Q1 2026 Bank Earnings Rise Across Regionals
Q1 2026 bank earnings from regionals show net-income and EPS gains plus loan growth and capital moves, spurring trader focus on loan-growth winners.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- On April 23, 2026 multiple regional banks reported year-over-year net-income and EPS gains.
- First Financial posted record adjusted revenue, 3.99% NIM (FTE) and 17.8% ROTCE.
- Loan originations accelerated and firms emphasized capital redeployment, including a $150 million debt redemption.
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On April 23, 2026, multiple regional banks reported Q1 2026 bank earnings, posting year-over-year net-income and earnings-per-share (EPS) gains. The results highlighted stronger loan originations, record adjusted revenue, and capital moves including a closed acquisition and debt redemption.
Q1 Results by Bank
Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) reported net income of $110.5 million and diluted EPS of $1.63, up from $87.9 million and $1.27 a year earlier. CEO Palmer Proctor said the quarter was a strong start, with performance metrics outpacing the broader industry.
First Financial Bancorp (FFBC) posted net income of $74.4 million and diluted EPS of $0.71 ($0.77 adjusted), alongside record adjusted revenue of $265.3 million. The company reported a net interest margin (NIM) of 3.99% on a fully taxable equivalent (FTE) basis and a return on tangible common equity (ROTCE) of 17.8% (19.2% adjusted).
Associated Banc-Corp (ASB) reported net income available to common equity of $117 million, or $0.70 per common share. PCB Bancorp (PCB) posted net income available to common shareholders of $10.6 million and diluted EPS of $0.74, up from $7.7 million and $0.53 in Q1 2025.
Isabella Bank Corporation (ISBA) reported net interest income of $16.9 million, equal to 3.33% of earning assets for the quarter, compared with $14.5 million in Q1 2025.
Smaller regionals also showed gains. Midland States Bancorp (MSBI) reported net income of $16.2 million and diluted EPS of $0.74; USCB Financial Holdings (USCB) posted net income of $9.4 million and diluted EPS of $0.51; BayCom Corp (BCML) reported net income of $8.2 million and diluted EPS of $0.75; Avidia Bancorp (AVBC) reported net income of $6.0 million and EPS of $0.32; and Richmond Mutual Bancorporation (RMBI) reported net income of $2.8 million and diluted EPS of $0.28.
Operations and Capital Actions
First Financial reported loan originations up 45% year over year and a significant increase in its loan pipeline since January, reflecting early loan-growth momentum. Leasing income rose 10.7% quarter over quarter to $21.6 million, while wealth-management income increased 12.9% to $10.5 million. The company completed its acquisition of BankFinancial on January 1, 2026, and redeemed $150 million of subordinated debt as part of capital actions.
Across the group, banks reported year-over-year and sequential improvements amid generally stable net interest margins, indicating renewed lending momentum and a focus on capital redeployment among midcap regional lenders.
