South Atlantic Bancshares, Inc. Reports Earnings of $0.57 per Diluted Common Share for the Three Months Ended September 30, 2025

Core Viewpoint - South Atlantic Bancshares, Inc. reported strong financial performance for the third quarter of 2025, with net income increasing significantly compared to both the previous quarter and the same quarter last year, reflecting the strength of its core banking operations and effective execution across markets [1][2][5]. Financial Performance - Consolidated net income for Q3 2025 was $4.4 million, or $0.57 per diluted share, up 18.9% from $3.7 million, or $0.48 per diluted share in Q2 2025 [1][5]. - For the nine months ended September 30, 2025, net income totaled $11.4 million, a 65.6% increase from $6.9 million in the same period of 2024 [5][11]. - Total assets increased by $104.2 million to $1.9 billion, representing a 5.8% increase since December 31, 2024 [11][12]. Loan and Deposit Activity - Total loans decreased slightly by 2.2% quarter-over-quarter to $1.43 billion, while total deposits fell by 6.6% to $1.59 billion, attributed to seasonal factors and reduced brokered funding [3][11]. - Year-over-year, total loans grew by 11.2% and total deposits increased by 8.0% compared to the same period in 2024 [3][11]. Interest Income and Expense - Net interest income rose by $3.1 million, or 27.2%, to $14.6 million for Q3 2025 compared to $11.5 million in Q3 2024, driven by increased loan yields [4][6]. - Interest expense decreased by $1.3 million, or 11.1%, due to lower interest rates on deposits and reduced short-term borrowings [6][15]. Noninterest Income and Expense - Noninterest income increased by $212,000, or 13.4%, for Q3 2025, primarily from higher secondary mortgage income and service charges [7][8]. - Noninterest expense rose by $1.4 million, or 15.7%, driven by increased salaries and employee benefits, as well as higher data processing costs [7][8]. Credit Quality - The company reported excellent credit quality with no loans classified as non-accrual and only one loan past due greater than 30 days as of September 30, 2025 [16][17]. - A provision for credit losses of $450,000 was recorded for Q3 2025, down from $625,000 in Q2 2025 [17][19]. Shareholder Equity - Shareholders' equity increased to $128.6 million, a 13.0% rise from December 31, 2024, primarily due to retained earnings and stock repurchases [12][14]. - Tangible book value per share increased by $1.02, or 6.6%, to $16.49 as of September 30, 2025 [5][12].