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CFO James Reske indicated that consensus expense forecasts were reasonable but noted potential for seasonal declines in both noninterest income and expenses in Q4. Regarding buybacks, Reske explained the company uses a price-sensitive grid, setting a cap (e.g., potentially $17) and buying on dips rather than repurchasing at any price. Chief Credit Officer Brian Sohocki addressed credit, stating that charge-offs have normalized after previous headwinds and are expected to return to the mid-20 basis point range, absent the single large commercial floor plan credit.

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President and CEO Thomas Michael Price and Chief Lending Officer Michael McCuen noted strong momentum in equipment finance, partly due to talent investment and competitors pulling back. They observed that commercial clients, having learned from the pandemic, are proactively managing supply chains against tariff uncertainty. Regarding deposits, Price and Bank President Jane Grebenc explained that the growth in savings is partly due to customers parking funds from maturing CDs while awaiting rate clarity, and a strategic focus on deposit gathering.

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CFO James Reske explained that card income has stabilized post-Durbin impact, while SBA and mortgage businesses are performing well. He noted strong swap fee income in Q4 might not repeat at the same level but is primed for growth. President and CEO Thomas Michael Price added that year-over-year gains in SBA, mortgage, and wealth management's trust income successfully blunted the Durbin impact. Regarding loan growth, Price stated it will be a gradual ramp-up driven by a mix of CRE, C&I, indirect auto, and equipment finance, with a long-term strategic goal to increase the C&I portfolio to over 25% of the balance sheet.

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CFO Jim Reske stated that the securities portfolio is expected to grow by approximately $100 million in 2025. An executive, likely Chief Credit Officer Brian Taake, detailed the specific reserves: a $2.7 million reserve on a $10 million mixed-use office construction loan in Pittsburgh and a $2.8 million reserve on a $4.8 million term loan within the sponsor finance portfolio.

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President and CEO Jeffrey Jackson attributed the rise in criticized loans to regrading acquired Premier credits and expects improvement. He affirmed that all LPOs follow the same centralized, stringent credit policies. Jackson outlined capital priorities as 1) the dividend and 2) organic growth, with M&A and buybacks being lower priorities. Senior EVP & CFO Daniel Weiss added that the company is evaluating its options for its preferred stock and sub-debt, which are callable soon, and plans to take action to avoid high reset rates.

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Daniel Weiss, Senior Executive Vice President and CFO, provided detailed estimates for purchase accounting accretion, projecting approximately $59 million for loans in 2025. Jeffrey Jackson, President and CEO, explained that the rise in criticized loans was a normal result of acquiring and marking the Premier portfolio. He reiterated confidence in the company's credit metrics, expecting them to remain better than peers, and noted the portfolio's diversity and limited exposure to specific market risks.

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CEO Jeffrey Jackson and CFO Daniel Weiss confirmed the mid-single-digit loan growth guidance is a net figure that accounts for higher payoffs. They affirmed that excess deposits would be used to pay down FHLB borrowings, which positively impacts NIM. Jackson attributed the uptick in NPLs to normal fluctuations and one specific credit, stating there are no concerning trends.

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CFO Daniel Weiss explained that the primary drivers for Q4 margin improvement are recent deposit growth enabling FHLB paydowns and the recent capital raise. CEO Jeffrey Jackson addressed credit, stating he expects quality to remain stable and within the range of recent quarters, noting the increase in criticized loans was broad-based across industries with no single point of concern.

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CFO Douglas Schosser explained that full guidance on remaining cost savings would be provided in January 2026. He noted that the company is still finalizing purchase accounting marks, preventing a precise update on margin accretion, but did provide a Q4 net interest income target. Schosser also mentioned that the lower-than-expected equity consideration for the deal would likely result in less goodwill and slightly lower earnings accretion from interest rate marks.

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CFO Douglas Schosser stated that the core margin ended Q1 at 3.48% and is expected to perform at or above the high end of the guided range. He noted that their forecast includes one to two Fed rate cuts and that updated guidance reflecting the Penns Woods acquisition will be provided in Q2. Schosser explained that deposit growth was driven by a strategy to move maturing CDs into more liquid money market products, with new money market accounts opening at rates around 3.75%.

