Best Bank Companies To Invest In Right Now

Which are the largest banks in the world? That depends on what their accounting regimes are.

SNL Financial on Thursday released its first ranking of the 100 biggest banks in the world. No U.S. bank appeared among the five largest.

SNL explained that it had ranked the banks based on the assets they report under their respective accounting regimes. The top four banks, and eight of the top 10, report under International Financial Reporting Standards, accounting standards developed by the International Accounting Standards Board.

U.S. institutions, on the other hand, report under GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles), commonly followed accounting rules and standards for financial reporting.

SNL said that some U.S. banks would rank much higher if their assets were adjusted for the netting of derivatives, which is allowed under GAAP but is not permitted under IFRS.

Japanese banks also report under GAAP principles, though these differ in various ways from the U.S. rules and standards.

Top 5 Consumer Companies To Watch In Right Now: 1st United Bancorp Inc (FUBC)

1st United Bancorp, Inc. (Bancorp) is a financial holding company. 1st United Bank, a Florida state chartered bank, is Bancorp�� wholly owned subsidiary. The Company offers its customers, professionals, high net-worth individuals and small and medium-sized businesses, a variety of traditional loan, deposit and cash management products. As of December 31, 2010, Bancorp operated banking center from 15 locations consisting of four banking centers in Palm Beach County, four banking centers in Broward County, four banking centers in Miami-Dade County, and one banking center each in Sebastian, Vero Beach and Barefoot Bay, Florida. As of December 31, 2010, the total assets of Bancorp were at 1.268 billion and the total loans of the Company were at $847.7 million. As of December 31, 2010, its total deposits were $1.064 billion. On January 8, 2011, the Company purchased all of the assets of The Bank of Miami, National Association (The Bank of Miami). Effective April 1, 2012, the Company merged with Anderen Financial, Inc. (Anderen), under which it acquired Anderen and its subsidiary, Anderen Bank. In July 2013, 1st United Bancorp Inc completed its acquisition by merger of Enterprise Bancorp Inc (EBI) and its wholly owned subsidiary Enterprise Bank of Florida.

Investment Activity

Bancorp�� investment portfolio includes several callable agency debentures, mortgage-backed securities, adjustable rate mortgage pass-throughs, and collateralized mortgage obligations. As of December 31, 2010, the investment portfolio of the Company was at $102,289, 000.

Lending Activity

Bancorp offers a range of loans to its customers. The Company includes commercial loans, which include collateralized loans for working capital (including inventory and receivables), business expansion (including real estate construction, acquisitions and improvements), and purchase of equipment and machinery; small business loans, including small business administration (SBA) lending; Export-Im! port Bank insured or guaranteed loans; residential real estate loans to enable borrowers to purchase, refinance, construct upon or improve real property, and home equity loans, and consumer loans, including collateralized and uncollateralized loans for financing automobiles, boats, home improvements, and personal investments. As of December 31, 2010, the Company�� Commercial and Industrial loans were approximately $10.3 million, in Export Import (EXIM) loans which have either insurance or a guarantee of between 90% and 100% from the Export-Import Bank of the United States.

Through the Company�� lending division and SBA division, its commercial real estate loan portfolio includes loans secured by office buildings, warehouses, retail stores and other properties, which are located in or near the markets. Commercial real estate loans are generally originated in amounts up to 80% of the appraised value of the property securing the loan. It originates a mix of fixed rate and adjustable rate residential mortgage loans. It offers adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs), and maintains these ARMs in the portfolio or sells the ARMs in the secondary market.

The construction loan portfolio includes residential real estate, commercial real estate and homeowners��association projects. Through the business lending divisions, the Company offers real estate construction loans to individuals for the construction of their residences, to businesses and business owners primarily for owner-occupied, commercial real estate, and to homeowners��associations for general repair and/or improvements to the properties. The Company has construction loans on commercial real estate projects secured by industrial properties, office buildings or other property. The land loan portfolio includes exposure to land development, both residential and commercial. As of December 31, 2010, approximately $7.0 million or 21% of the construction and land development loan portfolio was part of the Loss Share Agreements.

