HomeTrust Bancshares, Inc. Announces Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter of the Year Ended December 31, 2025 and Declaration of a Quarterly Dividend

ASHEVILLE, N.C., Jan. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HomeTrust Bancshares, Inc. (NYSE: HTB) ("Company"), the holding company of HomeTrust Bank ("Bank"), today announced preliminary net income for the fourth quarter of the year ended December 31, 2025 and approval of its quarterly cash dividend.

For the quarter ended December 31, 2025 compared to the quarter ended September 30, 2025:

• net income was $16.1 million compared to $16.5 million;

• diluted earnings per share ("EPS") were $0.93 compared to $0.95;

• annualized return on assets ("ROA") was 1.44% compared to 1.48%;

• annualized return on equity ("ROE") was 10.63% compared to 11.10%;

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

• provision for credit losses was $2.1 million compared to $2.0 million;

• tax free bank owned life insurance ("BOLI") death benefit proceeds in excess of cash surrender value was $92,000 compared to $0;

• quarterly cash dividends increased $0.01 per share, or 8.3%, to $0.13 per share totaling $2.2 million compared to $0.12 per share totaling $2.1 million; and

• 241,201 shares of Company common stock were repurchased during the current quarter at an average price of $42.19 compared to none in the prior quarter.
  
  

For the year ended December 31, 2025 compared to the year ended December 31, 2024:

• net income was $64.4 million compared to $54.8 million;

• diluted EPS was $3.72 compared to $3.20;

• ROA was 1.46% compared to 1.23%;

• ROE was 11.06% compared to 10.37%;

• net interest margin was 4.25% compared to 4.07%;

• provision for credit losses was $6.9 million compared to $7.5 million;

• gain on the sale of our two Knoxville, Tennessee branches was $1.4 million compared to $0;

• tax free BOLI death benefit proceeds in excess of cash surrender value of $92,000 compared to $1.1 million;

• cash dividends of $0.49 per share totaling $8.4 million compared to $0.45 per share totaling $7.7 million; and

• 334,413 shares of Company common stock were repurchased during the current year at an average price was $40.30 compared to 23,483 shares repurchased at an average price of $27.48 in the prior year.
  
  

The Company also announced today that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.13 per common share payable on February 26, 2026 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on February 18, 2026.

“Fiscal year 2025 ended with another quarter of strong financial performance,” said Hunter Westbrook, President and Chief Executive Officer. “For the second consecutive year, we delivered 11% growth in our tangible book value per share – driven by our top quartile net interest margin of 4.25%, strong gains on the sale of loans, and continued expense discipline. With our robust capital base and clear strategic vision, we are poised to accelerate loan growth in 2026.

“As previously announced, HomeTrust was once again recognized as one of the 2025 America’s Top 100 Most Loved Workplaces by the Best Practice Institute, a 2025 Best Bank to Work For by American Banker, and one of the 2026 America’s Best Workplaces by Best Companies Group. These recognitions affirm the culture we’ve built – one rooted in empowering teammates, strengthening communities and cultivating a workplace where belonging fuels excellence – so we can make a lasting difference together. Our culture is the engine behind the momentum, and the reason HomeTrust continues to be a consistently high-performing community bank.”

WEBSITE: WWW.HTB.COM

Comparison of Results of Operations for the Three Months Ended December 31, 2025 and September 30, 2025
Net Income.  Net income totaled $16.1 million, or $0.93 per diluted share, for the three months ended December 31, 2025 compared to $16.5 million, or $0.95 per diluted share, for the three months ended September 30, 2025, a decrease of $367,000, or 2.2%. The results for the three months ended December 31, 2025 compared to the quarter ended September 30, 2025 were impacted by a $1.2 million decrease in net interest income, partially offset by a $645,000 increase in noninterest income. 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.

^{(1)  Average loans receivable balances include loans held for sale and nonaccruing loans.
(2)  Average other interest-earning assets consist of FRB stock, FHLB stock, SBIC investments and deposits in other banks.
(3)  Net interest income divided by average interest-earning assets.
(4)  Tax-equivalent results include adjustments to interest income of $448 and $440 for the three months ended December 31, 2025 and September 30, 2025, respectively, calculated based on a combined federal and state tax rate of 24%.}

Total interest and dividend income for the three months ended December 31, 2025 decreased $1.9 million, or 2.9%, when compared to the three months ended September 30, 2025. Regarding the components of this income, loan interest income decreased $2.2 million, or 3.5%, primarily due to an overall decrease in average loan balances and the impact of decreases in the federal funds rate upon loan yields, and was partially offset by a $287,000 increase in interest income on other investments and interest-bearing accounts. Accretion income on acquired loans of $519,000 and $352,000 was recognized during the same periods, respectively, and was included in loan interest income.

