Plumas Bancorp (PLBC): History, Ownership, Mission, How It Works & Makes Money

With Plumas Bancorp (PLBC) recently expanding its footprint, do you understand how this community bank is navigating the complex financial landscape, especially after its 2025 acquisition activity? The company's total assets surged to $2.23 billion as of the third quarter of 2025, driven by the July 1, 2025, merger with Cornerstone Community Bank, which fundamentally reshaped its balance sheet. Despite this significant growth, the GAAP net income for Q3 2025 was $5.15 million, reflecting the one-time integration costs and a higher provision for credit losses, so you need to look past the headline numbers to see the underlying earnings power. Let's dig into the history, the core mission to be the best community bank, and the specific mechanics of how Plumas Bancorp actually makes money.

Plumas Bancorp (PLBC) History

Plumas Bancorp's story is a classic example of a community bank that grew its footprint without losing its local focus. Starting small in a single California county, the company has strategically expanded into a regional player with over 45 years of history, culminating in a major acquisition in 2025 that significantly boosted its asset base.

Given Company's Founding Timeline

The bank's genesis was a direct response to a local need, raising capital from the community it intended to serve. That grassroots start is key to understanding their current culture.

Year established

The company's principal subsidiary, Plumas Bank, was founded in 1980, originally operating as Plumas County Bank.

Original location

The bank started in Quincy, California, a small town that served as the initial hub for their community-focused banking model.

Founding team members

Key figures in the founding included Andrew J. Ryback, Donald J. Stelluto, and Jerry W. Hall, who established the initial vision for a local, full-service community bank.

Initial capital/funding

The initial capital was raised through a private placement, totaling $1.7 million, which was a substantial sum for a local bank start-up at the time.

Given Company's Evolution Milestones

You can see the intentional, steady growth here. They didn't rush the process, but they made smart, deliberate moves to expand their capabilities and geographic reach.

Given Company's Transformative Moments

The company's trajectory hasn't been about one big gamble, but a series of calculated steps. Honestly, the 2025 acquisition is the biggest jump in decades, but it's built on a foundation of conservative, steady growth.

The most significant transformative decisions center on geographic expansion and capital structure:

• Forming the Holding Company (1999): Creating Plumas Bancorp allowed the bank to raise capital more efficiently and provided the necessary framework to eventually operate across state lines, which is defintely critical for a regional bank's growth.
• Crossing the $1 Billion Asset Threshold (2016): This milestone meant the bank could compete for larger commercial loans and gain greater visibility among institutional investors, which you can read more about in Exploring Plumas Bancorp (PLBC) Investor Profile: Who's Buying and Why?
• The Cornerstone Acquisition (2025): This move was a game-changer for scale. It immediately increased the bank's total assets to approximately $2.3 billion and total loans to about $1.5 billion, as reported in the pro forma combined figures. Here's the quick math: the deal added four branches and approximately $648 million in assets from Cornerstone, instantly strengthening the bank's position along key California corridors.
• Maintaining a Strong Capital Base: As of the third quarter of 2025, the company's shareholders' equity increased to $245.95 million, supported by $44.63 million of common stock issuance tied to the acquisition, showing a commitment to capital strength post-merger.

Their focus remains on community banking, but now they have the scale to offer more sophisticated products and weather market volatility better. That's the real value of the recent expansion.

Plumas Bancorp (PLBC) Ownership Structure

Plumas Bancorp (PLBC) is a publicly traded bank holding company, and its stock is listed on the NASDAQ, meaning its ownership is distributed among a diverse group of public and private stakeholders. This structure means no single entity holds a controlling majority, but institutional investors and the general public hold the most significant sway over the company's direction.

Plumas Bancorp's Current Status

As of November 2025, Plumas Bancorp is a publicly traded entity (NASDAQ: PLBC) and the parent company of Plumas Bank, a full-service community bank founded in 1980. The company's public status ensures transparency through regular SEC filings, which is crucial for investors and analysts tracking its performance and governance. For example, the company reported third-quarter 2025 earnings on October 15, 2025, with diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.35, exceeding analyst consensus.