T! he Company originates consumer loans bearing both fixed and prime-based variable interest rates. It originates the loans directly through the banking centers, business bankers and residential lenders. It focus the consumer lending on the origination of direct second mortgage loans and home equity loans (secured by a junior lien on residential real property), and home improvement loans. Second mortgage and home improvement loans generally originate on either a line of credit or a fixed term basis ranging from 5 to 15 years. It also extends personal loans, which may be secured by various forms of collateral, both real and personal, or to a minimal extent, on an unsecured basis.

The Company focus on the commercial loan market consists of small- to medium-sized businesses with combined borrowing needs up to $20.0 million. These businesses include professional associations (physicians, law firms, and accountants), medical services, retail trade, construction, transportation, wholesale trade, manufacturing, and tourism-related service industries. Its commercial loans are derived from the market area and underwritten on the basis of the borrowers��ability to service, such debt from recurring income. The EXIM lending operation makes loans to companies that export United States goods and services to international markets and makes loans to foreign companies to facilitate the purchase of United States goods. As of December 31, 2010, it had approximately $10.3 million in Exim loans.

Deposits

Bancorp maintains a range of deposit accounts to meet the needs of the residents and businesses in the primary service area. Products include an array of checking account programs for individuals and small businesses, including money market accounts, certificates of deposit, individual retirement account (IRA) accounts, and sweep investment capabilities. As of December 31, 2010, the Company had approximately $309.5 million in deposits by foreign nationals banking in the United States. A! s of Dece! mber 31, 2010, it had approximately $70 million in wholesale certificates of deposit.

The Company competes with Bank of America, SunTrust Bank, Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase & Co., BB&T, PNC, Citigroup and BankUnited, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Marc Bastow]

  The biggest increase among our dividend stocks this week came from Boca Raton, Florida-based financial holding company 1st United Bancorp (FUBC), who raised its quarterly dividend 100% to 2 cents per share, payable March 7 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 24.
  FUBC Dividend Yield: 1.07%

Best Bank Companies To Invest In Right Now: Wells Fargo & Company(WFC)

Wells Fargo & Company, through its subsidiaries, provides retail, commercial, and corporate banking services primarily in the United States. The company operates in three segments: Community Banking; Wholesale Banking; and Wealth, Brokerage, and Retirement. The Community Banking segment offers deposits, including checking, market rate, and individual retirement accounts; savings and time deposits; and debit cards. Its loan products comprise lines of credit, auto floor plans, equity lines and loans, equipment and transportation loans, education loans, residential mortgage loans, health savings accounts, and credit cards. This segment also provides equipment leases, real estate financing, small business administration financing, venture capital financing, cash management, payroll services, retirement plans, loans secured by autos, and merchant payment processing services; purchases sales finance contracts from retail merchants; and a family of funds, and investment managemen t services. The Wholesale Banking segment offers commercial and corporate banking products and services, including commercial loans and lines of credit, letters of credit, asset-based lending, equipment leasing, international trade facilities, trade financing, collection services, foreign exchange services, treasury and investment management, institutional fixed-income sales, commodity and equity risk management, insurance, corporate trust fiduciary and agency services, and investment banking services. This segment also provides banking products for commercial real estate market, and real estate and mortgage brokerage services. The Wealth, Brokerage, and Retirement segment offers financial advisory, brokerage, and institutional retirement and trust services. As of December 31, 2010, the company served its customers through approximately 9,000 banking stores in 39 States and the District of Columbia. Wells Fargo & Company was founded in 1929 and is headquartered in San Franci sco, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jessica Alling]

  Earnings can't save you
  Both inside and out of the Dow, the financial sector is taking a hit following two of the nation's biggest banks' earnings reports this morning. Dow component JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM  ) and rival Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC  ) both reported record earnings this morning, but signaled pressure on revenue generation. The two banks were in the top spots for mortgage origination in the latter part of 2012, and while JPMorgan noted that there seems to be more space to grow in that market, Wells' revenue drop was largely due to fewer new mortgage loans. Wells Fargo's mortgage profits were $2.5 billion in the first quarter, which showed a 9% decrease from the previous quarter and a 3% decrease from first quarter 2012.

