BUZZ-Flagstar Financial climbs after smaller Q4 loss

Shares of regional lender Flagstar Financial FLG.N rise 5.9% to $10.17 premarket

FLG's Q4 net loss narrows to $168 mln, or 41 cents/shr, compared with $2.71 bln, or $11.27/shr, a year earlier

Provision for credit losses shrunk 80% to $108 mln, thanks to lower net charge-offs and a decline in loans held-for-investment

Net charge-offs are debts that are unlikely to be recovered

"Perhaps our most important accomplishment this year is the improvement in our capital position," CEO Joseph Otting says

Meanwhile, FLG forecast 2025 per-share loss of 25 cents to 30 cents, vs prior expectations for a loss of 30 cents to 35 cents

Wall Street expects FLG to post a per-share loss of 35 cents in 2025 - LSEG data

FLG, formerly known as New York Community Bancorp, had last year delayed its profitability goal by a year to 2026

FLG shares slumped 69.6% in 2024