Is Wall Street Bullish or Bearish on Huntington Bancshares Stock?

Core Viewpoint - Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (HBAN) is experiencing underperformance in its stock relative to the broader market, despite showing some positive operational metrics in its recent earnings report [2][4]. Company Overview - Huntington Bancshares is an Ohio-based regional bank holding company that operates primarily through The Huntington National Bank, offering a variety of financial services including consumer, commercial, and mortgage banking, as well as wealth management and insurance [1]. Stock Performance - Over the past 52 weeks, HBAN stock has declined marginally, while the S&P 500 Index has increased by 15%. In the last six months, HBAN shares have risen by 2.5%, compared to a 9.2% return for the S&P 500 [2]. - HBAN has also underperformed the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF), which returned 3.3% over the past year, although it outperformed the ETF's slight decline over the last six months [3]. Recent Earnings Report - On January 22, shares of Huntington Bancshares fell nearly 6% following the release of Q4 FY2025 earnings. The company reported an adjusted EPS of $0.37, which was slightly lower than the previous quarter but higher than the same period last year, indicating improving profitability [4]. - Net interest income increased by $197 million, or 14% year-over-year, reflecting strong balance-sheet growth. Noninterest income also rose by 4% annually to $582 million, despite some sequential softness [4]. Lending Activity - Lending activity remained strong, with average loans and leases increasing by 14% to $146.6 billion, demonstrating sustained demand across key segments [5]. - The quarter marked the successful completion of the Veritex integration, and management has reaffirmed its expansion strategy through a pending partnership with Cadence Bank, positioning Huntington for accelerated growth despite short-term market volatility [5]. Future Earnings Expectations - For the current fiscal year ending in December 2026, analysts project HBAN's EPS to grow by 11.4% year-over-year to $1.66. The company has a promising earnings surprise history, having beaten or matched bottom-line estimates in three of the past four quarters, although it missed in the previous quarter [6].