Bank of America Corp. (NYSE:BAC) reported fourth-quarter net income of $7.65 billion, or 98 cents per share, as the nation’s second-largest lender successfully harnessed a rebound in investment banking and resilient consumer spending to overcome a high bar set by analysts.
The results, released Wednesday, beat the 96-cent average estimate from analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research.
Revenue for the period reached $46.88 billion, while revenue net of interest expense climbed to $28.37 billion, well ahead of the $27.49 billion projected by the Street.
The performance was anchored by Net Interest Income (NII), which reached the upper end of management’s guidance at approximately $15.6 billion.
This growth was driven by a 13% surge in commercial loan demand and the ongoing benefit of fixed-rate assets repricing at higher yields.
The bank’s market-facing businesses provided a significant tailwind as global dealmaking activity accelerated toward the end of 2025.
Investment banking fees rose by more than 40% year-over-year, while sales and trading revenue saw a high single-digit percentage jump, fueled by volatility in the fixed-income and equity markets.