Western Alliance Bancorporation Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Financial Results

Western Alliance Bancorporation (NYSE:WAL):

FOURTH QUARTER AND FULL YEAR 2023 FINANCIAL RESULTS

Income Statement

Net interest income totaled $591.7 million in the fourth quarter 2023, an increase of $4.7 million, or 0.8%, from $587.0 million in the third quarter 2023, and a decrease of $48.0 million, or 7.5%, compared to the fourth quarter 2022. The increase in net interest income from the third quarter 2023 is due to an increase in average HFI loan and securities balances combined with a decrease in average short-term borrowings, and was partially offset by an increase in deposit balances and rates. The decrease in net interest income from the fourth quarter 2022 was driven by an increase in both the balances and rates of deposits and short-term borrowings, partially offset by higher yields on HFI loans.

The Company recorded a provision for credit losses of $9.3 million in the fourth quarter 2023, a decrease of $2.8 million from $12.1 million in the third quarter 2023, and an increase of $6.2 million from $3.1 million in the fourth quarter 2022. The decrease in provision for credit losses during the fourth quarter 2023 is primarily due to improvement in the macroeconomic outlook and stable asset quality.

The Company’s net interest margin in the fourth quarter 2023 was 3.65%, a decrease from 3.67% in the third quarter 2023, and a decrease from 3.98% in the fourth quarter 2022. An increase in deposit balances and rates drove a decrease in net interest margin from the third quarter 2023, with higher average HFI loan and securities balances partially offsetting this decrease. The decrease in net interest margin from the fourth quarter 2022 was driven by higher average balances and rates on deposits and short-term borrowings.

Non-interest income was $90.5 million for the fourth quarter 2023, compared to $129.2 million for the third quarter 2023, and $61.5 million for the fourth quarter 2022. The $38.7 million decrease in non-interest income for the third quarter 2023 was due to a decrease in fair value gain adjustments of $16.5 million and a $14.8 million loss on sale of securities in the fourth quarter compared to a gain of $0.1 million in the third quarter, combined with an $18.1 million decrease in net loan servicing revenue due to losses on MSR sales and fair value changes, partially offset by higher servicing income, and a $4.2 million decrease in net gain on loan origination and sale activities from lower spreads. These decreases were offset by a $12.6 million increase in income from equity investments. The $29.0 million increase in non-interest income from the fourth quarter 2022 was driven by a higher net gain on loan origination and sale activities, service charges and fees, and fair value gain adjustments.

Net revenue totaled $682.2 million for the fourth quarter 2023, a decrease of $34.0 million or 4.7%, compared to $716.2 million for the third quarter 2023, and a decrease of $19.0 million or 2.7%, compared to $701.2 million for the fourth quarter 2022.

Non-interest expense was $461.9 million for the fourth quarter 2023, compared to $426.2 million for the third quarter 2023, and $333.4 million for the fourth quarter 2022. The Company’s adjusted efficiency ratio1 was 59.1% for the fourth quarter 2023, compared to 50.0% in the third quarter 2023, and 40.0% for the fourth quarter 2022. The increase in non-interest expense from the third quarter 2023 is due primarily to increased insurance costs largely related to the FDIC special assessment, partially offset by a gain on debt extinguishment related to the early payoff of the AmeriHome senior notes. The increase in non-interest expense from the fourth quarter 2022 is primarily attributable to an increase in insurance and deposit costs.

Income tax expense was $63.1 million for the fourth quarter 2023, compared to $61.3 million for the third quarter 2023, and $71.7 million for the fourth quarter 2022. The increase in income tax expense from the third quarter 2023 is primarily related to a higher effective tax rate resulting from lower utilization of tax credits due to timing of projects being placed in service, the AOCI impact of AFS securities gains during the quarter, and discrete nondeductible items.

Net income was $147.9 million for the fourth quarter 2023, a decrease of $68.7 million from $216.6 million for the third quarter 2023, and a decrease of $145.1 million from $293.0 million for the fourth quarter 2022. Earnings per share totaled $1.33 for the fourth quarter 2023, compared to $1.97 for the third quarter 2023, and $2.67 for the fourth quarter 2022. Earnings per share, excluding notable items1, totaled $1.91 for the fourth quarter 2023. The Company views its earnings per share, excluding notable items1 as a key metric for assessing the Company’s earnings power.

