Articles & Analysis

The Hidden Drivers of CU Consolidation

glennc@ceoadvisory.com (Glenn Christensen) — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 01:38:10 GMT

Why So Many Merged Credit Unions Report Negative ROAA—and What the Data Really Says About Scale

The third quarter of 2025 sparked renewed debate across the credit union movement: why do so many merged credit unions show negative earnings, especially when acquired bank targets appear far more consistently profitable?

Credit Union Merger Analysis: Third Quarter 2025

glennc@ceoadvisory.com (Glenn Christensen) — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 23:52:59 GMT

An analysis of credit union mergers for the third quarter of 2025 shows relatively consistent merger volumes compared to the first and second quarters, but a dramatic increase in the combined asset size of the acquired institutions.

New Whitepaper Release - Credit Union Bank Acquisitions - Part 2

glennc@ceoadvisory.com (Glenn Christensen) — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 01:42:58 GMT

We’re excited to announce the release of Part 2 in our whitepaper series, What Credit Unions Need to Know About Bank Acquisitions. This latest installment, titled “Proceeding with the Deal,” offers a practical and strategic guide for credit union leaders who are ready to take the next step in acquiring a bank.

The Perfect Storm: CEO Retirements and Industry Consolidation Create Strategic Succession Opportunity

glennc@ceoadvisory.com (Glenn Christensen) — Thu, 21 Aug 2025 22:52:12 GMT

What if your credit union could achieve better economies of scale and find the perfect CEO to lead your organization in the future?

Credit Union Mergers Analysis: Second Quarter 2025

glennc@ceoadvisory.com (Glenn Christensen) — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 20:24:12 GMT

An analysis of credit union mergers for the second quarter of 2025 shows an upward trend over the first quarter in both the number of approved transactions and the combined asset size of the merging institutions.

Credit Unions Must Evolve to Thrive

glennc@ceoadvisory.com (Glenn Christensen) — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 01:01:21 GMT

Any credit union using yesterday’s business practices to operate in today’s fast-paced business environment will struggle to survive into the future. The best-performing credit unions have consistently reinvented themselves to keep pace with the evolving financial services landscape—defined now by artificial intelligence, increased competition, changing consumer expectations, and shifting demographics. This changing environment and requirements this has on future leadership characteristics will have profound impacts on succession planning. Mergers are likely to become an ever-increasing component of the succession plan in order to gain competitive advantage. Succession Planning with Mergers as an Option explores this topic in depth.

More Mergers Occurring For Strategic Reasons Rather Than Financial Distress

glennc@ceoadvisory.com (Glenn Christensen) — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 18:27:48 GMT

While mergers continue unabated in the credit union industry, the reasons for undertaking them has shifted over the years. As we reported in our 2019 white paper, “When Prospective Partners Come Calling,” most mergers in the past occurred because the merging institution was in dire financial straits. Today, however, mergers are much more likely to happen for strategic reasons that will position the credit union to better serve their members and become a stronger force in the financial services marketplace.

What Should You Be Looking for in a Successor CEO?

glennc@ceoadvisory.com (Glenn Christensen) — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 00:43:07 GMT

Succession planning is getting considerable attention in 2025, as the deadline draws nearer to the NCUA final rule requiring that federally insured credit unions have a written plan. With just a few months until the Jan. 1, 2026, effective date, many credit unions are likely devoting more time to determining the criteria for a successor CEO. Here are suggestions for what to look for in successor candidates and how to find them.

In Prioritizing Succession Planning, Credit Unions May Also Wish to Consider Mergers

glennc@ceoadvisory.com (Glenn Christensen) — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 22:37:55 GMT

Succession planning has been a hot topic in the credit union space over the last several years, fueled in part by the National Credit Union Association’s rule that requires federal credit unions to establish a formalized succession planning process for filling key management and board positions.

Three Pathways for Credit Unions to Achieve Scale

glennc@ceoadvisory.com (Glenn Christensen) — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 00:11:14 GMT

Scale is one of the hottest topics in credit union operations these days. With the rising cost of technology, operations, talent acquisition, and other business functions, the need for credit unions to become simultaneously bigger and more efficient has become a top priority.