Here are 1-3 brief analogies for Catalyst Bancorp (CLST):

• It's like the local, independent coffee shop version of Starbucks, but for banking.
• It's a community bank, like a hyper-local branch of a larger regional bank (e.g., KeyCorp or Truist), focused solely on specific towns in Louisiana.
• Think of it as the neighborhood diner of banking compared to a national restaurant chain, emphasizing local relationships and personalized service.

• Deposit Accounts: Provides various checking, savings, money market, and certificate of deposit accounts for individuals and businesses.
• Commercial Lending: Offers loans to businesses for purposes such as real estate, equipment, and working capital.
• Residential Mortgage Lending: Originates loans for the purchase or refinance of owner-occupied and investment residential properties.
• Consumer Lending: Provides personal loans, auto loans, and other credit products to individual customers.

Catalyst Bancorp (CLST) is a bank holding company for Catalyst Bank. As a financial institution, Catalyst Bank serves a diverse base of customers rather than having a few "major customers" in the traditional sense of a company selling goods or services to large corporate clients. Banks typically do not disclose specific customer names due to privacy regulations and the nature of banking relationships.

Catalyst Bancorp primarily serves the following categories of customers:

• Individual Consumers: This category includes individuals and families who utilize the bank for personal financial needs such as checking and savings accounts, mortgages, home equity loans, personal loans, and other retail banking services.
• Small to Medium-Sized Businesses: Businesses rely on Catalyst Bank for commercial checking and savings accounts, business loans (e.g., commercial real estate, working capital lines of credit, equipment financing), and various treasury management services.

• Fiserv, Inc. (FISV)
• Visa Inc. (V)
• Mastercard Incorporated (MA)

Joseph B. Zanco, C.P.A., CIA - Director, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and the Bank

Mr. Zanco has served as Director, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Catalyst Bank since August 2020. Prior to joining Catalyst Bank, he was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Home Bancorp, Inc. and Home Bank, N.A., from April 2008 until August 2020. He previously served as Controller and Principal Accounting Officer of Iberiabank from February 2005 to April 2008. Mr. Zanco is a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Internal Auditor. He served as the inaugural Chairman of the Board of One Acadiana and holds a B.S. in Accounting from Louisiana State University.

Jacques L. J. Bourque, C.P.A., M.B.A. - Principal Accounting Officer; Chief Financial Officer of the Company and the Bank

Mr. Bourque was appointed Chief Financial Officer of Catalyst Bancorp and Catalyst Bank in February 2022. He joined the company as Treasurer in October 2021. Before his role as Treasurer, he served as Senior Accountant for Home Bank, N.A., from October 2018 to October 2021, where he contributed to financial reporting and analysis. Mr. Bourque earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from Louisiana State University, graduating summa cum laude, and a master's degree in business administration from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. At the time of his appointment, he was noted as the youngest public bank CFO in the U.S.

Amanda B. Quebedeaux - Senior Vice President and Director of Operations of Catalyst Bank

Ms. Quebedeaux serves as Senior Vice President and Director of Operations of Catalyst Bank. She is also listed as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Catalyst Bank.

Don P. Ledet - Senior Vice President and Chief Risk Officer of Catalyst Bank

Mr. Ledet holds the position of Senior Vice President and Chief Risk Officer of Catalyst Bank.

Ted D. Bellard - Director and Secretary

Mr. Bellard serves as a Director and Secretary for Catalyst Bancorp. He is also the President and owner of Targil, Inc., a seasoning supply company located in Opelousas, Louisiana, a position he has held since July 1995. He brings business and management expertise to the board through his ownership of local businesses in the communities served by Catalyst Bank.

The emergence of digital-first banks (neobanks and challenger banks) poses a significant threat, as these entities leverage lower overhead, competitive rates, and superior mobile-first experiences to attract customers seeking deposits and loans, directly competing with Catalyst Bancorp's core offerings.

Additionally, the increasing foray of large technology companies into financial services, such as Apple's credit card and Google's payment and checking account initiatives, presents an emerging threat by leveraging vast user bases and integrated ecosystems to capture banking-related customer interactions and revenue streams.

Catalyst Bancorp (CLST) operates primarily in Louisiana, specifically within the Acadiana region of south-central Louisiana. The company, through its subsidiary Catalyst Bank, offers a range of banking products and services, including various deposit products and loan types to individuals and businesses.

