Ohio Valley Banc Stock Declines Post Q2 Earnings on Credit Costs

Shares of Ohio Valley Banc Corp. (OVBC) have lost 0.1% since the company reported its earnings for the quarter ended June 30, 2026. This compares to the S&P 500 Index's 0.6% gain over the same time frame. Over the past month, the stock lost 3.7% compared with the S&P 500's 1.3% decline.

Ohio Valley Banc's Earnings Snapshot

Ohio Valley Banc reported second-quarter 2026 net income of $2.9 million, down 30.5% from $4.2 million in the prior-year quarter. Earnings per share (EPS) declined 30.3% to $0.62 from $0.89 a year ago.

For the six months ended June 30, 2026, net income was $7.2 million, down 16.2% from $8.6 million in the comparable period, while EPS fell 16.4% to $1.53 from $1.83. The decline in profitability came despite stronger net interest income, as higher provisions for credit losses weighed on results.

Net interest income increased 5.9% to $15.4 million in the second quarter from $14.5 million a year ago and rose 9.4% to $30.3 million for the first half from $27.7 million.

OVBC's Net Interest Income Benefits From Loan Growth

Ohio Valley Banc's core banking operations benefited from expansion in earning assets, particularly loans. Average earning assets increased to $1.59 billion in the second quarter from $1.41 billion a year ago, driven primarily by higher average loan balances.

For the first six months of 2026, average loans increased by $152 million year over year, largely within targeted commercial lending segments.

OVBC's net interest margin (NIM), however, moderated during the quarter. Second-quarter 2026 NIM declined to 3.93% from 4.17% in the prior-year period, while the first-half margin decreased slightly to 3.97% from 4.01%. Management attributed the pressure to funding costs rising faster than asset yields, as promotional certificates of deposit and money market accounts increased funding expenses. Ohio Valley Banc noted that growth in earning assets more than offset the margin contraction.

Ohio Valley Banc Corp. Price, Consensus and EPS SurpriseOhio Valley Banc Corp. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Ohio Valley Banc Corp. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Ohio Valley Banc Corp. Quote

Ohio Valley Banc's Credit Costs Pressure Earnings

A significant factor affecting quarterly results was a higher provision for credit losses. The provision rose to $3.8 million in the second quarter of 2026 from $1.1 million in the prior-year period, an increase of $2.6 million. The increase was primarily related to a $4.5 million rise in specific allocations on two collateral-dependent loans, additional reserves tied to loan growth and quarter-to-date net charge-offs.

Story Continues

For the first half of 2026, provision expense increased to $5.4 million from $1.6 million a year ago. OVBC's elevated credit risk was concentrated in select relationships, including a commercial loan to an automobile dealership and a commercial real estate construction loan, rather than reflecting broad deterioration across the portfolio.

Nonperforming loans represented 1.44% of total loans as of June 30, 2026, compared with 0.45% a year earlier, while the allowance for credit losses increased to 1.33% of total loans from 0.99%.

OVBC's Noninterest Income and Expenses Show Mixed Trends

Noninterest income improved in the second quarter of 2026, increasing 11.9% to $3.2 million from $2.8 million a year ago. The increase was supported by a $377,000 unrealized gain on equity securities following a Visa share conversion and higher debit and credit card interchange income, which rose 5.5% year over year. Service charges on deposit accounts rose 7.1% to $774,000 from $723,000.

For the first half, however, noninterest income was slightly lower at $6.47 million compared with $6.49 million a year ago, primarily due to the expiration of an electronic refund check and deposit fee agreement.

Noninterest expense increased 1.8% to $11.2 million in the second quarter from $11 million, while first-half expenses rose 3.1% to $22.5 million. Higher salaries and employee benefits, software investments and FDIC insurance costs contributed to the increase, partially offset by lower data processing expenses related to a vendor billing recovery.

Ohio Valley Banc's Balance Sheet Growth Continues

Ohio Valley Banc expanded its balance sheet during the first half of 2026. Total assets reached $1.66 billion as of June 30, 2026, up from $1.58 billion as of Dec. 31, 2025. The increase was driven mainly by a $50.1 million rise in total loans and a $32 million increase in Federal Reserve balances.

Total deposits also increased from $1.33 billion as of year-end 2025 to $1.41 billion as of June 30, 2026, supported by growth in time deposits and money market accounts. Shareholders' equity increased to $173.4 million as of June 30, 2026, from $170.3 million at year-end.

OVBC's Management Commentary

CEO Larry Miller said that first-half performance was supported by solid growth in net interest income and a stable NIM. Miller acknowledged that results were affected by increased credit loss provisions but stated that the elevated risk was limited to specific commercial relationships. Management expressed confidence in Ohio Valley Banc's balance sheet strength and long-term outlook.

Ohio Valley Banc's Other Developments

Ohio Valley Banc did not announce any acquisitions, divestitures or major restructuring actions during the quarter. The company continues to operate through The Ohio Valley Bank Company, which has 19 offices across Ohio and West Virginia, and Loan Central, Inc., which operates six consumer finance offices in Ohio.

OVBC participated in a Visa exchange offer during the quarter, converting Visa Class B-1 shares into a combination of Visa Class B-3 and Class C common stock. The company recorded a $377,000 gain after marking the Visa Class C shares to fair value.

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

Ohio Valley Banc Corp. (OVBC): Free Stock Analysis Report

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research

View Comments