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Chief Financial Officer Douglas Schosser noted decent commercial pipeline strength and plans for additional hiring in commercial verticals, while also maintaining a balanced approach to pursue profitable consumer loan opportunities. He emphasized a focus on pricing discipline over pure volume. President and CEO Louis Torchio added that the bank's strategy is intact, with maturing verticals and a renewed focus on the core franchise expected to build momentum through the year. Regarding the securities book, Schosser confirmed they are reinvesting cash flows into higher-yielding assets and may consider an opportunistic repositioning, but it is not a core strategic focus.

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CFO Douglas Schosser clarified that fee income is expected to rebound by mid-single digits from the Q3 adjusted base, returning to a core level of $29-$30 million. He explained the higher net charge-off guidance reflects a long-term normalization expectation due to the strategic shift toward commercial lending, rather than a near-term credit deterioration.

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CFO Brian Spielmann clarified the loan that moved to non-performing status was approximately $6 million. CEO Corey Chambas added that the loan has been through an impairment analysis, is specifically reserved for, and is considered fully collateralized. Regarding SBA loans, Chambas noted that Q2 was lower than expected but anticipates volumes will bounce back closer to Q1 levels for the remainder of the year.

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CFO Brian Spielmann and CEO Corey Chambas stated that new loan yields are stable, with pricing over SOFR in the 2.25% to 2.75% range for competitive credits, and that the company no longer provides specific quarterly new loan yield data as it can be skewed by business mix. President and COO Dave Seiler noted that while there is client uncertainty regarding tariffs, no significant impact has been observed due to limited direct international exposure in their client base. Chief Credit Officer Bradley Quade clarified that the equipment finance charge-off was a one-quarter anomaly that accelerated future expected losses.

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CFO Brian Spielmann explained that C&I loans are expected to constitute a larger portion of growth in the coming year as CRE activity slows, attributing the Q4 decline to some asset-based lending loan payoffs. Executive Corey Chambas stated the funding mix will likely remain 70-80% in-market deposits and 20-30% wholesale to maintain a match-funded balance sheet. President and COO David Seiler added that core deposit growth is driven by a sales-oriented treasury management team, new hires, and strong banker incentives, evidenced by 11% growth in treasury management fees.

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President and COO David Seiler indicated that he expects C&I loan growth to outpace CRE growth, highlighting strong demand in the Accounts Receivable Finance and vendor finance areas. Executive Corey Chambas stated that net charge-offs would likely remain at current levels as the transportation portfolio issues continue to work through the system. CFO Brian Spielmann specified that the reserves were primarily related to the Equipment Finance small-ticket transportation portfolio.

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Chairman & CEO Christopher Maher explained that while significant near-term funding cost reductions are unlikely without rate cuts, a mix shift towards C&I deposits offers some opportunity. He projected a 'slow and steady' NIM expansion of a few basis points per quarter. President & COO Joseph Lebel added that deposit balances should improve seasonally in Q3 and Q4.

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CEO Christopher Maher projected a 12-18 month payback period for the Premier Bank initiative, with margin improvement overcoming operating expenses in about four to five quarters. He estimated the initiative's loan-to-deposit ratio would be around 20%. CFO Patrick Barrett clarified the 10% expense increase is off a normalized $66 million base, not the reported $64.3 million, suggesting a quarterly run rate of around $70-$71 million going forward.

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CEO Christopher Maher affirmed that while the company values its well-performing and conservatively underwritten CRE portfolio, it believes greater diversification will create a more valuable company. He clarified that the investor CRE portfolio will slowly decrease as C&I grows, but OceanFirst is not exiting the CRE market and continues to originate well-structured and priced loans for its clients.

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CEO Christopher Maher stated that capital is being prioritized for organic growth and to maintain optionality for redeeming repricing debt instruments in May 2025. President Joseph Lebel noted successful deposit repricing with high retention. CFO Patrick Barrett expressed cautious optimism for modest NIM expansion but emphasized that NII has likely troughed and is expected to see steady growth.

