Back to top

Image: Bigstock

BofA (BAC) Intends to Expand in Nine New Markets by 2026

Read MoreHide Full Article

Bank of America (BAC - Free Report) is set to embark on an ambitious expansion plan to open financial centers in both new and existing markets. By 2026, BofA plans to expand its financial center network into nine new markets, bringing its services to more clients and communities.

Over the next four years, BofA will open 34 financial centers in these new markets, with five in Omaha, five in Louisville, four in Boise, five in Birmingham, three in Madison, five in New Orleans, five in Milwaukee and one each in Dayton and Huntsville.

In addition to its new market expansions, BAC is focused on optimizing its retail banking presence in well-established markets. The company opened 58 centers last year and intends to open more than 55 new locations this year across 34 markets. The company plans to open additional financial centers in Denver, Minneapolis, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Lexington.

These efforts will further strengthen the company's presence in new and existing markets and enable it to provide a broader range of banking services to its customers. Thus, once the initiative is complete, BofA will have financial centers in more than 200 markets across 39 states.

BofA's commitment to providing modern and state-of-the-art financial centers is evident through its ongoing renovation and modernization project. Over the past three years, the company has been renovating and updating its existing financial centers across the country. By the end of 2023, more than 2,500 centers will have been renovated, creating offices and meeting spaces for clients to engage with financial specialists and ensuring a consistent and modern experience across all centers.

Despite expanding its financial center network, BAC has been closing certain financial centers in recent years. Speaking at a Morgan Stanley conference earlier this month, Aron Levine, president of preferred banking, stated that over the last two years, nearly 525 financial centers were closed.

Also, over the last decade, BAC’s network shrunk to almost 3,800 centers from 6,100, while customer deposits doubled to $1 trillion. The company plans to continue closing financial centers in the future, albeit in a more measured manner. The company recognizes the shift toward digital banking and the decreased demand for in-person transactions as reasons for this.

By expanding its network, BAC is trying to close the gap with JPMorgan (JPM - Free Report) . JPM, in 2018, announced plans to enter 25 new markets by opening 400 branches. Currently, JPMorgan operates branches in 48 states, while BofA's network will span 39 states once its expansion plans are realized.

Parting Thoughts

The opening of new financial centers in new and existing markets, along with the renovation of existing centers, solidifies BofA's commitment to providing accessible and modern banking solutions. While the company will continue to adapt to the evolving digital landscape, its physical financial centers play a crucial role in delivering personalized services and building relationships with clients.

BofA's expansion efforts position it for continued growth and success in the banking industry. In addition to enhancing market share, the strategy helps the bank grab cross-selling opportunities by increasing its presence in the card and auto loan sectors.

In the first quarter of 2023, the Consumer Banking segment constituted 38% of BAC’s net income. With this expansion plan, we believe that the number will keep improving.

Shares of BofA have lost 14.8% so far this year compared with 7.9% decline for the industry.
 

Zacks Investment Research
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

At present, BAC carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Other than BofA, Frost Bank, a subsidiary of Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. (CFR - Free Report) , announced its plans to double its number of financial centers in the Austin region by 2026. The company expects the expansion will further strengthen its position in the region.

CFR, through Frost, already has 17 financial centers in the Austin region. It also has the biggest ATM network in Texas, including more than 140 ATMs in Austin. Cullen/Frost Bankers expects that the expansion will lead to the opening of 17 new financial centers.

Disclaimer: This article has been written with the assistance of Generative AI. However, the author has reviewed, revised, supplemented, and rewritten parts of this content to ensure its originality and the precision of the incorporated information.


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:


Bank of America Corporation (BAC) - free report >>

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) - free report >>

Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. (CFR) - free report >>

Published in