New York, May 22, 2026, 06:06 (EDT)
- CLST was indicated around $15.91 before the U.S. market opened on Friday. Trading was very thin.
- Catalyst’s most recent filing revealed annual meeting results, but investors are more focused on the upcoming Lakeside Bancshares deal.
- U.S. stock markets will be open on Friday. Markets are closed on Monday for Memorial Day.
Catalyst Bancorp Inc. was steady ahead of the U.S. open Friday, stuck near $15.91. Investors kept an eye on the next move in its planned $41.1 million buy of Lakeside Bancshares Inc. Nasdaq quotes showed little action, the stock stayed between $15.85 and $15.91 on low volume.
Lately, it’s relevant because there hasn’t been any new earnings surprise, deal price update, or dividend news. The latest company filing on Catalyst’s investor-relations page, dated May 21, just listed normal annual-meeting results. That puts the Lakeside deal as the next key thing for this thinly traded small-bank stock.
Catalyst shareholders picked Frederick R. Lafleur and Matthew L. Scruggins for new three-year board terms, and approved BDO USA as auditor for 2026. The May 19 vote covered 2.93 million out of 4.06 million eligible shares, according to a filing.
Friday runs as a regular session for U.S. stocks. Liquidity could get lighter ahead of the long weekend. Nasdaq’s 2026 calendar names Memorial Day, May 25, as a full market holiday. Market reports point to equities following the usual Friday schedule, with bonds shutting early.
Catalyst, out of Opelousas, Louisiana, posted first-quarter net income of $558,000, or 15 cents a diluted share. That’s up from $456,000, or 13 cents, in the fourth quarter. This period included $95,000 in pre-tax professional fees from the Lakeside deal.
Catalyst president and CEO Joe Zanco said the bank is “fully engaged” in getting ready for growth in Southwest Louisiana and remains “focused on winning new business organically.” Deposits increased 5% from year-end to $195.4 million. Loans dropped 4% to $163.7 million. PR Newswire
The bank reported a net interest margin of 3.83% for the first quarter, slipping eight basis points from the previous quarter. A basis point equals one-hundredth of a percentage point.
Lakeside is the biggest moving part. Catalyst said in April it would buy Lakeside for $19.58 per share in cash, a total of around $41.1 million. Deal closing is set for the third quarter, pending shareholder and regulatory sign-off.
Zanco said the deal “more than doubles the size of our company.” Lakeside CEO Roy Raftery called out “scale, technology, and resources” for customers from the merger. Catalyst listed Lakeside with $385.7 million in assets, $236.3 million in loans and $287.5 million in deposits at Dec. 31, 2025. SEC
Catalyst’s deal would put it further into the Lake Charles market, where its investor deck names Business First Bancshares, Home Bancorp, and Red River Bancshares as community-bank rivals. Deposit share looks key—branch numbers probably won’t tell the story for how much of the expected earnings boost holds up after integration.
The deal carries risks. Catalyst warned that regulators might take longer to approve or attach conditions to the deal, cost cuts could lag, and the merger could disrupt customers, workers or suppliers. At March 31, the company showed $2.7 million in non-performing assets, about flat from year-end.
CLST is moving like a deal-watch stock right now, not an earnings story. Shares don’t trade much, so quotes shift easily, especially with Monday’s holiday coming up. The market’s waiting for a new filing—anything on Lakeside shareholder approval, a green light from regulators, or news on closing timing.
