Colony Bankcorp, Inc. (CBAN): History, Ownership, Mission, How It Works & Makes Money

Given the current economic environment, how is a regional player like Colony Bankcorp, Inc. (CBAN) managing to grow its footprint and maintain profitability? As of September 30, 2025, the company commanded over $3.2 billion in assets, generating $126 million in trailing twelve-month revenue by focusing on diversified services like mortgage, wealth management, and small business specialty lending (SBSL). That's a solid foundation, but the real story is their strategic move to merge with TC Bancshares, Inc. this quarter, which is defintely set to push the combined asset base to an estimated $3.8 billion. You need to understand how their core banking division, which drove a 3.17% net interest margin in Q3 2025, works alongside those specialty lines to keep the engine running, so let's dig into the history, ownership, and revenue mechanics that matter.

Colony Bankcorp, Inc. (CBAN) History

You're looking for the foundational story of Colony Bankcorp, Inc. and how it grew from a local Georgia bank into a regional financial player. The direct takeaway is that the company, which started in 1975 with a community-focused mission, has used strategic acquisitions and a diversified service model-including mortgage and specialty lending-to grow its total assets to over $3.2 billion by the third quarter of 2025. This growth wasn't accidental; it was driven by a clear, acquisitive strategy that expanded its geographic footprint across the Southeast.

Given Company's Founding Timeline

The origin story of Colony Bank, the primary subsidiary of Colony Bankcorp, Inc., is rooted in a fundamental need for local, supportive banking. It began when a local farmer, unable to secure the funding he needed, rallied community leaders to create a bank that would defintely support local business growth.

Year established

The bank was established in 1975.

Original location

Fitzgerald, Georgia.

Founding team members

The bank was founded by a group of local farmers, business owners, and community leaders who shared a vision for a different kind of community bank. Specific founding team member names are not widely publicized as of November 2025.

Initial capital/funding

Information regarding the precise initial capital or funding amount from the 1975 founding is not readily available in public records.

Given Company's Evolution Milestones

The company's trajectory shows a deliberate shift from a single-location community bank to a publicly traded, multi-state financial holding company, largely through M&A (mergers and acquisitions).

Given Company's Transformative Moments

The most significant transformative moments for Colony Bankcorp, Inc. center on its strategic expansion and the diversification of its earnings base beyond traditional banking. This is how they went from local to regional.

The core of the company's evolution is its aggressive, yet disciplined, acquisition strategy. By buying smaller banks and financial service firms like SouthCrest Financial Group and The Barnes Agency, the company quickly expanded its geographic reach and added specialized services like government guaranteed lending (Small Business Specialty Lending Division) and consumer insurance. This is a classic move to balance interest income with non-interest fee income.

Here's the quick math on recent performance: As of September 30, 2025, the company reported total assets of $3.2 billion. For the third quarter of 2025 alone, net income was $5.8 million, which translated to $0.33 per diluted share. What this estimate hides is the impact of the pending TC Bancshares merger, which is expected to further increase the asset base and market share in the near term.

• Diversified Earnings: Established distinct segments-Banking Division, Mortgage Division, and Small Business Specialty Lending Division-to capture multiple revenue streams.
• Regional Expansion: Moved beyond its Georgia roots to serve markets in Alabama and Florida, including Tallahassee and the Florida Panhandle.
• 2025 Momentum: Total loans, excluding those held for sale, reached $2.04 billion at the end of Q3 2025, showing continued organic and inorganic growth in their core lending business.

If you want to dive deeper into who is investing in this growth story, you should check out Exploring Colony Bankcorp, Inc. (CBAN) Investor Profile: Who's Buying and Why?

Colony Bankcorp, Inc. (CBAN) Ownership Structure

Colony Bankcorp, Inc. is a publicly traded bank holding company, and its ownership structure is dominated by institutional investors, though insiders maintain a significant stake. This blend of external professional management and internal executive alignment drives the company's governance and strategy, particularly as the company is on track for an estimated full-year 2025 revenue of $134.40 million and earnings per share (EPS) of $1.69.

Colony Bankcorp, Inc.'s Current Status

Colony Bankcorp, Inc. is a public entity, trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the ticker symbol CBAN. This status requires adherence to stringent reporting and transparency standards set by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which is crucial for investor confidence. The company's market capitalization as of November 2025 is approximately $282.8 million, reflecting its standing as a regional bank holding company. You can get a deeper dive into the company's performance by reading Breaking Down Colony Bankcorp, Inc. (CBAN) Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors.

Colony Bankcorp, Inc.'s Ownership Breakdown

The ownership structure shows that institutional money managers, like BlackRock, Inc. and The Vanguard Group, Inc., hold the majority of the shares. This strong institutional presence suggests a belief in the company's long-term growth trajectory and financial stability. Insiders also hold a notable portion, which is a good sign-it means the executives' interests are defintely tied to the stock's performance.

Colony Bankcorp, Inc.'s Leadership

The company is steered by an experienced leadership team with deep ties to the regional banking sector. The average tenure for the management team is approximately 4.9 years, providing stability and institutional knowledge. The executive team is responsible for driving the strategy across the company's three key segments: Banking Division, Retail Mortgage Division, and Small Business Specialty Lending Division.

Here's a look at the core leadership as of November 2025:

• T. Heath Fountain: Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Appointed in July 2018, he has a tenure of over 7.3 years and directly owns about 0.6% of the company's shares.
• R. Dallis "D" Copeland, Jr.: President. He has served as President since September 2022, bringing over 30 years of banking and executive leadership experience.
• Derek Shelnutt: Executive VP & Chief Financial Officer (CFO). He joined Colony Bankcorp in 2020 and was appointed CFO in January 2024, managing financial reporting and strategic initiatives.
• Laurie Senn: Executive VP & Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). Promoted to this role in January 2025, she oversees key operational areas like human resources and marketing.
• Ed Canup: Executive VP & Chief Banking Officer. Promoted in January 2025, he has over 40 years of banking experience, overseeing the core banking business.

You can see this alignment in action; for example, Chief Banking Officer Ed Canup has made multiple open-market stock purchases in the second half of 2025, signaling confidence in the company's direction.

Colony Bankcorp, Inc. (CBAN) Mission and Values

Colony Bankcorp, Inc.'s identity goes beyond its balance sheet; it's about being a reliable neighbor, not just a lender, aiming to enrich lives through financial solutions and long-term, trust-based relationships. This community-centric approach is the defintely the core of its strategy, translating into tangible results like the $2.04 billion in total loans held for investment as of September 30, 2025, which are primarily relationship-based and locally originated.

Colony Bankcorp's Core Purpose

The company's cultural DNA is rooted in a commitment to its local markets, which means its growth strategy is tied directly to the success of its customers and the broader community. You see this in their investment in a strong, localized franchise, especially with the pending merger with TC Bancshares, Inc., which is expected to create a combined entity with approximately $3.8 billion in total assets and a broader reach across Georgia and Florida.

• Community Partnership: Building reliable, strong relationships where they operate.
• Exceptional Service: Providing high-quality, personalized customer experience.
• Value Creation: Generating value for all stakeholders-shareholders, customers, and employees.
• Ethical Conduct: Fostering trust and integrity in all financial operations.

Official mission statement

The formal mission statement clearly maps the company's dual focus: community impact and stakeholder returns. It's a simple, powerful statement that guides every decision, from a local mortgage to a strategic acquisition.

• To be a trusted community partner, delivering financial solutions with exceptional service and creating value for our shareholders, customers, employees, and communities.

Here's the quick math: the focus on diversified fee income streams-like wealth management and insurance-plus the core banking business helped drive operating net income to $8.2 million in the third quarter of 2025.

Vision statement

While a single, formal vision statement isn't always published, the company's actions and strategic communications point to a clear long-term aspiration: to be the leading, most trusted community-focused financial franchise in the Southeast. The recent strategic hires and investments in technology are all designed to achieve this scalable, long-term growth.

• To build on our legacy of community commitment while enhancing the products, services, and technology we offer to customers.
• To form a stronger banking franchise focused on delivering enhanced customer service, expanded capabilities, and scalable, long-term growth.

That means they're not just chasing volume; they're building a better, more comprehensive bank. You can see how this focus on a strong foundation impacts their financial stability in Breaking Down Colony Bankcorp, Inc. (CBAN) Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors.

Colony Bankcorp slogan/tagline

The company uses simple, human language to communicate its value proposition, cutting through the typical banking jargon to focus on ease and commitment. They want to make your financial life less complicated.

• Life is hard, bank easy.
• Financial products you need. The commitment you deserve.

