The banking industry has faced a challenging year, as highlighted in a recent report by S&P Global Market Intelligence.
According to the report, total deposits in U.S. banks have experienced a significant decline. As of June 30, total deposits fell by 4.8%, amounting to a decrease of $872 billion, bringing the total to $17.27 trillion. This drop marks the first decline since data tracking began in 1994.
Among the top 15 deposit holders, Charles Schwab stood out with the largest year-over-year decrease in deposits. The company reported a decline of 31.1%, bringing their deposits to $304.79 billion. S&P Global attributes this decrease mainly to outflows from brokerage accounts.
This report emphasizes the substantial changes that banks have faced in the business landscape over the past year. The Federal Reserve has taken swift action to combat record-setting inflation by raising interest rates. As a result, more Americans have opted to move their money from low-paying bank accounts to higher-yielding alternatives, such as money market funds.
For Schwab, this shift has presented a notable challenge. While the company is renowned for its brokerage platform, it also operates a sizable bank that sweeps customers’ uninvested cash into low-paying bank accounts. As the data demonstrates, customers have been withdrawing their deposits in favor of investing in money market funds, often on Schwab’s platform. This process, known as cash sorting, has put pressure on Schwab’s earnings. When outflows exceed available cash, the company has had to rely on costly solutions like loans from the Federal Home Loan Banks system.
In conclusion, the banking industry has faced considerable obstacles as deposit levels have declined. This trend has been driven by rising interest rates and customers seeking higher returns on their investments. As banks navigate this evolving landscape, they must adapt and find solutions to maintain their financial stability.
Schwab’s Stock Performance and the Regional Bank Crisis
Schwab’s stock experienced a significant decline during the regional bank crisis in March, causing concern among investors. This year, the stock has remained down by approximately 33%. However, executives have expressed that the situation is improving, as cash sorting issues are gradually reducing. Schwab encourages its clients to consider allocating their long-term cash balances toward investments that yield higher interest returns.
Impact on Smaller Lenders
While Schwab appears to have weathered the storm, three smaller lenders were not as fortunate. First Republic Bank, Silicon Valley Bank, and Signature Bank collapsed earlier in the year, facing challenges related to the crisis.
Declines in Deposit Balances among Large U.S. Banks
The majority of large U.S. banks experienced declines in their deposit balances compared to the previous year. Notably, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and Citigroup accounted for almost 30% of the industrywide decline, according to S&P Global data.
JPMorgan’s purchase of First Republic on May 1 did not prevent a 2.8% decline in its total deposits, which amounted to $2.07 trillion as of June 30. Despite this drop, JPMorgan remains the largest deposit holder in the country for the third consecutive year. Its market share increased by 24 basis points year over year to 11.98%.
Bank of America, previously the largest U.S. bank by total deposits in 2020, experienced a slight decrease in its market share. S&P Global reported a 3 basis point fall to 10.93% for Bank of America. Additionally, their deposits declined by 5% to $1.888 trillion over the past year through June 30.
Shifting Landscape for Banking Industry
Apart from the impact on deposit balances, the banking industry is also witnessing a reduction in its brick-and-mortar presence. S&P Global data shows a decrease in the number of bank branches, with 77,796 reported as of the most recent count, a decline from 79,172 the previous year. This figure represents a substantial decrease from the 2013 count of 96,339 branches.
