This fall was mainly due to flattening/inversion of the yield curve and lower interest rates. Further, the company's escalating operating expenses pose a concern. Truist Financial's costs witnessed a CAGR of 22% over the last five years (2016-2020). This rise was primarily due to a rise in personnel expenses, efforts to improve digitization and merger deal. Expenses are likely to remain elevated, chiefly due to costs related to technology upgrades and merger integration.