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Northern Trust Corp.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 21 October 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net income fell from second quarter: Net income was $642.9 million, down 19% from the second quarter and up 40% from the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Diluted EPS down sequentially, up yearly: Diluted EPS was $3.40, down 20% from the second quarter and up 48% from a year earlier; return on average common equity was 20.1%. Source
  • Trust fees up 8% on prior year: Trust, investment and other servicing fees were $1,373.0 million, up 2% sequentially; Asset Servicing and Wealth Management both rose from the prior year. Source
  • Net interest margin rose to 1.83%: Net interest margin on an FTE basis was 1.83%, up 2 bps from the second quarter and 13 bps from a year earlier; the GAAP margin was 1.80%. Source
  • Noninterest expense down 9% sequentially: Noninterest expense was $1,492.5 million, up 5% from the prior year; the second quarter had included severance and equity grant charges. Source
  • Provision was a small charge: Provision for credit losses was $5.4 million, against a $5.3 million negative provision in the second quarter; the ending allowance was $184.7 million. Source
  • $514.2 million returned in quarter: The company repurchased 1,901,679 shares for $352.3 million, an average of $185.27 per share, alongside common dividends. Source

“Compared to the prior year and excluding notable items, revenues grew 11%, while disciplined expense management generated more than 600 basis points of positive operating leverage.”

Michael O’Grady, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Quarterly common dividend raised to $0.88 from $0.80 per share. Source
  • Ended: Guardianship services business sold; $34.0 million pre-tax gain recognized in Other Operating Income. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net income fell from second quarter: Net income was $642.9 million, down 19% from the second quarter and up 40% from the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Diluted EPS down sequentially, up yearly: Diluted EPS was $3.40, down 20% from the second quarter and up 48% from a year earlier; return on average common equity was 20.1%. Source
  • Revenue up 13% on prior year: Total revenue on an FTE basis was $2,302.1 million, down 15% from the second quarter and up 13% from the prior-year quarter. Source

Segments and client assets

  • Asset Servicing pre-tax income up 25%: Asset Servicing income before taxes (FTE) was $405.2 million, a 30.3% pre-tax margin against 23.7% in the second quarter. Source
  • Wealth Management margin rose: Wealth Management income before taxes (FTE) was $391.6 million, a 41.1% pre-tax margin, up from 37.4% in the second quarter. Source
  • Client assets up on markets and inflows: Assets under custody/administration were $19.9 trillion, down 1% sequentially and up 9% from a year earlier; assets under management were $2.0 trillion. Source

“Market conditions continued to evolve but remained constructive overall. Our diversified business model positions us to perform across a range of environments.”

Michael O’Grady, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Fee income and trading

  • Trust fees up 8% on prior year: Trust, investment and other servicing fees were $1,373.0 million, up 2% sequentially; Asset Servicing and Wealth Management both rose from the prior year. Source
  • Other income fell on Visa gain: Other noninterest income was $250.0 million, down 63% from the second quarter, when the company booked a Visa gain and a securities loss. Source
  • Foreign exchange trading income down sequentially: Foreign exchange trading income was $84.1 million, down 13% from the second quarter and up 47% from a year earlier. Source

Net interest income and margin

  • Net interest margin rose to 1.83%: Net interest margin on an FTE basis was 1.83%, up 2 bps from the second quarter and 13 bps from a year earlier; the GAAP margin was 1.80%. Source
  • Net interest income slipped slightly: Net interest income on an FTE basis was $679.1 million, down 1% sequentially and up 14% from a year earlier; average earning assets fell 2%. Source
  • Deposit mix and funding costs helped: Management attributed the year-over-year increase in net interest income to higher deposits, a favorable deposit mix and lower funding costs. Source

“As we enter the final quarter of the year, we remain focused on supporting our clients, investing in growth and delivering sustainable long-term value to shareholders.”

Michael O’Grady, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Expenses and tax

  • Noninterest expense down 9% sequentially: Noninterest expense was $1,492.5 million, up 5% from the prior year; the second quarter had included severance and equity grant charges. Source
  • Equipment and software costs fell: Equipment and Software expense was $319.9 million, down 15% sequentially, after the prior quarter's software dispositions; up 9% from a year earlier. Source
  • Headcount edged up: Full-time equivalent employees were 23,800 at quarter end, up 1% from the second quarter and from the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Effective tax rate fell to 19.3%: The effective tax rate was 19.3%, down 630 bps sequentially and 680 bps from a year earlier; the company cited lower net tax impact from international operations. Source

Credit quality

  • Provision was a small charge: Provision for credit losses was $5.4 million, against a $5.3 million negative provision in the second quarter; the ending allowance was $184.7 million. Source
  • Net charge-offs of $11.0 million: Net charge-offs were $11.0 million, or 0.11% of average loans annualized, after net recoveries in the second quarter. Source
  • Nonaccrual assets declined: Nonaccrual assets were $57.1 million, or 0.14% of loans and OREO, down from $71.3 million at June 30. Source

Capital and shareholder returns

  • $514.2 million returned in quarter: The company repurchased 1,901,679 shares for $352.3 million, an average of $185.27 per share, alongside common dividends. Source
  • Dividends to common and preferred holders: Common dividends declared totaled $161.9 million; preferred dividends declared totaled $16.2 million. Source
  • Capital ratios above well-capitalized levels: Standardized CET1 ratio was 12.4% for the corporation and 11.7% for The Northern Trust Company; these figures are preliminary. Source

Strategy, year-to-date and share count

  • Trust-fee growth across all businesses: Management said all three businesses delivered organic trust-fee growth this quarter. Source
  • Nine-month earnings up sharply: Nine-month diluted EPS was $10.33, against $6.32 a year earlier; average common equity for the nine months was $12,143.8 million. Source
  • Share count down 4% on year: Common shares outstanding at quarter end were 181,118 thousand, down 4% from a year earlier and 1% from June 30. Source

Coming up, as management said on 21 October 2026

  • Form 10-Q to finalize client assets and capital: Client assets and regulatory capital figures for the quarter stay preliminary until the company files its Form 10-Q with the SEC. Source

Risks management discussed

  • External: Fees are affected by one-month and one-quarter lagged asset values, so reported fee figures reflect earlier market levels. Source
  • Operational: Other operating expense rose on account servicing costs, which management cited as the cause of the increase. Source
  • Financial: The quarter's provision reflected the charge-off of a single commercial and institutional loan. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The second quarter release said the Board approved a $0.08 increase; this release records the quarterly dividend at $0.88.
  • Not stated: The prior release cited progress on strategic priorities and an eighth consecutive quarter of positive organic trust-fee growth.

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.