Strong Quarterly Profitability
GAAP net income of $28.8M ($0.54 diluted EPS) in Q4; adjusted net income excluding MSR loss and acquisition items of $30.8M ($0.58 EPS). Management noted EPS ~30% above prior year.
High Margin and Improved NIM
Tax-equivalent net interest margin of 5.09% in Q4, up 4 bps sequentially and 41 bps year-over-year.
Robust Returns and Efficiency
Return on average assets (ROA) 1.64%; return on average tangible common equity 16.15%; tax-equivalent efficiency ratio 53.98% (adjusted efficiency ratio 51.28% vs 52.1% prior quarter).
Capital and Tangible Book Value Improvement
Tangible book value per share rose 61 bps to $14.12. Tangible equity ratio increased 61 bps to 11.02% (98 bps above prior year). Common Equity Tier 1 capital 12.99%, up from 12.44% last quarter and up 17 bps year-over-year.
Expense Reduction and Integration Savings
Total noninterest expenses declined $10.2M sequentially, including a $9.3M decrease in acquisition-related costs following integration completion; management expects modest expense growth (~3% YoY) in 2026 after final cost saves.
Noninterest Income Growth Year-over-Year
Noninterest income increased $544k YoY; wealth management fees up $238k (+7.2% YoY) and service charges up $198k (+7.5% YoY). Mortgage banking income flat sequentially (down $668k YoY due to MSR volatility).
Loan Origination Momentum and Pipeline
Average loans increased ~$60M sequentially; management reported Q4 was the best production quarter of the year and the pipeline at year-end was the largest in 6–7 quarters. Targeting mid-single-digit loan growth for the year ahead.
Balance Sheet Positioning and Deposit Cost Trends
Loan-to-deposit ratio rose to 93.9% from 91.4% sequentially (83.5% a year ago). Total cost of deposits fell to 115 bps from 133 bps prior quarter, supporting margin resilience while high-beta wholesale balances run off.