First Hawaiian projects stable loan and deposit levels by the end of 2025, while still anticipating NIM growth.
Management Insights: CEO Robert Harrison reported an increase in net income due to higher net interest and noninterest income, despite a higher effective tax rate. The company repurchased 965,000 shares and projected strong loan originations for Q4, while CFO James Moses noted a $500 million increase in total deposits.
Financial Performance: Q3 net interest income rose to $169.3 million, with a net interest margin of 3.19%. Total loans declined by $223 million, primarily in commercial and industrial sectors, while noninterest income reached $57.1 million, with a normalized run rate expected at $54 million per quarter.
Outlook and Projections: Management anticipates flat loan and deposit balances by year-end, with positive net interest margin momentum expected in Q4. Full-year expenses are projected to be below the previous forecast of $506 million.
Risks and Economic Sentiment: Analysts expressed caution regarding potential economic headwinds, including a federal government shutdown and recession risks, while management maintained confidence in the bank's resilience and strategic opportunities for M&A.
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- Net Interest Income Growth: First Hawaiian Bank reported net interest income of $170.3 million for Q4, an increase of $1 million from the previous quarter, with a net interest margin (NIM) of 3.21%, reflecting the bank's strong performance in the current interest rate environment.
- Deposit Dynamics: Retail and commercial deposits rose by $233 million, while public deposits fell by $447 million, resulting in a net deposit increase of $214 million in Q4, with total deposit costs decreasing by 9 basis points to 1.29%, indicating effective deposit management by the bank.
- Share Buyback Program: During Q4, the bank repurchased approximately 1 million shares, utilizing $26 million of its $100 million buyback authorization for 2025, with a new buyback authorization of $250 million, demonstrating management's confidence in the company's future performance.
- Outlook Projection: Management expects loan growth for 2026 to be in the range of 3% to 4%, with noninterest income stable at about $220 million and expenses projected at $520 million, reflecting a positive outlook and sound financial management strategies.
- Earnings Performance: First Hawaiian Bank reported a Q4 GAAP EPS of $0.56, beating expectations by $0.01, indicating the company's stable profitability and growth potential.
- Significant Revenue Growth: The bank's Q4 revenue reached $225.85 million, a 20.0% year-over-year increase, exceeding market expectations by $0.42 million, reflecting strong demand for loans and services.
- Loan and Deposit Dynamics: Total loans and leases increased by $183.1 million compared to the prior quarter, while total deposits decreased by $213.9 million, highlighting a dual challenge of aggressive credit expansion and deposit attrition.
- Shareholder Return Initiatives: The Board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.26 per share and adopted a $250 million stock repurchase program, aimed at enhancing shareholder value and boosting market confidence.
- Quarterly Dividend Announcement: First Hawaiian Bank (FHB) declared a quarterly dividend of $0.26 per share, consistent with previous distributions, indicating the company's stable cash flow and profitability.
- Yield Performance: The forward yield of 3.77% reflects the company's attractiveness to shareholders, potentially drawing more investor interest in its stock.
- Payment Schedule: The dividend will be payable on February 27, with a record date of February 13 and an ex-dividend date also on February 13, ensuring shareholders receive their returns promptly.
- Shareholder Return Strategy: First Hawaiian Bank's dividend policy aligns with its improving capital position, demonstrating the company's commitment to providing attractive returns to shareholders while bolstering market confidence.

- Significant Ownership Reduction: Alan Arizumi sold 43,026 shares for approximately $1.1 million on December 4, 2025, resulting in a 52.16% reduction in his aggregate holdings, leaving him with 37,508 directly held shares and 1,962 indirectly held shares, indicating a potential decrease in confidence regarding the company's future.
- Unique Trading History: This marks Arizumi's first open-market sale in two years, with all prior Form 4 activity consisting of administrative entries, highlighting the significance of this transaction in both size and nature, which may influence investor perceptions of his holding strategy.
- Company Financial Performance: First Hawaiian Bank is projected to achieve approximately 15% year-over-year net income growth for FY 2025, marking its first positive growth since FY 2021 despite an underwhelming FY 2024, signaling a potential recovery that could attract more investor interest.
- Stable Dividend Policy: Since FY 2019, First Hawaiian Bank has consistently paid an annual dividend of $1.04 per share, and while the dividend has not increased, the company's unwavering commitment to dividend payouts may appeal to investors seeking stable returns, enhancing its competitive position in the market.

- Insider Selling: Alan Arizumi, Vice Chair of First Hawaiian Bank, sold 43,026 shares on December 4, 2025, totaling approximately $1.1 million, representing a 52.16% reduction in his holdings, which indicates a cautious outlook on the company's future.
- Financial Recovery: Despite an underwhelming FY 2024, First Hawaiian Bank is projected to achieve approximately 15% year-over-year net income growth in FY 2025, marking its first positive growth since FY 2021, reflecting the company's potential for market recovery.
- Consistent Dividend Policy: Since FY 2019, First Hawaiian Bank has maintained an annual dividend payout of $1.04 per share, demonstrating its commitment to shareholder returns despite not increasing the payout, showcasing stability in uncertain market conditions.
- Stock Price Uptrend: The bank's stock has risen 4% in January 2026, indicating growing market confidence in its future prospects, especially ahead of the upcoming FY 2025 earnings release, which investors are eagerly anticipating.
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