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Fifth Third Bancorp: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 17 July 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Quarterly earnings rose on Comerica: Net income available to common shareholders was $763 million, or $0.83 diluted EPS, against $128 million, or $0.15, in the first quarter and $591 million, or $0.88, a year earlier. Source
  • Full-quarter Comerica lifted net interest income: Net interest income on an FTE basis was $2,220 million, up 14% from the first quarter and 48% from a year earlier, mainly from a full quarter of Comerica. Source
  • Net charge-offs lowest since 2023: Net charge-offs were $135 million and the NCO ratio was 0.30%, down 7 bps sequentially. Commercial NCO ratio was 0.21% and consumer 0.53%. Source
  • Net interest margin rose to 3.36%: Net interest margin was 3.36% on an FTE basis, up 6 bps, from merger impacts, higher earning asset yields and improved deposit pricing. Source
  • Adjusted efficiency ratio improved: Adjusted efficiency ratio was 57.1%, improved 480 bps sequentially. Reported efficiency ratio was 64.3%. Source
  • Comerica integration on track: Management said the Comerica integration remains on track, and that the full run-rate of expected cost synergies is not yet reached. Source

“Fifth Third's second quarter was another step toward the earnings power we committed to deliver by year-end.”

Tim Spence, Fifth Third Chairman, CEO and President

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Merger-related charges SourceFull year 2026Approximately 65% of the expected full-year total incurred year to date

What changed from last quarter

  • New: The company surpassed $300 billion in total assets and formally became a Category III institution in the second quarter. Source
  • New: A Comerica Southwest deposit marketing campaign is reported as delivering $2.5 billion of consumer deposits. The first quarter release did not describe it. Source
  • New: About $4 billion of notional short-duration securities were repositioned, with a $10 million loss, to accelerate cash flow reinvestment. Source

Earnings and income drivers

  • Quarterly earnings rose on Comerica: Net income available to common shareholders was $763 million, or $0.83 diluted EPS, against $128 million, or $0.15, in the first quarter and $591 million, or $0.88, a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EPS excluded $0.19 of items: Certain items reduced diluted EPS by $0.19, mainly $155 million of after-tax merger-related charges. Adjusted EPS was $1.02. Source
  • Full-quarter Comerica lifted net interest income: Net interest income on an FTE basis was $2,220 million, up 14% from the first quarter and 48% from a year earlier, mainly from a full quarter of Comerica. Source
  • Noninterest income rose across fee lines: Noninterest income was $1,059 million, up 18% sequentially. Excluding certain items it was $1,040 million, up 13%. Source

Segments and fee businesses

  • Commercial Banking pre-tax income rose: Commercial Banking income before taxes (FTE) was $840 million, against $427 million in the first quarter. Source
  • Consumer segment provision and income: Consumer and Small Business Banking recorded $82 million of provision for credit losses, within a segment with $616 million of pre-tax income (FTE). Source
  • Wealth revenue and assets grew: Wealth and asset management revenue was $256 million, up 10% sequentially and 54% year-over-year. Assets under management rose 8% sequentially. Source
  • Commercial payments and capital markets rose: Capital markets fees were $154 million, up 15% sequentially, led by client financial risk management and loan syndication. Commercial payments revenue was $254 million, up 17%. Source
  • Mortgage banking revenue declined: Mortgage banking net revenue was $39 million, down 11% sequentially, on lower gains on loan sales. Source

“The results were higher returns and tangible book value per share growth.”

Tim Spence, Fifth Third Chairman, CEO and President

Credit quality and provision

  • Net charge-offs lowest since 2023: Net charge-offs were $135 million and the NCO ratio was 0.30%, down 7 bps sequentially. Commercial NCO ratio was 0.21% and consumer 0.53%. Source
  • Provision fell after prior Day 1 build: Provision for credit losses was $129 million, down from $227 million, which had included an $83 million Day 1 allowance build for Comerica. Source
  • Nonperforming assets rose modestly: Nonperforming portfolio assets were $1.075 billion, an NPA ratio of 0.60%, up from 0.57% in the first quarter. Source
  • Allowance ratio lower on portfolio mix: The ACL ratio was 1.76% of portfolio loans and leases, down 3 bps sequentially and 33 bps year-over-year, which the company attributed mainly to Comerica's portfolio mix. Source

Margin and deposit mix

  • Net interest margin rose to 3.36%: Net interest margin was 3.36% on an FTE basis, up 6 bps, from merger impacts, higher earning asset yields and improved deposit pricing. Source
  • Consumer deposits grew, deposit costs fell: Consumer deposits grew $4.6 billion as the company re-mixes toward granular deposits, contributing to a 2 bps decrease in interest-bearing deposit costs. Source
  • Commercial non-relationship deposits reduced: Higher-cost, non-relationship commercial deposits were intentionally reduced, offsetting part of the consumer deposit growth. Source
  • Wholesale funding rose for seasonal trough: Average wholesale funding rose 20% to $26 billion, mainly from $3.3 billion of short-term FHLB advances that bridged the seasonal low in commercial deposits. Source
  • Average deposits rose 11% sequentially: Average deposits were $231.5 billion, up 11% sequentially and 42% year-over-year. Period-end deposits were $234 billion, flat sequentially. Source

“We are building a Fifth Third that is not just larger, but is better and more resilient.”

