Dave Brager
Analyst · Raymond James. Go ahead
Thank you, Christina. And good morning everyone, and thank you for joining us again this quarter. We reported net earnings of $47.5 million for the third quarter of 2020 or $0.35 per share, which represented our 174th consecutive quarter of profitability. We also declared an $0.18 per share dividend for the third quarter of 2020, which represented our 124th consecutive quarter of paying a cash dividend to our shareholders. Our net earnings of $47.5 million, compared with $46 million for the second quarter of 2020 and $50.4 million for the year-ago quarter. Earnings per share of $0.35 for the third quarter, compared with $0.31 for the second quarter and $0.36 for the year-ago quarter. Through the first nine months of 2020, we earned $127.1 million, compared with $156.5 million for the first nine months of 2019. Diluted earnings per share were $0.93 for the nine month period ended September 30, 2020, compared with $1.12 for the same period in 2019. Our pre-tax pre-provision income was $66.9 million for the third quarter, which was $3.4 million lower than the prior quarter and $5.6 million lower than the third quarter of 2019. We did not have a provision for credit losses in the third quarter as our forecast of macroeconomic variables at quarter end was generally consistent with the prior quarter and the asset quality of our loan portfolio did not materially change from the second quarter. We will discuss our allowance and our economic forecast in more detail later in this call. Now I'd like discuss our deposits and loans. At September 30, 2020, our non-interest-bearing deposits totaled $6.92 billion, compared with $6.9 billion for the prior quarter and $5.39 billion for the year-ago quarter. Non-interest-bearing deposits were 62% of total deposits at the end of our third quarter, compared with 63% for the prior quarter and 61% for the year-ago quarter. At September 30, 2020, our total deposits and customer repurchase agreements were $11.7 billion, compared with $11.5 billion at June 30 2020 and $9.2 billion for the same period a year ago. Average non-interest-bearing deposits were $6.7 billion for the third quarter of 2020, compared with $6.2 billion for the prior quarter and $5.2 billion for the year-ago quarter. Our average total deposits and customer repurchase agreements of $11.4 billion for the third quarter grew by $930 million or 8.9% from the second quarter. Now moving onto loans. Total loans increased by $5.3 million from the end of the second quarter. SBA Paycheck Protection Program loans grew by $4 million and excluding PPP loans, loans increased by $1.3 million, as a $63 million increase in commercial real estate loans was offset by a $24 million decrease in construction loans; a $12 million decrease in single-family residential loans; a $12 million decline in municipal financing loans and a $24 million decline in C&I loans. The C&I loan balances were impacted by a reduction in line utilization from the end of the second quarter. The Bank's total unused loan commitments increased by approximately $72 million from June 30 through September 30, and the overall line utilization rate declined from approximately 48% at June 30, 2020 to 46% at September 30, 2020. Compared to September 30 2019, total loans were $913 million higher, but when the PPP loans are excluded total loans declined by $188 million or 2.5% over the prior year. This decrease in loans was generally across all loan segments with the exception of a $53 million increase in commercial real estate loans. Average loans for the third quarter increased by $335 million, compared with the second quarter of 2020 and increased by $887 million, compared with the year ago quarter. During the third quarter of 2020 PPP loans had an average balance of $1.1 billion, compared to $670 million for the second quarter. Of the more than 4,000 PPP loans we originated 387 of our borrowers, representing $439 million in loans have made submissions to the bank in order to request forgiveness, approximately half of those loans requesting forgiveness are between $150,000 and $350,000 in loan size with the remaining 50% comprised of loans that are greater than $350,000. To-date we have not processed forgiveness requests on any of the 1,360 loans originated under the $150,000 level. Of the 387 forgiveness applications only 26 loans, representing $17 million have been submitted to the SBA for review. Net interest income before provision for credit losses was $103.3 million for the third quarter, compared with $104.6 million for the second quarter and $108.2 million from the year ago quarter. The $1.2 million decrease in net interest income from the second quarter was due to the $1.2 million decrease in loan interest income. The $4.8 million decrease in net interest income from the prior year was primarily due to a $4.6 million decline in loan interest income. Our tax equivalent net interest margin was 3.34% for the third quarter of 2020, compared with 3.7% for the second quarter and 4.34% for the third quarter of 2019, when the impact of PPP loans discount accretion on acquired loans and non-accrual interest paid is excluded, the adjusted tax equivalent net interest margin was 3.18% for the third quarter, down from 3.42% from the prior quarter and 4.02% for the year-ago quarter. Our net interest margin was negatively impacted during the third quarter due to the excess