BayCom
NASDAQ: BCML
$31.50 ▼ -1.63  (-4.92%)
At close: Jul 24, 2026 · 3:59 PM UTC
Financial Ratios
Market Cap343.75 Mn
P/E13.02
P/S103.16
Div. Yield0.02
Total Debt (Qtr)5.87 Mn
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About

BayCom Corp is a bank holding company headquartered in Walnut Creek, California. The company's principal activity is ownership of United Business Bank, which delivers a full range of financial services to businesses and individual consumers through a network of 34 full service branches located in California, Nevada, Washington, New Mexico and Colorado. As of December 31 2025, the consolidated entity reported total assets of $2.6 billion, net loans of $2.0 billion, deposits…

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Sector: Financial Services Industry: Banks - Regional CIK: 0001730984

Investment Thesis

▲ Bull case
  • BayCom's leadership transition represents a significant bullish catalyst as the incoming team of William Black, Christopher Baron, and Kevin Thompson brings deep experience from larger, more complex institutions like PacWest Bancorp and Banc of California, directly addressing the Board's stated need for expertise in balance sheet building, capital markets navigation, and executing larger transformational transactions. This team has worked together previously and arrives with a shared operating playbook, established relationships, and a clear growth agenda focused on building a growth engine, improving the trading multiple, and executing on larger, more transformational combinations to complete the Western Region footprint. Their track record includes stabilizing institutions during crisis, directing multi-billion dollar asset sales, and scaling lending platforms, suggesting they can effectively leverage BayCom's clean balance sheet, strong deposit franchise, and disciplined credit culture to pursue accretive acquisitions that were previously avoided due to stringent standards.
  • The company's financial fundamentals show strong and improving core banking performance that the market may be underestimating, with net interest income increasing 10.1% year-over-year to $25.2 million in Q1 FY26 and the net interest margin expanding to 4.11% from 3.83% in Q1 FY25, driven by higher yields on loans (up to 5.87%), favorable accretion from acquired loans, and a special FHLB dividend. Loan growth reaccelerated year-over-year with average loan balances increasing $89.2 million or 4.3% compared to Q1 FY25, supported by a stronger loan pipeline noted by management in April. Critically, credit quality remains controlled despite a slight uptick in nonperforming loans to 0.83% of total loans, as the allowance for credit losses remains robust at 1.02% of total loans and the provision reversed to a $670,000 benefit in Q1 FY26 versus a $642,000 provision in Q1 FY25, reflecting improving economic forecasts and lower loan balances.
  • BayCom possesses significant structural advantages in its deposit base and capital position that support future growth and valuation expansion, with a seasoned, stable, and well-diversified deposit franchise where noninterest-bearing deposits represent 26.9% of total deposits and the average account size is approximately $63,000. The company maintains ample liquidity with $234.2 million in average federal funds sold and interest-bearing balances, $65.0 million in available Federal Funds lines, and access to FHLB and FRB borrowing facilities, all while carrying no outstanding FHLB advances, FRB discount window borrowings, or other borrowings as of March 31, 2026. Capital ratios remain strong with a Tier 1 leverage ratio of 11.70% and CET1 ratio of 14.54% for the Bank, providing ample capacity to support loan growth or acquisitions without needing to raise costly equity, especially given the clean balance sheet with no subordinated debt outstanding following the 2025 redemption.
  • The recent appointment of Michael J. Perdue to the Board of Directors adds further depth and expertise, bringing over four decades of community banking leadership in California, including experience building, acquiring, integrating, and leading banks across Southern California. His background as a CEO, operator, and public company leader, particularly his role at Pacific Western Bank and First Community Bancorp, provides direct relevance to BayCom's growth strategy in Southern California and enhances the Board's capability to oversee and advise on the execution of larger, more transformational transactions. This strengthens governance and signals the company's commitment to assembling a leadership team and Board of exceptional caliber, which should increase investor confidence in the management's ability to execute its stated strategic objectives.
  • BayCom's valuation appears disconnected from its improving operational metrics and growth prospects, as evidenced by the dividend declaration of $0.30 per share (representing a yield of approximately 3.6% based on recent trading levels) and tangible book value per share of $27.82, which suggests the market may not be fully pricing in the company's earnings power and asset quality. The company reported ROAE of 9.54% in Q1 FY26, up from 6.92% in Q1 FY25, and an efficiency ratio improving to 61.73% from 65.74% year-over-year, indicating better operational leverage. With a clean balance sheet, strong core earnings generation, and a management team now in place specifically tasked with enhancing valuation and pursuing transformational opportunities, the stock could be poised for multiple expansion as the market recognizes the execution of the new growth strategy.
