First Bank: how it compares with its peers
Against 66 IA banks with half to twice its assets, First Bank's strongest measure in Q2 2026 is efficiency ratio (47.98% vs. a 55.13% peer median). Its weakest relative measure is return on assets (1.54% vs. 1.44%).
| Measure | First Bank | Peer median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Return on assets Annualized net income over average assets. | 1.54% | 1.44% | Middle third Ahead of 61% of peers |
| Net interest margin Annualized net interest income over earning assets. | 3.82% | 3.67% | Middle third Ahead of 62% of peers |
| Efficiency ratio Noninterest expense per dollar of revenue. Lower is better. | 47.98% | 55.13% | Top third Ahead of 80% of peers |
| Assets per employee Total assets over full-time-equivalent staff. | $9.1M | $8.1M | Middle third Ahead of 65% of peers |
| Loans to deposits Net loans and leases over total deposits. | 90.04% | 86.55% | Context |
What it means for lending operations
Its efficiency ratio of 47.98% is better than the 55.13% 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
- Manufacturers Bank & Trust Company Forest City, IA · $738M
- Green Belt Bank & Trust Iowa Falls, IA · $759M
- Midwest Heritage Bank, FSB West Des Moines, IA · $768M
- First Central State Bank Dewitt, IA · $772M
- City State Bank Norwalk, IA · $788M
- Decorah Bank & Trust Company Decorah, IA · $794M
Questions about First Bank
How big is First Bank?
First Bank, established in 1864, is headquartered in Waverly, IA. It reported $740M in total assets in its Q2 2026 FDIC call report and operates 8 offices.
What is First Bank's return on assets?
1.54% annualized in Q2 2026, against a 1.44% median for 66 IA banks with half to twice its assets, ahead of 61% of them.
What is First Bank's efficiency ratio?
47.98% in Q2 2026: it spent about 48 cents in noninterest expense for each dollar of revenue. The peer median is 55.13%, and lower is better.
Is First Bank growing its loans?
Net loans grew 7.0% over the year to Q2 2026, while deposits grew 3.1%.
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 IA 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 Iowa bank ranked.