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Simmons First National Corp.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 16 April 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net income and diluted EPS fell: Net income was $68.5 million and diluted EPS $0.47, against $78.1 million and $0.54 in the fourth quarter; ROAA was 1.13% and ROE 8.01%. Source
  • Margin rose three basis points: Net interest margin was 3.84%, up 3 bps from 3.81% in the fourth quarter and 89 bps from 2.95% a year earlier. Source
  • Loans rose 10% annualized: Total loans reached $17.9 billion, up $440.7 million or 10% annualized from the fourth quarter; the increase was led by commercial real estate, commercial and industrial, mortgage warehouse and agricultural. Source
  • Net charge-offs fell to 21 basis points: Net charge-offs were 21 bps of average loans, down from 112 bps in the fourth quarter and 23 bps a year earlier. Source
  • Provision exceeded charge-offs: Provision expense was $14.6 million, $5.5 million above net charge-offs, against $15.1 million in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Nonperforming loans rose: Nonperforming loans were $141.9 million, 0.79% of total loans, up from $112.7 million in the fourth quarter; the coverage ratio fell to 162% from 199%. Source
  • No buybacks in the quarter: No shares were repurchased in the first quarter of 2026; about $175 million of authorization remained at March 31, 2026. Source

“Loans grew 10 percent linked quarter annualized, with growth broad-based across geography and industry.”

Jay Brogdon, Simmons’ President and CEO

What changed from last quarter

  • New: A repurchase program authorized in February 2026 (2026 Program) replaced the January 2024 program. Source

Results and earnings

  • Net income and diluted EPS fell: Net income was $68.5 million and diluted EPS $0.47, against $78.1 million and $0.54 in the fourth quarter; ROAA was 1.13% and ROE 8.01%. Source
  • Revenue and pre-provision income declined: Total revenue was $241.4 million and PPNR $100.7 million, against $249.0 million and $109.1 million in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Certain items were small in total: Items included an FDIC deposit insurance special assessment shown as (2.0), professional services of 1.2, branch right sizing of 0.6 and early retirement costs of 0.3; total pre-tax impact was 0.1. Source

Net interest income and margin

  • Net interest income held steady: Net interest income was $197.2 million, little changed from $197.3 million in the fourth quarter and up from $163.4 million a year earlier. Source
  • Margin rose three basis points: Net interest margin was 3.84%, up 3 bps from 3.81% in the fourth quarter and 89 bps from 2.95% a year earlier. Source
  • Interest expense fell year over year: Interest expense was $39.8 million lower than a year earlier, including a $32.9 million drop in interest bearing deposit costs; the company cited the 2025 repositioning and a lower rate environment. Source
  • Loan yield edged lower: Loan yield was 6.16% on a fully taxable equivalent basis, against 6.23% in the fourth quarter. Source

“Net interest margin expanded linked quarter, increasing three basis points to 3.84 percent, benefiting from disciplined relationship pricing, fixed rate asset repricing and improving funding costs.”

Jay Brogdon, Simmons’ President and CEO

Loans and deposits

  • Loans rose 10% annualized: Total loans reached $17.9 billion, up $440.7 million or 10% annualized from the fourth quarter; the increase was led by commercial real estate, commercial and industrial, mortgage warehouse and agricultural. Source
  • Commercial pipeline and ready-to-close loans: The commercial loan pipeline was $1.6 billion at quarter end; ready-to-close commercial loans were $651 million at a weighted average rate of 6.40%. Source
  • Unfunded commitments increased: Unfunded loan commitments were $4.1 billion, compared with $3.9 billion at the end of the fourth quarter. Source
  • Deposits held flat: Total deposits were $20.2 billion, up $19 million from the fourth quarter; a $214 million rise in interest bearing transaction and savings accounts offset lower time deposits. Source
  • Loans to deposits rose: Total loans to total deposits was 89%, up from 87% in the fourth quarter. Source

Fee income and expenses

  • Noninterest income declined: Noninterest income was $44.2 million, down from $51.7 million; the company cited a negative SBIC valuation adjustment and bank owned life insurance death benefits in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Expense edged up on payroll taxes: Noninterest expense was $140.7 million against $139.9 million in the fourth quarter; adjusted noninterest expense was $140.6 million. Source
  • Deposit insurance cost fell: Deposit insurance expense was $2.3 million, down from $4.7 million in the fourth quarter and $5.4 million a year earlier. Source
  • Efficiency ratio rose: Efficiency ratio was 57.56% against 55.52% in the fourth quarter; adjusted efficiency ratio was 56.16% against 53.64%. Source

“We are increasingly optimistic about the prospects for consistently achieving returns that exceed our long-range targets.”

Jay Brogdon, Simmons’ President and CEO

Asset quality and provision

  • Net charge-offs fell to 21 basis points: Net charge-offs were 21 bps of average loans, down from 112 bps in the fourth quarter and 23 bps a year earlier. Source
  • Provision exceeded charge-offs: Provision expense was $14.6 million, $5.5 million above net charge-offs, against $15.1 million in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Nonperforming loans rose: Nonperforming loans were $141.9 million, 0.79% of total loans, up from $112.7 million in the fourth quarter; the coverage ratio fell to 162% from 199%. Source
  • Allowance held near 1.28%: The allowance for credit losses on loans was $229.9 million, or 1.28% of loans, unchanged from the fourth quarter ratio. Source

Capital and shareholder returns

  • CET1 ratio slipped slightly: CET1 ratio was 11.58%, down from 11.63% in the fourth quarter; regulatory ratios for Simmons and Simmons Bank continued to exceed well-capitalized guidelines. Source
  • Book value per share rose: Book value per share was $23.70, up from $23.62, mainly from a $37.4 million increase in undivided profits. Source
  • No buybacks in the quarter: No shares were repurchased in the first quarter of 2026; about $175 million of authorization remained at March 31, 2026. Source
  • Dividend declared rose: Cash dividend declared was $0.2150 per share, against $0.2125 in the fourth quarter. Source

Talent and footprint

  • Talent environment described as favorable: Management described the talent environment as favorable for its organic growth priorities. Source
  • Headcount and branches slightly lower: Full-time equivalent employees were 2,913, against 2,917 in the fourth quarter; financial centers were 221, against 222. Source

Coming up, as management said on 16 April 2026

  • Future repurchases at management discretion: Timing, pricing and amount of any repurchases under the 2026 Program are set by management; the program does not obligate Simmons to repurchase shares. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Net interest margin (FTE) Source3.84%
Net interest income Source$197.2 million
Loans Source$17.9 billion
Deposits Source$20.2 billion
Provision for credit losses Source$14.6 million
Net charge-off ratio Source0.21%
Nonperforming assets Source$154.5 million
CET1 ratio Source11.58%
Efficiency ratio Source57.56%
Cost of deposits Source1.96%

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Nonperforming loans rose on one real estate construction relationship; management described it as well collateralized with limited loss content. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said it remains committed to disciplined growth and to designing a more efficient, scalable infrastructure. Source
  • Met: Management said the repositioning reduced wholesale funding and was completed in the third quarter of 2025. Source
  • Not stated: Management described continued planned run-off of higher-rate, non-relationship time deposits, with maturing funds reinvested in lower-cost deposits. 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.