BAC Q2 Earnings Beat on Robust Trading & NII Growth, Stock Rises

Core Insights - Bank of America (BAC) reported second-quarter 2025 earnings of 89 cents per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 86 cents and up from 83 cents in the prior-year quarter [1][10] - The stock gained 1.3% in early trading following the earnings announcement [1] Financial Performance - Sales and trading revenues, excluding net DVA, increased by 14.9% year over year to $5.38 billion, marking the 13th consecutive quarter of improvement in trading numbers [2] - Fixed-income trading fees rose by 18.6%, while equity trading income increased by 9.6% [2] - Net interest income (NII) grew by 6.9% year over year to $14.82 billion, driven by fixed-rate asset repricing and loan growth, despite lower interest rates impacting growth [3][6] Investment Banking Performance - Investment banking (IB) fees in the Global Banking division declined by 8.1% year over year to $767 million, with equity and debt underwriting income down by 13.3% and 4.7%, respectively [4] - Advisory revenues also fell by 9.6% [4] Revenue and Expense Overview - Total net revenues were $26.46 billion, slightly missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $26.59 billion but up 4.3% from the prior-year quarter [6] - Non-interest income increased by 1% year over year to $11.79 billion, supported by higher fees and commissions [7] - Non-interest expenses rose by 5.4% year over year to $17.18 billion, attributed to increases in nearly all cost components except professional fees [7] Credit Quality - Provision for credit losses was $1.59 billion, up 5.6% from the prior-year quarter [9] - Net charge-offs slightly declined year over year to $1.53 billion, with non-performing loans and leases remaining unchanged at 0.52% of total loans [9] Capital Position - Book value per share increased to $37.13 from $34.39 a year ago, while tangible book value per share rose to $27.71 from $25.37 [11] - The common equity tier 1 capital ratio was 13% as of June 30, 2025, down from 13.5% a year earlier [11] Share Repurchase - The company repurchased shares worth $5.3 billion during the reported quarter [12] Strategic Outlook - Bank of America's focus on digitization, operational expansion, and decent loan growth is expected to support future growth, although elevated expenses and a challenging operating environment present significant headwinds [13]