DTWNews

Hundreds of commercial banks filed for bankruptcy or failed completely during the financial crisis. Currently, the U.S. has 5,338 commercial banks, and despite hard hits, many have made significant improvements.

BauerFinancial Inc., a Fort Lauderdale-based ratings agency that analyzes bank and credit union health, gave 15 Michigan banks their lowest rating — zero stars — in March 2010, near the end of the recession.

Since 1983, BauerFinancial has reported the performance of U.S. banks and credit unions without outside influence. The institution independently rates the financial institutions on capital-to-debt ratios, profit and loss trends, delinquent loans and write-offs, historical data, liquidity, reserves, repossessed assets, community reinvestment ratings, and market versus book value.

In its most recent evaluation, of the 131 banks that operate in Michigan, only two received zero-star ratings. In Southeast Michigan alone, there are 38 banks in operation. Urban Partnership Bank, based in Chicago, was the only one to receive a zero-star rating.

The following bans received BauerFinancial’s top rating of five stars:

• Ann Arbor State Bank
• Chelsea State Bank
• Comerica Bank
• Crescent Bank and Trust
• Crestmark Bank
• Dearborn Federal Savings Bank
• Fifth Third Bank
• First Independence Bank
• First State Bank
• Hantz Bank
• Huron Valley State Bank
• Independent Bank
• KeyBank
• Level One Bank
• Monroe Bank and Trust
• PrivateBank and Trust
• Sterling Bank and Trust
• Talmer Bank and Trust
• TCF National Bank,
• University Bank, Ann Arbor

With the exception of First National Bank in Howell (three and a half stars) and Auto Club Trust FSB of Dearborn (three stars), the remaining southeast Michigan banks received four star ratings.

No institution can pay to increase its BauerFinancial rating, nor can it request to be exempt from the rating process.