Sterling Bank: how it compares with its peers
Against 74 WI banks with half to twice its assets, Sterling Bank's strongest measure in Q2 2026 is return on assets (1.64% vs. a 1.28% peer median). Its weakest relative measure is net interest margin (3.54% vs. 3.88%).
| Measure | Sterling Bank | Peer median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Return on assets Annualized net income over average assets. | 1.64% | 1.28% | Top third Ahead of 73% of peers |
| Net interest margin Annualized net interest income over earning assets. | 3.54% | 3.88% | Bottom third Ahead of 27% of peers |
| Efficiency ratio Noninterest expense per dollar of revenue. Lower is better. | 55.58% | 61.94% | Top third Ahead of 73% of peers |
| Assets per employee Total assets over full-time-equivalent staff. | $6.9M | $7.0M | Middle third Ahead of 46% of peers |
| Loans to deposits Net loans and leases over total deposits. | 81.24% | 86.94% | Context |
What it means for lending operations
Its efficiency ratio of 55.58% is better than the 61.94% 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
- Waumandee State Bank Waumandee, WI · $345M
- First National Community Bank New Richmond, WI · $345M
- Citizens First Bank Viroqua, WI · $344M
- Shell Lake State Bank Shell Lake, WI · $362M
- Cumberland Federal Bank, FSB Cumberland, WI · $342M
- The First National Bank of Bangor Bangor, WI · $364M
Questions about Sterling Bank
How big is Sterling Bank?
Sterling Bank, established in 1885, is headquartered in Barron, WI. It reported $352M in total assets in its Q2 2026 FDIC call report and operates 4 offices.
What is Sterling Bank's return on assets?
1.64% annualized in Q2 2026, against a 1.28% median for 74 WI banks with half to twice its assets, ahead of 73% of them.
What is Sterling Bank's efficiency ratio?
55.58% in Q2 2026: it spent about 56 cents in noninterest expense for each dollar of revenue. The peer median is 61.94%, and lower is better.
Is Sterling Bank growing its loans?
Net loans grew 6.5% over the year to Q2 2026, while deposits grew 0.1%.
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 WI 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 Wisconsin bank ranked.