Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported earnings per common share of $0.34, with a return on tangible common equity (ROTCE) of 16.4% for the quarter [14] - Average loan balances increased by $7 billion, or 5.7% year-over-year, while average deposits grew by $9.7 billion, or 6.5% year-over-year [14] - Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ended the quarter at 10.5%, up approximately 30 basis points from the previous year [15] - The allowance for credit losses was at 1.88%, reflecting strong credit performance [26] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Fee revenue businesses performed exceptionally well, with capital markets achieving a record quarterly revenue of $120 million, a 74% increase from the previous year [10][23] - Wealth management fees increased by 8% year-over-year, with assets under management (AUM) growing by 16% [23] - The company saw a 3.3% growth in net interest income, reflecting over 6% growth year-over-year [20] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company experienced strong deposit growth, with non-interest bearing deposits expanding by approximately $800 million, totaling 18.6% of total deposits [19] - The criticized asset ratio improved to 3.76%, while the non-performing asset ratio remained stable at 63 basis points [27] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on executing organic growth strategies and maintaining a consistent approach to risk management, with expectations for sustained revenue expansion in both fee and spread revenue [12][13] - Investments in new geographies and capabilities are expected to deliver robust organic growth, particularly in North and South Carolina and Texas [9][12] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the ability to drive revenue growth within the guidance range, despite uncertainties in the macroeconomic environment [36] - The outlook for 2025 includes expectations for robust loan growth between 5% and 7%, and deposit growth between 3% and 5% [28] Other Important Information - The company plans to maintain a focus on key fee revenue areas, including payments, wealth management, and capital markets, with non-interest income growth expected between 4% and 6% for 2025 [29] - The effective tax rate for the year is expected to be approximately 19% [30] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you talk about the confidence around the NII guidance range? - Management expressed confidence in driving revenue growth within the guidance range, citing the ability to manage net interest margin (NIM) effectively [36][37] Question: What is driving the loan growth faster than deposits? - The company noted that loan growth is expected to continue at a rate of 5% to 7%, with a balanced contribution from core and new initiatives [39][41] Question: Can you help us with the new money loan production yield? - Management indicated that yields are consistent with overall spread levels, benefiting from fixed asset repricing [46][47] Question: What is the outlook for capital return and share repurchases? - The company plans to focus on funding high return loan growth and expects to drive the adjusted CET1 ratio into the 9% to 10% range, with share repurchases likely in the longer term [50][51] Question: How do you see the fee growth tied to lending? - Management stated that while fee strategies support core business growth, they are also independent, with expectations for sustainable growth in payments, wealth management, and capital markets [60][61] Question: What are the expectations around provisioning and reserve build? - The company aims to maintain a robust reserve while monitoring economic uncertainties, with potential for reserve reductions if conditions improve [111][113]