Belmont, MA Belmont Savings Bank has received the 2017 Sandler O’Neill Sm-All Star Award for being a top performer among over 400 small-cap banks and thrifts across the country.

This year, Belmont Savings was the sole Massachusetts bank recognized for this award.

“Belmont Savings strives for consistent earnings performance and is proud to be amongst the fastest growing banks in the state,” said Bob Mahoney, president and CEO of Belmont Savings. “Receiving this award from Sandler O’Neill is further acknowledgment that our strategy is effective in serving our customers, our shareholders and the community.”

The Sm-All Stars designation was inaugurated in 2004 by Sandler O’Neill + Partners–a prominent U.S. investment management firm–to identify outstanding annual performance for small-cap banks and thrifts in the country. Performance metrics of Sm-All Star institutions are exceptional, markedly exceeding industry metrics. Companies are selected based on various financial screening criteria, including growth, profitability, credit quality and capital strength, and must have a market cap below $2.5 billion.

Belmont Savings had an earnings per share growth of 47.6% (nearly five times higher than the median); a loan growth of 22.4% (about two times higher than the median); a deposit growth of 16.3% (about twice as large as the median); and an ROAE of 8.8%.

The Sandler O’Neill Sm-All Stars Class of 2017 consists of only 29 institutions out of a universe of 404 publicly traded banks and thrifts with a market cap below $2.5 billion. Belmont Savings was included as the only Massachusetts bank to earn this recognition in the Class of 2017.