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Data-driven stock valuation

Bank of China Limited (601988) fair value: what the stock is really worth

As of Nov 6, 2026: fair value (intrinsic value) of Bank of China Limited stock ¥7.73, price ¥6.85, upside +12.8%, quality 61 out of 100. Rating: undervalued. Calculated from audited financials with 6 of our 26 valuation models and 37 quality factors, updated daily.

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Financial Services CN · ISIN CNE000001N05

BO Bank of China Limited logo Some data Nov 4, 2026

Bank of China Limited

601988 · SHG
Undervalued, in an uptrend

The stock costs 11% less than our calculation considers fair.

Fair value ¥7.73 · Undervalued (11%)
Quality 61/100
Highly profitable · 43.8% net margin (TTM)
3.4% dividend yield · Low payout
Ranks above peers (9/14)
Costs just 9.5 times its yearly profit.
Wide moat 65/100 · thin data
Some data
Weak Growth (revenue 3y −13.2 %/yr in CNY)
Negative coverage

Risks from the AI analysis

🚩Regulatory scrutiny over compliance

What runs behind every stock

69 individual criteria per stock, every one traceable See the method →

Price vs Fair Value

¥7.24 ¥2.61 Fair Value ¥7.73 May 2021 Nov 2026

White line = price, green steps = our fair value per fiscal year. As of Nov 4, 2026.

How to read this chart

60‑month range ¥2.61 – ¥7.24 · fair‑value band ¥5.80 – ¥9.67 · the ¥6.85 price screens below the ¥7.73 fair value. Green steps = our fair value per fiscal year (point-in-time, no hindsight). As of Nov 4, 2026.

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Company profile

Bank of China Limited, together with its subsidiaries, provides various banking and financial services in Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and internationally.

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The company operates through six segments: Corporate Banking, Personal Banking, Treasury Operations, Investment Banking, Insurance, and Other.

The Corporate Banking segment provides current accounts, deposits, overdrafts, loans, payments and settlements, trade-related products, and other credit facilities, as well as foreign currency, derivative, and wealth management products for corporate customers, government authorities, and financial institutions.

The Personal Banking segment offers savings deposits, personal loans, credit cards and debit cards, payments and settlements, wealth management, and funds and insurance agency services to retail customers.

The Treasury Operations segment offers foreign exchange transactions, customer-based interest rate, and foreign exchange derivative transactions, as well as money market transactions, proprietary trading, and asset and liability management.

The Investment Banking segment provides debt and equity underwriting and financial advisory, sale and trading of securities, stock brokerage, investment research, asset management services, and private equity investment services.

The Insurance segment provides underwriting services for general and life insurance business, and insurance agency services. In addition, it operates debt-to-equity swaps and other supporting, and aircraft and financial leasing business.

The company was founded in 1912 and is headquartered in Beijing, China.

Stock analysis

Bank of China Limited (601988) currently trades at ¥6.85, while our model-based Fair Value estimate is ¥7.73, implying the stock looks roughly 11% undervalued today.

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Valuation

Bull case: the Economic Profit group reads highest at a median of ¥8.81 per share, and 4 of the 6 models we run sit above the ¥6.85 price.

Bear case: the Multiples group reads lowest at ¥5.66, and 2 of the 6 models stay below the price. Data coverage for this calculation is medium.

Scenario range: ¥5.80 (bear) to ¥9.67 (bull), the price of ¥6.85 sits inside it. Bear and bull are the same models on cautious and optimistic assumptions, a range, not a price target.

Quality & growth

The Quality Score stands at 61/100 (solid quality), in the Financial Services sector.

Weak Growth: Revenue growth is inconsistent: the periods point in different directions, so there is no trend to rely on.

Bank of China Limited reported revenue of 657B CNY in FY2025 versus 968B CNY in FY2021, a compound −9.2%/yr. Reported net income was 243B CNY in FY2025, compounding +2.9%/yr from FY2021.

Key figures

Market cap 2.2T CNY (≈ $331B) Mega · P/E ratio 9.5 · P/S ratio 3.82 · EPS (TTM) ¥0.7300 · Dividend yield 3.4% · Net margin 43.8% · Return on equity 8.2% · Return on assets (EBIT) 1.1%.

Competitive moat

Our AI-assisted moat analysis scores the competitive advantage at 65 out of 100 (low confidence).

What moves the price

The share trades about 5% below its 52-week high and 30% above its 52-week low, currently above its 200-day average.

