Hancock WhitneyNASDAQ: HWC

HWC's third-quarter earnings beat estimates on the back of higher non-interest income and NII. Yet, the fall in total loan and deposit balance remains a concern.

Hancock Whitney Corporation (NASDAQ:HWC ) Q3 2024 Earnings Conference Call October 15, 2024 4:30 PM ET Company Participants Kathryn Mistich - Investor Relations Manager John Hairston - President & Chief Executive Officer Mike Achary - Chief Financial Officer Chris Ziluca - Chief Credit Officer Conference Call Participants Michael Rose - Raymond James Catherine Mealor - KBW Brett Rabatin - Hovde Group Ben Gerlinger - Citi Gary Tenner - D.A. Davidson Matt Olney - Stephens Christopher Marinac - Jamie Montgomery Scott Operator Good day, ladies and gentlemen and welcome to Hancock Whitney Corporation's Third Quarter 2024 Earnings Conference Call.

The headline numbers for Hancock Whitney (HWC) give insight into how the company performed in the quarter ended September 2024, but it may be worthwhile to compare some of its key metrics to Wall Street estimates and the year-ago actuals.

Hancock Whitney (HWC) came out with quarterly earnings of $1.33 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.31 per share. This compares to earnings of $1.12 per share a year ago.

Looking beyond Wall Street's top -and-bottom-line estimate forecasts for Hancock Whitney (HWC), delve into some of its key metrics to gain a deeper insight into the company's potential performance for the quarter ended September 2024.

After losing some value lately, a hammer chart pattern has been formed for Hancock Whitney (HWC), indicating that the stock has found support. This, combined with an upward trend in earnings estimate revisions, could lead to a trend reversal for the stock in the near term.

HWC's balance sheet deleveraging strategy and a shift in loan portfolio alongside potential interest rate cuts make it a lucrative pick for investors.

Hancock Whitney (HWC) might move higher on growing optimism about its earnings prospects, which is reflected by its upgrade to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Shares of Southern lender Hancock Whitney have done well since my last update in June, matching regional bank peers with a circa 19% total return. Q2 results look solid. Funding cost pressures have now dissipated, asset quality remains robust, and the bank has resumed share repurchases as expected. These shares are a little more expensive now, but relatively modest assumptions regarding growth and profitability can still drive double-digit upside from the current price.