Hyperbolic distance function, technical efficiency and stability to shocks: A comparison between Islamic banks and conventional banks in MENA region

2020 ◽  
Vol 46 ◽  
pp. 100485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Chaffai
Author(s):  
Hajer Zarrouk ◽  
Khoutem Ben Jedidia ◽  
Mouna Moualhi

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to ascertain whether Islamic bank profitability is driven by same forces as those driving conventional banking in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Distinguished by its principles in conformity with sharia, Islamic banking is different from conventional banking, which is likely to affect profitability. Design/methodology/approach The paper builds on a dynamic panel data model to identify the banks’ specific determinants and the macroeconomic factors influencing the profitability of a large sample of 51 Islamic banks operating in the MENA region from 1994 to 2012. The system-generalized method of moment estimators are applied. Findings The findings reveal that profitability is positively affected by banks’ cost-effectiveness, asset quality and level of capitalization. The results also indicate that non-financing activities allow Islamic banks to earn higher profits. Islamic banks perform better in environments where the gross domestic product and investment are high. There is evidence of several elements of similarities between determinants of the profitability for Islamic and conventional banks. The inflation rate, however, is negatively associated with Islamic bank profitability. Practical Implications The authors conclude that profitability determinants did not differ significantly between Islamic and conventional banks. Many factors are deemed the same in explaining the profitability of conventional as well as Islamic banks. The findings reported in the current paper might be of interest for policy makers. It is recommended to better implement non-financing activities to improve Islamic bank profitability. Originality/value Unlike the previous empirical research, this empirical investigation assesses the issue whether Islamic banks profitability is influenced by same factors as conventional model. It enriches the literature in this regard by considering the specificities of Islamic banking to identify the determinants of profitability. Moreover, this study considers a large sample (51 Islamic banks) through a different selection of countries/banks than previous studies. In addition, the period of study considers the subprime crisis insofar it ranges from 1994 to 2012. Hence, this broader study allows the authors to draw more consistent conclusions.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Akram Ramadan Budagaga

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to test the validity of irrelevant theory empirically by exploring the relationship between cash dividends, profitability, leverage and investment policy with the value of banking institutions in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) markets. Design/methodology/approach The paper adopts Ohlson’s (1995) valuation model. The author estimates models by using static panel (random and fixed effects) techniques and the dynamic technique, namely, the GMM estimation. The empirical study covers a sample of 122 conventional and 37 Islamic banks listed on stock markets in 12 MENA countries over the period 1999–2018. Findings The empirical results show that dividend yield has no significant association with the value of conventional banks, whereas profitability, growth opportunity and leverage have a significant positive impact on the value of conventional banks. In contrast, the results for a sample of Islamic banks indicate that the dividend yield, profitability and leverage have a significant positive effect on the value of Islamic banks, whereas growth opportunity has no significant effect on the value of Islamic banks. Therefore, these results support, to a greater extent, the validity of the dividend irrelevance theory of Modigliani and Miller for conventional banks but would not be accepted for Islamic banks in the MENA region. Research limitations/implications This study is restricted to a sample of one type of financial firms, banking firms listed in the MENA countries. In addition, the study has dealt with one type of dividend (the cash dividend). Practical implications Highlighting the difference between conventional and Islamic banks is crucial to understanding dividend policy behavior and to providing investors information to be integrated in their valuation setting to make informed corporate decisions. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, the present study is the first of its kind that it draws a comparative analysis by testing empirically the validity of the Irrelevant Theory to banks in the MENA region covering a long time period in the recent past.


