
New bank commercials are evidence that banks are changing the way they sell themselves. Instead of urging consumers to spend by advertising things like home equity loans, banks are now trying to attract customers by promoting savings accounts and retirement plans. It's a good thing banks are adjusting their messages to reflect consumer consciousness, but do you even pay attention to bank commercials?
I loved the other day when WaMu began offering very competitive rates to keep customers from withdrawing and closing accounts, only to be forced by the FDIC to close up shop and ditch everything for $1.9B. JPM ended up buying everything, excluding stock, for $1.9B. The value of all accounts, including mortgages, credit cards, autos, buildings, light bulbs, toilet paper, and whatever, is something like $134B. Even if 75% of all outstanding loans default, JPM still comes up $30B. JPM legally stole WaMu! JPM hit a new 52-week high, while the rest of the market, and many many financials, are making 52-week lows daily, and some going to zero.
What are we going to call the Final Four? JPMorgan, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, US Bancorp
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