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Wells Fargo(WFC) & Co. settled with the Federal Housing Finance Agency for allegedly misleading disclosures on mortgage securities the bank sold to Fannie Mae(FNMA) (FNMA) and Freddie Mac(FMCC) (FMCC), according to people familiar with the matter.

• [By Amanda Alix]

  A stunning run last week saw Bank of America and its peers either bumping up against 52-week highs or -- in the case of B of A -- surpassing them. An hour into this trading week, things don't look quite as good, but it's early yet. While Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC  ) , which took a bit of a dip on Friday, seems to be recovering, JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM  ) and B of A are dropping. For Bank of America, at least, the decrease in share price is likely a reflection of investor nervousness over the outcome of this case.

Best Bank Companies To Invest In Right Now: Northern Trust Corporation(NTRS)

Northern Trust Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides asset servicing, fund administration, asset management, and fiduciary and banking solutions for corporations, institutions, families, and individuals worldwide. The company offers corporate and institutional services, including global master trust and custody, trade settlement, and reporting; fund administration; cash management; investment risk and performance analytical services; investment operations outsourcing; and transition management and commission recapture services. It also provides personal financial services, such as personal trust, investment management, custody, and philanthropic services; financial consulting; guardianship and estate administration; brokerage services; and private and business banking services, as well as customized products and services. In addition, the company offers active and passive equity and fixed income portfolio management, as well as alternative asset classes comprisin g private equity and hedge funds of funds, and multi-manager products and advisory services. Further, it engages in fund administration, investment operations outsourcing, and custody business that provides specialized services to a range of funds, which include money-market, multi-manager, exchange-traded funds, and property funds for on-shore and off-shore markets. Additionally, the company provides administrative and middle-office services consisting of trade processing, valuation, real-time reporting, accounting, collateral management, and investor servicing. Northern Trust Corporation was founded in 1889 and is based in Chicago, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By E.S. Browning]

  This view is spreading. When Northern Trust(NTRS) surveyed 100 outside investment managers at the end of last year, 34% called themselves more risk averse, up from 20% in the third quarter. Only 36% said U.S. stocks are undervalued.

Best Bank Companies To Invest In Right Now: China Banking Corp (CHIB)

China Banking Corporation (CHIB) is a Philippines-based company engaged in the business as the privately owned local commercial bank in the Philippines. The Bank caters to the Chinese-Filipino commercial sector, retail and consumer segments. The Bank�� market consists of the corporate, commercial, middle and retail markets. Its businesses include deposit taking, corporate and middle market lending, retail loans including mortgage and auto loans, investment banking, insurance products through its subsidiaries, treasury and foreign exchange trading, trust and investment management, wealth management, cash management, Internet banking and mobile banking services, inward remittances through tie-ups with remittance companies and exchange houses in the Middle East, Asia and United States cities. Effective January 17, 2014 China Banking Corp acquired a 84.77% interest in Planters Development Bank. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By pamatlarge]

  Investors looking to short a particular sector can choose from several Global X long ETFs. The Global X China Consumer ETF (CHIQ) concentrates its investments in consumer cyclical goods and consumer defense goods. The Global X China Energy ETF (CHIE) primarily holds stocks in coal, oil and utility companies. The Global X China Financials ETF (CHIX) only invests in financial services companies and real estate companies. The Global X China Industrials ETF (CHII) holds stocks in industrial companies and basic materials companies. The Global X China Materials ETF (CHIM) invests in basic materials stocks. The Global X China Technology ETF (CHIB) holds technology stocks as the core of its investments. All of these ETFs are particularly sensitive to sector downturns and general economic contractions.

