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Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (FMCB) raises dividend on record 2025 profit

Filing Impact
(Moderate)
Filing Sentiment
(Neutral)
Form Type
8-K

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp declared a quarterly cash dividend of $5.10 per share, slightly higher than the prior $5.05 dividend paid on January 2, 2026. The dividend will be paid on April 1, 2026 to shareholders of record on March 11, 2026.

The company reported record 2025 net income of $93.6 million, up from $88.5 million in 2024. Diluted earnings per share were $133.96, a 10.7% increase from $121.02 a year earlier. 2025 cash dividends totaled $19.35 per share, up 6.9% from $18.10 in 2024. Return on average assets was 1.67% and return on average equity was 15.11% for 2025, with year-end total assets of $5.7 billion.

Credit quality remained strong, with an allowance for credit losses on loans and leases of 2.08%, a net charge-off ratio of 0.05%, and a non-accrual loans and leases ratio of 0.02% as of December 31, 2025. Regulatory capital was solid, including a common equity tier 1 ratio of 13.81% and a total risk-based capital ratio of 15.29%, and all F&M Bank capital ratios exceeded the threshold to be considered well-capitalized.

Positive

  • Record profitability and dividend growth: 2025 net income reached $93.6 million versus $88.5 million in 2024, diluted EPS rose 10.7% to $133.96, and total 2025 cash dividends increased 6.9% to $19.35 per share, supported by strong returns on assets and equity.
  • Strong balance sheet and credit quality: As of December 31, 2025, the bank reported a 2.08% allowance for credit losses on loans and leases, very low net charge-offs and non-accrual ratios, and common equity tier 1 and total risk-based capital ratios of 13.81% and 15.29%, exceeding well-capitalized standards.

Negative

  • None.

Insights

Record 2025 earnings, rising dividend and strong capital underline a solid bank profile.

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp combines higher profits with a modest dividend increase. Net income reached $93.6 million in 2025 versus $88.5 million in 2024, while diluted EPS rose 10.7% to $133.96, indicating effective balance sheet and margin management.

Shareholders benefit from growing cash returns. Total 2025 dividends of $19.35 per share were up 6.9% from 2024, and the new quarterly dividend of $5.10 per share continues that trend. Returns on average assets at 1.67% and equity at 15.11% are robust for a community bank.

Risk metrics appear conservative. The allowance for credit losses on loans and leases was 2.08%, with a net charge-off ratio of 0.05% and non-accrual loans and leases at 0.02% as of December 31, 2025. Capital ratios, including a common equity tier 1 ratio of 13.81%, exceed well-capitalized regulatory benchmarks, suggesting capacity to absorb potential stress while sustaining the dividend, subject to future economic conditions described in the risk factors.


UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


FORM 8-K



CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): February 10, 2026


Farmers & Merchants Bancorp
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


Delaware
000-26099
94-3327828
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
(Commission File Number)
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

111 West Pine Street, Lodi, California
 
95240
(Address of principal executive offices)
 
(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (209) 367-2300

Former name or former address, if changed since last report
Not Applicable

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class
 
Trading
Symbol(s)
 
Name of each exchange
on which registered
None
 
Not applicable
 
Not applicable

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐



Item 8.01
Other Events

On February 10, 2026, Farmers & Merchants Bancorp announced the Board of Directors’ declaration of a quarterly cash dividend, a copy of which is included as Exhibit 99 and incorporated herein by reference.
 
Item 9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d)
Exhibits

Exhibit No.
Description of Exhibits
   
99
Press release announcing the Board of Directors of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp’s declaration of a quarterly cash dividend, a copy of which is included as Exhibit 99 and incorporated herein by reference.
   
104
Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 
FARMERS & MERCHANTS BANCORP
     
 
By
/s/ Bart R. Olson
       
     
   
Bart R. Olson
   
Executive Vice President
   
& Chief Financial Officer
     
Date:  February 12, 2026
   




Exhibit 99


Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (FMCB)
Announces Quarterly Dividend

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (OTCQX: FMCB) (the “Company” or “FMCB”), the parent company of Farmers & Merchants Bank of Central California (the “Bank” or “F&M Bank”), declared a quarterly cash dividend of $5.10 per share, up from $5.05 for the previous quarter which was paid on January 2, 2026. The cash dividend is payable on April 1, 2026, to shareholders of record on March 11, 2026. The cash dividends for 2025 totaled $19.35 per share, up 6.9% compared to the total of $18.10 per share for 2024.

