Old National’s 2016 net income is highest in the Company’s history increasing 15% over 2015 with organic loan growth exceeding 7%

2016 HIGHLIGHTS:

• Earnings of $134.3 million, or $1.05 per share
• Organic loan growth¹ of 7.1%; organic commercial and commercial real estate growth of 10.7%
• Tangible book value² increase of 8.9% over 2015

4TH QUARTER VS. 3RD QUARTER 2016 HIGHLIGHTS:

• Earnings of $33.5 million, or $0.25 per share
• Organic loan growth¹ of 6.1% annualized; organic commercial and commercial real estate growth of 9.7% annualized
• Stable Core Net Interest Margin²

¹ Excludes acquired loans; includes loans held for sale
² Non-GAAP measures – refer to Tables 4 & 11 for Non-GAAP reconciliations

EVANSVILLE, Ind., Jan. 24, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today Old National Bancorp (the “Company” or “Old National”) (NASDAQ:ONB) reported full-year 2016 net income of $134.3 million, or $1.05 per diluted share.  This net income represents an increase of 15.0% over full-year 2015 net income of $116.7 million, or $1.00 per diluted share, and represents the highest yearly earnings in the Company’s history.  The successful conversion and integration of the Company’s largest partnership, strong loan growth and consistently low credit metrics all contributed to this positive year-over-year performance.

For the 4^th quarter of 2016, Old National reported net income of $33.5 million, or $0.25 per diluted share.  During the current quarter, Old National recognized $12.8 million in pre-tax deferred gains related to the repurchase of various bank properties.  Also included in the 4^th quarter of 2016 were pre-tax pension termination charges of $9.8 million, pre-tax branch consolidation charges of $5.1 million, pre-tax merger and integration charges of $1.8 million and severance of $1.6 million.  These quarterly results compare to net income of $34.7 million in the 3^rd quarter of 2016 and $32.0 million recorded in the 4^th quarter of 2015.  The 3^rd quarter of 2016 contained $5.5 million in pre-tax merger and integration charges.

“A strong fourth quarter, driven by 6.1% annualized organic loan growth, capped a year of excellent growth for Old National,” said Chairman and CEO Bob Jones. “Not only did we increase our net income by 15% over 2015 while maintaining exceptional credit quality and increasing our tangible book value by nearly 9%, we accomplished all of this while expanding our franchise into Wisconsin with the largest partnership in our history.”

Committed to our Strategic Imperatives and 2016 Initiatives

Old National’s continued steady performance and strong credit and capital positions can be attributed to the Company’s unwavering commitment to the three strategic imperatives that have guided Old National for 11 years: 

     1. Strengthen the risk profile; 2. Enhance management discipline; and 3. Achieve consistent quality earnings.

Guided by these three strategic imperatives, Old National’s primary initiatives for 2016 were: 1. Continue to grow organic revenue; 2. Improve operating leverage; and 3. Prudent use of capital, all while maintaining a strong credit culture.

Grow Organic Revenue

Balance Sheet and Net Interest Margin

At December 31, 2016, period-end loans, including loans held for sale, totaled $9.101 billion, an increase of $135.7 million from the $8.966 billion at September 30, 2016.  This increase represents a 6.1% annualized organic growth rate.  Old National’s Louisville, Kentucky market, including the Company’s new Lexington office, the South Bend market and the Ft. Wayne region all contributed significantly to this loan portfolio growth during the 4^th quarter. Old National’s portfolio of commercial and commercial real estate loans grew by 9.7%, annualized, from the 3^rd quarter to the 4^th quarter of 2016.  On an annual basis, period-end loans, including loans held for sale, increased $2.139 billion from December 31, 2015.  Excluding the $1.647 billion in loan balances acquired from the Anchor partnership, organic loan growth was $491.9 million, or 7.1%.  Commercial and commercial real estate loans grew $395.5 million on an organic basis, net of the $968.6 million acquired from Anchor.

