Implications of the loan-to-share ratio for the credit union industry
The loan-to-share ratio can be deceiving. It’s calculated by dividing the total amount of outstanding loans by the total amount of share deposits. While this ratio serves as a good indication of a credit unions liquidity, it also shows the level of risk a credit union is willing to take on. Generally speaking, credit unions with a high loan to share ratio are taking on more risk to increase their profits. At the end of Q2 this year, the national loan-to-share ratio reached an all-time high since 2008. On December 31, 2008, it was 83.2% but continued to decline from that point on until it bottomed out in 2013. Since then, the loan-to-share ration has been climbing, and 10 years later it’s finally back up to 82.9% as of June 30, 2018. While things are looking up for the nation as a whole, the loan-to-share ratios actually differ by state, with a few standouts:
Maryland: One of the ways loan-to-share ratios can be deceiving is that high ratios do not necessarily mean that credit union has large loan and share balances. It’s possible for a credit union to have the largest loan-to-share ratio in their region while also having the lowest loan and share balances. The state with the biggest increase in their loan-to-share ratio right now is Maryland. Their loan-to-share ratio has increased 13.6% over the past 3 years, which is more than any other state in that same period.
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