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2011 Banker and Board Poll: More acquisitions ahead
Still, M&A pricing may never return to pre-crisis levels
One of the best ways to see where banking is headed is to ask bankers and bank directors. That’s what Bank Director does every year at our annual Acquire or Be Acquired conference in Arizona, which got underway this year January 30.
In this year’s Banker & Board Poll, sponsored by BMO Capital Markets, more than 550 people were surveyed, mostly bank directors and CEOs representing a variety of bank sizes. The survey showed a distinct change in the outlook for banking and acquisitions compared to prior years. For one, asset quality is looking a whole lot better, so much so that generating loans has become the number one concern, rather than asset quality. More banks see growth opportunities ahead than in prior years, mostly through acquisition. And most expect the number of banks in the country to dwindle by the thousands.
For more detail on the survey results, see our full report.