Skip to main content

Is Loan Growth Keeping Pace With Deposit Growth At Your Credit Union?

Tim Kelly of AFG is a featured speaker at NCOFCU"s New Orleans Annual Conference October 5-8,2022

Record-Setting Deposit Levels Since 2020

Since the start of the pandemic, deposits at credit unions have risen at unprecedented levels. According to data from NCUA, credit union account balances have risen nearly 60% in the past five years. With loan demand lagging, credit unions have had to pivot to lower yielding investments, which may ultimately strain capitalization requirements.

The pandemic created an odd combination for credit unions. On the one hand, many members found themselves with more savings since travel and other restrictions kept them from spending money on services and leisure and therefore their deposits increased.

On the other hand, with vehicle prices being at all-time highs due to shortages, some borrowers may have pulled back from the market, causing auto loan portfolios, which have traditionally helped credit unions serve their members and grow, to shrink.

State Of The Vehicle Market

Discounts and incentives that were common in pre-pandemic times have all but disappeared in the current market. Dealers can add $2,000 to $3,000 to the list price given the continuing high demand for vehicles, especially as consumers continue to look for private forms of transportation in the midst of another wave of a more contagious variant of the coronavirus.

Many manufacturers are looking at ways to increase chip production domestically. Ford, for example, announced an agreement with a U.S.-based semiconductor supplier in November of 2021 to help increase its control over both supply and design of chips. This, however, will be a longer-term endeavor, and it will take time to see the impact on vehicle production.

Used vehicles, which were once a more affordable option for consumers who couldn’t manage the price tag of a new vehicle, have also been impacted by the chip shortage and seen unprecedented increases in value.

According to Cox Automotive, used car vehicle prices will remain high well into 2022. High prices will be driven not only by vehicle shortages, but also by high demand due to an expected record level of tax refunds this year.

In addition to the shortages, amid rising inflation, the Federal Reserve is expected to raise rates at least four times in 2022, which will impact auto lending and increase monthly payments for most borrowers, potentially leading auto lending at credit unions to grind to a halt and causing them to continue to “drown in deposits.”

Implications For Auto Lending

Offering residual-based financing can help financial institutions stay competitive and offer borrowers the affordability and flexibility they need in light of rebounding demand for vehicles coupled with shortages in inventory and high prices.

Lenders should offer all affordable payment options to their borrowers. With residual-based financing, credit unions can provide a low monthly payment alternative for their members while earning higher yields than with a conventional loan.

Auto Financial Group’s Residual Based Financing programs can help navigate the current challenges in auto lending. With lease and balloon loan programs on new vehicles and vehicles up to five years old, shorter lease/loan terms and, lower monthly payments compared to the conventional long-term loans, this is a consumer win.

Would you like to learn more about auto lending trends and how you can position your credit union for success be sure to stop by AFG's booth at our New Orleans conference, October 5-8, 2022 

Tim S. Kelly
President/COO
tkelly@autofinancialgroup.com
5555 San Felipe St. Suite 2100 Houston, TX 77056
Cell: 713-817-5858
www.autofinancialgroup.com

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Why Decision Intelligence Will be What Really Defines the Future of Credit Union Growth

By Alisha Crafton For years, credit union marketing has been built around a familiar formula: understand your members, segment your audiences, develop targeted campaigns, and deliver the right message through the right channel to the right audience.  Although that approach still matters, it is relationships that serve as the foundation of the credit union model. The challenge for every credit union is that member expectations, competitive pressures, and technological capabilities are changing rapidly. Members increasingly expect financial institutions to understand their needs, anticipate life events, and provide relevant guidance at the right moment. Meeting those expectations requires more than better campaigns. It requires better decision-making. The future of credit union growth will not be defined by who can create more content, launch more campaigns, or automate more emails. It will be defined by which institutions can interpret information more effectively, identify opportun...

Report Probes Just How Sophisticated and Pervasive Fraud Has Become

BOSTON–Fraud threats facing credit unions are becoming more sophisticated and pervasive as digital banking expands and artificial intelligence tools enable increasingly complex attacks, according to new research and analysis from PYMNTS Intelligence .  The report said fraud has evolved from isolated incidents into a “persistent, systemwide threat” that affects every stage of the member journey, from onboarding and authentication to transactions and account servicing.  According to the report, fraudsters are increasingly using coordinated, multichannel schemes that challenge traditional fraud detection and response systems. PYMNTS Intelligence said attackers are no longer exploiting single vulnerabilities but are instead orchestrating broader campaigns involving impersonation, credential theft and unauthorized transfers.  The Findings Among the report’s findings, according to PYMNTS: One in 10 consumers encountered card fraud during the past year. Most fraud incidents occu...

