BMTC - Bryn Mawr Bank Corporation Reports Quarterly Earnings of $18.4 Million Declares $0.28 Dividend

BRYN MAWR, Pa., Oct. 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bryn Mawr Bank Corporation (NASDAQ: BMTC) (the “Corporation”), parent of The Bryn Mawr Trust Company (the “Bank”), today reported net income of $18.4 million, or $0.92 diluted earnings per share, for the three months ended September 30, 2021, as compared to $21.3 million, or $1.06 diluted earnings per share, for the three months ended June 30, 2021, and $13.2 million, or $0.66 diluted earnings per share, for the three months ended September 30, 2020.

On a non-GAAP basis, core net income, which excludes due diligence and merger-related expenses related to the pending merger with WSFS Financial Corporation (“WSFS”) and other non-core income and expense items, as detailed in the appendix to this earnings release, was $18.0 million, or $0.90 diluted earnings per share, for the three months ended September 30, 2021 as compared to $21.6 million, or $1.08 diluted earnings per share, for the three months ended June 30, 2021. There were no meaningful non-core income or expense items for the three months ended September 30, 2020. Management believes the core net income measure is important in evaluating the Corporation’s performance on a more comparable basis between periods. A reconciliation of this and other non-GAAP to GAAP performance measures is included in the appendix to this earnings release.

“We are pleased with our third quarter results, which was led by strong fee income as well as continued improvements in our credit metrics,” commented Frank Leto, President and Chief Executive Officer. “As it relates to our pending merger with WSFS, we are awaiting final regulatory approval to complete our combination. As I mentioned previously, we remain focused on managing the business to deliver solid financial results for our shareholders and will continue to serve our customers in support of their banking and wealth needs. Staff and management continue to work on merger preparations to ensure a seamless integration upon closing of the merger.” The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the primary regulator of WSFS, approved the combination with WSFS on July 21st. Final approval from the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve in Washington, D.C. is pending. In addition to regulatory approval, the merger with WSFS is subject to certain closing conditions.

On October 21, 2021, the Board of Directors of the Corporation declared a quarterly dividend of $0.28 per share, payable December 1, 2021 to shareholders of record as of November 1, 2021 provided that the merger has not been consummated on or before the record date.

SIGNIFICANT ITEMS OF NOTE

Results of Operations – Third Quarter 2021 Compared to Second Quarter 2021

• Net income for the three months ended September 30, 2021 was $18.4 million, or $0.92 diluted earnings per share, as compared to $21.3 million, or $1.06 diluted earnings per share, for the three months ended June 30, 2021. Net interest income for the three months ended September 30, 2021 was $34.9 million, a $352 thousand decrease as compared to the linked quarter. The provision for credit losses (the “Provision”), which includes the provision for credit losses on loans and leases, off-balance sheet credit exposures, and accrued interest receivable on COVID-19 deferrals, for the three months ended September 30, 2021 was a recovery of $3.2 million, as compared to a recovery of $6.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2021. Total noninterest income increased $1.6 million, total noninterest expense increased $1.4 million, and income tax expense decreased $426 thousand for the three months ended September 30, 2021, as compared to the three months ended June 30, 2021.
  
  
• Net interest income for the three months ended September 30, 2021 was $34.9 million, a $352 thousand decrease as compared to the linked quarter. Tax-equivalent net interest income for the three months ended September 30, 2021 was $35.0 million, a $355 thousand decrease as compared to the linked quarter. Tax-equivalent net interest income for the third quarter of 2021 was positively impacted by the accretion of purchase accounting fair value marks of $385 thousand, a decrease of $532 thousand as compared to $917 thousand for the linked quarter. Excluding the effects of these purchase accounting fair value marks, the adjusted tax-equivalent net interest income for the three months ended September 30, 2021 was $34.6 million, an increase of $177 thousand over the linked quarter. A reconciliation of this and other non-GAAP to GAAP performance measures is included in the appendix to this earnings release.
  
  The tax-equivalent net interest margin was 3.15% for the three months ended September 30, 2021 as compared to 3.17% for the linked quarter. Adjusting for the impact of the accretion of purchase accounting fair value marks, the adjusted tax-equivalent net interest margin was 3.12% for the three months ended September 30, 2021 as compared to 3.09% for the linked quarter. A reconciliation of this and other non-GAAP to GAAP performance measures is included in the appendix to this earnings release.
  
