In the following video, Motley Fool financial analysts David Hanson and Matt Koppenheffer discuss a balanced approach to valuing bank equities.

David compares Bank of America's (BAC 0.40%) relatively cheap stock price and current low returns on equity with US Bancorp (USB -0.02%), a stock currently trading at a much higher valuation compared to tangible book value.

David also explains how Citigroup (C 0.88%) and Bank of America's current low valuations may represent a longer-term opportunity for investors, and he looks at Wells Fargo (WFC 0.84%) as an example of how a bank stock might provide great returns to investors in the future, despite a relatively high current valuation.