What caused FITB's EPS to drop in Q4 2024?

The EPS of Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) decreased from $0.92 in Q4 2023 to $0.85 in Q4 2024. The decline in EPS can be attributed to the following factors: 1. **Revenue Decline**: The bank's revenue decreased, with a reported revenue of $2.13 billion for Q3 2024, down 1% from the same period in the previous year. This decline in revenue could contribute to the lower EPS. 2. **Expense Increase**: The net interest margin (NIM) remained stable at 2.9%, but the company faced challenges in noninterest income and experienced rising interest expenses. These increasing expenses could squeeze the net profit, leading to a lower EPS. 3. **Provision for Loan Losses**: The provision for loan losses was $1.07 billion for the quarter, compared to $1.05 billion in the same quarter of the previous year. This increase in provisions could indicate a higher risk of loan defaults, which might lead to lower earnings and, consequently, a lower EPS. In summary, the drop in EPS for FITB in Q4 2024 is likely a result of a combination of revenue decline, increased expenses, and higher provisions for loan losses.