Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a return on average tangible equity of 15.8% for Q4 and 16.3% for the full year, with an effective tax rate of 24.8% in Q4, expected to normalize to 23.2% going forward [7][17] - Net interest income for Q4 was $170.3 million, a $1 million increase from the prior quarter, with a net interest margin (NIM) of 3.21%, up 2 basis points from the previous quarter [12][7] - Total loans grew by $183 million in the quarter, representing a 5.2% annualized growth rate [10] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Retail and commercial deposits increased by $233 million, while public deposits declined by $447 million, resulting in a net increase of $214 million in deposits for Q4 [11] - Non-interest income was reported at $55.6 million, while non-interest expense for Q4 was $125.1 million [13] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The unemployment rate in the state was 2.2% in November, significantly lower than the national rate of 4.5% [6] - Year-to-date spending through November was $19.6 billion, up about 6% compared to the same period last year [6] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company anticipates full-year loan growth in the range of 3%-4%, primarily driven by commercial real estate (CRE) and commercial and industrial (C&I) loans [17] - The company has a new stock repurchase authorization of $250 million, indicating a strong capital position and flexibility for future growth initiatives [9][60] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that credit risk remains low and stable, with no broad signs of weakness observed in consumer or commercial books [14] - The company expects non-interest income to remain stable at approximately $220 million for the year, with expenses projected to be around $520 million in 2026 [17][54] Other Important Information - The company repurchased about 1 million shares during the quarter, utilizing the remaining $26 million of its $100 million purchase authorization for 2025 [9] - The allowance for credit losses increased to $168.5 million, with coverage rising to 118 basis points of total loans and leases [16] Q&A Session Summary Question: Loan growth trends and pipeline - Management indicated that loan growth was broad-based, with some payoffs in the CRE portfolio affecting expectations, but they anticipate more normalized growth in the second half of the year [24][25] Question: Payoffs and paydowns in the industry - Management noted that payoffs have been occurring sooner than expected due to increased competition from permanent lenders, but they expect this trend to normalize [26][28] Question: Deposit trends and NIM expansion - Management confirmed that the margin guide reflects the ability to continue cutting deposit rates, with expectations of a lower deposit beta going forward [30][31] Question: Full year loan growth guidance - Management suggested that loan growth may start lower in the first half of the year but expects a pickup in the second half [44] Question: M&A activity and ideal targets - Management reiterated their focus on organic growth but remains open to M&A opportunities, looking for well-managed firms with strong deposit franchises [72][73]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Net interest income increased by $1,000,000 compared to the second quarter and by $5,000,000 year-over-year [4] - Net income rose by $3,500,000 or 43% compared to 2024 [5] - Earnings per share improved to $0.47, a 46% increase compared to Q3 of the previous year [6] - Return on average assets improved by 28 basis points to 1.16% compared to 0.88% in the third quarter of last year [5] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Loans increased by $47,000,000 for the second quarter or 5.6% annualized, with a total growth of $286,000,000 or over 9% year-over-year [9] - The combined ratio of commercial and industrial (C&I) and owner-occupied commercial real estate loans is now 42.2% of total loans, up from 40% a year ago [10] - Specialized lending groups now account for 16% of total loans, with no single niche exceeding 5% [6] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Deposit balances increased by over $55,000,000 during the quarter, reflecting an annualized growth rate of 7% [11] - Average cost of deposits declined by three basis points to 2.69% for the quarter [20] - Nonperforming assets (NPAs) to total assets declined to 36 basis points compared to 40 basis points at the end of the previous quarter [13] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is evolving into a middle-market commercial bank, focusing on relationship-driven strategies rather than growth for the sake of growth [18][25] - The branch strategy includes opening new branches while consolidating others to optimize the network [22][23] - The company aims to maintain strong capital ratios while exploring opportunities for shareholder value through investments and share buybacks [18][56] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - The economic outlook remains uncertain, but the company is