▼ Bear case
  • BayCom faces significant execution risk in its management transition, as the incoming leadership team, while experienced at larger institutions, must now navigate the complexities of integrating into a community bank culture and executing a new growth strategy after four years of acquisition inactivity. The Board itself acknowledges an 'organic growth gap' resulting from its disciplined avoidance of acquisitions that did not meet stringent standards, and there is no guarantee the new team can successfully identify, negotiate, and integrate larger, more transformational transactions that meet both strategic and financial criteria, especially given the competitive landscape for such deals in the Western U.S. The transition period involves significant one-time costs including cash severance, equity award acceleration, and benefit continuations for departing executives, which will impact near-term profitability and could distract from core operations if not managed smoothly.
  • Core loan growth remains fragile and potentially misleading, as the year-over-year increase in average loan balances of $89.2 million (4.3%) was driven by a combination of new originations and a significant decrease in the average balance of loans compared to the prior quarter (down $18.6 million or 0.9%), indicating volatility rather than sustained momentum. Interest income on loans, including fees, actually decreased $225,000 (0.8%) sequentially from Q4 FY25 to Q1 FY26, primarily due to the $18.6 million drop in average loan balances, which management attributed to 'challenging loan demand during the quarter due to economic uncertainty.' This sequential decline, coupled with the reliance on one-time items like accretion income ($600,000 in Q1 FY26 vs $58,000 in Q4 FY25) and a special FHLB dividend ($330,000) to boost earnings, suggests the underlying core net interest income growth may be less robust than headline figures indicate.
  • Credit quality deterioration is an emerging concern that the market may be overlooking, with nonperforming loans increasing to 0.83% of total loans at March 31, 2026 from 0.65% at December 31, 2025 and 0.51% at March 31, 2025, representing a 63% increase year-over-year. This rise was driven by a single $4.9 million commercial real estate loan placed on non-accrual during Q1 FY26, and while management attributes the reserve release to lower loan balances and improving economic forecasts, the concentration of nonperforming loans in the commercial real estate portfolio remains a sector-specific vulnerability. The allowance for credit losses decreased to 1.02% of total loans from 1.03% at December 31, 2025, and the net charge-offs, while low at $14,000, represent a reversal from zero in the prior quarter, suggesting potential weakening in loan performance that may not be fully captured by current reserve levels if economic conditions deteriorate.
  • The company's dependence on non-recurring items to drive earnings growth creates instability and questions the sustainability of its recent performance improvements. In Q1 FY26, unusual items including additional accretion income, an FHLB special dividend, and a reversal of provision for credit losses collectively increased earnings by approximately $0.12 per share, representing 16% of the reported $0.75 diluted EPS. Without these items, core earnings would have been significantly lower, and the sequential growth in net interest income was minimal at 0.8% ($191,000), driven largely by temporary factors like increased FHLB dividends and lower deposit interest expense rather than organic loan growth. The volatility in noninterest income, exemplified by the $811,000 swing in equity securities from a loss to a gain between quarters, further underscores the lack of stability in revenue streams, making it difficult for the market to assign a sustainable multiple to earnings.
  • BayCom operates in a highly competitive and evolving banking landscape where its Western U.S. footprint faces intense pressure from larger national and regional banks, fintech disruptors, and the ongoing consolidation that has created customer and talent displacement. While the Board sees opportunity in this displacement, successfully capturing it requires significant investment in technology, talent, and marketing capabilities that the company may lack relative to larger competitors. The incoming leadership team's experience at larger institutions may not translate effectively to the community bank model, and there is risk that the pursuit of 'larger, more transformational combinations' could lead to overpaying for acquisitions or taking on integration challenges that strain resources and distract from core profitability, particularly if the expected synergies and growth do not materialize as planned.

Product and Service Breakdown of Revenue (2025)

Peer Comparison

Companies in the Banks - Regional
S.No. Ticker Company Market CapP/EP/STotal Debt (Qtr)
1 KB KB Financial Group Inc. 42,090.38 Bn0.00 Bn0.01 Mn56.66 Bn
2 SHG Shinhan Financial Group Co Ltd 33,919.15 Bn0.00 Bn0.00 Mn40.46 Bn
3 BCH Bank Of Chile 4,123.52 Bn368.17 Bn1.57 Mn0.00 Bn
4 LYG Lloyds Banking Group plc 360.83 Bn0.00 Bn0.00 Mn42.37 Bn
5 FCAP First Capital Inc 204.17 Bn0.00 Bn0.03 Mn-
6 LARK Landmark Bancorp Inc 187.97 Bn0.00 Bn0.00 Mn0.00 Bn
7 NWG NatWest Group plc 144.82 Bn0.00 Bn0.00 Mn94.66 Bn
8 PNC Pnc Financial Services Group, Inc. 101.80 Bn0.00 Bn0.00 Mn21.42 Bn