ABCB

This article first appeared on GuruFocus. - Net Income: $116.1 million for Q3. - Earnings Per Share: $1.73 per diluted share, a five-year record high. - Return on Assets: 1.61%. - PPNR ROA: 2.27%. - Return on Tangible Common Equity: 15.01%. - Net Interest Income: $257.7 million, up $5.2 million from prior quarter. - Net Interest Margin: 3.87%, down 1 basis point from 3.88% last quarter. - Adjusted Efficiency Ratio: Improved to 49.15% from 50.42% last quarter; year-to-date 49.84%. - Tangible Book Value Per Share: Grew to $45.65; up 5% annualized in the quarter (over 14% excluding AOCI). - Tangible Common Equity Ratio: Increased to 11.14%. - Total Risk-Based Capital: 15%. - Common Equity Tier 1: Over 13%. - Share Repurchase: No buyback activity this quarter; Board approved new $200 million authorization. - Adjusted Non-Interest Income: Decreased approximately $2 million, driven by lower mortgage revenue. - Mortgage Production: Declined 13.7%; related fees declined 10.1%. - Adjusted Non-Interest Expense: Decreased approximately $2.5 million, mostly from lower mortgage-related compensation. - Provision for Credit Losses: $12.6 million, down $4.7 million from last quarter. - Net Charge-Offs: Improved to 19 basis points annualized; 2025 bps range expected near term. - Reserve Coverage: 1.62% of total loans, equal to 3.5x portfolio NPAs. - Total Assets: Approximately $28.5 billion, up slightly from Q2. - Average Earning Assets: Grew $300.5 million, or 4.5% annualized. - Loans: Grew $173.1 million, or about 3% annualized; quarterly production of $2.3 billion. - Total Deposits: Grew $319.4 million; non-interest-bearing mix at 29.2%. - CRE Concentration: 250% of capital. - Construction Concentration: 50% of capital. - Warning! GuruFocus has detected 4 Warning Signs with ABCB. - Is ABCB fairly valued? Test your thesis with our free DCF calculator. Release Date: October 23, 2026 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. - Ameris Bancorp (NYSE:ABCB) reported a five-year record-high EPS of $1.73 per diluted share, with strong profitability metrics including ROA of 1.61% and return on tangible common equity of 15.01%. - The company achieved good organic growth in average earning assets (5% annualized) and deposits (6% annualized) while protecting its above-average net interest margin of 3.87%. - Ameris Bancorp (NYSE:ABCB) maintains a fortress balance sheet with a strong reserve coverage of 1.62% of total loans (3.5x portfolio NPAs) and a common equity Tier 1 ratio over 13%. - Credit quality remains favorable compared to peers, with annualized net charge-offs improving to 19 basis points and criticized ratio at 115 basis points, less than half the peer group midpoint. - The company has a disciplined approach to capital allocation, with a new $200 million share repurchase authorization and a focus on organic growth, supported by a stable and experienced team. - Ameris Bancorp (NYSE:ABCB) expects some net interest margin compression over the next few quarters due to higher deposit costs and competitive pressure, with margin guidance slightly down. - Deposit costs are increasing due to competition and a shift in mix from non-interest-bearing to interest-bearing accounts, which could pressure the margin if loan growth is funded entirely with interest-bearing deposits. - Mortgage revenue declined 10.1% this quarter due to a 13.7% drop in mortgage production, and the mortgage business's efficiency ratio is running higher than the typical 60% range. - There is potential for demand destruction in the loan pipeline if rates continue to rise, with some caution expected in the fourth quarter and first quarter of next year. - Expense growth consensus for 2027 may be slightly aggressive, and the company anticipates core expenses in the $165-169 million per quarter range, with mortgage revenue potentially flat to down. Q: With rates moving higher, are you seeing the benefit on new loan production, or is competition eating into it? And how do you think about the mix of loan growth in Q4, including CRE payoffs?A: CEO H. Palmer Proctor said Ameris remains focused on profitable loan growth in competitive but high-growth Southeastern markets, and it won't chase deals despite "a lot of irrational pricing out there." CFO Nicole Stokes added that Q4 loan mix should look similar to Q3, with CRE, premium finance and residential providing diversification; if CRE payoffs level off, CRE could contribute some growth. She noted payoffs are coming off roughly 100 basis points below new production, which is good for margin. Q: How are you thinking about deposit betas in this up-rate cycle, and where were spot deposit costs at the end of September?A: CFO Nicole Stokes said the September hike came so late in the quarter that much of the beta impact will show up in October and Q4, and she expects this cycle to resemble prior cycles. September new deposit production was about 3 basis points above the quarterly average while asset yields were about 5 basis points higher, a positive trend. She also flagged competitive deposit pricing and potential migration from non-interest-bearing into interest-bearing accounts as headwinds that could cause the margin to "bump around a few basis points" for several quarters. Q: How should we think about expense growth in 2027, particularly given continued investment in lending talent and technology?A: CFO Nicole Stokes said consensus of roughly 6.8% to 7% growth may be a bit aggressive, with Q1 close but later quarters potentially too high because consensus assumes both higher expenses and higher mortgage revenue. On a core basis, she pointed to roughly $165 million to $169 million per quarter for the year, assuming mortgage stays consistent or declines slightly. The adjusted efficiency ratio improved to 49.15% in Q3 from 50.42% in Q2, and she expects to end the year around 50%. Q: Can you discuss credit trends, including the rise in criticized, classified and nonperforming assets, and how the Balboa equipment finance business is performing?A: Chief Credit Officer Douglas Strange said equipment finance is performing as intended after the credit box was retooled a couple of years ago. The rise in criticized assets reflects some lumpy migration in and out of non-pass status that the bank is working through with customers, and he does not view it as systemic. He reiterated net charge-off guidance of 20 to 25 basis points and noted the criticized ratio of 115 basis points is less than half the peer midpoint, supported by a strong reserve. Q: With a fortress balance sheet and strong profitability, how do you prioritize capital deployment, including buybacks and M&A?A: CEO H. Palmer Proctor said the priority stack is unchanged: first organic growth, then opportunistic buybacks under the recently renewed $200 million authorization, then a modest dividend with little expected change, and finally selective M&A. He said most attractive targets are not for sale and any deal must be a cultural and financial fit, making M&A the lowest priority. He added that holding excess capital is prudent given macro crosscurrents, and returns remain solid even with that capital. Q: What is your appetite for deploying excess liquidity if deposits grow faster than loans?A: CFO Nicole Stokes said the securities portfolio is about 10% of earning assets, leaving room to add bonds if deposit growth outpaces loan growth. She said the bank would be comfortable putting excess liquidity into the bond book based on current purchase yields relative to some loan categories. Q: How is the mortgage business trending, particularly purchase activity, and how are you managing the efficiency ratio in that segment?A: CEO H. Palmer Proctor said the purchase mix remains above 90% versus refinance, but the bank is entering seasonally slower quarters. He said expenses have been reduced in proportion