Initial Statement of Beneficial Ownership (Form 3)

FORM 3

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * Eelman Anthony J. 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year) 02/12/2026 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol Amerant Bancorp Inc. [AMTB] (Last) (First) (Middle) 220 ALHAMBRA CR 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) EVP, Chief Products Officer 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (Month/Day/Year) (Street) CORAL GABLES, FL 33134 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 4) 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4) 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5) 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5) Class A Common Stock 1,150 D

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.			SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Restricted Stock Units	(1)	(1)	Class A Common Stock	762	$0(2)	D
Restricted Stock Units LTI 2025	(3)	(3)	Class A Common Stock	1,000	$0(2)	D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Eelman Anthony J. 220 ALHAMBRA CR CORAL GABLES, FL 33134			EVP, Chief Products Officer

Signatures

/s/ Julio Pena, as Attorney-in-Fact for Anthony J. Eelman		02/19/2026
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	On December 1, 2023, Mr. Eelman was awarded 2,284 Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) each representing the right to receive, following vesting, one share of Class A Common Stock. The award vests in substantially equal installments on each of the first three anniversaries of the date of grant, provided that Mr. Eelman remains in the continuous service of the Company or a subsidiary through each such date.
(2)	Each RSU is the economic equivalent of one share of Class A Common Stock.
(3)	On February 18, 2025, Mr. Eelman was awarded 1,000 RSUs each representing the right to receive, following vesting, one share of Class A Common Stock. The award vests in substantially equal installments on each of the first three anniversaries of the date of grant, provided that Mr. Eelman remains in the continuous service of the Company or a subsidiary through each such date.
Remarks: A power of attorney for Section 16 reporting obligations is attached as Exhibit 24.

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