Effect of Diversification on Financial Performance of Commercial Banks in Kenya

Diversification plays a vital role in risk management and consequently financial performance of commercial banks. Diversification mitigates systemic risk facing a commercial bank and thus reduces the probability of bank failure. In Kenya, commercial banks have been diversifying their business by increasingly offering new services such as mobile banking, agency banking, bank-assurance, faceless banking and integrating microfinance in their banking system. Diversification by the commercial banks  is premised on the need to enhance financial performance. This has mainly emanated from banking industry having undergone numerous regulations regimes which over the years have affected financial performance of these entities. Empirical literature shows that diversification may not always lead to higher financial performance due to increased overheads and exhausted economies of scale. The study sought to determine the effect of diversification on financial performance of commercial banks in Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were to determine the effect of income diversification on financial performance of commercial banks in Kenya, to examine the effect of geographical diversification on financial performance of commercial banks in Kenya and to examine the effect of product diversification on financial performance of commercial banks in Kenya. Secondary data used by the study was collected for five years period (2013-2017 on annual basis). All the commercial banks were studied. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics and presented in tables and figures. The study found that Income Source Diversification and Geographical Diversification had a positive effect on the financial performance of the commercial banks while the Product Diversification had a negative impact the financial performance the commercial banks. The findings from the OLS regression analysis revealed that the diversification components studied namely product diversification, geographical diversification and income diversification explain up to 13.3% of the variations in return on assets (R2=0.133) and 18.7% of the variations in return on equity (R2=0.187). The study concluded that financial performance of the commercial banks in Kenya can be accounted for by the diversification strategies that have been implemented. It was further concluded that increased formulation and implementation of additional diversification strategies resulted in significant improvement in the financial performance of the commercial banks. The study recommended that managers at the commercial banks to make formulation and implementation of diversifications as a key organizational priority. Before the adoption of any particular diversification, the management of the commercial banks are econcouraged to first determine the suitability of that particular diversification strategies based on the organization structure, culture and policies and the overall intended outcomes. The study recommends that the government and other regulatory bodies to create favourable policies on the implementation of diversifications in commercial banks. This will ensure that there is effectiveness, efficiency as well as consistency in the use and adoption of diversifications by not only the banks but also other organizations in different sectors.