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Fentura Financial, Inc. Announces Fourth Quarter 2024 Earnings (unaudited)

Dollars in thousands except per share amounts. Certain items in the prior period financial statements have been reclassified to conform with the December 31, 2024 presentation.

FENTON, Mich., Jan. 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fentura Financial, Inc. (OTCQX: FETM) announces net income of $3,730 and $9,367 for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2024, respectively. During the quarter, gross loans declined by $5,487. The moderation of the loan portfolio can be contributed to management’s continued focus on enhancing the Corporation’s liquidity and capital positions. Despite the modest decline in gross loans, net interest income increased by $382 on a fully tax equivalent basis during the quarter. This increase was a direct result of the 0.02% expansion of net interest margins during the quarter as interest rates paid on deposit accounts were reduced more than those on loans. Excluding the impact of merger related expenses and other nonrecurring items, adjusted net income for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2024 was $4,104 and $10,572, respectively compared to $3,759 and $15,064 in the same periods in 2023.

Ronald L. Justice, President and CEO, stated, “We experienced a strong improvement in net income during the 2024 fourth quarter, compared to the 2024 third quarter reflecting strong asset quality, a stable net interest margin, and reduced operating expenses. We continue to work on completing the all-stock merger with ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc., which is expected to close during the 2025 first quarter. As a result, Fentura shareholders should expect to receive their first quarter dividend payment as part of ChoiceOne, when ChoiceOne declares its first quarter dividend in late March. Once completed, the combination of Fentura and ChoiceOne will create the third largest publicly traded bank in Michigan with over $4 billion in consolidated total assets and 56 offices in Western, Central and Southeastern Michigan.”

Following is a summary of our financial performance as of, and for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2024.

Results of Operations (unaudited)
The following table outlines our QTD results of operations and provides certain performance measures as of, and for the three months ended:

  12/31/2024 9/30/2024 6/30/2024 3/31/2024 12/31/2023
INCOME STATEMENT DATA          
Interest income $22,500  $22,194  $21,487  $21,541  $21,033 
Interest expense  10,126   10,202   9,650   9,315   8,526 
Net interest income  12,374   11,992   11,837   12,226   12,507 
Credit loss expense (reversal)  (302)  1,203   796   (43)  (190)
Noninterest income  2,124   2,210   2,314   2,355   2,145 
Noninterest expenses  10,155   11,974   10,921   11,166   10,121 
Federal income tax expense  915   158   454   668   937 
Net income $3,730  $867  $1,980  $2,790  $3,784 
PER SHARE          
Earnings $0.83  $0.19  $0.44  $0.63  $0.85 
Dividends $0.11  $0.11  $0.11  $0.11  $0.10 
Tangible book value(1) $31.03  $30.51  $29.84  $29.38  $28.92 
Quoted market value          
High $48.00  $40.00  $24.39  $27.20  $27.20 
Low $37.01  $22.16  $22.33  $24.00  $22.26 
Close(1) $45.00  $39.07  $22.50  $24.40  $27.20 
PERFORMANCE RATIOS          
Return on average assets  0.81%  0.19%  0.45%  0.63%  0.86%
Return on average shareholders’ equity  10.04%  2.37%  5.59%  7.98%  11.11%
Return on average tangible shareholders’ equity  10.71%  2.54%  5.98%  8.55%  11.94%
Efficiency ratio  70.04%  84.31%  77.17%  76.58%  69.08%
Yield on average earning assets (FTE)  5.12%  5.17%  5.18%  5.15%  5.06%
Rate on interest bearing liabilities  3.20%  3.28%  3.22%  3.11%  2.90%
Net interest margin to average earning assets (FTE)  2.82%  2.80%  2.85%  2.92%  3.01%
BALANCE SHEET DATA(1)          
Total investment securities $93,999  $99,724  $100,167  $103,210  $107,615 
Gross loans $1,436,902  $1,442,389  $1,459,929  $1,461,465  $1,473,471 
Allowance for credit losses $14,400  $14,700  $15,300  $15,300  $15,400 
Total assets $1,807,618  $1,807,370  $1,756,629  $1,764,629  $1,738,952 
Total deposits $1,469,496  $1,470,586  $1,427,059  $1,438,408  $1,394,182 
Borrowed funds $179,634  $179,970  $178,397  $178,500  $198,500 
Total shareholders’ equity $148,768  $146,398  $143,301  $141,074  $138,702 
Net loans to total deposits  96.80%  97.08%  101.23%  100.54%  104.58%
Common shares outstanding  4,497,879   4,495,005   4,490,087   4,484,447   4,470,871 
QTD BALANCE SHEET AVERAGES          
Total assets $1,837,353  $1,797,307  $1,762,651  $1,771,614  $1,740,526 
Earning assets $1,749,341  $1,708,177  $1,669,862  $1,683,708  $1,649,091 
Interest bearing liabilities $1,260,401  $1,237,665  $1,204,370  $1,205,162  $1,165,064 
Total shareholders’ equity $147,755  $145,240  $142,577  $140,574  $135,157 
Total tangible shareholders’ equity $138,519  $135,959  $133,252  $131,204  $125,723 
Earned common shares outstanding  4,473,592   4,466,951   4,461,580   4,449,376   4,443,463 
Unvested stock grants  23,516   26,500   26,500   31,821   26,018 
Total common shares outstanding  4,497,108   4,493,451   4,488,080   4,481,197   4,469,481 
ASSET QUALITY          
Nonperforming loans to gross loans (1)  0.75%  0.71%  0.66%  0.39%  0.38%
Nonperforming assets to total assets (1)  0.62%  0.58%  0.56%  0.34%  0.35%
Allowance for credit losses to gross loans (1)  1.00%  1.02%  1.05%  1.05%  1.05%
Net charge-offs (recoveries) to QTD average gross loans  %  0.12%  0.05%  % (0.01)%
Credit loss expense (reversal) to QTD average gross loans (0.02)%  0.08%  0.05%  % (0.01)%
CAPITAL RATIOS(1)          
Total capital to risk weighted assets  12.87%  12.48%  12.38%  12.27%  11.91%
Tier 1 capital to risk weighted assets  11.82%  11.42%  11.28%  11.17%  10.82%
CET1 capital to risk weighted assets  10.80%  10.40%  10.28%  10.17%  9.83%
Tier 1 leverage ratio  8.81%  8.78%  8.92%  8.78%  8.77%
           
