West Bancorporation, Inc. reported first‑quarter 2026 net income of $10.6 million, or $0.61 per diluted share, a 34.8% increase from the $7.8 million ($0.46) earned in the same quarter a year earlier. The rise is largely attributable to higher net interest income and an expanded net interest margin of 2.59%, up from 2.47% in Q4 2025 and 2.28% in Q1 2025, driven by lower deposit and borrowing costs.
Total revenue for the quarter reached $26.94 million, falling short of analyst consensus estimates of $28.2 million (Zacks) and $27.69 million (ChartMill). The miss—about 1–2%—reflects modest headwinds in the bank’s loan portfolio, while the strong net interest margin helped offset the revenue shortfall and support earnings growth.
The company declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.25 per share, payable on May 20 2026 to shareholders of record on May 6 2026. The dividend remains unchanged, underscoring confidence in the bank’s cash‑flow stability and commitment to shareholder returns.
President and CEO David Nelson highlighted the company’s focus on relationship‑building strategies to drive profitability. He noted that the net interest margin continues to expand and that net income rose 34.8% year over year, while emphasizing the balance sheet’s strength, solid capital and liquidity levels, and pristine credit quality with no nonaccrual loans as of March 31 2026.
Market reaction to the results was positive, with early trading showing a roughly 5.7% lift. Investors were encouraged by the EPS beat of $0.02 per share—exceeding the consensus of $0.59—and the robust sequential profit growth, which together signaled effective cost control and a favorable interest‑rate environment.
The earnings release also included a conference call at 2:00 p.m. Central Time on April 23 2026, where management will discuss the quarter’s performance and outlook in more detail.
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