Amerant Bancorp Inc. Announces Sale of Texas Operations

Amerant Bancorp Inc. (NYSE: AMTB) (“Amerant” or the “Company”) today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Amerant Bank, N.A., entered into a definitive purchase and assumption agreement under which MidFirst Bank, based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, will acquire Amerant Bank’s banking operations and six branches in the Houston, Texas metropolitan area. The transaction includes approximately $576 million of deposits and $529 million in loans.

“As part of our strategic planning process, we reviewed our current business model of operating in both Florida and Texas. While we have appreciated the opportunity to serve our customers in Houston and see the potential for growth there, we recognized that additional investment would be needed to gain the scale necessary for our Houston operations to materially contribute to future results,” said Jerry Plush, Chairman and CEO. “With the tremendous growth opportunities we see here in Florida, we believe it is prudent to focus on the execution on our ongoing expansion plans in South Florida and Tampa, and continue to work toward achieving our goal of being the bank of choice in the markets we serve.”

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, and is expected to close in the second half of 2024.

Stephens Inc. served as financial adviser and Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP provided legal counsel to Amerant. Raymond James & Associates, Inc. served as financial adviser and Covington & Burling LLP provided legal counsel to MidFirst Bank.

Today, April 17, 2024, Jerry Plush, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and Sharymar Calderón, Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer, will host a conference call at 5:30PM ET to discuss the transaction.

Conference Call Details

Participant Dial-In: [phone] / [phone]
Click here for participant International Toll-Free access numbers

Webcast Access:

The conference call will be webcast live online and may be accessed through the investor relations section of the Company’s website, www.amerantbank.com, in “IR Calendar” under the “News & Events” heading. A replay of the webcast will be available on the Company's website for approximately 30 days.

About Amerant Bancorp Inc.

Amerant Bancorp Inc. is a bank holding company headquartered in Coral Gables, Florida since 1979. The Company operates through its subsidiaries, Amerant Bank, N.A. (the “Bank”), Amerant Investments, Inc., Elant Bank and Trust Ltd., and Amerant Mortgage, LLC. The Company provides individuals and businesses with deposit, credit and wealth management services. The Bank, which has operated for over 40 years, is the largest community bank headquartered in Florida. The Bank operates 24 banking centers – 17 in South Florida, 1 in Tampa, Florida, and 6 in Houston, Texas. For more information, visit www.investor.amerantbank.com.