Merit Bank: how it compares with its peers
Against 36 AL banks with half to twice its assets, Merit Bank's strongest measure in Q2 2026 is assets per employee ($12.6M vs. a $6.8M peer median). Its weakest relative measure is net interest margin (3.39% vs. 3.91%).
| Measure | Merit Bank | Peer median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Return on assets Annualized net income over average assets. | 1.01% | 1.13% | Bottom third Ahead of 33% of peers |
| Net interest margin Annualized net interest income over earning assets. | 3.39% | 3.91% | Bottom third Ahead of 19% of peers |
| Efficiency ratio Noninterest expense per dollar of revenue. Lower is better. | 58.76% | 58.97% | Middle third Ahead of 50% of peers |
| Assets per employee Total assets over full-time-equivalent staff. | $12.6M | $6.8M | Top third Ahead of 97% of peers |
| Loans to deposits Net loans and leases over total deposits. | 88.75% | 68.51% | Context |
What it means for lending operations
Its efficiency ratio of 58.76% is better than the 58.97% peer median. Banks that already run lean usually find their next gains in loan growth: faster digital applications and fewer borrowers abandoning a slow document chase.
Banks closest in size
- The Hometown Bank of Alabama Oneonta, AL · $661M
- CCB Community Bank Andalusia, AL · $662M
- EvaBank Eva, AL · $491M
- Peoples Independent Bank Boaz, AL · $486M
- First Southern Bank Florence, AL · $679M
- First Community Bank of Central Alabama Wetumpka, AL · $694M
Questions about Merit Bank
How big is Merit Bank?
Merit Bank, established in 1935, is headquartered in Huntsville, AL. It reported $582M in total assets in its Q2 2026 FDIC call report and operates 1 office.
What is Merit Bank's return on assets?
1.01% annualized in Q2 2026, against a 1.13% median for 36 AL banks with half to twice its assets, ahead of 33% of them.
What is Merit Bank's efficiency ratio?
58.76% in Q2 2026: it spent about 59 cents in noninterest expense for each dollar of revenue. The peer median is 58.97%, and lower is better.
Is Merit Bank growing its loans?
Net loans grew 27.7% over the year to Q2 2026, while deposits grew 16.2%.
Sources and method
Figures are from the FDIC’s public call report data for the quarter ending 06/30/2026, via FDIC BankFind. Return on assets and net interest margin are annualized year to date. Peers are AL banks with half to twice its assets in the same quarter, excluding this bank. The page refreshes daily, so new quarters appear as banks file. Compare another bank or see every Alabama bank ranked.