Growth in net interest income and key fee income categories with ongoing strength in asset quality measures and capital levels highlight the quarter

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., April 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Mercantile Bank Corporation (NASDAQ: MBWM) ("Mercantile") reported net income of $22.7 million, or $1.32 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2026, compared with net income of $19.5 million, or $1.21 per diluted share, for the respective prior-year period. 

Excluding after-tax one-time costs associated with the year-end 2025 acquisition of Eastern Michigan Financial Corporation and previously announced core and digital banking system conversion (a non-GAAP measurement), net income improved to $25.2 million, or $1.46 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2026.  Earnings per diluted share increased $0.25, or approximately 21 percent, in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the first quarter of 2025 using this non-GAAP basis.

"Our financial performance remained strong during the first quarter of 2026, further demonstrating our ability to effectively administer the prolonged period of global economic uncertainty and increasing geopolitical tensions," said Ray Reitsma, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mercantile.  "The solid operating results reflected increased net interest income, an improved net interest margin, strong growth in treasury management fees, interest rate swap income, mortgage banking income, and payroll services fees, a negative provision for credit losses, robust local deposit growth, and sustained strength in asset quality and capital measures.  The strong net growth in local deposits, which occurred despite the typical level of seasonal deposit withdrawals, provided for a further reduction in our loan-to-deposit ratio.  The first quarter of 2026 represented the initial period of financial performance that included Eastern Michigan Bank's operating results."

First quarter highlights include:

• Return on average assets of 1.4 percent and return on average equity of 12.5 percent, and 1.5 percent and 14.0 percent, respectively, on a non-GAAP basis
• Tangible book value per common share of $37.34 as of March 31, 2026, up $0.56, or approximately 2 percent, since December 31, 2025, and $2.92, or over 8 percent, since March 31, 2025
• Net revenue expansion of over 18 percent compared to the prior-year first quarter, including net interest income growth of over 15 percent
• Increased net interest margin primarily reflecting lower cost of funds and continued repricing of matured fixed rate loans and securities
• Notable increases in treasury management fees, mortgage banking income, and payroll services fees of approximately 26 percent, 12 percent, and 5 percent, respectively
• Decline in effective tax rate from approximately 19 percent during the first quarter of 2025 to 17 percent during the first quarter of 2026 largely due to an increase in aggregate tax benefits derived from the acquisition of transferable energy tax credits and net benefits from low-income housing and historical tax credit investments
• Continued strength in commercial loan pipeline
• Sustained low levels of nonperforming assets, past due loans, and loan charge-offs
• Notable reduction in loan-to-deposit ratio from approximately 99 percent as of March 31, 2025, and 91 percent as of December 31, 2025, to approximately 89 percent as of March 31, 2026, mainly reflecting robust local deposit growth
• Strong tangible and regulatory capital positions

Operating Results

Net revenue, consisting of net interest income and noninterest income, was $67.6 million during the first quarter of 2026, up $10.3 million, or 18.1 percent, from $57.3 million during the prior-year first quarter.  Net interest income during the first three months of 2026 was $55.9 million, up $7.4 million, or 15.1 percent, from $48.5 million during the respective 2025 period primarily due to growth in earning assets and a slightly higher net interest margin.  Eastern Michigan Bank's net interest income totaled $5.9 million during the first quarter of 2026.  Noninterest income totaled $11.7 million during the current-year first quarter, up $3.0 million, or 34.3 percent, from $8.7 million during the first quarter of 2025.   The increase in noninterest income mainly reflected higher levels of treasury management fees, interest rate swap income, and mortgage banking income.  Eastern Michigan Bank generated $0.5 million in noninterest income during the first three months of 2026, largely reflecting treasury management fees.

The net interest margin was 3.55 percent in the first quarter of 2026, up from 3.47 percent in the prior-year first quarter.  The yield on average earning assets was 5.42 percent during the first three months of 2026, a decrease from 5.73 percent during the respective 2025 period.  The lower yield mainly stemmed from a reduced yield on loans and a change in earning asset mix, which more than offset an improved yield on securities resulting from the reinvestment of relatively low-yielding bonds and portfolio expansion activities, along with the positive impact resulting from the addition of Eastern Michigan Bank's securities portfolio.   The yield on loans was 6.04 percent during the first quarter of 2026, down from 6.28 percent during the first quarter of 2025, primarily due to reduced interest rates on variable-rate commercial loans resulting from the Federal Open Market Committee ("FOMC") lowering the targeted federal funds rate.  The FOMC decreased the targeted federal funds rate by 25 basis points in each of September, October, and December of 2025, during which time average variable-rate commercial loans represented approximately 77 percent of average total commercial loans.  Denoting the success of a strategic initiative to lower the loan-to-deposit ratio and increase on-balance sheet liquidity and reflecting the impact of Eastern Michigan Bank's liquid balance sheet, higher-yielding loans represented a decreased percentage of earning assets and lower-yielding securities accounted for an increased percentage of earning assets in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the first quarter of 2025. The yield on securities equaled 3.27 percent during the first quarter of 2026, up from 2.73 percent during the prior-year first quarter.  The yield on other interest-earning assets, largely consisting of funds on deposit with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, declined from 4.80 percent during the first three months of 2025 to 4.00 percent during the respective 2026 period, reflecting the decreased interest rate environment.

