Capital Adequacy and Bank Profitability: the Moderating Effect of Macroeconomic Variables

Abstract

Based on earlier research, two primary categories of characteristics influence bank profitability. First, each bank has a unique set of profitability drivers that are often the direct outcome of management choices (quality, size, capitalization, efficiency, asset structure, and revenue divergence). The second group of determinants consists of elements like industry concentration, economic growth, inflation, and interest rates related to the profitability of the industry formation and the macroeconomic environment in which the banking system conducts. Capital adequacy may be defined as the ratio of the institution’s main capital to its assets, including loans and investments, to gauge a financial institution’s stability and strength. This paper examines the correlation between capital adequacy and banks’ profitability through the moderating impact of macroeconomic variables like inflation, interest rates, and exchange rates in the banking sectors of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Turkey. To this end, panel data were gathered from the OIC statistics database concerning 2010 and 2021. The study’s regression analysis exposed that although inflation has a significant negative influence on banks’ profitability, while the capital adequacy ratio, exchange rate, and interest rate have positive and significant impacts. Regarding the moderating effect, both inflation and interest rates have a significant positive and negative impact on the relationship between banks’ profitability and capital adequacy, respectively. Additionally, macroeconomic variable interactions with capital adequacy are not statistically significant.