The Company views its pre-provision net revenue1 ("PPNR") as a key metric for assessing the Company’s earnings power, which it defines as net revenue less non-interest expense. For the fourth quarter 2023, the Company’s PPNR1 was $220.3 million, down $69.7 million from $290.0 million in the third quarter 2023, and down $147.5 million from $367.8 million in the fourth quarter 2022.

The Company had 3,260 full-time equivalent employees and 57 offices at December 31, 2023, compared to 3,272 employees and 56 offices at September 30, 2023, and 3,365 employees and 56 offices at December 31, 2022.

Balance Sheet

HFI loans, net of deferred fees totaled $50.3 billion at December 31, 2023, compared to $49.4 billion at September 30, 2023, and $51.9 billion at December 31, 2022. The increase in HFI loans of $850 million from the prior quarter was driven by an increase of $759 million in commercial and industrial loans and $220 million in construction and land development loans. This increase was partially offset by a decrease in CRE non-owner occupied loans of $160 million. The decrease in HFI loans of $1.6 billion from December 31, 2022 was driven by a $1.6 billion decrease in commercial and industrial loans and a $1.2 billion decrease in residential real estate loans, resulting from loan dispositions undertaken as part of the Company's balance sheet repositioning strategy. This decrease was partially offset by increases in construction and land development loans and CRE non-owner occupied of $876 million and $331 million, respectively. HFS loans totaled $1.4 billion at December 31, 2023, compared to $1.8 billion at September 30, 2023, and $1.2 billion at December 31, 2022. The balance of HFS loans at December 31, 2023 primarily consisted of AmeriHome HFS loans, consistent with the balance at December 31, 2022 and prior periods. The decrease of $364 million in HFS loans from the prior quarter is primarily related to loan sales. The increase of $218 million in HFS loans from December 31, 2022 primarily related to an increase in agency conforming loans.

The Company's allowance for credit losses on HFI loans consists of an allowance for funded HFI loans and an allowance for unfunded loan commitments. At December 31, 2023, the allowance for loan losses to funded HFI loans ratio was 0.67%, compared to 0.66% at September 30, 2023, and 0.60% at December 31, 2022. The allowance for credit losses, which includes the allowance for unfunded loan commitments, to funded HFI loans ratio was 0.73% at December 31, 2023, compared to 0.74% at September 30, 2023, and 0.69% at December 31, 2022. The Company is a party to credit linked note transactions, which effectively transfer a portion of the risk of losses on reference pools of loans to the purchasers of the notes. The Company is protected from first credit losses on reference pools of loans totaling $9.1 billion, $9.3 billion, and $12.0 billion as of December 31, 2023, September 30, 2023, and December 31, 2022, respectively, under these transactions. However, as these note transactions are considered to be free standing credit enhancements, the allowance for credit losses cannot be reduced by the expected credit losses that may be mitigated by these notes. Accordingly, the allowance for loan and credit losses ratios include an allowance of $14.7 million as of December 31, 2023, $17.4 million as of September 30, 2023, and $18.5 million as of December 31, 2022, related to these pools of loans. The allowance for credit losses to funded HFI loans ratio, adjusted to reduce the HFI loan balance by the amount of loans in covered reference pools, was 0.89% at December 31, 2023, 0.91% at September 30, 2023, and 0.89% at December 31, 2022.

Deposits totaled $55.3 billion at December 31, 2023, an increase of $1.0 billion from $54.3 billion at September 30, 2023, and an increase of $1.7 billion from $53.6 billion at December 31, 2022. By deposit type, the increase from the prior quarter is attributable to increases of $3.1 billion from interest-bearing demand deposits and $1.3 billion from certificates of deposits, offset by a decrease of $3.5 billion from non-interest bearing demand deposits. From December 31, 2022, interest-bearing demand deposits and certificates of deposit increased $6.4 billion and $5.1 billion, respectively. These increases were partially offset by decreases in non-interest bearing demand deposits and savings and money market accounts of $5.2 billion and $4.6 billion, respectively. Non-interest bearing deposits were $14.5 billion at December 31, 2023, compared to $18.0 billion at September 30, 2023, and $19.7 billion at December 31, 2022.

The table below shows the Company's deposit types as a percentage of total deposits:

The Company’s ratio of HFI loans to deposits was 90.9% at December 31, 2023, compared to 91.1% at September 30, 2023, and 96.7% at December 31, 2022.

