First BanCorp. Announces Results of Operations for the Quarter Ended September 30, 2017

First BanCorp. Announces Results of Operations for the Quarter Ended September 30, 2017

2017 Third Quarter Highlights and Comparison with Second Quarter

• Net loss of $10.8 million for the third quarter, or $0.05 per diluted share, compared to net income of $28.0 million, or $0.13 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2017. During September, Hurricanes Maria and Irma made landfall in the Puerto Rico and Virgin Island regions causing significant damage to infrastructure and property. Financial results for the third quarter include charges of $66.5 million ($40.7 million after-tax) to the provision for loan and lease losses and $0.6 million ($0.4 million after-tax) to non-interest expenses related to the impact of these storms.
• On a non-GAAP basis, adjusted net income of $27.4 million (which excludes the storm-related charges and other items that management believes are not reflective of core operating performance, are not expected to reoccur with any regularity or may reoccur at uncertain times and in uncertain amounts, as explained below), compared to adjusted net income of $27.6 million for the second quarter of 2017.
• Net interest income decreased by $1.1 million to $122.8 million, compared to $123.9 million for the second quarter of 2017, primarily due to an increase in the premium amortization expense on U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”), which was associated with higher prepayment rates, and an increase in non-performing residential mortgage loans.

• Net interest margin was 4.33% compared to 4.44% for the second quarter of 2017.

• Provision for loan and lease losses increased by $56.9 million to $75.0 million, compared to $18.1 million for the second quarter of 2017, mostly reflecting the establishment of the $66.5 million storm-related provision for credit losses.
• Non-interest income decreased by $1.9 million to $18.6 million compared to $20.5 million for the second quarter of 2017, primarily due to lower revenues from mortgage banking activities and a decrease in transaction fee income such as credit and debit card interchange, ATMs and POS fees, which were adversely impacted by business activity disruptions caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in the third quarter.
• Non-interest expenses decreased by $3.5 million to $85.6 million, compared to $89.1 million for the second quarter of 2017, primarily related to a decrease in write-downs to the value of other real estate owned (“OREO”) properties and a decrease in employees’ compensation expenses associated with expected insurance recoveries related to payroll costs incurred during idle time of employees due to the occurrence of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in the third quarter. Non-interest expenses for the third quarter of 2017 include $0.6 million of costs associated with storm relief efforts and assistance to employees.
• Income tax benefit of $8.4 million, compared to income tax expense of $9.3 million for the second quarter of 2017, a variance mainly related to the income tax benefit associated with the aforementioned storm-related charges and its related impact in the effective tax rate.
• Credit quality variances:
  • Non-performing assets increased in the quarter by $65.6 million, to $640.7 million as of September 30, 2017. Interruptions in regular collection efforts and loss mitigation programs caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria adversely impacted the Corporation’s non-performing statistics for the third quarter.
  • Non-performing loan inflows amounted to $103.9 million, compared to inflows of $37.7 million in the second quarter of 2017.
  • A net charge-off rate of 0.80%, compared to 2.16% for the second quarter of 2017, a decrease driven by the impact in the previous quarter of charge-offs totaling $29.7 million on commercial mortgage loans guaranteed by the Puerto Rico Tourism Development Fund (“TDF commercial mortgage loans”).
• Total deposits, excluding brokered certificates of deposit (“CDs”) and government deposits, increased in the quarter by $3.1 million to $6.8 billion as of September 30, 2017, reflecting increases of $10.0 million and $6.6 million in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Island regions, respectively, partially offset by a decrease of $13.5 million in the Florida region.
• Brokered CDs increased in the quarter by $1.4 million to $1.3 billion as of September 30, 2017.
• Government deposits increased in the quarter by $18.4 million to $667.5 million as of September 30, 2017, primarily due to an increase in time deposits in Puerto Rico.
• Total loans increased in the quarter by $6.3 million to $8.9 billion as of September 30, 2017. The increase reflects a $60.5 million growth in the Florida region, primarily in the commercial and residential loan portfolios, partially offset by decreases of $45.5 million and $8.6 million in the Puerto Rico and the Virgin Island regions, respectively.
• Total loan originations, including refinancings, renewals and draws from existing commitments (excluding credit card utilization activity), of $589.7 million for the third quarter of 2017, compared to $906.2 million for the second quarter of 2017. The decrease was reflected in all major loan categories and geographic regions, including decreases of $202.1 million, $67.9 million, and $46.5 million in commercial, residential mortgage, and consumer loan originations, respectively, adversely affected, among other things, by business disruptions caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
• As of September 30, 2017, the Corporation had $214.8 million of direct exposure to loans and obligations of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico government and instrumentalities, of which $184.6 million, or 86%, represented exposure to municipalities, which is supported by assigned property tax revenues, compared to total exposure of $221.5 million as of June 30, 2017, of which $190.9 million, or 86%, represented exposure to municipalities.
• Total capital, common equity Tier 1 capital, Tier 1 capital, and leverage ratios calculated under the transition provisions of the Basel III rules of 22.18%, 18.62%, 18.62%, and 13.96%, respectively, as of September 30, 2017. Tangible common equity ratio of 14.63% as of September 30, 2017.

First BanCorp. (the “Corporation”) (NYSE: FBP), the bank holding company for FirstBank Puerto Rico (“FirstBank” or “the Bank”), today reported a net loss of $10.8 million for the third quarter of 2017, or $0.05 per diluted share, compared to net income of $28.0 million, or $0.13 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2017 and net income of $24.1 million, or $0.11 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2016. Financial results for the third quarter include charges of $66.5 million ($40.7 million after-tax) to the provision for loan and lease losses and $0.6 million ($0.4 million after-tax) to non-interest expenses related to the impacts of two strong hurricanes that affected the Corporation’s service areas.

Early in September, Hurricane Irma hit ground through the eastern Caribbean as a Category 5 storm affecting several islands, including the U.S. Virgin Islands of St. Thomas and St. John and Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, with lesser impacts on St. Croix and Puerto Rico. After hitting the eastern Caribbean, Hurricane Irma made landfall along Florida’s southwest shoreline. Two weeks after Hurricane Irma sideswiped Puerto Rico, Hurricane Maria made landfall in the south-east corner of Puerto Rico as a Category 4 storm and exited on the northern coast at a point between the cities of Arecibo and Barceloneta after battering other islands in the Caribbean, including St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. These storms caused, among other things, widespread property damage, flooding, power outages, and water and communication service interruptions, and severely disrupted normal economic activity in all of these regions.

The following four paragraphs summarize the more significant impacts of these natural disasters on the Corporation’s third quarter financial results.

The Corporation established a $66.5 million provision for loan losses directly related to the initial estimate, based on available information, of inherent losses resulting from the impact of the recent storms. As the Corporation acquires additional information on overall economic prospects in the affected areas together with loan officers’ further assessments of individual borrowers, the loss estimate will be revised as needed. Refer to the Provision for Loan and Lease Losses discussion below for additional information about the Corporation’s approach to estimating the storms’ impact on credit quality and the significant uncertainties surrounding this estimate.

