Strategic decisions made in the recent past, particularly
efforts to specialize, could begin to intensify competition in
2014; however, the overall structure of the industry is not
expected to change dramatically.
Large banks may likely pursue organic growth in the areas
in which they have chosen to specialize, as regulatory
constraints limit the ability for transformational mergers and
acquistions (M&A) deals.10
On the other hand, strong midsized banks may seek
growth in two ways: (1) acquire specialist providers or
smaller institutions with attractive deposit bases and
assets, and (2) leverage their nimble structure to expand
organically in markets dominated by large banks. Through
either organic growth or M&A, competition in the midsized
sector will likely increase in 2014.