The cash king
UMB Financial Corporation (NASDAQ:UMBF) has a cash to total asset ratio of 57%, the highest in the US financial industry. Headquartered in Missouri and with banking centers throughout Missouri, Illinois, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Arizona, UMB is a small bank with a lot to gain from higher interest rates. The bank is poised to increase its return-on-assets from its current 0.79% to well over 1% as rates continue their upward trend.
UMB Financial Corporation (NASDAQ:UMBF), which is up by 36% year-to-date, trades at 190% its book value and 19 times its price-to-earnings ratio. Even if the bank looks a bit expensive relative to bigger banks such as Citigroup Inc (NYSE:C) (which trades at 80% of its book value), it is really not that expensive when we take into account UMB Financial Corporation (NASDAQ:UMBF)’s high 8.7% return on equity and its huge potential give the size of its cash pile.
Growing at Silicon Valley rates
SVB Financial Group (NASDAQ:SIVB) is the second bank on my cash to total assets ratio list. The bank has 55% of its total assets invested into short term cash equivalent securities. Serving the California area, this small financial institution has been the performance king. The bank has been adding deposits at a 15.5% year-over-year rate and increasing loans at a 24.2% year-over-year rate. As a result, net interest income is growing at a yoy rate of 8.1%.
Even when Mr. Market has recognized the bank’s growth (the stock is up by 61% year-to-date), I think there is still more space for continued out-performance. SVB Financial Group (NASDAQ:SIVB) trades at 23 times its price-to-earnings ratio and 152% its book value, but the current interest rate trends are going to contribute immensely to ameliorate the bank’s 7% return on equity and 0.82% return on assets.
High quality acquisitions mounting
Prosperity Bancshares, Inc. (NYSE:PB), with 54% of its assets invested into cash equivalent securities, is the third bank in my list. The bank has been one of the most acquisitive banks in the country and, with the recently-announced acquisition of First Victoria National Bank, it remains on the right track for continued growth. Through the First Victoria acquisition for $374 million in stock and cash, Prosperity Bancshares, Inc. (NYSE:PB) has cemented its philosophy of acquiring high-quality assets.The deal will add 30 new branches in Texas and $540 million of trust assets, leaving the combined entity with 250 branches in Texas and $13 billion of deposits.
Texas’s business-friendly environment and favorable demographics will help the bank going forward as much as the current interest rate trends. Prosperity Bancshares, Inc. (NYSE:PB)’s 9.13% return on equity and 1.34% return on assets makes it a good bet even when the bank trades at 16.5 times its price to earnings ratio and 154% price to book value.
Foolish conclusion
Interest rates are going up, and all the industries that benefit from such a trend will be profitable. The three banks profiled above are the financial institutions that should benefit the most from rising interest rates. Their strong fundamentals and huge cash piles are going to be the key of their operational outperformance. Go long!
The article Yields Are Up, and These Banks Will Benefit the Most originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Federico Zaldua.
Federico Zaldua has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Federico is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network — entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited.
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