Bank Credit Risk Rating Process: Is There a Difference Between Agencies?

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to compare the bank credit risk rating (BCRR) process between credit rating agency (CRA) after the 2012 revision of their methodologies using 76 banks from 23 EMENA countries rated simultaneously by S&P's, Moody's and FitchRatings. We made this comparison based on the CAMELS model with a proposed 'S’ to BCRR. We use “ordered logit” regression for the rating classes and we complete our analysis by “linear multiple” regression for the rating grades. The results show that the BCRR processes are largely consistent between agencies but not aligned. Some differences appear in the important factors and relevant variables of the intrinsic credit quality component that manifest themselves in specific behaviors distinguishing one agency to another. The three agencies agree on the factors: Capital, Earnings, Liquidity and Supports and the most relevant support variable is the sovereign rating of the bank's country of establishment. The results also confirm a consistence between the BCRR's revealed and practiced methodologies revised by the CRA.