IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/revfin/v26y2015icp12-24.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The conundrum of profitability versus soundness for banks by ownership type: Evidence from the Indian banking sector

Author

Listed:
  • Banerjee, Sreejata
  • Velamuri, Malathi

Abstract

Banks pursue profit like any business, but in their role as custodians of domestic savings, they are required to be cautious. Riskier but profitable advances may cause asset quality deterioration, thus affecting the long-term viability of the entity. Financial sector reforms in India from the early 1990s, have raised the level of competition for banks of different ownership types — public sector (PSB), old private banks, new private banks, and foreign banks. We use panel data on 75 banks across the ownership spectrum, for the period 2000–13, to examine their performance vis-à-vis these two measures — profitability and soundness. We find evidence of significant heterogeneity in performance across ownership type. Overall, we find that there is a negative association between the profitability and soundness measures, though these effects vary by ownership type. PSBs, constrained by social outreach commitments, perform comparatively worse. A reluctance to increase commercial loans implies a lack of investment in the knowledge capital necessary for effective risk management. The smaller old private banks have a dedicated client base; despite the pressure of non-performing assets, they remain profitable. Foreign banks maintain high capital adequacy ratio and relatively higher return on assets. The results also provide evidence that good human resource policy is vital for bank performance.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:revfin:v:26:y:2015:i:c:p:12-24
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rfe.2015.04.001
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1058330015000257
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.rfe.2015.04.001?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version below or search for a different version of it.

