Laser Focus World is an industry bedrock—first published in 1965 and still going strong. We publish original articles about cutting-edge advances in lasers, optics, photonics, sensors, and quantum technologies, as well as test and measurement, and the shift currently underway to usher in the photonic integrated circuits, optical interconnects, and copackaged electronics and photonics to deliver the speed and efficiency essential for data centers of the future.

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Editorial Advisory Board

  • Professor Andrea M. Armani, University of Southern California
  • Ruti Ben-Shlomi, Ph.D., LightSolver
  • James Butler, Ph.D., Hamamatsu
  • Natalie Fardian-Melamed, Ph.D., Columbia University
  • Justin Sigley, Ph.D., AmeriCOM
  • Professor Birgit Stiller, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, and Leibniz University of Hannover
  • Professor Stephen Sweeney, University of Glasgow
  • Mohan Wang, Ph.D., University of Oxford
  • Professor Xuchen Wang, Harbin Engineering University
  • Professor Stefan Witte, Delft University of Technology

Winners And Losers Of Q2: Pinnacle Financial Partners (NASDAQ:PNFP) Vs The Rest Of The Regional Banks Stocks

PNFP Cover Image

As the Q2 earnings season comes to a close, it’s time to take stock of this quarter’s best and worst performers in the regional banks industry, including Pinnacle Financial Partners (NASDAQ: PNFP) and its peers.

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 102 regional banks stocks we track reported a satisfactory Q2. As a group, revenues were in line with analysts’ consensus estimates.

In light of this news, share prices of the companies have held steady. On average, they are relatively unchanged since the latest earnings results.

Pinnacle Financial Partners (NASDAQ: PNFP)

Founded in 2000 with a focus on delivering big-bank capabilities with community bank personalization, Pinnacle Financial Partners (NASDAQ: PNFP) is a Tennessee-based financial holding company that provides banking, investment, trust, mortgage, and insurance services to businesses and individuals.

Pinnacle Financial Partners reported revenues of $505 million, up 37.8% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 2%. Despite the top-line beat, it was still a mixed quarter for the company.

"Second quarter results demonstrate again the reliability of our differentiated model to produce outsized revenue, earnings per share and loan growth regardless of the operating environment," said M. Terry Turner, Pinnacle's president and chief executive officer.

Pinnacle Financial Partners Total Revenue

Interestingly, the stock is up 3.4% since reporting and currently trades at $98.40.

Is now the time to buy Pinnacle Financial Partners? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Best Q2: UMB Financial (NASDAQ: UMBF)

With roots dating back to 1913 and a name derived from "United Missouri Bank," UMB Financial (NASDAQ: UMBF) is a financial holding company that provides banking, asset management, and fund services to commercial, institutional, and individual customers.

UMB Financial reported revenues of $689.2 million, up 76.7% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 8.6%. The business had a stunning quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS and tangible book value per share estimates.

UMB Financial Total Revenue

The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 7.8% since reporting. It currently trades at $118.25.

Is now the time to buy UMB Financial? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Weakest Q2: Coastal Financial (NASDAQ: CCB)

Pioneering the intersection of traditional banking and financial technology in the Pacific Northwest, Coastal Financial (NASDAQ: CCB) operates as a bank holding company that provides traditional banking services and Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) solutions to consumers and businesses.

Coastal Financial reported revenues of $119.4 million, down 11.7% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 21.5%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ net interest income and EPS estimates.

Interestingly, the stock is up 7.4% since the results and currently trades at $109.

Read our full analysis of Coastal Financial’s results here.

First Interstate BancSystem (NASDAQ: FIBK)

Tracing its roots back to 1971 and still guided by founding family principles, First Interstate BancSystem (NASDAQ: FIBK) operates a network of community banks across 14 western and midwestern states, offering comprehensive banking services to individuals, businesses, and government entities.

First Interstate BancSystem reported revenues of $248.3 million, up 1.6% year on year. This print came in 1.8% below analysts' expectations. Aside from that, it was a mixed quarter as it also produced a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates but a slight miss of analysts’ net interest income estimates.

The stock is up 8.9% since reporting and currently trades at $32.

Read our full, actionable report on First Interstate BancSystem here, it’s free.

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 $206.3 million, up 9.5% year on year. This number surpassed analysts’ expectations by 3.7%. Overall, it was an exceptional quarter as it also recorded a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and a solid beat of analysts’ net interest income estimates.

The stock is up 4.7% since reporting and currently trades at $64.31.

Read our full, actionable report on Customers Bancorp here, it’s free.

Market Update

In response to the Fed’s rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has been gradually trending down from its post-pandemic peak, trending closer to the Fed’s 2% target. Despite higher borrowing costs, the economy has avoided flashing recessionary signals. This is the much-desired soft landing that many investors hoped for. The recent rate cuts (0.5% in September and 0.25% in November 2024) have bolstered the stock market, making 2024 a strong year for equities. Donald Trump’s presidential win in November sparked additional market gains, sending indices to record highs in the days following his victory. However, debates continue over possible tariffs and corporate tax adjustments, raising questions about economic stability in 2025.

Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our 9 Best Market-Beating Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.

StockStory is growing and hiring equity analyst and marketing roles. Are you a 0 to 1 builder passionate about the markets and AI? See the open roles here.

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