The banking industry has faced a tumultuous start to 2024, with the latest quarterly performance report from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) painting a complex picture of the sector’s resilience and emerging challenges.
While the industry has demonstrated its ability to bounce back from recent setbacks, the report also underscores the significant downside risks that lie ahead, stemming from persistent inflationary pressures, volatile interest rates, and concerning trends in certain loan portfolios.
The FDIC’s first quarter 2024 report reveals that the banking industry’s net income rebounded by an impressive 79.5% from the previous quarter, reaching $64.2 billion.
Read: Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz Backs Effort To Eradicate The Federal Reserve Banking System
This surge was largely driven by a decline in non-recurring expenses, such as the FDIC special assessment and goodwill writedowns, as well as stronger noninterest income and lower provision expenses.
However, the industry’s net interest margin declined by 10 basis points to 3.17%, falling below the pre-pandemic average of 3.25%, as funding costs increased and earning asset yields declined.
While the overall industry experienced a significant uptick in net income, community banks also reported a 6.1% quarterly increase, reaching $6.3 billion. This performance was buoyed by improved results from the sale of securities and lower noninterest and provision expenses.
The industry’s net interest margin compression was a widespread phenomenon, with all asset-size groups reporting a quarter-over-quarter decline. The community bank net interest margin also fell by 12 basis points to 3.23%, remaining below its pre-pandemic average. This trend reflects the continued pressure on both deposit costs and loan yields, as the competitive landscape and macroeconomic conditions continue to weigh on the industry’s profitability.
While the industry’s overall asset quality metrics remained generally favorable, the FDIC report highlights concerning developments in specific loan portfolios, particularly commercial real estate (CRE) and credit cards.
The noncurrent rate for non-owner-occupied CRE loans, driven by the office loan segment at the largest banks, reached its highest level since the fourth quarter of 2013. This trend is also evident in the next tier of banks, with those holding between $10 billion and $250 billion in assets also showing signs of stress in their non-owner-occupied CRE loan portfolios. Weak demand for office space and the impact of higher interest rates on property values and refinancing ability are contributing to this deterioration.
The industry’s quarterly net charge-off rate remained at 0.65%, the same as the previous quarter, but 24 basis points higher than the prior year’s rate. This increase was primarily driven by write-downs on credit card loans, with the credit card net charge-off rate reaching its highest level since the third quarter of 2011.
The report also indicates that noncurrent loan balances grew at a faster pace than the allowance for credit losses, resulting in a decline in the reserve coverage ratio from 203.3% in the fourth quarter to 192.8% in the first quarter. While this coverage ratio remains much higher than the pre-pandemic average, the trend suggests that banks may need to allocate more resources to address emerging asset quality concerns.
The FDIC’s report highlights several notable trends in the banking industry’s deposit composition and funding sources.
Deposit Growth and Shift Towards Interest-Bearing Accounts
Domestic deposits increased for the second consecutive quarter, driven by growth in transaction accounts. However, the industry continued to see a shift away from noninterest-bearing deposits towards interest-bearing deposits, which grew by 1.7% quarter-over-quarter. This shift reflects the impact of rising interest rates on deposit pricing and customer preferences.
Rise in Uninsured Deposits
Estimated uninsured deposits increased by $63 billion in the first quarter, representing the first reported increase since the fourth quarter of 2021. This development may signal a growing appetite for risk among some depositors or a potential shift in the industry’s funding mix.
Decline in Brokered Deposits
After seven consecutive quarters of increases, brokered deposits declined by 0.8% from the prior quarter, suggesting that banks may be seeking to diversify their funding sources or reduce their reliance on this type of deposit.
The FDIC report underscores the heightened level of supervisory attention and regulatory scrutiny that the banking industry is likely to face in the coming year.
The number of banks on the FDIC’s “Problem Bank List” increased from 52 in the fourth quarter of 2023 to 63 in the first quarter of 2024, with total assets held by these institutions rising by $15.8 billion to $82.1 billion. While this level of problem banks remains within the normal range for non-crisis periods, it signals the need for continued vigilance and proactive risk management.
The FDIC’s Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) balance increased by $3.5 billion to $125.3 billion in the first quarter, with the reserve ratio rising by 2 basis points to 1.17%. However, the FDIC is required by statute to recover the $19.2 billion in losses attributed to the protection of uninsured depositors following the March 2023 failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank through a special assessment. This process will likely place additional financial pressure on the industry.
The FDIC’s report paints a complex picture of the banking industry, with both resilience and emerging vulnerabilities. As the sector navigates the challenging macroeconomic and geopolitical landscape, several key issues will require close attention and proactive management.
The continued impact of inflation, particularly on funding costs and asset yields, will continue to test the industry’s ability to maintain healthy net interest margins and profitability.
The Federal Reserve’s ongoing efforts to combat inflation through interest rate hikes have already resulted in significant unrealized losses on banks’ securities portfolios. Managing this interest rate risk will be a critical priority for the industry.
The deterioration in CRE and credit card loan quality, if left unaddressed, could lead to further asset quality issues and increased provisioning requirements, potentially weighing on earnings and capital levels.
The shift in deposit composition, including the rise in uninsured deposits, and the potential for increased regulatory scrutiny may necessitate a re-evaluation of banks’ funding strategies and liquidity management practices.
The growth in the number of problem banks and the FDIC’s focus on these institutions, along with the impending special assessment to recover losses from the 2023 bank failures, will likely result in heightened regulatory oversight and compliance demands.
Help support the Tampa Free Press by making any small donation by clicking here.
Android Users, Click To Download The Tampa Free Press App And Never Miss A Story. Follow Us On Facebook and Twitter. Sign up for our free newsletter.