Citizens Financial (CFG) surged 5.12% during Wednesday's intraday trading session following the release of its robust fourth-quarter earnings report. The bank outperformed market expectations, driven by strong fee income growth and improved profitability.

The company reported a 32% year-over-year increase in net income to $528 million, with earnings per share (EPS) rising 36% to $1.13, beating analysts' estimates. Revenue climbed to $2.16 billion, slightly above forecasts, supported by a 16% jump in capital markets fees and a 31% surge in wealth management fees. Net interest income also grew 9% to $1.54 billion.

Investors reacted positively to Citizens' optimistic outlook for FY26, which projects net interest income growth of 10-12%. The results underscore the bank's ability to capitalize on fee-based businesses and maintain strong credit quality, with provisions for credit losses declining 15% to $137 million.