Core Insights - Southern Missouri Bancorp, Inc. reported preliminary net income of $15.7 million for Q1 fiscal 2026, a 25.6% increase from the previous year, driven by higher net interest income and lower non-interest expenses [2][3][18] - The company declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.25, marking the 126th consecutive quarterly dividend [4] - The company will host a conference call on October 23, 2025, to discuss the financial results [5] Financial Performance - Earnings per diluted share increased to $1.38, up $0.28 or 25.5% year-over-year [5][18] - Annualized return on average assets (ROA) was 1.24%, and return on average common equity (ROE) was 11.3%, compared to 1.07% and 9.9% respectively in the same quarter last year [5][18] - Net interest margin improved to 3.57%, up from 3.34% a year ago [5][18] Balance Sheet Highlights - Total assets reached $5.0 billion, reflecting a 0.3% increase from the previous quarter [7] - Gross loan balances increased by $91.2 million or 2.2% during the quarter, and by $225.2 million or 5.7% year-over-year [9] - Deposit balances decreased slightly by $878,000 during the quarter but increased by $240.3 million or 5.9% over the last twelve months [15] Loan and Credit Quality - Provision for credit losses (PCL) was $4.5 million, an increase of $2.3 million from the previous year [20][13] - Nonperforming loans (NPLs) rose to $26.0 million, or 0.62% of gross loans, compared to $23.0 million or 0.56% in the prior quarter [12][33] - The allowance for credit losses (ACL) was $52.1 million, representing 1.24% of gross loans [13][33] Non-Interest Income and Expenses - Non-interest income decreased by $601,000 or 8.4% year-over-year, primarily due to lower loan fees and net realized gains on loan sales [21] - Non-interest expenses decreased by $790,000 or 3.1% compared to the same period last year, driven by lower compensation and benefits [22] - The efficiency ratio improved to 51.1%, down from 59.0% in the same quarter last year [23] Tax and Equity - The income tax provision increased by 12.2% to $3.8 million, with an effective tax rate of 19.5% [24] - Stockholders' equity rose to $560.2 million, a 2.9% increase from the previous quarter [17]