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Zions Bancorporation, National Association: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 20 April 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Pre-provision profit rose 11%: PPNR was $298 million, up 11%; adjusted PPNR was $301 million, up 13%. Source
  • Net interest income rose 6%: Net interest income was $662 million, up $38 million or 6%, largely on lower funding costs. Source
  • Margin up on year, down on quarter: Net interest margin was 3.27%, up from 3.10% a year earlier and down from 3.31% in the prior quarter. Source
  • Provision for credit losses was negative: The provision for credit losses was negative $7 million, compared with $18 million a year earlier. Source
  • Net charge-offs fell to $4 million: Net charge-offs were $4 million, or 0.03% of average loans annualized, against $16 million a year earlier. Source
  • Noninterest expense rose 4%: Noninterest expense was $562 million; adjusted noninterest expense was $558 million, up 5%. Source
  • CET1 ratio rose to 11.5%: CET1 capital was $8.1 billion, up 9%, and the estimated ratio rose to 11.5% from 10.8%. Source
  • Basis deal adds multifamily permanent financing: The agency lending business would let the company originate, underwrite and service agency-program multifamily loans, including Fannie Mae DUS. Source

“Our first quarter results were solid, with diluted earnings per share rising 38% to $1.56 from $1.13 in the same quarter last year.”

Harris H. Simmons, Chairman and CEO

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Agreed in the quarter to acquire the agency lending business of Basis Multifamily Finance I, LLC, subject to required approvals. Source
  • New: Qualifying derivative assets and liabilities are presented on a net basis from the first quarter of 2026. Source
  • New: Leasing balances are now reported within commercial and industrial loans, effective March 31, 2026. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Pre-provision profit rose 11%: PPNR was $298 million, up 11%; adjusted PPNR was $301 million, up 13%. Source
  • Net interest income rose 6%: Net interest income was $662 million, up $38 million or 6%, largely on lower funding costs. Source
  • Customer fee income rose 9%: Customer-related noninterest income was $172 million, up 9%, with loan-related fees up $6 million on higher mortgage sales. Source

Margin and funding costs

  • Margin up on year, down on quarter: Net interest margin was 3.27%, up from 3.10% a year earlier and down from 3.31% in the prior quarter. Source
  • Cost of deposits fell: Cost of deposits was 1.48%, down from 1.76% a year earlier, reflecting the lower rate environment. Source
  • Earning-asset yields declined: Yield on interest-earning assets was 4.90%, down from 5.08%; money market yields fell 72 basis points to 3.94%. Source
  • Borrowings fell as FHLB advances dropped: Total borrowed funds fell $1.8 billion, or 44%, mainly on $2.8 billion less short-term FHLB advances, partly offset by new senior notes. Source

“Our funding profile has continued to strengthen, with total customer deposits growing $2.2 billion over the past year and long-term debt increasing $1.0 billion, while brokered deposits and short-term borrowings decreased $3.8 billion.”

Harris H. Simmons, Chairman and CEO

Loans and deposits

  • Loans rose 2% from commercial growth: Loans and leases were $61.3 billion, up $1.4 billion or 2%, led by commercial and industrial loans. Source
  • Noninterest-bearing deposits rose $2.3 billion: Noninterest-bearing demand deposits rose $2.3 billion as a consumer product moved from interest-bearing; total deposits were $76.9 billion. Source
  • Brokered deposits fell 20%: Brokered deposits were $3.8 billion, down 20%, and interest-bearing deposits fell $1.1 billion, mostly brokered. Source

Credit quality and reserves

  • Provision for credit losses was negative: The provision for credit losses was negative $7 million, compared with $18 million a year earlier. Source
  • Net charge-offs fell to $4 million: Net charge-offs were $4 million, or 0.03% of average loans annualized, against $16 million a year earlier. Source
  • Classified loans fell on CRE payoffs: Classified loans were $2.3 billion, or 3.80% of loans, down from $2.9 billion and 4.82% a year earlier. Source
  • Nonperforming assets declined to $292 million: Nonperforming assets were $292 million, or 0.48% of loans and OREO, down from $307 million a year earlier. Source
  • Allowance ratio eased to 1.16%: Allowance for credit losses was $713 million, or 1.16% of loans, down from 1.24%, on lower CRE-specific reserves. Source

“Adjusted pre-tax pre-provision net revenue increased 13%, as adjusted taxable-equivalent revenue rose 7.4% and adjusted operating expenses increased 4.7%, resulting in positive operating leverage of 2.7%.”

Harris H. Simmons, Chairman and CEO

Costs and efficiency

  • Noninterest expense rose 4%: Noninterest expense was $562 million; adjusted noninterest expense was $558 million, up 5%. Source
  • Salaries rose on incentive accruals: Salaries and benefits were $361 million, up $19 million, on higher incentive accruals and base pay. Source
  • Deposit insurance expense fell: Deposit insurance and regulatory expense fell $7 million, which management ties to higher prior-year FDIC assessments on classified loans. Source
  • Efficiency ratio improved to 65.0%: Efficiency ratio was 65.0%, down from 66.6% a year earlier. Source
  • Headcount fell to 9,090: Full-time equivalent employees were 9,090 at March 31, 2026, down from 9,195 at December 31, 2025. Source

Capital and shareholder returns

  • CET1 ratio rose to 11.5%: CET1 capital was $8.1 billion, up 9%, and the estimated ratio rose to 11.5% from 10.8%. Source
  • Tangible book value rose 19%: Tangible book value per share was $41.75, up 19%, mainly on higher retained earnings and smaller unrealized losses in AOCI. Source
  • Dividend per share was $0.45: The quarterly common dividend was $0.45 per share, up from $0.43 a year earlier. Source
  • Buybacks rose to $77 million: Share repurchases totaled $77 million for 1.3 million shares, up from $41 million for 0.8 million shares a year earlier. Source

Strategy and reporting changes

  • Basis deal adds multifamily permanent financing: The agency lending business would let the company originate, underwrite and service agency-program multifamily loans, including Fannie Mae DUS. Source
  • Derivatives now presented net: Qualifying derivatives are now presented net on the balance sheet, and prior-period results were recast to match. Source
  • Leasing moved into commercial and industrial: Leasing balances now sit within commercial and industrial loans, and prior periods were reclassified for comparison. Source

Coming up, as management said on 20 April 2026

  • Basis deal awaits required approvals: Closing of the Basis agency lending acquisition depends on required approvals; the release gives no closing date. Source
  • Results call scheduled April 20: A supplemental presentation was posted ahead of the first-quarter results discussion at 5:30 p.m. ET on April 20, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Net interest margin Source3.27%
Net interest income Source$662 million
Loans and leases Source$61.3 billion, up 2%
Deposits Source$76.9 billion, up 2%
Cost of deposits Source1.48%
Provision for credit losses Sourcenegative $7 million
Net charge-offs Source0.03% annualized
Nonperforming assets Source$292 million, 0.48% of loans and OREO
CET1 capital ratio Source11.5%
Efficiency ratio Source65.0%

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Accumulated other comprehensive loss was $1.9 billion, including $1.5 billion of unrealized losses on securities moved from AFS to held-to-maturity. Source
  • External: Management noted that more adverse economic forecasts partly offset lower CRE-specific reserves in the allowance for credit losses. 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.