HBNC - Horizon Bancorp Inc. Reports First Quarter 2023 Results

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind., April 26, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (NASDAQ GS: HBNC) – Horizon Bancorp, Inc. (“Horizon” or the “Company”) announced its unaudited financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2023.

“Horizon Bank is proud to announce reaching a significant new milestone of our 150th anniversary of continuous banking operations. We have planned celebrations to honor this occasion throughout the year and, as we like to say, we are 150 years strong!” Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Craig M. Dwight said.

“Our enduring relationships with in–market clients and our advisors' focus on serving local businesses, consumers and communities are reflected in Horizon's stable deposits, growing loans and low credit costs in the first quarter,” Mr. Dwight continued. “Our organization's long–standing 150 year commitment to operational excellence and effective technology implementation was also evident in Horizon's first quarter results, including meaningful non–interest expense reductions and earnings per share of $0.42. Given our strong depositor relationships and lending opportunities in attractive Midwest markets, ample sources of liquidity, active balance sheet management, and talented advisors, we believe Horizon is very well positioned for continued success for 2023 and beyond."

First Quarter 2023 Highlights

• Deposits totaled $5.70 billion at period end, declining $155.8 million during the quarter, primarily due to a $122.2 million reduction in balances by municipal and other public depositors that have otherwise largely maintained their banking relationship with Horizon.
  
  
• Consumer and commercial deposits totaled $4.28 billion at period end, declining just $33.6 million during the quarter.
  
  
• 75% of total deposits at period end were FDIC insured, collateralized, or third–party insured, and the average tenure of all deposit accounts with Horizon exceeded 10 years.
  
  
• The average deposit account balance at period end was less than $25,000 for consumer and commercial depositors and less than $195,000 for all accounts including those of large public depositors.
  
  
• Horizon's loan–to–deposit ratio was 74.5% at period end, as total loans increased by an annualized rate of 8.3% year–to–date and a rate of 2.1% quarter over quarter, fueled by growth in commercial, consumer and residential balances.
  
  
• Asset quality remained solid with total loan delinquency at 0.33% of total loans and net charge–offs to average loans of 0.01% during the quarter.
  
  
• Non–interest expense of $34.5 million in the first quarter declined 3.3% from the linked quarter and 2.1% from the prior year period. Non–interest expense in the first quarter represented 1.79% of average assets on an annualized basis, improving from 1.84%, in the linked quarter and 1.95% in the prior year period.
  
  
• Net income totaled $18.2 million, compared to $21.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2022 and $23.6 million in the prior year period. Diluted earnings per share (“EPS”) of $0.42 compared to $0.48 for the fourth quarter of 2022 and $0.54 for the first quarter of 2022.
  
  
• Deposit betas increased to 51% on total interest bearing deposits in the first quarter compared to a 32% deposit beta during the previous quarter.
  
  
• During the first quarter of 2023, unrealized losses on available for sale investments declined to $121.5 million compared to unrealized losses of $140.1 million at December 31, 2022. As a result our tangible capital ratio increased from 6.56% at December 31, 2022 to 6.87% at March 31, 2023.
  
  
• Horizon's book value per share and tangible book value per share increased to $16.11 and $12.17 compared to $15.55 and $11.59 in the linked quarter and $15.55 and $11.54 in the first quarter of 2022.
  
  
• The Bank’s capital position was still robust with leverage and risk based capital ratios of 8.86% and 13.15%, respectively.
  
  
• Horizon's annualized dividend yield was 5.79% as of March 31, 2023.
  
  
• On January 17, 2023, Horizon's Board of Directors approved the appointment of Thomas M. Prame to serve as the Chief Executive Officer of both Horizon and Horizon Bank (the “Bank”), effective June 1, 2023. Craig M. Dwight will retain the title of Chief Executive Officer until June 1, 2023 and retire as an employee from Horizon and the Bank effective July 3, 2023. Mr. Dwight will continue as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of both Horizon and the Bank.
  

