Steele Bancorp, Inc. Reports Second Quarter 2026 Earnings

Press Release – For Immediate Release

Mifflinburg, PA – Steele Bancorp, Inc. (“Company”) (OTCID: “STLE”), parent company of Central Penn Bank and Trust (“Bank”), has released its unaudited results of operations and financial condition for the second quarter of 2026.  The 2026 results reflect the Company's merger with Northumberland Bancorp, Inc., completed on August 1, 2025, while the comparative 2025 periods reflect the Company pre-merger.  Accordingly, the year-over-year results are not directly comparable.  

Unaudited Financial Information

Net income, as reported under U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”), for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, was $5.26 million compared to $1.82 million for the same period in 2025, a 188.8% increase. Net income year-to-date for 2026 was $10.14 million compared to $3.63 million for the same period in 2025, a 179.5% increase. Basic and diluted earnings per share for the quarters ended June 30, 2026 and 2025 were $1.54 and $0.98 and $2.98 and $1.95 for the six months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025, respectively. Annualized return on average assets and return on average equity were 1.65% and 16.92% for the three-month period ended June 30, 2026 compared to 1.20% and 12.36% for the same period of 2025.

Net interest income for the three months ended June 30, 2026 was $12.66 million compared to $4.99 million for the same period in 2025, a 153.7% increase. Net interest income for the six months ended June 30, 2026 was $24.87 million compared to $9.73 million for the same period in 2025, a 155.6% increase.  The significant increase in net interest income was primarily driven by higher interest income resulting from growth in loan and securities balances, partially offset by increased interest expense due to an increase in deposits resulting from the merger with Northumberland Bancorp ("Northumberland"). Yield on earning assets increased 70 basis points, to 6.04% for the quarter ended June 30, 2026 compared to 5.34% for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, and the cost of funds decreased 22 basis points, to 2.16%, as compared to the same time period in 2025. The net interest margin (GAAP) increased from 3.41% for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 to 4.31% for the quarter ended June 30, 2026. The tax-equivalent net interest margin (Non-GAAP) increased from 3.48% for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 to 4.38% for the quarter ended June 30, 2026. The tax equivalent adjustment increased from $102 thousand for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 to $205 thousand for the quarter ended June 30, 2026. Yield on earning assets increased 61 basis points, to 5.90% for the six months ended June 30, 2026 compared to 5.29% for the six months ended June 30, 2025, and the cost of funds decreased 15 basis points, to 2.21%, as compared to the same time period in 2025. The net interest margin (GAAP) increased from 3.36% for the six months ended June 30, 2025 to 4.17% for the six months ended June 30, 2026. The tax equivalent net interest margin (Non-GAAP) increased from 3.43% for the six months ended June 30, 2025 to 4.22% for the six months ended June 30, 2026. The tax equivalent adjustment increased from $207 thousand for the six months ended June 30, 2025 to $311 thousand for the six months ended June 30, 2026.  

The Bank recorded a provision for credit losses for loans of $212 thousand for the three months ended June 30, 2026, compared to a provision of $192 thousand for the three months ended June 30, 2025. The Bank recorded a provision for credit losses for loans of $78 thousand for the six months ended June 30, 2026, compared to a provision of $262 thousand for the six months ended June 30, 2025.  The Bank recorded a recovery of credit losses for off balance sheet credit exposures of $93 thousand for the three months ended June 30, 2026, compared to a recovery of $36 thousand for the three months ended June 30, 2025.  The Bank recorded a recovery of credit losses for off balance sheet exposures of $93 thousand for the six months ended June 30, 2026, compared to a recovery of $100 thousand for the six months ended June 30, 2025.  

Noninterest income increased by $1.36 million, or 258.4%, to $1.89 million for the three months ended June 30, 2026, from the $527 thousand recognized during the same period of 2025.  Noninterest income for the six months ended June 30, 2026 was $3.46 million compared to $1.11 million for the same period in 2025, a 210.7% increase.  The increase in noninterest income is primarily due to the addition of trust fee income resulting from the merger with Northumberland and increases in ATM fees and debit card income due to increased utilization and volume.