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CFO & COO Jamie Anderson responded that deposit costs are nearing their bottom, with only a slight 2-3 basis point drop expected in Q3. He confirmed the guided 4.00% to 4.05% NIM range is likely the peak, noting that each 25 basis point rate cut would negatively impact the margin by about 5-6 basis points. Anderson also quantified the expected seasonal public fund outflows at approximately $100 million on average for the quarter.

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President and CEO Archie Brown revised full-year loan growth expectations to 4-5% from 6-7%, citing payoff pressure in CRE from purposeful exits and private credit competition. He reaffirmed a normalized annual charge-off target of 25-30 basis points, expecting Q2 to be lower than Q1. Regarding tariffs, Brown stated the focus is on client communication, with the main concern being a potential slowdown in broad consumer demand rather than a specific industry risk.

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President and CEO Archie Brown explained that the Q1 loan growth moderation is due to higher commercial real estate payoffs and seasonality, but noted that pipelines remain healthy. CFO Jamie Anderson stated that with one anticipated rate cut in June, the NIM is expected to hold steady in the 3.85% to 3.90% range. Archie Brown added that market expansion is opportunistic and focused on steady, relationship-based growth.

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President and CEO Archie Brown projected a mid- to high-single-digit annualized loan growth rate for 2025, noting the bank remains disciplined in exiting lower-return relationships. Brown and CFO James Anderson added that new loan originations in Q3 were in the high 7% range (7.75-7.80%), while payoff yields were approximately 20 basis points lower.

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President and CEO Andrew Harmening explained the deposit outflow was a predictable seasonal event, expressing confidence in H2 growth driven by a $500 million commercial deposit pipeline, new technology verticals, and record household growth. EVP & CFO Derek Meyer clarified the higher total deposit guide reflects wholesale funding, not a change in core deposit strategy. Regarding CRE, EVP & Chief Credit Officer Patrick Ahern noted the office portfolio is improving, with proactive clients performing well, stressed credits declining, and a focus on direct sponsor relationships rather than large syndicated deals.

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Executive Andrew Harmening and CFO Derek Meyer confirmed the balance sheet is now highly neutral to rate changes, with a 25 basis point cut having a minimal impact of about $500,000 per quarter. Harmening stated that the best use of capital is funding organic growth and the strategic balance sheet remix, rather than buybacks. Chief Credit Officer Pat Ahern added that the bank has maintained conservative overlays for economic uncertainty for several quarters, providing a strong starting position to handle market changes.

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Chief Credit Officer Pat Ahern clarified that the portfolio deep dives are a constant, ongoing process, not a one-time project. He explained that the observed migration reflects proactive risk rating and noted that the stability in non-accrual loans is a positive indicator. CEO Andrew Harmening added that while the core organic strategy is proven and no further inorganic moves are planned for 2024, the company is now positioned to scale and could opportunistically consider a deal in the next 12-24 months, though the immediate focus is on organic execution.

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CEO Andrew Harmening highlighted the bank's strategic positioning with short-duration funding, including $3.6 billion in 7-month CDs renewing at a 100+ basis point pickup. He noted that reduced asset sensitivity allows the bank to focus on execution. Regarding hiring, Harmening confirmed RM headcount is up 17% and the high-probability deal pipeline is up 18%, expressing confidence in hitting the target of 26 net new RMs and seeing their impact grow through 2025.

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President Dave Antolik stated that the focus is now on stabilizing credit quality at current low levels, with future provisioning likely driven by loan growth rather than significant charge-offs. CEO Chris McComish highlighted this was the result of a multi-year effort. CFO Mark Kochvar confirmed the Durbin amendment impact is an estimated $6-7 million annually and that the bank has already made the necessary infrastructure investments to operate above the threshold.

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President Dave Antolik explained that the bank actively monitors tariff risk using detailed customer-level data and feels confident in its risk management practices. Executive Mark Kochvar noted that the allowance for credit losses is likely near its bottom, with the Q1 decrease driven by a specific reserve release. He also detailed that new loan yields are providing support to the NIM, which is expected to remain stable due to favorable repricing in loans, securities, and swaps.

