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Measuring commercial bank profitability: proceed with caution

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Abstract

The federal tax code creates challenges for comparing the profit rates of different banks on a consistent basis. The earnings of banks that elect to operate under subchapter S of the federal tax code are not subject to federal corporate income tax, but shareholders of these \\"S-banks\\" are taxed on their pro rata share of the entire earnings of the bank. The number of banks electing subchapter S tax treatment has increased rapidly, especially among small banks. The authors use estimates of the federal corporate income tax that S-banks would pay if they were subject to the tax to show that the difference in the tax treatment of S-banks and other banks has a large impact on measures of U.S. banking system profitability. Further, the article shows that adjustment of S-bank earnings by estimates of federal income taxes to make them comparable with the earnings of other banks can markedly affect conclusions of studies that use net income as a measure of performance. Finally, the article shows that S-banks (even after their earnings are reduced by estimated federal taxes) tend to out-earn their peers; S-banks also tend to have higher earnings rates than their peers in the year before they elect S-bank status.

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  • R. Alton Gilbert & David C. Wheelock, 2007. "Measuring commercial bank profitability: proceed with caution," Review, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, vol. 89(Nov), pages 515-532.
  • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedlrv:y:2007:i:nov:p:515-532:n:v.89no.6
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    Cited by:

    1. Guohua Feng & Chuan Wang, 2021. "Determinants of profitability of community banks in the USA: a cost-frontier-based decomposition approach," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 60(6), pages 2969-2992, June.
    2. Sabyasachi Mohapatra & Arun Kumar Misra & Marimuthu Murali Kannan, 2020. "Risk factors explaining returns anomaly in emerging market banks – study on Indian banking system," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 44(3), pages 417-433, July.
    3. Xi Yang & Michael Brei, 2019. "The universal bank model: Synergy or vulnerability?," Journal of Banking Regulation, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 20(4), pages 312-327, December.
    4. Hernández-Murillo, Rubén & Llobet, Gerard & Fuentes, Roberto, 2010. "Strategic online banking adoption," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 34(7), pages 1650-1663, July.
    5. Russell Kashian & Ronald Tittle & Richard Cummings & Peter Westort, 2018. "Performance and growth among de novo subchapter-s banks," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 38(4), pages 2353-2361.
    6. Sarwar Uddin Ahmed & G. M. Wali Ullah & Samiul Parvez Ahmed & Ashikur Rahman, 2016. "An Empirical Study on Corporate Governance and Islamic Bank Performance: A Case Study of Bangladesh," International Journal of Finance & Banking Studies, Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 5(4), pages 01-09, July.
    7. Gaul, Lewis & Palvia, Ajay, 2013. "Are regulatory management evaluations informative about bank accounting returns and risk?," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 1-21.
    8. Tatjana Spaseska & Aneta Risteska-Jankuloska & Fanka Risteska & Kosta Sotiroski & Gordana Vitanova & Dragica Odzaklieska, 2017. "Determinants Of Banks’ Profitability In Republic Of Macedonia," Annals - Economy Series, Constantin Brancusi University, Faculty of Economics, vol. 2, pages 30-42, April.
    9. Eric W. Hogue & Rajdeep Sengupta, 2014. "The Effect of risk and organizational structures on bank capital ratios," Economic Review, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, issue Q IV, pages 53-70.
    10. Banerjee, Sreejata & Velamuri, Malathi, 2015. "The conundrum of profitability versus soundness for banks by ownership type: Evidence from the Indian banking sector," Review of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 12-24.
    11. Liton Chandro Sarkar, 2022. "Empirical Assessment on the Impact of Leverage and Capital Adequacy on Performance of Non-Bank Financial Institutions in Bangladesh," Athens Journal of Business & Economics, Athens Institute for Education and Research (ATINER), vol. 8(2), pages 159-176, April.
    12. Sreejata Banerjee & Malathi Velamuri, 2015. "The conundrum of profitability versus soundness for banks by ownership type: Evidence from the Indian banking sector," Review of Financial Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 26(1), pages 12-24, September.
    13. Dean F. Amel & Robin A. Prager, 2016. "Community Bank Performance: How Important are Managers?," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 48(2), pages 149-180, March.
    14. Ahmad Aref Almazari, 2013. "Capital Adequacy, Cost Income Ratio and the Performance of Saudi Banks (2007-2011)," International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, vol. 3(4), pages 284-293, October.
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    16. Dhiaa Shamki & Ibrahim Alulis & Karima Sayari, 2016. "Financial Information Influencing Commercial Banks Profitability," International Journal of Economics and Finance, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 8(6), pages 166-166, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Bank supervision; Bank profits;

    JEL classification:

    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • G28 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies

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