to revenue declines, and any pullback in the 10-year could help volume as borrowers accept a higher-rate environment and refinance later. He noted the mortgage unit's efficiency ratio is running well above its typical 60% range, and the focus is on technology and capacity rather than simply cutting costs. Q: How much of the loan book reprices over the next year, and how much is floating rate in the near term?A: CFO Nicole Stokes said about $13.3 billion of loans reprice over the next year, with roughly $8.5 billion repricing within the next three months. She also noted loan spreads are competitive, and while Q3 deposit growth was margin accretive because of the non-interest-bearing mix, funding all loan growth with interest-bearing deposits alone would be about 25 basis points margin dilutive, which is why core deposit growth remains a priority. Q: Can your customers absorb higher rates, and what are you seeing in pipelines and demand heading into Q4?A: CEO H. Palmer Proctor said there is meaningful capacity for borrowers to absorb gradual rate increases, citing stronger sponsorship, equity, cash and debt service coverage under stress scenarios than in prior cycles, though a sharp 75 to 100 basis point move would have a shock effect. He said pipelines were up at the end of Q3 versus Q2 with no fallout so far, but he expects some caution on new projects in Q4 and early 2027, partly around election timing. Q: How is the new Nashville team contributing, and do you need to add lending talent to hit mid-single-digit growth targets?A: CEO H. Palmer Proctor said the Nashville team is small but mighty and is being judged on relationship building, leading with deposits, which is exactly the hoped-for mix. On hiring, he said the existing team is sufficient to achieve mid-single-digit growth, headcount was roughly flat in Q3 with some upgrades, and the bank feels no compulsion to add expensive new hires, though it remains selective in looking for talent. Q: What drove the Q3 results, and what is the outlook for net interest income and margin?A: CFO Nicole Stokes reported net income of $116.1 million, or $1.73 per diluted share, with ROA of 1.61%, PPNR ROA of 2.27% and return on tangible common equity of 15.01%. Net interest income rose $5. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

Image source: The Motley Fool. Friday, Oct. 23, 2026 - Chief Financial Officer - Nicole Stokes - Chief Executive Officer - Palmer Proctor - Chief Credit Officer - Doug Strange Operator: Good morning, and welcome to the Ameris Bancorp third quarter conference call. All participants will be in a listen-only mode. Should you need assistance, please signal a conference specialist by pressing the star key followed by zero. After today's presentation, there will be an opportunity to ask questions. To ask a question, you may press star and then one using a touch-tone telephone. To withdraw your questions, you may press star and two. Please also note today's event is being recorded. At this time, I'd like to turn the floor over to Nicole Stokes, Chief Financial Officer. Ma'am, please go ahead. Nicole Stokes: Great. Thank you, Jamie. Thank you to all who have joined our call today. During the call, we will be referencing the press release and the financial highlights that are available on the investor relations section of our website at amerisbank.com. I'm joined today by Palmer Proctor, our CEO, and Doug Strange, our Chief Credit Officer. Palmer will begin with opening comments, then I will discuss the details of our financial results before we open up for Q&A. Before we begin, I'll remind you that our comments may include forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties. The actual results could vary materially. We list some of the factors that might cause results to differ in our press release and in our SEC filings, which are available on our website. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise, except as required by law. Also, during the call, we will discuss certain non-GAAP financial measures in reference to the company's performance. You can see our reconciliation of these measures and GAAP financial measures in the appendix to our presentation. With that, I'll turn it over to Palmer. Palmer Proctor: Thank you, Nicole. Good morning, everyone. I appreciate you taking the time to join our third quarter earnings call today. Our focus at Ameris continues to be on building core franchise value through profitable growth, strong profitability metrics, and disciplined balance sheet management, including our priority of tangible book value growth. This quarter again supported all of these core fundamentals and resulted in a five-year record high EPS of $1.73 per diluted share. During the quarter, we experienced good organic growth and average earning assets at approximately 5% annualized and deposits at 6% annualized. Importantly, we were able to drive this growth while protecting our above-average margin of 3.87% in the quarter. All profitability metrics remain strong, including our ROA of over 1.60%, our PPNROA of 2.27%, and our return on tangible common equity of 15%, even with our strong capital levels. We continue to concentrate on profitable growth and positive operating leverage, which is evident in the improvement in our efficiency ratio, hovering around 50% for the year. Our disciplined management of the balance sheet has us well positioned for the future. Our reserve coverage is strong at 162% of total loans, which represents 315% of portfolio NPAs. Our capital level with over 13% Common Equity Tier 1 positions us well for future organic growth in our attractive southeastern markets. We will also consider additional share buybacks as our board recently approved another $200 million repurchase authorization. On an annualized basis, reported tangible book value per share grew 5% in the quarter. Excluding the impact of AOCI, tangible book value growth would have been over 14%. Our loan growth production was $2.3 billion in the quarter, which was consistent with last quarter's remaining at a very healthy level. Our profitable loan growth was driven by a mix of C&I, residential mortgage, and construction, and was partially offset by elevated CRE payoffs. On the deposit side, we saw growth in the mid-single digit range, with our focus being on core deposits and relationship banking. We have a granular deposit base and almost 30% of our funding from non-interest bearing accounts and almost 48% of our accounts are checking, both non-interest bearing and NOW accounts. Credit quality normalized some in the quarter, but remains very favorable compared to peer. CRE and construction concentrations finished the quarter at 251% and 50%, respectively. Overall, I am very pleased with our financial performance in the third quarter. We are well positioned as we go into 2027 as we continue to focus on organic and profitable growth in our attractive southeastern footprint. I will stop there and turn it over to Nicole to discuss our third quarter financial results. Nicole Stokes: Great. Thank you, Palmer. In the third quarter, we reported net income of $116.1 million or $1.73 per diluted share. Our return on assets was a 1.61%, our PPNROA was 2.27%, and our return on tangible common equity was 15.01% for the quarter. Our adjusted efficiency ratio improved to 49.15% this quarter from 50.42% last quarter, as we saw an increase in revenue and a decrease in expenses. For the year, our adjusted efficiency ratio is 49.84%, and I anticipate ending the year around that 50% ratio. Capital levels continue to increase, and tangible book value per share grew to $45.65 during the quarter. Our tangible common equity ratio increased to 11.14%, and our total risk-based capital was back up to 15%. While we were not active in the buyback this quarter, our board has recently approved