VBTX - Veritex Holdings Inc. Reports Third Quarter Operating Results

DALLAS, Oct. 21, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Veritex Holdings, Inc. (“Veritex” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: VBTX), the holding company for Veritex Community Bank, today announced the results for the quarter ended September 30, 2019. The Company reported net income of $27.4 million, or $0.51 diluted earnings per share (“EPS”), compared to $26.9 million, or $0.49 diluted EPS, for the quarter ended June 30, 2019 and $8.9 million, or $0.36 diluted EPS, for the quarter ended September 30, 2018. Operating net income totaled $28.6 million, or $0.53 diluted operating EPS¹, compared to $32.2 million, or $0.59 diluted operating EPS¹, for the quarter ended June 30, 2019 and $10.4 million, or $0.42 diluted operating EPS¹, for the quarter ended September 30, 2018.

C. Malcolm Holland, III, the Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer said: “I am excited about the 3^rd quarter and year-to-date financial results of Veritex. The quarterly earnings power of the Company has been consistent throughout the year. These results have been accomplished while integrating and converting Green Bank and now much of the execution risk is behind us. We are focused on rebuilding our growth momentum, maintaining our asset quality and returning our excess capital to our shareholders.”

Third Quarter 2019 Highlights:

• Diluted EPS was $0.51 and diluted operating EPS¹ was $0.53 for the third quarter of 2019, resulting in a 26.2% increase in diluted operating EPS compared to the third quarter of 2018;

• Book value per common share was $23.02 and tangible book value per common share¹ was $14.61 for the third quarter of 2019, reflecting operating net income, merger expenses, dividends and share repurchase activity;

• Return on average assets was 1.36%, operating return on average assets¹ was 1.42% and pre-tax, pre-provision operating return on average assets¹ was 2.26% for the third quarter of 2019;

• Efficiency ratio was 43.67% and operating efficiency ratio¹ was 42.36% for the third quarter of 2019, reflecting three consecutive quarters of operating efficiency ratio¹ below 44%;

• Increased and extended previously announced stock buyback program.  In the third quarter of 2019, Veritex repurchased 1,177,241 shares of its outstanding common stock under its stock buyback program for an aggregate of $29.0 million resulting in an aggregate of 2,349,103 shares as of September 30, 2019;

• Declared quarterly cash dividend of $0.125 payable on November 21, 2019; and

• Received American Banker’s “Best Banks to Work For” for the sixth consecutive year.

Summary of Financial Data

¹ Refer to the section titled “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for a reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP measures.
² Annualized ratio.

Results of Operations for the Three Months Ended September 30, 2019

Net Interest Income

For the three months ended September 30, 2019, net interest income before provision for loan losses was $70.9 million and net interest margin was 3.90% compared to $71.4 million and 4.00%, respectively, for the three months ended June 30, 2019. The $568 thousand decrease in net interest income was primarily due to a $1.0 million decrease in interest income on loans and a $894 thousand increase in interest expense on advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”), and was partially offset by a $1.0 million decrease in interest expense on transaction and savings deposits. Net interest margin decreased 10 basis points from the three months ended June 30, 2019 primarily due to a decrease in yields earned on loan balances and an increase in the average rates paid on certificate and other time deposits, partially offset by a decrease in the average rate paid on interest-bearing demand and savings deposits during the three months ended September 30, 2019. As a result, the average cost of interest-bearing deposits was unchanged at 1.79% for the three months ended September 30, 2019 and June 30, 2019.

Net interest income before provision for loan losses increased by $41.6 million from $29.3 million to $70.9 million and net interest margin decreased by 9 basis points from 3.99% to 3.90% for the three months ended September 30, 2019 as compared to the same period in 2018. The increase in net interest income before provision for loan losses was primarily driven by higher loan balances and interest income resulting from loans acquired from Green Bancorp, Inc. (“Green”) and organic loan growth during the three months ended September 30, 2019 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2018. For the three months ended September 30, 2019, average loan balance increased by $3.3 billion compared to the three months ended September 30, 2018, which contributed to a $57.7 million increase in interest income. This was partially offset by an increase in the average rate paid on interest-bearing liabilities, which resulted in a $12.9 million increase in interest on deposit accounts. Net interest margin decreased 9 basis points from the three months ended September 30, 2018 primarily due to an increase in the average rate paid on interest-bearing liabilities for the three months ended September 30, 2019 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2018. As a result, the average cost of interest-bearing deposits increased to 1.79% for the three months ended September 30, 2019 from 1.59% for the three months ended September 30, 2018.

Noninterest Income

Noninterest income for the three months ended September 30, 2019 was $8.4 million, an increase of $2.4 million, or 39.7%, compared to the three months ended June 30, 2019. The increase was primarily due to a $594 thousand increase in derivative income and a $245 thousand increase in service charges and fees on deposit accounts earned during the three months ended September 30, 2019. Further, the increase was due to a $642 thousand loss on sales of investment securities as a result of the Company’s repositioning strategy and a $434 thousand decrease in the value of investments in community development-oriented private equity funds used for Community Reinvestment Act purposes recorded for the three months ended June 30, 2019 with no corresponding loss or decrease in value for the three months ended September 30, 2019.

