Susan Riel
Analyst · Austin Nicholas from Stephens Incorporated. Your line is open
Thank you, Charles. As is our custom, our Chief Credit Officer Jan Williams is also on the line with us this morning. Charles, Jan and I will be available later in the call for questions. I would like to welcome all of you to our earnings call for the second quarter of 2019. As noted in the press release issued last night, the net income for the quarter was $37.2 million as compared to $37.3 million a year ago. Fully diluted earnings per share were $1.08 for the second quarters of both 2018 and 2019. The net income for the second quarter showed an increase over GAAP net income of $33.7 million in the first quarter of 2019, which included $6.2 million of non-recurring costs. The second quarter diluted earnings per share of $1.08 increased from $0.98 per share in the first quarter of 2019 on a GAAP basis, $1.11 excluding non-recurring item. Taken as a whole, we view these results, a strong earnings with the return on average assets of 1.74% for the second quarter and a return on average tangible common equity of 14.8% for the period. We feel these bottom line results continue to place us among the most profitable banks in the country. The results for the quarter were driven primarily by continued growth in earnings assets, with robust growth of 3% in the loan portfolio. Top line revenue growth and disciplined adherence to the principles of operating leverage. However, during the quarter, we did see a decline of 11 basis points in the net interest margin and an elevated level of legal and professional fees. We'll expand on both of those issues later in the call and be as forthcoming as possible. For the second quarter, total revenue grew by 5% as compared to the second quarter of 2018, while over the same 12-month period, non-interest expenses increased only 3%. For the second quarter of 2019, annualized non-interest expenses represented only 1.55% of average assets, a level which is superior to industry and peer group averages. The efficiency ratio was 38.04% in the second quarter of 2019 as compared to 38.55% in the second quarter of 2018 and 36.82% excluding non-recurring items for the first quarter of 2019. Our continuing attention to operating leverage with strong revenue growth combined with lesser growth of our non-interest expenses has been a key factor for our profitability. In the second quarter, the net interest margin decreased by -- decreased to 3.91% as compared to 4.15% in the second quarter of 2018 and 4.02% in the first quarter of 2019. We continue to manage through a challenging interest rate environment and a very competitive market. Rather than [pass] [ph] on good quality loan production, we opted to pay more for deposits to fund those loans and take a longer-term view. We achieved an average yield of 5.61% on the loan portfolio in the second quarter, which was an increase over 5.53% in the second quarter of 2018 and only 8 basis points decrease from the first quarter of 2019. This was very positive considering the average LIBOR rate was 4 basis points lower in the second quarter of this year than in the first quarter. However, the pressure on deposit costs continues to be an issue and our composite cost of funds increased by 11 basis points during the quarter to a level of 1.30%. Our experience in the Washington Metro area market is that while loan rates have begun to move lower in conjunction with general money market trends we have not seen any break in deposit pricing. To manage our overall cost of funds, we continue to monitor all market rates and balance our funding sources between core deposits in the local market wholesale deposits, which can be very efficient and FHLB advances. Our expectation is that we will continue to see pressure on the margin until further softness in the economy pushes deposit rates lower and late cycle credit concerns widened spreads on loan. We achieved strong loan growth of $220 million or just over 3% in the second quarter. This came through solid production with $451 million in new loans, while payoffs were in line with typical levels. The loan growth in the second quarter was slightly above expectations and we were pleased to generate quality loans at acceptable rates with established customers. However, for the next few quarters, we expect growth at an annual rate more likely in the high single digits range, as we nurture relationships and maintain the high credit quality of our portfolio. We will continue to rebalance the portfolio, reducing the ADC exposure and growing the longer-term loans secured by income producing properties and continuing to grow C&I loans and owner occupied loans. We are also being more selective on individual transactions. Being mindful that we are in latest stages of the economic cycles. These changes in the composition of the portfolio will have some impact on the portfolio yield over time. But in the risk reward analysis, we would rather err on the side of caution and maintain the quality of our loan portfolio. Deposit growth was also strong during the quarter, net growth during the quarter was $267 million, about 4% as we raise funds to support the growth to the -- of the loan portfolio during the quarter. Average deposits for the quarter were up 10% from the second quarter of 2018 and decreased by 1% from the first quarter of 2019, as we use the FHLB for interim funding as needed to optimize our overall composite cost of funds. Deposit pricing remains very competitive in our markets. In response, we have had to pay more interest to attract and retain certain significant relationships. One effect was that during the second quarter, we saw some DDA balances migrate to interest bearing accounts and as a result, DDA balances average 31% of total deposits for the quarter. While a decrease -- while a decrease, this is still a very attractive level and it contributed to our favorable overall cost of funds and we have maintained our relationships with these valued customers. Generating core deposits is still our biggest challenge that is the primary focus. During the second quarter, we continued to maintain our solid credit quality. At June 30, 2018, NPAs as a percentage of total assets were 0.45% as compared to 0.16% at June 30, 2018 and 0.50% at March 31, 2019. The absolute level of NPA is at $38.8 million at June 30, 2019, as compared to $12.3 million at June 30, 2018 and $40.3 million at March 31, 2019. The Bank has consistently taken an aggressive approach to