A Comparative Analysis of Financial Performance
A Comparative Analysis of Financial Performance
A Comparative Analysis of Financial Performance
Abstract
Investment banks play an important role as intermediaries in the primary
capital markets in our country. The investment banks performances’ have a
significant impact on economical and capital market development. This
study presents a comparison of financial performance of 9 leading
investment banks for the period 2011-2014 by using some financial ratios
and measures of investment banks working in Bangladesh. For analyzing the
financial performance we have used ratio analysis (ROA, ROE, ROCE,
Institutional Size/ Total Assets and Total Equity etc.). This work concludes
that the performance of investment banks on the basis of efficiency ratio is
different than on the basis of liquidity ratio, capital or leverage ratio and
financial measures. The paper recommends that the bank should give
emphasis on source of funding, interest expenses, margin loan, and interest
income and also need to build a strong image to leave a mark in the
international market. In the coming years investment banking have reason to
believe, they will be promoted with government and market support to
compete internationally.
Key words: Investment bank, Intermediary, Liquidity, Profitability, ROA, ROE, ROCE
Introduction
A financial system is of vital in nature for the economic development as it
provides relieve in funds mobilization. Today’s volatile economic environment
requires efficient financial system for specialism in production, to retain investors’
friendly relationship and competitive market to assist economic transaction. A stable
and efficient financial system represents efficient allocation of resources and the
foundation of rising of financial performance of an organization which leads to
enhance actions and functions of the organization. Investment banks, as a component
of financial system, serve as stakeholder in the economy and work for development
of the economy of a country. Investment banks provide a backup to all capital market
in the economy through trading in shares, investment holdings, and investment
banking activities. They also support the credit market in the country through short
term and medium term loans. For the enhancement of financial performance three
principal factors can be argued; its asset management (AM), institution size (IS), and
operating efficiency (OE) (Tarawneh, 2006).
Methodology
Quantitative research method is used to bring the best result of the subject.
Initially the financial data of Investment banks will use as secondary data which is
later calculated with the help of Microsoft Excel. Finally a comparative study of the
performance of different companies, along with the performance of an individual
company over the years is done.
a) Sample Size & Sources of data : The data consists of 9 full-fledged
Investment banks listed in Dhaka Stock Exchange for the period from 2011 to 2014.
In order to make the report more meaningful and presentable, Information has been
collected from various secondary sources including (1) Annual report of different
investment banks for the period 2011to 2014, (2) Prospectus issued during 2012,
2013 and 2014, (3) Press release from DSE during 2011to 2014, (4) Unpublished
data from the organization, (4) Different publications, magazines, brochures,
journals, newspapers, Website.
b) Performance Measurement Indicators : For evaluating the financial
performance, we have used the following ratio analysis:
I. Efficiency / Profitability ratios: Return on owners’ equity (ROE), Return
on Assets (ROA), Admin Expenses to Profit before Tax Ratio, Earnings
per Share (EPS), and Return on Capital Employed (ROCE).
II. Liquidity Ratio: Current Ratio
III. Capital / Leverage ratio: Capital Ratio
IV. Financial Measure: Institution Size : Total Assets, Total Owners’ Equity
Literature Review
Generally, the combination of financial ratios, measuring performance against
budget, benchmarking or mix of pre-discussed methodologies have been used to
measure the financial performance of investment banks and other financial
institutions (Avkiran, 1995). A Published financial statement contains many ratios
which give the indication about the performance of Investment banks. Financial
ratios and measures like return on shareholders’ equity (ROE), return on assets
(ROA), institution size or total assets, total shareholders’ equity, earnings per share
(EPS), current ratio, capital ratio, return on capital employed (ROCE), and
administration expenses to profit before tax ratio have been used to classify the
investment banks which are working in Pakistan in the period of 2006-2009 (Ali
Reza, 2011). Many previous studies related to evaluation of company’s performance
have been focusing the operational effectiveness and efficiency which might
influence the company’s survival directly.
The empirically results of (Tarawneh, 2006) study showed that a company which
have better efficiency, it does not mean that always it will show the better
effectiveness. All financial measures of performance as return on assets (ROA),
capital adequacy (CA) and interest margins (IM) are calculated positively with scores
of customer service quality(Elizabeth.D, 2004). A study by (Alsamaree, 2013) puts
204 Islam et al.
sheds light on the performance of investment banks in particular during the critical
period from 2007 to 2010, and the reason that the banks in Kuwait has been able to
largely overcome the crisis and draws attention to the National Bank of Kuwait was
able to distribute profits at that stage.
