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Nicolet Bankshares Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 20 January 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Full-year net income and EPS rose: Full-year net income was $151 million and diluted EPS was $9.78, up 21.5% from 2024. Return on average assets was 1.68% and return on average tangible common equity 18.53% (non-GAAP). Source
  • Fourth-quarter net income eased sequentially: Fourth-quarter net income was $40 million and diluted EPS was $2.65, against $42 million and $2.73 in third quarter 2025. Fourth quarter 2024 diluted EPS was $2.19. Source
  • Full-year net interest margin widened: Net interest margin was 3.76% for 2025, up 29 bps from 3.47%. Yield on interest-earning assets rose 10 bps to 5.76%, while the cost of interest-bearing liabilities fell 27 bps to 2.76%. Source
  • Expenses rose on personnel and merger costs: Noninterest expense was $201 million for 2025, up $9 million. Personnel expense rose $7 million on higher incentives and annual merit increases. Fourth-quarter merger-related expense was $1.96 million. Source
  • Nonperforming assets rose to 0.35%: Nonperforming assets were $32 million, or 0.35% of total assets, compared with 0.31% at September 30 and 0.33% a year earlier. Source
  • Integration is the work after closing: Management said the real work begins at closing: melding two similar cultures and geographies into one, with integration running over several months. Source

“2025 was a defining year for Nicolet. We delivered record earnings and earnings per share while exceeding our targets across nearly every key performance metric.”

Mike Daniels, Chairman, President, and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Quarterly cash dividend Sourcepayable March 16, 2026 (record date March 2, 2026)$0.32 per share
MidWest One merger closing Sourcefirst quarter 2026first quarter 2026New

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Agreement to combine with MidWest One, with closing expected in the first quarter of 2026. The prior release did not mention the transaction. Source
  • New: Merger-related expense of $1.96 million appears as a separate expense line in fourth quarter 2025. The prior quarter shows no such line. Source

Full-year and fourth-quarter results

  • Full-year net income and EPS rose: Full-year net income was $151 million and diluted EPS was $9.78, up 21.5% from 2024. Return on average assets was 1.68% and return on average tangible common equity 18.53% (non-GAAP). Source
  • Fourth-quarter net income eased sequentially: Fourth-quarter net income was $40 million and diluted EPS was $2.65, against $42 million and $2.73 in third quarter 2025. Fourth quarter 2024 diluted EPS was $2.19. Source
  • Adjusted EPS excludes merger costs: Adjusted diluted EPS was $2.73 for the quarter and $9.82 for the year. Adjustments removed asset gains and losses and $1.96 million of merger-related expense. Source

Net interest income and margin

  • Full-year net interest margin widened: Net interest margin was 3.76% for 2025, up 29 bps from 3.47%. Yield on interest-earning assets rose 10 bps to 5.76%, while the cost of interest-bearing liabilities fell 27 bps to 2.76%. Source
  • Net interest income rose $38 million: Net interest income was $306 million for 2025, attributed to both favorable rates and favorable volumes. Interest expense fell $6 million as lower overall deposit rates more than offset deposit growth. Source
  • Fourth-quarter margin held at 3.86%: Net interest income rose $2 million in the quarter on lower average funding costs from recent rate cuts. Yield on earning assets fell 13 bps to 5.72%. Source

“Based on what I’ve seen thus far through the integration planning process, I am more excited by this combination than I ever have been.”

