The Latin American Microfinance Industry: How Does it Measure Up?

This publication aims to help donors, creditors and investors evaluate the performance, condition and risk of individual microfinance institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean, in hopes of strengthening the microfinance industry and building the microenterprise sector. It provides concrete and reliable reference values for several benchmark indicators relevant to the industry. Specifically, it explores nineteen benchmark indicators in six major categories: profitability, capital, asset quality, liquidity, productivity, and growth. The report finds important patterns with regard to institutional form, size, and maturity. Moreover, the report represents an attempt to assign reference values to these indicators for the microfinance industry in Latin America and the Caribbean.