Category: Natural Disasters

  • MIL-OSI: RBB Bancorp Reports Second Quarter 2025 Earnings and Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend of $0.16 Per Common Share

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LOS ANGELES, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RBB Bancorp (NASDAQ:RBB) and its subsidiaries, Royal Business Bank (the “Bank”) and RBB Asset Management Company (“RAM”), collectively referred to herein as the “Company,” announced financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2025.

    Second Quarter 2025 Highlights

    • Net income totaled $9.3 million, or $0.52 diluted earnings per share
    • Return on average assets of 0.93%, compared to 0.24% for the quarter ended March 31, 2025
    • Net interest margin expanded to 2.92%, up from 2.88% for the quarter ended March 31, 2025
    • Net loans held for investment growth of $91.6 million, or 12% annualized
    • Nonperforming assets decreased $3.6 million, or 5.5%, to $61.0 million at June 30, 2025, down from $64.6 million at March 31, 2025
    • Book value and tangible book value per share(1) increased to $29.25 and $25.11 at June 30, 2025, up from $28.77 and $24.63 at March 31, 2025

    The Company reported net income of $9.3 million, or $0.52 diluted earnings per share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, compared to net income of $2.3 million, or $0.13 diluted earnings per share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2025. Net income for the second quarter of 2025 included income from an Employee Retention Credit (“ERC”) of $5.2 million (pre-tax), which was included in other income, offset partially by professional and advisory costs associated with filing and determining eligibility for the ERC totaling $1.2 million (pre-tax).

    “Another quarter of strong loan growth and stable loan yields drove increasing net interest income and margin expansion in the second quarter,” said Johnny Lee, President and Chief Executive Officer of RBB Bancorp. “We also benefited from the receipt of a $5.2 million ERC in the second quarter. We continue to work through our nonperforming assets and remain focused on resolving our nonperforming loans as quickly as possible while minimizing the impact to earnings and capital.”

    (1 ) Reconciliations of the non–U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) measures included at the end of this press release.
         

    Net Interest Income and Net Interest Margin

    Net interest income was $27.3 million for the second quarter of 2025, compared to $26.2 million for the first quarter of 2025. The $1.2 million increase was due to a $1.9 million increase in interest income, offset by a $698,000 increase in interest expense. The increase in interest income was mostly due to a $2.1 million increase in interest and fees on loans. The increase in interest expense was due to a $433,000 increase in interest on borrowings and a $265,000 increase in interest on deposits.

    The net interest margin (“NIM”) was 2.92% for the second quarter of 2025, an increase of 4 basis points from 2.88% for the first quarter of 2025. The NIM expansion was due to a 3 basis point increase in the yield on average interest-earning assets, combined with a 1 basis point decrease in the overall cost of funds. The yield on average interest-earning assets increased to 5.79% for the second quarter of 2025 from 5.76% for the first quarter of 2025 due mainly to a 2 basis point increase in the yield on average loans to 6.03%. Average loans represented 85% of average interest-earning assets in the second quarter of 2025, as compared to 84% in the first quarter of 2025.

    The average cost of funds decreased to 3.14% for the second quarter of 2025 from 3.15% for the first quarter of 2025, driven by an 11 basis point decrease in the average cost of interest-bearing deposits, partially offset by a 75 basis point increase in the average cost of total borrowings. The average cost of interest-bearing deposits decreased to 3.66% for the second quarter of 2025 from 3.77% for the first quarter of 2025. The overall funding mix for the second quarter of 2025 remained relatively unchanged from the first quarter of 2025 with total deposits representing 90% of interest bearing liabilities and average noninterest-bearing deposits representing 17% of average total deposits. The average cost of borrowings increased as $150 million in long term FHLB advances matured during the first quarter of 2025, the majority of which were replaced and repriced at current market rates. The all-in average spot rate for total deposits was 2.95% at June 30, 2025.

    Provision for Credit Losses

    The provision for credit losses was $2.4 million for the second quarter of 2025 compared to $6.7 million for the first quarter of 2025. The second quarter of 2025 provision for credit losses reflected an increase in general reserves of $1.5 million due mainly to net loan growth, and an increase in a specific reserve of $924,000 related to one lending relationship. The second quarter provision also took into consideration factors such as changes in the outlook for economic conditions and market interest rates, and changes in credit quality metrics, including changes in loans 30-89 days past due, nonperforming loans, special mention and substandard loans during the period. Net charge-offs of $3.3 million in the second quarter related to loans which had these specific reserves at March 31, 2025. Net charge-offs on an annualized basis represented 0.42% of average loans for the second quarter of 2025 compared to 0.35% for the first quarter of 2025.

    Noninterest Income

    Noninterest income for the second quarter of 2025 was $8.5 million, an increase of $6.2 million from $2.3 million for the first quarter of 2025. The second quarter of 2025 included other income of $5.2 million for the receipt of ERC funds from the IRS. The ERC was a grant program established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and these funds relate to qualifying amended payroll tax returns the Company filed for the first and second quarters of 2021.

    Upon receipt of the ERC funds, certain professional and tax advisory costs associated with the assessment and compilation of the ERC refunds became due and payable. These amounts totaled $1.2 million and are included in legal and professional expense in our consolidated statements of income for the second quarter of 2025. There were no such ERC amounts received or associated costs recognized during the first quarter of 2025 or the quarter ended June 30, 2024.

    The second quarter of 2025 also included a higher gain on sale of loans of $277,000 and recoveries associated with a fully-charged off loan acquired in a bank acquisition of $350,000, the latter included in “other income.”

    Noninterest Expense

    Noninterest expense for the second quarter of 2025 was $20.5 million, an increase of $2.0 million from $18.5 million for the first quarter of 2025. This increase was mostly due to higher legal and professional expense of $1.4 million, of which $1.2 million was attributed to the aforementioned ERC advisory costs, and a $437,000 increase in salaries and employee benefits expenses. The increase in compensation includes higher incentives related to sustained production levels, the impact of annual pay increases, and approximately $330,000 in costs related to executive management transitions, offset by lower payroll taxes. The efficiency ratio was 57.2% for the second quarter of 2025, down from 65.1% for the first quarter of 2025 due mostly to higher noninterest income related to the ERC, partially offset by higher noninterest expense related to the ERC advisory costs.

    Income Taxes

    The effective tax rate was 27.8% for the second quarter of 2025 and 28.2% for the first quarter of 2025. 

    Balance Sheet

    At June 30, 2025, total assets were $4.1 billion, an $80.6 million increase compared to March 31, 2025, and a $221.9 million increase compared to June 30, 2024.

    Loan and Securities Portfolio

    Loans held for investment (“HFI”) totaled $3.2 billion as of June 30, 2025, an increase of $91.6 million, or 12% annualized, compared to March 31, 2025 and an increase of $187.0 million, or 6.1%, compared to June 30, 2024. The second quarter of 2025 net loan growth included $182.8 million in new production with an average yield of 6.76%. The increase from March 31, 2025 was primarily due to a $57.3 million increase in single-family residential (“SFR”) mortgage loans, a $28.0 million increase in commercial real estate (“CRE”) loans, a $5.3 million increase in Small Business Administration (“SBA”) loans and a $2.7 million increase in commercial and industrial (“C&I”) loans. The loan to deposit ratio was 101.5% at June 30, 2025, compared to 100.0% at March 31, 2025 and 100.9% at June 30, 2024. 

    As of June 30, 2025, available for sale securities (“AFS”) totaled $413.1 million, an increase of $35.0 million from March 31, 2025, primarily related to purchases of $68.0 million, offset by maturities and amortization of $33.0 million during the second quarter of 2025. As of June 30, 2025, net unrealized losses totaled $23.1 million, a $1.9 million decrease, when compared to net unrealized losses of $25.0 million as of March 31, 2025.

    Deposits

    Total deposits were $3.2 billion as of June 30, 2025, an increase of $45.6 million, or 5.8% annualized, compared to March 31, 2025 and an increase of $164.6 million, or 5.4%, compared to June 30, 2024. The increase during the second quarter of 2025 was due to a $29.9 million increase in interest-bearing deposits coupled with a $15.7 million increase in noninterest-bearing deposits. The increase in interest-bearing deposits included increases in time deposits of $59.5 million, offset by decreases in interest-bearing non-maturity deposits of $29.5 million. Wholesale deposits totaled $183.8 million at June 30, 2025, an increase of $25.3 million compared to $158.5 million at March 31, 2025. Noninterest-bearing deposits totaled $543.9 million and represented 17.1% of total deposits at June 30, 2025 compared to $528.2 million and 16.8% at March 31, 2025.

    Credit Quality

    Nonperforming assets totaled $61.0 million, or 1.49% of total assets, at June 30, 2025, down from $64.6 million, or 1.61% of total assets, at March 31, 2025. The $3.6 million decrease in nonperforming assets was due to $3.3 million in net charge-offs and $1.7 million in payoffs and paydowns, partially offset by $1.4 million in additions from loans migrating to nonaccrual status in the second quarter of 2025. Nonperforming assets included one $4.2 million other real estate owned (included in “accrued interest and other assets”) at June 30, 2025 and March 31, 2025.

    Special mention loans totaled $91.3 million, or 2.82% of total loans, at June 30, 2025, up from $64.3 million, or 2.05% of total loans, at March 31, 2025. The $27.0 million increase was primarily due to the addition of loans totaling $30.1 million and $1.6 million in balance increases, partially offset by the downgrade of two CRE loans totaling $4.0 million to substandard-rated loans and payoffs and paydowns totaling $660,000. As of June 30, 2025, all special mention loans were paying current.

    Substandard loans totaled $91.0 million at June 30, 2025, up from $76.4 million at March 31, 2025. The $14.6 million increase was primarily due to the downgrades totaling $20.6 million, partially offset by net charge-offs totaling $3.3 million and payoffs and paydowns totaling $2.7 million. Of the total substandard loans at June 30, 2025, there were $34.2 million on accrual status.

    30-89 day delinquent loans, excluding nonperforming loans, totaled $18.0 million, or 0.56% of total loans, at June 30, 2025, up from $5.9 million, or 0.19% of total loans, at March 31, 2025. The $12.1 million increase was mostly due to $15.5 million in new delinquent loans, offset by $2.2 million in loans returning to current status, $798,000 in loans migrating to nonaccrual status, and $427,000 in paydowns and payoffs. The additions include an $8.5 million CRE loan that has since been brought current.

    As of June 30, 2025, the allowance for credit losses totaled $51.6 million and was comprised of an allowance for loan losses of $51.0 million and a reserve for unfunded commitments of $629,000 (included in “accrued interest and other liabilities”). This compares to the allowance for credit losses of $52.6 million, comprised of an allowance for loan losses of $51.9 million and a reserve for unfunded commitments of $629,000 at March 31, 2025. The $918,000 decrease in the allowance for credit losses for the second quarter of 2025 was due to net charge-offs of $3.3 million, offset by a $2.4 million provision for credit losses. The allowance for loan losses as a percentage of loans HFI decreased to 1.58% at June 30, 2025, compared to 1.65% at March 31, 2025, due mainly to net charge-offs of amounts included in specific reserves at March 31, 2025. The allowance for loan losses as a percentage of nonperforming loans HFI was 90% at June 30, 2025, an increase from 86% at March 31, 2025. 

      For the Three Months Ended June 30, 2025     For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2025  
    (dollars in thousands) Allowance
    for
    loan losses
        Reserve for
    unfunded
    loan commitments
        Allowance
    for
    credit losses
        Allowance
    for loan
    losses
        Reserve for
    unfunded
    loan
    commitments
        Allowance
    for credit
    losses
     
    Beginning balance $ 51,932     $ 629     $ 52,561     $ 47,729     $ 729     $ 48,458  
    Provision for (reversal of) credit losses   2,387             2,387       9,233       (100 )     9,133  
    Less loans charged-off   (3,339 )           (3,339 )     (6,065 )           (6,065 )
    Recoveries on loans charged-off   34             34       117             117  
    Ending balance $ 51,014     $ 629     $ 51,643     $ 51,014     $ 629     $ 51,643  
     

    Shareholders’ Equity

    At June 30, 2025, total shareholders’ equity was $517.7 million, a $7.3 million increase compared to March 31, 2025, and a $6.4 million increase compared to June 30, 2024. The increase in shareholders’ equity for the second quarter of 2025 was due to net income of $9.3 million, lower net unrealized losses on AFS securities of $1.3 million and equity compensation activity of $1.1 million, offset by common stock cash dividends paid totaling $2.9 million and common stock repurchases totaling $1.5 million. The increase in shareholders’ equity for the last twelve months was due to net income of $23.0 million, lower net unrealized losses on AFS securities of $4.9 million, and equity compensation activity of $2.5 million, offset by common stock repurchases totaling $12.5 million and common stock cash dividends paid totaling $11.5 million. Book value per share and tangible book value per share(1) increased to $29.25 and $25.11 at June 30, 2025, up from $28.77 and $24.63 at March 31, 2025 and up from $28.12 and $24.06 at June 30, 2024.

    Dividend Announcement

    The Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.16 per common share. The dividend is payable on August 12, 2025 to shareholders of record on July 31, 2025.

    (1 ) Reconciliations of the non–U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) measures included at the end of this press release.
         

    Corporate Overview

    RBB Bancorp is a community-based financial holding company headquartered in Los Angeles, California. As of June 30, 2025, the Company had total assets of $4.1 billion. Its wholly-owned subsidiary, Royal Business Bank, is a full service commercial bank, which provides consumer and business banking services predominately to the Asian-centric communities in Los Angeles County, Orange County, and Ventura County in California, in Las Vegas, Nevada, in Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan in New York, in Edison, New Jersey, in the Chicago neighborhoods of Chinatown and Bridgeport, Illinois, and on Oahu, Hawaii. Bank services include remote deposit, E-banking, mobile banking, commercial and investor real estate loans, business loans and lines of credit, commercial and industrial loans, SBA 7A and 504 loans, 1-4 single family residential loans, trade finance, a full range of depository account products and wealth management services. The Bank has nine branches in Los Angeles County, two branches in Ventura County, one branch in Orange County, California, one branch in Las Vegas, Nevada, three branches and one loan operation center in Brooklyn, three branches in Queens, one branch in Manhattan in New York, one branch in Edison, New Jersey, two branches in Chicago, Illinois, and one branch in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Company’s administrative and lending center is located at 1055 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90017, and its operations center is located at 7025 Orangethorpe Ave., Buena Park, California 90621. The Company’s website address is www.royalbusinessbankusa.com.

    Conference Call

    Management will hold a conference call at 11:00 a.m. Pacific time/2:00 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, to discuss the Company’s second quarter 2025 financial results.

    To listen to the conference call, please dial 1-888-506-0062 or 1-973-528-0011, the Participant ID code is 710803, conference ID RBBQ225. A replay of the call will be made available at 1-877-481-4010 or 1-919-882-2331, the passcode is 52690, approximately one hour after the conclusion of the call and will remain available through August 05, 2025.

    The conference call will also be simultaneously webcast over the Internet; please visit our Royal Business Bank website at www.royalbusinessbankusa.com and click on the “Investors” tab to access the call from the site. This webcast will be recorded and available for replay on our website approximately two hours after the conclusion of the conference call.

    Disclosure

    This press release contains certain non-GAAP financial disclosures for tangible common equity and tangible assets and adjusted earnings. The Company uses certain non-GAAP financial measures to provide meaningful supplemental information regarding the Company’s operational performance and to enhance investors’ overall understanding of such financial performance. Please refer to the tables at the end of this release for a presentation of performance ratios in accordance with GAAP and a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measures to the GAAP financial measures.

    Safe Harbor

    Certain matters set forth herein (including the exhibits hereto) constitute forward-looking statements relating to the Company’s current business plans and expectations and our future financial position and operating results. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance and/or achievements to differ materially from those projected. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the effectiveness of the Companys internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures; the potential for additional material weaknesses in the Companys internal controls over financial reporting or other potential control deficiencies of which the Company is not currently aware or which have not been detected; business and economic conditions generally and in the financial services industry, nationally and within our current and future geographic markets, including the tight labor market, ineffective management of the United States (U.S.) federal budget or debt or turbulence or uncertainly in domestic or foreign financial markets; the strength of the U.S. economy in general and the strength of the local economies in which we conduct operations; adverse developments in the banking industry highlighted by high-profile bank failures and the potential impact of such developments on customer confidence, liquidity and regulatory responses to these developments; possible additional provisions for credit losses and charge-offs; credit risks of lending activities and deterioration in asset or credit quality; extensive laws and regulations and supervision that we are subject to, including potential supervisory action by bank supervisory authorities; compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and other money laundering statutes and regulations; potential goodwill impairment; liquidity risk; failure to comply with debt covenants; fluctuations in interest rates; risks associated with acquisitions and the expansion of our business into new markets; inflation and deflation; real estate market conditions and the value of real estate collateral; the effects of having concentrations in our loan portfolio, including commercial real estate and the risks of geographic and industry concentrations; environmental liabilities; our ability to compete with larger competitors; our ability to retain key personnel; successful management of reputational risk; severe weather, natural disasters, earthquakes, fires, including direct and indirect costs and impacts on clients, the Company and its employees from the January 2025 Los Angeles County wildfires; or other adverse external events could harm our business; geopolitical conditions, including acts or threats of terrorism, actions taken by the U.S. or other governments in response to acts or threats of terrorism and/or military conflicts, including the conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, in the Middle East, and increasing tensions between China and Taiwan, which could impact business and economic conditions in the U.S. and abroad; tariffs, trade policies, and related tensions, which could impact our clients, specific industry sectors, and/or broader economic conditions and financial market; public health crises and pandemics, and their effects on the economic and business environments in which we operate, including our credit quality and business operations, as well as the impact on general economic and financial market conditions; general economic or business conditions in Asia, and other regions where the Bank has operations; failures, interruptions, or security breaches of our information systems; climate change, including any enhanced regulatory, compliance, credit and reputational risks and costs; cybersecurity threats and the cost of defending against them; our ability to adapt our systems to the expanding use of technology in banking; risk management processes and strategies; adverse results in legal proceedings; the impact of regulatory enforcement actions, if any; certain provisions in our charter and bylaws that may affect acquisition of the Company; changes in tax laws and regulations; the impact of governmental efforts to restructure the U.S. financial regulatory system and increased costs of compliance and other risks associated with changes in regulation, including any amendments to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act; the impact of changes in the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) insurance assessment rate and the rules and regulations related to the calculation of the FDIC insurance assessments; the effect of changes in accounting policies and practices or accounting standards, as may be adopted from time-to-time by bank regulatory agencies, the SEC, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, the Financial Accounting Standards Board or other accounting standards setters; fluctuations in the Company’s stock price; restrictions on dividends and other distributions by laws and regulations and by our regulators and our capital structure; our ability to raise additional capital, if needed, and the potential resulting dilution of interests of holders of our common stock; the soundness of other financial institutions; our ongoing relations with our various federal and state regulators, including the SEC, FDIC, FRB and California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation; our success at managing the risks involved in the foregoing items and all other factors set forth in the Company’s public reports, including its Annual Report as filed under Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and particularly the discussion of risk factors within that document. The Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to update any forward-looking statements to reflect occurrences or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements except as required by law. Any statements about future operating results, such as those concerning accretion and dilution to the Company’s earnings or shareholders, are for illustrative purposes only, are not forecasts, and actual results may differ.

    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
    (Unaudited)
    (Dollars in thousands)
     
      June 30,     March 31,     December 31,     September 30,     June 30,  
      2025     2025     2024     2024     2024  
    Assets                                      
    Cash and due from banks $ 27,338     $ 25,315     $ 27,747     $ 26,388     $ 23,313  
    Interest-earning deposits with financial institutions   164,514       213,508       229,998       323,002       229,456  
    Cash and cash equivalents   191,852       238,823       257,745       349,390       252,769  
    Interest-earning time deposits with financial institutions   600       600       600       600       600  
    Investment securities available for sale   413,142       378,188       420,190       305,666       325,582  
    Investment securities held to maturity   4,186       5,188       5,191       5,195       5,200  
    Loans held for sale         655       11,250       812       3,146  
    Loans held for investment   3,234,695       3,143,063       3,053,230       3,091,896       3,047,712  
    Allowance for loan losses   (51,014 )     (51,932 )     (47,729 )     (43,685 )     (41,741 )
    Net loans held for investment   3,183,681       3,091,131       3,005,501       3,048,211       3,005,971  
    Premises and equipment, net   23,945       24,308       24,601       24,839       25,049  
    Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) stock   15,000       15,000       15,000       15,000       15,000  
    Cash surrender value of bank owned life insurance   61,111       60,699       60,296       59,889       59,486  
    Goodwill   71,498       71,498       71,498       71,498       71,498  
    Servicing assets   6,482       6,766       6,985       7,256       7,545  
    Core deposit intangibles   1,667       1,839       2,011       2,194       2,394  
    Right-of-use assets   25,554       26,779       28,048       29,283       30,530  
    Accrued interest and other assets   91,322       87,926       83,561       70,644       63,416  
    Total assets $ 4,090,040     $ 4,009,400     $ 3,992,477     $ 3,990,477     $ 3,868,186  
    Liabilities and shareholders’ equity                                      
    Deposits:                                      
    Noninterest-bearing demand $ 543,885     $ 528,205     $ 563,012     $ 543,623     $ 542,971  
    Savings, NOW and money market accounts   691,679       721,216       663,034       666,089       647,770  
    Time deposits, $250,000 and under   1,010,674       1,000,106       1,007,452       1,052,462       1,014,189  
    Time deposits, greater than $250,000   941,993       893,101       850,291       830,010       818,675  
    Total deposits   3,188,231       3,142,628       3,083,789       3,092,184       3,023,605  
    FHLB advances   180,000       160,000       200,000       200,000       150,000  
    Long-term debt, net of issuance costs   119,720       119,624       119,529       119,433       119,338  
    Subordinated debentures   15,265       15,211       15,156       15,102       15,047  
    Lease liabilities – operating leases   27,294       28,483       29,705       30,880       32,087  
    Accrued interest and other liabilities   41,877       33,148       36,421       23,150       16,818  
    Total liabilities   3,572,387       3,499,094       3,484,600       3,480,749       3,356,895  
    Shareholders’ equity:                                      
    Common stock   259,863       260,284       259,957       259,280       266,160  
    Additional paid-in capital   3,579       3,360       3,645       3,520       3,456  
    Retained earnings   270,152       263,885       264,460       262,946       262,518  
    Non-controlling interest   72       72       72       72       72  
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net   (16,013 )     (17,295 )     (20,257 )     (16,090 )     (20,915 )
    Total shareholders’ equity   517,653       510,306       507,877       509,728       511,291  
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 4,090,040     $ 4,009,400     $ 3,992,477     $ 3,990,477     $ 3,868,186  
    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
    (Unaudited)
    (In thousands, except share and per share data)
     
      For the Three Months Ended     For the Six Months Ended  
      June 30,
    2025
        March 31,
    2025
        June 30,
    2024
        June 30,
    2025
        June 30,
    2024
     
    Interest and dividend income:                                      
    Interest and fees on loans $ 47,687     $ 45,621     $ 45,320     $ 93,308     $ 90,867  
    Interest on interest-earning deposits   1,750       2,014       3,353       3,764       8,393  
    Interest on investment securities   4,213       4,136       3,631       8,349       7,242  
    Dividend income on FHLB stock   324       330       327       654       658  
    Interest on federal funds sold and other   231       235       255       466       521  
    Total interest and dividend income   54,205       52,336       52,886       106,541       107,681  
    Interest expense:                                      
    Interest on savings deposits, NOW and money market accounts   4,567       4,468       4,953       9,035       9,431  
    Interest on time deposits   19,250       19,084       21,850       38,334       45,172  
    Interest on long-term debt and subordinated debentures   1,634       1,632       1,679       3,266       3,358  
    Interest on FHLB advances   1,420       989       439       2,409       878  
    Total interest expense   26,871       26,173       28,921       53,044       58,839  
    Net interest income before provision for credit losses   27,334       26,163       23,965       53,497       48,842  
    Provision for credit losses   2,387       6,746       557       9,133       557  
    Net interest income after provision for credit losses   24,947       19,417       23,408       44,364       48,285  
    Noninterest income:                                      
    Service charges and fees   1,060       1,017       1,064       2,077       2,056  
    Gain on sale of loans   358       81       451       439       763  
    Loan servicing fees, net of amortization   541       588       579       1,129       1,168  
    Increase in cash surrender value of life insurance   411       403       385       814       767  
    Gain on OREO               292             1,016  
    Other income   6,108       206       717       6,314       1,090  
    Total noninterest income   8,478       2,295       3,488       10,773       6,860  
    Noninterest expense:                                      
    Salaries and employee benefits   11,080       10,643       9,533       21,723       19,460  
    Occupancy and equipment expenses   2,377       2,407       2,439       4,784       4,882  
    Data processing   1,713       1,602       1,466       3,315       2,886  
    Legal and professional   2,904       1,515       1,260       4,419       2,140  
    Office expenses   405       408       352       813       708  
    Marketing and business promotion   212       197       189       409       361  
    Insurance and regulatory assessments   709       730       981       1,439       1,963  
    Core deposit premium   172       172       201       344       402  
    Other expenses   921       848       703       1,769       1,291  
    Total noninterest expense   20,493       18,522       17,124       39,015       34,093  
    Income before income taxes   12,932       3,190       9,772       16,122       21,052  
    Income tax expense   3,599       900       2,527       4,499       5,771  
    Net income $ 9,333     $ 2,290     $ 7,245     $ 11,623     $ 15,281  
                                           
    Net income per share                                      
    Basic $ 0.53     $ 0.13     $ 0.39     $ 0.66     $ 0.83  
    Diluted $ 0.52     $ 0.13     $ 0.39     $ 0.65     $ 0.82  
    Cash dividends declared per common share $ 0.16     $ 0.16     $ 0.16     $ 0.32     $ 0.32  
    Weighted-average common shares outstanding                                      
    Basic   17,746,607       17,727,712       18,375,970       17,737,212       18,488,623  
    Diluted   17,797,735       17,770,588       18,406,897       17,784,237       18,529,299  
    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    AVERAGE BALANCE SHEET AND NET INTEREST INCOME
    (Unaudited)
     
      For the Three Months Ended  
      June 30, 2025     March 31, 2025     June 30, 2024  
      Average     Interest     Yield /     Average     Interest     Yield /     Average     Interest     Yield /  
    (tax-equivalent basis, dollars in thousands) Balance     & Fees     Rate     Balance     & Fees     Rate     Balance     & Fees     Rate  
    Interest-earning assets                                                                      
    Cash and cash equivalents(1) $ 163,838     $ 1,980       4.85 %   $ 194,236     $ 2,249       4.70 %   $ 255,973     $ 3,608       5.67 %
    FHLB Stock   15,000       324       8.66 %     15,000       330       8.92 %     15,000       327       8.77 %
    Securities                                                                      
    Available for sale(2)   399,414       4,189       4.21 %     390,178       4,113       4.28 %     318,240       3,608       4.56 %
    Held to maturity(2)   5,028       48       3.83 %     5,189       49       3.83 %     5,203       46       3.56 %
    Total loans(3)   3,171,570       47,687       6.03 %     3,079,224       45,621       6.01 %     3,017,050       45,320       6.04 %
    Total interest-earning assets   3,754,850     $ 54,228       5.79 %     3,683,827     $ 52,362       5.76 %     3,611,466     $ 52,909       5.89 %
    Total noninterest-earning assets   254,029                       260,508                       240,016                  
    Total average assets $ 4,008,879                     $ 3,944,335                     $ 3,851,482                  
                                                                           
