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Popular Inc (BPOP)
NASDAQ:BPOP

Popular (BPOP) AI Stock Analysis

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BPOP

Popular

(NASDAQ:BPOP)

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Outperform 74 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:74Outperform
Price Target:
$152.00
â–²(17.90% Upside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:03/05/26
BPOP’s score is driven mainly by solid financial performance (revenue growth, 2025 earnings rebound, improving leverage) and supportive valuation (low P/E plus a moderate dividend). The main offsets are mixed near-term technicals (below the 20-day average with subdued momentum) and earnings-call risks around deposit outflows, higher 2026 charge-offs, and modest expense growth despite positive NII and loan growth guidance.
Positive Factors
Revenue Growth
Consistent multi-year revenue expansion demonstrates durable market traction across retail, commercial and wealth channels. That steady top-line growth supports loan origination capacity, fee income stability and provides a structural base for earnings and reinvestment over the next 2–6 months.
Capital & Shareholder Returns
A strong CET1 ratio and active buybacks plus a maintained dividend signal robust capital generation and management discipline. This allows continued capital returns while retaining buffers for stress scenarios, supporting long-term investor confidence and flexible capital allocation.
Cash Generation
Substantial and improving free cash flow that covered ~0.78x of net income in 2025 underpins sustainable funding for dividends, buybacks and transformation investments. Strong absolute cash generation enhances resilience across economic cycles despite prior-year volatility.
Negative Factors
Deposit Concentration
Heavy reliance on Puerto Rico public deposits creates funding concentration and outflow vulnerability. Persistent public deposit normalization pressures funding mix and cost of deposits, which can structurally compress margins and force more expensive wholesale funding if outflows continue.
Higher Credit Loss Guidance
Management's guidance for higher net charge-offs signals a material near-term rise in credit costs. An uptick in loss rates would reduce net income and capital generation, requiring higher provisions and potentially constraining dividend/buyback capacity if realized.
Geographic & Macro Risk
Significant exposure to Puerto Rico's macro and infrastructure challenges creates a structural risk premium. Energy instability, affordability constraints and regional concentration can slow local loan demand, increase credit stress, and necessitate higher capital cushions over time.

Popular (BPOP) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Popular Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionPopular, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides various retail, mortgage, and commercial banking products and services in Puerto Rico, the United States, and British Virgin Islands. The company provides savings, NOW, money market, and other interest-bearing demand accounts; non-interest bearing demand deposits; and certificates of deposit. It also offers commercial and industrial, commercial multi-family, commercial real estate, and residential mortgage loans; consumer loans, including personal loans, credit cards, automobile loans, home equity lines of credit, and other loans to individual borrowers; construction loans; and lease financing comprising automobile loans/leases. In addition, the company provides investment banking, auto and equipment leasing and financing, broker-dealer, and insurance services; debit cards; and online banking services. As of December 31, 2021, it operated 169 branches; and 616 ATMs in Puerto Rico, 23 ATMs in the Virgin Islands, and 91 ATMs in the United States Mainland. Popular, Inc. was founded in 1893 and is headquartered in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico.
How the Company Makes MoneyPopular generates revenue through several key streams, including net interest income from loans and deposits, non-interest income from fees associated with banking services, and investment income. The bank earns interest by lending money at higher rates than it pays on deposits. Non-interest income is derived from service charges, transaction fees, and wealth management services. Additionally, Popular engages in partnerships with various financial institutions and service providers, enhancing its product offerings and customer reach, which contributes to its overall earnings.