For context, the median of 10 Financial Services peers we cover trades at −18% fair-value upside, at 13%, 601988 screens cheaper than that median.

Fair Value models

Bear ¥5.80 Fair Value ¥7.73 Bull ¥9.67
Price ¥6.85 · Upside +12.8%
Model ⓘEach model values the company its own way (discounted cash flow, earnings, assets, dividends). The fair value above starts from their evidence-weighted blend, not from a single model. In cyclical trough or peak years, after dilution or a stock split it is adjusted afterwards, so it can sit above or below the models. Based on fiscal year 2025 figures (about 10 months old). Earnings retained since then (¥0.4209 per share) are deliberately not added. Bear ⓘBear = the cautious scenario: the same model computed with conservative anchors (lower growth, margins and valuation multiples). Together with Bull it frames a plausible valuation range, not a price target.BaseBull ⓘBull = the optimistic scenario: the same model computed with favourable anchors (higher growth, margins and valuation multiples). Together with Bear it frames a plausible valuation range, not a price target. If a model's bull case is above four times its base value, the table shows that limit with a > sign (like the overall Bull above): beyond it no assumption holds. Coverage ⓘCoverage = how well-backed THIS model's estimate is for this stock (0–100): how complete and reliable its input data are, and how well the model fits the company. The final Fair Value is an evidence-weighted blend, so better-evidenced models count more. Green ≥70, amber 50–69, grey below 50.
Best data coverage
Residual Income ¥8.14 ¥8.81 ¥10.15 73
DDM Multi-Stage ¥4.39 ¥7.21 ¥10.23 62
Gordon GGM ¥4.39 ¥9.86 ¥17.24 61
All 6 models by family
Dividend Discount
Gordon GGM ¥4.39 ¥9.86 ¥17.24 61
DDM Multi-Stage ¥4.39 ¥7.21 ¥10.23 62
Multiples
P/E Multiple ¥7.35 ¥9.80 ¥12.26 61
P/B Multiple ¥4.24 ¥5.66 ¥7.07 53
Asset-Based
NCAV (Graham) ¥4.70 ¥6.30 ¥9.40 52
Economic Profit
Residual Income ¥8.14 ¥8.81 ¥10.15 73

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Quality Score breakdown

Overall quality 61/100

It rates the business: profits, how they develop, real cash, balance sheet, investing and share count.

Profitability 33
How much profit the company makes from its sales and capital
Quality Growth 58
Are margins and returns getting better?
Cashflow 100
Do the profits arrive as real cash?
Financial strength 38
Debt, balance sheet and risk of trouble
Investment 59
Does it invest with discipline instead of growing at any price?
Low Volatility 93
How calm the share price moves, does not count
Price momentum 63
Price momentum of the last 3 to 12 months, does not count
Near the 52-week high 71
Distance to the 52-week high, does not count
New shares 70
Buys back shares or issues new ones?

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Revenue & earnings trend

Growth Quality ⓘGrowth is valuable only when reinvestment earns attractive returns (Aswath Damodaran): sustainable growth depends on return on capital, reinvestment and efficiency. Basis: total company revenue over the periods shown on the cards (3Y/5Y/all years), not per share, so a merger can show up as a growth jump; per-share earnings growth is in the value-creation card. 40/100
Revenue growth is inconsistent: the periods point in different directions, so there is no trend to rely on.
Revenue growth 1 year
−47.5%
Revenue growth 3 years ⓘMeasures the company's TOTAL revenue from reported annual statements: compound average growth per year (CAGR) from the fiscal year 3, 5 or N years back to the most recent comparable fiscal year. Not per share: buybacks do not change this number, and a merger can appear as a growth jump. Per-share growth (which does include buybacks) is in the value-creation card.
−13.2%
Revenue growth 5 years ⓘMeasures the company's TOTAL revenue from reported annual statements: compound average growth per year (CAGR) from the fiscal year 3, 5 or N years back to the most recent comparable fiscal year. Not per share: buybacks do not change this number, and a merger can appear as a growth jump. Per-share growth (which does include buybacks) is in the value-creation card.
+3.1%
Start year 2020 (pandemic). Over 10 years: +3.4% a year
Revenue growth 22 years ⓘMeasures the company's TOTAL revenue from reported annual statements: compound average growth per year (CAGR) from the fiscal year 3, 5 or N years back to the most recent comparable fiscal year. Not per share: buybacks do not change this number, and a merger can appear as a growth jump. Per-share growth (which does include buybacks) is in the value-creation card.
+7.5%
What shareholders gained per year (last 5 years) ⓘWhat the business itself delivers per year: earnings growth per share plus the dividend yield. This is what you get IF the market keeps valuing the stock the same way: it contains no assumption about the market changing its mind. Computed per share, so buybacks count and a merger does not pass as growth. For a company that pays no dividend it is pure earnings growth per share. Period: earnings growth per share as CAGR over the last 5 reported fiscal years (annual statements), plus the current dividend yield. The start value is the median of the three years around the start, so a single crisis year (a pandemic or a write-down) does not distort the rate.
+6.8%
Earnings growth per share plus dividend.
Earnings per share, growth per year+3.4%
Dividend (yield on the price)3.4%
Pace: 5 vs 10 years ⓘTwo data points, not a trend model: earnings growth per share over the last 5 fiscal years against the last 10. Labelled "steady" when both rates are within 3 percentage points of each other, otherwise picking up or flattening. Shown only when ten years of history exist.3.4% vs 2.7%, steady
Profit margin 2019 to 2024 ⓘOperating margin then vs now, from reported annual statements. A falling margin after a boom year is the classic peak-earnings signal: the growth rate then leans on an inflated base.64% → 24%
Pace: the 5-year rate starts in 2020 (pandemic)

