Origin Bancorp Sees Broad Insider Participation in Late-Oct Buying Flurry

Origin Bancorp, Inc. (OBK:US) is the financial holding company for Origin Bank, headquartered in Ruston, Louisiana. Through its network across Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and parts of the Southeast, the bank provides a full suite of financial services to individuals and businesses. With a market capitalization hovering around 1.05 billion USD, Origin Bancorp sits firmly among the small-cap regional banks, a segment that has been under the spotlight since the U.S. regional banking turbulence of 2023.

Inside the Recent Trades

At the end of October 2025, Origin Bancorp saw an unusually strong wave of insider buying. Between October 27 and 29, several top executives and board members stepped into the market, collectively purchasing tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of Origin shares. The buying prices were clustered tightly between 34 and 35 USD per share.

Among the most notable transactions was a 6,500-share purchase by Director Preston Moore, totaling roughly 222,000 USD. Chief Executive Officer Drake Mills made two purchases amounting to 1,200 shares, while Chief Accounting Officer Steve Brolly and Chief Risk Officer Jim Crotwell also added to their holdings. Independent directors including William Wallace, Martin Lance Hall, Gary Luffey, and Derek McGee joined in as well.

The buying activity was not limited to a single executive, instead, it extended across leadership levels and departments. That breadth of participation makes the event particularly interesting for insider-trade watchers. It’s not every day that a regional bank sees multiple senior insiders, including its CEO, CAO, and CRO, buying stock in the same week and at nearly identical price levels.

A Clear Cluster After a Long Pause

This coordinated pattern marks the first major insider buying cluster at Origin Bancorp since 2023. For almost two years, the company’s insider activity remained quiet, with no significant open-market purchases recorded. The recent burst, therefore, stands out not only in timing but also in tone, signaling renewed internal confidence at a time when regional banks are still navigating interest-rate pressure and credit-risk concerns.

Cluster buying events like this often serve as leading indicators of management sentiment. When multiple insiders buy shares within days of each other, it suggests they see the stock as undervalued relative to the company’s prospects. In the case of Origin, the trades align with a period of improving profitability and balance-sheet strength. It’s plausible that the insiders view the current share price, which has been relatively stable in the mid-30s, as an attractive entry point ahead of a stronger earnings phase.

Financial Performance and Outlook

Origin Bancorp’s latest results help explain the renewed insider confidence. In Q1 2025, the bank posted net income of 22.4 million USD, or 0.71 USD per share, up sharply from 14.3 million USD (0.46 USD per share) in the prior quarter. Earnings eased to 14.6 million USD (0.47 USD per share) in Q2, but key indicators remained strong. Net interest income rose nearly 5 percent to 82.1 million USD, and the net interest margin expanded to 3.61 percent, showing solid balance-sheet management and disciplined loan pricing in a tough environment.

While a 14.4 million USD loss on investment securities hurt non-interest income, the bank’s fundamentals remain solid. Tangible book value continues to rise, and with total assets around 9.7 billion USD and liabilities near 8.5 billion USD, Origin maintains a healthy capital position supported by stable credit quality and liquidity.

For investors tracking insider activity, this recent buying spree sends a clear message: the people closest to Origin Bancorp’s operations believe the company’s current valuation doesn’t fully reflect its fundamentals. The timing, after a two-year gap in insider accumulation, gives the trades added weight.