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President Dave Antolik confirmed a bullish loan growth trajectory, expecting mid-single-digit growth in H1 2025 accelerating to high mid-single-digits for the full year, driven by a doubled pipeline, new banker hires, and improved customer confidence. On credit, Antolik noted that while criticized and classified loans are nearing a bottom after significant improvement, the bank does not foresee any outsized charge-offs. Executive Mark Kochvar added that the reserve ratio could see further modest decreases, but the dollar amount may rise with loan growth.

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President Dave Antolik stated that Q3 charge-off levels are close to what he considers normalized and that future provisioning will support loan growth, though there is still room for improvement in criticized and classified assets. Executive Mark Kochvar explained that if the Fed cuts rates more slowly, the NIM would likely take longer to stabilize and would probably do so at a level slightly higher than the low 3.70s projected under a deeper cutting scenario.

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President & CEO Todd Gipple stated that any HUD disruption would likely only slow deal closings and that he is optimistic about bipartisan support for the LIHTC program. EVP & CFO Nick Anderson confirmed QCRH holds about $80 million in B-pieces from prior deals. Gipple added that while they could sell them, the focus is on selling the B-piece in the next securitization. Regarding the $10 billion threshold, Gipple anticipates a manageable $3 million Durbin impact, which they are prepared for and can mitigate with other non-interest income.

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President & CEO Todd Gipple expressed confidence that the LIHTC program is safe from disruption due to strong bipartisan support. EVP & CFO Nick Anderson clarified that QCRH holds about $80 million in B-pieces yielding ~9% and that future securitizations will aim to sell the B-piece. Regarding the $10 billion threshold, Gipple estimated a manageable $3 million Durbin impact, which can be offset by other non-interest income, and noted the company is already building out necessary expenses and capabilities.

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President & CEO Todd Gipple downplayed concerns about HUD, noting few deals require HUD sign-off and that bipartisan support for LITEK remains strong. EVP & CFO Nick Anderson specified that QCRH holds just over $80 million in B-pieces from prior securitizations. Gipple added that while they might sell existing B-pieces, the focus is on selling the B-piece of the next securitization to resolve capital disparities. Regarding the $10 billion threshold, Gipple anticipates a ~$3 million Durbin impact, which he believes can be offset by other non-interest income, and noted the expense build-up is already underway.

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Executive Larry Helling specified the LIHTC uncertainty was tied to tax credit policy and disruptions at federal agencies like HUD, which have started to abate. Executive Todd Gipple confirmed that a rebound in LIHTC production would likely trigger a large securitization (~$350M) to manage concentrations, possibly in Q4 2025 or early 2026. Gipple also explained that the expense guidance would only revert to the higher, prior range of $52-$55 million if revenue and loan growth normalize, as the current lower guidance is a direct result of reduced variable compensation.

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Executive Larry Helling clarified that the M2 portfolio stands at about $340 million, with an expected runoff of approximately $120 million over the next 12 months. Executive Todd Gipple addressed securitizations, explaining the strategic pivot to a single, larger deal of around $350 million in late 2025. He noted this approach is expected to drive better execution and financial results due to improved economics and leverage compared to past smaller deals.

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Executive Todd Gipple emphasized that the company remains highly focused on growing core deposits to further drive down the loan-to-deposit ratio and will not 'take their foot off the gas.' Executive Larry Helling projected crossing the $10 billion asset mark in about two years. He estimated the total Durbin impact at $5-6 million annually in three years but stated the company is proactively managing expenses and revenues to 'power through' the transition, making the impact unnoticeable to investors.

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EVP & CFO Michele Kawiecki acknowledged that strong loan growth and customers utilizing cash led to higher deposit costs, projecting modest margin compression in the second half of the year. President Michael Stewart and Executive VP & Chief Credit Officer John Martin confirmed the loan growth was core and normal-course, with only a minor potential pull-through from businesses drawing on credit lines ahead of anticipated tariffs.

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Chief Credit Officer John Martin confirmed the nonperforming loan is expected to resolve in Q2 without principal loss and suggested nonperforming assets could decline. CFO Michele Kawiecki reiterated guidance for mid-to-high single-digit year-over-year growth in fee income, driven by double-digit growth in mortgage and wealth management. President Michael Stewart added that the mortgage pipeline is strong. Regarding tariffs, Martin noted that construction projects have priced in costs, while Stewart mentioned M&A analysis is incorporating tariff impacts but activity continues.

