FMBH - First Mid Bancshares Inc. Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2021 Results

MATTOON, Ill., Jan. 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Mid Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: FMBH) (the “Company”) today announced its financial results for the quarter and full year period ended December 31, 2021.

Highlights

• Net income of $16.8 million, or $0.93 diluted EPS
• Adjusted net income (non-GAAP) of $17.1 million, or $0.94 diluted EPS
• Strong loan growth of 2.3% for the quarter, excluding Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans
• Record quarter of wealth management revenues with assets under management increasing to $5.1 billion
• Received Federal Reserve approval on January 26, 2022 for the pending Delta Bancshares acquisition

“We ended 2021 on a high note with strong loan growth, record wealth management revenues and solid earnings,” said Joe Dively, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “The economic conditions in our markets are improving and our strategic emphasis on diversifying our geographic footprint is providing better opportunities for loan growth. The pipeline continues to be strong through the early part of the first quarter.   The growth in our noninterest income was led by record performance in the farm management group and proves the importance of the diversification in our business units and revenue streams.”

“With respect to the pending acquisition of Delta Bancshares Company (“Delta”) and its subsidiary Jefferson Bank and Trust (“Jefferson”), which we announced on July 29, 2021, we received Federal Reserve approval yesterday and anticipate closing the acquisition in mid-February. We remain excited about the combination with Jefferson and its enhancement and expansion to our St. Louis metro presence. We have continued to work together with the Jefferson employees in preparing for a smooth transition and we are planning for a June bank merger and conversion,” Dively concluded.

Net Interest Income

Net interest income for the fourth quarter of 2021 decreased by $2.8 million, or 6.0% compared to the third quarter due to declines of $3.4 million and $0.9 million in PPP fee and accretion income, respectively. Excluding these, net interest income increased $1.5 million on a combination of loan growth, higher securities earnings and lower interest expense. For the current quarter, PPP fee income was $1.7 million and accretion income was $0.7 million. As of December 31, 2021, the Company had $0.3 million of deferred fee income on PPP loans remaining.

In comparison to the fourth quarter of 2020, net interest income increased $9.3 million, or 27.9%. The increase was primarily the result of the acquisition of LINCO Bancshares, Inc. and its subsidiary Providence Bank (“Providence”) in the first quarter of 2021, higher income from PPP, and the active management to lower funding costs.

Net Interest Margin

Net interest margin, on a tax equivalent basis, was 3.11% for the fourth quarter of 2021, which was a decrease of 27 basis points compared to the prior quarter with the average earning asset yield down 30 basis points, partially offset by 3 basis points of lower funding costs. Excluding PPP fee income and accretion income, the net interest margin increased by 5 basis points in the quarter.

In comparison to the fourth quarter of last year, the net interest margin declined 6 basis points with earning asset yields down by 21 basis points and the average cost of funds lower by 15 basis points.   Excluding PPP fee income and accretion income, the net interest margin increased by 10 basis points compared to the fourth quarter of last year.

Loan Portfolio

Total loans ended the quarter at $4.0 billion, representing an increase of $47.8 million compared to the prior quarter. Excluding the forgiveness of $43.3 million in PPP loans during the quarter, loans increased $91.1 million, or 2.3%. The Company had $16.0 million in PPP loans remaining at the end of the quarter. Increases in loans were primarily in commercial real estate and agricultural operating lines. Overall loan growth in the quarter was dispersed by market and in industry, and the pipeline remains healthy for the first quarter of 2022.

Asset Quality

The Company’s asset quality measures continued to be in a very strong position.   At quarter end, the ratio of non-performing loans to total loans was 0.55%, and the allowance for credit losses (“ACL”) to non-performing loans was 248%.   Nonperforming loans and nonperforming assets decreased in the quarter. The ratio of nonperforming assets to total assets was 0.45% at quarter end. Net charge-offs were $1.8 million during the quarter. Special mention loans decreased $10.0 million to $66.2 million and substandard loans decreased $7.2 million to $43.9 million.

Provision expense for the quarter was $2.5 million compared to $0.6 million in the same quarter last year. As of December 31, 2021, the ACL, excluding $16.0 million of PPP loans, was 1.37% of total loans.

Deposits

Total deposits ended the quarter at $4.96 billion, which represented a decrease of $32.1 million from the prior quarter. The decline was primarily in time deposits where the Company continues to let non-strategic CD’s mature without replacement. In addition, the Company had $26.2 million of FHLB borrowings mature and were not replaced in the quarter. The Company’s average rate on cost of funds was 0.26% for the quarter compared to 0.29% in the prior quarter and 0.41% in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Noninterest Income

Noninterest income for the fourth quarter of 2021 was $18.1 million compared to $16.4 million in the third quarter of 2021.   The increase was primarily due to a record quarter of wealth management revenues led by the farm management group with higher commodity prices and farmland sales. The increase was partially offset by lower mortgage banking revenues.

