Independent Bank Corporation Reports 2021 Third Quarter Results

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Oct. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Independent Bank Corporation (NASDAQ: IBCP) reported third quarter 2021 net income of $16.0 million, or $0.73 per diluted share, versus net income of $19.6 million, or $0.89 per diluted share, in the prior-year period. For the nine months ended September 30, 2021, the Company reported net income of $50.4 million, or $2.30 per diluted share, compared to net income of $39.2 million, or $1.76 per diluted share, in the prior-year period.

Highlights for the third quarter of 2021 include:

• Annualized return on average assets and on average equity of 1.40% and 15.93%, respectively;
• An increase in net interest income of 5.7% over the third quarter of 2020;
• Net gains on mortgage loans of $8.4 million and total mortgage loan origination volume of $453.8 million;
• Net growth in portfolio loans of $69.4 million (or 9.8% annualized);
• Continued strong asset quality metrics as evidenced by $1.5 million in net loan recoveries during the quarter as well as a low level of non-performing loans and non-performing assets; and
• The payment of a 21 cent per share dividend on common stock on August 16, 2021.

Highlights for the first nine months of 2021 include:

• Increases in net income and diluted earnings per share of 28.6% and 30.7%, respectively;
• Annualized return on average assets and on average equity of 1.53% and 17.32%, respectively;
• Net gains on mortgage loans of $30.3 million and total mortgage loan origination volume of $1.44 billion;
• Net growth in portfolio loans of $150.3 million (or 7.4% annualized); and
• Net growth in deposits of $374.7 million (or 13.8% annualized).

William B. (“Brad”) Kessel, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Independent Bank Corporation, commented: “I continue to be very pleased with the high level of performance by our team generating strong core results for yet another quarter. We continue to execute on our strategies of investing in people and technology. During the third quarter we saw good growth in net interest income, stabilization of our net interest margin and across the board loan growth, net of PPP. Our commercial pipeline is at its highest level in many quarters. Fueling some of this growth was the opening of two new commercial loan production offices, one in Ottawa County and the second in Macomb County. Deposit gathering continues to be robust both via existing customers as well as through the addition of new customers. In addition, mortgage gains continue to be solid and our card strategies are generating good growth in interchange revenue. On the asset quality front, I could not be more pleased, with net recoveries for the quarter, commercial watch credits at 2.4% of the portfolio, and a very low level of past due loans. Following our second quarter whole bank conversion, we are seeing good utilization and growth rates in our ONE Wallet and Treasury ONE platforms. While there are many uncertainties and challenges ahead, we are excited about the momentum we have in our markets and look forward to continuing these trends through the end of 2021 and into 2022.”

Significant items impacting comparable quarterly and year to date 2021 and 2020 results include the following:

• Changes in the fair value due to price of capitalized mortgage loan servicing rights (the “MSR Changes”) of $0.6 million ($0.02 per diluted share, after taxes) and $2.8 million ($0.10 per diluted share, after taxes) for the three- and nine-months ended September 30, 2021, respectively, as compared to a negative $1.1 million ($0.04 per diluted share, after taxes) and a negative $9.9 million ($0.35 per diluted share, after taxes) for the three- and nine-months ended September 30, 2020, respectively.

Operating Results

The Company’s net interest income totaled $33.8 million during the third quarter of 2021, an increase of $1.8 million, or 5.7% from the year-ago period, and up $2.4 million, or 7.7%, from the second quarter of 2021. The Company’s tax equivalent net interest income as a percent of average interest-earning assets (the “net interest margin”) was 3.18% during the third quarter of 2021, compared to 3.31% in the year-ago period, and 3.02% in the second quarter of 2021. The year-over-year quarterly increase in net interest income was due to an increase in average interest-earning assets that was partially offset by a decline in the net interest margin. Average interest-earning assets were $4.30 billion in the third quarter of 2021, compared to $3.89 billion in the year ago quarter and $4.22 billion in the second quarter of 2021.

For the first nine months of 2021, net interest income totaled $95.5 million, an increase of $2.9 million, or 3.1% from the first nine months in 2020. The Company’s net interest margin for the first nine months of 2021 was 3.09% compared to 3.42% in 2020. The increase in net interest income for the first nine months of 2021 compared to 2020 was also due to an increase in average interest- earning assets that was partially offset by a decline in the net interest margin.

Due principally to the economic impact of COVID-19, the Federal Reserve has taken a variety of actions to stimulate the economy, including significantly lowering short-term interest rates. These lower interest rates combined with a higher allocation to lower yielding securities available for sale has placed continued pressure on the Company’s net interest margin.

In addition, commercial loan balances, interest income and yields have been impacted by Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) lending activity. PPP lending activity is summarized in the following tables:

Non-interest income totaled $19.7 million and $60.9 million, respectively, for the third quarter and first nine months of 2021, compared to $27.0 million and $58.4 million in the respective comparable year ago periods. These changes were primarily due to variances in mortgage banking related revenues (net gains on mortgage loans and mortgage loan servicing, net).