NCUA Board Nominee John Crews Moves to Full Senate

  WASHINGTON–By a voice vote, the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee has advanced to the Senate floor the nomination of John Crews to become the next chairman of NCUA. John Crews “Credit unions thank Chairman Scott and the members of the Senate Banking Committee for advancing John Crews nomination to the NCUA Board,” America’s Credit Unions Chief Advocacy Officer Kathleen Coulombe said in a statement. “We appreciate that the Committee recognizes a robust credit union industry requires a fully staffed NCUA Board and John Crews possesses the necessary experience and knowledge to efficiently lead the NCUA. We urge the Senate to quickly vote to confirm his nomination.” About John Crews Crews is the assistant secretary for financial institutions policy in the Treasury department. Crews was appointed to the position in mid-2025 and has a long history in Washington. Prior to joining the Treasury Department, he served as a policy advisor to Majority Leader Rep. Steve Scal...

More Consumers Turning to Digital Wallets to Manage Finances

BOSTON — Consumers facing financial pressure are increasingly turning to digital wallets not only for convenience, but also as a way to better manage their household finances, according to a new report from PYMNTS Intelligence . The report, titled “ The New Checkout: Crimped Consumers Lean Into Online Retail and Digital Wallets, ” is based on a survey of 2,108 U.S. adults and found digital wallet adoption is growing fastest among younger consumers and those experiencing financial stress. According to PYMNTS Intelligence, digital wallets are evolving beyond simple payment tools by offering features such as buy now, pay later options, real-time balance information and spending management tools that help consumers monitor their finances. Source: PYMNTS Intelligence Among consumers experiencing high financial stress, 28% said they used a digital wallet for their most recent retail purchase, compared with 11% of consumers reporting low financial stress. For grocery purchases, 21% of financi...

Coffee Consumption Guidance

Most adults can safely drink  up to five 8-ounce cups of black coffee per day, and regular consumption may improve cardiovascular health, the American Heart Association said yesterday. An analysis of recent studies suggests that consuming about 400 milligrams of caffeine daily may lower the risk of Type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and heart failure. However, because most research is observational, scientists are still unsure why caffeine may benefit heart health. Some studies suggest antioxidants  in coffee help reduce inflammation, indicating not all caffeine sources offer the same effects. Synthetic caffeine products, such as energy drinks, have been linked to a higher risk of high blood pressure and irregular heart rhythms. Coffee's benefits also diminish when sugar and high-fat creamers are added.  Brewing methods may matter, too. Cardiovascular benefits have been linked most strongly to paper-filtered or instant coffee. Unfilter...

Unemployment 101

   Unemployment 101    For millions of Americans , the prospect of becoming unemployed is a persistent source of financial anxiety. The US unemployment rate, or the percentage of people in the labor force who are actively looking for work but aren't currently employed, has long been considered an economic bellwether. Many economists agree that a rate between 4% and 5% is considered healthy. As of June 2026, the US unemployment rate was 4.2%. > Learn how the unemployment rate is calculated. ( More ) > The US Bureau of Labor Statistics' monthly jobs report tracks the unemployment rate and more. ( More ) Americans who are unemployed for up to 26 weeks ...

2026 Volunteer of the Year Award

  www.ncofcu.org/voy ================================================= Remember, you're not alone with NCOFCU.org Join/Upgrade Check out some of NCOFCU's additional features: Advocacy   Annual Conference First Responder Credit Union Academy Financial Literacy Podcasts YouTube Mini's

Sunday Reading - The Fab Four (Beatles)

  The Fab Four   The Beatles were a 20th-century British band credited with innovating the sound of popular music and, in the process, helping to legitimize rock 'n' roll as an art form. > How the Beatles became the most influential band on Earth. ( More , w/podcast) > Explore Abbey Road Studios, the site of the first ever stereo recordings and home to most of the Beatles' songs. ( More ) The intense fandom for the band, called Beatlemania, began in the United Kingdom in 1963 but did not initially translate into success in the United States. In fact, the band's American label rejected the band's first two singles. Eventually, the band gained tra...

LA County firefighters help each other cope with toughest part of the job

This is an excellent program, and no matter what size your department is, you should be prepared. Scott Ross  talks over issues with Firefighter Richard Conejo who was recently affected by the death of a fellow firefighter . They meet under the auspices of the LA County Fire Department's Peer Support Program. **** Read More ; LA County <b>firefighters</b> help each other cope with toughest part of the job :

Business Lending Gains May Come From Fresh Capital Seekers

While the degree of optimism varies, a sampling of perspectives from business lending CUSOs suggests an economic upturn may be underway. One sign of how widespread member business lending has become can be seen from figures provided by the Regional CUSO Alliance, which is a collaboration of business lending CUSOs. The group represents 16 regional business lending CUSOs involving 330 credit unions and an aggregate loan portfolio of $2.5 billion. **** Read More : Business Lending Gains May Come From Fresh Capital Seekers :