Core Insights - Huntington Bancshares, Inc. (HBAN) has successfully completed its merger with Veritex Holdings, Inc. in a $1.9 billion all-stock transaction, enhancing its commitment to the Texas market [1][10] - The merger aims to accelerate HBAN's organic growth in Texas, particularly in the Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston areas, resulting in a combined asset base of nearly $223 billion [2][10] Financial Metrics - The combined entity holds $176 billion in deposits and $148 billion in loans, with Huntington planning to maintain and grow Veritex's branch network of 31 locations [2] - Integration of Veritex is expected to generate approximately $20 million in core pre-provision net revenue benefits in Q4 2025, alongside a projected efficiency ratio improvement of around 1 percentage point and a 30-basis-point increase in return on average tangible common equity (ROTCE) for 2025 [3] - Following the merger, net interest income (NII) growth is now projected to be between 10% and 11%, up from a previous outlook of 8% to 9%, supported by strong loan and deposit growth [4][10] Growth Projections - Average deposit balance growth is anticipated to be in the range of 6.5% to 7%, while loan growth is expected to reach approximately 9% to 9.5% for the year [4] - For 2026, mid to high single-digit loan growth is projected, driven by expansion in high-growth markets like Texas [5] Strategic Expansion - HBAN has previously announced plans to expand its commercial banking business in Texas, enhancing its footprint in the Dallas-Fort Worth area [6] - The company has broadened its middle-market banking presence and introduced new verticals, including the Financial Institutions Group and the Aerospace & Defense Group, to strengthen its commercial banking capabilities [7][8] Market Performance - Over the past six months, shares of Huntington have increased by 14.6%, outperforming the industry growth of 9.5% [9]