Net gains on mortgage loans in the third quarters of 2021 and 2020, were approximately $8.4 million and $20.2 million, respectively. For the first nine months of 2021, net gains on mortgage loans totaled $30.3 million compared to $46.7 million in 2020. The decrease in net gains on mortgage loans was primarily due to lower profit margins on mortgage loan sales, a decrease in the volume of mortgage loans sold and fair value adjustments on the mortgage loan pipeline.

Mortgage loan servicing, net, generated a gain of $1.3 million and a loss of $0.6 million in the third quarters of 2021 and 2020, respectively. For the first nine months of 2021 and 2020, mortgage loan servicing, net, generated income of $4.5 million and a loss of $9.0 million, respectively. The significant variances in mortgage loan servicing, net are primarily due to changes in the fair value of capitalized mortgage loan servicing rights associated with changes in mortgage loan interest rates and expected future prepayment levels. Mortgage loan servicing, net activity is summarized in the following table:

Net gain on securities available for sale totaled $0.01 million and $1.421 million in third quarter and first nine months of 2021, respectively, compared to zero and $0.253 million in the prior year third quarter and first nine months, respectively. The increase in gain during the first nine months of 2021 was related to the divestiture of a group of mortgage backed securities in the first quarter of 2021.

Non-interest expenses totaled $34.5 million in the third quarter of 2021, compared to $33.6 million in the year-ago period. For the first nine months of 2021, non-interest expenses totaled $97.1 million versus $89.7 million in 2020. These year-over-year increases in non-interest expense are primarily due to increases in compensation and employee benefits (for the year to date period), data processing, interchange, conversion related expenses (for the year to date period) and other expenses (for the quarter to date period). The increase in compensation and employee benefits in 2021 is due to several factors, including, wage increases that were generally effective at the start of the year, an increase in lending personnel, increased overtime primarily associated with a data processing conversion, a higher accrual for incentive compensation (due to higher base for such incentives), higher payroll taxes due to the increase in compensation and higher health care insurance costs (these costs during the first nine months of 2020 were unusually low due to the various COVID related lock-downs). In addition, the third quarter and first nine months of 2021 included $0.3 million and $1.6 million, respectively, of expenses related to the Company’s core data processing conversion (this conversion was completed in May 2021) compared to $0.6 million and $1.0 million, respectively, in the comparable periods in 2020. The first nine months of 2020 also included $0.4 million of expenses (primarily write-downs of fixed assets and leases) related to the closures of nine bank branch offices that were completed in the third quarter of 2020.

The Company recorded an income tax expense of $3.7 million and $11.5 million in the third quarter and first nine months of 2021, respectively. This compares to an income tax expense of $4.8 million and $9.2 million in the third quarter and first nine months of 2020, respectively. The changes in income tax expense principally reflect changes in pre-tax earnings in 2021 relative to 2020.

Asset Quality

A breakdown of loan forbearance totals by loan type is as follows:

A breakdown of non-performing loans(1) by loan type is as follows:

Non-performing loans decreased $2.3 million from December 31, 2020, as all loan categories have declined, reflecting improving economic conditions and the Company’s collection efforts.

The provision for credit losses was a credit of $0.7 million and an expense of $1.0 million in the third quarters of 2021 and 2020, respectively. The provision for credit losses was a credit of $2.6 million and an expense of $12.9 million in the first nine months of 2021 and 2020, respectively. The quarterly and year-to-date decreases in the provision for credit losses in 2021 compared to 2020, were primarily the result of a decline in the adjustment to allocations based on subjective factors and an increase in recoveries of loans previously charged off. In particular, the higher year-to-date provision for credit losses in 2020 included a $10.7 million (or 122.1%) increase in the qualitative/subjective portion of the allowance for credit losses. That increase in 2020 principally reflected the unique challenges and prevailing economic uncertainty resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and the potential impact on the loan portfolio.

The Company recorded loan net recoveries of $1.5 million and $0.3 million in the third quarters of 2021 and 2020, respectively. For the first nine months of 2021 and 2020, the Company recorded loan net recoveries of $2.2 million and loan net charge-offs of $3.3 million, respectively.

The allowance for credit losses totaled $46.8 million at September 30, 2021 compared to $35.4 million at December 31, 2020. The increase from December 31, 2020 is attributed to the adoption of Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Update 2016-13, Financial Instruments — Credit Losses (Topic 326), Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (“CECL”) on January 1, 2021. The impact of the adoption of CECL was an increase in the allowance for credit losses of $11.7 million. At September 30, 2021, the allowance for credit losses equaled 1.62% of total portfolio loans (1.68% when excluding PPP loans) under CECL, compared to 1.30% of total portfolio loans (1.38% when excluding PPP loans) at December 31, 2020, under the probable incurred loss methodology.

