This story was originally published on Payments Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Payments Dive newsletter. Five consumer and business advocacy groups are among those challenging a proposed settlement to end decades of antitrust litigation with Visa and Mastercard over the card networks’ interchange fees. Changes from the prior proposal, which a court rejected in June 2024, “are too insubstantial and too susceptible to undermining by Visa, Mastercard, and card issuers t ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a strong net interest income (NII) growth of 3.3% sequentially, driven by a net interest margin (NIM) expansion of five basis points to 2.95% [6][12][15] - Earnings per share (EPS) for the second quarter was $0.92, reflecting a $0.15 or 19% improvement over Q1 [12] - The company executed $200 million in stock buybacks during the quarter, returning a total of $385 million to shareholders [14][26] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Private Bank experienced its strongest loan growth quarter, adding $1.2 billion in loans, contributing $0.06 to EPS, up from $0.04 in the prior quarter [14][27] - Fees increased by 10% linked quarter, with wealth and card fees reaching record levels [13][15] - The card business also delivered a record quarter driven by seasonal improvements in purchase volumes [18] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted a favorable credit trend with net charge-offs decreasing to 48 basis points from 51 basis points in the prior quarter [22][23] - Non-accrual loans decreased by 4% linked quarter, indicating improving credit quality [23] - Average deposits were up 1%, driven by increases in lower-cost categories across consumer and the private bank [21] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on a multi-year initiative called "Reimagining the Bank," aimed at redesigning customer service and operational efficiency through new technologies like AI [9][10][27] - The strategic emphasis includes building a transformed consumer bank, a well-positioned commercial bank, and a premier private bank and wealth franchise [26] - The company remains on track to achieve over 5% accretion to its bottom line and a return on equity (ROE) of over 20% in 2025 [9][28] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about economic conditions and market trends, anticipating a favorable environment for loan demand and deal activity in the second half of the year [10][11] - The company is comfortable with its full-year guidance for 2025, expecting continued momentum in its strategic initiatives [11][30] - Management highlighted the importance of maintaining a fortress balance sheet to navigate economic cycles and capitalize on opportunities [81] Other Important Information - The company is experiencing strong growth in its private banking segment, with a significant increase in assets under management (AUM) [27][28] - The company is also seeing a positive trend in its capital markets business, with a strong pipeline of deals expected to close in the upcoming quarters [7][10] Q&A Session Summary Question: Loan growth dynamics in the private bank - Management noted that all three business segments (commercial, consumer, private bank) experienced net loan growth, with a constructive outlook for the second half of the year [36][38] Question: NIM expectations in a dovish Fed environment - Management discussed strategies to lock in higher net interest margins, including opportunistic hedging to protect against downside risks [56][59] Question: Strategy for deposits and growth outlook - Management emphasized the importance of low-cost deposit trends and the ability to grow deposits to support loan growth while optimizing the mix [67][69] Question: Capital requirements and rating agency perspectives - Management indicated that while regional banks have built capital conservatively, there is potential for capital requirements to adjust as profitability improves [78][80] Question: Details on the "Reimagining the Bank" initiative - Management explained that this initiative aims to leverage new technologies to enhance customer service and operational efficiency, with a focus on long-term growth [85][89]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported strong financial results for the second quarter, with net interest income (NII) growth of 3.3% sequentially, driven by a net interest margin (NIM) expansion of five basis points [4][9] - Earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter was $0.92, reflecting a $0.15 or 19% improvement over the previous quarter [9] - Operating leverage improved by 500 basis points, with expenses broadly flat [4][9] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Private Bank experienced strong loan growth, adding $1.2 billion in loans, contributing $0.06 to EPS, up from $0.04 in the prior quarter [11][25] - Wealth and card fees increased significantly, with record levels achieved in the quarter [10][13] - Mortgage revenue growth was attributed to an improvement in mortgage servicing rights (MSR) valuation and seasonal production increases [10][14] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted a favorable credit trend, with net charge-offs decreasing to 48 basis points from 51 basis points in the prior quarter [18] - Non-accrual loans decreased by 4% linked quarter, indicating improving credit quality [19] - The company maintained a strong capital position with a CET1 ratio of 10.6% and executed $200 million in stock buybacks during the quarter [11][22] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on a multi-year initiative called "Reimagining the Bank," aimed at redesigning customer service and operational efficiency through new technologies like AI [6][23] - The strategic focus includes transforming the consumer bank, enhancing the commercial bank's positioning, and building a premier private bank and wealth franchise [22] - The company remains on track to achieve over 5% accretion to its bottom line and a return on equity (ROE) of over 20% in 2025 [6][25] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about economic conditions and market trends, anticipating favorable conditions for the second half of the year despite uncertainties around tariffs [7][8] - The company expects to maintain its full-year guidance for 2025, with a clear path to achieving its ROTCE target of 16% to 18% [27] - Management highlighted the importance of executing on strategic initiatives and controlling factors within their influence [8][22] Other Important Information - The company reported a strong pipeline for capital markets, expecting to record over $30 million in fees from delayed M&A deals in July [5][13] - The company is focused on optimizing its deposit funding, with a notable increase in non-interest-bearing deposits [17][66] - The allowance for credit losses was slightly down to 1.59%, reflecting an improving portfolio mix [20] Q&A Session Summary Question: Loan growth in the quarter - Management noted that all three business segments (commercial, consumer, private bank) experienced net loan growth, with a constructive outlook for the second half of the year [34][35] Question: NIM expectations in a dovish Fed environment - Management indicated confidence in maintaining NIM expectations, with hedging strategies in place to protect against downside risks [54][56] Question: Strategy for the second half of the year - Management emphasized a focus on both growth and optimizing the deposit mix, with strong performance in low-cost deposits [64][66] Question: Capital strategy and rating agency considerations - Management discussed the importance of maintaining a conservative capital structure while being optimistic about future capital requirements [78][81] Question: Reimagining the Bank initiative - Management explained that this initiative aims to leverage new technologies and improve operational efficiency, with a dedicated team leading the effort [84][86]