FIFTH THIRD BANCORP

This overview of MD&A highlights selected information in the financial results of the Bancorp and may not contain all of the information that is important to you. For a more complete understanding of trends, events, commitments, uncertainties, liquidity, capital resources and critical accounting policies and estimates, you should carefully read this entire document. Each of these items could have an impact on the Bancorp’s financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. In addition, refer to the Glossary of Abbreviations and Acronyms in this report for a list of terms included as a tool for the reader of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The abbreviations and acronyms identified therein are used throughout this MD&A, as well as the Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

Net interest income, net interest margin, net interest rate spread and the efficiency ratio are presented in MD&A on an FTE basis. The FTE basis adjusts for the tax-favored status of income from certain loans and leases and securities held by the Bancorp that are not taxable for federal income tax purposes. The Bancorp believes this presentation to be the preferred industry measurement of net interest income as it provides a relevant comparison between taxable and non-taxable amounts. The FTE basis for presenting net interest income is a non-GAAP measure. For further information, refer to the Non-GAAP Financial Measures section of MD&A.

The Bancorp’s revenues are dependent on both net interest income and noninterest income. For the year ended December 31, 2023, net interest income on an FTE basis and noninterest income provided 67% and 33% of total revenue, respectively. The Bancorp derives the majority of its revenues within the U.S. from customers domiciled in the U.S. Revenue from foreign countries and external customers domiciled in foreign countries was immaterial to the Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2023. Changes in interest rates, credit quality, economic trends and the capital markets are primary factors that drive the performance of the Bancorp. As discussed later in the Risk Management section of MD&A, risk identification, measurement, monitoring, control and reporting are important to the management of risk and to the financial performance and capital strength of the Bancorp.

Net interest income is the difference between interest income earned on assets such as loans, leases and securities, and interest expense incurred on liabilities such as deposits, other short-term borrowings and long-term debt. Net interest income is affected by the general level of interest rates, the relative level of short-term and long-term interest rates, changes in interest rates and changes in the amount and composition of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities. Generally, the rates of interest the Bancorp earns on its assets and pays on its liabilities are established for a period of time. The change in market interest rates over time exposes the Bancorp to interest rate risk through potential adverse changes to net interest income and financial position. The Bancorp manages this risk by continually analyzing and adjusting the composition of its assets and liabilities based on their payment streams and interest rates, the timing of their maturities and their sensitivity to changes in market interest rates. Additionally, in the ordinary course of business, the Bancorp enters into certain derivative transactions as part of its overall strategy to manage its interest rate and prepayment risks. The Bancorp is also exposed to the risk of loss on its loan and lease portfolio as a result of changing expected cash flows caused by borrower credit events, such as loan defaults and inadequate collateral.

Noninterest income is derived from commercial banking revenue, wealth and asset management revenue, service charges on deposits, card and processing revenue, mortgage banking net revenue, leasing business revenue, other noninterest income and net securities gains or losses. Noninterest expense includes compensation and benefits, technology and communications, net occupancy expense, equipment expense, marketing expense, leasing business expense, card and processing expense and other noninterest expense.

Current Economic Conditions

Economic growth was resilient in 2023 but managing inflation remained a top priority for FRB officials. In response to inflationary pressures, FRB officials raised benchmark interest rates aggressively during 2022 and 2023 and have signaled that they will continue to monitor the cumulative economic effects of their policy actions, including tighter credit conditions for households and businesses, when determining future monetary actions. Amidst the rapid pace of interest rate increases, several financial markets have experienced heightened volatility. While interest rates may remain elevated for a sustained period of time, the FRB moved to a more balanced monetary policy stance in the later months of 2023 in response to easing inflationary pressures.

Changes in interest rates can affect numerous aspects of the Bancorp’s business and may impact the Bancorp’s future performance. If financial markets remain volatile, this may impact the future performance of various segments of the Bancorp’s business, in addition to the value of the Bancorp’s investment securities portfolio. The Bancorp continues to closely monitor the pace of inflation and the impacts of inflation on the broader market.

The bank failures that have occurred since March 2023 generated significant market volatility and increased regulatory and market focus on the liquidity, asset-liability management and unrealized securities losses of banks. In response to these failures, the U.S. banking agencies

50 Fifth Third Bancorp have proposed a number of regulatory amendments to improve the stability of U.S. banking institutions. Among these amendments, in November 2023, the FDIC issued a final rule for a special deposit insurance assessment on banking organizations with greater than $5 billion in assets to recover the costs associated with protecting uninsured depositors following these closures. The Bancorp’s estimate of its allocated share of the special assessment under the provisions of the final rule was $224 million, which was recognized in earnings upon issuance of the final rule in November 2023 and will be paid to the FDIC over an anticipated total of eight quarterly assessment periods beginning with the first quarter of 2024. The estimate of the cost associated with protecting the uninsured depositors will continue to be subject to periodic adjustment until the final loss is determined upon the termination of the receiverships by the FDIC.

For more information on current economic conditions, refer to the Credit Risk Management subsection of the Risk Management section of MD&A. Additionally, refer to the Interest Rate and Price Risk Management and Liquidity Risk Management subsections of the Risk Management section of MD&A for additional information about the Bancorp’s interest rate risk management and liquidity risk management activities.