Borrowings were $7.2 billion at December 31, 2023, $8.7 billion at September 30, 2023, and $6.3 billion at December 31, 2022. Borrowings decreased $1.5 billion from September 30, 2023 due to payoff of the Bank Term Funding Program advances and the AmeriHome senior notes. The increase in borrowings from December 31, 2022 is due primarily to an increase in short-term borrowings of $1.8 billion, partially offset by payoffs of credit linked notes and the AmeriHome senior notes.

Qualifying debt totaled $895 million at December 31, 2023, compared to $890 million at September 30, 2023, and $893 million at December 31, 2022.

Stockholders’ equity was $6.1 billion at December 31, 2023, compared to $5.7 billion at September 30, 2023 and $5.4 billion at December 31, 2022. The increase in stockholders’ equity from the prior quarter was due to net income and unrealized fair value gains of $222 million on the Company's available-for-sale securities, which are recorded in other comprehensive loss, net of tax. These increases were partially offset by dividends to shareholders. Cash dividends of $40.5 million ($0.37 per common share) and $3.2 million ($0.27 per depository share) were paid to shareholders during the fourth quarter 2023. The increase in stockholders' equity from December 31, 2022 is primarily a function of net income, partially offset by dividends to shareholders.

At December 31, 2023, tangible common equity, net of tax1, was 7.3% of tangible assets1 and total capital was 13.7% of risk-weighted assets. The Company’s tangible book value per share1 was $46.72 at December 31, 2023, an increase of 7.0% from $43.66 at September 30, 2023, and up 16.1% from $40.25 at December 31, 2022. The increase in tangible book value per share from September 30, 2023 is attributable to net income.

Total assets remained flat from September 30, 2023 to December 31, 2023 at $70.9 billion, and increased 4.6% from $67.7 billion at December 31, 2022. The slight decrease in total assets from September 30, 2023 was driven by a decrease in cash and HFS loans, offset by an increase in investment securities. The increase in total assets from December 31, 2022 was driven by an increase in investments, cash, and HFS loans, partially offset by a decrease in HFI loans.

Asset Quality

Provision for credit losses totaled $9.3 million for the fourth quarter 2023, compared to $12.1 million for the third quarter 2023, and $3.1 million for the fourth quarter 2022. Net loan charge-offs in the fourth quarter 2023 were $8.5 million, or 0.07% of average loans (annualized), compared to $8.0 million, or 0.07%, in the third quarter 2023, and $1.8 million, or 0.01%, in the fourth quarter 2022.

Nonaccrual loans increased $36 million to $273 million during the quarter and increased $188 million from December 31, 2022. Loans past due 90 days and still accruing interest totaled $42 million at December 31, 2023 and zero at September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 (excluding government guaranteed loans of $399 million, $439 million, and $582 million, respectively). Loans past due 30-89 days and still accruing interest totaled $164 million at December 31, 2023, a decrease from $189 million at September 30, 2023, and an increase from $70 million at December 31, 2022 (excluding government guaranteed loans of $279 million, $261 million, and $334 million, respectively).

Repossessed assets totaled $8 million at December 31, 2023, flat from September 30, 2023, and a decrease of $3 million from December 31, 2022. Classified assets totaled $673 million at December 31, 2023, an increase of $34 million from $639 million at September 30, 2023, and an increase of $280 million from $393 million at December 31, 2022.

The ratio of classified assets to Tier 1 capital plus the allowance for credit losses, a common regulatory measure of asset quality, was 10.5% at December 31, 2023, compared to 10.2% at September 30, 2023, and 6.8% at December 31, 2022.

Segment Highlights

The Company's reportable segments are aggregated with a focus on products and services offered and consist of three reportable segments:

Key management metrics for evaluating the performance of the Company's Commercial and Consumer Related segments include loan and deposit growth, asset quality, and pre-tax income.

The Commercial segment reported an HFI loan balance of $29.1 billion at December 31, 2023, an increase of $416 million during the quarter, and a decrease of $2.3 billion during the year. Deposits for the Commercial segment totaled $23.9 billion at December 31, 2023, an increase of $1.3 billion during the quarter, and a decrease of $5.6 billion during the year.

