SmartBank Reports 0.94% Allowance for Credit Losses in 2025
Reports allowance for credit losses to total loans and leases was 0.94% as of December 31, 2025, and 0.93% as of September 30, 2025. Tangible book value per common share was $26.85 at December 31, 2025, compared to $22.85 at December 31, 2024. Billy Carroll, President & CEO, stated: "2025 marked a year of tremendous momentum build and overall improvement for our company. We generated approximately 11% positive operating leverage in 2025 capped off by our seventh consecutive quarter of positive operating leverage in Q4. The year was highlighted by approximately 12% organic loan growth, 14% organic deposit growth excluding brokered deposits and tangible book value per common share rose 17%. Overall, a fantastic year for our company paving the way for an even brighter 2026. I want to thank all of our Associates whose tireless work and dedication make SmartBank a great place to work and do business. They are the driving force behind our success."
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- Quarterly Cash Dividend: SmartFinancial's board declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.08 per share on January 29, 2026, payable on March 2, 2026, aimed at enhancing shareholder returns and boosting market confidence.
- Stock Repurchase Plan: The company authorized a 2026 Repurchase Plan allowing up to $10 million in common stock buybacks from March 1, 2026, to February 28, 2027, demonstrating confidence in its stock value.
- Repurchase Flexibility: The plan permits repurchases through various methods including open market transactions and accelerated share repurchase programs, ensuring compliance with regulations while adapting to market conditions.
- Strategic Implications: The implementation of the dividend and repurchase plan reflects SmartFinancial's confidence in future growth and may attract more investor interest, thereby enhancing the company's competitiveness in the financial market.
- Rating Upgrade: SmartFinancial's average rating has been upgraded to overweight, reflecting analysts' optimistic expectations for its future performance, which may attract more investor attention.
- Price Target Set: Analysts have set a price target of $43.38, indicating a positive outlook on the company's stock price growth potential, which could drive the stock closer to this target.
- Market Reaction: This rating upgrade may enhance market confidence in SmartFinancial, thereby increasing its stock liquidity and trading volume, which could strengthen the company's competitiveness in the financial services sector.
- Investor Strategy: With the rating upgrade, investors may reassess their portfolios and increase their holdings in SmartFinancial, aiming for capital appreciation in the future.

- Significant Earnings Growth: SmartFinancial reported total operating revenue of $53.3 million in Q4 2025, a 44% year-over-year increase, with diluted earnings per share reaching $0.81, marking the seventh consecutive quarter of positive operating leverage and total annual earnings exceeding $51 million, reflecting strong profitability and market competitiveness.
- Loan and Deposit Growth: The company achieved a 13% annualized growth in loans and an 8% annualized growth in deposits, which not only strengthens the balance sheet but also lays the groundwork for future expansion, particularly as it prepares to enter the Columbus, Georgia market.
- Cost Control and Efficiency Improvement: Noninterest expenses remained flat at $32.5 million, with the efficiency ratio improving from 64% to 60%, demonstrating effective cost management, and the company anticipates maintaining high-single-digit loan growth in 2026, further enhancing profitability.
- Positive Future Outlook: Management set a target to achieve a $4 EPS run rate by the end of 2026, with projected net interest margins in the range of 3.4% to 3.45% for Q1 2026, indicating confidence in future growth and a prudent approach to capital allocation.

- Net Income Growth: In Q4 2025, SmartFinancial reported net income of $13.7 million, or $0.81 per diluted share, representing a 42% increase from $9.6 million in Q4 2024, indicating a significant enhancement in the company's profitability.
- Loan and Deposit Growth: The company achieved net organic loan and lease growth of $141 million in Q4, with a 13% annualized quarter-over-quarter increase, alongside deposit growth of $102 million, or 8% annualized, showcasing the company's sustained competitive strength in the market.
- Net Interest Margin Expansion: The net interest margin for Q4 2025 was 3.38%, up from 3.25% in the prior quarter, primarily due to lower deposit and funding costs, which will further enhance the company's profitability.
- Increased Capital Adequacy: As of December 31, 2025, SmartFinancial's total shareholders' equity reached $552.5 million, an increase of $61 million from 2024, reflecting the company's success in sustained profitability and capital management.

- Earnings Performance: SmartFinancial reported a Q4 non-GAAP EPS of $0.81, exceeding market expectations by $0.03, which reflects the company's ongoing profitability enhancement and strengthens investor confidence.
- Significant Revenue Growth: The company achieved Q4 revenue of $53.31 million, representing a 13.9% year-over-year increase and surpassing analyst expectations by $1.92 million, indicating strong competitive positioning and growth potential in the market.
- Positive Market Reaction: The earnings beat is likely to positively impact SmartFinancial's stock price, attracting more investor interest and potentially driving the stock higher.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: With ongoing operational optimization and market share expansion, the company is expected to maintain robust performance growth in the coming quarters, bolstering market confidence in its long-term development.
- Earnings Release Schedule: SmartFinancial plans to release its Q4 2025 earnings on January 20, 2026, after market close, demonstrating the company's commitment to financial transparency and providing investors with critical performance data.
- Conference Call Timing: The company will host a conference call on January 21, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. ET, aimed at discussing the earnings report in depth with investors, thereby enhancing shareholder engagement and communication.
- Replay Availability: A replay of the conference call will be available until March 21, 2026, ensuring that investors who cannot participate live can still access important information, thus improving accessibility and transparency of information.
- Material Release: Earnings release and conference call materials will be published on the company’s website at 9:00 a.m. ET on the morning of the call, further enhancing the timeliness and accessibility of information to help investors make informed decisions.







