Good morning. JPMorgan Chase reported fourth-quarter 2025 earnings on Tuesday, with investors looking past solid headline results to focus on higher expected costs and a one-time reserve tied to the Apple Card deal, sending shares modestly lower.
The bank posted net income of $13 billion, down 7% from a year earlier due to a $2.2 billion pre-tax credit reserve build related to its pending acquisition of the Apple Card portfolio from Goldman Sachs. Revenue rose 7% to $46.8 billion, while net interest income climbed 7% to $25.1 billion, driven by higher revolving credit card balances and improved deposit margins.
“As the first bank to report results and the largest bank in the U.S., JPMorgan’s earnings serve as a barometer of consumer, corporate, and financial system health,” Morningstar Director Sean Dunlop wrote in a note on Tuesday. “The bank’s broad-based revenue growth suggests all three remain in good shape, though management’s tone and excess reserves point to a cautious outlook beyond 2026.” Dunlop raised his fair value estimate for JPM shares to $289 from $259, while still viewing the stock as expensive.
CFO Jeremy Barnum said on the earnings call that consumers and small businesses remain resilient. JPMorgan projected 2026 expenses of about $105 billion, with Barnum describing the increase as a function of structural optimism and the need to invest to stay ahead. “More generally, the environment is only getting more competitive, and so it remains critical to ensure that we are making the necessary investments to secure our position against both traditional and non-traditional competitors,” he explained.
