Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, regional bank BB&T (NYSE: BBT) has earned a respected four-star ranking.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at BB&T's business and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now.

BB&T facts

Headquarters (founded) Winston-Salem, N.C. (1872)
Market Cap $21.6 billion
Industry Regional banks
Trailing-12-Month Revenue $7.8 billion
Management Chairman/CEO Kelly King
CFO Daryl Bible
Return on Equity (average, past 3 years) 6.3%
Cash/Debt $5.9 billion / $27.6 billion
Dividend Yield 2.6%
Competitors Bank of America
Regions Financial
SunTrust Banks

Sources: S&P Capital IQ and Motley Fool CAPS.

On CAPS, 88% of the 768 members who have rated BB&T believe the stock will outperform the S&P 500 going forward.  

Earlier this year, one of those Fools, TMFDivine, nicely summed up the bull case for our community:

Solid, conservative bank that should rise faster than peers in the Financial industry as the industry as a whole recovers. They look to be well-positioned in contrast to their competition because they are financially sound and continue to expand and acquire smaller banks and a greater customer base. ... [S]o many people are disillusioned with the larger Wall Street banks, seen as poor in customer service and insensitive to the average citizen on Main Street. BB&T does not have this image problem, and in fact its humble beginnings as a bank for rural farmers and areas of the Southeast supported largely by agriculture lends some legitimacy to this view and proves to be a major, inimitable advantage the company has over its peers.

If you want market-thumping returns, you need to put together the best portfolio you can. Owning exceptional stocks is a surefire way to secure your financial future. Of course, despite a strong four-star rating, BB&T may not be your top choice.

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Want to see how well (or not so well) the stocks in this series are performing? Follow the TrackPoisedTo CAPS account.