Credit card pricing and impact of adverse selection

Variable pricing is one way of improving the profitability of credit cards when the price is the interest rate to be charged. However, choosing the appropriate price for each risk grade of default is not straightforward, as one of the main problems is adverse selection, when the lender finds that the borrowers who actually take a specific offer have a higher default rate than expected. We show that modelling the choice of credit card by the borrower as an auction process means that the winner's curse can lead to adverse selection. By modelling the way lenders use the credit score of a borrower in their pricing decision we are able to show that there is a simple relationship between the actual probability of a borrower repaying and what the successful lender believes this probability to be, regardless of the distribution of the errors caused by adverse selection. This allows one to assess the impact on profitability of these errors.     

基于BP神经网络的P2P网贷借款人信用评估

评估借款人信用是P2P网贷公司控制风险的重要步骤,对于网贷公司的正常运行有着极其重要的意义。论文参考商业银行信用指标体系并根据P2P网贷自身特点,建立了P2P网贷借款人的信用评估指标体系。根据建立的指标体系构建相应的BP神经网络模型,并利用一步正切法进行优化。然后选取具有代表性的P2P网贷平台的相关数据,对该模型进行训练和仿真,证明了该模型对P2P网贷平台的风险控制起到一定的作用。     

Optimal ROE loan pricing with or without adverse selection

The authors describe the structural solution of the loan rate as a function of default and response risk that maximizes expected return on equity for a lender's portfolio of risky loans. Under the assumptions of our model, the non-linear differential equation for the optimizing price is found to be separable in transformed financial, response and risk variables. With an end-point condition where default-free borrowers are willing to borrow at loan rates higher than the lender's cost of funds, general solutions are obtained for cases where default probabilities may depend explicitly on the offered loan rate and where adverse selection may or may not be present. For the general solution, we suggest a numerical algorithm that involves the sequential solutions of two separate transcendental equations each one of which depends on parameters of the risk and response scores. For the special case where the borrower's default probability is conditionally independent of loan rate, it is shown that the optimal solution is independent of Basel regulations on equity capital.     

Forecasting probabilities of default and loss rates given default in the presence of selection

This paper offers a joint estimation approach for forecasting probabilities of default and loss rates given default in the presence of selection. The approach accommodates fixed and random risk factors. An empirical analysis identifies bond ratings, borrower characteristics and macroeconomic information as important risk factors. A portfolio-level analysis finds evidence that common risk measurement approaches may underestimate bank capital by up to 17% relative to the presented model.     

A classification problem of credit risk rating investigated and solved by optimisation of the ROC curve

Estimation of probability of default has considerable importance in risk management applications where default risk is referred to as credit risk. Basel II (Committee on Banking Supervision) proposes a revision to the international capital accord that implies a more prominent role for internal credit risk assessments based on the determination of default probability of borrowers. In our study, we classify borrower firms into rating classes with respect to their default probability. The classification of firms into rating classes necessitates the finding of threshold values separating the rating classes. We aim at solving two problems: to distinguish the defaults from non-defaults, and to put the firms in an order based on their credit quality and classify them into sub-rating classes. For using a model to obtain the probability of default of each firm, Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis is employed to assess the distinction power of our model. In our new functional approach, we optimise the area under the ROC curve for a balanced choice of the thresholds; and we include accuracy of the solution into the program. Thus, a constrained optimisation problem on the area under the curve (or its complement) is carefully modelled, discretised and turned into a penalized sum-of-squares problem of nonlinear regression; we apply the Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm. We present numerical evaluations and their interpretations based on real-world data from firms in the Turkish manufacturing sector. We conclude with a discussion of structural frontiers, parametrical and computational features, and an invitation to future work.     

