If President Trump’s tariffs on steel and other products stay in place long, big U.S. importers would be hurt and pass on the pain to their midsize and small-business suppliers — which are the bread and butter of commercial lending.
In addition to leading the company’s national business banking efforts, Peter Sefzik will also oversee small-business banking. Brian Foley, the chief credit officer for the Texas market, will succeed him as market president.
Comerica faced aggressive questioning Tuesday about how it could use freed-up capital now that it’s no longer considered a systemically important financial institution. It won’t be the last small regional to get such a grilling this earnings season.
Declines in corporate banking and energy loans were part of the reason loan growth was light, but the Dallas bank reported strong earnings thanks heavily to fatter margins.
SigFig was among an early crop of digital advice firms that shifted their focus to serving wealth managers and banks. It has raised more than $100 million from a variety of investors.
The divide highlights a lingering question about how much commercial and retail depositors value cutting-edge technology over price — and whether midsize banks can keep pace with bigger rivals when it comes to tech investments.
Profits soared at the Dallas bank as recent interest rate hikes and ongoing expense cuts outweighed weakness in the company’s loan book and in its fee income.
Look for banks to boost dividend payouts, expand into new markets, increase their tech spending and, eventually, ramp up their C&I lending. But don't expect much in the way of M&A.
Though business owners are more optimistic about the direction of the economy since the tax law was passed, it's doubtful their borrowing will increase meaningfully until they see more signs of more robust growth, bankers say.
Apart from a one-time adjustment for deferred taxes, the Dallas company reported strong gains in net interest income and meaningful improvement in all of its key performance ratios.
