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FB Bancorp, Inc. /MD/ (FBLA)·Q4 2024 Earnings Summary

Executive Summary

  • Q4 2024 headline loss driven by a $5.8M non‑cash goodwill impairment in NOLA Lending; underlying non‑GAAP operating income was $0.43M for the quarter, indicating core profitability excluding the charge .
  • Net interest income rose 19.9% YoY to $13.2M with NIM at 4.50% (vs. 4.44% Q4’23), aided by higher earning assets and loan yields, while non‑interest income fell 39.7% on fewer mortgage‑related gains and OREO losses .
  • Balance sheet strengthened post‑conversion: equity doubled to $326.3M, equity/assets to 26.7%; other borrowings reduced to $73.5M by year‑end (and $85M of BTFP repaid in Nov) supporting lower funding costs going forward .
  • Asset quality mixed: NPLs rose to 1.72% of loans (majority residential), reflecting elevated Gulf Coast insurance costs; ACL/loans at 0.82% and net charge‑offs improved YoY .
  • No call transcript or formal guidance available; key near‑term narrative catalysts are mortgage segment restructuring, deposit mix normalization post‑conversion, and further deleveraging from IPO proceeds .

What Went Well and What Went Wrong

What Went Well

  • Net interest income and margin improved: Q4 NII $13.2M (+$2.2M YoY) and NIM 4.50% vs. 4.44% on higher loan balances and yields .
  • Cost actions in mortgage banking: fourth‑quarter non‑GAAP NOLA loss included $352K severance, with ongoing overhead reductions to lower delivery costs; annual payroll reductions ~beginning Q4’24 .
  • De‑risking and capital build: IPO conversion lifted equity to $326.3M and reduced other borrowings to $73.5M; efficiency in Q4 (ex‑impairment) improved vs. prior year .

What Went Wrong

  • Non‑interest income contracted: Q4 non‑interest income fell to $2.7M (‑39.7% YoY) due to absent MSR sale gains, lower mortgage loan sale gains, and OREO sale losses .
  • Efficiency ratio elevated: Q4 efficiency ratio 128.68% (vs. 105.90% Q4’23), reflecting goodwill impairment and softer fee income mix .
  • Asset quality pressures: NPLs increased to 1.72% of loans (4.01% of residential balance), driven by insurance cost burdens in local markets; ACL coverage of NPLs declined vs. prior year .

Financial Results

Consolidated P&L and Margins (Quarterly comparison: oldest → newest)

MetricQ4 2023 ($USD Millions)Q2 2024 ($USD Millions)Q3 2024 ($USD Millions)Q4 2024 ($USD Millions)
Net Interest Income$11.02 $10.94 $11.42 $13.22
Total Non-Interest Income$4.42 $7.26 $5.37 $2.66
Total Non-Interest Expense$16.35 $16.83 $17.64 $20.43
Net Income (Loss)$(1.18) $0.85 $(0.90) $(5.36)
Net Interest Margin %4.44% 4.31% 4.21% 4.50%
Efficiency Ratio %105.90% 92.49% 105.01% 128.68%

Notes:

  • Q4 2024 includes $5.786M goodwill impairment in non‑interest expense; excluding impairment, Q4 non‑interest expense was ~$14.6M .

Balance Sheet Snapshot (Quarterly comparison)

MetricQ4 2023 ($USD Millions)Q2 2024 ($USD Millions)Q3 2024 ($USD Millions)Q4 2024 ($USD Millions)
Total Assets$1,124.9 $1,171.5 $1,407.7 $1,220.9
Loans HFI (Gross)$665.7 $722.9 $730.3 $756.9
Deposits$769.3 $770.6 $1,006.0 $800.7
Other Borrowings$172.2 $218.5 $214.0 (FHLB) $73.5
Total Equity$156.7 $155.7 $161.5 $326.3

Segment Operating Results (Non‑GAAP Operating Income, $USD Thousands)

SegmentQ1 2024Q2 2024Q3 2024Q4 2024
FB Bancorp & Fidelity Bank (Traditional)$442 $330 $523 $2,071
NOLA Lending (Mortgage)$(1,249) $(1,259) $(1,681) $(1,646)
Consolidated Non‑GAAP Operating Income$(807) $(929) $(1,158) $425

Adjustments: Excludes $5.786M goodwill impairment (Q4) and ~$2.041M after‑tax gains on MSR sales (Q2–Q3) .

