West Bancorporation, Inc. Announces Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results and Declares Quarterly Dividend

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa, July 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- West Bancorporation, Inc. (Nasdaq: WTBA; the “Company”), parent company of West Bank, today reported second quarter 2024 net income of $5.2 million, or $0.31 per diluted common share, compared to first quarter 2024 net income of $5.8 million, or $0.35 per diluted common share, and second quarter 2023 net income of $5.9 million, or $0.35 per diluted common share. On July 24, 2024, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.25 per common share. The dividend is payable on August 21, 2024, to stockholders of record on August 7, 2024.

David Nelson, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, commented, “Our credit quality remains pristine as a result of our disciplined loan growth and credit risk management practices. The ratio of nonperforming assets to total assets remains negligible at 0.01%. In the first half of 2024, we have seen deposits grow, net interest income improve and net interest margin stabilize.”

David Nelson added, “Our efficiency ratio has increased as expected with the costs associated with our new buildings. Our buildings are designed as tools for building strong relationships and facilitating business development. We believe these strategic investments will continue to drive profitable growth similar to the successes we have had in our newer Minnesota offices.”

Second Quarter 2024 Compared to First Quarter 2024 Overview

• Loans increased $18.6 million in the second quarter of 2024, or 2.5 percent annualized. The increase is primarily due to the funding of previously committed construction loans.
  
• No credit loss expense was recorded in either the first or second quarter of 2024.
  
• The allowance for credit losses to total loans was 0.95 percent at June 30, 2024 and March 31, 2024. Nonaccrual loans at June 30, 2024 consisted of three loans with a total balance of $521 thousand, compared to one loan with a balance of $289 thousand at March 31, 2024.
• Deposits increased $115.9 million, or 3.8 percent, in the second quarter of 2024. Brokered deposits totaled $370.3 million at June 30, 2024, compared to $396.4 million at March 31, 2024, a decrease of $26.1 million. Excluding brokered deposits, deposits increased $142.0 million during the second quarter of 2024. In the second quarter of 2024, a local municipal customer deposited approximately $120.0 million of bond proceeds that are expected to be withdrawn over the next 12-18 months. As of June 30, 2024, estimated uninsured deposits, which exclude deposits in the IntraFi® reciprocal network, brokered deposits and public funds protected by state programs, accounted for approximately 26.3 percent of total deposits.
• Borrowed funds decreased to $525.5 million at June 30, 2024, compared to $639.7 million at March 31, 2024. The decrease was primarily attributable to a decrease of $113.0 million in federal funds purchased and other short-term borrowings as a result of the increase in deposits.
• The efficiency ratio (a non-GAAP measure) was 67.14 percent for the second quarter of 2024, compared to 62.04 percent for the first quarter of 2024. The increase in the efficiency ratio was primarily due to the increase in noninterest expense, partially offset by the increase in net interest income. Salaries and benefits increased primarily due to annual officer compensation increases and compensation related accrual adjustments. Occupancy and equipment increased primarily due to the occupancy costs associated with the Company’s newly constructed headquarters.
• Net interest margin, on a fully tax-equivalent basis (a non-GAAP measure), was 1.86 percent for the second quarter of 2024, compared to 1.88 percent for the first quarter of 2024. Net interest income for the second quarter of 2024 was $17.2 million, compared to $16.8 million for the first quarter of 2024.
• The tangible common equity ratio was 5.65 percent as of both June 30, 2024 and March 31, 2024.

Second Quarter 2024 Compared to Second Quarter 2023 Overview

• Loans increased $191.7 million at June 30, 2024, or 6.8 percent, compared to June 30, 2023. The increase is primarily due to the funding of previously committed construction loans.
  
• Deposits increased $344.6 million at June 30, 2024, compared to June 30, 2023. Included in deposits were brokered deposits totaling $370.3 million at June 30, 2024, compared to $230.7 million at June 30, 2023. Brokered deposits were used to reduce short-term borrowed funds and to fund loan growth. Excluding brokered deposits, deposits increased $205.0 million, or 7.9 percent, as of June 30, 2024, compared to June 30, 2023. In the second quarter of 2024, a local municipal customer deposited approximately $120.0 million of bond proceeds that are expected to be withdrawn over the next 12-18 months.
  
• Borrowed funds decreased to $525.5 million at June 30, 2024, compared to $593.9 million at June 30, 2023. The decrease was primarily attributable to a decrease of $98.7 million in federal funds purchased and other short-term borrowings, partially offset by an increase of $35.0 million in FHLB one-month rolling advances hedged with long-term interest rate swaps.
  
• The efficiency ratio (a non-GAAP measure) was 67.14 percent for the second quarter of 2024, compared to 62.83 percent for the second quarter of 2023. The increase in the efficiency ratio in the second quarter of 2024 compared to the second quarter of 2023 was primarily due to the decrease in net interest income and increase in noninterest expense. Occupancy and equipment increased primarily due to the occupancy costs associated with the Company’s newly constructed headquarters.
  
• Net interest margin, on a fully tax-equivalent basis (a non-GAAP measure), was 1.86 percent for the second quarter of 2024, compared to 2.02 percent for the second quarter of 2023. Net interest income for the second quarter of 2024 was $17.2 million, compared to $17.3 million for the second quarter of 2023.
  

The Company filed its report on Form 10-Q with the Securities and Exchange Commission today. Please refer to that document for a more in-depth discussion of the Company’s financial results. The Form 10-Q is available on the Investor Relations section of West Bank’s website at www.westbankstrong.com.

