CULLEN/FROST REPORTS FIRST QUARTER RESULTS (Form 8-K)

CULLEN/FROST REPORTS FIRST QUARTER RESULTS

Board increases quarterly common dividend by 3.0 percent to $1.03

SAN ANTONIO -- Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. (NYSE:CFR) today reported first quarter 2026 results.

Net income available to common shareholders for the first quarter of 2026 was $169.3 million, compared to $149.3 million for the first quarter of 2025. On a per-share basis, net income available to common shareholders for the first quarter of 2026 was $2.65 per diluted common share, compared to $2.30 per diluted common share reported a year earlier. Returns on average assets and average common equity were 1.32 percent and 15.15 percent, respectively, for the first quarter of 2026, compared to 1.19 percent and 15.54 percent, respectively, for the same period a year earlier.

For the first quarter of 2026, net interest income on a taxable-equivalent basis was $460.8 million, up 5.6 percent compared to the same quarter in 2025. Average loans for the first quarter of 2026 increased $1.2 billion, or 5.9 percent, to $22.0 billion, from the $20.8 billion reported for the first quarter a year earlier, and increased $349.3 million, or 1.6 percent, compared to the fourth quarter of 2025. Average deposits for the first quarter increased $567.9 million, or 1.4 percent, to $42.2 billion, compared to the $41.7 billion reported for last year's first quarter, and decreased $1.1 billion, or 2.6 percent, compared to the fourth quarter of 2025.

"We had a solid start to the year, with average loan growth of just under six percent and continued steady growth in deposits compared to the year-ago period," said Cullen/Frost Chairman and CEO Phil Green.

"With the opening of our Arboretum location in the Austin area, our 205th location, we have increased our total branch count by more than 50 percent since we started our Houston region expansion in December of 2018, and are very pleased with our results. Thanks to the hard work of Frost Bankers throughout the state, through the first quarter we have accumulated $2.6 billion in loans and $3.2 billion in deposits at our expansion locations in Houston, Dallas and Austin."

Noted financial data for the first quarter of 2026 follows:

•The Common Equity Tier 1, Tier 1 and Total Risk-Based Capital Ratios at the end of the first quarter of 2026 were 14.07 percent, 14.51 percent and 15.89 percent, respectively, and continue to be in excess of well-capitalized levels and exceed Basel III minimum requirements.

•Net interest income on a taxable-equivalent basis was $460.8 million for the first quarter of 2026, an increase of 5.6 percent, compared to $436.4 million for the first quarter of 2025. Net interest margin was 3.74 percent for the first quarter of 2026 compared to 3.60 percent for the first quarter of 2025 and 3.66 percent for the fourth quarter of 2025.

•Non-interest income for the first quarter of 2026 totaled $136.3 million, an increase of $12.3 million, or 9.9 percent, from the $124.0 million reported for the first quarter of 2025. Trust and investment management fees increased $5.0 million, or 11.7 percent, compared to the first quarter of 2025. The increase in trust and investment management fees during the first quarter was primarily related to increases in investment management fees (up $4.3 million) and miscellaneous fees (up $1.3 million). Investment management fees are generally based on the market value of assets within customer accounts and are thus impacted by price movements in the equity and bond markets. Service charges on deposit accounts increased $3.5 million, or 12.4 percent, compared to the first quarter of 2025. The increase was primarily related to an increase in commercial service charges (up $2.2 million), reflecting growth in billable treasury management services, lower earnings credit rates on analyzed accounts, and higher fees

on non-analyzed accounts, as well as an increase in consumer overdraft charges (up $1.3 million) due to higher volumes associated with account growth. Other non-interest income increased $1.9 million, or 14.9 percent, compared to the first quarter of 2025. The increase during the first quarter was primarily related to increases in sundry and other miscellaneous income (up $2.2 million), life insurance proceeds (up $632,000), and income from customer derivatives and securities trading (up $456,000), partly offset by decreases in gains on the sale of foreclosed and other assets (down $2.1 million).