Interruptions in regular collection efforts caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria adversely impacted the Corporation’s non-performing loan statistics. Non-performing residential mortgage loans increased in the third quarter by $23.2 million to $178.5 million as of September 30, 2017 and non-performing consumer loans increased in the third quarter by $5.4 million to $26.5 million as of September 30, 2017. Refer to the Credit Quality – Non-performing Assets discussion below for additional information about early delinquency statistics and payment deferral programs established by the Corporation to assist individuals affected by the recent storms.

The Corporation implemented its disaster response plan as these storms approached its service areas. To operate in disaster response mode, the Corporation incurred expenses for, among other things, buying diesel and generators for electric power, debris removal, security matters, and emergency communication with customers regarding the status of Bank operations. The disaster response plan costs combined with the payroll and rental costs during the idle time caused by the storms totaled $2.9 million as of September 30, 2017, including $0.6 million in donations and other storm relief efforts and employee assistance. The Corporation will incur additional costs through the end of 2017 as the Corporation addresses ongoing operational issues. Also, certain of the Corporation's facilities and their contents were damaged by the storms. The Corporation has recognized asset impairments of approximately $0.6 million as of September 30, 2017, and the Corporation may identify additional impairments through the end of 2017.

The Corporation maintains insurance for both casualty losses as well as for disaster response costs and certain revenue lost through business interruption. Management believes that recovery of $2.9 million of the $3.5 million above mentioned costs and asset impairments identified as of September 30, 2017 is probable. Accordingly, a receivable of $2.9 million was included in other assets as of September 30, 2017 for the expected recovery. Management also believes that there is a possibility that some gains will be recognized with respect to casualty and lost revenue claims in future periods, but this is contingent on reaching agreement on the Corporation’s claims with the insurance carriers.

Aurelio Alemán, President and Chief Executive Officer of First BanCorp., commented: “While the third quarter hurricanes presented unprecedented challenges to our business and communities, we are so very proud on how our teams responded and the outstanding teamwork, dedication and care they have shown to serve the affected customers during this very challenging time. Immediately after the storms passed through our three geographic regions, we secured our people and their families, ensured a safe working environment for our employees and focused our entire organization on serving our customers’ needs. Execution of contingency preparedness and recovery plans for Hurricanes Irma and Maria demonstrated the operational strength and agility of our Institution. The re-building efforts literally began the day after the storms hit and we continue working diligently to assist our customers and communities in the rebuilding process. Our online technology service platforms for consumers and commercial clients remained operational during and after the storms, we reestablished our branch services the Monday following the hurricane and the first week following Hurricane Maria we had the highest percentage among our competitors of branches open and servicing customers at 54%. Today we have 90% of our 48 Puerto Rico branches up and running and 92% of our 11 Eastern Caribbean branches. The main challenge continues to be restoration of the power grid and telecommunications infrastructure, which continue to impact the economic recovery of our communities.

“Following the impact of Hurricane Irma, First BanCorp. established an alliance with several large companies and donated food, water, generators and construction materials to employees and the communities in the most affected areas of Virgin Islands. Following the impact of Hurricane Maria, we multiplied our efforts to support our employees and our communities in Puerto Rico. We have also provided alternatives for credit relief programs to our consumer, residential and commercial borrowers.

“The unique circumstances under which we have operated due to Hurricanes Irma and Maria has adversely affected our earnings performance for the third quarter. Most franchise metrics remained strong, with pre-tax pre-provision income of $53.5 million, lower expenses, and higher core deposits. Excluding the impact of these storms, we were poised to achieve another strong quarter. We recorded an additional provision for loan losses of $66.5 million related to the impact of the hurricanes on the loan portfolios across Puerto Rico and the Eastern Caribbean Region. We also experienced a $65.6 million increase in nonperforming assets partially tied to the impact of interruptions in collection efforts and loss mitigation programs caused by the storms. A significant portion of our market area and customer base have been adversely impacted by these natural disasters.

“Puerto Rico is truly united and resilient in overcoming this challenge, our island will rebuild and we will continue to lead efforts to do so. Our sincere sympathy goes out to all affected.”

The financial results for the third and second quarters of 2017 and the third quarter of 2016 included the following items that management believes are not reflective of core operating performance, are not expected to reoccur with any regularity or may reoccur at uncertain times and in uncertain amounts (the “Special Items”):

Quarter ended September 30, 2017

• A $67.1 million ($41.0 million after-tax) impact related to Hurricanes Irma and Maria, which includes the following items: a $66.5 million charge to establish a storm-related provision for loan losses and approximately $0.6 million of non-interest expenses associated with storm relief efforts and assistance to employees. These amounts were partially offset by expected insurance recoveries of $1.7 million for compensation and rental costs that the Corporation incurred when Hurricanes Irma and Maria precluded employees from working during September.
• A $1.4 million gain on the repurchase and cancellation of $7.3 million in trust preferred securities reflected in the statement of operations set forth below as “Gain on early extinguishment of debt.” The Corporation repurchased and cancelled the repurchased trust preferred securities, resulting in a commensurate reduction in the related Floating Rate Junior Subordinated Debenture. The Corporation’s purchase price equated to 81% of the $7.3 million par value. The 19% discount, plus accrued interest, resulted in the gain of $1.4 million. The gain, realized at the holding company level, has no effect on the income tax expense in 2017.
• Costs of $0.1 million associated with a secondary offering of the Corporation’s common stock by certain of our existing stockholders completed in the third quarter of 2017. The costs, incurred at the holding company level, had no effect on the income tax expense in 2017.

Quarter ended June 30, 2017

• Recovery of $0.4 million of previously recorded other-than-temporary impairment (“OTTI”) charges on non-performing bonds of the Government Development Bank for Puerto Rico (the “GDB”) and the Puerto Rico Public Buildings Authority sold in the second quarter, reflected in the statement of operations set forth below as part of “Net gain (loss) on investments and impairments.” No tax expense was recognized for the recovery on the sale of bonds.

Quarter ended September 30, 2016

• Gain of $6.1 million ($5.9 million after-tax) on sales of $198.7 million of U.S. agency MBS that carried an average yield of 2.36%.
• Severance payments of $0.3 million ($0.2 million after-tax) related to permanent job discontinuance in the third quarter of 2016.

