LODI, Calif., Nov. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (OTCQX: FMCB) (the “Company” or “FMCB”), the parent company of Farmers & Merchants Bank of Central California (the “Bank” or “F&M Bank”), has amended their record date for the fourth quarter dividend from December 15, 2025 to December 4, 2025. The quarterly cash dividend declared amount of $5.05 per share and the cash dividend pay date of January 2, 2026 both remain unchanged from the original announcement on November 12, 2025. The ...

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Core Viewpoint - Farmers & Merchants Bancorp is launching a special voluntary program allowing shareholders with 99 shares or less to sell their shares without fees, aimed at increasing liquidity and portfolio diversification [1][2]. Group 1: Program Details - The program will be effective from November 19, 2025, to December 23, 2025, unless terminated or extended by the company [2]. - Eligible shareholders will be notified by mail about the program [2]. - The program will be administered by Georgeson LLC, with Computershare Trust Company serving as the paying agent [2]. Group 2: Company Overview - Farmers & Merchants Bancorp trades on the OTCQX under the symbol FMCB and is the parent company of Farmers & Merchants Bank of Central California [4]. - Founded in 1916, F&M Bank operates 33 locations in California and has $5.6 billion in assets [4]. - The bank has maintained a 5-Star rating from BauerFinancial for 35 consecutive years, making it one of the safest banks in the nation [4]. Group 3: Banking Services - F&M Bank offers a comprehensive range of loan, deposit, equipment leasing, and treasury management products for businesses, as well as consumer banking products [5]. - The bank received the highest rating of "Outstanding" from the FDIC in its last Community Reinvestment Act evaluation [5].

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Financial Performance - Net income reached $25.4 million, a 60.6% increase from $15.8 million in 3Q24[8] - Core net income increased by 58.9% to $26.9 million, compared to $16.9 million in 3Q24[8] - Diluted EPS rose to $0.65, up from $0.44 per share in 3Q24[8] - Core diluted EPS increased to $0.69, up from $0.47 per share in 3Q24[8] Loan Production and Portfolio - Loan production hit a new record of $739.0 million, a 55.0% increase from 3Q24[6] - The total loan portfolio reached $6.3 billion in UPB as of September 30, 2025, a 32.0% increase from $4.8 billion in UPB as of September 30, 2024[6] - Portfolio net interest margin (NIM) for 3Q25 was 3.65%, an increase of 5 bps from 3.60% for 3Q24[8] - The UPB of fair value option (FVO) loans was $4.2 billion, or 66.3% of total loans, as of September 30, 2025, an increase from $2.2 billion in UPB, or 47.1% as of September 30, 2024[19] Asset Quality and Resolution - Nonperforming loans (NPL) as a % of HFI loans decreased to 9.8%, down from 10.6% as of September 30, 2024[6] - 3Q25 NPA resolutions realized gains of $2.8 million, or 102.6%, of UPB resolved[6] - NPA resolutions totaled $108.0 million in UPB, realizing 102.6% of UPB resolved, compared to $68.6 million in UPB and realization of 103.4% of UPB resolved for 3Q24[33] Financing and Capital - Completed the 1st single counterparty securitization totaling $190.9 million of securities issued with a large money manager in July, in addition to the VCC 2025-4 securitization totaling $457.5 million of securities issued[6,9] - Liquidity of $143.5 million, consisting of $99.0 million in unrestricted cash and $44.5 million in available borrowings from unpledged loans[9] - Total available warehouse line capacity of $600.3 million[9]

Summary of Lloyds Banking Group Update / Briefing (November 06, 2025) Company Overview - **Company**: Lloyds Banking Group (NYSE:LYG) - **Industry**: Banking and Financial Services Key Points and Arguments Digital and AI Leadership - Lloyds Banking Group positions itself as a leader in digital and AI, with a focus on enhancing infrastructure and capabilities since 2021, which supports long-term leadership in the industry [3][4][6] - The bank has been recognized in Euromoney's assessment of digital banks, ranking in the top 20 globally out of over 300 banks [1] User Engagement and Scale - The bank boasts 23 million digitally active users, with over 21 million using its mobile app, making it the largest fintech in the UK [4][5] - Lloyds processes one in four card transactions in the UK, equating to nearly £330 billion in annual spend, indicating a strong market presence [5] Strategic Priorities and Infrastructure Modernization - The bank's strategy includes modernizing its technology estate to enhance innovation and customer service [6][7] - Significant progress has been made in reducing the number of applications by 20% and consolidating data centers from 18 to 9, with plans to further modernize by 2027 [14][15] Financial Benefits from Digital Initiatives - Digital and AI initiatives are expected to contribute over 70% to the bank's strategic revenues target by 2026, with more than 60% of cost savings realized attributed to these initiatives [8][9][48] - The bank has achieved gross savings of over €300 million annually, which can be reinvested to accelerate further changes [20] Customer Experience Enhancements - The mobile app has seen a significant increase in engagement, with 90% of personal current account openings now occurring through the app, up from 20% two years ago [24] - AI integration in the app has improved customer interactions, making them more intuitive and engaging [22][23] Ecosystem Development - The introduction of the Homes Hub has led to over 450,000 new customer interactions, retaining £10 billion in mortgages within 1.5 years [27] - The bank is leveraging its data to offer personalized services and insights, enhancing customer engagement and retention [28][29] Future Innovations - Lloyds is investing in generative AI and digital assets, with plans to deliver 50 use cases into production within the year, aiming for €50 million in tangible benefits [33][36] - The bank is exploring tokenized deposits and programmable money, which could streamline transactions and reduce costs [37][39] Regulatory and Market Positioning - Lloyds is actively working with regulators to ensure compliance and safety in its digital offerings, particularly in investment advice [55][57] - The bank aims to maintain its leadership position in the UK market while exploring potential international opportunities in the future [71][75] Additional Important Insights - The bank's commitment to building a skilled workforce includes hiring over 8,000 engineers and 900 graduates in the past four years [17] - Lloyds is focused on cross-selling opportunities between its banking and insurance products, enhancing customer relationships through personalized offerings [81][82] This summary encapsulates the key points discussed during the Lloyds Banking Group update, highlighting the company's strategic focus on digital transformation, customer engagement, and future growth opportunities.

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Financial Performance - Net income for Q3 2025 was $7.5 million, with diluted EPS at $0.47[8] - Pre-tax pre-provision net income improved by 28% sequentially[8] - The tax-equivalent net interest margin increased to 3.08% from 2.93%, a 15 basis point increase[8, 15] Loan and Deposit Portfolio - Total deposits increased by $137.5 million, driven by existing and new relationships[8] - Non-interest bearing deposits represent 43.1% of total deposits[8, 27] - $100.7 million in new loans were originated, with $69.0 million funded, including $85.3 million in commercial loans originated ($65.4 million funded)[8] - Non-accrual loans decreased to 1.51% of total loans from 1.57% in the prior quarter[8] Capital and Liquidity - The bank repurchased $1.1 million in shares in Q3 2025[8, 18] - Total risk-based capital remained strong at 16.13%[8, 17] - Immediately available net funding of $2.0 billion, representing 202% coverage of estimated uninsured deposits[8, 20]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company generated net income of $3.2 million or $0.32 per diluted share in Q3 2025, a 45% increase from the same quarter last year [6] - Tangible book value per share increased by 1.2% this quarter [6] - Gross revenue increased by 8.7% from the prior quarter and 15.5% year-over-year [9] - Net interest income rose for the fourth consecutive quarter, increasing 8.9% from the prior quarter and 25% year-over-year [9][10] - Non-interest income increased by more than $500,000 or 8.5% from the prior quarter [10] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Loans held for investment increased by $50 million from the end of the prior quarter, with new loan production of $146 million in Q3 [7] - Total deposits increased by $320 million from the end of the prior quarter, driven by new accounts and existing client balance growth [8] - Trust and investment management assets under management decreased by $64 million, primarily due to net withdrawals from low-fee product categories [8] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The average rate on new loan production was 6.38% in the quarter [7] - The spot rate on deposits at the end of the quarter was 3.04% [24] - The company achieved a 63% beta on money market accounts in Q3, which is expected to continue into Q4 [25] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to grow deposits and loans by focusing on superior service rather than competing on pricing [4] - Management is optimistic about opportunities arising from market disruptions due to M&A activity in Colorado [12] - The company is focused on creating operating leverage by growing revenues faster than expenses [43] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management sees healthy economic conditions in their markets and expects strong loan and deposit pipelines to continue into Q4 [12] - There are no indications of meaningful deterioration in asset quality, with stable trends in the loan portfolio [12] - The company anticipates NIM expansion as liquidity is deployed into the loan portfolio [19] Other Important Information - The company has made significant investments in technology and team restructuring to enhance operational efficiency [68] - The efficiency ratio is trending down with operating leverage increasing [70] - The company was named one of the KBW Bank Honor Roll members in 2025 for its performance [70] Q&A Session Summary Question: Insights on deposit growth and mortgage department contributions - Management indicated that the deposit growth is expected to remain stable and provide a higher base for future growth [16] Question: Details on the credit related to the downgraded loan - A specific provision was made for a C&I loan that was downgraded, and management expects it to be resolved over time [17] Question: Expectations for NIM in Q4 - Management anticipates a potential NIM expansion of about five basis points in Q4 [20] Question: Thoughts on the beta for additional Fed rate cuts - The beta has been declining, with a reasonable expectation of around 63% for the fourth quarter [25] Question: Update on wealth management and AUM strategy - The company is focused on fee income growth rather than AUM, with positive progress noted in agency accounts [27] Question: Opportunities from M&A disruptions - Management believes that ongoing market disruptions create opportunities for talent acquisition and client growth [37] Question: Plans for redeploying excess cash - The company expects to continue deploying liquidity into the loan portfolio, with strong loan demand trends anticipated [61]

