DB to Exit India Retail Unit in Strategic Pivot to Core Operations

Deutsche Bank AG’s DB India retail business is set to be acquired by Kotak Mahindra Bank in a deal estimated at $480.3 million, according to a Reuters article published on MSN.

The reported deal, under which Kotak Mahindra Bank is expected to acquire the business, is said to include Deutsche Bank’s retail loan and deposit franchise in India. The portfolio reportedly spans personal loans, mortgages, small-business lending and parts of its wealth business.

The move fits squarely into Deutsche Bank’s broader restructuring strategy under CEO Christian Sewing. The bank has been pruning non-core operations globally to improve profitability and focus more sharply on businesses where it sees stronger long-term growth and better capital efficiency.

Central to this push is Deutsche Bank’s “Global Hausbank” strategy, which emphasizes businesses that benefit most from its global reach, corporate relationships and capital-light model. In India, the bank continues to invest in corporate banking, investment banking and private banking, underscoring that the exit is more about reshaping its footprint than pulling back from the market altogether.

The strategy appears to be gaining traction. Deutsche Bank has been steadily reducing its reliance on more volatile businesses and leaning into steadier, capital-light operations, such as corporate banking, private banking and asset management. Growth in transition financing deals, along with strength in wealth and private banking, has been supporting the shift. As of Dec. 31, 2025, these businesses contributed 67.5% to the total revenues.

Looking ahead, DB’s management expects the transformation to drive stronger top-line growth. Deutsche Bank is targeting revenues of more than €37 billion ($42.9 billion) by 2028 and remains on track to deliver compound annual revenue growth of more than 5% through 2028, fueled by momentum in asset gathering, payments and advisory services.

Divestiture Efforts By Other Financial Firms

In February 2026, Citigroup C announced the completion of the sale of its Russian banking subsidiary, AO Citibank, to Renaissance Capital (RenCap). The transaction marks the final step in C’s full exit from its operations in Russia and transfers all remaining businesses, along with nearly 800 employees.

The sale of AO Citibank strengthens Citigroup’s capital position and streamlines its balance sheet. The transaction is expected to provide an estimated benefit of approximately $4 billion to C’s Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) capital in the first quarter of 2026.

In November 2025, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. GS reached an agreement with ING Bank Slaski to divest its Polish asset management firm, TFI. The deal, targeted for completion in the first half of 2026 pending regulatory signoff, will end Goldman’s presence in the Polish retail investment market while cementing ING’s long-term ambitions in the region.

GS acquired control of what is now Goldman Sachs TFI through its 2022 takeover of NN Investment Partners. By selling its stake now, Goldman sheds its majority exposure in a mature but relatively small asset-management market — likely freeing up capital and management bandwidth for other priorities.

DB’s Price Performance & Zacks Rank

Over the past year, shares of Deutsche Bank have gained 15.9% on the NYSE compared with the industry’s growth of 27.8%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Currently, the company carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Beyond Nvidia: AI's Second Wave Is Here

The AI revolution has already minted millionaires. But the stocks everyone knows about aren't likely to keep delivering the biggest profits. Little-known AI firms tackling the world's biggest problems may be more lucrative in the coming months and years.

See

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS): Free Stock Analysis Report

Citigroup Inc. (C): Free Stock Analysis Report

Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft (DB): Free Stock Analysis Report

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research