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Posted by Defense World Staff on Jul 25th, 2026

Bank of New York Mellon Corp trimmed its position in Hancock Whitney Corporation (NASDAQ:HWC – Free Report) by 2.7% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 764,395 shares of the company’s stock after selling 21,044 shares during the quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp owned about 0.94% of Hancock Whitney worth $48,608,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of HWC. Torren Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Hancock Whitney during the 4th quarter valued at $32,000. Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC bought a new stake in Hancock Whitney during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Root Financial Partners LLC grew its holdings in Hancock Whitney by 70.9% during the 1st quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC now owns 612 shares of the company’s stock valued at $39,000 after buying an additional 254 shares in the last quarter. IFP Advisors Inc raised its position in shares of Hancock Whitney by 67.6% during the third quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 627 shares of the company’s stock valued at $39,000 after buying an additional 253 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. bought a new stake in shares of Hancock Whitney during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $40,000. 81.22% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Activity In other news, Director Christine L. Pickering sold 417 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, May 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $67.16, for a total transaction of $28,005.72. Following the transaction, the director owned 25,066 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,683,432.56. This represents a 1.64% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 0.92% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades HWC has been the topic of a number of research reports. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their price target on shares of Hancock Whitney from $78.00 to $80.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a report on Wednesday. Hovde Group downgraded Hancock Whitney from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating and set a $74.00 target price on the stock. in a research report on Friday, June 12th. DA Davidson upped their price objective on Hancock Whitney from $79.00 to $86.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, May 18th. Stephens lowered their target price on Hancock Whitney from $86.00 to $85.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Piper Sandler reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $87.00 target price on shares of Hancock Whitney in a report on Wednesday. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have issued a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $83.56.

View Our Latest Analysis on Hancock Whitney

Hancock Whitney Price Performance Hancock Whitney stock opened at $76.20 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.81. The stock has a market cap of $6.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.94 and a beta of 0.95. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $72.04 and a two-hundred day moving average of $68.79. Hancock Whitney Corporation has a 1 year low of $54.05 and a 1 year high of $79.36.

Hancock Whitney (NASDAQ:HWC – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 21st. The company reported $1.55 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $1.55. The firm had revenue of $403.57 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $398.89 million. Hancock Whitney had a net margin of 21.81% and a return on equity of 11.36%. The company’s revenue was up 6.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.37 earnings per share. On average, research analysts forecast that Hancock Whitney Corporation will post 6.47 earnings per share for the current year.

Hancock Whitney Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 5th were issued a $0.50 dividend. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.6%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, June 5th. Hancock Whitney’s dividend payout ratio is currently 41.07%.

About Hancock Whitney (Free Report)

Hancock Whitney Corporation (NASDAQ: HWC) is a regional financial services company headquartered in Gulfport, Mississippi. The firm was established in April 2019 through the merger of Hancock Holding Company and Whitney Holding Corporation, each of which traced its roots to the late 19th century. This combination created one of the largest bank holding companies in the Gulf South region, with a network of branches serving both urban and rural communities.

The company’s core business activities include commercial banking, retail banking and wealth management services.

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Key Takeaways HWC matched Q2 earnings estimates as higher NII, fee income and lower provisions supported results.HWC posted higher revenues, expanded NIM and sequential growth in loans and deposits.Hancock Whitney's higher y/y expenses weighed on efficiency. Hancock Whitney Corp.’s (HWC - Free Report)   second-quarter 2026 earnings per share of $1.55 matched the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The bottom line rose 17.4% from the prior-year quarter.

Results were supported by higher net interest income (NII) and non-interest income, along with a decline in provisions. Also, a sequential increase in loans and deposit balances was a positive. However, higher expenses were the undermining factor.

Net income available to common shareholders was $127 million, up 11.8% from the prior-year quarter. Our estimate for the metric was $124.6 million.

HWC’s Revenues Improve, Expenses RiseQuarterly total revenues were $401.4 million, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $396.4 million. The top line also increased 6.9% year over year.

NII (on a tax-equivalent basis) increased 5.6% year over year to $295.2 million. The net interest margin (NIM) was 3.56%, which expanded seven basis points (bps). Our estimates for NII and NIM were $291.2 million and 3.57%, respectively.

Non-interest income was $108.4 million, up 10% year over year. The rise was driven by an increase in service charges on deposit accounts, trust fees, bank card and ATM fees, and investment and annuity fees and insurance commissions. We had projected non-interest income of $107.1 million.

Total non-interest expenses (GAAP) increased 4.4% to $225.4 million. We had projected expenses of $227.1 million.

The efficiency ratio increased to 55.31% from 54.91% in the year-ago quarter. An increase in the efficiency ratio indicates a deterioration in profitability.

HWC’s Loans & Deposits Rise SequentiallyAs of June 30, 2026, total loans were $24.6 billion, up 2.5% from the prior quarter. Total deposits were $29.6 billion, up 1.9% from the previous quarter. Our estimates for total loans and deposits were $24.5 billion and $29.2 billion, respectively.

