HomeTrust Bancshares, Inc. Announces Financial Results for the First Quarter of the Year Ending December 31, 2026 and an Increase in the Quarterly Dividend

ASHEVILLE, N.C., April 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HomeTrust Bancshares, Inc. (NYSE: HTB) ("Company"), the holding company of HomeTrust Bank ("Bank"), today announced preliminary net income for the first quarter of the year ending December 31, 2026 and an increase in its quarterly cash dividend.

For the quarter ended March 31, 2026 compared to the quarter ended December 31, 2025:

• net income was $16.8 million compared to $16.1 million;

• diluted earnings per share ("EPS") were $0.99 compared to $0.93;

• annualized return on assets ("ROA") was 1.55% compared to 1.44%;

• annualized return on equity ("ROE") was 11.35% compared to 10.63%;

• net interest margin was 4.31% compared to 4.20%;

• provision for credit losses was $370,000 compared to $2.1 million;

• quarterly cash dividends continued at $0.13 per share totaling $2.2 million for both periods; and

• 533,240 shares of Company common stock were repurchased during the current quarter at an average price of $42.85 compared to 241,201 shares repurchased at an average price of $42.19 in the prior quarter.
  
  

The Company also announced today that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.15 per common share, reflecting a $0.02, or 15.4%, increase over the previous quarter's dividend. This is the eighth increase of the quarterly dividend since the Company initiated cash dividends in November 2018. The dividend is payable on May 28, 2026 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on May 14, 2026.

“During the first quarter, we accelerated our pace of stock buybacks as part of our ongoing and prudent capital allocation strategy,” said Hunter Westbrook, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We also announced today an increase in our quarterly dividend, further demonstrating our confidence in the Company’s strength and future financial performance. Looking ahead, we remain poised to accelerate loan growth in the second half of 2026.

“Our strong 2025 financial results carried into the first quarter of 2026, highlighted by our top quartile net interest margin which expanded to 4.31%, as deposit mix changes and reductions in funding costs outpaced a slight decline in asset yields.

“Lastly, earlier this month we announced our partnership with the Asheville Tourists Baseball Team, the High-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, where their newly renovated ballpark has been renamed HomeTrust Park. This initiative reflects our continued commitment to supporting the people and communities we are proud to serve.”

WEBSITE: WWW.HTB.COM

Comparison of Results of Operations for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025
Net Income. Net income totaled $16.8 million, or $0.99 per diluted share, for the three months ended March 31, 2026 compared to $16.1 million, or $0.93 per diluted share, for the three months ended December 31, 2025, an increase of $648,000, or 4.0%. The results for the three months ended March 31, 2026 compared to the three months ended December 31, 2025 benefited from a $1.7 million decrease in the provision for credit losses and a $635,000 increase in noninterest income, partially offset by a $1.3 million increase in the noninterest expense. Details of the changes in the various components of net income are further discussed below.

Net Interest Income. The following table presents the distribution of average assets, liabilities and equity, as well as interest income earned on average interest-earning assets and interest expense paid on average interest-bearing liabilities. All average balances are daily average balances. Nonaccruing loans have been included in the table as loans carrying a zero yield.

Total interest and dividend income for the three months ended March 31, 2026 decreased $2.0 million, or 3.1%, when compared to the three months ended December 31, 2025. A decline of $1.9 million, or 3.1%, in loan interest income drove this change, primarily due to fewer days in the current quarter and the impact of decreases in the federal funds rate upon loan yields, partially offset by an increase of $348,000 in accretion income.

Total interest expense for the three months ended March 31, 2026 decreased $2.1 million, or 10.7%, when compared to the three months ended December 31, 2025. A decline of $2.1 million, or 10.9%, in deposit interest expense drove this change, the result of a decline in the average balance of certificate accounts, specifically brokered deposits, a decline in the average cost of funds across funding categories, and fewer days in the current quarter.

The following table shows the effects that changes in average balances (volume), including differences in the number of days in the periods compared, and average interest rates (rate) had on the interest earned on interest-earning assets and interest paid on interest-bearing liabilities:

Provision for Credit Losses. The provision for credit losses is the amount of expense that, based on our judgment, is required to maintain the allowance for credit losses ("ACL") at an appropriate level under the current expected credit losses model.