another $200 million share repurchase plan. Net interest income increased $5.2 million this quarter for a total of $257.7 million. We were pleased with our net interest margin of 387 basis points, just one basis point below the 388 basis points we reported last quarter. Our loan yield improvement was offset by the increase in funding costs, and our bond portfolio declined slightly as expected, as we had a bump in the bond yield last quarter from the inflation bonds. Our asset liability sensitivity is very close to neutral, but we do believe that some margin compression is possible over the next few quarters due to higher deposit costs and competition. We continue to focus on profitable growth, and we expect that our net interest income will continue to grow through that earning asset growth. Adjusted non-interest income decreased approximately $2 million this quarter, mostly from lower mortgage revenue as the production fell. Mortgage production declined about 13.7%, but our fees only declined about 10.1% this quarter. Again, another testament to our focus on profitable production and profitable growth. Adjusted non-interest expense also decreased this quarter by approximately $2.5 million, driven mostly by lower mortgage related compensation. Overall asset quality remains strong with non-performing assets and net charge-offs at low levels. Annualized net charge-offs improved to 19 basis points this quarter. We continue to anticipate net charge-offs in that 20-25 basis point range near term. On the provision, we recorded about $12.6 million of provision in the third quarter, which was a decline of about $4.7 million compared to last quarter. Our reserve coverage remains strong at 162 basis points. Looking at our balance sheet, we ended the quarter with about $28.5 billion of total assets, up slightly from the second quarter, but our average earning assets grew $300.5 million in the quarter, or 4.5% annualized. Loans grew $173.1 million or about 3% annualized, with our loan pipelines and production remaining at healthy levels. Total deposits grew $319.4 million, partially helped by the beginning of our seasonal inflows of public funds. Our non-interest bearing mix remains strong at 29.2%. We project loan and deposit growth in the mid-single digit range near term and expect that longer term deposit growth will be the governor of loan growth. Overall, it was another outstanding quarter for us. With that, I'm going to wrap it up and turn it over to the operator for any questions from the group. James, please go ahead. Operator: At this time, we'll begin the question and answer session. If you would like to ask a question, please press star and then one using a touch tone telephone. If you are using a speakerphone, we do ask that you please pick up the handset prior to pressing the keys to ensure the best sound quality. If you would like to withdraw your question for any reason, you may do so by pressing star and two. Once again, that is star and then one to join the question queue. We'll pause momentarily to assemble the roster. Our first question today comes from Russell Gunther from Stephens. Please go ahead with your question. Russell Gunther: Hey, good morning, guys. Palmer Proctor: Good morning. Russell Gunther: Morning, Palmer. Wanted to start off on the loan growth discussion, Nicole. Appreciate the mid-single digit near term outlook. I guess maybe could we start with how you're thinking about the mix of that growth in the fourth quarter, perhaps what the CRE paydowns easing might contribute there. Then just stepping back, bigger picture with the backup in rates and anticipated future hikes. Is there an absolute level of rates where demand destruction occurs and that general target of mid-single digit growth becomes at risk? Nicole Stokes: I would start by saying that the mix of the loan growth, I think will be very consistent with what you saw this quarter. Assuming that loan, that the CRE payoffs, if they slow a little bit, you could see some growth there as well. When we look at our production, we were really pleased with the production as diversified as it was, and some of that production will fund in future quarters. Again, looking at CRE, the premium finance, residential, we really have a lot of opportunity for diversification. So I think it'll be very consistent with what you saw this quarter. Hopefully, I always say I'm a split personality on these CRE payoffs. I certainly like seeing the payoffs that shows a healthy market, and again, when the payoffs are coming off 100 basis points less than our production, that's good for the margin. I like it from that side. But then the other side of me as a CFO, I hate to lose earning assets. But again, if we can refill them at 100 basis points higher, we certainly will take that. Assuming CRE payoffs level off, we could see a little bit of growth in CRE next quarter as well. But I think it will be pretty diversified. Then I think your second question was on the loan rates, and at what point do we start seeing some pullback? I think for us, we have been so focused on profitable growth, and that we have said for many, many quarters now that we do not think we need to get bigger just to get bigger. We need to get bigger to get better. We have been focused on that profitable growth, and I think that will continue into next quarter. Those loans, on the loan side, we expect the deposit side to be commensurate. We will continue to focus on that profitable growth and kind of mid-single digit loan growth going forward. Russell Gunther: Got it. Okay. Excellent. Very helpful. Thank you. Then maybe just switching gears onto the expense side of things. You kind of gave us where you would expect the efficiency to shake out for the year. How are you thinking about 2027? What is a reasonable kind of growth rate as you guys contemplate continued investments in lending talent and tech? Nicole Stokes: Yeah, I think that right now consensus has us growing at about 6.8%-7%. I think that might be a little bit aggressive, but I think the first quarter is very close. I think where we start getting into maybe consensus being a little bit high is when we look going into the second, third, and fourth quarter. That right now, I think consensus has expenses going up, but they also have mortgage revenue going up. Assuming mortgage revenue, again, kind of take that noise out for a minute and assume just core expenses. I think probably somewhere in the $165 million to $169 million a quarter for the year. I think consensus might be a little bit high there as we are getting more into our budget season. But I do think that mortgage, of course, could change that. If something happened in the rate environment and we were surprised and we saw some room for mortgage to grow, you would see some expenses grow there. But we are at this point anticipating mortgage to be pretty consistent, maybe even down a little bit next year. So those expenses would be affected as well. Russell Gunther: Okay. Understood. That is really helpful. Thank you guys for taking my question. Palmer Proctor: Thank you. Operator: Our next question comes from Woody Ley from KBW. Please go ahead with your question. Woody Ley: Hey, good morning. Maybe a follow-up on the profitable growth. We saw a pretty big move in rates this past quarter, got the Fed rate hike. Are y'all seeing the benefit of that on new loan production, or is competition impacting some of that benefits? Palmer Proctor: Woody, good morning. Yeah, I would tell you, when you look at the growth in our markets, which are very competitive markets, but growth markets, the thing we're focused on, as Nicole touched on, was that profitable loan growth. Our growth is really going to be guided by the opportunities in our market and the economic conditions surrounding that. It will remain measured and disciplined