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Nicolet Bankshares Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 21 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net income fell on merger costs: Core net income, a non-GAAP measure, was $52 million; the release says non-core items were mostly merger-related expenses. Source
  • Diluted EPS lower, core EPS higher: Core diluted EPS was $2.75 against $2.73. Non-core items reduced GAAP diluted EPS by $1.94 in the quarter. Source
  • Assets rose on acquisition: MidWest One added $6.1 billion of total assets at closing, including $4.4 billion of loans and $5.3 billion of deposits. Source
  • Funding costs fell 25 basis points: Cost of interest-bearing liabilities fell to 2.36%, while the yield on interest-earning assets rose one basis point to 5.73%. Source
  • Noninterest expense rose $57 million: Noninterest expense totalled $110 million, including $40.7 million of merger-related expense against $2.0 million in fourth quarter 2025. Source
  • Merger costs drove most of the rise: Non-personnel expense rose $49 million, including merger costs, as the larger operating base added occupancy and other expense. Source
  • Denver branches to Sunwest Bank: The all-cash sale covers Denver branches acquired from MidWest One, with about $390 million of loans and $380 million of deposits at March 31. Source

“This quarter reflects disciplined execution through a period of transformational growth,”

Mike Daniels, Chairman, President, and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Quarterly common dividend SourceDividend payable June 15, 2026$0.36 per shareRaised from $0.32 per share

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Quarterly dividend raised to $0.36 per share from $0.32, an increase of 13%. Source
  • New: MidWest One acquisition completed on February 13, 2026, with about 6.6 million Nicolet shares issued. Source
  • New: Agreement signed to sell the Denver branches acquired from MidWest One to Sunwest Bank. Source
  • New: Share repurchase program restarted during the quarter, with $22.4 million of stock repurchased. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net income fell on merger costs: Core net income, a non-GAAP measure, was $52 million; the release says non-core items were mostly merger-related expenses. Source
  • Diluted EPS lower, core EPS higher: Core diluted EPS was $2.75 against $2.73. Non-core items reduced GAAP diluted EPS by $1.94 in the quarter. Source
  • Fee income rose on acquired wealth business: Excluding asset gains and losses, noninterest income rose $3 million, including wealth fees up $2 million from MidWest One. Source
  • Tangible returns differ from GAAP returns: GAAP return on average tangible common equity was 6.49%, while the core figure was 19.30%. Return on average equity was 3.44%. Source

Balance sheet and deposits

  • Assets rose on acquisition: MidWest One added $6.1 billion of total assets at closing, including $4.4 billion of loans and $5.3 billion of deposits. Source
  • Noninterest-bearing deposits rose sharply: Noninterest-bearing demand deposits were $2.54 billion at March 31, against $1.83 billion at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Loan growth mostly acquired: Loans rose from $6.84 billion at year-end to $10.88 billion at March 31, with the acquisition adding $4.4 billion. Source
  • Reciprocal deposits moved to core: Fully reciprocated ICS balances were reclassified from brokered to core deposits. Prior periods were restated; total deposits did not change. Source

“We delivered solid core earnings, expanded margins, and increased tangible book value with no material per share dilution in book value from the MidWest One acquisition.”

Mike Daniels, Chairman, President, and CEO

Margins and interest income

  • Funding costs fell 25 basis points: Cost of interest-bearing liabilities fell to 2.36%, while the yield on interest-earning assets rose one basis point to 5.73%. Source
  • Earning assets grew on acquisition: Average loans rose $2.3 billion and average securities rose $578 million, mostly from MidWest One. Source
  • Purchase accounting accretion added income: Purchase accounting accretion on acquired loans was $4.9 million in the quarter, against $0.9 million in fourth quarter 2025. Source

Costs and merger expense

  • Noninterest expense rose $57 million: Noninterest expense totalled $110 million, including $40.7 million of merger-related expense against $2.0 million in fourth quarter 2025. Source
  • Merger costs drove most of the rise: Non-personnel expense rose $49 million, including merger costs, as the larger operating base added occupancy and other expense. Source
  • Personnel costs rose with staff: Personnel expense reflected the larger employee base after the acquisition, according to the release. Source

“The integration continues as planned with no surprises and I am continually encouraged by the alignment between our teams.”

Mike Daniels, Chairman, President, and CEO

Asset quality

  • Nonperforming assets rose on acquired loans: Nonperforming assets rose from $32 million at year-end, with the increase largely due to the MidWest One acquisition. Source
  • Allowance rose with acquisition: The allowance was $69 million at year-end. The increase was mostly from the acquisition, including $4.7 million of provision on unfunded commitments. Source
  • Net charge-offs described as negligible: Management described asset quality trends as solid, with loan net charge-offs at negligible levels in the quarter. Source
  • Nonaccrual loans increased: Nonaccrual loans rose from $31.7 million at year-end, and nonperforming loans were 0.68% of total loans at March 31. Source

Capital and shareholder returns

  • Tangible book value per share rose: Tangible book value per common share was $60.47, up from $59.09 at year-end. Book value per common share was $105.87. Source
  • Buybacks restarted at $22 million: The company repurchased 149,499 shares for $22.4 million, after no repurchases in fourth quarter 2025. Source
  • Equity ratio fell with acquisition: Tangible common equity to tangible assets was 8.82%, down from 9.94% at year-end, as the acquisition added goodwill and intangibles. Source

Denver sale and integration

  • Denver branches to Sunwest Bank: The all-cash sale covers Denver branches acquired from MidWest One, with about $390 million of loans and $380 million of deposits at March 31. Source
  • Integration proceeding as planned: Management said the integration continues as planned, the teams are aligned, and no surprises have arisen so far. Source
  • Return to top-decile profitability sought: After the integration, management aims to return to its regular position of producing top decile core profitability. No figure was given. Source

Coming up, as management said on 21 April 2026

  • Core conversion set for late summer: After the core conversion in late summer, management expects anticipated cost savings to be realized. Source
  • Denver sale expected to close: The Denver branch sale is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory approval. Source
  • Dividend payment date: The $0.36 quarterly dividend is payable June 15, 2026, to holders of record as of June 1, 2026. Source
  • Second quarter earnings release date: Management expects to issue the second quarter 2026 earnings release on July 21, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Net interest margin Source3.98%
Net interest income Source$110 million
Loans Source$10.88 billion
Deposits Source$12.6 billion
Interest-bearing deposit cost Source2.31%
Provision for credit losses Source$6.05 million
Net charge-offs Source$833 thousand (0.04% of average loans)
Nonperforming assets Source$79 million (0.51% of total assets)
Efficiency ratio Source80.30%

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Merger-related costs were the main non-core item, lowering diluted EPS by $1.94 in the quarter. Source
  • Regulatory: The Denver sale depends on regulatory approval and other standard closing conditions, with timing set for the third quarter. Source
  • Financial: Allowance and nonperforming assets both rose with the acquired loan book, as the release describes. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: The earlier plan was a first-quarter close. The current release says the acquisition completed on February 13, 2026.
  • On track: Management said the integration continues as planned, with no surprises to date. Source
  • Not stated: Management said it looks to return to its regular position of top decile core profitability. No date was given. 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.