The following table presents a breakdown of the components of the provision for credit losses:

For the quarter ended March 31, 2026, the "loans" portion of the provision for credit losses was primarily the result of the following, offset by net charge-offs of $1.8 million during the quarter:

• $0.5 million benefit driven by changes in the loan mix.

• $0.2 million provision due to changes in the projected economic forecast, specifically the national unemployment rate, and changes in qualitative adjustments.

• $0.6 million decrease in specific reserves on individually evaluated loans.
  
  

For the quarter ended December 31, 2025, the "loans" portion of the provision for credit losses was primarily the result of the following, offset by net charge-offs of $3.1 million during the quarter:

• $0.9 million benefit driven by changes in the loan mix.

• $0.1 million benefit due to changes in the projected economic forecast, specifically the national unemployment rate, and changes in qualitative adjustments.

• $0.6 million decrease in specific reserves on individually evaluated loans.
  
  

For the quarters ended March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, the amounts recorded for off-balance sheet credit exposure were the result of changes in the balance of loan commitments, loan mix, projected economic forecast and qualitative allocations as outlined above.

Noninterest Income. Noninterest income for the three months ended March 31, 2026 increased $635,000, or 6.8%, when compared to the quarter ended December 31, 2025. Changes in the components of noninterest income are discussed below:

• Loan income and fees: The decrease was primarily the result of $144,000 less in interest rate swap fees in addition to smaller decreases across several other loan fee categories.

• Gain on sale of loans held for sale: The increase was primarily driven by an increase in the sales volume of HELOC loans originated for sale, partially offset by reduced sales volume of residential mortgage loans and SBA commercial loans. There were $103.0 million of HELOCs originated for sale which were sold during the current quarter with gains of $934,000 compared to $13.7 million sold with gains of $121,000 in the prior quarter. There were $23.3 million of residential mortgage loans sold for gains of $431,000 during the current quarter compared to $31.1 million sold with gains of $606,000 in the prior quarter. There were $16.4 million in sales of the guaranteed portion of SBA commercial loans with gains of $1.2 million for the current quarter compared to $18.9 million sold and gains of $1.5 million for the prior quarter. Our hedging of mandatory commitments on the residential mortgage loan pipeline resulted in a net gain of $68,000 for the current quarter compared to a net loss of $295,000 for the prior quarter.

• Gain on sale of premises and equipment: In both periods presented, gains were recognized on the sale of excess parcels of land.
  
  

Noninterest Expense. Noninterest expense for the three months ended March 31, 2026 increased $1.3 million, or 4.0%, when compared to the three months ended December 31, 2025. Changes in the components of noninterest expense are discussed below:

• Salaries and employee benefits: The increase was primarily the result of a $449,000 increase in incentive compensation and $409,000 in additional FICA taxes.
  
  

Income Taxes. The amount of income tax expense is influenced by the amount of pre-tax income, tax-exempt income, changes in the statutory rate and the effect of changes in valuation allowances maintained against deferred tax benefits. The effective tax rates for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025 were 20.1% and 18.7%, respectively, with the quarter-over-quarter increase driven by the prior quarter impact of the Company's investment in a tax credit equity fund.

Balance Sheet Review
Total assets decreased by $159.3 million to $4.4 billion and total liabilities decreased by $151.0 million to $3.8 billion at March 31, 2026 as compared to December 31, 2025. These changes can be traced to the use of proceeds from both loan sales and loan paydowns to offset a $70.5 million decline in deposits. The decrease in deposits was the result of a $116.1 million reduction in brokered deposits, partially offset by an increase of $45.7 million in all other deposit categories.

Stockholders' equity decreased $8.3 million, or 1.4%, to $592.4 million at March 31, 2026 as compared to December 31, 2025. Activity within stockholders' equity included $16.8 million in net income and $1.4 million in share-based compensation and stock option exercises, more than offset by $2.2 million in cash dividends declared and $23.1 million in stock repurchases. In addition, accumulated other comprehensive income declined by $622,000 due to an increase in the unrealized loss on available for sale securities due to higher market interest rates.

As of March 31, 2026, the Bank was considered "well capitalized" in accordance with its regulatory capital guidelines and exceeded all regulatory capital requirements.

