Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported third quarter GAAP net income attributable to common stockholders of $1 million or $0.01 per share, distributable earnings of $3.3 million or $0.03 per share, and adjusted distributable earnings of $21.2 million or $0.16 per share [3][16] - Current liquidity stands at $280 million, with $87 million in unrestricted cash [4][18] - GAAP net book value decreased to $7.53 per share from $7.65 in the previous quarter, while undepreciated book value decreased to $8.68 from $8.75 per share [17] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The loan portfolio currently stands at $2.4 billion across 85 loans, with an average loan balance of $28 million [11] - The watchlist portion of the loan portfolio is now 8%, with a total gross book value of $182 million, down from $411 million at the start of 2024 [11][8] - The company achieved net positive loan originations for the second consecutive quarter, originating 10 loans totaling $224 million during the third quarter [6][10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The commercial real estate markets are showing continued improvements, with tightening credit and lending spreads contributing to increased loan inquiries [6][7] - The CMBS and CLO markets remain highly active, with solid new issuance growth [7] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to grow its loan book to approximately $3.5 billion, with a focus on resolving watchlist loans and increasing loan originations [8][9] - The strategy includes preparing for a new CLO securitization and generating liquidity through the sale of real estate owned assets [8][9][42] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the trajectory of the business, citing improvements in the commercial real estate market and a favorable interest rate environment [5][6] - The company anticipates that the coming quarters will be productive, driven by new loan originations and progress on watchlist loans [9][42] Other Important Information - The company recorded a specific CECL reserve of approximately $18 million related to the Oregon office loan, which was resolved during the quarter [16] - The general CECL provision decreased to $127 million, with a debt-to-assets ratio of 63% and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.9x [18] Q&A Session Summary Question: Update on liquidity position post-quarter date originations - Management indicated liquidity is around $100 million in cash, with future originations expected from asset resolutions [21] Question: Pace of Q4 originations - Management expects a similarly active pace for Q4 originations, with a growing pipeline and increased loan inquiries [22] Question: Thoughts on net lease portfolio and potential growth - Management is satisfied with current assets and has no plans to enter the triple net market [25] Question: Impact of potential Fed rate cuts on demand - Management noted that the market sentiment is improving, with a dovish Fed and decreasing long-term rates contributing to increased transaction volume [26][28] Question: Growth of loan book and REO impact - Management believes they are at a point where the loan book can grow, with increased momentum in loan originations [32] Question: Contribution of San Jose Hotel to distributable earnings - Management anticipates a sub-$10 million NOI for the hotel, with significant events planned for 2026 [34] Question: Details on new CLO issuance - Management could not provide specifics on the size and timing of the expected CLO issuance [38] Question: Second office property for sale - The second property is one of the Long Island City properties, currently soliciting offers [39]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For Q3 2025, the company reported net earnings of $52.6 million or $0.38 per share, an increase from $50.6 million or $0.37 per share in Q2 2025 and $51.2 million or $0.37 per share in Q3 2024 [4][5] - Return on average tangible common equity was 14.11% and return on average assets was 1.35% for Q3 2025 [4] - Pre-tax pre-provision income increased to $70 million, up 2% from Q2 2025 and 3.5% from Q3 2024 [5] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Net interest income for Q3 2025 was $115.6 million, up from $111.6 million in Q2 2025 and $113.6 million in Q3 2024 [13] - Noninterest income was $13 million in Q3 2025, down $1.7 million from Q2 2025, but increased by $260,000 when excluding a legal settlement and loss on sale of AFS securities [8] - Total loans increased by $112 million or 5% annualized from Q2 2025, with growth in nearly all loan categories [9][10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total deposits and customer repurchase agreements reached $12.6 billion, a $170 million increase from Q2 2025 and $108 million higher than Q3 2024 [8] - Noninterest-bearing deposits grew by $108 million compared to Q3 2024, while interest-bearing non-maturity deposits and customer repos increased by $100 million [9] - The cost of deposits and repos was 90 basis points in Q3 2025, compared to 87 basis points in Q2 2025 and 101 basis points in Q3 2024 [9] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on maintaining profitability and has a history of 194 consecutive quarters of profitability and 144 consecutive quarters of paying cash dividends [4][5] - The company is actively pursuing M&A opportunities and has recently hired a team of bankers to open a new office in the Temecula-Murrieta area [28][29] - The company continues to invest in technology infrastructure and