The following table reconciles for the third and second quarters of 2017 and the third quarter of 2016 the reported net (loss) income to adjusted net income, a non-GAAP financial measure that excludes the Special Items identified above:

This press release includes certain non-GAAP financial measures, including adjusted net income, adjusted provision for loan and lease losses, adjusted non-interest income, adjusted non-interest expenses, adjusted pre-tax, pre-provision income, adjusted net interest income and margin, certain capital ratios, and certain other financial measures that exclude the effect of items that management believes are not reflective of core operating performance, are not expected to reoccur with any regularity or may reoccur at uncertain times and in uncertain amounts, and should be read in conjunction with the discussion below in “Basis of Presentation – Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and the accompanying tables (Exhibit A), which are an integral part of this press release.

(LOSS) INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES AND RECONCILIATION TO ADJUSTED PRE-TAX, PRE-PROVISION INCOME (NON-GAAP)

Loss before income taxes for the third quarter of 2017 amounted to $19.2 million, compared to income before income taxes of $37.3 million for the second quarter of 2017. The following table reconciles (loss) income before income taxes to adjusted pre-tax, pre-provision income for the last five quarters. Adjusted pre-tax, pre-provision income for the third quarter of 2017 amounted to $53.5 million, down $1.5 million from the second quarter of 2017:

Adjusted pre-tax, pre-provision income is a non-GAAP financial measure that management believes is useful to investors in analyzing the Corporation’s performance and trends. This metric is (loss) income before income taxes adjusted to exclude the provision for loan and lease losses, gains or losses on sales of investment securities and impairments, and fair value adjustments on derivatives. In addition, from time to time, earnings are adjusted also for items that management believes are not reflective of core operating performance, are not expected to reoccur with any regularity or may reoccur at uncertain times and in uncertain amounts (for additional information about this non-GAAP financial measure, see Basis of Presentation - Adjusted Pre-Tax, Pre-Provision Income).

NET INTEREST INCOME

Net interest income, excluding fair value adjustments on derivatives (“valuations”), and net interest income on a tax-equivalent basis are non-GAAP financial measures. See Basis of Presentation – Net Interest Income, Excluding Valuations, and on a Tax-Equivalent Basis below for additional information. The following table reconciles net interest income in accordance with GAAP to net interest income excluding valuations, and net interest income on a tax-equivalent basis for the last five quarters. The table also reconciles net interest spread and net interest margin on a GAAP basis to these items excluding valuations, and on a tax-equivalent basis.

Net interest income for the third quarter of 2017 amounted to $122.8 million, a decrease of $1.1 million when compared to net interest income of $123.9 million for the second quarter of 2017. The decrease in net interest income was mainly due to:

• A $1.9 million decrease in interest income on U.S. agency MBS primarily associated with a $1.6 million increase in the premium amortization expense resulting from higher prepayment rates. The 2017 third quarter U.S. agency MBS prepayments increased to $49.4 million compared to $45.8 million in the second quarter of 2017.
• A $1.4 million increase in interest expense associated with both the increase in the average cost of funds to 1.19% in the third quarter, compared to 1.13% in the second quarter of 2017, and a $76.6 million increase in the average balance of interest-bearing liabilities. The increase in the average cost of funds was driven by the effect of higher market interest rates on the cost of new brokered CDs and FHLB advances, a change in the mix of non-brokered interest-bearing deposits reflecting an increase in retail CDs and a decrease in saving accounts balances, and the upward repricing of repurchase agreements and floating rate junior subordinated debentures. In addition, the Corporation increased its cash balances during the third quarter, primarily from funding provided by short-term FHLB advances, in anticipation of a potential increase in short-term liquidity requirements from customers affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
• A $0.5 million decrease in interest income on residential mortgage loans primarily related to higher inflows of loans to non-performing status, as compared to the second quarter.

Partially offset by:

• A $1.5 million increase in interest income associated with both the upward repricing of variable rate commercial loans and the overall growth in the average balance of performing commercial and construction loan portfolios.
• A $0.7 million increase in net interest income due to the effect of one additional day in the third quarter as the increase in interest income on loans more than offset the related increase in interest expense on deposits and other funding sources.
• A $0.6 million increase in interest income from deposits maintained at the Federal Reserve Bank due to both a higher average balance and the full-quarter effect of the increase in the Federal Funds target rate in June 2017.

Net interest margin was 4.33%, down 11 basis points from the second quarter of 2017. The decrease in the net interest margin was mainly related to the above mentioned increase in the U.S. agency MBS premium amortization expense and margin compression associated with higher average cash balances during the third quarter.

PROVISION FOR LOAN AND LEASE LOSSES

The provision for loan and lease losses for the third quarter of 2017 was $75.0 million, compared to $18.1 million for the second quarter of 2017. As mentioned above, the provision for the third quarter included a $66.5 million charge directly related to the initial estimate of inherent losses resulting from the impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, consisting of: (i) a $26.9 million charge to the provision for commercial and construction loans, (ii) a $25.9 million charge to the provision for consumer loans, and (iii) a $13.7 million charge to the provision for residential mortgage loans.

While it is clear that the recent storms will have significant short-term economic repercussions, both positive and negative, for the Corporation’s commercial and individual loan customers, the storms' ultimate effect on loan collections is uncertain. The Corporation’s loan officers are making individual storm-impact assessments for all commercial customers. However, the fact that the events occurred so recently make it difficult to estimate the immediate impact at such level and the expectation is that the assessment will be substantially completed by the fourth quarter.

At the end of the third quarter, a separate qualitative element of the allowance was determined to represent the estimate of inherent losses associated with the impact of the storm-related events on the Corporation’s loan portfolios. This estimate is judgmental and subject to changes as additional information becomes available. This qualitative allowance was determined using the Corporation’s stress models and are based on the estimated impact the storms could have on continued personal employment (e.g., unemployment rate that doubles current levels based on statistics observed in the aftermath of similar natural disasters in the U.S. mainland), economic activity in the Corporation’s geographic regions and the time it could take for the affected regions to return to a more normalized operating environment. It is expected that the rebuilding efforts will stimulate economic activity and accelerate the pace of economic recovery from the hurricanes. Therefore, the expectation is that the economic environment will get worse over the first couple of quarters with subsequent improvements within 12 months to levels just under the economic scenario right before the hurricanes. Calculated loss factors were assigned to the overall balance of each major loan portfolio category in the affected regions (i.e., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands), resulting in charges of $59.2 million and $7.3 million for the Puerto Rico and the Virgin Island regions, respectively. Management will continue to assess the impact of the storm-related events on its portfolios, economic and unemployment trends, and their effects on the portfolios asset quality.

On a non-GAAP basis, the adjusted provision for loan and lease losses for the third quarter of $8.5 million (excluding the $66.5 million storm-related provision), decreased $9.6 million, compared to the provision of $18.1 million for the second quarter of 2017. The $9.6 million decrease in the adjusted provision for loan and lease losses was driven by the following variances:

• A $10.1 million adjusted net loan loss reserve release for commercial and construction loans recorded in the third quarter, compared to a net loan loss reserve release of $1.3 million in the second quarter. The adjusted net reserve release in the third quarter was primarily related to lower specific reserve requirements for two commercial loans classified as impaired in the current quarter as well as improvements in historical loss rates used for the general reserve calculation. The net reserve release in the second quarter was primarily driven by the effect of a $4.2 million recovery on a previously charged-off loan, partially offset by higher specific reserve requirements for certain impaired loans.
• A $1.3 million decrease in the adjusted provision for residential mortgage loans, largely due to the effect in the second quarter of a $2.6 million charge to the provision for purchased-credit impaired loans, partially offset by higher reserves for troubled debt restructurings (“TDRs”) in the third quarter.