and profitable. The thing we're focused on too is we have been able to grow mid-single digits while also protecting the NIM, and that is important to us. We do not feel like we need to chase deals. We are seeing a lot of irrational pricing out there. We would rather be measured in that approach than be foolish in trying to compete with some of the rates that we are seeing out there. There is a lot of disruption, if that is part of your question, and so that does present opportunities. How those deals are priced will come down to our disciplines here at the bank, and we are pretty disciplined. Woody Ley: Got it. That is helpful. Maybe shifting over to deposit costs. I was just interested if how you all were thinking about deposit betas in an up rate cycle, especially if we got additional rate hikes. If you all had to spot deposit costs at the end of September with the September hike. Nicole Stokes: We do. When we look at betas, the rate hike was so late in the quarter that I hate to even give the betas out because I think a lot of that's going to happen in the first month of the fourth quarter, in October is really where we're going to see that. When you look at our prior up cycle betas and then our down cycle betas, we would expect this cycle to be very similar to the prior cycles. Right now we're beating that a little bit, but again, I think some of that could come out in the fourth quarter. When you look at our spot deposit rates for the end of the quarter, our production for the quarter on new production. I think there's two questions there, production versus spot rates. New production was just slightly higher than the second quarter. But when you look at September production versus June production, they were actually almost exactly the same. When you look at spot deposit costs for the last month, just for the month of September, it was about 3 basis points higher than the quarter. But our assets were about 5 basis points higher. There was definitely a positive trend that we liked at the end of the quarter. Woody Ley: That's great to hear. I guess with deposit costs increasing quarter-over-quarter, I'm just curious if the increase is a reflection of the competition driving it up. It feels like the industry might have front ran the hike a little bit. It sounds like there will be that catch up in the fourth quarter as you talked about. Nicole Stokes: I do. I think you're actually right on both accounts, if that's possible. I do think that deposit competition. When we look at our margin, we've got some headwinds and some tailwinds, and it's always that way. From a tailwind perspective, we are slightly asset sensitive, so every 25 basis point hike should be about 1 basis point of margin from a modeling perspective. The steeper curve and Fed increasing helps us with our balance sheet. But then the headwind against that, which is exactly what you said, is that competitive pressure. We feel it definitely on the deposit side of the asset spread and the deposit pricing. We're watching both of those very closely. The other piece of that is that deposit mix. If we start seeing migration from non-interest bearing into interest bearing. Both of those two things would affect the deposit cost, the mix as well as competitive pricing, which is why my margin guidance is down a little bit. I think we are going to bump around a few basis points up and down for a few quarters as all this settles. Palmer Proctor: But one other point on that I think is important to remember from an industry perspective is that, we like to talk about all these increasing deposit costs, but what you need to remember is, assuming you have got discipline, most people are going to also price up on the loan side to offset a lot of that deposit cost. I think people are under the assumption that loan rates are going to stay the same and deposit rates are going to go up. Well, that is If you are running that model, it is going to be short-lived. I would tell you that the way to look at it is, any increase you see in deposit costs, hopefully the majority of that will be passed along in the loan costs too. So there will be a balance there as we go forward as an industry. Woody Ley: Yeah. That is really helpful color. Well, that is all for me. Thanks for taking my questions. Nicole Stokes: Thanks, Woody. Operator: Our next question comes from Stephen Scouten from Piper Sandler. Please go ahead with your question. Stephen Scouten: Yeah, good morning. Thanks. I want to maybe jump in a little bit off that last comment that you made, the ability to get higher loan rates as rates move higher and deposit costs seem to be going up. What do you feel like is the appetite for your customer base in your markets today, maybe kind of the economic stability and ability to kind of absorb slightly higher rates on the borrowing side? Palmer Proctor: Yeah, I think it's there. I think there's a lot of capacity there, not just for our bank, but for the industry, because when you look at the sponsorship behind a lot of deals today and the equity in the deals today and the cash in a lot of the deals today, and debt service coverage, more importantly, under stress scenarios, there's a lot of capacity there, unlike what we've had in prior times, especially during the recessionary times. I think a lot of customers, and especially if it's gradual, there's 25 basis points and 50 basis points. Now, if it's erratic and we jump up 75 basis points to 100 basis points in short order, that does have a shock effect. But in terms of especially our C&I group, to be able to absorb that additional rate increase, that capacity is there the way we underwrite. I think the most important thing is just making sure you're being disciplined, not chasing deals in terms of getting tight on that debt service coverage from the start. Because if you're already tight from the beginning and then you do have an increase in rates, which we all expect, then that's where things can get a little heated. But right now, based on our book and what we're seeing under the stress scenarios which Doug and his team run, we've got plenty of capacity there, which is encouraging to see. Stephen Scouten: Okay, great. That is helpful. You guys, maybe if we could talk about the mortgage business a little bit, have always had a really stable, strong mortgage business, even in the face of a lot of volatility. Can you talk about maybe how the purchase business in particular is trending as of late? If you expect any material help from, if it holds, of course, this move back down slightly in the ten-year. Palmer Proctor: Yeah, it is all relative, right, in terms of timing in the mortgage industry. We are getting ready to move into some seasonally slower quarters in terms of fourth quarter and first quarter. What we have also done, as you have seen this quarter, is you have got to make sure that the expense side is proportionate to the revenue decline, and that is what we have done a good job of, is managing those expenses. I think right now, there is limited inventory. Our purchase mix right now still runs 90-plus percent purchase versus refi. When you are in transient markets like we are in some of the higher growth markets, there is still opportunity there. I think a lot of folks, what we are going to find is if there is a pullback in the ten-year, that most folks are going to go ahead and take advantage of that, because I think people have come to the realization that rates are going to remain relatively or higher in a higher rate environment for an extended period of time. So what we are encouraging borrowers to do is go ahead and make that purchase and allow us to fund that, and then we can always refi later. I think any pullback we see could be very helpful to the volume, which for all of us has moderated considerably, especially as we move into fourth and first