Moderating Effects of Bank Ownership on the Relationship between Securitization Uptake and Financial Performance of Commercial Banks in Kenya

Securitization is a process in which commercial banks can raise low-cost financing by assigning asset risks to investors’ appetite for risk. This has been one of the most dominant and fastest growing means of capital creation in the United States and the world over. After introduction of securitization, the banking industry in Kenya has recovered from a long period of poor performance. The aim of this study is to aim of study was to tests for the moderating effects of bank ownership on relationship between securitization uptake and financial performance of forty three commercial banks in Kenya, over a five-year period from 2009 to 2013. The researchers dominantly relied on secondary data from most recent annual published financial statements and banks supervision records at the Central Bank of Kenya. The data was complimented by use unstructured personal interview from 172 banks key officials; the mortgage, credit, risk and compliance and debt recovery who were identified by simple random sampling from each of 43 banks. The data were cross validated with information from secondary sources; five years annual published financial statements and bank supervision records at the Central Bank of Kenya so as to avoid premature conclusions. In line with the previous studies, the results indicate that the banks’ financial performance had been almost progressing over the operational periods considered for the study. The commendable performance in profitability of the banks was attributable to securitization uptake among banks. The study recommends banks to use securitization in ensuring they have adequate capital and bank managers to be allowed to invest their liquid assets so that can generate more income to boost their performance.