Combining systemic and non-systemic risk scores

This paper proposes a proportional odds model to combine systemic and non-systemic risk for prediction of default and prepay performance in cohorts of booked loan accounts. We assume that performance odds is proportional to two independent factors, one based on age-dependent systemic, possibly external, global disruptions to a cohort of individual accounts, the other on traditional non-systemic information odds based on demographic, behavioural and financial payment patterns of the individual accounts. A proportional odds model provides a natural formulation that can combine hazard rate predictions of baseline defaults, prepayments and active accounts with traditional non-systemic risk scores of individuals within the cohort. Theoretical comparisons with proportional hazard models are illustrated. Although our model is developed in terms of Good/Bad performance, it can include late payments, prepayments, defaults, as well as responses to offers and other classifications. We make 60-month default and prepay forecasts under two different systemic risk scenarios for a portfolio of Alt A mortgages with 24-month ‘teaser rates’ originated in 2004.     

Risk analysis with contractual default. Does covenant breach matter?

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A), private equity and leveraged buyouts, securitization and project finance are characterized by the presence of contractual clauses (covenants). These covenants trigger the technical default of the borrower even in the absence of insolvency. Therefore, borrowers may default on loans even when they have sufficient available cash to repay outstanding debt. This condition is not captured by the net present value (NPV) distribution obtained through a standard Monte Carlo simulation. In this paper, we present a methodology for including the consequences of covenant breach in a Monte Carlo simulation, extending traditional risk analysis in investment planning. We introduce a conceptual framework for modeling technical and material breaches from the standpoint of both lenders and shareholders. We apply this framework to a real case study concerning the project financing of a 64-million euro biomass power plant. The simulation is carried out on the actual model developed by the financial advisor of the project and made available to the authors. Results show that both technical and material breaches have a statistically significant impact on the net present value distribution, and this impact is more relevant when leverage and cost of debt increase.     

Monetary and relative scorecards to assess profits in consumer revolving credit

This paper presents for the first time a relative profit measure for scoring purposes and compares results with those obtained from monetary scores. The suggested measure is the cumulative profit relative to the outstanding debt. It can also be interpreted as the percentage coverage against default. Monetary and relative measures are compared with both being estimated using direct and indirect methods. Direct scores are obtained from borrower attributes, while indirect scores are predicted using the estimated probabilities of default and repurchase. Results show that specific segments of customers are profitable in both monetary and relative terms. The best performing indirect models use the probabilities of default within 12 months on books. This agrees with existing banking practice of default estimation. Direct models outperform indirect models. Relative scores would be preferred under more conservative standpoints towards default because of unstable conditions and if the aim is to penetrate relatively unknown segments. Further ethical considerations justify their use in an inclusive lending context.     

Not if but when will borrowers default

Credit scoring systems are based on Operational Research and statistical models which seek to identify who of previous borrowers did or did not default on loans. This study looks at the question when will borrowers default not if they will default. It suggests that some of the reliability modelling approaches may be useful in this context and may help identify who will default as well as when they may default.     

P2P网络借贷市场利率主导权偏离程度的研究——基于双边随机前沿模型

近年来P2P网络借贷作为一种典型的互联网金融模式获得了跳跃式的发展,由于借贷双方信息不对称,导致我国P2P网贷市场利率普遍偏高。本文利用双边随机前沿分析(SFA)方法对我国P2P网贷市场借贷双方利率主导权力进行测算,并对借贷双方的主导权力对贷款利率的影响效应进行定量分析,同时对借款者个体特征对借贷双方利率主导权力的影响进行比较分析。实证结果表明,出借方拥有明显的主导权力,随着学历、年龄、收入、信用等级的增高,借款人地位将有所改善。     

The structure of unrevealed Bads in Good/Bad risk scores

In calculating risk scores for making predictions and decisions about loan defaults, it is common practice to base assessments on a population of individuals whose loans have not yet attained a final status or trapped state of Good (G: paid in full) or Bad (B: default, bankrupt, written off, no response, etc). When active accounts are examined prior to end of loan term, we describe them as Contaminated Goods (CG) because they contain some Bads that default at a later time. In such cases, one can easily misestimate or misinterpret the eventual population odds and scores because the CG to B odds at any point in time is larger than G to B at the end of the loan. It is shown that if the risk score is a sufficient statistic and if the Information Odds score for Goods at the end-of-term is normal with variance σ² in a population of terminated loan accounts, then so also is the conditional score distribution for Bads; surprisingly, the theoretical means are ±0.5σ². When active accounts are contaminated by unrevealed Bads not yet classified as such, the conditional score distribution is a mixture of normal distributions with a variance larger than σ²; thus, variances of Active (CG) and Bad (B) accounts are unequal and the log of fitted odds versus score is convex, departing from the traditional assumption of a linear fit.     