HWC’s Credit Quality ImprovesThe provision for credit losses was $13.8 million, down 7.7% from the prior-year quarter. Our estimate for provisions was $11.4 million.

Net charge-offs (annualized) were 0.16% of average total loans, down 15 bps from the prior-year quarter.

HWC’s Capital Ratios Decline, Profitability Ratios IncreaseAs of June 30, 2026, the Tier 1 leverage ratio was 10.87%, down from 11.35% at the end of the year-ago quarter. The common equity Tier 1 ratio was 13.18%, down from 13.97% as of June 30, 2025.

At the end of the second quarter of 2026, the return on average assets was 1.42%, up from 1.32% in the year-ago period. The return on average common equity was 11.52%, up from 10.63% in the prior-year quarter.

HWC’s Share Repurchase UpdateIn the reported quarter, HWC repurchased 712,966 shares at an average price of $68.28 per share.

Our View on Hancock WhitneyIn May, Hancock Whitney agreed to acquire OFB Bancshares, Inc. and combine the latter’s local relationships with its broader platform and expanded private banking and fee-income capabilities, supported by the 2025 Sabal Trust acquisition. Together, these actions are expected to support HWC’s top line over time through loan growth, a continued shift toward full-relationship lending and sustained investment in higher-growth markets.

Additionally, the company’s bond restructuring efforts and stabilizing funding costs are expected to continue to support NII expansion. However, weakening asset quality and elevated expenses remain key challenges.

Currently, Hancock Whitney carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Performance of Other BanksCommerce Bancshares Inc.’s (CBSH - Free Report) second-quarter 2026 earnings of $1.10 per share surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.04. The bottom line reflected a rise of 1% from the prior-year quarter.

CBSH’s results primarily benefited from higher NII and a rise in non-interest income. The sequential rise in loan balances acted as a tailwind. However, higher expenses and provisions hurt CBSH’s results to some extent.

F.N.B. Corporation (FNB - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 earnings of 42 cents per share, which matched the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The bottom line jumped 16.7% year over year.

FNB’s results primarily benefited from higher NII, a rise in non-interest income and lower provisions. Higher average loans and deposits were other positives. However, higher non-interest expenses hurt the results to some extent.

For the quarter ended June 2026, Hancock Whitney (HWC - Free Report) reported revenue of $401.36 million, up 6.9% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $1.55, compared to $1.37 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $396.38 million, representing a surprise of +1.26%. The company has not delivered EPS surprise, with the consensus EPS estimate being $1.55.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how Hancock Whitney performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

Net interest margin (TE): 3.6% compared to the 3.6% average estimate based on four analysts.Efficiency Ratio: 55.3% compared to the 55.8% average estimate based on four analysts.Total net charge-offs as a percentage of average loans: 0.2% versus the three-analyst average estimate of 0.2%.Average Balance - Total interest earning assets: $33.21 billion versus the three-analyst average estimate of $32.82 billion.Total nonperforming loans: $113.68 million versus $110.97 million estimated by two analysts on average.Total nonperforming assets (Total nonaccrual loans + ORE and foreclosed assets): $126.54 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $124.77 million.Total Noninterest Income: $108.35 million compared to the $106.33 million average estimate based on four analysts.Net interest income (TE): $295.23 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $292.89 million.Net Interest Income: $293.01 million versus $290.15 million estimated by three analysts on average.Secondary mortgage market operations: $4.07 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $3.99 million.Bank card and ATM fees: $23.18 million versus $22.16 million estimated by two analysts on average.Investment and annuity fees and insurance commissions: $14.62 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $12.12 million.View all Key Company Metrics for Hancock Whitney here>>>

Shares of Hancock Whitney have returned +9.2% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -0.6% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

GULFPORT, Miss.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hancock Whitney Corporation (Nasdaq: HWC) today announced its financial results for the second quarter of 2026. Net income for the second quarter of 2026 totaled $127.0 million, or $1.55 per diluted common share (EPS), compared to $47.4 million, or $0.57 per diluted common share, in the first quarter of 2026. First quarter 2026 results include a pretax charge of $98.6 million, or $0.95 per share, of a supplemental disclosure item related to a net loss on securities portfolio restructure. There were no supplemental disclosure items in the second quarter of 2026. The company reported net income for the second quarter of 2025 of $113.5 million, or $1.32 per diluted common share. The second quarter of 2025 included $5.9 million, or $0.05 per diluted common share, of supplemental disclosure items related to the acquisition of Sabal Trust Company.

