Strong Net Income Growth
Net income for the first quarter was $10.2 million, or $0.66 per diluted share, representing a $3.8 million or 60% increase over February and a $275,000 increase over the linked quarter.
Deposit Growth and Funding Cost Reduction
Core deposit funding grew organically by over $67 million during the quarter, reducing reliance on brokered funding. The overall funding cost decreased by 11 basis points to 2.31%.
Increased Net Interest Income and Margin Expansion
Net interest income for the quarter was $32.8 million, an increase of $1.4 million or 4.5% compared to the linked quarter. The margin grew by 15 basis points during the quarter to 3.51%.
Efficiency Ratio Improvement
The efficiency ratio improved to 64.9% for the quarter compared to 68.3% for the linked quarter and 73.8% for the prior year's first quarter.
Capital Position and Dividend Increase
The tier one leverage ratio was 8.66%, and a quarterly dividend of $0.17 per share was announced, representing an annualized yield of 3.48%.