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BIRMINGHAM, Ala.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regions Bank on Thursday announced Regions Private Wealth Management has received the 2026 Datos Impact Award for Best Innovation in Financial Planning, recognizing the company's continued advancement of a planning-first approach that combines experienced financial guidance with technology to deliver clients a more connected, personalized and comprehensive experience. What is the Datos Impact Award? Datos Insights is a research and advisory firm working with t.

Regions Financial (NYSE:RF – Get Free Report) and Five Star Bancorp (NASDAQ:FSBC – Get Free Report) are both finance companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their dividends, valuation, risk, profitability, analyst recommendations, earnings and institutional ownership.

Risk and Volatility Regions Financial has a beta of 1.05, meaning that its share price is 5% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Five Star Bancorp has a beta of 0.55, meaning that its share price is 45% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Dividends Regions Financial pays an annual dividend of $1.20 per share and has a dividend yield of 4.4%. Five Star Bancorp pays an annual dividend of $1.00 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.3%. Regions Financial pays out 49.0% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Five Star Bancorp pays out 29.6% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years. Regions Financial has increased its dividend for 12 consecutive years. Regions Financial is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth.

Profitability This table compares Regions Financial and Five Star Bancorp’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Regions Financial 23.33% 12.88% 1.42% Five Star Bancorp 25.92% 15.92% 1.45% Insider and Institutional Ownership 79.4% of Regions Financial shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 46.9% of Five Star Bancorp shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.3% of Regions Financial shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 21.8% of Five Star Bancorp shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Earnings & Valuation This table compares Regions Financial and Five Star Bancorp”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Regions Financial $9.61 billion 2.44 $2.16 billion $2.45 11.21 Five Star Bancorp $176.60 million 5.97 $61.61 million $3.38 12.72 Regions Financial has higher revenue and earnings than Five Star Bancorp. Regions Financial is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Five Star Bancorp, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Analyst Recommendations This is a summary of recent recommendations for Regions Financial and Five Star Bancorp, as reported by MarketBeat.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Regions Financial 3 12 5 0 2.10 Five Star Bancorp 0 3 3 0 2.50 Regions Financial presently has a consensus price target of $31.53, suggesting a potential upside of 14.78%. Five Star Bancorp has a consensus price target of $47.25, suggesting a potential upside of 9.93%. Given Regions Financial’s higher probable upside, equities analysts plainly believe Regions Financial is more favorable than Five Star Bancorp.

Summary Five Star Bancorp beats Regions Financial on 9 of the 17 factors compared between the two stocks.

(Get Free Report)

Regions Financial Corporation, a financial holding company, provides banking and bank-related services to individual and corporate customers. It operates through three segments: Corporate Bank, Consumer Bank, and Wealth Management. The Corporate Bank segment offers commercial banking services, such as commercial and industrial, commercial real estate, and investor real estate lending; equipment lease financing; deposit products; and securities underwriting and placement, loan syndication and placement, foreign exchange, derivatives, merger and acquisition, and other advisory services. It serves corporate, middle market, and commercial real estate developers and investors. The Consumer Bank segment provides consumer banking products and services related to residential first mortgages, home equity lines and loans, consumer credit cards, and other consumer loans, as well as deposits. The Wealth Management segment offers credit related products, and retirement and savings solutions; and trust and investment management, asset management, and estate planning services to individuals, businesses, governmental institutions, and non-profit entities. It also provides investment and insurance products; low-income housing tax credit corporate fund syndication services; and other specialty financing services. The company was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama.

About Five Star Bancorp (Get Free Report)

Five Star Bancorp operates as the bank holding company for Five Star Bank that provides a range of banking products and services to small and medium-sized businesses, professionals, and individuals in Northern California. It accepts various deposits, such as money market accounts, noninterest-bearing and interest checking accounts, savings accounts, term certificate accounts, and time deposits. The company also offers loan products, including commercial and residential real estate loans; commercial loans; commercial land loans; farmland loans; commercial and residential construction loans; and consumer and other loans, as well as operating lines of credit. In addition, it provides debit cards; and remote deposit capture, online and mobile banking, and direct deposit services. Five Star Bancorp was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Rancho Cordova, California.

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On its third quarter of 2026 earnings call, held on Oct. 16, 2026, Regions Financial (RF +0.51%) reported adjusted pre-tax pre-provision income of $870 million. Disciplined deposit pricing and fixed-rate asset repricing shield bank profitability from broader interest rate pressures. Controlling funding costs while expanding commercial accounts provides durable earning power through volatile economic cycles. Three takeaways from management's comments stand out.

1. Growing Low-Cost Deposits Protects Net Interest MarginRegions relies on non-interest-bearing deposits, or accounts paying zero interest, to defend its net interest margin, which measures lending profitability after funding costs. Expanding core checking accounts holds down total funding costs despite elevated market rates.

2. Core Deposit System Modernization Drives Long-Term EfficiencyManagement is executing a multiyear cloud-based deposit platform optimization. The major technology overhaul will modernize core operations. Transitioning to real-time transaction processing accelerates product deployment and improves client onboarding.

This is one of the most significant technology investments in our company's history. And we remain confident in both our approach and the long-term benefits this investment will deliver.
-- John Turner Jr., Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer3. Organic Franchise Expansion Replaces Depository Acquisition DealsRegions is avoiding depository mergers and acquisitions (M&A), or buying competing banks, to concentrate resources on internal technology upgrades. Management prefers gaining market share organically by focusing on winning new middle market commercial business

In terms of M&A, ... our position is unchanged. We said we are not interested in depository M&A. We have a really good plan, and we continue to execute our plan.
-- John Turner Jr., Chairman, President and Chief Executive OfficerLooking AheadCommercial lending activity is accelerating as corporate clients invest in long-term expansion. Strong market density and disciplined deposit pricing preserve low funding costs, while management monitors deposit cost flexibility.

