Core Insights - Bank stocks are a significant indicator of the health of the American economy, often referred to as the economy's circulatory system, facilitating capital flow across various sectors [1][4] - The article discusses the characteristics of bank stocks, their importance to investors, and how to identify the best bank stocks to buy [5][17] Group 1: Definition and Importance of Bank Stocks - Bank stocks represent companies in the banking sector and are classified under the broader category of financial stocks, which includes various financial services [7][8] - They are divided into two sub-categories: diversified banks, which have a national footprint and offer a wide range of services, and regional banks, which operate in limited geographic areas [13] Group 2: Investment Rationale - Investors are drawn to bank stocks due to their critical role in the economy, although their performance can be cyclical, reflecting economic conditions [9][10] - Banks primarily earn through the interest-rate spread, charging higher interest on loans than they pay on deposits, making economic activity a key factor in their profitability [10][11] Group 3: Characteristics of Bank Stocks - Diversified banks may offer more stability due to their varied operations, while regional banks can be more volatile but may provide better short-term opportunities for active investors [14][15] - The consolidation trend in the banking industry presents potential for growth, with over 4,600 banks in the U.S. indicating room for mergers and acquisitions [16][17] Group 4: Criteria for Selecting Bank Stocks - Ideal bank stocks should be part of the S&P Composite 1500, have a long-term EPS growth rate of at least 5%, and a trailing-12-month return on equity of at least 10% [18][19][20] - Stocks should also have at least five covering analysts and a consensus Buy rating, indicating strong market interest and positive outlook [21][22]

Company Overview - Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (HBAN) has a market cap of $25.6 billion and is a leading regional bank holding company for The Huntington National Bank, offering a wide range of financial services including banking, lending, mortgage, investment, insurance, and wealth management solutions [1][2] Stock Performance - HBAN shares have declined 3.9% from their 52-week high of $18.44, while the stock has increased 12.8% over the past three months, underperforming the Nasdaq Composite's 15.1% return during the same period [3] - Year-to-date (YTD), HBAN stock is up 9%, lagging behind the Nasdaq's 16.5% gain, and has soared 21.8% over the past 52 weeks, compared to the Nasdaq's over 28% surge [4] Financial Results - In Q2 2025, HBAN reported adjusted EPS of $0.38, matching consensus estimates, and revenue exceeding $2 billion. However, shares fell 1.6% due to a 7% year-over-year increase in non-interest expenses, a 4% decline in non-interest income, and mixed credit quality results, including a 3% rise in credit loss provisions and a 9.2% increase in non-performing assets [5] - A $58 million hit from securities repositioning reduced pre-tax earnings and impacted EPS, raising investor concerns [5] Competitive Landscape - Rival Regions Financial Corporation (RF) has outperformed HBAN on a YTD basis with a 15.8% increase, but over the past 52 weeks, RF has returned 19.9%, trailing HBAN's performance [6] - Despite the stock's underperformance, analysts maintain a moderately optimistic outlook on HBAN, with a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" from 22 analysts and a mean price target of $19.38, representing an 8.9% premium to current levels [6]

Group 1 - Huntington Bancshares Incorporated announced a decrease in its prime rate from 7.5 percent to 7.25 percent, effective September 18, 2025 [1] - The last change in Huntington's prime rate occurred on December 19, 2024, when it decreased from 7.75 percent to 7.5 percent [1] Group 2 - Huntington Bancshares Incorporated is a regional bank holding company with assets totaling $208 billion, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio [2] - The company provides a comprehensive suite of banking, payments, wealth management, and risk management products and services to various clients, including consumers and businesses [2] - Huntington operates 971 branches across 13 states [2]

What to know: Huntington Bancshares in Columbus Ohio believes it could close its $1.9 billion deal for Veritex Financial in Dallas early in the fourth quarter, extending a recent trend of earlier deal completions. Deeper dive: Huntington has acquired most of the land it needs for a planned de novo expansion in North Carolina and South Carolina, and it expects branch construction in the region to accelerate in 2026. Bottom line: Growth in Texas and the Carolinas is boosting the $207.7 billion-asset region ...

