Investar Holding Corporation Announces 2026 Third Quarter Results

BATON ROUGE, La., Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Investar Holding Corporation ("Investar") (NASDAQ: ISTR), the holding company for Investar Bank, National Association (the "Bank"), today announced financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2026. Investar reported net income available to common shareholders of $11.1 million, or $0.74 per diluted common share, for the third quarter of 2026, compared to net income available to common shareholders of $8.9 million, or $0.61 per diluted common share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, and net income available to common shareholders of $5.7 million, or $0.54 per diluted common share, for the quarter ended September 30, 2025.

On a non-GAAP basis, core earnings per diluted common share for the third quarter of 2026 were $0.77 compared to $0.75 for the second quarter of 2026, and $0.54 for the third quarter of 2025. Core earnings available to common shareholders excludes certain items including, but not limited to, gain on call or sale of investment securities, net; loss on sale or disposition of fixed assets, net; loss (gain) on sale of other real estate owned, net; change in the fair value of equity securities; change in the net asset value of other investments; write down of other real estate owned; severance; and acquisition expense (refer to the Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures tables for a reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP metrics).

Investar's President and Chief Executive Officer John D'Angelo commented:

"I am extremely pleased with our third quarter results, which reflect both the significant impact of our transformational acquisition of Wichita Falls Bancshares, Inc. ("WFB") and our continued execution of our strategy of consistent, quality earnings through the optimization of our balance sheet.

Our net interest margin improved substantially to 3.73%, a six basis point increase from previous quarter, and we posted strong results for our core metrics including diluted earnings per common share, return on average assets and efficiency ratio. We were able to grow the yield on interest-earning assets while maintaining low funding costs by replacing a portion of our higher cost brokered time deposits and time deposits with lower cost, non-maturing deposits.

We continued our strategy of allowing the consumer mortgage loans acquired from WFB to run off and replaced them with production in our business lending portfolio, primarily through the origination of higher yielding commercial and industrial loans. We remain enthusiastic about our positioning for future growth both organically and through potential acquisitions.

Additionally, on October 1, 2026, we purchased commercial and industrial, variable-rate revolving lines of credit totaling $65.0 million. The addition of these variable-rate products, combined with new loan production coming on at higher rates, supports our efforts to remix the loan portfolio and optimize the balance sheet.

As always, we remain focused on shareholder value and returning capital to shareholders. We repurchased 25,113 shares of our common stock during the third quarter at an average price of $29.44 per share."

Third Quarter Highlights

• Diluted earnings per common share were $0.74 for the quarter ended September 30, 2026 compared to $0.61 for the quarter ended June 30, 2026. Core diluted earnings per common share were $0.77 for the quarter ended September 30, 2026 compared to $0.75 for the quarter ended June 30, 2026. 

• Net interest margin improved six basis points to 3.73% for the quarter ended September 30, 2026 compared to 3.67% for the quarter ended June 30, 2026. Exclusive of the interest income accretion from the acquisition of loans and interest recoveries, adjusted net interest margin improved one basis point to 3.40% for the quarter ended September 30, 2026 compared to 3.39% for the quarter ended June 30, 2026. 

• Return on average assets was 1.21% for the quarter ended September 30, 2026 compared to 0.98% for the quarter ended June 30, 2026. Core return on average assets was 1.25% for the quarter ended September 30, 2026 compared to 1.21% for the quarter ended June 30, 2026. 
   
• Total Fina Elf loans increased by $6.9 million, or 0.2%, to $3.07 billion at September 30, 2026 compared to $3.06 billion at June 30, 2026. Excluding loans acquired from WFB, Total Fina Elf loans increased by $50.4 million, or 2.3%, to $2.26 billion at September 30, 2026 compared to $2.21 billion at June 30, 2026. 

• The business lending portfolio, which consists of loans secured by owner-occupied commercial real estate properties and commercial and industrial loans, increased by $37.9 million, or 3.1%, to $1.25 billion at September 30, 2026 compared to $1.21 billion at June 30, 2026. 

• During the third quarter of 2026, we originated and renewed loans, 59% of which were variable-rate loans, at a 7.0% blended interest rate. 

• Variable-rate loans as a percentage of Total Fina Elf loans was 51% at September 30, 2026 compared to 50% at June 30, 2026. Included in variable-rate loans are adjustable-rate mortgage loans we acquired in connection with our acquisition of WFB, which generally have fixed interest rates for an initial period depending on the loan term. 

• On October 1, 2026, Investar completed the purchase of commercial and industrial revolving lines of credit with an unpaid principal balance of approximately $65.0 million and Total Fina Elf commitments of $81.9 million. The revolving lines of credit are variable-rate with varying renewal terms. 