In the third quarter, yields on newly originated fixed rate assets were approximately 100 basis points higher than the yields on maturities.
-- Anil D. Chadha, TreasurerConsistent organic capital generation provides substantial flexibility to fund technology investments while keeping capital levels well above regulatory requirements.

We believe the investments we have made and the momentum we are seeing across the business position Regions well for a strong finish to 2026 and sustained success in the years ahead.
-- John Turner Jr., Chairman, President and Chief Executive OfficerThe Motley Fool recommends Regions Financial. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

FB Financial's Southern Expansion and Buybacks Drive Analyst OptimismRegions Financial NYSE: RF reported third-quarter 2026 net income of $611 million, or $0.71 per share, while adjusted earnings totaled $622 million, or $0.73 per share. The company reported adjusted pre-tax, pre-provision income of $870 million and an adjusted return on tangible common equity of 22%.

Chairman, President and CEO John Turner said the quarter reflected continued customer engagement, investments in talent and technology, and strength in the company’s credit and fee-based businesses. He said Regions continued to grow consumer households and checking accounts, while commercial clients remained active in business, technology and long-term investments.

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Loan growth moderated, with commercial activity still strong 3 Regional Bank Stocks to Buy on Relaxed RegulationsCFO Anil Chadha said both average and ending loan balances increased modestly from the second quarter, though growth slowed from the pace seen in the first half of the year. Growth was driven by commercial lending, including government and public-sector lending and wholesale and financial-services clients.

Loan growth remained concentrated among investment-grade commercial borrowers, although Regions said production trends were healthy in emerging commercial and middle-market businesses following recent hiring investments. Consumer loan balances declined modestly as growth in credit card and home equity balances was offset by softer residential mortgage and home-improvement financing activity.

New York Community Bank stock plummets amid real estate risksRegions maintained its outlook for average loans to rise by a low-single-digit percentage in 2026 compared with 2025. Turner said third-quarter production rose about $4 billion year over year, representing a 60% increase. He added that businesses were continuing to invest and expressed a generally positive view of the economy.

The company did note that higher rates were affecting investor real estate activity. Turner said new activity in that portfolio was slowing because rising costs made transaction economics more difficult, though multifamily lending continued to benefit from previously committed projects that were funding.

Margin improvement expected to continue in fourth quarter Net interest income increased 2% from the prior quarter, while net interest margin rose 2 basis points to 3.68%. Interest-bearing deposit costs increased just 1 basis point to 1.70% during the quarter.

Chadha said Regions expects interest-bearing deposit beta to remain in the mid- to high-30% range through the current rising-rate cycle. The company expects fourth-quarter net interest income to increase between 1% and 2%, assuming the next Federal Reserve rate increase occurs in December. Regions expects fourth-quarter net interest margin to be about 3.70%.

The company cited several factors supporting the outlook, including fixed-rate asset repricing, deposit-cost discipline, balance-sheet growth and a seasonal HR asset dividend. During the third quarter, yields on newly originated fixed-rate assets were about 100 basis points above yields on maturities. Regions expects that repricing advantage to expand to between 100 and 125 basis points in the fourth quarter.

Deposits declined modestly during the quarter, primarily because several large commercial customers used institutional investment services for specific strategies and because of seasonal public-funds outflows. Regions said it manages about $16 billion of excess commercial client balances through liquid off-balance-sheet investment products. Still, commercial non-interest-bearing balances increased, and small-business account openings reached their highest year-to-date level in a decade, excluding the pandemic period.

Regions expects average deposits for 2026 to increase by a low-single-digit percentage from the prior year. Turner said the company is prioritizing customer acquisition and operational account growth rather than using pricing as its primary deposit-growth strategy.

Record capital markets and treasury management revenue Adjusted non-interest income increased 3% from the second quarter, supported by record revenue in capital markets and treasury management, as well as higher commercial credit fees, bank-owned life insurance income and other non-interest income. Those gains were partly offset by a $28 million decline in the market value of employee benefit assets.

Capital markets income increased 23% from the previous quarter, driven by stronger merger-and-acquisition advisory work, securities underwriting and placement fees, commercial swap income and syndications revenue. Regions expects fourth-quarter capital markets revenue between $90 million and $105 million, with client activity and market conditions determining where results fall within that range.

Wealth management revenue declined from record second-quarter levels but remained above the prior-year period. Turner said the company still expects to finish 2026 with a record year in wealth management.

For the full year, Regions continues to expect adjusted non-interest income growth of 3% to 5% from 2025, with results tracking toward the lower end of that range.

Credit metrics improved and capital remained above target Credit quality strengthened during the quarter. Annualized net charge-offs fell 13 basis points from the previous quarter to 29 basis points of average loans. The business-services criticized ratio declined 30 basis points to 4.71%, while the nonperforming loan ratio fell 8 basis points to 59 basis points. The allowance for credit losses ratio declined 2 basis points to 1.61%.

Regions continues to expect full-year net charge-offs of 40 to 50 basis points, now trending toward the lower end of that range. Turner said the company expects credit conditions to remain stable, though it continues to monitor multifamily exposure in Texas, as well as office and transportation portfolios.

The company ended the quarter with an estimated common equity Tier 1 ratio of 10.8%. Including the impact of accumulated other comprehensive income and proposed Basel III endgame risk-weighted asset changes, Regions estimated its CET1 ratio at about 10%, above its stated target range of 9.25% to 9.75%.

During the quarter, Regions repurchased $95 million of shares and paid $255 million in common dividends. Chadha said the company generates roughly 50 basis points of capital per quarter and remains positioned to invest in growth while returning capital to shareholders when appropriate.

Technology conversion remains on schedule for 2027 Regions said it is making progress on its cloud-based deposit platform and broader modernization program. Turner described the initiative as one of the company’s largest technology projects and said an initial pilot involving associates, friends and family would begin within weeks. A broader pilot is planned for the first quarter of 2027, followed by phased customer conversions through 2027, with completion expected near the end of the second quarter or early in the third quarter.

The company said the platform is expected to provide real-time capabilities and enable faster product and pricing changes. Regions also expects technology spending, including cybersecurity investments related to evolving artificial-intelligence risks, to remain elevated for several years before declining as revenue grows.