They're celebrating 50 years of service, which speaks volumes about their staying power and commitment to their core markets.

Colony Bankcorp, Inc. (CBAN) How It Works

Colony Bankcorp, Inc. operates as a diversified financial holding company, generating value by transforming customer deposits into interest-earning loans and supplementing that with high-margin, fee-based specialty services like Small Business Administration (SBA) lending and wealth management.

The company essentially works as a regional bank-plus-specialty-lender, using its community bank footprint in Georgia, Alabama, and Florida to gather sticky, lower-cost deposits, then deploying that capital into higher-yield commercial real estate and government-guaranteed loans.

Colony Bankcorp's Product/Service Portfolio

Colony Bankcorp segments its business into Banking, Mortgage Banking, and Small Business Specialty Lending (SBSL). This structure allows them to offer a full suite of services to their target markets, ensuring multiple revenue streams.

Colony Bankcorp's Operational Framework

The company's operational framework is built on a dual-engine model: a traditional community bank branch network paired with high-growth, technology-enabled specialty divisions. This is how they drive value.

Value creation is centered on the net interest margin (NIM)-the spread between what they earn on loans and what they pay on deposits-plus noninterest income from those specialty lines. For the nine months ended September 30, 2025, net interest income was $66.6 million. Noninterest income, which is less sensitive to interest rate changes, totaled $29.2 million over the same period, showing revenue defintely isn't all from lending.

• Deposit Gathering & Funding: Focus on building deep customer relationships to secure lower-cost, high-quality core deposits, which reduces their overall cost of funds.
• Loan Origination & Risk Management: Use nCino loan origination software to streamline the lending process, especially for complex commercial and government-guaranteed loans, while maintaining a credit loss reserve of $18.1 million as of September 30, 2025.
• Digital & Efficiency Investment: Ongoing investments in a new digital banking platform and Salesforce CRM to enhance customer experience and improve operating efficiency. The goal is to balance strategic investments with disciplined expense management.

Here's the quick math: total assets reached $3.15 billion by the end of Q3 2025, a figure that is set to jump significantly with the pending merger with TC Bancshares, Inc., which is expected to boost assets to approximately $3.8 billion.

Colony Bankcorp's Strategic Advantages

Colony Bankcorp has carved out a strong position by focusing on diversification and strategic expansion, which protects earnings and provides a platform for growth.

• Diversified Earnings Streams: Unlike many smaller community banks, Colony has specialty lines-mortgage, SBA lending, consumer insurance, and wealth management-that generate substantial noninterest income. This diversification has helped maintain stable revenue streams.
• Strategic Geographic Footprint: Operating 35 locations in Georgia, plus locations in Alabama and Florida, the company is positioned in both stable rural markets and high-growth metropolitan areas like Atlanta and Savannah. This dual presence hedges against regional economic shifts.
• M&A-Driven Scale: The planned acquisition of TC Bancshares, Inc., expected to close in Q4 2025, is a clear move to gain scale and operating efficiencies. This merger is projected to be immediately accretive to earnings per share (EPS).
• Strong Capital Position: The company maintains capital ratios well above regulatory minimums, with a preliminary common equity tier one capital ratio of 12.37% as of September 30, 2025. Strong capital means they have the capacity to lend and absorb growth.

You can see how these strategic choices play out in the financials by Exploring Colony Bankcorp, Inc. (CBAN) Investor Profile: Who's Buying and Why?

Colony Bankcorp, Inc. (CBAN) How It Makes Money

Colony Bankcorp, Inc. (CBAN) primarily makes money like any community bank: by borrowing funds (deposits) at a lower interest rate and lending them out (loans) at a higher rate, a process known as generating net interest income. Plus, it earns substantial noninterest income from specialized services like mortgage lending and Small Business Administration (SBA) loan sales.

Colony Bankcorp's Revenue Breakdown

For the third quarter of 2025, Colony Bankcorp reported total operating revenue of approximately $33.0 million, which breaks down clearly into two main streams. This structure shows a reliance on traditional banking activities, but with a significant and growing contribution from fee-based services.

Business Economics

The core of Colony Bankcorp's profitability lies in its Net Interest Margin (NIM), which reached 3.17% in the third quarter of 2025, a significant improvement from the prior year, reflecting disciplined asset and deposit repricing. The bank's strategy is to grow its loan portfolio-which hit $2.04 billion as of September 30, 2025-while managing its cost of funds.

