Correspondent Blog

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…

In a competitive market for commercial clients, each loan feature can be valuable to a community bank. One such loan feature is a prepayment provision on fixed-rate loans.  Some community banks offer fixed-rate loans through a hedging program and utilize a symmetrical prepayment provision, others community banks will market their fixed rate loans based on…

In the 4th quarter of 2024, commercial loan pricing has materially changed. The new administration with its lighter regulatory stance, the potential for tax relief and threat of higher inflationary has generated new optimism for credit, and new risk of higher rates. In this article, we quantify commercial loan pricing trends from our Loan Command…

A credit tenant loan (CTL) is typically structured as a loan secured by the real estate pledged as collateral, with or without personal borrower guarantees, and, most importantly, the obligation of a credit-rated tenant of that real estate to pay rent.  These loans have both bond and loan qualities.  They are like a bond in…

For a Boxing Day promotion, we are giving away 60 days of free usage for up to five bankers at each community bank for our Loan Command application. The objective is to allow you to see the latest profitability of your loans and deposits, on a forward looking basis. In addition, you can check out…

How does a commercial loan’s maturity and amortization impact credit? Many credit officers would prefer to set shorter maturities for loan repayment terms.  The logic is that it is better for the bank to control the credit with a hard stop and revisit credit appetite at shorter intervals.  If credit conditions are appropriate, the bank…

It is rare that banking lends itself to a logic test, but we have been trying this loan risk and return riddle on hundreds of bankers across the country for years, and only a few bankers choose the correct answer.  The riddle goes like this: You are presented with two loans. Loan A is priced…

The biggest surprise for bank managers using risk-adjusted return on capital (RAROC) loan pricing models is the low return on equity (ROE) on smaller, shorter, and lower-credit quality commercial loans.  Those ROEs tend to subtract substantial value from the bank and show negative returns – sometimes in the negative double digits.  However, one aspect that…

Optionality is defined as a state in which choice or discretion is allowed. In finance, optionality is an asset (has value) for the person who can exercise the option, while the person who gave the option has the liability.  Selling options for above their value can be a profitable business for banks and brokers, but…

Most borrowers are implicitly expressing a view that interest rates will be lower in the future than the current market expectation. This view is reflected by a sharp decrease in the average contractual loan commitment term at community banks and an increase in floating vs. fixed rate structures. Borrowers are choosing short-term financing in anticipation…

In last week’s article (here), we discussed why category and geographic diversification may be unfeasible for many community banks.  We concluded that after a community bank sets limits on loan categories, the added benefit of geographic or loan category diversification is nullified.  We discussed three main reasons why community bank diversification by geography and loan…

We estimate that the average contractual loan commitment for term credit at community banks has decreased from just under five years in 2022 to just under three years currently. The primary reason for this shift is not a change in borrowers’ business models or banks’ preference for repricing term loans, but rather, borrowers’ decision to…