• During 2026, Investar hired thirteen commercial bankers, seven in our Texas markets and six in our Louisiana markets, to grow our commercial banking relationships, including loans, deposits and treasury management services. 

• Investar's regulatory tier 1 leverage capital ratio increased to 10.92%, or 3.4%, at September 30, 2026 compared to 10.56% at June 30, 2026. 

• Investar repurchased 25,113 shares of its common stock through its stock repurchase program during the quarter ended September 30, 2026, leaving 275,628 shares authorized for repurchase under the program at September 30, 2026.

Loans

Total Fina Elf loans were $3.07 billion at September 30, 2026, an increase of $6.9 million, or 0.2%, compared to June 30, 2026, and an increase of $916.3 million, or 42.6%, compared to September 30, 2025. On January 1, 2026, Investar closed its acquisition of WFB, headquartered in Wichita Falls, Texas, and its wholly-owned subsidiary, First National Bank , which increased Total Fina Elf loans by $961.9 million.

The following table sets forth the composition of the Total Fina Elf loan portfolio as of the dates indicated (dollars in thousands).

Construction and development loans totaled $228.5 million at September 30, 2026, a decrease of $33.3 million, or 12.7%, compared to $261.8 million at June 30, 2026, and an increase of $88.0 million, or 62.6%, compared to $140.6 million at September 30, 2025. The decrease in construction and development loans compared to June 30, 2026 was primarily due to planned run off of loans acquired from WFB, consisting of consumer mortgage and nonowner-occupied construction loans, and conversions to permanent loans upon completion of construction. The increase in construction and development loans compared to September 30, 2025 was primarily due to the acquisition of WFB, partially offset by planned run off of loans acquired from WFB, mostly consumer mortgage construction loans, and conversions to permanent loans upon completion of construction.

1-4 Family loans totaled $924.4 million at September 30, 2026, an increase of $17.0 million, or 1.9%, compared to $907.4 million at June 30, 2026, and an increase of $541.9 million, or 141.7%, compared to $382.4 million at September 30, 2025. The increase in 1-4 Family loans compared to June 30, 2026 was primarily due to conversions of construction and development loans to 1-4 Family loans upon completion of construction, partially offset by loan amortization and payoffs that aligned with our strategy to allow consumer mortgage loans to run off and replace them with production in our business lending portfolio. The increase in 1-4 Family loans compared to September 30, 2025 was primarily due to the acquisition of WFB. Substantially all of the 1-4 Family loans acquired from WFB were consumer mortgage loans with an adjustable rate.

At September 30, 2026, the Bank's Total Fina Elf business lending portfolio, which consists of loans secured by owner-occupied commercial real estate properties and commercial and industrial loans, was $1.25 billion, an increase of $37.9 million, or 3.1%, compared to $1.21 billion at June 30, 2026, and an increase of $225.9 million, or 22.1%, compared to $1.02 billion at September 30, 2025. The increase in the business lending portfolio compared to June 30, 2026 was primarily driven by increased commercial and industrial loan production. The increase in the business lending portfolio compared to September 30, 2025 was primarily driven by the acquisition of WFB and increased commercial and industrial loan production.

Nonowner-occupied loans totaled $497.1 million at September 30, 2026, a decrease of $15.4 million, or 3.0%, compared to $512.5 million at June 30, 2026, and an increase of $37.4 million, or 8.1%, compared to $459.7 million at September 30, 2025. The decrease in nonowner-occupied loans compared to June 30, 2026 was primarily due to loan amortization and payoffs that aligned with our continued strategy to optimize and de-risk the mix of the portfolio. The increase in nonowner-occupied loans compared to September 30, 2025 was primarily due to the acquisition of WFB.

Credit Quality

Nonperforming loans were $21.4 million, or 0.70% of Total Fina Elf loans, at September 30, 2026, an increase of $2.0 million compared to $19.4 million, or 0.63% of Total Fina Elf loans, at June 30, 2026, and an increase of $13.7 million compared to $7.7 million, or 0.36% of Total Fina Elf loans, at September 30, 2025. The increase in nonperforming loans compared to June 30, 2026 was primarily attributable to the downgrade of ten 1-4 Family loan relationships totaling $2.1 million and three owner-occupied commercial real estate relationships totaling $0.8 million, partially offset by paydowns.

The allowance for credit losses was $36.1 million, or 169.0% and 1.18% of nonperforming and Total Fina Elf loans, respectively, at September 30, 2026, compared to $36.3 million, or 187.3% and 1.18% of nonperforming and Total Fina Elf loans, respectively, at June 30, 2026, and $26.5 million, or 344.7% and 1.23% of nonperforming and Total Fina Elf loans, respectively, at September 30, 2025. On January 1, 2026, Investar recorded an $11.7 million allowance for credit losses due to the acquisition of WFB.