    Interest-bearing liabilities                                                                      
    NOW $ 66,755       368       2.21 %   $ 61,222     $ 321       2.13 %   $ 56,081     $ 276       1.98 %
    Money market   482,669       3,774       3.14 %     463,443       3,625       3.17 %     431,559       3,877       3.61 %
    Saving deposits   141,411       425       1.21 %     155,116       522       1.36 %     164,913       800       1.95 %
    Time deposits, $250,000 and under   996,249       9,768       3.93 %     989,622       10,046       4.12 %     1,049,666       12,360       4.74 %
    Time deposits, greater than $250,000   922,540       9,482       4.12 %     864,804       9,038       4.24 %     772,255       9,490       4.94 %
    Total interest-bearing deposits   2,609,624       23,817       3.66 %     2,534,207       23,552       3.77 %     2,474,474       26,803       4.36 %
    FHLB advances   159,286       1,420       3.58 %     176,833       989       2.27 %     150,000       439       1.18 %
    Long-term debt   119,657       1,296       4.34 %     119,562       1,295       4.39 %     119,275       1,296       4.37 %
    Subordinated debentures   15,230       338       8.90 %     15,175       337       9.01 %     15,011       383       10.26 %
    Total interest-bearing liabilities   2,903,797       26,871       3.71 %     2,845,777       26,173       3.73 %     2,758,760       28,921       4.22 %
    Noninterest-bearing liabilities                                                                      
    Noninterest-bearing deposits   526,113                       520,145                       529,450                  
    Other noninterest-bearing liabilities   65,278                       66,151                       51,087                  
    Total noninterest-bearing liabilities   591,391                       586,296                       580,537                  
    Shareholders’ equity   513,691                       512,262                       512,185                  
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 4,008,879                     $ 3,944,335                     $ 3,851,482                  
    Net interest income / interest rate spreads         $ 27,357       2.08 %           $ 26,189       2.03 %           $ 23,988       1.67 %
    Net interest margin                   2.92 %                     2.88 %                     2.67 %
                                                                           
    Total cost of deposits $ 3,135,737     $ 23,817       3.05 %   $ 3,054,352     $ 23,552       3.13 %   $ 3,003,924     $ 26,803       3.59 %
    Total cost of funds $ 3,429,910     $ 26,871       3.14 %   $ 3,365,922     $ 26,173       3.15 %   $ 3,288,210     $ 28,921       3.54 %

    ___________

    (1 ) Includes income and average balances for interest-earning time deposits and other miscellaneous interest-earning assets.
    (2 ) Interest income and average rates for tax-exempt securities are presented on a tax-equivalent basis.
    (3 ) Average loan balances relate to loans held for investment and loans held for sale and include nonaccrual loans. Interest income on loans includes the effects of discount accretion and net deferred loan origination fees and costs accounted for as yield adjustments.
    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    AVERAGE BALANCE SHEET AND NET INTEREST INCOME
    (Unaudited)
     
      Six Months Ended June 30,  
      2025     2024  
      Average     Interest     Yield /     Average     Interest     Yield /  
    (tax-equivalent basis, dollars in thousands) Balance     & Fees     Rate     Balance     & Fees     Rate  
    Interest-earning assets                                              
    Cash and cash equivalents(1) $ 178,953     $ 4,230       4.77 %   $ 310,476     $ 8,914       5.77 %
    FHLB Stock   15,000       654       8.79 %     15,000       658       8.82 %
    Securities                                              
    Available for sale(2)   394,822       8,302       4.24 %     319,127       7,197       4.54 %
    Held to maturity(2)   5,108       97       3.83 %     5,205       94       3.63 %
    Total loans(3)   3,125,652       93,308       6.02 %     3,017,737       90,867       6.06 %
    Total interest-earning assets   3,719,535     $ 106,591       5.78 %     3,667,545     $ 107,730       5.91 %
    Total noninterest-earning assets   257,250                       243,178                  
    Total average assets $ 3,976,785                     $ 3,910,723                  
                                                   
    Interest-bearing liabilities                                              
    NOW $ 64,004       689       2.17 %   $ 57,513     $ 574       2.01 %
    Money market   473,109       7,399       3.15 %     421,655       7,403       3.53 %
    Saving deposits   148,225       947       1.29 %     161,070       1,454       1.82 %
    Time deposits, $250,000 and under   992,954       19,815       4.02 %     1,112,735       26,165       4.73 %
    Time deposits, greater than $250,000   893,832       18,519       4.18 %     778,713       19,007       4.91 %
    Total interest-bearing deposits   2,572,124       47,369       3.71 %     2,531,686       54,603       4.34 %
    FHLB advances   168,011       2,409       2.89 %     150,000       878       1.18 %
    Long-term debt   119,610       2,591       4.37 %     119,228       2,591       4.37 %
    Subordinated debentures   15,203       675       8.95 %     14,984       767       10.29 %
    Total interest-bearing liabilities   2,874,948       53,044       3.72 %     2,815,898       58,839       4.20 %
    Noninterest-bearing liabilities                                              
    Noninterest-bearing deposits   523,145                       528,898                  
    Other noninterest-bearing liabilities   65,711                       53,441                  
    Total noninterest-bearing liabilities   588,856                       582,339                  
    Shareholders’ equity   512,981                       512,486                  
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 3,976,785                     $ 3,910,723                  
    Net interest income / interest rate spreads         $ 53,547       2.06 %           $ 48,891       1.71 %
    Net interest margin                   2.90 %                     2.68 %
                                                   
    Total cost of deposits $ 3,095,269     $ 47,369       3.09 %   $ 3,060,584     $ 54,603       3.59 %
    Total cost of funds $ 3,398,093     $ 53,044       3.15 %   $ 3,344,796     $ 58,839       3.54 %

    ___________

    (1 ) Includes income and average balances for interest-earning time deposits and other miscellaneous interest-earning assets.
    (2 ) Interest income and average rates for tax-exempt securities are presented on a tax-equivalent basis.
    (3 ) Average loan balances relate to loans held for investment and loans held for sale and include nonaccrual loans. Interest income on loans includes the effects of discount accretion and net deferred loan origination fees and costs accounted for as yield adjustments.
    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    SELECTED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
    (Unaudited)
     
      At or for the Three Months Ended     At or for the Six Months Ended June 30,  
      June 30,     March 31,     June 30,                  
      2025     2025     2024     2025     2024  
    Per share data (common stock)                                      
    Book value $ 29.25     $ 28.77     $ 28.12     $ 29.25     $ 28.12  
    Tangible book value(1) $ 25.11     $ 24.63     $ 24.06     $ 25.11     $ 24.06  
    Performance ratios                                      
    Return on average assets, annualized   0.93 %     0.24 %     0.76 %     0.59 %     0.79 %
    Return on average shareholders’ equity, annualized   7.29 %     1.81 %     5.69 %     4.57 %     6.00 %
    Return on average tangible common equity, annualized(1)   8.50 %     2.12 %     6.65 %     5.33 %     7.01 %
    Noninterest income to average assets, annualized   0.85 %     0.24 %     0.36 %     0.55 %     0.35 %
    Noninterest expense to average assets, annualized   2.05 %     1.90 %     1.79 %     1.98 %     1.75 %
    Yield on average earning assets   5.79 %     5.76 %     5.89 %     5.78 %     5.91 %
    Yield on average loans   6.03 %     6.01 %     6.04 %     6.02 %     6.06 %
    Cost of average total deposits(2)   3.05 %     3.13 %     3.59 %     3.09 %     3.59 %
    Cost of average interest-bearing deposits   3.66 %     3.77 %     4.36 %     3.71 %     4.34 %
    Cost of average interest-bearing liabilities   3.71 %     3.73 %     4.22 %     3.72 %     4.20 %
    Net interest spread   2.08 %     2.03 %     1.67 %     2.06 %     1.71 %
    Net interest margin   2.92 %     2.88 %     2.67 %     2.90 %     2.68 %
    Efficiency ratio(3)   57.22 %     65.09 %     62.38 %     60.70 %     61.21 %
    Common stock dividend payout ratio   30.19 %     123.08 %     41.03 %     48.48 %     38.55 %

    ___________

    (1 ) Non-GAAP measure. See Non–GAAP reconciliations set forth at the end of this press release.
    (2 ) Total deposits include non-interest bearing deposits and interest-bearing deposits.
    (3 ) Ratio calculated by dividing noninterest expense by the sum of net interest income before provision for credit losses and noninterest income.
    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    SELECTED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
    (Unaudited)
    (Dollars in thousands)
     
      At or for the quarter ended  
      June 30,     March 31,     June 30,  
      2025     2025     2024  
    Credit Quality Data:                      
    Special mention loans $ 91,317     $ 64,279     $ 19,520  
    Special mention loans to total loans HFI   2.82 %     2.05 %     0.64 %
    Substandard loans $ 91,019     $ 76,372     $ 63,076  
    Substandard loans to total loans HFI   2.81 %     2.43 %     2.07 %
    Loans 30-89 days past due, excluding nonperforming loans $ 18,003     $ 5,927     $ 11,270  
    Loans 30-89 days past due, excluding nonperforming loans, to total loans   0.56 %     0.19 %     0.37 %
    Nonperforming loans $ 56,817     $ 60,380     $ 54,589  
    OREO $ 4,170     $ 4,170     $  
    Nonperforming assets $ 60,987     $ 64,550     $ 54,589  
    Nonperforming loans to total loans HFI   1.76 %     1.92 %     1.79 %
    Nonperforming assets to total assets   1.49 %     1.61 %     1.41 %
                           
    Allowance for loan losses $ 51,014     $ 51,932     $ 41,741  
    Allowance for loan losses to total loans HFI   1.58 %     1.65 %     1.37 %
    Allowance for loan losses to nonperforming loans HFI   89.79 %     86.01 %     76.46 %
    Net charge-offs $ 3,305     $ 2,643     $ 551  
    Net charge-offs to average loans   0.42 %     0.35 %     0.07 %
                           
    Capitalratios(1)                      
    Tangible common equity to tangible assets(2)   11.07 %     11.10 %     11.53 %
    Tier 1 leverage ratio   12.04 %     12.07 %     12.48 %
    Tier 1 common capital to risk-weighted assets   17.61 %     17.87 %     18.89 %
    Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets   18.17 %     18.45 %     19.50 %
    Total capital to risk-weighted assets   24.00 %     24.42 %     25.67 %

    ___________

    (1 ) June 30, 2025 capital ratios are preliminary.
    (2 ) Non-GAAP measure. See Non-GAAP reconciliations set forth at the end of this press release.
    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    SELECTED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
    (Unaudited)
     
    Loan Portfolio Detail As of June 30, 2025   As of March 31, 2025     As of June 30, 2024  
    (dollars in thousands) $   %   $     %     $     %  
    Loans:                                          
    Commercial and industrial $ 138,263       4.3 %   $ 135,538       4.3 %   $ 126,649       4.2 %
    SBA   55,984       1.7 %     50,651       1.6 %     50,323       1.7 %
    Construction and land development   157,970       4.9 %     158,883       5.1 %     202,459       6.6 %
    Commercial real estate(1)   1,273,442       39.4 %     1,245,402       39.6 %     1,190,207       39.1 %
    Single-family residential mortgages   1,603,114       49.6 %     1,545,822       49.2 %     1,467,802       48.2 %
    Other loans   5,922       0.1 %     6,767       0.2 %     10,272       0.2 %
    Total loans $ 3,234,695       100.0 %   $ 3,143,063       100.0 %   $ 3,047,712       100.0 %
    Allowance for loan losses   (51,014 )         (51,932 )             (41,741 )        
    Total loans, net $ 3,183,681         $ 3,091,131             $ 3,005,971          

    ___________

    (1 ) Includes non-farm and non-residential loans, multi-family residential loans and non-owner occupied single family residential loans.
    Deposits As of June 30, 2025   As of March 31, 2025     As of June 30, 2024  
    (dollars in thousands) $   %   $   %     $   %  
    Deposits:                                          
    Noninterest-bearing demand $ 543,885       17.1 %   $ 528,205       16.8 %   $ 542,971       18.0 %
    Savings, NOW and money market accounts   691,679       21.7 %     721,216       22.9 %     647,770       21.4 %
    Time deposits, $250,000 and under   848,379       26.6 %     863,962       27.5 %     921,712       30.5 %
    Time deposits, greater than $250,000   920,481       28.8 %     870,708       27.8 %     790,478       26.1 %
    Wholesale deposits(1)   183,807       5.8 %     158,537       5.0 %     120,674       4.0 %
    Total deposits $ 3,188,231       100.0 %   $ 3,142,628       100.0 %   $ 3,023,605       100.0 %

    ___________

    (1 ) Includes brokered deposits, collateralized deposits from the State of California, and deposits acquired through internet listing services.

    Non-GAAP Reconciliations

    Tangible Book Value Reconciliations

    Tangible book value per share is a non-GAAP disclosure. Management measures tangible book value per share to assess the Company’s capital strength and business performance and believes this is helpful to investors as additional tools for further understanding our performance. The following is a reconciliation of tangible book value to the Company shareholders’ equity computed in accordance with GAAP, as well as a calculation of tangible book value per share as of as of the dates indicated.

                         
    (dollars in thousands, except share and per share data) June 30, 2025     March 31, 2025     June 30, 2024  
    Tangible common equity:                      
    Total shareholders’ equity $ 517,653     $ 510,306     $ 511,291  
    Adjustments                      
    Goodwill   (71,498 )     (71,498 )     (71,498 )
    Core deposit intangible   (1,667 )     (1,839 )     (2,394 )
    Tangible common equity $ 444,488     $ 436,969     $ 437,399  
    Tangible assets:                      
    Total assets-GAAP $ 4,090,040     $ 4,009,400     $ 3,868,186  
    Adjustments                      
    Goodwill   (71,498 )     (71,498 )     (71,498 )
    Core deposit intangible   (1,667 )     (1,839 )     (2,394 )
    Tangible assets $ 4,016,875     $ 3,936,063     $ 3,794,294  
    Common shares outstanding   17,699,091       17,738,628       18,182,154  
    Common equity to assets ratio   12.66 %     12.73 %     13.22 %
    Tangible common equity to tangible assets ratio   11.07 %     11.10 %     11.53 %
    Book value per share $ 29.25     $ 28.77     $ 28.12  
    Tangible book value per share $ 25.11     $ 24.63     $ 24.06  

    Return on Average Tangible Common Equity

    Management measures return on average tangible common equity (“ROATCE”) to assess the Company’s capital strength and business performance and believes this is helpful to investors as an additional tool for further understanding our performance. Tangible equity excludes goodwill and other intangible assets (excluding mortgage servicing rights) and is reviewed by banking and financial institution regulators when assessing a financial institution’s capital adequacy. This non-GAAP financial measure should not be considered a substitute for operating results determined in accordance with GAAP and may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures used by other companies. The following table reconciles ROATCE to its most comparable GAAP measure:

      Three Months Ended     Six Months Ended June 30,  
    (dollars in thousands) June 30, 2025     March 31, 2025     June 30, 2024     2025     2024  
    Net income available to common shareholders $ 9,333     $ 2,290     $ 7,245     $ 11,623     $ 15,281  
    Average shareholders’ equity   513,691       512,262       512,185       512,981       512,486  
    Adjustments:                                      
    Average goodwill   (71,498 )     (71,498 )     (71,498 )     (71,498 )     (71,498 )
    Average core deposit intangible   (1,780 )     (1,951 )     (2,525 )     (1,865 )     (2,625 )
    Adjusted average tangible common equity $ 440,413     $ 438,813     $ 438,162     $ 439,618     $ 438,363  
    Return on average common equity, annualized   7.29 %     1.81 %     5.69 %     4.57 %     6.00 %
    Return on average tangible common equity, annualized   8.50 %     2.12 %     6.65 %     5.33 %     7.01 %

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: RBB Bancorp Reports Second Quarter 2025 Earnings and Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend of $0.16 Per Common Share

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LOS ANGELES, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RBB Bancorp (NASDAQ:RBB) and its subsidiaries, Royal Business Bank (the “Bank”) and RBB Asset Management Company (“RAM”), collectively referred to herein as the “Company,” announced financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2025.

    Second Quarter 2025 Highlights

    • Net income totaled $9.3 million, or $0.52 diluted earnings per share
    • Return on average assets of 0.93%, compared to 0.24% for the quarter ended March 31, 2025
    • Net interest margin expanded to 2.92%, up from 2.88% for the quarter ended March 31, 2025
    • Net loans held for investment growth of $91.6 million, or 12% annualized
    • Nonperforming assets decreased $3.6 million, or 5.5%, to $61.0 million at June 30, 2025, down from $64.6 million at March 31, 2025
    • Book value and tangible book value per share(1) increased to $29.25 and $25.11 at June 30, 2025, up from $28.77 and $24.63 at March 31, 2025

    The Company reported net income of $9.3 million, or $0.52 diluted earnings per share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, compared to net income of $2.3 million, or $0.13 diluted earnings per share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2025. Net income for the second quarter of 2025 included income from an Employee Retention Credit (“ERC”) of $5.2 million (pre-tax), which was included in other income, offset partially by professional and advisory costs associated with filing and determining eligibility for the ERC totaling $1.2 million (pre-tax).

    “Another quarter of strong loan growth and stable loan yields drove increasing net interest income and margin expansion in the second quarter,” said Johnny Lee, President and Chief Executive Officer of RBB Bancorp. “We also benefited from the receipt of a $5.2 million ERC in the second quarter. We continue to work through our nonperforming assets and remain focused on resolving our nonperforming loans as quickly as possible while minimizing the impact to earnings and capital.”

    (1 ) Reconciliations of the non–U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) measures included at the end of this press release.
         

    Net Interest Income and Net Interest Margin

    Net interest income was $27.3 million for the second quarter of 2025, compared to $26.2 million for the first quarter of 2025. The $1.2 million increase was due to a $1.9 million increase in interest income, offset by a $698,000 increase in interest expense. The increase in interest income was mostly due to a $2.1 million increase in interest and fees on loans. The increase in interest expense was due to a $433,000 increase in interest on borrowings and a $265,000 increase in interest on deposits.

    The net interest margin (“NIM”) was 2.92% for the second quarter of 2025, an increase of 4 basis points from 2.88% for the first quarter of 2025. The NIM expansion was due to a 3 basis point increase in the yield on average interest-earning assets, combined with a 1 basis point decrease in the overall cost of funds. The yield on average interest-earning assets increased to 5.79% for the second quarter of 2025 from 5.76% for the first quarter of 2025 due mainly to a 2 basis point increase in the yield on average loans to 6.03%. Average loans represented 85% of average interest-earning assets in the second quarter of 2025, as compared to 84% in the first quarter of 2025.

    The average cost of funds decreased to 3.14% for the second quarter of 2025 from 3.15% for the first quarter of 2025, driven by an 11 basis point decrease in the average cost of interest-bearing deposits, partially offset by a 75 basis point increase in the average cost of total borrowings. The average cost of interest-bearing deposits decreased to 3.66% for the second quarter of 2025 from 3.77% for the first quarter of 2025. The overall funding mix for the second quarter of 2025 remained relatively unchanged from the first quarter of 2025 with total deposits representing 90% of interest bearing liabilities and average noninterest-bearing deposits representing 17% of average total deposits. The average cost of borrowings increased as $150 million in long term FHLB advances matured during the first quarter of 2025, the majority of which were replaced and repriced at current market rates. The all-in average spot rate for total deposits was 2.95% at June 30, 2025.

    Provision for Credit Losses

    The provision for credit losses was $2.4 million for the second quarter of 2025 compared to $6.7 million for the first quarter of 2025. The second quarter of 2025 provision for credit losses reflected an increase in general reserves of $1.5 million due mainly to net loan growth, and an increase in a specific reserve of $924,000 related to one lending relationship. The second quarter provision also took into consideration factors such as changes in the outlook for economic conditions and market interest rates, and changes in credit quality metrics, including changes in loans 30-89 days past due, nonperforming loans, special mention and substandard loans during the period. Net charge-offs of $3.3 million in the second quarter related to loans which had these specific reserves at March 31, 2025. Net charge-offs on an annualized basis represented 0.42% of average loans for the second quarter of 2025 compared to 0.35% for the first quarter of 2025.

    Noninterest Income

    Noninterest income for the second quarter of 2025 was $8.5 million, an increase of $6.2 million from $2.3 million for the first quarter of 2025. The second quarter of 2025 included other income of $5.2 million for the receipt of ERC funds from the IRS. The ERC was a grant program established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and these funds relate to qualifying amended payroll tax returns the Company filed for the first and second quarters of 2021.

    Upon receipt of the ERC funds, certain professional and tax advisory costs associated with the assessment and compilation of the ERC refunds became due and payable. These amounts totaled $1.2 million and are included in legal and professional expense in our consolidated statements of income for the second quarter of 2025. There were no such ERC amounts received or associated costs recognized during the first quarter of 2025 or the quarter ended June 30, 2024.

    The second quarter of 2025 also included a higher gain on sale of loans of $277,000 and recoveries associated with a fully-charged off loan acquired in a bank acquisition of $350,000, the latter included in “other income.”

    Noninterest Expense

    Noninterest expense for the second quarter of 2025 was $20.5 million, an increase of $2.0 million from $18.5 million for the first quarter of 2025. This increase was mostly due to higher legal and professional expense of $1.4 million, of which $1.2 million was attributed to the aforementioned ERC advisory costs, and a $437,000 increase in salaries and employee benefits expenses. The increase in compensation includes higher incentives related to sustained production levels, the impact of annual pay increases, and approximately $330,000 in costs related to executive management transitions, offset by lower payroll taxes. The efficiency ratio was 57.2% for the second quarter of 2025, down from 65.1% for the first quarter of 2025 due mostly to higher noninterest income related to the ERC, partially offset by higher noninterest expense related to the ERC advisory costs.

    Income Taxes

    The effective tax rate was 27.8% for the second quarter of 2025 and 28.2% for the first quarter of 2025. 

    Balance Sheet

    At June 30, 2025, total assets were $4.1 billion, an $80.6 million increase compared to March 31, 2025, and a $221.9 million increase compared to June 30, 2024.

    Loan and Securities Portfolio

    Loans held for investment (“HFI”) totaled $3.2 billion as of June 30, 2025, an increase of $91.6 million, or 12% annualized, compared to March 31, 2025 and an increase of $187.0 million, or 6.1%, compared to June 30, 2024. The second quarter of 2025 net loan growth included $182.8 million in new production with an average yield of 6.76%. The increase from March 31, 2025 was primarily due to a $57.3 million increase in single-family residential (“SFR”) mortgage loans, a $28.0 million increase in commercial real estate (“CRE”) loans, a $5.3 million increase in Small Business Administration (“SBA”) loans and a $2.7 million increase in commercial and industrial (“C&I”) loans. The loan to deposit ratio was 101.5% at June 30, 2025, compared to 100.0% at March 31, 2025 and 100.9% at June 30, 2024. 

    As of June 30, 2025, available for sale securities (“AFS”) totaled $413.1 million, an increase of $35.0 million from March 31, 2025, primarily related to purchases of $68.0 million, offset by maturities and amortization of $33.0 million during the second quarter of 2025. As of June 30, 2025, net unrealized losses totaled $23.1 million, a $1.9 million decrease, when compared to net unrealized losses of $25.0 million as of March 31, 2025.

    Deposits

    Total deposits were $3.2 billion as of June 30, 2025, an increase of $45.6 million, or 5.8% annualized, compared to March 31, 2025 and an increase of $164.6 million, or 5.4%, compared to June 30, 2024. The increase during the second quarter of 2025 was due to a $29.9 million increase in interest-bearing deposits coupled with a $15.7 million increase in noninterest-bearing deposits. The increase in interest-bearing deposits included increases in time deposits of $59.5 million, offset by decreases in interest-bearing non-maturity deposits of $29.5 million. Wholesale deposits totaled $183.8 million at June 30, 2025, an increase of $25.3 million compared to $158.5 million at March 31, 2025. Noninterest-bearing deposits totaled $543.9 million and represented 17.1% of total deposits at June 30, 2025 compared to $528.2 million and 16.8% at March 31, 2025.

    Credit Quality

    Nonperforming assets totaled $61.0 million, or 1.49% of total assets, at June 30, 2025, down from $64.6 million, or 1.61% of total assets, at March 31, 2025. The $3.6 million decrease in nonperforming assets was due to $3.3 million in net charge-offs and $1.7 million in payoffs and paydowns, partially offset by $1.4 million in additions from loans migrating to nonaccrual status in the second quarter of 2025. Nonperforming assets included one $4.2 million other real estate owned (included in “accrued interest and other assets”) at June 30, 2025 and March 31, 2025.

    Special mention loans totaled $91.3 million, or 2.82% of total loans, at June 30, 2025, up from $64.3 million, or 2.05% of total loans, at March 31, 2025. The $27.0 million increase was primarily due to the addition of loans totaling $30.1 million and $1.6 million in balance increases, partially offset by the downgrade of two CRE loans totaling $4.0 million to substandard-rated loans and payoffs and paydowns totaling $660,000. As of June 30, 2025, all special mention loans were paying current.

    Substandard loans totaled $91.0 million at June 30, 2025, up from $76.4 million at March 31, 2025. The $14.6 million increase was primarily due to the downgrades totaling $20.6 million, partially offset by net charge-offs totaling $3.3 million and payoffs and paydowns totaling $2.7 million. Of the total substandard loans at June 30, 2025, there were $34.2 million on accrual status.

    30-89 day delinquent loans, excluding nonperforming loans, totaled $18.0 million, or 0.56% of total loans, at June 30, 2025, up from $5.9 million, or 0.19% of total loans, at March 31, 2025. The $12.1 million increase was mostly due to $15.5 million in new delinquent loans, offset by $2.2 million in loans returning to current status, $798,000 in loans migrating to nonaccrual status, and $427,000 in paydowns and payoffs. The additions include an $8.5 million CRE loan that has since been brought current.

    As of June 30, 2025, the allowance for credit losses totaled $51.6 million and was comprised of an allowance for loan losses of $51.0 million and a reserve for unfunded commitments of $629,000 (included in “accrued interest and other liabilities”). This compares to the allowance for credit losses of $52.6 million, comprised of an allowance for loan losses of $51.9 million and a reserve for unfunded commitments of $629,000 at March 31, 2025. The $918,000 decrease in the allowance for credit losses for the second quarter of 2025 was due to net charge-offs of $3.3 million, offset by a $2.4 million provision for credit losses. The allowance for loan losses as a percentage of loans HFI decreased to 1.58% at June 30, 2025, compared to 1.65% at March 31, 2025, due mainly to net charge-offs of amounts included in specific reserves at March 31, 2025. The allowance for loan losses as a percentage of nonperforming loans HFI was 90% at June 30, 2025, an increase from 86% at March 31, 2025. 