About Regions Financial (NYSE:RF)Regions Financial Corporation NYSE: RF is a financial services company headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. Through its principal subsidiary, Regions Bank, the company provides banking and related financial services to consumers, businesses, and institutions.

Regions offers a range of products and services, including checking and savings accounts, consumer and commercial loans, mortgages, credit cards, treasury and cash-management services, investment and wealth-management solutions, and capital-markets services.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].

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For the quarter ended September 2026, Regions Financial (RF - Free Report) reported revenue of $1.97 billion, up 3% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $0.73, compared to $0.63 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of -0.37% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.98 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.67, the EPS surprise was +8.96%.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

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

Net interest margin (FTE): 3.7% compared to the 3.7% average estimate based on six analysts.Efficiency Ratio: 56.2% versus the six-analyst average estimate of 56.4%.Net charge-offs as a percentage of average loans: 0.3% versus the five-analyst average estimate of 0.4%.Average Balance - Total earning assets: $141.74 billion versus $142.46 billion estimated by four analysts on average.Tier 1 Capital Ratio: 11.9% compared to the 11.8% average estimate based on three analysts.Leverage Ratio: 9.8% compared to the 9.6% average estimate based on three analysts.Common Equity Tier 1 ratio: 10.8% versus 10.7% estimated by three analysts on average.Total risk-based capital ratio: 13.7% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 13.6%.Non-performing loans, including loans held for sale: $597 million versus $683.9 million estimated by two analysts on average.Non-performing assets: $617 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $707.9 million.Total Non-Interest Income: $675 million versus the six-analyst average estimate of $673.75 million.Net interest income, taxable equivalent basis: $1.31 billion versus $1.32 billion estimated by five analysts on average.View all Key Company Metrics for Regions Financial here>>>

Shares of Regions Financial have returned -4.1% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2.4% 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.

Regions Financial (RF - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.73 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.67 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.63 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +8.96%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this holding company for Regions Bank would post earnings of $0.64 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.68, delivering a surprise of +6.25%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times.

Regions Financial, which belongs to the Zacks Banks - Southeast industry, posted revenues of $1.97 billion for the quarter ended September 2026, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.37%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $1.92 billion. The company has not been able to beat consensus revenue estimates over the last four quarters.

The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.

Regions Financial shares have added about 0.8% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 13.1%.

What's Next for Regions Financial?While Regions Financial has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?

There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.

Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.

Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Regions Financial was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.69 on $2.02 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $2.63 on $7.79 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.

Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Banks - Southeast is currently in the top 33% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

One other stock from the same industry, First Community Bancshares (FCBC - Free Report) , is yet to report results for the quarter ended September 2026.

This holding company for First Community Bank is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.77 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +10%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.

First Community Bancshares' revenues are expected to be $47.48 million, up 12.5% from the year-ago quarter.

The Regions Bank parent posted net interest income growth of 3.3% to $1.3 billion, driven in part by fixed-rate asset turnover.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regions Financial Corp. announced quarterly cash dividends on common and preferred shares.

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 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 make up large portions of long-term returns, and in many cases, dividend contributions surpass one-third of total returns.

Headquartered in Birmingham, Regions Financial (RF - Free Report) is a Finance stock that has seen a price change of -0.26% so far this year. The holding company for Regions Bank is paying out a dividend of $0.30 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 4.44% compared to the Banks - Southeast industry's yield of 1.93% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.41%.

Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $1.20 is up 16.5% from last year. Over the last 5 years, Regions Financial has increased its dividend 4 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 13.34%. 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. Regions Financial's current payout ratio is 42%, meaning it paid out 42% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.

Looking at this fiscal year, RF expects solid earnings growth. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 is $2.63 per share, with earnings expected to increase 12.88% from the year ago period.

Investors like dividends for many reasons; they greatly improve stock investing profits, decrease overall portfolio risk, and carry tax advantages, among others. It's important to keep in mind that not all companies provide a quarterly payout.

Big, established firms that have more secure profits are often seen as the best dividend options, but it's fairly uncommon to see high-growth businesses or tech start-ups offer their stockholders a dividend. Income investors have to be mindful of the fact that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle during periods of rising interest rates. With that in mind, RF is a compelling investment opportunity. Not only is it a strong dividend play, but the stock currently sits at a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

I spotlight nine 'safer' S&P 500 Dogs, including VICI, KHC, and PFE, as prime dividend opportunities with strong free cash flow coverage. Analyst projections indicate top-ten S&P 500 Dogs could deliver 17.5%–33.2% net gains by October 2027, with a 37.1% average net gain across the group. Seven of the top ten 'safer' Dogs already meet the fair price standard, with only modest corrections needed for the remainder to align with ideal yield metrics.

Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE:RF) will release its third-quarter earnings report before the opening bell on Friday, Oct. 16.

Analysts expect the Birmingham, Alabama-based company to report quarterly earnings of 66 cents per share, up from 63 cents per share in the year-ago period. The consensus estimate for RF’s quarterly revenue is $2 billion. It reported $1.93 billion last year, according to Benzinga Pro.

On July 17, Regions Finl posted better-than-expected second-quarter earnings.

Regions Financial shares fell 1.3% to close at $26.70 on Wednesday.

Benzinga readers can access the latest analyst ratings on the Analyst Stock Ratings page. Readers can sort by stock ticker, company name, analyst firm, rating change or other variables.

Let’s have a look at how Benzinga’s most-accurate analysts have rated the company in the recent period.

