The main Suncrest Bank branch at 501 W. Main Street in Visalia has become a Citizens Business Bank location. File photo

Central Valley banking customers do business with some of the best banks in America, according to a new list released by “Forbes.”

The 2022 list of “America’s Best Banks” from Forbes collects data through the third quarter of 2021 to form a list of 100 banks ranked on metrics including return on average equity, net interest margin, nonperforming loans, capital ratios and leverage ratio. The banks have assets ranging from $9 billion to more than $2 trillion.

Coming in at No. 4 on the list is Ontario, California-based CVB Financial, parent company of Citizens Business Bank. With the Jan. 7 acquisition of Visalia’s Suncrest Bank, Citizens Business Bank has four financial centers in Tulare County, three in Fresno County and one in Madera County.

With $16 billion in assets, CVB Financial was founded in 1974. It was ranked No. 11 on The Business Journal’s list of Financial Institutions as of June 30, 2020, with 2.83% market share and $743.9 million in deposits in the Central Valley.

Coming in at No. 28 was Heartland Financial USA, Inc., parent company of Premier Valley Bank. With assets of more than $1 billion, Premier Valley Bank has three local banking centers and three more on the Central Coast.

Parent company Iowa-based Heartland Financial was founded in 1981 and has total assets of $19 billion. It was ranked No. 15 on The Business Journal’s list, with 2.09% of Central Valley market share and $550 million in local deposits.

Walnut Creek-based Mechanics Bank was ranked at No. 32 on the Forbes list. Founded in 1905, it has $19 billion in assets and seven Central Valley banking centers.

Other banks on the list with a local presence include Wells Fargo (No. 97), Bank of America (No. 91) and Citigroup (No. 88).