FC
FIRST COMMUNITY BANKSHARES INC /VA/ (FCBC)·Q3 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q3 2025 delivered solid results with adjusted diluted EPS of $0.70 and revenue of ~$42.19M, both above Wall Street (S&P Global) consensus of $0.63 EPS and $40.40M revenue; GAAP diluted EPS was $0.67 and net income was $12.27M . Revenue beat was driven by stable net interest income and higher noninterest income (service charges +23% YoY; wealth management +28% YoY) despite lower average loans . EPS and revenue estimates from S&P Global.*
- Net interest margin (FTE) held at 4.43% (+2 bps YoY) even as average loan balances declined; lower deposit interest expense and time deposit balances offset earning-asset yield pressure .
- Credit quality improved: NPLs/loans fell to 0.71% (from 0.82% YoY), NPAs declined to $16.90M; ACL/loans at 1.36% and annualized net charge-offs at 0.24% .
- Noninterest expense rose 8.7% YoY on higher salaries/benefits and $0.787M merger expense tied to the announced Hometown Bank merger (target completion January 2026) .
- Dividend maintained at $0.31/share (40th consecutive year of regular dividends), payable November 28, 2025 to holders of record November 14, 2025 .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
- What Went Well
- Sustained margin strength: “Net interest margin…remained strong at 4.43% and was an increase of 2 basis points over the same quarter of 2024” .
- Fee income growth: Service charges on deposits +23.46% YoY and wealth management fees +28.01% YoY supported total noninterest income growth of +4.18% YoY .
- Asset quality improvement: Non-performing loans to total loans down to 0.71% (−11 bps YoY); NPAs fell to $16.90M with a continued declining trend since year-end 2024 .
- What Went Wrong
- Volume pressure: Average loans decreased by $116.18M (−4.73% YoY), reducing loan interest income by $1.30M (−4.05%) as earning-asset yield slipped 10 bps YoY .
- Expense growth: Noninterest expense +8.69% YoY on higher salaries/benefits (+9.31%), service fees (+10.86%), and $0.787M merger expense, pressuring operating leverage .
- Net charge-offs ticked up YoY: 0.24% annualized vs. 0.18% a year ago, though still modest and within risk tolerance; ACL ratio edged down to 1.36% from 1.44% at YE’24 .
Financial Results
- P&L trends by quarter (GAAP)
- Estimates vs. Actuals (S&P Global)
Values with asterisks retrieved from S&P Global.
- Revenue components (to reconcile revenue dynamics)
- Key ratios and margins
- Credit quality and balance sheet KPIs
Guidance Changes
- The company did not provide formal quantitative forward guidance; dividend policy reiterated.
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Note: An earnings call transcript for Q3 2025 was not available in our sources; trends below synthesize quarterly press releases.
Management Commentary
- Prepared remarks (press release highlights):
- “Net interest margin for the third quarter of 2025 remained strong at 4.43% and was an increase of 2 basis points over the same quarter of 2024” .
- “Noninterest income increased…4.18%…attributable to an increase in service charges on deposits…23.46% [and] wealth management fees…28.01%” .
- “Merger expense of $787 thousand…related to the forthcoming merger with Hometown Bank, with an anticipated completion date of January 2026” .
Q&A Highlights
- No Q3 2025 earnings call transcript was available across our document set or public sources; therefore, no Q&A themes or clarifications could be verified.
Estimates Context
- S&P Global consensus for Q3 2025 was $0.63 EPS and $40.40M revenue; FCBC delivered $0.70 EPS and $42.19M revenue, representing beats of $0.07 and ~$1.79M, respectively.*
- Only one covering estimate was recorded for each metric for the quarter (EPS and revenue).*
- Given the beats and improved fee momentum, street models may modestly lift near-term EPS on revenue mix (higher fees) and stable NIM, offset by continued expense inflation and lower average loans.*
Values marked with asterisks retrieved from S&P Global.
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Earnings quality solid: Adjusted EPS beat alongside NIM resilience and broad-based noninterest income growth, suggesting core profitability remains intact despite lower loan volumes .
- Fee franchise momentum: Deposit service charges and wealth management fees are growing double-digits YoY, diversifying revenue beyond spread income .
- Credit normalizing positively: NPL/loans and NPAs declined with ACL coverage still robust; net charge-offs remain manageable .
- Operating costs rising: Wage inflation and merger costs pressured noninterest expense; monitor integration timeline and run-rate expense post close .
- Capital return steady: Dividend maintained at $0.31/share (40-year streak); buybacks paused in Q3; book value and tangible book continued to rebuild post special dividend .
- Near-term stock catalyst: The EPS and revenue beats vs. S&P Global consensus may support sentiment; watch for color on 2026 merger synergies and expense trajectory at future disclosures.*
Appendix: Additional Detail
- Income statement detail (Q3 2025): Total interest income $35.699M; total interest expense $4.402M; net interest income $31.297M; noninterest income $10.889M; noninterest expense $26.279M; net income $12.266M .
- NIM FTE bridge points: Loan yields dipped slightly YoY; time deposit balances and costs fell; combined to lift spread and NIM marginally .
- Non-GAAP adjustments: $0.787M merger expense; adjusted net income $12.901M; adjusted diluted EPS $0.70 .