Mike Daniels, Chairman, President, and CEO

Noninterest income and expenses

  • Full-year fee income rose $3 million: Noninterest income was $86 million for 2025. Excluding asset gains and losses, it rose $6 million, with wealth fees and net mortgage income each up $2 million. Source
  • Fourth-quarter fee income dipped on equity marks: Fourth-quarter noninterest income was $23 million, down $1 million. The decline was mostly a $0.9 million unfavorable change in equity security valuation gains. Source
  • Expenses rose on personnel and merger costs: Noninterest expense was $201 million for 2025, up $9 million. Personnel expense rose $7 million on higher incentives and annual merit increases. Fourth-quarter merger-related expense was $1.96 million. Source

Balance sheet, loans and deposits

  • Total assets rose on higher cash: Period-end assets were $9.2 billion, up $156 million from September 30, mostly from higher cash balances tied to deposit growth. Source
  • Core deposits grew in the quarter: Customer (core) deposits rose $144 million in the quarter, partly offset by a $25 million drop in brokered deposits. Core deposits totaled $7.15 billion at year-end. Source
  • Core deposits grew over the year: Core deposits rose $497 million, or 7%, over 2025. Source
  • Loans declined slightly in the quarter: Total loans fell $38 million from September 30 to $6.84 billion. Loans rose $210 million, or 3%, over the year. Source

“Delivering record net income while expanding our net interest margin and growing core deposits reflects the strength of our core community bank franchise and the trust our customers place in us.”

Mike Daniels, Chairman, President, and CEO

Asset quality and credit costs

  • Nonperforming assets rose to 0.35%: Nonperforming assets were $32 million, or 0.35% of total assets, compared with 0.31% at September 30 and 0.33% a year earlier. Source
  • Allowance held near 1% of loans: The allowance for credit losses on loans was $69 million, or 1.01% of total loans, up from 1.00% at September 30. Source
  • Provision and charge-offs remained low: Provision for credit losses was $4.25 million for 2025, up from $3.85 million in 2024. Management said loan net charge-offs were negligible. Source

Capital and shareholder returns

  • Total capital rose $43 million: Total capital was $1.3 billion, up $43 million from September 30, on earnings and securities valuation gains, less the quarterly dividend. Source
  • No buybacks in fourth quarter: No common shares were repurchased in fourth quarter 2025. For full-year 2025, 646,002 shares were repurchased for $76.6 million. Source
  • Tangible book value per share rose: Tangible book value per common share was $59.09 at year-end, up from $51.10 at December 31, 2024. Source
  • Quarterly dividend declared at $0.32: The Board declared a $0.32 per share quarterly cash dividend, payable March 16, 2026. Source

MidWest One merger and integration

  • Integration is the work after closing: Management said the real work begins at closing: melding two similar cultures and geographies into one, with integration running over several months. Source
  • Management cites team enthusiasm: Daniels said he has sensed nothing but excitement from MidWest One employees and has little doubt the two teams will come together quickly. Source
  • Community banking model framed for 2026: Daniels attributed the company's positioning for 2026 to a community banking model rooted in long-term thinking, including welcoming MidWest One customers and employees. Source

Coming up, as management said on 20 January 2026

  • Integration over the next several months: After closing, integration continues over the next several months, aimed at shared success for shareholders, customers and employees. Source
  • MidWest One closing in first quarter: Closing is expected in the first quarter of 2026, following regulatory and shareholder approvals. Source
  • Dividend payable March 16, 2026: The $0.32 quarterly dividend is payable March 16, 2026, to holders of record on March 2, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Net interest margin, fourth quarter Source3.86%
Net interest income, fourth quarter Source$81 million
Total loans, period end Source$6.84 billion
Loan growth, year over year Source$210 million (3%)
Total deposits, period end Source$7.7 billion
Cost of interest-bearing liabilities, fourth quarter Source2.61%
Provision for credit losses, fourth quarter Source$750 thousand
Net loan charge-offs, fourth quarter Source$529 thousand
Nonperforming assets to total assets Source0.35%
Efficiency ratio, fourth quarter Source51.00%

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: Closing depends on regulatory and shareholder approvals, which the first-quarter timing is tied to. Source
  • Operational: Management described integration of the two organizations as the work that follows closing. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said 2025 exceeded targets across nearly every key performance metric. Source
  • Not stated: Management expects the MidWest One transaction to close in the first quarter of 2026, subject to approvals. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.