Proposed Updates to Regulatory Requirements for Capital and Long-Term Debt

On July 27, 2023, the U.S. banking agencies released a notice of proposed rulemaking to revise the Basel III Capital Rules, which would modify its existing risk-based capital framework for large banks and introduce a new framework that implements international capital standards. The proposed rulemaking would increase capital requirements applicable to banking organizations with total assets of $100 billion or more, including Fifth Third, and would align the calculation of regulatory capital and the calculation of risk-weighted assets across large banking organizations. As proposed, the rules would be effective for the Bancorp on July 1, 2025 and phased in over a three-year transition period. The Bancorp is in the process of evaluating this proposed rulemaking and assessing its potential impact.

On August 29, 2023, the U.S. banking agencies issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to require that certain banking organizations with $100 billion or more in consolidated assets, including Fifth Third, comply with certain long-term debt requirements at the holding company and insured depository institution levels. These proposed requirements are intended to absorb losses and recapitalize the insured depository institution in the event of the failure of a banking organization. As proposed, the rules would be phased in over a three-year period after their effective date. The Bancorp is in the process of evaluating this proposed rulemaking and assessing its potential impact.

LIBOR Transition

In July 2017, the Chief Executive of the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority (the “FCA”), which regulates LIBOR, announced that the FCA would stop persuading or compelling banks to submit rates for the calculation of LIBOR to the administrator of LIBOR after 2021.

In the United States, SOFR was identified as the preferred alternative rate. SOFR is a measure of the cost of borrowing cash overnight, collateralized by U.S. Treasury securities, and is based on directly observable U.S. Treasury-backed repurchase transactions. As a secured borrowing rate, SOFR may not exhibit similar behavior in response to market and economic volatility as LIBOR, which was an unsecured rate.

As of December 31, 2023, substantially all contracts have transitioned to alternative reference rates. Refer to Note 17 and Note 24 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information about certain exposures which were transitioned to an alternative reference rate.

Senior Notes Offering

On July 27, 2023, the Bancorp issued and sold $1.25 billion of fixed-rate/floating-rate senior notes which will mature on July 27, 2029. The senior notes bear interest at a rate of 6.339% per annum to, but excluding, July 27, 2028. From, and including, July 27, 2028 until, but excluding, July 27, 2029, the senior notes will bear interest at a rate of compounded SOFR plus 2.340%. The senior notes are redeemable in whole at par plus accrued and unpaid interest one year prior to their maturity date, or may be wholly or partially redeemed on or after 30 days prior to maturity. Additionally, the senior notes are redeemable at the Bancorp’s option, in whole or in part, beginning 180 days after the issue date and prior to July 27, 2028, at the greater of: (a) the aggregate principal amount of the senior notes being redeemed, or (b) the discounted present value of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest that would be due if the senior notes being redeemed matured on July 27, 2028. Refer to Note 32 of the Notes to Consolidated Statements for information on a subsequent event related to long-term debt.

Automobile Loan Securitization

In a securitization transaction that occurred in August of 2023, the Bancorp transferred $1.74 billion in aggregate automobile loans to a bankruptcy remote trust which subsequently issued approximately $1.58 billion of asset-backed notes, of which approximately $79 million were retained by the Bancorp, resulting in approximately $1.5 billion of outstanding notes included in long-term debt in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. As discussed in Note 12, the bankruptcy remote trust was deemed to be a VIE and the Bancorp, as the primary beneficiary, consolidated the VIE. The third-party holders of the asset-backed notes do not have recourse to the general assets of the Bancorp.

Accelerated Share Repurchase Transaction

During the first quarter of 2023, the Bancorp entered into and settled an accelerated share repurchase transaction. As part of the transaction, the Bancorp entered into a forward contract in which the final number of shares delivered at settlement was based generally on a discount to

51 Fifth Third Bancorp the average daily volume-weighted average price of the Bancorp’s common stock during the term of the repurchase agreement. Refer to Note 24 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on share repurchase activity.

Key Performance Indicators

The Bancorp, as a banking institution, utilizes various key indicators of financial condition and operating results in managing and monitoring the performance of the business. In addition to traditional financial metrics, such as revenue and expense trends, the Bancorp monitors other financial measures that assist in evaluating growth trends, capital strength and operational efficiencies. The Bancorp analyzes these key performance indicators against its past performance, its forecasted performance and with the performance of its peer banking institutions. These indicators may change from time to time as the operating environment and businesses change.

The following are some of the key indicators used by management to assess the Bancorp’s business performance, including those which are considered in the Bancorp’s compensation programs:

•CET1 Capital Ratio: CET1 capital divided by risk-weighted assets as defined by the Basel III standardized approach to risk-weighting of assets

•Return on Average Tangible Common Equity (non-GAAP): Tangible net income available to common shareholders divided by average tangible common equity

•Return on Average Common Equity, Excluding AOCI (non-GAAP): Net income available to common shareholders divided by total equity, excluding AOCI and preferred stock

•Net Interest Margin (non-GAAP): Net interest income on an FTE basis divided by average interest-earning assets

•Efficiency Ratio (non-GAAP): Noninterest expense divided by the sum of net interest income on an FTE basis and noninterest income

•Earnings Per Share, Diluted: Net income allocated to common shareholders divided by average common shares outstanding after the effect of dilutive stock-based awards

•Nonperforming Portfolio Assets Ratio: Nonperforming portfolio assets divided by portfolio loans and leases and OREO

•Net Charge-off Ratio: Net losses charged-off divided by average portfolio loans and leases

•Return on Average Assets: Net income divided by average assets

•Loan-to-Deposit Ratio: Total loans divided by total deposits

•Household Growth: Change in the number of consumer households with retail relationship-based checking accounts

The list of indicators above is intended to summarize some of the most important metrics utilized by management in evaluating the Bancorp’s performance and does not represent an all-inclusive list of all performance measures that may be considered relevant or important to management or investors.