Bank Branch Location: a Count Analysis

This study undertakes an analysis of the association between socio-economic variables and the spatial distribution of bank branches in South Africa. To analyse retail bank branch location, parametric Poisson, negative binomial, Poisson-hurdle, and finite-mixture count models that accommodate unobserved heterogeneity have been estimated with a data set of bank branches in municipalities in South Africa. The key finding is that aggregate income in a municipal area is a statistically significant determinant of the number of bank branches. The results also suggest that the four core banks tend to cluster their branches in the same areas-suggesting the possibility of oligopolistic collusion. A more recent entrant locates its urban branches slightly away from the cluster and in some areas where the core banks have no presence. In addition, several socio-economic variables, some of which are unique to South Africa, do not appear to affect branch location.