Compared to the three months ended September 30, 2018, noninterest income for the three months ended September 30, 2019 grew by $6.0 million, or 250.1%. The increase was primarily due to a $2.9 million increase in service charges and fees on acquired deposit accounts resulting from our acquisition of Green deposit accounts and the associated income from these accounts, a $1.8 million increase in loan fees, a $723 thousand increase in the gain on sale of Small Business Administration loans and a $578 thousand increase in derivative income earned during the three months ended September 30, 2019.

Noninterest Expense

Noninterest expense was $34.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2019, compared to $39.9 million for the three months ended June 30, 2019, a decrease of $5.3 million, or 13.2%. The decrease was primarily driven by a $4.8 million decrease in merger and acquisition expenses related to our acquisition of Green, which were recorded in the second quarter of 2019. Merger and acquisition expenses recognized during the three months ended September 30, 2019 were primarily related to continued data processing expenses as a result of our system conversion, which was completed in the second quarter of 2019, conversion of our mobile banking platform and severance payments following our acquisition of Green.

Compared to the three months ended September 30, 2018, noninterest expense for the three months ended September 30, 2019 increased by $16.4 million, or 89.8%. The increase was primarily driven by a $10.1 million increase in salaries and employee benefits due to the addition of new Green employees, and a $1.9 million, $1.6 million, $1.2 million and  $857 thousand increase in amortization of intangibles, data processing and software expenses, occupancy and equipment expenses and professional fees, respectively, related to our acquisition of Green.

Financial Condition

Total loans were $5.9 billion at September 30, 2019, a decrease of $41.1 million, or 0.7%, compared to June 30, 2019 due to normal loan activity and paydowns.

Total deposits were $5.9 billion at September 30, 2019, a decrease of $287.2 million, or 4.7%, compared to June 30, 2019. The decrease was primarily the result of a decrease of $165.8 million in certificates and other time deposits, and decreases of $117.9 million and $3.5 million in interest-bearing accounts and noninterest-bearing demand deposits, respectively, due to normal course of business.

Asset Quality

Allowance for loan losses as a percentage of loans held for investment, including mortgage warehouse, was 0.45%, 0.42% and 0.73% of total loans at September 30, 2019, June 30, 2019 and September 30, 2018, respectively. The allowance for loan losses as a percentage of total loans for each of the three quarters was determined by evaluating the qualitative factors around the nature, volume and mix of the loan portfolio. The increase in the allowance for loan losses as a percentage of loans held for investment from June 30, 2019 was primarily attributable to the general provision required from an increase of loans acquired from Green that were re-underwritten in the third quarter of 2019. Once an acquired loan undergoes new underwriting and meets the criteria for a new loan, any remaining fair value adjustments become interest income and the loan becomes fully subject to our allowance for loan loss methodology. The decrease in the allowance for loan losses as a percentage of loans held for investment from September 30, 2018 was attributable to our acquisition of Green, as acquired loans are recorded at fair value. Our allowance for loan losses and remaining purchase discount on acquired loans as a percentage of loans held for investment, including mortgage warehouse, was 1.44%, 1.77% and 1.28% of total loans at September 30, 2019, June 30, 2019 and September 30, 2018, respectively.

We recorded a provision for loan losses for the three months ended September 30, 2019 of $9.7 million compared to $3.3 million and $3.1 million for the three months ended June 30, 2019 and September 30, 2018, respectively. The increase in the recorded provision for loan losses for the three months ended September 30, 2019 was primarily attributable to a $6.1 million charge-off related to a commercial loan relationship acquired from Sovereign Bancshares, Inc. in 2017. The acquired commercial loan relationship consists of a $7.8 million loan to an independent oil and gas exploration company that filed for bankruptcy protection in 2018 and recently entered into a sales process pursuant to Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code. Additionally, the increase in the recorded provision for loan losses for the three months ended September 30, 2019 was caused by a $937 thousand increase in specific reserves on certain non-performing loans and an increase in acquired loans that were re-underwritten (as discussed above) during the three months ended September 30, 2019.

Nonperforming assets totaled $17.0 million, or 0.21%, of total assets at September 30, 2019 compared to $43.3 million, or 0.54%, of total assets at June 30, 2019 and $26.1 million, or 0.80%, of total assets at September 30, 2018. The decrease of $26.3 million compared to June 30, 2019 was driven by a $11.9 million and $11.7 million decrease in originated accruing loans 90 days or more past due and acquired accruing loans 90 days or more past due, respectively, as well as $5.9 million decrease in acquired nonaccrual loans primarily driven by the $6.1 million charge-off discussed above. This decrease was partially offset by a $2.9 million increase in other real estate owned. For the quarter ended September 30, 2019, no purchased credit impaired loans were on non-accrual status.

