Banks have had a tough 2023, and Truist Financial has suffered more than most. The company, though, is making big changes that could turn its stock into a winner.
The stock is “attractive,” says Gary Hurlbut, a senior portfolio manager at Ziegler Capital Management, who owns shares of Truist. “If I could see improvement in expenses, I’d probably add a little bit.” Before you can fix a problem, you have to acknowledge it, and that is what Truist has finally done. At an industry conference earlier this month, CEO William Rogers announced steps the company would take to turn around what he admitted has been a disappointing financial performance.
Cutting costs isn’t the only change Truist is making. The company simplified its management structure, and it has been eliminating underperforming businesses, including indirect auto loans and other single-product ventures, and some unprofitable bond trading. It offloaded its $5 billion student loan portfolio and sold a minority stake in Truist Insurance Holdings earlier this year, which boosted its Tier 1 capital ratio.
Everything starts to look up in 2025, however, as the changes start to take hold. Analysts expect net interest income to rise about $500 million to just over $14 billion in 2025 from next year, pushing total revenue to about $23.9 billion, a record. Margins could rise if the Federal Reserve stops hiking rates, stabilizing short-term borrowing costs. With costs in check, EPS would rise to about $4.10 in 2025, up 15% from 2024.