Finally, the last column in Table 4 contains the results from a model which specifies
the non-performing loans ratio as dependent variable. The non-performing loans ratio
is the single most important determinant of a bank’s credit risk. The results of this model show that higher market power at the bank level reduces bank risk-taking via
the credit portfolio, that is, banks with a higher Lerner Index seem to choose to finance
safer projects. At the same time, and mirror imaging the previous results, competition
measured by the Boone Indicator suggests that lower competition increases credit risktaking
of banks. The coefficient of our competition measure related to the banks’ home
county has a negative sign, indicating that banks with more market power in the relevant
banking market take out safer loans. This is in contrast to the results from the broad
distress measure but might help reconcile the finding that banks with higher regional
market power have a lower probability of outright bank failure. However, the coefficient
of the variable Regional Geographic Reach is not significantly different zero. One
possible reason for this finding might be neglected endogeneity of the Lerner Index with
respect to the risk measures used, an issue which we address next.