•Non-interest expense was $365.7 million for the first quarter of 2026, up $17.6 million, or 5.1 percent, compared to the $348.1 million reported for the first quarter a year earlier. Salaries and wages expense increased $5.3 million, or 3.3 percent, compared to the first quarter of 2025. The increase in salaries and wages was primarily related to increases in salaries due to annual merit and market increases and to an increase in stock compensation. Employee benefits expense increased by $2.5 million, or 5.9 percent, compared to the first quarter of 2025. The increase in employee benefits expense was primarily related to increases in medical/dental benefits expense (up $1.7 million) and payroll taxes (up $792,000). Technology, furniture, and equipment expense increased $1.6 million, or 3.9 percent, compared to the first quarter of 2025. The increase was primarily related to increased cloud services expense (up $1.8 million). Other non-interest expense increased $6.7 million, or 10.4 percent, compared to the first quarter of 2025. The increase included increases in deposit fraud losses related to various payment systems (up $2.4 million), advertising/promotions expense (up $1.9 million), and professional services expense (up $532,000).

•For the first quarter of 2026, the company reported a credit loss expense of $6.7 million, and reported net charge-offs of $5.7 million. This compares to a credit loss expense of $11.2 million and net charge-offs of $5.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2025 and a credit loss expense of $13.1 million and net charge-offs of $9.7 million for the first quarter of 2025. The allowance for credit losses on loans as a percentage of total loans was 1.28 percent at March 31, 2026, compared to 1.29 percent at December 31, 2025 and 1.32 percent at March 31, 2025. Non-accrual loans were $72.4 million at the end of the first quarter of 2026, compared to $70.5 million at the end of the fourth quarter of 2025 and $83.5 million at the end of the first quarter of 2025.

•During the first quarter of 2026, we repurchased 507,753 shares at a total cost of $70.0 million. As of the end of the first quarter, we had $230 million remaining under our current $300 million repurchase authorization, which expires in January of 2027.

The Cullen/Frost board declared a second-quarter cash dividend of $1.03 per common share, representing a 3.0 percent increase compared to the previous quarterly dividend of $1.00 per share. The dividend on common stock is payable June 15, 2026 to shareholders of record on May 29 of this year. The board of directors also declared a cash dividend of $11.125 per share of Series B Preferred Stock (or $0.278125 per depositary share). The depositary shares representing the Series B Preferred Stock are traded on the NYSE under the symbol "CFR PrB." The Series B Preferred Stock dividend is payable June 15, 2026 to shareholders of record on May 29 of this year.

Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. will host a conference call on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at 1 p.m. Central Time (CT) to discuss the results for the quarter. The media and other interested parties are invited to access the call in a "listen only" mode at 1-877-709-8150 or via webcast on our investor relations website linked below. Playback of the conference call will be available after 5 p.m. CT on the day of the call until midnight Sunday, May 3, 2026 at 1-877-660-6853 with Conference ID # of 13759870. A replay of the call will also be available by webcast at the URL listed below after 5 p.m. CT on the day of the call.

Cullen/Frost investor relations website: https://investor.frostbank.com/

Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. (NYSE: CFR) is a financial holding company, headquartered in San Antonio, with $52.7 billion in assets at March 31, 2026. One of the 50 largest U.S. banks, Frost provides a wide range of banking, investments and insurance services to businesses and individuals across Texas in the Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Gulf Coast, Houston, Permian Basin, and San Antonio regions. Founded in 1868, Frost has helped clients with their financial needs during three centuries. Additional information is available at www.frostbank.com.

Forward-Looking Statements and Factors that Could Affect Future Results

Certain statements contained in this Earnings Release that are not statements of historical fact constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act"), notwithstanding that such statements are not specifically identified as such. In addition, certain statements may be contained in our future filings with the SEC, in press releases, and in oral and written statements made by us or with our approval that are not statements of historical fact and constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Act. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (i) projections of revenues, expenses, income or loss, earnings or loss per share, the payment or nonpayment of dividends, capital structure and other financial items; (ii) statements of plans, objectives and expectations of Cullen/Frost or its management or Board of Directors, including those relating to products, services or operations; (iii) statements of future economic performance; and (iv) statements of assumptions underlying such statements. Words such as "believes," "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "targeted," "continue," "remain," "will," "should," "may," and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements.