The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. operates as a diversified financial services company in the United States. It operates through three segments: Retail Banking, Corporate & Institutional Banking, and Asset Management Group segments. The company's Retail Banking segment offers checking, savings, and money market accounts, as well as time deposit; residential mortgages, home equity loans and lines of credit, auto loans, credit cards, education loans, and personal and small business loans and lines of credit; and brokerage, insurance, and investment and cash management services. This segment serves consumer and small business customers through a network of branches, digital channels, ATMs, and through phone-based customer contact centers. Its Corporate & Institutional Banking segment provides secured and unsecured loans, letters of credit, and equipment leases; cash and investment management services, receivables and disbursement management services, funds transfer services, international payment services, and access to online/mobile information management and reporting; securities underwriting, loan syndications, customer-related trading, and mergers and acquisitions and equity capital markets advisory related services; and commercial loan servicing and technology solutions. It serves mid-sized and large corporations, and government and not-for-profit entities. The company's Asset Management Group segment offers investment and retirement planning, customized investment management, credit and cash management solutions, and trust management and administration services for high net worth and ultra high net worth individuals, and their families; and multi-generational family planning services for ultra high net worth individuals and their families. It also provides outsourced chief investment officer, custody, private real estate, cash and fixed income client solutions, and retirement plan fiduciary investment services for institutional clients. The company was founded in 1852 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (The)

Getting big returns from financial portfolios, whether through stocks, bonds, ETFs, other securities, or a combination of all, is an investor's dream. However, when you're an income investor, your primary focus is generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments.
While cash flow can come from bond interest or interest from other types of investments, income investors hone in on dividends. A dividend is the distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders; it's often viewed by its dividend yield, a metric that measures a dividend as a percent of the current stock price. Many academic studies show that dividends account for significant portions of long-term returns, with dividend contributions exceeding one-third of total returns in many cases.
Air Products and Chemicals in Focus
Headquartered in Allentown, Air Products and Chemicals (APD) is a Basic Materials stock that has seen a price change of 1.05% so far this year. The seller of gases for industrial, medical and other uses is currently shelling out a dividend of $1.77 per share, with a dividend yield of 2.42%. This compares to the Chemical - Diversified industry's yield of 1.47% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.59%.
In terms of dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $7.08 is up 33.8% from last year. In the past five-year period, Air Products and Chemicals has increased its dividend 5 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 7.08%. Looking ahead, future dividend growth will be dependent on earnings growth and payout ratio, which is the proportion of a company's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. Right now, Air Products and Chemicals's payout ratio is 57%, which means it paid out 57% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.
Earnings growth looks solid for APD for this fiscal year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 is $13.05 per share, representing a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 4.99%.
Bottom Line
Investors like dividends for a variety of different reasons, from tax advantages and decreasing overall portfolio risk to considerably improving stock investing profits. However, not all companies offer a quarterly payout.
High-growth firms or tech start-ups, for example, rarely provide their shareholders a dividend, while larger, more established companies that have more secure profits are often seen as the best dividend options. During periods of rising interest rates, income investors must be mindful that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle. With that in mind, APD is a compelling investment opportunity. Not only is it a strong dividend play, but the stock currently sits at a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold).
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Are You Looking for a High-Growth Dividend Stock?

The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. PNC has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire FirstBank Holding Company, including its subsidiary FirstBank, in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at approximately $4.1 billion. The move supports PNC’s strategy of scaling its franchise and expanding in high-growth markets, particularly in Colorado and Arizona.
FirstBank, with $26.8 billion in assets as of June 30, 2025, operates 95 branches and holds a leading position in Colorado’s retail banking sector, along with a growing presence in Arizona.
Terms & Financial Details of the Deal
Per the agreement, shareholders of FirstBank will be entitled to receive merger consideration in either PNC common stock or in cash, subject to certain limitations. The aggregate consideration consists of approximately 13.9 million shares of PNC common stock and $1.2 billion in cash.
The transaction has been approved by the board of directors of both PNC Financial and FirstBank, which is anticipated to close in early 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and shareholder consent. Further, shareholders controlling approximately 45.7% of FirstBank’s shares have entered into customary voting and supported agreements in favor of the transaction.
Following completion, FirstBank will merge into PNC Bank, N.A., and its branches will be rebranded under the PNC Bank name once customer accounts transition to PNC’s platform. Further, the company has committed to retaining all FirstBank branches and frontline employees, ensuring seamless service for customers and communities.
Rationale Behind PNC-FirstBank’s Deal
Over the past decade, PNC Financial has consistently delivered double-digit revenue growth in new and acquired markets, supported by investments in technology, marketing and branch expansion. The deal with FirstBank aligns with PNC’s broader strategy of scaling its franchise through organic growth and strategic acquisition.
With this acquisition, PNC will more than triple its Colorado branch footprint to 120, making Denver one of its largest markets for commercial and business banking. PNC will become the leading bank in Denver by retail deposit share (20%) and branch share (14%).
The deal also expands PNC’s presence in Arizona, bringing its network to more than 70 branches with the addition of 13 FirstBank branches. Leveraging FirstBanks’ strong local customer relationships, PNC plans to further grow its corporate and private banking business in both Colorado and Arizona.
William S. Demchak, chairman and chief executive officer of PNC Financial, stated, “FirstBank is the standout branch banking franchise in Colorado and Arizona, with a proud legacy built over generations by its founders, management, and employees.” Demchak further highlighted, “Its deep retail deposit base, unrivaled branch network in Colorado, growing presence in Arizona, and trusted community relationships make it an ideal partner for PNC.”
PNC’s Price Performance & Zacks Rank
PNC's shares have rallied 14% over the past year compared with 46.8% growth for the industry.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
At present, the company carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Similar Steps Taken by Other Finance Firms
Last month, The Carlyle Group Inc. CG announced an agreement to acquire intelliflo from Invesco Ltd. IVZ as part of its strategy to deepen exposure to financial software.
The total purchase price is valued at up to $200 million. This includes $135 million payable at closing, which is expected in the fourth quarter of 2025, and up to an additional $65 million in potential future earn-outs. The transaction with IVZ’s intelliflo is expected to accelerate CG’s growth in wealthtech across the UK, the United States, and Australia.
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PNC to Acquire FirstBank in $4.1B Deal, Expand in Colorado & Arizona

Investors eyeing a purchase of PNC Financial Services Group (Symbol: PNC) stock, but cautious about paying the going market price of $194.18/share, might benefit from considering selling puts among the alternative strategies at their disposal. One interesting put contract in particular, is the January 2027 put at the $105 strike, which has a bid at the time of this writing of $2.10. Collecting that bid as the premium represents a 2% return against the $105 commitment, or a 1.4% annualized rate of return (at Stock Options Channel we call this the YieldBoost).
Selling a put does not give an investor access to PNC's upside potential the way owning shares would, because the put seller only ends up owning shares in the scenario where the contract is exercised. And the person on the other side of the contract would only benefit from exercising at the $105 strike if doing so produced a better outcome than selling at the going market price. (Do options carry counterparty risk? This and six other common options myths debunked). So unless PNC Financial Services Group sees its shares fall 46% and the contract is exercised (resulting in a cost basis of $102.90 per share before broker commissions, subtracting the $2.10 from $105), the only upside to the put seller is from collecting that premium for the 1.4% annualized rate of return.
Below is a chart showing the trailing twelve month trading history for PNC Financial Services Group, and highlighting in green where the $105 strike is located relative to that history:
The chart above, and the stock's historical volatility, can be a helpful guide in combination with fundamental analysis to judge whether selling the January 2027 put at the $105 strike for the 1.4% annualized rate of return represents good reward for the risks. We calculate the trailing twelve month volatility for PNC Financial Services Group (considering the last 250 trading day closing values as well as today's price of $194.18) to be 26%. For other put options contract ideas at the various different available expirations, visit the PNC Stock Options page of StockOptionsChannel.com.
In mid-afternoon trading on Thursday, the put volume among S&P 500 components was 957,084 contracts, with call volume at 957,084, for a put:call ratio of 0.71 so far for the day, which is above normal compared to the long-term median put:call ratio of .65. In other words, if we look at the number of call buyers and then use the long-term median to project the number of put buyers we'd expect to see, we're actually seeing more put buyers than expected out there in options trading so far today. Find out which 15 call and put options traders are talking about today.
Also see:
Funds Holding ITQ
MNTN Options Chain
TSN Historical Stock Prices
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Commit To Buy PNC Financial Services Group At $105, Earn 2% Using Options

Truist Financial TFC has announced a multi-year growth plan, blending traditional branch expansion with cutting-edge digital banking. The strategy underscores the company’s aim to capture growth opportunities in dynamic U.S. markets while enhancing its digital capabilities.
TFC Expands Branch Network & Accelerates Digital Capabilities
Over the next five years, Truist plans to open 100 new branches and renovate more than 300 existing locations in high-growth opportunity cities, including Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Dallas, Miami, Orlando, Philadelphia and Washington, DC. These branches will feature modern designs, technology integration and advisory spaces. The initiative is aimed at serving mass affluent and Premier clients more effectively while maintaining a strong physical presence in vibrant markets.
Digital adoption continues to grow rapidly at Truist, with digital openings now comprising 43% of all new accounts. In the second quarter of 2025 alone, the bank added roughly 37,000 new checking accounts, reflecting strong digital engagement. Platforms such as LightStream by Truist strengthen its digital lending franchise, while innovations like artificial intelligence (AI)-powered Truist Assist and the Truist Insights platform deliver personalized, real-time financial guidance.
To enhance user experience and protect clients, Truist is introducing smarter appointment scheduling, seamless account onboarding and advanced fraud prevention tools. AI-driven monitoring and identity verification, both in-branch and digital, reflect the company’s commitment to trust and safety.
Truist Enhancing Commercial Banking
Truist is also investing in its business banking ecosystem. The launch of Truist Merchant Engage, powered by Pollinate, modernizes payments for small and midsize businesses by integrating banking and payment services. This initiative aligns with the company’s goal to deliver scalable, digitally driven business solutions that enhance efficiency and provide actionable insights.
The bank has strengthened its Commercial and Corporate Banking division through strategic hiring across key industries, including healthcare, energy, technology and consumer sectors. This talent expansion supports Truist’s national strategy to deliver tailored solutions to complex corporate clients.
Our Take on Truist’s Expansion Initiative
Truist’s multi-pronged strategy signals a disciplined growth trajectory anchored in both physical expansion and digital innovation. By enhancing client engagement, modernizing payments and scaling business banking, it aims to boost fee income, loan growth and operational efficiency. Together with a strong capital base and targeted talent investments, the bank is well-placed to deliver sustainable earnings growth and enhanced shareholder returns over the long term.
Additionally, Truist’s branch expansion strategy positions it directly against its peers like PNC Financial PNC, Fifth Third Bancorp FITB and Huntington HBAN. These major regional players are aggressively growing in the Southeast and Sun Belt.
PNC Financial doubled its branch network to 200, focusing on several cities that Truist is targeting. Likewise, Fifth Third plans 200 new branches by 2028, while Huntington is pursuing acquisitions, including its $1.9 billion Veritex deal in Dallas, to expand its footprint.
Shares of TFC have gained 12.4% in the past three months, outperforming the industry’s rally of 11.6%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
At present, TFC carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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Truist's Path to Long-Term Growth: Branching Out and Going Digital

Truist Financial TFC, one of the largest regional banks in the United States, is witnessing steady loan growth. As of June 30, 2025, the lender had $312.6 billion in average loans and leases held for investment, a rise of 2% on a year-over-year basis.
As the average loan balance improved, it led to higher average earning assets for TFC in the first six months of 2025. Though the yield on the average total loan portfolio of 5.99% declined 42 basis points (bps) from the prior-year period following interest rate cuts in the latter part of 2024, this was more than offset by lower average cost of interest-bearing deposits (down 37 bps) and average cost of short-term borrowings (down 112 bps).
As such, Truist’s net interest income (NII) of $7.09 billion in the first half of 2025 witnessed 3% year-over-year growth. Likewise, net interest margin improved 7 bps to 3.02%.
Management is optimistic about the NII growth trajectory in 2025. The company expects NII to increase approximately 3% this year on the assumptions of low single-digit average loan growth and reductions in the Fed funds rate later in the year. Also, Truist plans to reprice roughly $27 billion of fixed-rate loans and investment securities in the second half of 2025, with new fixed-rate loans likely to have a run-on rate around 7% compared with a current run-off rate of nearly 6.4%.
Hence, Truist expects modest loan growth, favorable loan repricing and strategic balance sheet management to offset Fed rate cuts, with higher loan yields and extra revenue days boosting NII in 2025. We expect NII to grow 2.8%, 3.1% and 4.5% in 2025, 2026 and 2027, respectively. Our estimates for total loans indicate a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.8% 2027. Further, in 2025, 2026 and 2027, we project NIM to be 3.05%, 3.14% and 3.25%, respectively.
How are Truist’s Peers Faring in Terms of Loan Growth & NII?
PNC Financial PNC benefits from a decent lending scenario. Total loans have witnessed a five-year (2019-2024) CAGR of 5.6%, with momentum continuing in the first half of 2025. The expectation of interest rate cuts in 2025 is likely to influence loan demand positively in the forthcoming period.
Driven by decent loan growth, PNC Financial’s NII witnessed a five-year (ended 2024) CAGR of 6.3%, with a rising trend continuing in the first six months of 2025. Loan repricing, modest loan growth and stabilizing funding costs are expected to boost PNC Financial’s NII in 2025, with management projecting a 7% rise in the same this year.
U.S. Bancorp USB has experienced strong growth in total loans during the past few years as it continued to expand and deepen relationships with current customers and acquire new customers and market share. The company’s total loans recorded a five-year (2019-2024) CAGR of 5.1%, with the trend continuing in the first six months of 2025. Going forward, the strengthening of loan pipelines in the commercial and credit card space is likely to drive loan growth.
On the back of loan growth, U.S. Bancorp’s NII witnessed a five-year CAGR of 4.4% through 2019-2024, with a rising trend continuing in the first half of 2025. Investment portfolio repositioning, stabilizing funding costs and less deposit migration will drive U.S. Bancorp’s NII expansion in the quarters ahead.
Truist’s Price Performance & Zacks Rank
Shares of Truist have risen 1.8% this year, underperforming the industry’s growth of 6.7%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
TFC currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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Loan Growth Boosts Truist's NII in 1H25: Is the Upside Sustainable?

Virtus Investment Partners VRTS announced an annual hike in its quarterly dividend for the eighth consecutive year. The company declared a quarterly cash dividend of $2.40 per share, indicating a nearly 6.7% rise from the prior payout. The dividend will be paid out on Nov. 14, 2025, to its shareholders of record as of Oct. 31.
Prior to this, in August 2024, VRTS raised its dividend by 18% to $2.25 per share. The company has increased its dividend payout six times in the past five years. Considering the closing price of $194.09 on Friday, its current dividend yield is 4.64% compared with the industry’s average of 2.04%.
Dividend Yield
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Currently, the company’s payout ratio is 34% of its earnings. This indicates that it retains adequate earnings for reinvestment and future growth initiatives, supported by a disciplined capital strategy that continues to deliver lucrative returns to its shareholders.
George R. Aylward, president and chief executive officer of Virtus Investment, stated, "We remain committed to returning capital responsibly through a disciplined approach that supports investment in growth, share repurchases and maintaining appropriate leverage."
VRTS's Other Capital Distribution Actions
Apart from regular quarterly dividend payouts, VRTS has a share buyback program in place. In December 2010, the company’s board of directors authorized the repurchase of up to 5.7 million of its common shares. Additionally, in May 2025, the board of directors authorized an additional repurchase of 0.75 million shares. As of June 30, 2025, nearly 0.87 million shares remained available for authorization.
