For the third consecutive year, Fifth Third has been named one of the World's Most Admired Companies™ by Fortune Magazine, a distinction that CEO Tim Spence says validates the bank’s emphasis on sustainable shareholder returns, community investment and employee engagement. The accolade follows a year in which Fifth Third increased its return on tangible common equity by 150 basis points and achieved a 12% total shareholder return, driven by disciplined expense management and targeted growth initiatives.

In the fourth quarter, Fifth Third reported record net interest income, which rose 6% year-over-year to $1.53 billion, and delivered 230 basis points of positive operating leverage as revenue growth outpaced expense growth. Net income available to common shareholders climbed 20% year-over-year to $699 million, or $1.04 per diluted share, while provisions for credit losses declined by 15% sequentially. The bank’s net charge-off rate improved to 40 basis points from 46 basis points a year earlier, and Common Equity Tier 1 capital increased 20 basis points to 10.77%, underscoring both profitability and balance-sheet strength.

During 2025, Fifth Third opened 50 de novo branches in high-growth Southeast markets—27 in the fourth quarter alone—including its 200th location in Florida and 100th in the Carolinas. These new outlets generated deposit growth 45% higher than peer de novo branches. Concurrently, the bank shipped more than 400 mobile app updates, adding features such as direct deposit switching, a financial wellness hub and free estate-planning tools. Digital engagement metrics improved across the board: average active digital users rose from 3.09 million to 3.19 million, mobile users from 2.37 million to 2.49 million, digital-assisted mortgage applications from 97% to 98%, and digital originations of new consumer deposit accounts from 28% to 31%.

Having secured regulatory and shareholder approvals, Fifth Third expects to close its merger with Comerica on February 1. Management projects the combination will leverage Fifth Third’s branch playbook to add 150 de novo locations in Texas and bolster Comerica’s retail franchise, while integrating Comerica’s technology and life-sciences vertical into Fifth Third’s embedded-finance platform, Newline. Executives anticipate that synergies will drive peer-leading returns and improved efficiency ratios by 2027, supporting continued earnings and capital generation for shareholders.