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Peoples Bancorp Stock Slips Post Q4 Earnings Despite Profit Growth
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Shares of Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. (PEBK - Free Report) have lost 2.3%, against a 0.9% gain in the S&P 500 Index over the same period. Performance over the past month shows a similar trend, with PEBK shares down 2% while the S&P 500 advanced 1.4%.
Peoples Bancorp’s Earnings Snapshot
Peoples Bancorp reported net earnings of $6.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2025, compared with $3.6 million in the year-ago quarter, reflecting an increase of 86.4%. The year-over-year improvement in fourth-quarter net earnings was driven by higher net interest income and increased non-interest income, partially offset by a higher provision for credit losses. Fourth-quarter 2025 basic earnings per share (EPS) were $1.25, up 86.6% from $0.67 in the comparable prior-year period, while diluted EPS increased 86.2% to $1.21 from $0.65.
For full-year 2025, net earnings rose 21.3% to $19.8 million from $16.4 million in 2024. The improvement in full-year net earnings was driven by higher net interest income and increased non-interest income, partially offset by a higher provision for credit losses and increased non-interest expenses. For the full year, basic EPS rose 21.4% to $3.74 from $3.08 in 2024, and diluted EPS increased 21.5% to $3.62 from $2.98. The growth in per-share results tracked the improvement in net earnings during the period.
Revenue is not reported as a single consolidated figure, but net interest income, a core measure for banks, increased 11.2% year over year in the fourth quarter to $15.4 million from $13.8 million, while full-year net interest income grew 9.1% to $59 million from $54.1 million. Non-interest income also contributed to results, rising 36.4% to $9.6 million in the quarter from $7.1 million a year earlier, driven largely by a one-time gain related to a property transaction.
PEBK’s Other Key Business Metrics
Several balance sheet and profitability metrics showed improvement compared with the prior year. Net interest margin (NIM) for the fourth quarter expanded to 3.62% from 3.39% in the year-ago period, while the full-year margin improved to 3.57% from 3.36%. Return on average assets increased to 1.52% in the quarter from 0.85% a year earlier, and return on average shareholders’ equity rose to 17.25% from 10.77%.
Total assets grew to $1.70 billion as of Dec. 31, 2025, from $1.65 billion a year earlier, while total loans increased to $1.20 billion from $1.14 billion during the same time. Deposits rose to $1.51 billion from $1.48 billion, reflecting modest balance sheet growth.
Asset quality metrics remained relatively stable to improved. Non-performing assets declined to $4.2 million, or 0.25% of total assets, as of Dec. 31, 2025, from $4.8 million, or 0.29%, at the end of 2024. The allowance for credit losses on loans stood at 0.84% of total loans as of Dec. 31, 2025, lower than 0.88% a year earlier, even as loan balances expanded.
Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Management attributed the stronger fourth-quarter 2025 performance primarily to higher net interest income and increased non-interest income, combined with lower non-interest expenses compared with the prior-year quarter. According to President and Chief Executive Officer William D. Cable, Sr., these positive factors were partially offset by a higher provision for credit losses. The commentary emphasized the benefits of loan growth, improved funding costs following Federal Reserve rate reductions and disciplined expense management during the period.
Factors Influencing PEBK’s Headline Numbers
A notable factor influencing the quarter’s results was a $3 million net gain related to the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s eminent domain acquisition of the bank’s former Mooresville branch property. This gain significantly boosted non-interest income in the fourth quarter and full year. Excluding this item, non-interest income growth would have been more modest.
On the expense side, non-interest expense declined 3.7% year over year in the quarter, mainly due to lower salaries, employee benefits and legal expenses, though higher occupancy-related costs partially offset these savings. The provision for credit losses swung to an expense of $353,000 in the quarter from a recovery of $205,000 in the prior year, reflecting changes in reserve levels and loan growth.
Peoples Bancorp’s Guidance
PEBK did not include formal financial guidance or specific forward-looking quantitative targets. Management instead provided standard cautionary language regarding forward-looking statements, noting that future results could be affected by factors such as economic conditions, interest rate changes, competition and regulatory developments.
PEBK’s Other Developments
During the quarter, Peoples Bancorp did not report any acquisitions, divestitures or major business restructuring initiatives. The most significant non-recurring development was the resolution of the eminent domain transaction involving the former Mooresville branch, which resulted in the recognized gain and the reclassification of previously recorded legal expenses. Other operations, including the bank’s footprint of 15 banking offices across North Carolina and its loan production offices, remained unchanged during the period.
