Five Star Bancorp(FSBC) - 2024 Q4 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Net income for Q4 2024 was $13.3 million, with a return on average assets of 1.31$45.7 million, with a return on average assets of 1.23% and return on average equity of 12.72% [19] - The net interest margin for Q4 2024 was 3.36%, slightly down from 3.37% in the prior quarter, while the annual net interest margin was 3.32%, down from 3.42% in 2023 [21] - Non-interest income increased to $1.7 million in Q4 from$1.4 million in the previous quarter, but decreased to $6.5 million for the year from$7.5 million in 2023 [21] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Loans held for investment increased by $72.1 million or 2.08$451 million or 14.63% year-over-year [8] - The commercial real estate concentration decreased from 86.76% as of December 31, 2023, to 80.75% as of December 31, 2024, while consumer and other loan concentrations increased from 1.2% to 7.9% year-over-year [9] - Loan originations in Q4 were $263.3 million, with total loan originations for 2024 at$1.1 billion [10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Deposits increased by $158 million or 4.65$531.1 million or 17.55% for the year [12] - Non-interest-bearing deposits as a percentage of total deposits decreased to 25.93% at the end of Q4 from 26.67% in the prior quarter [13] - Wholesale deposits increased by $150 million or 36.59$8 million or 0.27% [16] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on organic growth and disciplined business practices, targeting an annual growth rate of about 8% for both deposits and loans in 2025 [36][42] - Continued expansion in the San Francisco market is a priority, with plans for further geographic growth in the East Bay [62] - The company aims to maintain a $300 million book with BHG loans, indicating a strategy to remain active in loan purchases [79] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's resilience and long-term strategy, emphasizing a commitment to customer-centric services [24] - The competitive landscape for core deposits remains challenging, with management noting the need for active engagement to attract deposits [35] - Management anticipates slight margin expansion in 2025, driven by investments made in personnel and technology [41][42] Other Important Information - The company maintained a strong asset quality, with non-performing loans at 0.05$37.8 million, with a provision of $1.3 million recorded in Q4 [11] - The company received multiple awards and recognitions in 2024, highlighting its strong performance and community engagement [94] Q&A Session Summary Question: Insights on deposit growth and duration - Management noted that deposit growth was primarily on the wholesale side, with short-term CDs set to reprice every three months, allowing for potential benefits from future rate cuts [28][31] Question: Outlook for organic core deposit generation - Management acknowledged the competitive nature of attracting core deposits but targeted an 8% annual growth rate for 2025 [36] Question: Expense growth expectations for 2025 - Management indicated that expenses in the first half of 2025 would likely align with Q4 2024 levels, with ongoing investments in personnel and technology [83] Question: Trends in loan originations and payoffs - Management highlighted that loan growth is driven by active business development efforts, while payoffs are a natural progression in the commercial real estate portfolio [56][57] Question: Market conditions in the Bay Area - Management expressed optimism about the Bay Area market, noting ongoing expansion efforts and the potential for continued market share gains [62]