Z-Score Application for Jordanian Islamic Banks

Abstract

This research primarily aims to utilise the Altman model of Z-score to examine the trend performance and predict bankruptcy among three Islamic banks in Jordan for the period of 2010-2016. Furthermore, it also aims to introduce the Z-score model as a beneficial diagnostic technique for possible causes standing behind the bank performance crises. The results of the Z-score model showed that the Jordan Dubai Islamic Bank (JDIB), Jordan Islamic Bank for Finance and Investment (JIBFI), and International Islamic Arabic Banks (IIAB) recorded safe zones in the period of study except for JDIB and IIAB which recorded a Grey zone in 2010, 2011, and 2012 and 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013, respectively. The implication of this research is important to policymakers, managers, and investors who can use the information to monitor the safest bank among these three Islamic banks in Jordan based on the priority for lending that has to be done in the order of JIBFI, JDIB, and then IIAB. On the other hand, the Z-score was found to be a valid model to examine performance, and ratios utilised in computing the Z-score which was considered to provide workable instrumental indicators as well as being adopted to finance short-term and long-term projects by Jordanian Islamic banks.