Business
Peoples Bancorp Announces First Quarter 2024 Results
NEWTON, NC / ACCESSWIRE / April 26, 2024 / Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEBK) (the "Company"), the parent company of Peoples Bank (the
About this update from Peoples Bancorp Of North Carolina, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"NEWTON, NC / ACCESSWIRE / April 26, 2024 / Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEBK) (the \"Company\"), the parent company of Peoples Bank (the \"Bank\"), reported first quarter 2024 results with highlights as follows:First quarter 2024 highlights:Net earnings were $3.9 million or $0.74 per share and $0.72 per diluted share for the three months ended March 31, 2024, compared to $3.2 million or $0.58 per share and 0.56 per diluted share for the same period one year ago.Cash dividends were $0.35 per share during the three months ended March 31, 2024, compared to $0.34 per share for the prior year period.Total loans were $1.1 billion at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023.Non-performing assets were $4.0 million or 0.24% of total assets at March 31, 2024, compared to $3.9 million or 0.24% of total assets at December 31, 2023.Total deposits were $1.5 billion at March 31, 2024, compared to $1.4 billion at December 31, 2023.Core deposits, a non-GAAP measure, were $1.3 billion or 89.75% of total deposits at March 31, 2024, compared to $1.2 billion or 89.30% of total deposits at December 31, 2023.Net interest margin was 3.33% for the three months ended March 31, 2024, compared to 3.77% for the three months ended March 31, 2023.Net earnings were $3.9 million or $0.74 per share and $0.72 per diluted share for the three months ended March 31, 2024, compared to $3.2 million or $0.58 per share and $0.56 per diluted share for the prior year period. Lance A. Sellers, President and Chief Executive Officer, attributed the increase in first quarter net earnings to an increase in non-interest income and a decrease in the provision for credit losses, which were partially offset by a decrease in net interest income and an increase in non-interest expense, compared to the prior year period, as discussed below.Net interest income was $13.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024, compared to $14.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023. The decrease in net interest income is due to a $4.0 million increase in interest expense, partially offset by a $3.0 million increase in interest income. The increase in interest income reflects a $2.3 million increase in interest income and fees on loans, a $524,000 increase in interest income on balances due from banks and a $230,000 increase in interest income on investment securiti...