Total period-end core deposits, including demand and interest-bearing deposits, increased $146.6 million, or 5.6% annualized, to $10.629 billion at December 30, 2016, compared to $10.482 billion at September 30, 2016.  On an annual basis, period-end deposits, including demand and interest-bearing deposits, increased $2.327 billion from December 31, 2015.  Excluding the $1.853 billion in deposit balances assumed from the Anchor partnership, organic deposit growth was $473.9 million, or 5.7%.

Net interest income for the 4^th quarter of 2016, totaled $109.9 million compared to $107.8 million in the 3^rd quarter of 2016, and $85.9 million in the 4^th quarter of 2015.  On a fully taxable equivalent basis, net interest income was $115.4 million for the 4^th quarter of 2016 and represented a net interest margin on total average earning assets of 3.63%.  These results compare to net interest income on a fully taxable equivalent basis of $113.1 million and a margin of 3.60% in the 3^rd quarter of 2016.   In the 4^th quarter of 2015, Old National reported net interest income on a fully taxable equivalent basis of $91.1 million and a margin of 3.50%.  Refer to Table 4 for Non-GAAP taxable equivalent reconciliations.

Old National recorded $16.8 million in accretion income as part of net interest income, or a 53 basis points contribution to the net interest margin, in the 4^th quarter of 2016.  Accretion income is related to purchase accounting discounts from the Company’s various acquisitions.  Total accretion income in the 3^rd quarter of 2016 and the 4^th quarter of 2015 reported by Old National was $15.9 million, or a 51 basis point net interest margin contribution, and $12.3 million, or a 48 basis point net interest margin contribution, respectively.  Excluding accretion income, the core net interest margin was 3.10% in the 4^th quarter of 2016, compared to 3.09% in the 3^rd quarter of 2016 and 3.02% in the 4^th quarter of 2015.  Refer to Table 4 for Non-GAAP reconciliations.

Noninterest Income

For the 4^th quarter of 2016, total noninterest income amounted to $62.8 million and compares to $47.2 million reported in the 3^rd quarter of 2016 and $60.6 million in the 4^th quarter of 2015.  During the 4^th quarter of 2016 and the 4^th quarter of 2015, Old National recognized pre-tax deferred gains relating to the repurchase of various bank properties in the amount of $12.8 million and $10.8 million, respectively.

Improve Operating Leverage

Old National’s noninterest expenses totaled $126.3 million for the 4^th quarter of 2016.  Included in this total is a $9.8 million pre-tax charge for the termination of the Company’s pension plan, $5.1 million in pretax charges related to branch consolidations, $1.8 million in pre-tax merger and integration charges and $1.6 million in severance.  Noninterest expenses for the 3^rd quarter of 2016 were $108.1 million and for the 4^th quarter of 2015 were $102.5 million. Items impacting noninterest expenses for the 3^rd quarter of 2016 include pre-tax merger and integration charges of $5.5 million.  Old National consolidated five branches during 2016 and has closed an additional 15 branches in January 2017.  As of December 31, 2016, Old National has 202 branches throughout its franchise.

Prudent Use of Capital

At December 31, 2016, Old National’s capital position remained well above regulatory guideline minimums with regulatory tier 1 and total risk-based capital ratios of 11.7% and 12.2%, respectively, compared to 11.9% and 12.5% at September 30, 2016, and 12.6% and 13.3% at December 31, 2015.  Old National did not repurchase any stock in the open market during the 4^th quarter or during the entire year of 2016.

The following table presents Old National’s risk-based and leverage ratios compared to industry requirements:

Old National’s ratio of tangible common equity to tangible assets was 7.92% at December 31, 2016, compared to 8.13% at September 30, 2016, and 7.66% at December 31, 2015.  Refer to Table 11 for Non-GAAP reconciliations. 

Maintain a Strong Credit Culture

Old National recorded a provision recapture of $1.8 million and had net recoveries of $17 thousand in the 4^th quarter of 2016.  These results compare to $1.3 million in provision expense and net charge-offs of $1.6 million, and provision expense of $0.5 million and net recoveries of $0.5 million, in the 3^rd quarter of 2016 and the 4^th quarter of 2015, respectively.  Net charge-offs for the 4^th quarter of 2016 were 0.00% of average total loans on an annualized basis, compared to net charge-offs of 0.07% of average total loans in the 3^rd quarter of 2016 and net recoveries of 0.03% of average total loans in the 4^th quarter of 2015. 

