SD

Sam Deegan

PhD Candidate in Economics
University College Dublin • Geary Institute of Public Policy

I am a PhD candidate in Economics at University College Dublin. My research examines how the organisational geography of banking groups shapes exposure to financial shocks, regulatory interventions, and credit access. I am on the job market for the 2026–2027 academic year.

🎓Education

PhD in Economics

University College Dublin

School of Economics
Sep 2022 – Sep 2026 (Expected)
MSc in Quantitative Economics

University College Dublin

School of Economics
Sep 2020 – Sep 2021
MBS in Economics and Finance

South East Technological University

School of Business
Sep 2014 – Sep 2015

Research Interests

Banking & Financial Intermediation Financial Stability & Regulation Spatial Economics Bank Branch Networks Credit Supply & Transmission Macroprudential Policy

📊My Research

My research program examines how the organisational geography of banking groups governs the transmission of financial shocks to local economies. Each paper in my portfolio exploits the fact that banking groups operate across multiple local markets through their branch networks, creating predetermined geographic exposure that can be used for causal identification. My job market paper, “Failure in the Margins,” traces how U.S. bank failures transmit to county-level personal income through multi-county branch footprints. “Stress Tests on Main Street” maps holding-company stress-test eligibility to counties through deposit networks, finding no evidence of a “growth penalty.” “Consolidation-Driven De-Branching” shows that resolution-driven acquisitions compress local branch infrastructure in overlap markets. Together, these papers offer a unified lens on how banking geography shapes economic outcomes across distinct institutional settings.

📚Featured Papers

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Failure in the Margins: Local Exposure to Non-local Bank Distress

Maps U.S. bank failures to counties through pre-failure branch footprints. A one-percentage-point increase in failure exposure reduces annual personal income growth by 0.14pp (IV). Income remains 1–2% below its pre-failure path for approximately four years before gradually recovering.

Deegan, S. (Under Review, 2026)
Job Market Paper Banking
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Stress Tests on Main Street: Tracing Holding-Company Exposure Through Branch Networks

Tests the “growth penalty” hypothesis using the introduction of CCAR. Median exposure (21% of county deposits) raises real personal income by 1.52pp cumulatively over four years. Banks increase capital and reduce wholesale funding without cutting loan intensity.

Deegan, S. (Under Review, 2026)
Under Review Stress Testing

📑All Research

Deegan, S. (2026). “Failure in the Margins: Local Exposure to Non-local Bank Distress.” Under Review.
Deegan, S. (2026). “Stress Tests on Main Street: Tracing Holding-Company Exposure Through Branch Networks.” Under Review.
Deegan, S. (2026). “Consolidation-Driven De-Branching: Overlap Effects in Quasi-Exogenous Bank M&A.” Under Review.

💬Get in Touch

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (+353) 087 344 8748

Office: Geary Institute of Public Policy, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland