The end of an earnings season can be a great time to discover new stocks and assess how companies are handling the current business environment. Let’s take a look at how Community Bank (NYSE: CBU) and the rest of the regional banks stocks fared in Q3.

Regional banks, financial institutions operating within specific geographic areas, serve as intermediaries between local depositors and borrowers. They benefit from rising interest rates that improve net interest margins (the difference between loan yields and deposit costs), digital transformation reducing operational expenses, and local economic growth driving loan demand. However, these banks face headwinds from fintech competition, deposit outflows to higher-yielding alternatives, credit deterioration (increasing loan defaults) during economic slowdowns, and regulatory compliance costs. Recent concerns about regional bank stability following high-profile failures and significant commercial real estate exposure present additional challenges.

The 94 regional banks stocks we track reported a satisfactory Q3. As a group, revenues missed analysts’ consensus estimates by 1.1%.

In light of this news, share prices of the companies have held steady as they are up 4.3% on average since the latest earnings results.

Community Bank (NYSE: CBU)

Tracing its roots back to 1866 in upstate New York, Community Financial System (NYSE: CBU) is a financial holding company that provides banking, employee benefits, wealth management, and insurance services to retail, commercial, and municipal customers.

Community Bank reported revenues of $207.1 million, up 9.6% year on year. This print was in line with analysts’ expectations, but overall, it was a slower quarter for the company with a slight miss of analysts’ net interest income estimates and a narrow beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.

Interestingly, the stock is up 3.5% since reporting and currently trades at $57.99.

Read our full report on Community Bank here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Best Q3: Customers Bancorp (NYSE: CUBI)

Originally founded with a "high-tech, high-touch" branch-light banking strategy, Customers Bancorp (NYSE: CUBI) is a bank holding company that provides commercial and consumer banking services through its Customers Bank subsidiary, with a focus on business lending and digital banking.

Customers Bancorp reported revenues of $232.1 million, up 38.9% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 7%. The business had a stunning quarter with an impressive beat of analysts’ net interest income estimates and a solid beat of analysts’ revenue estimates.

The market seems content with the results as the stock is up 4.3% since reporting. It currently trades at $68.36.

Is now the time to buy Customers Bancorp? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Weakest Q3: The Bancorp (NASDAQ: TBBK)

Operating behind the scenes of many popular fintech apps and prepaid cards you might use daily, The Bancorp (NASDAQ: TBBK) is a bank holding company that specializes in providing banking services to fintech companies and offering specialty lending products.

The Bancorp reported revenues of $174.6 million, up 38.8% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 10%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ revenue and net interest income estimates.

As expected, the stock is down 16.6% since the results and currently trades at $64.41.

Read our full analysis of The Bancorp’s results here.

National Bank Holdings (NYSE: NBHC)

Operating under familiar local brands like Community Banks of Colorado, Bank Midwest, and Bank of Jackson Hole, National Bank Holdings (NYSE: NBHC) operates regional banks across Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Wyoming, Texas, and other western states, offering commercial, business, and consumer banking services.

National Bank Holdings reported revenues of $108.9 million, up 2.7% year on year. This print topped analysts’ expectations by 3.9%. Aside from that, it was a mixed quarter as it also produced an impressive beat of analysts’ revenue estimates but a significant miss of analysts’ net interest income estimates.

The stock is up 1.2% since reporting and currently trades at $37.45.

Read our full, actionable report on National Bank Holdings here, it’s free for active Edge members.

UMB Financial (NASDAQ: UMBF)

With roots dating back to 1913 and a name derived from "United Missouri Bank," UMB Financial (NASDAQ: UMBF) is a financial holding company that provides banking, asset management, and fund services to commercial, institutional, and individual customers.

UMB Financial reported revenues of $678.3 million, up 67% year on year. This number beat analysts’ expectations by 3.5%. Overall, it was a strong quarter as it also logged a solid beat of analysts’ revenue estimates and a decent beat of analysts’ tangible book value per share estimates.

The stock is flat since reporting and currently trades at $112.52.

Read our full, actionable report on UMB Financial here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Market Update

Thanks to the Fed’s rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has been on a steady path downward, easing back toward that 2% sweet spot. Fortunately (miraculously to some), all this tightening didn’t send the economy tumbling into a recession, so here we are, cautiously celebrating a soft landing. The cherry on top? Recent rate cuts (half a point in September 2024, a quarter in November) have propped up markets, especially after Trump’s November win lit a fire under major indices and sent them to all-time highs. However, there’s still plenty to ponder — tariffs, corporate tax cuts, and what 2025 might hold for the economy.

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