Zions Net Interest Income to Grow 8% to 12% by 2027

The bank will expand its lending operations to bolster income despite rising deposit costs, impacting commercial borrowers.

Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Corporate Finance

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Zions Bancorporation forecasts 8% to 12% growth in net interest income by 2027 through strategic expansion into multifamily lending operations. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Zions Bancorporation is forecasting 8% to 12% net interest income growth by the third quarter of 2027 following the acquisition of a multifamily lending unit from Basis Investment Group. The expansion strategy aims to bolster income despite anticipated higher deposit costs.

Why it matters

The bank is banking on targeted expansion in the multifamily sector to drive revenue growth as it navigates rising deposit expenses. Operators should monitor how lenders balance these increased operational costs against the pursuit of new, specialized lending lines.

Zions Bancorporation reported third-quarter 2026 net interest income of $684 million, up from $672 million in the same period of 2025. The firm expects its newly acquired multifamily lending business to generate $17 million to $20 million in 2027 revenue against $12 million to $13 million in expenses.

The players

Zions Bancorporation

A major U.S. regional financial services company providing banking, lending, and investment services.

Basis Investment Group

A national commercial real estate investment firm that sold its multifamily lending business.

The details

Zions Bancorporation is integrating a multifamily lending portfolio acquired from Basis Investment Group to diversify its income streams. The bank's financial outlook accounts for three interest rate increases and the associated rise in deposit costs, which represent a significant headwind to margins. Management is prioritizing this acquisition to secure a new revenue pipeline, with the acquired unit projected to reach an annual revenue target of $30 million to $40 million in the medium term.

Timeline

  1. Q3 2025: Net interest income totaled $672 million.

  2. Q3 2026: Net interest income totaled $684 million.

  3. 2027: Projected revenue and expenses for the acquired multifamily lending business.

  4. Q3 2027: Target period for achieving 8% to 12% net interest growth.

Market Landscape

Regional banks are increasingly turning to specialized asset acquisitions to counter the margin pressure caused by the Federal Reserve's interest rate adjustment cycles. This expansion follows a broader industry trend of focusing on high-growth lending niches to offset rising deposit costs.

Operators in the real estate and lending sectors should watch how Zions Bancorporation balances the integration costs of its new portfolio against broader market interest rates. Keep an eye on how these internal efficiency metrics impact loan pricing and capital availability for commercial projects.

The takeaway

Zions Bancorporation is betting on multifamily lending to outpace the drag of rising deposit costs. Operators should track the reported expense-to-revenue ratio of this new division in future quarterly filings to assess whether the bank's integration strategy succeeds at scale.

Further reading

For broader trends in regional banking strategy, visit the Corporate Finance section.

Source note: This article includes information reported by TokenPost.

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