Fifth Third has been named among Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies™ for the third consecutive year, underscoring the bank’s commitment to long-term value creation. Chairman, CEO and President Tim Spence noted that the accolade “affirms our strategy of driving sustainable results for shareholders, investing in the communities we serve and creating an environment where our employees can succeed.” This recognition reflects strong external validation of Fifth Third’s governance practices, corporate culture and financial performance compared with peers across the banking industry.

In its fourth quarter operating release, Fifth Third reported record net interest income and 230 basis points of positive operating leverage, outcomes attributed to its dual strategy of physical expansion and digital innovation. During 2025 the bank opened 50 new branches in high-growth Southeast markets—including 27 in the fourth quarter alone—bringing its Florida network to 200 locations and its Carolinas footprint to 100. De novo branches outperformed peer averages, delivering deposit growth 45% above competing institutions. On the digital front, more than 400 mobile app updates were rolled out last year—adding features such as direct deposit switching, a financial wellness hub and free estate planning tools—which helped lift average active digital users from 3.09 million to 3.19 million and average mobile users from 2.37 million to 2.49 million. The share of mortgage applications initiated with digital assistance ticked up to 98%, while digital originations of new consumer deposit accounts rose to 31%.

With regulatory and shareholder approvals secured, Fifth Third expects to close its merger with Comerica on February 1. Management anticipates deploying its “Fifth Third Playbook” to expand Comerica’s retail footprint by adding 150 de novo branches in Texas, while combining Comerica’s technology and life sciences vertical with Fifth Third’s embedded finance platform, Newline, to create a differentiated innovation banking business. Spence emphasized that the transaction will support peer-leading returns and efficiency improvements in 2027 and beyond, positioning the combined franchise for enhanced scale in target markets and deeper engagement with corporate and technology clients.