Earnings Labs

TrustCo Bank Corp NY (TRST)

Q1 2013 Earnings Call· Tue, Apr 23, 2013

$47.69

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Transcript

Operator

Operator

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the TrustCo First Quarter 2013 Earnings Conference Call. [Operator Instructions] Please note that all statements in this news release that are not historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as amended. The forward-looking statements may include statements regarding future events or performance and statements regarding TrustCo's ability to offer and sell securities under its shelf registrations statement. Such forward-looking statements are subject to factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from TrustCo from those discussed. TrustCo wishes to caution readers not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The following important factors, among others, in some cases, have affected and in the future, could affect TrustCo's actual results and could cause TrustCo's actual financial performance to differ materially from that expressed in any forward-looking statement: credit risk, the effects of changes in trade, monetary and fiscal policies and laws, including interest rate policies of the Board of Governors of the Financial Reserve System, inflation, interest rates, market and monetary fluctuations, competition, the effect of changes in financial services, laws and regulations, including laws concerning taxation, banking and securities, real estate and collateral values, changes in accounting policies and practices, as may be adopted by the bank regulatory agencies, the Financial Accounting Standards Board or the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, changes in local market areas in general business and economic trends and the matters described under the heading Risk Factors in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2012, and in our subsequent securities filings. Ladies and gentlemen at this time, please note that today's event is being recorded. And I would like to turn the conference call over to Mr. Robert McCormick, President and CEO. Mr. McCormick, you may begin.

Robert McCormick

Analyst

Good morning, everyone. Again, I'm Rob McCormick, President and CEO. On the call with me this morning are Bob Cushing, our CFO; Scott Salvador, Chief Banking Officer; and Kevin Timmons, who deals with most of the shareholder issues. The plan for the call is I will give a brief summary then turn it over to Bob who will detail the numbers. Scott will talk about our operations then we'll wrap it up with your questions. We have very solid first quarter results. While job recovery has been very slow, we have seen improvement in the real estate market. Upstate New York continues to be stable and slower. Florida has seen great improvement as investors and consumers have reentered the market. We think Florida has also seen some benefit from the stock market gains as people seemed more open to travel. And the other areas which we do business are pretty stable. We did not open or relocate any branches during the quarter. Again, we probably will never have a year that we don't open some branches. We do have plans to open 3 branches and possibly relocate 2 at this time. These plans run between now and the first quarter of 2014. I know there's been some talk about branches in the paper recently, but keep in mind we opened smaller branches and we open them with open floor plans, modest staffing levels and they're relatively cost effective. Our net income for the quarter was $9.2 million. It was up roughly 3% from the same quarter in 2012. We've established a nice pattern of income increases -- net income increases and they're worth 44% over the last 4 years. Our return on average assets and return on equity were 0.86% and 10.35%, compared to 0.84% and 10.45% for the first quarter of 2012. Our efficiency ratio was 54%, continuing at a world class pace. Our margin was 3.19%, down 2 basis points. Keep in mind we are continuing to stay very liquid with a large investment portfolio and relatively short maturities. Our tangible capital [indiscernible] solidly over 8%. Nonperforming loans to total loans and nonperforming assets to total assets, both showed improvement to 1.84% and 1.35%, respectively. Our allowance to total loans is basically flat at 1.76% for total loans, but our coverage ratio improved to 100%. We are very pleased with our growth. Loans were up $20 million on a net basis. Our mortgage portfolio was up $30 million. We also had a very decent -- have a very decent backlog of pending new business. Our deposits were up almost $50 million over the first quarter. Now I'm going to turn it over to Bob to give us some more detail on the numbers.

Robert Cushing

Analyst

Thanks, Rob. I'll review the balance sheet changes, the margin, and the major items that affected our net income. We had a strong first quarter and we are pleased with the growth across all regions of our company. As we get into the numbers, you'll see why we are so pleased with the first quarter results. Growth at TrustCo comes from core banking operations and we do not rely on transaction-type activities to achieve our net income results. From year end 2012 to March 31, 2013, we increased the total assets of the company by $65 million to $4.4 billion. Total loans increased by $19 million. Investment securities increased by $140 million, offset by an $83 million decrease in overnight investments. On the funding side of the balance sheet, total deposits and short-term borrowings increased by $65 million, with increases pretty much across the board. If you look at the average balance sheet for the first quarter of 2013 versus 2012, you'll note overall growth in assets was pretty much coming from the loan portfolio with an average increase in loans of $168 million. That loan growth was funded through deposit and short-term borrowings growth of $54 million, and $160 million reduction in overnight investments. All things considered, the impact of overall -- on overall net interest margins was pretty flat between 2012 and 2013. For the first quarter, our net interest margin came in at 3.19%, down 2 basis points from the fourth quarter of 2012, which in turn was down an additional 2 basis points from the first quarter of 2012. So overall, we have been able to hold on to margin by strict deposit pricing disciplines and continuing our focus on growing our core banking relationships to our real estate mortgage products. We've been moving money out…