      For the Three Months Ended June 30, 2025     For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2025  
    (dollars in thousands) Allowance
    for
    loan losses
        Reserve for
    unfunded
    loan commitments
        Allowance
    for
    credit losses
        Allowance
    for loan
    losses
        Reserve for
    unfunded
    loan
    commitments
        Allowance
    for credit
    losses
     
    Beginning balance $ 51,932     $ 629     $ 52,561     $ 47,729     $ 729     $ 48,458  
    Provision for (reversal of) credit losses   2,387             2,387       9,233       (100 )     9,133  
    Less loans charged-off   (3,339 )           (3,339 )     (6,065 )           (6,065 )
    Recoveries on loans charged-off   34             34       117             117  
    Ending balance $ 51,014     $ 629     $ 51,643     $ 51,014     $ 629     $ 51,643  
     

    Shareholders’ Equity

    At June 30, 2025, total shareholders’ equity was $517.7 million, a $7.3 million increase compared to March 31, 2025, and a $6.4 million increase compared to June 30, 2024. The increase in shareholders’ equity for the second quarter of 2025 was due to net income of $9.3 million, lower net unrealized losses on AFS securities of $1.3 million and equity compensation activity of $1.1 million, offset by common stock cash dividends paid totaling $2.9 million and common stock repurchases totaling $1.5 million. The increase in shareholders’ equity for the last twelve months was due to net income of $23.0 million, lower net unrealized losses on AFS securities of $4.9 million, and equity compensation activity of $2.5 million, offset by common stock repurchases totaling $12.5 million and common stock cash dividends paid totaling $11.5 million. Book value per share and tangible book value per share(1) increased to $29.25 and $25.11 at June 30, 2025, up from $28.77 and $24.63 at March 31, 2025 and up from $28.12 and $24.06 at June 30, 2024.

    Dividend Announcement

    The Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.16 per common share. The dividend is payable on August 12, 2025 to shareholders of record on July 31, 2025.

    (1 ) Reconciliations of the non–U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) measures included at the end of this press release.
         

    Corporate Overview

    RBB Bancorp is a community-based financial holding company headquartered in Los Angeles, California. As of June 30, 2025, the Company had total assets of $4.1 billion. Its wholly-owned subsidiary, Royal Business Bank, is a full service commercial bank, which provides consumer and business banking services predominately to the Asian-centric communities in Los Angeles County, Orange County, and Ventura County in California, in Las Vegas, Nevada, in Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan in New York, in Edison, New Jersey, in the Chicago neighborhoods of Chinatown and Bridgeport, Illinois, and on Oahu, Hawaii. Bank services include remote deposit, E-banking, mobile banking, commercial and investor real estate loans, business loans and lines of credit, commercial and industrial loans, SBA 7A and 504 loans, 1-4 single family residential loans, trade finance, a full range of depository account products and wealth management services. The Bank has nine branches in Los Angeles County, two branches in Ventura County, one branch in Orange County, California, one branch in Las Vegas, Nevada, three branches and one loan operation center in Brooklyn, three branches in Queens, one branch in Manhattan in New York, one branch in Edison, New Jersey, two branches in Chicago, Illinois, and one branch in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Company’s administrative and lending center is located at 1055 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90017, and its operations center is located at 7025 Orangethorpe Ave., Buena Park, California 90621. The Company’s website address is www.royalbusinessbankusa.com.

    Conference Call

    Management will hold a conference call at 11:00 a.m. Pacific time/2:00 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, to discuss the Company’s second quarter 2025 financial results.

    To listen to the conference call, please dial 1-888-506-0062 or 1-973-528-0011, the Participant ID code is 710803, conference ID RBBQ225. A replay of the call will be made available at 1-877-481-4010 or 1-919-882-2331, the passcode is 52690, approximately one hour after the conclusion of the call and will remain available through August 05, 2025.

    The conference call will also be simultaneously webcast over the Internet; please visit our Royal Business Bank website at www.royalbusinessbankusa.com and click on the “Investors” tab to access the call from the site. This webcast will be recorded and available for replay on our website approximately two hours after the conclusion of the conference call.

    Disclosure

    This press release contains certain non-GAAP financial disclosures for tangible common equity and tangible assets and adjusted earnings. The Company uses certain non-GAAP financial measures to provide meaningful supplemental information regarding the Company’s operational performance and to enhance investors’ overall understanding of such financial performance. Please refer to the tables at the end of this release for a presentation of performance ratios in accordance with GAAP and a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measures to the GAAP financial measures.

    Safe Harbor

    Certain matters set forth herein (including the exhibits hereto) constitute forward-looking statements relating to the Company’s current business plans and expectations and our future financial position and operating results. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance and/or achievements to differ materially from those projected. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the effectiveness of the Companys internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures; the potential for additional material weaknesses in the Companys internal controls over financial reporting or other potential control deficiencies of which the Company is not currently aware or which have not been detected; business and economic conditions generally and in the financial services industry, nationally and within our current and future geographic markets, including the tight labor market, ineffective management of the United States (U.S.) federal budget or debt or turbulence or uncertainly in domestic or foreign financial markets; the strength of the U.S. economy in general and the strength of the local economies in which we conduct operations; adverse developments in the banking industry highlighted by high-profile bank failures and the potential impact of such developments on customer confidence, liquidity and regulatory responses to these developments; possible additional provisions for credit losses and charge-offs; credit risks of lending activities and deterioration in asset or credit quality; extensive laws and regulations and supervision that we are subject to, including potential supervisory action by bank supervisory authorities; compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and other money laundering statutes and regulations; potential goodwill impairment; liquidity risk; failure to comply with debt covenants; fluctuations in interest rates; risks associated with acquisitions and the expansion of our business into new markets; inflation and deflation; real estate market conditions and the value of real estate collateral; the effects of having concentrations in our loan portfolio, including commercial real estate and the risks of geographic and industry concentrations; environmental liabilities; our ability to compete with larger competitors; our ability to retain key personnel; successful management of reputational risk; severe weather, natural disasters, earthquakes, fires, including direct and indirect costs and impacts on clients, the Company and its employees from the January 2025 Los Angeles County wildfires; or other adverse external events could harm our business; geopolitical conditions, including acts or threats of terrorism, actions taken by the U.S. or other governments in response to acts or threats of terrorism and/or military conflicts, including the conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, in the Middle East, and increasing tensions between China and Taiwan, which could impact business and economic conditions in the U.S. and abroad; tariffs, trade policies, and related tensions, which could impact our clients, specific industry sectors, and/or broader economic conditions and financial market; public health crises and pandemics, and their effects on the economic and business environments in which we operate, including our credit quality and business operations, as well as the impact on general economic and financial market conditions; general economic or business conditions in Asia, and other regions where the Bank has operations; failures, interruptions, or security breaches of our information systems; climate change, including any enhanced regulatory, compliance, credit and reputational risks and costs; cybersecurity threats and the cost of defending against them; our ability to adapt our systems to the expanding use of technology in banking; risk management processes and strategies; adverse results in legal proceedings; the impact of regulatory enforcement actions, if any; certain provisions in our charter and bylaws that may affect acquisition of the Company; changes in tax laws and regulations; the impact of governmental efforts to restructure the U.S. financial regulatory system and increased costs of compliance and other risks associated with changes in regulation, including any amendments to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act; the impact of changes in the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) insurance assessment rate and the rules and regulations related to the calculation of the FDIC insurance assessments; the effect of changes in accounting policies and practices or accounting standards, as may be adopted from time-to-time by bank regulatory agencies, the SEC, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, the Financial Accounting Standards Board or other accounting standards setters; fluctuations in the Company’s stock price; restrictions on dividends and other distributions by laws and regulations and by our regulators and our capital structure; our ability to raise additional capital, if needed, and the potential resulting dilution of interests of holders of our common stock; the soundness of other financial institutions; our ongoing relations with our various federal and state regulators, including the SEC, FDIC, FRB and California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation; our success at managing the risks involved in the foregoing items and all other factors set forth in the Company’s public reports, including its Annual Report as filed under Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and particularly the discussion of risk factors within that document. The Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to update any forward-looking statements to reflect occurrences or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements except as required by law. Any statements about future operating results, such as those concerning accretion and dilution to the Company’s earnings or shareholders, are for illustrative purposes only, are not forecasts, and actual results may differ.

    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
    (Unaudited)
    (Dollars in thousands)
     
      June 30,     March 31,     December 31,     September 30,     June 30,  
      2025     2025     2024     2024     2024  
    Assets                                      
    Cash and due from banks $ 27,338     $ 25,315     $ 27,747     $ 26,388     $ 23,313  
    Interest-earning deposits with financial institutions   164,514       213,508       229,998       323,002       229,456  
    Cash and cash equivalents   191,852       238,823       257,745       349,390       252,769  
    Interest-earning time deposits with financial institutions   600       600       600       600       600  
    Investment securities available for sale   413,142       378,188       420,190       305,666       325,582  
    Investment securities held to maturity   4,186       5,188       5,191       5,195       5,200  
    Loans held for sale         655       11,250       812       3,146  
    Loans held for investment   3,234,695       3,143,063       3,053,230       3,091,896       3,047,712  
    Allowance for loan losses   (51,014 )     (51,932 )     (47,729 )     (43,685 )     (41,741 )
    Net loans held for investment   3,183,681       3,091,131       3,005,501       3,048,211       3,005,971  
    Premises and equipment, net   23,945       24,308       24,601       24,839       25,049  
    Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) stock   15,000       15,000       15,000       15,000       15,000  
    Cash surrender value of bank owned life insurance   61,111       60,699       60,296       59,889       59,486  
    Goodwill   71,498       71,498       71,498       71,498       71,498  
    Servicing assets   6,482       6,766       6,985       7,256       7,545  
    Core deposit intangibles   1,667       1,839       2,011       2,194       2,394  
    Right-of-use assets   25,554       26,779       28,048       29,283       30,530  
    Accrued interest and other assets   91,322       87,926       83,561       70,644       63,416  
    Total assets $ 4,090,040     $ 4,009,400     $ 3,992,477     $ 3,990,477     $ 3,868,186  
    Liabilities and shareholders’ equity                                      
    Deposits:                                      
    Noninterest-bearing demand $ 543,885     $ 528,205     $ 563,012     $ 543,623     $ 542,971  
    Savings, NOW and money market accounts   691,679       721,216       663,034       666,089       647,770  
    Time deposits, $250,000 and under   1,010,674       1,000,106       1,007,452       1,052,462       1,014,189  
    Time deposits, greater than $250,000   941,993       893,101       850,291       830,010       818,675  
    Total deposits   3,188,231       3,142,628       3,083,789       3,092,184       3,023,605  
    FHLB advances   180,000       160,000       200,000       200,000       150,000  
    Long-term debt, net of issuance costs   119,720       119,624       119,529       119,433       119,338  
    Subordinated debentures   15,265       15,211       15,156       15,102       15,047  
    Lease liabilities – operating leases   27,294       28,483       29,705       30,880       32,087  
    Accrued interest and other liabilities   41,877       33,148       36,421       23,150       16,818  
    Total liabilities   3,572,387       3,499,094       3,484,600       3,480,749       3,356,895  
    Shareholders’ equity:                                      
    Common stock   259,863       260,284       259,957       259,280       266,160  
    Additional paid-in capital   3,579       3,360       3,645       3,520       3,456  
    Retained earnings   270,152       263,885       264,460       262,946       262,518  
    Non-controlling interest   72       72       72       72       72  
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net   (16,013 )     (17,295 )     (20,257 )     (16,090 )     (20,915 )
    Total shareholders’ equity   517,653       510,306       507,877       509,728       511,291  
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 4,090,040     $ 4,009,400     $ 3,992,477     $ 3,990,477     $ 3,868,186  
    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
    (Unaudited)
    (In thousands, except share and per share data)
     
      For the Three Months Ended     For the Six Months Ended  
      June 30,
    2025
        March 31,
    2025
        June 30,
    2024
        June 30,
    2025
        June 30,
    2024
     
    Interest and dividend income:                                      
    Interest and fees on loans $ 47,687     $ 45,621     $ 45,320     $ 93,308     $ 90,867  
    Interest on interest-earning deposits   1,750       2,014       3,353       3,764       8,393  
    Interest on investment securities   4,213       4,136       3,631       8,349       7,242  
    Dividend income on FHLB stock   324       330       327       654       658  
    Interest on federal funds sold and other   231       235       255       466       521  
    Total interest and dividend income   54,205       52,336       52,886       106,541       107,681  
    Interest expense:                                      
    Interest on savings deposits, NOW and money market accounts   4,567       4,468       4,953       9,035       9,431  
    Interest on time deposits   19,250       19,084       21,850       38,334       45,172  
    Interest on long-term debt and subordinated debentures   1,634       1,632       1,679       3,266       3,358  
    Interest on FHLB advances   1,420       989       439       2,409       878  
    Total interest expense   26,871       26,173       28,921       53,044       58,839  
    Net interest income before provision for credit losses   27,334       26,163       23,965       53,497       48,842  
    Provision for credit losses   2,387       6,746       557       9,133       557  
    Net interest income after provision for credit losses   24,947       19,417       23,408       44,364       48,285  
    Noninterest income:                                      
    Service charges and fees   1,060       1,017       1,064       2,077       2,056  
    Gain on sale of loans   358       81       451       439       763  
    Loan servicing fees, net of amortization   541       588       579       1,129       1,168  
    Increase in cash surrender value of life insurance   411       403       385       814       767  
    Gain on OREO               292             1,016  
    Other income   6,108       206       717       6,314       1,090  
    Total noninterest income   8,478       2,295       3,488       10,773       6,860  
    Noninterest expense:                                      
    Salaries and employee benefits   11,080       10,643       9,533       21,723       19,460  
    Occupancy and equipment expenses   2,377       2,407       2,439       4,784       4,882  
    Data processing   1,713       1,602       1,466       3,315       2,886  
    Legal and professional   2,904       1,515       1,260       4,419       2,140  
    Office expenses   405       408       352       813       708  
    Marketing and business promotion   212       197       189       409       361  
    Insurance and regulatory assessments   709       730       981       1,439       1,963  
    Core deposit premium   172       172       201       344       402  
    Other expenses   921       848       703       1,769       1,291  
    Total noninterest expense   20,493       18,522       17,124       39,015       34,093  
    Income before income taxes   12,932       3,190       9,772       16,122       21,052  
    Income tax expense   3,599       900       2,527       4,499       5,771  
    Net income $ 9,333     $ 2,290     $ 7,245     $ 11,623     $ 15,281  
                                           
    Net income per share                                      
    Basic $ 0.53     $ 0.13     $ 0.39     $ 0.66     $ 0.83  
    Diluted $ 0.52     $ 0.13     $ 0.39     $ 0.65     $ 0.82  
    Cash dividends declared per common share $ 0.16     $ 0.16     $ 0.16     $ 0.32     $ 0.32  
    Weighted-average common shares outstanding                                      
    Basic   17,746,607       17,727,712       18,375,970       17,737,212       18,488,623  
    Diluted   17,797,735       17,770,588       18,406,897       17,784,237       18,529,299  
    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    AVERAGE BALANCE SHEET AND NET INTEREST INCOME
    (Unaudited)
     
      For the Three Months Ended  
      June 30, 2025     March 31, 2025     June 30, 2024  
      Average     Interest     Yield /     Average     Interest     Yield /     Average     Interest     Yield /  
    (tax-equivalent basis, dollars in thousands) Balance     & Fees     Rate     Balance     & Fees     Rate     Balance     & Fees     Rate  
    Interest-earning assets                                                                      
    Cash and cash equivalents(1) $ 163,838     $ 1,980       4.85 %   $ 194,236     $ 2,249       4.70 %   $ 255,973     $ 3,608       5.67 %
    FHLB Stock   15,000       324       8.66 %     15,000       330       8.92 %     15,000       327       8.77 %
    Securities                                                                      
    Available for sale(2)   399,414       4,189       4.21 %     390,178       4,113       4.28 %     318,240       3,608       4.56 %
    Held to maturity(2)   5,028       48       3.83 %     5,189       49       3.83 %     5,203       46       3.56 %
    Total loans(3)   3,171,570       47,687       6.03 %     3,079,224       45,621       6.01 %     3,017,050       45,320       6.04 %
    Total interest-earning assets   3,754,850     $ 54,228       5.79 %     3,683,827     $ 52,362       5.76 %     3,611,466     $ 52,909       5.89 %
    Total noninterest-earning assets   254,029                       260,508                       240,016                  
    Total average assets $ 4,008,879                     $ 3,944,335                     $ 3,851,482                  
                                                                           
    Interest-bearing liabilities                                                                      
    NOW $ 66,755       368       2.21 %   $ 61,222     $ 321       2.13 %   $ 56,081     $ 276       1.98 %
    Money market   482,669       3,774       3.14 %     463,443       3,625       3.17 %     431,559       3,877       3.61 %
    Saving deposits   141,411       425       1.21 %     155,116       522       1.36 %     164,913       800       1.95 %
    Time deposits, $250,000 and under   996,249       9,768       3.93 %     989,622       10,046       4.12 %     1,049,666       12,360       4.74 %
    Time deposits, greater than $250,000   922,540       9,482       4.12 %     864,804       9,038       4.24 %     772,255       9,490       4.94 %
    Total interest-bearing deposits   2,609,624       23,817       3.66 %     2,534,207       23,552       3.77 %     2,474,474       26,803       4.36 %
    FHLB advances   159,286       1,420       3.58 %     176,833       989       2.27 %     150,000       439       1.18 %
    Long-term debt   119,657       1,296       4.34 %     119,562       1,295       4.39 %     119,275       1,296       4.37 %
    Subordinated debentures   15,230       338       8.90 %     15,175       337       9.01 %     15,011       383       10.26 %
    Total interest-bearing liabilities   2,903,797       26,871       3.71 %     2,845,777       26,173       3.73 %     2,758,760       28,921       4.22 %
    Noninterest-bearing liabilities                                                                      
    Noninterest-bearing deposits   526,113                       520,145                       529,450                  
    Other noninterest-bearing liabilities   65,278                       66,151                       51,087                  
    Total noninterest-bearing liabilities   591,391                       586,296                       580,537                  
    Shareholders’ equity   513,691                       512,262                       512,185                  
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 4,008,879                     $ 3,944,335                     $ 3,851,482                  
    Net interest income / interest rate spreads         $ 27,357       2.08 %           $ 26,189       2.03 %           $ 23,988       1.67 %
    Net interest margin                   2.92 %                     2.88 %                     2.67 %
                                                                           
    Total cost of deposits $ 3,135,737     $ 23,817       3.05 %   $ 3,054,352     $ 23,552       3.13 %   $ 3,003,924     $ 26,803       3.59 %
    Total cost of funds $ 3,429,910     $ 26,871       3.14 %   $ 3,365,922     $ 26,173       3.15 %   $ 3,288,210     $ 28,921       3.54 %

    ___________

    (1 ) Includes income and average balances for interest-earning time deposits and other miscellaneous interest-earning assets.
    (2 ) Interest income and average rates for tax-exempt securities are presented on a tax-equivalent basis.
    (3 ) Average loan balances relate to loans held for investment and loans held for sale and include nonaccrual loans. Interest income on loans includes the effects of discount accretion and net deferred loan origination fees and costs accounted for as yield adjustments.
    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    AVERAGE BALANCE SHEET AND NET INTEREST INCOME
    (Unaudited)
     
      Six Months Ended June 30,  
      2025     2024  
      Average     Interest     Yield /     Average     Interest     Yield /  
    (tax-equivalent basis, dollars in thousands) Balance     & Fees     Rate     Balance     & Fees     Rate  
    Interest-earning assets                                              
    Cash and cash equivalents(1) $ 178,953     $ 4,230       4.77 %   $ 310,476     $ 8,914       5.77 %
    FHLB Stock   15,000       654       8.79 %     15,000       658       8.82 %
    Securities                                              
    Available for sale(2)   394,822       8,302       4.24 %     319,127       7,197       4.54 %
    Held to maturity(2)   5,108       97       3.83 %     5,205       94       3.63 %
    Total loans(3)   3,125,652       93,308       6.02 %     3,017,737       90,867       6.06 %
    Total interest-earning assets   3,719,535     $ 106,591       5.78 %     3,667,545     $ 107,730       5.91 %
    Total noninterest-earning assets   257,250                       243,178                  
    Total average assets $ 3,976,785                     $ 3,910,723                  
                                                   
    Interest-bearing liabilities                                              
    NOW $ 64,004       689       2.17 %   $ 57,513     $ 574       2.01 %
    Money market   473,109       7,399       3.15 %     421,655       7,403       3.53 %
    Saving deposits   148,225       947       1.29 %     161,070       1,454       1.82 %
    Time deposits, $250,000 and under   992,954       19,815       4.02 %     1,112,735       26,165       4.73 %
    Time deposits, greater than $250,000   893,832       18,519       4.18 %     778,713       19,007       4.91 %
    Total interest-bearing deposits   2,572,124       47,369       3.71 %     2,531,686       54,603       4.34 %
    FHLB advances   168,011       2,409       2.89 %     150,000       878       1.18 %
    Long-term debt   119,610       2,591       4.37 %     119,228       2,591       4.37 %
    Subordinated debentures   15,203       675       8.95 %     14,984       767       10.29 %
    Total interest-bearing liabilities   2,874,948       53,044       3.72 %     2,815,898       58,839       4.20 %
    Noninterest-bearing liabilities                                              
    Noninterest-bearing deposits   523,145                       528,898                  
    Other noninterest-bearing liabilities   65,711                       53,441                  
    Total noninterest-bearing liabilities   588,856                       582,339                  
    Shareholders’ equity   512,981                       512,486                  
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 3,976,785                     $ 3,910,723                  
    Net interest income / interest rate spreads         $ 53,547       2.06 %           $ 48,891       1.71 %
    Net interest margin                   2.90 %                     2.68 %
                                                   
    Total cost of deposits $ 3,095,269     $ 47,369       3.09 %   $ 3,060,584     $ 54,603       3.59 %
    Total cost of funds $ 3,398,093     $ 53,044       3.15 %   $ 3,344,796     $ 58,839       3.54 %

    ___________

    (1 ) Includes income and average balances for interest-earning time deposits and other miscellaneous interest-earning assets.
    (2 ) Interest income and average rates for tax-exempt securities are presented on a tax-equivalent basis.
    (3 ) Average loan balances relate to loans held for investment and loans held for sale and include nonaccrual loans. Interest income on loans includes the effects of discount accretion and net deferred loan origination fees and costs accounted for as yield adjustments.
    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    SELECTED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
    (Unaudited)
     
      At or for the Three Months Ended     At or for the Six Months Ended June 30,  
      June 30,     March 31,     June 30,                  
      2025     2025     2024     2025     2024  
    Per share data (common stock)                                      
    Book value $ 29.25     $ 28.77     $ 28.12     $ 29.25     $ 28.12  
    Tangible book value(1) $ 25.11     $ 24.63     $ 24.06     $ 25.11     $ 24.06  
    Performance ratios                                      
    Return on average assets, annualized   0.93 %     0.24 %     0.76 %     0.59 %     0.79 %
    Return on average shareholders’ equity, annualized   7.29 %     1.81 %     5.69 %     4.57 %     6.00 %
    Return on average tangible common equity, annualized(1)   8.50 %     2.12 %     6.65 %     5.33 %     7.01 %
    Noninterest income to average assets, annualized   0.85 %     0.24 %     0.36 %     0.55 %     0.35 %
    Noninterest expense to average assets, annualized   2.05 %     1.90 %     1.79 %     1.98 %     1.75 %
    Yield on average earning assets   5.79 %     5.76 %     5.89 %     5.78 %     5.91 %
    Yield on average loans   6.03 %     6.01 %     6.04 %     6.02 %     6.06 %
    Cost of average total deposits(2)   3.05 %     3.13 %     3.59 %     3.09 %     3.59 %
    Cost of average interest-bearing deposits   3.66 %     3.77 %     4.36 %     3.71 %     4.34 %
    Cost of average interest-bearing liabilities   3.71 %     3.73 %     4.22 %     3.72 %     4.20 %
    Net interest spread   2.08 %     2.03 %     1.67 %     2.06 %     1.71 %
    Net interest margin   2.92 %     2.88 %     2.67 %     2.90 %     2.68 %
    Efficiency ratio(3)   57.22 %     65.09 %     62.38 %     60.70 %     61.21 %
    Common stock dividend payout ratio   30.19 %     123.08 %     41.03 %     48.48 %     38.55 %

    ___________

    (1 ) Non-GAAP measure. See Non–GAAP reconciliations set forth at the end of this press release.
    (2 ) Total deposits include non-interest bearing deposits and interest-bearing deposits.
    (3 ) Ratio calculated by dividing noninterest expense by the sum of net interest income before provision for credit losses and noninterest income.
    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    SELECTED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
    (Unaudited)
    (Dollars in thousands)
     
      At or for the quarter ended  
      June 30,     March 31,     June 30,  
      2025     2025     2024  
    Credit Quality Data:                      
    Special mention loans $ 91,317     $ 64,279     $ 19,520  
    Special mention loans to total loans HFI   2.82 %     2.05 %     0.64 %
    Substandard loans $ 91,019     $ 76,372     $ 63,076  
    Substandard loans to total loans HFI   2.81 %     2.43 %     2.07 %
    Loans 30-89 days past due, excluding nonperforming loans $ 18,003     $ 5,927     $ 11,270  
    Loans 30-89 days past due, excluding nonperforming loans, to total loans   0.56 %     0.19 %     0.37 %
    Nonperforming loans $ 56,817     $ 60,380     $ 54,589  
    OREO $ 4,170     $ 4,170     $  
    Nonperforming assets $ 60,987     $ 64,550     $ 54,589  
    Nonperforming loans to total loans HFI   1.76 %     1.92 %     1.79 %
    Nonperforming assets to total assets   1.49 %     1.61 %     1.41 %
                           
    Allowance for loan losses $ 51,014     $ 51,932     $ 41,741  
    Allowance for loan losses to total loans HFI   1.58 %     1.65 %     1.37 %
    Allowance for loan losses to nonperforming loans HFI   89.79 %     86.01 %     76.46 %
    Net charge-offs $ 3,305     $ 2,643     $ 551  
    Net charge-offs to average loans   0.42 %     0.35 %     0.07 %
                           
    Capitalratios(1)                      
    Tangible common equity to tangible assets(2)   11.07 %     11.10 %     11.53 %
    Tier 1 leverage ratio   12.04 %     12.07 %     12.48 %
    Tier 1 common capital to risk-weighted assets   17.61 %     17.87 %     18.89 %
    Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets   18.17 %     18.45 %     19.50 %
    Total capital to risk-weighted assets   24.00 %     24.42 %     25.67 %

    ___________

    (1 ) June 30, 2025 capital ratios are preliminary.
    (2 ) Non-GAAP measure. See Non-GAAP reconciliations set forth at the end of this press release.
    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    SELECTED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
    (Unaudited)
     
    Loan Portfolio Detail As of June 30, 2025   As of March 31, 2025     As of June 30, 2024  
    (dollars in thousands) $   %   $     %     $     %  
    Loans:                                          
    Commercial and industrial $ 138,263       4.3 %   $ 135,538       4.3 %   $ 126,649       4.2 %
    SBA   55,984       1.7 %     50,651       1.6 %     50,323       1.7 %
    Construction and land development   157,970       4.9 %     158,883       5.1 %     202,459       6.6 %
    Commercial real estate(1)   1,273,442       39.4 %     1,245,402       39.6 %     1,190,207       39.1 %
    Single-family residential mortgages   1,603,114       49.6 %     1,545,822       49.2 %     1,467,802       48.2 %
    Other loans   5,922       0.1 %     6,767       0.2 %     10,272       0.2 %
    Total loans $ 3,234,695       100.0 %   $ 3,143,063       100.0 %   $ 3,047,712       100.0 %
    Allowance for loan losses   (51,014 )         (51,932 )             (41,741 )        
    Total loans, net $ 3,183,681         $ 3,091,131             $ 3,005,971          

    ___________

    (1 ) Includes non-farm and non-residential loans, multi-family residential loans and non-owner occupied single family residential loans.
    Deposits As of June 30, 2025   As of March 31, 2025     As of June 30, 2024  
    (dollars in thousands) $   %   $   %     $   %  
    Deposits:                                          
    Noninterest-bearing demand $ 543,885       17.1 %   $ 528,205       16.8 %   $ 542,971       18.0 %
    Savings, NOW and money market accounts   691,679       21.7 %     721,216       22.9 %     647,770       21.4 %
    Time deposits, $250,000 and under   848,379       26.6 %     863,962       27.5 %     921,712       30.5 %
    Time deposits, greater than $250,000   920,481       28.8 %     870,708       27.8 %     790,478       26.1 %
    Wholesale deposits(1)   183,807       5.8 %     158,537       5.0 %     120,674       4.0 %
    Total deposits $ 3,188,231       100.0 %   $ 3,142,628       100.0 %   $ 3,023,605       100.0 %

    ___________

    (1 ) Includes brokered deposits, collateralized deposits from the State of California, and deposits acquired through internet listing services.

    Non-GAAP Reconciliations

    Tangible Book Value Reconciliations

    Tangible book value per share is a non-GAAP disclosure. Management measures tangible book value per share to assess the Company’s capital strength and business performance and believes this is helpful to investors as additional tools for further understanding our performance. The following is a reconciliation of tangible book value to the Company shareholders’ equity computed in accordance with GAAP, as well as a calculation of tangible book value per share as of as of the dates indicated.

                         
    (dollars in thousands, except share and per share data) June 30, 2025     March 31, 2025     June 30, 2024  
    Tangible common equity:                      
    Total shareholders’ equity $ 517,653     $ 510,306     $ 511,291  
    Adjustments                      
    Goodwill   (71,498 )     (71,498 )     (71,498 )
    Core deposit intangible   (1,667 )     (1,839 )     (2,394 )
    Tangible common equity $ 444,488     $ 436,969     $ 437,399  
    Tangible assets:                      
    Total assets-GAAP $ 4,090,040     $ 4,009,400     $ 3,868,186  
    Adjustments                      
    Goodwill   (71,498 )     (71,498 )     (71,498 )
    Core deposit intangible   (1,667 )     (1,839 )     (2,394 )
    Tangible assets $ 4,016,875     $ 3,936,063     $ 3,794,294  
    Common shares outstanding   17,699,091       17,738,628       18,182,154  
    Common equity to assets ratio   12.66 %     12.73 %     13.22 %
    Tangible common equity to tangible assets ratio   11.07 %     11.10 %     11.53 %
    Book value per share $ 29.25     $ 28.77     $ 28.12  
    Tangible book value per share $ 25.11     $ 24.63     $ 24.06  

    Return on Average Tangible Common Equity

    Management measures return on average tangible common equity (“ROATCE”) to assess the Company’s capital strength and business performance and believes this is helpful to investors as an additional tool for further understanding our performance. Tangible equity excludes goodwill and other intangible assets (excluding mortgage servicing rights) and is reviewed by banking and financial institution regulators when assessing a financial institution’s capital adequacy. This non-GAAP financial measure should not be considered a substitute for operating results determined in accordance with GAAP and may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures used by other companies. The following table reconciles ROATCE to its most comparable GAAP measure:

      Three Months Ended     Six Months Ended June 30,  
    (dollars in thousands) June 30, 2025     March 31, 2025     June 30, 2024     2025     2024  
    Net income available to common shareholders $ 9,333     $ 2,290     $ 7,245     $ 11,623     $ 15,281  
    Average shareholders’ equity   513,691       512,262       512,185       512,981       512,486  
    Adjustments:                                      
    Average goodwill   (71,498 )     (71,498 )     (71,498 )     (71,498 )     (71,498 )
    Average core deposit intangible   (1,780 )     (1,951 )     (2,525 )     (1,865 )     (2,625 )
    Adjusted average tangible common equity $ 440,413     $ 438,813     $ 438,162     $ 439,618     $ 438,363  
    Return on average common equity, annualized   7.29 %     1.81 %     5.69 %     4.57 %     6.00 %
    Return on average tangible common equity, annualized   8.50 %     2.12 %     6.65 %     5.33 %     7.01 %

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Visits Hardwick, Burke to Discuss Flood Recovery and FEMA Reform 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    BURKE, VT—U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today met with flood-impacted Vermonters and community leaders in northern Vermont. Senator Welch also held a Listening Session in Hardwick last week.  
    “Hardwick and Burke know all too well—climate change is here, and we need to empower small towns with the tools and resources they need to recover. My new bill, the Disaster AID Act, will help cut through red tape and improve the disaster recovery process,” said Senator Welch. “The input I received from Vermont communities about their experience with FEMA shaped this bill, and am committed to making Washington work better for Vermont.”  
    View photos here and on Senator Welch’s website:  

    Senator Welch hosts a Listening Session in Hardwick on Monday, July 14 

     Senator Welch hosts a Listening Session in Burke on Monday, July 21 
    West Burke, as well as Sutton and Lyndon, were hit by more flash flooding in 2025 on the anniversary of the 2023 and 2024 floods. Senator Welch’s visits to Hardwick and Burke follow visits to flood-impacted communities across Vermont, including Killington, Ludlow, Weston, Barre, and Montpelier.  
    This month, Senator Welch introduced the Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization (AID) Act. Senator Welch’s bill will cut red tape and empower state and local governments to access recovery assistance when it is needed. The bill will support hazard mitigation efforts, make the delivery of disaster aid more efficient and effective, provide technical assistance to small towns and communities impacted by natural disasters, and block the White House from withholding funding for disaster response. 
    Last week, Senator Welch called for the resignation of U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, citing Secretary Noem’s mishandling of FEMA and record of undermining FEMA’s work, as well as her handling of President Trump’s cruel and illegal mass deportation campaign. 

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: American Coastal Insurance Corporation Announces Upgrade of Issuer and Debt Ratings From Kroll Bond Rating Agency

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — American Coastal Insurance Corporation (Nasdaq Ticker: ACIC) (“American Coastal” or the “Company”) the insurance holding company of American Coastal Insurance Company (“AmCoastal”), announced today that Kroll Bond Rating Agency (“KBRA”) has upgraded its Issuer Rating from BB+ to BBB- and upgraded its Debt Rating from BB+ to BBB-. KBRA also affirmed the Insurance Financial Strength Rating of A- for AmCoastal. The Outlook for all ratings has been changed to Positive from Stable.

    The upgrade of American Coastal’s Issuer and Debt ratings reflects the continued improvements in its financial leverage metrics and maintenance of strong double-digit EBIT interest coverage. The change in outlook to Positive from Stable reflects KBRA’s expectation that American Coastal will continue to report favorable operating results and maintain its strong risk-adjusted capitalization, robust reinsurance programs with strong counterparties, and high credit quality investment portfolio.

    “We are proud to have regained investment grade status and positive outlooks. This will immediately reduce the Company’s annual interest expense by $1.5 million and supports our strategy to grow the business responsibly,” said President & CEO, Brad Martz.

    About American Coastal Insurance Corporation:
    American Coastal Insurance Corporation (amcoastal.com) is the holding company of the insurance carrier, American Coastal Insurance Company, which was founded in 2007 for the purpose of insuring Condominium and Homeowner Association properties, and apartments in the state of Florida. American Coastal Insurance Company has an exclusive partnership for distribution of Condominium Association properties in the state of Florida with AmRisc Group (amriscgroup.com), one of the largest Managing General Agents in the country specializing in hurricane-exposed properties. American Coastal Insurance Company has earned a Financial Stability Rating of “A”, Exceptional’ from Demotech, and maintains an “A-” insurance financial strength rating with a Positive outlook by Kroll. ACIC maintains a ‘BBB-’ issuer rating with a Positive outlook by Kroll.

    Contact Information:
    Alexander Baty
    Vice President, Finance & Investor Relations, American Coastal Insurance Corporation
    investorrelations@amcoastal.com
    (727) 425-8076

    Karin Daly
    Investor Relations, Vice President, The Equity Group
    kdaly@theequitygroup.com
    (212) 836-9623

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-Evening Report: A popular sweetener could be damaging your brain’s defences, says recent study

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Havovi Chichger, Professor, Biomedical Science, Anglia Ruskin University

    Found in everything from protein bars to energy drinks, erythritol has long been considered a safe alternative to sugar. But new research suggests this widely used sweetener may be quietly undermining one of the body’s most crucial protective barriers – with potentially serious consequences for heart health and stroke risk.

    A recent study from the University of Colorado suggests erythritol may damage cells in the blood-brain barrier, the brain’s security system that keeps out harmful substances while letting in nutrients. The findings add troubling new detail to previous observational studies that have linked erythritol consumption to increased rates of heart attack and stroke.

    In the new study, researchers exposed blood-brain barrier cells to levels of erythritol typically found after drinking a soft drink sweetened with the compound. They saw a chain reaction of cell damage that could make the brain more vulnerable to blood clots – a leading cause of stroke.


    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.


    Erythritol triggered what scientists call oxidative stress, flooding cells with harmful, highly reactive molecules known as free radicals, while simultaneously reducing the body’s natural antioxidant defences. This double assault damaged the cells’ ability to function properly, and in some cases killed them outright.

    But perhaps more concerning was erythritol’s effect on the blood vessels’ ability to regulate blood flow. Healthy blood vessels act like traffic controllers, widening when organs need more blood – during exercise, for instance – and tightening when less is required. They achieve this delicate balance through two key molecules: nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, and endothelin-1, which constricts them.

    The study found that erythritol disrupted this critical system, reducing nitric oxide production while ramping up endothelin-1. The result would be blood vessels that remain dangerously constricted, potentially starving the brain of oxygen and nutrients. This imbalance is a known warning sign of ischaemic stroke – the type caused by blood clots blocking vessels in the brain.

    Even more alarming, erythritol appeared to sabotage the body’s natural defence against blood clots. Normally, when clots form in blood vessels, cells release a “clot buster” called tissue plasminogen activator that dissolves the blockage before it can cause a stroke. But the sweetener blocked this protective mechanism, potentially leaving clots free to wreak havoc.

    The laboratory findings align with troubling evidence from human studies. Several large-scale observational studies have found that people who regularly consume erythritol face significantly higher risks of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes. One major study tracking thousands of participants found that those with the highest blood levels of erythritol were roughly twice as likely to experience a major cardiac event.

    However, the research does have limitations. The experiments were conducted on isolated cells in laboratory dishes rather than complete blood vessels, which means the cells may not behave exactly as they would in the human body. Scientists acknowledge that more sophisticated testing – using advanced “blood vessel on a chip” systems that better mimic real physiology – will be needed to confirm these effects.

    The findings are particularly significant because erythritol occupies a unique position in the sweetener landscape. Unlike artificial sweeteners such as aspartame or sucralose, erythritol is technically a sugar alcohol – a naturally occurring compound that the body produces in small amounts. This classification helped it avoid inclusion in recent World Health Organization guidelines that discouraged the use of artificial sweeteners for weight control.

    Erythritol has also gained popularity among food manufacturers because it behaves more like sugar than other alternatives. While sucralose is 320 times sweeter than sugar, erythritol provides only about 80% of sugar’s sweetness, making it easier to use in recipes without creating an overpowering taste. It’s now found in thousands of products, especially in many “sugar-free” and “keto-friendly” foods.

    Erythritol can be found in many keto-friendly products, such a protein bars.
    Stockah/Shutterstock.com

    Trade-off

    Regulatory agencies, including the European Food Standards Agency and the US Food and Drug Administration, have approved erythritol as safe for consumption. But the new research adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that even “natural” sugar alternatives may carry unexpected health risks.

    For consumers, the findings raise difficult questions about the trade-offs involved in sugar substitution. Sweeteners like erythritol can be valuable tools for weight management and diabetes prevention, helping people reduce calories and control blood sugar spikes. But if regular consumption potentially weakens the brain’s protective barriers and increases cardiovascular risk, the benefits may come at a significant cost.

    The research underscores a broader challenge in nutritional science: understanding the long-term effects of relatively new food additives that have become ubiquitous in the modern diet. While erythritol may help people avoid the immediate harms of excess sugar consumption, its effect on the blood-brain barrier suggests that frequent use could be quietly compromising brain protection over time.

    As scientists continue to investigate these concerning links, consumers may want to reconsider their relationship with this seemingly innocent sweetener – and perhaps question whether any sugar substitute additive is truly without risk.

    Havovi Chichger does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. A popular sweetener could be damaging your brain’s defences, says recent study – https://theconversation.com/a-popular-sweetener-could-be-damaging-your-brains-defences-says-recent-study-261500

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-Evening Report: PBS and NPR are generally unbiased, independent of government propaganda and provide key benefits to US democracy

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie A. (Sam) Martin, Frank and Bethine Church Endowed Chair of Public Affairs, Boise State University

    Congress’ cuts to public broadcasting will diminish the range and volume of the free press and the independent reporting it provides. MicroStockHub-iStock/Getty Images Plus

    Champions of the almost entirely party-line vote in the U.S. Senate to erase US$1.1 billion in already approved funds for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting called their action a refusal to subsidize liberal media.

    “Public broadcasting has long been overtaken by partisan activists,” said U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, insisting there is no need for government to fund what he regards as biased media. “If you want to watch the left-wing propaganda, turn on MSNBC,” Cruz said.

    Accusing the media of liberal bias has been a consistent conservative complaint since the civil rights era, when white Southerners insisted news outlets were slanting their stories against segregation. During his presidential campaign in 1964, U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater of Arizona complained that the media was against him, an accusation that has been repeated by every Republican presidential candidate since.

    But those charges of bias rarely survive empirical scrutiny.

    As chair of a public policy institute devoted to strengthening deliberative democracy, I have written two books about the media and the presidency, and another about media ethics. My research traces how news institutions shape civic life and why healthy democracies rely on journalism that is independent of both market pressure and partisan talking points.

    That independence in the United States – enshrined in the press freedom clause of the First Amendment – gives journalists the ability to hold government accountable, expose abuses of power and thereby support democracy.

    GOP Sen. Ted Cruz speaks to reporters as Senate Republicans vote on President Donald Trump’s request to cancel about $9 billion in foreign aid and public broadcasting spending on July 16, 2025.
    AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

    Trusting independence

    Ad Fontes Media, a self-described “public benefit company” whose mission is to rate media for credibility and bias, have placed the reporting of “PBS NewsHour” under 10 points left of the ideological center. They label it as both “reliable” and based in “analysis/fact.” “Fox and Friends,” by contrast, the popular morning show on Fox News, is nearly 20 points to the right. The scale starts at zero and runs 42 points to the left to measure progressive bias and 42 points to the right to measure conservative bias. Ratings are provided by three-person panels comprising left-, right- and center-leaning reviewers.

    A 2020 peer-reviewed study in Science Advances that tracked more than 6,000 political reporters likewise found “no evidence of liberal media bias” in the stories they chose to cover, even though most journalists are more left-leaning than the rest of the population.

    A similar 2016 study published in Public Opinion Quarterly said that media are more similar than dissimilar and, excepting political scandals, “major
    news organizations present topics in a largely nonpartisan manner,
    casting neither Democrats nor Republicans in a particularly favorable
    or unfavorable light
    .”

    Surveys show public media’s audiences do not see it as biased. A national poll of likely voters released July 14, 2025, found that 53% of respondents trust public media to report news “fully, accurately and fairly,” while only 35% extend that trust to “the media in general.” A majority also opposed eliminating federal support.

    Contrast these numbers with attitudes about public broadcasters such as MTVA in Hungary or the TVP in Poland, where the state controls most content. Protests in Budapest October 2024 drew thousands demanding an end to “propaganda.” Oxford’s Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism reports that TVP is the least trusted news outlet in the country.

    While critics sometimes conflate American public broadcasting with state-run outlets, the structures are very different.

    Safeguards for editorial freedom

    In state-run media systems, a government agency hires editors, dictates coverage and provides full funding from the treasury. Public officials determine – or make up – what is newsworthy. Individual media operations survive only so long as the party in power is happy.

    Public broadcasting in the U.S. works in almost exactly the opposite way: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a private nonprofit with a statutory “firewall” that forbids political interference.

    More than 70% of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s federal appropriation for 2025 of US$1.1 billion flows through to roughly 1,500 independently governed local stations, most of which are NPR or PBS affiliates but some of which are unaffiliated community broadcasters. CPB headquarters retains only about 5% of that federal funding.

    Stations survive by combining this modest federal grant money with listener donations, underwriting and foundation support. That creates a diversified revenue mix that further safeguards their editorial freedom.

    And while stations share content, each also has latitude when it comes to programming and news coverage, especially at the local level.

    As a public-private partnership, individual communities mostly own the public broadcasting system and its affiliate stations. Congress allocates funds, while community nonprofits, university boards, state authorities or other local license holders actually own and run the stations. Individual monthly donors are often called “members” and sometimes have voting rights in station-governance matters. Membership contributions make up the largest share of revenue for most stations, providing another safeguard for editorial independence.

    A host and guest in July 2024 sit inside a recording studio at KMXT, the public radio station on Kodiak Island in Alaska.
    Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal

    Broadly shared civic commons

    And then there are public media’s critical benefits to democracy itself.

    A 2021 report from the European Broadcasting Union links public broadcasting with higher voter turnout, better factual knowledge and lower susceptibility to extremist rhetoric.

    Experts warn that even small cuts will exacerbate an already pernicious problem with political disinformation in the U.S., as citizens lose access to free information that fosters media literacy and encourages trust across demographics.

    In many ways, public media remains the last broadly shared civic commons. It is both commercial-free and independently edited.

    Another study, by the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School in 2022, affirmed that “countries with independent and well-funded public broadcasting systems also consistently have stronger democracies.”

    The study highlighted how public media works to bridge divides and foster understanding across polarized groups. Unlike commercial media, where the profit motive often creates incentives to emphasize conflict and sensationalism, public media generally seeks to provide balanced perspectives that encourage dialogue and mutual respect. Reports are often longer and more in-depth than those by other news outlets.

    Such attention to nuance provides a critical counterweight to the fragmented, often hyperpartisan news bubbles that pervade cable news and social media. And this skillful, more balanced treatment helps to ameliorate political polarization and misinformation.

    In all, public media’s unique structure and mission make democracy healthier in the U.S. and across the world. Public media prioritizes education and civic enlightenment. It gives citizens important tools for navigating complex issues to make informed decisions – whether those decisions are about whom to vote for or about public policy itself. Maintaining and strengthening public broadcasting preserves media diversity and advances important principles of self-government.

    Congress’ cuts to public broadcasting will diminish the range and volume of the free press and the independent reporting it provides. Ronald Reagan once described a free press as vital for the United States to succeed in its “noble experiment in self-government.” From that perspective, more independent reporting – not less – will prove the best remedy for any worry about partisan spin.

    Stephanie A. (Sam) Martin does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. PBS and NPR are generally unbiased, independent of government propaganda and provide key benefits to US democracy – https://theconversation.com/pbs-and-npr-are-generally-unbiased-independent-of-government-propaganda-and-provide-key-benefits-to-us-democracy-261512

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-OSI: ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc. Announces Results For Second Quarter of 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BIRMINGHAM, Ala., July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc. (NYSE: SFBS), today announced earnings and operating results for the quarter ended June 30, 2025.

    Second Quarter 2025 Highlights:

    • Diluted earnings per share of $1.12 for the quarter. Adjusted diluted earnings per share of $1.21, up 27% from the second quarter of 2024.
    • Net interest margin improved to 3.10% in the second quarter from 2.92% in the first quarter. Adjusted net interest margin was 3.06% in the second quarter.
    • Loans grew by $346 million, or 11% annualized, during the quarter.
    • Book value per share of $31.52, up 14% from the second quarter of 2024 and 16% annualized, from the first quarter of 2025.
    • Liquidity remains strong with $1.7 billion in cash and cash equivalent assets, 10% of our total assets, and no FHLB advances or brokered deposits.
    • Consolidated common equity tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets increased from 10.93% to 11.38% year-over-year.
    • Return on average common stockholder’s equity of 14.56%. Adjusted return on average common stockholders’ equity increased from 14.08% to 15.63% year-over-year.

    Tom Broughton, Chairman, President, and CEO, said, “We were pleased with the loan growth in the quarter, combined with the improved environment for banks like ServisFirst.”

    David Sparacio, CFO, said, “The net interest margin continues to improve and we see continued asset repricing, which we believe will lead to higher net interest margins over the next 24 months”

    * This press release includes certain non-GAAP financial measures: adjusted net income, adjusted net income available to common stockholders, adjusted diluted earnings per share, adjusted net interest margin, adjusted return on average assets, adjusted return on average common stockholders’ equity, adjusted efficiency ratio, tangible common stockholders’ equity, total tangible assets, tangible book value per share, and tangible common equity to total tangible assets. Please see “GAAP Reconciliation and Management Explanation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

    FINANCIAL SUMMARY (UNAUDITED)                                    
    (in Thousands except share and per share amounts)   Period Ending June 30, 2025   Period Ending March 31, 2025   % Change From Period Ending March 31, 2025 to Period Ending June 30, 2025   Period Ending June 30, 2024   % Change From Period Ending June 30, 2024 to Period Ending June 30, 2025
    QUARTERLY OPERATING RESULTS                                    
    Net Income   $ 61,424     $ 63,224     (2.8 )%   $ 52,136     17.8 %
    Net Income Available to Common Stockholders   $ 61,393     $ 63,224     (2.9 )%   $ 52,105     17.8 %
    Diluted Earnings Per Share   $ 1.12     $ 1.16     (3.4 )%   $ 0.95     17.9 %
    Return on Average Assets     1.40 %     1.45 %           1.34 %      
    Return on Average Common Stockholders’ Equity     14.56 %     15.63 %           14.08 %      
    Average Diluted Shares Outstanding     54,664,480       54,656,630             54,608,679        
                                         
    Adjusted Net Income, net of tax*   $ 66,133     $ 63,224     4.6 %   $ 52,136     26.8 %
    Adjusted Net Income Available to Common Stockholders, net of tax*   $ 66,102     $ 63,224     4.6 %   $ 52,105     26.9 %
    Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share, net of tax*   $ 1.21     $ 1.16     4.4 %   $ 0.95     27.5 %
    Adjusted Return on Average Assets, net of tax*     1.50 %     1.45 %           1.34 %      
    Adjusted Return on Average Common Stockholders’ Equity, net of tax*     15.68 %     15.63 %           14.08 %      
                                         
                                         
                                         
    YEAR-TO-DATE OPERATING RESULTS                                    
    Net Income   $ 124,648                   $ 102,162     22.0 %
    Net Income Available to Common Stockholders   $ 124,617                   $ 102,131     22.0 %
    Diluted Earnings Per Share   $ 2.28                   $ 1.87     21.9 %
    Return on Average Assets     1.42 %                   1.30 %      
    Return on Average Common Stockholders’ Equity     15.08 %                   13.96 %      
    Average Diluted Shares Outstanding     54,660,577                     54,602,032        
                                         
    Adjusted Net Income, net of tax*   $ 129,357                   $ 103,509     25.0 %
    Adjusted Net Income Available to Common Stockholders, net of tax*   $ 129,326                   $ 103,478     25.0 %
    Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share, net of tax*   $ 2.36                   $ 1.89        
    Adjusted Return on Average Assets, net of tax*     1.48 %                   1.31 %      
    Adjusted Return on Average Common Stockholders’ Equity, net of tax*     15.65 %                   14.15 %      
                                         
    BALANCE SHEET                                    
    Total Assets   $ 17,378,628     $ 18,636,766     (6.8 )%   $ 16,049,812     8.3 %
    Loans     13,232,560       12,886,831     2.7 %     12,332,780     7.3 %
    Non-interest-bearing Demand Deposits     2,632,058       2,647,577     (0.6 )%     2,475,415     6.3 %
    Total Deposits     13,862,319       14,429,061     (3.9 )%     13,259,392     4.5 %
    Stockholders’ Equity     1,721,783       1,668,900     3.2 %     1,510,576     14.0 %


    DETAILED FINANCIALS

    ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc. reported net income and net income available to common stockholders of $61.4 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, compared to net income and net income available to common stockholders of $63.2 million for the first quarter of 2025 and net income and net income available to common stockholders of $52.1 million for the second quarter of 2024. Basic and diluted earnings per common share were both $1.12 in the second quarter of 2025, compared to $1.16 for both in the first quarter of 2025 and $0.96 and $0.95, respectively, in the second quarter of 2024.

    Annualized return on average assets was 1.40% and annualized return on average common stockholders’ equity was 14.56% for the second quarter of 2025, compared to 1.34% and 14.08%, respectively, for the second quarter of 2024.

    Net interest income was $131.7 million for the second quarter of 2025, compared to $123.6 million for the first quarter of 2025 and $105.9 million for the second quarter of 2024. The net interest margin in the second quarter of 2025 was 3.10% compared to 2.92% in the first quarter of 2025 and 2.79% in the second quarter of 2024. Loan yields were 6.37% during the second quarter of 2025 compared to 6.28% during the first quarter of 2025 and 6.48% during the second quarter of 2024. Investment yields were 3.37% during the second quarter of 2025 compared to 3.31% during the first quarter of 2025 and 3.33% during the second quarter of 2024. Average interest-bearing deposit rates were 3.33% during the second quarter of 2025, compared to 3.40% during the first quarter of 2025 and 4.09% during the second quarter of 2024. During the quarter, we reversed a $2.3 million accrual related to a legal matter, which had been recorded in interest expense. Average federal funds purchased rates were 4.49% during the second quarter of 2025, compared to 4.50% during the first quarter of 2025 and 5.50% during the second quarter of 2024.

