The best bank stocks to buy as the sector makes a comeback

Bank stocks were hit hard by the 2008 financial crisis. Years of heavy borrowing left many banks exposed, and some of the most trusted names collapsed. Investors faced huge losses as governments stepped in with taxpayer-funded bailouts. In response, regulators introduced strict new rules to prevent a repeat. These measures weighed on profits for years, but the sector has now come through that difficult period. Today, banks are much safer than they were before the crisis. Big investors have returned, helping to push up share prices; some have even tripled in recent years. As valuations edge back towards more normal levels, an important question remains. Do these high-yielding stocks still deserve a place in a portfolio, or have the easiest gains already been made?

Bank stocks’ wilderness years

For more than a decade, the banking sector struggled to regain the confidence of investors. Most professional fund managers suffered significant losses in the 2008 crash and subsequently found the industry difficult to navigate. Investors discovered they lacked understanding of complex balance sheets. Consequently, their appetite for banks' shares vanished for a generation. Even today, many professional investors remain wary because they find the internal mechanics of a global bank difficult to decipher.

While investors remained cautious, regulators rebuilt the global financial architecture. There has been a substantial increase in banks' capital, the cushion that stands between bank assets and insolvency. Core capital ratios, which give the size of this cushion expressed as a percentage of the bank's total risk, were as low as 4% pre-crisis; today, they often exceed 15%. In the UK, the Vickers Report mandated a separation between retail and investment banking operations. This altered the nature of the business and kept valuations low.

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Jamie Dimon provided the first credible signal that this era of stagnation was ending. In February 2016, the chief executive of JPMorgan Chase invested $26 million of his own money into his bank's stock. He purchased the shares at roughly $56 per share, which aligned with the company's book value at the time. Dimon realised that the regulatory clean-up was largely complete. He saw an institution that was well-capitalised and undervalued, yet still priced as if it was ruined. His investment marked the start of a decade-long rally that eventually saw the stock price rise more than fivefold. It would take several more years and a radical change in the interest-rate environment for the rest of the market finally to reach the same conclusion.

The return of inflation

The stagnation of the previous decade ended with the return of inflation. Central banks tackled inflation by raising interest rates from near-zero to 5% and, with that, the fundamental engine of banking profit returned to health. This engine is the “net interest margin” – the difference between the interest a bank pays to its depositors and the interest it receives from its borrowers. For years, the industry struggled to generate a decent return in a world where interest rates were near-zero. The shift to higher rates boosted profits.

How much banks paid their depositors played a big role in this windfall – that is, how much of a central-bank rate rise was passed on to savers. When rates went up, banks were slow to increase interest on current accounts. At the same time, they quickly raised the cost of mortgages and business loans. This delay helped to boost profits. In theory, this rise in profits should only be temporary. But it made it easier for a bank to manage future earnings through a “structural hedge”, allowing them to lock in interest rates for several years and smooth profits as rates fall. The result is a more stable and predictable income stream. This improved profitability has transformed how banks manage their capital. After a decade of hoarding cash to satisfy regulations, they are now paying a lot back to shareholders via a mix of dividends and share buybacks. Total shareholder yields, combining dividends and buybacks, now often exceed 10% a year.

Strong recent results from the biggest banks have cast doubt on the idea that upstart digital challenger banks will disrupt them. While the challengers achieved high user numbers and launched attractive software, they lacked the massive and low-cost deposit bases that the traditional banks enjoy. The incumbents used their superior cash flows to adopt the best elements of the digital revolution, investing billions in their own platforms while maintaining the trust and regulatory licences required to dominate high-value lending, such as residential mortgages.

The established banks were also better able to absorb the higher costs of regulation and cybersecurity. For a smaller challenger bank, the compliance burden is often a significant percentage of its total revenue. For a giant bank, it is a manageable operational expense. Some challenger banks, most notably Revolut, have grown to a large size, but the biggest effect of the new banks is a forced modernisation of the older ones.

This combination of rising margins, disciplined shareholder returns and the resilience of the established model has restored the sector's momentum. The banks have demonstrated that they are no longer just safe utilities. They are profit-seeking enterprises with the capacity to deliver high yields to patient investors. The current challenge for investors is to identify which institutions can sustain this performance as the interest-rate cycle matures. The market has recognised the recovery, but the divergence between the winners and the laggards suggests that selection remains critical.

