Why Wall Street is still worried about regional banks
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jul 03 2024
0mins
Should l Buy OZK?
Source: Yahoo Finance
- Stock Plunge After Investor Infusion: First Foundation's stock dropped by 25% after a $228 million investment from Fortress and other firms to reduce multifamily apartment loan concentration.
- Challenges for Regional Banks: Concerns persist about regional banks' ability to navigate high costs of funding, interest rates, and exposure to commercial real estate weaknesses.
- Market Reactions to Other Banks: Similar stock declines occurred with Bank OZK and Axos Financial due to concerns over their property loan portfolios.
- Regulatory Warnings and Flexibility: Regulators urge banks to decrease commercial real estate exposure while allowing flexibility in handling problematic loans.
- First Foundation's Response: The bank set aside $577,000 for credit losses in Q1, with plans to sell some multifamily loans after the capital infusion.
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Analyst Views on OZK
Wall Street analysts forecast OZK stock price to rise
8 Analyst Rating
2 Buy
5 Hold
1 Sell
Hold
Current: 48.880
Low
40.00
Averages
53.00
High
67.00
Current: 48.880
Low
40.00
Averages
53.00
High
67.00
About OZK
Bank OZK (the Bank) is a regional bank, which provides a range of financial solutions. The Bank offers a range of products, include mobile and online banking, personal checking, personal savings, debit cards, credit card account access, business checking, business aviation group, trust services, and wealth. Its personal banking includes checkings, savings, loans, home lending, and credit cards. Its business banking includes checkings, savings, loans, treasury management, merchant services, and specialties. Its online banking enables users to manage their accounts, pay bills, transfer funds, view electronic account statements, and others. Its wealth services provide investment management services, custodial bank, retirement planning, employee benefit plans and endowments, foundations, and charitable contributions. It conducts banking operations in over 260 offices in nine states including Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, New York, California and Mississippi.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Hodges Capital Increases Stake in Bank OZK
- Share Acquisition: On February 11, Hodges Capital Management disclosed the purchase of 228,146 shares of Bank OZK, valued at approximately $10.67 million, indicating confidence in the bank's future performance.
- Position Value Increase: By quarter-end, Hodges' total position in Bank OZK increased by $9.97 million, demonstrating a successful investment strategy aligned with market performance.
- Financial Performance Review: Bank OZK reported a fourth-quarter net income of $171.9 million, down 3.5% year-over-year, yet full-year earnings remained stable, with loans and deposits growing by 7.8% and 7.5%, respectively, highlighting a solid business foundation.
- Long-term Investment Outlook: Despite short-term stock fluctuations, Hodges Capital's increased stake suggests optimism about Bank OZK's potential in commercial real estate and regional growth, prompting long-term investors to monitor credit quality and loan mix changes.
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Bank OZK (OZK) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
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Bank OZK (OZK) Q4 Earnings Miss Estimates as Credit Loss Provisions Rise 36%
- Earnings Miss: Bank OZK reported a Q4 GAAP EPS of $1.53, falling short of the analyst estimate of $1.58 and down from $1.59 in Q3, indicating a decline in profitability.
- Rising Credit Loss Provisions: Provisions for credit losses increased to $50.6 million, up 4.7% from the previous quarter and 36% year-over-year, reflecting heightened credit risk that may pressure future earnings.
- Net Interest Income Fluctuations: Q4 net interest income was $407 million, exceeding the Visible Alpha consensus of $397.1 million, although it decreased from $413.9 million in the prior quarter, highlighting income volatility.
- Record Real Estate Loans: The real estate specialties group achieved loan originations of $1.61 billion, the best quarterly performance in two years, despite the full-year 2025 total of $5.03 billion being lower than 2024's $5.41 billion, indicating increasing market competition challenges.
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Bank OZK Reports Q4 EPS of $1.53, Revenue Up 6.9% Year-over-Year
- Earnings Performance: Bank OZK's Q4 GAAP EPS of $1.53 misses expectations by $0.05, indicating pressure on profitability that may affect investor confidence.
- Revenue Growth: The quarter's revenue reached $440.65 million, up 6.9% year-over-year, exceeding market expectations by $6.3 million, demonstrating the company's resilience in revenue generation.
- Market Concerns: Despite the strong revenue performance, the company is still held back by familiar concerns, which could impact its future stock performance and investor sentiment.
- Future Outlook: The market's focus on Bank OZK's Q4 2025 earnings preview raises interest, with analyst ratings and historical financial data becoming crucial references for investor decision-making.
