Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a net income increase of $675,000 in the fourth quarter, driven by the TC Federal acquisition and improved margins [3][15] - Operating pre-provision net revenue improved significantly compared to the fourth quarter of 2024 [15] - Net interest income increased by approximately $3.2 million compared to the prior quarter, with net interest margin rising 15 basis points to 3.32% [15][16] - The tangible common equity (TCE) ratio at the end of the quarter was 8.30%, up from 8% in the prior quarter [25] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Core loan growth for 2025 was reported at 10.5%, with expectations for 2026 to be closer to the lower end of the 8%-12% target [5][23] - Operating non-interest income for the fourth quarter was $11.1 million, reflecting strong performance in mortgage and SBSL [17] - The company executed a portfolio mortgage pool sale of around $10 million, generating a gain of over $100,000 [7] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Deposits increased for the quarter and were organically flat year-over-year, excluding the TC Federal acquisition [6][24] - The company noted increased competition in lending across its footprint, impacting loan growth expectations [5][36] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on integrating the TC Federal acquisition and expects to realize cost savings post-systems conversion in the second quarter of 2026 [8][26] - There is an ongoing strategy to enhance performance through disciplined execution and improvement, with a focus on M&A opportunities [12][13] - The company aims to maintain a disciplined approach to pricing and credit while growing core customer relationships [5] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the economic environment in the Southeast and the potential for M&A activity to drive growth [39][48] - The company anticipates a modest increase in net interest margin throughout 2026, supported by loan repricing and deposit growth [24][45] - Management acknowledged the competitive landscape and the need to balance growth with margin improvement [36][40] Other Important Information - The board declared an increase in the quarterly dividend to $0.12 per share, marking another consecutive year of dividend increases [11] - The company was recognized as one of American Banker's 2025 Best Banks to Work For, highlighting its commitment to culture and team members [12] Q&A Session Summary Question: Concerns about small business lending and charge-offs - Management acknowledged that small business lending is high-risk but can offer better returns, and they expect it to improve from current levels [28][29] Question: M&A competition and strategy - Management hopes for negotiated transactions rather than competitive bidding, focusing on partnerships that align with their goals [31][33] Question: Organic growth and competitive environment - Management noted increased competition but emphasized a disciplined approach to pricing and maintaining margins [36][38] Question: Deposit growth and funding loan growth - Management is optimistic about organic deposit growth and plans to leverage non-interest-bearing accounts to fund loans [42][44] Question: Future M&A targets and geographic expansion - Management is open to pursuing larger targets and expanding into contiguous states, while also considering the competitive landscape [46][48] Question: Effective tax rate and expense management - Management expects the effective tax rate to remain around 21% and aims to reduce net operating expenses to historical averages later in the year [50]

Company Involvement - HSBC Holdings Plc is directly involved in urging its Hong Kong subsidiary, Hang Seng Bank Ltd., to sell off portfolios of bad real estate debt, highlighting concerns over the struggling property sector in Hong Kong [1][4] - HSBC has directed its global chief corporate credit officer and the head of its special credit unit to ensure that Hang Seng initiates the sale process [2] Financial Impact - Hang Seng Bank is in the early stages of selling property-backed loan portfolios valued at over $3 billion, following an 85% year-on-year increase in impaired Hong Kong real estate loans [3][4] - As of June, Hang Seng had impaired loans to Hong Kong commercial real estate amounting to HK$25 billion ($3.2 billion) [4] Market Context - The Hong Kong banking sector is experiencing significant strain due to the worst real estate slump since the late 1990s Asian financial crisis, with discussions of creating a "bad bank" to manage approximately $25 billion in soured loans [4][6] - The China Real Estate Chamber of Commerce has proposed a HK$20 billion fund to invest in distressed properties to mitigate systemic financial risks [6] Strategic Approach - HSBC aims for a holistic approach to the disposal of bad debts, involving top bankers in London to expedite the process, rather than relying on piecemeal attempts [7] - Hang Seng is looking to offload two portfolios backed by real estate assets from Hong Kong developers and a third portfolio backed by real estate in mainland China [8] Historical Context - Following the crisis in the late 1990s, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) implemented directives to prevent non-performing loans (NPL) build-up, but these did not provide a clear strategy for managing bad debt [9] - There is a noted gap in institutional knowledge as senior bankers who previously managed clean-ups have left the industry [9] Implementation Challenges - There are uncertainties regarding the adherence to HSBC's directive, as Hang Seng and consulting firms have reached out to private credit firms without clear instructions on the next steps for loan acquisition [10]

Financial Performance - Collections showed strong growth, reaching $255.7 million, up 85% compared to Q2 2024[9] - Estimated Remaining Collections (ERC) reached a new record of $2.9 billion, a 31% increase compared to Q2 2024[9] - Revenue grew to $152.7 million, a 47% increase compared to Q2 2024[9] - The company declared a dividend of $0.24 per share, payable on September 4, 2025[9] Efficiency and Profitability - The Cash Efficiency Ratio was 75.9%[9], aided by the Conn's portfolio purchase, with the ratio being 71.8% excluding Conn's portfolio[27] - Adjusted Pre-Tax Return On Average Equity (ROAE) was 58.4%[28] - Adjusted Pre-Tax Income increased by 55% compared to Q2 2024[31] Deployments and ERC - Year-to-date deployments as of June 30, 2025, were $300.5 million, up 24% compared to the same period in 2024[17] - U.S Distressed ERC includes $226.5 million related to the Conn's portfolio purchase[22] - The company expects to collect $889.0 million of the June 30, 2025 ERC balance during the next 12 months[22] Leverage and Funding - The leverage ratio was 1.76x, calculated as Net Debt divided by Adjusted Cash EBITDA[9] - At June 30, 2025, $825 million RCF was undrawn with $51.7 million of unrestricted cash on the balance sheet[35]