Total interest expense for the three months ended December 31, 2025 decreased $752,000, or 3.8%, compared to the three months ended September 30, 2025, the result of a $565,000, or 2.9%, decrease in interest expense on deposits and a $187,000, or 35.2%, decrease in interest expense on borrowings. The decrease in interest expense on deposits can primarily be traced to decreases in the average cost of funds, while the decrease in interest expense on borrowings was the result of a decline in average borrowings outstanding.

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 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 quarter ended September 30, 2025, the "loans" portion of the provision for credit losses was the result of the following, offset by net charge-offs of $2.8 million during the quarter:

• $0.6 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 quarters ended December 31, 2025 and September 30, 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 December 31, 2025 increased $645,000, or 7.4%, when compared to the quarter ended September 30, 2025. Changes in the components of noninterest income are discussed below:

• Loan income and fees: The increase was primarily the result of a $144,000 increase in interest rate swap fees in addition to smaller increases 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 SBA commercial loans originated for sale, partially offset by decreased sales volume of residential mortgage loans and HELOCs. There were $18.9 million in sales of the guaranteed portion of SBA commercial loans with gains of $1.5 million for the current quarter compared to $9.8 million sold and gains of $595,000 for the prior quarter. There were $31.1 million of residential mortgage loans sold for gains of $606,000 during the current quarter compared to $33.3 million sold with gains of $764,000 in the prior quarter. There were $13.7 million of HELOCs originated for sale which were sold during the current quarter with gains of $121,000 compared to $45.3 million sold with gains of $243,000 in the prior quarter. Our hedging of mandatory commitments on the residential mortgage loan pipeline resulted in a net loss of $295,000 for the current quarter compared to a net gain of $123,000 for the prior quarter.

• BOLI income: The increase was primarily related to $92,000 in tax-free gains on death benefit proceeds in excess of the cash surrender value in the current quarter, with no such income being recognized in the prior quarter.

• Operating lease income: The increase was primarily the result of a $359,000 reduction in losses upon contract termination, partially offset by a $104,000 decrease in contract earnings.

• Other: The decrease was driven by a $226,000 reduction of investment services income quarter-over-quarter.
  
  

Noninterest Expense.  Noninterest expense for the three months ended December 31, 2025 increased $428,000, or 1.4%, when compared to the three months ended September 30, 2025. Changes in the components of noninterest expense are discussed below:

• Operating lease depreciation expense: The decrease was due to a decline in the population of operating lease contracts (assets being depreciated) quarter-over-quarter.

• Other: The change was driven by a $110,000 increase in ATM expense period-over-period in addition to smaller increases across several other expense categories.
  
  

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 December 31, 2025 and September 30, 2025 were 18.7% and 20.9%, respectively, with the quarter-over-quarter decline driven by the Company's investment in a tax credit equity fund.

Comparison of Results of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024
Net Income.  Net income totaled $64.4 million, or $3.72 per diluted share, for the year ended December 31, 2025 compared to $54.8 million, or $3.20 per diluted share, for the year ended December 31, 2024, an increase of $9.6 million, or 17.4%. The results for the year ended December 31, 2025 compared to the prior year were positively impacted by a $7.2 million increase in net interest income, a $2.9 million increase in noninterest income, a $607,000 decrease in the provision for credit losses and a $321,000 decrease in 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.

^{(1)  Average loans receivable balances include loans held for sale and nonaccruing loans.
(2)  Average other interest-earning assets consist of FRB stock, FHLB stock, SBIC investments and deposits in other banks.
(3)  Net interest income divided by average interest-earning assets.
(4)  Tax-equivalent results include adjustments to interest income of $1,737 and $1,460 for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively, calculated based on a combined federal and state tax rate of 24%.}

Total interest and dividend income for the year ended December 31, 2025 decreased $5.5 million, or 2.1%, compared to the year ended December 31, 2024. Regarding the components of this income, loan interest income decreased $7.2 million, or 2.9%, primarily due to an overall decrease in average loan balances and the impact of decreases in the federal funds rate upon loan yields, partially offset by a $1.1 million increase in interest income on other investments and interest-bearing accounts, and a $661,000 increase in interest income on debt securities available for sale. Accretion income on acquired loans of $2.2 million and $3.2 million was recognized during the same periods, respectively, and was included in loan interest income.

Total interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2025 decreased $12.7 million, or 13.8%, compared to the year ended December 31, 2024, the result of a $9.8 million, or 11.2%, decrease in interest expense on deposits and a $2.9 million, or 61.5%, decrease in interest expense on borrowings. The decrease in interest expense on deposits can primarily be traced to decreases in the average cost of funds, while the decrease in interest expense on borrowings was primarily the result of a decline in average borrowings outstanding.

