WF
WSFS FINANCIAL CORP (WSFS)·Q2 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- WSFS delivered a solid quarter: EPS $1.27, ROA 1.39%, and NIM 3.89%; core fee revenue rose 9% QoQ to $88.0M, led by Wealth & Trust and mortgage/capital markets .
- EPS beat S&P Global consensus by $0.14 (1.27 vs 1.13); revenue (S&P definition) missed by ~$11.6M (254.9 vs 266.5), reflecting definitional differences versus company “total net revenue” of $267.5M; we anchor estimate comparisons to S&P [Values retrieved from S&P Global]* .
- Guidance raised: FY core ROA to ~1.30% (from ~1.25%) and NIM to ~3.85% (from ~3.80%); fee revenue growth trimmed to low-single digits, still double-digit in Wealth & Trust; net charge-offs maintained at 35–45 bps excluding Upstart impacts .
- Strategic actions: sale of $98.1M Upstart loans (write-down ~$8.1M) accelerating runoff; buybacks of 1.56M shares (2.7% of Q1 shares) in Q2 and $149.9M capital returned YTD support ROTCE momentum and TBV/share growth .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- Fee franchises drove the quarter: “continued strong performance in our fee-based businesses,” with core fee revenue up 9% QoQ; Wealth & Trust fee revenue rose 17% YoY, with Institutional Services and BMT of DE strong .
- Margin resilience: NIM improved to 3.89% (+1 bp QoQ, +4 bps YoY) on deposit repricing and wholesale funding optimization; client deposit costs fell 8 bps to 1.63% QoQ .
- Capital return and book value: repurchased 1.56M shares ($77.7M) in Q2; TBV/share increased to $30.32, +4% QoQ and +20% YoY, supported by lower AOCI and earnings .
What Went Wrong
- Upstart portfolio accelerated exit: loans transferred to HFS with ~$8.1M write-down; contributed to lower loan yields and NCOs, though credit costs improved QoQ .
- Delinquencies ticked up: DLQ rose to $158.0M (1.22% of gross loans), although a $5.7M relationship fully paid off in July; commercial credit losses were minimal excluding Upstart/NewLane .
- Cash Connect headwinds: lower bailment volumes and rate environment reduced net revenue YoY, though margins improved (net profit margin 15.6% including insurance recovery; ~8.0% normalized) .
Financial Results
Results vs S&P Global consensus:
Values retrieved from S&P Global.*
Company-reported “Total net revenue” equals $267.5M in Q2 2025; S&P’s “Revenue” definition differs for banks, which creates apparent variance .
Segment breakdown (selected):
Key KPIs:
Guidance Changes
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- “WSFS performed very well in the second quarter with a core EPS of $1.27 and a core ROA of 1.38%. These results were driven by continued strong performance in our fee-based businesses… The net interest margin of 3.89% improved 1bp… Client deposits grew 6% (annualized)… solid growth in C&I loan fundings along with our WSFS-originated Consumer Lending portfolio.” — Rodger Levenson, Chairman, CEO and President .
- “Core net interest margin expanded one basis point to 3.89%… deposit beta of 43% for the quarter… lower loan yields primarily driven by the announced Upstart sale… Core fee revenue grew 9% quarter over quarter.” — David Burg, CFO .
- “We’re raising our NIM outlook to approximately 3.85%… increasing our ROA outlook… continue to execute buybacks as part of a multiyear glide path to our CET1 capital target of 12%.” — David Burg, CFO .
Q&A Highlights
- NIM path and rate cuts: CFO quantified near-term NIM impact per 25 bp cut (2–3 bps) with mitigation over subsequent quarters; Upstart sale adds ~2 bps temporary NIM drag; securities rollovers add ~4 bps/year uplift .
- Loan growth focus: Continued lean into C&I with selective CRE, maintaining pricing discipline and sponsor quality; borrower sentiment modestly improving despite tariff uncertainties .
- Capital deployment: Buybacks prioritized amid excess capital; openness to M&A with higher bar for depository deals; emphasis on fee business opportunities (Wealth & Trust) .
- Expenses/efficiency: Q2 is a good “run-rate” baseline with moderate growth from tech and talent investments; one-time insurance recovery in Cash Connect helped Q2 .
Estimates Context
- EPS beat in Q2 2025: Actual $1.27 vs S&P consensus $1.13; prior quarters also beat by $0.04–$0.12 depending on period [Values retrieved from S&P Global]*.
- Revenue (S&P definition) missed: Actual $254.9M vs consensus $266.5M in Q2 2025; company-reported “Total net revenue” was $267.5M reflecting definitional differences for banks [Values retrieved from S&P Global]* .
Values retrieved from S&P Global.*
Key Takeaways for Investors
- High-quality beat on EPS driven by margin discipline and fee revenue scale; core franchises (Wealth & Trust) continue to diversify and stabilize earnings power .
- NIM outlook raised to ~3.85% even with expected rate cuts; deposit cost management (beta 43%) and funding optimization underpin resilience through 2H25 .
- Credit normalizing: NCOs fell to 30 bps; Upstart exit largely behind; commercial losses minimal excluding NewLane/Upstart; watch DLQ uptick but note subsequent payoff in July .
- Capital returns and TBV accretion remain a catalyst: >$149.9M YTD returned; TBV/share up 20% YoY; buybacks support ROTCE and per-share metrics through CET1 glide path .
- Cash Connect profitability improving despite volume declines; pricing actions and funding cost relief drive higher margins—monitor sustainability as rates evolve .
- Guidance reset reflects confidence: ROA/NIM raised; fee growth moderated ex-wealth; positioning for low-single-digit balance sheet growth with selectivity in CRE and emphasis on C&I .
- Near-term trading: EPS beats vs consensus and guidance raise are likely positive; revenue definitional variance vs S&P could muddy headline prints—focus on NIM trajectory, fee momentum, and buybacks as stock drivers .
Additional References
- Upstart sale disclosure (pre-announcement): net charge-off ~$4.3M against $9.1M reserves, provision release ~$4.8M; portfolio had $98.1M book at 5/31/25 .
- Ratings affirmed: KBRA A- senior unsecured debt with stable outlook, citing diversified fee revenue and strong funding/capital .
- Wilmington lease renewal: continued local commitment; AUM/AUA and asset footprint updated context .