Oak Valley Bancorp Surpasses $2 Billion Milestone with Record Annual Profit

Oak Valley Bancorp has concluded its 2025 fiscal year by shattering a significant financial barrier and reporting record earnings, coupled with a substantial dividend increase for shareholders. The community bank’s robust operational performance coincides with a planned, orderly transition in its executive leadership.

Key Annual and Quarterly Highlights:
* Total assets have crossed the $2 billion threshold for the first time.
* Full-year net income reached a record $23.9 million.
* The board approved a 25% increase in the semi-annual cash dividend.
* A CEO succession plan was unveiled, with a change scheduled for mid-2026.

Strong Fundamentals Underpin Record Year

A pivotal achievement for the company was the expansion of its balance sheet beyond $2 billion in assets, marking a new era of scale. This growth was supported by a year-end deposit base of $1.79 billion. The bank’s credit portfolio remains exceptionally healthy, with non-performing assets standing at just $4.6 million, or a mere 0.23% of total assets.

For the final quarter of 2025, net income rose to $6.34 million, equating to earnings per share (EPS) of $0.76. This compares to an EPS of $0.73 for the same period in the prior year. The full-year profit of $23.9 million was significantly driven by strong net interest income, which hit $19.46 million in the fourth quarter alone.

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Shareholders Rewarded with Significant Dividend Hike

Reflecting confidence in the company’s financial strength and cash flow, Oak Valley’s board declared a enhanced distribution to investors. The semi-annual cash dividend has been raised by 25% to $0.375 per share. This increased payment will be distributed on February 13, 2026, to shareholders of record as of February 2, 2026.

Leadership Transition Ensures Strategic Continuity

Alongside its financial results, the bank announced a structured leadership succession plan. Christopher M. Courtney, the long-serving Chief Executive Officer, will retire effective June 30, 2026. He is expected to remain with the organization in a capacity on the board of directors.

His successor will be the current President and Chief Operating Officer, Richard A. McCarty. This internal promotion is designed to maintain strategic consistency. In a related move to bolster the executive team, the bank appointed Bill Nunes as Chief Marketing Officer and promoted Jose Sabala to Senior Vice President in January, reinforcing brand strategy and regulatory compliance functions.

With a solid capital foundation and a clear leadership roadmap, Oak Valley enters the new fiscal year positioned for its next phase. Shareholders will receive the elevated dividend in February, while the management team, soon to be led by McCarty, prepares to guide the institution’s continued growth.