Group 1 - The 23rd Annual Global Financial Services Conference is being held, with a focus on financial services companies [1] - Huntington Bancshares is the first company to present, featuring remarks from its CFO and the head of Consumer and Regional Banking [2] - The conference includes interactive questions for attendees, utilizing clickers to gather data for analysis [2][3] Group 2 - The first question posed to attendees is about their current position in shares and how it has evolved over time [3]

Huntington Bancshares (NasdaqGS:HBAN) FY Conference September 08, 2025 09:00 AM ET Company ParticipantsJason Goldberg - Managing DirectorZachary Wasserman - Senior EVP & CFOBrant Standridge - Senior EVP & President - Consumer & Regional BankingConference Call ParticipantsNone - AnalystJason GoldbergLet me just join you, Vancannah's comments from earlier, just welcoming everyone to our 23rd annual Global Financial Services Conference. I'm very pleased you could all make it. I can't miss this opportunity. In ...

(2) Huntington 2025 Barclays Global Financial Services Conference Welcome. September 8, 2025 The Huntington National Bank is Member FDIC. II ®, Huntington® and WHIHHuntington. are federally registered service marks of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated. ©2025 Huntington Bancshares Incorporated. Disclaimer CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS The information contained or incorporated by reference in this presentation contains certain forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, certain ...

Core Insights - Huntington Bancshares (HBAN) shares have increased by 23.2% over the past year, outperforming the industry growth of 19.7% [1][7] - The company's net interest income (NII) and net interest margin (NIM) are on the rise, with NII expected to grow by 8-9% from $5.34 billion in 2024 [5] - Total deposits have shown a five-year CAGR of 14.6%, with management projecting average deposit growth of 4-6% from $155.1 billion in 2024 [6] Performance Metrics - NII recorded a four-year CAGR of 10.5% from 2019 to 2024, while NIM improved from 2.84% in 2021 to 3.25% in 2022 [5] - Total loan balance saw a CAGR of 11.5% over the same five-year period, continuing into the first half of 2025 [6] - As of June 30, 2025, Huntington's liquidity totaled $10.9 billion, with a long-term debt of $18 billion and only $576 million in short-term borrowings [9] Strategic Initiatives - Huntington has made several strategic acquisitions, including the planned acquisition of Veritex Holdings, which aims to enhance its presence in Texas [8] - The company has also acquired Capstone Partners and Torana to bolster its capital markets and digital capabilities [8] Challenges - Non-interest expenses have seen a CAGR of 10.9% over the last five years, with expectations for adjusted non-interest expenses to grow by 5-6% in 2025 from $4.51 billion in 2024 [10] - Commercial loans represent 57% of Huntington's total loan portfolio, with 73.7% of non-performing assets tied to these loans, indicating a high concentration risk [11] Valuation Perspective - HBAN stock trades at a forward P/E ratio of 11.49X, higher than the industry average of 11.04X, suggesting a premium valuation [13] - Prospective investors may consider waiting for a more attractive entry point due to the current valuation [15]

Core Viewpoint - Huntington Bancshares Incorporated will participate in the 2025 Barclays Global Financial Services Conference, discussing business trends, financial performance, and strategic initiatives [1] Group 1: Conference Participation - The conference is scheduled for September 8, 2025, with presentations by the CFO and the president of Consumer and Regional Banking [1] - The presentation will include forward-looking statements [1] Group 2: Webcast Information - Investors can access the live audio webcast through the investor relations section of Huntington's website, with a replay available afterward [2] Group 3: Company Overview - Huntington Bancshares is a regional bank holding company with $208 billion in assets, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio [3] - The company provides a comprehensive suite of banking, payments, wealth management, and risk management products and services [3] - Huntington operates 971 branches across 13 states [3]

Core Viewpoint - The proposed sale of Veritex Holdings, Inc. to Huntington Bancshares Incorporated is under investigation to assess whether the transaction adequately values Veritex and the process leading to this valuation [1]. Group 1 - Veritex shareholders will receive 1.95 shares of Huntington for each share of Veritex they own as part of the proposed transaction [1]. - Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC is investigating the adequacy of the consideration offered to Veritex shareholders [1].