Exhibit 99.1

Civista Bancshares, Inc. Announces Strong 2016 Earnings

Sandusky, Ohio, January 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/– Civista Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:CIVB) (“Civista”) reported net income available to common shareholders of $3.3 million, or $0.33 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2016, compared with $2.8 million, or $0.29 per diluted share, for the prior year period. For the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2016, Civista reported net income available to common shareholders of $15.7 million, or $1.57 per diluted share, compared to $11.2 million, or $1.17 per diluted share, for the same period in 2015. Civista’s 2016 twelve-month performance included the second quarter receipt of a payoff on a non-performing loan which resulted in a credit provision of $1.3 million and additional interest income of $919 thousand. These two items approximated $1.5 million in income after-tax, or approximately $0.13 per diluted share.

“While 2015 was spent integrating and digesting an acquisition, 2016 was a year of organic growth and operational improvements. Our growth in the loan portfolio for the year was 5.4%. Our mortgage banking business produced a record for the most loans originated and sold. Asset quality continued to improve with a reduction in non-performing assets of 11.8%. Noninterest income expanded 13.0% and noninterest expenses increased a mere 2.1%, which equals the inflation rate for 2016.” said James O. Miller, Chairman, President and CEO of Civista.

Results of Operations:

Net interest income for the fourth quarter of 2016 increased $397 thousand, or 3.3% compared to the same period of 2015 and increased $2.9 million, or 6.0%, in 2016 compared to 2015. For the three and twelve-month periods ended December 31, an increase in average loans outstanding primarily contributed to the increase in interest income compared to 2015. Tax equivalent net interest margin was 4.05% for the fourth quarter, compared to 4.09% for the same period a year ago, and 3.93% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2016, compared to 3.96% in 2015. Net interest margin was benefited supported in 2016 by the impact of additional interest income recovered due to the payoff on a non-performing loan previously mentioned. The recovery resulted in approximately seven basis points of additional net interest margin.

Summary Average Balance Sheet

(Tax-equivalent basis / dollars in thousands)

Summary Average Balance Sheet

(Tax-equivalent basis / dollars in thousands)

No provision for loan losses was made for the fourth quarter of 2016 or 2015. For the year ended December 31, 2016, the provision was a $1.3 million credit provision due to ongoing improvement in the loan portfolio and recognition of a $1.3 million recovery due to the pay-off of a nonperforming loan relationship. The provision for loan losses for the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2015 was $1.2 million.    

During the quarter, noninterest income totaled $3.1 million, which was essentially the same as the prior year’s fourth quarter. Noninterest income totaled $16.1 million, an increase of $1.9 million, or 13.0%, compared to 2015.

Noninterest income    

Service charge income decreased $103 thousand, or 8.4%, for the three-month period, but increased $124 thousand, or 2.6%, for the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2016 compared to 2015. Overdraft charges and consumer service changes were down in both periods while business service charges were up for the twelve-month period, primarily due to a new large customer relationship. Gain on sale of loans increased $191 thousand and $644 thousand for the three and twelve-month periods ended December 31, respectively. The increase in gain on sale of loans for both periods was due to additional volume of loans sold as well as an increase in the premium on loans sold. Wealth management fees increased $25 thousand for the three-month period, but decreased $145 thousand for the twelve-month period. Assets under management have increased $34 million during the year from $397 million at December 31, 2015 to $431 million at December 31, 2016. Average assets under management were $412 million and $422 million for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Tax refund processing fees increased $750 thousand in the twelve-month period due to a higher contract fee to compensate for an increase in the volume of refunds processed.

Noninterest expense totaled $10.7 million for the fourth quarter 2016, a decrease of $39 thousand, compared to the prior year’s fourth quarter. Noninterest expense for the full year totaled $43.9 million, an increase of $911 thousand, or 2.1%, when compared to 2015.

Noninterest expense

Salaries, wages and benefits expense increased $372 thousand for the fourth quarter and $1.7 million for the twelve-month period ending December 31, 2016. The increases in salaries, wages and benefits expense for both periods were due to an increase in employees, normal merit raises, an increase in incentives and insurance costs. Net occupancy and equipment increased $118 thousand and $422 thousand, respectively for the three-month and twelve-month periods ended December 31 2016, due primarily to repair and maintenance, real estate tax and rent expense. Contracted data processing decreased $275 thousand for the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2016. Professional services decreased $300 thousand and $566 thousand for the three and twelve-month periods ended December 31, 2016. The year-to-date decreases to data processing and professional services were partially due to expenses related to the acquisition of TCNB Financial Corporation in 2015 and partially due to expenses related to our shelf registration. Expenses included in the twelve months ended December 31, 2015 that were acquisition related approximate $390 thousand and those related to the shelf registration approximate $244 thousand.