Popular Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Jan 27, 2026
(Q4-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Apr 29, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The call conveyed a largely positive operating and financial performance for 2025: strong profitability (net income +36% YoY), expanded margins, solid loan growth, improved credit metrics, a robust capital position, and active shareholder returns (buybacks and dividend increase). Management provided constructive 2026 guidance (NII +5%–7%, loan growth 3%–4%) while noting a tempered outlook relative to recent years and several headwinds: deposit outflows (public deposits), expected modest increases in net charge-offs, consumer auto softness, and ongoing technology/investment timing that will lift expenses in 2026. Management emphasized disciplined capital management, continued transformation investments, and confidence in Puerto Rico’s economic tailwinds (including onshoring), but also acknowledged lingering structural and macro risks such as PREPA and affordability. On balance, the highlights—strong earnings, margin expansion, loan growth, improving credit metrics, and sizable capital returns—outweigh the lowlights, though the company expects some moderation and prudent conservatism in 2026.
Q4-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Record Improvement in Annual Profitability
Net income for fiscal 2025 of $833 million, up $219 million or 36% year-over-year; fourth-quarter net income of $234 million, up $23 million QoQ, and EPS of $3.53 (increase of $0.38). ROTCE exceeded 14% in Q4 and was 13% for the full year, demonstrating progress toward the 14% objective.
Loan Growth and Net Interest Income Expansion
Total loan growth for 2025 of $2.2 billion (approximately +6% year-over-year); Q4 loan growth of $641 million (BPPR +$497M, Popular Bank +$144M). Net interest income of $658 million in Q4, up $11 million QoQ and NII increased $259 million (11%) for the year. GAAP net interest margin expanded 10 basis points to 3.61% in Q4 (FTE margin +13 bps to 4.03%). 2026 NII guidance: +5% to +7%.
Improved Credit Metrics and Reserve Coverage
Net charge-offs improved to 52 basis points for 2025 (down 16 bps year-over-year). Q4 annualized net charge-offs were 51 bps (vs 60 bps prior quarter); excluding recoveries Q4 ratio was 57 bps. Non-performing loans ratio decreased 3 bps to 1.27%. Allowance for credit losses increased $22 million to $808 million; ACL/loans at 2.05% and ACL/NPLs at 162% (up from 157%).
Strong Capital Position and Shareholder Returns
Common equity Tier 1 ratio ended the year at 15.7%. Tangible book value per share was $82.65, up 21% year-over-year. Repurchased approximately $500 million in common stock during 2025 (about $148 million in Q4) and have repurchased ~$720 million since resuming buybacks in 2024. Quarterly common dividend increased $0.05 to $0.75 per share; further dividend increase anticipated later in the year.
Operational Efficiency and Technology Progress
Total GAAP operating expenses rose ~2.5% for 2025 (below prior 4% guidance) as sustainable efficiency initiatives were executed. Launched commercial cash management platform and a fully digital consumer credit origination platform (approximately $36 million originated since launch). ERP migrated to a modern cloud platform; over 800 colleagues working on transformation projects. 2026 GAAP expense guidance: ~+3%.
Favorable Puerto Rico Economic Trends and Onshoring Momentum
Puerto Rico experienced solid business activity: unemployment stable at 5.7%, consumer/debit+credit card sales up ~5% YoY, record 13.6 million airport passengers (+3% YoY), Q4 hotel demand +11% YoY and total revenue +4%. Onshoring announced investment pipeline cited ~ $2.2 billion in capital with thousands of jobs (e.g., Eli Lilly $1.2B, Amgen $650M), with management expecting additional onshoring announcements in 2026.
Negative Updates
Deposit Outflows and Funding Mix Pressure
Ending deposit balances decreased $323 million in Q4 and average deposits decreased $880 million, largely due to anticipated outflows of Puerto Rico public deposits which fell $662 million in the quarter to $19.4 billion. Management expects public deposits to remain in the $18B–$20B range, and deposit cost pressures remain a key driver of margin guidance.
Moderation in Loan Growth Guidance
After roughly 6% loan growth in recent years, 2026 consolidated loan growth guidance was tempered to 3%–4%, with management calling out expected consumer softness (notably auto) and a desire to prioritize profitable, relationship-driven growth in the U.S. markets.
Higher Expected Net Charge-offs in 2026
2026 net charge-off guidance of 55 to 70 basis points is above the 52 bps recorded in 2025, reflecting management's anticipation of a modest increase in losses (including potential charge-offs from larger commercial relationships) despite improved credit metrics in 2025.
Isolated Commercial Credit Events and NPL Volatility
2025 included several isolated commercial credit relationships that impacted inflows of NPLs and provisions (previous quarter included two unrelated commercial inflows totaling $188 million and a $40 million prior-quarter charge-off). BPPR saw a $5 million increase in NPLs in Q4 (commercial +$8M), and provision activity remains elevated for commercial reserves.
Expense Timing, One-offs and Ongoing Investment Need
Q4 operating expenses decreased QoQ partly due to a partial reversal of the FDIC special assessment; excluding that reversal, Q4 operating expenses were $489 million. Management delayed some 2025 expenditures into 2026, leading to expected ~3% GAAP expense growth in 2026 as investments in people and technology continue and some project-related double-run costs occur around go-lives.
Macro and Structural Risks: PREPA, Affordability and Geographic Concentration
Management cited unresolved risks that could impact performance — PREPA's bankruptcy and Puerto Rico's electricity infrastructure (a potential drag on growth), housing affordability that could affect consumer segments, and geographic concentration risk tied to Puerto Rico which influences capital planning and the need for CET1 buffer/optimization.
Company Guidance
The company guided to modest 2026 improvement while emphasizing capital return and discipline: consolidated loan growth of 3–4%, net interest income up 5–7% (with continued margin expansion from a GAAP NIM of 3.61% / FTE 4.03% and reinvestment of securities), quarterly noninterest income of $160–165M, full‑year GAAP expenses up ~3%, an effective tax rate of 15–17%, and annual net charge‑offs of 55–70 bps; management expects Puerto Rico public deposits to be $18–20B, will maintain a 2–3 year investment portfolio duration (they bought ~$900M of Treasuries at ~3.56% and 2.1‑year duration in Q4), plans continued buybacks (Q4 repurchase ~$148M, ~$281M remaining authorization, ~$500M repurchased in 2025 and ~$720M since resumption) and a likely dividend increase after the $0.75/share quarterly payout, and remains focused on reaching a sustainable ~14% ROTCE (Q4 >14%, 2025 = 13%) while CET1 was 15.7% and tangible book was $82.65.