2016 ◽  
Vol 43 (12) ◽  
pp. 1367-1385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rim Ben Selma Mokni ◽  
Mohamed Tahar Rajhi ◽  
Houssem Rachdi

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate determinants of risk-taking in Islamic banks and conventional banks located in the MENA region. Design/methodology/approach The empirical study covers a sample of 15 conventional and 15 Islamic banks for the period 2002-2009. The authors estimate models using both generalized least square random effect and generalized method of moments system approaches. Findings The results of the empirical analysis show that the determinants’ risk-taking significance varies between Islamic and conventional banks. Originality/value The main aim is to develop a comprehensive model that integrates macroeconomic determinants, industry-specific determinants, and bank-specific determinants. This paper performs a comparison of the risk-taking between two different banking systems in the MENA region.


2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 470-482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Majed Alharthi

This study empirically estimates efficiency and its determinants in 190 Islamic (IBs), conventional (CBs), and socially responsible banks (SRBs) in 22 countries during the period 2005-2012. The study first uses non-parametric approaches to estimate the efficiency measures (scale efficiency (SE), technical efficiency-constant returns to scale (CRS), and technical efficiency-variable returns to scale (VRS)) and second employs ordinary least squares, fixed effects, random effects, and TOBIT models to get the efficiency determinants. The findings indicate that the average efficiency is 0.966, 0.952, and 0.983 for the SE, CRS, and VRS, respectively. However, efficiency measures show that the SRBs are most efficient banks whereas, the least efficiency scores archived by Islamic banks. Islamic bank efficiency is positively correlated with size, loan intensity, ROA, inflation rates, market capitalization and financial crisis. However, conventional banks’ TE and CRS efficiency are positively and significantly correlated with size, ROA, and market capitalization, while their VRS efficiency is negatively and significantly related to capital ratio, age and GDP. In addition, SRBs’ efficiency is increased by size, capital ratio, loan intensity, ROA, foreign ownership, domestic ownership, inflation and financial crisis. Furthermore, the financial crisis affects the SE and CRS efficiency measures in Islamic banks while socially responsible banks SE efficiency measure is positively affected by the financial crisis, which means that socially responsible banks were stabled and resisted during the crisis period. Finally, there is no significant correlation between financial crisis and efficiency indictors in conventional banks during the period


2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 381-397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naama Trad ◽  
Houssem Rachdi ◽  
Abdelaziz Hakimi ◽  
Khaled Guesmi

Purpose This paper aims to focus on the main determinants of the performance and stability-banking sector in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region during the global financial crisis. Using a data set of 13 countries with both of 77 Islamic and 101 conventional banks during the period 2006-2013, empirical results show that specific variables allow explaining the change in the level of performance and stability for conventional and Islamic banks. However, the effect of some banks’ characteristics is not the same for the two bank groups. For the macroeconomic effect, it is observed that inflation exerts a negative effect on the bank performance except for conventional banks when it increases the profitability. Design/methodology/approach Using a data set of 13 countries with both of 77 Islamic and 101 conventional banks (CvB) during the period 2006-2013 and performing the generalized method of moments (GMM) method, the findings provide comprehensive evidence for the bank systems studied which are of interest also to policy makers and practitioners. Findings The main finding is that after the international financial crises of 2008, many worldwide banks have been experiencing crises in contrast to Islamic banks (IsB) which remain Gen more stable and more profitable. Foreign banks had a higher degree of exposure to risk, given their higher number of subsidiaries in the developed economies. As for the determinants of profitability, the bank-specific variables allow to explain the change in the level of performance and stability for conventional and Islamic banks. However, the effect of some banks characteristics is not the same for the two bank groups. For the macroeconomic effect, it is observed that inflation exerts a negative effect on the bank performance except for CvB when it increases the profitability measured by the return on assets (ROA). It is also found that the growth rate acts positively when the dependent variable is the ROA and negatively when the performance is measured by return on equity. Originality/value The inflation rate exerts a negative effect only on the ROA. This study differs from previous contributions in that it is tested the hypothesis of determinants of bank profitability and stability for both conventional and Islamic banks in the MENA region. It is of great interest to both policymakers and investors, with respect to regional development policies and dedicated portfolio investment strategies in each emerging region respectively. The authors adopted several ratios from the empirical literature on bank profitability and stability. Using a data set of 13 countries with both of 77 Islamic and 101 CvB during the period 2006-2013 and performing the GMM method, the findings have significant contributions to the literature by comprehensively clarifying and critically analyzing the current state of profitability and stability for both banks.


