Quarterly earnings results are a good time to check in on a company’s progress, especially compared to its peers in the same sector. Today we are looking at ServisFirst Bancshares (NYSE: SFBS) and the best and worst performers in the regional banks industry.

Regional banks, financial institutions operating within specific geographic areas, serve as intermediaries between local depositors and borrowers. They benefit from rising interest rates that improve net interest margins (the difference between loan yields and deposit costs), digital transformation reducing operational expenses, and local economic growth driving loan demand. However, these banks face headwinds from fintech competition, deposit outflows to higher-yielding alternatives, credit deterioration (increasing loan defaults) during economic slowdowns, and regulatory compliance costs. Recent concerns about regional bank stability following high-profile failures and significant commercial real estate exposure present additional challenges.

The 87 regional banks stocks we track reported a softer Q3. As a group, revenues were in line with analysts’ consensus estimates.

In light of this news, share prices of the companies have held steady as they are up 1.4% on average since the latest earnings results.

ServisFirst Bancshares (NYSE: SFBS)

Founded in 2005 with a focus on serving underserved mid-sized businesses, ServisFirst Bancshares (NYSE: SFBS) is a bank holding company that provides commercial banking services to businesses and professionals through its subsidiary ServisFirst Bank.

ServisFirst Bancshares reported revenues of $172.8 million, up 19.9% year on year. This print was in line with analysts’ expectations, but overall, it was a softer quarter for the company with a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates and a slight miss of analysts’ net interest income estimates.

Tom Broughton, Chairman, President, and CEO, said, “We see solid economic trends, and loan activity is improving with continued growth in our loan pipeline.”

Interestingly, the stock is up 6% since reporting and currently trades at $41.08.

Is now the time to buy ServisFirst Bancshares? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Best Q3: Merchants Bancorp (NASDAQ: MBIN)

With a strategic focus on low-risk, government-backed lending programs, Merchants Bancorp (NASDAQCM:MBIN) is an Indiana-based bank holding company specializing in multi-family mortgage banking, mortgage warehousing, and traditional banking services.

Merchants Bancorp reported revenues of $224.9 million, up 31.5% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 22.3%. The business had a favorable quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and a narrow beat of analysts’ tangible book value per share estimates.

Merchants Bancorp scored the biggest analyst estimate beat among its peers. The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 5.4% since reporting. It currently trades at $51.77.

Is now the time to buy Merchants Bancorp? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Weakest Q3: National Bank Holdings (NYSE: NBHC)

Operating under familiar local brands like Community Banks of Colorado, Bank Midwest, and Bank of Jackson Hole, National Bank Holdings (NYSE: NBHC) operates regional banks across Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Wyoming, Texas, and other western states, offering commercial, business, and consumer banking services.

National Bank Holdings reported revenues of $128.5 million, up 21.8% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 2.1%. It was an underwhelming quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ net interest income estimates and a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates.

As expected, the stock is down 5.3% since the results and currently trades at $36.92.

Read our full analysis of National Bank Holdings’s results here.

FB Financial (NYSE: FBK)

Founded in 1906 and operating through more than a century of economic cycles, FB Financial (NYSE: FBK) operates FirstBank, providing commercial and consumer banking services across Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, and North Georgia.

FB Financial reported revenues of $175.6 million, flat year on year. This print lagged analysts’ expectations by 2.8%. It was a sluggish quarter as it also logged a miss of analysts’ net interest income estimates and EPS in line with analysts’ estimates.

The stock is up 2.3% since reporting and currently trades at $54.19.

Read our full, actionable report on FB Financial here, it’s free.

Cathay General Bancorp (NASDAQ: CATY)

Founded in 1962 with its first branch in Los Angeles' Chinatown, Cathay General Bancorp (NASDAQ: CATY) operates Cathay Bank, providing commercial banking services to businesses and individuals with a strong presence in Asian-American communities.

Cathay General Bancorp reported revenues of $230.5 million, up 11.2% year on year. This result surpassed analysts’ expectations by 1.4%. Aside from that, it was a softer quarter as it recorded a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates and a slight miss of analysts’ tangible book value per share estimates.

The stock is up 5.9% since reporting and currently trades at $64.24.

Read our full, actionable report on Cathay General Bancorp here, it’s free.

Market update

Over the past year, investors have been forced to repeatedly answer the same question: what is the market’s biggest risk? The answer has changed several times, and each shift has reshaped market leadership.

Late in 2025 and early 2026, artificial intelligence became the market’s primary uncertainty. Investors questioned whether AI would erode software pricing power and weaken competitive moats as AI made it easier to replicate once-differentiated products.

By the spring, technology took a back seat to geopolitics. The U.S. conflict with Iran briefly became the market’s dominant narrative, raising concerns about oil prices, inflation, and global growth. But as energy markets remained orderly and fears of a prolonged supply disruption faded, investors quickly turned their focus back to fundamentals.

Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Top 5 Quality Compounder Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.