Ameris Bancorp (ABCB): Business Model Canvas [Dec-2025 Updated]

You're looking for the core engine of Ameris Bancorp's (ABCB) success, and the Q3 2025 numbers show a strategically sound model built on regional dominance and operational efficiency. The bank's impressive Return on Assets (ROA) of 1.56% tells you they are defintely converting their $27.10 billion in total assets into profit better than most peers, a performance fueled by a highly efficient operation with a Q3 2025 efficiency ratio of 49.19%. This engine is smart, mixing $238.9 million in Net Interest Income with fee-based revenue from specialized lending divisions like Premium Finance. We'll break down the nine building blocks-from their 164 financial centers to their unique revenue streams-so you can see exactly how they turn a focused, community-centric approach into superior financial results.

Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) - Canvas Business Model: Key Partnerships

You need to know who Ameris Bancorp relies on externally, because those relationships are critical levers for their growth, community impact, and operational efficiency. The bank's key partnerships in late 2025 fall into three main buckets: community finance, technology infrastructure, and capital providers.

The core strategy is simple: use partners to extend reach and lower operating costs, so Ameris can maintain its above-peer profitability metrics, like the 1.65% Return on Average Assets (ROA) reported for the second quarter of 2025.

Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta for community grant distribution

Ameris Bancorp leverages its membership with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta (FHLBank Atlanta) to channel significant capital into community development, particularly affordable housing and property stability initiatives. This partnership is a low-cost, high-impact way to meet Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) obligations while building goodwill in their core Southeastern markets.

In November 2025, Ameris Bank announced the distribution of $3.75 million in Affordable Housing Program (AHP) grants from FHLBank Atlanta, supporting the construction of over 170 affordable rental units in Georgia and Florida. This is a direct, measurable community investment that strengthens their local presence.

Here is a quick breakdown of their 2025 FHLBank Atlanta grant distribution activity:

Grant Program	Date Announced (2025)	Total Funds Distributed	Primary Focus
Affordable Housing Program (AHP)	November	$3.75 million	Construction of affordable rental units (e.g., Cardinal Pointe in Orlando)
Heirs' Property Fund (2024 Fund)	May	Over $1.14 million	Resolving tangled title issues and securing homeownership

Regional bank targets for strategic acquisitions to expand footprint

While Ameris Bancorp has a history of being acquisitive, the near-term environment in 2025 has been quiet on closed deals, but the strategic intent remains high. CEO Palmer Proctor Jr. has publicly stated that consolidation is expected to pick up, driven by smaller institutions struggling with rising technology and deposit costs.

The lack of a major acquisition in the 2025 calendar year (as of late Q3) is a temporary pause, not a shift in strategy. The bank's focus is on regional growth in the Southeast, and they are actively looking for targets that can be integrated efficiently to boost their total assets, which stood at $27.1 billion as of September 30, 2025.

This is the clear action: they are positioned as a buyer, holding capital and waiting for the right valuation to emerge.

Technology and core banking vendors for digital platform maintenance

To maintain a competitive digital edge without building everything in-house, Ameris Bancorp relies on a network of specialized technology partners. This allows them to focus internal resources on customer-facing services while outsourcing complex infrastructure and data processing (core banking system, or CBS) functions.

Key technology partnerships include:

• FIS: Likely a primary core banking vendor, handling the fundamental transaction processing and account record-keeping.
• Rackspace Technology: Provides cloud-based application hosting and computing services, which is essential for scaling digital operations.
• Alteryx: Used for advanced analytics and business intelligence (BI), helping to turn raw data into actionable insights for lending and risk management.
• Automation Anywhere and Ansible: Tools for process automation, which is key to improving the efficiency ratio, which improved to 49.19% in Q3 2025.

Institutional investors providing capital and liquidity for growth

Institutional investors are Ameris Bancorp's most important source of long-term capital and liquidity, representing a near-total ownership stake. This strong institutional backing provides stability and validates the bank's strategy to the broader market.

As of late 2025, institutional investors and hedge funds own approximately 91.6% of the company's common stock. This concentration of ownership by major financial players like Blackrock and Vanguard is a sign of confidence in the bank's financial health.

The top institutional investors, who provide the foundational capital base, include:

• Blackrock Inc.: Owns 14.02% of shares, valued at approximately $697.97 million.
• Vanguard Group Inc.: Owns 10.54% of shares, valued at approximately $524.89 million.
• Dimensional Fund Advisors LP: Owns 6.12% of shares, valued at approximately $304.92 million.

