Strongest and Weakest California Banks

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California ranks second to Georgia for the largest number of bank and thrift failures during the current economic crisis, with regulators shutting down eight institutions since the beginning of 2008.

While Georgia has had more bank failures, California has been the costliest state for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., accounting for $13.6 billion of the $19.5 billion of costs incurred by its insurance fund as of Feb. 27.

Strongest California banks and thrifts: As bad economic news piles up and the banking industry increases its overall exposure to problem assets, it’s easy to forget that strong banks and thrifts still exist. Based on year-end financial reports, 28 of California’s 317 banks and thrifts were rated B-plus or better, grades considered “good” or “excellent.”

California Banks and S&Ls Rated B+ or Higher – Dec. 31, 2008 ($Mil)

California Banks and S&Ls Rated B+ or Higher – Dec. 31, 2008 ($Mil)
  City Total Assets Tier 1 Leverage Ratio Total Risk-based Capital Ratio % NPA Net Income ROA ROE Net Charge-offs/ Avg. Loans LLR/ TL Nonperf. Loans & Securities/ Core Capital & LLR TheStreet Rating
First Security Thrift Co. Orange $316 11.02 15.55 0.00 $2.2 1.15 7.94 0.00 1.04 0.00 A+
California First National Bank Irvine $284 16.63 17.31 0.06 $2.5 1.12 6.12 0.08 1.01 0.37 A
CommerceWest Bank, NA Newport Beach $256 14.35 18.65 0.17 $2.1 0.85 6.33 1.34 1.49 1.20 A
Bank of Willits Willits $125 15.82 23.91 0.25 $0.3 0.24 1.51 0.02 1.92 1.50 A
Silicon Valley Bank Santa Clara $9,472 9.20 13.79 0.93 $121.1 1.67 18.93 0.85 1.96 10.77 A-
Farmers & Merchants Bank Long Beach $3,637 15.22 26.04 2.60 $29.7 0.87 4.91 1.48 2.69 15.65 A-
Farmers & Merch Bank Ctrl. Calif. Lodi $1,685 9.76 12.61 0.60 $23.9 1.49 15.30 0.56 1.70 2.91 A-
Provident Savings Bank, FSB Riverside $1,551 7.25 12.88 3.67 -$6.0 -0.37 -5.07 1.90 1.28 35.42 A-
State Bank of India (Calif) Los Angeles $769 12.05 17.70 0.00 $5.6 0.90 8.86 -0.01 1.06 0.00 A-
Mission Bank Bakersfield $185 10.82 13.98 0.05 $2.8 1.65 14.76 0.36 1.20 0.47 A-
California Pacific Bank San Francisco $83 25.13 38.21 4.85 $1.6 1.85 7.29 -0.68 5.92 15.90 A-
Citizens Business Bank Ontario $6,648 9.65 15.19 0.36 $68.2 1.07 12.14 0.16 1.44 2.62 B+
Community Bank Pasadena $2,498 9.24 11.97 1.08 $16.8 0.74 7.38 0.33 1.24 6.00 B+
Wilshire State Bank Los Angeles $2,447 10.24 13.59 0.75 $29.8 1.28 12.31 0.26 1.41 5.62 B+
Tri Counties Bank Chico $2,042 11.07 12.41 1.41 $18.6 0.93 8.08 0.69 1.73 11.17 B+
El Dorado Savings Bank, FSB Placerville $1,618 9.09 30.88 0.07 $9.5 0.60 5.91 0.00 0.81 0.76 B+
Los Padres Bank Solvang $1,187 7.34 10.31 1.64 -$8.5 -0.70 -12.11 1.34 0.85 12.65 B+
First American Trust, FSB Santa Ana $1,162 6.88 23.71 0.00 $9.8 0.87 18.11 N/A N/A 0.00 B+
Bank of Marin Corte Madera $1,050 12.27 13.95 0.64 $12.5 1.29 13.13 0.33 1.12 5.00 B+
Savings Bank of Mendocino County Ukiah $738 14.46 19.85 2.15 -$2.6 -0.35 -2.36 1.89 1.95 13.13 B+
Commercial Bank of California Costa Mesa $230 14.06 16.07 1.13 -$3.2 -1.41 -9.02 3.48 2.92 0.00 B+
Los Angeles National Bank Buena Park $216 12.04 15.51 0.94 -$1.2 -0.59 -4.72 0.00 1.20 3.44 B+
Bank of Rio Vista Rio Vista $166 14.22 17.22 1.24 $1.2 0.75 5.54 0.33 1.64 7.93 B+
County Commerce Bank Ventura $126 9.56 13.78 0.00 $0.9 0.74 7.72 0.00 1.51 0.00 B+
San Diego Trust Bank San Diego $112 14.60 18.26 0.84 $0.5 0.48 3.45 0.00 1.45 0.00 B+
Merchants Bank of California, NA Carson $87 15.09 20.80 1.58 $0.9 1.08 7.16 1.05 1.51 4.43 B+
Chino Commercial Bank, NA Chino $83 11.38 16.09 1.28 $0.5 0.70 6.11 0.96 1.41 4.25 B+
Bank of Whittier, NA Whittier $44 15.65 22.79 0.00 $0.2 0.50 3.19 0.00 2.29 0.00 B+
Note: Net income and charge-off figures are for full-year 2008
Nonperforming Loans – Loans past due 90 days or more, less government-guaranteed balances.
NPA – Nonperforming Assets – NPL, securities and repossessed real estate.
ROA – Return on Average Assets.
ROE – Return on Average Equity.

Data Source: Regulator filings via Highline Financial.
Posted in Banks.

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