New York, Jan 25, 2026, 07:01 ET — Market closed
- Shares of Huntington Bancshares ended Friday at $17.35, slipping roughly 1.6%.
- The bank announced terms for $1.75 billion in new notes, with settlement scheduled for Jan. 28.
- The Cadence Bank deal is expected to wrap up near Feb. 1, shifting attention to funding costs and guidance.
Huntington Bancshares Inc shares closed 1.6% lower on Friday at $17.35. The regional lender approaches Monday with investors focused on a debt offering and the looming completion of its Cadence Bank merger.
Timing is key here. Huntington faces a big financing package closing this week, and with Cadence’s deal window looming, traders are already factoring in a “what if it slips” scenario—even though the company insists it won’t happen.
The environment remains tricky for banks. Rate expectations shift rapidly, and net interest income—the difference between earnings on loans and payouts to depositors—reacts accordingly.
A free writing prospectus dated Jan. 23 revealed Huntington’s plan to issue $1.0 billion of 4.623% fixed-to-floating rate senior notes maturing in 2032, alongside $750 million of 5.605% fixed-to-fixed rate subordinated notes due 2041. Settlement is set for Jan. 28. The senior notes carry a fixed coupon until early 2031, then shift to a floating rate linked to SOFR, the main U.S. overnight benchmark.
Huntington reported in a filing that it has secured all necessary regulatory approvals for its Cadence acquisition, with closing anticipated around Feb. 1, pending final conditions. The company confirmed Cadence will merge into The Huntington National Bank.
Earlier this week, Huntington shared a 2026 outlook focused on faster loan growth and wider margins. The bank projects net interest income to climb 10% to 13% on a standalone basis, following $6.06 billion reported for 2025. It also expects average loans to increase 11% to 12% this year. The Cadence deal, valued at $7.4 billion, could boost full-year NII by $1.85 billion to $1.90 billion once closed.
Huntington posted fourth-quarter net income of $519 million, or 30 cents a share, with acquisition-related items weighing in at $130 million pretax. CEO Steve Steinour confirmed, “We expect Cadence to close February 1.” Huntington Bancshares Incorporated
The board approved a quarterly cash dividend of $0.155 per common share, the same as last quarter. It’s set to be paid on April 1 to shareholders recorded by March 18, according to a recent filing.
There is a clear downside risk. Should the merger drag on or integration expenses overshoot, pitching earnings growth through 2026 becomes tougher. On top of that, any slowdown in loan demand or a resurgence in deposit competition squeezes the spread banks rely on to drive growth.
Next up on the market’s radar: the notes settlement set for Jan. 28, the Fed’s two-day policy meeting running Jan. 27–28, and whether Huntington will hit its early-February deadline to close the Cadence deal.