This strong capital position allows the bank to return capital to shareholders; for instance, the Board recently authorized a $200 million share repurchase program, which is a clear signal of management's confidence in the balance sheet. This capital strength is what allows them to pursue M&A when the timing is defintely right.

Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) - Canvas Business Model: Key Activities

Core commercial and retail deposit gathering

The core activity for Ameris Bancorp is the disciplined gathering of low-cost deposits, which is the lifeblood of any bank's net interest margin (NIM). You can see this focus in the deposit mix: total deposits stood at $21.93 billion as of June 30, 2025. The quality of this funding is key, with noninterest-bearing accounts-money that costs the bank nothing-representing a strong 31.0% of total deposits.

This focus on core funding helped keep the total cost of funds stable at 2.06% in the second quarter of 2025. The deposit base itself is well-diversified across customer segments, providing stability even as market rates fluctuate.

• Commercial customers: 45% of the deposit mix.
• Consumer customers: 35% of the deposit mix.
• Public funds: 15% of the deposit mix.

Diversified lending across four key divisions

Ameris Bancorp's lending activity is strategically spread across five main divisions: Banking, Retail Mortgage, Warehouse Lending, SBA (Small Business Administration), and Premium Finance. This diversification is a deliberate risk-mitigation strategy. Total loans, net of unearned income, reached $21.04 billion at the end of the second quarter of 2025, reflecting a solid 6.5% annualized growth rate for the quarter.

Here's the quick math on the portfolio breakdown, showing how the bank balances commercial and consumer risk:

Loan Portfolio Segment (Q2 2025)	Percentage of Total Loans	Approximate Balance (Based on $21.04B Total)
Commercial & Industrial (C&I)	26%	~$5.47 billion
Investor Commercial Real Estate (CRE)	24%	~$5.05 billion
Single-Family Residential Mortgages	20%	~$4.21 billion
Mortgage Warehouse Lending	~5.2%	$1.09 billion

What this estimate hides is the strength in the specialty areas; for example, Mortgage Warehouse balances alone increased to $1.09 billion in Q2 2025, up from $0.89 billion in the prior quarter, showing a strong focus on that high-yield segment.

Strategic regional bank acquisitions to increase market share

While the company has a history of growth through acquisition, the near-term focus has shifted to organic growth and strategic capital management (a form of financial acquisition). There have been no regional bank acquisitions in 2024 or the first three quarters of 2025. Instead, the key activity has been optimizing the balance sheet for shareholder returns and efficiency.

For instance, the board authorized an increased stock repurchase program of up to $200 million in October 2025, demonstrating confidence in the stock's value and a commitment to returning capital to shareholders. Also, in July 2025, the bank redeemed $74 million of subordinated debt, which was bearing a high interest rate of 8.22%, a smart move to lower future funding costs.

Enhancing and maintaining the digital banking platform

The core activity here is operational efficiency through technology, not just new flashy features. Ameris Bancorp operates 164 financial centers across the Southeast, but it also serves customers nationwide through digital channels. The goal is to combine user-friendly technology with personal expertise.

The most telling metric for the success of this activity is the efficiency ratio (non-GAAP), which improved to 51.63% in the second quarter of 2025. A lower ratio means the bank is spending less to generate each dollar of revenue-a direct result of streamlining operations, which includes digital platform enhancements and automation.

Treasury and cash management services for business clients

Providing Treasury and cash management services is a key activity that drives valuable noninterest-bearing deposits and generates fee income. The bank's overall noninterest income reached $76.3 million in the third quarter of 2025.

While the specific revenue from Treasury is usually buried in the financials, the segment's strength is visible in the 'other noninterest income' category, which increased by $678,000 to $8.5 million in the second quarter of 2025. This category includes fees from services like treasury management, and its growth signals success in deepening relationships with business clients.

• Noninterest income grew by 10.7% in Q3 2025.
• Equipment finance activity increased by $2.3 million in Q3 2025.
• Derivative fee income increased by $1.4 million in Q3 2025.

These are the kinds of fee-based activities that offer a defintely more stable revenue stream than pure lending, especially in a volatile rate environment.

Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) - Canvas Business Model: Key Resources

When you look at a bank like Ameris Bancorp, the Key Resources are essentially the foundation that lets them create and deliver value. It's not just about the money; it's about the physical network, the intellectual capital, and the operational structure that turns assets into profit.

For Ameris, their resources are a clear map of their strategy: a strong balance sheet built on core funding, a focused physical footprint in high-growth markets, and a highly efficient operating model. This combination is what allows them to maintain an above-peer net interest margin (NIM) and return on assets (ROA).

