Return on equity (ROE): US bank rankings

The five banks at the top of the table at Q2 2026 were WEX Bank (51.92%, UT), Ameriprise Bank, FSB (50.95%, MN), American Express National Bank (41.56%, UT), Bessemer Trust Company (38.18%, NY) and Beal Bank USA (37.98%, NV). 8 of the top 10 were also in the top 10 in Q1 2026. 2 of the top 10 have their head office in Utah.

Half of the 500 banks have a value between 9.16% and 15.03% (the middle two quarters of the table); one in ten is above 18.70% and one in ten below 6.04%. A year earlier, at Q2 2025, the median was 10.52% across 528 banks. The median rose from 11.77% in Q1 2026 to 12.21% in Q2 2026.

11 values lie far from the rest of the table (more than three times the spread of the middle half beyond it): WEX Bank (51.92%); Ameriprise Bank, FSB (50.95%); American Express National Bank (41.56%); Bessemer Trust Company (38.18%, a trust or card bank by name); Beal Bank USA (37.98%); Carter Bank & Trust (37.13%, a trust or card bank by name) and others. Values like these usually come from special-purpose banks, such as trust, custody, credit card or payment banks, whose balance sheets differ from lending banks; compare them with care.

Between Q1 2026 and Q2 2026, of the 500 banks ranked in both quarters, 248 moved up the table, 241 moved down and 11 kept their place; the typical bank moved 14 places.

Largest moves up the table from Q1 2026 to Q2 2026: TowneBank (from 445th to 83rd; 6.17% to 16.91%); Barclays Bank Delaware (from 329th to 69th; 10.02% to 17.40%); Beal Bank USA (from 225th to 5th; 12.33% to 37.98%). Largest moves down the table from Q1 2026 to Q2 2026: Optum Bank, Inc. (from 36th to 65th; 20.31% to 17.52%); U. S. Century Bank (from 60th to 86th; 17.47% to 16.79%); American Savings Bank (from 72nd to 92nd; 16.90% to 16.36%).

Annualized net income as a percent of average equity (FDIC calculation; blank when retained earnings are negative). Return on equity (ROE) values are year-to-date, annualized figures from each bank's Call Report for Q2 2026, ranked from highest to lowest (1 = highest).

Full definitions are on the methodology page for return on equity (ROE).