ConnectOne Bancorp, Inc.

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and thank you for standing by. My name is Kelvin, and I will be your conference operator today. At this time, I would like to welcome everyone to the Connect One Backcourt Inc. fourth quarter 2025 earnings call. All lines have been placed on mute to prevent any background noise. After the speaker's remarks, there will be a question and answer session. If you would like to ask a question during this time, simply press star, followed by the number one on your telephone keypad. If you would like to withdraw your question, please press star one again. Thank you. I would now like to turn the call over to CA Bansio, Chief Brand and Innovation Officer. Please go ahead.

Good morning and welcome to today's conference call to review Connect One's results for the fourth quarter of 2025 and to update you on recent developments. On today's conference call will be Frank Sorrentino, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and Bill Burns, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. I'd also like to caution you that we may make forward-looking statements during today's conference call that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Factors may cause actual results to differ materially from expectations are detailed in our SEC filings. The forward-looking statements included in this conference call are only made as of the date of this call and the company is not obligated to publicly update or revise them. In addition, certain terms used in this call are non-GAAP financial measures, reconciliations of which are provided in the company's earnings release and accompanying tables or schedules. which have been filed on Form 8K with the SEC and may also be accessed through the company's website. I will now turn the call over to Frank Sorrentino. Frank, please go ahead.

Thank you, Sia, and good morning, everyone. 2025 was a defining period for Connect One, one that demonstrated the strength of our business model, the value of our client-first culture, and our team's ability to execute on all fronts. Looking back, we delivered on a set of highly aspirational goals for the year, culminating in strong returns backed by solid profitability, efficiency, and asset quality matrix. We seamlessly integrated the largest transaction in our history. We completed a full systems conversion within two weeks of that closing and bolstered our franchise value and competitive position in the New York metro market. This meaningfully propelled the company beyond the $10 billion asset threshold. A transition Connect One was well prepared for, and we ended the year with $14 billion in assets and a market cap in excess of $1.4 billion. These results directly reflect the strength and the dedication of our exceptional team, whose talent and client-focused obsession continue to distinguish Connect One across our market. The natural alignment of our expanded team drove meaningful progress in strengthening client engagement, exemplified by remarkable retention through the merger, all while simultaneously deepening existing client relationships. As Bill will discuss in greater detail, we closed 2025 with meaningful momentum, delivering strong fourth quarter performance, highlighted by robust core earnings, expanding margin, and accelerated return. Turning to some of the recent highlights and our near-term outlook, deposit gathering remains a core competitive advantage. During the second half of 2025, client deposits increased by approximately 5% on an annualized basis, reflecting strong relationship inflows and a sizable reduction in broker deposits. Meanwhile, our loan portfolio also grew by an annualized 5% on the strength of strong originations offset by elevated payoffs, in part due to higher refinancing rates for borrowers. We anticipate these portfolio dynamics continuing into 2026. The bank's net interest margin widened significantly over the past quarter and year, and with our liability-sensitive positioning, we expect that positive trajectory will continue throughout 2026. Performance metrics improved significantly this quarter, and we remain committed to building strong capital, driving efficiency, and generating profitable growth with the goal of delivering even higher returns on assets and equity. As capital generation accelerates, we'll have flexibility to support our growth, increase our common dividend, and stand ready for opportunistic stock repurchases. As we move through the year, we will remain focused further efficiencies, particularly across Long Island, where our team continues to generate opportunities for expansion. In addition, consistent with our branch-light relationship-driven approach, we've identified five branch locations to consolidate, continuing our branch rationalization efforts. Furthermore, we have a deeply talented and expanded team in place. so we anticipate modest staffing growth going forward that will also drive improved revenue and operating synergies. In closing, as we enter 2026, Connect One is uniquely positioned to capitalize on client-driven opportunities in some of the best markets in the country. Even with these strengths, we also recognize that competitive pressures, political developments, and broader market sentiment will continue to shape and challenge our environment. Rest assured, we're prepared to meet these hurdles head on while remaining focused on executing our long-term vision and delivering sustainable value to all our stakeholders. So with that overview, I'll turn it over to Bill to walk through some of our performance in a little more detail. Bill?