Strong Financial Performance
EFSC reported earnings of $1.28 per diluted share for Q4 2024, compared to $1.16 in Q4 2023. Adjusted return on assets was 1.31%, and pre-provision return on assets was 1.80%.
Deposit Growth
Client deposits increased by $677 million in Q4, marking the fifth growth quarter out of the last six. The cost of deposits declined to 2%, with DDAs increasing to over 34% of total deposits.
Loan Growth
Loan demand increased, with a growth of $140 million or 5% annualized. Life insurance premium finance grew by $158 million or 16.5% for the year.
Capital and Shareholder Returns
Tangible common equity to tangible assets was 9.05%. The dividend was increased by $0.01 per share, and $11 million was returned to shareholders via stock repurchases.
Stable Credit Quality
Net charge-offs were 16 basis points for the full year, an improvement from 37 basis points in 2023. Allowance for credit losses represented 1.34% of unguaranteed total loans.