    Average loans for the second quarter of 2025 were $13.01 billion, an increase of $302.0 million, or 9.5% annualized, from average loans of $12.71 billion for the first quarter of 2025, and an increase of $947.1 million, or 7.9%, from average loans of $12.06 billion for the second quarter of 2024. Ending total loans for the second quarter of 2025 were $13.23 billion, an increase of $345.7 million, or 10.8% annualized, from $12.89 billion for the first quarter of 2025, and an increase of $899.8 million, or 7.3%, from $12.33 billion for the second quarter of 2024.

    Average total deposits for the second quarter of 2025 were $13.90 billion, an increase of $5.8 million, or 0.2% annualized, from average total deposits of $13.89 billion for the first quarter of 2025, and an increase of $1.03 billion, or 8.0%, from average total deposits of $12.86 billion for the second quarter of 2024. Ending total deposits for the second quarter of 2025 were $13.86 billion, a decrease of $566.7 million, or 15.8% annualized, from $14.43 billion for the first quarter of 2025, and an increase of $602.9 million, or 4.5%, from $13.26 billion for the second quarter of 2024.

    Non-performing assets to total assets were 0.42% for the second quarter of 2025, compared to 0.40% for the first quarter of 2025 and 0.23% for the second quarter of 2024. The majority of the year-over-year increase in non-performing assets was attributable to two relationships, both of which are secured by real estate. Annualized net charge-offs to average loans were 0.20% for the second quarter of 2025, compared to 0.19% for the first quarter of 2025 and 0.10% for the second quarter of 2024. During the second quarter of 2025, we charged off $4.9 million on a loan that had not been previously impaired. The allowance for credit losses as a percentage of total loans at June 30, 2025, March 31, 2025, and June 30, 2024, was 1.28%, 1.28%, and 1.28%, respectively. We recorded a $11.4 million provision for loan losses in the second quarter of 2025 compared to $6.5 million in the first quarter of 2025, and $5.4 million in the second quarter of 2024. Higher loan growth and increased net charge-offs during the second quarter of 2025 contributed to the increase in provision for loan losses.

    Non-interest income decreased $8.5 million, or 95.3%, to $421,000 for the second quarter of 2025 from $8.9 million in the second quarter of 2024, and decreased $7.9 million, or 94.9%, on a linked quarter basis. Service charges on deposit accounts increased $378,000, or 16.5%, to $2.7 million for the second quarter of 2025 from $2.3 million in the second quarter of 2024, and increased $113,000, or 4.4%, on a linked quarter basis. Mortgage banking revenue decreased $56,000, or 4.1%, to $1.3 million for the second quarter of 2025 from $1.4 million in the second quarter of 2024, and increased $710,000, or 115.8%, on a linked quarter basis. Net credit card income decreased $214,000, or 9.2%, to $2.1 million for the second quarter of 2025 from $2.3 million in the second quarter of 2024, and increased $151,000, or 7.7%, on a linked quarter basis. In the second quarter of 2025, we recognized an $8.6 million loss on the sale of available-for-sale debt securities as part of a portfolio restructuring. Bank-owned life insurance (“BOLI”) income increased $68,000, or 3.3%, to $2.1 million for the second quarter of 2025 from $2.1 million in the second quarter of 2024, and decreased $11,000, or 0.5%, on a linked quarter basis. Other operating income decreased $83,000, or 10.0%, to $745,000 for the second quarter of 2025 from $828,000 in the second quarter of 2024, and decreased $256,000, or 25.6%, on a linked quarter basis.

    Non-interest expense increased $1.4 million, or 3.2%, to $44.2 million for the second quarter of 2025 from $42.8 million in the second quarter of 2024, and decreased $1.9 million, or 4.1%, on a linked quarter basis. Salary and benefit expense decreased $1.6 million, or 6.8%, to $22.6 million for the second quarter of 2025 from $24.2 million in the second quarter of 2024, and decreased $303,000, or 1.3%, on a linked quarter basis. The number of full-time equivalent (“FTE”) employees increased by 34, or 5.44%, to 659 at June 30, 2025 compared to 625 at June 30, 2024, and increased by 23, or 3.61%, from the end of the first quarter of 2025. Equipment and occupancy expense decreased $44,000, or 1.2%, to $3.5 million for the second quarter of 2025 from $3.6 million in the second quarter of 2024, and decreased $199,000, or 5.3%, on a linked quarter basis. Third party processing and other services expense increased $540,000, or 7.2%, to $8.0 million for the second quarter of 2025 from $7.5 million in the second quarter of 2024, and increased $267,000, or 3.5%, on a linked quarter basis. Professional services expense increased $163,000, or 9.4%, to $1.9 million for the second quarter of 2025 from $1.7 million in the second quarter of 2024, and decreased $29,000, or 1.5%, on a linked quarter basis. FDIC and other regulatory assessments increased $551,000, or 25.0%, to $2.8 million for the second quarter of 2025 from $2.2 million in the second quarter of 2024, and decreased $101,000, or 3.5%, on a linked quarter basis. Other operating expenses increased $1.8 million, or 49.5%, to $5.4 million for the second quarter of 2025 from $3.6 million in the second quarter of 2024, and decreased $1.5 million, or 22.0%, on a linked quarter basis. The efficiency ratio was 33.46% during the second quarter of 2025 compared to 37.31% during the second quarter of 2024 and 34.97% during the first quarter of 2025. The adjusted efficiency ratio was 31.94% in the second quarter of 2025.

    Income tax expense increased $725,000, or 5.0%, to $15.2 million in the second quarter of 2025, compared to $14.5 million in the second quarter of 2024. Our effective tax rate was 19.82% for the second quarter of 2025 compared to 21.71% for the second quarter of 2024. We recognized a reduction in provision for income taxes resulting from excess tax benefits from the exercise and vesting of stock options and restricted stock during the second quarters of 2025 and 2024 of $2.1 million and $396,000, respectively.

    About ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc.

    ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc. is a bank holding company based in Birmingham, Alabama. Through its subsidiary ServisFirst Bank, ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc. provides business and personal financial services from locations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. We also operate a loan production office in Florida. Through the ServisFirst Bank, we originate commercial, consumer and other loans and accept deposits, provide electronic banking services, such as online and mobile banking, including remote deposit capture, deliver treasury and cash management services and provide correspondent banking services to other financial institutions.

    ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc. files periodic reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Copies of its filings may be obtained through the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or at www.servisfirstbancshares.com.

    Statements in this press release that are not historical facts, including, but not limited to, statements concerning future operations, results or performance, are hereby identified as “forward-looking statements” for the purpose of the safe harbor provided by Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933. The words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “plan,” “intend,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “might” and similar expressions often signify forward-looking statements. Such statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc. cautions that such forward-looking statements, wherever they occur in this press release or in other statements attributable to ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc., are necessarily estimates reflecting the judgment of ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc.’s senior management and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements should, therefore, be considered in light of various factors that could affect the accuracy of such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: general economic conditions, especially in the credit markets and in the Southeast; the impact of tariffs and trade wars on general economic conditions, the performance of the capital markets; changes in interest rates, yield curves and interest rate spread relationships; changes in accounting and tax principles, policies or guidelines; changes in legislation or regulatory requirements; changes as a result of our reclassification as a large financial institution by the FDIC; changes in our loan portfolio and the deposit base; possible changes in laws and regulations and governmental monetary and fiscal policies, including, but not limited to, the Federal Reserve policies in connection with continued or re-emerging inflationary pressures and the ability of the U.S. Congress to increase the U.S. statutory debt limit as needed; computer hacking or cyber-attacks resulting in unauthorized access to confidential or proprietary information; substantial, unexpected or prolonged changes in the level or cost of liquidity; the cost and other effects of legal and administrative cases and similar contingencies; possible changes in the creditworthiness of customers and the possible impairment of the collectability of loans and the value of collateral; the effect of natural disasters, such as hurricanes and tornados, in our geographic markets; and increased competition from both banks and non-bank financial institutions. For discussion of these and other risks that may cause actual results to differ from expectations, please refer to “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for fiscal year 2025, and our other SEC filings. If one or more of the assumptions forming the basis of our forward-looking information and statements proves incorrect, then our actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, forward-looking information and statements contained herein. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc. assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements that are made from time to time.

    More information about ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc. may be obtained over the Internet at www.servisfirstbancshares.com or by calling (205) 949-0302.

    Contact: ServisFirst Bank
    Davis Mange (205) 949-3420
    dmange@servisfirstbank.com

    SELECTED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (UNAUDITED)                                  
    (In thousands except share and per share data)                                        
        2nd Quarter 2025   1st Quarter 2025   4th Quarter 2024   3rd Quarter 2024   2nd Quarter 2024
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME                                        
    Interest income   $ 246,635     $ 241,096     $ 243,892     $ 247,979     $ 227,540  
    Interest expense     114,948       117,543       120,724       132,858       121,665  
    Net interest income     131,687       123,553       123,168       115,121       105,875  
    Provision for credit losses     11,296       6,630       5,704       5,659       5,353  
    Net interest income after provision for credit losses     120,391       116,923       117,464       109,462       100,522  
    Non-interest income     421       8,277       8,803       8,549       8,891  
    Non-interest expense     44,204       46,107       46,896       45,632       42,818  
    Income before income tax     76,608       79,093       79,371       72,379       66,595  
    Provision for income tax     15,184       15,869       14,198       12,472       14,459  
    Net income     61,424       63,224       65,173       59,907       52,136  
    Preferred stock dividends     31             31             31  
    Net income available to common stockholders   $ 61,393     $ 63,224     $ 65,142     $ 59,907     $ 52,105  
    Earnings per share – basic   $ 1.12     $ 1.16     $ 1.19     $ 1.10     $ 0.96  
    Earnings per share – diluted   $ 1.12     $ 1.16     $ 1.19     $ 1.10     $ 0.95  
    Average diluted shares outstanding     54,664,480       54,656,630       54,649,808       54,642,582       54,608,679  
                                             
    CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET DATA                                        
    Total assets   $ 17,378,628     $ 18,636,766     $ 17,351,643     $ 16,449,178     $ 16,049,812  
    Loans     13,232,560       12,886,831       12,605,836       12,338,226       12,332,780  
    Debt securities     1,914,503       1,905,550       1,876,253       1,867,587       1,941,641  
    Non-interest-bearing demand deposits     2,632,058       2,647,577       2,619,687       2,576,329       2,475,415  
    Total deposits     13,862,319       14,429,061       13,543,459       13,146,529       13,259,392  
    Borrowings     64,747       64,745       64,743       64,741       64,739  
    Stockholders’ equity     1,721,783       1,668,900       1,616,772       1,570,269       1,510,576  
                                             
    Shares outstanding     54,618,545       54,601,217       54,569,427       54,551,543       54,521,479  
    Book value per share   $ 31.52     $ 30.57     $ 29.63     $ 28.79     $ 27.71  
    Tangible book value per share (1)   $ 31.27     $ 30.32     $ 29.38     $ 28.54     $ 27.46  
                                             
    SELECTED FINANCIAL RATIOS (Annualized)                                        
    Net interest margin     3.10 %     2.92 %     2.96 %     2.84 %     2.79 %
    Return on average assets     1.40 %     1.45 %     1.52 %     1.43 %     1.34 %
    Return on average common stockholders’ equity     14.56 %     15.63 %     16.29 %     15.55 %     14.08 %
    Efficiency ratio     33.46 %     34.97 %     35.54 %     36.90 %     37.31 %
    Non-interest expense to average earning assets     1.04 %     1.09 %     1.13 %     1.13 %     1.13 %
                                             
    CAPITAL RATIOS (2)                                        
    Common equity tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets     11.38 %     11.48 %     11.42 %     11.25 %     10.93 %
    Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets     11.38 %     11.48 %     11.42 %     11.25 %     10.93 %
    Total capital to risk-weighted assets     12.81 %     12.93 %     12.90 %     12.77 %     12.43 %
    Tier 1 capital to average assets     9.78 %     9.48 %     9.59 %     9.54 %     9.81 %
    Tangible common equity to total tangible assets (1)     9.84 %     8.89 %     9.25 %     9.47 %     9.33 %
                                             
    (1) This press release contains certain non-GAAP financial measures. Please see “GAAP Reconciliation and Management Explanation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”
    (2) Regulatory capital ratios for most recent period are preliminary.


    GAAP Reconciliation and Management Explanation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    This press release contains certain non-GAAP financial measures, including adjusted net income, adjusted net income available to common stockholders, adjusted diluted earnings per share, adjusted return on average assets, adjusted return on average common stockholders’ equity, and adjusted efficiency ratio. We recorded a one-time expense of $7.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2023 associated with the FDIC’s special assessment to recapitalize the Deposit Insurance Fund following bank failures in the spring of 2023. This assessment was updated in the first quarter of 2024 resulting in additional expense of $1.8 million. We recognized an $8.6 million loss on sale of available-for-sale debt securities in non-interest income during the second quarter of 2025 as a result of restructuring the portfolio. We reversed a $2.3 million legal reserve from interest expense during the second quarter of 2025. These adjustments to our results are unusual, or infrequent, in nature and are not considered to be part of our non-interest expense, non-interest income and interest expense run rates, respectively. Each of adjusted net income, adjusted net income available to common stockholders, adjusted diluted earnings per share, adjusted return on average assets, adjusted return on average common stockholders’ equity and adjusted efficiency ratio excludes the impact of these items, net of tax, and are all considered non-GAAP financial measures. This press release also contains the non-GAAP financial measures of tangible common stockholders’ equity, total tangible assets, tangible book value per share and tangible common equity to total tangible assets, each of which excludes goodwill associated with our acquisition of Metro Bancshares, Inc. in January 2015.

    We believe these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information to management and investors that is supplementary to our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows computed in accordance with GAAP; however, we acknowledge that these non-GAAP financial measures have a number of limitations. As such, you should not view these disclosures as a substitute for results determined in accordance with GAAP, and they are not necessarily comparable to non-GAAP financial measures that other companies, including those in our industry, use. The following reconciliation table provides a more detailed analysis of the non-GAAP financial measures as of and for the comparative periods presented in this press release. Dollars are in thousands, except share and per share data.

        At June 30,
    2025
      At March 31,
    2025
      At December 31,
    2024
      At September 30,
    2024
      At June 30,
    2024
    Book value per share – GAAP   $ 31.52     $ 30.56     $ 29.63     $ 28.79     $ 27.71  
    Total common stockholders’ equity – GAAP     1,721,783       1,668,900       1,616,772       1,570,269       1,570,994  
    Adjustment for Goodwill     (13,615 )     (13,615 )     (13,615 )     (13,615 )     (13,615 )
    Tangible common stockholders’ equity – non-GAAP   $ 1,708,168     $ 1,655,285     $ 1,603,157     $ 1,556,654     $ 1,557,379  
    Tangible book value per share – non-GAAP   $ 31.27     $ 30.31     $ 29.38     $ 28.54     $ 27.46  
                                             
    Stockholders’ equity to total assets – GAAP     9.91 %     8.95 %     9.32 %     9.55 %     9.55 %
    Total assets – GAAP   $ 17,378,628     $ 18,636,766     $ 17,351,643     $ 16,449,178     $ 16,448,582  
    Adjustment for Goodwill     (13,615 )     (13,615 )     (13,615 )     (13,615 )     (13,615 )
    Total tangible assets – non-GAAP   $ 17,365,013     $ 18,623,151     $ 17,338,028     $ 16,435,563     $ 16,434,967  
    Tangible common equity to total tangible assets – non-GAAP     9.84 %     8.89 %     9.25 %     9.47 %     9.48 %
        Three Months Ended June 30, 2025   Three Months Ended March 31, 2025   Three Months Ended June 30, 2024   Six Months Ended June 30, 2025   Six Months Ended June 30, 2024
    Net income – GAAP   $ 61,424     $ 63,224     $ 52,136     $ 124,648     $ 102,162  
    Adjustments:                                  
    FDIC special assessment                             1,799  
    Legal matter accrual reversal     (2,276 )                 (2,276 )      
    Loss on marketable securities     8,563                   8,563        
    Tax on adjustments     (1,578 )                 (1,578 )     (452 )
    Adjusted net income – non-GAAP   $ 66,133     $ 63,224     $ 52,136     $ 129,357     $ 103,509  
                                       
    Net income available to common stockholders – GAAP   $ 61,393     $ 63,224     $ 52,105     $ 124,617     $ 102,131  
    Adjustments:                                  
    FDIC special assessment                             1,799  
    Legal matter accrual reversal     (2,276 )                 (2,276 )      
    Loss on marketable securities     8,563                   8,563        
    Tax on adjustments     (1,578 )                 (1,578 )     (452 )
    Adjusted net income available to common stockholders – non-GAAP   $ 66,102     $ 63,224     $ 52,105     $ 129,326     $ 103,478  
                                       
    Diluted earnings per share – GAAP   $ 1.12     $ 1.16     $ 0.95     $ 2.28     $ 1.87  
    Adjustments:                                  
    FDIC special assessment                             0.03  
    Legal matter accrual reversal     (0.04 )                 (0.05 )      
    Loss on marketable securities     0.16                   0.16        
    Tax on adjustments     (0.03 )                 (0.03 )     (0.01 )
    Adjusted diluted earnings per share – non-GAAP   $ 1.21     $ 1.16     $ 0.95     $ 2.36     $ 1.89  
                                       
    Net interest income, on a fully taxable-equivalent basis   $ 131,777                     $ 255,394        
    Adjustments:                                  
    Legal matter accrual reversal     (2,276 )                     (2,276 )      
    Tax on adjustments     571                       571        
    Adjusted net interest income, on a fully taxable-equivalent basis   $ 130,072                     $ 253,689        
                                       
    Net interest margin-GAAP     3.10 %                     3.01 %      
    Average earning assets     17,076,353                       17,132,710        
    Adjusted net interest margin-non-GAAP     3.06 %                     2.99 %      
                                       
    Return on average assets – GAAP     1.40 %     1.45 %     1.34 %     1.42 %     1.30 %
    Net income available to common stockholders – GAAP   $ 61,393     $ 63,224     $ 52,105     $ 124,617     $ 102,131  
    Adjustments:                                  
    FDIC special assessment                             1,799  
    Legal matter accrual reversal     (2,276 )                 (2,276 )      
    Loss on marketable securities     8,563                   8,563        
    Tax on adjustments     (1,578 )                 (1,578 )     (452 )
    Adjusted net income available to common stockholders – non-GAAP   $ 66,102     $ 63,224     $ 52,105     $ 129,326     $ 103,478  
    Average assets – GAAP   $ 17,626,503     $ 17,710,148     $ 15,697,538     $ 17,668,094     $ 15,827,894  
    Adjusted return on average assets – non-GAAP     1.50 %     1.45 %     1.34 %     1.48 %     1.31 %
                                       
    Return on average common stockholders’ equity – GAAP     14.56 %     15.63 %     14.08 %     15.08 %     13.96 %
    Net income available to common stockholders – GAAP   $ 61,393     $ 63,224     $ 52,105     $ 124,617     $ 102,131  
    Adjustments:                                  
    FDIC special assessment                             1,799  
    Legal matter accrual reversal     (2,276 )                 (2,276 )      
    Loss on marketable securities     8,563                   8,563        
    Tax on adjustments     (1,578 )                 (1,578 )     (452 )
    Adjusted net income available to common stockholders – non-GAAP   $ 66,102     $ 63,224     $ 52,105     $ 129,326     $ 103,478  
    Average common stockholders’ equity – GAAP   $ 1,690,855     $ 1,640,949     $ 1,488,429     $ 1,666,039     $ 1,471,048  
    Adjusted return on average common stockholders’ equity non-GAAP     15.68 %     15.63 %     14.08 %     15.65 %     14.15 %
                                       
    Efficiency ratio     33.46 %     34.97 %     37.31 %     34.22 %     39.42 %
    Net interest income – GAAP   $ 131,687     $ 123,553     $ 105,875     $ 255,240     $ 208,370  
    Adjustments:                                  
    Legal matter accrual reversal     (2,276 )                 (2,276 )      
    Adjusted net interest income – non-GAAP   $ 129,411     $ 123,553     $ 105,875     $ 252,964     $ 208,370  
    Total non-interest income – GAAP     421       8,277       8,891       8,698       17,704  
    Adjustments:                                  
    Loss on marketable securities     8,563                   8,563        
    Adjusted non-interest income – non-GAAP   $ 8,984     $ 8,277     $ 8,891     $ 17,261     $ 17,704  
    Adjusted net interest income and non-interest income – non-GAAP     138,395       131,830       114,766       270,225       226,074  
    Non-interest expense – GAAP   $ 44,204     $ 46,107     $ 42,818     $ 90,311     $ 89,121  
    Adjustments:                                  
    FDIC special assessment                             1,799  
    Adjusted non-interest expense – non-GAAP   $ 44,204     $ 46,107     $ 42,818     $ 90,311     $ 87,322  
    Adjusted efficiency ratio – non-GAAP     31.94 %     34.97 %     37.31 %     33.42 %     38.63 %
    CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (UNAUDITED)                  
    (Dollars in thousands)                  
        June 30, 2025   June 30, 2024   % Change
    ASSETS                  
    Cash and due from banks   $ 140,659     $ 135,711     4 %
    Interest-bearing balances due from depository institutions     1,236,485       1,129,922     9 %
    Federal funds sold and securities purchased with agreement to resell     333,760       11,132     2,898 %
    Cash and cash equivalents     1,710,904       1,276,765     34 %
    Available for sale debt securities, at fair value     1,227,851       1,174,386     5 %
    Held to maturity debt securities (fair value of $639,455 and $785,270, respectively)     686,652       767,255     (11 )%
    Restricted equity securities     12,156       11,300     8 %
    Mortgage loans held for sale     22,131       11,174     98 %
    Loans     13,232,560       12,332,780     7 %
    Less allowance for credit losses     (169,959 )     (158,092 )   8 %
    Loans, net     13,062,601       12,174,688     7 %
    Premises and equipment, net     59,993       59,200     1 %
    Goodwill     13,615       13,615     %
    Other assets     582,725       561,429     4 %
    Total assets   $ 17,378,628     $ 16,049,812     8 %
    LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY                  
    Liabilities:                  
    Deposits:                  
    Non-interest-bearing demand   $ 2,632,058     $ 2,475,415     6 %
    Interest-bearing     11,230,261       10,783,977     4 %
    Total deposits     13,862,319       13,259,392     5 %
    Federal funds purchased     1,599,135       1,097,154     46 %
    Other borrowings     64,747       64,739     %
    Other liabilities     130,644       117,951     11 %
    Total liabilities     15,656,845       14,539,236     8 %
    Stockholders’ equity:                  
    Preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share; 1,000,000 authorized and undesignated at June 30, 2025 and June 30, 2024               %
    Common stock, par value $0.001 per share; 200,000,000 shares authorized; 54,618,545 shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2025, and 54,521,479 shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2024     54       54     %
    Additional paid-in capital     236,716       234,495     1 %
    Retained earnings     1,500,767       1,322,048     14 %
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss     (16,254 )     (46,521 )   (65 )%
    Total stockholders’ equity attributable to ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc.     1,721,283       1,510,076     14 %
    Noncontrolling interest     500       500     %
    Total stockholders’ equity     1,721,783       1,510,576     14 %
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity   $ 17,378,628     $ 16,049,812     8 %
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (UNAUDITED)                      
    (In thousands except per share data)                            
        Three Months Ended June 30,   Six Months Ended June 30,
        2025   2024   2025   2024
    Interest income:                            
    Interest and fees on loans   $ 206,521     $ 194,300     $ 403,457     $ 381,278  
    Taxable securities     16,562       16,158       32,585       32,137  
    Nontaxable securities     5       9       11       18  
    Federal funds sold and securities purchased with agreement to resell     1,592       538       1,612       1,079  
    Other interest and dividends     21,955       16,535       50,066       39,738  
    Total interest income     246,635       227,540       487,731       454,250  
    Interest expense:                            
    Deposits     93,488       104,671       188,233       208,737  
    Borrowed funds     21,460       16,994       44,258       37,143  
    Total interest expense     114,948       121,665       232,491       245,880  
    Net interest income     131,687       105,875       255,240       208,370  
    Provision for credit losses     11,296       5,353       17,926       9,721  
    Net interest income after provision for credit losses     120,391       100,522       237,314       198,649  
    Non-interest income:                            
    Service charges on deposit accounts     2,671       2,293       5,229       4,443  
    Mortgage banking     1,323       1,379       1,936       2,057  
    Credit card income     2,119       2,333       4,087       4,488  
    Securities losses     (8,563 )           (8,563 )      
    Bank-owned life insurance income     2,126       2,058       4,263       5,289  
    Other operating income     745       828       1,746       1,427  
    Total non-interest income     421       8,891       8,698       17,704  
    Non-interest expense:                            
    Salaries and employee benefits     22,576       24,213       45,455       47,199  
    Equipment and occupancy expense     3,523       3,567       7,245       7,124  
    Third party processing and other services     8,005       7,465       15,743       14,631  
    Professional services     1,904       1,741       3,837       3,205  
    FDIC and other regulatory assessments     2,753       2,202       5,607       6,107  
    Other real estate owned expense     27       7       60       37  
    Other operating expense     5,416       3,623       12,364       10,818  
    Total non-interest expense     44,204       42,818       90,311       89,121  
    Income before income tax     76,608       66,595       155,701       127,232  
    Provision for income tax     15,184       14,459       31,053       25,070  
    Net income     61,424       52,136       124,648       102,162  
    Dividends on preferred stock     31       31       31       31  
    Net income available to common stockholders   $ 61,393     $ 52,105     $ 124,617     $ 102,131  
    Basic earnings per common share   $ 1.12     $ 0.96     $ 2.28     $ 1.87  
    Diluted earnings per common share   $ 1.12     $ 0.95     $ 2.28     $ 1.87  
    LOANS BY TYPE (UNAUDITED)                                        
    (In thousands)                                        
                                             
