What to Know: The Yield Curve is Squeezing Banks, and Other Topics

One of the biggest challenges of serving as a bank director is understanding all of the changes that are occurring in a very complex and highly regulated industry. Most independent directors do not have a career background in banking, and while they usually bring an experienced and thoughtful perspective to their board service, they still have to learn about the industry and stay abreast of the many changes that are occurring.

This week Bank Director held the 2017 Bank Board Training Forum in at The Ritz-Carlton Buckhead in Atlanta, where 225 attendees comprised of independent directors, chairmen, lead directors and chief executive officers met for a day and a half to hear presentations on the latest industry developments, discuss their common problems in peer collaboration sessions and network at refreshment breaks throughout the day and at the Monday evening reception. This is the fourth year that we have held this event and the attendance has more than doubled over that period of time, which I think is a strong indication that directors view professional education as an important process. The agenda included presentations and panel discussions on audit, compensation, risk and technology, as well as the industry’s recent performance.

This year we also invited chairmen, lead directors and CEOs to meet separately on the first day in small group peer exchanges where they were able to share their experiences, discuss a variety of issues they have in common and learn from each other.

Some of the topics under discussion included the disappointing trajectory of interest rates, and proposed Federal Reserve supervisory guidance that will clarify the role of the bank board.

In the opening presentation, John Freechak, a principal at the investment banking firm Piper Jaffray Companies, reported on how a flattening yield curve in recent months is a sign that the industry’s margin pressure from low interest rates might not be easing any time soon. Freechak explained that interest rate spreads had widened following the victory by Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election. Early market optimism that the Trump Administration would be able to achieve meaningful regulatory reform and tax cuts helped maintain those spreads into early spring, but the well documented legislative struggles by the administration and Republican-controlled Congress has led to an erosion of confidence. The Federal Reserve has said it intends to gradually raise rates, but long-term rates have yet to move appreciably. “The dwindling spread has hurt the profitability of banks as they reach for yield in a low interest rate environment,” said Freechak.

And proposed guidance on supervisory expectations for bank boards of directors, released by the Federal Reserve Board in August and intended to pertain only to banks with assets of $50 billion or more, could end up having a wider application, according to Jim McAlpin, a partner at the law firm Bryan Cave, in a presentation on board culture. “While initially applicable only to the largest banks, application of these expectations would likely spread to all banks,” McAlpin said. One of the core board responsibilities defined in the proposed guidance is to oversee the development of the bank’s strategy. “Much of what passes for strategic planning in banks is actually operational planning and budgeting,” McAlpin said. “High performance boards have a strong sense of ‘we,’ coupled with an expectation of success. This leads them to become more proactive and assertive in the strategic planning process.” Bank Director digital magazine’s November issue will discuss this issue in greater depth.

The 2018 Bank Board Training Forum will be held September 10-11 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago.