U.S. BANK CREDIT CARD CHARGE-OFFS 2013
Credit quality continues to improve quarter-to quarter and year-to-year and it appears the bank credit card charge-off plague is quickly subsiding. Tighter underwriting, manageable credit limits, departure of bad credits, not to mention the improving economy, have all contributed to taking charge-offs to historic lows for most U.S. issuers. Charge-offs among the nation’s largest bank credit card issuers fell, on average, by 62 basis points in 2013, to 3.25% at year’s end. After peaking at 10.79% in Q2/2010, charge-offs have returned to levels not seen since 2006 in the U.S.. Discounting the seasonal first quarter contraction in average credit card loans, charge-offs have declined for 14 consecutive quarters.