The Company reported record annual net income of $93.6 million for 2025 compared with $88.5 million for 2024. Diluted earnings per share totaled $133.96, up 10.7% compared with $121.02 for the same period a year ago and up 14.9% compared with $116.61 for the same period two years ago. For the quarter ended December 31, 2025, Farmers & Merchants Bancorp reported net income of $23.8 million, or $34.29 per diluted common share, a 10.2% increase over the prior year. For the year ended December 31, 2025, return on average assets was 1.67% and return on average equity was 15.11%. Total assets at year-end were $5.7 billion. The Company’s credit quality remained resilient with an allowance for credit losses on loans and leases at year-end of 2.08%, a net charge-off ratio of 0.05% and a non-accrual loan and leases ratio of 0.02%, as of December 31, 2025. At December 31, 2025, the Company’s common equity tier 1 ratio was 13.81% and the total risk-based capital ratio was 15.29%. All F&M Bank capital ratios exceeded the regulatory requirements to be classified as “well-capitalized” at December 31, 2025. For further details on our 2025 annual financial results, please see our press release dated February 2, 2026.

Kent A. Steinwert, Chairman, President and CEO noted, “We are very pleased with another record setting year with record net income of $93.6 million, up nearly 6% from 2024 and earnings per diluted common share of $133.96, up 10.7% from 2024. The Board is very pleased with the Company’s strong financial results during 2025 and as a result, on February 10, 2026, the Board unanimously approved our third quarterly cash dividend. This quarterly dividend marks the 91st consecutive year that Farmers & Merchants Bancorp has paid cash dividends and the 61st consecutive year we have increased dividends. As a result of the consistency of our cash dividends over many decades, we remain a member of a select group of only 57 publicly traded companies referred to as “Dividend Kings” by Sure Dividend where Farmers & Merchants Bancorp is currently ranked 17th.”

*****************************


About Farmers & Merchants Bancorp
 
Farmers & Merchants Bancorp trades on the OTCQX under the symbol FMCB, and is the parent company of Farmers & Merchants Bank of Central California, also known as F&M Bank.  Founded in 1916, F&M Bank is a locally owned and operated community bank, which proudly serves California through 33 convenient locations. F&M Bank is financially strong, with $5.7 billion in assets, and is consistently recognized as one of the nation's safest banks by national bank rating firms. The Bank has maintained a 5-Star rating from BauerFinancial for 35 consecutive years, longer than any other commercial bank in the State of California.
 
Farmers & Merchants Bancorp has paid dividends for 91 consecutive years and has increased dividends for 61 consecutive years. As a result, Farmers & Merchants Bancorp is a member of a select group of only 57 publicly traded companies referred to as “Dividend Kings,” and is ranked 17th in that group based on consecutive years of dividend increases. A “Dividend King” is a stock with 50 or more consecutive years of dividend increases.
 
In February 2026, F&M Bank was ranked 5th on Forbes Magazine’s list of "America’s Best Banks" for 2025 and was ranked 1st in California. In April 2024, F&M Bank was ranked 6th on Forbes Magazine’s list of "America’s Best Banks" for 2023.
 
In January 2026, Farmers & Merchants Bancorp was named by the OTCQX as one of the “Best 50 OTCQX 2026” list, ranking #38 on this list which is based on total return and average daily dollar volume growth. The Company also made this list in 2023.
 
In July 2025, Farmers & Merchants Bancorp was named by Bank Director’s Magazine as the #3 best-performing bank in the nation across all asset categories in their annual “Ranking Banking” study of the top performing banks for 2024. In July 2024, Farmers & Merchants Bancorp was named by Bank Director’s Magazine as the #2 best-performing bank in the nation across all asset categories in their annual “Ranking Banking” study of the top performing banks for 2023. In July 2023, the Bank was named by Bank Director’s Magazine as the #1 best-performing bank in the nation across all asset categories in their annual “Ranking Banking” study of the top performing banks for 2022.
 

In December 2023, F&M Bank was ranked 4th on S&P Global Market Intelligence's “Top 50 List of Best-Performing Community Banks” in the US with assets between $3.0 billion and $10.0 billion for 2023. S&P Global Market Intelligence ranks financial institutions based on several key factors including financial returns, growth, and balance sheet risk profile.
 
