M&T Bank's fourth-quarter profit lifted by interest income growth

January 16, 2026 6:19 AM EST

M&T Bank logo is pictured on a building in Syracuse, New York April 15, 2016 REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

Jan 16 (Reuters) - M&T Bank ⁠posted a rise ⁠in ‍fourth-quarter profit on Friday, driven by higher interest income and stronger mortgage banking results.

The Federal Reserve's rate cuts ‍have revived borrowing by households and businesses, lifting loan volumes ​at many banks. At the same time, lenders have pared back deposit costs, ​helping support interest income even as rates fall.

M&T's net interest income, the difference between what banks pay customers on deposits and earn as interest on loans, rose ​nearly 3% to $1.78 billion in the fourth quarter from a year earlier. Its net interest margins expanded to 3.69% versus 3.58%.

The ​bank expects NII to come in between $7.2 billion and $7.35 billion in 2026. The midpoint of ‌the forecast is largely in line with analysts' average expectation of $7.27 billion, according to estimates compiled by LSEG.

Non-interest ​income rose roughly 6% to $696 million in ⁠the quarter, helped by growth in mortgage banking revenues, services charge on deposit accounts and trust income.

Mortgage ‌banking revenue rose 32%, driven by a rise in residential mortgage loan servicing income and higher gains on sales of commercial mortgage loans.

The bank set ‌aside $125 million in provisions for credit losses, the reserves banks hold to cover ‌potential loan defaults, compared with $140 million a year earlier.

The metric is closely watched by investors and analysts as a gauge of the health of consumers, businesses ‍and the broader economy. Higher provisions typically signal that a bank is preparing for a possible downturn ⁠that could leave more borrowers unable to repay their debts.

Net income available to common shareholders rose to $718 million, or $4.67 per share, from $644 million, or $3.86 per share, a year earlier.

(Reporting by Pragyan Kalita and Manya Saini in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid)



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