UBS analyst Erika Najarian maintained a Neutral rating and cut the price target from $33 to $30 on Oct. 5, 2026. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 63%. JP Morgan analyst Vivek Juneja maintained a Neutral rating and cut the price target from $32 to $30.5 on Oct. 2, 2026. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 57%. Evercore ISI Group analyst John Pancari maintained an Underperform rating and slashed the price target from $31 to $27 on Oct. 1, 2026. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 61%. Morgan Stanley analyst Betsy Graseck maintained an Equal-Weight rating and cut the price target from $36 to $35 on Sept. 28, 2026. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 63%. Truist Securities analyst Brian Foran maintained the stock with a Hold rating and lowered the price target from $34 to $31 on Sept. 23, 2026. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 61%. Considering buying RF stock? Here’s what analysts think:

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Regions just raised its dividend while KeyCorp has held its payout frozen for nearly three years, but the real story is what each bank's balance sheet reveals about which payment is actually safe for retirees counting on that income.

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Regions Financial (NYSE:RF | RF Price Prediction) and KeyCorp (NYSE:KEY) reported second-quarter results in July. Regions raised its dividend by 13%, while KeyCorp held at $0.205. For retirees, the question is which balance sheet can support those payments.

Regions Pays More and Keeps Raising It The new $0.30 quarterly payout gives Regions a forward yield of about 4.4% versus KeyCorp’s 4.1%. Regions has grown its dividend at a 16% compound annual rate over 10 years. KeyCorp has paid the same amount since November 2022. On earnings coverage, payouts take about 49% and 48% of trailing earnings.

Dividend Lens Regions KeyCorp Quarterly Dividend $0.30 $0.205 Latest Net Interest Margin (NIM) 3.67% (Q1) 2.89% Net Charge-Offs 42 bps, falling 42 bps, rising Nonperforming Loans 0.67% 0.73% Capital and Deposits Decide Whether Checks Keep Coming Regulators set minimum capital levels. Credit losses or deposit outflows erode capital, and dividends get pressured first. KeyCorp cut its payout from $0.375 to $0.1875 in 2008.

Regions ended the quarter with a CET1 ratio (core capital as a share of risk-weighted assets) of 10.7%, and its Fed stress test coverage ratio of 101.4% ranked second highest among its peers. It generates 45 to 50 basis points of capital per quarter, and the new dividend uses about 20 basis points. Interest-bearing deposit costs of 1.72% lead its peers, which points to a loyal, low-cost depositor base. Management said clearly: “Our business model is not built around using high-cost deposits as a funding source.”

Rate Cuts Help KeyCorp, but Credit Is Slipping KeyCorp guides to 9-11% net interest income (NII) growth and a NIM of 3.25%+ by 4Q27, passing about 56% of rate cuts to depositors. Regions expects only 2.5-4% NII growth from a wider margin. KeyCorp’s concern: nonperforming assets rose to $818M from $692M in one quarter.

Commercial real estate is the risk to watch at both banks. Regions’ office loans carry a 10.8% nonperforming ratio, so that book is under real pressure. We do not have comparable CRE exposure figures for KeyCorp, so I would treat its book as a factor to watch.

Regions Leads the Retirement Income Comparison Regions leads this comparison on both current income and dividend growth. It pays the higher yield, has the better record of raises, carries more capital headroom and has improving credit. KeyCorp’s case rests on an earnings turnaround tied to its 15%+ return on tangible common equity (ROTCE) target, with a flat dividend in the meantime (the kind of frozen payout that often comes before a cut, which is exactly the pattern we broke down in a free dividend trap guide).

Two things would change my view. Regions’ office losses would have to spread into its wider loan book. KeyCorp would have to raise its dividend while bringing nonperforming assets back down.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities, all investors love seeing their portfolios score big returns. However, 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 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.

Headquartered in Birmingham, Regions Financial (RF - Free Report) is a Finance stock that has seen a price change of 0.59% so far this year. The holding company for Regions Bank is currently shelling out a dividend of $0.30 per share, with a dividend yield of 4.4%. This compares to the Banks - Southeast industry's yield of 1.95% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.43%.

Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $1.20 is up 16.5% from last year. Over the last 5 years, Regions Financial has increased its dividend 4 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 13.34%. 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. Regions Financial's current payout ratio is 42%, meaning it paid out 42% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.

RF is expecting earnings to expand this fiscal year as well. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 is $2.63 per share, with earnings expected to increase 12.88% from the year ago period.

Investors like dividends for a variety of different reasons, from tax advantages and decreasing overall portfolio risk to considerably improving stock investing profits. It's important to keep in mind that not all companies provide 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 have to be mindful of the fact that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle during periods of rising interest rates. With that in mind, RF is a compelling investment opportunity. Not only is it a strong dividend play, but the stock currently sits at a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

Key Takeaways Regions Financial plans to build 130-150 branches over the next three to four years in key Southeast markets.RF expects low-single-digit average loan and deposit growth in 2026 as it expands its branch network.Regions Financial plans to renovate more than 1,000 branches while investing in bankers and technology. Regions Financial Corporation (RF - Free Report) is stepping up its branch expansion strategy as competition intensifies across its Southeastern footprint. Speaking at the Barclays 24th Annual Global Financial Services Conference, management said that the bank plans to build between 130 and 150 branches over the next three to four years, while continuing to recruit bankers and invest in technology to retain existing customers and develop new relationships.

Regions Financial noted that customer activity and deposit trends remain constructive across its footprint. Management believes physical branches continue to play an important role even as customers increasingly use digital banking services. The expansion is focused on attractive markets within RF’s existing footprint rather than entering a broad range of new geographies. Florida, Georgia and Tennessee are among the key markets targeted for expansion.

Deposit growth is an important part of RF’s strategy. Management said that consumer and small-business noninterest-bearing deposits have been particularly strong, helping the bank manage funding costs in a competitive interest-rate environment. The bank expects overall deposits to remain roughly flat in the third quarter because of seasonal factors, but management continues to see favorable trends in several core deposit categories. Management expects average loans to increase in the low single digits in 2026 from the 2025 average of $96.1 billion, while average deposits are projected to grow in the low single digits from the 2025 average of $129.1 billion.

The branch expansion supports RF’s relationship-based growth strategy by helping retain customers, attract new ones and drive deposit, loan and fee growth. The bank also plans to renovate more than 1,000 branches while investing in bankers and technology to strengthen its Southeastern franchise and support long-term growth.

