CBSH Q4 Earnings Beat as Revenues Rise, Stock Dips on High Provisions

Core Insights - Commerce Bancshares Inc. (CBSH) reported fourth-quarter 2025 earnings of $1.01 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 99 cents and up from 96 cents in the prior-year quarter [1][10] - The company's net income for the quarter was $140.7 million, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 3.4% [2] Financial Performance - Total revenues for the fourth quarter reached $449.4 million, a 6.5% increase year over year, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $438.1 million [4][10] - For the full year 2025, total revenues rose to $1.76 billion, also exceeding the consensus estimate of $1.75 billion [4] - Net interest income (NII) was $283.2 million, up 6.2% from the previous year, with a net yield on interest-earning assets of 3.60%, an increase of 11 basis points year over year [5] - Non-interest income increased to $166.2 million, a rise of 6.9%, primarily driven by higher trust fees and deposit account fees [5] Expense and Asset Quality - Non-interest expenses rose by 7.3% year over year to $253.0 million, attributed to higher salaries, employee benefits, and data processing costs [6] - The provision for credit losses was $16.0 million, up from $13.5 million in the prior-year quarter [9] - The efficiency ratio increased to 56.23% from 55.77% in the year-ago quarter, indicating a decline in profitability [7] Loan and Deposit Trends - As of December 31, 2025, net loans were $17.59 billion, slightly down from $17.61 billion, while total deposits increased to $25.64 billion from $25.46 billion [8] Capital Ratios and Share Repurchase - The Tier I leverage ratio improved to 12.65% from 12.26% year over year, and the tangible common equity to tangible assets ratio increased to 11.11% from 9.92% [12] - In the reported quarter, the company repurchased 2.2 million shares of treasury stock at an average price of $53.29 [13] Strategic Outlook - The company completed the acquisition of FineMark Holdings, which is expected to be accretive to earnings and lead to cost savings [14] - Future revenue growth is anticipated from strong loan demand and efforts to enhance fee income, although rising expenses and asset quality concerns present challenges [14]