Columbia Banking (COLB) reported $487.12 million in revenue for the quarter ended December 2024, representing a year-over-year decline of 6.2%. EPS of $0.71 for the same period compares to $0.44 a year ago.
The reported revenue represents a surprise of -0.91% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $491.6 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.65, the EPS surprise was +9.23%.
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 Columbia Banking performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
- Efficiency Ratio: 54.6% versus the four-analyst average estimate of 53.8%.
- Net Interest Margin: 3.6% versus 3.6% estimated by four analysts on average.
- Net charge-offs to average loans outstanding: 0.3% versus 0.3% estimated by four analysts on average.
- Average Balance - Total interest earning assets: $47.87 billion versus the four-analyst average estimate of $48.46 billion.
- Total non-performing assets: $169.56 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $174.59 million.
- Total non-performing loans and leases: $166.89 million versus $149.31 million estimated by three analysts on average.
- Net Interest Income: $437.37 million versus $432.64 million estimated by four analysts on average.
- Total noninterest income: $49.75 million versus $59 million estimated by four analysts on average.
- Service charges on deposits: $18.40 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $18.90 million.
- Net interest income (FTE): $438.42 million versus $433.93 million estimated by three analysts on average.
- Financial services and trust revenue: $5.27 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $5.30 million.
- BOLI income: $4.74 million versus $4.28 million estimated by two analysts on average.
Shares of Columbia Banking have returned +4.4% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2.7% 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.
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