Hancock Whitney's Strategies for Growth and Risk Management in 2024

2024-04-17

In Hancock Whitney's First Quarter 2024 Earnings Conference Call, key participants such as John Hairston (President and CEO), Mike Achary (CFO), and Chris Ziluca (Chief Credit Officer) discussed various aspects of the company's performance and outlook. John Hairston highlighted the solid start to 2024, emphasizing efforts to grow capital, reposition the balance sheet, and maintain profitability. The company saw a slight decrease in net interest income due to a portfolio restructure but experienced NIM expansion driven by various factors like higher securities yields and improved funding mix.

Loan growth was modest, with a focus on granular full relationship loans, while deposit growth and capital ratios remained strong. The company's credit quality metrics continued to normalize, with a focus on managing nonrelationship credits and loan portfolio granularity. Challenges in the current economic environment, including higher operating costs and interest rates, were also addressed during the call.

Discussions also touched on topics like deposit costs, loan yields, fee income, expenses, and potential impacts of rate cuts on business growth. The company's strategies for managing expenses, navigating the competitive environment, and potential investments in new bankers and facilities were outlined. Additionally, considerations regarding credit quality, loan pricing, and deposit management were highlighted as part of the company's overall outlook and performance expectations.

Overall, the conference call provided valuable insights into Hancock Whitney's performance in the first quarter of 2024, its strategies for growth and risk management, and the key factors influencing its financial outlook in a dynamic business environment.