Ohio Credit Unions

Member engagement deteriorated meaningfully in 2026-Q1. The member growth rate of -0.95% represents an acceleration in losses compared to -1.30% in 2025-Q4 (QoQ improvement of 0.35 pp), but marks a sharp deceleration from the positive +0.27% recorded in 2025-Q1 a year ago — a 1.22 pp swing into negative territory. Ohio credit unions now trail the national member growth rate of -0.65% by 31 basis points. The sustained membership contraction raises questions about whether Ohio CUs are retaining existing members or attracting new ones in a competitive deposit environment.

Ohio credit union profitability was essentially stable across both timeframes in 2026-Q1. ROA held at 0.69%, down just 4 bps from 0.73% in 2025-Q4 and down a negligible 1 bp from 0.70% in 2025-Q1 — both changes classified as stable. The cohort sits 2 bps above the national ROA of 0.67%. NIM was equally steady at 3.72%, off just 1 bp from 3.73% last quarter, but increased 9 bps from 3.63% a year ago, now 2 bps above the national NIM of 3.70%. The year-over-year NIM expansion is a positive signal amid a stabilizing rate environment.

Growth decelerated across key metrics in 2026-Q1. Asset growth slowed to 3.29% from 4.18% in 2025-Q4 (down 0.88 pp QoQ) and from 3.82% in 2025-Q1 (down 0.52 pp YoY), though the cohort still leads the national pace of 2.64% by 65 basis points. Loan growth decelerated to 0.46% from 0.88% in 2025-Q4 — a 0.43 pp pullback — and remains 14 basis points above the national loan growth rate of 0.31%. Year-over-year loan growth data is unavailable for direct comparison, but the quarterly deceleration warrants monitoring as demand signals soften.

Ohio's risk profile showed a mixed but broadly manageable picture in 2026-Q1. Delinquency decreased to 0.79% from 0.92% in 2025-Q4 — a welcome 0.13 pp improvement — but increased 8 bps from 0.71% in 2025-Q1, leaving the cohort 1 basis point above the national benchmark of 0.78%. Net worth was stable at 12.63%, down just 1 bp from 12.65% last quarter, while increasing 9 bps from 12.54% a year ago. However, at 12.63%, Ohio CUs trail the national net worth ratio of 13.61% by a significant 98 basis points, representing a structural capital gap relative to peers.

Ohio's portfolio composition shifted notably over the past year. First mortgage concentration increased to 20.34% in 2026-Q1 from 19.47% in 2025-Q1 (+0.87 pp YoY) and from 20.00% in 2025-Q4 (+0.34 pp QoQ), though it still trails the national benchmark of 22.15%. Share certificate concentration rose to 19.43% from 18.12% a year ago (+1.31 pp YoY), approaching the national level of 19.80%, while remaining stable versus 19.39% last quarter. Indirect auto concentration held steady at 11.35% — virtually unchanged from 11.36% a year ago — and remains well above the national rate of 7.73%, reflecting Ohio's distinct lending profile.