First Hawaiian Inc is a bank holding company... Show more
First Hawaiian, Inc. (NASDAQ: FHB) is the parent of First Hawaiian Bank, the oldest and largest bank headquartered in Hawaii, with operations across Hawaii, Guam, and Saipan. As a regional bank, its quarterly results are closely watched as a signal of Hawaii's local economy and commercial real estate (CRE) conditions. This report also arrives as the company prepares to close its pending merger with TriCo Bancshares, making expense trends and capital positioning especially relevant. With an asset-sensitive balance sheet, First Hawaiian is positioned to benefit from the higher-for-longer interest rate environment, so investors are paying close attention to margin expansion and loan portfolio quality.
For the third quarter ended September 30, 2026, First Hawaiian reported net income of $63.7 million, or $0.52 per diluted share, down from $73.4 million, or $0.60 per share, in the second quarter of 2026. The result fell short of the consensus analyst estimate of $0.56 per share.
Net interest income (NII) rose $3.1 million to $174.1 million, supported by a net interest margin that climbed 5 basis points to 3.30%. Noninterest income declined to $56.1 million from $60.3 million in the prior quarter. Noninterest expense surged to $160.0 million from $130.4 million, reflecting a $24.3 million California tax settlement expense and $6.7 million in merger-related costs; these were partially offset by a $31.0 million income tax benefit tied to the same settlement.
On the balance sheet, total loans and leases decreased $115.1 million to $14.46 billion, while total deposits increased $50.4 million to $20.20 billion. The provision for credit losses rose to $20.3 million from $5.6 million, driven by a $12.5 million partial charge-off on a participated downtown Seattle office loan and downgrades of four other CRE loans.
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Despite the earnings-per-share miss relative to consensus, shares of First Hawaiian traded higher following the release, suggesting investors weighed the underlying core-banking performance and capital strength more heavily than the headline shortfall. The quarter's largest earnings drags were one-time items — the tax settlement and merger-related costs — rather than a deterioration in the core franchise. At the same time, the spike in the net charge-off rate to 0.60% from 0.11% kept credit quality at the center of the conversation, with management characterizing the Seattle office charge-off as an isolated situation. Investor sentiment appeared to balance the improving margin and deposit trends against lingering uncertainty in the commercial real estate portfolio.
Looking ahead, the biggest near-term catalyst is the expected fourth quarter 2026 closing of the TriCo Bancshares merger. Management is focused on integration execution, and investors will be watching for any additional merger-related costs and clarity on the combined franchise's expense trajectory.
On the rate side, First Hawaiian remains asset-sensitive, with roughly $400 million in fixed-rate cash flows repricing each quarter at a spread of about 160 to 170 basis points. If the Federal Reserve holds rates higher for longer, the bank expects continued gradual margin accretion, though the pace depends on future rate decisions and deposit repricing behavior.
Credit quality deserves close monitoring. While management called the Seattle office charge-off isolated, the criticized loans ratio rose to 2.86% from 2.14%, and non-performing assets climbed to 0.45% of total loans. Investors will want to see whether these metrics stabilize next quarter. Finally, loan growth remains a question mark, as unexpected CRE payoffs and residential runoff weighed on the portfolio in the third quarter.
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a regional bank
Industry RegionalBanks