Factors affecting the financial performance of Commercial Banks in Uganda

Abstract

This study is about the factors affecting the financial performance of commercial banks in Uganda. This main objective of the study was to determine the factors affecting the financial performance of commercial banks in Uganda between the period 2007 and 2017. The specific objective of the study were to establish the relationship between bank liquidity, capital adequacy, asset quality, GDP, inflation rate, lending interest rate and the financial performance of commercial banks in Uganda. The study used secondary data from the Bank of Uganda for ROA, ROE, bank liquidity, capital adequacy and asset quality of commercial banks in Uganda, World Bank for GDP data, inflation rate data and lending interest rate data. The study used is quarterly data covering the period from 2007 to 2017. The data was then analysed and presented using various tests and statistics such as descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, regression analysis, pre-diagnostic tests and post-diagnostic tests. The study revealed a negative and significant relationship between bank liquidity and ROA, a positive and significant relationship between capital adequacy and ROA, a negative and significant relationship between asset quality and ROA, a negative and significant relationship between GDP and ROA, a positive and significant relationship between inflation rate and ROA and a positive and insignificant relationship between lending interest rate and ROA. The study further revealed a negative and significant relationship between bank liquidity and ROE, a positive and significant relationship between capital adequacy and ROE, a negative and significant relationship between asset quality and ROE, a negative and significant relationship between GDP and ROE, a positive and insignificant relationship between inflation rate and ROE and a positive and insignificant relationship between lending interest rate and ROE. The study concluded that bank liquidity, capital adequacy, asset quality, GDP, inflation rate and the lending interest rate have a significant relationship with ROA, therefore the government should make an equitable combination of monetary and financial policies needed with respect to bank liquidity, capital adequacy, asset quality, GDP, inflation rate and the lending interest rate, in order to increase financial performance of banks in terms of ROA. The study also concluded that bank liquidity, capital adequacy, asset quality and GDP have a significant relationship with ROE, therefore the government should make an equitable combination of monetary and financial policies needed with respect to bank liquidity, capital adequacy, asset quality and GDP, in order to increase financial performance of banks in terms of ROE.