The end of the earnings season is always a good time to take a step back and see who shined (and who not so much). Let’s take a look at how regional banks stocks fared in Q3, starting with Prosperity Bancshares (NYSE: PB).

Regional banks, financial institutions operating within specific geographic areas, serve as intermediaries between local depositors and borrowers. They benefit from rising interest rates that improve net interest margins (the difference between loan yields and deposit costs), digital transformation reducing operational expenses, and local economic growth driving loan demand. However, these banks face headwinds from fintech competition, deposit outflows to higher-yielding alternatives, credit deterioration (increasing loan defaults) during economic slowdowns, and regulatory compliance costs. Recent concerns about regional bank stability following high-profile failures and significant commercial real estate exposure present additional challenges.

The 94 regional banks stocks we track reported a satisfactory Q3. As a group, revenues missed analysts’ consensus estimates by 1.1%.

In light of this news, share prices of the companies have held steady as they are up 4.1% on average since the latest earnings results.

Prosperity Bancshares (NYSE: PB)

With a network of banking centers spanning the Lone Star State and beyond, Prosperity Bancshares (NYSE: PB) operates full-service banking locations throughout Texas and Oklahoma, offering a wide range of financial products and services to businesses and consumers.

Prosperity Bancshares reported revenues of $314.7 million, up 3.9% year on year. This print fell short of analysts’ expectations by 0.9%. Overall, it was a slower quarter for the company with a slight miss of analysts’ net interest income estimates and EPS in line with analysts’ estimates.

"In the third quarter we signed a definitive merger agreement with Southwest Bancshares, Inc., the parent company of Texas Partners Bank headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. We are excited about this transaction as it significantly expands our San Antonio metro footprint with 4 additional branches and increased deposit market share, bolsters our presence in the Texas Hill Country and adds an experienced C&I lending team," said David Zalman, Prosperity's Senior Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Interestingly, the stock is up 9.7% since reporting and currently trades at $69.39.

Read our full report on Prosperity Bancshares here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Best Q3: Customers Bancorp (NYSE: CUBI)

Originally founded with a "high-tech, high-touch" branch-light banking strategy, Customers Bancorp (NYSE: CUBI) is a bank holding company that provides commercial and consumer banking services through its Customers Bank subsidiary, with a focus on business lending and digital banking.

Customers Bancorp reported revenues of $232.1 million, up 38.5% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 7%. The business had a stunning quarter with a solid beat of analysts’ net interest income estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ revenue estimates.

The market seems content with the results as the stock is up 4.8% since reporting. It currently trades at $68.72.

Is now the time to buy Customers Bancorp? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Weakest Q3: The Bancorp (NASDAQ: TBBK)

Operating behind the scenes of many popular fintech apps and prepaid cards you might use daily, The Bancorp (NASDAQ: TBBK) is a bank holding company that specializes in providing banking services to fintech companies and offering specialty lending products.

The Bancorp reported revenues of $174.6 million, up 38.8% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 10%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ revenue estimates and a significant miss of analysts’ net interest income estimates.

As expected, the stock is down 16.7% since the results and currently trades at $64.33.

Read our full analysis of The Bancorp’s results here.

Enterprise Financial Services (NASDAQ: EFSC)

Starting as a single bank in Missouri in 1988 and expanding through strategic growth, Enterprise Financial Services (NASDAQ: EFSC) is a financial holding company that offers banking, lending, and wealth management services to businesses and individuals across seven states.

Enterprise Financial Services reported revenues of $204.9 million, up 24.3% year on year. This result topped analysts’ expectations by 17.3%. Taking a step back, it was a mixed quarter as it also produced an impressive beat of analysts’ revenue estimates but a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates.

Enterprise Financial Services scored the biggest analyst estimates beat among its peers. The stock is flat since reporting and currently trades at $55.35.

Read our full, actionable report on Enterprise Financial Services here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Triumph Financial (NASDAQ: TFIN)

Originally focused on traditional banking before pivoting to serve the transportation sector, Triumph Financial (NASDAQ: TFIN) provides specialized financial services to the trucking industry, including payments processing, factoring, banking, and data intelligence solutions.

Triumph Financial reported revenues of $109.3 million, up 3% year on year. This number missed analysts’ expectations by 1.4%. Overall, it was a slower quarter as it also recorded a significant miss of analysts’ tangible book value per share estimates and a significant miss of analysts’ net interest income estimates.

The stock is up 15.8% since reporting and currently trades at $55.47.

Read our full, actionable report on Triumph Financial here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Market Update

The Fed’s interest rate hikes throughout 2022 and 2023 have successfully cooled post-pandemic inflation, bringing it closer to the 2% target. Inflationary pressures have eased without tipping the economy into a recession, suggesting a soft landing. This stability, paired with recent rate cuts (0.5% in September 2024 and 0.25% in November 2024), fueled a strong year for the stock market in 2024. The markets surged further after Donald Trump’s presidential victory in November, with major indices reaching record highs in the days following the election. Still, questions remain about the direction of economic policy, as potential tariffs and corporate tax changes add uncertainty for 2025.

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