Second Quarter 2026 Highlights

Net income totaled $127.0 million, or $1.55 per diluted share, compared to $47.4 million, or $0.57 per diluted share in the first quarter of 2026 Adjusted pre-provision net revenue (PPNR) totaled $178.1 million, up $5.2 million, or 3% from the prior quarter Loans increased $588 million, or 10% linked quarter annualized (LQA) Deposits increased $548 million, or 8% LQA Criticized commercial loans decreased and nonaccrual loans were virtually flat compared to the first quarter of 2026 ACL coverage solid at 1.42% NIM of 3.56%, up 1 bp from the prior quarter CET1 ratio estimated at 13.18%, down 11 bps linked-quarter; TCE ratio of 9.78%, down 15 bps linked-quarter; total risk-based capital ratio estimated at 14.97%, down 13 bps linked-quarter Efficiency ratio of 55.31%, compared to 55.43% in the prior quarter “The second quarter of 2026 results reflect another quarter of strong performance,” said John M. Hairston, President & CEO. “Our team delivered exceptional progress on our organic growth plan with loan growth of 10% and deposit growth of 8%, linked quarter annualized. We remained focused on our investment in revenue-generating activities, including hiring 15 net new bankers in the second quarter. Profitability remains solid with EPS of $1.55, ROA of 1.42%, an efficiency ratio of 55.31%, and continued fee income growth and well-controlled expenses. Our criticized loan levels decreased during the quarter and our ACL remains robust at 1.42%. We also announced the acquisition of One Florida Bank this quarter and expect to close the transaction on August 1. We look forward to the remainder of 2026 as we continue to execute our organic growth plan and welcome the One Florida Bank associates and clients to Hancock Whitney.”

Loans

Total loans were $24.6 billion at June 30, 2026, up $588.3 million, or 2%, from March 31, 2026. Loan growth was driven primarily by an increase in C&I lending, healthcare activity, and commercial real estate across multiple products.

Average loans totaled $24.3 billion for the second quarter of 2026, up $373.9 million, or 2%, linked-quarter.

Deposits

Total deposits at June 30, 2026 were $29.6 billion, up $547.6 million, or 2%, from March 31, 2026. Deposit growth was driven primarily by an increase in interest-bearing transactions and savings, offset by decreases in retail time deposits and interest-bearing public fund deposits.

Noninterest-bearing deposits totaled $10.3 billion at June 30, 2026, virtually flat from March 31, 2026, and comprised 35% of total period-end deposits.

Interest-bearing transaction and savings deposits totaled $13.0 billion at the end of the second quarter of 2026, up $785.0 million, or 6%, linked-quarter due to competitive products and pricing.

Interest-bearing public fund deposits decreased $56.9 million, or 2%, linked-quarter, totaling $2.9 billion at June 30, 2026. The decrease in interest-bearing public fund deposits was driven by seasonal outflows. Compared to March 31, 2026, retail time deposits of $3.4 billion were down $172.4 million, or 5%, driven by maturities and repricing during the second quarter of 2026.

Average deposits for the second quarter of 2026 were $28.8 billion, down $53.8 million, or less than 1%, linked-quarter.

Asset Quality

The total allowance for credit losses (ACL) was $348.0 million at June 30, 2026, up $4.3 million, or 1% from March 31, 2026. During the second quarter of 2026, the company recorded a provision for credit losses of $13.8 million, compared to $13.2 million in the first quarter of 2026. There were $9.4 million of net charge-offs in the second quarter of 2026, or 0.16% of average total loans on an annualized basis, compared to net charge-offs of $11.1 million, or 0.19% of average total loans in the first quarter of 2026. The ratio of ACL to period-end loans was 1.42% at June 30, 2026 compared to 1.43% at March 31, 2026.

Criticized commercial loans totaled $492.0 million, or 2.55% of total commercial loans, at June 30, 2026, down $30.2 million from $522.2 million, or 2.79% of total commercial loans, at March 31, 2026. Nonaccrual loans totaled $113.7 million, or 0.46% of total loans, at June 30, 2026, compared to $113.3 million, or 0.47% of total loans, at March 31, 2026. ORE and foreclosed assets were $12.9 million at June 30, 2026, up $1.6 million, or 14%, from $11.3 million at March 31, 2026.

Net Interest Income and Net Interest Margin (NIM) (TE)

Net interest income (TE) for the second quarter of 2026 was $295.2 million, an increase of $7.7 million, or 3%, from the first quarter of 2026. The net interest margin (NIM) (TE) was 3.56% in the second quarter of 2026, up 1 bp linked-quarter, driven by the higher investment portfolio yield (+2 bps), and lower cost of deposits (+3 bps), partially offset by unfavorable borrowing costs (-3 bps) and lower loan yields (-1 bp).

Average earning assets were $33.2 billion for the second quarter of 2026, up $507 million, or 2%, from the first quarter of 2026.

Noninterest Income

Noninterest income totaled $108.4 million for the second quarter of 2026, up $100.9 million from the first quarter of 2026. Included in noninterest income in the first quarter of 2026 was a supplemental disclosure item of a ($98.6) million loss from a securities portfolio restructuring. There were no supplemental disclosure items in the second quarter of 2026.

