BANKING : Only 4 Institutions Make the Grade as Top Performers in ’92

Anyone doubting that the recession took its toll on Orange County’s community banks need only review the shrunken list of top-performing banks that the Findley Reports in Anaheim has compiled.

Only four county-based banks were among 99 statewide that were rated as “premier performing” banks by Findley, which publishes annual reports on the operations of financial institutions.

Heading the local list is Mariners Bank in San Clemente, a premier performer for the ninth time. It was followed by Bank of Anaheim, Bank of Orange County in Fountain Valley and Bank of Yorba Linda.

In previous years, 15 to 20 county banks were typically among 130 to 200 premier performers statewide.

To be a top-rated institution, banks must meet four Findley criteria related to growth in income and either assets or deposits. In addition, they must keep loan losses to a minimum, a difficult task in recessionary times.

While the number of premier performers last year is lower, the drop was anticipated, said Gary Steven Findley, a banking lawyer with the Findley organization.

“While the overall banking industry in California had a difficult year in 1992 and is expected to continue in its doldrums in 1993, we are quite pleased with the performance of several banking institutions who have met the criteria,” Findley said.

Because financial results of a few banks aren’t available yet, he said, a few more top performers will likely be added to the list at a later date.