First Horizon (FHN) and Hancock Whitney (HWC): What to Watch in Their Upcoming Q1 Earnings
Key Takeaways
- First Horizon (FHN) reports Q1 2026 earnings on April 15, with consensus EPS of $0.49 and revenue of $869 million.
- Hancock Whitney (HWC) follows on April 21, expecting EPS of $1.50 and revenue around $393 million.
- Both regional banks showed strong Q4 2025 results: FHN EPS $0.52 (beat estimates), HWC EPS $1.49 (slight beat).
- FHN assets ~$84B, loans $63B, deposits $67B; HWC smaller at $35B assets, $24B loans, $29B deposits.
- Recent NIM stable at ~3.5% for both; credit quality solid with ACL ratios 1.3-1.4%.
- Tickeron AI favors HWC for superior ROTCE and per-share profitability.
Why These Regional Bank Earnings Matter Right Now
Quarterly earnings continue to be a key focus for regional banks such as First Horizon (FHN) and Hancock Whitney (HWC). These reports shed light on net interest income (NII, which is interest revenue minus funding costs), loan growth, deposit trends, and credit provisions in the current rate environment. Both banks operate in the Southeast U.S., where they compete in areas like commercial real estate, healthcare, and small business lending. In my view, FHN's larger scale provides more diversified revenue streams, while HWC stands out for its emphasis on efficiency. The upcoming Q1 reports on April 15 and 21 will be telling for NII resilience and expense management, shaping how investors see the stability of regional banks overall.
Diving into First Horizon's Outlook
First Horizon (FHN), based in Memphis, is set to release its Q1 2026 results on April 15 before the market opens, with a conference call at 9:30 AM ET. Analysts expect EPS of $0.49, an increase from $0.42 a year ago, alongside revenue of $869 million, marking about 7% growth. One thing that stands out is NII, following Q4 2025's $676 million (up 7% year-over-year) and a net interest margin (NIM) of 3.51%. Loans increased 2% sequentially to $63.3 billion, fueled by commercial and industrial portfolios, while deposits held steady at $67.5 billion. Credit quality looks solid: no provision expense in Q4, allowance for credit losses (ACL) at 1.31% of loans, and nonperforming assets (NPA) around 1%. Return on tangible common equity (ROTCE) reached 15% in Q4, which highlights its profitability strength. I also checked this using Tickeron’s AI Screener to compare FHN against peers in the sector.
Hancock Whitney's Position Heading In
Hancock Whitney (HWC), headquartered in Gulfport, Mississippi, will report Q1 2026 earnings on April 21 after the close. The consensus points to EPS of $1.50 and revenue of about $393 million. In Q4 2025, EPS came in at $1.49 (meeting estimates), with net income of $126 million. Loans grew at a 6% annualized rate to $24 billion, particularly in healthcare and equipment finance, and deposits rose 9% on a linked-quarter annualized basis to $29.3 billion. NIM stayed at 3.48%, with a $13 million provision and net charge-offs (NCOs) of 0.22% annualized. ACL stood at 1.43%, NPAs at 0.45%, and criticized loans declined to 2.88%. Full-year 2025 EPS was $5.67, and the outlook calls for 2026 NII growth of 5-6%.
Comparing FHN and HWC Side by Side
FHN significantly outscales HWC, with $84 billion in assets compared to $35 billion, which supports broader revenue but comes with a larger expense base. On Q4 EPS, HWC edges ahead at $1.49 versus FHN's $0.52, thanks to stronger per-share earnings from its smaller share float. NIMs are closely matched around 3.5%, with both banks gaining from falling deposit costs. Loan-to-deposit ratios remain healthy at about 94% for FHN and 82% for HWC. Credit metrics are robust across the board: FHN NPAs at 1%, HWC at 0.45%; provisions are low. FHN's 15% ROTCE aligns with HWC's efficiency profile. Potential risks involve interest rate sensitivity and commercial real estate exposure, though both maintain CET1 ratios above 13%. From what I see, investor sentiment leans toward FHN for growth prospects and HWC for superior returns.
Spotting Opportunities with Tickeron’s AI Screener
In my research process, I rely on Tickeron’s AI Screener, an AI-powered tool for discovering stocks and ETFs. It lets me filter thousands of names based on technical patterns, fundamentals, trends, volatility, and AI signals—using criteria like industry, market cap, indicators, price patterns, and performance metrics. This approach uncovers trade ideas, trending stocks, breakouts, and opportunities far more efficiently than manual scans. I’ve found it particularly useful for evaluating regional banks like FHN and HWC, and it’s a staple in my workflow for staying ahead.
Tickeron AI's Take on the Pair
Tickeron AI gives HWC the edge (65% probability) over FHN, citing its superior ROTCE, higher EPS efficiency, and stronger 2026 NII guidance, even as FHN holds advantages in scale. I’m watching this closely as we approach the reports.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer. Disclaimers and Limitations
Contributor
Sergey Savastiouk, Ph.D. has a degree in Applied Mathematics from Moscow University and has extensive experience as an entrepreneur, investor, manager, and mathematician. His professional expertise is in applied mathematics, mathematical modeling, system and pattern analysis, and software and hardware system integration. He has served as the CEO of several hi-tech start-up companies and nonprofit organizations, which has given him proven capabilities in business strategy for high-tech start-up companies, market assessment, company formation, team building, product development, marketing, and sales. He has published numerous articles in journals and magazines on related fields. As a retail investor, he spent 15 years developing his proprietary trading and quantitative algorithms (now Tickeron’s A.I.), which brought him significant returns in trading the stock market. His current work and goal in founding Tickeron is to bring professional, sophisticated stock market analysis capabilities to retail investors via an easy-to-use interface.
FHN's RSI Indicator ascending out of oversold territory
The RSI Indicator for FHN moved out of oversold territory on September 02, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is shifting from a downward trend to an upward trend. Traders may want to buy the stock or call options. The A.I.dvisor looked at 23 similar instances when the indicator left oversold territory. In of the 23 cases the stock moved higher. This puts the odds of a move higher at .
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on September 03, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on FHN as a result. In of 82 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are .
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for FHN just turned positive on September 04, 2026. Looking at past instances where FHN's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in of 47 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are .
Following a 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where FHN advanced for three days, in of 320 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are .
FHN may jump back above the lower band and head toward the middle band. Traders may consider buying the stock or exploring call options.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The Stochastic Oscillator has been in the overbought zone for 2 days. Expect a price pull-back in the near future.
FHN moved below its 50-day moving average on August 19, 2026 date and that indicates a change from an upward trend to a downward trend.
The 10-day moving average for FHN crossed bearishly below the 50-day moving average on August 21, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted lower and could be considered a sell signal. In of 13 past instances when the 10-day crossed below the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are .
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where FHN declined for three days, the price rose further in of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are .
The Aroon Indicator for FHN entered a downward trend on September 09, 2026. This could indicate a strong downward move is ahead for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating very strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (1.372) is normal, around the industry mean (1.349). P/E Ratio (11.817) is within average values for comparable stocks, (24.034). FHN's Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (0.000) is slightly lower than the industry average of (1.667). Dividend Yield (0.026) settles around the average of (0.031) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (3.542) is also within normal values, averaging (3.759).
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating fairly steady price growth. FHN’s price grows at a lower rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating well-balanced risk and returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 57, placing this stock slightly better than average.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to worse than average earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
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a regional bank
Industry RegionalBanks