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Hilltop Holdings Inc. (HTH)·Q2 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Hilltop delivered EPS of $0.57 and ROA of 0.98%, with NIM expanding to 3.01% as deposit costs declined; a $7.3M reversal of credit losses and higher banking NII drove the quarter .
- EPS beat S&P Global consensus ($0.57 vs $0.465*) and revenue modestly exceeded consensus ($310.65M* vs $308.80M*); management cautioned NII to run “a few million” per quarter below Q2 levels going forward .
- Board declared a $0.18 dividend and increased buyback authorization to $135M; HTH repurchased $34.9M (~1.16M shares @ $30.17) in Q2 .
- PlainsCapital’s NIM rose 19 bps QoQ; HilltopSecurities net revenue +5% YoY but pre-tax margin compressed to 5.8% amid rate volatility; PrimeLending posted $3.2M pre-tax including a $9.5M one-time legal settlement .
- Catalysts: continued NIM stabilization, credit normalization, buyback capacity, and public finance strength vs. watch items (fee pressure in mortgage, broker-dealer volatility, deposit seasonality) .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- Banking NIM expanded 19 bps QoQ; management: “PlainsCapital Bank’s net interest margin expanded by 19 basis points as we continued to proactively manage deposit costs” .
- Credit normalized: $7.3M reversal of credit losses; ACL down $8.2M with upgrades and a change to Moody’s Baseline Scenario .
- Capital returns: $47M returned via dividends and buybacks; authorization raised to $135M; repurchased $34.9M in Q2 .
- Quote: “As we move into the second half… prioritize protecting our balance sheet and executing on our strategic priorities” — Jeremy Ford .
What Went Wrong
- Broker-dealer margin compressed to 5.8% despite net revenue growth; rate volatility weighed on profitability .
- Mortgage fees under pressure: net gains/fees down 13.1% YoY to $80.7M; margins stable but competitive environment pressed origination fees .
- Deposits declined QoQ to $10.4B due to seasonal outflows; uninsured deposits ~50% (43% ex collateralized/internal) remained elevated .
- Analyst concerns: fixed expense inflation (personnel, software), broker-dealer efficiency ratio/ severance, and NII moderation outlook .
Financial Results
Consolidated Performance vs Prior Periods
Values retrieved from S&P Global.
P&L Components
Segment Breakdown (Q2 2025)
KPIs
Guidance Changes
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- Jeremy Ford: “Hilltop delivered a 1% return on average assets and returned $47 million to stockholders... PlainsCapital Bank’s net interest margin expanded by 19 basis points… HilltopSecurities produced a 5% year-over-year improvement… PrimeLending had pre-tax income of $3.2 million on $2.4 billion of mortgage origination volume… includes a one-time pre-tax benefit of $9.5 million” .
- Will Furr: “We expect that NIM levels will moderate at current levels and that net interest income will likely stabilize at a few million dollars per quarter lower than what we recorded during the second quarter” .
- Will Furr: “Interest bearing deposit costs declined… 72% interest bearing deposit beta… with additional rate reductions… betas decline towards… 50 to 55%” .
- Jeremy Ford: “We bought about $68 million of our stock… our board just authorized increasing our share repurchase by $35 million… anticipation is… continue to work towards that” .
Q&A Highlights
- Broker-dealer margin drivers: revenue mix shift and ~$1.5M severance impacted margin .
- Expense outlook: inflation in personnel and software drives fixed expense guidance higher despite mortgage fixed cost cuts .
- Deposit/NIM dynamics: achieved 72% beta via improved analytics and more rational market; expect betas to trend toward 50–55% with more cuts .
- Loan growth: pipelines strong; CRE growth offset by intentional C&I runoff (auto note); full-year average loan growth trimmed to 0–2% .
- Capital return/M&A: continued buybacks; open to cash deals; noted stock trades at discount to tangible book .
- Deposits seasonality: outflows tied to public funds and tax season, expected rebuild in 2H .
Estimates Context
Values retrieved from S&P Global. Note: S&P’s “Primary EPS” may reflect normalized/continuing operations and can differ from GAAP diluted EPS reported in company filings.
- Q2 2025: EPS beat (GAAP $0.57 vs $0.465* consensus) and revenue beat ($310.65M* vs $308.80M*).
- Prior quarters show actual revenue consistently above consensus; EPS outcomes vary by GAAP vs normalized basis.
Key Takeaways for Investors
- NIM expansion to 3.01% and deposit cost decline underpin core earnings; management expects NII to run “a few million” below Q2’s $110.7M in coming quarters, tempering near-term upside .
- Credit normalization (−$7.3M provision), falling non-accruals to 0.80% of loans, and ACL improvements reduce tail risk and support valuation .
- Broker-dealer momentum in public finance and wealth continues, but blended margin sensitive to rate volatility; expect continued variability in structured/fixed income .
- Mortgage segment: volumes improved to $2.43B and gain-on-sale reached 228 bps, yet origination fees remain under pressure; one-time $9.5M legal benefit elevated Q2 results .
- Capital returns accelerate: $135M buyback authorization and $0.18 dividend sustained; Q2 repurchases of $34.9M signal confidence and provide support at/near tangible book .
- Guidance reset: loan growth trimmed to 0–2% and NII moderation anticipated; deposit beta expected to normalize toward 50–55% with additional Fed cuts .
- Near-term trading lens: EPS/revenue beats and buyback increase are positives; watch for broker-dealer margin recovery, deposit inflow seasonality, and confirmation of NII trajectory in 2H.