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Domenico Giannone & Michele Lenza & Lucrezia Reichlin, 2011. "Market Freedom and the Global Recession," IMF Economic Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Monetary Fund, vol. 59(1), pages 111-135, April.
    2. Eva Catarineu-Rabell & Patricia Jackson & Dimitrios Tsomocos, 2005. "Procyclicality and the new Basel Accord - banks’ choice of loan rating system," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 26(3), pages 537-557, October.
    3. Nakane, Marcio I. & Weintraub, Daniela B., 2005. "Bank privatization and productivity: Evidence for Brazil," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 29(8-9), pages 2259-2289, August.
    4. Stijn Claessens & Daniela Klingebiel & Luc Laeven, 2001. "Financial Restructuring in Banking and Corporate-Sector Crises What Policies to Pursue?," NBER Chapters, in: Managing Currency Crises in Emerging Markets, pages 147-185, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Sreejata Banerjee, 2012. "Basel I and Basel II Compliance: Issues for Banks in India," Working Papers 2012-068, Madras School of Economics,Chennai,India.
    6. Gordy, Michael B. & Howells, Bradley, 2006. "Procyclicality in Basel II: Can we treat the disease without killing the patient?," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 15(3), pages 395-417, July.
    7. A. Colin Cameron & Pravin K. Trivedi, 2010. "Microeconometrics Using Stata, Revised Edition," Stata Press books, StataCorp LP, number musr, March.
    8. Yang Li & Jin-Li Hu & Yung-Ho Chiu, 2004. "Ownership and production efficiency: Evidence from Taiwanese banks," The Service Industries Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(4), pages 129-148, July.
    9. Bhaumik, Sumon Kumar & Dimova, Ralitza, 2004. "How important is ownership in a market with level playing field?: The Indian banking sector revisited," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 165-180, March.
    10. Berger, Allen N. & Hasan, Iftekhar & Zhou, Mingming, 2009. "Bank ownership and efficiency in China: What will happen in the world's largest nation?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 113-130, January.
    11. Saibal Ghosh & D. M. Nachane & Aditya Narain & Satyananda Sahoo, 2003. "Capital requirements and bank behaviour: an empirical analysis of Indian public sector banks," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 15(2), pages 145-156.
    12. 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.
    13. Sathye, Milind, 2003. "Efficiency of banks in a developing economy: The case of India," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 148(3), pages 662-671, August.
    14. Bonin, John P. & Hasan, Iftekhar & Wachtel, Paul, 2005. "Bank performance, efficiency and ownership in transition countries," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 31-53, January.
    15. Berger, Allen N. & Clarke, George R.G. & Cull, Robert & Klapper, Leora & Udell, Gregory F., 2005. "Corporate governance and bank performance: A joint analysis of the static, selection, and dynamic effects of domestic, foreign, and state ownership," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 29(8-9), pages 2179-2221, August.
    16. Ochi Anis & Saidi Yosra, 2012. "Ownership Structure and Efficiency of Tunisian Banking Sector," Journal of Finance and Investment Analysis, SCIENPRESS Ltd, vol. 1(3), pages 1-14.
    17. Bhattacharyya, Arunava & Lovell, C. A. K. & Sahay, Pankaj, 1997. "The impact of liberalization on the productive efficiency of Indian commercial banks," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 98(2), pages 332-345, April.
    18. Sreejata Banerjee, 2012. "Basel l and Basel ll compliance issues for banks in India," Macroeconomics and Finance in Emerging Market Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 5(2), pages 228-245, April.
    19. Hasan, Iftekhar & Marton, Katherin, 2003. "Development and efficiency of the banking sector in a transitional economy: Hungarian experience," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 27(12), pages 2249-2271, December.
    20. Villalonga, Belen, 2000. "Privatization and efficiency: differentiating ownership effects from political, organizational, and dynamic effects," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 43-74, May.
    21. Kevin C. Murdock & Thomas F. Hellmann & Joseph E. Stiglitz, 2000. "Liberalization, Moral Hazard in Banking, and Prudential Regulation: Are Capital Requirements Enough?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 90(1), pages 147-165, March.
    22. Fries, Steven & Taci, Anita, 2005. "Cost efficiency of banks in transition: Evidence from 289 banks in 15 post-communist countries," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 55-81, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jagjeevan Kanoujiya & Venkata Mrudula Bhimavarapu & Shailesh Rastogi, 2023. "Banks in India: A Balancing Act Between Profitability, Regulation and NPA," Vision, , vol. 27(5), pages 650-660, November.
    2. Shailesh Rastogi & Rajani Gupte & R. Meenakshi, 2021. "A Holistic Perspective on Bank Performance Using Regulation, Profitability, and Risk-Taking with a View on Ownership Concentration," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-22, March.
    3. Mostak Ahamed, M., 2017. "Asset quality, non-interest income, and bank profitability: Evidence from Indian banks," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 1-14.
    4. Shailesh Rastogi & Bhakti Agarwal, 2023. "Transparency and disclosure (TD) and valuation of Indian banks," Bank i Kredyt, Narodowy Bank Polski, vol. 54(5), pages 519-540.
    5. Biraj Kumar Mohanty & Raveesh Krishnankutty, 2018. "Determinants of Profitability in Indian Banks in the Changing Scenario," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 8(3), pages 235-240.
    6. Badar Nadeem Ashraf & Sidra Arshad & Liang Yan, 2018. "Do Better Political Institutions Help in Reducing Political Pressure on State-Owned Banks? Evidence from Developing Countries," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-18, August.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. 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.
    2. Zhang, Jianhua & Jiang, Chunxia & Qu, Baozhi & Wang, Peng, 2013. "Market concentration, risk-taking, and bank performance: Evidence from emerging economies," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 149-157.
    3. Tecles, Patricia Langsch & Tabak, Benjamin M., 2010. "Determinants of bank efficiency: The case of Brazil," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 207(3), pages 1587-1598, December.
    4. Jiang, Chunxia & Yao, Shujie & Zhang, Zongyi, 2009. "The effects of governance changes on bank efficiency in China: A stochastic distance function approach," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 20(4), pages 717-731, December.
    5. Konara, Palitha & Tan, Yong & Johnes, Jill, 2019. "FDI and heterogeneity in bank efficiency: Evidence from emerging markets," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 100-113.
    6. Jiang, Chunxia & Yao, Shujie & Feng, Genfu, 2013. "Bank ownership, privatization, and performance: Evidence from a transition country," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(9), pages 3364-3372.
    7. Mutarindwa, Samuel & Siraj, Ibrahim & Stephan, Andreas, 2021. "Ownership and bank efficiency in Africa: True fixed effects stochastic frontier analysis," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    8. Белоусова В. Ю., 2009. "Эффективность Издержек Однородных Российских Коммерческих Банков: Обзор Проблемы И Новые Результаты," Higher School of Economics Economic Journal Экономический журнал Высшей школы экономики, CyberLeninka;Федеральное государственное автономное образовательное учреждение высшего образования «Национальный исследовательский университет «Высшая школа экономики», vol. 13(4), pages 489-519.
    9. Shaban, Mohamed & James, Gregory A., 2018. "The effects of ownership change on bank performance and risk exposure: Evidence from indonesia," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 483-497.
    10. Elisabeth Paulet & Francesc Relano, 2018. "Chinese banking reforms in perspective: towards global alignment or national specificity?," Asia Pacific Business Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(3), pages 294-311, May.
    11. Staub, Roberta B. & da Silva e Souza, Geraldo & Tabak, Benjamin M., 2010. "Evolution of bank efficiency in Brazil: A DEA approach," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 202(1), pages 204-213, April.
    12. Dong, Yizhe & Meng, Chao & Firth, Michael & Hou, Wenxuan, 2014. "Ownership structure and risk-taking: Comparative evidence from private and state-controlled banks in China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 120-130.
    13. Trabelsi, Mohamed Ali, 2009. "Governance and performance of Tunisian banks," MPRA Paper 76918, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2009.
    14. Tabak, Benjamin M. & Langsch Tecles, Patricia, 2010. "Estimating a Bayesian stochastic frontier for the Indian banking system," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 125(1), pages 96-110, May.
    15. Wang, Ke & Huang, Wei & Wu, Jie & Liu, Ying-Nan, 2014. "Efficiency measures of the Chinese commercial banking system using an additive two-stage DEA," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 5-20.
    16. Trabelsi, Mohamed Ali, 2009. "Governance and performance of Tunisian banks," MPRA Paper 26657, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2009.
    17. Yuan, Weidi & Ouyang, Difei & Zhang, Zhicheng, 2022. "Did China’s bank ownership reform improve credit allocation?," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    18. Lin, Xiaochi & Zhang, Yi, 2009. "Bank ownership reform and bank performance in China," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 20-29, January.
    19. Dong, Yizhe & Firth, Michael & Hou, Wenxuan & Yang, Weiwei, 2016. "Evaluating the performance of Chinese commercial banks: A comparative analysis of different types of banks," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 252(1), pages 280-295.
    20. Lin, Kun-Li & Doan, Anh Tuan & Doong, Shuh-Chyi, 2016. "Changes in ownership structure and bank efficiency in Asian developing countries: The role of financial freedom," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 19-34.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Profitability; Soundness; Ownership effect;
    All these keywords.

    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
    • C33 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:revfin:v:26:y:2015:i:c:p:12-24. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/620170 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.