Exhibit 99.1
1Q 2024
SmartFinancial Announces Results for the First Quarter 2024
KNOXVILLE, TN – April 22, 2024 - SmartFinancial, Inc. ("SmartFinancial" or the "Company"; NYSE: SMBK), today announced net income of $9.4 million, or $0.55 per diluted common share, for the first quarter of 2024, compared to net income of $11.5 million, or $0.68 per diluted common share, for the first quarter of 2023, and compared to prior quarter net income of $6.2 million, or $0.37 per diluted common share. Operating earnings1, which excludes non-recurring income related to the gain on sale of a branch location, net of tax adjustments, totaled $8.4 million, or $0.49 per diluted common share, in the first quarter of 2024, compared to $11.5 million, or $0.68 per diluted common share, in the first quarter of 2023, and compared to $6.9 million, or $0.41 per diluted common share, in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Highlights for the First Quarter of 2024
| ● | Operating earnings1 of $8.4 million, or $0.49 per diluted common share |
| ● | Net organic loan and lease growth of $34 million - 4% annualized quarter-over-quarter increase |
| ● | Credit quality remains solid with nonperforming assets to total assets of 0.18% |
| ● | Deposit growth of $126.3 million – 12% annualized quarter-over-quarter increase |
Billy Carroll, President & CEO, stated: “Our company started 2024 with nice momentum. The first quarter was highlighted by continued growth in both loans and deposits, each growing 4% and 12%, respectively, along with expense discipline and focus on operating leverage improvement. The investments we’ve made over the last few years have positioned us well and with a margin inflection point on the horizon, we remain very bullish.”
SmartFinancial's Chairman, Miller Welborn, concluded: “Our team continued to make substantial forward progress on our key strategic initiatives in the first quarter. Our associates worked diligently to grow revenue and control expenses, setting the stage for operating leverage gains for the remainder of 2024. Continued commitment to EXCELLENT client service and growing shareholder value remains “top of mind” for our team.”
Net Interest Income and Net Interest Margin
Net interest income was $31.7 million for the first quarter of 2024, compared to $31.5 million for the prior quarter. Average earning assets totaled $4.50 billion, an increase of $116.4 million from the prior quarter. The increase in average earnings assets was primarily driven by an increase in average interest-earning cash of $64.0 million, average loans and leases of $49.7 million and average securities of $2.7 million. Average interest-bearing liabilities increased by $144.2 million from the prior quarter, attributable to an increase in average deposits of $146.3 million, offset by a decrease in average borrowings of $2.2 million.
The tax equivalent net interest margin was 2.85% for the first quarter of 2024, compared to 2.86% for the prior quarter. The tax equivalent net interest margin was negatively impacted by the increased cost of interest-bearing liabilities, coupled with a slower rise on yield on interest-earning assets, quarter-over-quarter. The yield on loans and leases, excluding loan fees, was 5.71% for the first quarter, compared to 5.61% for the prior quarter.
The cost of total deposits for the first quarter of 2024 was 2.52% compared to 2.35% in the prior quarter. The cost of interest-bearing liabilities increased to 3.23% for the first quarter of 2024, compared to 3.07% for the prior quarter. The cost of average interest-bearing deposits was 3.16% for the first quarter of 2024, compared to 3.00% for the prior quarter, an increase of 16 basis points.
The following table presents selected interest rates and yields for the periods indicated:
1 Non-GAAP measure. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for more information and see the Non-GAAP reconciliation