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Recent news

News mood ⓘNews mood, the average tone of recent news (81 articles), rated against how stocks are usually covered. 🚀 Hype = unusually upbeat · 🙂 Positive = above average · 😐 Neutral = typical · 🙁 Negative = below average · 😨 Very negative = unusually downbeat. It reflects the tone of coverage, not our valuation. Negative
Recent news coverage is more negative than average.
Note from the team Nov 1, 2026
AI conclusion: Bank of China's greatest overseas exposure among China's big five banks offers broader revenue sources than domestic peers, yet thin moat evidence and state ownership alignment risks limit differentiation.
Main risk: Audit findings on tax practices and lending at Bank of China subsidiaries could prompt tighter oversight and higher compliance costs that squeeze margins.
Bull case: By strengthening internal controls and governance the bank could satisfy regulators and sustain its cross-border and domestic operations without major disruption.
Bear case: Persistent compliance shortfalls might lead to repeated penalties, operational restrictions or forced restructuring that raises costs and limits product offerings.
Bank of China has the greatest overseas exposure among China's big five state banks. Its third-quarter profit rose 6.4 percent, slower than peers, amid trade tensions and foreign exchange swings affecting those international operations. Our models see the shares as undervalued. Does the global reach deliver durable diversification benefits, or does it mainly expose results to external shocks that purely domestic banks largely avoid?
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Peer GroupⓘHow this stock ranks against its industry: the green marker is this stock, the band is the typical 25–75% peer range, and the tick is the median.Banks - Diversified · 46 stocks

Beats the industry median on 9/14 measures
Overall it ranks above its industry peers.
Valuation
Quality Score 61 · Above median
Fair Value upside +12.8% · Top 25%
Profitability
Return on equity (12 months) 8.2% · Bottom 25%
Return on assets 0.6% · Below median
Net margin (12 months) 43.8% · Top 25%
Operating margin (12 months) 58.3% · Top 25%
Growth and dividend
Revenue growth (quarter YoY) 1.6% · Bottom 25%
Dividend yield (12 months) 3.4% · Above median
Balance sheet
Debt / equity 0.38× · Below median

Valuation Multiplesvs Banks - Diversified median · lower = cheaper

P/E (12 months) 9.5× · Cheapest 25%
P/B 0.72× · Cheapest 25%
P/S (12 months) 3.82× · Pricier than median
Price / free cash flow (fiscal year) 2.9× · Cheapest 25%
PEG 1.66× · Pricier than median

Strength profile in five axes (Snowflake)

VALUEFUTUREPASTHEALTHDIVIDEND
This stock
VALUEFUTUREPASTHEALTHDIVIDEND
Sector peers
VALUE (fair-value potential)50 · sector 0
FUTURE (revenue growth)8 · sector 34
PAST (return on equity)33 · sector 47
HEALTH (low debt)81 · sector 40
DIVIDEND (yield)69 · sector 68

Context: sector, industry, market

Values & ESG

Does this company touch areas you may want to avoid? The classification is inferred from sector and industry.

