Group 1: Company Expansion and Mergers - The company is expanding into Buffalo and Rochester, which are the largest markets by population in Upstate New York, enhancing its presence in the region and positioning itself as the community bank with the largest deposit market share [1] - The merger with Evans Bancorp, a $2.3 billion community bank, received regulatory approvals and shareholder support, with a planned closing in the second quarter of 2025 [2][1] - The merger is seen as a natural geographic expansion into the western region of New York, complementing the company's existing footprint [2] Group 2: Financial Performance - Non-interest income constituted 30% of total revenues for 2024, with record revenue and earnings generation across non-banking businesses [3] - The company declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.34, a 6.3% increase from the previous year's first quarter, marking the 12th consecutive year of annual dividend increases [3] - Net income for the fourth quarter was reported at $36 million, or $0.76 per share, with operating earnings per share at $0.77, a decrease of $0.03 from the prior quarter [5] Group 3: Loan and Deposit Growth - Total loans increased by $319 million, or 3.3%, for the year, with significant growth in commercial and industrial, commercial real estate, indirect auto, and residential lending portfolios [5][6] - Total deposits rose to $11.6 billion, an increase of $578 million, or 5.3%, from December 2023 [6] - The loan portfolio remains diversified, with 53% in commercial relationships and 47% in consumer loans [6] Group 4: Interest Income and Margin - The net interest income for the fourth quarter was 3.34%, up 7 basis points from the prior quarter, primarily due to a decrease in the cost of deposits [7] - The company experienced a $257.5 million growth in average earning assets, contributing to the increase in net interest income [8] - The cost of total deposits decreased by 12 basis points to 1.60% [7] Group 5: Asset Quality and Provisions - A loan loss provision expense of $2.2 million was recorded in the fourth quarter, which was $700,000 lower than the prior quarter [10] - Net charge-offs to total loans increased to 23 basis points in the fourth quarter compared to 16 basis points in the prior quarter, driven by two commercial relationships [11] - Reserve coverage was 1.16% of total loans, covering more than twice the level of non-performing loans [11] Group 6: Future Outlook and Growth Opportunities - The company is optimistic about growth opportunities in the semiconductor chip corridor in Upstate New York, with ongoing investments and expansions [2][36] - The company plans to focus on enhancing its geographic footprint and exploring additional M&A opportunities post-Evans merger [48][52] - The company anticipates continued growth in its fee-based businesses, particularly in retirement plan administration, wealth management, and insurance [27][70]

Core Viewpoint - CarMax, Inc. experienced a significant stock decline of nearly 20% following the unexpected increase in loan loss provisions in its CarMax Auto Finance segment, raising concerns about the quality of its loan portfolio [1][6][7]. Financial Performance - The second-quarter 2026 financial results revealed a loan loss provision of $142 million, marking a sequential increase of nearly 40% and a year-over-year rise of approximately 24% [6]. - CarMax's financial results missed analysts' consensus estimates for GAAP EPS and revenue, primarily due to the increased loan loss provision [6]. Management Assurances - Prior to the Q2 2026 report, management had stated during the first-quarter 2025 earnings call that the provision of $101.7 million would likely be the "high watermark" for the year, expressing confidence in the reserve adjustments made [5]. - The recent provisioning increase contradicted these earlier assurances, as management acknowledged deteriorating credit trends that had begun to emerge in Q1 [7]. Investigation and Legal Actions - Hagens Berman, a national shareholders rights firm, has initiated an investigation into whether CarMax misled investors regarding the quality of its loan portfolio [2][3]. - The investigation is focused on the propriety of CarMax's disclosures about the quality of its loan portfolio, which includes older vintage loans and new originations [3][8].

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company achieved net income of $23.6 million, representing earnings per share of $0.83 and a return on assets (ROA) of 1.2% [5] - Net interest margin remained strong at 4.07%, marking ten consecutive quarters above 4% [14] - Total new loan fundings totaled $399 million in Q1, up 48% from the previous quarter and up 37% year-over-year [11] - Deposits increased by approximately $200 million or 12% annualized [11] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Loan growth was primarily driven by the commercial and industrial (C&I) portfolio, which saw a 7% annualized increase [10] - Service fee income represented 22.6% of total revenues, with a slight increase over the last quarter [5] - Consumer deposit service revenues decreased by 9% due to lower NSF activity [17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted strong loan growth in high-growth markets, particularly in the C&I sector [10] - The credit quality remained stable, with nonperforming loans as a percentage of total loans increasing to 1.21% [20] - The company experienced a decline in its commercial real estate portfolio, impacting overall loan growth [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to focus on relationship-based banking and is optimistic about growth opportunities in its markets [6][8] - There is a commitment to maintaining a strong capital position and sound credit risk management [9] - The company is open to opportunistic M&A but remains cautious about potential risks in the current market environment [22][66] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the resilience of the U.S. economy, particularly in their operational regions [8] - There is an acknowledgment of macroeconomic uncertainties impacting consumer investment and spending [15] - The company expects mid-single-digit growth for both loans and deposits for the full year [13] Other Important Information - The provision expense for the first quarter was $3.8 million, resulting in an allowance for credit loss ratio of 1.42% [19] - The company anticipates net charge-offs for the full year to be in the high teens to low 20s range in basis points [21] - The tangible book value per share improved to $34.88, with a CET1 ratio of 13.26% [21] Q&A Session Summary Question: What are the drivers behind the lower expense guidance for 2025? - The lower expense guidance is linked to macroeconomic uncertainty and a slowdown in mortgage activity, impacting variable compensation [26][27] Question: How does the current environment impact thoughts around M&A? - The company remains opportunistic regarding M&A but is cautious about taking on risks that could jeopardize shareholder value [28][66] Question: Can you provide insights on loan growth and competition? - Loan growth remains strong, particularly in the C&I space, with competitive pricing and a robust pipeline for Q2 [36][39] Question: What is the outlook for deposit costs and growth in Southern California? - The company expects stable deposit costs but acknowledges competitive pressures; Southern California efforts have seen strong deposit growth [40][43] Question: Can you elaborate on the higher nonaccrual loan mentioned? - The nonaccrual loan was a $13 million credit with cross-border exposure in the manufacturing sector, contributing to the increase in nonperforming loans [70][71]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company achieved net income of $23.6 million, representing earnings per share of $0.83 and a return on assets (ROA) of 1.2% [5] - The net interest margin was strong at 4.07%, maintaining above 4% for ten consecutive quarters [14] - Loans increased by 7% and deposits grew by 12% annualized at the end of the quarter [5][11] - The loan to deposit ratio improved to 94.3% from 95.6% at the end of the previous year [12] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Service fee income represented 22.6% of total revenues, showing slight growth over the last quarter [5] - The C&I portfolio drove loan growth, while the commercial real estate portfolio experienced a decline [10] - Total new loan fundings totaled $399 million, up 48% from the previous quarter and 37% from the same quarter last year [11] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted strong growth in savings and money market accounts, with total annualized growth at 20% [12] - The credit quality remained stable, with nonperforming loans as a percentage of total loans increasing to 1.21% [21] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on relationship-based banking and aims to deliver positive operating leverage in 2025 and beyond [5][19] - The management believes there is significant growth potential in their markets due to a small market share [10] - The company is considering opportunistic M&A activities, particularly in challenging market conditions [29][66] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the resilience of the U.S. economy, particularly in their operational regions [9] - They acknowledged macroeconomic uncertainties but did not see pervasive issues in their loan portfolio [6][20] - The company expects mid-single-digit growth for both loans and deposits for the full year [13] Other Important Information - The provision expense for the first quarter was $3.8 million, resulting in an allowance for credit loss ratio of 1.42% [20] - The company’s tangible book value per share improved to $34.88, with a CET1 ratio of 13.26% [22] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you elaborate on the lower expense guidance for 2025? - The lower expense guidance is linked to macroeconomic uncertainty and a slowdown in mortgage activity, impacting variable compensation [27][28] Question: How does the current environment affect M&A thoughts? - The company remains opportunistic regarding M&A, feeling confident in their capital levels and not wanting to risk shareholders with volatile assets [29][30] Question: Can you provide insights on loan growth and competition? - Loan growth remains strong, particularly in the C&I space, with competitive pricing and a robust pipeline [38][41] Question: What is the outlook for deposit costs and growth? - The company expects stable deposit costs but acknowledges competitive pressures; growth is driven by both corporate and consumer sides [42][45] Question: Can you clarify the impact of the MSR write-down on mortgage revenue? - The impact was primarily from the MSR net capitalization due to macro rate changes and CPR, with negligible effects from hedging [54] Question: What is the company's interest rate sensitivity? - The company is slightly asset sensitive but generally neutral regarding interest rate changes [68] Question: Can you provide more details on the nonaccrual loan mentioned? - The nonaccrual loan was a $13 million credit with cross-border exposure in the manufacturing sector, contributing to the increase in nonperforming loans [70][71]