  The increase in tax-equivalent net interest income adjusted for purchase accounting was driven by an increase of $219 thousand in tax-equivalent interest and fees earned on loans and leases and a decrease of $167 thousand in interest expense on deposits partially offset by a decrease of $251 thousand in tax-equivalent interest income on available for sale investment securities for the three months ended September 30, 2021 as compared to the linked quarter.
  
  Tax-equivalent interest and fees earned on loans and leases for the three months ended September 30, 2021 decreased $307 thousand as compared to the linked quarter. The tax-equivalent yield on average loans and leases for the three months ended September 30, 2021 was 3.77%, a decrease of 9 basis points as compared to the linked quarter. Average loans and leases increased $6.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 as compared to the linked quarter.
  
  Interest expense on deposits for the three months ended September 30, 2021 decreased $150 thousand as compared to the linked quarter. The rate paid on average interest-bearing deposits for the three months ended September 30, 2021 was 0.13%, a 2 basis point decrease as compared to the linked quarter. Average interest-bearing deposits for the three months ended September 30, 2021 decreased $79.2 million as compared to the linked quarter.
  
  Tax-equivalent interest income on available for sale investment securities for the three months ended September 30, 2021 decreased $215 thousand as compared to the linked quarter. The tax-equivalent yield on average available for sale investment securities for the three months ended September 30, 2021 was 1.53%, a 5 basis point decrease as compared to the linked quarter. Average available for sale investment securities decreased $50.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 as compared to the linked quarter.
  
  
• Noninterest income of $22.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 increased $1.6 million as compared to the linked quarter. The increase was primarily driven by increases of $1.5 million, $512 thousand, $275 thousand, and $146 thousand in capital markets revenue, net gain on sale of investment securities available for sale, insurance commissions, and net gain on sale of loans, respectively, partially offset by decreases of $413 thousand and $343 thousand in fees for wealth management services and other operating income, respectively.
  
  
• Noninterest expense of $36.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 increased $1.4 million as compared to the linked quarter. The increase was primarily driven by increases of $880 thousand, $794 thousand, and $436 thousand in other operating expenses, professional fees, and furniture, fixtures and equipment expenses, respectively, partially offset by decreases of $248 thousand, $180 thousand, $148 thousand, and $115 thousand merger-related expenses, Pennsylvania bank shares tax expense, advertising expenses, and occupancy and bank premises expense, respectively.
  
  
• A recovery of Provision of $3.2 million was recorded for the three months ended September 30, 2021 as compared to a recovery of Provision of $6.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2021. The recovery of Provision of $3.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 was primarily comprised of a $2.8 million recovery of provision for credit losses on loans and leases and a $384 thousand recovery of provision for credit losses on off-balance sheet credit exposures. The difference in Provision between the two periods was driven by changes in current and forward-looking economic assumptions included in the estimation of expected credit losses on loans and leases as of September 30, 2021 as compared to June 30, 2021. The bank recorded net loan and lease recoveries of $140 thousand for the third quarter of 2021, a difference of $2.5 million, as compared net loan and lease charge-offs of $2.4 million for the second quarter of 2021.
  
  
• The effective tax rate for the third quarter of 2021 increased to 23.35% as compared to 21.92% for the second quarter of 2021.
  

Results of Operations – Third Quarter 2021 Compared to Third Quarter 2020

• Net income for the three months ended September 30, 2021 was $18.4 million, or $0.92 diluted earnings per share, as compared to $13.2 million, or $0.66 diluted earnings per share, for the three months ended September 30, 2020. Net interest income for the three months ended September 30, 2021 was $34.9 million, a decrease of $145 thousand as compared to the same period in 2020. A recovery of Provision of $3.2 million was recorded for the three months ended September 30, 2021 as compared to a Provision of $4.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020, a difference of $7.3 million. The difference in Provision between the two periods was driven by the current and forward-looking economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic included in the estimation of expected credit losses on loans and leases as of September 30, 2021 as compared to September 30, 2020. Total noninterest income increased $1.5 million, total noninterest expense increased $1.6 million, and income tax expense increased $1.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 as compared to the three months ended September 30, 2020.
  