Overall, Regions Financial’s strategy reflects a continued emphasis on organic growth within its existing markets. By expanding its physical presence while upgrading branches and digital capabilities, the bank is seeking to increase customer engagement and capture additional business opportunities across its core Southeastern footprint.

Branch Expansion Efforts by Other BanksOther banks, such as PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (PNC - Free Report) and Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB - Free Report) , are also investing heavily in branch expansion to strengthen their presence in faster-growing markets and deepen customer relationships.

PNC Financial has expanded its branch investment program to nearly $2 billion, up from $1.5 billion announced in 2024. The company plans to open more than 300 branches across nearly 20 markets, renovate its network by 2029 and hire more than 2,000 employees by 2030.

Fifth Third is accelerating branch expansion in high-growth markets, particularly the Southeast and Southwest. The bank plans to have approximately 1,750 branches by 2030, with more than half in the Southeast, Texas, Arizona and California. Fifth Third remains on track to open 55 new Southeast branches in 2026 and plans to add 150 locations in Texas by 2029.

RF’s Price Performance and Zacks RankShares of RF have gained 11.9% compared with the industry’s 12.9% growth over the past six months.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

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

FB Financial's Southern Expansion and Buybacks Drive Analyst OptimismRegions Financial NYSE: RF said customer activity and credit trends remain constructive across its 15-state footprint, while the bank continues to invest in branches, bankers, technology and deposit infrastructure amid heightened competition in the Southeast, Texas and Midwest.

Chairman, President and CEO John Turner said customers are continuing to invest and consumers remain optimistic. He cited an 8% increase in credit-card spending and a 7% increase in debit-card spending, while saying deposit balances remain “really good.”

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3 Regional Bank Stocks to Buy on Relaxed Regulations“Customers are mindful of all the things that are going on around the world and across the country, but focused on their businesses and their particular balance sheets,” Turner said. “I think it’s very constructive.”

Competition, expansion and customer retention Turner acknowledged that competition has increased as banks enter Regions’ markets and larger institutions seek additional growth. Regions plans to respond by retaining existing customers, recruiting bankers, investing in technology and expanding its physical presence.

New York Community Bank stock plummets amid real estate risksThe company expects to build between 130 and 150 branches over the next three to four years. Turner also said Regions has added bankers across its footprint and relies on customer data and analytics to support retention and relationship growth.

CFO Anil Chadha said the company’s deposit data has helped it manage both noninterest-bearing and interest-bearing deposits through changing rate environments. He said Regions’ noninterest-bearing deposit base has been particularly valuable in protecting deposit costs amid competition.

Turner said market disruption from other banks’ consolidations has created opportunities for Regions to recruit talent and win customers. The company has added roughly 75 to 80 bankers across commercial banking, wealth banking and treasury management teams, he said.

Guidance maintained as loan growth moderates Chadha said results are tracking in line with Regions’ prior guidance, with no updates to its outlook. The company continues to expect a 2% quarter-over-quarter increase in net interest income for the third quarter and full-year net interest income growth of 2.5% to 4%.

Loan growth has moderated from the pace seen in the first half, as Regions had expected. Growth has been strongest in commercial and industrial lending and commercial real estate, while consumer lending has seen limited growth in the areas where the company participates.

Chadha said much of the recent growth has been in investment-grade credits, a deliberate strategy reflecting the risk-adjusted returns available in that business. Turner identified energy, financial services, power and utilities, health care, defense and technology-related spending as areas of loan growth.

Regions also sees opportunities related to data-center development, power utilities and infrastructure spending connected to artificial intelligence investment. Chadha said the company is pursuing those opportunities while monitoring potential concentration risks.

For the third quarter, Chadha said net interest income will benefit from an additional day in the quarter, fixed-asset repricing and a swap-related benefit. He said the company expects fourth-quarter net interest margin to move toward the 3.70% range previously discussed, though tight credit spreads and the mix of new investment-grade lending have weighed on margin expectations.

Deposit trends, fees and operating investments Regions expects overall deposits to be roughly flat in the third quarter due to seasonal trends. However, Chadha said the bank has experienced strong growth in consumer and small-business noninterest-bearing deposits, adding that third-party data indicates those categories are growing faster than peers.

The company expects third-quarter interest-bearing deposit costs to remain relatively flat. Chadha said Regions assumes deposit repricing beta in the mid-30% range for the remainder of the year, based on its rate assumptions.

On fee income, Chadha said wealth management, service charges and treasury management had a strong start to the year. Capital markets started more slowly but is tracking toward a quarterly range of $90 million to $105 million during the second half, he said. Mortgage activity has remained pressured by elevated rates.

Regions continues to target positive operating leverage over time while funding investments in people, technology, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. Chadha said the company has deployed GitHub Copilot to about 80% of its developer population and has seen an approximately 30% lift in code development. The bank is also using AI in document processing and customer-product analysis, while taking what Chadha described as a deliberate approach rather than pursuing a broad “big bang” deployment.

Deposit-system conversion and capital priorities Chadha said Regions has reached the testing phase of its multiyear deposit-systems transformation. A friends-and-family pilot involving about 100 participants is expected to begin the following month and run through year-end. If successful, the company plans a first-quarter customer pilot involving 8,000 to 10,000 customers before transitioning customers incrementally to the new cloud-based platform.

The new system is expected to improve product-development speed, data insights, cybersecurity capabilities and flexibility, including potential flexibility for future depository acquisitions.

Still, Turner said Regions is not currently interested in depository M&A, citing the company’s organic-growth plan and the need to complete the systems conversion without distraction. The company remains interested in smaller bolt-on acquisitions that diversify revenue streams and add scale to targeted businesses. Chadha pointed to the July acquisition of Frazer Lanier as an opportunity to expand Regions’ government and institutional banking capabilities across its footprint.

Credit quality has continued to improve, according to Chadha, with criticized and classified loans, nonaccruals and charge-offs declining. He said portfolios previously identified for closer attention, including office and transportation, have improved, and management does not currently see particular areas of concern.