(1)At end of period          
           

The following table outlines our YTD results of operations and provides certain performance measures as of, and for the twelve months ended (unaudited):

  12/31/2024 12/31/2023 12/31/2022 12/31/2021 12/31/2020
INCOME STATEMENT DATA          
Interest income $87,722  $79,681  $59,220  $46,910  $45,979 
Interest expense  39,293   28,087   6,767   2,736   5,924 
Net interest income  48,429   51,594   52,453   44,174   40,055 
Credit loss expense (reversal)  1,654   (58)  3,105   (180)  5,634 
Noninterest income  9,003   9,271   9,880   14,080   19,640 
Noninterest expenses  44,216   42,668   40,585   37,663   34,684 
Federal income tax expense  2,195   3,626   3,710   4,192   3,913 
Net income $9,367  $14,629  $14,933  $16,579  $15,464 
PER SHARE          
Earnings $2.10  $3.30  $3.38  $3.60  $3.31 
Dividends $0.44  $0.40  $0.36  $0.32  $0.30 
Tangible book value(1) $31.03  $28.92  $26.22  $25.43  $23.88 
Quoted market value          
High $48.00  $27.20  $29.25  $28.28  $26.00 
Low $22.16  $18.70  $21.60  $21.90  $12.55 
Close(1) $45.00  $27.20  $22.20  $28.28  $22.00 
PERFORMANCE RATIOS          
Return on average assets  0.55%  0.85%  0.98%  1.26%  1.29%
Return on average shareholders’ equity  6.50%  11.14%  12.30%  13.52%  14.05%
Return on average tangible shareholders’ equity  6.95%  12.01%  13.39%  13.93%  14.57%
Efficiency ratio  76.99%  70.10%  65.11%  64.65%  58.10%
Yield on average earning assets (FTE)  5.15%  4.90%  4.15%  3.80%  4.01%
Rate on interest bearing liabilities  3.20%  2.50%  0.75%  0.36%  0.82%
Net interest margin to average earning assets (FTE)  2.85%  3.17%  3.67%  3.58%  3.50%
BALANCE SHEET DATA(1)          
Total investment securities $93,999  $107,615  $125,049  $164,942  $76,111 
Gross loans $1,436,902  $1,473,471  $1,436,166  $1,100,092  $1,066,562 
Allowance for credit losses $14,400  $15,400  $13,000  $10,500  $10,900 
Total assets $1,807,618  $1,738,952  $1,688,863  $1,417,785  $1,251,446 
Total deposits $1,469,496  $1,394,182  $1,332,883  $1,228,298  $1,071,976 
Borrowed funds $179,634  $198,500  $222,350  $50,000  $49,000 
Total shareholders’ equity $148,768  $138,702  $126,087  $124,455  $115,868 
Net loans to total deposits  96.80%  104.58%  106.77%  88.71%  98.48%
Common shares outstanding  4,497,879   4,470,871   4,439,725   4,496,701   4,694,275 
YTD BALANCE SHEET AVERAGES          
Total assets $1,792,233  $1,718,339  $1,523,419  $1,311,673  $1,200,605 
Earning assets $1,702,772  $1,627,284  $1,429,605  $1,237,755  $1,147,570 
Interest bearing liabilities $1,226,899  $1,125,032  $898,170  $754,622  $726,869 
Total shareholders’ equity $144,039  $131,341  $121,422  $122,629  $110,094 
Total tangible shareholders’ equity $134,736  $121,793  $111,548  $118,986  $106,140 
Earned common shares outstanding  4,462,875   4,433,318   4,422,791   4,603,259   4,669,979 
Unvested stock grants  27,084   27,172   25,212   20,984   14,027 
Total common shares outstanding  4,489,959   4,460,490   4,448,003   4,624,243   4,684,006 
ASSET QUALITY          
Nonperforming loans to gross loans (1)  0.75%  0.38%  0.16%  0.18%  0.75%
Nonperforming assets to total assets (1)  0.62%  0.35%  0.15%  0.17%  0.64%
Allowance for credit losses to gross loans (1)  1.00%  1.05%  0.91%  0.95%  1.02%
Net charge-offs (recoveries) to YTD average gross loans  0.18% (0.04)%  0.05%  0.02%  0.05%
Credit loss expense (reversal) to YTD average gross loans  0.11%  %  0.25% (0.02)%  0.56%
CAPITAL RATIOS(1)          
Total capital to risk weighted assets  12.87%  11.91%  10.87%  12.22%  15.14%
Tier 1 capital to risk weighted assets  11.82%  10.82%  9.95%  11.30%  13.93%
CET1 capital to risk weighted assets  10.80%  9.83%  8.96%  10.07%  12.38%
Tier 1 leverage ratio  8.81%  8.77%  8.58%  9.13%  9.80%
           
(1)At end of period          
           

Income Statement Breakdown

  Quarter to Date
  12/31/2024 9/30/2024 6/30/2024 3/31/2024 12/31/2023
Net income $3,730  $867  $1,980  $2,790  $3,784 
Acquisition related items (net of tax)          
Other acquisition related expenses  414   848          
Amortization of core deposit intangibles  36   35   34   36   60 
Total acquisition related items (net of tax)  450   883   34   36   60 
Other nonrecurring items (net of tax)          
Proxy contest related expenses               
Prepayment penalties collected  (76)  (24)  (40)  (58)  (85)
Total other nonrecurring items (net of tax)  (76)  (24)  (40)  (58)  (85)
Adjusted net income from operations $4,104  $1,726  $1,974  $2,768  $3,759 
           
Net interest income $12,374  $11,992  $11,837  $12,226  $12,507 
Prepayment penalties collected  (96)  (31)  (51)  (73)  (107)
Adjusted net interest income $12,278  $11,961  $11,786  $12,153  $12,400 
           
PERFORMANCE RATIOS          
Based on adjusted net income from operations          
Earnings per share $0.92  $0.39  $0.44  $0.62  $0.85 
Return on average assets  0.89%  0.38%  0.45%  0.63%  0.86%
Return on average shareholders’ equity  11.05%  4.73%  5.57%  7.92%  11.03%
Return on average tangible shareholders’ equity  11.79%  5.05%  5.96%  8.49%  11.86%
Efficiency ratio  66.56%  76.61%  77.15%  76.65%  69.06%
           
Based on adjusted net interest income          
Yield on average earning assets (FTE)  5.10%  5.16%  5.17%  5.13%  5.03%
Rate on interest bearing liabilities  3.20%  3.28%  3.22%  3.11%  2.90%
Net interest margin to average earning assets (FTE)  2.80%  2.79%  2.84%  2.90%  2.98%
           

  Year to Date December 31 Variance
   2024   2023  Amount %
Net income $9,367  $14,629  $(5,262) (35.97)%
Acquisition related items (net of tax)               
Other acquisition related expenses  1,262      1,262  N/M 
Amortization of core deposit intangibles  141   240   (99) (41.25)%
Total acquisition related items (net of tax)  1,403   240   1,163  484.58%
Other nonrecurring items (net of tax)               
Proxy contest related expenses     413   (413) (100.00)%
Prepayment penalties collected  (198)  (218)  20  (9.17)%
Total other nonrecurring items (net of tax)  (198)  195   (393) (201.54)%
Adjusted net income from operations $10,572  $15,064  $(4,492) (29.82)%
                
