An improvement in delinquency rates and a strong lending market have helped Wisconsin’s state-chartered credit unions report the highest average return on assets since 2003.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions, the 1.0% ROA in 2012 also spurred an increase in earnings more than 81% over 2011’s figure to $225.7 million.
Brett Thompson, president/CEO of the Wisconsin Credit Union League, said the state’s loan ratio of 1.36% was the lowest since 2007.
“Credit unions have picked up their lending, and when you see an increase in the loans you are making and a reduction in loan losses, you create greater income, and that's exactly what you are seeing here,” Thompson said.
In 2012, Wisconsin’s 187 state-chartered credit unions reduced provisions for loan losses by 21.5%, grew assets by 6.6% to $23.4 billion and achieved a net worth ratio of 10.25%, the highest since 2008, according to the DFI.
Wisconsin’s credit unions are also doing more mortgage loans as members take advantage of low rates, Thompson noted. Some of the loans are being sold to the secondary market, he added.
