Morris State Bancshares Announces Quarterly Earnings and Declares Fourth Quarter Dividend

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Morris Bank
Morris Bank

DUBLIN, Ga., Oct. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Morris State Bancshares, Inc. (OTCQX: MBLU) (the “Company”), the parent of Morris Bank, today announced net income of $5.4 million for the quarter ending September 30, 2024, representing an increase of $124 thousand, or 2.34%, compared to net income of $5.3 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2024. Year over year the Company’s net income increased $954 thousand, or 21.23%, compared to net income of $4.5 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2023. The Company’s quarterly net earnings rose due to sustained loan growth, higher loan yields, an increase in noninterest-bearing deposit accounts, and some stabilization in the cost of funds. These factors combined to strengthen the bank’s net interest margin, bringing it to 4.10%.

“We had a solid third quarter. Our core earnings engine remains strong as reflected by the growth in our net interest income. In the third quarter, we generated net interest income of $14.0 million, which was $428 thousand above the June 30, 2024, level of $13.6 million and $1.1 million above the September 30, 2023 level of $12.9 million,” said Spence Mullis, Chairman and CEO. “The Federal Reserve’s reduction in the Fed funds rate, combined with robust growth in noninterest-bearing balances, has contributed to stabilizing our cost of funds. Despite continued payoffs of larger loans, we continue to fund a good volume of new loans and previously unfunded commitments driving our loan balances slightly higher.”

The net interest margin was 4.10% for the third quarter of 2024 compared to 4.02% for the second quarter of 2024 and 3.94% for the third quarter of 2023. The average yield on earning assets grew nine basis points from 5.96%, as of June 30, 2024, to 6.05%, while the Company’s cost of funds increased two basis points from 2.16% to 2.18% during the same period.

Total deposits declined during the quarter by $16.6 million, or 1.37%, which included a $24 million reduction in brokered money market deposits. However, non-interest-bearing deposits increased $21.5 million, or 7.19% during the quarter, helping to bolster the net interest margin. The bank took down $15.0 million in borrowings from the Federal Home Loan Bank during the third quarter of 2024 to help fund new loan demand and offset the reduction in brokered deposits. Loans increased $6.3 million, or an annualized 2.36% during the third quarter, slowing from the second quarter’s annualized growth of 7.24%. Management anticipates steady loan demand in the fourth quarter as political uncertainty eases in November, providing customers with greater clarity to advance their growth strategies.