Finance

Huntington, Wintrust and Eagle reported extremely low quarterly chargeoff ratios, and their CEOs say they remain confident about the future. But, as one observer says, "ultimately some sector is going to get overextended."

New boss Andy Cecere's first year on the job will likely be defined by how he tackles the challenges in front of him, including keeping the company’s highly watched efficiency ratio in check and managing pitfalls in auto-lease financing.

The Ohio company said it is retaining more FirstMerit deposit accounts than it had projected. At the same time, Huntington is moving forward with cost-cutting tied to the acquisition.

Double-digit growth in earning assets more than offset higher expenses and a decline in the net interest margin.

The Minneapolis company reported higher quarterly earnings thanks to strong performance in credit cards, investment management and other fee-based business lines.

Wintrust’s mortgage revenues fell in the first quarter, but net interest income picked up the slack.

The Mississippi company reported loan growth but a dip in profits after a first-quarter acquisition, and it warned that it is on alert for any new “lag” in the energy sector.

Loan growth and increased fee income helped offset slightly higher expenses in the first quarter.

The hand-wringing over business lending has overshadowed the fact that consumer lending — particularly for regional banks — has become a strong and steady engine of growth.

Bank of America's year-over-year loan growth was slow, but parts of its commercial and U.S. consumer businesses were strong, prompting optimism from the CEO in the face of lackluster numbers across banking so far this earnings season.

The Birmingham, Ala., company's profit climbed 8% as higher market interest rates and investment securities balances offset lower average loan balances.

The Columbus, Ga., company also announced late Monday that it is buying the credit card assets and brokered deposits of the retailer Cabela's and will then sell the card portfolio to Capital One.

Earnings at the Dallas-based company more than tripled because of a big improvement in credit quality, higher fee income and other factors.

Bank earns $75 million for saving Bass Pro Shops's acquisition of rival outdoor retailer; Trump to name Randal Quarles as Fed's vice chairman for bank supervision.

B of A, JPMorgan and Citi beat trading estimates unlike Goldman Sachs, but the investment bank still doubled its quarterly profits.

Bank of America beat expectations in several categories, including earnings per share, revenue and net interest margin.

On Dec. 31, 2016. Dollars in thousands.

A new accounting policy and improved profit margins fueled M&T Bank’s double-digit profit growth in the first quarter.

The San Francisco bank says it's making strides in regaining the trust of its customers, but winning over new ones — as evidenced by a 9% decline in retail banking profits — remains a struggle.

Earnings season kicked off with some banks capitalizing better than others on higher rates and still-low deposit costs. Banks will have to keep working on that balance as they contend with rising credit card losses, slower commercial lending and other issues.