Popular Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Strong multi-year revenue growth and a clear 2025 earnings rebound support the score, alongside improving leverage (debt-to-equity ~0.23) and solid absolute cash generation (2025 FCF $681M). Offsetting factors include profitability still below prior peak margin years and uneven cash-flow consistency across 2023–2024.
Income Statement
78
Positive
Revenue has expanded steadily from $2.49B (2020) to $4.43B (2025), indicating durable top-line momentum. Profitability remains solid in 2025 with a ~18.8% net margin and ~22.7% EBIT margin, and net income rebounded to $833M from $614M in 2024. The key offset is margin compression versus 2021–2022 (when net margins were ~34–35%), suggesting profitability is still below prior peak levels despite the recovery.
Balance Sheet
74
Positive
Leverage looks controlled for the period shown, with debt-to-equity improving to ~0.23 in 2025 (better than ~0.39 in 2022), alongside equity growth to $6.25B. Returns are healthy but moderated: return on equity was ~13.3% in 2025 versus much stronger levels in 2021–2022, implying less efficient profitability than the peak years. Assets have grown to ~$75.3B, but the combination of a large balance sheet and lower ROE versus earlier periods is the primary constraint on the score.
Cash Flow
72
Positive
Cash generation is strong in absolute terms, with 2025 operating cash flow of $878M and free cash flow of $681M, and free cash flow up ~13.7% year over year. Free cash flow covers a substantial portion of earnings (about 0.78x net income in 2025), supporting earnings quality. The main weakness is volatility—free cash flow growth was negative in 2023 and 2024—pointing to less consistent cash conversion across the cycle.
BreakdownDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue4.43B4.19B3.76B3.24B2.64B
Gross Profit2.93B2.54B2.44B2.85B2.67B
EBITDA1.01B856.63M737.23M1.29B1.31B
Net Income833.16M614.21M541.34M1.10B934.89M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets75.35B73.05B70.76B67.64B75.10B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments439.32M25.02B24.08B23.76B42.84B
Total Debt1.58B1.31B1.24B1.58B1.34B
Total Liabilities69.10B67.43B65.61B63.54B69.13B
Stockholders Equity6.25B5.61B5.15B4.09B5.97B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow680.99M461.31M478.57M910.75M931.47M
Operating Cash Flow878.45M674.72M686.61M1.01B1.01B
Investing Cash Flow-1.76B-1.63B-2.61B5.35B-10.52B
Financing Cash Flow864.58M959.58M1.88B-6.32B9.45B

Popular Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price128.92
Price Trends
50DMA
133.98
Negative
100DMA
125.20
Positive
200DMA
120.23
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
-2.01
Positive
RSI
39.60
Neutral
STOCH
45.83
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For BPOP, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 128.92 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 134.69, below the 50-day MA of 133.98, and above the 200-day MA of 120.23, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -2.01 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 39.60 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 45.83 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for BPOP.

