The recently released Quarterly Banking Profile from the FDIC reveals that over 400 banks remain on the Problem Bank List more than six years after the start of the biggest banking crisis since the 1930s.
As of March 31, 2014, the FDIC’s confidential Problem Bank List contains the names of 411 banking institutions that have weak capital positions and/or operational problems that could lead to failure. The FDIC does not publicize the names of the banks classified as “problem banks” for fear of causing a run on the banks involved.
Although the banking industry has seen a dramatic recovery since the depths of the banking crisis the number of problem banks still comprise a substantial 6.1% of all FDIC insured institutions. Most of the banks classified as problem banks are small banks that were never able to fully recover from the financial crisis. As such, although the number of problem banks remains large, they do not constitute a threat to the health of the overall banking system.
Number of FDIC-Insured Problem Institutions
Report Date | Number of Institutions |
---|---|
December 31, 2006 | 50 |
December 31, 2007 | 76 |
December 31, 2008 | 252 |
December 31, 2009 | 702 |
December 31, 2010 | 884 |
December 31, 2011 | 813 |
December 31, 2012 | 651 |
December 31, 2013 | 467 |
March 31, 2014 | 411 |
The number of problem banks has declined for 12 consecutive quarters and now totals less than half of the high reached in the first quarter of 2011 when 888 banks were on the problem bank list. In addition, the total assets of all problem banks as of March 31, 2014 total only $126.1 billion, a small fraction of almost $15 trillion in assets held by all FDIC insured institutions.
During the quarter ending March 31, 2014, the number of problem banks declined from 467 to 411 and assets of problem banks declined from $152.7 billion to $126.1 billion. Much of the reduction in the problem bank list is due to the large number of banking failures. From 2008 to date there has been a total of 497 banking failures.
Banking Failures Since 2008
Year Number of Bank Failures
2008 25
2009 140
2010 157
2011 92
2012 51
2013 23
2014 8
Total 497
The continued closure of problem banks by regulators along with continued growth in the economy should eventually lower the number of problem banks to pre-banking crisis levels.
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