Great Southern Bancorp, Inc.

Good day and thank you for standing by. Welcome to the Great Southern Bancorp First Quarter 2026 Earnings Call. At this time, all participants are in listen-only mode. After the speaker's presentation, there will be a question and answer session. To ask the question during the session, you will need to press star 1-1 on your telephone. You will then hear automated messages by your hand as raised. To withdraw your question, please press star 1-1 again. Please advise that today's conference be recorded. I'd like to hand the conference over to your first speaker today, Christina Maldonado. Please go ahead.

Good afternoon, and thank you for joining Great Southern Bank Corp.' 's first quarter 2026 earnings call. Today, we'll be discussing the company's results for the quarter ended March 31st, 2026. Before we begin, I'd like to remind everyone that during the call, forward-looking statements may be made regarding the company's future events and financial performance. These statements are subject to various factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or projected. For a list of these factors, please refer to the forward-looking statements disclosure in the first quarter earnings release and other public filings. Joining me today are President and CEO Joe Turner and Chief Financial Officer Rex Copeland. I'll now turn the call over to Joe.

Okay. Thanks, Christina, and good afternoon to everyone on the call. We appreciate you joining us today. Our first quarter 2026 results reflect a solid start to the year in a continuing competitive operating environment. Both credit and earnings metrics remain strong, allowing for continued progress in our pursuit of meaningful per share tangible book value growth. This progress was underpinned by disciplined expense management, careful balance sheet structuring, and a continued emphasis on relationship-based banking. In the first quarter of 2026, we reported net income of $17.5 million or $1.58 per diluted common share compared to $17.2 million or $1.47 per share in the year-ago quarter. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2025, net income was up from $16.3 million or $1.45 per diluted share. Overall results for the quarter reflected a resilient net interest margin prudent asset liability management, thoughtful capital allocation, and stable loan balances. Net interest income totaled $48.3 million for the quarter. That was down about $1 million from the first quarter of 25, primarily as a result of the absence of the income from our now terminated interest rate swap. That was, I think, about $2 million in Q1 of 25. Despite this lost income, our ability to strategically manage funding costs while maintaining attractive asset yields allowed for strong net interest income for the quarter. Additionally, we benefited from the collection of $483,000 in unbooked interest this quarter, which further supported our net interest income. Our annualized margin was $371,000 compared to $357,000 in 2025 first quarter. and 370 in the fourth quarter of 25. And I think that if you pulled out the 483,000 of somewhat unusual interest income, that might have knocked three or four basis points for X off the margin number. Total loans increased almost $100 million during the quarter. Loan growth was primarily in construction, commercial real estate lending. though that growth was partially offset by a decline in the multifamily category. While this balance sheet growth supported earnings in the quarter, period-to-period loan trends are influenced significantly by loan repayments from our borrowers. In the first quarter of 26, our loan repayments were less than our quarterly average during 2025 and definitely during the last half of 2025. As such, we remain committed to measured loan origination and discipline underwriting. From a credit standpoint, we remain mindful of the volatility and the macroeconomic challenges affecting our borrowers. Asset quality metrics in the first quarter of 26 remain very strong for our bank, with non-performing assets to total assets of 0.18% with virtually no charge-offs. But we continue to monitor isolated examples of slower lease-ups on projects, along with broader credit concerns as markets remain volatile. We did not record a provision for credit losses on outstanding loans in the first quarter of 26. Given lower unfunded balances and mixed changes in the first quarter of 26, we did recognize a negative provision on unfunded commitments of $931,000. On the funding side, total deposits remained generally stable throughout the first quarter of 26. Non-broker deposits were down just $26 million from the start of the quarter. and broker deposits were down about $11 million as we used FHLV borrowings to replace certain maturing balances. We saw normal movement across deposit categories. Deposit markets remain competitive across both core and broker channels, and we continue to manage our funding mix with a focus on cost, duration, and flexibility. Expense management remains a top priority for the bank as well. Non-interest expense for the quarter was $34.8 million, down $30,000 from the first quarter of 25. Part of this decline is related to an insurance reimbursement of $261,000 in legal fees recovered through a loan foreclosure in the quarter. Additionally, several projects that would have increased hardware and software systems costs expected in the first quarter of 26 have been pushed to later in the year. We continue to invest in systems, infrastructure, and personnel to support the franchise over the long term. As we move through the balance of 26, we remain focused on maintaining strong credit quality, preserving net interest margin, managing expenses carefully, and continuing to build long-term value for our stockholders through thoughtful capital deployment. With that, I'll turn the call over to Rex for a more detailed discussion of the financials.