First Guaranty Reports Net Income of $27.3 Million for the Year 2021 and Fourth Quarter 2021 Net Income of $8.0 million; Earnings Per Common Share Increased to $2.42 for the Year 2021 Compared to $1.90 for the Year 2020

HAMMOND, La., Jan. 26, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Guaranty Bancshares, Inc. ("First Guaranty") (NASDAQ: FGBI), the holding company for First Guaranty Bank, announced its unaudited financial results for the quarter and year ending December 31, 2021.

The fourth quarter of 2021 continued First Guaranty Bancshares, Inc. eight consecutive quarters of strong earnings and outstanding performance. With net earnings for the quarter of $8,049,000 ($7,467,000 after preferred stock dividend payments) First Guaranty Bancshares, Inc.’s earnings for the year 2021 totaled $27,297,000, $25,913,000 after payment of preferred stock dividends. Net income for the fourth quarter represented a 31% increase over the fourth quarter of 2020 and a 34% increase for the year 2021 over the year 2020. These strong results were the result of an increase in total interest income year over year of 11% combined with a decrease in total interest expense of approximately 14%.

Asset Quality also increased significantly as the Texas ratio decreased to 6.56% as of December 31, 2021, compared to 11.65% as of December 31, 2020.

The loan portfolio ended the year at $2,159,359,000 compared to $1,844,135,000 as of December 31, 2020. This represents an increase in the loan portfolio of year over year of 17%.

Total shareholders’ equity ended the year at $223,889,000 compared to $178,591,000 as of December 31, 2020.

On December 31, 2021, First Guaranty Bancshares, Inc. paid to its shareholders the 114th consecutive quarterly cash dividend. This cash dividend followed a 10% stock dividend which was awarded to all First Guaranty Bancshares, Inc’s shareholders on December 17, 2021. The result was a strong cash dividend and a value enhancement to First Guaranty Bancshares, Inc.

While 2021 brought great financial benefit to the shareholders for First Guaranty Bancshares, Inc., we continued to build and strengthen our Bank system. In the fourth quarter 2021, we were awarded and established loan production and deposit production offices in Vanceburg, Kentucky and Bridgeport, West Virginia. The addition of strong management and loan teams in these areas in November 2021 led to immediate loan production and loan income in these areas. As of December 31, 2021, First Guaranty Bancshares, Inc. had $64,000,000 in loans, from the new areas, booked and earning interest. An additional $81,000,000 are in the pipeline, either approved or in the approval process.

We continue to explore new opportunities for development of and expansion of our branch operations in Texas. With a strong loan pipeline, additional opportunities for reduction of interest expense, and improvements in our processes and procedures, we expect the success of First Guaranty Bancshares, Inc. to continue and to increase. The quality of our efforts have been recognized by Newsweek and Lending Tree as we have been named the Best Small Bank in the United States for the year of 2022 as a follow-up to the same title in 2021. We will continue to build a strong, fortress balance sheet and we will continue to enhance shareholder value.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Alton B. Lewis

President and CEO

First Guaranty, Bancshares, Inc.

About First Guaranty

First Guaranty Bancshares, Inc. is the holding company for First Guaranty Bank, a Louisiana state-chartered bank. Founded in 1934, First Guaranty Bank offers a wide range of financial services and focuses on building client relationships and providing exceptional customer service. First Guaranty Bank currently operates thirty-six locations throughout Louisiana, Texas, Kentucky and West Virginia. First Guaranty’s common stock trades on the NASDAQ under the symbol FGBI. For more information, visit www.fgb.net.

Certain statements contained herein are "forward looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward looking statements may be identified by reference to a future period or periods, or by the use of forward looking terminology, such as "may," "will," "believe," "expect," "estimate," "anticipate," "continue," or similar terms or variations on those terms, or the negative of those terms. Forward looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, as described in our SEC filings, including, but not limited to, those related to the real estate and economic environment, particularly in the market areas in which First Guaranty operates, competitive products and pricing, fiscal and monetary policies of the U.S. Government, changes in government regulations affecting financial institutions, including regulatory fees and capital requirements, changes in prevailing interest rates, acquisitions and the integration of acquired businesses, credit risk management, asset-liability management, the financial and securities markets and the availability of and costs associated with sources of liquidity.

First Guaranty wishes to caution readers not to place undue reliance on any such forward looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. First Guaranty wishes to advise readers that the factors listed above could affect First Guaranty's financial performance and could cause First Guaranty's actual results for future periods to differ materially from any opinions or statements expressed with respect to future periods in any current statements. First Guaranty does not undertake and specifically declines any obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions, which may be made to any forward looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.

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Contact Info: CONTACT: ERIC J. DOSCH, CFO 985.375.0308