In October 2021, F&M Bank was named the “Best Community Bank in California” by Newsweek magazine. Newsweek’s ranking recognizes those financial institutions that best serve their customers’ needs in each state. This recognition speaks to the superior customer service the F&M Bank team members provide to its clients.
 
F&M Bank was ranked the 19th largest bank lender to agriculture in the United States as of September 30, 2025, by American Bankers Association. F&M Bank operates in the mid-Central Valley of California, including Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, Stanislaus, and Merced counties and the east region of the San Francisco Bay Area, including Napa, Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
 
F&M Bank was inducted into the National Agriculture Science Center’s “Ag Hall of Fame” at the end of 2021 for providing resources, financial advice, guidance, and support to the agribusiness communities as well as to students in the next generation of agribusiness workforce. F&M Bank is dedicated to helping California remain the premier agricultural region in the world and will continue to work with the next generation of farmers, ranchers, and processors. F&M Bank remains committed to servicing the needs of agribusiness in California as has been the case since its founding over 109 years ago.
 
F&M Bank offers a full complement of loan, deposit, equipment leasing and treasury management products to businesses, as well as a full suite of consumer banking products. The FDIC awarded F&M Bank the highest possible rating of "Outstanding" in their last Community Reinvestment Act (“CRA”) evaluation.
 

Forward-Looking Statements
 
This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements that are based on management's current expectations regarding the Company’s financial performance. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They often include words such as “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate” or words of similar meaning, or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could” or “may.” Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation, statements regarding earnings performance and the frequency and amount of future dividend payments (if any). Forward-looking statements in this press release include matters that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risk factors include, among others: the effects of and changes in monetary and fiscal policies, including the interest rate policies of the Federal Reserve Board and their effects on inflation risk; financial and regulatory policies of the United States government; political and economic uncertainty, including any decline in global, domestic or local economic conditions or the stability of credit and financial markets and the impact of tariffs; and other relevant risks  detailed in the Company’s Form 10-K, Form 10-Qs, and various other securities law filings made periodically by the Company, copies of which are available from the Company’s website. All such factors are difficult to predict and are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict. There also may be additional risks that the Company does not presently know, or that the Company currently believes to be immaterial, that could also cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those contained in these forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances after the date of this press release or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law.
 
For more information about Farmers & Merchants Bancorp and F&M Bank, visit fmbonline.com.
 


FAQ

What dividend did Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (FMCB) declare in this 8-K?

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp declared a quarterly cash dividend of $5.10 per share. This is an increase from the prior $5.05 quarterly dividend and will be paid on April 1, 2026, to shareholders of record on March 11, 2026.

How did Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (FMCB) perform financially in 2025?

In 2025, Farmers & Merchants Bancorp reported record net income of $93.6 million, up from $88.5 million in 2024. Diluted earnings per share rose 10.7% to $133.96, supported by a return on average assets of 1.67% and return on average equity of 15.11%.

How much did FMCB increase its total annual dividend in 2025?

For 2025, FMCB’s total cash dividends were $19.35 per share, a 6.9% increase from $18.10 per share in 2024. This reflects the company’s long history of consistent dividend growth alongside strong earnings performance and capital levels.

What is the credit quality of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp’s loan portfolio?

As of December 31, 2025, credit quality metrics were strong. The allowance for credit losses on loans and leases was 2.08%, with a net charge-off ratio of 0.05% and non-accrual loans and leases ratio of 0.02%, indicating very low problem credits.

Are FMCB’s capital ratios above well-capitalized regulatory levels?

Yes. At December 31, 2025, FMCB reported a common equity tier 1 ratio of 13.81% and a total risk-based capital ratio of 15.29%. All of F&M Bank’s capital ratios exceeded the regulatory requirements to be considered “well-capitalized.”

How long has Farmers & Merchants Bancorp paid and increased dividends?

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp has paid cash dividends for 91 consecutive years and increased its dividend for 61 consecutive years. This track record places it among a small group of “Dividend Kings” with 50 or more consecutive years of dividend increases.

Filing Exhibits & Attachments

4 documents
Farmers Merchant

OTC:FMCB

FMCB Rankings

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FMCB Stock Data

761.72M
616.96k
Banks - Regional
Financial Services
Link
United States
Lodi