HORNE Banking Year in Review: Top 10 Blogs of 2016

For the banking industry, 2016 was a year marked by regulatory changes, new channels and heightened awareness of cyber issues, demographic shifts, and new ways of thinking about the role of community banks. Our team published 48 blogs in 2016.

Here are your top 10 most read posts, listed in order of popularity.

1. What Does the Trump Presidency Mean for Banks? 
2. 7 Ways Community Banks Can Build Organic Growth 
3. What Banks Need to Know About the Proposed CECL Standard 
4. How Does the DOL Overtime Rule Impact My Bank? 
5. 5 Ways the CFPB Constitutionality Ruling Impacts Banks and Consumers 
6. How Banks Must Respond to the FASB Issuance of CECL 
7. Defining Community Banks’ Future for Success 
8. How Should My Bank Prepare for the New CECL Standard?
9. The Growth of Your Bank Hinges on These 3 Trends 
10. Three Trends Your Bank Needs to Anticipate Right Now 

If we look back at early 2016 predictions, we see that a few key issues remained top of mind throughout the year. In particular, technology risk and complexity, global markets, and regulatory complexity are enduring issues for banks. Neither the issues nor their persistence are all that surprising. It’s one reason why taking a ‘hard trend’ approach to processing key challenges and opportunities makes so much sense for companies working to build forward-looking strategies.

Like HORNE, the ABA took this approach to helping banks plan for challenges and opportunities in 2016. They identified ongoing, ‘future fact’ priorities including technology, regulation, and compliance. They also identified a few concerns more likely to fluctuate (the interest rate environment, competition, and the economy)—though it’s not hard to see how each of those fit into hard trend categories.

In addition, many of the key challenges and opportunities that The Financial Brand predicted fall directly in line with ABA expectations as well as with what we observed in the industry and with our partners and clients.

In particular, The Financial Brand expected growth and profitability would (continue to) be the greatest challenge for banks (29.3%), as the aftermath of the Great Recession continues to resonate almost a decade later. Compliance (28.7%) and cybersecurity (18%) rounded out the top three challenges. The key opportunities they identified go hand in hand with a focus on building profitability—specifically, interest income and loan growth (31.1%), new technologies (18.2%), and new services (17.2%).[1]

From this top 10 blog list, it’s clear you shared the pressing concerns and focus on growth, compliance, and technology with your fellow banking institutions. Particularly if you’re a HORNE client, you know that we are deeply committed to providing the knowledge and partnership to steer clients through the uncertainties and opportunities ahead. As we look at the ways in which you engaged with our information in 2016, we’re pleased to see that for hundreds of financial professionals, we’re a source of reliable information and guidance in these key areas.

In 2017, we expect that topics such as compliance issues (like CECL), ongoing technology introductions, and implications of the new administration will be top of mind. You can go into this year knowing that your HORNE team will continue to monitor, clarify, and report on all of these issues and others that impact you.

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[1] What are the Big Threats and Priorities in Banking in 2016?, The Financial Brand, January 2016