Scott Salvador

Analyst

Okay. Thanks, Bob. Total loans during the first quarter of 2013 grew by $19 million, with residential mortgages increasing by $25.7 million, the commercial loans dropping by $6.9 million. We are pleased with these overall loan production and considered a strong first quarter. The $19 million in net growth is up significantly from $3 million of growth from the first quarter of 2012. The combination of both increased application volume and lower refinance activity account for the improvement. Recent residential loan activity has picked up as we enter the spring season, and we expect that this will be reflected in the loan totals over the next several months. For the past quarter, growth in the residential portfolio occurred across all our markets, with particularly strong activity on our Florida service area, as that market continues to improve. Nonperforming loans and assets both showed improvement in the quarter, as did every asset quality indicator. Nonperforming loans dropped from $52.7 million to $49.9 million from December to March, while nonperforming assets declined to $59.7 million from $61.4 million over the same period. Nonperforming loans were 1.84%. Total loan is at 3.31% versus 1.96% at year end. The coverage ratio or allowance for loan losses to nonperforming loans was 95.6% at 3/31, compared to 91% as of December. And finally, charge-offs also showed improvement on the quarter, totaling $2.3 million versus $3.3 million in last year's first quarter, and $12.8 million for all of 2012. Early-stage delinquencies also continued to show improvement, which is a positive indication as we look to the future. Rob?

Robert McCormick

Analyst

That's our story. We're pleased with our results and we're optimistic about our future. And we're happy to answer any questions you have.

Operator

Operator

[Operator Instructions] And our first question comes from Alex Twerdahl from Sandler O'Neill.

Alex Twerdahl

Analyst

I just wanted touch on something you said, Bob, in your commentaries about redeploying liquidity to support the -- I think you said to support the margin, but did you mean to support net interest income?

Robert Cushing

Analyst

Yes, net interest income.

Alex Twerdahl

Analyst

Okay. And then, so can you just talk a little bit about how the recent Fed commentary and rates remaining low for a fairly extended period of time sort of affects your current strategy, as it has to do with the cash position you have right now? And then also maybe talk about in the securities portfolio, what kinds of things you do to support the net interest income whether or not you're willing to take a little bit more credit risks today than you had in the past?

Robert Cushing

Analyst

Okay. On the FOMC question, Alex, we have repositioned the balance sheet to take advantage of market changing opportunities as rates change. We want to take advantage of that. So what we've done in the last quarter is indicative of our plans. We redeployed the opportunity -- the money in the loan portfolio first and foremost, being that, that's the best place to put it, but again as you know first quarter is always a little bit of a lighter time period for loan originations. So as rates were backing up at times during the quarter -- now I know the 10-year treasury today is around 1.65% or thereabouts, but at 1 point time during the quarter it topped up over 2%. We look at those as opportunities to buy and redeploy our cash, our available liquidity. So we are trying to be very opportunistic with respect to redeployment of that liquidity. So for the standpoint of the FOMC being long-term for the foreseeable future at a lower rate environment, our plan continues to be the same. We need the best value, continues to be to redeploying the loan portfolio. We like the 60-40 split, from the standpoint of investments in our loan portfolio compared to investments in our securities portfolio. As rates do backup -- even though the 2% 10-year isn't the greatest in the world, but better than it was at 1.65%. So when we see opportunities to reinvest at a little bit higher rate, we will continue to do that. As far as our credit stands on the investment portfolio, that is something that we do not bend on. We're not looking to change our credit profile. The investment portfolio is not intended to take on additional risks. So though we may look at the different products, more mortgage-backed securities, we're looking at a little bit of the FPA product. We are looking for government guaranteed product. We're not looking to extend duration on maturities. We're trying to keep it pretty short term, in that 1- to 5-year range with the average lives. We will, however, shift the mix around a bit to take advantage of what might be a better opportunity. And you have seen in the last quarter, we moved out of agency paper and moved more heavily into mortgage-backs. But again, that's just the shift based on what we thought were better opportunities.

Robert McCormick

Analyst

I mean, that's the beauty of the liquidity, Alex. That gives us the flexibility to move on our feet and make the moves that Bob just described. We've written liquidity out this long, we're not going to bend that credit standards now.

Alex Twerdahl

Analyst

Okay, that makes sense. And then, Scott, can you just talk a little bit about on the new production for mortgage loans today, what the rates are they're putting on in the first quarter and sort of -- and then also talk a little bit about the volume of loans that either repay or refinance out of the portfolio in the first quarter?

Scott Salvador

Analyst

Sure. We're, right now, actually at 3.99% for 30 years. Over the last several weeks, couple of months, we've bounced around, up and down a little bit. But we really haven't gone any lower than as I should say and have been right around 4% for the past couple of months. And as we speak, we're at 3.99%. And refinance, I mean, that is a big difference this year versus last year, with what's been going on with rates. The first quarter last year there was a lot of refinance activity going on. Now we get our fair share of that. We always like to remind people of that, that we are able to retain a lot of what goes on here in the bank, but of course you do lose some of it. But year-over-year, it's down about 40% in terms of if you take the total refinance activity, first quarter to first quarter, it's down about 40%, which is really a reflection of what's going on with rates, which is the primary driver, as you know, of the refinance activity.