quarter. Stephen Scouten: Yeah, that makes sense. Just at a high level, how do you guys think about the efficiency ratio on average for that business versus the rest of the bank? Palmer Proctor: Well, it is running higher now than we would like. Typically for us, it runs in the 60 range, and now it is considerably higher than that just given where we are. We have been able to maintain. We had a little improvement in the gain on sale this quarter, too. I think the key to having that efficiency there is making sure that as your revenue declines, your expenses are also declining at the same time. Back to my earlier point, that is what has been evident in how we have operated our mortgage company, and we will continue to. On the flip side of that is you garner some benefit from technology and automating everything you have got in terms of being able to lever up the platform. We spend equally as much time on trying to figure out how we can build capacity into the platform with what we have, as opposed to just whacking expenses. Stephen Scouten: Yeah. No, that is very helpful. Great. Thanks so much for all the color. Congrats on a really good quarter. Palmer Proctor: Yeah. Thank you. Operator: Our next question comes from Christopher Marinac from Brean Capital. Please go ahead with your question. Christopher Marinac: Hey, thanks. Good morning. Just wanted to ask about a scenario where deposits grow faster than loans. Would you tend to kind of put the excess liquidity just in the short-term cash, or could you do more in the securities portfolio over time? Nicole Stokes: We could definitely do more in the bond book. We are at about 10% of earning assets. So we definitely have some room that if our deposit growth outpaced our loan growth, we could definitely put it in the bond book. When you look at what our purchases for the quarter in the bond book versus some coming on rates of some loan categories, we would definitely feel comfortable going into the bond book. Christopher Marinac: Great. Thank you for that. Then just a quick question about sort of hiring updates, whether it is on the loan side or other parts of the company, just in terms of how you see your team building out in the future. Palmer Proctor: Yeah, I hate to sound like a broken record here, Chris, but when I look at what our expectations are internally and for consensus out there in terms of mid-single-digit growth, we feel very comfortable with that with the existing team. Now we're always in a mode of being able to upskill and train our employees to make sure that the production's where it needs to be. But in terms of our necessity to have to go out and hire and load up on expensive new hires to obtain our objectives, that's not something we have to do. We're very fortunate that we've got a stable group of wonderful bankers that have been on board, and they know how to produce. For us, we try and maintain that kind of net zero, which is how we were this quarter. We make some upgrades as we go, but don't feel the compulsion nor the need to have to go out and do excessive hiring. We're always looking for good talent, that being said, and we'll continue to be selective there. But that's kind of where we stand right now, and we feel very comfortable with the existing team we have in terms of maintaining and exceeding goal. Christopher Marinac: Oh, that's very helpful, Palmer. I appreciate that. I guess that just reinforces that there's still positive operating leverage that we should expect in the future. Palmer Proctor: Absolutely. Christopher Marinac: Thanks for taking my questions. I appreciate it. Palmer Proctor: You bet. Nicole Stokes: Thank you. Operator: Our next question comes from David Feaster from Raymond James. Please go ahead with your question. David Feaster: Hey, good morning, everybody. Palmer Proctor: Morning, David. David Feaster: I wanted to start. Maybe let's start on the capital side. Look, you got a fortress balance sheet, right? Obviously, that's a huge advantage, a high-quality issue. But given your profitability, you're going to continue to accrete capital quickly, even as growth accelerates back towards a mid-single-digit pace. I'm just kind of curious, how do you think about priorities today? It's obviously not burning a hole in your pocket, but curious how you think about the buyback, or other opportunities for deploying that capital. I just wanted your thoughts. Palmer Proctor: Yeah. I would tell you that we've been very consistent in our response there, and that has not changed in terms of our priority stack. First and foremost would be obviously organic growth. I will tell you, having excess capital in this type of environment with as many crosscurrents as there are from a macro environment, and the economy as it stands today, we like where we are. If you look at our return on equity, it's still very solid, even given the excess capital we have, which is an important distinction. Secondary to that, you've got the opportunity for buybacks, and as we said in our earlier statement, the board have renewed a $200 million buyback. So we'll continue to be opportunistic there. Our dividend is very modest. I don't see a whole lot of change there with the dividend. Last but not least would be selective M&A, but most of the targets that we like are not for sale. It takes something very. It's got to be a cultural fit, it's got to be a financial fit. Unless something like that unique unicorn kind of came along, that would probably be last on our list. David Feaster: Okay. That's helpful. Touching on credit, I was hoping you could touch on, we saw criticized, classified NPAs all tick a bit higher. Curious if you could talk about what you're seeing on the credit front, what you're watching closely, and then any underlying trends in the Balboa equipment finance business and what you're seeing there. Doug Strange: Yeah. David, this is Doug. Thank you. If I can start at the back, equipment finance is still performing where we want it. You know that a couple of years ago we retooled the credit box and very happy where they're performing today. So that's going the way we want it to. If you look at the normalization, we had some migration in and out of non-pass, and sometimes that can be lumpy, but we're working through that with customers as we speak. We don't see this as being systemic, and we are, as Nicole said, we're reiterating our guidance of charge-offs at 20-25 basis points. If you step back and look at our criticized ratio at 115 basis points, when you compare it to peer and the midpoint for our peer group, we're less than half of where they are. I'll just end where you used your term, you said fortress balance sheet. We do have a fortress balance sheet, which does include a very good reserve as well. David Feaster: Yeah. That's great. Palmer Proctor: Yeah, I think credit always deserves scrutiny, David, but so does perspective. When you look at the asset quality, which ours is well above peer and remains really a clear strength for our franchise. David Feaster: Yeah, for sure. Maybe just one more quick one. Just wanted to get a pulse of your clients from your perspective. You got a broad footprint across some really strong markets. Just curious, it sounds like production was really good. To your point, getting more payoffs and paydowns is indicative of a strong market. I'm curious how demand's trending. How's the pipeline looking heading into the fourth quarter? Are you starting to see anything fall out of the pipeline that may not pencil as rates are rising? Then just any commentary on the competitive landscape from the lending standpoint. Palmer Proctor: Yeah, I'll kind of take that in reverse order. The landscape remains competitive, but that's something we're accustomed to in our high growth markets. I will tell you just on calls that I've been on personally, the