UMB Financial Corporation announced its selection by Sandler O’Neill and Partners as a top performer making its “2009 Bank and Thrift Sm-All Stars” report.

Published annually, the report selects the top 30 performers among the more than 500 publicly traded banks and thrifts in the U.S. with a market capitalization of less than $2 billion. Company selection is based on evaluation criteria that measures growth trends, profitability and capital levels.

Earlier this year, UMB received a No. 5 ranking in a “stress test” conducted by SNL Financial to determine the best capitalized bank holding companies nationally.