Deposits at U.S. banks grew swiftly after COVID arrived here in the states. In fact, domestic deposits increased by 37.5% during calendar 2020 and 2021 and finally peaked on March 31, 2022 at $18.426 trillion. One would think (at least…
Problematic CUs at Highest Level Since 2014
Federally-Insured Credit Unions rated 2-Stars or below, and therefore relegated to Bauer’s Troubled and Problematic Credit Union Report (T&P), are climbing, slowly but surely. Currently at 150 (out of 4,853), that may not seem like a lot. But, it has…
U.S. Consumers May be Nearing a Tipping Point
Coral Gables, Florida, September 21, 2022: BauerFinancial, Inc., the nation’s premier Bank and Credit Union rating firm, sheds light on the fact that early-stage consumer delinquencies are beginning to head up. While the more severe delinquent loans are holding at…
All New Credit Union Star-Ratings this Week
Loans at our nation’s federally-insured credit unions grew by $194 billion (or 16.2%) over the 12 month period ending June 30, 2022. That marks the largest increase in at least 20 years. Provisions for potential losses on those were bolstered…
Bank Assets Decline for 1st Time in 7 Years
In spite of increases in loan balances, both from first quarter and from a year ago, total assets at the nation’s banks declined in the second quarter 2022. (Source: FDIC Quarterly Banking Profile (QBP).) This marks the first quarterly drop…
How Are Americans Coping With Inflation?
About a month ago, the Wall Street Journal ran a story entitled: “Dollar-Store Dinners and Vats of Shampoo Help Families Cope With Inflation” (by Rachel Wolfe August 1, 2022). The basic gist of the story is that many families can…
All New Bank Star-Ratings this Week
All bank star-ratings have now been updated in Jumbo Rate News and on our website. As a result, a number of banks changed categories in the newsletter and, more importantly, several banks have been dropped from our rate pages based…
BOLO: Cracks in CRE Lending
As our analysts scour newly released second quarter bank data, they will have a keen eye out for signs of stress (as always). One thing in particular that Bauer is carefully watching right now is Commercial Real Estate (CRE). Shopping…
What do Ford, GM and Rakuten have in Common?
Last month, Ford Credit Bank, Salt Lake City, UT submitted an application for deposit insurance to the FDIC with the intention of opening a new Industrial Loan Company (ILC) in Utah. This is not the first time Ford has sought…
Rough Road for Farmers & Their Banks
Covid notwithstanding, the last 18 months seem to have been particularly challenging for our nation’s farmers and ranchers. In that year and a half, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has issued six different proclamations allowing banks…