Tim Spence, Fifth Third Chairman, CEO and President

Loans and loan growth

  • Commercial loans drove period-end growth: Period-end commercial loans and leases were $125 billion, up 2% sequentially and 68% year-over-year. Source
  • Average loans grew with Comerica: Average portfolio loans and leases were $177.6 billion, up 13% sequentially and 44% year-over-year, with the full Comerica quarter contributing to both periods. Source
  • Consumer loans flat sequentially: Period-end consumer loans were $54 billion, flat sequentially and up 11% year-over-year, as home equity and residential mortgage growth was offset by indirect and solar declines. Source
  • Loan-to-core deposit ratio held at 77%: The period-end portfolio loan-to-core deposit ratio was 77%, compared with 76% in the prior and year-ago quarters. Source

Expenses and efficiency

  • Adjusted efficiency ratio improved: Adjusted efficiency ratio was 57.1%, improved 480 bps sequentially. Reported efficiency ratio was 64.3%. Source
  • Expenses excluding items rose 5%: Noninterest expense excluding certain items and non-qualified deferred compensation was $1.861 billion, up 5% sequentially and 51% year-over-year. Source
  • Reported expenses fell sequentially: Reported noninterest expense was $2,109 million, down 12% sequentially and up 67% year-over-year. Source
  • Sequential expense rise tied to integration: Growth reflected the full-quarter Comerica contribution, higher technology spend tied to integration and marketing for the Comerica deposit campaign, offset by lower compensation. Source

Capital and shareholder returns

  • CET1 ratio edged higher: CET1 capital ratio was 9.93%, up 4 bps sequentially. Year-to-date CET1 decline reflects Comerica acquisition capital impacts and $933 million of pre-tax merger impacts. Source
  • No share repurchases in first half: The company made no share repurchases in the first half of 2026. Source
  • Tangible common equity rose year-over-year: Tangible common equity including AOCI was 7.27%, up 43 bps year-over-year. Tangible book value per share was $23.15. Source

Strategy, integration and footprint

  • Comerica integration on track: Management said the Comerica integration remains on track, and that the full run-rate of expected cost synergies is not yet reached. Source
  • Comerica Southwest deposit campaign results: Deposit campaigns in the Comerica Southwest markets delivered results above internal targets, including $2.5 billion of consumer deposits. Source
  • Revenue synergies emerging across footprint: Management said revenue synergies are emerging across the expanded footprint. Newline deposits rose $2.1 billion in the quarter. Source
  • Staffing and footprint changes: Full-time equivalent employees were 25,196, down from 25,980 in the first quarter. Source

Coming up, as management said on 17 July 2026

  • Systems conversion on Labor Day weekend: Systems conversion is scheduled for Labor Day weekend, described as the final step to unlocking the full run-rate of expected cost synergies. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Net interest margin Source3.36% (FTE), up 6 bps sequentially
Net interest income Source$2,215 million reported; $2,220 million FTE
Loans SourceAverage $177,572 million; period-end $178,528 million
Deposits SourceAverage $231,506 million; period-end $234,141 million
Deposit costs Source2.13% on interest-bearing deposits
Provision for credit losses Source$129 million
Net charge-offs Source$135 million; NCO ratio 0.30%
Nonperforming assets Source$1,075 million; NPA ratio 0.60%
CET1 ratio Source9.93%
Efficiency ratio Source64.3% reported (FTE); 57.1% adjusted

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Management cited an increase in nonperforming assets, linked to modest growth in consumer and commercial NPAs. Source
  • Financial: Short-term FHLB advances were used to bridge a seasonal low in commercial deposit balances, raising wholesale funding. Source
  • Demand: Higher-cost, non-relationship commercial deposits were reduced on purpose, which offset part of consumer deposit growth. Source
  • Regulatory: Management said the company is well-positioned to meet all Category III requirements on or before the required dates. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management described the quarter as a step toward the earnings power it committed to deliver by year-end. Source
  • On track: Management said the Comerica integration remains on track, with systems conversion scheduled and cost synergies still to reach full run-rate. Source
  • Not stated: Management said Fifth Third prepared for the Category III transition over multiple years through investments in risk, capital, liquidity and regulatory reporting. Source

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.