Alex Twerdahl

Analyst

Great. The 3.99% that you said, is that the rate that you advertise for new products? Or is that the rate that's actually kind of the average rate that actually gets put on the books?

Scott Salvador

Analyst

Well, both. I mean that's one of the things that's kind of a key to our success here, Alex, is the rate that we advertise and the rate we put on the books are one and the same. Unlike many banks where they advertise one rate, but they really work on a tiered system. So you go in, you pay -- you apply, you pay your application cost and fees and appraisal fees. But then based on loan to value, based on credit score, based on the strings to the application, very few people end up getting the advertised rate. At TrustCo, we have 1 rate. So you either qualify the mortgage or you don't. And if you do qualify, that's the rate you get, which is really a -- it's a strong selling point for us in the marketplace.

Alex Twerdahl

Analyst

Okay, that's very helpful. And then just, Rob, maybe just some final commentary here on M&A. And I know where your stance has been in the past, but just kind of as the rate environment remains to be difficult, has your stance changed at all on the desire, want to maybe acquire another company or another business just to diversify a little bit away from 1 to 4 family residential mortgages?

Robert McCormick

Analyst

We're constantly looking, and we look at a lot of prospects and we certainly get some packages on places. But we feel our best strategy is to focus on growing the new branches we've opened over the past 7 to 10 years and not dilute our ownership by making an acquisition that would be -- could be potentially questionable. As our focus has been staying on the de novo growth that we've completed, and really making them profitable and moving forward from there. If an opportunity came along, that would be something we would certainly entertain, but it's not our focus.

Operator

Operator

[Operator Instructions] Our next question comes from Travis Lan from KBW.

Travis Lan

Analyst

Rob, can you start on the branches? Obviously other banks are seeing their customer preferences kind of shifting away from brick-and-mortar, but what is it about your customer base that could be different from some -- what other banks are seeing?

Robert McCormick

Analyst

I think our typical customer profile, Travis, likes the brick-and-mortar operation, at least for initial contact. We certainly have a tremendous number of people signed up for bill pay for Internet banking. But most of our initial contact come through our brick-and-mortar establishments. They service billboards. Our customers find our ATM locations very, very convenient. And again, we're opening small customer-friendly branches. We're not opening the 4,000 to 5,000 square foot, multi-million dollar branches. So I think our typical customer likes the brick-and-mortar and likes the fact that there are many TrustCos in a particular area.

Travis Lan

Analyst

Got you, okay. Scott, in the quarter in terms of mortgage originations, do you have a sense for what percent of the quarter's production was in 30-year fixed? Was is 100% or anything?

Scott Salvador

Analyst

Yes. The vast -- to a vast majority, it is. That continues to be the case as in prior quarter, that the 30-year fix is primarily what we're booking.

Travis Lan

Analyst

Okay. And then, I know historically the loan portfolio duration has been kind of roughly 8 years. But how do you think that's changed, if at all, after kind of seeing historically lower rates for the last couple years, do you think that's extended a little?

Robert Cushing

Analyst

Travis, this is Bob Cushing. We study that each month. We look at the life of our loan portfolio. And again, we've been at these lower rates for a while now. So from that perspective we're starting to actually see some impact as to whether it is extending, or what the impact is. Prior to the 2008 time period, we were looking at an average life that was kind of in the 6-year range. We kind of extend it to the 8-year time period and it's pretty much stabilized right around there. So we haven't seen, as a result of the continued refinancing in new production we're putting on, any significant increase up to where we now, which is around -- right around the 8-year mark.

Travis Lan

Analyst

Got you. Okay, that's helpful. And then just finally, Scott, on reserved to loans, I mean, what do you think is kind of an optimal level that you can trend down to?

Scott Salvador

Analyst

On the percentage, Travis?

Travis Lan

Analyst

Yes. Just the reserve as a percentage of loans.

Robert Cushing

Analyst

Travis, this is Bob. We constantly look at the production of loans relative to the amount of reserves necessary. And recognizing that we have a fixed-rate, real estate-based mortgage portfolio, those reserve levels could trend down pretty substantially. But we feel most comfortable with a very healthy reserve. And we don't want to go through a standpoint in our situation where as you had a few years ago, where it started to draw down reserves that these bigger banks and you find out that you really needed them based on economic cycle. So right now, we're in the 170 type of thing. Could that go down to the 150? Sure it could. But we believe, philosophically, in a healthy reserve. So we're not looking to drain that, as you can see during the quarter, we only had $2.3 million of charge-offs and $2 million in provision. We kind of like those types of ratios.

Operator

Operator

[Operator Instructions] And sir, at this time, I'm showing no additional questions, and would like to turn the conference call back over for any closing remarks.

Robert McCormick

Analyst

Just generally, thanks for your interest in our company and have a good day.

Operator

Operator

And everyone, that concludes today's conference call. We do thank you for attending today's presentation. You may now disconnect your telephone lines.