Total assets of $27.10 billion as of September 30, 2025

The most fundamental key resource for any bank is its balance sheet, and Ameris Bancorp's asset base is substantial. As of September 30, 2025, the company reported total assets of $27.10 billion. This is the raw financial power that backs their lending activities and investment portfolio.

This resource base grew from $26.26 billion at the end of 2024, showing a steady, organic expansion of their footprint in the Southeastern US. Here's the quick math: that's an increase of $840 million in assets over the first nine months of 2025, which translates to a solid annualized growth rate of about 4.3%. What this estimate hides, of course, is the quality of those assets-which, to be fair, is supported by a stable allowance for credit losses on loans at 1.62% as of Q3 2025.

Strong core deposit base with over 30% noninterest-bearing deposits

A bank's funding structure is a critical resource, and Ameris Bancorp has a defintely strong one in its core deposit base. A high percentage of noninterest-bearing deposits means a lower cost of funds, which directly translates into a wider net interest margin (NIM). This is a massive competitive advantage.

For the third quarter of 2025, noninterest-bearing deposits represented 30.4% of total deposits, which totaled $22.23 billion. This mix is a testament to the strength of their commercial and core customer relationships. This low-cost funding is a key component of their above-peer NIM of 3.80% reported for Q3 2025.

The stability of their funding is broken down like this:

Deposit Metric (Q3 2025)	Value
Total Deposits	$22.23 billion
Noninterest-Bearing Deposits	$6.76 billion
Noninterest-Bearing % of Total Deposits	30.4%
Annualized Deposit Growth (Q3 2025)	5%

Network of 164 financial centers across the Southeast

The physical presence of Ameris Bancorp, while not the only channel, remains a vital key resource for customer acquisition and service delivery. They operate a network of 164 financial centers strategically located across the high-growth markets of the Southeast.

This regional market penetration in states like Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and South Carolina is an intellectual resource as much as a physical one, giving them deep local market knowledge. This focus helps them tailor services and build the strong relationships needed to attract and retain those valuable core deposits.

Highly efficient operational structure with a Q3 2025 efficiency ratio of 49.19%

An efficiency ratio (noninterest expense as a percentage of revenue) is the ultimate measure of how well a bank uses its people and technology. Ameris Bancorp's operational structure is a key resource because it allows them to convert revenue into profit more effectively than many peers.

The company achieved a Q3 2025 efficiency ratio of 49.19%, which is a significant improvement from the 51.63% reported in the prior quarter. This sub-50% figure demonstrates strong positive operating leverage, meaning their revenue growth is outpacing their expense growth. This is a very strong metric.

Key operational resources that drive this efficiency include:

• Digital banking platforms that reduce transaction costs.
• A diversified revenue stream, including mortgage banking and premium finance.
• Disciplined expense management, with noninterest expenses decreasing slightly to $154.6 million in Q3 2025.

This efficiency is a direct contributor to their strong profitability, including a return on assets (ROA) of 1.56% for the third quarter of 2025.

Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) - Canvas Business Model: Value Propositions

You're looking for the core value Ameris Bancorp delivers, and honestly, it boils down to a dual strategy: offering the stability of a large, high-performing regional bank while maintaining the agility of a specialized lender. The bank's value proposition isn't just a mission statement; it's measurable in its $27.10 billion in total assets as of Q3 2025, plus its standout profitability metrics.

Full suite of traditional banking and specialized lending products

Ameris Bancorp provides a comprehensive, full-service banking experience, which is a major value-add for both commercial and retail clients. You get the convenience of a one-stop shop for everything from basic checking accounts to complex commercial real estate financing. This broad offering is critical because it captures and retains diverse revenue streams, making the business model more resilient.

The core of this offering is a robust loan portfolio, which stood at $21.26 billion as of September 30, 2025. This includes traditional commercial and industrial (C&I) loans and commercial real estate (CRE) loans, which drove the 4.1% annualized loan growth in Q3 2025. They also offer a full range of treasury and cash management services, which is defintely a sticky product for their business clients.

• Offerings span retail, commercial, and mortgage services.
• Total deposits reached $22.23 billion in Q3 2025.
• Noninterest-bearing deposits remain strong, over 30% of total deposits.

Regional expertise and deep community-focused service in the Southeast

The bank's regional focus is a key differentiator, providing a level of local expertise and relationship banking that larger national institutions often struggle to replicate. Ameris Bancorp operates financial centers across five southeastern states, including its Atlanta, Georgia headquarters.

