U.S. Bancorp Q4 Earnings Call Highlights

Core Insights - U.S. Bancorp reported record net revenue of $7.4 billion for the fourth quarter, with a year-over-year growth of 5.1% and a full-year record of $28.7 billion [2][5] - The bank's earnings per share for the fourth quarter reached $1.26, reflecting an 18% increase year-over-year on an adjusted basis [3][5] - Tangible book value per common share increased by 18.2% year-over-year as of December 31 [1] Financial Performance - Net interest income (NII) rose by 3.3% year-over-year, supported by strong consumer deposit growth, while fee revenue increased by 7.6% year-over-year [3][5] - Total average deposits were $515 billion, up 0.7% from the prior quarter, with non-interest-bearing deposits making up about 16% of total average deposits [5][6] - Average loans totaled $384 billion, reflecting a 1.4% increase from the prior quarter, with commercial and credit card lending growing by 10.1% and 5.7% year-over-year, respectively [6] Fee Income and Growth Strategies - Fee income constituted 42% of total net revenues in 2025, with a year-over-year growth of 6.7% [8] - The bank's global fund services (GFS) segment grew at an 11% compound annual growth rate since 2021, with a 12% increase in 2025 [9] - Payments transformation is a strategic priority, with expectations of mid-single-digit growth in payments fees across card and merchant services in 2026 [10] Expense Management and Credit Quality - Non-interest expense was approximately $4.2 billion, up 0.7% sequentially, with stable expenses maintained over nine consecutive quarters [11] - Credit quality showed improvement, with non-performing assets at 0.41% of loans and net charge-offs at 0.54% [12] Capital and Future Outlook - The Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio was reported at 10.8%, with plans to gradually increase buybacks starting from $100 million to $200 million [13] - For 2026, the bank anticipates total net revenue growth of 4%-6% year-over-year and positive operating leverage of over 200 basis points [14] - The BTIG acquisition is expected to contribute $175-$200 million in quarterly fee revenue, with a 12 basis point impact on CET1 [14]