Popular Stock Price, News & Analysis
Company Description
Popular, Inc. (NASDAQ: BPOP) is a financial holding company in the commercial banking industry and the finance and insurance sector. According to company disclosures, Popular is the leading financial institution by both assets and deposits in Puerto Rico and ranks among the top 50 U.S. bank holding companies by assets. The corporation’s primary activities are conducted through its principal banking subsidiaries, with a focus on retail, mortgage and commercial banking services in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands and selected mainland U.S. markets.
Founded in 1893, Popular traces its origins to Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, which is described as Popular’s principal subsidiary. Banco Popular de Puerto Rico provides retail, mortgage and commercial banking services in Puerto Rico and in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands. In Puerto Rico, this subsidiary also engages in auto and equipment leasing and financing. Through specialized subsidiaries in Puerto Rico, Popular offers broker-dealer and insurance services, and in some disclosures also references investment banking services. These activities position Popular as a diversified provider of banking and related financial services in its core markets.
In the mainland United States, Popular operates through its New York-chartered banking subsidiary Popular Bank (also referred to as Popular U.S.). Popular Bank provides retail, mortgage and commercial banking services and maintains branches in New York, New Jersey and Florida. This structure gives Popular a footprint that spans Puerto Rico, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, and selected U.S. metropolitan markets, combining local franchise strength in Puerto Rico with a presence in key states on the U.S. East Coast.
Popular’s equity securities include its common stock, which trades on The NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol BPOP, and 6.125% Cumulative Monthly Income Trust Preferred Securities, which trade under the symbol BPOPM, as disclosed in its SEC filings. The company also has outstanding 6.375% Non-Cumulative Monthly Income Preferred Stock, 2003 Series A, on which it regularly declares monthly cash dividends, and trust preferred securities issued by Popular Capital Trust II, on which it declares monthly distributions. These instruments reflect a capital structure that includes common equity, preferred stock and trust preferred securities.
Recent company communications emphasize Popular’s role as Puerto Rico’s largest financial institution, serving more than 2 million unique customers. Recognition such as Banco Popular de Puerto Rico being named “Bank of the Year Puerto Rico 2025” by The Banker magazine underscores the bank’s profile within its home market. The award submission highlighted a data-driven customer personalization framework and a Cloud-first strategy used to scale innovation and mitigate fraud risk, as well as consumer products tailored for the island’s mass affluent segment. These disclosures indicate a focus on combining digital capabilities with traditional banking relationships.
Popular’s business model is centered on traditional banking activities, including taking deposits and extending credit through retail, mortgage and commercial loan products. In Puerto Rico, the company also participates in auto and equipment leasing and financing, expanding its reach into vehicle and equipment-related credit. Fee-based activities arise from broker-dealer and insurance services offered through specialized subsidiaries, and from various service fees associated with its banking operations. Company reports also reference investment banking services in Puerto Rico, adding another dimension to its financial services offering.
From a reporting standpoint, Popular’s SEC filings identify it as a Puerto Rico corporation with its common stock and trust preferred securities listed on NASDAQ. The corporation’s reportable segments, as described in earlier profile information, consist of Banco Popular de Puerto Rico and Popular U.S., reflecting the distinction between its Puerto Rico operations and its mainland U.S. banking activities. This segmentation aligns with differences in markets, regulatory environments and product focus between Puerto Rico and the continental United States.
Popular regularly communicates with investors through quarterly earnings releases and conference calls. These communications discuss metrics such as net interest income, net interest margin, non-interest income, operating expenses, credit quality indicators and capital ratios, as well as capital actions such as common stock dividends and share repurchase programs. While specific figures change over time, the recurring themes in these disclosures are loan and deposit growth, net interest margin dynamics, credit quality trends and the impact of investment in U.S. Treasury securities and other earning assets.
Dividend activity is a recurring feature of Popular’s investor communications. The Board of Directors has approved quarterly cash dividends on common stock, and the company frequently announces monthly cash dividends on its 6.375% Non-Cumulative Monthly Income Preferred Stock, 2003 Series A, along with monthly distributions on its 6.125% Cumulative Monthly Income Trust Preferred Securities issued by Popular Capital Trust II. These actions are disclosed through press releases and Form 8-K filings, providing investors with information on record dates and payment dates.
Popular’s disclosures also reference a strategic focus on transformation and efficiency. Management commentary in earnings releases describes a framework built around being the number one bank for customers, simplifying operations and achieving strong performance. References to a transformation program, Cloud-first technology strategy and data-driven personalization indicate that Popular is investing in technology and process changes intended to enhance customer experience and operational effectiveness, while maintaining a banking model rooted in traditional deposit and lending activities.
As a regulated financial institution, Popular’s operations and capital structure are subject to oversight and disclosure requirements. Its SEC filings, including Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K, provide detailed information on its financial condition, results of operations, risk management, capital adequacy and material corporate events. For investors and analysts, these documents, together with company press releases, form the primary source of information about Popular’s business, financial performance and strategic priorities.
Business segments and geographic focus
Popular’s activities are organized around its principal banking subsidiaries. Banco Popular de Puerto Rico focuses on Puerto Rico and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, offering retail, mortgage and commercial banking services, auto and equipment leasing and financing, and financial services through specialized subsidiaries such as broker-dealer and insurance entities. Popular Bank, its New York-chartered banking subsidiary, provides retail, mortgage and commercial banking services in the mainland United States, with branches in New York, New Jersey and Florida.
This structure allows Popular to serve individuals, businesses and institutions in Puerto Rico and nearby territories, as well as customers in selected U.S. markets. While specific customer segments are not detailed beyond references to a growing mass affluent segment in Puerto Rico, the mix of retail, mortgage and commercial banking activities implies a broad customer base spanning consumers and commercial clients.
Capital markets presence and investor communications
Popular’s common stock and certain preferred and trust preferred securities are listed on The NASDAQ Stock Market, providing access to public equity markets. The company uses press releases and SEC filings to announce dividends, financial results, capital actions such as share repurchase authorizations, and other material events. Form 8-K filings, for example, have been used to report quarterly financial results and dividend declarations, with accompanying exhibits that include press releases and investor presentations.
Through these disclosures, Popular provides information on its financial performance, credit quality, capital ratios and strategic priorities. Management commentary often highlights net interest income trends, the impact of deposit and loan growth, changes in net interest margin, and developments in non-interest income and operating expenses. These communications also reference non-GAAP financial measures such as net interest income on a taxable equivalent basis and tangible common equity, accompanied by explanations of why management uses these measures.
Recognition and strategic focus
Banco Popular de Puerto Rico’s recognition as “Bank of the Year Puerto Rico 2025” by The Banker magazine illustrates the institution’s profile within its market. The award criteria, as described, include financial performance, innovation, resilience and the ability to transform challenges into opportunities. Popular’s submission emphasized a data-driven customer personalization framework, a Cloud-first strategy aimed at scaling innovation and mitigating fraud risk, and consumer products designed for the island’s mass affluent segment. Management commentary connects these initiatives to a broader goal of integrating digital innovation with human interaction to create personalized banking experiences.
Popular’s strategic framework, as described in its communications, focuses on being the primary bank for its customers, simplifying and improving efficiency, and achieving top-tier performance with strong talent and sustainable returns. References to a transformation program suggest ongoing efforts to refine operations, technology and customer engagement while maintaining a core banking model based on deposits, lending and fee-based financial services.