Contradictions in BMO's 2025Q2 Earnings Call: Commercial Loan Growth, Tariffs, and Capital Strategies Under Scrutiny

US commercial loan growth and sentiment, US loan growth and market dynamics, impact of tariffs on PCL and US commercial clients, capital allocation and margin strategy, and deposit optimization strategy are the key contradictions discussed in Bank of Montreal's latest 2025Q2 earnings call.



Revenue and Profitability Growth:
- Bank of Montreal (BMO) reported adjusted net income of $2 billion and earnings per share of $2.62 for Q2 2025.
- Revenue growth of 12% was driven by strength in each of their diversified businesses, despite a challenging macroeconomic environment.

Risk Management and Provisioning:
- Impaired provisions continued to moderate with reduced losses in U.S. commercial businesses.
- BMO bolstered its performing allowance by more than $850 million over the last three quarters, reflecting a disciplined approach to risk management.

U.S. Market and Balance Sheet Optimization:
- The U.S. business focused on acquiring strong ROE loans and optimizing capital allocation.
- BMO executed a sale of a non-relationship credit card portfolio and exited a franchise loan portfolio, freeing up capital for higher return opportunities.

Deposit and Margin Optimization:
- BMO achieved a 5 basis point increase in U.S. P&C NIM due to disciplined deposit pricing and reduced balances in low-yielding assets.
- The bank's strategy included repricing lower value deposits and improving deposit mix, contributing positively to ROE.

Wealth Management Expansion:
- BMO Wealth Management reported a 13% increase in revenue, with a return on equity of 29% year-to-date, up from 24% a year ago.
- Growth was supported by strong net new asset growth, strategic investments in U.S. and Canadian markets, and innovative product offerings like BMO's Canadian Depository Receipt lineup.