well-positioned for various rate environments [8] - Management is focused on maintaining credit quality despite some softness in the small business segment [7][30] - The company anticipates a modest increase in expenses due to new branches but aims to keep overall costs flat [44] Other Important Information - The efficiency ratio improved to 52%, remaining below 60% for the 25th consecutive quarter [17] - The company repurchased almost 120,000 shares at an average price of $14.91 during the quarter [7] Q&A Session Summary Question: Discussion on expenses and efficiency actions taken - Management emphasized ongoing cost control while balancing investment opportunities, with no major new costs anticipated [37][40] Question: Near-term run rate expectations - Management indicated that any increase in expenses due to new branches would be modest and not significant [46][47] Question: Margin and deposit cost reductions - Management stated that adjustments to deposit costs would be made in response to Fed rate changes, aiming for a neutral impact on margins [48][49] Question: Government portfolio deposits - Approximately 12% to 13% of total deposits are tied to the effective funds rate, allowing for immediate adjustments with Fed changes [53] Question: Share buyback considerations and capital levels - The company maintains a soft limit on total risk-based capital ratios and is open to various capital deployment strategies, including buybacks [55][56]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported net income of $61.4 million and diluted earnings per share of $1.12, representing an 18% increase from the second quarter of 2024 [13] - Pre-provision net revenue was $87.9 million, with a return on average assets of 1.4% and a return on common equity of 14.56% [13] - Net interest income for the quarter was $131.7 million, with adjusted net interest income at $129.4 million, which is $5.9 million higher than the first quarter of 2025 [17][19] - The adjusted margin increased to 3.05%, up 13 basis points from the previous quarter and 26 basis points from the same quarter last year [16] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Loan growth was solid at 11% annualized, with a year-to-date growth of 25% [10][13] - The company experienced elevated payoffs in commercial real estate but was able to replace these with new projects [5][6] - Non-interest income was significantly impacted by a bond book restructure, with an adjusted net interest revenue of just under $9 million for the quarter [20] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted a normalization of higher-cost municipal and correspondent deposits during the quarter [7] - The loan-to-deposit ratio is in the mid-80% range, indicating a strong liquidity position [60][61] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on organic loan and deposit growth while maintaining price discipline for both loans and deposits [23] - A new merchant card processing team was hired to increase revenue from merchant services, aiming to improve penetration rates among existing customers [9][34][35] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in loan demand, indicating a robust pipeline for the second half of the year despite some headwinds from payoffs [10][41] - The company expects its margin to continue increasing throughout the year, particularly if the Federal Reserve lowers benchmark rates [19] Other Important Information - The company underwent a significant restructuring of its bond portfolio, resulting in an $8.6 million loss but positioning for stronger margin performance in future quarters [14] - The tangible book value grew by an annualized 12.5% compared to the last quarter, ending at $31.27 per share [16] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is the expected trajectory for net interest margin? - The adjusted margin for the quarter was 3.06%, and it is expected to increase by about 10 to 14 basis points each quarter, potentially reaching 3.20% to 3.25% by year-end [25][26] Question: How does the company plan to drive deposit growth? - The company is managing its funding needs to align with loan growth and is prepared to onboard deposits as necessary [27][28] Question: Can you provide insights on the new lenders and markets? - The new hires include a mix of former employees and interns, with a focus on supporting existing production staff rather than expanding into new markets [30][31] Question: What trends are observed in commercial credit demand? - Management noted broad-based demand across various markets, with construction loans increasing due to a mix of new production and projects with significant equity [40][41] Question: What are the expectations for deposit cost trends? - Deposit costs are expected to normalize around the first quarter levels, with an adjusted cost of deposits around 3.50% to 3.57% [50][51] Question: What is the outlook for the loan-to-deposit ratio? - The company is comfortable with the current mid-80% loan-to-deposit ratio and prefers to be in a position where it needs to generate deposits rather than loans [61][62]