Net interest income $48,429  $51,594  $(3,165) (6.13)%
Prepayment penalties collected  (251)  (276)  25  (9.06)%
Adjusted net interest income $48,178  $51,318  $(3,140) (6.12)%
         
PERFORMANCE RATIOS        
Based on adjusted net income from operations        
Earnings per share $2.37  $3.40  $(1.03) (30.29)%
Return on average assets  0.59%  0.88%   (0.29)%
Return on average shareholders’ equity  7.34%  11.47%   (4.13)%
Return on average tangible shareholders’ equity  7.85%  12.37%   (4.52)%
Efficiency ratio  74.22%  69.06%   5.16%
         
Based on adjusted net interest income        
Yield on average earning assets (FTE)  5.14%  4.88%   0.26%
Rate on interest bearing liabilities  3.20%  2.50%   0.70%
Net interest margin to average earning assets (FTE)  2.84%  3.15%   (0.31)%
         

Noninterest Income

  Three Months Ended
  12/31/2024 9/30/2024 6/30/2024 3/31/2024 12/31/2023
Service charges and fees          
Trust and investment services  641   619   607   641   433 
ATM and debit card  532   541   545   512   549 
Service charges on deposit accounts  170   163   162   140   211 
Total  1,343   1,323   1,314   1,293   1,193 
Net gain on sales of residential mortgage loans  143   211   177   143   96 
Net gain on sales of commercial loans  85   133   98   296   226 
Change in fair value of equity investments  (27)  33   (3)  (10)  42 
Changes in the fair value of MSR  (160)  (175)  (44)  (96)  (108)
Other          
Mortgage servicing fees  386   389   386   394   398 
Change in cash surrender value of corporate owned life insurance  215   206   207   204   192 
Other  139   90   179   131   106 
Total  740   685   772   729   696 
Total noninterest income $2,124  $2,210  $2,314  $2,355  $2,145 
           
Memo items:          
Residential mortgage operations $369  $425  $519  $441  $386 
                     

  Twelve Months Ended
December 31
 Variance
  2024 2023 Amount %
Service charges and fees        
Trust and investment services $2,508  $2,137 $371  17.36%
ATM and debit card  2,130   2,218  (88) (3.97)%
Service charges on deposit accounts  635   897  (262) (29.21)%
Total  5,273   5,252  21  0.40%
Net gain on sales of residential mortgage loans  674   619  55  8.89%
Net gain on sales of commercial loans  612   321  291  90.65%
Change in fair value of equity investments  (7)  13  (20) (153.85)%
Changes in the fair value of MSR  (475)  110  (585) (531.82)%
Other        
Mortgage servicing fees  1,555   1,608  (53) (3.30)%
Change in cash surrender value of corporate owned life insurance  832   723  109  15.08%
Other  539   625  (86) (13.76)%
Total  2,926   2,956  (30) (1.01)%
Total noninterest income $9,003  $9,271 $(268) (2.89)%
         
Memo items:        
Residential mortgage operations $1,754  $2,337 $(583) (24.95)%
         

Noninterest Expenses

  Three Months Ended
  12/31/2024 9/30/2024 6/30/2024 3/31/2024 12/31/2023
Compensation and benefits $5,083 $5,839 $5,842 $6,066 $5,521
Professional services  594  799  963  894  695
Furniture and equipment  661  668  689  727  696
Data processing  817  751  490  547  505
Occupancy  626  622  605  623  610
Loan and collection  261  349  425  322  301
Advertising and promotional  240  312  337  348  139
Other          
Acquisition related expenses  275  953      
FDIC insurance premiums  280  275  327  299  270
ATM and debit card  216  214  188  171  158
Telephone and communication  173  95  86  109  103
Amortization of core deposit intangibles  45  44  44  45  76
Other general and administrative  884  1,053  925  1,015  1,047
Total  1,873  2,634  1,570  1,639  1,654
Total noninterest expenses $10,155 $11,974 $10,921 $11,166 $10,121
           

