Bank stock sell-off due to fear with First Brands, says Commerce Street's Dory Wiley

Core Viewpoint - The major financial institutions have shown strong performance, which is expected to positively impact regional and community banks in the future, despite recent selloffs in regional bank stocks [2][3]. Group 1: Market Performance - Major banks like Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley, and Bank of America have each increased by over 5% since Monday, while regional bank stocks have been declining [1]. - The S&P regional bank ETF is on track for its fourth consecutive negative week, down nearly 10% since early September [1]. Group 2: Future Outlook - There is a belief that the strong results from major banks will create a positive spillover effect to smaller banks [2]. - The current selloff in regional banks is attributed to fear stemming from past financial crises, leading to cautious investor behavior [3][4]. Group 3: Investment Opportunities - Regional banks are expected to benefit from stable and slightly expanding net interest margins, along with an increase in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in the banking sector [7][8]. - Specific banks like Huntington Bank Shares and Third Coast Bank Shares are highlighted as attractive investment opportunities due to their strong growth metrics and reasonable valuations [10][12]. Group 4: Specific Bank Analysis - Huntington Bank Shares is noted for having the best core deposit growth among its peers and is expanding into Texas, which is seen as a significant market opportunity [10]. - Third Coast Bank Shares has the fastest growing tangible book value per share in Texas and has improved its return on assets (ROA) significantly, making it a strong value proposition in the banking sector [12][13].