This regional concentration allows them to better understand local market dynamics and credit risks, which translates into better asset quality management. They combine this local touch with a national reach through select lending channels, giving clients the best of both worlds: a personal banker who knows their business, plus access to larger-scale lending capabilities. It's a powerful hybrid model.

Specialized financing through the Premium Finance Division

A significant, high-margin value proposition is the specialized lending Ameris Bancorp provides, particularly through its Premium Finance Division (insurance premium financing). This niche business funds the payment of commercial property and casualty insurance premiums, which is a highly specialized, non-traditional banking product.

This division provides a critical source of noninterest income and diversifies the overall risk profile away from purely traditional real estate lending. This kind of specialized, national-scope product helps smooth out cyclical downturns in regional banking, offering a steady, reliable revenue stream that other regional banks often lack.

High financial performance demonstrated by Q3 2025 ROA of 1.56%

For investors and sophisticated clients, the most compelling value proposition is the bank's demonstrated ability to generate high, consistent returns. A bank that performs well is a bank that can continue to invest in its services and maintain its competitive edge. Here's the quick math: the Return on Assets (ROA)-a key measure of profitability-was an outstanding 1.56% for the third quarter of 2025. This figure places Ameris Bancorp among the top performers in the banking industry, which is a huge vote of confidence in their strategy.

Also, the Net Interest Margin (NIM) expanded to 3.80% in Q3 2025, reflecting effective balance sheet management in a challenging rate environment. The efficiency ratio-how much it costs to generate a dollar of revenue-improved to 49.19%, showing strong cost control and operational efficiency. This isn't just a good quarter; it's proof the business model works.

Key Financial Metric (Q3 2025)	Value Proposition Alignment	Reported Value
Return on Average Assets (ROA)	High Profitability & Operational Excellence	1.56%
Net Interest Margin (NIM)	Effective Asset/Liability Management	3.80%
Total Assets (Sept 30, 2025)	Scale and Stability	$27.10 billion
Efficiency Ratio	Cost Management and Operational Agility	49.19%
Tangible Book Value per Share (TBV)	Shareholder Value Creation	$42.90 (15.2% annualized growth)

Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) - Canvas Business Model: Customer Relationships

You're looking at Ameris Bancorp, and the core takeaway on their customer relationships is this: they run a high-touch, regional model for their most profitable commercial clients, while simultaneously pushing a streamlined, self-service digital experience for mass-market transactions. This dual approach lets them capture high-value commercial and treasury relationships while maintaining a low-cost structure for their retail base.

High-touch, personalized service model for commercial clients

Ameris Bancorp's relationship with commercial clients is deeply personalized, built on a local banker model that delivers complex financial products. This high-touch service is necessary because commercial lending and treasury services are their biggest drivers of non-interest income and core deposits. For the third quarter of 2025, the total loan portfolio stood at $21.26 billion. This relationship strategy is directly reflected in the composition of their loan book, which is heavily weighted toward commercial real estate and commercial and industrial (C&I) loans.

Here's the quick math on their commercial exposure as of September 30, 2025, which drives the need for this dedicated, relationship-focused service:

• Real Estate - Commercial/Farmland Loans: $9.05 billion
• Commercial & Industrial (C&I) Loans: $3.30 billion
• Total Commercial Real Estate (CRE) Concentration: 40% of total loans

This is a significant concentration, so you defintely need a dedicated relationship manager to manage that risk and opportunity. The high-touch model ensures they retain these large, complex relationships, which is crucial for maintaining their core deposit base.

Community-centric approach with local banker expertise

The company maintains a strong physical presence in its core markets, operating 164 financial centers across the Southeast as of Q1 2025. This community-centric model is a key differentiator against purely digital competitors, allowing local bankers to build trust and capture market share. The strategy works because it translates directly into strong local deposit market share (the percentage of deposits a bank holds in a specific geographic area), which provides a stable, low-cost funding source.

The success of this local-expert model is clear in their top markets:

• #1 deposit market share in Atlanta for banks under $50 billion in assets.
• #2 deposit market share in Jacksonville for banks under $50 billion in assets.
• #1 deposit market share in Savannah for banks under $50 billion in assets.

This local dominance gives them a scarcity value in high-growth Southeast markets. The focus on core deposits means that noninterest-bearing deposits-the cheapest form of funding-represented 30.4% of total deposits as of September 30, 2025.

Self-service digital banking and mobile app for transactional needs

For transactional banking, the relationship shifts to a highly automated, self-service model, which is essential for managing the efficiency ratio (noninterest expense as a percentage of revenue). This is where they use technology to serve a broad consumer and small business base nationwide without the overhead of a large branch network.

