HF
Home Federal Bancorp, Inc. of Louisiana (HFBL)·Q2 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q2 FY2025 (quarter ended December 31, 2024) delivered net income of $1.02M and basic EPS of $0.33, flat year over year, with net interest income down 6.2% YoY offset by a strong rebound in non-interest income driven by smaller real estate losses .
- Net interest margin improved sequentially to 3.12% from 2.98% in Q1, alongside a wider average interest rate spread (2.40% vs 2.23% in Q1), reflecting easing funding costs and mix shifts in deposits .
- Deposit mix continued to rotate away from higher-cost CDs toward savings/NOW, with CDs down to $184.1M and savings up to $93.3M at Q2-end; total deposits declined to $546.5M, then recovered in Q3 .
- Non-interest expenses decreased YoY; however, data processing expense rose and later spiked in Q3 due to a billing discrepancy settlement with the core processor, a watch item for Opex normalization .
- No earnings call transcript was found for Q2, and S&P Global Wall Street consensus estimates were unavailable; stock narrative catalysts center on margin stabilization, deposit repricing, and Opex normalization .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- Sequential margin improvement: NIM rose to 3.12% (from 2.98% in Q1) and spread to 2.40% (from 2.23%), signaling improved funding dynamics and mix .
- Non-interest income rebounded YoY to $0.488M, primarily from a smaller loss on sale of real estate (only $(12)k in Q2 vs $(381)k YoY), plus better other income .
- Deposit mix favorable: CDs fell to $184.1M while savings increased to $93.3M, pointing to lower-cost funding momentum; the bank carried no brokered deposits .
- Management confidence on capital return later in FY: “This twelfth consecutive annual increase in our dividend rate… reflects a payout ratio of approximately 49.5%” (James R. Barlow, July 23, 2025) .
What Went Wrong
- Net interest income declined YoY by $303k (6.2%), as total interest income fell $422k YoY despite modestly lower interest expense .
- Data processing expense elevated: rose to $336k in Q2 and then surged to $553k in Q3 due to a legacy billing discrepancy settlement—pressuring Opex trajectory .
- Loan growth muted with loans receivable at $458.7M in Q2 (down from $470.9M at June 30, 2024), and total deposits pulled back to $546.5M before recovering in Q3 .
Financial Results
No formal segment reporting.
KPIs
Guidance Changes
No revenue/margins/OpEx/tax/segment guidance provided in the quarter’s release .
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
No Q2 earnings call transcript was available (none found for Dec 1, 2024–Feb 28, 2025) [ListDocuments: earnings-call-transcript 0 results].
Management Commentary
- Margin dynamics: Management highlighted the YoY decline in net interest income in Q2 driven by lower total interest income and modestly lower interest expense; the average interest rate spread and NIM held up better sequentially than in Q1 .
- Deposit strategy: Mix continues to improve—CDs declined while savings/NOW increased; no brokered deposits were outstanding at Q2-end .
- Expense visibility: Non-interest expenses decreased YoY in Q2; later disclosures explain Q3 spikes tied to a core processor billing discrepancy settlement, which should not be recurring .
- Capital return: “This twelfth consecutive annual increase in our dividend rate… reflects our continued commitment to creating value for our shareholders and confidence in the financial strength and long-term prospects for our Company” (James R. Barlow) .
Q&A Highlights
- No Q2 earnings call transcript available; therefore, no Q&A disclosure or clarifications to report [ListDocuments: earnings-call-transcript 0 results].
Estimates Context
- Wall Street consensus via S&P Global was unavailable at the time of writing; as a result, comparisons to consensus EPS or revenue estimates for Q2 FY2025 cannot be provided. Estimates coverage for HFBL appears limited; we will update if S&P Global data becomes accessible (unavailable at time of writing).
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Sequential margin improvement (NIM 3.12%, spread 2.40%) and lower funding costs signal early stabilization; watch continued deposit repricing and mix shifts for sustained NIM expansion .
- Non-interest income rebound in Q2 was driven by a much smaller real estate loss; expect continued lumpiness given episodic real estate dispositions .
- Elevated data processing expense is a transient issue tied to a billing discrepancy; monitor normalization into subsequent quarters as settlement effects roll off .
- Asset quality remained stable in Q2 (NPA 0.30%) but rose in Q3 (0.49%); maintain vigilance on NPA trajectory and coverage .
- Deposit mix is improving (CDs down, savings/NOW up), supporting lower cost of funds; total deposits dipped in Q2 then recovered in Q3—funding stability will influence margin durability .
- Capital return remained steady in Q2 with a $0.13 dividend; later dividend increase demonstrates management’s confidence and shareholder-friendly posture .
- Without consensus estimates or a Q2 call, trading narrative hinges on observed trends: margin recovery, Opex normalization, and deposit/funding dynamics—positive momentum if execution persists and asset quality remains contained .