中国住房抵押贷款信用风险:理论分析与实证研究

住房抵押贷款为中国经济的持续增长增添了新的动力,随着规模扩大,其信用风险问题已经引起金融机构、政府部门及学者的关注.在分析中国房地产市场特点的基础上研究了适应中国住房抵押贷款违约的理论以及影响住房抵押贷款违约的因素,并通过采集大连市的数据进行了实证分析,首次运用实际数据来比选适应中国市场的理论模型.我们的研究发现:在中国住房抵押贷款市场上,贷款违约的还款能力理论较之于期权理论有着更好的适应性;利率、LTV、偿债比与户籍是影响住房抵押贷款违约的主要因素;也得出另外几个不同于理论假说的结论:家庭收入对借款人违约的影响力不明显,购买二手住房的借款人的违约概率要比新房高.     

Mixture cure models in credit scoring: If and when borrowers default

Mixture cure models were originally proposed in medical statistics to model long-term survival of cancer patients in terms of two distinct subpopulations - those that are cured of the event of interest and will never relapse, along with those that are uncured and are susceptible to the event. In the present paper, we introduce mixture cure models to the area of credit scoring, where, similarly to the medical setting, a large proportion of the dataset may not experience the event of interest during the loan term, i.e. default. We estimate a mixture cure model predicting (time to) default on a UK personal loan portfolio, and compare its performance to the Cox proportional hazards method and standard logistic regression. Results for credit scoring at an account level and prediction of the number of defaults at a portfolio level are presented; model performance is evaluated through cross validation on discrimination and calibration measures. Discrimination performance for all three approaches was found to be high and competitive. Calibration performance for the survival approaches was found to be superior to logistic regression for intermediate time intervals and useful for fixed 12 month time horizon estimates, reinforcing the flexibility of survival analysis as both a risk ranking tool and for providing robust estimates of probability of default over time. Furthermore, the mixture cure model’s ability to distinguish between two subpopulations can offer additional insights by estimating the parameters that determine susceptibility to default in addition to parameters that influence time to default of a borrower.     

Multiple criteria linear programming model for portfolio selection

The portfolio selection problem is usually considered as a bicriteria optimization problem where a reasonable trade-off between expected rate of return and risk is sought. In the classical Markowitz model the risk is measured with variance, thus generating a quadratic programming model. The Markowitz model is frequently criticized as not consistent with axiomatic models of preferences for choice under risk. Models consistent with the preference axioms are based on the relation of stochastic dominance or on expected utility theory. The former is quite easy to implement for pairwise comparisons of given portfolios whereas it does not offer any computational tool to analyze the portfolio selection problem. The latter, when used for the portfolio selection problem, is restrictive in modeling preferences of investors. In this paper, a multiple criteria linear programming model of the portfolio selection problem is developed. The model is based on the preference axioms for choice under risk. Nevertheless, it allows one to employ the standard multiple criteria procedures to analyze the portfolio selection problem. It is shown that the classical mean-risk approaches resulting in linear programming models correspond to specific solution techniques applied to our multiple criteria model. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Modelling take-up and profitability

We use response data collected by a lender to estimate the probabilities of loan offers being accepted by the applicants and the survival probabilities of default and of paying back early. Combining all those together we estimated the expected profit surface for the lender at the time of application before making an offer to an applicant. The results show how a lender could find the optimal interest rate to increase the expected profit or its market share. We also consider how different optimal decision policies could be applied to different market segments.     

重复博弈下借款人违约风险研究

通过建立投资人和平台多方均面临借款人违约风险的不完全信息博弈模型,寻找单次博弈的均衡点,再将博弈重复无限次得出了新的均衡.     

A time-dependent proportional hazards survival model for credit risk analysis

In the consumer credit industry, assessment of default risk is critically important for the financial health of both the lender and the borrower. Methods for predicting risk for an applicant using credit bureau and application data, typically based on logistic regression or survival analysis, are universally employed by credit card companies. Because of the manner in which the predictive models are fit using large historical sets of existing customer data that extend over many years, default trends, anomalies, and other temporal phenomena that result from dynamic economic conditions are not brought to light. We introduce a modification of the proportional hazards survival model that includes a time-dependency mechanism for capturing temporal phenomena, and we develop a maximum likelihood algorithm for fitting the model. Using a very large, real data set, we demonstrate that incorporating the time dependency can provide more accurate risk scoring, as well as important insight into dynamic market effects that can inform and enhance related decision making.     

Effects of missing data in credit risk scoring. A comparative analysis of methods to achieve robustness in the absence of sufficient data

The 2004 Basel II Accord has pointed out the benefits of credit risk management through internal models using internal data to estimate risk components: probability of default (PD), loss given default, exposure at default and maturity. Internal data are the primary data source for PD estimates; banks are permitted to use statistical default prediction models to estimate the borrowers’ PD, subject to some requirements concerning accuracy, completeness and appropriateness of data. However, in practice, internal records are usually incomplete or do not contain adequate history to estimate the PD. Current missing data are critical with regard to low default portfolios, characterised by inadequate default records, making it difficult to design statistically significant prediction models. Several methods might be used to deal with missing data such as list-wise deletion, application-specific list-wise deletion, substitution techniques or imputation models (simple and multiple variants). List-wise deletion is an easy-to-use method widely applied by social scientists, but it loses substantial data and reduces the diversity of information resulting in a bias in the model's parameters, results and inferences. The choice of the best method to solve the missing data problem largely depends on the nature of missing values (MCAR, MAR and MNAR processes) but there is a lack of empirical analysis about their effect on credit risk that limits the validity of resulting models. In this paper, we analyse the nature and effects of missing data in credit risk modelling (MCAR, MAR and NMAR processes) and take into account current scarce data set on consumer borrowers, which include different percents and distributions of missing data. The findings are used to analyse the performance of several methods for dealing with missing data such as likewise deletion, simple imputation methods, MLE models and advanced multiple imputation (MI) alternatives based on MarkovChain-MonteCarlo and re-sampling methods. Results are evaluated and discussed between models in terms of robustness, accuracy and complexity. In particular, MI models are found to provide very valuable solutions with regard to credit risk missing data.     

Modelling the profitability of credit cards by Markov decision processes

This paper derives a Markov decision process model for the profitability of credit cards, which allows lenders to find an optimal dynamic credit limit policy. The states of the system are based on the borrower’s behavioural score and the decisions are what credit limit to give the borrower each period. In determining which Markov chain best describes the borrower’s performance, second order as well as first order Markov chains are considered and estimation procedures developed that deal with the low default levels that may exist in the data. A case study is given in which the optimal credit limit is derived and the results compared with the actual outcomes.     

Valuing risky debt: A new model combining structural information with the reduced-form approach

A new model of credit risk is proposed in which the intensity of default is described by an additional stochastic differential equation coupled with the process of the obligor’s asset value. Such an approach allows us to incorporate structural information as well as to capture the effect of external factors (e.g. macroeconomic factors) in a both parsimonious and economically consistent way. From the practical standpoint, the proposed model offers great flexibility and allows us to obtain credit spread curves of many different shapes, including double humped term structures. Furthermore, an approximate closed-form solution is derived, which is accurate, easy to implement, and allows for an efficient calibration to realized credit spreads. Numerical experiments are presented showing that the novel approach provides a very satisfactory fitting to market data and outperforms the model developed by Madan and Unal (2000).