Partially offset by:

• A $0.6 million increase in the adjusted provision for consumer loans, mainly related to the small personal loans portfolio and lower loan loss recoveries adversely impacted by the impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in the third quarter.

See Credit Quality and Basis of Presentation below for additional information regarding the allowance for loan and lease losses, including variances in net charge-offs, and the reconciliation of the provision for loan and lease losses in accordance with GAAP to the adjusted provision for loan and lease losses that excludes the storm-related provision for loan and lease losses.

NON-INTEREST INCOME

Non-interest income for the third quarter of 2017 amounted to $18.6 million, compared to $20.5 million for the second quarter of 2017. Non-interest income for the third quarter of 2017 includes the $1.4 million gain on the repurchase and cancellation of $7.3 million of trust preferred securities and non-interest income for the second quarter of 2017 included the $0.4 million partial recovery of previously recorded OTTI charges on non-performing Puerto Rico Government debt securities sold in the second quarter.

On a non-GAAP basis, excluding the effect of the aforementioned items, the adjusted non-interest income of $17.3 million for the third quarter of 2017 decreased $2.9 million, compared to adjusted non-interest income of $20.2 million for the second quarter of 2017. The $2.9 million decrease in adjusted non-interest income was primarily due to:

• A $1.7 million decrease in revenues from mortgage banking activities driven by lower conforming loan origination and sale volumes exacerbated by interruptions caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in the third quarter. Total loans sold in the secondary market to U.S. government-sponsored entities amounted to $85.1 million with a related net gain of $2.4 million, net of To-Be-Announced MBS (“TBAs”) hedges losses of $0.3 million, in the third quarter of 2017, compared to $99.5 million with a related net gain of $3.6 million, net of TBAs hedges losses of $0.3 million, in the second quarter of 2017. In addition, charges to the valuation allowance for servicing assets in the third quarter increased by $0.5 million compared to the second quarter of 2017.
• A $0.5 million decrease in insurance commissions income, included as part of “Other operating income” in the above table, mainly reflecting the effect in the previous quarter of a $0.3 million adjustment that reduced the unearned insurance commissions’ reserve and lower title and dwelling insurance commissions earned in the third quarter, adversely impacted by a lower volume of residential mortgage loan originations.
• A $0.4 million decrease in transaction fee income such as credit and debit card interchange, ATMs and POS fees, included as part of “Other operating income” in the above table, mainly due to the adverse impact of business activity disruptions associated with Hurricanes Irma and Maria in the third quarter.

NON-INTEREST EXPENSES

Non-interest expenses in the third quarter of 2017 amounted to $85.6 million, a decrease of $3.5 million from $89.1 million in the second quarter of 2017. Approximately $1.7 million of the decrease was related to expected insurance recoveries for employees’ compensation and rental costs that the Corporation incurred when Hurricanes Irma and Maria precluded employees from working during September, of which $1.4 million is included as an offset to “Employees’ compensation and benefits” expenses and $0.3 million is included as an offset to “Occupancy and equipment” expenses in the above table. This was partially offset by $0.6 million of costs associated with storm relief efforts and assistance to employee, included as part of “Business promotion” in the above table, and $0.1 million of professional service fees incurred in connection with a secondary offering of the Corporation’s common stock by certain of our existing stockholders.

On a non-GAAP basis, excluding the effect of the aforementioned items, adjusted non-interest expenses of $86.6 million for the third quarter of 2017 decreased $2.5 million, compared to non-interest expenses of $89.1 million for the second quarter of 2017. The $2.5 million decrease in adjusted non-interest expenses was primarily due to:

• A $2.0 million decrease in losses on OREO operations, primarily related to a $2.7 million decrease in write-downs to the value of OREO properties, primarily related to OREO commercial properties in Puerto Rico, partially offset by a $0.2 million increase in OREO-related operating expenses, including insurance and title matters, a $0.3 million decrease in rental income from income-producing OREO properties, and a $0.2 million decrease in gain on sales of OREO residential properties.
• A $0.5 million decrease in the FDIC insurance premium expense that reflects, among other things, the effect of higher liquidity and its related effect in the risk profile of the Bank’s balance sheet as well as the reduced reliance in brokered deposits.
• A $0.5 million decrease in adjusted business promotion expenses primarily related to the timing of advertising and sponsorship activities.

Partially offset by:

• A $0.2 million increase in adjusted occupancy and equipment costs, primarily due to higher property tax expenses and repairs costs.

• A $0.1 million increase in adjusted total professional service fees, including an increase of $0.5 million in consulting fees, primarily related to implementation costs for new information technology systems, partially offset by a $0.4 million decrease in appraisals, collection fees, and legal matters.
• A $0.1 million increase in adjusted employees’ compensation and benefits expenses, reflecting the effect of a $0.6 million charge recorded in the third quarter associated with the cash transition award paid to certain senior officers as contemplated in the new executive compensation program that became effective on July 1, 2017. The total cash transition award will be paid over a four-quarter period. The expense related to the cash transition award was partially offset by a decrease of $0.5 million in payroll taxes and benefits.

INCOME TAXES

The Corporation recorded an income tax benefit of $8.4 million for the third quarter of 2017 compared to an income tax expense of $9.3 million for the second quarter of 2017. The positive $17.7 million variance was mainly driven by the tax benefit associated with the storm-related charges recorded in the third quarter and a lower effective tax rate driven by an increase in the projected ratio of exempt to taxable income. The estimated effective tax rate, excluding entities with pre-tax losses from which a tax benefit cannot be recognized and the tax benefit associated with the change in the tax status of certain subsidiaries, decreased to 20% compared to 24% as of the end of the second quarter. As of September 30, 2017, the Corporation had a net deferred tax asset of $299.8 million (net of a valuation allowance of $186.9 million, including a valuation allowance of $146.6 million against the deferred tax assets of the Corporation’s banking subsidiary, FirstBank).