automation, with a focus on maintaining low single-digit growth in expenses [21][61] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in maintaining loan growth, targeting low single-digit growth for the year, with strong pipelines and opportunities [36] - The economic forecast indicates modest GDP growth below 1.5% until the end of 2027, with an unemployment rate expected to reach 5% by early 2026 [16][17] - Management acknowledged intense competition in loan pricing but emphasized a focus on maintaining credit quality [38][52] Other Important Information - The company experienced a $6 million legal settlement, which was offset by an $8.2 million loss on the sale of low-yielding AFS securities [5] - The unrealized loss on AFS securities decreased by $31.6 million from Q2 2025 to Q3 2025 [17] - Shareholders' equity increased to $2.28 billion, with a tangible common equity ratio of 10.1% [18] Q&A Session Summary Question: Interest-bearing deposit costs and beta cycle - Management noted that the recent rate cut impacted deposit costs and indicated plans to match Fed fund decreases with reductions in money market rates [26][27] Question: Update on M&A dialogue - Management confirmed ongoing discussions but no imminent deals, highlighting the recent hiring of a team from City National Bank [28][29] Question: Expectations on loan growth - Management expressed confidence in maintaining low single-digit growth, with strong pipelines and opportunities despite seasonal factors [36] Question: Pricing competition in the market - Management stated willingness to compete on price for quality relationships while maintaining credit standards [38] Question: Impact of interest rate swaps - Management acknowledged potential negative impacts on net interest income from interest rate swaps but plans to maintain the current strategy [45] Question: Utilization of cash balances - Management indicated that cash balances may be deployed depending on bond market conditions and anticipated seasonal increases in dairy loans [60] Question: Expense management heading into 2026 - Management plans to continue closely managing expenses with low single-digit growth expectations [61]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenues for Q4 2024 were $105.3 million, a 5% increase from $100.6 million in Q3 2024 and a 14% increase from $92 million in Q4 2023 [8] - For the year, total revenues reached $393.5 million, a 12% increase from $352 million in 2023 [8] - Net income for Q4 2024 was $5.1 million, down from $7.2 million in Q4 2023, while annual net income was $19.2 million compared to $45.3 million in 2023 [13][14] - Total debt increased to $3.131 billion, a 22% rise from $2.566 billion at the end of 2023 [15] - Shareholders' equity reached $293 million, a 7% increase from $275 million at the end of 2023 [16] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Loan originations for Q4 2024 were $458 million, a 52% increase from $302 million in Q4 2023, and for the year, originations totaled $1.68 billion, a 24% increase from $1.36 billion in 2023 [9][19] - The fair value portfolio increased to $3.5 billion, yielding 11.3% net of losses [10] - Core operating expenses as a percentage of the managed portfolio decreased to 5.4% in Q4 2024 from 5.9% in Q4 2023 [17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The average FICO score for the portfolio was 571, with an average amount financed of $22,300 per deal [28] - The annual net charge-offs for Q4 2024 were 8.02% of the average portfolio, compared to 7.74% in Q4 2023 [29] - Delinquency greater than 30 days was 14.85% of the total portfolio, slightly up from 14.55% at the end of 2023 [30] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on cautious growth while improving credit performance and preparing for aggressive growth in 2025 [4][6] - Plans include hiring additional sales representatives and expanding into new territories to increase market share [22] - The company aims to tighten its credit model while still pursuing growth opportunities in better-performing geographic areas [32] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the economic environment, citing a favorable unemployment rate projected to remain low [38][47] - The company anticipates that the performance of 2024 vintages will improve as they flow through the portfolio, with expectations to move past the weaker 2022 vintages by the end of 2025 [43][46] - Management highlighted the importance of technology advancements, including AI-driven fraud detection, to enhance operational efficiency and credit performance [39][41] Other Important Information - The company reported a significant reduction in loan provision adjustments from $22.3 million in 2023 to $5.3 million in 2024 [11] - The company has implemented measures to improve funding times, reducing them to less than two days, which enhances dealer relationships [27] Q&A Session Summary Question: What are the expectations for growth in 2025? - Management indicated that they are gearing up for a strong growth year in 2025, with a focus on improving credit performance and expanding market share [43][46] Question: How is the company addressing credit performance issues? - Management noted that they are tightening their credit model while still pursuing growth, expecting improvements as newer vintages perform better [32][43] Question: What technological advancements are being implemented? - The company is utilizing AI-driven fraud scores to enhance operational efficiency and plans to implement a new AI voice bot to improve collections [39][41]