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Peoples Bancorp Stock Slips Post Q4 Earnings Despite Profit Growth
Shares of Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. (PEBK - Free Report) have lost 2.3%, against a 0.9% gain in the S&P 500 Index over the same period. Performance over the past month shows a similar trend, with PEBK shares down 2% while the S&P 500 advanced 1.4%.
Peoples Bancorp’s Earnings Snapshot
Peoples Bancorp reported net earnings of $6.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2025, compared with $3.6 million in the year-ago quarter, reflecting an increase of 86.4%. The year-over-year improvement in fourth-quarter net earnings was driven by higher net interest income and increased non-interest income, partially offset by a higher provision for credit losses. Fourth-quarter 2025 basic earnings per share (EPS) were $1.25, up 86.6% from $0.67 in the comparable prior-year period, while diluted EPS increased 86.2% to $1.21 from $0.65.
For full-year 2025, net earnings rose 21.3% to $19.8 million from $16.4 million in 2024. The improvement in full-year net earnings was driven by higher net interest income and increased non-interest income, partially offset by a higher provision for credit losses and increased non-interest expenses. For the full year, basic EPS rose 21.4% to $3.74 from $3.08 in 2024, and diluted EPS increased 21.5% to $3.62 from $2.98. The growth in per-share results tracked the improvement in net earnings during the period.
Revenue is not reported as a single consolidated figure, but net interest income, a core measure for banks, increased 11.2% year over year in the fourth quarter to $15.4 million from $13.8 million, while full-year net interest income grew 9.1% to $59 million from $54.1 million. Non-interest income also contributed to results, rising 36.4% to $9.6 million in the quarter from $7.1 million a year earlier, driven largely by a one-time gain related to a property transaction.
PEBK’s Other Key Business Metrics
Several balance sheet and profitability metrics showed improvement compared with the prior year. Net interest margin (NIM) for the fourth quarter expanded to 3.62% from 3.39% in the year-ago period, while the full-year margin improved to 3.57% from 3.36%. Return on average assets increased to 1.52% in the quarter from 0.85% a year earlier, and return on average shareholders’ equity rose to 17.25% from 10.77%.
Total assets grew to $1.70 billion as of Dec. 31, 2025, from $1.65 billion a year earlier, while total loans increased to $1.20 billion from $1.14 billion during the same time. Deposits rose to $1.51 billion from $1.48 billion, reflecting modest balance sheet growth.
Asset quality metrics remained relatively stable to improved. Non-performing assets declined to $4.2 million, or 0.25% of total assets, as of Dec. 31, 2025, from $4.8 million, or 0.29%, at the end of 2024. The allowance for credit losses on loans stood at 0.84% of total loans as of Dec. 31, 2025, lower than 0.88% a year earlier, even as loan balances expanded.
Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. Quote
Peoples Bancorp’s Management Commentary
Management attributed the stronger fourth-quarter 2025 performance primarily to higher net interest income and increased non-interest income, combined with lower non-interest expenses compared with the prior-year quarter. According to President and Chief Executive Officer William D. Cable, Sr., these positive factors were partially offset by a higher provision for credit losses. The commentary emphasized the benefits of loan growth, improved funding costs following Federal Reserve rate reductions and disciplined expense management during the period.
Factors Influencing PEBK’s Headline Numbers
A notable factor influencing the quarter’s results was a $3 million net gain related to the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s eminent domain acquisition of the bank’s former Mooresville branch property. This gain significantly boosted non-interest income in the fourth quarter and full year. Excluding this item, non-interest income growth would have been more modest.
On the expense side, non-interest expense declined 3.7% year over year in the quarter, mainly due to lower salaries, employee benefits and legal expenses, though higher occupancy-related costs partially offset these savings. The provision for credit losses swung to an expense of $353,000 in the quarter from a recovery of $205,000 in the prior year, reflecting changes in reserve levels and loan growth.
Peoples Bancorp’s Guidance
PEBK did not include formal financial guidance or specific forward-looking quantitative targets. Management instead provided standard cautionary language regarding forward-looking statements, noting that future results could be affected by factors such as economic conditions, interest rate changes, competition and regulatory developments.
PEBK’s Other Developments
During the quarter, Peoples Bancorp did not report any acquisitions, divestitures or major business restructuring initiatives. The most significant non-recurring development was the resolution of the eminent domain transaction involving the former Mooresville branch, which resulted in the recognized gain and the reclassification of previously recorded legal expenses. Other operations, including the bank’s footprint of 15 banking offices across North Carolina and its loan production offices, remained unchanged during the period.