How to navigate the banking market

There are at least three distinct types of banking. Retail banking is the familiar world of the high street, managing residential mortgages and personal savings for millions of customers. Corporate banking offers services to the commercial sector, extending credit to firms and facilitating international trade. Investment banking is a more volatile endeavour that involves mergers, debt issuance and investing in the capital markets. The latter depends on the shifting appetites of the financial markets, which introduces a level of unpredictability that many investors find unsettling. The market typically rewards the steady stability of retail lending with a higher multiple, while it views the inconsistent profits of investment banking with caution.

The main concern for investors is the progression of the interest-rate cycle. Banks generally benefit from rising interest rates because the income they generate from loans increases more quickly than the interest they pay to depositors. However, as rates plateau this advantage often diminishes. Customers eventually move their money from low-interest current accounts into higher-yielding fixed-term products. This shift increases the bank's cost of funding and can lead to a lower profit. Asset quality is another area of vulnerability. Extended periods of high borrowing costs can put pressure on both households and businesses, leading to a rise in loan defaults. The commercial real-estate sector is currently viewed with particular caution, especially in markets where office and retail property valuations have fallen. If a bank has a high concentration of lending in these areas, it may be forced to raise its loan-loss provisions, which hurts profits.

Political and regulatory risks are also a factor. Governments may consider windfall taxes on high bank profits during hard times. Regulators often introduce new rules on capital requirements or consumer protection. Such measures increase operational costs and limit the amount of cash that banks are able to return to shareholders through dividends and buybacks.

Finally, structural shifts in the financial system present long-term challenges. The rise of non-traditional lenders and private credit markets has introduced new competition for corporate lending. Furthermore, the development of digital currencies could alter the traditional deposit-taking model. If consumers begin to hold significant portions of their wealth in digital sovereign currencies rather than bank accounts, the industry's funding costs could rise substantially.

To assess a bank accurately, investors must look past the price-to-earnings ratios used for ordinary companies. Instead, they prioritise the price-to-tangible-book-value ratio. This metric compares the share price against the net value of the bank's hard assets, once intangible items such as goodwill or brand value are stripped away. It provides a realistic view of the bank's worth if it were liquidated today. A bank trading at a discount to this figure suggests that the market believes the management is failing to earn its way, or that the assets on the balance sheet are not as safe as they appear. Conversely, a premium indicates that investors expect the institution to generate superior returns for years to come. In this new higher-interest-rate environment, investors must distinguish between high-quality cash machines and potential value traps.

The efficiency leaders of the banking industry

JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM) remains the undisputed benchmark for the global banking industry. It is the largest bank in the world by a significant margin and is valued at more than double its nearest competitor. This scale allows the firm to simultaneously dominate both investment banking and retail lending. Under the leadership of Jamie Dimon, the bank has maintained a return on equity of nearly 16% while investing billions into its technological infrastructure. While the valuation is high compared with peers, its operational dominance and so-called “fortress balance sheet” provide a unique safety net. It is the go-to investment for those who wish to gain exposure to banking.

Lloyds Banking Group (LSE: LLOY) is a direct bet on the British economy. Unlike its more international rivals, Lloyds Banking Group generates the majority of its profit from domestic retail and commercial lending. Its net interest margin has improved significantly in recent years as it benefited from the shift in interest rates. With a price-to-tangible-net-asset-value ratio of 1.5 times and a healthy return on equity, the bank has become a favourite for dividend-seekers. Its aggressive share buyback policy continues to support the shares even during periods of domestic economic uncertainty.

HSBC (LSE: HSBA) has focused its efforts on the high-growth markets of Asia, which now drive the majority of its earnings. The bank trades at 1.7 times tangible net asset value and delivers a return on equity of 13.7%. For the income investor, the appeal lies in consistent dividends and regular share buybacks. However, the heavy exposure of HSBC to Hong Kong and mainland China remains a double-edged sword. These regions offer superior growth potential, but also introduce geopolitical risks.

NatWest Group (LSE: NWG) has completed its journey from a government-controlled institution back to a fully private enterprise. Many investors will remember the bank as the Royal Bank of Scotland, which rebranded to distance itself from the reputational damage suffered during the 2008 crisis. The bank has shown remarkable profitability recently, with a return on equity approaching 20% in its most recent results. The shares trade at a more modest 1.3 times tangible net asset value, offering an attractive entry point for those seeking exposure to banking. Its focus on digital efficiency has allowed it to maintain a competitive edge.