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Chief Financial Officer Michele Kawiecki clarified that proceeds from the bond sale were not reinvested but used to replace deposits sold with the Illinois branches, creating an expected 2-3 basis point benefit to the net interest margin in 2025. Executive Mark Hardwick stated that the bank targets a long-term ROA of around 1.30%, viewing the current 1.25% level as a strong position that reflects top-quartile performance potential, supported by growth initiatives and expense discipline.

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CEO Mark Hardwick stated the company is not in a capital-building mode and aims to optimize its capital, with a focus on keeping the TCE ratio above 8%. The priority is deploying capital for balance sheet growth and potential M&A. He added that if those opportunities are not available, the company would be active in share buybacks, especially when trading at current levels, which he views as materially below historical averages.

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President & CEO Tyler Wilcox explained that small ticket leasing charge-offs are expected to plateau in the second half of the year, consistent with Q2 levels, as the high-balance account portfolio continues to run off. He contrasted this with the strong health and nominal charge-offs in the core portfolio. Wilcox detailed that the large Q2 provision was a confluence of factors, including reserves on a specific commercial credit, a periodic CECL model update, and reserves for a specific tranche of leasing delinquencies, stating his belief that provisions have peaked and the bank is now appropriately reserved.

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Tyler Wilcox, President, CEO & Director, explained that charge-offs in the small ticket leasing portfolio are expected to plateau over the next two quarters at levels similar to Q2, driven by the runoff of high-balance accounts. He stressed the health of the core portfolio, noting that only about half of the quarter's specific reserves were for leasing, with the rest tied to a single commercial relationship. Wilcox clarified that the CECL model update was a routine biennial process and stated his belief that the provision for credit losses peaked in the second quarter.

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President & CEO Tyler Wilcox explained that small ticket leasing charge-offs are expected to plateau over the next two quarters, consistent with Q2 levels, while the core portfolio remains healthy. He detailed that the large provision was due to a confluence of factors: a $3.8 million increase in reserves on individually analyzed loans (half for leasing, half for one commercial relationship), a $2.5 million increase for small ticket leases, and a $2.3 million increase from a periodic CECL model update. Mr. Wilcox stated his belief that the provision has peaked and the bank is now appropriately reserved.

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President and CEO Tyler Wilcox explained that small ticket leasing charge-offs are expected to plateau in the second half of the year, consistent with Q2 levels, as the bank works through high-balance accounts. He emphasized the health of the core portfolio, which has nominal charge-offs. Wilcox clarified that the provision build was driven by multiple factors, including reserves on a single commercial relationship and a periodic CECL model update, and stated his belief that the provision has peaked and the bank is now appropriately reserved.

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President & CEO Tyler Wilcox explained that small ticket leasing charge-offs are expected to plateau in the second half of the year, consistent with Q2 levels, as the high-balance account portfolio runs off. He emphasized the health of the core portfolio remains strong. Wilcox clarified that the large Q2 provision was due to a confluence of factors, including reserves on a specific commercial relationship, a periodic CECL model update, and issues in the leasing portfolio, stating that he believes the provision has now peaked.

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Kathryn Bailey, CFO, explained the fee income guidance reduction was due to softer-than-expected insurance commissions, a decision to hold more mortgage loans on the balance sheet, and market volatility impacting wealth management income. She projected accretion income to be 15-17 basis points in Q2, falling slightly in the second half of the year. Ms. Bailey also noted significant opportunities to reprice the retail CD portfolio downward, as they continue to manage special rates lower. Regarding loan yields, she stated that while there was some compression, spreads remain attractive, particularly in the North Star Leasing portfolio.

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CFO Kathryn Bailey confirmed the NIM guidance includes 15-20 basis points of accretion income and is supported by the ability to lower deposit costs due to a lag in raising them. Executive Tyler Wilcox identified external factors like inflation and interest rate shifts as the primary credit risks, while expressing high confidence in the overall quality of the diversified loan portfolio.

