How did SBCF's Q4 earnings surprise investors?

**Seacoast Banking's (SBCF) Q4 earnings exceeded investor expectations**, as evidenced by the company's reported quarterly earnings per share (EPS) and total revenue surpassing analysts' forecasts.

1. **Earnings Performance**:
- SBCF reported an EPS of $0.48 for Q4 2024, which is significantly higher than the Wall Street estimate of $0.30 per share. This represents a substantial year-over-year increase, as the earnings per share were $0.35 in the corresponding period the previous year.
- The earnings surprise was attributed to strong core interest income and a positive provision for loan losses, reflecting effective risk management and stable asset quality.
2. **Revenue Outperformance**:
- The bank's total revenue for the quarter was $132.87 million, slightly surpassing the projected revenue of $128.8 million.
- This revenue outperformance, coupled with the earnings beat, indicates efficient operational performance and a strong financial outlook for SBCF.
3. **Market Reaction and Outlook**:
- Despite the positive earnings surprise, SBCF's stock price showed modest increase of 1.18%, suggesting that the market had already priced in some of the expected improvements.
- Looking forward, the bank anticipates a core net interest margin expansion of 7-10 basis points in Q1 2025, aiming for a full-year target of around 3.35%. This expansion is a positive signal for future earnings growth.
- Seacoast Banking is also exploring potential merger and acquisition opportunities and plans to continue investing in talent acquisition, which could further enhance its financial performance.

In conclusion, SBCF's Q4 earnings report reflected strong financial performance, exceeding market expectations in both earnings per share and total revenue. This bodes well for the bank's future prospects, with expectations of continued growth and strategic initiatives to capitalize on potential opportunities.