MAIN DETERMINANTS OF PROFITABILITY OF THE LARGEST BANKS IN THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA

This paper presents profitability trends in the largest Croatian banks in the period from 2008 to 2012, as well as concentration index trends in the Croatian banking sector. The values of the concentration indices in the Croatian banking sector suggest that a high level of correlation and "similarity" between the concentration indices is indicative of a quality concentration analysis. This is demonstrated by the following indices: the concentration ratio, the Herfindahl-Hirschman index, the Hall-Tideman index, the Rosenbluth index, the Gini coefficient and the entropy measure. It is evident that in the observed period there was an increase in the concentration of the Croatian banking system as a result of a reduction in the absolute number of banks, as well as an increase in the market shares of banks following behind the two banks holding the largest market shares (Zagrebacka banka and Privredna banka). An increase in market shares of the two leading banks increased inequality on the market, thus intensifying market competition between them. The level of concentration on the banking market in Croatia is directly related to the financial performance of banks. Hence, the largest banks in Croatia, which hold 90% of the total market, have recorded very strong financial performance.