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

For the year ended December 31, 2025, the "loans" portion of the provision for credit losses was the result of the following, offset by net charge-offs of $9.3 million during the period:

• $2.5 million benefit driven by changes in the loan mix.

• $1.5 million benefit due to changes in the projected economic forecast, specifically the national unemployment rate, and changes in qualitative adjustments. Of note, in the quarter ended June 30, 2025, we released the $2.2 million qualitative allocation previously established in the prior year for the potential impact of Hurricane Helene on our loan portfolio. Any residual impact of the Hurricane is believed to have now been reflected elsewhere within the ACL calculation.

• $0.2 million increase in specific reserves on individually evaluated credits.
  
  

For the year ended December 31, 2024, the "loans" portion of the provision for credit losses was the result of the following, offset by net charge-offs of $10.8 million during the period:

• $1.6 million benefit driven by changes in the loan mix.

• $0.7 million benefit due to changes in the projected economic forecast, specifically the national unemployment rate, and changes in qualitative adjustments. Included in this change was the addition of a $2.2 million qualitative allocation in the quarter ended September 30, 2024 for the potential impact of Hurricane Helene on our loan portfolio.

• $1.0 million decrease in specific reserves on individually evaluated credits.
  
  

For the years ended December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, the amounts recorded for off-balance-sheet credit exposure were the result of changes in the balance of loan commitments, loan mix and the projected economic forecast as outlined above.

Noninterest Income.  Noninterest income for the year ended December 31, 2025 increased $2.9 million, or 8.6%, when compared to the same period last year. Changes in the components of noninterest income are discussed below:

• Gain on sale of loans held for sale: The increase was primarily driven by growth in the volume of HELOCs and residential mortgage loans sold during the current period, partially offset by a reduction in the sales volume of the guaranteed portion of SBA commercial loans. During the year ended December 31, 2025, there were $257.2 million of HELOCs sold with gains of $2.4 million compared to $95.4 million sold with gains of $887,000 in the prior year. There were $113.5 million of residential mortgage loans originated for sale which were sold with gains of $2.4 million compared to $82.0 million sold with gains of $1.4 million in the prior year. There were $40.4 million of sales of the guaranteed portion of SBA commercial loans with gains of $3.0 million compared to $48.7 million sold with gains of $3.9 million during the prior year. Lastly, our hedging of mandatory commitments on the residential mortgage loan pipeline resulted in a net loss of $131,000 for the year ended December 31, 2025 versus $81,000 of a net gain in the prior year.

• BOLI income: The decrease was due to a $1.0 million decrease in tax-free gains on death benefit proceeds in excess of the cash surrender value of the policies year-over-year, partially offset by higher yielding policies as a result of restructuring the portfolio at the end of the calendar year ended December 31, 2023.

• Gain on sale of branches: During the current year we completed the sale of our two Knoxville, Tennessee branches, recognizing a gain of $1.4 million in the current year, with no similar activity occurring in the prior year.
  
  

Noninterest Expense.  Noninterest expense for the year ended December 31, 2025 decreased $321,000, or 0.3%, when compared to the same period last year. Changes in the components of noninterest expense are discussed below:

• Salaries and employee benefits: The increase was primarily the result of increases in both pay and incentive compensation.

• Computer services: At the end of the prior calendar year, we finalized a multiyear renewal of our largest core processing contract. The decrease in expense period-over-period is a reflection of the improved vendor pricing negotiated through this effort.

• Operating lease depreciation expense: The decrease was due to a decline in the population of operating lease contracts (assets being depreciated) year-over-year.

• Deposit insurance premiums: The decrease period-over-period was the result of higher regulatory capital ratios.

• Core deposit intangible amortization: The intangible recorded associated with the Quantum merger is being amortized on an accelerated basis, so the rate of amortization slowed year-over-year.

• Contract renewal consulting fee: In the prior year we paid a fee to a consultant to negotiate the multiyear renewal of our largest core processing contract, with no similar fee being recognized in the current year.

• Other: The change period-over-period was driven by increases of $415,000 in community association banking deposit line of business referral fees, $285,000 in losses on the sale of repossessed equipment, and $226,000 in other consulting fees.
  
  

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 rate was 20.5% and 21.6% for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.

