SmartFinancial Announces Results for the First Quarter 2025

Regular Quarterly Cash Dividend

SmartFinancial, Inc. ("SmartFinancial" or the "Company"; NYSE: SMBK), today announced net income of $11.3 million, or $0.67 per diluted common share, for the first quarter of 2025, compared to net income of $9.4 million, or $0.55 per diluted common share, for the first quarter of 2024, and compared to prior quarter net income of $9.6 million, or $0.57 per diluted common share. Operating earnings¹, which excludes non-recurring income, net of tax adjustments, totaled $11.3 million, or $0.67 per diluted common share, in the first quarter of 2025, compared to $8.4 million, or $0.49 per diluted common share, in the first quarter of 2024, and compared to $9.6 million, or $0.57 per diluted common share, in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Highlights for the First Quarter of 2025

• Operating earnings¹ of $11.3 million, or $0.67 per diluted common share
• Net organic loan and lease growth of $86 million with 9% annualized quarter-over-quarter increase
• Deposit growth of $122 million or 10% annualized quarter-over-quarter
• Credit quality remains solid with nonperforming assets to total assets of 0.19%
• Five business production team members across Private Banking and Treasury Management hired and onboarded

Billy Carroll, President & CEO, stated: "Our company delivered positive first quarter results with earnings and growth trends continuing their upward trajectory. Despite the recent volatility and turbulent geopolitical headlines, our markets remain resilient, and we continue to see ample opportunity as demonstrated by our 9% quarterly annualized loan growth. Our capital base and balance sheet are well positioned and our asset quality remains solid with non-performing assets to total assets at only 0.19%. As we head into 2025, we look forward to serving our clients through all economic environments while enhancing profitability and value for our shareholders.”

SmartFinancial's Chairman, Miller Welborn, concluded: "The Board is pleased with the strong start to 2025 both financially and culturally. Tangible book value per share grew 9% annualized and our efficiency ratio continued to improve. Equally exciting are the positive impacts we are seeing from another year of investment in SmartBank’s numerous employee engagement programs. Level Up Leadership, SmartBank Mentorship, the Capstone Project, and other initiatives continue to elevate our associates and company to new levels of success. We look forward to seeing the advancement and growth of all our associates throughout the year to come.”

Net Interest Income and Net Interest Margin

Net interest income was $38.2 million for the first quarter of 2025, compared to $37.8 million for the prior quarter. Average earning assets totaled $4.9 billion, an increase of $185.7 million from the prior quarter. The balances of average earnings assets changed quarter-over-quarter, primarily from an increase in average loans and leases of $111.0 million, average interest-earning cash of $73.2 million and securities of $1.5 million. Average interest-bearing liabilities increased by $179.8 million from the prior quarter, primarily attributable to an increase in average deposits of $180.7 million, offset by a decrease in borrowings of $925 thousand.

The tax equivalent net interest margin was 3.21% for the first quarter of 2025, compared to 3.24% for the prior quarter. The tax equivalent net interest margin was negatively impacted primarily by the decreased yield on interest-earning assets and offset by a decrease in the cost of interest-bearing liabilities, quarter-over-quarter. The yield on loans and leases, excluding loan fees, on a fully tax equivalent basis (“FTE”) was 5.88% for the first quarter, compared to 5.95% for the prior quarter.

The cost of total deposits for the first quarter of 2025 was 2.37%, compared to 2.43% in the prior quarter. The cost of interest-bearing liabilities was 2.97% for the first quarter, compared to 3.08% in the prior quarter. The cost of average interest-bearing deposits was 2.92% for the first quarter of 2025, compared to 3.02% for the prior quarter, a decrease of 10 basis points.

The following table presents selected interest rates and yields for the periods indicated:

Provision for Credit Losses on Loans and Leases and Credit Quality

At March 31, 2025, the allowance for credit losses was $38.2 million. The allowance for credit losses to total loans and leases was 0.96% as of March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024.

The following table presents detailed information related to the provision for credit losses for the periods indicated (dollars in thousands):

Nonperforming loans and leases as a percentage of total loans and leases was 0.20% as of March 31, 2025, and the fourth quarter of 2024. Total nonperforming assets (which include nonaccrual loans and leases, loans and leases past due 90 days or more and still accruing, other real estate owned and other repossessed assets) as a percentage of total assets was 0.19% as of March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024.

The following table presents detailed information related to credit quality for the periods indicated (dollars in thousands):

Noninterest Income

Noninterest income decreased $433 thousand to $8.6 million for the first quarter of 2025, compared to $9.0 million for the prior quarter. The current quarter decrease was primarily attributable to decreases of $420 thousand in insurance commissions, $112 thousand in interchange and debit card transaction fees and $134 thousand in other, offset by a $387 thousand increase in investment services.

The following table presents detailed information related to noninterest income for the periods indicated (dollars in thousands):

Noninterest Expense

Noninterest expense remained at $32.3 million for the first quarter of 2025 and the prior quarter. The quarter-over-quarter increase was minimal but there were changes within the categories of noninterest expense. The primary increases were in professional services related to additional auditing fees and other non-interest expenses related to higher operational cost, offset by lower salaries and employee benefits incentive accruals and other real estate and loan related expenses from write downs on repossessed assets at the Company’s equipment leasing subsidiary taken in the prior quarter.

