First Western Bank & Trust: how it compares with its peers
Against 613 U.S. banks with half to twice its assets, First Western Bank & Trust's strongest measure in Q2 2026 is net interest margin (3.92% vs. a 3.69% peer median). Its weakest relative measure is assets per employee ($6.9M vs. $8.5M).
| Measure | First Western Bank & Trust | Peer median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Return on assets Annualized net income over average assets. | 0.96% | 1.23% | Bottom third Ahead of 29% of peers |
| Net interest margin Annualized net interest income over earning assets. | 3.92% | 3.69% | Middle third Ahead of 64% of peers |
| Efficiency ratio Noninterest expense per dollar of revenue. Lower is better. | 65.18% | 59.57% | Bottom third Ahead of 32% of peers |
| Assets per employee Total assets over full-time-equivalent staff. | $6.9M | $8.5M | Bottom third Ahead of 24% of peers |
| Loans to deposits Net loans and leases over total deposits. | 96.70% | 86.56% | Context |
What it means for lending operations
Its efficiency ratio of 65.18% is above the 59.57% peer median: it spends more to earn each dollar of revenue than most banks its size. Staff time on manual borrower verification (collecting pay stubs, bank statements, and employment letters, then re-keying them) is one of the larger controllable costs behind that number.
Banks closest in size
- Guaranty Bank Springfield, MO · $2.38B
- The Ephrata National Bank Ephrata, PA · $2.39B
- First Community Bank Lexington, SC · $2.38B
- Anderson Brothers Bank Mullins, SC · $2.38B
- QNB Bank Quakertown, PA · $2.37B
- John Marshall Bank Reston, VA · $2.40B
Questions about First Western Bank & Trust
How big is First Western Bank & Trust?
First Western Bank & Trust, established in 1964, is headquartered in Minot, ND. It reported $2.39B in total assets in its Q2 2026 FDIC call report and operates 20 offices.
What is First Western Bank & Trust's return on assets?
0.96% annualized in Q2 2026, against a 1.23% median for 613 U.S. banks with half to twice its assets, ahead of 29% of them.
What is First Western Bank & Trust's efficiency ratio?
65.18% in Q2 2026: it spent about 65 cents in noninterest expense for each dollar of revenue. The peer median is 59.57%, and lower is better.
Is First Western Bank & Trust growing its loans?
Net loans grew 7.0% over the year to Q2 2026, while deposits grew 4.3%.
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 U.S. 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 North Dakota bank ranked.