Best Bank Companies To Invest In Right Now: Oberbank AG (OBV)

Oberbank AG is an Austria-based commercial regional bank. The Company provides products and services for individual customers, as well as for corporate customers. It divides its operations into four segments: Corporate Customers, Private Customers, Financial Markets and Others. The Company offers credit and debit cards, current and saving accounts, investment services, electronic banking services, as well as financing, leasing, investment and real estate services. It operates through numerous offices in Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia. The Company�� major shareholder is CABO Beteiligungsgesellschafts mbH with a stake of 32.54%. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Aspray]

  In addition to the monthly, weekly, and daily charts I also look at the quarterly charts for a view of the longer-term trends. This chart of the S&P 500 and its on-balance volume (OBV) goes back to 1993. Since then, the quarterly OBV has crossed its 21-period WMA a total of five times.

• [By Tom Aspray]

  The high in August 2013 (point 2) just reached the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement resistance from the high at $174.07. This, therefore, was a key level of resistance. As prices declined from the highs, the daily on-balance volume (OBV) began a new downtrend and by October the OBV was acting weaker than prices.

• [By Tom Aspray]

  The monthly chart of SPY, along with its on-balance volume (OBV), paints a much different picture. The monthly OBV moved above its WMA in August of 2012, line 1, and continues to suggest strong accumulation of this ETF.

Best Bank Companies To Invest In Right Now: Commercial Bancshares Inc (CMOH)

Commercial Bancshares, Inc. is a financial holding company. The Company�� banking subsidiary, The Commercial Savings Bank (the Bank), is engaged in the business of commercial and retail banking, with operations conducted through its main office and branches located in Upper Sandusky, Ohio and neighboring communities in Wyandot, Marion and Hancock counties. The Bank provides customary retail and commercial banking services to its customers, including acceptance of deposits for demand, savings and time accounts, individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and servicing of such accounts; commercial, consumer and real estate lending, including installment loans, and safe deposit and night depository facilities. Commercial Financial and Insurance Agency, LTD is its wholly owned subsidiary. The Bank also owns a 49.9% interest in Beck Title Agency, Ltd.

Lending Activities

The Bank grants residential, installment and commercial loans to customers located primarily in the Ohio counties of Wyandot, Marion and Hancock and the surrounding area. Commercial loans are primarily variable rate and include operating lines of credit and term loans made to small businesses primarily based on the ability to repay the loan from the cash flow of the business. Commercial real estate loans are primarily secured by borrower-occupied business real estate, and are dependent on the ability of the related business to generate adequate cash flow to service the debt. Residential real estate loans are made with primarily variable rates and are secured by the borrower�� residence. As of December 31, 2011, approximately 75.5% of the Company�� loan and lease portfolio consisted of commercial, construction and commercial real estate loans.

Investment Activities

Securities are classified as available for sale. Securities available for sale are carried at fair value. The securities available for sale include obligations of the United Sates Government and federal agencies, obligations of ! state and political subdivisions, and mortgage-backed securities. As of December 31, 2011, total securities available for sale were approximately $24.5 million, which included approximately $4.06 million of obligations of the United Sates Government and federal agencies, approximately $14.3 million of obligations of state and political subdivisions, and approximately $6.4 million of mortgage-backed securities.

Sources of Funds

As of December 31, 2011, the Company had approximately $259.1 million of deposits, which included approximately $ 38.1 million of noninterest-bearing demand, approximately $103.7 million of interest-bearing demand, approximately $ 86.9 million of savings and approximately $ 30.2 million of time deposits $100,000 and greater. As of December 31, 2011 the Company had no borrowings with Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLB).

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Doug Hughes]

  Commercial Bancshares (CMOH) operates as the holding company for The Commercial Savings Bank, with just over $300,000 in assets and $259,000 million in loans. This small, but very strong bank had 5% loan growth last year and net charge-offs of just 0.23%.