During the first quarter of 2026, the cost of funds was 1.87 percent, down from 2.26 percent during the first quarter of 2025, mainly due to lower rates paid on money market accounts and time deposits, reflecting the decreased interest rate environment.  An increase in low-cost deposit products as a percentage of total funding sources, primarily stemming from the onboarding of Eastern Michigan Bank's deposit base, also contributed to the reduced cost of funds.

Mercantile recorded a negative provision for credit losses of $1.8 million during the first quarter of 2026, compared to a positive provision for credit losses of $2.1 million during the first quarter of 2025.  The negative provision expense recorded during the current-year first quarter mainly reflected improvements to the economic forecast, changes in loan mix, decreases to the residential mortgage loan portfolio, and a decline in specific allocations, which reduced the calculated allowance for credit losses by $0.6 million, $0.4 million, $0.2 million, and $0.2 million, respectively.

Noninterest income totaled $11.7 million during the first quarter of 2026, up $3.0 million, or 34.3 percent, from $8.7 million during the prior-year first quarter.  The increase mainly reflected higher levels of treasury management fees, interest rate swap income, mortgage banking income, bank owned life insurance income, and payroll services fees.  The increases in treasury management and payroll services fees primarily resulted from new commercial client acquisitions and effective marketing endeavors leading to customers' amplified use of products and services, as well as a modified fee schedule.  The growth in interest rate swap income mainly reflected a higher volume of new swap transactions, while the increase in mortgage banking income largely resulted from higher production and an increased percentage of loans originated with the intent to sell.  Noninterest income during the first three months of 2026 included $0.4 million in interest from the Internal Revenue Service on federal income tax payments made during 2024 that were subsequently refunded due to offsetting purchased energy tax credits. 

Noninterest expense totaled $42.1 million during the first quarter of 2026, compared to $31.1 million during the first quarter of 2025.  Excluding one-time costs aggregating $2.9 million related to the core and digital banking system conversion and $0.3 million associated with the acquisition of Eastern Michigan Financial Corporation, noninterest expense increased $7.8 million, or 25.0 percent, during the first three months of 2026 compared to the respective 2025 period.  The increase in noninterest expense mainly resulted from higher salary and benefit costs.  A $1.2 million increase in allocations to the reserve for unfunded loan commitments, largely reflecting a significantly higher level of commercial loan commitments that have been accepted by customers, also contributed to the increase in noninterest expense.  The remaining increase in noninterest expense largely reflects cost inflation and the increased cost of a larger balance sheet and branch network.  Eastern Michigan Bank's noninterest expense totaled $4.0 million during the first three months of 2026, including salary and benefit costs of $1.7 million, core deposit intangible asset amortization of $0.9 million, and data processing costs of $0.4 million.

Federal income tax expense was $4.6 million during the first quarter of 2026, compared to $4.5 million during the respective 2025 period.  The $0.1 million increase in federal income tax expense primarily resulted from a higher level of income before federal income tax.  The acquisition of transferable energy tax credits and the net benefits from low-income housing and historic tax credit investments provided for aggregate tax benefits of $0.8 million and $0.3 million during the first three months of 2026 and 2025, respectively.  The recording of the tax benefits positively impacted Mercantile's effective tax rate, which equaled 16.9 percent during the first quarter of 2026, down from 18.8 percent during the prior-year first quarter.  

Mr. Reitsma commented, "The notable increase in net interest income during the first quarter of 2026 reflected solid earning asset growth and a lower cost of funds.  Our net interest margin, which remained healthy during the quarter, has been relatively steady over the past seven quarters despite a declining interest rate environment, reflecting the success of interest rate risk mitigation strategies employed to achieve an interest rate agnostic position.  We are very pleased with the higher levels of treasury management fees, interest rate swap income, mortgage banking income, and payroll services fees, and will continue our efforts to expand existing customers' relationships and gain new client relationships to enhance noninterest income revenue streams.   Growing our balance sheet in a cost-conscious manner while continuing to provide our customers with outstanding service and market-leading products and services to meet their needs remain important strategic objectives.  Excluding costs related to the core and digital banking system conversion and acquisition of Eastern Michigan Financial Corporation, overhead costs as a percentage of net revenue during the first quarter of 2026 increased only slightly compared to the first quarter of 2025."

