Core Viewpoint - Truist Financial Corporation (TFC) and PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (PNC) are two prominent U.S. regional banks facing challenges in a high-interest rate environment, with both experiencing stock declines over the past six months [1][3]. Group 1: Company Overview - TFC was formed in December 2019 from the merger of BB&T Corp and SunTrust, becoming one of the largest commercial banks in the U.S. [2] - PNC has a well-diversified deposit base and is expanding its branch network and deal activity, including the acquisition of Aqueduct Capital in 2025 [2][8]. Group 2: Financial Performance - TFC shares have declined by 9.6% and PNC shares by 9.7% in the past six months, underperforming the Zacks Finance sector and the S&P 500 Index [3]. - TFC's net interest margin (NIM) increased to 3.03% in 2024 from 2.98% in 2023, while PNC's NII grew at a CAGR of 6.3% over the five years ending in 2024 [10][15]. Group 3: Strategic Initiatives - TFC has divested its insurance and asset-management units to focus on capital markets and wealth management, and has resumed share buybacks with a $5 billion plan [6][12]. - PNC is enhancing its business through partnerships, such as its agreement with Plaid and the acquisition of loan commitments from Signature Bank worth $16 billion [13][14]. Group 4: Growth Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TFC's revenue growth is projected at 1.9% for 2025 and 4.3% for 2026, with earnings expected to rise by 5.7% and 13% respectively [18]. - PNC's revenue is expected to grow by 5.8% in 2025 and 5.5% in 2026, with earnings estimates indicating a 9% increase for 2025 and 12.2% for 2026 [20]. Group 5: Valuation and Comparison - TFC is trading at a price-to-book (P/B) ratio of 0.87, while PNC's P/B ratio is 1.22, indicating that TFC is less expensive compared to PNC [21]. - TFC's return on equity (ROE) is 8.96%, lower than PNC's 10.95%, suggesting PNC is more efficient in generating profits [22]. Group 6: Investment Outlook - PNC's diversified deposit base and investments in branch expansion are expected to support its financials, making it a more attractive long-term investment [26]. - TFC, while well-positioned for growth, has a less impressive earnings outlook compared to PNC, indicating it may not match PNC's potential in a growth-focused portfolio [27].
TFC vs. PNC: Which Regional Bank is Poised for More Growth?