  Twelve Months Ended
December 31
 Variance
  2024 2023 Amount %
Compensation and benefits $22,830 $22,397 $433  1.93%
Professional services  3,250  3,424  (174) (5.08)%
Furniture and equipment  2,745  2,775  (30) (1.08)%
Data processing  2,605  2,159  446  20.66%
Occupancy  2,476  2,425  51  2.10%
Loan and collection  1,357  1,230  127  10.33%
Advertising and promotional  1,237  1,605  (368) (22.93)%
Other        
Acquisition related expenses  1,228    1,228  N/M 
FDIC insurance premiums  1,181  1,131  50  4.42%
ATM and debit card  789  651  138  21.20%
Telephone and communication  463  437  26  5.95%
Amortization of core deposit intangibles  178  303  (125) (41.25)%
Other general and administrative  3,877  4,131  (254) (6.15)%
Total  7,716  6,653  1,063  15.98%
Total noninterest expenses $44,216 $42,668 $1,548  3.63%
         

Balance Sheet Breakdown

  12/31/2024 9/30/2024 6/30/2024 3/31/2024 12/31/2023
ASSETS          
Cash and due from banks $212,136 $199,717 $128,590 $132,349 $90,661
Total investment securities  93,999  99,724  100,167  103,210  107,615
Residential mortgage loans held-for-sale, at fair value  1,090  1,861  2,440  1,067  747
Gross loans  1,436,902  1,442,389  1,459,929  1,461,465  1,473,471
Less allowance for credit losses  14,400  14,700  15,300  15,300  15,400
Net loans  1,422,502  1,427,689  1,444,629  1,446,165  1,458,071
All other assets  77,891  78,379  80,803  81,838  81,858
Total assets $1,807,618 $1,807,370 $1,756,629 $1,764,629 $1,738,952
           
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY          
Total deposits $1,469,496 $1,470,586 $1,427,059 $1,438,408 $1,394,182
Total borrowed funds  179,634  179,970  178,397  178,500  198,500
Accrued interest payable and other liabilities  9,720  10,416  7,872  6,647  7,568
Total liabilities  1,658,850  1,660,972  1,613,328  1,623,555  1,600,250
Total shareholders’ equity  148,768  146,398  143,301  141,074  138,702
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $1,807,618 $1,807,370 $1,756,629 $1,764,629 $1,738,952
           

  12/31/2024 vs 9/30/2024 12/31/2024 vs 12/31/2023
  Variance Variance
  Amount % Amount %
ASSETS        
Cash and due from banks $12,419  6.22% $121,475  133.99%
Total investment securities  (5,725) (5.74)%  (13,616) (12.65)%
Residential mortgage loans held-for-sale, at fair value  (771) (41.43)%  343  45.92%
Gross loans  (5,487) (0.38)%  (36,569) (2.48)%
Less allowance for credit losses  (300) (2.04)%  (1,000) (6.49)%
Net loans  (5,187) (0.36)%  (35,569) (2.44)%
All other assets  (488) (0.62)%  (3,967) (4.85)%
Total assets $248  0.01% $68,666  3.95%
         
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY        
Total deposits $(1,090) (0.07)% $75,314  5.40%
Total borrowed funds  (336) (0.19)%  (18,866) (9.50)%
Accrued interest payable and other liabilities  (696) (6.68)%  2,152  28.44%
Total liabilities  (2,122) (0.13)%  58,600  3.66%
Total shareholders’ equity  2,370  1.62%  10,066  7.26%
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $248  0.01% $68,666  3.95%
         

About Fentura Financial, Inc. and The State Bank

Fentura Financial, Inc. is the holding company for The State Bank. It was formed in 1987 and is traded on the OTCQX exchange under the symbol FETM, and has been recognized as one of the Top 50 performing stocks on that exchange.

The State Bank is a 5-Star Bauer Financial rated commercial, retail and trust bank headquartered in Fenton, Michigan. It currently operates 20 full-service offices and one loan production center serving Bay, Genesee, Ingham, Jackson, Livingston, Oakland, Saginaw, and Shiawassee counties. The State Bank believes in the potential of banking to help create better lives, better businesses, and better communities, and works to achieve this through its full array of consumer, mortgage, SBA, commercial and wealth management banking and advisory services, together with philanthropic and volunteer support to organizations and groups within the communities it serves. More information can be found at www.thestatebank.com or www.fentura.com.

Cautionary Statement: This press release contains certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning future growth in earning assets and net income. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, economic, competitive, governmental and technological factors affecting the Company’s operations, markets, products, services, interest rates and fees for services. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

Contacts:Ronald L. Justice Aaron D. Wirsing
 President & CEOChief Financial Officer
 Fentura Financial, Inc.Fentura Financial, Inc.
 810.714.3902810.714.3925
 ron.justice@thestatebank.com aaron.wirsing@thestatebank.com

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