Here's the quick math on their business model: they pay interest on deposits, but they earn more from loans and investments. That difference is the NII. The loan portfolio is heavily concentrated in real estate, which makes up about 82.6% of total loans, so real estate market health is defintely a key factor.

The noninterest income stream is crucial for diversification and growth, especially in a volatile interest rate environment. This income comes from several specialized lines of business:

• Mortgage Banking: Generating fees from loan origination and sales, though production slowed slightly to $87.3 million in Q3 2025.
• Small Business Specialty Lending (SBSL): Closing $28.4 million in SBA loans in Q3 2025, a strong increase from the prior quarter, which generates significant fee income upon sale.
• Wealth, Insurance, and Merchant Services: These lines are seeing strong revenue increases and are part of the bank's strategy to deepen customer relationships beyond just lending.
• Service Charges and Fees: Standard banking fees on deposit accounts and other transactions, which saw a meaningful increase in the third quarter.

To understand the strategic direction driving these numbers, you should review their Mission Statement, Vision, & Core Values of Colony Bankcorp, Inc. (CBAN).

Colony Bankcorp's Financial Performance

The third quarter 2025 results, released in October 2025, show a mixed but strategically sound performance, with strong operating metrics despite an increase in nonperforming assets. The bank is focused on improving its core earnings power and efficiency.

• Net Income: Reported net income for Q3 2025 was $5.8 million, translating to diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.33.
• Operating Net Income: A better measure of core performance, operating net income was $8.2 million, or $0.47 of adjusted EPS.
• Total Assets: As of September 30, 2025, the bank held total assets of $3.15 billion, showing a steady increase of $37.1 million from the previous quarter.
• Operating Return on Average Assets (ROAA): This key efficiency metric improved to 1.06% in Q3 2025, up from 0.81% in the same quarter last year, indicating better utilization of assets.
• Tangible Book Value: Tangible book value per common share grew to $14.20, reflecting solid growth in shareholder value over the past year.
• Asset Quality: Nonperforming assets increased to $15.2 million, up from $11.4 million in the prior quarter, which is a risk indicator that management must address.

The company is clearly balancing strong loan growth (up 2.18% quarter-over-quarter) and margin expansion with the need to manage rising credit risk, a common tension in the current economic cycle.

Colony Bankcorp, Inc. (CBAN) Market Position & Future Outlook

Colony Bankcorp, Inc. (CBAN) is strategically positioned as a high-growth regional bank, primarily in Georgia, with a future trajectory focused on integrating its recent merger and expanding its diversified fee-income businesses.

The company's focus on a disciplined 8% to 12% annualized loan growth target and a strong capital position-with total assets reaching $3.2 billion as of September 30, 2025-sets the stage for continued organic and acquisitive growth in the Southeast.

Competitive Landscape

Colony Bankcorp competes primarily in the Southeast regional banking sector, where it is a smaller, high-performing player relative to larger, multi-state institutions. Its competitive advantage lies in its deep community roots and a growing portfolio of specialty lending and fee-income services that stabilize revenue.

Opportunities & Challenges

The near-term outlook for Colony Bankcorp is defined by the successful execution of its merger strategy and the continued scaling of its non-traditional banking segments.

Industry Position

Colony Bankcorp occupies a strong niche, differentiating itself from both money center banks and smaller, single-county community banks. It is the largest community bank in Georgia by deposit market share among institutions with less than $10 billion in assets, which gives it scale advantages within its peer group while maintaining local decision-making agility.

The company's strategic focus is on becoming a high-performing, diversified financial institution, not just a traditional lender. Its Q3 2025 operating net income of $8.2 million reflects the stability driven by fee-based income streams. The pending merger is defintely a key move to push total assets beyond the $3.2 billion mark, increasing its competitive footprint across the Southeast.

• Maintain a Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) capital ratio of 12.37% (Q3 2025), exceeding regulatory minimums [cite: 20 (from previous search)].
• Target an organic loan growth rate of 8% to 12% annually to outpace industry averages [cite: 1 (from previous search)].
• Focus on high-yield, specialized lending, evidenced by $28.4 million in SBA loans closed in Q3 2025.

You can review the foundational principles driving this strategy in the Mission Statement, Vision, & Core Values of Colony Bankcorp, Inc. (CBAN).