Turner said the company remains focused on “soundness first, profitability second, and then growth.” Regions reported a 20% return on tangible common equity in the second quarter, while management reiterated its longer-term expectation of generating returns in a 16% to 18% range through varying economic conditions.

About Regions Financial (NYSE:RF)Regions Financial Corporation NYSE: RF is a financial services company headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. Through its principal subsidiary, Regions Bank, the company provides banking and related financial services to consumer, commercial and institutional customers.

Regions Bank offers checking and savings accounts, consumer loans, credit cards, mortgages, home equity products and other personal banking services. Its commercial and corporate offerings include business loans, treasury management, equipment financing, capital markets services and other solutions for companies, municipalities and institutions.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].

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Bank of America Corp DE bought a new position in shares of Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE:RF – Free Report) during the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund bought 7,253,906 shares of the bank’s stock, valued at approximately $219,068,000. Bank of America Corp DE owned about 0.85% of Regions Financial at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in RF. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Regions Financial during the 4th quarter worth about $254,564,000. Victory Capital Management Inc. lifted its position in Regions Financial by 68.9% during the fourth quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 22,836,163 shares of the bank’s stock worth $618,860,000 after acquiring an additional 9,312,449 shares during the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP boosted its holdings in shares of Regions Financial by 75.7% during the first quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 13,358,969 shares of the bank’s stock worth $348,936,000 after acquiring an additional 5,754,487 shares during the period. Legal & General Group Plc bought a new stake in shares of Regions Financial during the second quarter worth approximately $163,654,000. Finally, Korea Investment CORP acquired a new position in shares of Regions Financial in the second quarter valued at approximately $99,190,000. Institutional investors own 79.39% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes RF has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Robert W. Baird reiterated an “underperform” rating and set a $28.00 target price on shares of Regions Financial in a research note on Monday, July 6th. Stephens began coverage on Regions Financial in a research note on Monday, June 15th. They issued an “equal weight” rating and a $31.00 price target for the company. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Regions Financial in a report on Friday, July 17th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on Regions Financial from $31.50 to $32.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 29th. Finally, DA Davidson lifted their target price on Regions Financial from $33.00 to $34.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, July 20th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have given a Hold rating and four have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Regions Financial presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $32.29.

Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on RF Regions Financial Stock Down 4.1% Shares of NYSE RF opened at $28.46 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a current ratio of 0.81. Regions Financial Corporation has a 52 week low of $22.70 and a 52 week high of $32.47. The stock has a market capitalization of $24.25 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.62, a PEG ratio of 1.21 and a beta of 0.99. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $30.81 and its 200 day moving average is $28.82.

Regions Financial (NYSE:RF – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, July 17th. The bank reported $0.68 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.63 by $0.05. The business had revenue of $1.95 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.94 billion. Regions Financial had a net margin of 23.33% and a return on equity of 12.88%. Regions Financial’s revenue was up .1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.60 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts forecast that Regions Financial Corporation will post 2.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Regions Financial Increases Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 1st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 1st will be issued a dividend of $0.30 per share. This is a boost from Regions Financial’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.27. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 1st. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.2%. Regions Financial’s payout ratio is currently 48.98%.

(Free Report)

Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE: RF) is a financial services company headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. Through its principal subsidiary, Regions Bank, the company provides banking and related financial services to consumer, commercial and institutional customers.

Regions Bank offers checking and savings accounts, consumer loans, credit cards, mortgages, home equity products and other personal banking services. Its commercial and corporate offerings include business loans, treasury management, equipment financing, capital markets services and other solutions for companies, municipalities and institutions.

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regions Bank today announced it is increasing the Regions prime lending rate to 7.00% from 6.75%, effective Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.

HawkEye 360 and Leonardo Sign MOU to Deliver Sovereign Signals CapabilityPR Newswire

PARIS, Sept. 15, 2026

, /PRNewswire/ -- HawkEye 360, Inc. (NYSE: HAWK), the global leader in signals intelligence data and analytics, today announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Leonardo S.p.A., a leading global aerospace, defense, and security player and its affiliated. The MoU establishes a structured collaboration to integrate HawkEye 360's specialized radio-frequency (RF) sensing capabilities within Leonardo's (Telespazio/e-Geos) space service solutions, supporting the development of a sovereign, multi‑sensor intelligence info-driven solution for European customers.

Under the MoU, Leonardo will lead overall data integration and manage, through its geospatial solutions, institutional engagement across Europe, while HawkEye 360 will provide dedicated RF data capacity tailored to European operational needs. The first phase focuses on integrating a customized RF layer into the Leonardo global Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) service offering, including exclusive reserved capacity for defined European areas of interest. This phase also delivers data through Italian ground stations and EU‑based cloud infrastructure to reduce latency and enhance European data sovereignty.

"We are aligning closely with Leonardo to contribute advanced RF sensing capabilities to Europe's sovereign ISR frameworks," said John Serafini, Chief Executive Officer of HawkEye 360. "Our technology is adaptable and matured through years of operational heritage, and this collaboration represents an important step in supporting European nations with reliable, integrated RF insights embedded within their own architectures."

The MoU also outlines a phased pathway for deeper collaboration and a shared commitment to establishing scalable industrial cooperation over the coming years including the cooperation on respective payload technologies (RF localization, E/O, hyperspectral) evolution and manufacturing and hosting on respective systems and expanding interoperability between HawkEye 360's RF analytics and Leonardo's sensing solutions.

"Through this collaboration, Leonardo will integrate HawkEye 360's specialized RF capabilities with our space services expertise to deliver a multi-sensor solution tailored to European geospatial information requirements," said Massimo Claudio Comparini, Managing Director of Leonardo's Space Division. "This further strengthens Leonardo's and its affiliated role as a trusted European integrator of sovereign space-based intelligence and strategic data provider."

