Eastern Bankshares (EBC) Barclays 24th Annual Global Financial Services Conference summary

Competitive landscape and market positioning

• Boston remains highly competitive with many mutuals and large institutions, but strong brand recognition and local decision-making provide an advantage.

• Deposit market share ranks fourth, with $31 billion in assets and a growing wealth and private banking business.

• Recent competitive shifts are most notable in elevated deposit pricing, which began in late last year and continued into Q1.

• Local presence and certainty of execution are emphasized as differentiators, especially amid regional mergers.

Customer sentiment and business pipelines

• Commercial and wealth business pipelines are robust, with record levels in recent quarters, indicating cautious optimism among clients.

• Customers remain resilient despite recent economic shocks, supporting continued lending and borrowing activity.

• Wealth management net flows are strong, reflecting positive client sentiment.

Deposit strategy and profitability

• Increased deposit guidance is driven by proactive pricing and leveraging a dense branch network across New England.

• Customers show a clear preference for liquidity, favoring money market accounts over CDs, which remain flat.

• Margin maintenance is challenged by deposit competition, but higher rates support asset repricing, with a stable outlook for the next couple of years.