Peoples Bancorp Beats Earnings Estimates Despite Modest Revenue Miss

Core Insights - Peoples Bancorp Inc. reported fourth-quarter earnings of $31.8 million, or $0.89 per diluted share, slightly exceeding analyst expectations of $0.88, while revenue was $117.32 million, marginally below forecasts of $117.98 million [1] - Earnings increased from $0.83 in the previous quarter and $0.76 in the same period last year [1] Loan and Revenue Performance - Period-end loan balances rose by $28.2 million, or 2% on an annualized basis, driven by growth in commercial and industrial lending and construction loans [2] - Year-over-year, total loans increased by $398.9 million, or 6% [2] - Net interest income slightly declined to $91.0 million from $91.3 million in the previous quarter, with net interest margin narrowing to 4.12% from 4.16% [2] - The provision for credit losses increased to $8.1 million from $7.3 million in the third quarter [2] Asset Quality and Deposits - Asset quality improved, with criticized loans declining by $31.9 million, or 12%, sequentially [3] - Nonperforming assets as a percentage of total loans and other real estate owned stood at 0.63% at year-end, down from 0.66% at September 30, 2025 [3] - Total deposits declined by $22.0 million quarter over quarter, with the loan-to-deposit ratio rising slightly to 89% from 88% [3]