Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported record quarterly earnings of $7.4 million or $0.52 per diluted share, an increase of $3.1 million compared to the prior quarter earnings of $4.3 million [39] - The net interest margin was 4.33% for 2025, compared to an industry average of approximately 3.7% [40] - The GAAP gain on sale increased from 3.24% to 3.98% in the fourth quarter, with expectations to trend above 4% in 2026 [41] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The credit card program saw a transaction volume of approximately $99 million in the fourth quarter, down from $130 million in the previous quarters due to fraud prevention measures [6][10] - The SBA had a record year for production, with a significant increase in loan production and a healthy pipeline going into the new year [41] - The company implemented changes to incentivize higher spreads in loan sales, resulting in improved gain on sale income [28][41] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted that credit cards account for about 30% of all payments in the U.S., which is approximately $6 trillion annually [13] - The company is targeting a significant market share in the gaming sector, with 150,000 slot machines in Nevada and 800,000 across the country [25][26] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on enhancing its Gaming FinTech operations, particularly through the BoltBetz product, which is expected to significantly grow non-interest-bearing deposits [40][24] - The company is also working on improving its credit card systems and fraud prevention measures to support future growth [10][42] - The company aims to replace $400 million in costly deposits with more SBA originations and guaranteed loan sales [35] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the growth potential of the credit card program, projecting a possible increase in originations from $400 million to $800 million within a year [54] - The management highlighted the importance of fraud prevention measures and the positive contribution of the credit card program to the bank's bottom line despite recent challenges [42] - The company is optimistic about the future of its SBA loans, citing strong collateral and a low default rate [33] Other Important Information - The company has reorganized its credit card operations and engaged new leadership to enhance its technology capabilities [37][38] - The company sold off about $52 million in investment securities during the quarter to better protect against interest rate changes [44] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you provide insight into the potential for interchange volumes this year? - Management indicated that while they are not providing specific guidance, they expect significant growth in credit card originations, potentially doubling from $400 million to $800 million [54][55] Question: Should we expect continued improvement in gain on sale margins for the SBA platform? - Management confirmed that they expect growth in SBA volumes and have incentivized their team to achieve higher GAAP gain on sale margins [58][59] Question: Was there any change in the Q factor for the ACL that drove the negative provision? - Management noted adjustments in the Q factors based on historical analysis of the SBA loans, leading to a reduction in reserves [60][61]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported GAAP fully diluted earnings per share of $0.87, which represents a 135% increase compared to the fourth quarter and an 81% increase year-over-year [5] - Pre-provision net revenue for the first quarter was $9,400,000, or $1.22 per share, reflecting an 11% increase from the previous quarter [9] - The net interest margin for the quarter was 281 basis points, a 21 basis point increase from the linked quarter [9] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - SBA originations grew during the first quarter, with gain on sale margins exceeding 10% [6] - Non-interest income increased by 56% compared to the linked quarter, driven largely by $424,000 of SBA gain on sale income [11] - The efficiency ratio for the quarter was 59.9%, an increase over the prior quarter, but expected to improve as net interest margin expands [12] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company experienced elevated payoff activity of $200,000,000, which offset strong origination activity of $130,000,000 funded during the first quarter [6] - Core deposits grew by $43,000,000, including $28,000,000 in non-interest bearing deposits [7] - Brokered deposits declined by $81,000,000 relative to the fourth quarter, with a total reduction of $207,000,000 over the last twelve months [7] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on expanding its SBA business and expects continued growth in SBA gain on sale activity throughout 2025 [6][11] - The addition of new deposit teams in the New York Metro Area is aimed at enhancing customer acquisition and deposit growth [14] - The company plans to selectively add professionals to achieve strategic goals, particularly in technology and banking [15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management remains optimistic about low single-digit loan growth for the full year despite a slower start [6][22] - The company anticipates continued margin expansion as maturing term deposits reprice to lower current rates [9][10] - Management expressed confidence in the company's ability to navigate changes in the SBA landscape while maintaining growth [37] Other Important Information - The company disposed of two nonperforming credits, which significantly reduced nonperforming assets as a percentage of total assets to 83 basis points [5] - The balance sheet remains well-capitalized and liquid, with total assets of $3,200,000,000 [13] - The company repurchased 29,924 shares at a weighted average price of $30.46 during the quarter [13] Q&A Session Summary Question: Update on new teams and their focus - The new teams are primarily focused on deposits, with both teams having books of business over $100,000,000 [19][20] Question: Loan pipeline and growth outlook - The company still expects low single-digit growth, with a robust pipeline despite some unexpected payoffs in the first quarter [22][23] Question: Core loan yield and margin expectations - The core loan yield for the quarter was approximately $6.40, with expectations for continued margin expansion [27][29] Question: SBA gain on sale and future expectations - Originations were better than expected, with the strongest quarter anticipated in Q4 [35] Question: Professional fees and expense outlook - Some professional fees are one-time investments that may shift into employee expenses, but elevated levels are not expected to continue [41] Question: Updates on remaining nonperforming assets - No material updates on the remaining loans, but management is optimistic about their status [45] Question: Share repurchase strategy - The company aims to balance share repurchases with the need to grow consolidated CET1 capital [52]