The study is to analyze and compare the performance of Saudi banks that listed
in stocks market for the period 2007-2011. The study is an evaluator in nature,
drawing sources of information from secondary data. The financial performance of
banks is studied on the basis of financial ratios and variables. Financial performance
was measured by two approaches; trend analysis and inter-firm analysis. It was found
that increasing of assets, operating expenses, and cost to income causes a decrease in
Saudi bank’s profitability, while increasing of operating income causes an increase in
the profitability of Saudi Banks. Analyses show that all the variables of study have a
positive mean value and all banks are generating income. Saudi joint venture banks
proved to be more proficient in generating profits, absorbing loan losses and
dominating in ROE, while, Saudi established banks have more capacity of absorbing
asset losses and dominating in ROA (Almumani, 2014).
In addition to the heavy concentration on the US, DEA has fast become a
popular method in assessing financial institutions’ efficiency among banking
researchers in other nations. (Fukuyama.H, 1995), was among the early researchers,
particularly among countries in Asia, to employ DEA to investigate banking
efficiency. Employing labor, capital, and funds from customers as inputs and revenue
from loans and revenue from other business activities as outputs, (Fukuyama.H,
1995) considered the efficiency of 143 Japanese banks in 1990. He found the pure
technical efficiency to average around 86% and scale efficiency around 98%
implying that the major source of overall technical inefficiency is pure technical
inefficiency. The scale inefficiency is found to be mainly due to increasing returns to
scale. He also found that banks of different organizational status perform differently
with respect to all efficiency measures (overall, scale, pure technical). Scale
efficiency is found to be positively but weakly associated with bank size.
Furthermore, financial systems may mitigate liquidity risk, the risk of
inconvertibility of assets into a liquid medium of exchange. By pooling different
illiquid assets, securitization can reduce liquidity risk. But the market making
performed by investment banks in the trade of various assets should also reduce
liquidity risk. In general, information asymmetries and transaction costs can be
lowered by the existence of financial intermediaries. Banks transform liquid short-
term deposits and long-term illiquid investments (Diamond, 1983). In this study the
financial comparison is based on return on equity (ROE), return on asset (ROA),
institution size (IS) and many other activities to determine the financial performance
of investment banks in Bangladesh.
Analysis
For analysis the financial performance of investment banking sector in this study
we have used time series data analysis of various financial ratios (such as ROA,
ROE, ROCE, Interest Coverage Ratio, Current Ratio, Capital Ratio) and measures.
Here the result of this analysis:
A Comparative Analysis of Financial Performance of Investment Banks in Bangladesh 205
Banks/ Year 2011 (%) 2012 (%) 2013 (%) 2014 (%) Average (%)
LBIL 1.47 0.29 0.33 -6.67 -1.15
IDLC 1.25 0.86 -5.57 2.08 -0.34
ICB N/A 3.93 2.79 1.27 2.66
BRACEPL -0.93 2.76 3.88 -4.64 0.27
MTB -1.09 0.79 4.23 21.17 6.28
PFCML 7.46 4.05 4.02 2.01 4.38
UCIL 0.32 4.49 7.05 0.44 3.08
PBIL 0.78 2.20 1.81 -2.55 0.56
EBL 3.71 5.04 4.60 7.57 5.23
Average 1.62 2.71 2.57 2.30 2.33
Source: Annual report of investment banks (2011-2014)
Table 1 contains the data regarding return on assets for the period of 2011 to
2014 and average of four years. This ratio reveals the earning capacity of profit by an
investment bank on its total assets which are employed in the business. The result has
increasing trend from 2011 to 2014 which indicates good earning capacity of
investment banks.
Banks/Year 2011(%) 2012 (%) 2013 (%) 2014 (%) Average (%)
LBIL 10.19 1.79 0.94 -24.30 -2.84
IDLC 13.42 8.56 -73.56 3.95 -11.91
ICB N/A 11.73 9.74 4.70 8.72
BRACEPL -4.29 10.90 13.52 -12.72 1.85
MTB -2.00 1.13 5.59 12.22 4.23
PFCML 15.35 9.16 9.20 4.53 9.56
UCIL 0.32 4.81 17.56 7.79 7.62
PBIL 1.86 5.65 4.34 -6.06 1.45
EBL 3.84 5.18 4.99 8.30 5.58
Average 4.84 6.55 -0.85 -0.18 2.70
Source: Annual report of investment banks (2011-2014).