Balance Sheet, Liquidity and Capital

Total assets were $4.62 billion at September 30, 2021, an increase of $418.3 million from December 31, 2020. Loans, excluding loans held for sale, were $2.88 billion at September 30, 2021, compared to $2.73 billion at December 31, 2020. Deposits totaled $4.01 billion at September 30, 2021, an increase of $374.7 million from December 31, 2020. This increase is primarily due to growth in non- interest bearing, savings and interest-bearing checking and reciprocal deposit account balances.

Cash and cash equivalents totaled $125.6 million at September 30, 2021, compared to $118.7 million at December 31, 2020. Securities available for sale totaled $1.35 billion at September 30, 2021, compared to $1.07 billion at December 31, 2020. The significant increase in securities available for sale is due to the deployment of funds generated from the growth in deposits.

Total shareholders’ equity was $400.0 million at September 30, 2021, or 8.65% of total assets. Tangible common equity totaled $368.2 million at September 30, 2021, or $17.27 per share. The Company’s wholly owned subsidiary, Independent Bank, remains significantly above “well capitalized” for regulatory purposes with the following ratios:

Share Repurchase Plan

On December 18, 2020, the Board of Directors of the Company authorized the 2021 share repurchase plan. Under the terms of the 2021 share repurchase plan, the Company is authorized to purchase up to 1,100,000 shares, or approximately 5% of its then outstanding common stock. The repurchase plan is authorized to last through December 31, 2021. For the first nine months of 2021, the Company repurchased 659,350 shares at a weighted average price of $20.89 per share.

Earnings Conference Call

Brad Kessel, President and CEO, Gavin A. Mohr, CFO and Joel Rahn, EVP – Commercial Banking will review the quarterly results in a conference call for investors and analysts beginning at 11:00 am ET on Tuesday, October 26, 2021.

To participate in the live conference call, please dial 1-866-200-8394. Also the conference call will be accessible through an audio webcast with user-controlled slides via the following site/URL: https://services.choruscall.com/links/ibcp211026.html.

A playback of the call can be accessed by dialing 1-877-344-7529 (Conference ID # 10160661). The replay will be available through November 2, 2021.

About Independent Bank Corporation

Independent Bank Corporation (NASDAQ: IBCP) is a Michigan-based bank holding company with total assets of approximately $4.6 billion. Founded as First National Bank of Ionia in 1864, Independent Bank Corporation operates a branch network across Michigan's Lower Peninsula through one state-chartered bank subsidiary. This subsidiary (Independent Bank) provides a full range of financial services, including commercial banking, mortgage lending, investments and insurance. Independent Bank Corporation is committed to providing exceptional personal service and value to its customers, stockholders and the communities it serves.

For more information, please visit our Web site at: IndependentBank.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements about Independent Bank Corporation. Statements that are not historical or current facts, including statements about beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements and are based on the information available to, and assumptions and estimates made by, management as of the date hereof. These forward-looking statements cover, among other things, anticipated future revenue and expenses and the future plans and prospects of Independent Bank Corporation. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. The COVID-19 pandemic is adversely affecting Independent Bank Corporation, its customers, counterparties, employees, and third-party service providers, and the ultimate extent of the impacts on its business, financial position, results of operations, liquidity, and prospects is uncertain. Continued deterioration in general business and economic conditions or turbulence in domestic or global financial markets could adversely affect Independent Bank Corporation’s revenues and the values of its assets and liabilities, reduce the availability of funding from certain financial institutions, lead to a tightening of credit, and increase stock price volatility. In addition, changes to statutes, regulations, or regulatory policies or practices could affect Independent Bank Corporation in substantial and unpredictable ways. Independent Bank Corporation’s results could also be adversely affected by changes in interest rates; further increases in unemployment rates; deterioration in the credit quality of its loan portfolios or in the value of the collateral securing those loans; deterioration in the value of its investment securities; legal and regulatory developments; litigation; increased competition from both banks and non-banks; changes in the level of tariffs and other trade policies of the United States and its global trading partners; changes in customer behavior and preferences; breaches in data security; failures to safeguard personal information; effects of mergers and acquisitions and related integration; effects of critical accounting policies and judgments; and management’s ability to effectively manage credit risk, market risk, operational risk, compliance risk, strategic risk, interest rate risk, liquidity risk and reputation risk.

Certain risks and important factors that could affect Independent Bank Corporation's future results are identified in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and other reports filed with the SEC, including among other things under the heading “Risk Factors” in such Annual Report on Form 10-K. Any forward- looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and Independent Bank Corporation undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether to reflect events or circumstances, after the date on which the statement is made, to reflect new information or the occurrence of unanticipated events, or otherwise.

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
Independent Bank Corporation

Independent Bank Corporation believes non-GAAP measures are meaningful because they reflect adjustments commonly made by management, investors, regulators and analysts to evaluate the adequacy of common equity and performance trends. Tangible common equity is used by the Company to measure the quality of capital.

The tangible common equity ratio removes the effect of goodwill and other intangible assets from capital and total assets. Tangible common equity per share of common stock removes the effect of goodwill and other intangible assets from common shareholders’ equity per share of common stock.