incurred in the current financial year must be subtracted from the Owned Fund.

What it means for you

NBFCs can boost their capital buffers by counting quarterly earnings, but only after satisfying audit requirements and adjusting for dividend payouts. The new deduction method standardises the profit inclusion across the sector. Immediate compliance is required, and current‑year losses will directly erode the capital base.

What you must do

Who it affects

All NBFCs, NBFCs with factoring operations, Regulatory reporting teams

Can we include quarterly profits without an audit?

No. The quarterly statements must undergo a limited audit or review by the statutory auditor before the profit can be counted.

How is the dividend adjustment calculated?

Take the average dividend paid over the last three financial years and multiply it by 25%; subtract this amount from the net profit of the quarter.

What happens to a loss incurred in the current year?

The entire loss is deducted from the Owned Fund, reducing the capital available for regulatory purposes.

Key dataSee the live numbers behind this topic: NPA / Asset-Quality Tracker, Bank Health Scores — updated from official RBI data.
Key termsPlain-English definitions of terms in this circular — see the full Indian banking glossary. NBFC · CRAR (Capital adequacy) · Gross NPA (GNPA) · Wilful defaulter
Official source: RBI/2025-26/226 on rbi.org.in ↗
AI-drafted · 3-model AI consensus fact-check · under the editorial review of Vikram Jain · published · 19 Jun 2026, 01:38 IST