Popular, Inc. (BPOP) recently climbed to its highest level in a year as investors responded to improving credit metrics and bolstered net interest income. The bank reported fourth-quarter net interest income growth of 12% year over year, driven by a 15% increase in average loan balances across commercial and consumer segments. This momentum coincided with an upgrade to Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), reflecting consensus analyst estimates that earnings per share will grow by more than 20% in fiscal 2026 compared with the prior year. The upgrade comes amid growing optimism around loan portfolio diversification, with non-interest income rising 8% sequentially thanks to increased fee revenue from wealth management and treasury services.