pipeline right now is, the good news is it was up at the end of the third quarter relative to where we were even in the second quarter. So the pipeline's remained full. We are not seeing any fallout at this point. I would tell you anything that's underway is still being pursued moving forward. The real question comes in on new projects and new opportunities and people having a little bit of cautious optimism, if that, in terms of moving forward. So I think it's really going to be predicated on the activity we see in the fourth quarter from a macro standpoint. Right now, I think existing pipelines are full, and I don't see any fallout. I think as we move into next year, it'll be interesting to see how much people start to, and typically around election time anyway, people use that as an excuse to maybe hold off on new initiatives. It doesn't mean that they still have a business to operate and run. I think, just based on what we're seeing right now, everything we have is in the pipeline, will remain in the pipeline. I do think, to your point, we'll probably see some caution as we move into the fourth quarter and first quarter of next year. David Feaster: If I could just ask one quick follow-on. Just kind of curious how the Nashville teams, they've only been here three or four months, but curious how they're contributing to that. Palmer Proctor: It's reminiscent of what we see in a lot of our high-growth Florida and Georgia markets. They're a small but mighty team. As I told everybody earlier, the way we're going to judge their success, if you will, over the short time they've been here at the end of the year, is going to be on the number of relationships they're building. That's probably what's most encouraging to me. When I look at the relationships they're building, they're leading with the deposit sides. When I look at the mix and the funding supporting the loan growth, it is exactly what we had hoped. It's measured in terms of the growth. But what we're seeing, we're really encouraged by and hope that trend continues to where it becomes a more meaningful part of our operation. David Feaster: That's great. Thanks, everybody. Palmer Proctor: You bet. Operator: Our next question comes from Gary Tenner from D.A. Davidson. Please go ahead with your question. Gary Tenner: Thanks. Good morning. Just wanted to ask a follow-up on the rate sensitivity conversation from earlier. I know you provided the amount of loans that reprice in the next year, I think $13.3 billion. Nicole, could you be a little more specific for us just in terms of the actual floating rate piece of that, just as we're modeling through changing rates? Nicole Stokes: Yes. I think what you're asking is over the next year, what do we have repricing? Gary Tenner: Well, I think you specified $13.3 billion repricing. I'm just kind of asking how much of that is actually floating rate, immediate, if you will, prime or SOFR based. Nicole Stokes: Oh, I got it. Got it. About $8.5 million is within the next three months. Gary Tenner: Okay, great. Thank you. I think there was a question earlier, just to maybe repeat it or recast it. In terms of the shift up in market rates and banks competing away or the tendency to compete away some of that benefit, even if you're seeing an absolute increase in production yields, are the spreads a bit tighter? Nicole Stokes: The spreads are kind of, yep. On the loan side, the spreads are, I mean, it is competitive. It is definitely competitive. I think that goes back to Palmer's point that we don't have to compete on some of this crazy pricing that we are starting to see in the market and that we really are focused on profitable growth. Then from a spread perspective to deposit rates and deposit production, which is really where we also focus, our growth this quarter was still margin accretive because of our non-interest-bearing mix. But if we had to fund all of our loan growth with just interest-bearing deposits, we would be slightly margin dilutive, about 25 basis points kind of spread difference between that interest-bearing deposit growth and the loan growth production rates. That's really why we continue to focus on that core deposit growth and that non-interest-bearing mix. Gary Tenner: Very helpful. Thank you. Operator: At this time, we'll be ending today's question and answer session. I'd like to turn the floor back over to Palmer Proctor for any closing remarks. Palmer Proctor: Great. Thank you, Jamie. I'd like to thank our teammates for another outstanding quarter. We remain focused on our core fundamentals while serving our customers and growing our attractive southeastern franchise. Thank you for listening to our third quarter call, and we appreciate your continued interest in Ameris Bancorp. Operator: With that, ladies and gentlemen, we'll conclude today's conference call and presentation. We thank you for joining. You may now disconnect your lines. Before you buy stock in Ameris Bancorp, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Ameris Bancorp wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $361,596!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,303,935!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 910% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 211% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of October 23, 2026. This article is a transcript of this conference call produced for The Motley Fool. While we strive for our Foolish Best, there may be errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in this transcript. As with all our articles, The Motley Fool does not assume any responsibility for your use of this content, and we strongly encourage you to do your own research, including listening to the call yourself and reading the company's SEC filings. Please see our Terms and Conditions for additional details, including our Obligatory Capitalized Disclaimers of Liability. The Motley Fool recommends Ameris Bancorp. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Ameris (ABCB) Q3 2026 Earnings Call Transcript was originally published by The Motley Fool

Our analysts just identified a stock with the potential to be the next Nvidia. Tell us how you invest and we'll show you why it's our #1 pick. Tap here. - Achieved a five-year record high EPS of $1.73, driven by positive operating leverage and a focus on profitable growth over sheer volume. - Maintained an above-average net interest margin of 3.87% by prioritizing relationship-based lending and protecting core deposit funding. - Loan production of $2.3 billion was diversified across C&I, residential mortgage, and construction, though partially offset by elevated CRE payoffs. - Management emphasized a 'get better, not just bigger' philosophy, resulting in an improved adjusted efficiency ratio hovering around 50%. - Deposit growth of 6% annualized was supported by a granular base, with non-interest-bearing accounts representing nearly 30% of total funding. - Credit quality remains a core strength, with management characterizing recent migration as normalization rather than systemic weakness, supported by a 162 basis point reserve coverage. - Projecting mid-single-digit loan and deposit growth near term, with long-term deposit growth acting as the primary governor for loan expansion. - Anticipating potential margin compression over the next few quarters due to intensified deposit competition and migration from non-interest-bearing to interest-bearing accounts. - Maintaining a near-term net charge-off guidance of 20-25 basis points as credit trends continue to normalize toward historical levels. - Capital allocation priorities remain focused on organic growth and opportunistic share buybacks under a new $200 million authorization. - Mortgage revenue is expected to remain consistent or slightly down in 2027, with management prepared to adjust expenses proportionately to volume shifts. - CRE and construction concentrations finished the quarter at 251% and 50% respectively, CRE and construction concentrations finished the quarter at 251% and 50%, respectively. - Asset liability sensitivity is currently near neutral, though every 25 basis point rate hike is modeled to contribute approximately 1 basis point to the margin. - The Balboa equipment finance business continues to perform within expectations following a strategic retooling of the credit box two years ago. - Management noted 'irrational pricing' in the market and stated they will not chase deals that compromise debt service coverage or profitability. One stock. Nvidia-level potential. 