Gerald Lipkin
Analyst · Piper Jaffray. Please go ahead
Thank you, Marc. Good morning and welcome to our third quarter 2016 earnings conference call. We're excited to review Valley's third quarter operating results and provide an update on our previously announced strategic initiatives. For the quarter, Valley generated net income of $42.8 million, an increase of over 10% when compared to the prior linked quarter and 19% when compared to the same period one year ago. Top line revenue growth excluding the provision for credit losses, coupled with a material contraction in noninterest expense provided the foundation for the solid results and increased net income. Furthermore, the continuing restructure of our funding base continues to produce strong benefits to our net income. During the quarter, through a debt modification, we reduced our rate on an additional $405 million of debt from 3.70% to 2.51%. As a result Valley's financial performance metrics continue to improve as the bank's return on average assets increased to 78 basis points for the third quarter, our return on average tangible equity equaled 11.29% and the efficiency ratio dropped to 63.3%. However when adjusted for the amortization of tax credits investments, the number comes in below 60%. The improved operating performance is a function of Valley's diversified balance sheet, combined with the continued execution of the bank's previously announced strategic initiatives to expand noninterest income, while simultaneously reducing expenses. In fact the third quarter's core operating efficiency ratio was the best Valley has produced in over five years. Also third quarter noninterest expense as a percent of total assets was 2.03% on an annualized basis, placing Valley among the best performing midsize banks by this measure. Starting in the fourth quarter of 2015, Valley began the implementation of an aggressive branch consolidation program, coupled with a bank-wide cost reduction program, which when completed, was expected to reduce annual operating expenses nearly $20 million. To date, the results of this effort have been favorable as core quarterly operating expenses have declined approximately $5 million since the beginning of the year. While we are pleased with the results, we understand more must be accomplished to achieve the financial performance through which Valley has historically achieved. We continue to implement technological -- technology improvements throughout the organization, aimed at streamlining processes and operations while at the same time improving the customer experience. In implementing many of the cost saving initiatives, we are mindful of the delicate balance between improving earnings through cost reductions and maintaining excellent customer service. During the quarter, Valley's full-time equivalent employee level declined to 2,845. The current headcount not only compares favorably with the prior quarter, but for the same period one year ago when the bank had 2,846 full-time equivalent employees. Keep in mind we have been able to stabilize our staff while simultaneously nearly doubling the bank's Florida presents to 31 offices and adding approximately $2.8 million in assets. The expense reductions and associated maintenance in staff level is no small accomplishment as Valley continues to expand its investment in customer served facing business lines, such as wealth management and residential mortgage, while simultaneously enhancing technology and risk management support functions, which are critical to the bank's ability to meet its strategic goals and regulatory requirements. The bank has approximately 150 employees, which equates to over 5% of the entire workforce currently conducting risk management activities. The risk management programs implemented by Valley over the past few years while expensive, when engaged in conjunction with our strict underwriting criteria have enabled Valley to carefully expand loan originations in categories, which either been forced to or elected to scale back. In that regard, we have a full in-house staff of credit analytics professionals, focused solely on segmenting and assessing the risks of our loan portfolio. While we understand this level of infrastructure is expensive and may be considered excessive to some, we believe it's prudent to maintain the bank's internal risk profile and to meet regulatory expectations. During the quarter, organic loan originations, excluding purchase loan participation exceeded $900 million, a significant increase from the same period one year ago. For the first nine months of 2016, Valley organically originated over $2.7 billion of loans, which on an annualized basis equals over 20% of the aggregate loan portfolio. Strong activity was realized across all of Valley's geographies and most of its asset classes. Residential mortgage banking was strong during the third quarter as total originations increased from approximately $175 million in the second quarter to over $250 million in the third quarter. The increased activity drove the linked quarter growth in net gains on sales of loans by approximately $1.7 million. Residential mortgage application volume remained strong and as long as the interest rate environment remains accommodative, we expect continued strong mortgage banking revenue in the fourth quarter. Supplementing the fourth quarter organic mortgage banking revenue was the transfer in the third quarter of approximately $175 million of performing lower yielding 30-year residential mortgages to loans held for sale. We anticipate an incremental $7 million gain on the sale in the fourth quarter as a result of the transfer. A large portion of Valley's mortgage banking revenue continues to be a function of refinance activity, which from a macro perspective is largely contingent upon the extremely low interest rate environment. To diversify this income stream, we are in the process of expanding and refocusing our activities to the purchase market. While we do not anticipate a significant revenue benefit in the short run, the enhanced emphasis should reduce the bank's sensitivity to an increase in market rates. Consumer lending results for the quarter varied as direct-to-consumer collateralized personal lines of credit increased over 25% annualized from the prior quarter, while Valley's indirect automobile lending portfolio declined approximately 7% on an annualized basis. The automobile lending portfolio continues to be negatively impacted by the revised indirect dealer loan level pricing guidelines recommended by the CFPB and adopted by Valley. For the quarter, Valley originated a little over $90 million, an increase from the prior quarter, but significantly lower than historical origination volumes. We continue to implement technology-based improvements to enhance the efficiencies within the department, which we believe will provide sustainable long-term benefits supporting improved profitability metrics. That being said, we continually assess the returns of all of our lines of business and when appropriate, we will make the necessary decisions to ensure each earns its cost of capital and achieves the bank's desired long-term profitability metrics. Commercial lending was strong across all categories as both traditional C&I and CRE organic originations excluding purchase participations exceeded over $600 million in the aggregate for the quarter. Specifically the C&I loan portfolio of nearly 5% annualized in spite of a contraction in purchased credit impaired loans resulting from both normal principal amortization and a decline in balances principally by design as certain developer and warehouse relationships were encouraged to obtain alternative banking sources as those business lines although profitable were inconsistent with Valley's desired credit profile. CRE activity was brisk for the quarter as organic originations of nearly $300 million were supplemented with purchased multifamily participations of $100 million. The majority of CRE growth in the current quarter was realized in Valley's New Jersey and New York marketplace. Competition for this product remains intense in spite of recent regulatory commentary. We have witnessed a few institutions scaling back activity within this segment, yet many banks still remain aggressive in both pricing and term. Through our comprehensive due diligence procedures, we have demonstrated capacity to expand Valley CRE portfolio and while we fully expect to generate increased loan outstandings, we do not waver on Valley's internal credit standards and return expectations. At Valley as we have said many times before that our goal is -- that growth is a goal and not an obsession. In conclusion, I would like to reiterate our focus on improving the operating performance of the bank. The external conditions remain challenging both from an economic and interest rate perspective. With a benign credit environment, it is easy for an organization to stretch for return and enter new business lines based on pro forma returns. It is our experience that a well diversified, appropriately underwritten balance sheet provides the best avenue for building long-term sustainable shareholder wealth. Valley's performance metrics are improving and we intend to execute on the strategic initiatives by diversifying revenue while continuing to reduce operating expense. However these objectives will not come at the cost of changing back the bank's risk appetite. We have never reported a losing quarter and intend to thoroughly achieve the bank's strategic initiatives within appropriate parameters. At this point, I'd like to turn the microphone over to Rudy Schupp who will comment on some of our activities this quarter in Florida