The following table presents detailed information related to noninterest expense for the periods indicated (dollars in thousands):

Income Tax Expense

Income tax expense was $2.3 million for the first quarter of 2025, a decrease of $441 thousand, compared to $2.7 million for the prior quarter. The decrease is due to a lower effective tax rate related to SmartBank’s Real Estate Investment Trust.

Balance Sheet Trends

Total assets at March 31, 2025, were $5.41 billion compared to $5.28 billion at December 31, 2024. The $135.3 million increase is primarily attributable to increases in loans and leases of $85.9 million, cash and cash equivalents of $35.4 million and securities of $16.0 million.

Total liabilities were $4.91 billion at March 31, 2025, compared to $4.78 billion at December 31, 2024, an increase of $120.8 million. Total deposits increased $122.2 million, which was driven primarily by increases in money market deposits of $92.3 million, other time deposits of $54.9 million, interest-bearing demand deposits of $48.3 million and the issuance of brokered deposits of $7.9 million, offset by a decline in noninterest demand deposits of $81.3 million.

Shareholders' equity at March 31, 2025, totaled $505.9 million, an increase of $14.5 million, from December 31, 2024. The increase in shareholders' equity was primarily driven by net income of $11.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, and a positive change of $4.0 million in accumulated other comprehensive loss, offset by dividends paid of $1.4 million. Tangible book value per share¹ was $23.61 at March 31, 2025, compared to $22.85 at December 31, 2024. Tangible common equity¹ as a percentage of tangible assets¹ was 7.57% at March 31, 2025, compared with 7.48% at December 31, 2024.

The following table presents selected balance sheet information for the periods indicated (dollars in thousands):

Board of Directors Declares Dividend

On April 17, 2025, the board of directors of SmartFinancial declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.08 per share of SmartFinancial common stock payable on May 19, 2025, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on May 2, 2025.

Conference Call Information

SmartFinancial issued this earnings release for the first quarter of 2025 on Monday, April 21, 2025, and will host a conference call on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. ET. To access this interactive teleconference, dial (833) 470-1428 or (404) 975-4839 and entering the access code, 348422. A replay of the conference call will be available through June 21, 2025, by dialing (866) 813-9403 or (929) 458-6194 and entering the access code, 167602. Conference call materials will be published on the Company’s webpage located at http://www.smartfinancialinc.com/CorporateProfile, at 9:00 a.m. ET prior to the conference call.

About SmartFinancial, Inc.

SmartFinancial, Inc., based in Knoxville, Tennessee, is the bank holding company for SmartBank. SmartBank is a full-service commercial bank founded in 2007, with branches across Tennessee, Alabama, and Florida. Recruiting the best people, delivering exceptional client service, strategic branching, and a disciplined approach to lending have contributed to SmartBank’s success. More information about SmartFinancial can be found on its website: www.smartfinancialinc.com.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Statements included in this earnings release include measures not recognized under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and therefore are considered Non-GAAP financial measures (“Non-GAAP”) and should be read along with the accompanying tables, which provide a reconciliation of Non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP financial measures. SmartFinancial management uses several Non-GAAP financial measures and ratios derived therefrom in its analysis of the Company's performance, including:

Operating earnings, operating PPNR earnings, operating noninterest income and operating noninterest expense exclude non-operating related income and expense items from net income, noninterest income and noninterest expense, respectively. Tangible common equity and average tangible common equity exclude goodwill and other intangible assets from shareholders' equity and average shareholders' equity, respectively. Tangible book value per common share is tangible common equity divided by common shares outstanding. Tangible assets excludes goodwill and other intangibles from total assets. Operating efficiency ratio is the quotient of operating noninterest expense divided by the sum of net interest income adjusted for taxable equivalent yields plus operating noninterest income. A detailed reconciliation of these items and the ratios derived therefrom is available in the Non-GAAP reconciliations.

Management believes that Non-GAAP financial measures provide additional useful information that allows investors to evaluate the ongoing performance of the company and provide meaningful comparisons to its peers. Management also believes these Non-GAAP financial measures enhance investors' ability to compare period-to-period financial results and allow investors and company management to view our operating results excluding the impact of items that are not reflective of the underlying operating performance.

Non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered as an alternative to any measure of performance or financial condition as promulgated under GAAP, and investors should consider SmartFinancial's performance and financial condition as reported under GAAP and all other relevant information when assessing the performance or financial condition of the company. Non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as analytical tools, and investors should not consider them in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of the results or financial condition as reported under GAAP.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain statements that are based on management’s current estimates or expectations of future events or future results, and that may be deemed to constitute forward-looking statements as defined under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are not historical in nature and can generally be identified by such words as “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “seek,” “may,” “estimate,” and similar expressions. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results of SmartFinancial to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties, and other factors include, among others,

These and other factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in SmartFinancial’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K, in each case filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and available on the SEC’s website (www.sec.gov). Undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. SmartFinancial disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this release, which speak only as of the date hereof, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.