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What happened to profitability? Shocks, challenges and perspectives for euro area banks

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  • Gong Cheng
  • Dirk Mevis

Abstract

This paper analyses the evolution of bank profitability from 2005 to 2016, with a focus on the period covering both the global financial crisis and the euro area crisis. To accomplish this, we constructed a dataset that includes financial statement information from 310 euro area banks. Using a dual approach – a ‘bottom-up’ approach as applied by bank analysts and macroeconomists' ‘top-down’ approach, we find that the profitability of euro area banks was hit by two shocks of different nature. The Lehman Brothers collapse affected mostly big banks with diversified portfolios via losses in their securities investment. The subsequent euro area debt crisis and economic recession hit more traditional banks specialising in retail lending activities, mainly through increasing impairment costs. If the first shock had a one-off impact on bank profitability, the second shock is far more long-lasting and is still depressing the profitability of banks in peripheral Europe.

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  • Gong Cheng & Dirk Mevis, 2019. "What happened to profitability? Shocks, challenges and perspectives for euro area banks," The European Journal of Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(1), pages 54-78, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:eurjfi:v:25:y:2019:i:1:p:54-78
    DOI: 10.1080/1351847X.2018.1470994
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    Cited by:

    1. Durguti Esat A., 2020. "Challenges of Banking Profitability in Eurozone Countries: Analysis of Specific and Macroeconomic Factors," Naše gospodarstvo/Our economy, Sciendo, vol. 66(4), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Yildirim, Canan & Kasman, Adnan & Gulamhussen, Mohamed Azzim, 2023. "Efficiency of multinational banks: Impacts of geographic and product loci," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(5).
    3. G. Gospodarchuk G. & Г. Господарчук Г., 2019. "Резервный буфер капитала как инструмент макропруденциальной политики // Reserve Capital buffer as an Instrument of Macroprudential Policy," Финансы: теория и практика/Finance: Theory and Practice // Finance: Theory and Practice, ФГОБУВО Финансовый университет при Правительстве Российской Федерации // Financial University under The Government of Russian Federation, vol. 23(4), pages 43-56.
    4. Muhamed Zulkhibri, 2019. "Macroprudential policy and tools in a dual banking system: Insights from the literature," Borsa Istanbul Review, Research and Business Development Department, Borsa Istanbul, vol. 19(1), pages 65-76, March.

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    More about this item

    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
    • G33 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Bankruptcy; Liquidation
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance

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