The end of the earnings season is always a good time to take a step back and see who shined (and who not so much). Let’s take a look at how regional banks stocks fared in Q4, starting with NBT Bancorp (NASDAQ: NBTB).

Regional banks, financial institutions operating within specific geographic areas, serve as intermediaries between local depositors and borrowers. They benefit from rising interest rates that improve net interest margins (the difference between loan yields and deposit costs), digital transformation reducing operational expenses, and local economic growth driving loan demand. However, these banks face headwinds from fintech competition, deposit outflows to higher-yielding alternatives, credit deterioration (increasing loan defaults) during economic slowdowns, and regulatory compliance costs. Recent concerns about regional bank stability following high-profile failures and significant commercial real estate exposure present additional challenges.

The 95 regional banks stocks we track reported a satisfactory Q4. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 1.6%.

Amidst this news, share prices of the companies have had a rough stretch. On average, they are down 7.8% since the latest earnings results.

NBT Bancorp (NASDAQ: NBTB)

Tracing its roots back to 1856 when it first opened its doors in Norwich, New York, NBT Bancorp (NASDAQ: NBTB) is a community-oriented financial institution providing banking, wealth management, and insurance services to individuals and businesses across the northeastern United States.

NBT Bancorp reported revenues of $185.3 million, up 24.4% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 1.3%. Overall, it was a satisfactory quarter for the company with a narrow beat of analysts’ tangible book value per share estimates.

The stock is down 7.5% since reporting and currently trades at $40.62.

Is now the time to buy NBT Bancorp? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Best Q4: Merchants Bancorp (NASDAQ: MBIN)

With a strategic focus on low-risk, government-backed lending programs, Merchants Bancorp (NASDAQCM:MBIN) is an Indiana-based bank holding company specializing in multi-family mortgage banking, mortgage warehousing, and traditional banking services.

Merchants Bancorp reported revenues of $185.3 million, down 4.4% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 7.8%. The business had a stunning quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS and net interest income estimates.

The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 18.6% since reporting. It currently trades at $41.46.

Is now the time to buy Merchants Bancorp? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Weakest Q4: National Bank Holdings (NYSE: NBHC)

Operating under familiar local brands like Community Banks of Colorado, Bank Midwest, and Bank of Jackson Hole, National Bank Holdings (NYSE: NBHC) operates regional banks across Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Wyoming, Texas, and other western states, offering commercial, business, and consumer banking services.

National Bank Holdings reported revenues of $102.6 million, down 3.7% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 2.7%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ revenue estimates and a significant miss of analysts’ net interest income estimates.

As expected, the stock is down 5% since the results and currently trades at $38.07.

Read our full analysis of National Bank Holdings’s results here.

SouthState (NYSE: SSB)

With roots dating back to the Great Depression era of 1933, SouthState (NYSE: SSB) is a financial holding company that provides banking services, wealth management, and correspondent banking services across six southeastern states.

SouthState reported revenues of $686.9 million, up 52.5% year on year. This print surpassed analysts’ expectations by 3.7%. Overall, it was a strong quarter as it also logged a solid beat of analysts’ revenue estimates and a narrow beat of analysts’ net interest income estimates.

The stock is down 11.9% since reporting and currently trades at $88.55.

Read our full, actionable report on SouthState here, it’s free.

WSFS Financial (NASDAQ: WSFS)

Founded in 1832 as Wilmington Savings Fund Society and one of the oldest banks in America still operating under its original name, WSFS Financial (NASDAQ: WSFS) operates a community banking and wealth management franchise primarily serving customers in the Mid-Atlantic region through its main subsidiary, WSFS Bank.

WSFS Financial reported revenues of $278 million, up 6.2% year on year. This result beat analysts’ expectations by 4.1%. It was an exceptional quarter as it also produced an impressive beat of analysts’ revenue estimates and a solid beat of analysts’ net interest income estimates.

The stock is up 7.7% since reporting and currently trades at $62.40.

Read our full, actionable report on WSFS Financial here, it’s free.

Market Update

Late in 2025 into early 2026, there was hand wringing around artificial intelligence. For software companies, the fear was that AI would erode pricing power and compress margins as new tools made it easier to replicate what once required expensive enterprise platforms. Crypto investors had their own version of the same anxiety: if AI agents could trade, allocate capital, and manage wallets autonomously, what exactly was the long-term value of today’s crypto infrastructure?

These concerns triggered a noticeable rotation away from these sectors and into safer havens. But markets rarely dwell on one narrative for long. Spring 2026 came, and the focus shifted abruptly from technological disruption to geopolitical risk. The US’ conflict with Iran became the dominant driver of market psychology, and when geopolitics takes center stage, the script changes quickly. Investors stop debating growth rates and start worrying about oil supply, inflation, and global stability.

Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our 9 Best Market-Beating Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.