Fulton Financial’s fourth quarter results were met with a positive market reaction, reflecting better-than-expected revenue and adjusted earnings per share. Management attributed these results to robust deposit growth, ongoing expense discipline, and improved credit quality. CEO Curtis Myers highlighted the company’s “momentum from enhanced deposit initiatives,” noting a 25% increase in consumer demand deposit account openings and strong loan origination trends. The expansion of both business banking teams and product offerings further supported the company’s performance, while noninterest income benefited from growth in commercial fees and wealth management activities.

Is now the time to buy FULT? Find out in our full research report (it’s free for active Edge members).

While we enjoy listening to the management's commentary, our favorite part of earnings calls are the analyst questions. Those are unscripted and can often highlight topics that management teams would rather avoid or topics where the answer is complicated. Here is what has caught our attention.

Our Top 5 Analyst Questions From Fulton Financial’s Q4 Earnings Call

• Daniel Tamayo (Raymond James) asked about the quantifiable impact of moderating portfolio headwinds and additional lender hiring on forecasted loan growth. CEO Curtis Myers explained that removing 2025’s $800 million headwind positions Fulton Financial near its long-term growth trends, with incremental hiring building productivity across business lines.

• Daniel Tamayo (Raymond James) inquired about assumptions for paydowns and prepayments in loan modeling. Myers responded that normal paydown activity should remain consistent with historical patterns, and 2025’s headwinds were primarily due to one-time strategic portfolio actions.

• David Bishop (Hovde Group LLC) questioned whether new hires would meaningfully shift the loan mix or if growth would be spread across segments. Myers said the company aims for broad-based growth across CRE, C&I, and business banking, and maintains a diversified loan portfolio.

• Matthew Breese (Stephens Inc.) sought detail on deposit growth composition and cost trajectory. Myers highlighted strong consumer and business banking deposit momentum, while CFO Richard Kraemer noted the period-end cost of deposits was 1.80%, slightly below the quarter’s average.

• Matthew Breese (Stephens Inc.) asked about expectations for commercial interest rate swap income and volatility in other fee categories. CFO Kraemer explained swap income tracks with origination activity and that equity method investment income can introduce variability, with a normalized expectation of approximately $2.5 million per quarter.

Catalysts in Upcoming Quarters

In upcoming quarters, StockStory analysts will closely monitor (1) the pace and sustainability of loan growth as portfolio repositioning headwinds abate, (2) continued deposit inflows and effective management of funding costs, and (3) integration progress and early performance metrics from the Blue Foundry Bancorp acquisition. Execution in expanding fee-based businesses and maintaining credit quality will also be key areas of focus.

Fulton Financial currently trades at $20.29, down from $20.51 just before the earnings. Is there an opportunity in the stock?See for yourself in our full research report (it’s free).

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