Service charges on deposit accounts totaled $25.9 million for the second quarter of 2026, unchanged from prior quarter. Bank card and ATM fees were up $1.1 million, or 5%, from the first quarter of 2026. Investment and annuity income and insurance fees were up $2.0 million, or 16%, linked-quarter due to seasonally higher activity. Trust fees were up $1.5 million, or 6%, linked-quarter due to annual collection of tax preparation fees. Fees from secondary mortgage operations totaled $4.1 million for the second quarter of 2026, up $0.5 million, or 15%, linked-quarter.

There were no securities gains and losses in the second quarter of 2026. Securities transactions, net in the first quarter 2026 was a loss of $98.6 million, resulting from a securities portfolio restructuring identified as a supplemental disclosure item.

Other noninterest income was $14.5 million in the second quarter of 2026, down $2.8 million, or 16%, from the first quarter of 2026. The decrease in other noninterest income was primarily due to lower syndication fees and lower SBIC income.

Noninterest Expense & Taxes

Noninterest expense totaled $225.4 million, up $4.7 million, or 2% linked-quarter.

Personnel expense totaled $130.2 million in the second quarter of 2026, up $3.0 million, or 2%, linked-quarter due to annual merit increases and the impact of new hires.

Net occupancy and equipment expense totaled $18.3 million in the second quarter of 2026, up $1.0 million, or 6%, from the first quarter of 2026. Amortization of intangibles totaled $2.2 million for the second quarter of 2026, down $0.3 million, or 13%, linked-quarter.

Net expense on ORE and other foreclosed assets totaled $0.2 million in the second quarter of 2026, compared to $0.4 million in the first quarter of 2026.

Other expenses totaled $74.5 million in the second quarter of 2026, up $1.2 million, or 2%, linked-quarter.

The effective income tax rate for the second quarter of 2026 was 21.7%, compared to 19.3% in the first quarter of 2026.

Capital

Common stockholders’ equity at June 30, 2026 totaled $4.4 billion, up $24.5 million, or 1%, from March 31, 2026. The tangible common equity (TCE) ratio was 9.78%, down 15 bps linked-quarter. The company’s CET1 ratio is estimated to be 13.18% at June 30, 2026, down 11 bps linked-quarter. Total risk-based capital ratio is estimated to be 14.97% at June 30, 2026, down 13 bps linked-quarter.

During the second quarter of 2026, the company repurchased 712,966 shares of its common stock at an average price of $68.28 per share. This stock repurchase is pursuant to the company’s share buyback program (which authorizes the repurchase of up to 5%, or approximately 4.1 million shares, of the company’s outstanding common stock), which expires on December 31, 2026. Since its inception, the company has repurchased 2,112,966 shares under this share buyback program.

Conference Call and Slide Presentation

Management will host a conference call for analysts and investors at 3:30 p.m. Central Time on Tuesday, July 21, 2026 to review second quarter of 2026 results. A live listen-only webcast of the call will be available under the Investor Relations section of Hancock Whitney’s website at investors.hancockwhitney.com. A link to the release with additional financial tables, and a link to a slide presentation related to second quarter 2026 results are also posted as part of the webcast link. To participate in the Q&A portion of the call, dial 833-461-5787, access code 863473372.

A replay of the conference call will be available under the Investor Relations section of our website.

About Hancock Whitney

Since the late 1800s, Hancock Whitney has embodied core values of Honor & Integrity, Strength & Stability, Commitment to Service, Teamwork, and Personal Responsibility. Hancock Whitney offices and financial centers in Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas offer comprehensive financial products and services, including traditional and online banking; commercial and small business banking; private banking; trust and investment services; healthcare banking; and mortgage services. The company also operates combined loan and deposit production offices in the greater metropolitan areas of Nashville, Tennessee, and Atlanta, Georgia. More information is available at www.hancockwhitney.com.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This news release includes non-GAAP financial measures to describe Hancock Whitney’s performance. These non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered alternatives to GAAP-basis financial statements and other bank holding companies may define or calculate these non-GAAP measures or similar measures differently. The reconciliations of those measures to GAAP measures are provided either in the financial tables or in Appendix A thereto.

Consistent with the provisions of subpart 229.1400 of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Regulation S-K, “Disclosures by Bank and Savings and Loan Registrants,” the company presents net interest income, net interest margin and efficiency ratios on a fully taxable equivalent (“TE”) basis. The TE basis adjusts for the tax-favored status of net interest income from certain loans and investments using the statutory federal tax rate to increase tax-exempt interest income to a taxable equivalent basis. The company believes this measure to be the preferred industry measurement of net interest income and it enhances comparability of net interest income arising from taxable and tax-exempt sources.

The company presents certain additional non-GAAP financial measures to assist the reader with a better understanding of the company’s performance period over period, as well as to provide investors with assistance in understanding the success management has experienced in executing its strategic initiatives. The company highlights certain items that are outside of our principal business and/or are not indicative of forward-looking trends in supplemental disclosures items below our GAAP financial data and presents certain “Adjusted” ratios that exclude these disclosed items. These adjusted ratios provide management or the reader with a measure that may be more indicative of forward-looking trends in our business, as well as demonstrates the effects of significant gains or losses and changes.

