South Atlantic Bancshares, Inc. Reports Earnings of $2.10 per Diluted Common Share for the Year Ended December 31, 2025
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- South Atlantic Bancshares, Inc. ("South Atlantic" or the "Company") (OTCQX:SABK), parent of South Atlantic Bank (the "Bank"), reported consolidated net income of $4.8 million, or $0.62 per diluted common share, for the fourth quarter of 2025, compared to $4.4 million, or $0.57 per diluted common share, for the third quarter of 2025. The Company reported $16.2 million, or $2.10 per diluted common share, for the year ended December 31, 2025, compared to $10.1 million, or $1.31 per diluted common share, for the year ended December 31, 2024. Fourth Quarter and Year Ended December 31, 2025 Financial Highlights: Net income totaled $16.2 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2025, a year-over-year increase of $6.1 million, or 60.8 percent, when compared to net income of $10.1 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024Net income totaled $4.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2025, a quarter-over-quarter increase of $380.0 thousand, or 8.7 percent, and an increase of $1.6 million, or 50.3 percent, over the fourth quarter of 2024Return on average assets and return on average equity for the three months ended December 31, 2025 were 1.02 percent and 14.25 percent, respectivelyTotal assets increased $130.0 million to $1.9 billion during the year ended December 31, 2025, an increase of 7.3 percent, from December 31, 2024Total loans grew $127.5 million in the twelve months ended December 31, 2025, an increase of 9.5 percent over December 31, 2024Total deposits grew $93.7 million in the twelve months ended December 31, 2025, an increase of 6.4 percent over December 31, 2024Tangible book value per share (non-GAAP) increased $2.58, or 18.0 percent, during 2025 to $16.88 as of December 31, 2025"Our fourth quarter and full year 2025 results underscore the strength of our franchise and our team's disciplined focus on sustainable, profitable growth," said K. Wayne Wicker, the Company's Chairman and CEO. "We delivered record annual net income of $16.2 million in 2025, an increase of over 60 percent from 2024. We continue to see linked quarter earnings expansion, as return on average assets for the fourth quarter of 2025 moved above 1.0 percent. Our performance in 2025 highlights the momentum of our core banking strategy and our commitment to balance sheet management as tangible book value per share increased 18.0 percent during the year" Wicker continued. "As we look ahead, we are encouraged by our positive trajectory, supported by robust credit quality, healthy pipelines, a resilient economy and the continued dedication of our associates across the markets we serve."Selected Financial Highlights For the Periods / Three Months Ended December 31,September 30,Balance Sheet (000's)20252025Change ($)Change (%)1Total Assets$ 1,916,827$ 1,891,373$ 25,4545.4 %Total Loans, Net of Unearned Income1,466,4401,426,53739,90311.2 %Total Deposits1,554,3251,588,682(34,357)-8.7 %Borrowings (Excluding Subordinated debt)180,000120,00060,000200.0 %Total Equity131,758128,5973,1619.8 %December 31,September 30,Income Statement and Per Share Data20252025Change ($)Change (%)Net Income (000's)$ 4,763$ 4,383$ 3808.7 %Diluted Earnings Per Share0.620.570.058.8 %Tangible Book Value Per Share16.8816.490.392.4 %December 31,September 30,Selected Financial Ratios20252025Return on Average Assets1.02 %0.93 %NPAs to Average Assets0.00 %0.00 %Efficiency Ratio60.02 %63.57 %Net Interest Margin 3.35 %3.28 % For the Periods / Twelve Months Ended December 31, December 31, Balance Sheet (000's)20252024Change ($)Change (%)Total Assets$ 1,916,827$ 1,787,150$ 129,6777.3 %Total Loans, Net of Unearned Income1,466,4401,338,904127,5369.5 %Total Deposits1,554,3251,460,65393,6726.4 %Borrowings (Excluding Subordinated Debt)180,000160,00020,00012.5 %Total Equity131,758113,76917,98915.8 %December 31, December 31, Income Statement and Per Share Data20252024Change ($)Change (%)Net Income (000's)$ 16,167$ 10,055$ 6,11260.8 %Diluted Earnings Per Share2.101.310.7960.3 %1 Results annualized. Earnings SummaryNet interest income increased $2.7 million, or 22.5 percent, to $14.8 million for the three months ended December 31, 2025 when compared to $12.1 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024. The increase in interest income during the three months ended December 31, 2025 compared to the prior year period was primarily driven by a $2.8 million increase in interest income on the Company's loan portfolio due to increased yields and organic loan growth, partially offset by a reduction in interest income of $1.2 million, or 35.5 percent, on the Company's investment portfolio and cash and cash equivalents held with the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond (the "FRB") and correspondent banks, which was primarily due to a targeted and strategic sale of investment securities in the second quarter of 2025. The Company recognized a decrease in interest expense of $1.1 million, or 10.6 percent, for the three months ended December 31, 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. The reduction in interest expense during the period was primarily driven by decreases in interest rates on interest bearing deposits, despite deposit growth in interest bearing deposit balances. Also contributing to the decrease in overall interest expense during the fourth quarter of 2025 were decreases in interest rates on short-term borrowings.For the year ended December 31, 2025, net interest income increased $11.4 million, or 25.9 percent, to $55.5 million when compared to $44.