Core Insights - First Western Financial, Inc. reported a net income of $3.2 million for Q3 2025, an increase from $2.5 million in Q2 2025 and $2.1 million in Q3 2024, reflecting improved profitability [3][7]. - The company experienced significant growth in total deposits, which rose by $320 million, or 12.6%, from $2.53 billion in Q2 2025 to $2.85 billion in Q3 2025 [7][22]. - Net interest income increased by $1.6 million, or 8.9%, from $17.9 million in Q2 2025 to $19.5 million in Q3 2025, driven by a rise in average interest-earning assets [7][13]. - Non-interest income also saw a rise of $0.5 million, or 7.9%, from $6.3 million in Q2 2025 to $6.8 million in Q3 2025, primarily due to increases in net gains on mortgage loans and fees [7][14]. - The efficiency ratio improved to 76.4% in Q3 2025 from 78.8% in Q2 2025, indicating better cost management [18]. Financial Performance - Total income before non-interest expense was $24.0 million for Q3 2025, up 7.1% from $22.4 million in Q2 2025, with gross revenue increasing by 8.7% to $26.3 million [9]. - The provision for credit losses was $2.3 million in Q3 2025, compared to $1.8 million in Q2 2025, reflecting a cautious approach to credit risk [29]. - The net interest margin decreased by 13 basis points to 2.54% from 2.67% in Q2 2025, attributed to a shift in the mix of interest-earning assets and an increase in the cost of funds [11][12]. Asset and Liability Management - Total loans held for investment increased by $50 million, or 2.0%, to $2.59 billion as of September 30, 2025, with growth in non-owner occupied commercial real estate and residential portfolios [21]. - Total assets reached $3.24 billion as of September 30, 2025, up from $3.03 billion in Q2 2025, indicating robust growth [42][44]. - The company’s borrowings from the Federal Home Loan Bank and Federal Reserve decreased to $50.9 million, down $112.5 million from $163.4 million in Q2 2025, reflecting strong deposit growth [23]. Credit Quality - Non-performing assets totaled $22.7 million, or 0.70% of total assets, as of September 30, 2025, an increase from $18.8 million, or 0.62%, in Q2 2025 [26]. - Non-performing loans increased to $18.3 million from $14.4 million in Q2 2025, primarily due to the addition of one credit relationship [28]. - The allowance for credit losses as a percentage of total loans increased from 0.75% to 0.81% during the quarter, reflecting a proactive stance on credit quality [29]. Capital Position - As of September 30, 2025, the company maintained a strong capital position, with Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets at 9.80% and total capital at 12.50% [30]. - Book value per common share increased by 1.1% from $26.64 in Q2 2025 to $26.92, and tangible book value per common share rose by 1.2% from $23.39 to $23.68 [30][31].