The Company will discuss its results in a conference call scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Central Time on Thursday, July 25, 2024. The telephone number for the conference call is 800-715-9871. The conference ID for the conference call is 8511345. A recording of the call will be available until August 8, 2024, by dialing 800-770-2030. The conference ID for the replay call is 8511345, followed by the # key.

About West Bancorporation, Inc. (Nasdaq: WTBA)

West Bancorporation, Inc. is headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa. Serving customers since 1893, West Bank, a wholly-owned subsidiary of West Bancorporation, Inc., is a community bank that focuses on lending, deposit services, and trust services for small- to medium-sized businesses and consumers. West Bank has six offices in the Des Moines, Iowa metropolitan area, one office in Coralville, Iowa, and four offices in Minnesota in the cities of Rochester, Owatonna, Mankato and St. Cloud.

Certain statements in this report, other than purely historical information, including estimates, projections, statements relating to the Company’s business plans, objectives and expected operating results, and the assumptions upon which those statements are based, are “forward-looking statements” within the meanings of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements may appear throughout this report. These forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words “believes,” “expects,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “future,” “confident,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “strategy,” “plan,” “opportunity,” “will be,” “will likely result,” “will continue” or similar references, or references to estimates, predictions or future events. Such forward-looking statements are based upon certain underlying assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Because of the possibility that the underlying assumptions are incorrect or do not materialize as expected in the future, actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties that may affect future results include: interest rate risk, including the effects of sustained high interest rates by the Federal Reserve; fluctuations in the values of the securities held in our investment portfolio, including as a result of changes in interest rates; competitive pressures, including from non-bank competitors such as “fintech” companies and digital asset service providers; pricing pressures on loans and deposits; our ability to successfully manage liquidity risk; changes in credit and other risks posed by the Company’s loan portfolio, including declines in commercial or residential real estate values or changes in the allowance for credit losses dictated by new market conditions, accounting standards or regulatory requirements; the concentration of large deposits from certain clients who have balances above current FDIC insurance limits; changes in local, national and international economic conditions, including high rates of inflation and possible recession; the effects of recent developments and events in the financial services industry, including the large-scale deposit withdrawals over a short period of time that resulted in recent bank failures; changes in legal and regulatory requirements, limitations and costs including in response to the recent bank failures; changes in customers’ acceptance of the Company’s products and services; the occurrence of fraudulent activity, breaches or failures of our or our third-party partners’ information security controls or cyber-security related incidents, including as a result of sophisticated attacks using artificial intelligence and similar tools; unexpected outcomes of existing or new litigation involving the Company; the monetary, trade and other regulatory policies of the U.S. government; acts of war or terrorism, including the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, widespread disease or pandemics, or other adverse external events; risks related to climate change and the negative impact it may have on our customers and their businesses; changes to U.S. tax laws, regulations and guidance; potential changes in federal policy and at regulatory agencies as a result of the upcoming 2024 presidential election; talent and labor shortages; and any other risks described in the “Risk Factors” sections of reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update such forward-looking statements to reflect current or future events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

For more information contact:
Jane Funk, Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer (515) 222-5766

(1) Includes accumulated other comprehensive loss.
(2) Closing stock price divided by book value per common share.
(3) Closing stock price divided by annualized earnings per common share (basic).
(4) Annualized dividend divided by period end closing stock price.
(5) Annualized net income divided by average assets.
(6) Annualized net income divided by average stockholders’ equity.
(7) Annualized tax-equivalent net interest income divided by average interest-earning assets.
(8) Annualized tax-equivalent interest income on interest-earning assets divided by average interest-earning assets.
(9) Noninterest expense (excluding other real estate owned expense and write-down of premises) divided by noninterest income (excluding net securities gains/losses and gains/losses on disposition of premises and equipment) plus tax-equivalent net interest income.
(10) Total nonperforming assets divided by total assets.
(11) Allowance for credit losses on loans divided by total loans.
(12) Common equity less intangible assets (none held) divided by tangible assets.
(13) A non-GAAP measure.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

This report contains references to financial measures that are not defined in GAAP. Such non-GAAP financial measures include the Company’s presentation of net interest income and net interest margin on a fully taxable equivalent (FTE) basis and the presentation of the efficiency ratio on an adjusted and FTE basis, excluding certain income and expenses. Management believes these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information to both management and investors to analyze and evaluate the Company’s financial performance. These measures are considered standard measures of comparison within the banking industry. Additionally, management believes providing measures on a FTE basis enhances the comparability of income arising from taxable and nontaxable sources. Limitations associated with non-GAAP financial measures include the risks that persons might disagree as to the appropriateness of items included in these measures and that different companies might calculate these measures differently. These non-GAAP disclosures should not be considered an alternative to the Company’s GAAP results. The following table reconciles the non-GAAP financial measures of net interest income and net interest margin on a fully taxable equivalent basis and efficiency ratio on an adjusted and FTE basis.

(1) Computed on a tax-equivalent basis using a federal income tax rate of 21 percent, adjusted to reflect the effect of the nondeductible interest expense associated with owning tax-exempt securities and loans. Management believes the presentation of this non-GAAP measure provides supplemental useful information for proper understanding of the financial results, as it enhances the comparability of income arising from taxable and nontaxable sources.
(2) The efficiency ratio expresses noninterest expense as a percent of fully taxable equivalent net interest income and noninterest income, excluding specific noninterest income and expenses. Management believes the presentation of this non-GAAP measure provides supplemental useful information for proper understanding of the Company's financial performance. It is a standard measure of comparison within the banking industry. A lower ratio is more desirable.