Best Bank Companies To Buy Right Now

Looking at the performance of Bank of America's (NYSE: BAC  ) shares following its earnings announcement, you'd be excused for thinking that the nation's second largest bank by assets had a horrible first quarter. But this simply isn't true. In the video below, Motley Fool contributor John Maxfield discusses why the moves in Bank of America's stock were more of an overreaction as opposed to an accurate reflection of the bank's first-quarter performance.

Bank of America's stock doubled in 2012. Is there more yet to come? With significant challenges still ahead, it's critical to have a solid understanding of this megabank before adding it to your portfolio. In The Motley Fool's premium research report on B of A, analysts Anand Chokkavelu, CFA, and Matt Koppenheffer, Financials bureau chief, lift the veil on the bank's operations, including detailing three reasons to buy, and three reasons to sell. Click here now to claim your copy.

10 Best Income Stocks To Own Right Now: Comerica Inc (CMA)

Comerica Incorporated (Comerica) is a financial services company. Comercia operates in four segments: the Business Bank, the Retail Bank, Wealth Management and the Finance Division. As of December 31, 2011, Comerica owned two active banking and 49 non-banking subsidiaries. The Company's Business Bank meets the needs of middle market businesses, multinational corporations and governmental entities by offering products and services, including commercial loans and lines of credit, deposits, cash management, capital market products, international trade finance, letters of credit, foreign exchange management services and loan syndication services. On July 28, 2011, Comerica acquired Sterling Bancshares, Inc. (Sterling), a bank holding company.

The Company's Retail Bank includes small business banking and personal financial services, consisting of consumer lending, consumer deposit gathering and mortgage loan origination. In addition to a range of financial services provided to small business customers, this business segment offers a range of consumer products, including deposit accounts, installment loans, credit cards, student loans, home equity lines of credit and residential mortgage loans.

Wealth Management offers products and services consisting of fiduciary services, private banking, retirement services, investment management and advisory services, investment banking and brokerage services. This business segment also offers the sale of annuity products, as well as life, disability and long-term care insurance products. The Finance segment includes Comerica�� securities portfolio and asset and liability management activities. This segment is engaged in managing Comerica�� funding, liquidity and capital needs, performing interest sensitivity analysis and executing strategies to manage Comerica�� exposure to liquidity, interest rate risk and foreign exchange risk.

The Other category includes discontinued operations, the income and expense impact of equity an! d cash, tax benefits not assigned to specific business segments and miscellaneous other expenses of a corporate nature. In addition, Comerica delivers financial services in its four markets: Midwest, Western, Texas and Florida. The Midwest market consists of Michigan, Ohio and Illinois. The Western market consists of the states of California, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado and Washington. California operations represent the the Western market. The Texas and Florida markets consist of the states of Texas and Florida, respectively. Other Markets include businesses with a national perspective, Comerica�� investment management and trust alliance businesses, as well as activities in all other markets, in which Comerica has operations, except for the International market. The International market represents the activities of Comerica�� international finance division, which provides banking services to foreign-owned, North American-based companies and to international operations of North American-based companies.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Comerica (NYSE: CMA) is estimated to report its Q3 earnings at $0.71 per share on revenue of $616.42 million.

  Posted-In: Earnings scheduleEarnings News Pre-Market Outlook Markets

Best Bank Companies To Buy Right Now: Cambridge Bancorp (CATC)

Cambridge Bancorp, incorporated on December 23, 1982, is a state chartered, federally bank holding company in Cambridge. The Company�� reportable operating segment consists of commercial banking, consumer banking, and trust and investment management services. Cambridge Trust Company (the Bank) is a subsidiary of the Company. The Bank offers a range of commercial and consumer banking services through its network of 12 service banking offices in Massachusetts. The Bank is engaged in the business of attracting deposits from the public and investing those deposits. The Bank invests those funds in various types of loans, including residential and commercial real estate, and a variety of commercial and consumer loans. The Bank also invests its deposits and borrowed funds in investment securities and has three wholly owned Massachusetts Security Corporations, CTC Security Corporation, CTC Security Corporation II and CTC Security Corporation III.

Lending activities

The Bank originates loans to businesses and individuals on both a collateralized and an uncollateralized basis. The Bank�� customer base is concentrated in eastern Massachusetts. The majority of loans to individuals are collateralized by residential real estate, marketable securities or other assets.

Investment activities

The Bank invests in United States government sponsored enterprise (GSE) obligations, mortgage-backed securities, mutual funds and municipal securities. As a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) of Boston (the FHLB Boston), the Bank is required to invest in stock of the FHLB Boston in an amount based upon itsadvances from the FHLB Boston.

Sources of Funds

The Bank attracts deposits, such as demand deposits (non-interest bearing), interest bearing checking, money market, savings, certificates of deposit under $100,000 and certificates of deposit $100,000 or greater. Its short term borrowings consist of treasury, tax and loan notes, and FHLB Bost! on overnight borrowings.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Today, CATC has shed (-0.26%) down -0.10 at $38.90 with 500 shares in play thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 11:24AM EDT July 22, 2013), but don�� let this get you down.

