Correspondent Blog

Community banks are striving to increase loan yield and maintain their cost of funding (COF).  Unfortunately, pressure on COF is expected to remain, and loans will reprice slower than expected as borrowers with below-market rates will wait until the last maturity day to refinance their credits.  We have created and used a novel structure to…

On September 20, 2023, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) left its benchmark rate unchanged, but it would be a mistake to conclude that the committee did not send a strong message about the projected path of future interest rates.  The FOMC revised its view on future projected interest rates – rates will be “higher…

Bankers need to consider the term structure of rates, also known as the yield curve shape, when structuring and pricing commercial loans to maximize return and reduce risk.  Many bankers and borrowers are convinced that a recession is imminent, but the current term structure of rates does not necessarily establish this conclusion.  The yield curve’s…

On our loan hedging desk, we work with hundreds of banks ranging in size from just over $100mm in assets to some national banks with over $1T in assets. Combined with our relationship profitability model, Loan Command, we see the pricing of thousands of commercial loans per month as small as $30k and as large…

The yield curve is currently inverted, and the FOMC may take a pause at its next meeting in June.  Uncertainty about the evolution of the economy and the path of future interest rates and the unusual inverted yield curve shape affords a prime opportunity for bankers to provide sound, trusted advice to clients.  This is…

In a previous article, we discussed the three generic shapes of the yield curve:  normal, inverted, and flat. We also pointed out that the current inverted yield curve is unusual and is expected to last for the near term.  The average community bank’s cost of funding is highly correlated to Fed Funds and SOFR (for…

After last week’s FOMC rate increase of 25 basis points, the yield curve is more inverted than at any time in the previous 30 years. The current yield curve presents various challenges for community bankers for revenue generation and risk management. In this article, we will outline the significance of the yield curve shape and…

In a previous article (here), we discussed why commercial loan prepayment protection would be a critical return on asset (ROA) driver for community banks in 2023. We outlined the four main reasons why prepayment provisions increase profitability for banks. We also discussed the four standard prepayment provisions for commercial loans (step-down, lock-out, defeasance, and symmetrical…

A common strategy for community banks, when faced with a borrower that wants a 10-year fixed rate loan, is to offer a five-year fixed rate that adjusts in five years. Historically, this has worked for some customers and banks because, over the last 40 years, five-year rates have generally fallen.  As interest rates fall, a…

Banks have ceased using LIBOR to price assets and liabilities after 2021. However, some community banks are still deciding on the correct term lending index to adopt. Many banks are uncertain that they have chosen the best term index for their products and markets. We believe that having more options for community banks is beneficial….

Community banks refine their products and services to compete for better borrowing relationships – the better borrowing relationships are associated with better credit quality, meaningful cross-sell opportunities, acceptable margins and fee income, and higher return on equity (ROE).  Unfortunately, current market dynamics are making it hard for community banks to outcompete for these better borrowing…

Community banks have structured fixed-rate loans for many years with an adjustable repricing feature where a loan is fixed for a number of years and then resets based on a stated spread and an index. However, adjustable term loans have several drawbacks for banks, especially in a rising interest rate environment.  One of the most…