Popular, Inc.'s BPOP fourth-quarter 2024 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $2.51 surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.04. The bottom line compared favorably with $1.31 reported in the year-ago quarter.

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For 2024, adjusted EPS was $8.56, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $8.41. This compares favorably with $7.53 reported in the year-ago quarter.

The results benefited from a rise in net interest income (NII) and loans and deposit balances. Improvement in BPOP’s credit quality was another positive factor. However, a rise in expenses and a decline in fee income were headwinds. 

The company’s net income (GAAP basis) came in at $177.8 million, which jumped 88% year over year.

For 2024, the company reported a net income (GAAP basis) of $614.2 million, which increased 13.4% year over year.

Popular’s Revenues & Expenses Rise Y/Y

Total quarterly revenues were $755.5 million, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $740.72 million. Further, the top line rose 7.5% from the year-ago quarter.

Full-year revenues were $2.94 billion, which increased 5.7% year over year. The top line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.92 billion. 

Quarterly NII was $590.8 million, up 10.6% year over year. Also, the net interest margin expanded 27 basis points to 3.35%.

Non-interest income decreased 2.4% year over year to $164.7 million. The fall was primarily due to net losses incurred from the sale of equity securities and trading account debt securities. 

Total operating expenses increased 12% year over year to $467.6 million. The rise primarily stemmed from an increase in total personnel costs, total processing and transactional services and total business promotion costs.

BPOP’s Loans & Deposit Balances Rise Sequentially

As of Dec. 31, 2024, total loans held-in-portfolio increased 2.5% on a sequential basis to $37.1 billion. Total deposits were $64.9 billion, which increased 1.9% from the previous quarter.

Popular’s Credit Quality Improves

In the fourth quarter of 2024, Popular recorded a provision for credit losses of $66.1 million, down 16% from the prior-year quarter.

As of Dec. 31, 2024, non-performing assets were $408 million, which declined 6.8% year over year.  The non-performing assets to total assets ratio was 0.56% compared with 0.62% as of Dec. 31, 2023.

BPOP’s Capital Ratios Decline Y/Y

As of Dec. 31, 2024, the Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio and the Tier 1 capital ratio were 16.03% and 16.08%, respectively, compared with 16.30% and 16.36% in the year-ago quarter.

Popular’s Share Repurchase Update

In the reported quarter, the company repurchased 2,256,420 shares of common stock for $217.3 million.

Our View on BPOP

Popular is well-poised to benefit from its business transformation efforts, along with significant progress in modernizing customer channels. An increase in loans and deposit balances strengthens its balance sheet. However, a rise in expenses is expected to hurt the bottom-line growth in the near term.

Popular, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Popular, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Popular, Inc. Quote

Currently, Popular carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Performance of BPOP’s Peers

Hancock Whitney Corp.’s HWC fourth-quarter 2024 earnings per share of $1.40 beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.28. The bottom line compared favorably with $1.26 earned in the year-ago quarter.

HWC’s results benefited from the increase in non-interest income and NII. Lower expenses and provisions were other positives. However, the decline in total loans was a headwind.

Synovus Financial Corp. SNV reported fourth-quarter 2024 adjusted earnings per share of $1.25, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.16. This compares with earnings of 80 cents a year ago.

Results benefited from strong year-over-year growth in non-interest revenues, a rise in NII, and a fall in expenses and provisions for credit losses. Also, improving deposit balances was a tailwind. However, a rise in non-performing loans was a major headwind for SNV.

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