Summary of Operating Results
Net income for the three months ended September 30, 2022 was $18.1 million, compared to $16.1 million for the same period in 2021. Basic earnings per share increased to $1.50 for the third quarter of 2022 compared to $1.24 for the same period in 2021. Return on Assets and Return on Equity were 1.43% and 15.00% respectively, for the three months ended September 30, 2022 compared to 1.34% and 10.75% for the three months ended September 30, 2021. Net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 was $54.6 million, compared to $45.6 million for the same period in 2021. Basic earnings per share increased to $4.45 for the first nine months of 2022 compared to $3.42 for the same period in 2021. Return on Assets and Return on Equity were 1.43% and 14.14% respectively, for the nine months ended September 30, 2022, compared to 1.28% and 10.10% for the nine months ended September 30, 2021.
On November 5, 2021, the Corporation completed its acquisition of Hancock Bancorp, Inc. and its banking subsidiary, Hancock Bank and Trust Company. Therefore, the results of Hancock Bancorp have been included in the results of operations beginning on November 5, 2021. Pursuant to the terms of the merger agreement, each issued and outstanding share of Hancock Bancorp, Inc. common stock, issued and outstanding, was converted into the right to receive $18.38 per share in cash. The aggregate value of the transaction was $31.36 million. Acquisition-related costs of $1.2 million are included in the Corporation’s income statement for the year ended December 31, 2021.
On September 27, 2021, First Financial Corporation issued a press release announcing that its Board of Directors approved the merger of subsidiary, The Morris Plan Company of Terre Haute, into subsidiary, First Financial Bank N.A. The merger was effective on February 21, 2022. The merger resulted in increased efficiencies, which were recognized in the first quarter of 2022.
On October 31, 2022, First Financial Corporation issued a press release announcing plans to optimize its banking center network as part of a plan to improve operating efficiencies and accommodate changing customer preferences. Subject to regulatory requirements, over the next two quarters the Corporation will close and consolidated seven of its seventy-two branches. These consolidations are projected to save the Corporation approximately $1.5 million per year in operating expenses, commencing in the first quarter of 2023.
The primary components of income and expense affecting net income are discussed in the following analysis.
Net Interest Income
The Corporation’s primary source of earnings is net interest income, which is the difference between the interest earned on loans and other investments and the interest paid for deposits and other sources of funds. Net interest income increased $7.1 million in the three months ended September 30, 2022 to $43.1 million from $36.0 million in the same period in 2021. The net interest margin for the three months ended September 30, 2022 is 3.71% compared to 3.22% for the same period in 2021, a 15.37% increase. Net interest income increased $14.8 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2022 to $121.4 million from $106.6 million in the same period in 2021. The net interest margin for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 is 3.44% compared to 3.24% for the same period in 2021. Interest rates increased significantly from 2021 to 2022, due to federal rate adjustments.
Non-Interest Income
Non-interest income for the three months ended September 30, 2022 was $12.1 million compared to $11.1 million for the same period of 2021. Non-interest income for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 was $36.1 million compared to $31.3 million for the same period in 2021. The change in non-interest income from 2021 to 2022 was primarily driven by a $4.0 million legal settlement received in February, 2022. The Corporation does not expect this income to reoccur. In addition gains from the sale of mortgage loans declined $1.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2022 compared to September 30, 2021, and $2.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 compared to September 30, 2021.
Non-Interest Expenses
The Corporation’s non-interest expense for the quarter ended September 30, 2022 was $31.5 million compared to $28.5 million for the same period in 2021. The Corporation’s non-interest expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 increased $9.4 million to $93.5 million compared to the same period in 2021. The year-over-year changes are, in part, impacted by the acquisition of Hancock Bancorp in the fourth quarter of 2021.