BOK Financial Q4 Earnings Call Highlights

Core Insights - BOK Financial reported strong fourth-quarter earnings of $177.3 million, or $2.89 per diluted share, and full-year earnings of $578 million, or $9.17 per diluted share, marking record earnings for both the quarter and the year [4][7] - The company experienced broad-based loan growth, with total loans increasing by more than $1.5 billion in 2025, representing a 6.4% growth, and a sequential growth of $786 million in Q4 [3][6] - Management expects upper single-digit loan growth for 2026, driven by continued portfolio growth and contributions from the mortgage finance segment [14][15] Loan Portfolio Performance - Commercial real estate loans decreased by 1.4% from the prior quarter but were up 12.1% year over year, with strong originations and a robust pipeline [1] - Texas was a significant contributor to growth, adding $561 million in the fourth quarter, while core C&I loans rose 5.5% sequentially [2] - Healthcare loans increased by 3.3%, and energy loans grew by over $200 million due to higher utilization rates and solid new originations [2] Earnings and Revenue - Total fee income for 2025 was $801 million, accounting for 38% of total revenue, with a 5.1% sequential increase in Q4 [8][9] - Net interest income for Q4 increased by $7.6 million, with net interest margin expanding in every quarter of 2025 [7] - The company anticipates net interest income for 2026 to be between $1.44 billion and $1.48 billion, with mid-single-digit growth in fee income [16] Credit Quality and Capital - Non-performing assets fell to $66 million, with net charge-offs averaging about three basis points, indicating strong credit quality [5][11] - The allowance for credit losses totaled $327 million, or 1.28% of outstanding loans, with expectations of credit normalization over the long term [12] - Capital levels remained robust, with tangible common equity at 9.5% and CET1 at 12.9%, alongside the repurchase of over 2.6 million shares [13] Future Outlook - Management guided for upper single-digit loan growth in 2026, with expectations of continued margin expansion driven by fixed-rate repricing [14][15] - Total revenue is projected to grow in the mid-single digits, with expenses expected to increase at a low single-digit rate [16] - The company believes its diversification and discipline will enable it to navigate the current environment and capitalize on market disruptions [17]