Deposits and Borrowed Funds
Period end total deposits (including mortgage escrow deposits) at December 31, 2023 were $10.53 billion, compared to $10.64 billion at September 30, 2023 and $10.25 billion at December 31, 2022. CEO Lubow commented, “Despite the impacts of reduced liquidity in the banking system, we were pleased to grow deposits on a year-over-year basis. Hires that we made in the second quarter of 2023 have already generated approximately $333 million of deposits, with 50% of the balances being in non-interest-bearing deposits.”
Total Federal Home Loan Bank advances were $1.31 billion at December 31, 2023 compared to $1.12 billion at September 30, 2023 and $1.13 billion at December 31, 2022.
Non-Interest Income
Non-interest income was $8.9 million during the fourth quarter of 2023, $7.9 million during the third quarter of 2023, and $9.5 million during the fourth quarter of 2022.
Non-Interest Expense
Total non-interest expense was $53.9 million during the fourth quarter of 2023, $59.5 million during the third quarter of 2023, and $50.7 million during the fourth quarter of 2022. Excluding the impact of severance expense, the FDIC special assessment, loss on extinguishment of debt, and amortization of other intangible assets, adjusted non-interest expense was $52.6 million during the fourth quarter of 2023, $50.6 million during the third quarter of 2023, and $50.3 million during the fourth quarter of 2022 (see “Non-GAAP Reconciliation” tables at the end of this news release).
The ratio of non-interest expense to average assets was 1.58% during the fourth quarter of 2023, compared to 1.73% during the linked quarter and 1.56% for the fourth quarter of 2022. Excluding the impact of severance expense, the FDIC special assessment, loss on extinguishment of debt, and amortization of other intangible assets, the ratio of adjusted non-interest expense to average assets was 1.54% during the fourth quarter of 2023, compared to 1.48% during the linked quarter and 1.55% for the fourth quarter of 2022 (see “Non-GAAP Reconciliation” tables at the end of this news release).
The efficiency ratio was 65.0% during the fourth quarter of 2023, compared to 70.5% during the linked quarter and 47.7% during the fourth quarter of 2022. Excluding the impact of net loss on equity securities, net loss on sale of securities and other assets, severance expense, the FDIC special assessment, loss on extinguishment of debt and amortization of other intangible assets the adjusted efficiency ratio was 63.6% during the fourth quarter of 2023, compared to 59.7% during the linked quarter and 47.3% during the fourth quarter of 2022 (see “Non-GAAP Reconciliation” tables at the end of this news release).
Income Tax Expense
The reported effective tax rate for the fourth quarter of 2023 was 35.6% compared to 35.1% for the third quarter of 2023, and 27.5% for the fourth quarter of 2022. The tax rate for 2024 is expected to be approximately 27%.
Credit Quality
Non-performing loans were $29.1 million at December 31, 2023 compared to $23.3 million at September 30, 2023 and $34.2 million at December 31, 2022.
A credit loss provision of $3.7 million was recorded during the fourth quarter of 2023, compared to a credit loss provision of $1.8 million during the third quarter of 2023, and a credit loss provision of $335 thousand during the fourth quarter of 2022. The credit loss provision in the fourth quarter of 2023 was primarily associated with provisioning for individually analyzed loans.
Capital Management
The Company’s and the Bank’s regulatory capital ratios continued to be in excess of all applicable regulatory requirements as of December 31, 2023. All of the Company’s and the Bank’s risk-based regulatory capital ratios increased in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Dividends per common share were $0.25 during the fourth and third quarters of 2023, respectively.
Book value per common share was $28.58 at December 31, 2023 compared to $28.03 at September 30, 2023.
Tangible common book value per share (which represents common equity less goodwill and other intangible assets, divided by the number of shares outstanding) was $24.44 at December 31, 2023 compared to $23.87 at September 30, 2023 (see “Non-GAAP Reconciliation” tables at the end of this news release).