Corporate governance

These 10 large banks posted superior returns between 2019 and 2021.

Western Alliance, in its first appearance on the list of leading banks with more than $50 billion of assets, landed at No. 1. The Phoenix company and the other top performers in this class have either created niche businesses, made acquisitions or done both.

The San Francisco bank announced the hiring of a nine-member team led by Merrill Lynch veterans Harold Reinstein and Michael Nelson. First Republic reported 26.4% growth in wealth management revenue during the second quarter.

Bank of Nova Scotia's surprise pick of a CEO from outside its executive ranks is sparking a debate over whether major changes will result at Canada's third-largest lender.

Five days after the storm, Puerto Rico's largest bank is operating more than 90% of its branches, even though almost 60% of households are without power. Diesel-powered generators are a key reason why.

Klarna Bank, months after announcing major job cuts and taking a $39 billion hit to its valuation, is planning to restructure parts of its business further to suit a slower-growing, smaller operation, people familiar with the matter said. 

These standout performers all reported a three-year return on average equity above 14%. Two of them topped 20%.

Citigroup is targeting India as one of its top markets to expand in globally as risks mount in China and other regions, the bank's global co-head of investment banking said.

Leading institutions with assets between $10 billion and $50 billion say growth strategies outside their traditional geographic bounds drove strong returns in 2021 and have steeled them for this year's challenges.

The company says it will streamline its United Kingdom operations to focus on private banking and wealth management to serve affluent clients in that market.