Shares of Central Pacific Financial (CPF) plummeted 5.09% in Wednesday's intraday trading session, as the company's third-quarter earnings fell short of analyst expectations. The Hawaii-based bank reported adjusted earnings per share of $0.73, missing the consensus estimate of $0.74, despite showing a 25.86% increase from the same period last year.
The financial results revealed mixed signals for investors. While Central Pacific's Q3 net income rose to $18.6 million, up from $13.3 million in the previous year, the company's sales of $61.301 million missed analyst projections of $62 million. Additionally, the provision for credit losses increased to $4.157 million, potentially raising concerns about the bank's loan portfolio quality.
Despite the earnings miss, Central Pacific announced some positive developments. The company raised its quarterly cash dividend to $0.28 per share from $0.27 and revealed plans to redeem $55 million in subordinated notes in the fourth quarter. Furthermore, Central Pacific expanded its international presence through a strategic partnership with Kyoto Shinkin Bank, aimed at strengthening economic ties between Hawaii and Japan. However, these initiatives were not enough to offset investor disappointment in the company's financial performance, leading to the significant stock price decline.