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CEO Mariner Kemper and President Jim Rine indicated that while it's still early, the 'energy' is high and pipelines are building. Jim Rine provided concrete early examples, including 270 new mortgage applications from the HTLF network, the rollout of credit card sales, and a strong opportunity for corporate trust referrals. They feel good about the activity levels and future direction.

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CFO Ram Shankar explained the NIM guidance balances the benefit of Heartland's cheaper deposits against an assumed June rate cut and the impact of an extra day in the quarter. CEO J. Kemper stated the HTLF charge-offs were related to credits identified during due diligence and that the combined portfolio's performance is expected to align with UMB's strong historical credit trends.

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Chairman and CEO J. Kemper stated there are 'no headwinds at all' for fee income businesses, citing strong forward-looking profiles for fund services, corporate trust, and wealth management, which should also benefit from the expanded HTLF footprint. CFO Ram Shankar confirmed the typical seasonality of public fund deposits, with inflows in late December and outflows beginning in early February, noting these are the primary drivers of deposit fluctuations in Q1.

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Chairman and CEO J. Kemper described the deposit market as rational, noting that any new deposits are being brought on at lower rates than before, representing a marginal improvement. CFO Ram Shankar added that on the institutional side, pricing is disciplined and benchmarked against borrowing costs and money market funds. Regarding loan demand, Kemper stated that UMBF's growth is primarily driven by market share gains, not broad economic activity. He suggested that while a stronger economy could provide some upside, the bank expects to continue its historical trend of outperforming peers on a relative basis regardless of the economic environment.

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CEO Thomas Prame expressed a very positive view, highlighting significant infrastructure investment in Northern Indiana, an outflow of business from Illinois, and strong growth on the western side of Michigan. He described both Indiana and Michigan as favorable markets for banking, with good communities and talented teams contributing to the company's success and growth prospects.

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EVP & Chief Commercial Banking Officer Lynn Kerber explained that the commercial team is stable and currently has sufficient capacity, so there are no plans for wholesale additions of new lenders. Regarding the reserve, she acknowledged that a large specific reserve release masked the impact of negative economic forecast adjustments made in the quarter. She anticipates that future economic forecasts could have a greater impact on the allowance ratio as the year progresses.

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Executive Thomas Prame stated that there are no plans to add new lending lines in 2025, as the focus will be on capitalizing on the 2024 investments in equipment finance, with a stable FTE count expected. On deposits, Prame described the landscape as 'fluid' but noted Horizon successfully navigates it through its strong branch network, relationship banking model, and enhanced treasury management team, which helps mitigate the impact of any irrational pricing from competitors.

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Senior EVP & COO Adam Metz responded that client sentiment appears positive, evidenced by the loan pipeline being the largest it has been since the merger. President & CEO Thomas Quinn and Mr. Metz confirmed a strong appetite for hiring experienced talent, noting the recent recruitment of a top middle-market lender from a large regional bank and their ongoing success in attracting bankers who align with their relationship-focused model.

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EVP & COO Adam Metz stated that despite uncertainty, loan pipelines have grown over 40% since year-end, supported by sound local economies. On credit reserves, Chief Risk Officer Bob Coradi explained that qualitative factors are used to adjust for the current environment. CFO Neil Kalani added that prior qualitative adjustments were deemed sufficient. CEO Thomas Quinn noted that a proactive review of all loans over $2 million was conducted to assess tariff impacts, giving management confidence in the portfolio's positioning.

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Vice Chairman & Chief Lending Officer Richard Murphy noted that client sentiment has improved to 'cautiously optimistic' as economic uncertainty has eased. He explained that the uptick in CRE office NPLs was due to a couple of small, specific deals and was not indicative of a broader trend, given the portfolio's granular nature.

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Timothy Crane, President and CEO, stated that the deposit beta on the way down is expected to be in the mid-60s, similar to its performance on the way up, and noted that competitor promotional rates have already decreased. Regarding Macatawa, he expressed confidence in the existing team and highlighted that Wintrust is already seeing inbound inquiries for specialty loans in the new market.

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CFO and COO Keene Turner reaffirmed the stable margin outlook, attributing it to successful deposit repricing and a larger investment portfolio that provides durable earnings. Chief Credit Officer Doug Bauche addressed the NPLs, stating that while the bankruptcy process makes timing difficult to predict, the loans are well-secured with strong collateral and recourse, and he is confident in a favorable outcome with full repayment.

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Executive James Lally acknowledged that while some Q4 DDA growth is seasonal, the bank's C&I-focused model supports maintaining DDA levels in the low 30% range of total deposits. Chief Credit Officer Doug Bauche clarified that credit quality has returned to historical norms and the increase in nonperformers was concentrated in two isolated relationships—a C&I chemical company and a medical management firm—and did not represent broader weakness in the portfolio.

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Executive John Moran defended the provision guidance, stating they feel confident in the ultimate loss content and noting that credit metrics are in line with expectations. He highlighted the conservative 100% weighting on Moody's S2 scenario plus additional qualitative reserves. Executive James Ryan addressed the Nashville question, affirming that the economic backdrop has not altered their desire to grow and invest in the market, which they view as a long-term play that will receive an 'outsized portion of investment.'

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CEO James Ryan stressed that investing in high-growth markets like Tennessee is a priority, even if it temporarily impacts expense ratios, due to the long-term opportunity. Executive Mark Sander identified the removal of uncertainty—specifically, clarity on a soft landing and the post-election environment—as the key catalyst for loan demand. CFO John Moran added that the bank's own disciplined client selection also influences growth rates.

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CFO Mike Santomassimo clarified that the auto lending change is not a strategic shift but a reaction to better spreads and the result of investments in lending capabilities. On the portfolio repositioning, he explained that the actions were disciplined, targeting a payback period of roughly 2 to 2.5 years, and they will continue to evaluate opportunities based on market conditions.

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CEO Charlie Scharf directed investors to the 2018 Fed consent order, summarizing that lifting the asset cap requires work to be 'adopted and implemented,' while lifting the full order requires it to be 'effective and sustainable.' CFO Michael Santomassimo explained that trading gains are driven by market volatility and seasonality, but the bank's methodical investments in capabilities and technology have led to seven consecutive quarters of strong performance.

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CFO John Stern described the competitive landscape as variable. He noted that on the consumer side, the prospect of Fed rate cuts has begun to ease pricing pressures. On the institutional side, competition is fairly standard, though quantitative tightening (QT) remains a headwind by reducing system-wide liquidity. Overall, the bank expects to remain competitive and achieve its modest deposit growth targets for the year.

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Executive Marc Cadieux attributed the flat deposit growth to several headwinds: diminished venture investment activity, clients maintaining multiple bank accounts, and a slight uptick in client cash burn. He emphasized that maintaining stability amidst these challenges demonstrates successful execution and positions the bank well for a market recovery.

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