We define Adjusted Pre-Provision Net Revenue as net income excluding provision expense and income tax expense, plus the taxable equivalent adjustment (as defined above), less supplemental disclosure items (as defined above). Management believes that adjusted pre-provision net revenue is a useful financial measure because it enables investors and others to assess the company’s ability to generate capital to cover credit losses through a credit cycle. We define Adjusted Revenue as net interest income (te) and noninterest income less supplemental disclosure items. We define Adjusted Noninterest Expense as noninterest expense less supplemental disclosure items. We define our Efficiency Ratio as noninterest expense to total net interest income (te) and noninterest income, excluding amortization of purchased intangibles and supplemental disclosure items, if applicable. Management believes adjusted revenue, adjusted noninterest expense and the efficiency ratio are useful measures as they provide a greater understanding of ongoing operations and enhance comparability with prior periods.

Important Cautionary Statement about Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements that we may make include statements regarding our expectations of our performance and financial condition, balance sheet and revenue growth, the provision for credit losses, capital levels, deposits (including growth, pricing, and betas), investment portfolio, other sources of liquidity, loan growth expectations, management’s predictions about charge-offs for loans, the impact of current and future economic conditions, including the effects of declines in the real estate market, tariffs or trade wars (including reduced consumer spending, lower economic growth or recession, reduced demand for U.S. exports, disruptions to supply chains, and decreased demand for other banking products and services), high unemployment, inflationary pressures, increasing insurance costs, fluctuations in interest rates, including the impact of changes in interest rates on our financial projections, models and guidance and slowdowns in economic growth, as well as the financial stress on borrowers as a result of the foregoing, general economic business conditions in our local markets, Federal Reserve action with respect to interest rates, the effects of war or other conflicts, acts of terrorism, climate change, the impact of natural or man-made disasters, the adequacy of our enterprise risk management framework, potential claims, damages, penalties, fines and reputational damage resulting from pending or future litigation, regulatory proceedings, assessments, and enforcement actions, as well as the impact of negative developments affecting the banking industry and the resulting media coverage; the timing, benefits, costs and synergies of the merger with One Florida Bank, as well as statements regarding the potential impact of current or future business combinations on our performance and financial condition, including our ability to successfully identify acquisition targets and integrate the businesses, success of revenue-generating and cost reduction initiatives, the potential impact of third-party business combinations in our footprint on our performance and financial condition, the effectiveness of derivative financial instruments and hedging activities to manage risks, projected tax rates, increased cybersecurity risks, including potential business disruptions or financial losses, and the impact of artificial intelligence on our business operations, the adequacy of our internal controls over financial and non-financial reporting, the impact of changes in U.S. laws or policies, including those related to credit card interest rates, the financial impact of regulatory requirements and tax reform legislation, deposit trends, credit quality trends, net interest margin trends, future expense levels, future profitability, supplemental disclosure items, improvements in expense to revenue (efficiency) ratio, purchase accounting impacts and expected returns. Also, any statement that does not describe historical or current facts is a forward-looking statement. These statements often include the words “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “intends,” “plans,” “forecast,” “goals,” “targets,” “initiatives,” “focus,” “potentially,” “probably,” “projects,” “outlook," or similar expressions or future conditional verbs such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” and “could.” Forward-looking statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of management and on information currently available to management. Our statements speak as of the date hereof, and we do not assume any obligation to update these statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those contained in such statements in light of new information or future events.

Forward-looking statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Any forward-looking statement made in this release is subject to the safe harbor protections set forth in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned against placing undue reliance on such statements. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in Part I, “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, and in other periodic reports that we file with the SEC.

  HANCOCK WHITNEY CORPORATION

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

(Unaudited)

Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended

(dollars and common share data in thousands, except per share amounts)

6/30/2026

3/31/2026

6/30/2025

6/30/2026

6/30/2025

NET INCOME Net interest income $

293,012

$

285,165

$

276,959

$

578,177

$

546,864

Net interest income (TE) (a) 295,225

287,566

279,455

582,791

552,166

Provision for credit losses 13,775

13,172

14,925

26,947

25,387

Noninterest income 108,350

7,482

98,524

115,832

193,315

Noninterest expense 225,436

220,748

215,979

446,184

421,038

Income tax expense 35,190

11,305

31,048

46,495

60,719

Net income $

126,961

$

47,422

$

113,531

$

174,383

$

233,035

Supplemental disclosure items - included above, pre-tax Included in noninterest income Loss on securities portfolio restructure $