Summary

“Horizon's first quarter profitability metrics included net income of $18.2 million, return on average assets of 0.94% and return on average tangible equity of 14.18%, which were impacted by the effects of industry wide competition for deposits and the rising interest rate environment,” Mr. Dwight said. “Looking ahead, we believe Horizon will continue to benefit from new loan originations replacing lower–yielding payoffs and paydowns, our liquidity position and prudent deposit pricing, continued expense management discipline, relatively low credit costs, and active management of our investment portfolio.”

Income Statement Highlights

Net income for the first quarter of 2023 was $18.2 million, or $0.42 diluted earnings per share, compared to $21.2 million, or $0.48, for the linked quarter and $23.6 million, or $0.54, for the prior year period.

The change in net income for the first quarter of 2023 when compared to the fourth quarter of 2022 reflects a decrease in non–interest expense of $1.2 million and lower income tax expense of $786,000, offset by a decrease in net interest income of $3.5 million, lower non–interest income of $1.1 million, which included a $500,000 loss on the sale of approximately $64.0 million of investment securities, and an increase in credit loss expense of $311,000.

Non–interest expense of $34.5 million in the first quarter of 2023 reflected a $1.3 million decrease in salaries and employee benefits, a $268,000 decrease in outside services and consultants, a $215,000 decrease in data processing expense and a $163,000 decrease in loan expense, offset by a $369,000 increase in other expense from the linked quarter.

Net income for the first quarter of 2023 compared to the same prior year period reflects a decrease in non–interest income of $4.5 million, a decrease in net interest income of $1.6 million, and an increase in credit loss expense of $1.6 million. These results are offset by a decrease in income tax expense of $1.7 million and a decrease in non–interest expense of $746,000.

Net Interest Margin

Horizon’s net interest margin was 2.67% for the first quarter of 2023 compared to 2.85% for the fourth quarter of 2022. The decrease in net interest margin reflects an increase in the cost of interest bearing liabilities of 56 basis points, offset by an increase in the yield on interest earning assets of 29 basis points. Additionally, interest income from acquisition–related purchase accounting adjustments was $64,000 lower during the first quarter of 2023 when compared to the fourth quarter of 2022.

Net interest margin was 2.67% for the first quarter of 2023 compared to 2.90% for the first quarter of 2022. The decrease in net interest margin reflects an increase in the cost of interest bearing liabilities of 155 basis points, offset by an increase in the yield on interest earning assets of 104 basis points. Additionally, interest income from acquisition–related purchase accounting adjustments was $549,000 lower during the first quarter of 2023 when compared to the first quarter of 2022.

Net interest margin, excluding acquisition–related purchase accounting adjustments (“adjusted net interest margin”), was 2.65% for the first quarter of 2023, compared to 2.83% for the linked quarter and 2.85% for the first quarter of 2022. Interest income from acquisition–related purchase accounting adjustments was $367,000, $431,000 and $916,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2023, December 31, 2022 and March 31, 2022, respectively. (See the “Non–GAAP Reconciliation of Net Interest Margin” table below).

Lending Activity

Total loan balances and loans held for sale increased to $4.25 billion on March 31, 2023 compared to $4.16 billion on December 31, 2022. During the three months ended March 31, 2023, commercial loans increased $38.0 million, consumer loans increased $58.3 million, and residential mortgage loans increased $9.2 million, offset by decreases in mortgage warehouse loans of $16.6 million and loans held for sale of $3.4 million.

Deposit Activity

Total deposit balances of $5.70 billion on March 31, 2023 declined 2.66% compared to $5.86 billion on December 31, 2022.

Expense Management

Total non–interest expense was $1.2 million lower in the first quarter of 2023 when compared to the fourth quarter of 2022. The decrease in expenses was primarily due to a decrease in salaries and employee benefits of $1.3 million from lower salary and incentive compensation expense, a decrease in outside services and consultants expense of $268,000 and a decrease in data processing expense of $215,000, offset by an increase in other expense of $369,000 and net occupancy expenses of $284,000.

Total non–interest expense was $746,000 lower in the first quarter of 2023 when compared to the first quarter of 2022 primarily due to an decrease in salaries and incentive compensation expense of $1.0 million and a decrease in FDIC insurance expense of $185,000, offset by an increase in professional fees of $219,000 and outside services and consultants expense of $192,000.

