Banking network

This paper seeks to investigate the determinants of banking network profitability in Iran from 2007 to 2012. The results of our study indicate that both bank-specific factors and macroeconomic factors influence banks’ profitability in Iran. Results confirm that bank profitability is significantly influenced by investment to total assets ratio, non-performing loans to total assets ratio, and time deposit to total assets ratio. Among external factors, it turns out that economic growth rate has a significant positive impact on bank profitability. JEL Classifications: C23, G21, M20

The evidence of the recent years in the banking network of Iran indicates the increasing trend of nonperforming loans each year; thus, the main objective of the current study is to examine the impact of bank specific factors, esp. capital adequacy ratio on the NPLs. Six years dynamic panel data (2007-2012) of 19 banks are applied to scrutinize the relationship between capital adequacy ratio as well as other determinants and the NPLs. Applying correlation and regression analysis shows that the research model which has been utilized is of decent statistical qualification. Results emphasize that banks should control and amend their credit advancement policy with respect to factors influencing the NPLs to have lower non-performing loan ratio and should take into account their risk weighted assets and riskiness of their loan portfolio before they commence lending. In advance of lending to high risky projects and to low quality borrowers, banks should pay attention to the interests of both stakeholders and banks as well as they should consider the riskiness level of their loan portfolio to provide the accurate information relating to their performance because of the probability of high risk project failure which might evidently lead to the growth in NPLs. JEL Classification: C21, G23, G32

As a mechanism to enhance financial system stability and a process that allows banks to change their role from traditional lenders to originators and distributors of loans, securitization reduces the dependence on customer deposits. Also, it expands lending capacity, manages banks credit risk, and transforms illiquid assets into saleable securities. In this research, GMM method in three formats is used for the 16 selected Iranian banks. Results show that real sector growth positively and significantly increase financial stability in the Iranian economy. This is because of the economic scale augmentation and its impact on creating new financial resources. Meanwhile, the non-performing loans ratio significantly diminishes banking stability as well as it lowers banks' capacity to generate revenues from intermediary activities. Moreover, return is affected by the inflationary conditions which heightens revenue making and equity factors in banks' balance sheets. In order to generate higher revenues and gain upper profits, banking resources are occasionally withdrawn to enter other financial markets. Loans to deposits ratio, representing the credit risk in banking systems, denotes that higher risk in credit areas exacerbates financial stability due to the higher probability of risk appetite in generating loans to the general public. Also, security size highlights that although it is expected that securitization augments the financial stability in the banking system, other indicators would also be influential on financial stability. In other words, the higher the security size, the bigger its impact on banking stability. Furthermore, Lending capacity augments as a result of risk management and transforming illiquid assets into saleable securities.