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PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 16 January 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Full-year EPS rose to $16.59: Full-year 2025 net income was $6,997 million and diluted EPS was $16.59, against $13.74 in 2024. Full-year revenue was $23.1 billion. Source
  • Record quarterly revenue: Fourth-quarter revenue of $6.1 billion was a record and rose $156 million from the third quarter. It was $504 million above the fourth quarter of 2024. Source
  • Net interest margin reached 2.84%: Net interest margin was 2.84%, up 5 basis points from the third quarter and 9 basis points from the fourth quarter of 2024, reflecting fixed rate asset repricing. Source
  • Net charge-offs fell to $162 million: Net charge-offs were 0.20% of average loans, annualized, down from 0.22% in the third quarter and 0.31% a year earlier. Full-year net charge-offs were $744 million. Source
  • $1.1 billion returned to shareholders: Capital returned in the quarter comprised $0.7 billion of common dividends and $0.4 billion of share repurchases. Source
  • FirstBank acquisition closed: PNC completed its acquisition of FirstBank Holding Company, including its banking subsidiary FirstBank, on January 5, 2026. Source

“By virtually all measures, 2025 was a successful year.”

Bill Demchak, PNC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Share repurchases SourceFirst quarter of 2026$600 million to $700 millionNew
Real GDP growth Source2026around 2%
Unemployment rate Source2026around 4.5%
Federal funds rate cuts SourceJuly and September 202625 basis points at each of the July and September FOMC meetings
Federal funds rate level SourceBy fall 20263.00% to 3.25%

What changed from last quarter

  • New: PNC completed its acquisition of FirstBank Holding Company, including its banking subsidiary FirstBank, on January 5, 2026. Source
  • New guidance: Management gave a first-quarter 2026 share repurchase expectation of $600 million to $700 million. Source

Full-year and fourth-quarter results

  • Full-year EPS rose to $16.59: Full-year 2025 net income was $6,997 million and diluted EPS was $16.59, against $13.74 in 2024. Full-year revenue was $23.1 billion. Source
  • Fourth-quarter net income and EPS: Fourth-quarter net income was $2,033 million and diluted EPS was $4.88, up from $4.35 in the third quarter and $3.77 a year earlier. Source
  • Record quarterly revenue: Fourth-quarter revenue of $6.1 billion was a record and rose $156 million from the third quarter. It was $504 million above the fourth quarter of 2024. Source

Net interest income and margin

  • Net interest income rose 2%: Fourth-quarter net interest income was $3.7 billion, up $83 million from the third quarter, and $208 million from a year earlier. Full-year net interest income was $14.4 billion. Source
  • Net interest margin reached 2.84%: Net interest margin was 2.84%, up 5 basis points from the third quarter and 9 basis points from the fourth quarter of 2024, reflecting fixed rate asset repricing. Source

“We’re entering 2026 with great momentum and are excited about the opportunities in front of us, including the recently closed acquisition of FirstBank.”

Bill Demchak, PNC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Fee income and capital markets

  • Fee income rose 3%: Fee income was $2.1 billion, up $54 million from the third quarter, driven by higher capital markets and advisory activity. Full-year fee income was $7.9 billion. Source
  • Advisory revenue up on M&A: Capital markets and advisory revenue was $489 million, up 13% from the third quarter and 41% from a year earlier, reflecting higher merger and acquisition advisory activity. Source
  • Asset management fees rose: Asset management and brokerage fees were $411 million, up 2% from the third quarter, on higher average equity markets and client activity. Source
  • Mortgage revenue declined: Residential and commercial mortgage revenue was $148 million, down 8% from the third quarter, on lower residential mortgage servicing rights valuation, net of economic hedge. Source

Expenses, efficiency and tax rate

  • Expenses rose 4% on activity: Noninterest expense was $3.6 billion, up $142 million from the third quarter. Personnel expense rose 3% to $2,033 million, and seasonality also contributed. Source
  • Efficiency ratio held at 59%: The efficiency ratio was 59% in the fourth quarter and 60% for the full year, compared with 63% for the full year of 2024. Source
  • Tax rate fell on resolved matters: The effective tax rate was 12.7% in the fourth quarter, against 20.3% in the third quarter, after favorable resolution of several tax matters. Source

