Executives say the $213 billion-asset company's strong credit performance in the third quarter positions it to pursue loan growth next year.

High deposit costs and low-yielding assets weighed on the company's net interest income, which fell to its weakest level since the first quarter of 2017. But Key executives predicted that a turnaround is coming soon.

Six weeks after unveiling a broad restructuring plan, the North Carolina bank said it has already taken several steps to lower expenses, and that various cost-reduction initiatives are on parallel paths.

Consumers with Discover cards spent less on travel and everyday purchases, but more on entertainment, driving loan growth in the third quarter. The company also benefited from the Fed's enforcement of online debit-routing rules, but these boons couldn't offset investor concerns over its issues with the FDIC and its CEO search.

Worried about the economy and new Fed rules on capital, the bank wants to hang onto its money just in case, CFO Daryl Bible told investors as he outlined second-quarter earnings.

The Rhode Island-based bank is bolstering its cash position in the face of worries about office loans, stricter capital requirements for regional lenders and the possibility of economic shock from overseas conflicts.

The $668 billion-asset company sold investment securities and certain mortgages to avoid more stringent liquidity and other federal requirements for larger banks. Yet CEO Andy Cecere says U.S. Bancorp is "not under an asset cap at all."

Charge-offs at the Detroit-based lender rose last quarter, as borrowers had a tougher time keeping up with their car payments. But so far, credit quality is staying within expectations, and company executives don't anticipate that the rest of the year will be much worse.

The Tennessee bank said a $72 million charge-off tied to a borrower in bankruptcy shaved 10 cents per share off its earnings. Management downplayed the issue, calling it "idiosyncratic," and emphasized that it was growing its loan portfolio.

The nation's second-largest bank reported strong growth in net interest income, revenue and profits. But analysts continued to express concern about unrealized losses, which swelled to $131.6 billion.