Bank Director's RankingBanking Study Ranks Top-Performing U.S. Banks

Annual study ranks the 300 largest public banks.

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank Director, the leading information resource for directors and officers of financial institutions nationwide, released its 2025 RankingBanking study, sponsored by Crowe LLP. Each year, Bank Director's RankingBanking study rates the performance of the 300 largest publicly traded banks. It's a chance to examine why some banks excel year over year while others fall short. Jackie Stewart, Bank Director's Executive Editor, uncovered key patterns among the top-ranked banks, such as an ability to master niche markets. Banks profiled in the report also demonstrate dominance in their home markets and excellence in executing on M&A.

RankingBanking uses four metrics to gauge the performance of publicly traded commercial and savings banks. The metrics are core return on average assets, core return on average equity, tangible common equity to tangible assets and nonperforming assets to loans and other real estate owned. Each bank is ranked on each metric and the sum of the rankings produces a final score. The lower the score, the better the performance.

Kara Baldwin, a partner at Crowe who leads the financial services audit group, explains that top-performing banks benefit from a well-defined strategic focus. "What's your bank's vision, and what is the strategy to get there? If you're going to have something that's novel and unique, be the best at that," she says.

Below are the 25 Top-Ranked Banks Overall:

1. Westamerica Bancorp. (WABC), San Rafael, CA
2. Northeast Community Bancorp (NECB), White Plains, NY
3. Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (FMCB), Lodi, CA
4. West Coast Community Bancorp (WCCB), Santa Cruz, CA
5. Commerce Bancshares (CBSH), Kansas City, MO
6. River City Bank (RCBC), Sacramento, CA
7. HBT Financial (HBT), Bloomington, IL
8. Central Bancompany (CBCY.B), Jefferson City, MO
9. MetroCity BankShares (MCBS), Doraville, GA
10. First National Bank Alaska (FBAK), Anchorage, AK
11. Bank First Corp. (BFC), Manitowoc, WI
12. East West Bancorp (EWBC), Pasadena, CA
13. Five Star Bancorp (FSBC), Rancho Cordova, CA
14. City Holding Co. (CHCO), Charleston, WV — TIED
14. Unity Bancorp (UNTY), Clinton, NJ — TIED
16. Mercantile Bank Corp. (MBWM), Grand Rapids, MI
17. Bank OZK (OZK), Little Rock, AR
18. Cashmere Valley Bank (CSHX), Cashmere, WA
19. 1st Source Corp. (SRCE), South Bend, IN
20. ACNB Corp. (ACNB), Gettysburg, PA — TIED
20. ServisFirst Bancshares (SFBS), Birmingham, AL — TIED
22. Northeast Bank (NBN), Portland, ME
23. Preferred Bank (PFBC), Los Angeles, CA
24. Community Trust Bancorp (CTBI), Pikeville, KY
25. Republic Bancorp (RBCA.A), Louisville, KY

To access the full ranking, along with the top-performing banks broken out by asset size, click here.

Takeaways from RankingBanking:

• Banks in California dominated the list, posting strong financial returns and making up seven of the top 25 spots.
• Being an active acquirer is an attribute of several of the banks on this year's list.
• Columbia Banking System came in at No. 2 for banks with at least $50 billion in assets.
• East West Bancorp, ranked first in its asset class, was the only bank above $50 billion in assets that made it to the top 25 overall list.
• Nicolet Bankshares ranked 17th in the $5 billion to $50 billion asset category, jumping from No. 65 in 2024, No. 121 in 2023 and No. 132 in 2022.

To review the full results of Bank Director's RankingBanking study, along with previous RankingBanking reports, please visit BankDirector.com.

About Bank Director
Bank Director reaches the leaders of the institutions that comprise America's banking industry. Since 1991, Bank Director has provided board-level research, peer insights and in-depth executive and board services. Built for banks, Bank Director extends into and beyond the boardroom by providing timely and relevant information through Bank Director magazine, board training services and the financial industry's premier event, Acquire or Be Acquired. For more information, please visit www.BankDirector.com.

About Crowe LLP
Crowe LLP is a public accounting and consulting firm that uses its deep industry expertise to provide audit, tax and consulting services to public and private entities. Crowe is recognized by many organizations as one of the best places to work in the U.S. As an independent member of Crowe Global, one of the largest global accounting networks in the world, Crowe serves clients worldwide. The network consists of more than 200 independent accounting and advisory services firms in more than 130 countries around the world. For more information about Crowe financial industry services www.crowe.com/fs.

For more information, please contact Bank Director's Marketing Associate, Emma McMillan-Zapf at [email protected].

SOURCE Bank Director