This document presents a comparative study of the efficiency and stability of Islamic and conventional banks in GCC countries from 2005-2014. It finds that:
1) Conventional banks are more efficient at managing costs, while Islamic banks are more solid in terms of short-term solvency, though there is no difference in long-term stability.
2) Regression analysis shows the operations of Islamic banks are different from conventional banks, even after controlling for bank-specific variables.
3) Larger banks have less intermediation ratios, indicating diseconomies of scale, and highly capitalized banks are more stable but less cost-efficient.