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2024. This increase was driven primarily by an increase in interest income of $8.4 million, or 9.6 percent, from $87.2 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 to $95.6 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2025, coupled with a decrease in interest expense on deposits and borrowings of $3.0 million, or 7.0 percent, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2025 when compared to the same twelve-month period in 2024.Noninterest income decreased $217.0 thousand, or 11.5 percent, for the three months ended December 31, 2025 compared to the same three-month period in 2024, primarily driven by a decrease in other income of $393.0 thousand, or 48.6 percent, related to a recognizable capital gain on a bank held investment in the fourth quarter of 2024, partially offset by an increase in secondary mortgage income of $112.0 thousand, or 29.2 percent, as well as an increase in service charges and fees of $30.0 thousand, or 30.3 percent, and an increase in merchant and interchange income of $34.0 thousand, or 5.7 percent, when compared to the same three-month period in 2024. The Company recognized an increase in noninterest expense of $494.0 thousand, or 5.3 percent, for the three months ended December 31, 2025 when compared to the same three-month period in 2024, primarily driven by an increase in salaries and employee benefits of $285.0 thousand, or 5.2 percent, an increase in data processing and software expense of $96.0 thousand, or 12.2 percent, and an increase of $255.0 thousand, or 13.0 percent, in other noninterest expense, partially offset by a decrease in occupancy expense of $142.0 thousand, or 12.5 percent.For the twelve months ended December 31, 2025, noninterest income increased $590.0 thousand, or 9.7 percent, when compared to the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, primarily from the benefit of increased secondary mortgage income of $582.0 thousand, or 43.2 percent, as well as an increase of $159.0 thousand, or 6.6 percent, in merchant and interchange income, as well as an increase of $104.0 thousand, or 28.3 percent, in service charge and fee income. For the twelve months ended December 31, 2025, noninterest expense increased $4.0 million, or 11.3 percent, when compared to the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, primarily resulting from increases of $1.8 million, or 24.2 percent, in other noninterest expense, including the realization of a $322.4 thousand loss upon the targeted sale of investment securities as part of a strategic portfolio restructuring the proceeds of which were reinvested into higher yielding loans, an increase in audit, compliance, and regulatory assessments, as well as increases of $1.6 million, or 7.4 percent, in salaries and employee benefits, an increase of $556.0 thousand, or 17.8 percent, in data processing and software, and $119.0 thousand, or 2.8 percent, in occupancy expense and insurance.Financial Performance Dollars in Thousands Except Per Share Data Three Months Ended December 31,September 30,June 30,March 31, December 31,20252025202520252024Interest Income Loans$ 22,152$ 22,263$ 21,090$ 20,097$ 19,349 Investments2,2312,5062,4222,8153,457Total Interest Income$ 24,383$ 24,769$ 23,512$ 22,912$ 22,806Interest Expense9,59710,20210,13910,08810,732Net Interest Income$ 14,786$ 14,567$ 13,373$ 12,824$ 12,074Provision for Loan Losses600450625397532Noninterest Income1,6731,7951,7561,4521,890Noninterest Expense9,87910,4019,9069,6559,385Income Before Taxes$ 5,980$ 5,511$ 4,598$ 4,224$ 4,047Provision for Income Taxes1,2171,128912887879Net Income$ 4,763$ 4,383$ 3,686$ 3,337$ 3,168Basic Earnings Per Share$ 0.64$ 0.59$ 0.49$ 0.44$ 0.42Diluted Earnings Per Share$ 0.62$ 0.57$ 0.48$ 0.43$ 0.41Weighed Average Shares Outstanding Basic7,478,2837,469,4877,566,8087,572,0427,571,823 Diluted7,680,3687,646,5397,723,3497,692,1547,669,723Total Shares Outstanding7,483,8737,469,5637,469,0637,572,2537,571,823 Twelve Months Ended December 31, December 31, 20252024Interest Income Loans$ 85,602$ 72,690 Investments9,97414,502Total Interest Income$ 95,576$ 87,192Interest Expense40,02743,060Net Interest Income$ 55,549$ 44,132Provision for Loan Losses2,0721,432Noninterest Income6,677Full story available on Benzinga.com
