The impact of deposit structure on banking recovery: An analytical study of a sample of commercial banks listed on the Iraq Stock Exchange

Abstract

This study aims to examine the nature of the relationship between deposit structure and financial recovery in commercial banks. The sample consisted of ten Iraqi commercial banks during the period 2014–2023, and the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) method was applied to analyze the relationship and effects among the study variables. The findings reveal that the deposit structure has a significant impact on several financial recovery indicators, namely return on equity (ROE), return on assets (ROA), capital adequacy ratio (CAR), and non-performing loans (NPL). The results further indicate that both savings deposits and time deposits exerted a negative effect on ROA, reflecting the limited ability of Iraqi banks to allocate depositors’ funds efficiently and generate adequate returns. Conversely, time deposits showed a clear positive impact on ROE. In addition, all types of deposits were found to have a positive and significant effect on both NPL and CAR, suggesting that growth in deposits increases lending activities and profitability, while also being associated with higher levels of non-performing loans. The significance of this study stems from the fact that deposits represent the primary source of funding for commercial banks and account for the largest share of their resources. However, the distribution of deposits by type and maturity does not necessarily guarantee financial recovery, particularly in light of the financial, health, economic, political, and technological crises that have adversely affected the Iraqi banking sector. Accordingly, the central research question is posed: To what extent does the deposit structure contribute to strengthening the ability of Iraqi commercial banks to achieve financial recovery?   The study concludes that bank managements should improve the quality of banking services and adopt both pricing and non-pricing strategies to attract more stable deposits, while directing them toward high-quality assets and investments that can enhance financial performance.