Are stress-tested banks in the United States becoming similar? Evidence from convergence tests

Abstract

US bank stress tests were introduced to improve the risk posture and management practices of large and complex banking institutions. We investigate whether stress-tested banks in the United States converge to each other in their levels and determinants of profitability, as well as their risk taking and systemic risk contributions. Our results are consistent with convergence in profitability, asset quality, management quality, securitization income, and income diversification of stress-tested banks. Our difference-in-differences estimation results provide causal evidence of stress tests leading to convergence in income diversification. Furthermore, stress-tested banks converge in their income diversification strategies, return volatility, default risk, leverage risk, and systemic risk contributions. This study sheds light on a situation where these banks may simultaneously have exposure to the same risks, leaving the financial system more vulnerable to a crisis as a result of the exposed risk.