None of the checked exposures detected

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Bank of China Limited: fair value per Fair Value Calculator

Cite: Fair Value Calculator (2026). "Bank of China Limited Fair Value". https://www.fairvalue-calculator.com/stock/601988

Frequently asked questions

Is Bank of China Limited (601988) overvalued or undervalued?
As of Nov 4, 2026, our model estimates a fair value of ¥7.73 versus a price of ¥6.85, about +13% upside (undervalued).
What is the fair value of 601988?
Our model-based fair value for Bank of China Limited is ¥7.73 (as of Nov 4, 2026), built from audited fundamentals. The current price: ¥6.85.
What is the quality score of 601988?
Bank of China Limited has a Quality Score of 61/100. It measures business quality (profitability, growth, cash flow, balance-sheet strength, investment discipline, share issuance). Market factors such as price momentum and volatility do not enter the number; they are shown separately in the detail view.
What is the price target for Bank of China Limited (601988)?
Our model-based price target is the fair value of ¥7.73 (as of Nov 4, 2026) from 6 valuation models. Cautious scenario ¥5.80, optimistic scenario ¥9.67. It is a calculation from audited fundamentals, not an analyst target.
What is the Bank of China Limited stock forecast for 2026?
Our models put fair value at ¥7.73, about +13% upside versus a price of ¥6.85 (undervalued). Cautious scenario ¥5.80, optimistic scenario ¥9.67. The calculation is refreshed regularly with new filings.
What is the revenue of Bank of China Limited (601988)?
Bank of China Limited reported trailing-twelve-month revenue of about 577B CNY (latest available figure, as of Nov 4, 2026).
Does Bank of China Limited pay a dividend?
Bank of China Limited currently shows a dividend yield of 3.45% relative to its recent price (as of Nov 4, 2026).
What is the intrinsic value of Bank of China Limited (601988)?
Intrinsic value and fair value mean the same thing: what the business is worth on its numbers, independent of the share price. For Bank of China Limited it is ¥7.73 per share (as of Nov 4, 2026), against a price of ¥6.85. It is the blended result of 6 valuation models (cash flow, earnings, asset, dividend).
Is Bank of China Limited stock overvalued or undervalued in 2026?
As of Nov 4, 2026, 601988 trades below its calculated fair value: price ¥6.85, fair value ¥7.73, a gap of about +13% (undervalued). The calculation is refreshed with each new quarterly report, so the verdict can change during the year.
Is fair value the same as the market price of 601988?
No. The price is what the market pays today (¥6.85); the fair value is what the company's own numbers justify (¥7.73). For Bank of China Limited the two are ¥0.8800 per share apart. That gap is exactly why we show both numbers side by side.
How much is Bank of China Limited worth?
The market values Bank of China Limited at about 2.2T CNY (market capitalisation, as of Nov 4, 2026). Per share that is ¥6.85; our models calculate a fair value of ¥7.73 per share.
What do the bullish and bearish scenarios say about 601988?
Our models span a range for Bank of China Limited: cautious scenario ¥5.80, base ¥7.73, optimistic ¥9.67 per share (as of Nov 4, 2026, price ¥6.85). The range comes from different growth and margin assumptions, not from analyst opinions.
What is the P/E ratio of 601988?
Bank of China Limited trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.5 (as of Nov 4, 2026). A P/E on its own says little: it compares the price with ONE year of profit, while our fair value of ¥7.73 is built from several models across several years. Median P/E at fiscal year-end, 10 fiscal years (2016 to 2025), reported earnings: 5.9. Other multiples: PEG 1.7, P/B 0.7, P/S 3.8.
What is the PEG ratio of 601988?
The PEG ratio of Bank of China Limited is 1.66 (P/E divided by earnings growth, as of Nov 4, 2026). That is above 1, so the growth is already paid for in the price.
How solid is the balance sheet of Bank of China Limited (601988)?
Balance-sheet figures for Bank of China Limited (as of Nov 4, 2026): return on equity 8.2%, debt of 0.38 per unit of equity. They feed the Quality Score of 61/100, which measures business quality independently of the share price.
How far is 601988 from its 52-week high?
Bank of China Limited trades at ¥6.85, about 5% below its 52-week high of ¥7.24 and 30% above the low of ¥5.27 (as of Nov 6, 2026). Distance from the high says nothing about value: that is what the fair value of ¥7.73 is for.
Which stocks are comparable to Bank of China Limited?
From the same area (Financial Services) we also value JPMorgan Chase & Co, China Construction Bank Corporation, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited, Agricultural Bank of China Limited, among others. Each of them has its own fair-value calculation on this site using the same models, so the comparison is like for like.
Is Bank of China Limited stock attractive at the current price?
The data as of Nov 4, 2026: price ¥6.85, calculated fair value ¥7.73 (+13%), Quality Score 61/100, from 6 models. Whether that fits your horizon and risk tolerance is your call. We provide the calculation, not investment advice.
How is the fair value of 601988 calculated?
We run Bank of China Limited through 6 models from four families: discounted cash flow, earnings models, asset and balance-sheet models, and dividend models. Every model gets the same audited fundamentals; the result is the weighted average of ¥7.73, with the spread shown as a cautious and an optimistic scenario.
Is it still worth investing in stocks now?
The global stock market currently sits 12.4% above its aggregate fair value. Bank of China Limited currently trades 11% below its own fair value, and the market average says nothing about that. An expensive market is no reason to stay out and no reason to buy everything at once: keep a broad savings plan running, buy single stocks only with money you can do without, and hold part of your money liquid while the market is high. The full picture including sectors is on is it worth investing now.
What is the share price of Bank of China Limited (601988)?
The closing price on Nov 6, 2026 was ¥6.85. Our model-based fair value is ¥7.73, about +13% upside (undervalued). We carry closing prices from our data provider, not a live tick.
What should I pay attention to with Bank of China Limited right now?
For a financial, book-value and earnings-based methods matter more than a cash-flow DCF, which fits banks and insurers poorly. The price sits in the lower half of our model range, the side with the larger margin of safety. Read the verdict with care: some models are missing inputs, so the estimate scatters more than usual.
Where does the earnings growth of Bank of China Limited (601988) come from?
Earnings per share at Bank of China Limited grew +3.0 % a year from 2013 to 2024. Broken into its drivers: revenue per share +10.3 %, EBIT margin −7.4 %, tax rate +1.0 %, residual (interest, one-offs) −0.2 %. The four rates multiply to the earnings growth rate, they do not add up. Start and end are three-year averages so a single exceptional year does not distort the result.

