In 1990, the commercial banking industry in the Eleventh Federal Reserve District posted profits for the first time in five years. Kevin Yeats examines this turnaround and concludes that banks returned to profitability for three reasons: the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) took over...

This study investigates the determinants of profitability of U.S. commercial banks in the 1970s and 1980s. It is established that banks, depending on their size, may need to exercise greater control over a defined set of variables in order to maximize profits and/or minimize costs. Further, the...