Loans and deposits

  • Average loans grew 1%: Average loans rose $2.0 billion to $327.9 billion, led by commercial and industrial loans at $191.7 billion. Commercial real estate loans fell $0.7 billion to $30.2 billion. Source
  • Consumer loans held steady: Average consumer loans were $99.0 billion, flat on the quarter. Auto and credit card growth offset lower residential real estate balances. Source
  • Average deposits rose $7.7 billion: Average deposits reached $439.5 billion. Brokered time deposits fell to $5.4 billion from $7.3 billion, and interest-bearing deposits were 78% of the total. Source
  • Securities and borrowings declined: Average investment securities fell to $142.2 billion. Average borrowed funds fell $6.0 billion to $60.3 billion, mainly on lower Federal Home Loan Bank advances. Source

Credit quality

  • Net charge-offs fell to $162 million: Net charge-offs were 0.20% of average loans, annualized, down from 0.22% in the third quarter and 0.31% a year earlier. Full-year net charge-offs were $744 million. Source
  • Provision eased to $139 million: The fourth-quarter provision was $139 million, down from $167 million in the third quarter. The full-year provision was $779 million, against $789 million in 2024. Source
  • Nonperforming loans rose on C&I: Nonperforming loans were 0.67% of total loans, up from 0.65% in the third quarter and 0.73% a year earlier. Commercial real estate nonperforming loans declined. Source
  • Allowance ratio at 1.58%: The allowance for credit losses was $5.2 billion, equal to 1.58% of total loans, down from 1.61% at September 30, 2025. Source

Business segments

  • Retail Banking earnings fell 6%: Retail Banking earned $1,241 million, down from $1,324 million in the third quarter, and up 15% from the fourth quarter of 2024. Source
  • Corporate and Institutional earnings up 4%: Corporate & Institutional Banking earned $1,514 million. Noninterest income rose 7% on merger and acquisition advisory activity, and noninterest expense rose 13% on variable compensation. Source
  • Asset management client assets grew: The Asset Management Group earned $121 million, up 3%. Discretionary client assets under management reached $234 billion. Source

Capital and shareholder returns

  • CET1 ratio at 10.6%: The CET1 ratio was an estimated 10.6% at December 31, 2025, down from 10.7% at September 30, 2025. Common shareholders' equity was $54.8 billion. Source
  • $1.1 billion returned to shareholders: Capital returned in the quarter comprised $0.7 billion of common dividends and $0.4 billion of share repurchases. Source
  • Tangible book value per share up 4%: Tangible book value per common share was $112.51, up from $107.84 in the third quarter. Book value per common share was $140.44. Source
  • Repurchase authority remaining: About 35% of the 100 million common shares under the board-approved repurchase program remained available at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Stress capital buffer at minimum: The stress capital buffer for the four-quarter period beginning October 1, 2025 is the regulatory minimum of 2.5%. PNC was well capitalized at year-end. Source
  • Liquidity coverage ratio at 108%: The average liquidity coverage ratio for the quarter was 108%, above the regulatory minimum throughout the quarter. Source

FirstBank acquisition and economic baseline

  • FirstBank acquisition closed: PNC completed its acquisition of FirstBank Holding Company, including its banking subsidiary FirstBank, on January 5, 2026. Source
  • FirstBank size at close: At close FirstBank had $26 billion of assets, $16 billion of loans and $23 billion of deposits. Source
  • Baseline forecast for slower growth: Management's baseline forecast is for continued expansion at a slower pace in 2026. Tariffs are described as a drag on consumer spending and business investment, with AI-related capital spending a key support. Source

Coming up, as management said on 16 January 2026

  • Quarterly dividend payable February 5: The board declared a $1.70 per share quarterly dividend on January 5, 2026, payable February 5, 2026 to holders of record on January 20, 2026. Source
  • FirstBank included in first-quarter results: FirstBank's financial results will be reported in PNC's first quarter 2026 results, having been included in consolidated operations from January 5, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Net interest margin Source2.84% in the fourth quarter; 2.83% for the full year
Net interest income Source$3,731 million in the fourth quarter; $14,410 million for the full year
Loans SourceAverage loans of $327.9 billion
Deposits SourceAverage deposits of $439.5 billion
Provision for credit losses Source$139 million in the fourth quarter; $779 million for the full year
Net charge-offs Source$162 million in the fourth quarter; $744 million for the full year
Nonperforming assets Source0.41% of total assets
CET1 ratio Source10.6% (estimated)
Efficiency ratio Source59% in the fourth quarter; 60% for the full year

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Delinquencies rose to $1.4 billion, up 17% on the quarter, driven by commercial and consumer loans. Source
  • External: Management said repurchase activity may change with market and economic conditions and other factors. Source
  • Regulatory: Visa derivative adjustments were negative $41 million in the quarter, primarily due to litigation escrow funding, reducing other noninterest income. 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.