Pre-tax income for the Commercial segment was $168.4 million for the three months ended December 31, 2023, a decrease of $27.7 million from the three months ended September 30, 2023, and a decrease of $152.1 million from the three months ended December 31, 2022. For the year ended December 31, 2023, the Commercial segment reported total pre-tax income of $745.2 million, a decrease of $350.1 million compared to the year ended December 31, 2022.

The Consumer Related segment reported an HFI loan balance of $21.2 billion at December 31, 2023, an increase of $434 million during the quarter, and an increase of $713 million during the year. The Consumer Related segment also has loans held for sale of $1.4 billion at December 31, 2023, a decrease of $364 million during the quarter, and an increase of $218 million during the year. Deposits for the Consumer Related segment totaled $24.9 billion, a decrease of $169 million during the quarter, and an increase of $6.4 billion during the year.

Pre-tax income for the Consumer Related segment was $75.6 million for the three months ended December 31, 2023, an increase of $6.7 million from the three months ended September 30, 2023, and an increase of $5.8 million from the three months ended December 31, 2022. Pre-tax income for the Consumer Related segment for the year ended December 31, 2023 totaled $258.0 million, a decrease of $192.1 million compared to the year ended December 31, 2022.

Conference Call and Webcast

Western Alliance Bancorporation will host a conference call and live webcast to discuss its fourth quarter and full year 2023 financial results at 12:00 p.m. ET on Friday, January 26, 2024. Participants may access the call by dialing 1-833-470-1428 and using access code 941447 or via live audio webcast using the website link https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/536267609. The webcast is also available via the Company’s website at www.westernalliancebancorporation.com. Participants should log in at least 15 minutes early to receive instructions. The call will be recorded and made available for replay after 3:00 p.m. ET January 26th through 11:00 p.m. ET February 26th by dialing 1-866-813-9403, using access code 690232.

Reclassifications

Certain amounts in the Consolidated Income Statements for the prior periods have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation. The reclassifications have no effect on net income or stockholders’ equity as previously reported.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information

This press release contains both financial measures based on GAAP and non-GAAP based financial measures, which are used where management believes them to be helpful in understanding the Company’s results of operations or financial position. 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 this press release. These 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.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements that relate to expectations, beliefs, projections, future plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements we make regarding our expectations with regard to our business, financial and operating results, future economic performance and dividends. The forward-looking statements contained herein reflect our current views about future events and financial performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and changes in circumstances that may cause our actual results to differ significantly from historical results and those expressed in any forward-looking statement. Some factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical or expected results include, among others: the risk factors discussed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 and the Company's subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, each as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission; adverse developments in the financial services industry generally such as the bank failures in 2023 and any related impact on depositor behavior; risks related to the sufficiency of liquidity; the potential adverse effects of unusual and infrequently occurring events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and any governmental or societal responses thereto; changes in general economic conditions, either nationally or locally in the areas in which we conduct or will conduct our business; the impact on financial markets from geopolitical conflicts such as the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East; inflation, interest rate, market and monetary fluctuations; increases in competitive pressures among financial institutions and businesses offering similar products and services; higher defaults on our loan portfolio than we expect; changes in management’s estimate of the adequacy of the allowance for credit losses; legislative or regulatory changes or changes in accounting principles, policies or guidelines; supervisory actions by regulatory agencies which may limit our ability to pursue certain growth opportunities, including expansion through acquisitions; additional regulatory requirements resulting from our continued growth; management’s estimates and projections of interest rates and interest rate policy; the execution of our business plan; and other factors affecting the financial services industry generally or the banking industry in particular.

Any forward-looking statement made by us in this release is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. We do not intend and disclaim any duty or obligation to update or revise any industry information or forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, set forth in this press release to reflect new information, future events or otherwise.

About Western Alliance Bancorporation

With more than $70 billion in assets, Western Alliance Bancorporation (NYSE:WAL) is one of the country’s top-performing banking companies. Through its primary subsidiary, Western Alliance Bank, Member FDIC, clients benefit from a full spectrum of tailored commercial banking solutions and consumer products, all delivered with outstanding service by industry experts who put customers first. Major accolades include being ranked as a top U.S. bank in 2023 by American Banker and Bank Director. Serving clients across the country wherever business happens, Western Alliance Bank operates individual, full-service banking and financial brands with offices in key markets nationwide. For more information, visit westernalliancebank.com.