Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long Beach

What Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long Beach does

Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long Beach is a California state-chartered community bank founded in 1907, headquartered at 302 Pine Avenue in Long Beach, California. The Bank operates 27 branches spanning San Clemente to Santa Barbara and serves commercial, small business, and consumer retail banking customers with deposit, treasury, and lending products across Southern California. As of March 31, 2026, the Bank reported total assets of $11.86 billion and gross loans of $6.34 billion, with a Q1 2026 net interest margin of 2.71% (up from 2.28% a year prior) and a total risk-based capital ratio of 21.94%.

Operating alongside the Bank is the affiliated Farmers and Merchants Trust Company (FMTC), founded in 1920 and the oldest continuously operating trust company in California. FMTC manages approximately $6.5 billion in assets under management and delivers a seven-service platform: personal trust management, investment management (marketed as independent of Wall Street influence), charitable trust management, foundation and endowment services, an Agents-For-Trustee offering, IRA and employee benefits administration, and real estate management. Distribution is delivered through five regional trust offices in Long Beach, Laguna Hills, Torrance, Santa Barbara (relocated July 2025), and Newport Beach, supported by a 22-person named officer roster and FIS Global's ClientPoint platform for online account access.

The Bank generates revenue primarily through net interest income (Q1 2026: $77.7 million, up 21% year-over-year) supplemented by fee-based non-interest income from deposits and trust/wealth services. Annual revenue is reported at $449.19 million in comparative disclosures. The franchise is privately held under multi-generational Walker family control, with Daniel K. Walker serving as Chairman and the Walker family entering its fifth generation of leadership. The Bank has paid a dividend every quarter since 1916 (536 consecutive quarterly dividends). In Q4 2025 the franchise strengthened its capital base via a $200 million non-voting Series A Preferred Stock investment from an unnamed large financial services company, while concurrently authorizing a $10 million stock repurchase program.

Name

Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long Beach

Legal name

Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long Beach

Website

https://fmtrust.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1907

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long Beach is a California state-chartered community bank founded in 1907 operating 27 branches across Southern California with $11.86 billion in total assets, alongside the affiliated Farmers and Merchants Trust Company, which manages $6.5 billion in assets under management for HNW individuals, families, foundations, and endowments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Long Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Net Interest Income: Interest earned on loans and securities minus interest paid on deposits. Net interest income reached $77.7 million in Q1 2026, up $13.6 million year-over-year, driven by favorable interest rate environment. Net interest margin improved to 2.71% from 2.28% year prior.
2. Non-interest Income: Revenue from fees, service charges, and other non-interest sources. Comparative analysis with Northrim BanCorp indicates the bank generates non-interest income streams alongside its core lending operations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long Beach operates as a California state-chartered community bank providing commercial, small business, and consumer retail banking products (lending, deposit accounts, and treasury services) through 27 branches across Southern California. The affiliated Farmers and Merchants Trust Company (FMTC) provides fiduciary, investment, charitable, foundation, IRA, and real estate management services for individuals, families, and institutions with $6.5 billion in assets under management.

Product overview

Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long Beach operates as a California state-chartered banking institution with two primary divisions: the bank (founded 1907) offering commercial, small business and consumer retail banking products across 27 branches, and the affiliated Farmers and Merchants Trust Company (FMTC, founded 1920) providing trust and wealth management services. The trust company offers a platform of seven integrated services: Personal Trust Management (core fiduciary administration), Investment Management (disciplined portfolio management), Charitable Trust Management, Foundation & Endowments management, Agents For Trustee services, IRA & Employee Benefits administration, and Real Estate Management. These services are designed to work together as a comprehensive wealth management offering for individuals, families, nonprofits and businesses throughout Southern California, with the bank providing traditional deposit and lending products while the trust company handles fiduciary responsibilities. FMTC reports $6.5 billion in assets under management while the bank reports $11.86 billion in total assets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Commercial Banking Business banking services including commercial lending and business deposit products for corporate clients across Southern California.
• Small Business Banking Banking products and services designed for small business needs including lending and deposit solutions through the Bank's 27-branch network.
• Consumer Retail Banking Personal banking products and services for individual consumers across Southern California, including checking, savings, and personal lending.
• Personal Trust Management Comprehensive trust administration services for individuals, helping clients preserve and grow wealth across generations with fiduciary oversight, delivered through the affiliated Farmers and Merchants Trust Company (FMTC).
• Investment Management Disciplined, objective investment strategy independent of Wall Street influence, managing tailored portfolios to meet clients' long-term investment objectives with a focus on risk mitigation.
• Charitable Trust Management Specialist services in charitable planning, helping clients structure charitable vehicles and collaborate with planning professionals to make a measurable difference.
• Foundation & Endowments Comprehensive customized solutions for charitable organizations, foundations, and endowments, addressing business planning, financing, and tax code changes while preserving social impact.
• Agents For Trustee Assists individual trustees by providing expertise to manage complex trust administration nuances while the individual maintains complete control of the account.
• IRA & Employee Benefits Professional investment management services for Individual Retirement Accounts and employee benefit plans, ensuring alignment with overall investment portfolios and sustainable growth.
• Real Estate Management Expert management of commercial, residential, and agricultural real estate investments, leveraging hands-on experience and local expertise to maximize long-term return on investment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Net income increased 30% year-over-year to $21.9 million in Q1 2026
• +4 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• East West Bancorp: California-based commercial bank serving consumers, small businesses, and commercial clients with a similar full-service deposit, lending, and treasury model in overlapping Southern California markets.
• Heritage Commerce Corp: California state-chartered community bank with commercial, small business, and retail banking; comparable scale, deposit franchise, and northern/central California exposure that mirrors F&M's relationship model.
• Cathay Bank: California state-chartered community commercial bank targeting business and retail customers in Southern California with a similar relationship-based, branch-led distribution model.
• CVB Financial: California-focused community and commercial bank with similar deposit-driven, relationship-based banking model and overlapping Southern California SME / commercial customer base.
• Pacific Premier Bancorp: California-headquartered regional commercial bank providing business and retail banking products across coastal California — directly overlapping F&M's geographic and product footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Comerica: Mid-sized regional commercial bank with a relationship-driven middle-market and small business lending model — analogous franchise to F&M at larger scale.
• Zions Bancorporation: Diversified regional commercial bank holding company with community and commercial banking across multiple Western states — broader geographic analog to F&M's community commercial banking franchise.
• Northern Trust: Large, established personal trust, investment management, and wealth advisory franchise — comparable to F&M's affiliated Trust Company services across personal trust, charitable, foundation, and IRA.
• City National Bank: Larger California-based bank (now under RBC) combining commercial banking with private wealth management — directly comparable to F&M's combined bank + trust company two-pillar franchise.

Regional players

• Bank of Hawaii: State-chartered regional commercial bank with a similarly mature deposit franchise, strong capital ratios, and consistent dividend record — comparable operating model in a different regional market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/farmers-and-merchants-trust-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long Beach