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Tyler Wilcox, an executive, explained that he expects small ticket leasing charge-offs to peak in Q4 2024, with a full-year rate between 5% and 6%, before normalizing in the low-to-mid 4% range. He noted this is in line with historical pricing for the highly profitable business. Wilcox specified that the bank has backed away from titled fleet, over-the-road trucking, garment printers, and has reduced hospitality exposure to focus on core areas like manufacturing and landscaping equipment.

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EVP & CFO Charles Christmas detailed the staggered realization of cost savings, with about 50% expected in 2026 and over 90% in 2027, coinciding with the core conversion. He emphasized the strategic benefit of Eastern Michigan's experience with the Jack Henry system. President & CEO Raymond Reitsma added that they intend to maintain Eastern's high-quality loan book while pursuing growth in mortgage banking and larger commercial loans within the new markets.

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EVP and CFO Charles Christmas clarified the NIM guidance of 3.45% to 3.55% assumes no further rate cuts to provide a clear baseline. He noted that about 90% of CDs mature within a year, re-pricing down by an average of 75 basis points, while new loans are being originated around 7%. President and CEO Raymond Reitsma confirmed that loan spreads have remained stable.

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President and CEO Ray Reitsma confirmed the mid-90% range remains the goal for the loan-to-deposit ratio and that the focus is on deposit-rich clients rather than reining in loan growth. He projected low double-digit deposit growth for the upcoming year. Regarding CRE, Reitsma and EVP & CFO Chuck Christmas explained the mix should remain consistent, with Christmas noting that the construction loan funding pipeline has decreased, which should temper CRE growth.

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EVP and CFO Chuck Christmas explained that new deposit costs were in the high 4% to low 5% range before dropping 50 basis points with the Fed cut. He clarified that significant NIM compression was expected in Q4 due to rapid rate cuts, but the margin should be 'relatively steady' in 2025 assuming a more gradual cutting cycle. Regarding reserves, Christmas noted the level is influenced by qualitative factors, including a specific increased allocation for softness in the C&I portfolio's automotive segment, which was partially offset by the release of reserves from two paid-off problem loans. President and CEO Raymond Reitsma underscored the noted deterioration in the automotive risk profile.

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CFO Vincent J. Calabrese clarified that the net interest margin is expected to be "flattish to up a tick" for the rest of the year, factoring in September and December rate cuts. He attributed the strong Q2 performance to earning asset growth, higher yields, and lower funding costs. Regarding expenses, Calabrese confirmed the Down Payment Assistance Program was a key driver, with higher revenue-tied commissions also contributing. He also mentioned recent investments in commodities hedging, public finance, and investment banking that are expected to drive future fee revenue.

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CEO Vincent J. Delie acknowledged that loan pipelines are softer year-over-year due to tariff uncertainty causing a pause in client CapEx, but he expects a pickup in the second half. Chief Credit Officer Gary L. Guerrieri detailed a proactive survey of over 50% of the C&I portfolio, which identified that less than 5% of exposures face a greater impact from direct tariffs. CFO Vincent J. Calabrese added that a moderate recession scenario would likely require a reserve build of about half of what was seen during the pandemic.

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CEO Vincent J. Delie explained that investments in new business lines like public finance and commercial investment banking are expected to generate revenue in 2025 and become meaningfully accretive in 2026. CFO Vincent J. Calabrese added that the 2025 expense guidance of approximately 4.6% growth reflects continued investments in risk management infrastructure for heightened standards as the bank approaches $50 billion in assets, partially offset by ongoing cost-saving initiatives.

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CFO Vincent J. Calabrese explained the NII guidance assumes further rate cuts and a conservative 15% deposit beta, suggesting the margin should be 'flattish' or down only a few basis points. Chief Credit Officer Gary L. Guerrieri noted that while charge-offs might normalize from current record lows, he expects continued strong performance due to proactive risk management. CEO Vincent J. Delie added that the bank's risk ratings are current, so no surprises are anticipated.

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COO & President Luis Massiani confirmed the sponsor finance pipeline has improved and expects better growth, aided by the Marathon JV. Senior EVP & CFO Neal Holland explained that brokered deposits are used seasonally to manage liquidity and are expected to remain in a comfortable 3-5% range of total deposits.

