losses on sale of branches, net branch right-sizing initiatives, loss on redemption of trust preferred securities, gain on sale of intellectual property, FDIC special assessment charges and gain/loss on the sale of AFS investment securities. The Company has updated its calculation of certain non-GAAP financial measures to exclude the impact of gains or losses on the sale of AFS investment securities in light of the impact of the Company’s strategic AFS investment securities transactions during the fourth quarter of 2023 and has presented past periods on a comparable basis.
In addition, the Company also presents certain figures based on tangible common stockholders’ equity, tangible assets and tangible book value, which exclude goodwill and other intangible assets. The Company further presents certain figures that are exclusive of the impact of deposits and/or loans acquired through acquisitions, mortgage warehouse loans, and/or energy loans, or gains and/or losses on the sale of securities. The Company’s management believes that these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors because they, among other things, present the results of the Company’s ongoing operations without the effect of mergers or other items not central to the Company’s ongoing business, as well as normalize for tax effects and certain other effects. Management, therefore, believes presentations of these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful supplemental information that is essential to a proper understanding of the operating results of the Company’s ongoing businesses, and management uses these non-GAAP financial measures to assess the performance of the Company’s ongoing businesses as related to prior financial periods. These non-GAAP disclosures should not be viewed as a substitute for operating results determined in accordance with GAAP, nor are they necessarily comparable to non-GAAP performance measures that may be presented by other companies. Where non-GAAP financial measures are used, the comparable GAAP financial measure, as well as the reconciliation to the comparable GAAP financial measure, can be found in the tables of this release.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release may not be based on historical facts and should be considered “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements made in Mr. Fehlman’s quote and estimated earn back periods, may be identified by reference to future periods or by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as “believe,” “budget,” “expect,” “foresee,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “indicate,” “target,” “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “continue,” “contemplate,” “positions,” “prospects,” “predict,” or “potential,” by future conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “might” or “may,” or by variations of such words or by similar expressions. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements relating to Simmons’ future growth, business strategies, lending capacity and lending activity, loan demand, revenue, assets, asset quality, profitability, dividends, net interest margin, non-interest revenue, share repurchase program, acquisition strategy, digital banking initiatives, the Company’s ability to recruit and retain key employees, the estimated cost savings associated with the Company’s Better Bank Initiative, the adequacy of the allowance for credit losses, and future economic conditions and interest rates. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this press release, and Simmons undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date of this press release. By nature, forward-looking statements are based on various assumptions and involve inherent risk and uncertainties. Various factors, including, but not limited to, changes in economic conditions, changes in credit quality, changes in interest rates and related governmental policies, changes in loan demand, changes in deposit flows, changes in real estate values, changes in the assumptions used in making the forward-looking statements, changes in the securities markets generally or the price of Simmons’ common stock specifically, changes in information technology affecting the financial industry, and changes in customer behaviors, including consumer spending, borrowing, and saving habits; general economic and market conditions; market disruptions including pandemics or significant health hazards, severe weather conditions, natural disasters, terrorist activities, financial crises, political crises, war and other military conflicts (including the ongoing military conflicts between Russia and Ukraine and between Israel and Hamas) or other major events, or the prospect of these events; the soundness of other financial institutions and indirect exposure related to the closings of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), Signature Bank and Silvergate Bank and their impact on the broader market through other customers, suppliers and partners (or that the conditions which resulted in the liquidity concerns with SVB, Signature Bank and Silvergate Bank may also adversely impact, directly or indirectly, other financial institutions and market participants with which the Company has commercial or deposit relationships); increased inflation; the loss of key employees; increased competition in the markets in which the Company operates; increased unemployment; labor shortages; claims, damages, and fines related to litigation or government actions; changes in accounting principles relating to loan loss recognition (current expected credit losses); the Company’s ability to manage and successfully integrate its mergers and acquisitions and to fully realize cost savings and other benefits associated with acquisitions; increased delinquency and foreclosure rates on commercial real estate loans; cyber threats, attacks or events; reliance on third parties for key services; government legislation; and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in or contemplated by the forward-