The company explicitly focuses on combining user-friendly technology with personal expertise, which means the digital channels handle most routine tasks. This dual delivery keeps the overall operating cost low; the efficiency ratio improved to 49.19% in the third quarter of 2025, a strong number that reflects tight expense control, partly through digital adoption.

The digital platform supports their multi-segment offerings:

• Online account opening for nationwide consumer access.
• Mobile app for standard retail transactions.
• Digital tools for commercial clients, particularly for treasury and cash management.

Dedicated relationship management for wealth and treasury services

The most profitable non-lending relationships-wealth management and treasury services-are managed through dedicated relationship managers. This is a crucial area for noninterest income (fee income), which helps diversify their revenue away from pure interest rate spreads.

While specific Assets Under Management (AUM) figures for the wealth division are not separately disclosed in the quarterly reports, you can see the impact in the noninterest income growth. Total noninterest income for Q3 2025 was $76.3 million, an increase of 10.7% from the previous quarter. This growth was notably driven by service charges and equipment finance activity, which are both components of their commercial and treasury services.

Customer Relationship Segment	Primary Interaction Model	Key 2025 Financial Metric (Q3 2025)
Commercial & Industrial (C&I)	High-Touch, Dedicated Banker	C&I Loans of $3.30 billion
Commercial Real Estate (CRE)	High-Touch, Dedicated Banker	CRE/Farmland Loans of $9.05 billion
Retail/Consumer (Transactional)	Self-Service Digital & Mobile App	Noninterest-Bearing Deposits: 30.4% of total deposits
Wealth & Treasury Services	Dedicated Relationship Manager	Q3 2025 Noninterest Income: $76.3 million

Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) - Canvas Business Model: Channels

You need to know exactly how Ameris Bancorp gets its services to customers, because that distribution network-the 'Channels'-is what drives their deposit base and lending volume. The model is a deliberate mix of high-touch regional physical presence and high-efficiency national digital and specialized lending platforms. It's a classic hub-and-spoke strategy, but with the spokes extending nationwide for specific, profitable products.

The core takeaway is that Ameris Bancorp is effectively two businesses: a traditional Southeastern community bank and a national, specialized lender. This dual-channel approach allows them to manage a significant asset base, which stood at $26.7 billion as of June 30, 2025.

Physical network of 164 financial centers in four Southeastern states

The foundation of Ameris Bancorp's channel strategy is its physical footprint. As of late 2025, the bank operates 164 financial centers across the Southeast. This density in key regional markets is crucial for gathering sticky, lower-cost deposits and building commercial relationships-the lifeblood of any regional bank. The focus remains on building strong local relationships, which is a competitive advantage in a fragmented market.

The primary states served by this branch network include Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and South Carolina. This regional concentration allows for a deep understanding of local economic cycles, which defintely helps in managing credit risk. This physical presence is the primary channel for traditional retail and commercial banking services.

Digital and mobile banking platform for consumer and business access

While the branches handle the high-touch services, the 'Ameris Digital One' platform provides the necessary scale and convenience for everyday transactions. This digital channel is critical for efficiency and for retaining younger, tech-savvy customers. It's not just a convenience feature; it's a core operational channel.

The platform offers full online and mobile banking capabilities for both consumer and business clients, including features like Zelle® for person-to-person payments and remote mobile check deposit. A key metric showing the success of their core deposit channels is that noninterest-bearing deposits-which are often the stickiest and cheapest-represented 31.0% of total deposits as of June 30, 2025.

Select lending channels serving customers nationwide

Ameris Bancorp uses specialized, non-branch lending channels to reach customers well beyond its Southeastern branch network. This is how they achieve national scale in high-margin, niche lending segments without the massive overhead of a coast-to-coast branch system. These select lending channels serve consumer and business customers nationwide.

This channel diversification helps smooth out the cyclicality of regional banking and provides an important source of noninterest income. The bank's five operating segments-Banking, Retail Mortgage, Warehouse Lending, SBA, and Premium Finance-each operate as distinct channels, often with a national scope.

Retail Mortgage and Warehouse Lending Division offices

These specialized divisions represent the most significant non-branch channels and are major revenue drivers. They operate through dedicated offices, often separate from the traditional financial centers, to focus on specific product expertise.

The Retail Mortgage Division, for example, is a powerhouse channel. Its total production was $1.09 billion in the third quarter of 2025. This division is supported by a large team of full-time equivalent (FTE) employees, numbering 550 as of the second quarter of 2025. The open pipeline for this channel was $787.2 million at the end of Q3 2025, showing a strong forward-looking demand.

