Citizens Financial Group today opened submissions for its ninth annual Small Business Community Champion Award Contest, offering 20 qualifying small businesses $10,000 in unrestricted funding plus one year of Luminary® professional support valued at $2,500. Eligible entrants must be Citizens Business Banking customers with up to $5 million in annual revenue, at least two years in operation and a minimum of three employees. The contest runs from January 20 to February 10, 2026, with winners announced in May during Small Business Month. Since its inception, the program has distributed nearly $2 million to 192 businesses, funding expansions, new product launches and community outreach initiatives across Citizens’ 14-state footprint and the District of Columbia.

Citizens Financial Group is scheduled to release its fourth quarter earnings on January 21, with consensus estimates pointing to a year-over-year rise in both earnings per share and total revenue. Analysts project net interest income to climb by approximately 6% versus the prior year, driven by a wider loan portfolio margin, while non-interest expenses are expected to increase by 4% as investments in technology and branch modernization continue. Observers will be watching credit quality metrics closely; net charge-offs in the third quarter were 0.38% of average loans, and any improvement or deterioration this quarter could influence guidance for 2026. Investors will also look for updated capital return plans following the bank’s September 30, 2025, asset base of $222.7 billion.