Return on equity (ROE): US bank rankings
WEX Bank ranked first by return on equity (ROE) at Q2 2026 with 51.92%, followed by Ameriprise Bank, FSB (50.95%) and American Express National Bank (41.56%). Rank among 500 banks reporting this metric, 1 = highest; the median bank was at 12.21%. Source: FDIC Call Report data, cross-checked against FFIEC filings.
- WEX Bank moved to first, ahead of Carter Bank & Trust, first in Q1 2026
- Median: up from 11.77% to 12.21%
- Biggest rise in the top 100: TowneBank, from 445th to 83rd
Sparklines: the last ten years (median and count: every quarter of this ranking). Source: FDIC BankFind Suite (Call Report data), cross-checked against FFIEC Call Report filings. Calculations: EconoMonitor.
Ranking, Q2 2026
| Rank (1 = highest) | Change in rank | Bank | State | Q2 2026 | Q1 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 399 | +1 | Bank of New Hampshire | NH | 8.46% | 8.23% | |
| 402 | -5 | Valley National Bank | NJ | 8.45% | 8.28% | |
| 403 | -16 | Exchange Bank | CA | 8.44% | 8.62% | |
| 404 | +2 | Salem Five Cents Savings Bank | MA | 8.41% | 7.99% | |
| 404 | -13 | BankFirst Financial Services | MS | 8.41% | 8.39% | |
| 406 | +7 | NBH Bank | CO | 8.40% | 7.79% | |
| 407 | -2 | Union Savings Bank | CT | 8.38% | 8.09% | |
| 408 | -9 | Royal Business Bank | CA | 8.32% | 8.27% | |
| 409 | +63 | Hancock Whitney Bank | MS | 8.29% | 4.64% | |
| 409 | +7 | Avidia Bank | MA | 8.29% | 7.64% | |
| 411 | +21 | First Bank | NJ | 8.25% | 6.85% | |
| 412 | +36 | City National Bank | CA | 8.15% | 6.10% | |
| 413 | +5 | The Bank of Missouri | MO | 8.10% | 7.56% | |
| 414 | +62 | Nicolet National Bank | WI | 8.08% | 4.33% | |
| 415 | -50 | Citizens Business Bank | CA | 8.05% | 9.12% | |
| 416 | -4 | First Bank | MO | 8.03% | 7.80% | |
| 417 | +72 | Dedham Institution for Savings | MA | 7.99% | 2.93% | |
| 418 | +51 | Meridian Bank | PA | 7.95% | 4.81% | |
| 419 | -41 | Westfield Bank | MA | 7.94% | 8.78% | |
| 420 | +46 | Fifth Third Bank | OH | 7.89% | 5.09% | |
| 421 | -38 | Heritage Bank | WA | 7.88% | 8.66% | |
| 422 | +17 | Leader Bank | MA | 7.84% | 6.53% | |
| 423 | +3 | BNY Mellon | PA | 7.66% | 7.06% | |
| 424 | +3 | Ion Bank | CT | 7.63% | 7.04% | |
| 425 | -8 | Santander Bank | DE | 7.54% | 7.57% | |
| 426 | -6 | Ponce Bank | NY | 7.44% | 7.33% | |
| 427 | +17 | Prosperity Bank | TX | 7.42% | 6.21% | |
| 427 | -5 | South Shore Bank | MA | 7.42% | 7.28% | |
| 429 | -5 | Academy Bank | MO | 7.40% | 7.23% | |
| 430 | +12 | Mechanics Bank | CA | 7.33% | 6.34% | |
| 430 | -8 | Israel Discount Bank of New York | NY | 7.33% | 7.28% | |
| 430 | -16 | Northfield Bank | NY | 7.33% | 7.76% | |
| 433 | -159 | First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Lakewood | OH | 7.30% | 11.22% | |
| 434 | +45 | Manasquan Bank | NJ | 7.18% | 4.14% | |
| 435 | -46 | TruNorth Bank | MA | 7.15% | 8.56% | |
| 436 | +22 | Farmers and Merchants Bank of Long Beach | CA | 7.10% | 5.45% | |
| 437 | -2 | The Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank | MA | 7.00% | 6.68% | |
| 438 | -45 | Cornerstone Bank | MA | 6.96% | 8.34% | |
| 439 | -11 | Popular Bank | NY | 6.92% | 7.01% | |
| 440 | +9 | Southern Bancorp Bank | AR | 6.80% | 6.06% | |
Source: FDIC BankFind Suite (Call Report data), cross-checked against FFIEC Call Report filings. Calculations: EconoMonitor. Change in rank compares with Q1 2026. Bars: value relative to the largest in the table.
Who leads the table?
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.
How are the values spread?
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.
Which of the top 100 banks moved most?
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%).
How is this ranking built?
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).
Other US bank rankings
- Bank equity capital
- Common equity tier 1 (CET1) ratio
- Deposits in domestic offices
- Efficiency ratio
- Full-time equivalent employees
- Loan-to-deposit ratio
- Total loans and leases (gross)
- Net loans and leases
- Net charge-offs to average loans
- Net income (year to date)
- Net interest margin
- Noncurrent loans to total loans
- Number of offices
- Return on assets (ROA)
- Available-for-sale securities (amortized cost)
- Available-for-sale securities (fair value)
- Held-to-maturity securities (amortized cost)
- Held-to-maturity securities (fair value)
- Total securities
- Tier 1 leverage ratio
- Total assets
- Total deposits
- Total equity capital
- Total risk-based capital ratio
- Uninsured share of domestic deposits
- Estimated uninsured deposits
Source: FDIC BankFind Suite (Call Report data). EconoMonitor is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FDIC. Primary source: FDIC BankFind Suite; cross-check: FFIEC Central Data Repository. Checks: Check A passed, Check B passed.
Data and analysis only, not financial advice. The FDIC and the FFIEC do not endorse EconoMonitor. See the disclaimer and methodology.