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Does Scale Matter in Community Bank Performance? Evidence Obtained by Applying Several New Measures of Performance

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  • Joseph P. Hughes

    (Rutgers University)

  • Julapa Jagtiani

    (Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia)

  • Loretta J. Mester

    (Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland)

  • Choon-Geol Moon

    (Hanyang University)

Abstract

We consider how size matters for banks in three size groups: small community banks with assets less than $1 billion, large community banks with assets between $1 billion and $10 billion, and midsize banks with assets between $10 billion and $50 billion. To illustrate the differences between these banks and larger banks whose business models are distinctly different, we examine large banks with assets between $50 billion and $250 billion and the largest banks with assets exceeding $250 billion. Community banks have potential advantages in relationship lending compared with large banks. However, increases in regulatory compliance and technological burdens may have disproportionately increased community banks’ costs, raising concerns about small businesses’ access to credit. Our evidence suggests several patterns: (1) while small community banks exhibit relatively more valuable investment opportunities, larger community banks, midsize banks, and larger banks exploit theirs more efficiently and achieve better financial performance; (2) average operating costs that include costs related to regulatory compliance and technology decrease with size; (3) unlike small community banks, large community banks have financial incentives to increase lending to small businesses; and (4) for business lending and commercial real estate lending, compared with small community banks, large community banks, midsize banks, and larger banks assume higher inherent credit risk and exhibit more efficient lending. Thus, concern that small business lending would be adversely affected if small community banks find it beneficial to increase their scale is not supported by our results.

Suggested Citation

  • Joseph P. Hughes & Julapa Jagtiani & Loretta J. Mester & Choon-Geol Moon, 2019. "Does Scale Matter in Community Bank Performance? Evidence Obtained by Applying Several New Measures of Performance," Departmental Working Papers 201901, Rutgers University, Department of Economics.
  • Handle: RePEc:rut:rutres:201901
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    Cited by:

    1. Kilian Huber, 2021. "Are Bigger Banks Better? Firm-Level Evidence from Germany," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 129(7), pages 2023-2066.
    2. Schreiber, Ben Z., 2024. "The impact of revenue diversification on profitability, capital, and risk in US banks by size," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(PA).
    3. Cao, Qiang & Zhu, Tingting & Yu, Wenmei, 2024. "ESG investment and bank efficiency: Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    4. Evgeny V. Balatsky, Natalia A. Ekimova, 2024. "Identification of Economies of Scale in Regional-Industrial Production Complexes of Russia: Theoretical Foundations and Econometric Estimates," Journal of Applied Economic Research, Graduate School of Economics and Management, Ural Federal University, vol. 23(2), pages 394-421.
    5. Joseph P. Hughes & Loretta J. Mester, 2018. "The Performance of Financial Institutions: Modeling, Evidence, and Some Policy Implications," Departmental Working Papers 201805, Rutgers University, Department of Economics.
    6. Joseph P. Hughes & Julapa Jagtiani & Choon-Geol Moon, 2022. "Consumer lending efficiency: commercial banks versus a fintech lender," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 8(1), pages 1-39, December.
    7. Felix Bracht & Jeroen Mahieu & Steven Vanhaverbeke, 2022. "The signaling value of legal form in debt financing," POID Working Papers 052, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    8. Huber, Kilian Maria, 2020. "Are bigger banks better? Firm-level evidence from Germany," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 121861, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    9. Maik Dehnert, 2020. "Sustaining the current or pursuing the new: incumbent digital transformation strategies in the financial service industry," Business Research, Springer;German Academic Association for Business Research, vol. 13(3), pages 1071-1113, November.
    10. Beccalli, Elena & Rossi, Ludovico & Viola, Andrea, 2023. "Network vs integrated organizational structure of cooperative banks: Evidence on the Italian reform," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    11. Bracht, Felix & Mahieu, Jeroen & Vanhaverbeke, Steven, 2023. "The signaling value of legal form in debt financing," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 121335, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    12. Marc Blatter & Andreas Fuster, 2022. "Scale effects on efficiency and profitability in the Swiss banking sector," Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics, Springer;Swiss Society of Economics and Statistics, vol. 158(1), pages 1-24, December.
    13. Felix Bracht & Jeroen Mahieu & Steven Vanhaverbeke, 2023. "The signaling value of legal form in debt financing," CEP Discussion Papers dp1914, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    14. Alex Fayman & Su‐Jane Chen & Timothy Mayes, 2022. "Community banks versus non‐community banks: Post the Great Recession," Economic Notes, Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA, vol. 51(2), July.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    community banking; scale; financial performance; small business lending;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance

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