Hilltop Holdings(HTH) - 2025 Q3 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Hilltop reported net income of approximately $46 million or $0.74 per diluted share for Q3 2025, with a return on average assets of 1.2% and return on average equity of 8.35% [4][13] - Net interest income increased by $7.4 million or 7% year-over-year, driven by improving deposit costs and growth in higher yielding commercial loans [16][19] - The allowance for credit losses declined by $2.8 million to $95 million, resulting in a coverage ratio of 1.16% [13][14] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - PlainsCapital Bank generated $55 million of pre-tax income on $12.6 billion of average assets, with a return on average assets of 1.34% [4][5] - PrimeLending reported a pre-tax loss of $7 million due to subdued mortgage origination volumes and pressure on margins [6][8] - Hilltop Securities Inc. generated pre-tax income of $26.5 million on net revenues of $144.5 million, achieving a pre-tax margin of 18% [8][10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total core deposits at PlainsCapital increased by 6% on a linked quarter basis, attributed to seasonal cash inflows [5] - Existing home sales across the country reached their lowest level in over 30 years, impacting PrimeLending's performance [7][20] - Hilltop Securities experienced solid growth in public finance, structured finance, and wealth management, with net revenues increasing significantly year-over-year [9][21] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to focus on reducing fixed expenses and recruiting talented mortgage originators to restore profitability at PrimeLending [8][20] - Hilltop Securities continues to invest in core areas of expertise and leverage its national brand to serve clients effectively [10][21] - The company is exploring opportunities for growth through potential M&A in the Texas market, which has seen increased interest from out-of-market entrants [31] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in maintaining strong capital levels with a common equity tier one capital ratio of 20% and tangible book value per share increasing to $31.23 [10] - The outlook for 2025 reflects current assessments of the economy and market conditions, with expectations for continued challenges in the mortgage market [25] - Management remains vigilant regarding credit risks and is focused on early detection and aggressive workout strategies [24] Other Important Information - The company returned $11 million to stockholders through dividends and repurchased $55 million in shares during the quarter [10] - A leadership transition is occurring at PlainsCapital Bank, with the promotion of Brent Randall to Chief Credit Officer [11] Q&A Session Summary Question: NII guidance and margin expectations - Management explained that the NII guidance was not increased due to expected rate cuts and potential asset contraction, emphasizing the balance sheet's asset sensitivity [27][28] Question: Stock buyback strategy and M&A outlook - Management confirmed a consistent approach to share repurchases given the current stock price and excess capital, while also exploring M&A opportunities in Texas [30][31] Question: Auto portfolio exposure - Management acknowledged subprime exposure in the auto portfolio but stated that they are closely monitoring and managing the situation [32][38] Question: Broker-dealer fee income and future expectations - Management highlighted strong performance across all broker-dealer business lines in Q3 but anticipated a reversion to lower pre-tax margins in the future [40][41]