About HawkEye 360
HawkEye 360 is equipping defense, intelligence, and national security leaders with mission-critical electronic warfare to enable faster, better decision-making. By detecting, geolocating, and characterizing radio-frequency emissions worldwide, HawkEye 360 delivers trusted domain awareness and early-warning indicators to the US Government and allied partners. Our space-based collection, proprietary signal processing, and AI-powered analytics transform knowledge of RF spectrum into a strategic advantage. Proven by operational mission success, HawkEye 360 is redefining how signals intelligence strengthens national and global security.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding the availability and capabilities of the Company's products, are forward-looking statements and represent the Company's views as of the date of this press release. The words "will," "expects," "plans," "could," "would," "believes," "anticipates," "intends," "may," "continue," "estimate," or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The Company has based these forward-looking statements on its current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, short-term and long-term business operations and objectives and financial needs. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of assumptions and risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond the Company's control that could affect its financial results. These risks and uncertainties are detailed in the sections titled "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q dated June 22, 2026, and other filings that the Company makes from time to time with the SEC, which are available on the SEC's website at sec.gov. Moreover, the Company operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for management to predict all risks, nor can the Company assess the impact of all factors on its business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements the Company may make. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the future events and trends discussed in this press release may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in any forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company is under no obligation to update these forward-looking statements subsequent to the date of this press release, or to update the reasons if actual results differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements.

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SOURCE HawkEye 360 Inc.

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Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of RF either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

Callan Family Office LLC bought a new position in shares of Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE:RF – Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm bought 27,611 shares of the bank’s stock, valued at approximately $834,000.

Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in RF. Empowered Funds LLC increased its stake in Regions Financial by 7.2% in the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 19,152 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $416,000 after purchasing an additional 1,278 shares during the last quarter. Woodline Partners LP lifted its position in shares of Regions Financial by 40.7% during the 1st quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 76,797 shares of the bank’s stock worth $1,669,000 after buying an additional 22,216 shares during the last quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Regions Financial by 0.7% during the 2nd quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 71,717 shares of the bank’s stock worth $1,687,000 after buying an additional 511 shares during the last quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Regions Financial by 81.2% in the 2nd quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 11,677 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $275,000 after buying an additional 5,233 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Regions Financial by 5.0% in the 2nd quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. now owns 141,155 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $3,320,000 after buying an additional 6,690 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 79.39% of the company’s stock.

Regions Financial Price Performance RF stock opened at $30.62 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.81, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26. The company has a market capitalization of $26.09 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.50, a PEG ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 1.00. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $30.70 and a 200-day simple moving average of $28.80. Regions Financial Corporation has a twelve month low of $22.70 and a twelve month high of $32.47.

Regions Financial (NYSE:RF – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Friday, July 17th. The bank reported $0.68 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.63 by $0.05. Regions Financial had a net margin of 23.33% and a return on equity of 12.88%. The business had revenue of $1.95 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.94 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.60 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up .1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Regions Financial Corporation will post 2.63 EPS for the current year. Regions Financial Increases Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 1st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 1st will be given a dividend of $0.30 per share. This represents a $1.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 1st. This is an increase from Regions Financial’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.27. Regions Financial’s payout ratio is 48.98%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In RF has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Cantor Fitzgerald increased their target price on shares of Regions Financial from $34.00 to $35.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 21st. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on shares of Regions Financial from $34.00 to $35.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday, June 29th. Truist Financial raised their price objective on Regions Financial from $30.00 to $34.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 21st. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $34.00 price objective on shares of Regions Financial in a report on Monday, July 20th. Finally, DA Davidson lifted their target price on Regions Financial from $33.00 to $34.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday, July 20th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have assigned a Hold rating and four have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $32.24.

View Our Latest Analysis on RF

Regions Financial Company Profile (Free Report)

Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE: RF) is a U.S. bank holding company headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, that provides a broad range of banking and financial services. Its primary banking subsidiary, Regions Bank, serves retail and commercial customers through a combination of branch and ATM networks, digital channels and relationship-based delivery. The company offers deposit accounts, consumer and commercial loans, mortgage origination and servicing, and payment and treasury services.

In addition to core banking, Regions offers wealth management, trust and brokerage services, insurance solutions, and capital markets capabilities to corporate and institutional clients.

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Regions Financial Corp. to Participate in Barclays' 24th Annual Global Financial Services Conference Regions Financial Corp. NYSE:RF on Tuesday announced the company is scheduled to participate in Barclays’ 24th Annual Global Financial Services Conference.

Regions leadership will take part in a fireside chat-style discussion with the conference moderator beginning at approximately 9 a.m. ET on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026. The discussion can be live-streamed in a listen-only format. To access the discussion, visit Regions’ Investor Relations page at ir.regions.com.

A replay will also be made available on the Investor Relations page following the event.

About Regions Financial Corporation

Regions Financial Corporation NYSE:RF, with $161 billion in assets, is a member of the S&P 500 Index and is one of the nation’s largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, wealth management, and mortgage products and services. Regions serves customers across the South, Midwest and Texas, and through its subsidiary, Regions Bank, operates more than 1,200 banking offices and more than 1,750 ATMs. Regions Bank is an Equal Housing Lender and Member FDIC. Additional information about Regions and its full line of products and services can be found at www.regions.com.

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Disclosures I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and have no plans to buy any new positions in the stocks mentioned within the next 72 hours.

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Canada Pension Plan Investment Board acquired a new stake in Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE:RF – Free Report) during the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 282,601 shares of the bank’s stock, valued at approximately $8,535,000.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in RF. WPG Advisers LLC increased its stake in shares of Regions Financial by 83.5% in the 2nd quarter. WPG Advisers LLC now owns 813 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 370 shares during the last quarter. Keating Financial Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new stake in Regions Financial in the second quarter valued at about $25,000. Trust Co. of Vermont acquired a new stake in Regions Financial in the second quarter valued at about $26,000. Gables Capital Management Inc. bought a new position in Regions Financial in the second quarter valued at about $30,000. Finally, Darwin Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Regions Financial during the second quarter worth about $25,000. 79.39% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets RF has been the subject of a number of research reports. Stephens initiated coverage on shares of Regions Financial in a report on Monday, June 15th. They issued an “equal weight” rating and a $31.00 target price for the company. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “hold” rating and set a $32.00 price objective on shares of Regions Financial in a research report on Friday, July 17th. Evercore reissued an “underperform” rating and issued a $31.00 price objective on shares of Regions Financial in a research note on Monday, July 6th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their target price on shares of Regions Financial from $32.00 to $33.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research note on Monday, July 20th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Regions Financial in a report on Friday, July 17th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and four have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Regions Financial currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $32.24.

Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Regions Financial Regions Financial Stock Down 0.2% Regions Financial stock opened at $30.35 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a current ratio of 0.81. Regions Financial Corporation has a 52-week low of $22.70 and a 52-week high of $32.47. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $30.84 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $28.81. The firm has a market cap of $25.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.39, a PEG ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 1.00.

Regions Financial (NYSE:RF – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, July 17th. The bank reported $0.68 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.63 by $0.05. Regions Financial had a net margin of 23.33% and a return on equity of 12.88%. The company had revenue of $1.95 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.94 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.60 earnings per share. Regions Financial’s revenue for the quarter was up .1% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts predict that Regions Financial Corporation will post 2.63 EPS for the current year.

Regions Financial Increases Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 1st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 1st will be given a dividend of $0.30 per share. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.0%. This is an increase from Regions Financial’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.27. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 1st. Regions Financial’s payout ratio is currently 43.27%.

Regions Financial Profile (Free Report)

Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE: RF) is a U.S. bank holding company headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, that provides a broad range of banking and financial services. Its primary banking subsidiary, Regions Bank, serves retail and commercial customers through a combination of branch and ATM networks, digital channels and relationship-based delivery. The company offers deposit accounts, consumer and commercial loans, mortgage origination and servicing, and payment and treasury services.

In addition to core banking, Regions offers wealth management, trust and brokerage services, insurance solutions, and capital markets capabilities to corporate and institutional clients.

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I got the weirdest email on Monday:

No, thanks. I absolutely do not want to start banking with a social media company. Elon Musk has been touting the idea of X Money since he took over Twitter back in 2022 and it is finally a reality… kind of.

X Money is actually a payments feature built into the X app. Behind the scene it is a partnership with FDIC-backed Cross River Bank and Visa. On the surface, it looks like it wants to compete with Venmo, CashApp, or PayPal, which have already solidified their positions in this market.

I am fascinated with the peer-to-peer (P2P) payment app market. Venmo leaned into making bill pay a more social experience using friends, feeds, and cute emojis. You know a service is popular when its name gets “verbed.” To “Venmo” someone means to send them money, just as to “Google” something means to do an internet search.

CashApp was always a little more serious or business-y to me. It was acquired by Block Inc. (formerly Square), a payment processor used by small businesses. Then there’s PayPal, which is generally accepted almost anywhere you shop online. Competing with PayPal might be the most interesting part of the story.

Elon Musk had an online banking and financial services startup called X.com back in 1999. It merged with a company called Confinity who owned PayPal. He was briefly the CEO of the combined company, but was unsurprisingly ousted by the board over a dispute. Two years later the company was bought by eBay, handing Musk the money he needed to launch Tesla and SpaceX.

A Crowded and Evolving Space I don’t think I’m going out on a limb here by saying X Money is not the future of banking. I have been following new trends in banking closely because I think there will be some new dividend payers popping up soon.

There’s no doubt how we handle money has changed radically over the years. Apps allow for most banking to be done directly from your smartphone. Those P2P services mentioned above let you send payments quickly from person to person.

There’s also the rise of online-only banks and neobanks, which are not licensed banks and partner with FDIC-insured banks. Both are mobile-app-centric financial solutions. They offer low or zero fees by eliminating the overhead of physical branch locations. I like the idea of passing on the cost savings to the customer… but I’d be even more interested if they used some of that saving to pay a dividend.

SoFi Technologies (SOFI) is a nationally chartered FDIC-insured financial institution with no physical locations. It started publicly trading in 2021 through a SPAC reverse merger. For the second quarter, it reported record adjusted net revenue of $1.2 billion, up 40% year over year. Member growth was up 35% to a record 15.8 million.

Chime Financial (CHYM) is a fintech platform that offers digital banking through a network of partner banks. It was founded back in 2012 but only went public last year. Its second-quarter revenue hit $670 million, up 27% year over year. Active members grew 20% hitting 10.4 million.

Neither pay a dividend because they are in the growth phase, but both are on my watch list. If this becomes the preferred future of banking, dividends will follow. Until then, we’ll have to find our banking dividends in conventional players with physical branches.

Tried and True Is the Way to Go The big names in traditional banks have seen their shares run higher over the past few years, squashing their dividend yields. To hit my 3.5% minimum yield, I instead look at regional banks. Here are two on my radar.

Columbia Banking Systems (COLB) has branches in the seven most Western states plus Colorado and Texas. While most major banks are closing retail locations, COLB opened a branch in Colorado Springs and a financial hub in Las Vegas in the second quarter. It has $65 billion in assets and a tangible book value per share of $19.22. Earnings per share (EPS) for Q2 came in at $0.73, flat year over year but enough to more than cover its dividend. COLB pays $0.37 per quarter for a current yield of 4.5%.

Regions Financial Corp. (RF) primarily operates in the Midwest and Southeast (think Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and North and South Carolina). The bank has $161 billion in assets and a tangible book value per share of $20.38. EPS for the second quarter was $0.64, up 8.4% year over year. RF pays $0.30 per quarter for a current yield of 3.7%.

Boring is better when it comes to dividends and it makes complete sense. Mature companies are the ones who can afford to pay dividends once they’ve solidified their place in the markets. At the same time, we should always keep an eye on the changes in these industries. The innovators of today could be the solid dividend payers of the future.

For more income, now and in the future,

Kelly Green

Originally published August 19, 2026

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kate Danella will serve as Chief Administrative Officer while John Jordan leads Consumer Banking; Angela Santone joins the CEO's leadership team.