Deposits and Borrowed Funds
Period end total deposits (including mortgage escrow deposits) at March 31, 2024 were $10.90 billion, compared to $10.53 billion at December 31, 2023 and $10.57 billion at March 31, 2023. CEO Lubow commented, “Deposit growth accelerated in the first quarter of 2024 as the investments in talent and technology that we made in 2023 began to pay dividends. Hires that we made in the second quarter of 2023 have generated approximately $600 million of core deposits, at a weighted average rate of approximately 2.5%, providing an important proof-of-concept for our growth plan. We expect the new Groups hired in 2024 to benefit from all the operational, process and technology improvements we have made over the course of the past year and they will be significant contributors to the growth of our franchise in the years ahead.”
Total Federal Home Loan Bank advances were $773.0 million at March 31, 2024 compared to $1.31 billion at December 31, 2023 and $1.50 billion at March 31, 2023. Mr. Lubow commented, “Given the strong deposit growth, we proactively reduced our FHLB borrowings in the first quarter. Based on our strong deposit pipelines, we expect to continue paying down wholesale funding and we intend to create a primarily core-deposit funded institution over the course of the next year.”
Non-Interest Income
Non-interest income was $10.5 million during the first quarter of 2024, $8.9 million during the fourth quarter of 2023, and $9.0 million during the first quarter of 2023.
Non-Interest Expense
Total non-interest expense was $52.5 million during the first quarter of 2024, $53.9 million during the fourth quarter of 2023, and $47.5 million during the first quarter of 2023. Excluding the impact of the FDIC special assessment, loss on extinguishment of debt, amortization of other intangible assets and severance expense, adjusted non-interest expense was $51.7 million during the first quarter of 2024, $52.6 million during the fourth quarter of 2023, and $47.1 million during the first quarter of 2023 (see “Non-GAAP Reconciliation” tables at the end of this news release).
The ratio of non-interest expense to average assets was 1.52% during the first quarter of 2024, compared to 1.58% during the linked quarter and 1.41% for the first quarter of 2023. Excluding the impact of the FDIC special assessment, loss on extinguishment of debt, amortization of other intangible assets and severance expense, the ratio of adjusted non-interest expense to average assets was 1.50% during the first quarter of 2024, compared to 1.54% during the linked quarter and 1.40% for the first quarter of 2023 (see “Non-GAAP Reconciliation” tables at the end of this news release).
The efficiency ratio was 64.0% during the first quarter of 2024, compared to 65.0% during the linked quarter and 50.1% during the first quarter of 2023. Excluding the impact of net (gain) loss on sale of securities and other assets, fair value change in equity securities and loans held for sale, severance expense, the FDIC special assessment, loss on extinguishment of debt and amortization of other intangible assets the adjusted efficiency ratio was 64.7% during the first quarter of 2024, compared to 63.6% during the linked quarter and 48.9% during the first quarter of 2023 (see “Non-GAAP Reconciliation” tables at the end of this news release).
Income Tax Expense
The reported effective tax rate for the first quarter of 2024 was 27.1% compared to 35.6% for the fourth quarter of 2023, and 26.8% for the first quarter of 2023.
Credit Quality
Non-performing loans were $34.8 million at March 31, 2024 compared to $29.1 million at December 31, 2023 and $31.5 million at March 31, 2023.
A credit loss provision of $5.2 million was recorded during the first quarter of 2024, compared to a credit loss provision of $3.7 million during the fourth quarter of 2023, and a credit loss recovery of $3.6 million during the first quarter of 2023.
Capital Management
The Company’s and the Bank’s regulatory capital ratios continued to be in excess of all applicable regulatory requirements as of March 31, 2024. All risk-based regulatory capital ratios increased in the first quarter of 2024. Mr. Lubow commented, “Over the course of the past year, we have prudently increased our risk-based capital ratios. Our Common Equity Tier 1 Ratio is now at 10% and we are well positioned from a capital perspective to support all of our customers’ needs.”
Dividends per common share were $0.25 during the first quarter of 2024 and the fourth quarter of 2023, respectively.
Book value per common share was $28.84 at March 31, 2024 compared to $28.58 at December 31, 2023.