The twelve-month efficiency ratio was 63.7% during 2016 compared to 67.0% for 2015. The improvement in the efficiency ratio is due to the increase in net interest income, an increase in noninterest income, partially offset by a modest increase in noninterest expense. During 2016 we received approximately $919 thousand in recovered interest income. The effect to the efficiency ratio was an increase of approximately 90 basis points.    

Balance Sheet

Total assets increased $62.2 million, or 4.7%, from December 31, 2015 to December 31, 2016, due primarily to loan growth of $54.0 million.    

Total loans increased $54.0 million, or 5.4%, from December 31, 2015 to December 31, 2016. The increase in total loans is due to growth in our Commercial Real Estate – Non-owner Occupied, Commercial and Agriculture and Residential Real Estate loan portfolios. The increase in loans is due to the leveraging of existing client relationships and centers of influence, especially in our growing metropolitan markets. The current rate environment has allowed for continued growth in the Residential Real Estate loan balances across Civista’s entire footprint.

End of period loan balances

(dollars in thousands)

Total deposits increased $69.1 million, or 6.6%, from December 31, 2015 to December 31, 2016, due primarily to increases in public fund deposits, business deposits, and both savings and money market deposits.

End of period deposit balances

(dollars in thousands)

Federal Home Loan Bank advances decreased $22.7 million or 31.9% from December 31, 2015 to December 31, 2016, primarily due to the increase in deposits.

Total shareholders’ equity increased $12.4 million, or 9.9%, from December 31, 2015 to December 31, 2016 primarily due to increased retained earnings of $14.0 million, offset by a $1.5 million decrease in other comprehensive income.

Asset Quality

The Company recorded net charge-offs of $146 thousand for the fourth quarter of 2016 compared to net charge-offs of $400 thousand for the same period of 2015. Net recoveries for the year were $244 thousand for 2016 compared to net charge-offs of $1.1 million for the same period of 2015.

Allowance for Loan Losses

(dollars in thousands)

Nonperforming assets at December 31, 2016 were $11.7 million, a $1.6 million decrease from December 31, 2015.

Non-performing Assets

(dollars in thousands)

Mr. Miller continued, “In addition to growing loans and increasing our mortgage loan production, we were once again successful at improving asset quality. Non-performing assets decreased 11.8%. Asset quality has returned to pre-recession levels as the ratio of non-performing assets to assets is now at 0.85%.”

Civista Bancshares, Inc. is a $1.4 billion financial holding company headquartered in Sandusky, Ohio. The Company’s banking subsidiary, Civista Bank, operates 28 locations in North Central, West Central and Southwestern Ohio.

Civista Bancshares, Inc. may be accessed at www.civb.com. The Company’s common shares are traded on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “CIVB”. The Company’s depositary shares, each representing a 1/40^th ownership interest in a Series B Preferred Share, are traded on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “CIVBP”.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements regarding the financial performance, business prospects, growth and operating strategies of Civista. For these statements, Civista claims the protections of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities

Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements in this press release should be considered in conjunction with the other information available about Civista, including the information in the filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations or forecasts of future events and are not guarantees of future performance. The forward-looking statements are based on management’s expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. We have tried, wherever possible, to identify such statements by using words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “will” and similar expressions in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially include risk factors relating to the banking industry and the other factors detailed from time to time in Civista’ reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those described in “Item 1A Risk Factors” of Part I of Civista’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015. Undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Civista does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to update any forward-looking statement to reflect the events or circumstances after the date on which the forward-looking statement is made, or reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except to the extent required by law.

For additional information, contact:

James O. Miller

Chairman, President and CEO

Civista Bancshares, Inc.

888-645-4121

Civista Bancshares, Inc.

Financial Highlights

(dollars in thousands, except share amounts)

Consolidated Condensed Statement of Income    

Selected Balance Sheet Items

Average Balance Analysis

(Unaudited - Dollars in thousands except share data)

Average Balance Analysis

(Unaudited - Dollars in thousands except share data)

Supplemental Financial Information

(Unaudited - Dollars in thousands except share data)

Supplemental Financial Information    

(Unaudited - Dollars in thousands except share data)