Efficiency of banks in Croatia

Abstract

Croatian banking sector amounts to the majority of its financial sector. Therefore, it is necessary that Croatian banks operate efficiently. In the past two decades, the Croatian banking sector went through a consolidation process that steadily decreased the number of banks and allocated the majority of assets and market share to a few large banks. A simple definition of efficiency is cost minimization and profit maximization. Therefore, a bank is efficient when it strives to minimize its costs while maximizing its profits. This paper aims to estimate efficiency of Croatian banks using the DEA methodology within the period 2014-2019. In addition, the performance indicators (return on assets, return on equity) calculated for the same period aim at comparing performance indicators to efficiency results. The results indicate that larger banks are generally more efficient in operating on the frontier. And, in comparison to performance indicators, they achieve higher levels of returns on assets and equity. Furthermore, some small banks tend to be efficient, while the benefits of being a medium bank are inconclusive since the results reveal that some medium banks have below average efficiency. Overall, average efficiency improved in the observed period, which means that the consolidation process of financial institutions creates large and efficient banks.