HAMMOND, La., Jan. 31, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Guaranty Bancshares, Inc. ("First Guaranty") (NASDAQ: FGBI), the holding company for First Guaranty Bank, announced its unaudited financial results for the quarter and year ending December 31, 2022.

2022 marked another very successful year for First Guaranty Bancshares, Inc. Earnings increased for the fifth year consecutively. The number of consecutive quarters with a quarterly dividend paid to shareholders increased to 118. Total assets broke through the $3 billion mark to a total of $3,151,347,000 compared to $2,878,120,000 as of the end of December 2021, an increase of 9% year over year. The loan portfolio increased to $2,519,077,000 from $2,159,359,000, an increase of 17% year over year. Asset quality continued to improve as the Texas capital ratio dropped from 6.63% as of December 31, 2021 to 4.48% as of December 31, 2022. The Texas capital ratio was 13.54% as of January 2021. The lower the Texas capital ratio is, the better.

The increase in earnings for the year was modest, $1,600,000 as noted above. The loan portfolio increased in size by 17%. The net earnings were limited by the increase in interest expense as the Federal Reserve raised rates to try to control inflation. The key number is the yield rate on interest earning assets. For the three month period ending December 31, 2021, the yield rate was 5.35%; however, that included PPP fees. If the PPP fees were taken out of that number, the yield rate reduces to 5.12%. For the three months ending December 31, 2022, the yield was 5.77%, an increase of 65 basis points. When you match the significantly higher size of the portfolio with the significantly higher yield as of December 2022, it is clear that First Guaranty Bancshares, Inc. is positioned for significantly stronger earnings in 2023.

Our original markets continue to be strong. Texas, West Virginia and Kentucky have all become major contributors to growth, as expected. The entry into the Houston, Texas market is in process. The table is set for continued financial success. We have continued to improve and strengthen our personnel. We have made significant improvements in our IT processes and our internal loan production processes. We have continued to improve our facilities.

We continue to make First Guaranty Bancshares, Inc. stronger and safer.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Alton B. Lewis

President and CEO

First Guaranty, Bancshares, Inc.

About First Guaranty

First Guaranty Bancshares, Inc. is the holding company for First Guaranty Bank, a Louisiana state-chartered bank. Founded in 1934, First Guaranty Bank offers a wide range of financial services and focuses on building client relationships and providing exceptional customer service. First Guaranty Bank currently operates thirty-six locations throughout Louisiana, Texas, Kentucky and West Virginia. First Guaranty’s common stock trades on the NASDAQ under the symbol FGBI. For more information, visit www.fgb.net.

Certain statements contained herein are "forward looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward looking statements may be identified by reference to a future period or periods, or by the use of forward looking terminology, such as "may," "will," "believe," "expect," "estimate," "anticipate," "continue," or similar terms or variations on those terms, or the negative of those terms. Forward looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, as described in our SEC filings, including, but not limited to, those related to the real estate and economic environment, particularly in the market areas in which First Guaranty operates, competitive products and pricing, fiscal and monetary policies of the U.S. Government, changes in government regulations affecting financial institutions, including regulatory fees and capital requirements, changes in prevailing interest rates, acquisitions and the integration of acquired businesses, credit risk management, asset-liability management, the financial and securities markets and the availability of and costs associated with sources of liquidity.First Guaranty wishes to caution readers not to place undue reliance on any such forward looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. First Guaranty wishes to advise readers that the factors listed above could affect First Guaranty's financial performance and could cause First Guaranty's actual results for future periods to differ materially from any opinions or statements expressed with respect to future periods in any current statements. First Guaranty does not undertake and specifically declines any obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions, which may be made to any forward looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.

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CONTACT: ERIC J. DOSCH, CFO
985.375.0308