RUSTON, La., July 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Century Next Financial Corporation (the “Company”) (OTCQX: CTUY), the holding company of Century Next Bank, with $916.7 million in assets, today announced financial results for the 2^nd quarter ended June 30, 2026.

Financial Performance

For the three months ended June 30, 2026, the Company had net income after tax of $4.14 million compared to net income of $3.94 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025, an increase of $207,000 or 5.3%. Earnings per share (EPS) for the three months ended June 30, 2026 were $2.24 per basic and $2.20 per diluted share compared to $2.16 per basic and $2.14 diluted share reported for the three months ended June 30, 2025.

For the six months ended June 30, 2026, the Company had net income after tax of $7.69 million compared to net income of $7.39 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025, an increase of $306,000 or 4.1%. Earnings per share (EPS) for the six months ended June 30, 2026 were $4.17 per basic and $4.09 per diluted share compared to $4.05 per basic and $4.02 per diluted share reported for the six months ended June 30, 2025.

Balance Sheet

Overall, total assets increased by $39.8 million or 4.5% to $916.7 million at June 30, 2026 compared to $876.9 million at December 31, 2025.  

Total cash and cash equivalents increased from $48.3 million at December 31, 2025 to $71.8 million at June 30, 2026 for an increase of $23.5 million or 48.7%. Investment securities, primarily available-for-sale, decreased by $2.3 million to $139.8 million at June 30, 2026 from $142.1 million at December 31, 2025. The growth in cash and cash equivalents for the six months ended June 30, 2026 continues to strengthen the Company’s strong liquidity position.

Loans, net of deferred fees and costs and allowance for credit losses, including loans held for sale, increased $19.3 million or 3.0% for the six months ended June 30, 2026 compared to December 31, 2025. Total net loans at June 30, 2026 were $664.2 million compared to $644.9 million at December 31, 2025. Of total net loans outstanding for the period, commercial real estate increased $16.91 million, commercial non-real estate increased by $7.85 million, multi-family increased $4.73 million and home equity lines of credit increased by $372,000. The increases were offset by decreases of $4.95 million in land, $1.58 million in residential construction, $1.27 million in residential 1-4 family, $1.23 million in agriculture real estate loans, $967,000 in consumer loans, $103,000 in residential 1-4 family – held for sale and $14,000 in agriculture loans non-real estate for the six months ended June 30, 2026.

Deposit growth was strong for the six months ended June 30, 2026 as total deposits increased by $34.3 million or 4.5% to $793.1 million at June 30, 2026 compared to $758.9 million at December 31, 2025. Interest-bearing increased $24.97 million, money market increased $7.15 million and savings increased $3.81 million. The increases were offset by decreases of $1.33 million in time deposits and $341,000 in noninterest-bearing for the six months ended June 30, 2026.

Total long-term borrowings remained the same at $8.5 million at June 30, 2026 and December 31, 2025.

Income Statement

Net interest income was $10.2 million for the three months ended June 30, 2026 compared to $9.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025 for an increase of $463,000, or 4.8%. Net interest income was $20.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026 compared to $18.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025 for an increase of $1.25 million, or 6.6%.

The following table shows key operating ratios for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2026 compared to the same periods ended June 30, 2025:

The yield on earning assets increased slightly and cost of interest-bearing liabilities improved in both the three- and six-month periods ended June, 30, 2026. The net interest margin showed strong improvement in both the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2026 compared to the same periods in 2025.

For the three months ended June 30, 2026, a provision for credit losses of $438,000 was expensed compared to $223,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2025. For the six months ended June 30, 2026, a provision for credit losses of $513,000 compared to $298,000 was expensed for the six months ended June 30, 2025. The increases in provision resulted from the growth in loans and an increase in classified loans for the three- and six-month periods.

Total non-interest income was $1.05 million for the three months ended June 30, 2026 compared to $916,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2025, an increase of $132,000 or 14.4%. Total non-interest income was $1.86 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026 compared to $1.69 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025, an increase of $169,000 or 10.0%.

Total non-interest expense increased by $172,000 or 3.1% to $5.64 million for the three months ended June 30, 2026 compared to $5.47 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025. Total non-interest expense increased by $814,000 or 7.5% to $11.69 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026 compared to $10.88 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025. The increases in both the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2026 was primarily due to increases in salaries and benefits, other operating, and expense from foreclosed assets as compared to the same periods in 2025.

The Company’s efficiency ratio, a measure of expense as a percent of total income, decreased to 50.16% for the year three months ended June 30, 2026 compared to 51.35% for the three months ended June 30, 2025. For the six months ended June 30, 2026, the efficiency ratio increased slightly to 53.35% compared to 53.06% for the six months ended June 30, 2025. The increase in net interest income and other non-interest income for the three months ended June 30, 2026 was the primarily driver of the reduction of the efficiency ratio.  

Other Financial Information

Nonperforming assets, including loans past due 90 days or more, nonaccrual loans, and other foreclosed assets, decreased from $4.59 million at December 31, 2025 to $1.38 million at June 30, 2026, a decrease of $3.21 million. The decrease was primarily from the sale of a foreclosed asset of $2.71 million in 2026. Total non-performing assets were 0.15% and 0.52% of totals assets as of June 30, 2026 and December 31, 2025, respectively.  

Allowance for credit losses under CECL was $7.35 million or 1.09% of total loans at June 30, 2026 compared to $6.93 million or 1.06% of total loans at December 31, 2025. Net charge-offs for the six months ended June 30, 2026 were $92,000, compared net charge-offs of $234,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2025. The ratio of net charge-off to average loans outstanding was 0.014% at June 30, 2026 compared to the ratio of net charge-off to average loans outstanding was 0.038% for the same period of 2025.

Company Information

Century Next Financial Corporation is the holding company for Century Next Bank (the “Bank”) which conducts business from its main office in Ruston, Louisiana. The Company was formed in 2010 and is subject to the regulatory oversight of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. The Bank is a wholly-owned subsidiary and is an insured federally-chartered covered savings association subject to the regulatory oversight of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. The Bank was established in 1905 and is headquartered in Ruston, Louisiana. The Bank is a full-service bank with four locations in Louisiana including two banking offices in Ruston, one banking office in Monroe, one banking office in West Monroe, and three locations in Arkansas including two banking offices in Crossett and one banking office in Hamburg. The Bank emphasizes professional and personal banking service directed primarily to small and medium-sized businesses, professionals, and individuals. The Bank provides a full range of banking services including its primary business of real estate lending to residential and commercial customers.

Statements contained in this news release which are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They often include words like “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” and “intend” or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” or “may.” We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements

Century Next Financial Corporation Contact Information:

William D. Hogan, President & Chief Executive Officer or
Mark A. Taylor, CPA CGMA, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
(318) 255-3733

Company Website: www.cnext.bank