CREDIT QUALITY

Non-Performing Assets

Variances in credit quality metrics:

• Total non-performing assets increased by $65.6 million to $640.7 million as of September 30, 2017, compared to $575.1 million as of June 30, 2017. Total non-performing loans, including non-performing loans held for sale, increased by $61.9 million from $419.5 million as of the end of the second quarter of 2017 to $481.4 million as of September 30, 2017. The increase in non-performing assets was primarily attributable to the inflow of two large commercial relationships in Puerto Rico totaling $34.2 million, and increases of $23.2 million and $5.4 million in non-performing residential mortgage and consumer loans, respectively, adversely impacted by interruptions in regular collection efforts associated with Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
• Inflows to non-performing loans held for investment were $103.9 million, an increase of $66.2 million, compared to inflows of $37.7 million in the second quarter of 2017. The variance primarily reflects an increase of $43.3 million in inflows to non-performing commercial and construction loans, including the aforementioned inflow of two large commercial relationships in Puerto Rico totaling $34.2 million, and increases of $15.0 million and $7.8 million in inflows to non-performing residential mortgage and consumer loans, respectively.
• Total loans in early delinquency (i.e. 30-89 days past due loans as defined in regulatory report instructions) amounted to $261.3 million as of September 30, 2017, an increase of $67.6 million compared to $193.7 million as of the end of the second quarter. The variances by major portfolio categories follow:
  • Consumer loans in early delinquency increased in the third quarter by $46.8 million to $129.7 million as of September 30, 2017, reflecting disruptions in regular payment streams associated with Hurricanes Irma and Maria and the effect of loans subject to automatic payment deferral programs established by the Corporation to assist individuals affected by the recent storms, as described below.
  • Commercial and construction loans in early delinquency increased in the third quarter by $24.7 million to $30.7 million as of September 30, 2017, including six relationships with outstanding balances over $1 million totaling $16.7 million.
  • Residential mortgage loans in early delinquency decreased in the third quarter by $3.8 million to $100.9 million as of September 30, 2017.
• Adversely classified commercial and construction loans held for investment decreased by $0.1 million to $367.4 million as of September 30, 2017.
• The OREO balance increased by $2.9 million, driven by additions of $8.9 million in the third quarter, partially offset by sales of $3.7 million and adjustments to the OREO value of $2.2 million.
• Total troubled debt restructuring (“TDR”) loans held for investment were $585.8 million as of September 30, 2017, up $17.3 million from June 30, 2017. Approximately $388.8 million of total TDR loans held for investment were in accrual status as of September 30, 2017.

In working with borrowers affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, which made landfall on September 6, 2017 and September 20, 2017, respectively, the Corporation provided automatic three-month deferred repayment arrangements across-the-board to all consumer borrowers (i.e., personal loans, auto loans, finance leases and credit cards) current in their payments or no more than 2 payments in arrears as of the date of the respective hurricane. For residential mortgage loans, the Corporation offered deferral payment agreements that provide for three-month payment deferrals for those loans current or no more than 2 payments in arrears as of the date of the event. The qualifying mortgage borrowers were required to contact the Corporation and opt in for the program. For both consumer and residential mortgage loans subject to the deferral programs, each borrower is required to begin making their regularly scheduled loan payment at the end of the deferral period and the deferred amounts were moved to the end of the loan. The payment deferral programs were applied prospectively from the date of the events and did not change the delinquency status of the loans as of such dates. For commercial loans, any request for payment deferral is analyzed on a case by case basis. As of September 30, 2017, residential mortgage loans in early delinquency (i.e., 30-89 days past due as defined in regulatory report instructions) include $86.3 million of loans subject to the storm-related deferral programs established in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses

The following table sets forth information concerning the allowance for loan and lease losses during the periods indicated:

• The ratio of the allowance for loan and lease losses to total loans held for investment was 2.60% as of September 30, 2017, compared to 1.96% as of June 30, 2017, a higher coverage driven by the $66.5 million storm-related qualitative allowance established in the third quarter, partially offset by the above mentioned net loan loss reserve release for commercial and construction loans. The ratio of the total allowance to non-performing loans held for investment was 48.80% as of September 30, 2017, compared to 42.17% as of June 30, 2017.

The following table sets forth information concerning the composition of the Corporation’s allowance for loan and lease losses as of September 30, 2017 and June 30, 2017 by loan category and by whether the allowance and related provisions were calculated individually for impairment purposes or through a general valuation allowance:

Net Charge-Offs

The following table presents annualized net charge-offs to average loans held-in-portfolio:

The ratios above are based on annualized net charge-offs and are not necessarily indicative of the results expected in subsequent periods.

Net charge-offs for the third quarter of 2017 were $17.6 million, or an annualized 0.80% of average loans, compared to $47.8 million, or an annualized 2.16% of average loans, in the second quarter of 2017. The decrease of $30.2 million in net charge-offs was mainly related to:

• A $31.8 million decrease in commercial and construction loan net charge-offs, primarily related to the effect in the second quarter of both charge-offs of $29.7 million on TDF commercial mortgage loans and charge-offs of $3.5 million recorded on the resolution of a non-performing commercial relationship. Commercial and construction loan net charge-offs were just $0.9 million for the third quarter of 2017.

Partially offset by:

• A $0.8 million increase in residential mortgage loan net charge-offs, primarily related to a higher amount of charge-offs for loans evaluated for impairment purposes based on its delinquency status and loan-to-value ratio.
• A $0.8 million increase in consumer loan net charge-offs, primarily due to lower loan loss recoveries affected by interruptions in collection efforts associated with Hurricanes Irma and Maria in the third quarter.

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

Total assets were approximately $12.2 billion as of September 30, 2017, up $259.8 million from June 30, 2017.

The increase was mainly due to:

• A $304.6 million increase in cash and cash equivalents, largely driven by temporary funding obtained through short-term FHLB advances in anticipation of a potential increase in short-term liquidity requirements of customers after the passage of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in the third quarter.

• A $6.3 million increase in total loans. The increase consisted of a $60.5 million growth in the Florida region, primarily reflected in the commercial and residential loan portfolios, partially offset by decreases of $45.5 million and $8.6 million in the Puerto Rico and the Virgin Island regions, respectively. The decrease in the Puerto Rico region was driven by a $31.2 million reduction in residential mortgage loans and a $12.4 million decrease in commercial and construction loans. The decrease in the Virgin Islands includes reductions of $5.0 million in commercial and construction loans and $2.9 million in residential mortgage loans.

Total loan originations, including refinancings, renewals and draws from existing commitments (excluding credit card utilization activity), of $589.7 million for the third quarter of 2017, compared to $906.2 million for the second quarter of 2017, reflecting reductions in all major loan categories adversely affected by disruptions in economic activity associated with Hurricanes Irma and Maria. These figures exclude the credit card utilization activity.

Total loan originations in Puerto Rico decreased by $246.3 million to $417.0 million in the third quarter of 2017, compared to $663.3 million in the second quarter of 2017. The decrease in the Puerto Rico region consisted of a $160.7 million decrease in commercial and construction loan originations, a $42.1 million decrease in residential mortgage loan originations, and a $43.5 million decrease in consumer loan originations.

