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SB Financial Group Inc (SBFG) Q4 2024 Earnings Call Highlights: Strong Loan Growth and ...

In This Article:

  • Net Income: $3.6 million for the quarter.

  • Diluted EPS: $0.55, down slightly compared to the prior year.

  • Tangible Book Value Per Share: $16, up 7% from $14.98.

  • Net Interest Income: $10.9 million, a 13.7% increase from $9.6 million in Q4 2023.

  • Loan Growth: $46.5 million for the quarter, up 4.7%.

  • Deposits: Increased by over $82 million to $1.15 billion.

  • Mortgage Originations: $73 million for the quarter; $261 million for the year, up 21% from 2023.

  • Servicing Portfolio: $1.43 billion, up 4.4% year-over-year.

  • Operating Expenses: Up 6.1% compared to Q4 2023.

  • Charge-offs: 7 basis points for the quarter.

  • Noninterest Income: $4.6 million, up 11.8% year-over-year when adjusted for prior year sales.

  • Efficiency Ratio: 71.1% for the quarter.

  • Net Interest Margin: 3.35%, up 18 basis points from the linked quarter.

  • Share Buyback: 130,000 shares repurchased in the quarter.

  • Dividend: $0.145 per share, totaling $0.56 for the year.

Release Date: January 24, 2025

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

Positive Points

  • SB Financial Group Inc (NASDAQ:SBFG) successfully closed the acquisition of The Marblehead Bank, expanding its presence in Ottawa County, Ohio.

  • Net interest income increased by 13.7% in the fourth quarter compared to the same quarter last year, reflecting higher loan balances and improved asset yields.

  • Loan growth for the full quarter was $46.5 million, marking the third consecutive quarter of sequential loan growth.

  • The mortgage business line delivered a 21% higher volume than 2023, with significant contributions from the Indiana and Cincinnati markets.

  • Tangible book value per share increased by 7% to $16, demonstrating strong capital management and strategic capital deployment.

Negative Points

  • Net income for the quarter was $3.6 million, with diluted EPS of $0.55, slightly down compared to the prior year.

  • Operating expenses were up 6.1% compared to the fourth quarter of 2023, indicating rising costs.

  • Noninterest income declined by 4% for the full year compared to the prior year, despite improvements in wealth management and other fee-based business lines.

  • Charge-offs spiked to 7 basis points in the quarter, although they remained low for the year at 2 basis points overall.

  • The residential real estate portfolio was down nearly $10 million for the year, reflecting a conscious shift away from growing this segment.

Q & A Highlights

Q: Can you discuss the expected mortgage production for 2025, especially with new talent in Indiana and Cincinnati? A: Mark Klein, Chairman, President, and CEO, stated that they are aiming for around $400 million in mortgage production for 2025, up from $260-$270 million in 2024. They plan to expand their team in Cincinnati and expect significant contributions from both Cincinnati and Indianapolis markets.