30M+ investors trust Moby to find it first. Get the pick. Tap here. - Management views CRE payoffs as a sign of a healthy market and an opportunity to recycle capital into new production at yields approximately 100 basis points higher. - Growth is expected to remain diversified across C&I and residential, with CRE growth potentially resuming if payoff activity levels off. - Management suggested current analyst consensus for 2027 expenses might be slightly aggressive, targeting core expenses between $165 million and $169 million per quarter. - Efficiency gains are expected to persist through technology automation and maintaining a 'net zero' hiring posture by focusing on existing team productivity. - Management expects this cycle's deposit betas to mirror prior cycles, though the full impact of recent rate hikes will likely manifest in Q4 results. - Spot deposit costs in September were 3 basis points higher than the quarterly average, but were offset by asset yields rising 5 basis points in the same period. - The Nashville team is currently focused on relationship building and leading with deposit acquisition to support their loan growth. - Management is encouraged by the funding mix supporting the Nashville production, which aligns with the bank's broader core funding strategy.

For the quarter ended September 2026, Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) reported revenue of $322.79 million, up 2.4% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $1.73, compared to $1.53 in the year-ago quarter. The reported revenue represents a surprise of -1.19% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $326.66 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $1.68, the EPS surprise was +2.98%. While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health. As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately. Here is how Ameris Bancorp performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts: - Net interest margin (TE): 3.9% compared to the 3.8% average estimate based on five analysts. - Efficiency ratio: 49.3% compared to the 50% average estimate based on five analysts. - Book value per share (period end): $45.65 compared to the $62.18 average estimate based on four analysts. - Net charge-offs as a percent of average loans (annualized): 0.2% versus 0.2% estimated by four analysts on average. - Total non-performing assets: $153.96 million compared to the $126.67 million average estimate based on two analysts. - Average Balances - Total Earning Assets: $26.51 billion versus the two-analyst average estimate of $26.56 billion. - Net Interest Income (TE): $258.62 million compared to the $258.68 million average estimate based on five analysts. - Total Non-Interest Income: $64.17 million compared to the $67.97 million average estimate based on five analysts. - Other service charges, commissions and fees: $1.05 million compared to the $1.11 million average estimate based on three analysts. - Service charges on deposit accounts: $14.07 million compared to the $14.41 million average estimate based on three analysts. - Net Interest Income: $257.68 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $257.4 million. - Mortgage banking activity: $29.23 million versus $34.11 million estimated by three analysts on average. View all Key Company Metrics for Ameris Bancorp here>>> Shares of Ameris Bancorp have returned -1.2% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's no change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) came out with quarterly earnings of $1.73 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.68 per share. This compares to earnings of $1.53 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +2.98%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this bank would post earnings of $1.66 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.6, delivering a surprise of -3.61%. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. Ameris Bancorp, which belongs to the Zacks Banks - Southeast industry, posted revenues of $322.79 million for the quarter ended September 2026, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.19%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $315.19 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates just once over the last four quarters. The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call. Ameris Bancorp shares have added about 8.6% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 13.3%. While Ameris Bancorp has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock? There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions. Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Ameris Bancorp was unfavorable. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to underperform the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $1.69 on $325.79 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $6.61 on $1.29 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year. Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Banks - Southeast is currently in the top 27% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1. First Community Bancshares (FCBC), another stock in the same industry, has yet to report results for the quarter ended September 2026. This holding company for First Community Bank is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.77 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +10%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. First Community Bancshares' revenues are expected to be $47.48 million, up 12.5% from the year-ago quarter. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) : Free Stock Analysis Report First Community Bancshares, Inc. (FCBC) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

In its upcoming report, Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) is predicted by Wall Street analysts to post quarterly earnings of $1.68 per share, reflecting an increase of 9.8% compared to the same period last year. Revenues are forecasted to be $326.66 million, representing a year-over-year increase of 3.6%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 1.3% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. This reflects how the analysts covering the stock have collectively reevaluated their initial estimates during this timeframe. Ahead of a company's earnings disclosure, it is crucial to give due consideration to changes in earnings estimates. These revisions serve as a noteworthy factor in predicting potential investor reactions to the stock. Numerous empirical studies consistently demonstrate a strong relationship between trends in earnings estimate revision and the short-term price performance of a stock. While investors typically rely on consensus earnings and revenue estimates to gauge how the business may have fared during the quarter, examining analysts' projections for some of the company's key metrics often helps gain a deeper insight. Bearing this in mind, let's now explore the average estimates of specific Ameris Bancorp metrics that are commonly monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts. According to the collective judgment of analysts, 'Net interest margin (TE)' should come in at 3.8%. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of 3.8%. The combined assessment of analysts suggests that 'Efficiency ratio' will likely reach 49.9%. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of 49.2%. Based on the collective assessment of analysts, 'Book value per share (period end)' should arrive at $62.18 . The estimate compares to the year-ago value of $58.56 . It is projected by analysts that the 'Total non-performing assets' will reach $126.67 million. Compared to the current estimate, the company reported $109.43 million in the same quarter of the previous year. Analysts predict that the 'Average Balances - Total Earning Assets' will reach $26.56 billion. Compared to the current estimate, the company reported $24.96 billion in the same quarter of the previous year. Analysts expect 'Net Interest Income (TE)' to come in at $258.68 million. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported $238.92 million in the same quarter last year. Analysts' assessment points toward 'Total Non-Interest Income' reaching $67.97 million. The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of $76.27 million. The consensus estimate for 'Service charges on deposit accounts' stands at $14.41 million. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of $13.93 million. Analysts forecast 'Net Interest Income' to reach $257.40 million. Compared to the current estimate, the company reported $237.96 million in the same quarter of the previous year. The collective assessment of analysts points to an estimated 'Mortgage banking activity' of $34.11 million. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported $40.67 million in the same quarter last year. The average prediction of analysts places 'Other noninterest income' at $9.40 million. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of $10.11 million. View all Key Company Metrics for Ameris Bancorp here>>> Shares of Ameris Bancorp have experienced a change of -2.4% in the past month compared to the +1% move of the Zacks S&P 500 composite. With a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), ABCB is expected to underperform the overall market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> . Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Regional banking company Ameris Bancorp (NYSE:ABCB) will be announcing earnings results this Thursday after the bell. Here's what to look for. Ameris Bancorp missed analysts' revenue expectations last quarter, reporting revenues of $318.7 million, up 5.8% year on year. It was a softer quarter for the company, with a significant miss of analysts' EPS estimates and a miss of analysts' tangible book value per share estimates. Is Ameris Bancorp a buy or sell going into earnings? Read our full analysis here, it's free for active Edge members. This quarter, the market is expecting Ameris Bancorp's revenue to grow 4% year on year, slowing from the 12% increase it recorded in the same quarter last year. Analysts covering the company have generally reconfirmed their estimates over the last 30 days, suggesting they anticipate the business will stay the course heading into earnings. Ameris Bancorp has missed Wall Street's revenue estimates multiple times over the last two years. Looking at Ameris Bancorp's peers in the regional banks segment, some have already reported their Q3 results, giving us a hint as to what we can expect. QCR Holdings's revenues decreased 11.7% year on year, missing analysts' expectations by 8.9%, and Washington Trust Bancorp reported revenues up 15%, topping estimates by 4.1%. Washington Trust Bancorp traded up 4.2% following the results. Read our full analysis of QCR Holdings's results here and Washington Trust Bancorp's results here. In the last twelve months or so, the market has shifted its attention from one area of macro importance to the next (AI disintermediation and AI capex spending to geopolitical conflict, rates, and whether the economy is on solid footing or not). While some of the regional banks stocks have shown solid performance in this choppy environment, the group has generally underperformed, with share prices down 3% on average over the last month. Ameris Bancorp is down 2.8% during the same time and is heading into earnings with an average analyst price target of $93.17 (compared to the current share price of $80.68). WHILE YOU'RE HERE: The Next Palantir? One satellite company captures images of every point on Earth. Every single day. The Pentagon wants it. Hedge funds are using it to beat earnings. You've probably never heard of it. This is what the early days of Palantir looked like before it became a giant. Same playbook. Different technology. If you missed Palantir, you need to see this. Claim The Stock Ticker for Free HERE.

Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) is expected to deliver a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended September 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price. The earnings report, which is expected to be released on October 22, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower. While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call, it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise. This bank is expected to post quarterly earnings of $1.68 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +9.8%. Revenues are expected to be $326.66 million, up 3.6% from the year-ago quarter. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 1.32% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period. Investors should keep in mind that an aggregate change may not always reflect the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Estimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction). The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only. A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP. Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell). For Ameris Bancorp, the Most Accurate Estimate is higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of +1.54%. On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #4. So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Ameris Bancorp will beat the consensus EPS estimate. Analysts often consider to what extent a company has been able to match consensus estimates in the past while calculating their estimates for its future earnings. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number. For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Ameris Bancorp would post earnings of $1.66 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.60, delivering a surprise of -3.61%. Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates three times. An earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss. That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Ameris Bancorp doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release. Among the stocks in the Zacks Banks - Southeast industry, Pinnacle Financial (PNFP), is soon expected to post earnings of $2.61 per share for the quarter ended September 2026. This estimate indicates a year-over-year change of +15%. This quarter's revenue is expected to be $1.28 billion, up 135.3% from the year-ago quarter. Over the last 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for Pinnacle Financial has been revised 0.7% up to the current level. Nevertheless, the company now has an Earnings ESP of +0.03%, reflecting a higher Most Accurate Estimate. When combined with a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold), this Earnings ESP indicates that Pinnacle Financial will most likely beat the consensus EPS estimate. The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) : Free Stock Analysis Report Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc. (PNFP) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research