Total loan originations in the Florida region decreased by $63.2 million to $164.6 million in the third quarter of 2017, compared to $227.9 million in the second quarter of 2017. The decrease in the Florida region consisted of a $37.9 million decrease in commercial and construction loan originations, a $24.1 million decrease in residential mortgage loan originations, and a $1.2 million decrease in consumer loan originations.

Total loan originations in the Virgin Islands of $8.1 million in the third quarter of 2017 decreased by $6.9 million, compared to $15.0 million in the second quarter of 2017. The decrease in the Virgin Islands region consisted of a $3.5 million decrease in commercial and construction loan originations, a $1.7 million decrease in residential mortgage loans originations, and a $1.8 million decrease in consumer loan originations.

• An $18.8 million increase in the net deferred tax asset balance, primarily related to the tax benefit resulting from the storm-related charges.

Partially offset by:

• A $57.4 million increase in the allowance for loan and lease losses, driven by the establishment of the $66.5 million storm-related qualitative allowance in the third quarter.
• A $5.9 million decrease in investment securities driven by U.S. agency MBS prepayments of approximately $49.4 million, partially offset by the purchase of $40.8 million of 15-Year U.S. agency MBS with an average yield of 2.14%.

Total liabilities were approximately $10.3 billion as of September 30, 2017, up $266.0 million from June 30, 2017.

The increase was mainly due to:

• A $240.0 million increase in short-term FHLB advances obtained in anticipation of a potential increase in short-term liquidity requirements of deposit customers in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
• An $18.4 million increase in government deposits, reflecting an increase of $13.9 million in Puerto Rico, primarily related to higher balances in time deposits of certain agencies of the central government, and a $4.5 million increase in the Virgin Islands region.
• A $3.1 million increase in total deposits, excluding brokered CDs and government deposits, reflecting an increase of $10.0 million in the Puerto Rico region, primarily related to an increase in retail CDs, and an increase of $6.6 million in the Virgin Islands, partially offset by a decrease of $13.5 million in the Florida region.
• A $1.4 million increase in brokered CDs. Brokered CD issuances in the third quarter totaled $183.7 million with an all-in cost of 1.88%, partially offset by $182.2 million of maturing brokered CDs redeemed in the third quarter with an all-in cost of 1.18%.
• A $10.6 million increase in accounts payable and other liabilities.

Partially offset by:

• A $7.3 million decrease in floating rate junior subordinated debentures, reflected in the statement of financial condition set forth below as “Other borrowings,” associated with the repurchase and cancellation of trust preferred securities in the third quarter.

Total stockholders’ equity amounted to $1.9 billion as of September 30, 2017, a decrease of $6.2 million from June 30, 2017, mainly driven by the net loss reported for the third quarter, partially offset by an increase in the fair value of available-for-sale investment securities recorded as part of other comprehensive income.

The Corporation’s common equity tier 1 capital, tier 1 capital, total capital and leverage ratios under the Basel III rules as of September 30, 2017 were 18.62%, 18.62%, 22.18% and 13.96%, respectively, compared to common equity tier 1 capital, tier 1 capital, total capital and leverage ratios of 18.61%, 18.61%, 22.24%, and 14.14%, respectively, as of the end of the second quarter of 2017. The Corporation paid interest for the third quarter of 2017 on the subordinated debt associated with its trust preferred securities and continued to pay monthly dividends on its non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock. As of September 30, 2017, the Corporation is current on all interest payments related to its subordinated debt.

Meanwhile, the common equity tier 1 capital, tier 1 capital, total capital and leverage ratios as of September 30, 2017 of our banking subsidiary, FirstBank Puerto Rico, were 17.36%, 20.44%, 21.71%, and 15.34%, respectively, compared to common equity tier 1 capital, tier 1 capital, total capital and leverage ratios of 17.37%, 20.43%, 21.70% and 15.53%, respectively, as of the end of the second quarter of 2017.

As previously announced, effective October 3, 2017, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (the “New York FED”) has terminated the formal written agreement (the “Written Agreement”) entered into on June 3, 2010 between the Corporation and the New York FED. However, the Corporation has agreed with the New York FED to continue to obtain the approval of the New York FED before paying dividends, receiving dividends from the Bank, making payments on subordinated debt or trust preferred securities, incurring or guaranteeing debt or purchasing or redeeming any corporate stock.

Tangible Common Equity

The Corporation’s tangible common equity ratio decreased to 14.63% as of September 30, 2017 from 14.99% as of June 30, 2017.

The following table presents a reconciliation of the Corporation’s tangible common equity and tangible assets over the last five quarters to the comparable GAAP items:

Exposure to Puerto Rico Government

As of September 30, 2017, the Corporation had $214.8 million of direct exposure to the Puerto Rico Government, its municipalities and public corporations, compared to $221.5 million as of June 30, 2017. Approximately $184.6 million of the exposure consisted of loans and obligations of municipalities in Puerto Rico that are supported by assigned property tax revenues and for which, in most cases, the good faith, credit and unlimited taxing power of the applicable municipality have been pledged to their repayment. Approximately $6.8 million consisted of a loan to a unit of the central government, and approximately $15.4 million consisted of a loan to an affiliate of a public corporation. The Corporation’s total direct exposure also includes obligations of the Puerto Rico Government, specifically bonds of the Puerto Rico Housing Finance Authority, at an amortized cost of $8.0 million as part of its available-for-sale investment securities portfolio recorded on its books at a fair value of $6.8 million as of September 30, 2017.

In addition, the Corporation had three loans granted to the hotel industry in Puerto Rico guaranteed by the TDF with a book value of $72.4 million as of September 30, 2017, compared to $80.5 million as of June 30, 2017. During the third quarter of 2017, a $7.6 million cash payment was received in connection with an agreement reached in the second quarter in which the TDF agreed to honor a portion of its guarantee through a cash payment and a fixed income financial instrument. Upon completion of the agreement, TDF will be released as a guarantor and the income-producing real estate properties will be the only collateral on these loans. As previously reported, the Corporation’s exposure to TDF commercial mortgage loans was placed in non-accrual status in the first quarter of 2016 and interest payments collected are now applied against principal. As of September 30, 2017, the non-performing commercial mortgage loans guaranteed by the TDF and related facilities are being carried (net of reserves and accumulated charge-offs) at 53% of unpaid principal balance.

The exposure to municipalities in Puerto Rico includes $150.6 million of financing arrangements with Puerto Rico municipalities that were issued in bond form, but underwritten as loans with features that are typically found in commercial loans. These bonds are accounted for as held-to-maturity investment securities.

As of September 30, 2017, the Corporation had $508.2 million of public sector deposits in Puerto Rico, compared to $494.3 million as of June 30, 2017. Approximately 31% is from municipalities and municipal agencies in Puerto Rico and 69% is from public corporations and the central government and agencies in Puerto Rico.

