RUSTON, La., July 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Century Next Financial Corporation (the "Company") (OTCQX:CTUY), the holding company of Century Next Bank, with $831.5 million in assets, today announced financial results for the 2nd quarter ended June 30, 2024. Financial Performance For the three months ended June 30, 2024, the Company had net income after tax of $3.06 million compared to net income of $1.57 million for the three months ended June 30, 2023, an increase of $1.49 million or 94.7%. Earnings per share (EPS) for the three months ended June 30, 2024 were $1.70 per basic and diluted share compared to $0.88 per basic and diluted share reported for the three months ended June 30, 2023. For the six months ended June 30, 2024, the Company had net income after tax of $5.73 million compared to net income of $2.63 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023, an increase of $3.09 million or 117.5%. Earnings per share (EPS) for the six months ended June 30, 2024 were $3.18 per basic and diluted share compared to $1.47 per basic and diluted share reported for the six months ended June 30, 2023. Balance Sheet Overall, total assets increased by $65.7 million or 8.6% to $831.5 million at June 30, 2024 compared to $765.9 million at December 31, 2023.   Total cash and cash equivalents increased from $105.0 million at December 31, 2023 to $136.8 million at June 30, 2024 for an increase of $31.8 million or 30.3%. Investment securities, primarily available-for-sale, increased by $30.0 million to $66.1 million at June 30, 2024 from $36.1 million at December 31, 2023. The growth in cash and cash equivalents and available-for-sale investment securities for the six months ending June 30, 2024 provides added strength the Company's already strong liquidity position. Loans, net of deferred fees and costs and allowance for credit losses, including loans held for sale, increased $3.1 million or 0.5% for the six months ended June 30, 2024 compared to December 31, 2023. Total net loans at June 30, 2024 were $590.3 million compared to $587.2 million at December 31, 2023. Of total net loans outstanding for the period, loans secured by commercial real estate increase $11.1 million followed by $1.7 million in residential construction, $557,000 in commercial non-real estate loans and $38,000 in home equity lines of credit and consumer loans combined, for the six months ended June 30, 2024. The increases were offset by decreases of $6.1 million in agricultural real estate loans, $1.9 million in land loans, $1.3 million in multi-family, $520,000 in residential 1-4 family loans, $318,000 in residential 1-4 family - held for sale, and $51,000 in agricultural non-real estate loans for the six months ended June 30, 2024. Deposit growth was strong for the six months ended June 30, 2024 as total deposits increased by $59.6 million or 8.8% to $739.7 million at June 30, 2024 compared to $680.1 million at December 31, 2023. Noninterest-bearing checking increased $63.6 million, money market increased $1.3 million and interest-bearing accounts increased $123,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2024. The increases were offset by decreases of $3.5 million in time deposits, all from brokered time deposits, and $1.9 million in savings accounts for the six months ended June 30, 2024. Total long-term borrowings remained the same at $8.5 million at June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023. Income Statement Net interest income was $8.1 million for the three months ending June 30, 2024 compared to $6.0 million for the three months ending June 30, 2023 for an increase of $2.1 million, or 35.9%. Net interest income was $15.7 million for the six months ending June 30, 2024 compared to $11.5 million for the six months ending June 30, 2023 for an increase of $4.2 million, or 36.9%. Several key operating ratios increased for the three- and six-month periods ending June 30, 2024 compared to the same periods ending June 30, 2023 as displayed in the following table:   Three Months Ended June 30   Six Months Ended June 30 Select Operating Ratios   2024       2023       2024       2023   Average Yield on Interest-Earning Assets   6.16 %     5.58 %     6.14 %     5.39 % Average Cost of Interest-Bearing Liabilities   3.41 %     2.81 %     3.39 %     2.58 % Net Interest Margin   4.16 %     3.63 %     4.12 %     3.54 %                 The increase in yield on earning assets and cost of interest-bearing liabilities were both the result of continuing increases in rates from new and renewing assets and liabilities over the comparative periods. The net interest margin improved significantly in both the three- and six-month periods ending June 30, 2024 compared to the same periods in 2023. For the three months ending June 30, 2024, a provision for credit losses of $150,000 was expensed compared to $124,000 for the three months ending June 30,2023. For the six months ending June 30, 2024, a provision for credit losses of $150,000 compared to $262,000 was expensed for the six months ending June 30,2023. Total non-interest income was $914,000 for the three months ending June 30, 2024 compared to $856,000 for the three months ending June 30, 2023, an increase of $58,000 or 6.8%. Total non-interest income was $1.7 million for the six months ending June 30, 2024 compared to $1.6 million for the six months ending June 30, 2023, an increase of $88,000 or 5.4%. The increases in non-interest income for the three- and six-month periods ending June 30, 2024 were primarily from service charges on deposits, net gain on sale of loans, loan servicing release fees and other income, offset primarily by losses on sale of foreclosed assets as compared to the same periods in 2023. Total non-interest expense increased by $227,000 or 4.7% to $5.1 million for the three months ending June 30, 2024 compared to $4.8 million for the three months ending June 30, 2023. Total non-interest expense increased by $514,000 or 5.3% to $10.2 million for the six months ending June 30, 2024 compared to $9.7 million for the six months ending June 30, 2023. The increases in both the three- and six-month periods ending June 30, 2024 was primarily due to increases in salaries and benefits, data processing, audit and examination fees, marketing, and various other operating expenses as compared to the same periods in 2023. The Company's efficiency ratio, a measure of expense as a percent of total income, decreased substantially to 55.90% for the year three months ending June 30, 2024 compared to 70.62% for the three months ending June 30, 2023. For the six months ending June 30, 2024, the efficiency ratio decreased to 58.35% compared to 73.66% for the six months ending June 30, 2023. The increase in net interest income, as previously discussed above, for the comparative periods was the primarily driver of this reduction of the efficiency ratio. Other Financial Information Nonperforming assets, including loans past due 90 days or more, nonaccrual loans, and other foreclosed assets, increased from $2.93 million at December 31, 2023 to $3.39 million at June 30, 2024, an increase of $459,000. Total non-performing assets were 0.41% and 0.38% of totals assets as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively.   Allowance for credit losses under CECL was $6.24 million or 1.05% of total loans at June 30, 2024 compared to $6.05 million or 1.02% of total loans at December 31, 2023. Net recoveries for the six months ending June 30, 2024 were $39,000, compared net recoveries of $7,000 for the six months ending June 30, 2023. The ratio of net recoveries to average loans outstanding was 0.007% at June 30, 2024 compared to the ratio of net recoveries to average loans outstanding was 0.001% for the same period of 2023. 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 and SubsidiaryCondensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (unaudited) (In thousands, except per share data)   June 30, 2024   December 31, 2023         ASSETS               Cash and cash equivalents $ 136,791