SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- National shareholder rights law firm Hagens Berman announces that it is investigating potential securities law violations by Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. (NYSE: MCB) following disappointing Q2 financial results, unexpected credit quality disclosures, and a subsequent stock drop.
If you purchased or acquired Metropolitan Bank securities and suffered significant losses, submit your losses now.
- Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/cases/metropolitan-bank
- Email: MCB@hbsslaw.com
- Call Direct: 844-916-0895
MCB Investigation Focus: Credit Quality Representations vs. July 21 Disclosures
Hagens Berman’s investigation focuses on whether Metropolitan Bank and certain of its executive officers issued materially false and misleading statements or failed to disclose material credit and reserve risks to investors during the relevant period.
- Adequate Reserve Narrative (April 2026 / AGM): Throughout early 2026—including during the Q1 earnings call and Annual General Meeting—management assured investors that credit issues were merely a localized “speed bump” involving only five specific credits. Executives portrayed legacy loan concerns as fully contained, stated that the bank was “adequately reserved,” expressed confidence in a "full recovery" of principal, interest, and legal fees on troubled assets like the Kansas City loan, and guided that criticized and classified loans would return to normal, extremely low trends.
- The July 21 Reality Check: On July 21, 2026, Metropolitan Bank reported its Q2 2026 financial results, revealing a steep earnings miss (EPS of $1.54 vs. consensus estimates of roughly $2.28) driven by a severe spike in credit loss provisions and unexpected write-downs.
- Overall Portfolio Health: Rather than a speed bump limited to five known credits, earnings were hit by several "isolated items," including a significant new $26 million C&I non-performing loan.
- Reserve Adequacy: The "adequately reserved" narrative was upended by $14 million in unexpected new charge-offs, including $10 million for C&I and $4 million for a high-net-worth exposure, alongside a separate $10 million charge-off for a window and door manufacturer.
- Loan Resolutions: Despite assurances of a "full" recovery of legal expenses on the Kansas City loan, the final settlement resulted in only a "partial reimbursement" of legal fees.
“Our investigation focuses on whether Metropolitan Bank may have misled investors by downplaying credit quality issues as a contained ‘speed bump’ while underlying risks in the C&I and legacy loan portfolios may have festered,” said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the firm’s investigation.
Market Impact and Stock Drop
Following these disappointing disclosures, Metropolitan Bank shares suffered a sharp selloff, dropping nearly 9% in a single session as the market absorbed the disclosures of deteriorating credit trends and surging provisions.
What MCB Investors & Whistleblowers Can Do
- Investors with Losses: If you invested in Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. (NYSE: MCB) shares and have substantial losses, submit your loss information here.
- Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Metropolitan Bank should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC.
Contact Reed Kathrein directly at (844) 916-0895 or via email at MCB@hbsslaw.com.
About Hagens Berman
Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP represents investors in securities fraud and shareholder rights litigation. The firm has recovered billions of dollars for defrauded investors and has been recognized among the nation’s leading plaintiffs' securities law firms by ISS Securities Class Action Services. Hagens Berman has 90 attorneys in 10 offices and operates in three additional countries. For more information, visit https://www.hbsslaw.com, and learn more about the firm's securities fraud practice at @securitiesHB and https://www.hbsslaw.com/practices/investor-fraud.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in any future case.
Contact: Hagens Berman, Reed Kathrein, 715 Hearst Avenue, Suite 300, Berkeley, CA 94710, 844-916-0895, MCB@hbsslaw.com
