MARKET PLANNING & ANALYSIS

Have you maximized your opportunity in each market?

Market ID provides market analysis services primarily for credit unions and small to mid sized banks and thrifts. We combine industry specific data, technical skills and decades of experience to assist our clients in their business planning and decision making.

We analyze market data from the census bureau, local planners, traffic engineers, regulatory reports and various government agencies. This data frequently is used to evaluate new markets or to examine the relevant characteristics of branch markets. These findings often lead to relocations, consolidations or de novo office development.

Market planning activities often includes data gathering and analysis of the following types of information.

Demographics

The demographic characteristics of a market normally are analyzed at a census tract or planning area level (small aggregates of census tracts) to provide micro examination of geographic areas. Working with these small areas provides flexibility in recombining the data into larger combinations such as branch service areas.

The micro data normally is arrayed geographically in table form while the underlying database supports the mapping software used to depict relevant characteristics at levels ranging from a neighborhood up to county or regional views.

The demographic attributes examined often include the number of market households, age distribution, housing characteristics, income estimates, education levels and interest and dividend income.

The connection between household value and market characteristics is analyzed by combining household productivity measures with these external market characteristics.

Growth potential

Forecasts of households and employment often are developed by census tract or other planning area level and the information is organized in table and map formats. We do not rely on national data vendors for this type of information, instead we work with local planners who have an intimate knowledge of local conditions. This data is particularly important for determining the amount and direction of household and employment growth in a community or region.

Current household estimates are used to provide up-to-date household market share calculations while forecasts are used to model future branch balances based on alternative scenarios.

Competition

Branch level information is extremely valuable for determining the flow of deposits to branches in the various commercial areas within the region. Our competitor data is developed geographically for examination in tabular form and is mapped to show possible branch location options and the competitive mix at each location.

Branch deposits normally come as a raw database that requires manual editing to eliminate duplicate entries resulting from acquisitions or relocations. Our branch files are edited, local bank, thrift and credit union offices are reorganized and a five-year deposit history developed for each reporting branch (head office only for credit unions). Each branch is then included in a group of direct competitors, and deposit growth and market share are computed for each office. This tabular data provides an indication of the major financial centers and the relative success of each concentration of direct competitors. In addition, this information is organized by institution to determine the market share leaders in the region.

Industries & employment

Industry and employment data is available in several forms, ranging from business lists to business census reports.
Employment and business information is collected every five years as part of the Economic Census conducted by the Bureau of the Census. Economic census data is used to evaluate the number of establishments, number of employees, payroll and sales figures for major industry classifications in different geographic areas.

In urban areas, local planners often provide some of the best estimates of current employment for small geographic areas. This data normally is classified by major industry group and includes projections for at least the next ten years. Market ID reorganizes this information into geographically oriented data tables and maps the most relevant information.

Where available, Market ID acquires lists of major employers then geocodes the addresses of these employers (append a point location and census tract identifier) prior to reorganizing the information geographically. These lists can be used as sales tools or for analysis to determine the level of business opportunity. Information of this type often includes an employer name and address, number of employees, sales or other measure of size and an industry classification. Maps are developed to show the distribution of these employers by size, industry classification or other characteristic.

Traffic counts

Traffic counts are used regionally to identify traffic patterns over a large area and locally to determine potential exposure at alternative locations. Traffic count information is developed as a database containing information such as street names, latitude and longitude, 24-hour counts, date of counts and nearest cross street.

The amount of traffic is presented in map form with actual counts and symbols sized to reflect traffic volumes at each location. This information is combined with other location data such as proposed sites, branches and shopping centers.

Retail developments

The analysis of markets can include an understanding of major retail concentrations. Shopping center information originates as a database containing the shopping center name, address, leasable area, major tenants and other pertinent information. For ease of use, this information is organized geographically in tabular format and keyed to a series of maps depicting the locations of centers by type along with other location information of interest.