The company has a decent liquidity position. As of June 30, 2025, Virtus Investment had total cash and cash equivalents of $172 million. Its total debt stood at $231.3 million, while it has no current debt as of the same date.
Given its decent liquidity profile, VRTS’s capital distribution activities seem sustainable.
VRTS’s Zacks Rank & Price Performance
Over the past year, shares of Virtus Investment have plunged 8.0% against the industry’s growth of 19.2%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
VRTS currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 (Strong Buy) Rank stocks here.
Other Finance Firms Taking Similar Steps
This month, Zions Bancorporation ZION announced a quarterly dividend of 45 cents per share, marking an increase of 5% from the prior payout. The dividend will be paid on Aug. 21, 2025, to shareholders as of Aug. 14, 2025.
Before this, ZION raised its dividend 5% to 43 cents per share in November 2024. The latest announcement represents the fourth hike in the past five years, with an annualized growth rate of almost 6%.
In July 2025, The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. PNC hiked its quarterly cash dividend by 6% from the prior payout to $1.70 per share. The dividend was paid on Aug. 5, 2025, to shareholders of record as of July 15, 2025.
Prior to this hike, PNC raised its dividend by 3% to $1.60 per share in July 2024. It has a five-year annualized dividend growth rate of 8.49%. At present, its payout ratio is 45% of its earnings.
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Virtus Investment Rewards Shareholders With a 6.7% Dividend Hike

A month has gone by since the last earnings report for The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc (PNC). Shares have lost about 0.7% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500.
But investors have to be wondering, will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is The PNC Financial Services Group due for a breakout? Well, first let's take a quick look at the latest earnings report in order to get a better handle on the recent catalysts for The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late.
PNC Financial Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates on NII & Loan Growth
PNC Financial second-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $3.85 surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.56. In the prior-year quarter, the company reported EPS of $3.39.
Results were aided by a rise in NII and the loan balance. However, a decline in fee income and an increase in expenses, along with a rise in provision for credit losses, acted as spoilsports.
Net income (GAAP basis) was $1.64 billion, which jumped 11.2% from the prior-year quarter.
Revenues & Expenses Rise Y/Y
Total quarterly revenues were $5.66 billion, up 4.6% year over year. The top line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.7%.
NII was $3.55 billion, which rose 7.7% from the year-ago quarter. The net interest margin (NIM) increased 20 basis points to 2.80%.
Non-interest income slightly decreased year over year to $2.1 billion. The decrease was driven by lower residential and commercial mortgage income, along with a decline in other non-interest income.
Non-interest expenses totaled $3.38 billion, which rose marginally from the year-ago figure.
The efficiency ratio was 60% compared with 62% in the year-ago quarter. A fall in the efficiency ratio reflects increased profitability.
Loan and Deposit Balance Rises
As of June 30, 2025, total loans were $326.3 billion, which increased 2.3% on a sequential basis. Further, total deposits increased by nearly 1% from the end of the previous quarter to $426.7 billion.
Credit Quality: Mixed Bag
Non-performing loans fell 15.8% year over year to $2.1 billion. Further, net loan charge-offs were $198 million, which declined 24.4% year over year.
The company reported a provision for credit losses of $254 million in the second quarter, which surged 8.1% from the year-earlier quarter.
The allowance for credit losses decreased 1.3% to $5.3 billion.
Capital Position & Profitability Ratios Improve
As of June 30, 2025, the Basel III common equity tier 1 capital ratio was 10.5% compared with 10.2% as of June 30, 2024.
Return on average assets and average common shareholders’ equity were 1.17% and 12.20%, respectively, compared with 1.05% and 12.16% witnessed in the prior-year quarter.
Capital Distribution Activity
In the second quarter of 2025, PNC Financial returned $1 billion of capital to shareholders. This included $0.6 billion in common stock dividends and more than $0.3 billion in common share repurchases.
Outlook
Q3 2025
The company expects average loans to rise 1% from the second quarter’s reported figure of $322.8 billion.
Management anticipates NII to rise 3% from the $3.6 billion reported in the second quarter of 2025.
Fee income is expected to rise 3-4% from the second-quarter 2025 reported figure of $1.9 billion.
