Simmons First National (SFNC 1.88%), a regional bank focused on retail and commercial banking services, reported its earnings on July 17, 2025. The big news: Non-GAAP earnings per share reached $0.44, exceeding analyst expectations of $0.39 (non-GAAP). However, revenue came in at $214.2 million, slightly below the $216.66 million consensus forecast (non-GAAP). The quarter showed progress in profitability, margin expansion, and efficiency, but also revealed a continued slow pace of growth and a gradual rise in credit costs. Overall, the quarter was marked by stronger bottom-line performance despite a modest shortfall in revenue and some asset quality pressure.
| Metric | Q2 2025 | Q2 2025 Estimate | Q2 2024 | Y/Y Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPS (Non-GAAP) | $0.44 | $0.39 | $0.33 | 33.3% |
| Revenue | $214.2 million | $216.66 million | $197.2 million | 8.6% |
| Net Interest Income | $171.8 million | $153.9 million | 11.6% | |
| Noninterest Expense | $138.6 million | $139.4 million | -0.6% | |
| Net Charge-off Ratio | 0.25% | 0.19% | 0.06 pp | |
| Return on Average Tangible Common Equity (Non-GAAP) | 10.97% | 8.89% | 2.08 pp |
Source: Analyst estimates for the quarter provided by FactSet.
About Simmons First National: Business and Strategy
Simmons First National operates as a regional banking franchise, offering a range of services including checking and savings accounts, consumer loans, commercial lending, and treasury management. It has a branch network covering several states in the southern United States, with a client base ranging from local families to mid-sized businesses. In addition to its core banking business, it also provides wealth management services and payment solutions.
The company’s recent focus has centered on four pillars: maintaining asset quality, keeping capital ratios strong, controlling costs, and driving organic growth. Growth is primarily organic, supported by targeted mergers and acquisitions in past years, such as strategic expansions in Missouri and Texas. Key to its success has been disciplined risk management, regulatory compliance, and competitive deposit gathering, all reinforced by steady investments in workforce development and digital banking.
Quarter Highlights: Financial and Operational Performance
Adjusted earnings per share climbed to $0.44, a 33% increase compared to $0.33 in Q2 2024 and ahead of expectations. This beat was mostly driven by net interest margin expansion and improved cost efficiency. Net interest income, which represents income earned from loans and investments after paying out interest on customer deposits, increased 12% compared to the prior year as deposit costs managed to decrease and lending yields remained competitive.
The company’s net interest margin, a key banking profitability metric calculated as the difference between interest income generated and interest paid relative to interest-earning assets, rose for the fifth straight quarter to 3.06%. This result came ahead of what management had previously projected. Cost of deposits, which tracks the average rate paid to depositors, dropped to 2.36%, down from 2.79% in Q2 2024. This helped offset some slower growth elsewhere on the balance sheet.
Noninterest income, which consists of fees from deposit accounts, wealth management, card transactions, and other non-lending services, decreased by about 2% compared to the same quarter last year (GAAP basis). but fell versus the prior quarter due mostly to lower fee income from interest rate swaps and a valuation adjustment. Expense control remained a priority. Noninterest expense edged down slightly year over year.
Lending activity saw loan balances remain broadly stable at $17.1 billion. Commercial and industrial loans grew, offsetting declines in real estate and warehouse lending. The deposit base also held steady at $21.8 billion, but with a notable rise in brokered deposits, which are typically higher-cost and less stable than core customer balances. Remixed funding and a $233.1 million boost in low-cost customer deposits helped manage the bank’s overall funding profile. Management noted that deposit competition in the banking sector remains intense.
Asset quality metrics, such as the ratio of nonperforming loans (loans that are no longer generating interest income) and charge-offs (loans written off as uncollectable), showed mixed trends. The nonperforming loan balance rose to $157.2 million from $103.4 million in Q2 2024, largely due to two specific credit relationships that worsened at the end of Q1 2025. As a result, the nonperforming loan coverage ratio—the level of reserves held for these loans compared to their value—declined to 161% from 223% in Q2 2024. Net charge-offs also continued to climb. However, the overall allowance for credit losses as a percentage of loans improved to 1.48% from 1.34% in Q2 2024. Provision for credit losses, or funds set aside to cover potential loan defaults, declined from the unusually high level in Q1 2025, but remained a touch above Q2 2024.
Capital ratios, such as the common equity tier 1 (CET1) ratio, indicate how much capital the bank holds compared to its assets, and are tracked closely by regulators to assess bank stability. The CET1 ratio moved upward to 12.36%, up from 12.00% in Q2 2024 and well above regulatory requirements. Tangible book value per share increased to $16.97. The bank did not repurchase shares during the period, as leadership prioritized “capital preservation” to maintain optionality for future strategic moves. The quarterly dividend remained at $0.213 per share, unchanged from Q1 2025.
The workforce remained stable at about 2,947 employees. Recent staff moves were focused on adding revenue-generating roles in banking, offset by reductions in supporting functions. The company continued to invest in its core talent and maintained its presence as a recognized employer in its operating regions.
Looking Ahead: Management Outlook and Investor Focus
Management did not provide a formal financial outlook for the rest of fiscal 2025 in the earnings release. In its commentary, the company cited a strong loan pipeline totaling $1.6 billion at quarter-end, with $564 million close to funding. The team stressed that maintaining profitability, keeping asset quality stable, and disciplined deposit remixing into lower-cost sources remain the primary strategic targets. As management noted, competition for deposits remains high and brokered deposits increased.
Investors and observers should watch for continued trends in credit quality, especially the resolution of the two large troubled loans that drove the increase in nonperforming balances in Q1 and Q2 2025. In addition, successful execution in growing low-cost deposits and controlling expenses will remain focal points, alongside monitoring for any changes in capital deployment, such as renewed share buybacks or an increase in dividend payments. The quarterly dividend was unchanged at $0.213 per share during the period.
Revenue and net income presented using U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) unless otherwise noted.