What Midland’s $5 Million Write-Off Teaches About the Next Phase of the Trucking Slow Down

Core Insights - The trucking industry's financial struggles are impacting banks, with Midland States Bancorp reporting $5 million in equipment finance charge-offs in Q3, leading to a complete withdrawal from equipment financing [1][2][3] Group 1: Midland States Bancorp's Actions - Midland's equipment finance loan balance decreased by 26.1% year-over-year to $326.9 million, with leases down 25.5% to $311 million [3] - The decision to stop writing new equipment finance deals was made to reduce exposure to higher-risk asset classes, indicating a significant shift in strategy [3][6] - In Q3, trucking losses accounted for nearly half of the bank's total charge-offs of $12.3 million, despite an overall decrease of 45% from the previous year [5] Group 2: Industry-Wide Trends - Other lenders, such as Beacon Financial and Banc of California, are also scaling back on equipment financing due to rising nonperforming loans and missed payments from carriers [2][7] - First Citizens BancShares is increasing its collections efforts to mitigate potential losses, reflecting a broader concern within the banking sector regarding the trucking industry's financial health [2]