  
• Net interest income for the three months ended September 30, 2021 was $34.9 million, a decrease of $145 thousand as compared to the same period in 2020. Tax-equivalent net interest income for the three months ended September 30, 2021 was $35.0 million, a decrease of $160 thousand as compared to the same period in 2020. Tax-equivalent net interest income for the third quarter of 2021 was positively impacted by the accretion of purchase accounting fair value marks of $385 thousand as compared to $800 thousand for the same period in 2020. Excluding the effects of these purchase accounting fair value marks, the adjusted tax-equivalent net interest income for the three months ended September 30, 2021 was $34.6 million, an increase of $255 thousand as compared to the same period in 2020. A reconciliation of this and other non-GAAP to GAAP performance measures is included in the appendix to this earnings release.
  
  The tax-equivalent net interest margin was 3.15% for the three months ended September 30, 2021 as compared to 3.03% for the same period in 2020. Adjusting for the impacts of the accretion of purchase accounting fair value marks, the adjusted tax-equivalent net interest margin was 3.12% for the three months ended September 30, 2021 as compared to 2.96% for the same period in 2020. A reconciliation of this and other non-GAAP to GAAP performance measures is included in the appendix to this earnings release.
  
  The increase in tax-equivalent net interest income adjusted for purchase accounting was driven by a decrease of $2.2 million in interest paid on deposits partially offset by a decrease of $2.1 million in tax-equivalent interest and fees earned on loans and leases.
  
  Tax-equivalent interest and fees earned on loans and leases for the three months ended September 30, 2021 decreased $2.5 million as compared to the same period in 2020. The tax-equivalent yield on average loans and leases for the three months ended September 30, 2021 was 3.77%, a 20 basis point decrease as compared to the same period in 2020. Average loans and leases decreased $83.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 as compared to the same period in 2020.
  
  Interest expense on deposits for the three months ended September 30, 2021 decreased $2.2 million as compared to the same period in 2020. The rate paid on average interest-bearing deposits for the three months ended September 30, 2021 was 0.13%, a 28 basis point decrease as compared to the same period in 2020. Average interest-bearing deposits for the three months ended September 30, 2021 decreased $450.6 million as compared to the same period in 2020.
  
  
• Noninterest income of $22.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 increased $1.5 million as compared to the same period in 2020. The increase was driven by increases of $1.9 million and $512 thousand in fees for wealth management services and net gain on sale of investment securities available for sale, respectively, partially offset by decreases of $491 thousand, $350 thousand, and $158 thousand in capital markets revenue, net gain on sale of loans, and insurance commissions, respectively.
  
  
• Noninterest expense of $36.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 increased $1.6 million as compared to the same period in 2020. Increases of $1.4 million, $705 thousand, and $423 thousand in other operating expenses, professional fees, and Pennsylvania bank shares tax expense, respectively, were partially offset by decreases of $541 thousand, $450 thousand, and $193 thousand in occupancy and bank premises expense, salaries and wages, and advertising expenses, respectively.
  
  
• A recovery of Provision of $3.2 million was recorded for the three months ended September 30, 2021 as compared to a Provision of $4.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020, a decrease of $7.3 million. The difference in Provision between the two periods was driven by changes in the current and forward-looking economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic included in the estimation of expected credit losses on loans and leases as of September 30, 2021 as compared to September 30, 2020. The bank recorded net loan and lease recoveries of $140 thousand for the third quarter of 2021, a difference of $2.3 million, as compared net loan and lease charge-offs of $2.2 million for the third quarter of 2020.
  
  
• The effective tax rate for the third quarter of 2021 increased to 23.35% as compared to 22.03% for the third quarter of 2020.
  

Financial Condition – September 30, 2021 Compared to December 31, 2020

• Total assets as of September 30, 2021 were $4.88 billion, a decrease of $552.9 million from December 31, 2020. The decrease was primarily driven by a $518.5 million decrease in available for sale investment securities.
  
  
• Available for sale investment securities as of September 30, 2021 totaled $656.5 million, a decrease of $518.5 million from December 31, 2020. The decrease was primarily due to the maturing, in January 2021, of $500.0 million of short-term U.S. Treasury securities included on the balance sheet as of December 31, 2020.
  
  
• Total portfolio loans and leases of $3.62 billion as of September 30, 2021 decreased $10.5 million as compared to December 31, 2020. Decreases of $61.4 million, $41.0 million, $22.6 million, and $17.5 million in residential mortgage 1st liens, owner-occupied commercial mortgages, home equity lines of credit, and leases, respectively, were partially offset by increases of $74.1 million, $29.0 million, and $21.5 million in construction loans, nonowner-occupied commercial mortgages, and commercial and industrial loans, respectively.
  
  As of the date of this earnings release, all loans and leases which had previously been granted payment deferrals related to COVID-19 have resumed regular payments.
  