Key figures of Bank of China Limited

How large is the market capitalisation of Bank of China Limited (601988)?
The market capitalisation of Bank of China Limited is 2.2T CNY (≈ $331B). The stock-market value of the whole company: share price times number of shares. It is what the market asks for the entire business today.
What is the P/S ratio of Bank of China Limited (601988)?
The price-to-sales ratio of Bank of China Limited is 3.82 (last twelve months). Price to sales: market value relative to yearly revenue. Useful when profit is thin or distorted.
What are the earnings per share of Bank of China Limited (601988)?
Earnings per share at Bank of China Limited are ¥0.7300 (price ÷ EPS = P/E 9.5). Earnings per share over the last twelve months: total profit spread across every single share.
What is the dividend yield of Bank of China Limited (601988)?
The dividend yield of Bank of China Limited is 3.4% (payout 32.3%). Yearly dividend relative to the share price. 3% pays 3 per 100 invested. Below: how much of profit is used for it.
What is the net margin of Bank of China Limited (601988)?
The net margin of Bank of China Limited is 43.8% (last twelve months). How much of every unit of revenue ends up as profit. 10% means 10 cents of profit per dollar of sales.
What is the return on equity of Bank of China Limited (601988)?
The return on equity (ROE) of Bank of China Limited is 8.2% (last twelve months). Profit relative to shareholders' equity, how efficiently the company works with its owners' money.
What is the EBIT return on assets of Bank of China Limited (601988)?
On an EBIT basis the return on assets of Bank of China Limited is 1.1% (avg 5y). Operating profit (EBIT) relative to everything the company owns, as a multi-year average. It describes the business model rather than one good or bad year.
What is the operating margin of Bank of China Limited (601988)?
The operating margin of Bank of China Limited is 58.3% (last twelve months). Profit from the core business (before interest and taxes) relative to revenue.
How fast is revenue growing at Bank of China Limited (601988)?
Revenue at Bank of China Limited is growing +1.6% versus a year earlier (3y avg −13.2%). How much revenue grew versus a year earlier (YoY). The 3-year average next to it puts the single year in context.
How fast are earnings growing at Bank of China Limited (601988)?
Earnings per share at Bank of China Limited are growing +5.6% versus a year earlier. How much earnings per share grew versus a year earlier.
How much free cash flow does Bank of China Limited (601988) generate?
The free cash flow of Bank of China Limited is 761B CNY (fiscal year 2025). The cash truly left after running and investing in the business, this is what pays dividends and buybacks.
How much net cash does Bank of China Limited (601988) hold?
Bank of China Limited holds more cash than debt, 1.6T CNY net (fiscal year 2024). The company holds more cash than debt, a safety cushion.
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