The Warehouse Lending Division, which provides short-term funding to mortgage originators, is a smaller, capital-intensive channel but highly strategic. It operated with 8 FTE employees as of the second quarter of 2025.

Here's the quick math on the scale of these specialized channels in 2025:

Channel Segment	Key Metric (Q3 2025 or Latest)	Value/Amount
Physical Network	Number of Financial Centers	164
Digital Platform	Noninterest-Bearing Deposits (as % of Total Deposits, Q2 2025)	31.0%
Retail Mortgage Division	Total Production (Q3 2025)	$1.09 billion
Retail Mortgage Division	Open Pipeline (Q3 2025)	$787.2 million
Warehouse Lending Division	FTE Employees (Q2 2025)	8

The channels Ameris Bancorp uses are clearly defined and purpose-built:

• Physical centers: Build local trust and gather core deposits.
• Digital platform: Drive efficiency and 24/7 service.
• Specialized lending: Capture national, high-volume, and niche fee income.

Finance: Track the quarterly noninterest income contribution from the Retail Mortgage and Warehouse Lending channels to assess the true value of this channel diversification.

Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) - Canvas Business Model: Customer Segments

You're looking for a clear picture of who Ameris Bancorp is serving to understand their core business drivers. The takeaway is that Ameris Bancorp is fundamentally a commercial real estate and business lender anchored in the Southeast, but they've built a powerful, national-scale diversification model through specialized lending like mortgage and premium finance.

As of late 2025, specifically the third quarter ending September 30, 2025, Ameris Bancorp manages a total loan portfolio of approximately $20.91 billion. The customer base is segmented to maximize yield and manage geographic risk, balancing traditional branch banking with national specialty divisions. Here's the quick math on their loan book composition, which tells you exactly who the core customers are.

Customer Segment / Loan Category	Q3 2025 Loan Balance (Approximate)	Percentage of Total Loans ($20.91B)
Commercial & Business Clients (CRE/Farmland & C&I)	$12.35 billion ($9.05B + $3.30B)	59.1%
Mortgage Borrowers (Residential RE & Warehouse)	$5.49 billion ($4.41B + $1.08B)	26.3%
Retail, Premium Finance, & Other Specialized Loans	$3.07 billion (Remaining Portfolio)	14.6%
TOTAL LOAN PORTFOLIO	$20.91 billion	100.0%

Retail and consumer customers in the Southeastern U.S.

This segment is the foundation of the bank's local funding and deposit base, providing a stable, low-cost source of capital. Ameris Bancorp operates a network of 164 financial centers across five key southeastern states: Georgia, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

The core retail customer uses traditional checking, savings, and money market accounts. Their value isn't just in loan interest, but in the noninterest-bearing deposits (NIBs), which represented a strong 30.4% of total deposits, or about $6.76 billion of the $22.23 billion deposit base at the end of Q3 2025. That's cheap funding, defintely a competitive edge.

• Provides stable, low-cost core deposits.
• Generates noninterest income, including $13.9 million in service charges in Q3 2025.
• Includes customers using consumer loans, which fall into the remaining $3.07 billion loan category.

Commercial and business clients (small to mid-market)

This is the largest and most profitable customer segment for Ameris Bancorp. It is primarily composed of small to mid-sized businesses, particularly those engaged in real estate development and investment within the bank's high-growth Southeast footprint. Loan growth in Q3 2025 was driven mostly by Commercial and Industrial (C&I) and investor Commercial Real Estate (CRE).

The sheer size of the commercial loan book is what matters here. The combined commercial exposure-Real Estate-Commercial/Farmland at $9.05 billion and Commercial & Industrial (C&I) at $3.30 billion-totals $12.35 billion. This segment is the clear revenue engine, representing almost 60% of the total loan portfolio. To be fair, managing CRE concentration is a constant focus for a bank this size, but their CRE concentration (excluding owner-occupied) was reported at a manageable 40% of loans.

Customers requiring specialized financing (e.g., insurance premium financing)

This customer segment is a national play, not tied to the Southeast branch network, which is a smart diversification strategy. Ameris Bancorp operates a dedicated Premium Finance Division, serving businesses that need to finance their large commercial insurance premiums over time.

While the exact loan balance is not separately broken out from the remaining portfolio, the segment is a significant non-traditional income stream. The Premium Finance Division alone generated $6.4 million in net income for the bank in Q3 2025. This high-yield, short-duration lending business helps offset the cyclicality of traditional banking and mortgage lending.

