Earnings results often indicate what direction a company will take in the months ahead. With Q4 behind us, let’s have a look at OceanFirst Financial (NASDAQ: OCFC) and its peers.

Regional banks, financial institutions operating within specific geographic areas, serve as intermediaries between local depositors and borrowers. They benefit from rising interest rates that improve net interest margins (the difference between loan yields and deposit costs), digital transformation reducing operational expenses, and local economic growth driving loan demand. However, these banks face headwinds from fintech competition, deposit outflows to higher-yielding alternatives, credit deterioration (increasing loan defaults) during economic slowdowns, and regulatory compliance costs. Recent concerns about regional bank stability following high-profile failures and significant commercial real estate exposure present additional challenges.

The 95 regional banks stocks we track reported a satisfactory Q4. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 1.4%.

In light of this news, share prices of the companies have held steady as they are up 2.5% on average since the latest earnings results.

OceanFirst Financial (NASDAQ: OCFC)

Tracing its roots back to 1902 when it began serving coastal New Jersey communities, OceanFirst Financial (NASDAQ: OCFC) operates as a regional bank holding company that provides commercial and consumer banking services primarily in New Jersey and surrounding metropolitan areas.

OceanFirst Financial reported revenues of $97.08 million, up 1.6% year on year. This print fell short of analysts’ expectations by 5.5%. Overall, it was a mixed quarter for the company with a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates but a significant miss of analysts’ revenue estimates.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Christopher D. Maher, commented on the Company’s results, “We are pleased to present our current quarter results, which reflect strong capital and robust net loan growth, while maintaining a strong commercial loan pipeline. We recently announced entry into a merger agreement with Flushing Financial Corporation and an investment from Warburg Pincus, to further improve financial performance and operating scale.”

The market was likely pricing in the results, and the stock is flat since reporting. It currently trades at $19.01.

Read our full report on OceanFirst Financial here, it’s free.

Best Q4: Merchants Bancorp (NASDAQ: MBIN)

With a strategic focus on low-risk, government-backed lending programs, Merchants Bancorp (NASDAQCM:MBIN) is an Indiana-based bank holding company specializing in multi-family mortgage banking, mortgage warehousing, and traditional banking services.

Merchants Bancorp reported revenues of $185.3 million, down 4.4% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 7.8%. The business had a stunning quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ net interest income estimates.

The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 21.9% since reporting. It currently trades at $42.60.

Is now the time to buy Merchants Bancorp? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Weakest Q4: The Bancorp (NASDAQ: TBBK)

Operating behind the scenes of many popular fintech apps and prepaid cards you might use daily, The Bancorp (NASDAQ: TBBK) is a bank holding company that specializes in providing banking services to fintech companies and offering specialty lending products.

The Bancorp reported revenues of $172.7 million, up 8.2% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 11%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ tangible book value per share estimates and a significant miss of analysts’ revenue estimates.

As expected, the stock is down 11% since the results and currently trades at $62.77.

Read our full analysis of The Bancorp’s results here.

Independent Bank (NASDAQ: INDB)

Tracing its roots back to 1907 and serving as a financial cornerstone in New England for over a century, Independent Bank Corp. (NASDAQ: INDB) operates as the holding company for Rockland Trust, providing banking, investment, and financial services across Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Independent Bank reported revenues of $253.7 million, up 43.7% year on year. This number topped analysts’ expectations by 2.2%. Zooming out, it was a satisfactory quarter as it also logged a solid beat of analysts’ revenue estimates but a narrow beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.

The stock is up 1.9% since reporting and currently trades at $82.11.

Read our full, actionable report on Independent Bank here, it’s free.

Live Oak Bancshares (NYSE: LOB)

Founded during the 2008 financial crisis with a vision to reimagine small business banking through technology, Live Oak Bancshares (NYSE: LOB) is a bank holding company that specializes in providing online banking services and SBA-guaranteed loans to small businesses across targeted industries nationwide.

Live Oak Bancshares reported revenues of $151.9 million, up 16.8% year on year. This print beat analysts’ expectations by 0.9%. However, it was a slower quarter as it recorded a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates and a miss of analysts’ tangible book value per share estimates.

The stock is up 5.5% since reporting and currently trades at $41.14.

Read our full, actionable report on Live Oak Bancshares here, it’s free.

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