Management anticipates total revenues to increase 2-3% from $5.7 billion in the second quarter of 2025.
Other non-interest income is projected between $150 million and $200 million compared with the $212 million reported in the second quarter of 2025.
Adjusted non-interest expenses are expected to rise 2% from the $3.4 billion reported in the second quarter of 2025.
Net charge-offs are estimated to be $2275-$300 million compared with the second-quarter 2025 reported figure of $198 million.
2025
Average loans are expected to rise 1% to $319.8 billion from that reported in 2024.
NII is expected to rise 7% from the 2024 reported level.
Non-interest income (excluding visa gain and securities losses) is projected to rise 4-5% from the $8.1 billion reported in 2024.
Management suggests revenues to rise 6% from the $21.6 billion reported in 2024.
Adjusted non-interest expenses (excluding FDIC special assessment and PNC foundation contribution expenses) are forecast to rise 1% from the $13.52 billion reported in 2024.
The effective tax rate is estimated to be 19%, whereas the company reported 17.8% in 2024.
How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?
Since the earnings release, investors have witnessed a upward trend in estimates revision.
VGM Scores
Currently, The PNC Financial Services Group has a poor Growth Score of F, however its Momentum Score is doing a lot better with a C. Following the exact same course, the stock was allocated a score of C on the value side, putting it in the middle 20% for value investors.
Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of D. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.
Outlook
Estimates have been trending upward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions looks promising. Notably, The PNC Financial Services Group has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.
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The PNC Financial Services Group (PNC) Down 0.7% Since Last Earnings Report: Can It Rebound?

On Comerica Incorporated’s CMA second-quarter 2025earnings call two experienced sell-side research analysts — David George and Mike Mayo — questioned the company regarding its historical underperformance and whether Comerica would sell itself. In response to this, CEO Curtis Farmer hinted at the bank’s openness to mergers and acquisitions (M&A).
Adding momentum to the buyout chatter, on July 28, 2025, New York-based HoldCo Asset Management disclosed a stake worth approximately $155 million in Comerica. In a letter to the bank’s board, HoldCo called for the immediate launch of a strategic review, including the solicitation of acquisition offers.
The activist specifically named PNC Financial Services Group PNC, Fifth Third Bancorp FITB, and Huntington Bancshares HBAN as potential suitors, arguing that these regional players may extract significant cost synergies and expand their geographic footprints through a deal.
What Makes Comerica a Prospective Buyout Target
Share Price Underperformance: Comerica’s stock price substantially underperformed the broader industry over the last seven years. CMA shares have declined 4.5% against the industry’s 38.6% growth.
Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Also, the CMA stock has lagged the KBW Nasdaq Bank (BKX) Index’s growth of nearly 25% over the same time frame.
Strategic Missteps During the 2023 Regional Banking Crisis: While peers were aggressively defending their deposit bases in 2023, Comerica allowed low-cost deposits to roll off, thereby increasing its dependence on high-cost wholesale funding. Its interest rate hedge strategy involving large swap positions backfired, leading to realized losses and limiting the benefit from higher rates on the floating loan portfolio.
Declining Loan & Deposit Trend: Comerica loans and deposits have been witnessing a declining trend over the last few years. Over the last four years ending 2024, total loans and deposits have seen a CAGR of nearly 1%, with the trend continuing in the first half of 2025. Also, the company’s deposit has not recovered from the 2023 regional bank crisis. Its total deposits declined 9.1% in the second quarter of 2025 from the second quarter of 2023.
Rising Efficiency Ratio: CMA’s total revenues have declined over the past six years, while expenses have increased. This has led to an increase in the efficiency ratio.
Though Comerica’s revenues increased and expenses declined in the first half of 2025, between 2018 and 2024, total revenues witnessed a negative CAGR of 0.4%, while non-interest expenses saw a positive CAGR of 4.2%. Its efficiency ratio has increased from 54% in 2018 to 71% in 2024. The rise in the efficiency ratio indicates deteriorating profitability.
