SmartFinancial, Inc. (NASDAQ:SMBK) Q3 2023 Earnings Call Transcript

Billy Carroll: Yes. And I’ll add, Miller, just that M&A, as Miller alluded to, with valuations kind of with the industry kind of suppressed, it makes it a little more challenging on the acquisition front. But I think to your point, I think a lot of banks are sitting down and looking at it strategically, what are their options and where do they want to go? I feel very good about us and our environment in a standalone, but also obviously we’re going to look advantageously at opportunities. And so, if we see something that fits, we’ll continue to explore it. But really like kind of where we’re positioned and kind of what our optionality is sitting on today.

Miller Welborn: We love letting Nate run these models. He’s a model geek. Yeah, it’s really, it’s really, Will, just getting back to shareholder focus. And I think we are totally focused on the shareholder and what makes the most sense for them and love focusing on that.

Will Jones: Yes. That makes sense. That’s helpful. Thanks for the questions, guys.

Billy Carroll: Thank you.

Operator: Our next question comes from Kevin Fitzsimmons at D.A. Davidson. Please go ahead.

Kevin Fitzsimmons: Hey, good morning, guys. Just wanted to follow-up on the margin. So at a high level, it sounds like what you’re saying is, it’s kind of going to — to use your words, it’s going to continue to be a bit of a grind next few quarters, but stabilizing in the course of stabilizing. And the head — the main headwinds had been the cost of deposits going higher and the DDA remix. And I believe Ron, you might’ve said at the beginning of your comments some — you alluded to those slowing and you gave some number for September. Can you kind of go back to like what gives you confidence those headwinds are slowing and anything you can give us like coming out of the quarter on that front. Thanks.

Ron Gorczynski: Yeah, I think we saw, as I said, escalated Q3. September, we’re starting to see pretty much conversationally and balance-wise a lot less repricing going on. And we’re modeling where our deposit beta has slowed down as we go. We’re seeing less of a — we had a pretty good non-interest bearing mix shift happen. We think that stabilized. I think Q2 had excessive funds in there, so that assisted with it. I think going forward, we think we can maintain our non-interest bearing balances. I think we’ll see it creep a little bit, but again, this trade in our investments would offset some of the noise and just a lot less chatter on the deposit side at this point of time. I mean, really it’s as simple as that of what we’re seeing and hearing in our numbers for the beginning of October.

Kevin Fitzsimmons: Got it. And Billy, just — you say you continue to be bullish on loan growth. Maybe just if you can give us a flavor for how the customers and your local economies are hanging in and what that sentiment is like. I mean, some banks are talking about really limiting loan growth and just focus on fortress balance sheet and only dealing with existing customers, not looking for new customers until we get more clarity on the economy. And I know the Southeast has definitely got tailwinds, other parts of the country don’t. But I’m just curious where, how you’re looking at that, whether you’re feeling incrementally better or more of the same just over the last three months. Thanks.