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HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. (HONE)·Q1 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q1 2025 EPS was $0.14, down from $0.21 in Q4 2024 on lower mortgage banking income and MSR valuation losses; net interest margin expanded 3 bps to 2.39% as core deposit costs fell 15 bps excluding brokered deposits .
- EPS missed consensus by $0.03 (consensus $0.17*, 4 ests), while “Revenue” (S&P definition) beat ($39.98m* actual vs $32.58m* consensus, 2 ests); company “Total revenue” was $41.36m .
- Credit costs were elevated: a previously identified CRE loan was charged off ($8.3m specific reserve), driving annualized NCOs to 0.72% and lowering the ACL-to-loans to 1.02% .
- Strategic catalyst: HarborOne entered a definitive agreement to merge into Eastern Bankshares (EBC) for 0.765 EBC shares or $12.00 cash per HONE share (75–85% stock mix), with expected close in Q4 2025 .
- Capital actions remained supportive: quarterly dividend raised 12.5% to $0.09 per share and 513,855 shares repurchased during Q1 .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
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What Went Well
- Net interest margin expansion to 2.39% (+3 bps QoQ) on falling deposit costs (ex-brokered) and lower borrowing costs; CEO: “solid start to the year… lower loan delinquencies, and a reduction of 15 basis points in the cost of deposits, excluding brokered deposits” .
- Core funding improvement: total deposits +$68.0m QoQ with brokered deposits -$11.6m; loans/deposits improved to 104.38% from 106.63% .
- C&I loan growth of $33m while CRE balances declined, consistent with de-risking and mix optimization .
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What Went Wrong
- Mortgage banking headwinds: noninterest income fell $3.8m QoQ to $9.9m as gain on sale declined and MSR valuation swung to a $1.1m loss (partially hedged by a $0.56m gain) amid higher rates and limited for-sale inventory .
- Elevated credit costs: net charge-offs annualized to 0.72% driven by an $8.3m charge-off on a previously reserved CRE loan; criticized/classified commercial loans rose to $187.1m .
- Fee pressure: deposit account fees fell $871k QoQ on seasonal debit volumes and absence of the prior quarter’s VISA incentive catch-up .
Financial Results
Headline P&L vs prior periods (company-reported):
Margins and profitability:
Consensus vs actual (S&P Global vs company where noted):
Segment results and mortgage KPIs:
Balance sheet and credit KPIs:
Guidance Changes
Note: Company did not provide formal quantitative forward guidance in the Q1 2025 materials -.
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
(No HarborOne Q1 2025 earnings call transcript was available.)
Management Commentary
- “The first quarter represents a solid start to the year… strong commercial and industrial loan growth of $33 million… and a reduction of 15 basis points in the cost of deposits, excluding brokered deposits.” — Joseph F. Casey, President & CEO .
- “The combination is a natural strategic fit… financially compelling transaction with 16% earnings accretion and a tangible book value earnback of 2.8 years.” — Denis Sheahan, CEO of Eastern Bank; “[This] brings further scale, resources, and innovation…” — Joseph F. Casey .
Q&A Highlights
- No HarborOne Q1 2025 earnings call transcript was available in our document set; no Q&A themes to report.
Estimates Context
- EPS: $0.14 actual vs $0.17 consensus (4 estimates) — MISS by $0.03*.
- Revenue (S&P definition): $39.98m actual vs $32.58m consensus (2 estimates) — BEAT*.
- Company “Total revenue” was $41.36m (different definition; not used by S&P Global for consensus comparisons) .
- Estimate adjustments likely to reflect: softer mortgage banking/MSR in Q1 and elevated credit costs, partly offset by improving NIM on falling funding costs .
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Core margin trajectory is improving as deposit and borrowing costs decline; sustaining NIM expansion is a medium-term earnings lever .
- Mortgage segment volatility (closings, MSR valuation) remains a swing factor; hedging helps but won’t fully neutralize rate/volume shocks .
- Credit clean-up of the previously reserved CRE exposure is largely through the P&L via an $8.3m charge-off; watch criticized/classified credits (now $187.1m) and NPA trends .
- Funding mix improved with lower brokered balances and a higher insured deposit proportion (~74%); loans/deposits moved to 104.38%, reducing wholesale reliance .
- Capital return remains active (12.5% dividend raise; buybacks), but forward actions will be shaped by the Eastern merger process .
- M&A is the dominant catalyst: terms (0.765 EBC shares or $12 cash, 75–85% stock mix) and closing risk/timing (target Q4 2025) will anchor HONE trading relative to EBC .
- Near term, stock performance likely driven more by deal spread dynamics and regulatory milestones than by standalone quarterly variability.
Earnings press release and prior quarters: ; ;
Dividend increase press release:
Merger press release:
Estimates data note: *Values retrieved from S&P Global.