Mortgage borrowers across the U.S. via select lending channels

Ameris Bancorp serves mortgage customers through two primary channels: the Retail Mortgage Division and the Warehouse Lending Division. This customer base extends well beyond the five Southeastern states where the bank has branches.

The Retail Mortgage Division focuses on originating and selling residential mortgages, adding to noninterest income. In Q3 2025, this activity generated $40.7 million in noninterest income, with total production reaching $1.09 billion. The Warehouse Lending Division, on the other hand, provides short-term credit lines to other mortgage originators, with a dedicated loan balance of $1.08 billion in Q3 2025. This two-pronged approach captures both the end-consumer and the mortgage industry professional.

Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) - Canvas Business Model: Cost Structure

You're looking at Ameris Bancorp's (ABCB) cost structure, and the story is simple: their main expense is the cost of money itself, which is typical for a bank. Still, their operational efficiency is a clear focus, evidenced by a low efficiency ratio. The key takeaway is that the cost of funding-Interest Expense-is the single largest driver, but management is actively controlling the Noninterest Expense to maintain a strong competitive position.

This structure is dominated by the variable cost of deposits and borrowings, plus the fixed and semi-fixed costs of running a large regional bank franchise across the Southeast. For the third quarter of 2025 (Q3 2025), the total expense base clearly shows where the capital is being deployed to support the $27.10 billion in total assets.

Primary cost driver is Interest Expense, reported at $117.082 million in Q3 2025

The primary cost driver for any bank is the Interest Expense, which is the interest paid on deposits and borrowed funds. For Ameris Bancorp in Q3 2025, this figure was a substantial $117.082 million, which is the cost of attracting and retaining the $22.23 billion in total deposits. This cost is directly tied to market interest rates and the bank's strategy for funding its loan growth.

To put that in perspective, the bank's Net Interest Income (the profit margin on lending) for the quarter was $238.9 million. Here's the quick math: the Interest Expense is almost half of the Net Interest Income, making it the most critical variable to manage. They are doing a good job keeping the cost of interest-bearing deposits competitive at 2.82% for the quarter.

Noninterest Expense for operations, totaling $154.6 million in Q3 2025

The second major cost bucket is Noninterest Expense, which covers all the operating costs outside of interest payments. This is where you see the direct cost of running the business, and for Q3 2025, Ameris Bancorp reported this at $154.6 million. Management is defintely focused here; they managed to decrease this expense by 0.4% from the previous quarter, helping to push the efficiency ratio down to a strong 49.19%. That's a good sign of expense control.

This category is largely fixed or semi-fixed, meaning it doesn't fluctuate much with small changes in revenue. It's the cost of keeping the lights on and the people working. The largest components of this $154.6 million are:

• Salaries and Benefits: $90.9 million
• Occupancy and Equipment: $11.5 million

Provision for Credit Losses, which was $22.6 million in Q3 2025

The Provision for Credit Losses (PCL) is a non-cash expense that acts as a reserve against potential loan defaults. It's a forward-looking cost that reflects the expected loss on the loan portfolio, which stood at $21.26 billion at quarter-end. For Q3 2025, the PCL was $22.6 million.

This provision was significantly higher than the $2.8 million recorded in the prior quarter, but it's not necessarily a bad sign. Over half of the expense, approximately $11.4 million, was related to an increase in reserves for unfunded commitments. That's a positive signal, as it indicates a strong pipeline of future loan growth, so you're reserving for loans that haven't even been fully drawn yet. The Allowance for Credit Losses on loans remains stable at 1.62% of loans.

Branch network and technology infrastructure maintenance costs

The core of the bank's operating platform is its physical and digital presence, and the costs for this are embedded in the Noninterest Expense. The $11.5 million in Occupancy and Equipment costs directly covers the physical branch network and the hardware supporting the entire operation. This is the bill for the bank's footprint across its key markets in the Southeast.

However, the biggest investment is in people, with Salaries and Benefits at $90.9 million. This includes the talent needed to run the technology infrastructure, manage the branches, and drive the specialty finance divisions. The bank is anticipating expense growth of around 5% to 5.5% in 2026, which is earmarked for strategic investments in talent and technology, showing a clear plan to modernize and expand their capabilities.