        2nd quarter 2025   1st quarter 2025   4th quarter 2024   3rd quarter 2024   2nd quarter 2024
    Commercial, financial and agricultural   $ 2,952,028     $ 2,924,533     $ 2,869,894     $ 2,793,989     $ 2,935,577  
    Real estate – construction     1,735,405       1,599,410       1,489,306       1,439,648       1,510,677  
    Real estate – mortgage:                                        
    Owner-occupied commercial     2,557,711       2,543,819       2,547,143       2,441,687       2,399,644  
    1-4 family mortgage     1,561,461       1,494,189       1,444,623       1,409,981       1,350,428  
    Non-owner occupied commercial     4,338,697       4,259,566       4,181,243       4,190,935       4,072,007  
    Subtotal: Real estate – mortgage     8,457,869       8,297,574       8,173,009       8,042,603       7,822,079  
    Consumer     87,258       65,314       73,627       61,986       64,447  
    Total loans   $ 13,232,560     $ 12,886,831     $ 12,605,836     $ 12,338,226     $ 12,332,780  
    SUMMARY OF CREDIT LOSS EXPERIENCE (UNAUDITED)                                
    (Dollars in thousands)                                  
        2nd quarter 2025   1st quarter 2025   4th quarter 2024   3rd quarter 2024   2nd quarter 2024
    Allowance for credit losses:                                        
    Beginning balance   $ 165,034     $ 164,458     $ 160,755     $ 158,092     $ 155,892  
    Loans charged off:                                        
    Commercial, financial and agricultural     6,849       2,415       3,899       3,020       3,355  
    Real estate – construction           46                    
    Real estate – mortgage     581       3,571       560       252       119  
    Consumer     72       60       211       155       108  
    Total charge offs     7,502       6,092       4,670       3,427       3,582  
    Recoveries:                                        
    Commercial, financial and agricultural     959       171       1,801       616       406  
    Real estate – construction                             8  
    Real estate – mortgage     1             23       2        
    Consumer     58       27       151       37       15  
    Total recoveries     1,018       198       1,975       655       429  
    Net charge-offs     6,484       5,894       2,695       2,772       3,153  
    Provision for loan losses     11,409       6,470       6,398       5,435       5,353  
    Ending balance   $ 169,959     $ 165,034     $ 164,458     $ 160,755     $ 158,092  
                                             
    Allowance for credit losses to total loans     1.28 %     1.28 %     1.30 %     1.30 %     1.28 %
                                             
    Allowance for credit losses to total average loans     1.31 %     1.30 %     1.32 %     1.30 %     1.31 %
    Net charge-offs to total average loans     0.20 %     0.19 %     0.09 %     0.09 %     0.10 %
                                             
    Provision for credit losses to total average loans     0.35 %     0.21 %     0.21 %     0.17 %     0.18 %
    Nonperforming assets:                                        
    Nonaccrual loans   $ 68,619     $ 73,793     $ 39,501     $ 37,075     $ 33,454  
    Loans 90+ days past due and accruing     3,549       111       2,965       2,093       1,482  
    Other real estate owned and repossessed assets     311       756       2,531       2,723       1,458  
    Total   $ 72,479     $ 74,660     $ 44,997     $ 41,891     $ 36,394  
                                             
    Nonperforming loans to total loans     0.55 %     0.57 %     0.34 %     0.32 %     0.28 %
    Nonperforming assets to total assets     0.42 %     0.40 %     0.26 %     0.25 %     0.23 %
    Nonperforming assets to earning assets     0.43 %     0.41 %     0.26 %     0.26 %     0.23 %
    Allowance for credit losses to nonaccrual loans     247.69 %     223.64 %     416.34 %     433.59 %     472.57 %
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (UNAUDITED)                        
    (In thousands except per share data)                        
        2nd Quarter 2025   1st Quarter 2025   4th Quarter 2024   3rd Quarter 2024   2nd Quarter 2024
    Interest income:                                      
    Interest and fees on loans   $ 206,521     $ 196,936     $ 200,875     $ 205,952     $ 194,300  
    Taxable securities     16,562       16,023       16,905       17,493       16,158  
    Nontaxable securities     5       6       6       7       9  
    Federal funds sold with agreement to     1,592       20       18       31       538  
    Other interest and dividends     21,955       28,111       26,088       24,496       16,535  
    Total interest income     246,635       241,096       243,892       247,979       227,540  
    Interest expense:                                      
    Deposits     93,488       94,745       98,702       113,211       104,671  
    Borrowed funds     21,460       22,798       22,022       19,647       16,994  
    Total interest expense     114,948       117,543       120,724       132,858       121,665  
    Net interest income     131,687       123,553       123,168       115,121       105,875  
    Provision for credit losses     11,296       6,630       5,704       5,659       5,353  
    Net interest income after provision for credit losses     120,391       116,923       117,464       109,462       100,522  
    Non-interest income:                                      
    Service charges on deposit accounts     2,671       2,558       2,650       2,341       2,293  
    Mortgage banking     1,323       613       1,513       1,352       1,379  
    Credit card income     2,119       1,968       1,867       1,925       2,333  
    Securities losses     (8,563 )                        
    Bank-owned life insurance income     2,126       2,137       2,131       2,113       2,058  
    Other operating income     745       1,001       642       818       828  
    Total non-interest income     421       8,277       8,803       8,549       8,891  
    Non-interest expense:                                      
    Salaries and employee benefits     22,576       22,879       24,062       25,057       24,213  
    Equipment and occupancy expense     3,523       3,722       3,600       3,795       3,567  
    Third party processing and other services     8,005       7,738       8,515       8,035       7,465  
    Professional services     1,904       1,933       1,981       1,715       1,741  
    FDIC and other regulatory assessments     2,753       2,854       2,225       2,355       2,202  
    Other real estate owned expense     27       33       58       103       7  
    Other operating expense     5,416       6,948       6,455       4,572       3,623  
    Total non-interest expense     44,204       46,107       46,896       45,632       42,818  
    Income before income tax     76,608       79,093       79,371       72,379       66,595  
    Provision for income tax     15,184       15,869       14,198       12,472       14,459  
    Net income     61,424       63,224       65,173       59,907       52,136  
    Dividends on preferred stock     31             31             31  
        Net income available to common
        stockholders
      $ 61,393     $ 63,224     $ 65,142     $ 59,907     $ 52,105  
    Basic earnings per common share   $ 1.12     $ 1.16     $ 1.19     $ 1.10     $ 0.96  
    Diluted earnings per common share   $ 1.12     $ 1.16     $ 1.19     $ 1.10     $ 0.95  
    AVERAGE BALANCE SHEETS AND NET INTEREST ANALYSIS (UNAUDITED)
    ON A FULLY TAXABLE-EQUIVALENT BASIS
    (Dollars in thousands)
                                                                 
        2nd Quarter 2025   1st Quarter 2025   4th Quarter 2024   3rd Quarter 2024   2nd Quarter 2024
        Average Balance   Yield / Rate   Average Balance   Yield / Rate   Average Balance   Yield / Rate   Average Balance   Yield / Rate   Average Balance   Yield / Rate
    Assets:                                                            
    Interest-earning assets:                                                            
    Loans, net of unearned income (1)                                                            
    Taxable   $ 12,979,759     6.37 %   $ 12,683,077     6.29 %   $ 12,414,065     6.43 %   $ 12,351,073     6.63 %   $ 12,045,743     6.48 %
    Tax-exempt (2)     30,346     5.51       25,044     4.94       13,198     1.57       15,584     1.86       17,230     2.08  
    Total loans, net of unearned income     13,010,105     6.37       12,708,121     6.28       12,427,263     6.43       12,366,657     6.62       12,062,973     6.48  
    Mortgage loans held for sale     11,739     5.23       6,731     4.76       9,642     5.36       10,674     3.80       6,761     6.13  
    Debt securities:                                                            
    Taxable     1,965,089     3.37       1,934,739     3.31       1,932,547     3.49       1,955,632     3.57       1,936,818     3.33  
    Tax-exempt (2)     492     4.88       589     5.43       606     5.28       815     4.42       1,209     3.64  
    Total securities (3)     1,965,581     3.37       1,935,328     3.31       1,933,153     3.49       1,956,447     3.57       1,938,027     3.33  
    Federal funds sold and securities purchased with agreement to resell     124,303     5.14       1,670     4.86       1,596     4.49       2,106     5.86       38,475     5.62  
    Restricted equity securities     12,146     6.64       11,461     7.43       11,290     6.80       11,290     7.36       11,290     7.16  
    Interest-bearing balances with banks     1,952,479     4.47       2,526,382     4.48       2,143,474     4.81       1,775,192     5.46       1,183,482     5.57  
    Total interest-earning assets   $ 17,076,353     5.80 %   $ 17,189,693     5.69 %   $ 16,526,418     5.87 %   $ 16,122,366     6.12 %   $ 15,241,008     6.01 %
    Non-interest-earning assets:                                                            
    Cash and due from banks     109,506             108,540             103,494             103,539             96,646        
    Net premises and equipment     59,944             59,633             60,708             60,607             59,653        
    Allowance for credit losses, accrued interest and other assets     380,700             352,282             346,763             340,621             300,521        
    Total assets   $ 17,626,503           $ 17,710,148           $ 17,037,383           $ 16,627,133           $ 15,697,828        
                                                                 
    Interest-bearing liabilities:                                                            
    Interest-bearing deposits:                                                            
    Checking (4)   $ 2,222,000     1.78 %   $ 2,461,900     2.38 %   $ 2,353,439     2.61 %   $ 2,318,384     2.97 %   $ 2,227,527     2.85 %
    Savings     101,506     1.63       101,996     1.61       102,858     1.52       102,627     1.76       105,955     1.71  
    Money market     7,616,747     3.67       7,363,163     3.61       7,067,265     3.86       7,321,503     4.45       6,810,799     4.46  
    Time deposits     1,321,404     4.09       1,361,558     4.24       1,286,754     4.45       1,197,650     4.52       1,157,528     4.47  
    Total interest-bearing deposits     11,261,657     3.33       11,288,617     3.40       10,810,316     3.63       10,940,164     4.12       10,301,809     4.09  
    Federal funds purchased     1,855,860     4.49       1,994,766     4.50       1,767,749     4.80       1,391,118     5.42       1,193,190     5.50  
    Other borrowings     64,750     4.26       64,750     4.30       64,738     4.22       64,738     4.22       64,738     4.27  
    Total interest-bearing liabilities   $ 13,182,267     3.50 %   $ 13,348,133     3.57 %   $ 12,642,803     3.80 %   $ 12,396,020     4.26 %   $ 11,559,737     4.23 %
    Non-interest-bearing liabilities:                                                            
    Non-interest-bearing checking     2,633,552             2,600,775             2,672,875             2,575,575             2,560,245        
    Other liabilities     119,829             120,291             130,457             122,455             89,418        
    Stockholders’ equity     1,716,232             1,670,402             1,624,084             1,574,902             1,536,013        
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss     (25,377 )           (29,453 )           (32,836 )           (41,819 )           (47,584 )      
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity   $ 17,626,503           $ 17,710,148           $ 17,037,383           $ 16,627,133           $ 15,697,828        
    Net interest spread         2.30 %         2.12 %         2.07 %         1.86 %         1.78 %
    Net interest margin         3.10 %         2.92 %         2.96 %         2.84 %         2.79 %
                                                                 
    (1) Average loans include nonaccrual loans in all periods. Loan fees of $4,430, $3,764, $4,460, $3,949, and $3,317 are included in interest income in the second quarter of 2025, first quarter of 2025, fourth quarter of 2024, third quarter of 2024, and second quarter of 2024, respectively.
    (2) Interest income and yields are presented on a fully taxable equivalent basis using a tax rate of 21%.
    (3) Unrealized losses on debt securities of $(36,381), $(41,970), $(46,652), $(58,802), and $(66,663) for the second quarter of 2025, first quarter of 2025, fourth quarter of 2024, third quarter of 2024, and second quarter of 2024, respectively, are excluded from the yield calculation.
    (4) Includes impact of reversal of a $2.3 million accrual related to a legal matter. Please see “GAAP Reconciliation and Management Explanation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News in Brief: RIAT 2025 highlights global readiness, cooperation

    Source: United States Airforce

    During the Royal International Air Tattoo, the U.S. Air Force, alongside NATO allies and partners from around the globe, showcased what the strength of multinational relationships can achieve.

    The weather was calm and the sky was blue, yet thunder forced itself to be heard. From July 18-20, thousands of onlookers in the crowd gleefully braced themselves for a procession of roaring aerial acrobatics, helicopter rescue demonstrations, and raw airpower flooding the cloudy air above Royal Air Force Fairford.

    The Royal International Air Tattoo is not only the largest air show in the world – it is a convention of lethality, ingenuity, and partnership. The U.S. Air Force, alongside NATO allies and partners from around the globe, showcased what the strength of multinational relationships can achieve.

    “America’s international partners are one of its greatest strengths,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Mercer Martin, 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron U-2S pilot. “Spending our time meeting our partners in person while forging bonds and friendships is an extremely important addition to the relationships we have with our allied nations around the world.”

    U.S. Air Force Gen. David Allvin, USAF Chief of Staff, speaks with Airmen assigned to the 95th Reconnaissance Squadron during the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford, England, July 19, 2025. The interaction and exchanges we have with allies and partners at events like RIAT allows us to learn from and leverage the strengths and capabilities our allies and partners bring to the table. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Cody J. A. Mott)
    U.S. Air Force Capt. “Yeti” Martin, 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron U-2S pilot, explains the capabilities of the U-2S Dragon Lady to Royal Air Force cadets during the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford, England, July 18, 2025. One of the many benefits of RIAT is exposing allies, partner nations and the general public to our aircraft and the aircrews who operate them. These aircraft demonstrate our vast capabilities and ability to rapidly respond to threats and assure allies and partners. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Cody J. A. Mott)
    RAF Red Arrow aerobatic team member Graeme Muscat, announces the pilot’s aerial demonstrations during the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford, England, July 20, 2025. Through high-impact aerial displays and multinational participation, RIAT highlights the strategic reach and operational readiness of allied and partner air forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Cody J. A. Mott)

    Exposing both the U.S. and partner-nation personnel to diverse strategies and training methods strengthens the goal of a cohesive, interoperable force. These relationships play a key part in times of peace as much as they do in the theater of war.

    “I enjoy flying an aircraft that’s so close in league with our American colleagues. It’s a real change of pace,” said an RAF Rivet Joint pilot. “Your training systems and operational focus into different deployable locations make it so U.S. Airmen are more versed on how it all works in different areas of the world. It’s nice to be exposed to that and fly more often with pilots who have different techniques.”

    As in years past, one of RIAT’s greatest strengths this year was the access it provided allies, partner nations and the public to U.S. aircraft, aircrew, and the stories behind them. It was a rare chance for global audiences to witness both the capabilities and the humanity behind modern airpower. This visibility builds confidence, strengthens support, and reinforces the value of continued collaboration.

    “As aircrew stationed in the United Kingdom, I’m flying tanker missions and working with NATO allies while refueling them in the air,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Tobin Nelson, 100th Air Refueling Wing pilot. “Being on the ground and meeting them face-to-face at RIAT is amazing. Knowing I’ve worked with their people gives me the ability to network, plan new training missions, and forge new bonds through flying.”

    RIAT 2025 served as a powerful reminder that diplomacy and military strength go hand in hand. By bringing together allies and partners in a shared celebration of innovation and skill, the air show fostered trust, mutual understanding, and camaraderie that extended far beyond the runway. The relationships built not only enhance all nations’ operational readiness but also promote a culture of cooperation and respect that is vital in today’s complex environments.

    RIAT’s ability to inspire generations also underscores the profound impact of bringing military aviation into the public eye. For many attendees, witnessing these aircraft in action and hearing firsthand accounts from dedicated personnel sparks a passion for service and a belief in the importance of teamwork.

    “When you come here and see participants and children from every walk of life with a sparkle in their eye, you don’t ever want to stifle those dreams,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. John Stortecky, 337th Airlift Squadron flight engineer. “Hopefully one day someone will say, ‘I had that tour through the aircraft and I saw them fly – and it inspired me to become who I am today.’”

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Letter to Trump, Cantwell Unveils 5-Point Plan to Improve Nation’s Weather Readiness in the Face of NOAA Cuts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    07.21.25

    In Letter to Trump, Cantwell Unveils 5-Point Plan to Improve Nation’s Weather Readiness in the Face of NOAA Cuts

    Cantwell to Trump: “We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create the world’s best weather forecasting system…”

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation – the committee that oversees the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service (NWS) – today sent a letter to President Donald Trump outlining her five-point plan to bolster the United States’ weather readiness.

    “Communities across the United States are experiencing more frequent, intense, and costly flash floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, atmospheric rivers, landslides, heatwaves, and wildfires,” Sen. Cantwell wrote. “The lessons from Kerrville, Palisades, Asheville, Lahaina, and too many other natural disasters are that providing Americans with more timely and accurate weather information can avoid billions in property losses and save lives. We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create the world’s best weather forecasting system that would provide Americans with much more detailed and customized alerts days instead of minutes ahead of a looming extreme weather event.”

    Sen. Cantwell’s five recommendations for President Trump are:

    1. Modernize Weather Data Collection: The United States needs to collect and compile more data by land, air, space, and sea by modernizing our weather data infrastructure and other tools, including better radars, hurricane hunters, weather satellites, and ocean buoys.
    • Radar: Upgrading the nation’s aging Doppler radar network will enable meteorologists to deliver more accurate forecasts and provide longer warning lead times. Higher resolution data from new technology called phased array radar can “see” into the storm in ways not visible on current radar. It can zoom in on the most dangerous features of extreme weather and scan the atmosphere in under a minute, six times faster than current radar, to detect rapid changes like tornado formation or microbursts. NOAA is planning to replace the current outdated Doppler network but lacks the resources necessary to develop the best radar technology and infrastructure at the pace we need them to.
    • Hurricane Hunters: NOAA studies have found that including data collected by the Hurricane Hunters improved forecast accuracy by at least 10 to 15 percent. NOAA needs to rebuild its Hurricane Hunter aircraft fleet by replacing the current WP-3D Hurricane Hunter aircraft that have been in service since the 1970s and will be decommissioned by 2030. NOAA’s 2022 Aircraft Plan calls for four new C-130 aircraft to meet this mission, and the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (P.L. 117-263, § 11708(b)) included authorization for up to six new aircraft.
    • Weather Satellites: NOAA’s satellites are its “eyes in the sky” that stay locked in place above the United States and give scientists continuous data on storms as they develop. NOAA needs to expand these capabilities with the next generation of weather satellites like the Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO) satellite system. Updated satellites will be able to track lightning strikes that start wildfires and smoke which impacts air quality and human health.
    • Buoys and Ocean Data: NOAA’s Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) is a network of buoys, gliders, high frequency radar arrays, and other instruments that gather ocean data critical for weather forecasting, search and rescue, and navigation. we need to modernize and recapitalize aging infrastructure and better integrate ocean data into our weather forecasting models. Enacting the Integrated Ocean Observation System Reauthorization Act of 2025 (S.2126), bipartisan legislation sponsored by Senators Roger Wicker and Cantwell, will help maintain and resource IOOS infrastructure and networks.
    1. World Leading Analytics: We need to catch up with and surpass European weather forecasting capabilities, which will require more supercomputing and improvements in data analytics including assimilation.
    • We want the best forecasts in the world, but the U.S. models are often outperformed by the European model.
    • NOAA needs to increase its focus and investment in supercomputing, data analytics, and data assimilation, a key technique in weather forecasting that combines real-world observations with a numerical weather model.
    • Better forecasts are in reach, we just need to invest in the people and the computing power to be competitive.
    1. Cutting Edge Research: As our communities experience more frequent and extreme weather, now is the time to invest in additional cutting-edge basic and applied research.
    • For decades, NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) has supported next-generation science and technology that enables increasingly adept forecasting products and services that save lives from extreme weather events.
    • While NOAA’s OAR only accounts for about 10 percent of the agency’s funding, its work has far-reaching impacts including better flash flood and precipitation prediction, developing next generation hurricane models, and improving extreme heat planning scenarios.
    • The office also focuses on ways to better communicate extreme weather threats to the public. For example, NOAA’s National Severe Storm Laboratory in Oklahoma is testing a new tornado and extreme weather early warning system. Even though it’s still in the testing phase, in March the system provided Missouri communities two hours of lead time, allowing 120 people to seek shelter before a dangerous EF-3 tornado touched down. Current tornado warnings only give communities 13 minutes of warning on average.
    1. Modernizing Alert Systems: We must strengthen and expand weather emergency communication channels to keep the public informed and help first responders prepare and react to natural disasters.
    • Americans need more timely, relevant, and actionable information so they know when to get out of harm’s way. Investments like upgrading NOAA’s weather radio technology from obsolete copper technologies to Internet or satellite-based systems are vital to providing reliable and continuous weather and emergency alerts.
    • Expanding NOAA’s VHF broadcasts to reach rural areas that other systems do not reliably cover will provide irreplaceable hazard alerts for campers, tourists, hunters, and tribal members, as well as mining, forestry, and agriculture workers living in remote areas.
    • However, no single alert technology should be considered sufficient in an emergency. We should augment both public and private alert communications and embrace multi-channel delivery systems to ensure messages reach users via their preferred platforms, whether that is through FM and AM radio, apps, websites, SMS, push notifications, television, or social media. The private sector can provide value-added information including more customized alerts and warnings and giving people additional ways to access critical and timely information.
    • Expanding current FEMA programs to build out local sirens and provide first responders with crucial flood maps and satellite images will also significantly enhance local disaster response capabilities.
    1. Advance Bipartisan Legislation: The bipartisan Weather Act Reauthorization Act of 2024 would strengthen weather research and forecasting and expand commercial data partnerships.
    • A bipartisan bill Chairman Ted Cruz and I introduced last year, the Weather Act Reauthorization Act of 2024 (S. 5601), would modernize the essential research programs you signed into law in the 2017 Weather Act and establish new programs to advance forecasting, strengthen emergency preparedness, and support farmers and resource managers with better tools for agriculture and water management.
    • The legislation would take the critical first steps in addressing NOAA’s aging radar network by directing the agency to design and deploy the next generation of weather radar technology. It also expands and codifies public-private partnerships to acquire and utilize innovative data sources, supporting efforts like the Commercial Data Program. Former House Science Chairman Frank Lucas and Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren introduced a bipartisan companion bill in the House (H.R. 3816) last month, which will be marked up by the full Committee this Wednesday.

    This morning, Sen. Cantwell joined CNN’s Pamela Brown to discuss her plan to improve the nation’s weather readiness. The interview is HERE.

    On Sunday, July 13, Sen. Cantwell joined CBS’s Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan to discuss the importance of funding and staffing for NOAA and the NWS.

    “The more you can move people and resources out of the way of a storm, the more you can predict what might happen, the better prepared we’re going to be. And that’s going to help us save lives, and certainly save dollars,” Sen. Cantwell told Brennan. Video of her segment is HERE and HERE; a transcript is HERE.

    NOAA’s cutting-edge science informs NWS weather forecasts, which help local communities prepare for and respond to events like the recent deadly floods in Central Texas. President Trump’s proposed budget would slash NOAA’s funding by $2.2 billion – a 27% cut – and his DOGE team has caused over 2,000 job losses at the agency since January.

    Earlier this month, Sen. Cantwell questioned Dr. Neil Jacobs, President Donald Trump’s nominee to head NOAA, about his plans to preserve the agency’s mission as the administration continues to hack away at NOAA’s budget, workforce, and programs.

    Last month, Sen. Cantwell joined renowned meteorologists from across the country for a virtual presser to sound the alarm on the NWS cuts, and called on the Trump Administration to restore the agency to full capacity.

    The full text of the letter to President Trump is below:

    July 21, 2025

    The Honorable Donald J. Trump

    The White House

    1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

    Washington, DC 20500

    Dear Mr. President,

    Communities across the United States are experiencing more frequent, intense, and costly flash floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, atmospheric rivers, landslides, heatwaves, and wildfires. The lessons from Kerrville, Palisades, Asheville, Lahaina, and too many other natural disasters are that providing Americans with more timely and accurate weather information can avoid billions in property losses and save lives. We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create the world’s best weather forecasting system that would provide Americans with much more detailed and customized alerts days instead of minutes ahead of a looming extreme weather event.

    There is strong support for making the generational investments necessary to become a weather ready nation that will empower Americans to get out of harm’s way. It will take better weather data collection, world leading analytics, cutting edge research, modernizing alert systems, and a partnership between your Administration and Congress to pass enabling legislation. To that end, I offer the following five recommendations that if pursued on a bipartisan basis would make America the world leader in weather forecasting:

    1) Modernizing Weather Data Collection

    We need to compile more data by land, air, space, and sea by modernizing our weather data collection tools, including better radar, hurricane hunters, weather satellites, and ocean buoys

    Radar: Upgrading the nation’s aging Doppler radar network will enable meteorologists to deliver more accurate forecasts and provide longer warning lead times. It does this with higher resolution data from phased array radar (PAR) to “see” into the storm in ways not visible on current radar. PAR can detect rapid changes in storms like tornado formation or microbursts, improve tracking of hazards like hail, and zoom in on the most dangerous features of extreme weather. These systems can also scan the atmosphere in under a minute, six times faster than current radar, detecting rapid changes in the storm for increased warning lead times and fewer false alarms.

    This new technology should replace the current analog Doppler radar systems from the 1980s, which are increasingly costly to maintain and risks failure every day. NOAA is planning to replace the current outdated Doppler network but lacks the resources necessary to develop the best radar technology and infrastructure at the pace we need them to.

    Hurricane Hunter Aircraft: NOAA studies have found that including data collected by the Hurricane Hunters improved forecast accuracy by at least 10 to 15 percent. However, NOAA needs to rebuild its Hurricane Hunter aircraft fleet by replacing the current WP-3D Hurricane Hunter aircraft that have been in service since the 1970s and will be decommissioned by 2030. New C-130 Hurricane Hunter aircraft are more capable than the half-century old WP-3D aircraft, with the ability to deploy more drones and uncrewed systems, conduct higher resolution scans from more advanced radar, and provide highly accurate wind, temperature, pressure, and humidity measurements from additional sensors.

    NOAA’s 2022 Aircraft Plan calls for four new C-130 aircraft to meet this mission, and the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (P.L. 117-263, § 11708(b)) included authorization for up to six new aircraft. While two C-130 aircraft are funded, completing the fleet modernization in fiscal year 2026 will ensure forecasters can utilize this irreplaceable data source to better predict the path and intensity of hurricanes headed toward the United States, which is crucial for first responders to inform evacuations and pre-position emergency resources.

    Weather Satellites: NOAA’s satellites are its “eyes in the sky” that stay locked in place above the United States and give scientists continuous data on storms as they develop. NOAA needs to expand these capabilities with the next generation of weather satellites, the Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO) satellite system. Once launched, GeoXO can track lightning strikes that start wildfires, wildfire smoke, red tides that poison fisheries, and generally provide better extreme weather early warning capabilities. For example, if GeoXO had been deployed during the 2023 Canadian wildfire smoke event that blanketed much of the eastern United States, its instruments could have provided hourly, high-resolution maps of smoke pollution, enabling more accurate health advisories and allowing schools, airlines, and outdoor workers to make safer decisions. This year, smoke from massive Canadian wildfires is again posing health risks to Americans across the country. This is new technology that does not exist in today’s satellite system.

    To get these next generation satellites built, NOAA must proceed with the recommendations laid out under your first Administration and build the planned network of six satellites, five instruments, and supporting ground systems. The data from the Lightning Mapper (LMX), Sounder (GXS), Atmospheric Composition (ACX), Imager (GXI), and Ocean Color (OCX) instruments are key and necessary inputs for any world leading forecasting model.