Asset Quality
The ACL on loans was $40.6 million, or 1.14% of total loans, at March 31, 2026 compared to $41.5 million, or 1.16% of total loans, at December 31, 2025. The drivers of this change are discussed in the "Comparison of Results of Operations for the Quarters Ended March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025 – Provision for Credit Losses" section above.

Net loan charge-offs totaled $1.8 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2026 compared to $3.1 million and $1.3 million for the three months ended December 31, 2025 and March 31, 2025, respectively. For all three periods, net charge-offs were concentrated within our equipment finance portfolio, primarily related to over-the-road truck loans, where we recognized net charge-offs of $1.5 million, $2.0 million and $1.0 million for the same periods, respectively. Annualized net charge-offs as a percentage of average loans were 0.19% for the three months ended March 31, 2026 as compared to 0.33% and 0.14% for the three months ended December 31, 2025 and March 31, 2025, respectively.

The following table sets forth the composition of nonperforming assets, made up of nonaccrual loans and repossessed assets, across our asset categories.

SBA loans made up 48.5%, 46.5% and 23.1% of total nonperforming assets at March 31, 2026, December 31, 2025 and March 31, 2025, respectively. The year-over-year increase was primarily the result of a management decision to accelerate the repurchase of the sold portion of nonperforming SBA loans (fully guaranteed portion) to simplify the workout process.

Classified assets increased by $6.0 million, or 9.1%, to $72.2 million, or 1.65% of total assets, as of March 31, 2026 when compared to the balance of $66.2 million, or 1.46% of total assets, as of December 31, 2025. Similarly, classified assets increased by $31.5 million, or 77.4%, to $72.2 million, or 1.65% of total assets, as of March 31, 2026 when compared to the balance of $40.7 million, or 0.89% of total assets, as of March 31, 2025. SBA loans made up the largest portion of classified assets at $25.7 million and $27.3 million, respectively, as of March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, of which $18.1 million and $19.8 million, respectively, was fully guaranteed. The remaining population of classified assets as of March 31, 2026 included $10.0 million of HELOCs, $9.3 million of 1-4 family residential real estate loans, $7.7 million of equipment finance loans (concentrated in the transportation sector) and $7.4 million of non-owner occupied CRE loans.

About HomeTrust Bancshares, Inc.
HomeTrust Bancshares, Inc. (NYSE: HTB), headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, is the holding company for HomeTrust Bank, a state-chartered community bank operating over 30 locations across North Carolina, South Carolina, East Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, and Georgia. With total assets of $4.4 billion as of March 31, 2026, the Company’s goal is to remain a high-performing, regional community bank, guided by our strategy to be a best place to work. Reflecting this focus, the Company has been named one of Bank Director’s “Best U.S. Banks,” one of Forbes’ “America’s Best Banks,” one of S&P Global’s “Top 50 Community Banks,” and named to the 2025 KBW Honor Roll. In addition, the Company has been recognized as one of American Banker’s “Best Banks to Work For,” received a “Most Loved Workplace” certification by Best Practices Institute, named as one of Best Companies Group’s “America’s Best Workplaces,” as well as being named a “Best Place to Work” in all five states in which it operates.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical fact, but instead are based on certain assumptions including statements with respect to the Company's beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, expectations, assumptions and statements about future economic performance and projections of financial items. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results anticipated or implied by forward-looking statements. The factors that could result in material differentiation include, but are not limited to expected revenues, cost savings, synergies and other benefits from merger and acquisition activities might not be realized to the extent anticipated, within the anticipated time frames, or at all, costs or difficulties relating to integration matters, including but not limited to customer and employee retention, might be greater than expected, and goodwill impairment charges might be incurred; increased competitive pressures among financial services companies; changes in the interest rate environment; changes in general economic conditions, both nationally and in our market areas; the impact of geopolitical instability and trade policies on our operations including the imposition of tariffs and retaliatory tariffs; natural disasters; legislative and regulatory changes; and the effects of inflation, a potential recession, and other factors described in the Company's latest Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission - which are available on the Company's website at www.htb.com and on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Any of the forward-looking statements that the Company makes in this press release or in the documents the Company files with or furnishes to the SEC are based upon management's beliefs and assumptions at the time they are made and may turn out to be wrong because of inaccurate assumptions, the factors described above or other factors that management cannot foresee. The Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to revise any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements.