Peoples Bancorp Raises Dividend to $0.42 and Reports $0.81 Q1 EPS
Peoples Bancorp’s board declared a $0.42 quarterly cash dividend, up 2%, payable May 18, representing a $15 million payout equal to 51.7% of Q1 earnings. Q1 net income was $29.0 million, or $0.81 per diluted share, down from $0.89 in the prior quarter while net interest margin rose to 4.16%.
1. First-Quarter Earnings and EPS
Peoples Bancorp reported net income of $29.0 million for Q1 2026, equating to $0.81 per diluted share, down from $0.89 in the prior quarter but up from $0.68 a year earlier. The results reflected improved net interest margin and stronger core deposit balances.
2. Net Interest Margin and Deposit Trends
Net interest margin rose to 4.16% in Q1 2026 from 4.12% in the previous quarter, driven primarily by lower deposit costs. Core deposits increased by $191.8 million, while total deposits grew by $38.2 million, supported by higher government and non-interest bearing balances.
3. Dividend Declaration
The board declared a $0.42 quarterly dividend, a 2% increase from the prior period, representing a $15.0 million payout or 51.7% of Q1 earnings. The dividend is payable May 18 to shareholders of record on May 4, reflecting a 4.89% annualized yield.