Dividend Information

On October 21, 2019, Veritex’s Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.125 per share on its outstanding shares of common stock. The dividend will be paid on or after November 21, 2019 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on November 7, 2019.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Veritex’s management uses certain non-GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) financial measures to evaluate its operating performance and provide information that is important to investors. However, non-GAAP financial measures are supplemental and should be viewed in addition to, and not as an alternative for, Veritex’s reported results prepared in accordance with GAAP. Specifically, Veritex reviews and reports tangible book value, tangible book value per common share, operating net income, tangible common equity to tangible assets, return on average tangible common equity, pre-tax, pre-provision operating earnings, pre-tax, pre-provision operating return on average assets, diluted operating earnings per share, operating return on average assets, operating return on average tangible common equity and operating efficiency ratio. Veritex has included in this earnings release information related to these non-GAAP financial measures for the applicable periods presented. Please refer to “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” after the financial highlights at the end of this earnings release for a reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures.

Business Combinations Measurement Period

The measurement period for the Company to determine the fair values of acquired identifiable assets and assumed liabilities for Green will end at the earlier of (i) twelve months from the date of the acquisition or (ii) as soon as the Company receives the information it was seeking about facts and circumstances that existed as of the acquisition date or learns that more information is not obtainable. Provisional estimates have been recorded for the Green acquisition as independent valuations have not been finalized. The Company does not expect any significant differences from estimated values upon completion of the valuations.

Conference Call

The Company will host an investor conference call to review the results on Tuesday, October 22, 2019 at 8:30 a.m. Central Time. Participants may pre-register for the call by visiting https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/9ewhfxdv and will receive a unique PIN, which can be used when dialing in for the call. This will allow attendees to enter the call immediately. Alternatively, participants may call toll-free at (877) 703-9880.

The call and corresponding presentation slides will be webcast live on the home page of the Company's website, https://veritexholdingsinc.gcs-web.com. An audio replay will be available one hour after the conclusion of the call at (855) 859-2056, Conference #3966936. This replay, as well as the webcast, will be available until October 29, 2019.

About Veritex Holdings, Inc.

Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Veritex is a bank holding company that conducts banking activities through its wholly owned subsidiary, Veritex Community Bank, with locations throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and in the Houston metropolitan area. Veritex Community Bank is a Texas state chartered bank regulated by the Texas Department of Banking and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. For more information, visit www.veritexbank.com.

Media Contact:
LaVonda Renfro
972-349-6200

Investor Relations:
Susan Caudle
972-349-6132

Forward-Looking Statements

This earnings release contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on various facts and derived utilizing assumptions, current expectations, estimates and projections and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.  Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements relating to the impact Veritex expects its acquisition of Green to have on its operations, financial condition and financial results and Veritex’s expectations about its ability to successfully integrate the combined businesses of Veritex and Green and the amount of cost savings and overall operational efficiencies Veritex expects to realize as a result of the acquisition of Green.  The forward-looking statements in this earnings release also include statements about the expected payment date of Veritex’s quarterly cash dividend, Veritex’s future financial performance, business and growth strategy, projected plans and objectives, as well as other projections based on macroeconomic and industry trends, which are inherently unreliable due to the multiple factors that impact broader economic and industry trends, and any such variations may be material.  Statements preceded by, followed by or that otherwise include the words “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “projects,” “estimates,” “plans” and similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “should,” “would,” “may” and “could” are generally forward-looking in nature and not historical facts, although not all forward-looking statements include the foregoing words.  Further, certain factors that could affect future results and cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the possibility that the businesses of Veritex and Green will not be integrated successfully, that the cost savings and any synergies from the acquisition may not be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected, disruption from the acquisition making it more difficult to maintain relationships with employees, customers or other parties with whom Veritex has (or Green had) business relationships, diversion of management time on integration-related issues, the reaction to the acquisition by Veritex’s and Green’s customers, employees and counterparties and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of Veritex.  We refer you to the “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections of Veritex’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 and any updates to those risk factors set forth in Veritex’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), which are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.  If one or more events related to these or other risks or uncertainties materialize, or if Veritex’s underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may differ materially from what Veritex anticipates.  Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements.  Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made.  Veritex does not undertake any obligation, and specifically declines any obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. All forward-looking statements, expressed or implied, included in this earnings release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. This cautionary statement should also be considered in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that Veritex or persons acting on Veritex’s behalf may issue.

VERITEX HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
Financial Highlights
(Unaudited)

¹Refer to the section titled “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” after the financial highlights for a reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP measures.
²Annualized ratio.

VERITEX HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
Financial Highlights
(In thousands)

VERITEX HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
Financial Highlights
(In thousands, except per share data)

VERITEX HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
Financial Highlights
(In thousands except percentages)

¹ Includes average outstanding balances of loans held for sale of $8,525, $8,140 and $1,091 for the three months ended September 30, 2019, June 30, 2019, and September 30, 2018, respectively, and average balances of loans held for investment, excluding mortgage warehouse.
² The Company historically reported dividend income in other noninterest income and has re-classed $102 of dividend income into other investments as of September 30, 2018 in order to align with industry peers for comparability purposes.
³ Net interest rate spread is the average yield on interest-earning assets minus the average rate on interest-bearing liabilities.
⁴ Net interest margin is equal to net interest income divided by average interest-earning assets.

VERITEX HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
Financial Highlights
(In thousands except percentages)