Popular Risk Analysis

Popular disclosed 63 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Popular reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Popular Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (68)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
74
Outperform
$8.39B8.7813.82%2.31%5.87%53.36%
73
Outperform
$8.25B12.938.51%2.43%20.72%3.63%
72
Outperform
$6.98B12.8415.43%1.97%12.63%14.25%
69
Neutral
$8.18B12.5114.95%3.05%2.85%20.57%
68
Neutral
$18.00B11.429.92%3.81%9.73%1.22%
66
Neutral
$7.93B9.5813.33%2.97%0.12%27.30%
* Financial Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
BPOP
Popular
128.92
40.93
46.51%
CBSH
Commerce Bancshares
47.50
-9.90
-17.24%
CFR
Cullen/Frost Bankers
129.45
10.49
8.82%
ONB
Old National Bancorp Capital
21.16
0.32
1.56%
ZION
Zions Bancorporation National Association
53.62
5.59
11.63%

Popular Corporate Events

Executive/Board ChangesShareholder Meetings
Popular announces director Myrna Soto to step down
Neutral
Feb 27, 2026

Popular, Inc. announced that on February 25, 2026, director Myrna M. Soto notified the board of her decision not to stand for re-election when her current term ends at the 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, scheduled for May 8, 2026. The company stated that Soto’s departure is not due to any disagreement over operations, policies, or practices, and the board will reduce its size from twelve to eleven directors effective at the 2026 shareholders’ meeting.

The most recent analyst rating on (BPOP) stock is a Buy with a $170.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Popular stock, see the BPOP Stock Forecast page.

Dividends
Popular Announces Quarterly Cash Dividend, Signals Ongoing Strength
Positive
Feb 26, 2026

On February 26, 2026, Popular, Inc. announced that its board of directors approved a quarterly cash dividend of $0.75 per share on its outstanding common stock. The dividend is scheduled to be paid on April 1, 2026 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on March 18, 2026, signaling continued capital return to investors and underscoring the bank’s confidence in its financial position and earnings resilience.

The dividend declaration maintains Popular’s pattern of shareholder distributions and provides income visibility to investors in a period of ongoing scrutiny of bank capital and payout policies. For stakeholders, the move suggests management sees sufficient balance sheet strength to support both regulatory requirements and consistent cash returns, reinforcing the company’s standing among leading regional banking institutions.

The most recent analyst rating on (BPOP) stock is a Buy with a $170.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Popular stock, see the BPOP Stock Forecast page.

Business Operations and StrategyStock BuybackDividendsFinancial Disclosures
Popular reports stronger Q4 and full-year 2025 earnings
Positive
Jan 27, 2026

On January 27, 2026, Popular, Inc. reported that net income for the fourth quarter of 2025 rose to $233.9 million from $211.3 million in the prior quarter, with earnings per share increasing to $3.53, supported by higher net interest income, an expanded net interest margin and lower operating expenses. Full-year 2025 net income reached $833.2 million, up from $614.2 million in 2024, while adjusted net income excluding FDIC special assessment effects grew to $823.5 million from $646.1 million, reflecting stronger profitability, loan growth to $39.3 billion, and improved credit quality metrics such as lower non-performing loans and net charge-offs. Deposits ended 2025 at $66.2 billion, down quarter-on-quarter due to lower Puerto Rico public deposits but higher when those are excluded, and Popular underscored its robust capital position with a 15.72% Common Equity Tier 1 ratio and continued capital returns, including repurchasing 4.66 million shares for $501.5 million and paying a quarterly dividend of $0.75 per share, as it advances a strategic framework aimed at boosting returns and cementing its position as a top-performing bank for customers and shareholders.

The most recent analyst rating on (BPOP) stock is a Buy with a $145.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Popular stock, see the BPOP Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Mar 05, 2026