US Metro Bancorp reports strong earnings growth in Q1 2025
- US Metro Bancorp reported a net income of $2.6 million for Q1 2025, up from $1.7 million in Q4 2024.
- Total assets increased by 9.4% to $1.417 billion, driven by strong deposits and loan growth.
- The company's financial performance indicates robust growth and resilience in the banking sector.
In the first quarter of 2025, US Metro Bancorp, a bank holding company based in Garden Grove, California, reported a net income of $2.6 million. This figure marks a significant increase from $1.7 million in the previous quarter and up from $1.5 million during the same period in the prior year. The company’s earnings per share rose to $0.16, compared to $0.11 in the final quarter of 2024, solidifying its progressive financial trend. The performance of US Metro Bank during these months reflects a strong operational foundation amid a competitive banking environment. Total assets for US Metro Bancorp reached $1.417 billion, demonstrating a 9.4% year-over-year increase from $1.294 billion in March 2024. This growth can be attributed to an increase in total deposits, which rose to $1.236 billion, up from $1.134 billion one year earlier—a 9.1% growth. With loan growth of $123 million or 11.4% year-over-year, US Metro Bank is successfully expanding its lending portfolio without compromising on the quality of its loans. Despite the robust growth, the bank did experience an increase in non-performing assets, which as of March 31, 2025, represented 0.92% of total assets compared to a low 0.17% in the same period last year. The bank’s allowance for credit losses to gross loans was slightly lower at 1.20% in 2025 versus 1.21% in 2024. The reported numbers suggest cautious optimism about loan performance, indicating that while growth is paramount, so is managing risk effectively in the loan portfolio. CEO Dong Il Kim expressed satisfaction with the overall performance during the quarter, highlighting improved return on average equity (ROAE) and net interest margin (NIM). The positive results reinforce the bank's strategy to build a sustainable business model capable of withstanding future challenges within the banking sector as it continues to grow both loans and deposits. This positions US Metro Bank as a resilient player in the financial services market, adept at addressing the dynamic landscape of banking in California.