Conference Call / Webcast Information

First BanCorp’s senior management will host an earnings conference call and live webcast on Tuesday, November 7, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Time). The call may be accessed via a live Internet webcast through the investor relations section of the Corporation’s web site: www.1firstbank.com or through a dial-in telephone number at (877) 506-6537 or (412) 380–2001 for international callers. The Corporation recommends that listeners go to the web site at least 15 minutes prior to the call to download and install any necessary software. Following the webcast presentation, a question and answer session will be made available to research analysts and institutional investors. A replay of the webcast will be archived in the investor relations section of First BanCorp’s web site, www.1firstbank.com, until November 7, 2018. A telephone replay will be available one hour after the end of the conference call through December 7, 2017 at (877) 344-7529 or (412) 317-0088 for international callers. The replay access code is 10113964.

Safe Harbor

This press release may contain “forward-looking statements” concerning the Corporation’s future economic, operational and financial performance. The words or phrases “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “look forward,” “should,” “would,” “believes” and similar expressions are meant to identify “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are subject to the safe harbor created by such sections. The Corporation cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any such “forward-looking statements,” which speak only as of the date made, and advises readers that various factors, including, but not limited to, the following could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by such forward-looking statements: the actual pace and magnitude of economic recovery in the regions impacted by the two hurricanes that affected the Corporation’s service areas during the third quarter of 2017 compared to management's current views on the economic recovery; uncertainties about how and when rebuilding will take place in the regions affected by the recent storms, including the rebuilding of the public infrastructure, such as Puerto Rico’s power grid, what level of government, private or philanthropic funds will be invested in the affected communities, how many dislocated individuals will return to their homes in both the short- and long-term, and what other demographic changes will take place; uncertainty as to the ultimate outcomes of actions taken, or those that may have to be taken, by the Puerto Rico government, or the oversight board established by the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) to address Puerto Rico’s financial problems, including the filing of a form of bankruptcy under Title III of PROMESA that provides a court debt restructuring process similar to U.S. bankruptcy protection; the ability of the Puerto Rico government or any of its public corporations or other instrumentalities to repay its respective debt obligations, including the effect of payment defaults on the Puerto Rico government general obligations, bonds of the Government Development Bank for Puerto Rico and certain bonds of government public corporations, and recent and any future downgrades of the long-term and short-term debt ratings of the Puerto Rico government, which could exacerbate Puerto Rico’s adverse economic conditions and, in turn, further adversely impact the Corporation; uncertainty about whether approvals by the New York FED will be provided for future payments of dividends to stockholders or for receiving dividends from FirstBank, or for making payments on trust preferred securities or subordinated debt, incurring, increasing or guaranteeing debt or repurchasing any capital securities, despite the consents that have enabled the Corporation to pay quarterly interest payments on the Corporation’s subordinated debentures associated with its trust preferred securities since the second quarter of 2016, and for future monthly dividends on the non-cumulative perpetual preferred stock, despite the consents that have enabled the Corporation to pay monthly dividends on its non-cumulative perpetual preferred stock since December 2016; a decrease in demand for the Corporation’s products and services and lower revenues and earnings because of the continued recession in Puerto Rico; uncertainty as to the availability of certain funding sources, such as brokered CDs; the Corporation’s reliance on brokered CDs to fund operations and provide liquidity; the risk of not being able to fulfill the Corporation’s cash obligations or resume paying dividends to the Corporation’s common stockholders in the future due to the Corporation’s need to receive regulatory approvals to declare or pay any dividends and to take dividends or any other form of payment representing a reduction in capital from FirstBank or FirstBank’s failure to generate sufficient cash flow to make a dividend payment to the Corporation; the weakness of the real estate markets and of the consumer and commercial sectors and their impact on the credit quality of the Corporation’s loans and other assets, which have contributed and may continue to contribute to, among other things, high levels of non-performing assets, charge-offs and provisions for loan and lease losses, and may subject the Corporation to further risk from loan defaults and foreclosures; the ability of FirstBank to realize the benefits of its deferred tax assets subject to the remaining valuation allowance; adverse changes in general economic conditions in Puerto Rico, the U.S., and the U.S. Virgin Islands and British Virgin Islands, including the interest rate environment, market liquidity, housing absorption rates, real estate prices, and disruptions in the U.S. capital markets, which reduced interest margins and affected funding sources, and has affected demand for all of the Corporation’s products and services and reduced the Corporation’s revenues and earnings, and the value of the Corporation’s assets, and may continue to have these effects; an adverse change in the Corporation’s ability to attract new clients and retain existing ones; the risk that additional portions of the unrealized losses in the Corporation’s investment portfolio are determined to be other-than-temporary, including additional impairments on the Puerto Rico government’s obligations; uncertainty about regulatory and legislative changes for financial services companies in Puerto Rico, the U.S., and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, which could affect the Corporation’s financial condition or performance and could cause the Corporation’s actual results for future periods to differ materially from prior results and anticipated or projected results; changes in the fiscal and monetary policies and regulations of the U.S. federal government and the Puerto Rico and other governments, including those determined by the Federal Reserve Board, the New York Fed, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”), government-sponsored housing agencies, and regulators in Puerto Rico and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands; the risk of possible failure or circumvention of controls and procedures and the risk that the Corporation’s risk management policies may not be adequate; the risk that the FDIC may increase the deposit insurance premium and/or require special assessments to replenish its insurance fund, causing an additional increase in the Corporation’s non-interest expenses; the impact on the Corporation’s results of operations and financial condition of acquisitions and dispositions; a need to recognize additional impairments on the Corporation’s financial instruments, goodwill or other intangible assets relating to acquisitions; the risk that downgrades in the credit ratings of the Corporation’s long-term senior debt will adversely affect the Corporation’s ability to access necessary external funds; the impact on the Corporation’s businesses, business practices and results of operations of a potential higher interest rate environment; uncertainty as to whether FirstBank will be able to satisfy its regulators regarding, among other things, its asset quality, liquidity plans, maintenance of capital levels and compliance with applicable laws, regulations and related requirements; and general competitive factors and industry consolidation. The Corporation does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to update any “forward-looking statements” to reflect occurrences or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements, except as required by the federal securities laws.

Basis of Presentation

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This press release contains non-GAAP financial measures. Non-GAAP financial measures are used when management believes they will be helpful to an investor’s understanding of the Corporation’s results of operations or financial position. Where non-GAAP financial measures are used, the comparable GAAP financial measure, as well as the reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measure to the comparable GAAP financial measure, can be found in the text or in the attached tables to this earnings release. Any analysis of these non-GAAP financial measures should be used only in conjunction with results presented in accordance with GAAP.

