Regional Banks Stocks Q3 Results: Benchmarking Wintrust Financial (NASDAQ:WTFC)

Earnings results often indicate what direction a company will take in the months ahead. With Q3 behind us, let’s have a look at Wintrust Financial (NASDAQ:WTFC) 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 94 regional banks stocks we track reported a satisfactory Q3. As a group, revenues missed analysts’ consensus estimates by 1.1%.

While some regional banks stocks have fared somewhat better than others, they have collectively declined. On average, share prices are down 1.9% since the latest earnings results.

Wintrust Financial (NASDAQ:WTFC)

Founded in 1991 as a community-focused alternative to big banks in the Chicago area, Wintrust Financial (NASDAQGS:WTFC) operates community banks in the Chicago area and provides specialty finance services including insurance premium financing and wealth management.

Wintrust Financial reported revenues of $697.8 million, up 13.3% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 1.2%. Overall, it was a strong quarter for the company with a beat of analysts’ EPS and tangible book value per share estimates.

Timothy S. Crane, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “We continued to build on the momentum established in our record first half of the year with record net income, net interest income, strong balance sheet growth and prudent management of net interest margin.”

Interestingly, the stock is up 1.1% since reporting and currently trades at $127.93.

We think Wintrust Financial is a good business, but is it a buy today? Read our full report 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 an impressive beat of analysts’ net interest income estimates and a solid beat of analysts’ revenue estimates.

Although it had a fine quarter compared its peers, the market seems unhappy with the results as the stock is down 2.5% since reporting. It currently trades at $63.93.

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 22.9% since the results and currently trades at $59.54.

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

Community Bank (NYSE:CBU)

Tracing its roots back to 1866 in upstate New York, Community Financial System (NYSE:CBU) is a financial holding company that provides banking, employee benefits, wealth management, and insurance services to retail, commercial, and municipal customers.

Community Bank reported revenues of $207.1 million, up 9.6% year on year. This result met analysts’ expectations. More broadly, it was a slower quarter as it logged a slight miss of analysts’ net interest income estimates and a narrow beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.

The stock is down 2.1% since reporting and currently trades at $54.86.

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

Peoples Bancorp (NASDAQ:PEBO)

Founded in 1902 in Ohio and expanding through both organic growth and acquisitions, Peoples Bancorp (NASDAQ:PEBO) is a financial holding company that provides banking, insurance, equipment leasing, and investment services to consumers and businesses.

Peoples Bancorp reported revenues of $118.5 million, up 3.2% year on year. This print beat analysts’ expectations by 1.3%. It was a strong quarter as it also logged a solid beat of analysts’ tangible book value per share estimates and a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.

The stock is flat since reporting and currently trades at $28.50.

Read our full, actionable report on Peoples Bancorp 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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