Profitability of Saudi Commercial Banks: A Comparative Evaluation between Domestic and Foreign Banks using CAMEL Parameters

Recent banking reforms in Saudi Arabia fostered the entry of foreign banks to increase competition and improve the financial stability of the Saudi banking sector. There is, however, no comprehensive econometric study which has analysed the profitability of domestic and foreign banks on a standalon...

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Main Authors: Abdulazeez Y.H. Saif-Alyousfi, Asish Saha, Rohani Md-Rus
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: EconJournals 2017-04-01
Series:International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues
Online Access:http://mail.econjournals.com/index.php/ijefi/article/view/4165
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author Abdulazeez Y.H. Saif-Alyousfi
Asish Saha
Rohani Md-Rus
author_facet Abdulazeez Y.H. Saif-Alyousfi
Asish Saha
Rohani Md-Rus
author_sort Abdulazeez Y.H. Saif-Alyousfi
collection DOAJ
description Recent banking reforms in Saudi Arabia fostered the entry of foreign banks to increase competition and improve the financial stability of the Saudi banking sector. There is, however, no comprehensive econometric study which has analysed the profitability of domestic and foreign banks on a standalone and comparative basis. Present paper fills in this gap and assesses the profitability of Saudi banks using the parameters of the CAMEL framework over the period 2000-2014 using pooled OLS and fixed effect model. Our results indicate that domestic banks are more profitable than foreign banks. We also find that both foreign and domestic banks with higher capital are more profitable. Banks with a higher non-performing loan are less profitable: foreign banks carry more credit risk in their portfolio. In contrast to domestic banks, operating expenses to total income for foreign banks is significant but negatively related to profitability, indicating that cost management inefficiency adversely affect the profitability of this group. Our results also indicate that banks with larger size are less profitable. We also find that steep rise in lending activities lead to increase in the profitability of domestic banks but has adversely affected the profitability of foreign banks in the country. The findings of the study have many policy implications. Keywords: Profitability, Foreign banks, Domestic banks, CAMELs model, Saudi Arabia JEL Classifications: G20; G21, G01, G24, C23; L25, E40, O16
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spelling doaj.art-287e669c0e9f45abbaafec44202b4c012023-02-15T16:17:21ZengEconJournalsInternational Journal of Economics and Financial Issues2146-41382017-04-0172Profitability of Saudi Commercial Banks: A Comparative Evaluation between Domestic and Foreign Banks using CAMEL ParametersAbdulazeez Y.H. Saif-Alyousfi0Asish Saha1Rohani Md-Rus2Ph.D. Student School of Economics, Finance and Banking Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) Sintok - 06010; Kedah, Malaysia Tel: +601123604319 e-mail: azizalyousfi@yahoo.comFlame School of Business Flame University Pune-412115 India Tel: +91-20-67906194 Mobile: +91-9158896499School of Economics, Finance and Banking Room No.: 184, Economics Building Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) Sintok - 06010; Kedah, Malaysia Tel: +60-194101666 Recent banking reforms in Saudi Arabia fostered the entry of foreign banks to increase competition and improve the financial stability of the Saudi banking sector. There is, however, no comprehensive econometric study which has analysed the profitability of domestic and foreign banks on a standalone and comparative basis. Present paper fills in this gap and assesses the profitability of Saudi banks using the parameters of the CAMEL framework over the period 2000-2014 using pooled OLS and fixed effect model. Our results indicate that domestic banks are more profitable than foreign banks. We also find that both foreign and domestic banks with higher capital are more profitable. Banks with a higher non-performing loan are less profitable: foreign banks carry more credit risk in their portfolio. In contrast to domestic banks, operating expenses to total income for foreign banks is significant but negatively related to profitability, indicating that cost management inefficiency adversely affect the profitability of this group. Our results also indicate that banks with larger size are less profitable. We also find that steep rise in lending activities lead to increase in the profitability of domestic banks but has adversely affected the profitability of foreign banks in the country. The findings of the study have many policy implications. Keywords: Profitability, Foreign banks, Domestic banks, CAMELs model, Saudi Arabia JEL Classifications: G20; G21, G01, G24, C23; L25, E40, O16 http://mail.econjournals.com/index.php/ijefi/article/view/4165
spellingShingle Abdulazeez Y.H. Saif-Alyousfi
Asish Saha
Rohani Md-Rus
Profitability of Saudi Commercial Banks: A Comparative Evaluation between Domestic and Foreign Banks using CAMEL Parameters
International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues
title Profitability of Saudi Commercial Banks: A Comparative Evaluation between Domestic and Foreign Banks using CAMEL Parameters
title_full Profitability of Saudi Commercial Banks: A Comparative Evaluation between Domestic and Foreign Banks using CAMEL Parameters
title_fullStr Profitability of Saudi Commercial Banks: A Comparative Evaluation between Domestic and Foreign Banks using CAMEL Parameters
title_full_unstemmed Profitability of Saudi Commercial Banks: A Comparative Evaluation between Domestic and Foreign Banks using CAMEL Parameters
title_short Profitability of Saudi Commercial Banks: A Comparative Evaluation between Domestic and Foreign Banks using CAMEL Parameters
title_sort profitability of saudi commercial banks a comparative evaluation between domestic and foreign banks using camel parameters
url http://mail.econjournals.com/index.php/ijefi/article/view/4165
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AT asishsaha profitabilityofsaudicommercialbanksacomparativeevaluationbetweendomesticandforeignbanksusingcamelparameters
AT rohanimdrus profitabilityofsaudicommercialbanksacomparativeevaluationbetweendomesticandforeignbanksusingcamelparameters