Paul Harris, CFA Regions Financial RF-N PAST TOP PICK Oct 30, 2014

Hasn't gone up in the last little while. They don't have investment banking, are retail banks, Are in good shape, but need interest rates to move up. Thinks they will do well over the long term.

This is one of several regional banks in the US. Regional banks for years did particularly well. This year, a number of the regional banks, including this one, haven’t had earnings growth. The earnings numbers are actually down slightly. Stock is not expensive, but without growing earnings it is really, really hard to see this company going very far.

Regional banks are not all the same. He likes the sector. A lot of stocks are getting hit from a macro perspective. When we come out of this correction, leadership will emerge. It is not the weaker stocks coming out that lead, but rather the stronger. He recommends KRE-N as it is trading stronger than 75% of the stocks.

He likes US financials as they are trading at or close to book. They should raise dividends close to where they are in Canadian banks. There is a potential to double over the long term.

Regional banks are relatively easy to evaluate. They either get processing fees to process mortgages, or they make spreads between what they pay out on their deposits and what they get on their mortgages. Feels they have been undervalued since 2008. Despite the recent rally, this is still undervalued.

A regional bank, a bit of a roll up. They have run into credit problems before. They predominantly take in deposits and lend them out. If we get into a credit cycle, you have to be careful, but he does not see that on the horizon. He still likes financials.

It is a small regional player, the largest deposit taker in the state of Alabama. The banks will continue to benefit from the slow increase in interest rates. This is an attractive stock. It is in a good position now after cleaning up its portfolio after 2008. (Analysts’ target: $15.00).

A regional US bank. US banks are certainly not expensive, and this is just trading at BV, about 15X earnings. The key to all these banks is that there will be a slightly higher yield curve, allowing them to borrow Short and lend out Longer. Certain aspects of Dodd Frank hurt regional banks more than bigger banks, and if they can make that less onerous for regional banks, that will really help them and save them a lot of cost. This bank can also grow by acquisitions, which he expects will happen. (See Top Picks.)

Has held up the best in the group, but regional banks are probably most closely tied to the US domestic economy, and there is a risk we are headed to recession.