Evaluating the Financial Soundness of Small and Medium-Sized Commercial Banks in Kenya: An Application of the Bankometer Model

The study investigated the financial soundness of small and medium-sized commercial banks in Kenya over the four-year period, 2014 to 2017, using the bankometer model and further compared the financial health of the two bank categories. The study employed secondary data from a census of Twelve (12) medium-sized and Sixteen (16) small banks, with the financial soundness being proxied by the overall solvency score (S-Score) in order to achieve its objective. A total of six (6) different financial ratios namely, Capital to Assets ratio, Equity to Assets ratio, Capital Adequacy Ratio, Non-Performing Loans ratio, Operating Cost to Operating Income ratio and the ratio of Loans to Assets were used in the study to measure the degree of financial health of the banks. One of the key findings of the study was that both the small and medium-sized commercial banks in Kenya were financially sound during each of the four (4) years studied, with no significant difference in the financial soundness of the two bank categories. Other findings were that all the banks studied experienced poor performance in loans and operations while two banks had below the benchmark capital adequacy ratio. The findings of the study are important in that, they can be used to formulate policies and strategies for promoting improvement in the financial performance of the banking sector in particular and the business sector at large in the country.