The aim of this study is to evaluate the financial performance of commercial banks operating in Romania for the period 2020–2024 within the framework of the multi-criteria decision-making (MCDP) approach and to rank the banks according to their performance. Accordingly, 8 criteria including indicators such as liquidity, profitability, efficiency, cost effectiveness, capital adequacy and credit risk were used in order to analyze the financial structure of banks in a multidimensional manner. The criterion weights were determined by the MAXC method, and the performance ranking of the banks was obtained using the MCRAT method.

The results of the analysis showed that the most effective criterion on financial performance was the profitability ratio per employee. This is followed by return on equity and return on assets indicators, respectively. According to the findings, TRANSILVANIA BANK had the highest financial performance among the banks examined, followed by RAIFFEISEN BANK SA and BANCA COMERCIALA ROMANA SA. In contrast, FIRST BANK SA is found to be ranked lower due to its low profitability and high cost structure.

The study also reveals that banking performance cannot be explained by a single indicator and that profitability, risk and cost factors should be evaluated together. Methodological comparative analyses have shown that the MAXC and MCRAT methods used produce reliable and consistent results. In conclusion, the study reveals the performance dynamics of the Polish banking sector and provides an analytical framework that can be used in decision-making processes for bank managers and policymakers.