The company is headquartered in Reno, Nevada, with its principal subsidiary, Plumas Bank, headquartered in Quincy, California. The market capitalization for Plumas Bancorp recently hit US$329 million, which shows its standing as a well-regarded regional bank. If you want a deeper dive into the numbers, you can check out Breaking Down Plumas Bancorp (PLBC) Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors.

Plumas Bancorp's Ownership Breakdown

The company's ownership is primarily split between institutional investors and the general public, which creates a balance of professional management and individual retail interest. Institutional investors, like Vanguard Group Inc. and BlackRock, Inc., own a substantial portion, which often signals a degree of credibility in the financial community.

Here's the quick math: with institutions and the general public controlling over 79% of the stock, trading decisions from these groups defintely have the power to move the share price.

Plumas Bancorp's Leadership

The executive management team, which also holds a collective insider stake of 7.70%, provides stable and experienced leadership, with the CEO having a tenure of over 15 years. This long tenure suggests a consistent strategic vision, which is a plus for stability in the banking sector. The company's leadership structure is built around experienced banking professionals with deep regional ties.

• Andrew J. Ryback: Director, President, and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), serving since March 2010.
• Richard L. Belstock: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
• Jack Prescott: Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer (CBO), appointed on July 21, 2025, bringing over 35 years of commercial banking experience.
• Aaron M. Boigon: Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer (CIO).
• Matthew Moseley: Executive Vice President and Regional President, who joined the team following the acquisition of Cornerstone Community Bank in 2025.

A notable transition is underway as Jeffrey T. Moore, Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer, is set to retire at year-end 2025, with Kevin Kaiser named as his successor. This planned handoff shows a proactive approach to succession planning, mitigating risk for a critical role like Chief Credit Officer.

Plumas Bancorp (PLBC) Mission and Values

Plumas Bancorp's core purpose is to strengthen the communities it serves, which it executes through a values-based philosophy focusing on client advocacy, employee development, and disciplined governance. This approach has driven strategic growth, culminating in $2.3 billion in assets in the 2025 fiscal year.

Plumas Bancorp's Core Purpose

The company's cultural DNA is rooted in its four-decade history as a community-focused financial institution, with its purpose remaining to strengthen the communities it serves. This commitment extends beyond banking, supporting local arts and advancing financial literacy for thousands of community members.

Official mission statement

Plumas Bancorp's mission is to build sustainable growth and long-term value for shareholders by focusing on disciplined governance, clear client success, and continuous investment in its people. This is not just a statement; it's the operating playbook for their 250 team members.

• Prioritize client-first philosophy with personalized, high-touch solutions.
• Ensure disciplined governance and prudent oversight for consistent stability.
• Invest in people through career development, leadership training, and educational programs.

Vision statement

The vision is to be the trusted, well-capitalized community bank of choice across its expanding footprint in Northern California, Nevada, and Oregon, driving measurable returns for investors. The successful 2025 acquisition of Cornerstone Community Bank was a clear step in this direction, broadening their reach and enhancing long-term stability. Honestly, that acquisition was a defintely smart move for their regional growth.

• Expand strategically while maintaining a stable, well-capitalized foundation.
• Reinforce client loyalty and long-term portfolio stability through advocacy.
• Translate the values framework into concrete practices and measurable outcomes.

For a deeper dive into who is backing this strategy, check out Exploring Plumas Bancorp (PLBC) Investor Profile: Who's Buying and Why?

Plumas Bancorp slogan/tagline

The company's commitment to its stakeholders-clients, employees, communities, and investors-is captured in its simple, powerful tagline.

• We are, and will continue to be, Here. For Good.

Plumas Bancorp (PLBC) How It Works

Plumas Bancorp, through its subsidiary Plumas Bank, operates as a traditional community bank, generating value by taking in deposits and then lending that capital back out, primarily to small and middle-market businesses in Northern California and Nevada. Its core business model is built on high-touch, personalized commercial and retail banking relationships, which was significantly expanded by the Cornerstone Community Bancorp acquisition in 2025.

