In this ranking of banks and thrifts with $2 billion to $10 billion of assets, what stands out most is just how stressed the industry continues to be. Of the 193 institutions that fall into this size category nationwide, 22 percent reported losses for 2010.
The location of some of the best performers might be surprising. First-place Lake Forest Bank and Trust is based in Illinois, which has one of the highest bank failure rates in the country. And the top 10 includes three institutions from Ohio—not a state with a reputation for outperformers. It tied with the much more economically robust Texas.
Though this is an annual ranking, the latest iteration is different than in previous years. For the first time, the list includes the privately held. Since those registered as subchapter S corporations are not subject to federal corporate income tax, their net income is adjusted accordingly to allow for a fair comparison with their peers.