Balance Sheet

Total assets were $6.95 billion as of March 31, 2026, up $110 million from December 31, 2025.  Total loans decreased $5.2 million, or 0.1 percent, during the first quarter of 2026, reflecting a net decline in residential mortgage loans, which more than offset net growth in both commercial loans and other consumer loans.  Commercial loans grew $16.7 million, or an annualized 1.7 percent, during the first three months of 2026, despite the full payoffs and partial paydowns of certain larger relationships, which aggregated $180 million during the period and were significantly higher than the historical average of approximately $50 million per quarter.  The payoffs and paydowns mainly stemmed from sales of assets, secondary market refinancings, and customers using excess cash flows generated within their operations to make line of credit reductions.  Payoffs and paydowns during 2025 were also well above historical levels, totaling approximately $363 million and averaging about $91 million per quarter.  Commercial loan originations, consisting of loans to new clients and expansions of existing credit relationships, remained solid across all segments during the first quarter of 2026.  During the first three months of 2026, residential mortgage loans were down $22.6 million, while other consumer loans increased $0.7 million.  Interest-earning deposits and securities available for sale were up $112 million and $23.2 million, respectively, during the first quarter of 2026. 

As of March 31, 2026, unfunded commitments on commercial construction and development loans, which are expected to be funded over the next 12 to 18 months, and residential construction loans, which are expected to be largely funded over the next 12 months, totaled $240 million and $32 million, respectively.

Commercial and industrial loans and owner-occupied commercial real estate loans together represented approximately 57 percent of total commercial loans as of March 31, 2026, a level that has remained relatively consistent with prior periods and in line with our expectations.

Total deposits equaled $5.42 billion as of March 31, 2026, compared to $5.28 billion as of December 31, 2025.  Local deposits grew $185 million, or an annualized 14.6 percent, during the first quarter of 2026, while brokered deposits decreased $50.4 million.  The increase in local deposits, which occurred despite the customary level of seasonal noninterest-bearing deposit withdrawals by customers to make bonus and tax payments and partnership distributions, reflected successful customer acquisition efforts and net growth in various existing deposit relationships.  The loan-to-deposit ratio equaled 89 percent as of March 31, 2026, down from 91 percent as of year-end 2025 and 99 percent as of March 31, 2025, largely reflecting increases in local deposits.  As of March 31, 2026, wholesale funds were $395 million, or approximately 7 percent of total funds, compared to about 8 percent and 10 percent as of December 31, 2025, and March 31, 2025, respectively.  Noninterest-bearing checking accounts represented approximately 25 percent of total deposits as of March 31, 2026.

Mr. Reitsma noted, "The commercial loan portfolio expanded during the first quarter of 2026 despite elevated levels of payoffs and line of credit paydowns, reflecting sustained strength in loan originations.  We expect payoffs and paydowns to revert to historical levels during the remainder of 2026.  Based on our current pipeline and continuing discussions with existing and prospective borrowers, we believe plentiful opportunities to book commercial loans will exist in future periods.  We are pleased with the notable growth in local deposits and the associated decline in our loan-to-deposit ratio during the current-year first quarter, and we will continue our efforts to fund loan originations and investment purchases through local deposit expansion."

Asset Quality

Nonperforming assets totaled $7.5 million, or 0.1 percent of total assets, as of March 31, 2026, compared to $7.9 million, or 0.1 percent of total assets, as of December 31, 2025, and $5.4 million, or less than 0.1 percent of total assets, as of March 31, 2025.  The level of past due loans remains minimal.  During the first quarter of 2026, loan charge-offs were nominal, while recoveries of prior period loan charge-offs equaled $0.4 million, providing for net loan recoveries of $0.3 million, or an annualized 0.03 percent of average total loans.

Mr. Reitsma remarked, "Our asset quality measures remained strong during the first quarter of 2026 as evidenced by ongoing low levels of nonperforming assets, past due loans, and loan charge-offs.  We remain focused on underwriting loans across all portfolio segments in a sound and disciplined manner and detecting any weakening credit relationships and evolving systemic or sector-specific credit issues as soon as possible to minimize the impact of such on our overall financial position.  Our borrowers have continued to operate effectively during the prolonged and continuing period of uncertain macro-economic conditions and heightened geopolitical concerns."

