Fulton Financial Corp (FULT) Q1 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: Navigating Strategic Challenges ...

In This Article:

  • Operating Earnings Per Share: $0.52, a $0.04 increase linked quarter.

  • Operating Efficiency Ratio: 56.7%.

  • Operating Return on Assets: 1.25%.

  • Operating Return on Average Tangible Common Equity: 15.95%.

  • Tangible Book Value Per Share Growth: 13.8% annualized.

  • Deposit Growth: $200 million or 3% driven by interest-bearing money market products.

  • Total Loans Decline: $182 million during the quarter.

  • Net Interest Income: $251 million, a $2.5 million decrease linked quarter.

  • Net Interest Margin: Increased 2 basis points to 3.43%.

  • Loan Yields: Declined 11 basis points to 5.86%.

  • Average Cost of Total Deposits: Decreased 11 basis points to 2.03%.

  • Noninterest Income: $67.2 million.

  • Non-interest Expense: $182.9 million, a decrease of $7.8 million linked quarter.

  • Provision Expense: Declined approximately $2.8 million to $13.9 million.

  • Allowance for Credit Losses to Total Loans Ratio: Increased to 159%.

  • Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) Ratio: 11%.

Release Date: April 16, 2025

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

Positive Points

  • Fulton Financial Corp (NASDAQ:FULT) reported an increase in operating earnings per share to $0.52, a $0.04 rise from the previous quarter.

  • The company achieved a reduction in total operating expenses, contributing to an improved operating efficiency ratio of 56.7%.

  • FULT maintained strong liquidity and grew its equity base, with tangible book value per share increasing by 13.8% on an annualized basis.

  • Customer deposit growth was solid, with a $200 million increase driven by interest-bearing money market products.

  • The company reported improvements in asset quality metrics, including a decline in the non-performing loan ratio and net charge-offs.

Negative Points

  • Total loans declined by $182 million during the quarter, impacted by strategic decisions and portfolio management activities.

  • Loan yields decreased by 11 basis points to 5.86%, contributing to a $2.5 million decrease in net interest income.

  • The allowance for credit losses to total loans ratio increased, indicating a cautious outlook on credit quality.

  • FULT's non-interest income declined modestly due to day count and transactional activity, with fee income as a percentage of revenue at 21%.

  • The company anticipates potential headwinds in net interest income and non-interest income due to a slower growth environment and possible interest rate cuts.

Q & A Highlights

Q: Can you talk more about loan growth and whether you expect it to pick up in the second half of the year? A: (Curtis Myers, CEO) Overall pipelines have increased year-over-year, but we remain cautious about the pull-through rate due to customer uncertainty. We have a good pipeline, but conversion is uncertain given the environment. Most of the first quarter's decline was due to strategic headwinds and specific actions we took.