Noninterest expense increased $4.85 million or 155.0%, from $3.13 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025, to $7.99 million for the three months ended June 30, 2026. The increase in noninterest expense for the three months ended June 30, 2026 is primarily the result of an increase of $2.55 million in salaries and employee benefits and amortization of core deposit intangible of $666 thousand for which there was no comparable expense in 2025. Noninterest expense for the six months ended June 30, 2025 was $6.23 million compared to $15.98 million for the same period in 2026, a 156.6% increase.  The increase in noninterest expense year-to-date is primarily the result of an increase of $5.18 million in salaries and employee benefits, amortization of core deposit intangible of $1.33 million for which there was no comparable expense in 2025 and an increase of $1.56 million in other expenses. All increases are the direct result of the merger with Northumberland.   

An income tax provision of $1.18 million was recorded for the three months ended June 30, 2026, compared to $407 thousand for the three months ended June 30, 2025, a 190.4% increase. An income tax provision of $2.22 million was recorded for the six months ended June 30, 2026, compared to an income tax provision of $827 thousand for the same period in 2025, a 168.8% increase.  The increase in the income tax provision quarter-to-date is directly the result of an increase in income before income tax to $6.44 million for the three months ended June 30, 2026, compared to $2.23 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025, a 189.1% increase.  The increase in the income tax provision year-to-date is directly the result of an increase in income before income tax to $12.36 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026, compared to $4.45 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025, a 177.5% increase. Quarter-to-date and year-to-date the effective tax rate was 18.4% and 18.0% of June 30, 2026, compared to 18.3% and 18.6% as of June 30, 2025, respectively.  

Financial Condition

Total assets increased to $1.27 billion as of June 30, 2026 from $1.26 billion as of December 31, 2025, an increase of $12.29 million, or 1.0%. Cash and cash equivalents increased $5.02 million from December 31, 2025 to June 30, 2026. Net loans increased by $5.77 million, and securities available for sale increased $4.45 million. Total deposits increased $9.92 million from December 31, 2025 to June 30, 2026, subordinated debt decreased $9.89 million from December 31, 2025 to June 30, 2026 as result of paying off the borrowing at the call date and senior secured debt, less unamortized issuance costs increased $7.37 million as result of the new debt issuance executed on June 26, 2026.

When compared to December 31, 2025, stockholders’ equity, excluding accumulated other comprehensive loss, increased $7.55 million to $127.09 million as of June 30, 2026. Steele Bancorp, Inc. remains well capitalized, and the total equity-to-assets was 9.77% and 9.39% as of June 30, 2026 and December 31, 2025, respectively.

The Bank maintained a strong liquidity position as of June 30, 2026, with additional borrowing capacity with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh of $448.13 million and $4.48 million in additional borrowing capacity from the Federal Reserve’s Discount Window.

About Steele Bancorp, Inc.

Steele Bancorp, Inc. is a bank holding company headquartered in Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania. The Company has one subsidiary bank, Central Penn Bank & Trust, serving individuals, families, nonprofits, and business clients through 13 banking offices located in Centre, Northumberland, Snyder, and Union counties. The Bank has 174 employees as of June 30, 2026.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are not statements of current or historical fact and involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Words such as "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "forecasts," "intends," "plans," "projects," "may," "will," "should," and other similar expressions can be used to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results. Among the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those described in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to the following: costs or difficulties related to integration following the merger with Northumberland; the risk that the anticipated benefits, cost savings and other savings from the merger may not be fully realized or may take longer than expected to realize; changes in general economic trends, including inflation and changes in interest rates; our ability to manage credit risk; our ability to maintain an adequate level of allowance for credit loss on loans; increased competition; changes in consumer demand for financial services; our ability to control costs and expenses; fluctuations in the values of securities held in our securities portfolio, including as a result of changes in interest rates; our ability to successfully manage liquidity risk; adverse developments in borrower industries and, in particular, declines in real estate values; the concentration of large deposits from certain customers who have balances above current FDIC insurance limits; changes in and compliance with federal and state laws that regulate our business and capital levels; our ability to raise capital as needed; the impact to the economy resulting from the conflict with Iran; and any other risks described in the “Risk Factors” sections of reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not undertake, and specifically disclaim, any obligation to publicly revise any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements, except as required by law. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. 

Steele Bancorp, Inc. and Subsidiary

Consolidated Balance Sheets

($ in thousands, except per share data)

* Derived from consolidated audited financial statements

Steele Bancorp, Inc. and Subsidiary

Consolidated Statements of Income

(Unaudited)

($ in thousands, except per share data)

Steele Bancorp, Inc.

Key Ratios and Other Data

(Unaudited)

1. Core deposits are defined as total deposits less time deposits

1. Leverage ratio for the most recent period is estimated

Steele Bancorp, Inc.

Asset Quality Data

(Unaudited)