Balance Sheet Review
Total assets decreased by $49.8 million to $4.5 billion and total liabilities decreased by $98.7 million to $3.9 billion at December 31, 2025 as compared to December 31, 2024. These changes can be traced to the use of the proceeds from both loan paydowns and maturities of debt securities and certificates of deposit to offset a $69.2 million decline in deposits. The decrease in deposits was mainly the result of a $115.8 million reduction in brokered deposits and $34.3 million of deposits which were assumed by the purchaser of our two Knoxville, Tennessee branches, partially offset by an increase of $57.0 million in core deposits.

Stockholders' equity increased $48.9 million, or 8.9%, to $600.7 million at December 31, 2025 as compared to December 31, 2024. Activity within stockholders' equity included $64.4 million in net income and $5.6 million in share-based compensation and stock option exercises, partially offset by $8.4 million in cash dividends declared and $13.6 million in stock repurchases. In addition, accumulated other comprehensive income improved by $2.3 million due to a reduction in the unrealized loss on available for sale securities due to lower market interest rates.

As of December 31, 2025, 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 $41.5 million, or 1.16% of total loans, at December 31, 2025 compared to $45.3 million, or 1.24% of total loans, at December 31, 2024. The drivers of this change are discussed in the "Comparison of Results of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024 – Provision for Credit Losses" section above. Of note, as of December 31, 2024, the ACL on loans included a $2.2 million qualitative allocation for the potential impact of Hurricane Helene on our loan portfolio, while this allocation had been removed prior to December 31, 2025.

Net loan charge-offs totaled $9.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2025 compared to $10.8 million for the prior year. For both 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 $6.2 million and $6.7 million for the same periods, respectively. Annualized net charge-offs as a percentage of average loans were 0.24% and 0.28% for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.

Nonperforming assets, made up of nonaccrual loans and repossessed assets, increased by $11.3 million, or 34.1%, to $44.4 million, or 0.98% of total assets, at December 31, 2025 compared to $33.1 million, or 0.72% of total assets, at September 30, 2025. SBA loans made up the largest portion of nonperforming assets at $20.6 million and $11.9 million, respectively, at these same dates of which $14.9 million and $6.6 million, respectively, of these amounts were fully guaranteed. Of the remaining nonperforming assets, equipment finance loans (concentrated in the transportation sector) made up $6.6 million and $5.5 million, respectively, and HELOCs totaled $6.5 million and $5.9 million, respectively, both at these same dates. The ratio of nonperforming loans to total loans was 1.22% at December 31, 2025 compared to 0.89% at September 30, 2025. When adjusted for fully guaranteed loans, the ratio of nonperforming loans to total loans was 0.81% at December 31, 2025 compared to 0.71% at September 30, 2025.

Nonperforming assets increased by $15.7 million, or 54.4%, to $44.4 million, or 0.98% of total assets, at December 31, 2025 compared to $28.8 million, or 0.63% of total assets, at December 31, 2024. The ratio of nonperforming loans to total loans was 1.22% at December 31, 2025 compared to 0.76% at December 31, 2024.

Classified assets increased by $9.5 million, or 16.8%, to $66.2 million, or 1.46% of total assets, as of December 31, 2025 when compared to the balance of $56.6 million, or 1.23% of total assets, as of September 30, 2025. Similarly, classified assets increased by $17.9 million, or 37.1%, to $66.2 million, or 1.46% of total assets, as of December 31, 2025 when compared to the balance of $48.3 million, or 1.06% of total assets, at December 31, 2024. SBA loans made up the largest portion of classified assets at $27.3 million and $20.0 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2025 and September 30, 2025 of which $19.8 million and $12.7 million, respectively, was fully guaranteed. The remaining population of classified assets at December 31, 2025 included $8.9 million of HELOCs, $8.5 million of equipment finance loans (concentrated in the transportation sector), $7.6 million of non-owner occupied CRE loans, and $7.3 million of 1-4 family residential real estate loans.

Lastly, in an effort to assist customers in their post-Hurricane Helene recovery and clean-up efforts, at the end of the prior calendar year we granted payment deferrals of up to six months to provide short-term relief to impacted customers. The outstanding balance of these deferrals declined from $136.0 million at December 31, 2024 to $318,000 at December 31, 2025. To date, $165,000 in charge-offs have been recognized which were directly related to Hurricane Helene.

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 $4.5 billion as of December 31, 2025, the Company’s goal is to continue to be recognized as a high-performing, regional community bank, while our strategy to reach that goal is to be a best place to work. As a reflection of these efforts, 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 the Company 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; 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.

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)

^{(1)  Derived from audited financial statements.
(2)  Shares of common stock issued and outstanding were 17,286,289 at December 31, 2025; 17,520,425 at September 30, 2025; 17,492,143 at June 30, 2025; 17,552,626 at March 31, 2025; and 17,527,709 at December 31, 2024.}

Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited)