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Associated Banc-Corp: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 22 January 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 7 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Record 2025 earnings of $463 million: Net income available to common equity was $463 million, or $2.77 per diluted share, for 2025, against $112 million, or $0.72 per share, in 2024. Source
  • Period end loans up 5% year on year: Period end loans reached $31.2 billion, up 1%, or $212 million, from the third quarter and up 5%, or $1.4 billion, from a year earlier. Source
  • Core customer deposits up $691 million: Core customer deposits reached $29.6 billion, up $691 million from the prior quarter. Brokered CDs fell $161 million to $3.8 billion over the same period. Source
  • Net interest income up 15% for 2025: Full year net interest income was $1.2 billion, up $154 million. Net interest margin was 3.03%, up 25 basis points from 2024, and the company describes net interest income as a record. Source
  • Full-year provision fell to $54 million: Full year provision for credit losses was $54 million, against $85 million in 2024. The fourth quarter provision was $7 million, against $16 million in the third quarter. Source
  • CET1 ratio at 10.49%: The CET1 capital ratio was 10.49% at December 31, 2025, up from 10.33% at September 30, 2025. The company says its capital ratios exceed Basel III well-capitalized benchmarks on a fully phased-in basis. Source
  • American National agreement signed in Q4: The company entered a definitive agreement to acquire American National Corporation in the fourth quarter of 2025. The 2026 guidance excludes any impact from the acquisition. Source

“2025 was a pivotal year for Associated Bank,”

President and CEO Andy Harmening

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Period end total loans Source2026, compared with the year ended December 31, 20255% to 6%New
Period end total deposits Source2026, compared with the year ended December 31, 20255% to 6%New
Period end core customer deposits Source2026, compared with the year ended December 31, 20255% to 6%New
Total net interest income growth Source20265.5% to 6.5%New
Total noninterest income growth Source2026between 4% and 5%New
Total noninterest expense growth Source20263%New
Annual effective tax rate Source202619% to 21%New

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: The release gives 2026 guidance for loans, deposits, net interest income, noninterest income, noninterest expense and the tax rate. The prior release gave guidance for 2025 only. Source
  • New: The company entered a definitive agreement in the fourth quarter of 2025 to acquire American National Corporation. The 2026 guidance excludes any impact from this acquisition. Source

Full-year and quarterly earnings

  • Record 2025 earnings of $463 million: Net income available to common equity was $463 million, or $2.77 per diluted share, for 2025, against $112 million, or $0.72 per share, in 2024. Source
  • Fourth quarter earnings of $134 million: Fourth quarter 2025 earnings were $134 million, or $0.80 per common share, compared with $122 million, or $0.73, in the third quarter. The fourth quarter of 2024 showed a loss of $164 million. Source
  • Pre-tax pre-provision income reached $632 million: Full year pre-tax pre-provision income was $632 million, against $219 million in 2024, according to the non-GAAP reconciliation in the release. Source

Loan and deposit growth

  • Period end loans up 5% year on year: Period end loans reached $31.2 billion, up 1%, or $212 million, from the third quarter and up 5%, or $1.4 billion, from a year earlier. Source
  • Commercial lending up, commercial real estate down: Commercial and business lending rose $268 million from the prior quarter to $13.0 billion. Commercial real estate lending fell $88 million to $7.2 billion, and consumer lending rose $31 million to $10.9 billion. Source
  • Full-year average loans up 3%: Full year average loans were $30.6 billion, up $893 million. Commercial and business lending rose $1.2 billion over the year, while consumer lending fell $362 million. Source
  • Period end deposits up 2% in quarter: Period end deposits of $35.6 billion rose 2%, or $671 million, from the prior quarter and 3%, or $904 million, from a year earlier. Source
  • Core customer deposits up $691 million: Core customer deposits reached $29.6 billion, up $691 million from the prior quarter. Brokered CDs fell $161 million to $3.8 billion over the same period. Source

“We achieved several key milestones of our strategic plan, proved we can win in key growth markets, drove high-quality, relationship loan and deposit growth, and posted the strongest bottom line in company history.”

