According to CUNA Mutual Group's January Credit Union Trends Report, which summarizes data from November 2015, credit union loan balances rose 0.63% in November – a slightly slower pace than the 0.68% reported in November 2014. Driving the overall growth was strong growth in home equity lines of credit (1.5%), unsecured personal loans (1.4%) and new auto loans (1.1%).
Credit union consumer installment credit balances (auto, credit card and other unsecured loans) rose 0.5% in November, half of the 1% pace set in November 2014. Consumer installment credit grew 12% over the last year, faster than the 8.5% rise in real estate loans. The household debt service ratio (mortgage and consumer debt payments required to remain current on that debt as a percentage of disposable income) was 10.03% in the third quarter, according to the Federal Reserve, slightly above the record low of 10.01% set in the fourth quarter of 2014.
Auto loans remain credit unions' "bread and butter" loan product, according to the report, with vehicle loan balance growth outpacing the growth mortgage and business loan growth. During the last 12 months, vehicle loan balances increased by $31.9 billion (13.7%), slightly better than the $28.9 billion increase for first mortgage loans (9.8%). New auto loan balances rose a robust 1.1% in November, although slightly less than the 1.3% pace set in November 2014.
Credit union fixed-rate first mortgage loan balances grew 0.5% in November, greater than the 0.4% pace set in November 2014, despite existing home sales dropping 10.5% in November from October.
Credit union surplus funds fell $7.8 billion (-2.1%), in November to help fund strong loan demand ($5 billion), deposit outflows (-$2.2 billion) and the paying down of borrowings (-$0.5 billion). To make up for the loan funding shortfall, capital growth contributed $0.4 billion. Credit union surplus funds as a percent of assets fell to 30.5% in November, down from 32.9% in November 2014, as credit unions partly funded $73.3 billion in new loans with $7 billion in cash and investments.
Credit union savings balances fell 0.2% in November, the same decline reported in November 2014. According to the report, savings balances typically decline 0.2% in November due to recurring seasonal factors.
The loan delinquency rate (loans two or more months delinquent as a percent of total loans outstanding) rose to 0.81% in November from the March low of 0.68%, demonstrating its seasonal pattern.
As of November 2015, CUNA estimated 6,264 credit unions were in operation, down 267 from November 2014. Year to date, the number of credit unions fell by 249, slightly slower than the 264 reported in the first eleven months of 2014.
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