Given Company's Product/Service Portfolio

Given Company's Operational Framework

The bank's operational framework centers on a 'borrow short, lend long' model, but with a strong focus on managing the cost of funds and credit risk, especially following the 2025 acquisition. Honestly, the integration of Cornerstone Community Bancorp in July 2025 was the biggest operational driver this year.

Here's the quick math on how they create net interest income (NII), which was $25.2 million in Q3 2025:

• Fund the Book: Gather customer deposits, which totaled $1.8 billion by September 30, 2025, and serve as the primary source of funds.
• Lend Capital: Deploy these funds into a loan portfolio that hit $1.5 billion, with a heavy skew toward commercial lending.
• Manage the Spread: The Net Interest Margin (NIM)-the difference between interest earned on loans and interest paid on deposits-was a healthy 4.83% in the third quarter of 2025.

To be fair, they also focus intently on reducing higher-cost liabilities. For example, post-acquisition, management paid off $38.5 million in brokered Certificates of Deposit (CDs) and a $15 million Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) borrowing to lower their overall cost of funds. They also use an enhanced lending platform to speed up loan decisioning, which helps them win more commercial business. For a deeper dive into these numbers, you should check out Breaking Down Plumas Bancorp (PLBC) Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors.

Given Company's Strategic Advantages

The bank's success isn't just about the numbers; it's about their deliberate, regional strategy. They combine the financial firepower of a larger institution with the personalized service of a local bank.

• Regional Dominance and Scale: The 2025 acquisition of Cornerstone Community Bancorp significantly expanded their footprint in Northern California, boosting gross loans by 49% and deposits by 35%, giving them more scale to compete.
• Client-First Relationship Model: They prioritize high-touch engagement and personalized solutions, which builds client loyalty and helps stabilize the deposit base.
• Disciplined Credit Focus: The loan portfolio is concentrated in Commercial Real Estate, but their allowance for credit losses was a sufficient 1.30% of total loans as of September 30, 2025, showing a defintely prudent approach to risk.
• SBA Expertise: Holding a Preferred Lender status with the U.S. Small Business Administration makes them a go-to source for government-guaranteed small business loans, a crucial advantage in their target market.

That local focus is a real moat against the big national banks.

Plumas Bancorp (PLBC) How It Makes Money

Plumas Bancorp, through its subsidiary Plumas Bank, primarily makes money the way any traditional community bank does: by borrowing short and lending long. This is called net interest income (NII)-the difference between the interest earned on its loan portfolio and the interest paid out on customer deposits.

The company's financial engine is heavily reliant on this core banking function, plus a smaller, but growing, stream of non-interest income from service charges and fees. To be fair, the recent acquisition of Cornerstone Community Bank, completed on July 1, 2025, has significantly scaled up its earning assets, though it also brought one-time integration costs that temporarily depressed GAAP net income.

Plumas Bancorp's Revenue Breakdown

For the third quarter of 2025, the total revenue for Plumas Bancorp was approximately $27.4 million. The vast majority of this revenue comes from the spread between lending and borrowing. Here's the quick math on the breakdown:

Net Interest Income (NII) for the quarter was $25.2 million, a substantial increase of $6.3 million from the same period in 2024, largely due to the expanded loan portfolio from the acquisition. Non-Interest Income, which includes service charges, fees, and earnings on bank-owned life insurance (BOLI), was $2.2 million in Q3 2025. That's a classic community bank model: 90%+ of your revenue is NII.

Business Economics

The core economic fundamental for Plumas Bancorp is maintaining a healthy Net Interest Margin (NIM), which is the ratio of NII to the bank's earning assets. You want a wide spread here.