President and CEO Andy Harmening

Net interest income and margin

  • Net interest income up 15% for 2025: Full year net interest income was $1.2 billion, up $154 million. Net interest margin was 3.03%, up 25 basis points from 2024, and the company describes net interest income as a record. Source
  • Fourth quarter margin edged higher: Fourth quarter net interest income of $310 million rose $5 million from the prior quarter. Net interest margin of 3.06% rose 2 basis points from the third quarter. Source
  • Funding costs fell 21 basis points: The average cost of interest-bearing liabilities fell to 2.82% in the fourth quarter. The average yield on earning assets fell 16 basis points to 5.34%. Source

Noninterest income and expense

  • Noninterest income up on 2024 losses: Full year noninterest income was $286 million, up $296 million. The company attributes the increase mainly to nonrecurring 2024 repositioning items, including a $130 million mortgage portfolio sale loss and a $148 million investment sale loss. Source
  • Full-year noninterest expense rose 5%: Full year noninterest expense was $856 million, up $37 million. Personnel expense rose $34 million over the year. Source
  • Fourth quarter expense up $3 million: Fourth quarter noninterest expense was $219 million, up $3 million from the prior quarter and down $5 million from a year earlier. FDIC assessment expense fell $3 million from the prior quarter. Source
  • Fourth quarter tax expense of $26 million: Fourth quarter tax expense was $26 million, against $30 million in the third quarter. The fourth quarter of 2024 had a tax benefit of $16 million. Source

“We enter 2026 with a stronger growth profile, enhanced profitability, stronger capital generation and consistently solid credit results.”

President and CEO Andy Harmening

Credit quality and provision

  • Full-year provision fell to $54 million: Full year provision for credit losses was $54 million, against $85 million in 2024. The fourth quarter provision was $7 million, against $16 million in the third quarter. Source
  • Net charge-offs fell to $2 million: Fourth quarter net charge-offs were $2 million, down $11 million from the third quarter and down $10 million from a year earlier. Source
  • Nonaccrual loans down to $100 million: Nonaccrual loans of $100 million fell $6 million from the prior quarter. The nonaccrual loans ratio to total loans was 0.32%, down from 0.34%. Source
  • Allowance ratio edged up to 1.35%: The allowance for credit losses on loans reached $419 million, up $5 million from the prior quarter. Its ratio to total loans was 1.35%, up from 1.34%. Source

Capital and shareholder returns

  • CET1 ratio at 10.49%: The CET1 capital ratio was 10.49% at December 31, 2025, up from 10.33% at September 30, 2025. The company says its capital ratios exceed Basel III well-capitalized benchmarks on a fully phased-in basis. Source
  • Quarterly dividend raised to $0.24: Dividends per common share were $0.24 in the fourth quarter, up from $0.23 in each prior quarter of 2025. Full year dividends totaled $0.93 per common share. Source
  • Share repurchases of 900 thousand in 2025: Common shares repurchased totaled 900 thousand in 2025, all in the first quarter, with none in the fourth quarter. Year end common shares outstanding were 165,980 thousand. Source
  • Book value per share reached $28.81: Book value per common share was $28.81 and tangible book value per share was $22.01 at year end, up from $28.17 and $21.36 at September 30, 2025. Source

Acquisition and growth plans

  • American National agreement signed in Q4: The company entered a definitive agreement to acquire American National Corporation in the fourth quarter of 2025. The 2026 guidance excludes any impact from the acquisition. Source
  • Acquisition costs excluded as nonrecurring: Acquisition costs of $252 thousand in the fourth quarter were excluded from the adjusted efficiency ratio as nonrecurring costs tied to the proposed acquisition. Source
  • Growth through talent and products: Management said the company enters 2026 with a stronger growth profile and intends to build on its momentum organically through talent, product set and value proposition. Source

Coming up, as management said on 22 January 2026

  • American National joins later this year: Management said American National Bank colleagues, customers and communities are to join Associated later this year. The release gives no closing date. Source
  • Further growth updates planned: Management plans to provide additional updates on the company's growth throughout the year. The release gives no dates for these updates. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Net interest margin Source3.03% full year 2025; 3.06% fourth quarter 2025
Net interest income Source$1.2 billion full year 2025; $310 million fourth quarter 2025
Loans Source$31.2 billion period end
Deposits Source$35.6 billion period end
Deposit costs Source2.61% average rate on interest-bearing deposits, fourth quarter 2025
Provision for credit losses Source$7 million fourth quarter 2025; $54 million full year 2025
Net charge-offs Source$2 million fourth quarter 2025; 0.12% of average loans full year 2025
Nonperforming assets Source$129.2 million at December 31, 2025
CET1 capital ratio Source10.49% at December 31, 2025
Efficiency ratio Source56.29% full year 2025; 55.21% fourth quarter 2025

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said the company achieved several key milestones of its strategic plan during 2025. Source
  • Not stated: In the third quarter release, management said it expected 2025 period end loan growth of 5% to 6%. The fourth quarter release does not state whether this was achieved.
  • Not stated: In the third quarter release, management said it expected 2025 total net interest income growth of 14% to 15%. The fourth quarter release does not compare the result with this range.

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.