    Buoys and Ocean Data: NOAA’s Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) is a network of buoys, gliders, high frequency radar arrays, and other instruments that gather ocean data critical for weather forecasting, search and rescue, and navigation. The IOOS network provides real-time surface and subsurface ocean temperature measurements that feed into NOAA’s hurricane forecast model to detect rapid intensification of hurricanes and other extreme storms. For example, the above average warm water in the Gulf contributed to the recent flash flooding in Central Texas, while changes to tropical weather patterns and ocean temperatures have contributed to flooding across the country, from the Southwest through the Mid-Atlantic and into the Northeast. Just halfway through the summer, according to the National Weather Service, the country has already experienced twice as many floods in July as usual.

    To preserve and expand the critical real-time data these buoys provide, we need to modernize and recapitalize aging infrastructure and better integrate ocean data into our weather forecasting models. Enacting the Integrated Ocean Observation System Reauthorization Act of 2025 (S.2126), bipartisan legislation Senator Roger Wicker and I introduced, will help maintain and resource IOOS infrastructure and networks.

    2) World Leading Analytics

    Catching up with and surpassing European weather forecasting capabilities will require more supercomputing and improvements in data analytics

    NOAA has long aimed to close the performance gap between its Global Forecast System (GFS) and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, which often outperforms U.S. forecasts. For example, in October 2012, the European model correctly predicted Hurricane Sandy would turn toward the U.S. East Coast seven to eight days in advance, while the U.S. model initially forecast it would head out to sea, missing the U.S. entirely. Of course, Sandy did hit the U.S., with devastating effects for the entire Mid-Atlantic region, killing 254 people and causing nearly $70 billion in damages. Conversely, in 2015, the European model predicted Hurricane Joaquin would stay offshore, which it did, while the U.S. model forecast a direct hit on the East Coast, prompting costly emergency preparations that were ultimately unnecessary. And in February 2021, when a historic Arctic outbreak plunged Texas and much of the South into record cold with heavy snow and ice, and the European model provided more accurate early guidance on the extent and longevity of the cold air mass. According to NOAA and the Texas Department of State Health Services, at its peak, the power outages that resulted left nearly 10 million people in the cold and dark, unable to cook food, and resulted in more than 200 deaths.

    In order to catch up to Europe’s highly advanced weather modeling, NOAA needs to increase its focus and investment in supercomputing, data analytics, and data assimilation, a key technique in weather forecasting that combines real-world observations with a numerical weather model. We need to take steps to expand the GFS ensemble system with higher resolution and better physics, refine the Unified Forecast System, and streamline the path from research to operations with projects like the Earth Prediction Innovation Center (EPIC) to improve collaboration with external scientists and the private sector. All of this will require Congress to provide NOAA with more supercomputing resources if we are to lead the world in weather forecasting.

    3) Cutting Edge Research

    As our communities experience more frequent and extreme weather, now is the time to invest in additional cutting-edge basic and applied research

    For decades, NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research has supported next-generation science and technology that enables increasingly adept forecasting products and services that save lives from extreme weather events. While NOAA research only accounts for about 10 percent of the agency’s funding, its work has far-reaching impacts including better flash flood and precipitation prediction, developing next generation hurricane models, and improving extreme heat planning scenarios. The research arm also operates testbeds where new technologies and models are rigorously evaluated before they are transitioned to NOAA operations or private sector applications.

    The office also focuses on ways to better communicate extreme weather threats to the public. For example, NOAA’s National Severe Storm Laboratory in Oklahoma is testing a new tornado and extreme weather early warning system. Even though it’s still in the testing phase, in March the system provided Missouri communities two hours of lead time, allowing 120 people to seek shelter before a dangerous EF-3 tornado touched down. Current tornado warnings only give communities 13 minutes of warning on average.

    4) Modernizing Alert Systems

    We must strengthen and expand weather emergency communication channels to keep the public informed and help first responders prepare and react to natural disasters

    Americans need more timely, relevant, and actionable information so they know when to get out of harm’s way. Investments like upgrading NOAA’s weather radio technology from obsolete copper technologies to Internet or satellite-based systems are vital to providing reliable and continuous weather and emergency alerts. Expanding NOAA’s VHF broadcasts to reach rural areas that other systems do not reliably cover will provide irreplaceable hazard alerts for campers, tourists, hunters, and tribal members, as well as mining, forestry, and agriculture workers living in remote areas. Expanding current FEMA programs to build out local sirens and provide first responders with crucial flood maps and satellite images will also significantly enhance local disaster response capabilities.

    However, no single alert technology should be considered sufficient in an emergency. We should augment both public and private alert communications and embrace multi-channel delivery systems to ensure messages reach users via their preferred platforms, whether that is through FM and AM radio, apps, websites, SMS, push notifications, television, or social media. The private sector can provide value-added information including more customized alerts and warnings, giving people additional ways to access critical and timely information.

    5) Advancing Bipartisan Legislation

    The bipartisan Weather Act Reauthorization Act of 2024 would strengthen weather research and forecasting and expand commercial data partnerships

    A bipartisan bill Chairman Ted Cruz and I introduced last year, the Weather Act Reauthorization Act of 2024 (S. 5601) would modernize the essential research programs you signed into law in the 2017 Weather Act and establish new programs to advance forecasting, strengthen emergency preparedness, and support farmers and resource managers with better tools for agriculture and water management. The legislation also expands and codifies public-private partnerships to acquire and utilize innovative data sources, supporting efforts like the Commercial Data Program. Former House Science Chairman Frank Lucas and Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren introduced a bipartisan companion bill in the House (H.R. 3816) last month.

    Now is the time to take the tough lessons learned in the wake of the recent natural disasters and human tragedies in places like Texas, North Carolina, and New Mexico and create the world’s best weather prediction system. We must meet the moment or the situation is only going to get worse. The United States used to experience an average of nine extreme weather events every year that cost over $1 billion each, but in the last five years the number of disasters has spiked to an average of 23 per year, and last year it was 27 events. A recent comprehensive government study predicted that extreme weather will cost Americans $1.5 trillion over the next decade, not including loss of life or health-related costs. That’s why the costs of making the once-in-a-lifetime smart investments described above are minuscule compared to savings that better weather forecasting will provide every American.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Prime Minister Carney meets with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, met with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan during His Majesty’s visit to Canada. This was their first in-person meeting since the Prime Minister took office.

    Prime Minister Carney welcomed His Majesty King Abdullah II to Ottawa. The leaders underscored the long-standing partnership between Canada and Jordan, including in trade, defence, and security. They discussed opportunities to strengthen bilateral commerce and investment as Canada diversifies its trade partners and builds a stronger economy.

    To that end, Prime Minister Carney announced that Canada will allocate $28.4 million to support border security and development efforts in Jordan. This includes helping Jordanian security forces protect against terrorism and transnational crime, using Canadian steel to repair border infrastructure, and reducing global pressures by assisting with education, health, and job creation for refugees.

    The Prime Minister and His Majesty also discussed the situation in the Middle East, including the imperative of a ceasefire in Gaza, called for urgent, life-saving humanitarian aid to reach civilians, and the imperative for stability in Syria.

    His Majesty King Abdullah II thanked Prime Minister Carney for his hospitality, and the leaders looked forward to remaining in close contact.

    Associated links

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Passes Bilirakis-Soto Bill to Study Causes of Sinkhole Formation, Provide Public Information on Risk Zones

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Gus Bilirakis (FL-12)

    The Sinkhole Mapping Act directs the USGS to conduct studies on mechanisms that potentially contribute to the triggering of sinkholes, as well as open a public website that displays maps depicting zones at greater risk of sinkhole formation-

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. House of Representatives has passed HR 900, the Sinkhole Mapping Act, introduced by Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL-12) and Darren Soto (D-FL-09). This bipartisan legislation directs the U.S. Geological Survey to conduct studies on the short- and long-term mechanisms that potentially contribute to the triggering of sinkholes, including extreme storm events, prolonged droughts leading to shifts in water management practices, as well as ongoing aquifer depletion, and other major changes in water use.

    “In recent years, we have seen throughout Tampa Bay how dangerous sinkholes can be for neighborhoods. To improve public safety and consumer protection, we need to study the causes and remedies of sinkholes while developing geological maps to delineate the highest risk areas for sinkholes to occur,” said Rep. Bilirakis.

    Rep. Soto delivered the following remarks on the House Floor: “I rise in strong support of H.R. 900, the Sinkhole Mapping Act—a bipartisan piece of legislation with my fellow Floridian, Gus Bilirakis.  You know, Mr. Speaker, sinkholes pose a huge problem for Florida and many states, yet we don’t have a comprehensive mapping system to help first responders and community planners as was mentioned by our Chairman, Chairman Westerman.  And thank you for agending this bill today, sir.  It costs over $300 million a year.We see in Florida, homes, and community centers, and businesses be affected by this.  And so, having a database that displays potential sinkholes in our Sunshine State and across the nation would absolutely be critical.And that’s what this bill does—directs the U.S. Geological Survey to study the short and long-term mechanisms that trigger sinkholes. This includes extreme storms, prolonged droughts, shifts in water management practices, ongoing aquifer depletion, other major water uses.And it’s all about having a public website displaying maps depicting zones at greater risk of sinkhole formation, helping with communities, helping save lives, and getting us to have more resilient communities.”

    Currently, there is no database displaying all sinkholes in Florida. This presents challenges not just for land developers and residents but also for community planners and first responders. The Sinkhole Mapping Act also directs the USGS Director to open a public website that displays maps depicting zones at greater risk of sinkhole formation, giving community planners and first responders access to critical information.  The Sinkhole Mapping Act now awaits a vote in the Senate.  In addition to Reps. Soto and Bilirakis, the bill was co-sponsored by Florida Reps. Kathy Castor (D-FL-14), Maxwell Frost (D-FL-10), and Frederica Wilson (D-FL-24), as well as Reps. Wesley Bell (D-MO-01), Jim Costa (D-CA-21), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), and Josh Harder (D-CA-09).

     

     

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Huffman Demands Answers from President Trump Over Mishandling of Grand Canyon Wildfire

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

    Huffman also calls for independent investigation, accountability over catastrophic wildfire response

    July 21, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Natural Resources Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) wrote to President Trump demanding answers on the catastrophic federal response to the Dragon Bravo Fire, which has torn through the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. 

    The blaze, which ignited on July 4, was allowed to burn under “managed fire” protocols for days despite record-high heat, extreme drought, and volatile conditions — ultimately destroying the historic Grand Canyon Lodge and other irreplaceable park infrastructure. 

    In a letter sent to President Trump today, Huffman made clear that the consequences of this failure fall squarely on the President and his top officials.

    “As you have insisted in many, many other cases, the ultimate responsibility for policy decisions lies with you and your appointees, not with career civil servants,” Huffman wrote. “Yet incredibly, we have not heard anything from you, or from Secretaries Burgum and Rollins about this massive fire and the destruction it has wrought [on] one of America’s most iconic national parks.”

    Huffman pointed to the administration’s top-down proposal to consolidate all federal wildfire response under the Department of the Interior as a cause for alarm.

    He wrote: “While managed fire practices are a necessary tool in many circumstances… it appears they were clearly the wrong approach in this case given the exceptionally hot, dry, and volatile conditions on the ground.”

    In the letter, Huffman calls for detailed documentation and internal communications related to the fire, as well as answers to five key questions about when federal leadership was notified, how frequently they were updated, and whether firefighting resources were requested or withheld.

    “Rebuilding infrastructure at the North Rim will take years and cost hundreds of millions of dollars. There is a clear need to examine the decision-making process to understand how this was allowed to happen.”

    Huffman also sent a letter to the Office of Inspector General of the Interior and Agriculture Departments urging an independent investigation into the administration’s failure. He raised concerns about political interference and called for a full accounting of who knew what, when — and why the fire was allowed to burn in such a high-risk environment.

    Ranking Member Huffman requested a full response from the administration by Monday, August 4, 2025.

    Read the full letter to the President here.

    Read the full letter to the OIG here.

    ###



    Previous Article

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: De La Cruz and Miller Deliver Aid to South Texas

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Monica De La Cruz (TX-15)

    ICYMI: Washington, DC – Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz (TX-15) and Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller held a joint press conference in Mission, Texas, to announce the delivery of drought relief funding through the 1944 Water Treaty Agricultural Assistance Program. 

    Watch Congresswoman De La Cruz’s full remarks here.

    “The $280 million in funding is critical for Texas farmers and ranchers after suffering severe losses due to the Government of Mexico’s refusal to comply with the 1944 Water Treaty. I am proud to have secured these funds and deliver solutions for the families, businesses, and communities that rely on Texas agriculture to thrive.” – Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz

    “This $280 million is a lifeline, and I am proud to partner with Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz to help agriculture producers along the Rio Grande stay in business, pay their bills, and keep putting food on our tables. Congresswoman De La Cruz, her staff, and my agency have worked tirelessly to deliver this much-needed relief, and we are thrilled to announce that it’s finally here.” – Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller

    “The delivery of $280 million in drought assistance to South Texas will provide much-needed relief to farmers and ranchers in the Valley who have suffered from Mexico’s repeated refusal to provide the water it owes under the Water Treaty. I was proud to work alongside Secretary Rollins and lead several of my colleagues from Texas in the mission to secure this funding, and I look forward to continuing to partner with the Trump administration and state leaders to provide every resource necessary for our agriculture community.” – Senator John Cornyn

    Background: 

    The Texas Department of Agriculture’s 1944 Water Treaty Agricultural Assistance Program provides $280 million in essential aid to farmers and ranchers in the Rio Grande Valley affected by Mexico’s continued failure to supply water as mandated by the 1944 Water Treaty.

    The funds are part of a $280 million grant agreement between the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), secured through legislation De La Cruz included in the American Relief Act. This legislation authorized USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins to allocate emergency aid to South Texas producers who have suffered severe financial losses due to the Mexican government’s failure to meet water delivery obligations.

    The funds are expected to be delivered this week.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cammack, Torres Launch NextGen 911 Caucus

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Kat Cammack (R-FL-03)

    Washington, DC — Today, Representatives Kat Cammack (R-FL-03) and Norma Torres (D-CA-35) officially launched the Congressional NextGen 911 Caucus for the 119th Congress with a visit to the District of Columbia’s Office of Unified Communications to meet with public safety telecommunicators.

    As the only bipartisan, bicameral organization in Congress focused exclusively on 911 emergency communications, the NextGen 911 Caucus plays a critical role in educating lawmakers, constituents, and communities on the importance of modern, reliable, and responsive emergency response systems.

    “When you call 911, it’s often one of the worst moments of your life. That’s why it’s critical that our response system is fast, reliable, and built for the 21st century. The ability to text 911, send video, and deliver critical information to first responders before they arrive saves lives,” said Congresswoman Cammack. “As Co-Chair of the NextGen 911 Caucus, I’m committed to ensuring that all Americans—whether they live in a rural town or a major city—have access to a modern, responsive system.”

    “Public safety telecommunicators are the unsung heroes on the frontlines of every emergency,” said Congresswoman Norma Torres. “As a former 911 Dispatcher for 17 years, I know there is a lot of work needed to highlight and strengthen our 911 systems nationwide. That’s why I am proud to be the co-chair of the NextGen 911 Caucus. As we work to modernize our emergency response systems, it’s imperative that we give these professionals and the systems they rely on the support they deserve.”

    Background:
    Public safety telecommunicators (PSTs) serve in more than 6,000 call centers nationwide. They are often the first voice a person hears in an emergency—coordinating responses from law enforcement, fire departments, and emergency medical services. Beyond their daily lifesaving efforts, they often serve as critical witnesses in court proceedings and high-profile investigations.

    However, America’s 911 systems are facing unprecedented challenges: from outdated technology and staffing shortages to increasing call volumes and evolving threats. The NextGen 911 Caucus is committed to ensuring federal support keeps pace with these demands by promoting advanced communication technologies, including text-to-911, real-time data sharing, and improved interoperability between agencies.

    Members of the caucus include: Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Richard Hudson (R-NC), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Robert Aderholt (R-AL), Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Brandon Gill (R-TX), James Comer (R-KY), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Jim Himes (D-CT), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Glenn Ivey (D-MD), Rick Larsen (D-WA), John B. Larson (D-CT), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Jim McGovern (D-MA), Kweisi Mfume (D-MD), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Mike Rogers (R-AL), John Rutherford (R-FL), Mike Simpson (R-ID), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Marc Veasey (D-TX), Tim Walberg (R-MI), Frederica Wilson (D-FL), and Joe Wilson (R-SC).

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: 5 Things to Know About Powerful New U.S.-India Satellite, NISAR

    Source: NASA

    Data from NISAR will map changes to Earth’s surface, helping improve crop management, natural hazard monitoring, and tracking of sea ice and glaciers.
    A new U.S.-India satellite called NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) will provide high-resolution data enabling scientists to comprehensively monitor the planet’s land and ice surfaces like never before, building a detailed record of how they shift over time. Hailed as a critical part of a pioneering year for U.S.-India civil space cooperation by President Trump and Prime Minister Modi during their visit in Washington in February, the NISAR launch will advance U.S.-India cooperation and benefit the U.S. in the areas of disaster response and agriculture.
    As the first joint satellite mission between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), NISAR marks a new chapter in the growing collaboration between the two space agencies. Years in the making, the launch of NISAR builds on a strong heritage of successful programs, including Chandrayaan-1 and the recent Axiom Mission 4, which saw ISRO and NASA astronauts living and working together aboard the International Space Station for the first time.
    The information NISAR provides will help decision-makers, communities, and scientists monitor agricultural fields, refine understanding of natural hazards such as landslides and earthquakes, and help teams prepare for and respond to disasters like hurricanes, floods, and volcanic eruptions. The satellite will also provide key global observations of changes to ice sheets, glaciers, and permafrost, as well as forests and wetlands.
    The NISAR mission is slated to launch no earlier than July 30 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre on India’s southeastern coast aboard an ISRO Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle.
    Here are five things to know about NISAR:
    1. The NISAR satellite will provide a 3D view of Earth’s land and ice.
    Two synthetic aperture radars (SARs) aboard NISAR will detect changes in the planet’s surface down to fractions of an inch. The spacecraft will bounce microwave signals off Earth’s surface and receive the return signals on a radar antenna reflector measuring 39 feet (12 meters) across. The satellite’s ability to “see” through clouds and light rain, day and night, will enable data users to continuously monitor earthquake- and landslide-prone areas and determine how quickly glaciers and ice sheets are changing. It also will offer unprecedented coverage of Antarctica, information that will help with studying how the continent’s ice sheet changes over time.
    2. Data from NISAR will provide critical insights to help governments and decision-makers plan for natural and human-caused hazards.
    Earthquakes, volcanoes, and aging infrastructure can pose risks to lives and property. Able to see subtle changes in Earth’s surface, NISAR can help with hazard-monitoring efforts and potentially give decision-makers more time to prepare for a possible disaster. For earthquakes, NISAR will provide insights into which parts of a fault slowly move without producing quakes and which are locked together and could potentially slip. The satellite will be able to monitor the area around thousands of volcanoes, detecting land movement that could be a precursor to an eruption. When it comes to infrastructure such as levees, aqueducts, and dams, NISAR data collected over time can help managers detect if nearby land motion could jeopardize key structures, and then assess the integrity of those facilities.
    3. The most advanced radar system ever launched as part of a NASA or ISRO mission, NISAR will generate more data on a daily basis than any previous Earth satellite from either agency.
    About the length of a pickup truck, NISAR’s main body contains a dual-radar payload — an L-band system with a 10-inch (25-centimeter) wavelength and an S-band system with a 4-inch (10-centimeter) wavelength. Each system is sensitive to land and ice features of different sizes and specializes in detecting certain attributes, such as moisture content, surface roughness, and motion. By including both radars on one spacecraft — a first — NISAR will be more capable than previous SAR missions. These two radars, one from NASA and one from ISRO, and the data they will produce, exemplify how collaboration between spacefaring allies can achieve more than either would alone.

    The radars will generate about 80 terabytes of data products per day over the course of NISAR’s prime mission. That’s roughly enough data to fill about 150 512-gigabyte hard drives each day. The information will be processed, stored, and distributed via the cloud — and accessible to all.

    4. The NISAR mission will help monitor ecosystems around the world.
    The mission’s two radars will monitor Earth’s land and ice-covered surfaces twice every 12 days. Their near-comprehensive coverage will include areas not previously covered by other Earth-observing radar satellites with such frequency. The NISAR satellite’s L-band radar penetrates deep into forest canopies, providing insights into forest structure, while the S-band radar is ideal for monitoring crops. The NISAR data will help researchers assess how forests, wetlands, agricultural areas, and permafrost change over time.
    5. The NISAR mission marks the first collaboration between NASA and ISRO on a project of this scale and marks the next step in a long line of Earth-observing SAR missions.
    The NISAR satellite features components developed on opposite sides of the planet by engineers from ISRO and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory working together. The S-band radar was built at ISRO’s Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad, while JPL built the L-band radar in Southern California. After engineers from JPL and ISRO integrated NISAR’s instruments with a modified ISRO I3K spacecraft bus and tested the satellite, ISRO transported NISAR to Satish Dhawan Space Centre in May 2025 to prepare it for launch.
    The SAR technique was invented in the U.S. in 1952 and now countries around the globe have SAR satellites for a variety of missions. NASA first used the technique with a space-based satellite in 1978 on the ocean-observing Seasat, which included the first spaceborne SAR instrument for scientific observations. In 2012, ISRO began launching SAR missions starting with Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT-1), followed by RISAT-1A in 2022, to support a wide range of applications in India.
    More About NISAR
    Managed by Caltech in Pasadena, JPL leads the U.S. component of the project and provided the L-band SAR. JPL also provided the radar reflector antenna, the deployable boom, a high-rate communication subsystem for science data, GPS receivers, a solid-state recorder, and payload data subsystem. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center manages the Near Space Network, which will receive NISAR’s L-band data.
    The ISRO Space Applications Centre is providing the mission’s S-band SAR. The U R Rao Satellite Centre is providing the spacecraft bus. The rocket is from Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, launch services are through Satish Dhawan Space Centre, and satellite mission operations are by the ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network. The National Remote Sensing Centre is responsible for S-band data reception, operational products generation, and dissemination.
    To learn more about NISAR, visit:
    https://nisar.jpl.nasa.gov/

    News Media Contacts
    Andrew Wang / Jane J. LeeJet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.626-379-6874 / 626-491-1943andrew.wang@jpl.nasa.gov / jane.j.lee@jpl.nasa.gov
    2025-090

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Less Than One Week Left to Apply for FEMA Assistance Following April Flooding

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Less Than One Week Left to Apply for FEMA Assistance Following April Flooding

    Less Than One Week Left to Apply for FEMA Assistance Following April Flooding

    FRANKFORT, Ky

    – Kentucky homeowners and renters who experienced damage or loss caused by the April severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides have less than one week left to apply for federal disaster assistance

     The deadline to apply is July 25

    How To Apply for FEMA AssistanceThere are several ways to apply for FEMA assistance:Online at DisasterAssistance

    gov

    Visit any Disaster Recovery Center

    To find a center close to you, visit fema

    gov/DRC, or text DRC along with your Zip Code to 43362 (Example: “DRC 29169”)

    Use the FEMA mobile app

    Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362

    Help is available in many languages

    If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service

    FEMA works with every household on a case-by-case basis

    FEMA representatives can explain available assistance programs, how to apply to FEMA, and help connect survivors with resources for their recovery needs

    When you apply, you will need to provide:A current phone number where you can be contacted

    Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying

    Your Social Security Number

    A general list of damage and losses

    Banking information if you choose direct deposit

     If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name

    Survivors should keep their contact information updated with FEMA as the agency may need to call to schedule a home inspection or get additional information

     Disaster assistance is not a substitute for insurance and is not intended to compensate for all losses caused by a disaster

    The assistance is intended to meet basic needs and supplement disaster recovery efforts

     For more information about Kentucky flooding recovery, visit www

    fema

    gov/disaster/4864

    Follow the FEMA Region 4 X account at x

    com/femaregion4

    martyce

    allenjr
    Mon, 07/21/2025 – 14:15

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hours to Change at Disaster Recovery Centers in Tennessee

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Hours to Change at Disaster Recovery Centers in Tennessee

    Hours to Change at Disaster Recovery Centers in Tennessee

    Middle and Western Tennesseans who experienced damage from the April 2-24 severe storms can get in-person assistance at FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers

    The deadline to apply for assistance is Aug

    19

    Money is available for survivors who need help covering uninsured costs for things like rental expenses, home repairs, vehicle damage, medical expenses, moving and storage, and reimbursement for temporary housing

    Homeowners, renters, students, self-employed, ranchers and farmers in Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Dyer, Hardeman, McNairy, Montgomery, Obion and Wilson counties can apply for FEMA assistance

    Disaster Recovery CenterHours: Beginning Monday, July 21 centers are open:9 a

    m

    to 6 p

    m

    Monday – Friday9 a

    m

    to 2 p

    m

    SaturdayClosed SundayLOCATIONS:Dyer County: Bogota Community Center, 78 Sandy Lane, Bogota, TN 38007Hardeman County: Safehaven Storm Shelter, 530 Madison Ave W

    , Grand Junction, TN 38039McNairy County: Latta Theatre, 205 W

    Court Ave

    , Selmer, TN 38375Montgomery County: Montgomery County Library, 350 Pageant Lane, Clarksville, TN 37040Obion County: Obion County Library, 1221 E

    Reelfoot Ave

    , Union City, TN 38261How to Apply for FEMA AssistanceApply online at DisasterAssistance

    gov, use the FEMA App for mobile devices or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362

    In-person help is available at any Disaster Recovery Center for submitting applications, getting updates and asking questions

    Find a center here: DRC Locator (fema

    gov)

    Video: What to Expect Before Applying for FEMA Assistance | ASL | SpanishVideo: Next Steps After Applying for FEMA Assistance  | ASL | Spanish
    kwei

    nwaogu
    Mon, 07/21/2025 – 13:22

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mobile Man Sentenced To 92 Months In Prison For Felon In Possession Of A Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MOBILE, AL – Edwards Cordell Burks, Jr., was sentenced to 92 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Jeffrey Beaverstock.

    According to court documents, in November 2024, members of the Mobile Police Department (MPD) responded to a local hospital where two individuals were receiving treatment for gunshot wounds. During the course of MPD’s investigation, and after speaking with victims and witnesses, MPD developed Burks as a suspect in those shootings. MPD officers also located and secured the crime scene off Spring Hill Avenue. Surveillance from a nearby business captured the shooting. The shooter in the surveillance footage appears to be Burks. Three bullet casings were collected from the scene and a “be on the lookout” (BOLO) notice for Burks went out to law enforcement. Two days after the shooting, an MPD officer on regular patrol observed Burks walking on the sidewalk within a mile of the crime scene. The officer detained Burks and located a loaded firearm in his waistband.  The firearm and casings from the scene were compared via the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), a match was generated indicating that the firearm from Burks was the same firearm used in the shooting two days before. Burks is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possession a firearm.

    At sentencing, Judge Beaverstock imposed a 92-month sentence of incarceration and a 3-year term of supervised release upon Burks’ discharge from prison. Burks has also been charged with state assault offenses based on the shootings which remain pending.

