Great Southern Bancorp (NASDAQ:GSBC), the holding company for Great Southern Bank, has released preliminary financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026.
The company reported net income of $17.5 million, or $1.58 per diluted share, a modest increase over the $17.2 million, or $1.47 per diluted share, recorded during the same period in 2025.
The higher earnings per share figure was partially driven by the company’s continued commitment to returning capital to shareholders through stock buybacks.
Key performance metrics for the quarter remained healthy, with a return on average equity (ROAE) of 10.85% and a return on average assets (ROAA) of 1.24%.
The bank’s net interest margin (NIM) stood at 3.71%.
On the lending side, the bank saw steady demand, with total loans increasing 2.3% during the quarter to reach $4.46 billion.
However, management highlighted some specific challenges affecting the year-over-year comparison.
Net interest income saw a slight decrease compared to the first quarter of 2025, primarily due to the conclusion of accretion benefits from a previously terminated interest-rate swap.
Additionally, the bank noted a modest shift in asset quality, reporting $10.1 million in non-performing assets.
Despite this uptick, leadership emphasized that capital ratios remain strong and credit quality continues to be managed within historical norms.