• Net Interest Margin (NIM): For the first nine months of 2025, the NIM stood at a strong 4.87%, up 11 basis points from the prior year. This expansion shows the bank is effectively pricing its loans higher than its cost of funds, even as the average rate paid on interest-bearing deposits increased to 1.35%.
• Asset Base Shift: The July 2025 acquisition of Cornerstone Community Bank was a game-changer, increasing total assets to $2.23 billion and total loans to $1.48 billion as of September 30, 2025. This immediately boosts the base on which the bank earns interest.
• Funding Advantage: The bank's deposit base is a key strength. Total deposits reached $1.82 billion by the end of Q3 2025. A high percentage of non-interest-bearing deposits-which was around 49% in Q1 2025-gives them a very low overall cost of funding, which is defintely a competitive edge.
• Credit Quality: The ratio of bad loans to total loans is manageable at approximately 1%, with a sufficient allowance for bad loans (loan loss reserves) at 130% of that figure. This indicates disciplined lending practices, which is crucial for a bank's long-term sustainability.

Plumas Bancorp's Financial Performance

When you look at the 2025 financial performance, you have to separate the one-time noise from the underlying business health. The acquisition costs are a necessary investment, not a recurring problem.

• Net Income (GAAP vs. Non-GAAP): For the nine months ended September 30, 2025, GAAP Net Income was $18.6 million, or $2.94 per diluted share. However, excluding $7.3 million in non-recurring expenses related to the acquisition, the Non-GAAP Net Income would have been $23.8 million, resulting in a much stronger diluted EPS of $3.74. That's the real earnings power of the combined entity.
• Return on Average Assets (ROAA): The GAAP ROAA for the nine-month period was 1.35%, which is solid for a community bank, but the Non-GAAP ROAA was 1.72%. A ROAA over 1.0% is a good benchmark, so 1.72% shows excellent operational efficiency when you factor out the merger costs.
• Return on Average Equity (ROAE): The ROAE for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, was 12.2%. While this is down from the prior year due to the increased equity base from the acquisition, it still represents a healthy return for shareholders.

The takeaway is simple: the bank is growing its asset base aggressively through M&A and maintaining a high NIM, but you need to look past the one-time integration costs to see the true profitability. For a deeper dive into who is betting on this growth, you should read Exploring Plumas Bancorp (PLBC) Investor Profile: Who's Buying and Why?

Plumas Bancorp (PLBC) Market Position & Future Outlook

Plumas Bancorp is strategically positioned as a resilient, growth-focused community bank, leveraging its successful 2025 acquisition of Cornerstone Community Bank to expand its footprint across Northern California and Nevada. While the integration creates near-term pressure on its net interest margin, the bank is poised for future earnings growth, projecting annual EPS gains of 19.7%, significantly above the national average outlook of 15.5% for US banks.

You should see this as a classic value play: strong underlying momentum, but with a temporary dip in efficiency due to the heavy lifting of integrating a major acquisition. That's defintely a good trade-off for long-term scale.

Competitive Landscape

Plumas Bancorp competes primarily with other regional community banks in its operating footprint, as well as larger, national institutions. Its peer group for performance benchmarking includes commercial banks with total assets between $1 billion and $3 billion. The table below maps its standing against key regional peers and a major industry threat.

Opportunities & Challenges

The company's strategic focus on client advocacy and workforce development, outlined in its Mission Statement, Vision, & Core Values of Plumas Bancorp (PLBC), directly supports its growth opportunities. But, honestly, the biggest near-term issue is managing the integration costs and the concentration in commercial real estate.

Industry Position

Plumas Bancorp, with post-acquisition total assets of approximately $2.3 billion as of late 2025, sits firmly in the upper tier of the community banking segment.

• The bank maintains a reputation for conservative management and disciplined lending practices, which is a critical differentiator as regional peers struggle with sector headwinds.
• Its profitability, while facing a temporary dip, remains solid, with a profit margin of 31.2% as of October 2025.
• The successful integration of Cornerstone Community Bank in 2025 is a clear signal of management's ability to execute strategic mergers and acquisitions (M&A) effectively.

The bank's focus on high-touch client engagement reinforces long-term portfolio stability, a core competitive advantage against larger, less personal institutions.