reviewing individual loans for impairment an accrual status. The allowance for loan losses was 98 basis points of total loans at the end of the quarter, which is reflective of the consistent high-quality of the loan portfolio and by the loan growth in the second quarter together with consistent application of our allowance methodology. Annualized net charge-offs for the second quarter were 8 basis points of average loans as compared to 5 basis points in the second quarter of 2018. And are well below the range of our historical average charged off loan experience. At June 30, 2019, the coverage ratio of reserves to non-performing loans was 192%. We continue to see healthy loan demand in the Washington Metropolitan markets, which is maintaining a moderate growth rate for 2019 year-to-date. The most recent reports on the area’s economy from the Stephen S. Fuller Institute were released in June and show an increase in both the coincident and the leading index. The region has added 27,000 net new jobs over the last -- last year with Northern Virginia outpacing the district and Montgomery County that trend is expected to continue with the opening of the Amazon HQ2 facility in Crystal City. We are on track to open our new loan production office in Prince George's County during the third quarter, we are very excited about the opportunities for C&I and real estate lending in that growth market. We consistently monitor the supply and demand for commercial real estate by sub-market and loan type to manage our exposure and direct new production. This knowledge of the market has been a key factor in our successful underwriting over the years and in maintaining our credit quality, which continues to be a hallmark of Eagle Bank. As I mentioned earlier, we are reducing the level of ADC exposure in the loan portfolio and shifting more towards income producing CRE loans, C&I and owner occupied loans. This adjustment in the loan portfolio will also impact our rate sensitivity position, moving to a slightly less asset sensitive position. Non-interest income during the second quarter was $6.4 million, a 15% increase over the second quarter of 2018 and a 1% increase over the first quarter of 2019. The increase over the prior year was attributed substantially to gains on sale of securities and gains on sale of residential mortgage loans, which were $1.9 million for the quarter as compared to $1.7 million in the second quarter of 2018. We had an uptick in volume of refinance loans as mortgage rates drop during the quarter. As mentioned earlier, for the second quarter of 2019 the efficiency ratio was -- was a very favorable 38.4% as compared to 38.55% in the second quarter of 2018. Non-interest expenses for the second quarter of 2019 was $33.4 million up only 3.3% from the second quarter of 2018, as we adhere to the principles of operating leverage. We reported for the second quarter, an increase in legal fees and other expenses related to investigations by government agencies. The scope of which expanded significantly during the spring of this year. The expenses include legal and professional fees to the preparation of responses to subpoenas and document requests from multiple agencies examining various matters including the Company's identification, classification and disclosure of related party transactions, the retirement of certain former officers and directors and the relationship of the Company and certain of its former officers and directors with a local public official. The company has advanced more likely continue to advance indemnification costs for certain officers and directors. The level of disclosure, we are making at this time is due to the increasing level of expenses associated with the government agency investigations. In the second quarter of 2019, legal accounting and professional fees grew from $1.7 million in the first quarter of 2019 to $2.7 million in the second quarter. In addition, the company expects that it will continue to incur elevated levels of legal accounting and professional fees, at least through the remainder of 2019, as it continues to cooperate with these investigations. Other than these increased costs, we do not believe at this point that the resolution of these investigations will be materially adverse to the Company. As a result of these investigations, there have been no regulatory restrictions placed on the Company's operations, including its ability to continue to pay a dividend or fully engage in its banking business as presently conducted. We are, however, unable to predict the duration, scope or outcome of these investigations. Even with the elevated level of legal expenses and other costs included in the second quarter, we maintained a very favorable efficiency ratio. We have the benefit of our branch-light business model, but also it tends to rationally manage our expenses and are continually seeking ways to improve productivity without sacrificing responsiveness, customer service or the maintenance of quality operation. We continue to develop our systems, human resources and organizational structure as we advance towards the $10 billion regulatory guidance. Given our current size and growth rates, we are continually trying to improve quality of our operator -- of our organizations. The recent changes to our Board structure and the skill sets of our new Board members have enhanced the capability and diversity of the Board and aligns us with current best practices in corporate governance and risk management. Our capital positions are very strong as of the end of the second quarter due to the continued additions to retained earnings from our consistent profitability. As of June 30, 2019 total shareholders' equity was $1.2 billion and the quality of our earnings remain strong. The total risk based capital ratio was 16.36% at June 30, 2019 and the tier 1 capital to average assets ratio was 12.66% at June 30 as compared to 11.97% a year ago. Our capital ratios remain well in excess of both regulatory measures and internal policy level and our capital accretion during the first half of 2019 was at a 13.6% annualized rate. We expect this growth will continue to support the quarterly, I'm sorry -- I lost the spot. We expect this growth will continue to support the quarterly dividend that was recently initiated. We have strong balance sheet and intend to maintain that through the control -- through controlled prudent growth. That concludes my formal remarks. We will be pleased to take any questions at this time.