In comparison to the fourth quarter of last year, noninterest income increased $2.6 million, or 16.6%. Combined, insurance and wealth management business lines increased 19.5% over the same period last year, led by record wealth management revenues and partially due to the previously announced acquisitions within the brokerage and insurance lines of business. The other fee income services increased 12.8% compared to the fourth quarter of last year, partially due to the addition of Providence.

Noninterest Expenses

Noninterest expense for the fourth quarter totaled $36.4 million compared to $36.3 million in the third quarter. The current quarter included $0.3 million of acquisition and integration related costs. The prior quarter included $0.4 million in acquisition and integration related costs and $1.3 million in branch optimization costs.

In comparison to the fourth quarter of 2020, noninterest expenses increased $6.1 million. The increase was primarily due to the addition of Providence, and growth in both the insurance and wealth management businesses.

The Company’s efficiency ratio, as adjusted in the non-GAAP reconciliation table herein, for the fourth quarter 2021 was 55.8% compared to 52.7% in the prior quarter and 58.3% for the same period last year.

Regulatory Capital Levels and Dividend

The Company’s capital levels remained strong and comfortably above the “well capitalized” levels. Capital levels ended the period as follows:

The Company’s Board of Directors approved its next quarterly dividend in the amount of $0.22 payable on March 1, 2022 for shareholders of record on February 10, 2022.

About First Mid: First Mid Bancshares, Inc. (“First Mid”) is the parent company of First Mid Bank & Trust, N.A., First Mid Insurance Group, Inc., and First Mid Wealth Management Co. First Mid is a $6.0 billion community-focused organization that provides a full-suite of financial services including banking, wealth management, brokerage, Ag services, and insurance through a sizeable network of locations throughout Illinois, Missouri, and Texas, and a loan production office in the greater Indianapolis area. Together, our First Mid team takes great pride in providing solutions and services to the customers and communities and has done so over the last 156 years. More information about the Company is available on our website at www.firstmid.com.

Non-GAAP Measures: In addition to reports presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), this release contains certain non-GAAP financial measures. The Company believes that such non-GAAP financial measures provide investors with information useful in understanding the Company’s financial performance. Readers of this release, however, are urged to review these non-GAAP financial measures in conjunction with the GAAP results as reported. These non-GAAP financial measures are detailed as supplemental tables and include “Adjusted Net Income,” “Adjusted Diluted EPS,” “Efficiency Ratio,” “Net Interest Margin, tax equivalent,” and “Tangible Book Value per Common Share”. While the Company believes these non-GAAP financial measures provide investors with a broader understanding of the capital adequacy, funding profile and financial trends of the Company, this information should be considered as supplemental in nature and not as a substitute to the related financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP. These non-GAAP financial measures may also differ from the similar measures presented by other companies.

Forward Looking Statements
This document may contain certain forward-looking statements about First Mid and Delta Bancshares Company (“Delta”), such as discussions of First Mid’s and Delta’s pricing and fee trends, credit quality and outlook, liquidity, new business results, expansion plans, anticipated expenses, and planned schedules. First Mid intends such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe future plans, strategies and expectations of First Mid and Delta, are identified by use of the words “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “project,” or similar expressions. Actual results could differ materially from the results indicated by these statements because the realization of those results is subject to many risks and uncertainties, including, among other things, the possibility that any of the anticipated benefits of the proposed transactions between First Mid and Delta will not be realized or will not be realized within the expected time period; the risk that integration of the operations of Delta with First Mid will be materially delayed or will be more costly or difficult than expected; the inability to complete the proposed transactions due to the failure to satisfy conditions to completion of the proposed transactions, including failure to obtain the required regulatory, shareholder and other approvals; the failure of the proposed transactions to close for any other reason; the effect of the announcement of the proposed transactions on customer relationships and operating results; the possibility that the proposed transactions may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events; changes in interest rates; general economic conditions and those in the market areas of First Mid and Delta; legislative and/or regulatory changes; monetary and fiscal policies of the U.S. Government, including policies of the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve Board; the quality or composition of First Mid’s and Delta’s loan or investment portfolios and the valuation of those investment portfolios; demand for loan products; deposit flows; competition, demand for financial services in the market areas of First Mid and Delta; accounting principles, policies and guidelines; the severity, magnitude and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, the direct and indirect impact of such pandemic, including responses to the pandemic by the U.S., state and local governments, customers' businesses, the disruption of global, national, state and local economies associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, which could affect First Mid’s and Delta’s liquidity and capital positions, impair the ability of First Mid’s and Delta’s borrowers to repay outstanding loans, impair collateral values, and further increase the allowance for credit losses, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on First Mid’s and Delta’s financial results, including possible lost revenue and increased expenses (including cost of capital), as well as possible goodwill impairment charges. Additional information concerning First Mid, including additional factors and risks that could materially affect First Mid’s financial results, are included in First Mid’s filings with the SEC, including its Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Except as required under the federal securities laws or the rules and regulations of the SEC, we do not undertake any obligation to update or review any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Investor Contact:
Aaron Holt
VP, Shareholder Relations
217-258-0463
aholt@firstmid.com

Matt Smith
Chief Financial Officer
217-258-1528
msmith@firstmid.com