The end of the earnings season is always a good time to take a step back and see who shined (and who didn’t). Let’s take a look at how regional banks stocks fared in Q1, starting with Provident Financial Services (NYSE: PFS).

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 91 regional banks stocks we track reported a slower Q1. As a group, revenues were in line with analysts’ consensus estimates.

Thankfully, share prices of the companies have been resilient as they are up 9.2% on average since the latest earnings results.

Provident Financial Services (NYSE: PFS)

Founded in 1839 and serving communities across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York, Provident Financial Services (NYSE: PFS) operates a regional bank providing commercial, residential, and consumer lending alongside wealth management and insurance services.

Provident Financial Services reported revenues of $225.2 million, up 7.9% year on year. This print was in line with analysts’ expectations, but overall, it was a mixed quarter for the company with a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates but a miss of analysts’ net interest income estimates.

Anthony J. Labozzetta, President and Chief Executive Officer commented, “Provident delivered another strong quarter of financial performance, demonstrating the continued momentum in our business and the effectiveness of our strategic initiatives. Pre-provision, net revenue grew 13.5% year-over-year, driven by strong loan growth, modest margin expansion, and notable growth in insurance agency income. The bank’s loan pipeline of $3.1 billion sits at record levels, and we remain optimistic about continued earnings per share growth and compounding of tangible book value moving forward.”

Interestingly, the stock is up 6.6% since reporting and currently trades at $23.90.

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

Best Q1: UMB Financial (NASDAQ: UMBF)

With roots dating back to 1913 and a name derived from "United Missouri Bank," UMB Financial (NASDAQ: UMBF) is a financial holding company that provides banking, asset management, and fund services to commercial, institutional, and individual customers.

UMB Financial reported revenues of $744.8 million, up 29.3% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 5.4%. The business had an exceptional quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ net interest income estimates.

UMB Financial achieved the biggest analyst estimate beat among its peers. The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 16.7% since reporting. It currently trades at $146.34.

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

Weakest Q1: BankUnited (NYSE: BKU)

Born from the ashes of a failed Florida thrift during the 2009 financial crisis, BankUnited (NYSE: BKU) is a regional bank that provides commercial lending, deposit services, and treasury solutions to businesses and consumers primarily in Florida and the New York metropolitan area.

BankUnited reported revenues of $273.8 million, up 6.1% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 5.1%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ net interest income and EPS estimates.

Interestingly, the stock is up 4.4% since the results and currently trades at $48.84.

Read our full analysis of BankUnited’s results here.

Valley National Bank (NASDAQ: VLY)

Tracing its roots back to 1927 during the economic boom before the Great Depression, Valley National Bancorp (NASDAQGS:VLY) operates Valley National Bank, providing commercial, consumer, and wealth management banking services across several states.

Valley National Bank reported revenues of $541.6 million, up 12.9% year on year. This number topped analysts’ expectations by 1.3%. Taking a step back, it was a satisfactory quarter as it also produced a narrow beat of analysts’ net interest income estimates but tangible book value per share in line with analysts’ estimates.

The stock is up 11.4% since reporting and currently trades at $14.76.

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

Eastern Bank (NASDAQ: EBC)

Founded in 1818 as one of America's oldest mutual banks before converting to a public company in 2020, Eastern Bankshares (NASDAQ: EBC) operates as a bank holding company providing commercial and retail banking services primarily in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.

Eastern Bank reported revenues of $295.9 million, up 30% year on year. This result lagged analysts’ expectations by 2%. Overall, it was a softer quarter as it also logged a significant miss of analysts’ net interest income and EPS estimates.

The stock is up 7.5% since reporting and currently trades at $22.05.

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

Market Update

Late in 2025 into early 2026, there was hand-wringing around artificial intelligence. For software companies, the fear was that AI would erode pricing power and compress margins as new tools made it easier to replicate what once required expensive enterprise platforms. Crypto investors had their own version of the same anxiety: if AI agents could trade, allocate capital, and manage wallets autonomously, what exactly was the long-term value of today’s crypto infrastructure?

These concerns triggered a noticeable rotation away from these sectors and into safer havens. But markets rarely dwell on one narrative for long. Spring 2026 came, and the focus shifted abruptly from technological disruption to geopolitical risk. The US’ conflict with Iran became the dominant driver of market psychology, and when geopolitics takes center stage, the script changes quickly. Investors stop debating growth rates and start worrying about oil supply, inflation, and global stability.

Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Top 5 Quality Compounder Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.