The Evolution of U.S. Bank Branch Networks: Growth, Consolidation, and Strategy

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The Evolution of U.S. Bank Branch Networks: Growth, Consolidation, and Strategy

July 2004 Volume 10, Number 8

JEL classification: G21, G28

Author: Beverly Hirtle and Christopher Metli

Bank branches have become steadily more concentrated within large and midsized branch networks over the past decade. A look at branching trends between 2001 and 2003 reveals that banks with large networks grew slowly and strategically during this period as they adjusted their branch holdings within existing markets, while institutions with midsized branch networks expanded more aggressively.

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