BOK Financial’s second quarter results showed resilience amid a challenging environment, as the company surpassed Wall Street’s revenue and profit expectations despite a modest year-on-year sales decline. Management highlighted a return to loan growth, particularly in commercial real estate, and a stabilization in specialized portfolios as key drivers. CEO Stacy Kymes credited the quarter’s performance to “a reacceleration of loan growth with the anticipated fund up of our CRE book, continued strength in the core C&I portfolio and a tapering of the abnormal payoff activity.” Fee income also improved, supported by normalized trading activity and record performances in several fee-based business lines.

Is now the time to buy BOKF? Find out in our full research report (it’s free).

While we enjoy listening to the management's commentary, our favorite part of earnings calls are the analyst questions. Those are unscripted and can often highlight topics that management teams would rather avoid or topics where the answer is complicated. Here is what has caught our attention.

Our Top 5 Analyst Questions BOK Financial’s Q2 Earnings Call

• Jared David Shaw (Barclays) asked about net interest margin outlook. CFO Martin Grunst emphasized that margin expansion will continue, supported by asset repricing and deposit pricing optimization in the coming quarters.
• Jon Arfstrom (RBC Capital Markets) questioned loan growth momentum. CEO Stacy Kymes described accelerating growth in CRE and C&I, with payoffs in energy and healthcare stabilizing, supporting sustained loan growth ahead.
• Brett Rabatin (Hovde Group) inquired about fee income guidance. Grunst and EVP Scott Grauer pointed to strong growth in asset management, transaction card, and investment banking pipelines, expecting positive trends into the second half of the year.
• Wood Lay (KBW) sought clarity on the mortgage finance launch. Grunst explained the business will focus on operational stability in 2025, with significant growth expected in 2026 and beyond, leveraging existing client overlap.
• Timur Braziler (Wells Fargo) asked about funding loan growth and deposit trends. Grunst indicated deposit growth would continue and loan-to-deposit ratios could rise modestly without concern.

Catalysts in Upcoming Quarters

In upcoming quarters, our analysts will be tracking (1) the rollout and initial performance of the mortgage warehouse lending business, (2) the pace and sustainability of loan and deposit growth across core and specialty segments, and (3) the effectiveness of deposit pricing strategies in supporting margin expansion. Additionally, ongoing investments in technology and operational efficiency will be key markers of execution.

BOK Financial currently trades at $105.20, down from $106.87 just before the earnings. At this price, is it a buy or sell? See for yourself in our full research report (it’s free).

The Best Stocks for High-Quality Investors

Donald Trump’s April 2025 "Liberation Day" tariffs sent markets into a tailspin, but stocks have since rebounded strongly, proving that knee-jerk reactions often create the best buying opportunities.

The smart money is already positioning for the next leg up. Don’t miss out on the recovery - check out our Top 5 Growth Stocks for this month. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025).

Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-micro-cap company Tecnoglass (+1,754% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.

StockStory is growing and hiring equity analyst and marketing roles. Are you a 0 to 1 builder passionate about the markets and AI? See the open roles here.