Capital Position

Shareholders' equity totaled $737 million as of March 31, 2026, up $12.1 million from December 31, 2025.  Mercantile Bank and Eastern Michigan Bank maintained "well-capitalized" positions as of March 31, 2026, with total risk-based capital ratios of 13.8 percent and 21.5 percent, respectively.  As of March 31, 2026, Mercantile Bank and Eastern Michigan Bank had approximately $215 million and $29.6 million, respectively, in excess of the 10 percent minimum regulatory threshold required to be categorized as a "well-capitalized" institution.

Mercantile reported 17,274,356 total shares outstanding as of March 31, 2026.

Mr. Reitsma concluded, "Our sustained financial strength allowed us to continue our regular cash dividend program and once again provide shareholders with meaningful cash returns on their investments.  We believe we are well positioned to effectively address any issues emerging from the ongoing uncertainty surrounding macro-economic and operating conditions as a result of continuing strength in our operating results, asset quality metrics, and capital measures, along with the attainment of solid financial performance in future periods as anticipated.  Our unwavering commitment to meet clients' needs has proven to be successful in retaining existing and securing new relationships, and we believe the continuation of these efforts will afford us with plentiful opportunities to originate loans and generate local deposits in future periods." 

Investor Presentation

Mercantile has prepared presentation materials that management intends to use during its previously announced first quarter 2026 conference call on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time, and from time to time thereafter in presentations about the company's operations and performance.  These materials, which are available for viewing in the Investor Relations section of Mercantile's website at www.mercbank.com, have been furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission concurrently with this press release.

About Mercantile Bank Corporation

Based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Mercantile Bank Corporation is the bank holding company for Mercantile Bank and Eastern Michigan Bank.  Mercantile Bank and Eastern Michigan Bank provide financial products and services in a professional and personalized manner designed to make banking easier for businesses, individuals, and governmental units.  Distinguished by exceptional service, knowledgeable staff, and a commitment to the communities they serve, Mercantile Bank and Eastern Michigan Bank together comprise one of the largest Michigan-based banking organizations with total combined assets of approximately $6.9 billion. Mercantile Bank Corporation's common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "MBWM." For more information about Mercantile, visit www.mercbank.com, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) @MercBank, and LinkedIn @merc-bank.

Reconciliation of U.S. GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This news release contains certain non-GAAP financial measures, including adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share, each of which excludes after-tax costs associated with (i) Mercantile's acquisition of Eastern Michigan Financial Corporation that was completed during the fourth quarter of 2025 ($0.2 million), and (ii) the previously announced core and digital bank system conversion ($2.3 million).  These non-GAAP financial measures are identified in this news release where they appear.  We believe that presenting these non-GAAP financial measures provides investors, analysts, and other interested parties with meaningful supplementary information to assess Mercantile's underlying operational performance by removing the effect of costs we consider to be non-recurring in nature and not reflective of Mercantile's core operating results.  These non-GAAP financial measures are used by management to evaluate Mercantile's ongoing operations, for internal planning and forecasting purposes, and to assess period-over-period comparability.  Management believes it is useful for the reader to review these non-GAAP adjusted measures alongside the GAAP measures.  Our definition of these adjusted financial measures may differ from similarly named measures used by others.  These non-GAAP measures have limitations as an analytical tool and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for our GAAP measures.  Our net income and diluted earnings per share are presented on a GAAP-basis in the first paragraph of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains statements or information that may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "goal," "seek," "believe," "project," "estimate," "expect," "strategy," "future," "likely," "may," "should," "will," and similar references to future periods.  Any such statements are based on current expectations that involve a number of risks and uncertainties.  Actual results may differ materially from the results expressed in forward-looking statements.  Factors that might cause such a difference include difficulties and delays in the integration of Mercantile Bank and Eastern Michigan Bank and achieving anticipated synergies, cost savings and other benefits from the transaction; changes in interest rates and interest rate relationships; increasing rates of inflation and slower growth rates or recession; significant declines in the value of commercial real estate; market volatility; demand for products and services; climate impacts; labor markets; the degree of competition by traditional and nontraditional financial services companies; changes in banking regulation or actions by bank regulators; changes in tax laws and other laws and regulations applicable to us; changes in prices, levies, and assessments; the impact of technological advances; potential cyber-attacks, information security breaches and other criminal activities; litigation liabilities; governmental and regulatory policy changes; the outcomes of existing or future contingencies; trends in customer behavior as well as their ability to repay loans; changes in local real estate values; damage to our reputation resulting from adverse publicity, regulatory actions, litigation, operational failures, and the failure to meet client expectations and other facts; changes in the national and local economies; unstable political and economic environments; disease outbreaks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic or similar public health threats, and measures implemented to combat them; and other factors, including those expressed as risk factors, disclosed from time to time in filings made by Mercantile with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Mercantile undertakes no obligation to update or clarify forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.  Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements contained herein.

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SOURCE Mercantile Bank Corporation