KPIs and Asset Quality (Quarterly comparison)

KPIQ4 2023Q2 2024Q3 2024Q4 2024
ROAA %(0.11)% 0.08% (0.08)% (0.42)%
ROAE %(0.79)% 0.55% (0.57)% (1.81)%
Interest Rate Spread %3.96% 3.82% 3.63% 3.67%
ACL / Total Loans %0.93% 0.80% 0.80% 0.82%
NPLs / Total Loans %1.15% 1.35% 1.51% 1.72%
NPLs / Total Assets %0.68% 0.84% 0.78% 1.06%
Net Charge‑offs / Avg Loans %0.03% 0.08% 0.03% 0.04%

Guidance Changes

MetricPeriodPrevious GuidanceCurrent GuidanceChange
Formal Financial GuidanceFY/Q4 2024NoneNoneMaintained (no guidance provided)
Mortgage Banking Reorg CostsQ4 2024n/a~$0.35M severance within NOLA Q4 non‑GAAP lossNew disclosure
Public Company Cost CommentaryPost‑conversionAnticipated increaseExpect higher non‑interest expense from public company costs and ESOP planQualitative (no range)
Liquidity/Leverage ActionsQ4 2024n/aOther borrowings reduced to $73.5M; $85M BTFP repaid in NovDeleveraging
DividendsFY 2024n/aNone disclosedn/a

Earnings Call Themes & Trends

No Q4 2024 call transcript available.

TopicPrevious Mentions (Q2 & Q3 2024)Current Period (Q4 2024)Trend
Mortgage banking volume/MSR strategyMSR sales: $2.3M gain (May); lower servicing revenue from prior MSR sales; hedging gains modest No MSR sale gains; mortgage gain on loan sales down; OREO losses in Q4 Fee income down; restructuring ongoing
Interest rate risk/NIMNIM 4.31% (Q2); 4.21% (Q3); EVE/NII sensitivity tighter with rate hikes NIM improved to 4.50%; used excess cash to pay down higher‑cost borrowings Improving margin; deleveraging supports
Deposits/liquidityCore deposits fell in Q2; rose in Q3 with $254M tentative conversion proceeds; borrowings up Deposits $800.7M; other borrowings cut to $73.5M; equity/assets 26.7% Normalizing mix; stronger liquidity
Asset quality (residential)NPLs up to 1.35% (Q2) & 1.51% (Q3); ACL/NPL coverage declined NPLs 1.72%; majority residential with WA LTV <80%; Gulf Coast insurance costs cited Elevated pressure continues
Digital initiatives/AndiOngoing expansion; higher data processing/marketing costs Continued emphasis implied; lower data processing in Q4 vs prior year Investment pacing; cost focus
Capital/ConversionPreparation in Q2–Q3; IPO closed Oct 22; shares began trading Oct 23 Equity $326.3M; book value/share $17.81 Capitalized; flexibility increases

Management Commentary

  • “The Bank has been reducing overhead with the intent to lower the cost of delivery in the current low mortgage volume environment.” (Exhibit 99.1 press release) .
  • “Residential real estate loans remain under elevated credit pressures in our gulf coast lending markets due to rising insurance costs.” .
  • “During the fourth quarter of 2024, the Bank used excess cash to pay down higher cost borrowings.” .
  • “The Company believes this disclosure is useful in evaluating the Company’s financial results.” (re: non‑GAAP operating income) .

Q&A Highlights

No earnings call transcript or Q&A available for Q4 2024; no additional guidance clarifications identified from public documents .

Estimates Context

  • Wall Street consensus (S&P Global) for Q4 2024 EPS and revenue was unavailable at time of query due to API rate limits. As a result, comparisons vs estimates cannot be presented. We default to S&P Global for consensus when available in future periods.

Key Takeaways for Investors

  • Core banking momentum: NIM and NII improved on higher loan balances and paydown of high‑cost borrowings; margin resilience is a near‑term support for earnings normalization post‑impairment .
  • Mortgage segment headwinds: Fee income softness and OREO losses offset core NII strength; watch restructuring benefits and fee mix stabilization in 1H 2025 .
  • Strengthened capital and reduced leverage post‑conversion provide flexibility to fund loan growth and absorb credit normalization without equity constraints .
  • Asset quality watch‑list: Residential NPLs driven by insurance burdens in local markets; monitor delinquency trends, ACL adequacy, and collateral valuations amid macro insurance dynamics .
  • Operating efficiency: Ex‑impairment expense reductions (hedging, G&A, data processing) are encouraging; sustained cost discipline is key to restoring sub‑100% efficiency ratio .
  • Liquidity positioning: Deposit mix normalization post‑IPO proceeds and FHLB/FRB capacity support funding stability; deleveraging trend likely continues .
  • Near‑term trading implications: Limited guidance and no call transcript reduce visibility; any updates on mortgage reorg progress, NIM trajectory, and asset quality will likely be stock catalysts around next filings .