As the Q1 earnings season wraps, let’s dig into this quarter’s best and worst performers in the regional banks industry, including KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY) and its peers.

Regional banks, financial institutions operating within specific geographic areas, serve as intermediaries between local depositors and borrowers. They benefit from rising interest rates that improve net interest margins (the difference between loan yields and deposit costs), digital transformation reducing operational expenses, and local economic growth driving loan demand. However, these banks face headwinds from fintech competition, deposit outflows to higher-yielding alternatives, credit deterioration (increasing loan defaults) during economic slowdowns, and regulatory compliance costs. Recent concerns about regional bank stability following high-profile failures and significant commercial real estate exposure present additional challenges.

The 91 regional banks stocks we track reported a slower Q1. As a group, revenues were in line with analysts’ consensus estimates.

In light of this news, share prices of the companies have held steady as they are up 4.9% on average since the latest earnings results.

KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY)

Tracing its roots back to 1849 during the California Gold Rush era, KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY) operates KeyBank, a full-service regional bank providing retail and commercial banking, wealth management, and investment services across 15 states.

KeyCorp reported revenues of $1.95 billion, up 10.2% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 0.7%. Despite the top-line beat, it was still a mixed quarter for the company with a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates but a miss of analysts’ tangible book value per share estimates.

Interestingly, the stock is up 5.7% since reporting and currently trades at $22.80.

Is now the time to buy KeyCorp? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Best Q1: UMB Financial (NASDAQ: UMBF)

With roots dating back to 1913 and a name derived from "United Missouri Bank," UMB Financial (NASDAQ: UMBF) is a financial holding company that provides banking, asset management, and fund services to commercial, institutional, and individual customers.

UMB Financial reported revenues of $744.8 million, up 29.3% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 5.4%. The business had an exceptional quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS and net interest income estimates.

UMB Financial delivered the biggest analyst estimate beat among its peers. The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 8% since reporting. It currently trades at $135.39.

Is now the time to buy UMB Financial? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Weakest Q1: BankUnited (NYSE: BKU)

Born from the ashes of a failed Florida thrift during the 2009 financial crisis, BankUnited (NYSE: BKU) is a regional bank that provides commercial lending, deposit services, and treasury solutions to businesses and consumers primarily in Florida and the New York metropolitan area.

BankUnited reported revenues of $273.8 million, up 6.1% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 5.1%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ revenue and net interest income estimates.

Interestingly, the stock is up 4.7% since the results and currently trades at $48.96.

Read our full analysis of BankUnited’s results here.

NBT Bancorp (NASDAQ: NBTB)

Tracing its roots back to 1856 when it first opened its doors in Norwich, New York, NBT Bancorp (NASDAQ: NBTB) is a community-oriented financial institution providing banking, wealth management, and insurance services to individuals and businesses across the northeastern United States.

NBT Bancorp reported revenues of $184.6 million, up 19.3% year on year. This print came in 0.6% below analysts’ expectations. It was a slower quarter as it also recorded EPS in line with analysts’ estimates and a slight miss of analysts’ revenue estimates.

The stock is up 6.4% since reporting and currently trades at $48.19.

Read our full, actionable report on NBT Bancorp here, it’s free.

Home Bancshares (NYSE: HOMB)

Founded in Conway, Arkansas in 1998 and growing through strategic acquisitions across the Southeast, Home Bancshares (NYSE: HOMB) operates as the bank holding company for Centennial Bank, providing commercial and retail banking services to businesses and individuals across multiple states.

Home Bancshares reported revenues of $269.9 million, up 4.3% year on year. This number missed analysts’ expectations by 1.3%. Overall, it was a softer quarter as it also produced a miss of analysts’ net interest income and revenue estimates.

The stock is up 2% since reporting and currently trades at $28.24.

Read our full, actionable report on Home Bancshares here, it’s free.

Market Update

Late in 2025 into early 2026, there was hand-wringing around artificial intelligence. For software companies, the fear was that AI would erode pricing power and compress margins as new tools made it easier to replicate what once required expensive enterprise platforms. Crypto investors had their own version of the same anxiety: if AI agents could trade, allocate capital, and manage wallets autonomously, what exactly was the long-term value of today’s crypto infrastructure?

These concerns triggered a noticeable rotation away from these sectors and into safer havens. But markets rarely dwell on one narrative for long. Spring 2026 came, and the focus shifted abruptly from technological disruption to geopolitical risk. The US’ conflict with Iran became the dominant driver of market psychology, and when geopolitics takes center stage, the script changes quickly. Investors stop debating growth rates and start worrying about oil supply, inflation, and global stability.

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