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Major Earnings Reports After Bell: NFLX, UAL, IBKR, OZK, LYSCF
- Netflix Earnings Anticipation: After the market closes on Tuesday, Netflix (NFLX) is set to release its earnings report, with market participants keenly watching user growth and revenue performance, which could directly impact its stock price.
- United Airlines Report: United Airlines Holdings (UAL) will also announce its earnings on the same day, and investors will closely monitor its operational efficiency and flight recovery status to assess future profitability.
- Interactive Brokers Earnings: Interactive Brokers Group (IBKR) is expected to report earnings as well, with analysts focusing on changes in trading volume and commission income to gauge market activity levels.
- Other Earnings Releases: Additionally, Bank OZK (OZK), Lynas Rare Earths Limited (LYSCF), and several other companies are scheduled to release their earnings after Tuesday's close, collectively influencing market sentiment and investor confidence during this earnings season.
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Hodges Capital Increases Stake in Bank OZK
- Share Acquisition: On February 11, Hodges Capital Management disclosed the purchase of 228,146 shares of Bank OZK, valued at approximately $10.67 million, indicating confidence in the bank's future performance.
- Position Value Increase: By quarter-end, Hodges' total position in Bank OZK increased by $9.97 million, demonstrating a successful investment strategy aligned with market performance.
- Financial Performance Review: Bank OZK reported a fourth-quarter net income of $171.9 million, down 3.5% year-over-year, yet full-year earnings remained stable, with loans and deposits growing by 7.8% and 7.5%, respectively, highlighting a solid business foundation.
- Long-term Investment Outlook: Despite short-term stock fluctuations, Hodges Capital's increased stake suggests optimism about Bank OZK's potential in commercial real estate and regional growth, prompting long-term investors to monitor credit quality and loan mix changes.
See More
Bank OZK (OZK) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
See More
Bank OZK (OZK) Q1 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
See More
Bank OZK (OZK) Q4 Earnings Miss Estimates as Credit Loss Provisions Rise 36%
- Earnings Miss: Bank OZK reported a Q4 GAAP EPS of $1.53, falling short of the analyst estimate of $1.58 and down from $1.59 in Q3, indicating a decline in profitability.
- Rising Credit Loss Provisions: Provisions for credit losses increased to $50.6 million, up 4.7% from the previous quarter and 36% year-over-year, reflecting heightened credit risk that may pressure future earnings.
- Net Interest Income Fluctuations: Q4 net interest income was $407 million, exceeding the Visible Alpha consensus of $397.1 million, although it decreased from $413.9 million in the prior quarter, highlighting income volatility.
- Record Real Estate Loans: The real estate specialties group achieved loan originations of $1.61 billion, the best quarterly performance in two years, despite the full-year 2025 total of $5.03 billion being lower than 2024's $5.41 billion, indicating increasing market competition challenges.
See More
Bank OZK Reports Q4 EPS of $1.53, Revenue Up 6.9% Year-over-Year
- Earnings Performance: Bank OZK's Q4 GAAP EPS of $1.53 misses expectations by $0.05, indicating pressure on profitability that may affect investor confidence.
- Revenue Growth: The quarter's revenue reached $440.65 million, up 6.9% year-over-year, exceeding market expectations by $6.3 million, demonstrating the company's resilience in revenue generation.
- Market Concerns: Despite the strong revenue performance, the company is still held back by familiar concerns, which could impact its future stock performance and investor sentiment.
- Future Outlook: The market's focus on Bank OZK's Q4 2025 earnings preview raises interest, with analyst ratings and historical financial data becoming crucial references for investor decision-making.
See More
Major Earnings Reports After Bell: NFLX, UAL, IBKR, OZK, LYSCF
- Netflix Earnings Anticipation: After the market closes on Tuesday, Netflix (NFLX) is set to release its earnings report, with market participants keenly watching user growth and revenue performance, which could directly impact its stock price.
- United Airlines Report: United Airlines Holdings (UAL) will also announce its earnings on the same day, and investors will closely monitor its operational efficiency and flight recovery status to assess future profitability.
- Interactive Brokers Earnings: Interactive Brokers Group (IBKR) is expected to report earnings as well, with analysts focusing on changes in trading volume and commission income to gauge market activity levels.
- Other Earnings Releases: Additionally, Bank OZK (OZK), Lynas Rare Earths Limited (LYSCF), and several other companies are scheduled to release their earnings after Tuesday's close, collectively influencing market sentiment and investor confidence during this earnings season.
See More