The addressable markets for Catalyst Bancorp's main products and services, sized for the U.S. market, are as follows:

• Community Banking (deposits and general banking services): The U.S. community banking market was valued at approximately USD 6.35 billion in 2024.

• Residential Mortgage Loans (single-family and multi-family): The U.S. home loan market stood at USD 2.29 trillion in 2025.

• Commercial Real Estate Mortgage Loans (including multi-family, construction, and land loans): The total commercial and multifamily mortgage debt outstanding in the U.S. reached USD 4.79 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2024.

• Commercial and Industrial (C&I) Loans: Commercial and industrial loans held by all commercial banks in the U.S. were approximately USD 2.703 trillion as of October 2025.

• Consumer Loans (excluding mortgages): The total U.S. consumer loan market (non-housing balances), encompassing credit card, auto, student, and other consumer finance loans, was approximately USD 5.05 trillion in the second quarter of 2025.

Here are 3-5 expected drivers of future revenue growth for Catalyst Bancorp (CLST) over the next 2-3 years:

• Loan Portfolio Diversification and Growth in Commercial Real Estate and Multi-Family Residential Lending: Catalyst Bancorp is strategically shifting its loan portfolio to emphasize commercial real estate and multi-family residential lending. In the second quarter of 2025, the company saw a significant acceleration in this diversification, with commercial real estate loans surging by 54% and multi-family residential loans more than doubling compared to the previous quarter. Management has prioritized moving beyond traditional one-to-four-family residential mortgages to focus on these commercial segments and small business borrowers. Despite a slight decrease in total loans in Q3 2025, the President and CEO, Joe Zanco, anticipates that increased economic activity in the coming quarters will stimulate new loan growth opportunities.
• Expansion of the Deposit Base, particularly in Non-Interest-Bearing and Low-Cost Savings Accounts: Growing its deposit base, especially through non-interest-bearing demand and low-cost savings accounts, is a key driver for Catalyst Bancorp. The company successfully strengthened its deposit base in Q2 2025, with total deposits growing by 1% sequentially. Notably, non-interest-bearing demand balances increased by 19% and savings accounts by 20% compared to the prior quarter. Attracting new deposit customers has been highlighted by management as a successful endeavor in 2025, which provides a more stable and cost-effective funding source for its lending activities.
• Net Interest Margin (NIM) Expansion: Catalyst Bancorp has demonstrated an ability to expand its net interest margin, a crucial profitability metric. In Q2 2025, the net interest margin improved to 3.98%, up from 3.89% in the preceding quarter and 3.72% year-over-year. This expansion was driven by increased yields on interest-earning assets and reduced funding costs for interest-bearing deposits, primarily supported by the growth in non-interest-bearing and low-cost savings accounts. While Q3 2025 saw a slight dip in NIM, the company's focus on managing funding costs and optimizing asset yields is expected to continue supporting this driver, especially as loan growth is anticipated.
• Strategic Market Expansion within the Acadiana Region of Louisiana: Catalyst Bancorp operates as a community bank with a clear focus on the Acadiana region of Louisiana. The company manages six branches and is expanding its presence in Lafayette Parish, an area identified as economically expanding. The bank's Q2 2025 results indicated ongoing market expansion efforts, and its CEO noted that the team continues to build momentum across its markets. This targeted geographic expansion within a growing economic area is expected to lead to increased customer acquisition and new lending opportunities, thereby driving revenue growth.

Share Repurchases

• Since January 26, 2023, and through September 30, 2025, Catalyst Bancorp repurchased 1,160,396 shares of its common stock at an average cost of $11.94 per share, totaling approximately $13.86 million.
• As of September 30, 2025, 38,604 shares remained available for repurchase under the November 2024 Repurchase Plan.
• A new share repurchase plan was authorized on November 25, 2024, allowing for the purchase of up to 215,000 shares, or approximately 5% of outstanding common stock.

Share Issuance

• No specific dollar amount of shares issued was found in the provided search results.

Outbound Investments

• In the third quarter of 2025, the company purchased $15.1 million in variable-rate and $1.1 million in fixed-rate government-sponsored mortgage-backed securities.
• Catalyst Bancorp's primary business activity includes purchasing investment securities.

Capital Expenditures

• Capital expenditures for June 2025 were $34,000.
• The forecast for capital expenditures for the next fiscal year is $141.333 thousand.
• The company expanded its branch network with new locations in Carencro and Lafayette, Louisiana, and upgraded its systems, leading to over $200,000 in annual non-interest expense reductions.