Correspondent Blog

At present, we track 150+ AI agent platforms that households and business can use right now to manage banking products. While the public is currently focused on booking travel, restaurants and events, soon they will be using agents to optimize their banking. These agents can now compare different banking products, to include researching fees, and…

In previous articles (here and here), we discussed how a portfolio of commercial loans with various expected average lives results in different net present value (NPV) of income and return over a ten-year period.  We also identified ten variables that are responsible for extending the average expected life of a commercial loan. As we continue…

“Liberation Day” brought a 10% baseline tax on all imports plus a 15% to 49% tariff rate on a defined set of nations (below). The move shook the markets, threatening to upend much of the architecture of the global economy and fueled broader trade wars. The recent uncertain shifts in trade policies, particularly increased tariffs…

As of last month, 68% of iPhone users were running iOS 18 or higher and 92% of Android users are running their 5.0 iOS or higher. This means that thanks to recent Apple upgrades in their operating system, most phones are now capable of receiving Rich Communication Services (RCS) messages in addition to traditional SMS….

There have been few times in modern memory when small businesses and middle market companies faced so much uncertainty in the market. With recent DOGE government spending cuts, escalating trade tensions, immigration reform, and the implementation of tariffs, U.S. businesses find themselves navigating complex economic waters. This week, for example, is a critical time to…

In a previous article (HERE), we discussed how a portfolio of commercial loans with various expected average lives resulted in different net present value (NPV) of income over a ten-year period.  Our analysis shows that an average community bank can expect $9.7mm NPV of income (about 1% ROA) on a $100mm loan portfolio when the…

With 80+ acquisitions that make up our Bank, we have a strong collection of leaders that we have assimilated. These leaders have risen to the top of their previous organization and proven their value to the market by having a successful sale of their bank thereby quantifying the definitive value creation. They have proven to…

Expected average loan life measures the amount of time that principal is outstanding on a loan.  This average life is driven by many factors, including amortization period, economic circumstances, nature of the loan and the expectations of the borrower, and most importantly, by contractual term and prepayment provisions.  The biggest surprise for many lenders is…

The “5S Framework”  is a methodology for solving banking problems that banks can apply to determine the best strategic path forward. We outlined the background and the first couple of steps of the framework in Part 1 (Here). In this article, we cover the remaining three “Ss” of “Solve,” “Stress,” and “Sell” while looking at…

We are staunch advocates that banks should avoid risks that they do not get compensated for.  One such risk that banks take without compensation (or revenue) is on-balance sheet, fixed-rate loans.  With the current flat or slightly inverted yield curve, plus the current volatility of the market, borrowers have a pricing advantage to lock in…

Banks face a big set of challenges ahead. To gain a competitive advantage, having an effective and efficient systematic approach that is repeatable and can be part of your bank’s culture would be helpful. In this article, we provide a five-step AI-enabled process that will help your bank with solving strategic challenges. 5S Framework Overview…

By 1985, the banking industry had radically changed. Consolidation among financial institutions started to occur at a pace never seen before, a pace that continues to this day. Understanding the drivers of banking consolidation is imperative when managing bank performance. In this article, we break down the lessons from this long-term trend. In 1985, there…