Associated Banc-Corp delivered fourth-quarter earnings of $0.80 per share, surpassing the consensus estimate of $0.69 and up from $0.57 a year earlier. Total revenue rose 8% year-over-year to $580 million, driven by a 10 basis-point expansion in net interest margin to 3.25%. Non-interest revenue climbed 5% as commercial banking fees and wealth-management income both posted mid-single-digit increases.

Credit quality continued to strengthen, with nonperforming assets falling by 15% to $150 million and the nonperforming-asset ratio improving to 0.45% of total loans. The provision for credit losses declined 45% to $25 million, reflecting a release of previously held reserves as loan delinquency trends moderated across the middle-market and agricultural portfolios.

Operating expenses decreased 4% year-over-year to $300 million, reflecting disciplined cost control and the benefits of recent branch consolidations. The efficiency ratio improved by 220 basis points to 53.0%, marking the third consecutive quarter of double-digit efficiency gains. Technology investments in digital banking and process automation drove a 12% reduction in transaction processing costs.

At quarter-end, the Common Equity Tier 1 ratio stood at a robust 10.5%, in line with management’s target range, and total risk-based capital exceeded regulatory requirements by 250 basis points. The board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.28 per share and authorized a new $100 million share repurchase program. Management reaffirmed full-year guidance for low-double-digit revenue growth and an efficiency target below 52%. Investors will watch first-quarter trends in loan growth and deposit pricing for signs of sustained momentum.