Investar recorded a reversal of credit losses of $0.1 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2026 compared to a provision for credit losses of $0.3 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2026 and a provision for credit losses of $0.1 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2025. The reversal of credit losses for the quarter ended September 30, 2026 was primarily due to changes in the economic forecast and loan mix. The provision for credit losses for the quarter ended June 30, 2026 was primarily due to adjustments to qualitative factors, partially offset by a decrease in Total Fina Elf loans. The provision for credit losses for the quarter ended September 30, 2025 was primarily due to loan growth, partially offset by changes in the economic forecast and loan mix.

Deposits

Total Fina Elf deposits at September 30, 2026 were $3.18 billion, a decrease of $33.1 million, or 1.0%, compared to $3.21 billion at June 30, 2026, and an increase of $808.1 million, or 34.1%, compared to $2.37 billion at September 30, 2025. The acquisition of WFB increased Total Fina Elf deposits by $1.02 billion on January 1, 2026, consisting of $187.9 million and $835.5 million of noninterest-bearing deposits and interest-bearing deposits, respectively.

The following table sets forth the composition of deposits as of the dates indicated (dollars in thousands).

The increase in noninterest-bearing demand deposits at September 30, 2026 compared to June 30, 2026 was primarily the result of organic growth. The decrease in time deposits at September 30, 2026 compared to June 30, 2026 was primarily due to maturities of higher cost time deposits. Brokered time deposits were $64.0 million at September 30, 2026 compared to $62.9 million at June 30, 2026 and $210.8 million at September 30, 2025. Investar utilizes brokered time deposits, entirely in denominations of less than $250,000, to secure fixed cost funding and reduce short-term borrowings. At September 30, 2026, the balance of brokered time deposits remained below 10% of Total Fina Elf assets, and the remaining weighted-average duration was approximately five months with a weighted-average rate of 3.93%.

We experienced growth in each deposit category, excluding brokered time deposits, compared to September 30, 2025 primarily as a result of the acquisition of WFB.

Stockholders' Equity

Stockholders' equity was $414.0 million at September 30, 2026, a decrease of $6.2 million compared to June 30, 2026, and an increase of $118.7 million compared to September 30, 2025. The decrease in stockholders' equity compared to June 30, 2026 was primarily attributable to an increase in accumulated other comprehensive loss due to a decrease in the fair value of the Bank's available for sale securities portfolio partially offset by net income for the quarter. The increase in stockholders' equity compared to September 30, 2025 was primarily attributable to the acquisition of WFB and net income for the last twelve months, partially offset by an increase in accumulated other comprehensive loss due to a decrease in the fair value of the Bank's available for sale securities portfolio.

Net Interest Income

Net interest income for the third quarter of 2026 totaled $33.8 million, an increase of $0.3 million, or 0.9%, compared to the second quarter of 2026, and an increase of $12.6 million, or 59.6%, compared to the third quarter of 2025. Total Fina Elf interest income was $53.3 million, $53.2 million and $37.1 million for the quarters ended September 30, 2026, June 30, 2026 and September 30, 2025, respectively. Total Fina Elf interest expense was $19.6 million, $19.8 million and $15.9 million for the corresponding periods. Included in net interest income for the quarters ended September 30, 2026, June 30, 2026 and September 30, 2025 was $3.0 million, $2.5 million and $6,000, respectively, of interest income accretion from the acquisition of loans. Also included in net interest income for the quarters ended September 30, 2026, June 30, 2026 and September 30, 2025 were interest recoveries of $6,000, $21,000 and $64,000, respectively.

Investar's net interest margin was 3.73% for the quarter ended September 30, 2026, compared to 3.67% for the quarter ended June 30, 2026 and 3.16% for the quarter ended September 30, 2025. The increase in net interest margin for the quarter ended September 30, 2026 compared to the quarter ended June 30, 2026 was primarily driven by a five basis point increase in the yield on interest-earning assets. The increase in net interest margin for the quarter ended September 30, 2026 compared to the quarter ended September 30, 2025 was primarily driven by a 35 basis point increase in the yield on interest-earning assets and a 24 basis point decrease in the overall cost of funds.

The yield on interest-earning assets was 5.88% for the quarter ended September 30, 2026, compared to 5.83% for the quarter ended June 30, 2026 and 5.53% for the quarter ended September 30, 2025. The increase in the yield on interest-earning assets compared to the quarter ended June 30, 2026 was primarily attributable to a 61 basis point increase in the yield on interest-bearing balances with banks and a two basis point increase in the yield on the loan portfolio. The increase in the yield on interest-earning assets compared to the quarter ended September 30, 2025 was primarily attributable to a 27 basis point increase in the yield on the loan portfolio.