Tangible Common Equity Ratio and Tangible Book Value per Common Share

The tangible common equity ratio and tangible book value per common share are non-GAAP financial measures generally used by the financial community to evaluate capital adequacy. Tangible common equity is total equity less preferred equity, goodwill, core deposit intangibles, and other intangibles, such as the purchased credit card relationship intangible and the insurance customer relationship intangible. Tangible assets are total assets less goodwill, core deposit intangibles, and other intangibles, such as the purchased credit card relationship intangible and the insurance customer relationship intangible. Management and many stock analysts use the tangible common equity ratio and tangible book value per common share in conjunction with more traditional bank capital ratios to compare the capital adequacy of banking organizations with significant amounts of goodwill or other intangible assets, typically stemming from the use of the purchase method of accounting for mergers and acquisitions. Accordingly, the Corporation believes that disclosures of these financial measures may be useful also to investors. Neither tangible common equity nor tangible assets, or the related measures should be considered in isolation or as a substitute for stockholders’ equity, total assets, or any other measure calculated in accordance with GAAP. Moreover, the manner in which the Corporation calculates its tangible common equity, tangible assets, and any other related measures may differ from that of other companies reporting measures with similar names.

Adjusted Pre-Tax, Pre-Provision Income

Adjusted pre-tax, pre-provision income is a non-GAAP performance metric that management uses and believes that investors may find useful in analyzing underlying performance trends, particularly in times of economic stress, including as a result of natural catastrophes such as the recent hurricanes. Adjusted pre-tax, pre-provision income, as defined by management, represents net income (loss) excluding income tax expense (benefit) and the provision for loan and lease losses, as well as certain items that management believes are not reflective of core operating performance, are not expected to reoccur with any regularity or may reoccur at uncertain times and in uncertain amounts.

Net Interest Income, Excluding Valuations, and on a Tax-Equivalent Basis

Net interest income, interest rate spread, and net interest margin are reported excluding the changes in the fair value of derivative instruments and on a tax-equivalent basis in order to provide to investors additional information about the Corporation’s net interest income that management uses and believes should facilitate comparability and analysis. The changes in the fair value of derivative instruments have no effect on interest due or interest earned on interest-bearing liabilities or interest-earning assets, respectively. The tax-equivalent adjustment to net interest income recognizes the income tax savings when comparing taxable and tax-exempt assets and assumes a marginal income tax rate. Income from tax-exempt earning assets is increased by an amount equivalent to the taxes that would have been paid if this income had been taxable at statutory rates. Management believes that it is a standard practice in the banking industry to present net interest income, interest rate spread, and net interest margin on a fully tax-equivalent basis. This adjustment puts all earning assets, most notably tax-exempt securities and certain loans, on a common basis that facilitates comparison of results to the results of peers.

Financial measures adjusted to exclude the effect of items that are not reflective of core operating performance, are not expected to reoccur with any regularity or may reoccur at uncertain times and in uncertain amounts.

To supplement the Corporation’s financial statements presented in accordance with GAAP, the Corporation uses, and believes that investors would benefit from disclosure of, non-GAAP financial measures that reflect adjustments to the provision for loan and lease losses, non-interest income, non-interest expenses and net income to exclude items that management believes are not reflective of core operating performance, are not expected to reoccur with any regularity or may reoccur at uncertain times and in uncertain amounts. This press release includes the following non-GAAP financial measures for the third and second quarters of 2017 and the third quarter of 2016 that reflect the described items that were excluded for one of those reasons:

• Adjusted provision for loan and lease losses excluded for the third quarter of 2017 the effect of the $66.5 million storm-related allowance associated with the impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
• Adjusted non-interest income excluded for the third and second quarter of 2017 and the third quarter of 2016, the following:
  • Gain of $1.4 million on the repurchase and cancellation of $7.3 million in trust preferred securities in the third quarter of 2017.
  • Partial recovery of $0.4 million of previously recorded OTTI charges on non-performing bonds of the GDB and the Puerto Rico Public Buildings Authority sold in the second quarter of 2017.
  • Gain of $6.1 million on sales of $198.7 million of U.S. agency MBS that carried an average yield of 2.36% completed in the third quarter of 2016.
• Adjusted non-interest expenses reflected for the third quarter of 2017 and 2016, the following:
  • Exclusion of costs of $0.6 million for storm relief efforts and assistance to employees affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in the third quarter of 2017.
  • Inclusion of $1.7 million of expected insurance recoveries for employees’ compensation and rental costs that the Corporation incurred when Hurricanes Irma and Maria precluded employees from working during the third quarter of 2017.
  • Exclusion of costs of $0.1 million associated with the secondary offering of the Corporation’s common stock by certain of our existing stockholders recorded in the third quarter of 2017.
  • Exclusion of costs of $0.3 million related to severance payments on permanent job discontinuance that are above normal or recurring levels recorded in the third quarter of 2016.
• Adjusted net income reflecting the effect of all of the items mentioned in the above bullets for the third and second quarters of 2017 and the third quarter of 2016, and their related tax impacts as follows:
  • Tax benefit of $25.8 million related to the storm-related provision for loan and lease losses established in the third quarter of 2017 (calculated based on the statutory tax rate of 39% for the $59.2 million provision in Puerto Rico and 37.4% for the $7.3 million provision in the Virgin Islands).
  • No tax expense was recorded for the gain on repurchase and cancellation of trust preferred securities and for costs related with the secondary offering recorded at the holding company level in the third quarter of 2017.
  • Tax benefit of $0.2 million related to expenses incurred for storm relief efforts and assistance to employees in the third quarter of 2017 (calculated based on the statutory tax rate of 39%).
  • No tax expense was recorded for the recovery of previous OTTI charges on non-performing bonds sold in the second quarter of 2017.
  • Tax expense of $0.2 million related to the taxable portion of the gain on sale of U.S. agency MBS recorded in the third quarter of 2016 (calculated based on the applicable capital gain tax rate of 20%).
  • Tax benefit of $0.1 million related to severance payments expense in the third quarter of 2016 (calculated based on the statutory tax rate of 39%).

Management believes that the presentations of the adjusted provision for loan and lease losses, adjusted non-interest income, adjusted non-interest expenses, and adjusted net income enhance the ability of analysts and investors to analyze trends in the Corporation’s business and better understand the performance of the Corporation. In addition, the Corporation may utilize these non-GAAP financial measures as guides in its budgeting and long-term planning process.

The following table reconciles these non-GAAP financial measures to the corresponding measures presented in accordance with GAAP.

About First BanCorp.

First BanCorp. is the parent corporation of FirstBank Puerto Rico, a state-chartered commercial bank with operations in Puerto Rico, the U.S. and the British Virgin Islands and Florida, and of FirstBank Insurance Agency. Among the subsidiaries of FirstBank Puerto Rico are First Federal Finance Corp. and First Express, both small loan companies, and FirstBank Puerto Rico Securities, a broker-dealer subsidiary. First BanCorp’s shares of common stock trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol FBP. Additional information about First BanCorp. may be found at www.1firstbank.com.

EXHIBIT A
Table 1 – Selected Financial Data