DB Stock Falls 7% After Revealing Nearly $30B Private Credit Exposure

Shares of Deutsche Bank AG DB fell nearly 7% yesterday as the company disclosed that its private credit portfolio increased to €25.9 billion (nearly $30 billion) in 2025, underscoring growing investor concern about risks accumulating in the rapidly expanding sector. According to the bank’s 2025 annual report, Deutsche Bank’s private credit portfolio exposure reflects a 6% year-on-year expansion, positioning the German lender among the banks with some of the largest links to the booming private credit industry.

Deutsche Bank said its underwriting remains conservative and emphasized that it does not currently face “significant direct risks.” Still, the bank acknowledged that it could experience indirect credit risks through interconnected portfolios and counterparties in the wider private credit ecosystem.

Another area of growing exposure is the technology sector, particularly loans linked to software companies. The bank’s loan exposure to the technology sector, including software, reached €15.8 billion ($18.2 billion) at amortized cost in 2025, up from €11.7 billion ($13.5 billion) in the previous year.

Private credit has grown into a nearly $2 trillion global market, attracting institutional investors seeking higher yields. However, concerns about private credit intensified due to concerns about weak underwriting standards, lack of transparency, and rising borrower leverage. Some private credit funds have faced redemption pressures, while certain lenders have reported loan markdowns and credit quality concerns.

This week, JPMorgan JPM decided to mark down some private-credit loans. JPM has reduced the value of certain loans held as collateral by private-credit groups, particularly software-related exposures, and is accordingly limiting how much it will lend against those assets. The move underscores how banks are becoming more cautious about the quality and liquidity of private loans as pressure rises on sectors seen as vulnerable to artificial-intelligence (AI) disruption and weaker economic conditions.

Strains are also emerging across the broader alternative-asset industry, including companies like BlackRock BLK and Blackstone BX. Recently, BlackRock limited withdrawals from a flagship private-credit fund after redemptions surged. On the other hand, Blackstone announced a rise in its redemption cap from 5% to 7% after facing a jump in investor requests. This highlights how quickly confidence can be tested when investors want cash back at the same time.

To conclude, the disclosure of Deutsche Bank’s sizable private-credit exposure shows that sentiment around the fast-growing asset class can shift at any time. Despite flagging the risks related to private credit, Deutsche Bank said it plans to expand its business within the sector, aiming to broaden distribution through selective regional growth and by developing new investment products and digital solutions alongside its private bank.

DB Price Performance & Zacks Rank

Over the past year, shares of Deutsche Bank have gained 21.5% on the NYSE compared with the industry’s growth of 38.1%.

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

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