US Metro Bancorp (OTCQX: USMT): US Metro Bancorp (“Bancorp”) is a bank holding company, with a single subsidiary, US Metro Bank (“Bank”). On a consolidated basis, the Bancorp earned $1.5 million in the first quarter of 2024, compared to $2.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. For the three months ending March 31, 2024, the consolidated Bancorp earned $1.5 million compared to $3.2 million for the three months ending March 31, 2023. On a year-to-date basis, the Bancorp recorded an annualized return on average assets (“ROAA”) of 0.47% and an annualized return on average equity (“ROAE”) of 6.13%. With 16,390,000 shares outstanding, earnings per share (“EPS”) for the first quarter of 2024 was $0.09 compared to $0.15 in the fourth quarter of 2023. For the three months ending March 31, 2024, EPS was $0.09 compared to $0.19 for the three months ending March 31, 2023. On March 31, 2024, the Bancorp’s book value per share was $5.87 compared to $5.41 a year earlier.

The Bank recorded on a year-to-date basis net interest income of $8.1 million compared to $9.4 million in the same period a year earlier. Net income of $1.8 million for the three months ending March 31, 2024, compares to $3.5 million reported for the same three months in 2023, a year over year decrease of $1.7 million.

The Bank reported total assets of $1.295 billion as of March 31, 2024, representing a 13.9% increase compared to the reporting period ending March 31, 2023, and year over year loan growth of $117.2 million or 12.2%. Total Bank deposits ended the first quarter of 2024 at $1.134 billion, a $148 million or 15.1% increase from $985 million on March 31, 2023. Six of the Bank’s eight branches have deposits exceeding $100 million, with two branches having more than $200 million in deposits. The Bank’s newest branch in Los Angeles, California opened in December 2023.

Loan quality remains good with non-performing assets as a percent of total assets of 0.17% on March 31, 2024, compared to 0.25% as of March 31, 2023. The Bank had no Other Real Estate Owned (OREO) on March 31, 2024, and one TDR loan totaling $32 thousand. Allowance for loan and lease losses (ALLL) to gross loans was 1.21% as of March 31, 2024, compared to 1.39% as of March 31, 2023. The Bank recorded no provision for loan loss expense, for the three months ending March 31, 2024, compared to $0.2 million recorded for the three months ending March 31, 2023.

“Loan and deposit growth continued in the first quarter of 2024. The gain on sale from loans was lower in the first quarter than typical, which had an impact to net income. However, we expect this to improve in the second quarter and for the rest of 2024, which will positively improve income for the Bank,” said CEO Dong Il Kim.

US Metro Bank is a California chartered, full service commercial bank headquartered in Garden Grove, California. The Bank opened for business on September 15, 2006, and offers deposit and loan products (including commercial real estate, commercial and industrial, mortgage, SBA and USDA loans), as well as related banking services to its customers.

This release contains forward-looking statements, including our expectations with respect to future events that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from management's projections, forecasts, estimates and expectations include: fluctuation in market rates of interest and loan and deposit pricing, adverse changes in the overall national economy as well as adverse economic conditions in our specific market areas, maintenance and development of well-established and valued client relationships and referral source relationships, and acquisition or loss of key production personnel. Other risks that can affect the Bank are detailed from time to time in our annual reports. We caution readers that the list of factors above is not exclusive. The forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release, and we may not undertake steps to update the forward-looking statements to reflect the impact of any circumstances or events that arise after the date the forward-looking statements are made. In addition, our past results of operations are not necessarily indicative of future performance.

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