Annualized non–interest expense as a percent of average assets was 1.79%, 1.84% and 1.95% for the three months ended March 31, 2023, December 31, 2022 and March 31, 2022, respectively.

Income tax expense totaled $1.9 million for the first quarter of 2023, a decrease of $786,000 when compared to the fourth quarter of 2022 and a decrease of $1.7 million when compared to the first quarter of 2022.

Capital

The capital resources of the Company and the Bank exceeded regulatory capital ratios for “well capitalized” banks at March 31, 2023. Stockholders’ equity totaled $702.6 million at March 31, 2023 and the ratio of average stockholders’ equity to average assets was 8.86% for the three months ended March 31, 2023.

Tangible book value, which excludes intangible assets from total equity, per common share (“TBVPS”) increased $0.58 during the three months ended March 31, 2023 to $12.17.

The following table presents the actual regulatory capital dollar amounts and ratios of the Company and the Bank as of March 31, 2023.

Liquidity

The Bank maintains a stable base of core deposits provided by long–standing and new relationships with individuals and local businesses. These deposits are the principal source of liquidity for Horizon. Other sources of liquidity for Horizon include earnings, loan repayments, investment security cash flows, proceeds from the sale of residential mortgage loans, unpledged investment securities and borrowing relationships with correspondent banks, including the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis (the “FHLB”). On March 31, 2023, in addition to liquidity available from the normal operating, funding, and investing activities of Horizon, the Bank had approximately $1.65 billion in unused credit lines with various money center banks, including the FHLB and the Federal Reserve Bank. The Bank had approximately $666.3 million of unpledged investment securities on March 31, 2023.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward–looking statements regarding the financial performance, business prospects, growth and operating strategies of Horizon Bancorp, Inc. and its affiliates (collectively, “Horizon”). For these statements, Horizon claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward–looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements in this press release should be considered in conjunction with the other information available about Horizon, including the information in the filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Forward–looking statements provide current expectations or forecasts of future events and are not guarantees of future performance. The forward–looking statements are based on management’s expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. We have tried, wherever possible, to identify such statements by using words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “will” and similar expressions in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance.

Although management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward–looking statements are reasonable, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially include: current financial conditions within the banking industry, including the effects of recent failures of other financial institutions, liquidity levels, and responses by the Federal Reserve, Department of the Treasury, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to address these issues; changes in the level and volatility of interest rates, changes in spreads on earning assets and changes in interest bearing liabilities; increased interest rate sensitivity; the ability of Horizon to remediate its material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting; continuing increases in inflation; loss of key Horizon personnel; increases in disintermediation; potential loss of fee income, including interchange fees, as new and emerging alternative payment platforms take a greater market share of the payment systems; estimates of fair value of certain of Horizon’s assets and liabilities; changes in prepayment speeds, loan originations, credit losses, market values, collateral securing loans and other assets; changes in sources of liquidity; continuing risks and uncertainties relating to the COVID–19 pandemic and government responses thereto; legislative and regulatory actions and reforms; changes in accounting policies or procedures as may be adopted and required by regulatory agencies; litigation, regulatory enforcement, and legal compliance risk and costs; rapid technological developments and changes; cyber terrorism and data security breaches; the rising costs of cybersecurity; the ability of the U.S. federal government to manage federal debt limits; climate change and social justice initiatives; material changes outside the U.S. or in overseas relations, including changes in U.S. trade relations related to imposition of tariffs, Brexit, and the phase out of the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”); the inability to realize cost savings or revenues or to effectively implement integration plans and other consequences associated with mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures; acts of terrorism, war and global conflicts, such as the Russia and Ukraine conflict; and supply chain disruptions and delays. These and additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward–looking statements are discussed in Horizon’s reports (such as the Annual Report on Form 10–K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10–Q, and Current Reports on Form 8–K) filed with the SEC and available at the SEC’s website (www.sec.gov). Undue reliance should not be placed on the forward–looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Horizon does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to publicly release the result of any revisions that may be made to update any forward–looking statement to reflect the events or circumstances after the date on which the forward–looking statement is made, or reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except to the extent required by law.