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Best Bank Stocks to Buy Now (2026)

Top bank stocks in 2026 ranked by overall Zen Rating. "A" Rated stocks have returned an average of +28.50% per year, and are the best bank stocks to buy now. Learn More.

According to Zen Ratings, our proprietary rating system that evaluates 115 factors proven to drive growth in stocks and assigns each stock in our system an overall letter grade as well as 7 individual Component Grades for Value, Growth, Momentum, Sentiment, Safety, Financials, and proprietary AI algorithms, the 3 best bank stocks to buy right now are:

Citizens & Northern (NASDAQ:CZNC) is the #1 top bank stock out of 312 with a Zen Rating of B. Stocks with a rating of B have had an average return of +17.17% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Citizens & Northern (NASDAQ:CZNC) is: Value: C, Growth: B, Momentum: B, Sentiment: B, Safety: C, Financials: C, and AI: A.

Citizens & Northern (NASDAQ:CZNC) has a Due Diligence Score of 36, which is -1 points lower than the bank industry average of 37. Although this number is below the industry average, our proven quant model rates CZNC as a "B".

CZNC passed 12 out of 38 due diligence checks and has average fundamentals. Citizens & Northern has seen its stock return 27.85% over the past year, overperforming other bank stocks by 10 percentage points.

Macro Bank (NYSE:BMA) is the #2 top bank stock out of 312 with a Zen Rating of B. Stocks with a rating of B have had an average return of +17.17% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Macro Bank (NYSE:BMA) is: Value: B, Growth: B, Momentum: C, Sentiment: C, Safety: C, Financials: C, and AI: A.

Macro Bank (NYSE:BMA) has a Due Diligence Score of 17, which is -20 points lower than the bank industry average of 37. Although this number is below the industry average, our proven quant model rates BMA as a "B".

BMA passed 6 out of 38 due diligence checks and has weak fundamentals. Macro Bank has seen its stock return 44.13% over the past year, overperforming other bank stocks by 27 percentage points.

Macro Bank has an average 1 year price target of $108.50, an upside of 52.82% from Macro Bank's current stock price of $71.00.

Macro Bank stock has a consensus Strong Buy recommendation according to Wall Street analysts. Of the 2 analysts covering Macro Bank, 100% have issued a Strong Buy rating, 0% have issued a Buy, 0% have issued a hold, while 0% have issued a Sell rating, and 0% have issued a Strong Sell.

Optimumbank Holdings (NYSEMKT:OPHC) is the #3 top bank stock out of 312 with a Zen Rating of B. Stocks with a rating of B have had an average return of +17.17% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Optimumbank Holdings (NYSEMKT:OPHC) is: Value: B, Growth: C, Momentum: A, Sentiment: A, Safety: C, Financials: D, and AI: B.

Optimumbank Holdings (NYSEMKT:OPHC) has a Due Diligence Score of 42, which is 5 points higher than the bank industry average of 37.

OPHC passed 14 out of 33 due diligence checks and has strong fundamentals. Optimumbank Holdings has seen its stock return 122.84% over the past year, overperforming other bank stocks by 105 percentage points.

Optimumbank Holdings has an average 1 year price target of $6.50, a downside of -29.88% from Optimumbank Holdings's current stock price of $9.27.

Optimumbank Holdings stock has a consensus Strong Buy recommendation according to Wall Street analysts. Of the 2 analysts covering Optimumbank Holdings, 100% have issued a Strong Buy rating, 0% have issued a Buy, 0% have issued a hold, while 0% have issued a Sell rating, and 0% have issued a Strong Sell.

Out of 266 bank stocks that have issued dividends in the past year, the 3 bank stocks with the highest dividend yields are:

Mechanics Bancorp (NASDAQ:MCHB) has an annual dividend yield of 10.34%, which is 8 percentage points higher than the bank industry average of 2.62%. Mechanics Bancorp's dividend payout is not stable, having dropped more than 10% two times in the last 10 years. Mechanics Bancorp's dividend has shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Mechanics Bancorp's dividend payout ratio of 104.8% indicates that its high dividend yield might not be sustainable for the long-term.

Newtekone (NASDAQ:NEWT) has an annual dividend yield of 8.41%, which is 6 percentage points higher than the bank industry average of 2.62%. Newtekone's dividend payout is not stable, having dropped more than 10% six times in the last 10 years. Newtekone's dividend has not shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Newtekone's dividend payout ratio of 34.1% indicates that its high dividend yield is sustainable for the long-term.

Itau Unibanco Holding Sa (NYSE:ITUB) has an annual dividend yield of 7.11%, which is 4 percentage points higher than the bank industry average of 2.62%. Itau Unibanco Holding Sa's dividend payout is not stable, having dropped more than 10% thirty-six times in the last 10 years. Itau Unibanco Holding Sa's dividend has shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Itau Unibanco Holding Sa's dividend payout ratio of 77.7% indicates that its high dividend yield is sustainable for the long-term.

Bank stocks were up 0.61% in the last day, and down -1.96% over the last week.

We couldn't find a catalyst for why bank stocks are up.

Based on the Valuation rating, one of the 7 components of a stocks overall Zen Ratings grade, which evaluates factors including estimated earnings yield, earnings before interest and taxes/enterprise value, cash flow yield, free cash flow to price, and price-to-earnings growth (PEG ratio), the 3 most undervalued bank stocks right now are:

Northpointe Bancshares (NYSE:NPB) is the most undervalued bank stock based on its Valuation Rating of A. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Northpointe Bancshares has a valuation score of 43, which is 0 points higher than the bank industry average of 43. It passed 3 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Northpointe Bancshares's stock has dropped -13.57% in the past year. It has underperformed other stocks in the bank industry by -31 percentage points.

Pathward Financial (NASDAQ:CASH) is the second most undervalued bank stock based on its Valuation Rating of A. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Pathward Financial has a valuation score of 57, which is 14 points higher than the bank industry average of 43. It passed 4 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Pathward Financial's stock has dropped -1.99% in the past year. It has underperformed other stocks in the bank industry by -20 percentage points.

Op Bancorp (NASDAQ:OPBK) is the third most undervalued bank stock based on its Valuation Rating of A. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Op Bancorp has a valuation score of 71, which is 28 points higher than the bank industry average of 43. It passed 5 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Op Bancorp's stock has gained 5.3% in the past year. It has underperformed other stocks in the bank industry by -12 percentage points.

33.92% of bank stocks rated by analysts are a buy right now. On average, analysts expect bank stocks to rise by 13.85% over the next year.

0% of bank stocks have a Zen Rating of A (Strong Buy), 6.14% of bank stocks are rated B (Buy), 83.75% are rated C (Hold), 9.39% are rated D (Sell), and 0.72% are rated F (Strong Sell).