2018 ◽  
Vol 44 (5) ◽  
pp. 590-603 ◽  
Author(s):  
Najla Mezzi

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the efficiency level of Islamic banks, the differences between Islamic banks in the MENA region and Southeast Asia and the role of the governance in improving performance. Design/methodology/approach This paper examines, on the one hand, the performance of Islamic banks by measuring their efficiency through data envelopment analysis (DEA) method and, on the other hand, the determinants of this efficiency emphasizing on the impact of the governance structure through the panel estimation of Islamic banks based on the three proxies of cost efficiency, namely, technical efficiency (TES), pure technique (PTE) and scale efficiency (SES). Findings The findings indicate that Islamic banks are experiencing an improvement in their efficiency cost. The technical efficiency of Islamic banks is largely explained by the scale efficiency where Islamic banks realize large economies of scale in order to achieve optimal size, especially in Malaysia and the GCC countries. Pure technical efficiency is less important than the efficiency of scale and improvement is necessary regarding the managerial performance. In terms of governance, the results show that the board of directors through its size and independence and the presence of a central Sharia board constitute a robust determinant of the Islamic banks’ efficiency. The ownership structure and the size of the Sharia board do no effect banking efficiency. Originality/value The originality of this paper lies mainly on the examination of the effect of the governance structure on the Islamic banks’ efficiency where studies on this issue for Islamic banks are almost inexistent. In addition, the size and the diversity of the Islamic banks’ panel constitute the strong point of this study.


2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Majed Alharthi

This study empirically estimates financial stability and its determinants in 40 Islamic banks, 168 conventional banks, and 8 socially responsible banks (SRBs) in MENA region during the period 2005-2012. The dependent variables in this study are capital ratio (equity to total assets) and z-score. The statistical approaches to find the relationship between financial stability indicators and their determinants are ordinary least square (OLS) and fixed effects model FEM). The results suggest that the SRBs are the most stable banks while, Islamic banks are highly risky. Moreover, conventional banks score the minimum capitalisation. The stability in Islamic banks is positively affected by ROA and age. Furthermore, the main determinants of capitalisation in Islamic banks are operating leverage, GDP, and market capitalisation. In conventional banking, size and profitability are important to stability. The capitals have effective associations with lending, ROA, and market development. In SRBs, banks achieve better stability in countries with higher inflation. This study could help bankers, policy makers and economists who focus on MENA region. The coverage of period 2005-2012 could be a limitation and the availability of data for the Islamic and socially responsible banks in MENA area could be another limitation as well.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 069
Author(s):  
Ahmad Al-Harby

This study aim is to investigate and compare the factors affecting conventional and Islamic bank’s capital structure choice as well as their financial characteristics. According to the best of my knowledge, this is the first paper that mainly concentrated in comparing the determinants of capital structure of conventional and Islamic banks using a cross-country data and for a long period of time (20 years). The study revealed several findings. Firstly, descriptive statistics (equality of means test) showed that conventional banks more leveraged and liquid than Islamic banks. In contrast, Islamic banks are larger and more profitable (ROA) than conventional banks. The results also indicated that Islamic banks are not riskier than conventional banks. Secondly, the regression results showed that all variables, except tax-shield, had the same impact on both banking types capital structure. It been found that profitability, tangibility, business risk and age correlated negatively and significantly with capital structure. In the other direction, size, liquidity and inflation had significant and positive relation with capital structure. Vis-à-vis tax-shield, this variable had a weak impact (positive) on Islamic bank’s capital structure but had no effect on conventional banks and this attributed to Islamic banks sample.


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