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Hilltop Holdings Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 29 January 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 1 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Fourth-quarter income rose year on year: Fourth-quarter income attributable to common stockholders was $41.6 million, or $0.69 diluted EPS, against $35.5 million, or $0.55, a year earlier. Q3 2025 was $45.8 million, or $0.74. Source
  • Full-year income rose to $165.6 million: Full-year 2025 income attributable to common stockholders was $165.6 million, or $2.64 diluted EPS, compared with $113.2 million, or $1.74, for 2024. Source
  • PrimeLending losses narrowed 48%: Management said PrimeLending cut 2025 pre-tax losses by 48% through operational efficiency improvements. Q4 mortgage origination pre-tax loss was $5.2 million, against $9.9 million a year earlier. Source
  • HilltopSecurities revenue reached $501 million: Broker-dealer 2025 net revenue was $501 million with a 13.5% pre-tax margin, led by Structured Finance, Wealth Management and Public Finance. Q4 broker-dealer pre-tax income was $25.5 million. Source
  • Gain on sale rose to 250 basis points: Net gains on loans sold to third parties, including broker fees, rose to 250 basis points from 239 in Q3 2025. The results table shows 246 basis points as reported, against 234. Source
  • Provision rose to $7.8 million: Q4 provision for credit losses was $7.8 million, compared with a $2.5 million reversal in Q3 2025 and a $5.9 million reversal in Q4 2024. Source

“Within each line of business, and on a consolidated basis, pre-tax results improved versus the prior year.”

Jeremy B. Ford, Chairman, President and CEO of Hilltop

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Quarterly cash dividend SourceDividend payable February 27, 2026 to holders of record February 13, 2026$0.20 per common shareRaised from $0.18
Share repurchase authorization SourceProgram running through January 2027up to $125.0 million of outstanding common stockNew

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Quarterly dividend increased to $0.20 per share from $0.18, an 11% increase. Source
  • New: Board authorized a new $125.0 million share repurchase program running through January 2027. Source

Fourth-quarter and full-year results

  • Fourth-quarter income rose year on year: Fourth-quarter income attributable to common stockholders was $41.6 million, or $0.69 diluted EPS, against $35.5 million, or $0.55, a year earlier. Q3 2025 was $45.8 million, or $0.74. Source
  • Full-year income rose to $165.6 million: Full-year 2025 income attributable to common stockholders was $165.6 million, or $2.64 diluted EPS, compared with $113.2 million, or $1.74, for 2024. Source
  • Pre-tax results improved in every line: Management said pre-tax results improved versus 2024 within each line of business and on a consolidated basis. Consolidated income before taxes was $221.1 million, against $154.3 million. Source
  • Noninterest income up 11.1%: Fourth-quarter noninterest income was $217.4 million, up from $195.6 million a year earlier, an 11.1% increase. It was flat against Q3 2025's $217.8 million. Source

Segment results

  • Bank grew core loans and deposits: Management said PlainsCapital produced core loan and deposit growth in 2025 and a 1.17% return on average assets. Banking pre-tax income in Q4 was $43.5 million, against $50.6 million a year earlier. Source
  • PrimeLending losses narrowed 48%: Management said PrimeLending cut 2025 pre-tax losses by 48% through operational efficiency improvements. Q4 mortgage origination pre-tax loss was $5.2 million, against $9.9 million a year earlier. Source
  • HilltopSecurities revenue reached $501 million: Broker-dealer 2025 net revenue was $501 million with a 13.5% pre-tax margin, led by Structured Finance, Wealth Management and Public Finance. Q4 broker-dealer pre-tax income was $25.5 million. Source

“Further, Hilltop was able to execute successfully on a number of key initiatives across the company, while returning $231 million to stockholders via dividends and share repurchases.”

Jeremy B. Ford, Chairman, President and CEO of Hilltop

Mortgage origination and fee income

  • Origination volume reached $2.4 billion: Fourth-quarter mortgage origination volume was $2.4 billion, against $2.3 billion a year earlier. Refinancings rose to $512 million from $269 million in Q3 2025. Source
  • Gain on sale rose to 250 basis points: Net gains on loans sold to third parties, including broker fees, rose to 250 basis points from 239 in Q3 2025. The results table shows 246 basis points as reported, against 234. Source
  • Mortgage production income up 3.4%: Combined net gains on loan sales, other mortgage production income and origination fees were $76.2 million, against $73.7 million a year earlier. Source

Costs, margin and tax rate

  • Net interest margin eased to 3.02%: Consolidated net interest margin was 3.02% in Q4 2025, against 3.06% in Q3 2025. The Q4 2024 margin was 2.72%. Source
  • Expenses up 2.3% year on year: Fourth-quarter noninterest expense was $268.9 million, up from $262.8 million a year earlier. Q3 2025 expense was $271.9 million. Source
  • Tax rate 19.2% on tax-exempt items: Q4 effective tax rate was 19.2%, against 14.2% a year earlier. Management attributed the rate below statutory to tax-exempt investments, state refund claims and return-to-provision activity. Source

“As we move into 2026, we remain focused on delivering sound results while prudently managing capital.”

Jeremy B. Ford, Chairman, President and CEO of Hilltop

Credit quality and provision

  • Provision rose to $7.8 million: Q4 provision for credit losses was $7.8 million, compared with a $2.5 million reversal in Q3 2025 and a $5.9 million reversal in Q4 2024. Source
  • Non-accrual loans fell to 0.58%: Non-accrual loans were $53.4 million, or 0.58% of total loans, at December 31, 2025, down from $68.3 million, or 0.75%, at September 30, 2025. Source

Balance sheet, capital and returns

  • Total assets reached $15.8 billion: Total assets were $15.8 billion at December 31, 2025, up from $15.6 billion at September 30, 2025. Source
  • Loans held for sale up 11.9%: Loans held for sale rose 11.9% from September 30, 2025, to $950.1 million at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Book value per share rose to $36.42: Book value per common share was $36.42 at December 31, 2025, against $35.69 at September 30, 2025. Source
  • Fourth-quarter buybacks of $60.8 million: Q4 2025 share repurchases totaled $60.8 million, or 1,799,995 shares at an average price of $33.77. Full-year 2025 repurchases were $184.0 million, or 5,705,205 shares at $32.26. Source
  • $231 million returned to stockholders: Management said Hilltop returned $231 million to stockholders in 2025 through dividends and share repurchases. Source

Strategy and workforce

  • Focus on sound results and capital: Management said that as it moves into 2026 it remains focused on delivering sound results while prudently managing capital. Source
  • Key initiatives executed across company: Management said Hilltop executed on a number of key initiatives across the company during 2025. Source
  • About 3,570 employees, 306 locations: At December 31, 2025, Hilltop had about 3,570 employees and 306 locations across 47 states. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Net interest margin Source3.02% (consolidated, Q4 2025)
Total deposits Source$10.9 billion
Provision for credit losses Source$7.8 million (Q4 2025)
Non-performing assets (non-accrual loans) Source0.58% of total loans; non-performing assets $61.5 million, 0.39% of total assets
CET1 capital ratio Source19.70% (Hilltop, December 31, 2025)

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management said the 2026 impact of uncertain economic conditions depends on factors outside its control, including funding costs, inflation, politics and tariffs. Source
  • Demand: Management described the home-buying market as challenging for PrimeLending, which continued to operate with pre-tax losses in 2025. Source
  • Financial: Estimated uninsured deposits were $5.9 billion, about 54% of total deposits at year end. Excluding collateralized and internal-account deposits, the figure was $4.9 billion, about 45%. 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.