As a small-cap bank stock with a market capitalisation of US$178m, Orrstown Financial Services, Inc.’s (NASDAQ:ORRF) risk and profitability are largely determined by the underlying economic growth of the US regions in which it operates. Since a bank profits from reinvesting its clients’ deposits in the form of loans, negative economic growth may lower deposit levels and demand for loan, adversely impacting its cash flow. Post-GFC recovery brought about a new set of reforms, Basel III, which was created to improve regulation, supervision and risk management in the financial services industry. These reforms target bank level regulation and aims to improve the banking sector’s ability to absorb shocks arising from economic stress which could expose financial institutions to vulnerabilities. Since its financial standing can unexpectedly decline in the case of an adverse macro event such as political instability, it is important to understand how prudent the bank is at managing its risk levels. Low levels of leverage coupled with sufficient liquidity may place Orrstown Financial Services in a safe position in the face of adverse headwinds. We can measure this risk exposure by analysing three metrics for leverage and liquidity which I will take you through today.
Check out our latest analysis for Orrstown Financial Services
Why Does ORRF’s Leverage Matter?
Banks with low leverage are better positioned to weather adverse headwinds as they have less debt to pay off. A bank’s leverage may be thought of as the level of assets it owns compared to its own shareholders’ equity. Though banks are required to have a certain level of buffer to meet its capital requirements, Orrstown Financial Services’s leverage level of less than the suitable maximum level of 20x, at 11.15x, is considered to be very cautious and prudent. With assets 11.15 times equity, the banks has maintained a prudent level of its own fund relative to borrowed fund which places it in a strong position to pay back its debt in times of adverse events. If the bank needs to increase its debt levels to firm up its capital cushion, there is plenty of headroom to do so without deteriorating its financial position.How Should We Measure ORRF’s Liquidity?
Due to its illiquid nature, loans are an important asset class we should learn more about.
Generally, they should make up less than 70% of total assets,
which is the case for Orrstown Financial Services’s ratio at 64%.
At this level of loan, the bank has preserved a sensible level between maintaining liquidity and generating interest income from the loan.
What is ORRF’s Liquidity Discrepancy?
ORRF profits by lending out its customers’ deposits as loans and charge an interest on the principle. Loans are generally fixed term which means they cannot be readily realized, conversely, on the liability side, customer deposits must be paid in very short notice and on-demand. The discrepancy between loan assets and deposit liabilities threatens the bank’s financial position. If an adverse event occurs, it may not be well-placed to repay its depositors immediately. Relative to the prudent industry loan to deposit level of 90%, Orrstown Financial Services’s ratio of over 79%is appropriately lower, which places the bank in a relatively safe liquidity position given it has not excessively lent out its deposits and has maintained a suitable level for compliance.Next Steps:
Orrstown Financial Services meets all of our liquidity and leverage criteria, exhibiting operational prudency. The operational risk side of a bank is an important fundamental often overlooked by investors. The bank’s favourable liquidity and leverage position exposes it to less risk when it comes to repaying financial obligations, in particular, in the case of an adverse macro event. Today, we’ve only explored one aspect of Orrstown Financial Services. However, as a potential stock investment, there are many more fundamentals you need to consider. Below, I’ve compiled three pertinent factors you should look at:
- Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for ORRF’s future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for ORRF’s outlook.
- Valuation: What is ORRF worth today? Has the future growth potential already been factored into the price? The intrinsic value infographic in our free research report helps visualize whether ORRF is currently mispriced by the market.
- Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore our free list of these great stocks here.
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