Performance evaluation using the CAMELS model: A comparative study of local commercial banks in Qatar and Kuwait

Abstract

Nowadays, the banking system is undergoing significant changes. Digitalization that appears in Industry 4.0 also pioneers in the banking system, so we can also talk about Bank 4.0 as a new development direction. In this shift in the digital age, it becomes even more critical to examine the performance of banks. The case study approach was based on an attempt to diagnose the performance of a sample of local commercial banks in Qatar and Kuwait based on their financial statements for the period 2013–2017, and approve the existing accounting data as sources for the financial analysis process, by using essential financial analysis tools such as financial ratios. The output of the analysis was used to measure performance. All this is applicable when using the CAMELS rating model to evaluate the financial performance of the banking sector. The results show statistically significant differences between countries for four factors (Asset quality, Management efficiency, Earnings quality and Sensitivity) and none for the remaining two (Capital adequacy and Liquidity management) because the significant level is higher than 5%. However, the two factors with no significant differences are vital to the prudent operation of banks, mainly that Qatari banks perform better than Kuwaiti banks.