Iberiabank acquires Georgia Commerce to keep investors from pulling out

The decline in oil prices has got those investing in banks worried, but IberiaBank investors have little to be concerned about, the company says. IberiaBank issued a press release last week to waylay investor fears.

In recent years, Iberia Bank has moved away from energy lending and is continuing to expand. As of September 30, 2014, the bank’s energy loans only accounted for 7.6 percent, or about $840 million, of its total outstanding loans. Six months prior, that number had been 8.4 percent, indicating a downward trend. The vast majority of loans issued by the company since the end of 2011 have not been energy related.

Though there are energy loans past due with the bank, they value at a mere $36,410, just .004 percent of the $840 million total for outstanding energy lending.  A sinking ship.