  Cambridge Bancorp previously reported unaudited net income of $3,475,000 for the second quarter of 2013 compared to $3,451,000 for the same quarter in 2012. The slight increase in earnings was primarily attributable to growth in noninterest income, offset by a decrease in net interest income. Diluted earnings per share were $0.89 for the second quarter of 2013, unchanged versus for the same quarter in 2012. For the six months ended June 30, 2013, unaudited net income was $6,806,000 compared to $6,736,000 for the first half of 2012. Diluted earnings per share were $1.75 for the first six months of 2013 versus $1.74 for the same period in 2012.

• [By CRWE]

  Last Friday, CATC previously surged (+0.26%) up +0.10 at $39.00 with 600 shares in play at the close (ref. google finance July 26, 2013 ��Close).

  Cambridge Bancorp previously reported unaudited net income of $3,475,000 for the second quarter of 2013 compared to $3,451,000 for the same quarter in 2012. The slight increase in earnings was primarily attributable to growth in noninterest income, offset by a decrease in net interest income. Diluted earnings per share were $0.89 for the second quarter of 2013, unchanged versus for the same quarter in 2012. For the six months ended June 30, 2013, unaudited net income was $6,806,000 compared to $6,736,000 for the first half of 2012. Diluted earnings per share were $1.75 for the first six months of 2013 versus $1.74 for the same period in 2012.

Best Bank Companies To Buy Right Now: First Commonwealth Financial Corporation(FCF)

First Commonwealth Financial Corporation operates as the holding company for First Commonwealth Bank that provides consumer and commercial banking services to individuals and small and mid-sized businesses in central and western Pennsylvania. The company offers personal checking accounts, interest-earning checking accounts, savings accounts, health savings accounts, insured money market accounts, debit cards, investment certificates, fixed and variable rate certificates of deposit, and IRA accounts. It also provides secured and unsecured installment loans, construction and mortgage loans, safe deposit facilities, credit lines with overdraft checking protection, and student loans, as well as Internet and telephone banking, and automated teller machine services. In addition, the company offers commercial banking services, including commercial lending, small and high-volume business checking accounts, on-line account management services, ACH origination, payroll direct deposi t, commercial cash management services, and repurchase agreements. Further, it provides various trust and asset management services, as well as a complement of auto, home, business, and term life insurance. Additionally, the company offers annuities, mutual funds, stock, and bond brokerage services through an arrangement with a broker-dealer and insurance brokers. It operates 115 community banking offices in western Pennsylvania and 2 loan production offices in downtown Pittsburgh and State College, Pennsylvania. The company was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Indiana, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By anina Egea]

  A measure of financial performance calculated as operating cash flow minus capital expenditures. Free cash flow (FCF) represents the cash that a company is able to generate after laying out the money required to maintain or expand its asset base. Free cash flow is important because it allows a company to pursue opportunities that enhance shareholder value. Without cash, it's tough to develop new products, make acquisitions, pay dividends and reduce debt.

• [By Ray Merola]

  Global recession notwithstanding, International Paper has re-imagined itself as a strong cash generator. I focus upon Free-Cash-Flow (FCF), thereby subtracting routine capital expenditures from Operating Cash. What remains is what Warren Buffett refers to as "Owner Earnings," or what is left over after a company has handled all aspects of running and maintaining its business.

• [By Holly LaFon]

  ��e own a collection of competitively advantaged, industry- leading companies that produce large amounts of free cash flow (FCF);

  ��e have more financial strength and flexibility across our holdings to potentially capture future opportunity after significant deleveraging over the last few years from a combination of our portfolio sales and our corporate partners' divestitures and restructurings;

• [By Paul McWilliams]

  Trailing 12-month free cash flow (FCF) was $1.58 per fully diluted share, versus Cree's reported non-GAAP earnings of $1.32, and net cash per fully diluted share increased by $2.06 year-over-year.

Best Bank Companies To Buy Right Now: Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA (BMPS)

Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA is an Italy-based company engaged in the banking sector. It provides traditional banking services, asset management and private banking, including life insurance, pension funds and investment trusts. It operates though three business segments. The Retail Banking segment covers consumer lending, insurance, provision of financial and non-financial services to retail customers, wealth management, tax planning, financial advisory and planning for private customers. The Corporate Banking division oversees the Group's business strategies targeted to small and medium enterprises, institutions and large corporate for which it offers leasing, factoring, lending and financial products, among others. The Corporate Center segment includes the cancellation of intergroup entries, treasure, governance and support functions. In January 2014, the Company completed the sale of its entire shareholding in Sorin SpA, equal to approximately 5.7%. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Corinne Gretler]

  Kesko Oyj, Finland�� biggest publicly traded retailer, rallied 9 percent. Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA (BMPS) added 2 percent as Italy�� third-largest lender set out a plan to return to profit after cutting costs and raising capital as part of its restructuring plan. Speedy Hire Plc sank the most since 2009 after the construction-equipment leasing company said it found evidence of false accounting at one of its units.