    The Mobile Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Beth Stepan prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

    This case exemplifies the mission of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Independence Man Charged for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man has been charged with illegally possessing a stolen firearm.

    Daryl O.D. Beck, 37, was charged by a federal grand jury on July 15, 2025, with being a felon in possession of a firearm and for possession of a stolen firearm Beck has prior felony convictions including for possession and intent to manufacture a controlled substance, as well as for aggravated assault. The secret indictment was unsealed today following Beck’s initial appearance.

    Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition.

    The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the Independence, Missouri Police Department.

    Operation Take Back America

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    ###

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Statement on the Peace Agreement Between the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Congo River Alliance/M23

    Source: APO


    .

    Africa CDC welcomes the signing of the Declaration of Principles on 19 July 2025 between the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Congo River Alliance/M23. Africa CDC echoes the appreciation expressed by H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, and applaud the political courage of all parties for choosing dialogue over confrontation, declaring a ceasefire, and embracing a future built on stability.

    Africa CDC expresses profound gratitude to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and the State of Qatar, as well as to President Donald Trump and the Government of the United States, for their unwavering support to the Doha and Washington processes. We equally commend the tireless leadership of H.E. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, Chairperson of the African Union and Champion for Peace and Reconciliation, and H.E. Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, President of Togo and AU-appointed Mediator for the Great Lakes. Africa CDC salutes the determination of President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi and President Paul Kagame to steer the region toward a future of peace.

    Between 2022 and 2024, Africa experienced a 41% surge in public health emergencies, with the eastern DRC and Great Lakes region at the epicenter—battling recurring outbreaks of Mpox, cholera, Marburg virus, Ebola, and measles. These crises have been compounded by 30 years of violence, insecurity, and displacement.

    As the African autonomous public health agency, Africa CDC has consistently called for peace, including in a letter to African Heads of State on 1 February 2025 urging urgent action to safeguard lives and restore stability in the region. https://africacdc.org/news-item/africa-cdc-urges-immediate-action-to-protect-lives-amid-escalatinghealth-and-security-crises/

    Africa CDC reaffirms that peace and health are inextricably linked. A comprehensive health component must be fully embedded in the Doha and Washington processes, ensuring the safe return of displaced populations, the restoration of essential health services, the access of essential commodities, the strengthening of disease surveillance, and the rebuilding of local health systems. Mandated by the African Union Heads of State, Africa CDC stands ready to support the implementation of the health pillar of the Doha and Washington agreements in full partnership with African governments, Qatar, the United States, and all other partners and stakeholders. As we mark this historic step, Africa CDC joins the call for global recognition of this remarkable diplomatic milestone. If this process yields lasting peace, the people of Africa will remember the leadership and courage of President Donald Trump and His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, who chose to bring hope to a region that has endured unimaginable suffering for far too long.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

    MIL OSI Africa

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/SOUTH AFRICA – Gaza: Southern African bishops reaffirm their support for the South African government’s genocide complaint

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Johannesburg (Agenzia Fides) – The Southern African bishops re-affirmed their full support of South Africa’s legal case against Israel at the International Criminal Court (ICJ), which accuses Israel of genocide against the population of Gaza.In a statement published in the aftermath of the bombing of the Holy Family Church compound in Gaza, which left three dead and at least nine wounded (see Fides, 17/7/2025), the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC), which brings together the bishops of South Africa, Botswana, and Eswatini, recalled that Israel’s response to the massacre perpetrated by Hamas on October 7, 2023, “is now widely recognized throughout the world as genocide and ethnic cleansing.””We share that assessment and so have given our support to the South African government’s case at the ICJ in The Hague accusing Israel of perpetrating acts of genocide,” the SACBC bishops state in the statement signed by their president, Cardinal Stephen Brislin, Archbishop of Cape Town.The members of the SACBC explain that they hoped the action taken by the South African government would serve “as a peaceful means of pressuring the parties to the conflict to stop the spiral of violence.” “This has not been the case,” they note, highlighting the responsibility of those who continue to send weapons: “The many countries that continue to supply arms and support the rhetoric of war have become accomplices in what history will undoubtedly record as a ‘crime against humanity.’””Therefore, we raise our voices to protest against the ongoing genocide, and we join Pope Leo XIV in calling for a lasting ceasefire and the release of all hostages, including those in administrative detention,” the bishops urge.”Our prayers and solidarity must be accompanied by actions,” they conclude, calling for “non-violent action, boycotts in various sectors, active protest, and denunciation of the spread of war throughout the Middle East.” (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 21/7/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/SOUTH AFRICA – Gaza: Southern African bishops reaffirm their support for the South African government’s genocide complaint

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Johannesburg (Agenzia Fides) – The Southern African bishops re-affirmed their full support of South Africa’s legal case against Israel at the International Criminal Court (ICJ), which accuses Israel of genocide against the population of Gaza.In a statement published in the aftermath of the bombing of the Holy Family Church compound in Gaza, which left three dead and at least nine wounded (see Fides, 17/7/2025), the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC), which brings together the bishops of South Africa, Botswana, and Eswatini, recalled that Israel’s response to the massacre perpetrated by Hamas on October 7, 2023, “is now widely recognized throughout the world as genocide and ethnic cleansing.””We share that assessment and so have given our support to the South African government’s case at the ICJ in The Hague accusing Israel of perpetrating acts of genocide,” the SACBC bishops state in the statement signed by their president, Cardinal Stephen Brislin, Archbishop of Cape Town.The members of the SACBC explain that they hoped the action taken by the South African government would serve “as a peaceful means of pressuring the parties to the conflict to stop the spiral of violence.” “This has not been the case,” they note, highlighting the responsibility of those who continue to send weapons: “The many countries that continue to supply arms and support the rhetoric of war have become accomplices in what history will undoubtedly record as a ‘crime against humanity.’””Therefore, we raise our voices to protest against the ongoing genocide, and we join Pope Leo XIV in calling for a lasting ceasefire and the release of all hostages, including those in administrative detention,” the bishops urge.”Our prayers and solidarity must be accompanied by actions,” they conclude, calling for “non-violent action, boycotts in various sectors, active protest, and denunciation of the spread of war throughout the Middle East.” (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 21/7/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/DR CONGO – A declaration of principles was signed in Doha between the Congolese government and the M23 to end the war

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) – The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the M23/Congo River Alliance (AFC) guerrillas signed a declaration of principles on July 19 in Doha, Qatar, to end the war in the east of the country.”The parties reaffirm their commitment to a permanent ceasefire, which includes the prohibition of attacks of any kind, the dissemination of hate propaganda or incitement to violence, and any attempt to seize or modify positions by force on the ground,” states the document signed by both parties. Furthermore, the signing of the final peace agreement is scheduled for August 17, also in Doha.The Doha Declaration follows the agreement signed in Washington on June 27 between the Congolese government and the Rwandan government, sponsor of the AFC/M23 (see Fides, 27/6/2025).The United States and Qatar have coordinated their diplomacy with the aim of ending 30 years of war in eastern DRC, a conflict that worsened in 2021 with the resumption of hostilities by the M23, the strongest and most organized of the nearly 100 armed groups operating in the region.The intervention of President Trump’s administration aspires to win the Nobel Peace Prize by mediating this and other conflicts around the world: as the Congolese newspaper Le Potentiel points out, the United States “without firing a single shot, gains strategic access to a significant portion of Congo’s minerals in exchange for a promise of peace. A peace that is paid for, vague, and lacking a true transformative impulse for the populations.”In fact, as Fides reported after the signing of the Washington agreements, the population of Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu, currently occupied by M23 troops, is still waiting for concrete signs that would give them hope that peace will become a reality (see Fides, 1/7/2025). (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 21/7/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/DR CONGO – A declaration of principles was signed in Doha between the Congolese government and the M23 to end the war

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) – The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the M23/Congo River Alliance (AFC) guerrillas signed a declaration of principles on July 19 in Doha, Qatar, to end the war in the east of the country.”The parties reaffirm their commitment to a permanent ceasefire, which includes the prohibition of attacks of any kind, the dissemination of hate propaganda or incitement to violence, and any attempt to seize or modify positions by force on the ground,” states the document signed by both parties. Furthermore, the signing of the final peace agreement is scheduled for August 17, also in Doha.The Doha Declaration follows the agreement signed in Washington on June 27 between the Congolese government and the Rwandan government, sponsor of the AFC/M23 (see Fides, 27/6/2025).The United States and Qatar have coordinated their diplomacy with the aim of ending 30 years of war in eastern DRC, a conflict that worsened in 2021 with the resumption of hostilities by the M23, the strongest and most organized of the nearly 100 armed groups operating in the region.The intervention of President Trump’s administration aspires to win the Nobel Peace Prize by mediating this and other conflicts around the world: as the Congolese newspaper Le Potentiel points out, the United States “without firing a single shot, gains strategic access to a significant portion of Congo’s minerals in exchange for a promise of peace. A peace that is paid for, vague, and lacking a true transformative impulse for the populations.”In fact, as Fides reported after the signing of the Washington agreements, the population of Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu, currently occupied by M23 troops, is still waiting for concrete signs that would give them hope that peace will become a reality (see Fides, 1/7/2025). (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 21/7/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Security: THREE SANTA ROSA COUNTY MEN SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR THEIR ROLES IN DRUG TRAFFICKING OPERATION

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – David Kennedy, 41; Michael McQueen, 51; and Roosevelt Jones, 52, of Milton, Florida, were sentenced to federal prison for trafficking in controlled substances in Santa Rosa County, Florida. The sentences were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

    “Working with our state and local partners, federal law enforcement was able to dismantle a significant drug trafficking ring that plagued Santa Rosa County for years,” stated United States Attorney Heekin.  “We are pleased with this successful operation, in particular, because all three men are repeat drug trafficking offenders. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi promised to Take Back America by cracking down on the drug traffickers plaguing our communities, and my office will not stop aggressively pursuing those who seek to victimize our citizens by flooding our streets with poisonous drugs.”   

    Court documents reflect that covert undercover purchases of illegal drugs, as well as surveillance and judicially authorized wiretap intercepts of telephone communications, enabled law enforcement to execute multiple search warrants in Milton that led to the seizure of cocaine, pure methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana.  In addition, law enforcement seized firearms and illicitly derived United States currency.

    David Kennedy was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.

    Michael McQueen was sentenced to 11½ years in federal prison to be followed by 6 years of supervised release.

    Roosevelt Jones was sentenced to 6½ years in federal prison to be followed by 6 years of supervised release.  

    “Partnerships are key to disrupting drug trafficking activity, and we have great partners,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “Our communities will be safer with these drug peddlers off the streets.”

    “The successful collaboration between the federal, state, local agencies, and our Narcotics Detectives has been instrumental in removing dangerous drugs from our streets,” said Sheriff Bob Johnson, Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office. “More importantly, this joint effort led to the arrest of key drug dealers, ensuring they are held accountable for their actions and making our communities safer.”

    The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office; the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; the Florida Department of Law Enforcement; the Pensacola Police Department; the Gulf Breeze Police Department; and the Florida Highway Patrol. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). 

    The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Brooklyn Man Charged with Arson of 10 NYPD Vehicles

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, a complaint was unsealed charging Jakhi McCray with arson for setting 10 New York City Police Department vehicles and a trailer on fire in a locked parking lot.  McCray was arrested today and will make his initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon.

    Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, New York Division (ATF); Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD); and Robert S. Tucker, Commissioner, New York Fire Department (FDNY) announced the arrest.

    “This destructive act of arson was deliberate, dangerous, and deeply disruptive,” said United States Attorney Nocella.  “Setting police vehicles ablaze is not a form of protest—it is a federal crime.  Our Office will not tolerate violence or destruction that undermines law enforcement efforts to ensure public safety and will prosecute this individual to the fullest extent of the law.”

    Mr. Nocella also expressed his thanks to the ATF-NYPD Arson & Explosives Task Force, the FDNY Marshalls, and the United States Marshalls Services NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force for their valuable contribution to the case.

    “Intentionally setting fire to police vehicles is a dangerous criminal act and a direct threat to public safety. The ATF Arson and Explosives Task Force — which includes ATF, the NYPD, and FDNY — is fully committed to identifying and bringing to justice anyone responsible for these dangerous and unlawful acts. This arrest demonstrates our shared resolve and unified approach to protecting our communities.  We are grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, U.S. Marshals Service NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force, the NYPD and the FDNY for their continued partnership in pursuing justice,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Miller.

    “The arson attack against New York City Police Department vehicles in Bushwick, Brooklyn was as cowardly as it was criminal,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “The defendant in this case may have wanted to send a message – but all he did was mobilize the full force of the NYPD, the ATF, and the FDNY to identify, locate, and arrest him.  Now, through the work of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, he will face much-deserved justice.  Thank you to all the NYPD detectives, as well as our law enforcement partners, who closed this case.”

    “Burning a police vehicle is an intolerable crime that could have killed a police officer,” stated FDNY Commissioner Tucker.  “We are grateful to our FDNY Fire Marshals for their role in investigating this crime, and our partners in law enforcement for their assistance in identifying the suspect.  Arson is a serious crime that must be punished.”

    According to the complaint, at 12:52 a.m. on June 12, 2025, McCray was recorded on surveillance video scaling a fence into a secure private lot for reserve NYPD vehicles assigned to precincts in northern Brooklyn.  The lot contained numerous NYPD vehicles and was located on DeKalb Avenue between Wilson Avenue and Central Avenue in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn.  McCray remained in the lot for approximately 32 minutes, during which he lit 10 NYPD vehicles and one trailer on fire.

    At approximately 1:24 a.m., an NYPD officer arrived to inspect the lot.  As he approached, the officer saw the fire and observed McCray attempting to escape by scaling a fence, then fleeing through an existing hole in the fence.  Subsequently, NYPD personnel recovered at the scene a cigar lighter torch and a pair of sunglasses.  They also discovered 22 retail fire starters and 10 BBQ dragon egg fire starters that were placed under three undamaged vehicles.  It was later determined that the sunglasses had McCray’s fingerprints on them.  The vehicles were ignited two days before protests were scheduled to be held over the June 14-15, 2025 weekend.  The NYPD has estimated that the total replacement cost of for the damaged vehicles is over $800,000.

    The charge in the complaint is an allegation, and McCray is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted, McCray faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a maximum of 20 years in prison.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section.  Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca M. Urquiola is in charge of the prosecution.

    The Defendant:

    JAKHI MCCRAY
    Age: 21
    Brooklyn, New York

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-MJ-238

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man who Possessed Multiple Machinegun Conversion Devices Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    A man who possessed multiple machinegun conversion devices on more than one occasion was sentenced on July 18, 2025, to 108 months in federal prison.

    Gentile Kahungu, age 19, who was living in Marion, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 31, 2025 guilty plea to possession of a machinegun. The evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that Kahungu possessed a total of 18 machinegun conversion devices, two of which were connected to firearms.  On June 25, 2024, Kahungu possessed some of the devices in his bedroom in his home in Marion along with a tan Glock magazine and ammunition. When he was later arrested in Cedar Rapids, he possessed additional machinegun conversion devices, along with a tan Glock firearm that had a machinegun conversion device connected to it.  The evidence at the hearing also established that Kahungu’s Glock firearm was used during two other shootings, one in Marshalltown, Iowa, and one in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

    Kahungu was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Kahungu was sentenced to 108 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    Kahungu is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Marshalltown Police Department, and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 24-CR-00088.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: New Evacuation Order Limits UN’s Ability to Deliver Aid in Gaza, Secretary-General warns

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    SG/SM/22734

    The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

    The Secretary-General is appalled by the accelerating breakdown of humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where the last lifelines keeping people alive are collapsing.

    He deplores the growing reports of children and adults suffering from malnutrition.

    The Secretary-General strongly condemns the ongoing violence, including the shooting, killing and injuring of people attempting to get food for their families.

    Civilians must be protected and respected, and they must never be targeted.  The population in Gaza remains gravely undersupplied with the basic necessities of life.

    Israel has the obligation to allow and facilitate by all the means at its disposal the humanitarian relief provided by the United Nations and by other humanitarian organizations.

    The Secretary-General notes that the intensification of hostilities in recent days comes as the humanitarian system is being impeded, undermined and endangered.

    A new evacuation order in parts of Deir al Balah — home to tens of thousands — pushes people into more desperate conditions and further displacement and restricts the United Nations’ ability to deliver life-saving aid.  UN staff remain in Deir al Balah, and two UN guesthouses have been struck, despite parties having been informed of the locations of UN premises, which are inviolable.  These locations — as with all civilian sites — must be protected, regardless of evacuation orders.

    The Secretary-General reiterates his urgent call for the protection of civilians, including humanitarian personnel, and for the provision of essential resources to ensure their survival.

    He once again calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

    The UN stands ready to significantly scale up our humanitarian operations.  The time for a ceasefire is now.

    For information media. Not an official record.

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Strengthening early warnings and anticipatory action through the use of digital technology

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    In Malawi, UNICEF, in partnership with the Malawi Government and the Malawi University of Science and Technology, launched the African Drone and Data Academy (ADDA) in 2020 to address severe cyclones, floods and droughts caused by climate change. ADDA equips youth with skills in drone technology, geospatial systems and disaster risk management. It trained over 1,280 graduates from 25 countries – 60 per cent young women – and achieved an 80 per cent employment rate.

    WFP and UNDP supported the strengthening of local capacities and Early Warning Systems (EWS) for comprehensive drought management in Eastern Cuba and Camagüey with a focus on resilience, food security and gender inclusivity, leveraging a systems thinking approach to enhance resilience in food production, water management, and community preparedness. Enhanced hydro-meteorological monitoring and communication channels, combined with gender-inclusive training, ensured that local producers and vulnerable communities received timely and actionable climate information. The project supported the development of standardized national methodologies for drought diagnosis and forecasting, aligning with Cuba’s State Plan for Climate Change Adaptation.

    In Serbia, UNDP and WHO supported the establishment and upgrading of a Disaster Risk Registry, which offers real-time data to inform decision making in times of crisis, to assess the effectiveness of emergency response, and for planning and implementing DRR measures at local and national level. The Registry incorporates a digital climate atlas, climate projections, compiled with mass evaluation of property prices, and is linked with the Strategic Tool for the Analysis of Risks (STAR) of WHO providing information on critical health facilities. The Register enables risk informed urban planning, and localizes risk knowledge and management, based on open data and transparency. It enables investment planning and attracted the interest of the insurance industry.

    Enhanced communications targeting at-risk populations is improving the effectiveness of early warnings, reducing potential damages and losses. In the Maldives, technological solutions are being leveraged for last-mile early warning dissemination through the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP). The CAP is a data format for exchanging public warnings and emergencies between alerting technologies, including the use of ITU’s Disaster Connectivity Maps initiative (in partnership with the Emergency Telecommunication Cluster (ETC) led by WFP). This initiative helps first responders quickly assess which areas are affected and which communication networks are operational, allowing for more efficient coordination and faster response times. The DCM initiative also integrates AI and satellite technologies for disaster preparedness.

    In the Pacific, EW4All has been instrumental in supporting the development of Multi-Hazard Early Warning System national costed roadmaps in Fiji, Tonga, and the Solomon Islands, collaborating with governments, UN agencies, civil society, and local communities. Through the EW4All initiative and the Weather Ready Pacific program, issues such as fragmented systems, siloed efforts, and communication barriers are being addressed. The EW4All initiative integrates AI into risk knowledge, hazard detection, monitoring, forecasting, warning dissemination, and preparedness. AI improves accuracy, ensures timely dissemination, and tailors warnings to vulnerable populations. This approach strengthens preparedness and reduces disaster impacts.

    Spotlight: The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Sub-Group under the EW4All Initiative focuses on integrating AI into the four pillars of early warning systems: risk knowledge, detection/monitoring, dissemination of warnings, and preparedness, led by ITU, WMO, UNDRR and IFRC. AI improves hazard forecasting, enhances dissemination, and strengthens response planning by analyzing complex datasets. The initiative aims to bridge technological gaps globally, ensuring timely and equitable warnings for all.

    The WHO-led initiative Epidemic Intelligence from Open Source (EIOS) is a vital tool that enables early detection and assessment of public health threats, including those related to natural hazards, in near real time. It connects experts around the world and provides them with tools to detect, analyse, assess and share information for quick, evidence-based action. Cambodia, Fiji, Kiribati, Philippines, Tonga, and Vanuatu have developed their emergency risk profiles at the national, subnational and local levels to inform preparedness, contingency planning, simulation, training and mass gathering under the Asia Pacific Health Security Action Framework.

    Flagship reports on Early Warning

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: PBS and NPR are generally unbiased, independent of government propaganda and provide key benefits to US democracy

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Stephanie A. (Sam) Martin, Frank and Bethine Church Endowed Chair of Public Affairs, Boise State University

    Congress’ cuts to public broadcasting will diminish the range and volume of the free press and the independent reporting it provides. MicroStockHub-iStock/Getty Images Plus

    Champions of the almost entirely party-line vote in the U.S. Senate to erase US$1.1 billion in already approved funds for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting called their action a refusal to subsidize liberal media.

    “Public broadcasting has long been overtaken by partisan activists,” said U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, insisting there is no need for government to fund what he regards as biased media. “If you want to watch the left-wing propaganda, turn on MSNBC,” Cruz said.

    Accusing the media of liberal bias has been a consistent conservative complaint since the civil rights era, when white Southerners insisted news outlets were slanting their stories against segregation. During his presidential campaign in 1964, U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater of Arizona complained that the media was against him, an accusation that has been repeated by every Republican presidential candidate since.

    But those charges of bias rarely survive empirical scrutiny.

    As chair of a public policy institute devoted to strengthening deliberative democracy, I have written two books about the media and the presidency, and another about media ethics. My research traces how news institutions shape civic life and why healthy democracies rely on journalism that is independent of both market pressure and partisan talking points.

    That independence in the United States – enshrined in the press freedom clause of the First Amendment – gives journalists the ability to hold government accountable, expose abuses of power and thereby support democracy.

    GOP Sen. Ted Cruz speaks to reporters as Senate Republicans vote on President Donald Trump’s request to cancel about $9 billion in foreign aid and public broadcasting spending on July 16, 2025.
    AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

    Trusting independence

    Ad Fontes Media, a self-described “public benefit company” whose mission is to rate media for credibility and bias, have placed the reporting of “PBS NewsHour” under 10 points left of the ideological center. They label it as both “reliable” and based in “analysis/fact.” “Fox and Friends,” by contrast, the popular morning show on Fox News, is nearly 20 points to the right. The scale starts at zero and runs 42 points to the left to measure progressive bias and 42 points to the right to measure conservative bias. Ratings are provided by three-person panels comprising left-, right- and center-leaning reviewers.

    A 2020 peer-reviewed study in Science Advances that tracked more than 6,000 political reporters likewise found “no evidence of liberal media bias” in the stories they chose to cover, even though most journalists are more left-leaning than the rest of the population.

    A similar 2016 study published in Public Opinion Quarterly said that media are more similar than dissimilar and, excepting political scandals, “major
    news organizations present topics in a largely nonpartisan manner,
    casting neither Democrats nor Republicans in a particularly favorable
    or unfavorable light
    .”

    Surveys show public media’s audiences do not see it as biased. A national poll of likely voters released July 14, 2025, found that 53% of respondents trust public media to report news “fully, accurately and fairly,” while only 35% extend that trust to “the media in general.” A majority also opposed eliminating federal support.

    Contrast these numbers with attitudes about public broadcasters such as MTVA in Hungary or the TVP in Poland, where the state controls most content. Protests in Budapest October 2024 drew thousands demanding an end to “propaganda.” Oxford’s Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism reports that TVP is the least trusted news outlet in the country.

    While critics sometimes conflate American public broadcasting with state-run outlets, the structures are very different.

    Safeguards for editorial freedom

    In state-run media systems, a government agency hires editors, dictates coverage and provides full funding from the treasury. Public officials determine – or make up – what is newsworthy. Individual media operations survive only so long as the party in power is happy.

    Public broadcasting in the U.S. works in almost exactly the opposite way: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a private nonprofit with a statutory “firewall” that forbids political interference.

    More than 70% of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s federal appropriation for 2025 of US$1.1 billion flows through to roughly 1,500 independently governed local stations, most of which are NPR or PBS affiliates but some of which are unaffiliated community broadcasters. CPB headquarters retains only about 5% of that federal funding.

    Stations survive by combining this modest federal grant money with listener donations, underwriting and foundation support. That creates a diversified revenue mix that further safeguards their editorial freedom.

    And while stations share content, each also has latitude when it comes to programming and news coverage, especially at the local level.

    As a public-private partnership, individual communities mostly own the public broadcasting system and its affiliate stations. Congress allocates funds, while community nonprofits, university boards, state authorities or other local license holders actually own and run the stations. Individual monthly donors are often called “members” and sometimes have voting rights in station-governance matters. Membership contributions make up the largest share of revenue for most stations, providing another safeguard for editorial independence.

    A host and guest in July 2024 sit inside a recording studio at KMXT, the public radio station on Kodiak Island in Alaska.
    Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal

    Broadly shared civic commons

    And then there are public media’s critical benefits to democracy itself.

    A 2021 report from the European Broadcasting Union links public broadcasting with higher voter turnout, better factual knowledge and lower susceptibility to extremist rhetoric.

    Experts warn that even small cuts will exacerbate an already pernicious problem with political disinformation in the U.S., as citizens lose access to free information that fosters media literacy and encourages trust across demographics.

    In many ways, public media remains the last broadly shared civic commons. It is both commercial-free and independently edited.

    Another study, by the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School in 2022, affirmed that “countries with independent and well-funded public broadcasting systems also consistently have stronger democracies.”

    The study highlighted how public media works to bridge divides and foster understanding across polarized groups. Unlike commercial media, where the profit motive often creates incentives to emphasize conflict and sensationalism, public media generally seeks to provide balanced perspectives that encourage dialogue and mutual respect. Reports are often longer and more in-depth than those by other news outlets.

    Such attention to nuance provides a critical counterweight to the fragmented, often hyperpartisan news bubbles that pervade cable news and social media. And this skillful, more balanced treatment helps to ameliorate political polarization and misinformation.

    In all, public media’s unique structure and mission make democracy healthier in the U.S. and across the world. Public media prioritizes education and civic enlightenment. It gives citizens important tools for navigating complex issues to make informed decisions – whether those decisions are about whom to vote for or about public policy itself. Maintaining and strengthening public broadcasting preserves media diversity and advances important principles of self-government.

    Congress’ cuts to public broadcasting will diminish the range and volume of the free press and the independent reporting it provides. Ronald Reagan once described a free press as vital for the United States to succeed in its “noble experiment in self-government.” From that perspective, more independent reporting – not less – will prove the best remedy for any worry about partisan spin.

    Stephanie A. (Sam) Martin does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. PBS and NPR are generally unbiased, independent of government propaganda and provide key benefits to US democracy – https://theconversation.com/pbs-and-npr-are-generally-unbiased-independent-of-government-propaganda-and-provide-key-benefits-to-us-democracy-261512

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