Articles
Protect Your Profits with Mortgage Pipeline Hedging
In the increasingly competitive mortgage lending market, every basis point of profitability counts. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, the average profit earned per loan originated in 2018 was only $367, a decrease from $711 per loan in 2017. ...
read moreProtect Your Profits with Mortgage Pipeline Hedging
In the increasingly competitive mortgage lending market, every basis point of profitability counts. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, the average profit earned per loan originated in 2018 was only $367, a decrease from $711 per loan in 2017. Many...
read moreKey Considerations for Your Credit Union’s Investment Process
A more dovish tone from the Fed, coupled with lower global growth expectations in 2019, have led the fixed-income market to price for rate cuts within the next 12 months. During this period, some credit union investors have expressed a need for specific investments or...
read moreMore Mergers of Equals on the Horizon
As total merger activity slowed slightly in 2018, with 192 approved consolidations vs. 200 approved by the NCUA the previous year, there seems to be a transition happening within the industry. Larger credit unions with $1B or more in assets are less likely to be...
read moreThe Road to Higher Profits
Banks want to achieve above-average profitability. Profitable growth is a critical element to success as an organization. Long-run commercial viability occurs when an organization delivers value to its constituents in a profitable and sustainable manner. But how do...
read moreFour Critical Reports for a Successful Investment Process
Timely and accurate management reporting is key to any credit union’s successful investment management process. There are four specific reports that are critical to the success of credit union investment portfolio managers and should be produced periodically: A...
read moreBalance Sheet Basics in a Changing Economy
Top-Level Takeaways Balance sheet management helps credit unions better understand how current and future economic scenarios will affect assets and liabilities.For this year and beyond, credit unions should monitor rates, liquidity, and technology costs. Interest...
read moreBest Practices in Measuring Investment Portfolio Performance
Evaluating fixed-income performance according to book yield or total return is a common question received by ALM First, investment adviser to the Trust for Credit Unions Portfolios and trusted partner to more than 250 financial institutions. To answer it, we’ll break...
read moreThe Building Blocks of Investment Reporting
Published in: CU Business Timely and accurate management reporting is key to a successful investment management process. There are four reports that are critical to a manager’s success and should be produced periodically: a Portfolio Holdings report, an MDRA or...
read moreWhy Your Credit Union Should be Hedging
Published in: CUNA Finance Council Year-end industry analysis has shown that 2018 was a standout year for credit union performance. Credit unions recorded the highest ROA and ROE metrics observed post-crisis, and industry net worth finished at one of the strongest...
read moreSubscribe Today!
Subscribe to our email list and get the latest articles and announcements from ALM First.
All investing is subject to risk, including the possible loss of the money you invest.
“ALM First” is a brand name for a financial services business conducted by ALM First Group, LLC (“ALM First”) through its wholly owned subsidiaries: ALM First Financial Advisors, LLC (“ALM First Financial Advisors”); ALM First Advisors, LLC (“ALM First Advisors”); and ALM First Analytics, LLC (“ALM First Analytics”). Investment advisory services are offered through ALM First Financial Advisors, an SEC registered investment adviser. Balance sheet advisory services are offered through ALM First Advisors. Financial reporting services, loan introduction services, and other special project services are offered through ALM First Analytics. Neither ALM First nor any of its subsidiaries provide legal, tax, or accounting advice.
INVESTMENT PRODUCTS ARE: • NOT FDIC INSURED • NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY • NOT A DEPOSIT OR OTHER OBLIGATION OF, OR GUARANTEED BY, ALM FIRST OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES • SUBJECT TO INVESTMENT RISKS, INCLUDING POSSIBLE LOSS OF THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT INVESTED.