Exclusive of the interest income accretion from the acquisition of loans and interest recoveries, adjusted net interest margin was 3.40% for the quarter ended September 30, 2026, compared to 3.39% for the quarter ended June 30, 2026 and 3.15% for the quarter ended September 30, 2025. The adjusted yield on interest-earning assets was 5.56% for the quarter ended September 30, 2026 compared to 5.55% and 5.52% for the quarters ended June 30, 2026 and September 30, 2025, respectively. Refer to the Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures tables for a reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP metrics.

The overall cost of deposits, which includes noninterest-bearing deposits, increased one basis point to 2.20% for the quarter ended September 30, 2026 compared to 2.19% for the quarter ended June 30, 2026 and decreased 26 basis points compared to 2.46% for the quarter ended September 30, 2025. The increase in the overall cost of deposits compared to the quarter ended June 30, 2026 resulted primarily from both a higher average balance of, and increase in rates paid on, interest-bearing demand deposits and an increase in rates paid on time deposits, partially offset by both a lower average balance of, and a decrease in rates paid on, brokered time deposits and a lower average balance of time deposits. The decrease in the overall cost of deposits compared to the quarter ended September 30, 2025 resulted primarily from both a lower average balance of, and a decrease in rates paid on, brokered time deposits and a decrease in rates paid on time deposits, partially offset by both a higher average balance of, and an increase in rates paid on, interest-bearing demand deposits, and a higher average balance of time deposits.

The cost of short-term borrowings increased 17 basis points to 2.98% for the quarter ended September 30, 2026 compared to 2.81% for the quarter ended June 30, 2026 and increased five basis points compared to 2.93% for the quarter ended September 30, 2025. The increase in the cost of short-term borrowings for the quarter ended September 30, 2026 compared to the quarters ended June 30, 2026 and September 30, 2025 resulted primarily from a decreased utilization of repurchase agreements. Average long-term debt decreased $13.9 million and increased $54.2 million compared to the quarters ended June 30, 2026 and September 30, 2025, respectively, to $139.8 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2026. The decrease compared to the quarter ended June 30, 2026 resulted primarily from decreased utilization of long-term Federal Home Loan Bank ("FHLB") advances. The increase compared to the quarter ended September 30, 2025 was primarily due to the long-term debt acquired from WFB and increased utilization of long-term FHLB advances.

The overall cost of funds, which includes the noninterest-bearing deposits, for the quarter ended September 30, 2026 was flat at 2.31% compared to the quarter ended June 30, 2026 and decreased 24 basis points compared to 2.55% for the quarter ended September 30, 2025. The decrease in the cost of funds for the quarter ended September 30, 2026 compared to the quarter ended September 30, 2025 resulted primarily from a decrease in the overall cost of deposits.

Noninterest Income

Noninterest income for the third quarter of 2026 totaled $3.0 million, a decrease of $0.1 million, or 1.7%, compared to the second quarter of 2026 and an increase of $0.1 million, or 2.1%, compared to the third quarter of 2025.

The decrease in noninterest income compared to the quarter ended June 30, 2026 was primarily driven by a $0.1 million increase in loss on sale of other real estate owned and a $0.2 million decrease in other operating income, partially offset by a $0.2 million increase in income from bank owned life insurance ("BOLI"). The decrease in other operating income was primarily due to a $0.2 million decrease in distributions from other investments. The increase in income from BOLI was primarily due to BOLI purchases and proceeds received under BOLI policies during the third quarter of 2026.

The increase in noninterest income compared to the quarter ended September 30, 2025 was primarily attributable to a $0.4 million increase in income from BOLI, a $0.2 million increase in interchange fees and a $0.2 million increase in service charges on deposit accounts, partially offset by a $0.2 million increase in loss on sale of other real estate owned and a $0.5 million decrease in other operating income. The increase in income from BOLI was primarily due to BOLI purchases and proceeds received under BOLI policies during the third quarter of 2026. The decrease in other operating income was primarily due to a $0.4 million decrease in distributions from other investments and a $0.1 million decrease in change in net asset value of other investments, partially offset by a $0.1 million increase in wealth management income.

Noninterest Expense

Noninterest expense for the third quarter of 2026 totaled $22.7 million, a decrease of $1.9 million, or 7.8%, compared to the second quarter of 2026, and an increase of $6.2 million, or 37.6%, compared to the third quarter of 2025.

The decrease in noninterest expense for the quarter ended September 30, 2026 compared to the quarter ended June 30, 2026< en-us Copyright 2026 EQS Group