Revenue & Expense Trend
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Here’s What CMA Can Offer to a Prospective Buyer
Geographic Reach in High-Growth Markets: Comerica’s geographic footprint delivers immediate scale in fast-growing Sunbelt and Midwestern markets, eliminating the need for a lengthy branch build-out.
Business Banking Strength: CMA’s well-established commercial lending franchise, with deep relationships in middle-market segments and specialties like energy, technology, and life sciences, offers opportunities for cross-selling high-margin services such as treasury management and foreign exchange.
Mid-Tier Size: With a market capitalization of $8.5 billion, Comerica offers meaningful scale without the complexities of a megamerger. Its size makes it a realistic acquisition target for larger regional peers, including PNC Financial and Fifth Third or Huntington, while minimizing execution and regulatory risks.
Final Thoughts in CMA Buyout Chatter
Comerica’s prolonged underperformance, operational missteps, and weakening fundamentals have created a valuation gap that activist investors and potential acquirers will be eager to exploit. With a desirable footprint in growth markets, specialized lending expertise, and a manageable acquisition size, the company offers a rare combination of strategic value and cost synergy potential.
Whether through a premium buyout by a larger regional bank or a disciplined internal turnaround, the coming quarters are likely to be pivotal in determining if Comerica remains an independent player or becomes one of the next headline deals in U.S. regional bank consolidation.
Currently, CMA carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Comerica in the M&A Spotlight: What's Driving Acquisition Interests?

Below is Validea's guru fundamental report for PNC FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP INC (PNC). Of the 22 guru strategies we follow, PNC rates highest using our P/E/Growth Investor model based on the published strategy of Peter Lynch. This strategy looks for stocks trading at a reasonable price relative to earnings growth that also possess strong balance sheets.
PNC FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP INC (PNC) is a large-cap value stock in the Money Center Banks industry. The rating using this strategy is 91% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of PNC FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP INC
More Information on Peter Lynch
About Peter Lynch: Perhaps the greatest mutual fund manager of all-time, Lynch guided Fidelity Investment's Magellan Fund to a 29.2 percent average annual return from 1977 until his retirement in 1990, almost doubling the S&P 500's 15.8 percent yearly return over that time. Lynch's common sense approach and quick wit made him one of the most quoted investors on Wall Street. ("Go for a business that any idiot can run -- because sooner or later, any idiot probably is going to run it," is one of his many pearls of wisdom.) Lynch's bestseller One Up on Wall Street is something of a "stocks for the everyman/everywoman", breaking his approach down into easy-to-understand concepts.
Additional Research Links
About Validea: Validea is aninvestment researchservice that follows the published strategies of investment legends. Validea offers both stock analysis and model portfolios based on gurus who have outperformed the market over the long-term, including Warren Buffett, Benjamin Graham, Peter Lynch and Martin Zweig. For more information about Validea, click here
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

PNC Quantitative Stock Analysis - Peter Lynch

Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the Invesco KBW Bank ETF (Symbol: KBWB) where we have detected an approximate $102.6 million dollar outflow -- that's a 2.2% decrease week over week (from 65,560,000 to 64,130,000). Among the largest underlying components of KBWB, in trading today State Street Corp. (Symbol: STT) is up about 0.8%, Truist Financial Corp (Symbol: TFC) is up about 0.7%, and PNC Financial Services Group (Symbol: PNC) is higher by about 1%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the KBWB Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of KBWB, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, KBWB's low point in its 52 week range is $51.125 per share, with $75.35 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $72.52. Comparing the most recent share price to the 200 day moving average can also be a useful technical analysis technique -- learn more about the 200 day moving average ».
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) trade just like stocks, but instead of ''shares'' investors are actually buying and selling ''units''. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. Each week we monitor the week-over-week change in shares outstanding data, to keep a lookout for those ETFs experiencing notable inflows (many new units created) or outflows (many old units destroyed). Creation of new units will mean the underlying holdings of the ETF need to be purchased, while destruction of units involves selling underlying holdings, so large flows can also impact the individual components held within ETFs.
Top Stocks Held By Jeremy Grantham
Institutional Holders of BGB
MUDS YTD Return
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.