When it comes to bank stocks, you truly do get what you pay for. That's why bank investors should take a good hard look at shares of Wells Fargo (WFC 0.72%), U.S. Bancorp (USB 1.19%), and New York Community Bancorp (NYCB 0.64%), as well as the other two banks revealed in the slideshow below.
All five of the banks highlighted therein trade for substantial premiums to their tangible book values, making them the five most expensive big bank stocks right now.
But far from discouraging prospective investors from owning shares in these banks, their high valuations should instead serve as a beacon for new money, as Wells Fargo, U.S. Bancorp, and New York Community Bancorp all have long histories of outperforming both the bank industry and the broader market.
Valuation data for Wells Fargo, U.S. Bancorp, New York Community Bancorp, BB&T, and M&T Bank all sourced from YCharts.com.
