Peoples Bancorp targets early Q4 2026 close for Citizens merger, CEO says
PEBO•Citizens merger timing
The Citizens merger close is targeted for early Q4 2026, pending regulatory and shareholder approvals; core conversion is expected in early Q2 2027.
Q2 results and guidance
Peoples Bancorp management posted Q2 2026 diluted EPS of 0.78; adjusted EPS of 0.96, above the 0.85 consensus estimate.
Results included an $8.2 million loss on strategic investment securities sales tied to the Citizens merger planning and an effort to stay below $10 billion in assets.
Management reaffirmed 2026 net interest margin guidance of 4.1%–4.3% on a stable-rate assumption; a 25-bp Fed hike would add 6–8 bps.
Full-year outlook was kept: fee-based income of $28 million–$30 million per quarter; non-interest expense of $73 million–$75 million per quarter in H2; and loan growth near the low end of 3%–5%.
