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

Regional Banks Stocks Q2 Highlights: Dime Community Bancshares (NASDAQ:DCOM)

DCOM Cover Image

Earnings results often indicate what direction a company will take in the months ahead. With Q2 behind us, let’s have a look at Dime Community Bancshares (NASDAQ: DCOM) 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 99 regional banks stocks we track reported a satisfactory Q2. As a group, revenues were in line with analysts’ consensus estimates.

Thankfully, share prices of the companies have been resilient as they are up 5.1% on average since the latest earnings results.

Dime Community Bancshares (NASDAQ: DCOM)

With roots dating back to 1910 and a name that evokes the historic "dime savings banks" of America's past, Dime Community Bancshares (NASDAQ: DCOM) is a New York-based bank holding company that provides commercial banking and financial services to businesses and consumers throughout Greater Long Island.

Dime Community Bancshares reported revenues of $109.7 million, up 25.6% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 2.6%. Overall, it was a satisfactory quarter for the company with a narrow beat of analysts’ net interest income estimates.

Stuart H. Lubow, President and Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of the Company, stated, “As we continue to execute on our growth plan, we were pleased with the solid growth in core deposits, business loans, net interest margin and capital ratios.

Dime Community Bancshares Total Revenue

Interestingly, the stock is up 8.4% since reporting and currently trades at $30.99.

Is now the time to buy Dime Community Bancshares? 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 estimates and a solid beat of analysts’ tangible book value per share estimates.

UMB Financial Total Revenue

The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 14.5% since reporting. It currently trades at $125.61.

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 14.2% since the results and currently trades at $115.88.

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

Frost Bank (NYSE: CFR)

Tracing its roots back to 1868 when it was founded during Texas's post-Civil War reconstruction era, Cullen/Frost Bankers (NYSE: CFR) operates Frost Bank, a Texas-based financial institution providing commercial and consumer banking, wealth management, and insurance services.

Frost Bank reported revenues of $546.9 million, up 7.7% year on year. This number beat analysts’ expectations by 0.6%. Overall, it was a strong quarter as it also put up an impressive beat of analysts’ tangible book value per share estimates and a decent beat of analysts’ net interest income estimates.

The stock is down 3% since reporting and currently trades at $130.21.

Read our full, actionable report on Frost Bank here, it’s free.

Seacoast Banking (NASDAQ: SBCF)

Founded during the Florida land boom of 1926 and surviving the Great Depression, Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida (NASDAQ: SBCF) is a financial holding company that provides commercial and retail banking, wealth management, and mortgage services throughout Florida.

Seacoast Banking reported revenues of $151.4 million, up 19.6% year on year. This result topped analysts’ expectations by 5%. It was a stunning quarter as it also recorded a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ net interest income estimates.

The stock is up 9.7% since reporting and currently trades at $31.65.

Read our full, actionable report on Seacoast Banking here, it’s free.

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.

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

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