  
• The allowance for credit losses (“ACL”) on loans and leases was $36.5 million as of September 30, 2021 as compared to an ACL on loans and leases of $53.7 million as of December 31, 2020, a decrease of $17.2 million. The difference in ACL on loans and leases between the two periods was driven by the current and forward-looking economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as projected prepayments, included in the estimation of expected credit losses on loans and leases as of September 30, 2021 as compared to December 31, 2020.
  
  
• Deposits of $3.82 billion as of September 30, 2021 decreased $560.7 million from December 31, 2020. The decrease was primarily driven by decreases of $235.5 million, $204.2 million, $92.9 million, $42.5 million, and $29.9 million in wholesale non-maturity deposits, interest-bearing demand accounts, retail time deposits, money market accounts, and wholesale time deposits, respectively, offset by increases of $41.8 million and $2.5 million in noninterest-bearing deposits and savings accounts, respectively. The decrease in wholesale non-maturity deposits was primarily due to a decrease of approximately $200.0 million of wholesale deposits in the first quarter of 2021, which was used to partially fund the purchase of $500.0 million of short-term U.S. Treasury securities included on the balance sheet as of December 31, 2020. The decrease in interest-bearing demand deposits was primarily driven by management's active management of excess liquidity in this current interest rate environment.
  
  
• Borrowings of $243.1 million as of September 30, 2021, which include short-term borrowings, long-term FHLB advances, subordinated notes and junior subordinated debentures, decreased $10.2 million from December 31, 2020.
  
  
• Wealth assets under management, administration, supervision and brokerage (“wealth assets”) totaled $21.39 billion as of September 30, 2021, an increase of $2.41 billion from December 31, 2020. As of September 30, 2021, wealth assets consisted of $13.78 billion of wealth assets where fees are set at fixed amounts, an increase of $1.92 billion from December 31, 2020, and $7.61 billion of wealth assets where fees are predominantly determined based on the market value of the assets held in their accounts, an increase of $485.7 million from December 31, 2020.
  
  
• The capital ratios for the Bank and the Corporation, as of September 30, 2021, as shown in the attached tables, indicate regulatory capital levels in excess of the regulatory minimums and the levels necessary for the Bank to be considered “well capitalized.” In September 2020, the U.S. banking agencies issued a final rule that provides banking organizations with an alternative option to delay for two years an estimate of CECL’s effect on regulatory capital, relative to the incurred loss methodology’s effect on regulatory capital, followed by a three-year transition period. This final rule is consistent with the interim final rule issued by the U.S. banking agencies in March 2020. The current and prior quarter ratios reflect the Corporation's election of the five-year transition provision.
  

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS AND SAFE HARBOR

This communication contains statements which, to the extent that they are not recitations of historical fact, may constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements may include financial and other projections as well as statements regarding the Corporation’s future plans, objectives, performance, revenues, growth, profits, operating expenses or the Corporation’s underlying assumptions. The words “believe,” “intend,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “strategy,” “plan,” “estimate,” “approximately,” “target,” “project,” “propose,” “possible,” “potential,” “should” and similar expressions, among others, generally identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on various assumptions (many of which are beyond the control of the Corporation) and are subject to risks and uncertainties (which change over time) and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the possibility that the proposed transaction with WSFS does not close when expected or at all because required regulatory or other approvals and other conditions to closing are not received or satisfied on a timely basis or at all; the delay in or failure to close for any other reason; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against the Corporation; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the right of one or both parties to terminate the merger agreement providing for the merger; the risk that the businesses of WSFS and the Corporation will not be integrated successfully; the possibility that the cost savings and any synergies or other anticipated benefits from the proposed transaction may not be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected; disruption from the proposed transaction making it more difficult to maintain relationships with employees, customers or other parties with whom the Corporation has business relationships; diversion of management time on merger-related issues; the reaction to the proposed transaction of our customers, employees and counterparties; uncertainty as to the extent of the duration, scope, and impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic; and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Corporation. We refer you to the “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections of the Corporation's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and any updates to those risk factors set forth in the Corporation’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other filings, which have been filed by the Corporation with the SEC and are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements, expressed or implied, included herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to herein. The actual results or developments anticipated may not be realized or, even if substantially realized, they may not have the expected consequences to or effects on the Corporation or its businesses or operations. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. The Corporation undertakes no obligation, and specifically declines any obligation, to revise or update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as specifically required by law.