—

$

98,595

$

—

$

98,595

$

—

Included in noninterest expense Sabal Trust Company acquisition expense $

—

$

—

$

5,911

$

—

$

5,911

PERIOD-END BALANCE SHEET DATA Loans $

24,580,173

$

23,991,840

$

23,461,750

$

24,580,173

$

23,461,750

Securities 7,891,359

8,028,014

7,868,011

7,891,359

7,868,011

Earning assets 33,039,464

32,306,650

31,965,130

33,039,464

31,965,130

Total assets 36,345,972

35,542,126

35,212,652

36,345,972

35,212,652

Noninterest-bearing deposits 10,336,866

10,344,878

10,638,785

10,336,866

10,638,785

Total deposits 29,629,760

29,082,134

29,046,612

29,629,760

29,046,612

Common stockholders' equity 4,444,134

4,419,592

4,365,419

4,444,134

4,365,419

AVERAGE BALANCE SHEET DATA Loans $

24,339,904

$

23,965,993

$

23,249,241

$

24,153,981

$

23,159,406

Securities (b) 8,285,594

8,265,682

8,271,777

8,275,693

8,256,729

Earning assets 33,205,847

32,698,837

32,081,140

32,953,742

32,052,670

Total assets 35,881,537

35,420,096

34,527,276

35,652,091

34,441,870

Noninterest-bearing deposits 10,104,015

10,033,006

10,317,446

10,068,707

10,240,760

Total deposits 28,780,937

28,834,747

28,649,900

28,807,693

28,700,875

Common stockholders' equity 4,420,837

4,461,827

4,284,279

4,441,218

4,233,827

COMMON SHARE DATA Earnings per share - diluted $

1.55

$

0.57

$

1.32

$

2.12

$

2.69

Cash dividends per share 0.50

0.50

0.45

1.00

0.90

Book value per share (period-end) 55.23

54.46

51.15

55.23

51.15

Tangible book value per share (period-end) 42.95

42.26

39.46

42.95

39.46

Weighted average number of shares - diluted 81,485

82,261

85,943

81,868

86,203

Period-end number of shares 80,471

81,152

85,351

80,471

85,351

Market data High sales price $

75.25

$

75.43

$

58.24

$

75.43

$

61.57

Low sales price 62.16

59.97

43.90

59.97

43.90

Period-end closing price 74.72

63.59

57.40

74.72

57.40

Trading volume 55,444

53,673

43,450

109,117

85,142

PERFORMANCE RATIOS Return on average assets 1.42

%

0.54

%

1.32

%

0.99

%

1.36

%

Return on average common equity 11.52

%

4.31

%

10.63

%

7.92

%

11.10

%

Return on average tangible common equity 14.84

%

5.54

%

13.71

%

10.19

%

14.21

%

Tangible common equity ratio (c) 9.78

%

9.93

%

9.84

%

9.78

%

9.84

%

Net interest margin (TE) 3.56

%

3.55

%

3.49

%

3.55

%

3.46

%

Noninterest income as a percentage of total revenue (TE) 26.85

%

2.54

%

26.07

%

16.58

%

25.93

%

Efficiency ratio (d) 55.31

%

55.43

%

54.91

%

55.37

%

55.06

%

Average loan/deposit ratio 84.57

%

83.11

%

81.15

%

83.85

%

80.69

%

Allowance for loan losses as a percentage of period-end loans 1.27

%

1.30

%

1.33

%

1.27

%

1.33

%

Allowance for credit losses as a percentage of period-end loans (e) 1.42

%

1.43

%

1.45

%

1.42

%

1.45

%

Annualized net charge-offs to average loans 0.16

%

0.19

%

0.31

%

0.17

%

0.24

%

Allowance for loan losses as a % of nonaccrual loans 274.99

%

274.67

%

329.94

%

274.99

%

329.94

%

FTE headcount 3,674

3,658

3,580

3,674

3,580

(a) Taxable equivalent (TE) amounts are calculated using a federal income tax rate of 21%. (b) Average securities does not include unrealized holding gains/losses on available for sale securities. (c) The tangible common equity ratio is common shareholders' equity less intangible assets divided by total assets less intangible assets. (d) The efficiency ratio is noninterest expense to total net interest income (TE) and noninterest income, excluding amortization of purchased intangibles and supplemental disclosure items noted above. (e) The allowance for credit losses includes the allowance for loan and lease losses and the reserve for unfunded lending commitments.   HANCOCK WHITNEY CORPORATION

QUARTERLY FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

(Unaudited)

Three Months Ended

(dollars and common share data in thousands, except per share amounts) 6/30/2026

3/31/2026

12/31/2025

9/30/2025

6/30/2025

NET INCOME Net interest income $

293,012

$

285,165

$

282,170

$

279,738

$

276,959

Net interest income (TE) (a) 295,225

287,566

284,675

282,309

279,455

Provision for credit losses 13,775

13,172

13,145

12,651

14,925

Noninterest income 108,350

7,482

107,131

106,001

98,524

Noninterest expense 225,436

220,748

217,850

212,753

215,979

Income tax expense 35,190

11,305

32,734

32,869

31,048

Net income $

126,961

$

47,422

$

125,572

$

127,466

$

113,531

Supplemental disclosure items - included above, pre-tax Included in noninterest income Loss on securities portfolio restructure $