Table 2 contains the data regarding return on owners’ equity for the period of
2011 to 2014 and average of four years. This ratio is used as a measure of returns to
owners of the investment banks directly and can be calculated as a percentage of
after tax profit to total owners’ equity. It is more clear in the table-2 that PFCML is at
the top as it has the highest positive average ROE ratio(9.56), whereas IDLC has the
highest negative average ratio (-11.92%).
206 Islam et al.
Banks/Year 2011 (%) 2012 (%) 2013 (%) 2014 (%) Average (%)
LBIL 2.19 0.62 1.23 -23.24 -4.80
IDLC 21.31 16.97 -16.62 4.20 6.46
ICB N/A 15.10 12.43 37.90 21.81
BRACEPL 0.29 12.15 21.27 -20.49 3.30
MTB -1.11 1.11 7.51 46.71 13.55
PFCML 24.45 13.27 11.99 4.67 13.60
UCIL 0.52 7.69 20.86 1.88 7.74
PBIL 22.30 14.02 5.22 -5.81 8.93
EBL 7.19 7.29 8.31 11.62 8.60
Average 9.64 9.80 8.02 6.38 8.80
the highest positive growth rate (110.07%) in 2014 comparing with year 2011,
whereas ICB has the highest negative growth rate in 2014 (-1.12%).
equity in the total assets of investment banks. According to table 08, all the
investment banks have the positive capital ratio. EBL Investments bank has the
highest average capital ratio (94.35%) from other investment banks, whereas only
IDLC has lowest capital ratio which is (19.89%).
Discussion
Investment banking services strengthen the economic development of a country
as they acts as sources of funds and information for corporations. In Bangladesh
investment banks are gradually developing its operation in corporate world. The
result shows that the financial performance of investment banks is not satisfactory.
On the other hand, since there are many operating activities in words but they
actually play a very insignificant contribution to the market.
On the basis of ROA the financial performance of investment banks is increasing
gradually in a good percentage. On the other hand on the basis of ROE and ROCE,
the performance is decreasing in a good percentage
On an average the liquidity position is good for all investment banks. The current
ratio is increasing trend. In our country investment banks have good EPS and interest
coverage ratio. Both performances are increasing from 2011 to 2014.
An important finding of this report is the percentage of margin loan of
investment banks. Our investment banks offer huge amount of margin loan to its
clients, which create a liability for the banks as well as for the economy. The main
reason of the downward performance of investment banks is to provide huge amount
of margin loan to its clients. Another reason of lower performance is capital market
crash. Investment banks are mainly depends on capital market. So if they were
focused their other operation the performance will not be like that. It also found that
the privately owned investment banks are performing well. In our country most of
the leading investment banks are subsidiary company.
In our country investment banks is mainly focus portfolio operation as their main
business and their main income source is portfolio management fees, where there is a
good prospect of business in IPO issue, underwriting, corporate advisory and merger
& acquisition. Since there are 46 listed investment banks in our country, there are
few banks which lead the market and operate the investment banking activities.
Another important finding is that most of the investment banks provide huge amount
of margin loan to its client above its capacity which causes liability during the years.
Conclusion
This paper attempts to investigate the efficiency of investment banks in
Bangladesh from 2011 to 2014 by applying various performance measurement tools
and techniques. We have used various ratio analyses for measuring the financial
performance of investment banks in Bangladesh. Finally we have given rank to the
selected investment banks on their performance on the basis of ratio analysis. This
paper shows that the financial performance of investment banks in Bangladesh is
deteriorating day by day. The main reasons for this devastating performance is the
large amount of margin loan that was given to the client which has interest expenses
and the bearish performance of capital market from 2010 to now.
In spite of distinct problems, investment banking in Bangladesh has vast scope to
develop because of lot of domestic as well as foreign businesses booming here.
Bangladesh economy provides an amicable environment for these firms to set up,
212 Islam et al.
flourish and expand here. Companies need to build a strong image and some are still
at initial stages to leave a mark in the international market. In the coming year’s
investment banking have reason to believe, they will be promoted with government
and market support to compete international. Due to the unavailability of data of
other banks, the results are compiled from the data of nine banks. This study also
equips the managers with important information about different activities of banks
which have a high impact on the financial performance of investment banks.
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A Comparative Analysis of Financial Performance of Investment Banks in Bangladesh 213
Abbreviations