FSFG - First Savings Financial Group Inc. Reports Financial Results for the Third Fiscal Quarter Ended June 30 2024

JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind., July 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Savings Financial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: FSFG - news) (the "Company"), the holding company for First Savings Bank (the "Bank"), today reported net income of $4.1 million, or $0.60 per diluted share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 compared to net income of $2.3 million, or $0.34 per diluted share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2023. Excluding nonrecurring items, the Company reported net income of $3.5 million (non-GAAP measure) ⁽¹⁾ and net income per diluted share of $0.52 (non-GAAP measure) ⁽¹⁾ for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 compared to $2.3 million, or $0.34 per diluted share for the quarter ended June 30, 2023. The core banking segment reported net income of $4.7 million, or $0.69 per diluted share for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 compared to $2.9 million, or $0.43 per diluted share for the quarter ended June 30, 2023. Excluding nonrecurring items, the core banking segment reported net income of $4.2 million, or $0.61 per diluted share for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 (non-GAAP measure) ⁽¹⁾ compared to $2.9 million, or $0.43 per diluted share for the quarter ended June 30, 2023.

Commenting on the Company’s performance, Larry W. Myers, President and CEO, stated, “We’re pleased to experience stabilization of the net interest margin along with a slowed pace of deposit migration into higher cost types and we’re very well positioned to benefit in a rates-down environment. Asset quality remains strong and we’re well prepared for any financial downturn that may occur. The results of the SBA Lending segment were disappointing, particularly with respect to loan sales. The SBA Lending pipeline is strong heading into the fourth fiscal quarter and we continue to evaluate strategies to improve financial performance. Additionally, we continue to evaluate and implement strategies to reduce balance sheet and operating inefficiencies. We continue to focus on strong asset quality; selective high-quality lending; deposit growth; and improvement of liquidity, capital and interest rate sensitivity positions. We’ve been successful in executing these strategies and we continue to move on the right trajectory, which we believe will deliver increasing financial results and shareholder value.”

^{(1) Non-GAAP net income and net income per diluted share exclude certain nonrecurring items. A reconciliation to GAAP and discussion of the use of non-GAAP measures is included in the table at the end of this release.}

Results of Operations for the Three Months Ended June 30, 2024 and 2023

Net interest income decreased $331,000, or 2.2%, to $14.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024 as compared to the same period in 2023. The tax equivalent net interest margin was 2.67% for the three months ended June 30, 2024 as compared to 2.94% for the same period in 2023. The decrease in net interest income was due to a $4.6 million increase in interest expense, partially offset by a $4.3 million increase in interest income. An average balance table including average asset yields and average liability costs is included in the table at the end of this release.

The Company recognized a provision for credit losses for loans of $501,000, a provision for unfunded lending commitments of $158,000 and a provision for credit losses for securities of $84,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2024, compared to a provision for loan losses of $441,000 for the same period in 2023. The Company recognized net charge-offs of $105,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2024, of which $49,000 was related to unguaranteed portions of SBA loans, compared to net charge-offs of $61,000 in 2023.

Noninterest income decreased $4.0 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024 as compared to the same period in 2023. The decrease was due primarily to a $4.6 million decrease in mortgage banking income due to the cessation of national mortgage banking operations in the quarter ended December 31, 2023. In addition, the Company recorded the estimated fair market value on Visa Class C shares of $436,000, with no corresponding amount for the same period in 2023.

Noninterest expense decreased $6.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024 as compared to the same period in 2023. The decrease was due primarily to decreases in compensation and benefits expense of $3.7 million. The decrease in compensation and benefits expense was due primarily to a reduction in staffing related to the cessation of national mortgage banking operations in the quarter ended December 31, 2023. In addition, the Company recognized a reversal of a contingency accrual of $283,000 during the quarter ended June 30, 2024, with no corresponding amount during the same period in 2023.

The Company recognized income tax expense of $483,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2024 compared to $331,000 for the same period in 2023. The increase was primarily due to higher taxable income in the 2024 period. The effective tax rate for 2024 was 10.6%, which was a decrease from the effective tax rate of 12.5% in 2023. The decrease in the effective tax rate was due primarily to greater utilization of solar tax credits in 2024 as compared to 2023.

Results of Operations for the Nine Months Ended June 30, 2024 and 2023

The Company reported net income of $9.9 million, or $1.45 per diluted share, for the nine months ended June 30, 2024 compared to net income of $8.9 million, or $1.29 per diluted share, for the nine months ended June 30, 2023. Excluding nonrecurring items, the Company reported net income of $9.4 million (non-GAAP measure) ⁽¹⁾ and net income per diluted share of $1.37 (non-GAAP measure) ⁽¹⁾ for the nine months ended June 30, 2024 compared to $8.9 million, or $1.29 per diluted share for the nine months ended June 30, 2023. The core banking segment reported net income of $13.3 million, or $1.94 per diluted share for the nine months ended June 30, 2024 compared to $12.3 million, or $1.79 for the nine months ended June 30, 2023. Excluding nonrecurring items, the core banking segment reported net income of $12.7 million (non-GAAP measure) ⁽¹⁾ , or $1.86 per diluted share for the nine months ended June 30, 2024 (non-GAAP measure) ⁽¹⁾ . Compared to $12.3 million, or $1.79 for the nine months ended June 30, 2023.