—

$

98,595

$

—

$

—

$

—

Included in noninterest expense Sabal Trust Company acquisition expense $

—

$

—

$

—

$

—

$

5,911

PERIOD-END BALANCE SHEET DATA Loans $

24,580,173

$

23,991,840

$

23,958,440

$

23,596,565

$

23,461,750

Securities 7,891,359

8,028,014

8,094,799

7,991,281

7,868,011

Earning assets 33,039,464

32,306,650

32,218,663

32,532,320

31,965,130

Total assets 36,345,972

35,542,126

35,472,762

35,766,407

35,212,652

Noninterest-bearing deposits 10,336,866

10,344,878

10,374,991

10,305,303

10,638,785

Total deposits 29,629,760

29,082,134

29,279,774

28,659,750

29,046,612

Common stockholders' equity 4,444,134

4,419,592

4,460,117

4,474,479

4,365,419

AVERAGE BALANCE SHEET DATA Loans $

24,339,904

$

23,965,993

$

23,715,763

$

23,425,895

$

23,249,241

Securities (b) 8,285,594

8,265,682

8,484,162

8,383,771

8,271,777

Earning assets 33,205,847

32,698,837

32,598,315

32,213,632

32,081,140

Total assets 35,881,537

35,420,096

35,227,286

34,751,209

34,527,276

Noninterest-bearing deposits 10,104,015

10,033,006

10,165,806

10,121,707

10,317,446

Total deposits 28,780,937

28,834,747

28,816,539

28,492,076

28,649,900

Common stockholders' equity 4,420,837

4,461,827

4,417,711

4,368,746

4,284,279

COMMON SHARE DATA Earnings per share - diluted $

1.55

$

0.57

$

1.49

$

1.49

$

1.32

Cash dividends per share 0.50

0.50

0.45

0.45

0.45

Book value per share (period-end) 55.23

54.46

54.22

52.82

51.15

Tangible book value per share (period-end) 42.95

42.26

42.16

41.07

39.46

Weighted average number of shares - diluted 81,485

82,261

83,791

85,453

85,943

Period-end number of shares 80,471

81,152

82,259

84,711

85,351

Market data High sales price $

75.25

$

75.43

$

67.10

$

64.66

$

58.24

Low sales price 62.16

59.97

54.05

56.87

43.90

Period-end closing price 74.72

63.59

63.68

62.61

57.40

Trading volume 55,444

53,673

55,269

51,077

43,450

PERFORMANCE RATIOS Return on average assets 1.42

%

0.54

%

1.41

%

1.46

%

1.32

%

Return on average common equity 11.52

%

4.31

%

11.28

%

11.58

%

10.63

%

Return on average tangible common equity 14.84

%

5.54

%

14.55

%

15.00

%

13.71

%

Tangible common equity ratio (c) 9.78

%

9.93

%

10.06

%

10.01

%

9.84

%

Net interest margin (TE) 3.56

%

3.55

%

3.48

%

3.49

%

3.49

%

Noninterest income as a percentage of total revenue (TE) 26.85

%

2.54

%

27.34

%

27.30

%

26.07

%

Efficiency ratio (d) 55.31

%

55.43

%

54.93

%

54.10

%

54.91

%

Average loan/deposit ratio 84.57

%

83.11

%

82.30

%

82.22

%

81.15

%

Allowance for loan losses as a percentage of period-end loans 1.27

%

1.30

%

1.28

%

1.33

%

1.33

%

Allowance for credit losses as a percentage of period-end loans (e) 1.42

%

1.43

%

1.43

%

1.45

%

1.45

%

Annualized net charge-offs to average loans 0.16

%

0.19

%

0.22

%

0.19

%

0.31

%

Allowance for loan losses as a % of nonaccrual loans 274.99

%

274.67

%

287.95

%

276.20

%

329.94

%

FTE headcount 3,674

3,658

3,627

3,603

3,580

(a) Taxable equivalent (TE) amounts are calculated using a federal income tax rate of 21%. (b) Average securities does not include unrealized holding gains/losses on available for sale securities. (c) The tangible common equity ratio is common shareholders' equity less intangible assets divided by total assets less intangible assets. (d) The efficiency ratio is noninterest expense to total net interest income (TE) and noninterest income, excluding amortization of purchased intangibles and supplemental disclosure items noted above. (e) The allowance for credit losses includes the allowance for loan and lease losses and the reserve for unfunded lending commitments.

GULFPORT, Miss.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hancock Whitney receives regulatory approval to acquire One Florida Bank.

Getting big returns from financial portfolios, whether through stocks, bonds, ETFs, other securities, or a combination of all, is an investor's dream. But when you're an income investor, your primary focus is generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments.