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CEO John Ciulla explained that the 25-35 bps charge-off range is a base-case assumption and is not directly triangulated with the short-term provision build for a recessionary scenario, which is based on a cumulative life-of-loan CECL model. He stated that if CECL works as intended, temporary spikes in charge-offs shouldn't automatically trigger significant new provisions. Regarding the sponsor book, he noted that outside of health care, it has performed as expected, with very little historical loss, and does not present a unique concern.

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CFO William Holland explained the 30% beta assumption is based on a different operating environment than the previous 0% rate world, with DDA balance trends being a key variable. He affirmed that, given the bank's neutral positioning and current variables, the 3.35%-3.40% range is a good midterm level to consider for the organization's normalized margin.

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CEO John Ciulla projected a credit inflection point in the first half of 2025, driven by falling interest rates, which informs the decision on initiating buybacks in Q4 or H1 2025. He confirmed Q3 loan growth was more "back-ended," providing momentum, and reiterated a focus on C&I growth with residential mortgages used to supplement, maintaining a ~5% annualized growth outlook.

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CFO Richard Kraemer explained that while the expense guidance range of $190M-$195M for Q3/Q4 is maintained, it provides optionality for new initiatives, and results could land below the midpoint. He noted the Q2 increase was partly due to merit raises, which won't repeat. CEO Curtis Myers added that fee income performance was strong across all categories and that hitting the top end of the guidance range depends on continued consistent outperformance without headwinds.

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Chairman and Executive Officer Curtis Myers stated the company is analyzing its granular portfolio, with the most direct tariff risk being commodity price impacts on its $1 billion domestic agricultural portfolio. He noted the portfolio is strong and diversified. Chief Financial Officer Rick Kraemer commented that while reserves are strong, they are influenced by declining loan balances and a more cautious economic forecast, which could add pressure going forward.

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CEO Curtis Myers clarified that the asset growth guidance is for period-end balances and reflects an expectation for a stable credit environment similar to 2024, albeit on a larger balance sheet. CFO Rick Kraemer added that quarterly purchase accounting accretion is expected to be stable around $13.5 million to $14 million and identified mortgage banking, commercial swaps, and wealth management as the fee income areas most sensitive to rate changes.

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CFO Designee Rick Kraemer clarified that the 2025 expense savings would progress steadily, with roughly 45% realized in the first half. Chairman and CEO Curt Myers stated that the bank expects modest, low single-digit loan growth to continue and aims for deposit growth to match, excluding the seasonal Q4 runoff of municipal deposits.

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CEO Frank Sorrentino acknowledged a temporary client pause but sees momentum returning, reaffirming a mid-to-high single-digit growth forecast for the year, supported by a strong NY metro market. CFO William Burns provided specific guidance for 2.5% sequential loan growth in Q2. Regarding regulators, Mr. Sorrentino described the relationship with the FDIC and state authorities as cooperative and 'standard business,' seeing no significant change in their review process.

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CFO Bill Burns clarified that recent CRE growth was largely in owner-occupied and construction loans, and the overall CRE concentration is expected to trend downward. Regarding credit, he stated that while the repricing portfolio is under some stress, it has been 'remarkably sound' and any issues can be absorbed by earnings. Burns explained the anticipated NPL decline is due to active negotiations to sell a specific group of loans that have already been written down.

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CFO Bill Burns explained that the spot NIM was up 10 basis points from the Q3 average, leading to a Q4 NIM projection of 2.80%, assuming one more rate cut. He attributed the Q3 loan yield dip to the impact of the 50 bps rate cut and a large nonaccrual interest recapture in the prior quarter. Burns also clarified that the rise in criticized loans was primarily due to modifications on a single large CRE relationship, which he noted is well-secured and on a path to restoration.

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Executive Eric Lemke explained the BaaS strategy is slow and deliberate, focusing on deposit-gathering partners, with an expected cost of funds materially cheaper than wholesale rates. Executive Jeffrey Ludwig stated the current loan-to-deposit ratio of just under 100% is as high as they'd like it to be, with plans to bring it down through slower loan growth and the GreenSky runoff. Eric Lemke projected the 2023 tax rate would be relatively stable with the Q4 2022 level.

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