Here is a summary of the key cost components for Q3 2025:

Cost Component	Q3 2025 Amount (in millions)	Nature of Cost	Key Driver/Purpose
Interest Expense	$117.082	Variable	Cost of funding (interest paid on deposits and borrowings)
Noninterest Expense (Total)	$154.6	Fixed/Semi-Fixed	Operating expenses to run the bank
Salaries and Benefits (within Noninterest Expense)	$90.9	Semi-Fixed	Personnel for banking, mortgage, and technology operations
Occupancy and Equipment (within Noninterest Expense)	$11.5	Fixed	Maintenance of branch network and technology infrastructure
Provision for Credit Losses	$22.6	Non-Cash (Reserve)	Reserve set aside for expected losses on the loan portfolio

Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) - Canvas Business Model: Revenue Streams

You need to know exactly where Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) generates its income, because in a regional bank, the mix of interest income versus fee income tells you everything about their risk profile and earnings stability. The core of their revenue stream is, predictably, traditional banking, but their specialty finance divisions provide a crucial, high-margin diversification that sets them apart.

In the third quarter of 2025 (Q3 2025), Ameris Bancorp reported total revenue of $314.2 million, which was a strong beat against forecasts. This performance was driven by both expansion in their net interest margin and significant growth in noninterest income (fee income), showing a healthy, dual-engine revenue model. That's a solid foundation for any bank.

Net Interest Income (NII) from loans and securities

Net Interest Income (NII) is the lifeblood of any bank-it's the difference between what the bank earns on its assets (like loans and securities) and what it pays on its liabilities (like deposits). For Ameris Bancorp, this primary revenue engine delivered $238.9 million on a tax-equivalent basis in Q3 2025.

This NII figure was up 2.7% from the previous quarter and a substantial 11.1% increase year-over-year. This growth wasn't accidental; it was fueled by an expanded Net Interest Margin (NIM), which reached 3.80% in Q3 2025, placing the company among the top performers in the industry. The bank achieved this by growing its average earning assets by an annualized 3.0% during the quarter, specifically through a $168.4 million increase in investment securities and a $109.5 million rise in average portfolio loans.

Noninterest Income from the Retail Mortgage Division (gains on loan sales)

The Retail Mortgage Division provides a high-volume, counter-cyclical revenue stream, primarily through gains on the sale of loans. This activity is volatile, but when rates stabilize or drop, it can be a huge boost. Total noninterest income for Ameris Bancorp reached $76.3 million in Q3 2025, a 10.7% increase from the prior quarter.

Mortgage banking activity specifically contributed $40.7 million to this noninterest income in Q3 2025. The division is a significant profit center, reporting $18.7 million in net income for the quarter. While the gain on sale spreads saw a slight decrease to 2.20% in Q3 2025 from 2.22% in the previous quarter, the overall production volume remains a key driver of fee revenue.

Fee income from the Premium Finance and Warehouse Lending Divisions

Ameris Bancorp's specialty finance segments-Premium Finance and Warehouse Lending-are critical for diversification, offering fee-based revenue that often carries a higher return on equity. These divisions are less dependent on the core banking market's day-to-day fluctuations.

The Warehouse Lending Division, which provides short-term financing to mortgage originators, generated $5.8 million in net income for Q3 2025. The Premium Finance Division, which funds commercial insurance premiums, added another $6.4 million in net income for the quarter. These niche lending businesses are essential to the bank's overall profitability, providing stable fee-based earnings. Honestly, a well-run specialty finance segment is a hidden gem in a regional bank's portfolio.

Service charges and fees from banking and treasury services

The most stable, recurring form of fee income comes from day-to-day banking activities, which are less sensitive to interest rate cycles. This includes service charges, treasury management fees, and interchange fees from debit card usage. In Q3 2025, service charges alone contributed $13.9 million to noninterest income, up 7.8% year-over-year.

Other notable contributors to the noninterest income of $76.3 million in Q3 2025 were:

• Equipment finance activity: Increased by $2.3 million quarter-over-quarter.
• Derivative fee income: Increased by $1.4 million quarter-over-quarter.
• Gain on the sale of securities: A one-time boost of $1.6 million in the quarter.

Here's the quick math on the major Q3 2025 revenue components:

Revenue Stream Component	Q3 2025 Amount (in millions)	Commentary
Net Interest Income (NII)	$238.9	Primary revenue source; up 11.1% YoY.
Total Noninterest Income	$76.3	Represents 24.3% of total Q3 revenue.
Mortgage Banking Activity	$40.7	Largest noninterest income source; includes gains on loan sales.
Service Charges & Fees	$13.9	Stable, recurring fee income from core banking services.
Premium Finance Net Income	$6.4	Specialty finance profit center.
Warehouse Lending Net Income	$5.8	Specialty finance profit center.

What this estimate hides is the inherent volatility in the mortgage and warehouse lending segments, which can fluctuate wildly with interest rate changes, still, the overall revenue mix is defintely strong.