The recovery candidates

Barclays (LSE: BARC) trades at a discount of 0.8 times to tangible net asset value, despite delivering a return on equity of more than 10%. The market remains cautious regarding its large investment-banking division, which requires significant capital and produces volatile returns, but management recently vowed to return substantial capital to shareholders by the end of this year. If the bank can prove its investment arm is no longer a drag on the retail business, the potential for a valuation re-rating is substantial. It remains an interesting candidate for those looking for value and who are comfortable with higher risk.

UniCredit (Milan: UCG) has emerged as one of the most efficient banks in the eurozone. Under a disciplined management team, the Italian giant has achieved a return on equity of nearly 17%, far outstripping many of its domestic and international peers. It trades at 1.5 times tangible net asset value, reflecting a market that has finally begun to appreciate its streamlined operating model. By aggressively cutting costs and returning capital, UniCredit has proved that a European bank can thrive without the tailwinds of a massive domestic mortgage market.

Deutsche Bank (Frankfurt: DBK) has historically been the sick man of European banking. After years of losses and scandals, the bank has finally returned to consistent profitability, posting a return on equity of 9.2%. Reflecting this, it remains one of the cheapest major banks in the world, trading at just 0.7 times tangible net asset value. The discount is due to its poor reputation, but the structural improvements in its corporate and private banking arms are undeniable. For the patient investor, it represents a bet that the final stages of its turnaround will lead to a revaluation.

The specialists

BNP Paribas (Paris: BNP) is the closest institution Europe has to a diversified American-style giant. It operates a massive corporate and investment bank alongside a stable retail presence across several countries. Trading at 0.9 times tangible net asset value, it offers a diversified stream of earnings and a healthy dividend yield. The bank has successfully used its scale to gain market share as American rivals pulled back from certain European markets. It is a solid choice for those who want exposure to European growth without the concentrated risk of a single-country lender.

Banco Santander (LSE: BNC) has exploited its unique geographic footprint, spanning from Spain to Brazil and the US, to protect itself from regional economic shocks. The bank trades at 1.7 times tangible net asset value and delivers a return on equity of more than 12%. Its diversified model means that when the European economy slows, its Latin American operations often provide a profitable cushion. This geographic spread is its greatest strength, although the complexity of managing such a diverse empire often leads to a slightly lower valuation than its simpler peers.

Standard Chartered (LSE: STAN) provides a unique way to gain exposure to the emerging markets of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Unlike HSBC, it has a smaller retail presence and focuses more heavily on corporate and institutional banking. It trades at 1.1 times tangible net asset value and has recently exceeded its own profitability targets. It is a primary beneficiary of the rise in intra-Asian trade and is well-positioned to benefit from the ongoing economic development in its core markets. It remains an attractive option for investors looking towards the emerging economies.

Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) is the second-largest lender in the US and serves as a bellwether for the US consumer. It trades at 1.8 times tangible net asset value, a premium that reflects its massive deposit base and its leading position in digital banking. While it is highly sensitive to US interest rates, its diversified earnings from investment banking and wealth management provide stability. It is often seen as a more conservative alternative to JPMorgan Chase for those who want exposure to the American financial system.

Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) remains the premier investment bank in the world. Unlike the universal banks, Goldman Sachs is heavily weighted towards merger advice, trading and asset management. This makes its earnings more volatile and dependent on the health of the financial markets. After a period of strategic drift into consumer banking, the firm has refocused on its core strengths. It remains an option for those trying to gain exposure to pure investment banking rather than more traditional lines of business.

The best bank stocks to invest in now

The banking sector has transitioned from a source of risk to a reliable engine of shareholder returns. For those seeking stability, Bank of America offers a good balance sheet and direct exposure to the US economy. Its historical resilience provides a degree of security for investors prioritising long-term capital preservation. Barclays represents a more opportunistic choice. It remains priced at a discount compared with its domestic peers, and the successful execution of its current strategy should allow this valuation gap to narrow, rewarding patient holders. Finally, Standard Chartered serves as a unique vehicle for those desiring exposure to emerging markets. As a UK-listed entity, it provides a regulated gateway to high-growth regions in Asia and Africa.

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