COF Up as Q1 Earnings Beat on Higher NII & Fee Income, Provisions Dip

Core Viewpoint - Capital One reported better-than-expected first-quarter 2025 results, with adjusted earnings of $4.06 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.66 and up from $3.21 in the prior-year quarter [1][3] Financial Performance - Total net revenues for the quarter were $10 billion, a 6% increase year over year, although it fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $10.03 billion [6] - Net interest income (NII) rose 7% year over year to $8.01 billion, with a net interest margin (NIM) expansion of 24 basis points to 6.93% [6] - Non-interest income grew 4% to $2 billion, driven by higher service charges and net interchange fees [7] - Non-interest expenses increased 15% year over year to $5.9 billion, primarily due to rising costs across almost all components [7] - The efficiency ratio deteriorated to 59.02%, up from 54.64% in the year-ago quarter, indicating reduced profitability [8] Credit Quality - Provision for credit losses was $2.37 billion, down 12% from the prior-year quarter, with a 30-plus-day-performing delinquency rate falling to 3.29% [9] - The net charge-off rate increased by 7 basis points to 3.40%, while the allowance as a percentage of reported loans held for investment rose to 4.91% [9] Capital and Profitability Ratios - As of March 31, 2025, the Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio improved to 14.9% from 14.4% a year ago, and the common equity Tier 1 capital ratio rose to 13.6% from 13.1% [10] - Return on average assets increased to 1.14% from 1.08%, and return on average common equity improved to 9.23% from 9.03% [10] Share Repurchase Activity - During the reported quarter, Capital One repurchased 0.74 million shares for $150 million [11] Strategic Acquisitions - The Federal Reserve and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency approved Capital One's acquisition of Discover Financial, expected to close on May 18, 2025 [4] - The merger is anticipated to create a leading consumer banking and payments platform, enhancing competition and value for customers and merchants [5] Industry Outlook - Capital One's strategic acquisitions and demand for consumer loans position it well for long-term growth, although elevated expenses and weak asset quality present challenges [12]