The Northern Trust Company

Overview

What stands out about The Northern Trust Company?

Its largest one-quarter change in total assets since Q1 2016 was +18.6% between Q4 2019 and Q1 2020, a quarter with no merger or acquisition in the FDIC history. Against its six size peers, its loan-to-deposit ratio stands out most: 29.48% at Q2 2026, below the peer median of 80.22%. Its uninsured share of domestic deposits of 76.66% at Q2 2026 is in the highest 5% of the 500 banks reporting it (rank 12 of 500, 1 = highest). Its tier 1 leverage ratio of 6.84% at Q2 2026 is in the lowest 5% of the 500 banks reporting it (rank 496 of 500, 1 = highest).

How large is The Northern Trust Company?

At Q2 2026 the bank held $178.6 bn of assets. Deposits were $148.1 bn and net loans and leases $43.7 bn, a loan-to-deposit ratio of 29.48%. Securities of $61.2 bn made up 34.3% of assets.

Total assets rose 52.1% between Q1 2016 and Q2 2026, from $117.4 bn.

How much of its funding is uninsured?

An estimated 76.66% of domestic deposits were above the FDIC insurance limit at Q2 2026, -2.14 pp from the previous quarter and -1.78 pp from a year earlier. That share ranks 12th among 500 banks reporting this metric (1 = highest).

Key facts, Q2 2026

US rank: rank among the banks in our coverage reporting each metric, 1 = highest unless marked 1 = lowest.

The common equity tier 1 (CET1) ratio was 11.83% at Q2 2026, +0.44 pp from a year earlier. Since Q1 2016 it has ranged from 10.38% (Q1 2016) to 13.91% (Q2 2020). At Q2 2026 the tier 1 leverage ratio was 6.84% and the total risk-based capital ratio 13.90%. The median CET1 ratio of the size peers listed below was 11.93% at Q2 2026.

Held-to-maturity securities had an unrealized loss of $1.1 bn at Q2 2026, measured as fair value minus amortized cost, equal to 9.5% of bank equity capital. The loss narrowed by $121.2 mn from a year earlier. The largest unrealized loss on these securities was $2.5 bn at Q3 2023. Available-for-sale securities showed an unrealized loss of $75.2 mn at Q2 2026; the loss narrowed by $44.4 mn from a year earlier.

Return on equity was 22.34% for the year to Q2 2026, annualized, with a return on assets of 1.47% and a net interest margin of 1.67%. The margin was +0.11 pp from a year earlier. The efficiency ratio, noninterest expense as a share of revenue as the FDIC defines it, was 70.32%. Net income for the year to Q2 2026 was $1.3 bn, up 63.7% on the same period a year earlier. The median return on equity of its size peers was 12.70% for the same period.

Noncurrent loans, those 90 days or more past due or no longer accruing interest, were 0.23% of total loans at Q2 2026. Net charge-offs for the year to date were 0.00% of average loans, annualized.

The FDIC history records no mergers or acquisitions for The Northern Trust Company since Q1 2016, and its total assets never moved more than 25% in one quarter.