Evaluation of farm credit express delinquencies

Abstract

Credit scoring is a tool used to make lending decisions. AgChoice Farm Credit has a dealer financing program called Farm Credit Express that makes lending decisions based on a scoring model. Farm Credit Express is a dealer financing option for farm equipment purchases. AgChoice has generated significant loan volume with this program but has also experienced challenges with loan delinquencies as field staff must service loans that they did not originate. This thesis evaluates loan delinquencies within AgChoice Farm Credit’s Farm Credit Express (“FCE”) program. The thesis develops a regression model that includes delinquencies as the dependent variable and Total AgChoice Borrowing, Original Loan Amount, Farming Segment, CBI Score, AgScore, and FCE Only as the independent variables. The model provides an examination of AgChoice’s Farm Credit Express delinquencies and evaluates the variables mentioned above and their ability to predict delinquencies. The results showed that Total AgChoice Borrowing, Original Loan Amount, CBI Score and FCE only were statistically significant independent variables. Based on results of the model, recommendations were made to potentially reduce future delinquencies in the Farm Credit Express loan portfolio.