liquidity that resulted in approximately $1.5 billion on average on deposit at the Federal Reserve earning just 10 basis points. The net interest margin in the third quarter would have been about 45 basis points higher without the $1.5 billion on deposit at the Federal Reserve. Loan yields were 4.47% for the third quarter of 2020, compared with 4.77% for the second quarter of 2020 and 5.23% for the year-ago quarter. This decline was primarily due to the impact of the Federal Reserve's rate decreases and the decline in discount accretion income for acquired loans. Total interest and fee income from PPP loans was $9.5 million in the third quarter, compared to $8.5 million in the second quarter. Excluding the impact of PPP loans, interest income related to purchase discount accretion and non-accrual interest paid, loan yields were 4.37% for the third quarter, 7 basis points lower than the second quarter of 2020 and 44 basis points lower than the third quarter of 2019. Our cost of deposits and customer repurchase agreements for the third quarter were 11 basis points and our total cost of funds was also 11 basis points. Our cost of funds declined by 2 basis points from the prior quarter and by 12 basis points from the third quarter of last year. Now moving onto non-interest income. Non-interest income was $13.2 million for the third quarter of 2020, compared with $12.2 million for the prior quarter and $11.9 million for the year-ago quarter. The third quarter of 2020 included a $1.7 million gain from the sale of a bank-owned building related to a banking center that we closed and consolidated during September. We generated $1.6 million in fees from interest rate swaps during the third quarter, which was our second highest quarter in history. The highest quarter in history was a $2.2 million of fees in the second quarter of this year. Deposit service charges grew modestly from the prior quarter by $161,000, but were down by $863,000 from the prior year, due to the higher earnings credits generated by the significant increase in our customers non-interest-bearing checking account balances. Now to expenses. Non-interest expense for the third quarter was $49.6 million, compared to $46.4 million for the second quarter of 2020 and $47.5 million for the year-ago quarter. Non-interest expense for the third quarter of 2020 included a $1.1 million -- included $1.1 million for a special thank you award paid in the third quarter to qualifying associates for their commitment and effort during these unprecedented times. Salary and benefit expense also increased over the prior quarter by an additional $900,000, due to the lower net deferred loan costs related to loan originations that were elevated in the second quarter from the origination of PPP loans. The quarter also included a $700,000 write-down in value for one OREO property. Assessment expense increased by approximately $800,000, compared to both the prior quarter and the third quarter of 2019, as the bank fully utilized its FDIC assessment credits from the third quarter of 2019, during the second quarter of 2020. Non-interest expense totaled 1.44% of average assets for the third quarter, compared with 1.48% for the second quarter and 1.68% for the third quarter of 2019. Our efficiency ratio was 42.57% for the third quarter of 2020, compared with 39.75% for the prior quarter and 39.6% for the third quarter of 2019. Now turning to our asset quality metrics. At quarter end, non-performing assets defined as non-accrual loans plus other real estate owned were $16 million, compared to $11.7 million for the prior quarter and $16.1 million at September 30, 2019. As of September 30, 2020, we had OREO of $4.2 million. At September 30, 2020 we had loans delinquent 30 to 89 days of $3.8 million, compared with $2.6 million at June 30, 2020. Classified loans for the third quarter were $72.7 million, a $13.6 million decrease from the prior quarter. We will have more detailed information on classified loans available in our third quarter Form 10-Q. Through October 9 2020, we have granted temporary payment deferments, primarily a principal and interest for loans in the amount of $69 million for 33 borrowers. Deep deferments were primarily for 90 days with 89% of these loans being pass rated; 27 of these loans have received a second deferment and the remaining six loans are first deferments. At September 30, 2020 commercial real estate loans on retail properties totaled $771 million or 9% of total loans; 1% of these loans were deferment and only $7 million of these loans are classified. At origination, the loans on retail properties were underwritten with loan to values averaging approximately 53%. It is important to note that 53% of these loans were also originated prior to 2017. We also have $67 million of commercial real estate loans for hospitality properties, which is less than 1% of total loans. None of these loans are classified, but 16% of these loans were on deferment. Commercial and SBA loans to customers in the hotel, restaurant, entertainment, retail trade or recreation industries represented approximately $96 million in loans at September 30, 2020 or approximately 1% of total loans; $1.6 million of these loans are classified and only $1.4 million were on deferment. I will now turn the call over to Allen Nicholson to discuss our effective tax rate, our allowance for credit losses, capital levels and liquidity. Allen?