Net interest income decreased $3.1 million, or 6.6%, to $43.0 million for the nine months ended June 30, 2024 as compared to the same period 2023. The tax equivalent net interest margin for the nine months ended June 30, 2024 was 2.67% as compared to 3.13% for the same period in 2023. The decrease in net interest income was due to a $17.7 million increase in interest expense, partially offset by a $14.7 million increase in interest income. An average balance table including average asset yields and average liability costs is included in the table at the end of this release.

The Company recognized a provision for credit losses for loans of $1.7 million, a credit for unfunded lending commitments of $159,000 and a provision for credit losses for securities of $107,000 for the nine months ended June 30, 2024, compared to a provision for loan losses of $1.8 million for the same period in 2023. Nonperforming loans, which consist of nonaccrual loans and loans over 90 days past due and still accruing interest, increased $2.8 million from $13.9 million at September 30, 2023 to $16.8 million at June 30, 2024. The Company recognized net charge-offs of $224,000 for the nine months ended June 30, 2024, of which $15,000 was related to unguaranteed portions of SBA loans, compared to net charge-offs of $320,000 in 2023, of which $264,000 was related to unguaranteed portions of SBA loans.
Noninterest income decreased $10.2 million for the nine months ended June 30, 2024 as compared to the same period in 2023. The decrease was due primarily to a $11.1 million decrease in mortgage banking income due to the cessation of national mortgage banking operations in the quarter ended December 31, 2023.

Noninterest expense decreased $14.2 million for the nine months ended June 30, 2024 as compared to the same period in 2023. The decrease was due primarily to decreases in compensation and benefits expense of $7.5 million and other operating expense of $4.3 million. The decrease in compensation and benefits expense was due primarily to a reduction in staffing related to the cessation of national mortgage banking operations in the quarter ended December 31, 2023. The decrease in other operating expense was due primarily to a $916,000 decrease in net loss on captive insurance due to the dissolution of the captive insurance company in 2023, a decrease in loss contingency for SBA-guaranteed loans of $755,000 in 2024 compared to an increase of $490,000 in 2023, and a decrease in loss contingency for restitution to mortgage borrowers of $300,000 in 2024 compared to an increase of $609,000 in 2023.

The Company recognized income tax expense of $873,000 for the nine months ended June 30, 2024 compared to tax expense of $747,000 for the same period in 2023. The increase is primarily due to higher taxable income in the 2024 period. The effective tax rate for 2024 was 8.1%, which was an increase from the effective tax rate of 7.7% in 2023. The effective tax rate is well below the statutory tax rate primarily due to the utilization of solar tax credits in both the 2024 and 2023 periods.

Comparison of Financial Condition at June 30, 2024 and September 30, 2023

Total assets increased $104.6 million, from $2.29 billion at September 30, 2023 to $2.39 billion at June 30, 2024. Net loans held for investment increased $56.7 million during the nine months ended June 30, 2024 due primarily to growth in residential construction and commercial business loans. Loans held for sale increased by $80.0 million from $45.9 million at September 30, 2023 to $125.9 million, primarily due to the transfer of approximately $108.6 million of residential first lien home equity lines of credit that are intended for sale. Residential mortgage loan servicing rights decreased $59.8 million during the nine months ended June 30, 2024, due to the sale of the entire residential mortgage loan servicing rights portfolio during the period.

Total liabilities increased $87.6 million due primarily to increases in FHLB borrowings of $61.8 million and increases in total deposits of $30.4 million. As of June 30, 2024, deposits exceeding the FDIC insurance limit of $250,000 per insured account were 30.3% of total deposits and 12.7% of total deposits when excluding public funds insured by the Indiana Public Deposit Insurance Fund.

Common stockholders’ equity increased $17.0 million, from $151.0 million at September 30, 2023 to $168.0 million at June 30, 2024, due primarily to a $12.2 million decrease in accumulated other comprehensive loss and an increase in retained net income of $4.4 million. The decrease in accumulated other comprehensive loss was due primarily to decreasing long term market interest rates during the nine months ended June 30, 2024, which resulted in an increase in the fair value of securities available for sale. At June 30, 2024 and September 30, 2023, the Bank was considered “well-capitalized” under applicable regulatory capital guidelines.

First Savings Bank is an entrepreneurial community bank headquartered in Jeffersonville, Indiana, which is directly across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky, and operates fifteen depository branches within Southern Indiana. The Bank also has two national lending programs, including single-tenant net lease commercial real estate and SBA lending, with offices located predominately in the Midwest. The Bank is a recognized leader, both in its local communities and nationally for its lending programs. The employees of First Savings Bank strive daily to achieve the organization’s vision, We Expect To Be The BEST community BANK, which fuels our success. The Company’s common shares trade on The NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol “FSFG.”

This release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements are not historical facts; rather, they are statements based on the Company's current expectations regarding its business strategies and their intended results and its future performance. Forward-looking statements are preceded by terms such as "expects," "believes," "anticipates," "intends" and similar expressions.

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Numerous risks and uncertainties could cause or contribute to the Company's actual results, performance and achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause or contribute to these differences include, without limitation, changes in general economic conditions; changes in market interest rates; changes in monetary and fiscal policies of the federal government; legislative and regulatory changes; and other factors disclosed periodically in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Because of the risks and uncertainties inherent in forward-looking statements, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on them, whether included in this report or made elsewhere from time to time by the Company or on its behalf. Except as may be required by applicable law or regulation, the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

Contact:
Tony A. Schoen, CPA
Chief Financial Officer
812-283-0724