Community Bank Earnings Improve, Card Rate Cap Unlikely

Fifty-seven of 65 banks with $5 billion to $10 billion in assets that had released earnings by Jan. 30, 2026 reported year-over-year EPS growth in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. Thirty of those banks delivered both quarterly and annual increases, though some results were influenced by one-time items tied to asset sales or merger costs.

A separate S&P article found the probability of a federal 10% credit card rate cap to be very low, with average rates among the top 20 card issuers in the high teens and credit card exposure concentrated among a subset of lenders with significant portfolio reliance.