A southeast Arkansas lender has made a second home in Saline County. Merchants & Farmers Bank of Dumas (Desha County) is converting its loan production office in Bryant into a full-service branch.
The $114 million-asset lender has operated a loan production office there for more than four years.
The bank’s total book of loans has grown from $49.5 million in 2012 to nearly $56.8 million in 2013 to almost $64 million in 2014 and more than $78 million in 2015.
Bryant “exceeded all of our expectations in finding loan volume and loan quality in central Arkansas,” said Michael Jones, CEO of M&F Bank.
During the past four years, the bank recorded profits of $852,000 last year, $652,000 in 2014, $727,000 in 2013 and $546,000 in 2012.
At last count, 10 banks operate a dozen branches in Bryant. M&F Bank, which intends to build a new facility in Bryant, makes No. 11.