While cash flow can come from bond interest or interest from other types of investments, income investors hone in on dividends. A dividend is that coveted distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders, and investors often view it by its dividend yield, a metric that measures the dividend as a percent of the current stock price. Many academic studies show that dividends account for significant portions of long-term returns, with dividend contributions exceeding one-third of total returns in many cases.

Based in Gulfport, Hancock Whitney (HWC - Free Report) is in the Finance sector, and so far this year, shares have seen a price change of 19.38%. Currently paying a dividend of $0.50 per share, the company has a dividend yield of 2.63%. In comparison, the Banks - Southeast industry's yield is 1.96%, while the S&P 500's yield is 1.34%.

Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $2.00 is up 11.1% from last year. Over the last 5 years, Hancock Whitney has increased its dividend 3 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 11.55%. Looking ahead, future dividend growth will be dependent on earnings growth and payout ratio, which is the proportion of a company's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. Hancock Whitney's current payout ratio is 34%, meaning it paid out 34% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.

Looking at this fiscal year, HWC expects solid earnings growth. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 is $6.47 per share, representing a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 13.11%.

From greatly improving stock investing profits and reducing overall portfolio risk to providing tax advantages, investors like dividends for a variety of different reasons. However, not all companies offer a quarterly payout.

High-growth firms or tech start-ups, for example, rarely provide their shareholders a dividend, while larger, more established companies that have more secure profits are often seen as the best dividend options. Income investors must be conscious of the fact that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle during periods of rising interest rates. That said, they can take comfort from the fact that HWC is not only an attractive dividend play, but is also a compelling investment opportunity with a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).

All investors love getting big returns from their portfolio, whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities. But when you're an income investor, your primary focus is generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments.

Cash flow can come from bond interest, interest from other types of investments, and, of course, dividends. A dividend is the distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders; it's often viewed by its dividend yield, a metric that measures a dividend as a percent of the current stock price. Many academic studies show that dividends make up large portions of long-term returns, and in many cases, dividend contributions surpass one-third of total returns.

Hancock Whitney (HWC - Free Report) is headquartered in Gulfport, and is in the Finance sector. The stock has seen a price change of 12.33% since the start of the year. Currently paying a dividend of $0.50 per share, the company has a dividend yield of 2.8%. In comparison, the Banks - Southeast industry's yield is 2.04%, while the S&P 500's yield is 1.44%.

Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $2.00 is up 11.1% from last year. Over the last 5 years, Hancock Whitney has increased its dividend 3 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 11.55%. Looking ahead, future dividend growth will be dependent on earnings growth and payout ratio, which is the proportion of a company's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. Hancock Whitney's current payout ratio is 34%, meaning it paid out 34% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.

Looking at this fiscal year, HWC expects solid earnings growth. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 is $6.42 per share, with earnings expected to increase 12.24% from the year ago period.

From greatly improving stock investing profits and reducing overall portfolio risk to providing tax advantages, investors like dividends for a variety of different reasons. However, not all companies offer a quarterly payout.

For instance, it's a rare occurrence when a tech start-up or big growth business offers its shareholders a dividend. It's more common to see larger companies with more established profits give out dividends. Income investors must be conscious of the fact that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle during periods of rising interest rates. With that in mind, HWC presents a compelling investment opportunity; it's not only an attractive dividend play, but the stock also boasts a strong Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

PATTERSON, La.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--There's a larger transitional housing apartment complex available to residents of South Louisiana, made possible in part by a $1.17 million Affordable Housing Program (AHP) grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas and Hancock Whitney. The banks today joined The Purple Lemon, a faith-based mission, to celebrate the grand opening of an expanded transitional housing development that assists people recovering from addictions and homelessness. The AHP grant, w.

Hancock Whitney (NASDAQ: HWC - Get Free Report) will likely be announcing its Q1 2026 results after the market closes on Tuesday, April 21st. Analysts expect the company to announce earnings of $1.55 per share and revenue of $400.0060 million for the quarter. Investors may visit the the company's upcoming Q1 2026 earning results page for

GULFPORT, Miss.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hancock Whitney reports first quarter 2026 EPS of $0.57.

Hancock Whitney Corporation (HWC) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

Hancock Whitney beats Q1 EPS estimates on higher NII, but restructuring losses, weak revenues and rising expenses weigh on overall performance.

GULFPORT, Miss.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hancock Whitney Corporation Announces Quarterly Dividend.

GULFPORT, Miss.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hancock Whitney to Acquire One Florida Bank.

HWC climbs 10.1% in six months as loan growth, margin expansion and acquisitions support revenue and shareholder returns.

Hancock Whitney is upgraded to "Buy" after recent M&A activity and relative underperformance, with 13% upside and a stable dividend. HWC's $378 million all-cash acquisition of OFB Bancshares deepens its Florida presence, leveraging a strong capital position and targeting cost synergies. Post-acquisition, capital allocation will pivot: the dividend remains, but buybacks are expected to halt until CET1 normalizes by late 2027.

Does Hancock Whitney (HWC) have what it takes to be a top stock pick for momentum investors? Let's find out.