Bank on Nara's Strong Performance

This column was originally published on RealMoney on Aug. 10 at 2:02 p.m. EDT. It's being republished as a bonus for TheStreet.com readers.

Yield curve concerns have many investors shying away from banks. But there are compelling reasons not to overlook Nara Bancorp(NARA Quote).

Founded to serve the Korean-American community, it has been successful in both its mission and its business. This is a large, highly entrepreneurial population. The number of Korean immigrants in this country numbered about 11,000 in 1960. But by 2000, this population had reached 1 million. Add in children and undocumented immigrants, and the number swells to more than 1.5 million. California, where Nara is headquartered, has the largest Korean community in the country, followed by New York.

With 16 full-service branch operations in California and New York and eight loan production offices in other states and Seoul, Korea, it offers a full range of commercial banking and consumer financial services. ...