Delinquencies remained low as Old National reported 30+ day delinquent loans of 0.43% in the 4^th quarter of 2016 compared to 0.36% in the 3^rd quarter of 2016.  Old National’s 90+ day delinquent loans for the 4^th and 3^rd quarters of 2016 were near zero.

For the full year of 2016, Old National reported net charge-offs of $3.4 million, or 0.04% of average total loans, and recorded provision expense of $1.0 million.  This compares to the full year of 2015 with net recoveries of $1.5 million, or 0.02% of average total loans, and provision expense of $2.9 million.

Old National’s allowance for loan losses at December 31, 2016, was $49.8 million, or 0.55% of total loans, compared to an allowance of $51.5 million, or 0.58% of total loans at September 30, 2016, and $52.2 million, or 0.75% of total loans, at December 31, 2015.  The coverage ratio (allowance to non-performing loans) stood at 34% at December 31, 2016, compared to 31% at September 30, 2016, and 36% at December 31, 2015.

In accordance with current accounting practices, the loans acquired from Anchor during the 2^nd quarter of 2016 were recorded at fair value with no allowance recorded at the acquisition date.  When considering both the allowance for loan losses plus the purchase accounting marks, Old National believes it remains appropriately reserved, as demonstrated by the table below.

¹ Includes discount on loans acquired through previous partnerships.

The following table presents certain credit quality metrics related to Old National’s loan portfolio:

About Old National

Old National Bancorp (NASDAQ:ONB), the holding company of Old National Bank, is the largest financial services holding company headquartered in Indiana. With $14.9 billion in assets, it ranks among the top 100 banking companies in the U.S.  Since its founding in Evansville in 1834, Old National Bank has focused on community banking by building long-term, highly valued partnerships with clients. Today, Old National’s footprint includes Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Wisconsin. In addition to providing extensive services in retail and commercial banking, Old National offers comprehensive wealth management, investments and brokerage services. For more information and financial data, please visit Investor Relations at oldnational.com.

Conference Call

Old National will hold a conference call at 10:00 a.m. Central Time on Tuesday, January 24, 2017, to discuss 4^th quarter and full-year 2016 financial results, strategic developments, and the Company’s financial outlook.  The live audio web cast of the call, along with the corresponding presentation slides, will be available on the Company’s Investor Relations web page at oldnational.com and will be archived there for 12 months.  A replay of the call will also be available from 1:00 p.m. Central Time on January 24 through February 7.  To access the replay, dial 1-855-859-2056, Conference ID Code 50911607.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This earnings release contains GAAP financial measures and non-GAAP financial measures where management believes it to be helpful in understanding Old National’s results of operations or financial position.  Where non-GAAP financial measures are used, the comparable GAAP financial measure, as well as the reconciliation to the comparable GAAP financial measure, can be found in the tables of this release.

Table 4 – Non-GAAP Reconciliations-Core Net Interest Margin

¹ Accretion related to purchase accounting discounts on acquired loan portfolios.

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  These statements include, but are not limited to, descriptions of Old National Bancorp’s (“Old National’s”) financial condition, results of operations, asset and credit quality trends and profitability.  Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “could” and “should,” and other words of similar meaning.  These forward-looking statements express management’s current expectations or forecasts of future events and, by their nature, are subject to risks and uncertainties and there are a number of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such statements.  Factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to: expected cost savings, synergies and other financial benefits from the recently completed mergers might not be realized within the expected timeframes and costs or difficulties relating to integration matters might be greater than expected; market, economic, operational, liquidity, credit and interest rate risks associated with Old National’s business; competition; government legislation and policies (including the impact of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and its related regulations); ability of Old National to execute its business plan; changes in the economy which could materially impact credit quality trends and the ability to generate loans and gather deposits; failure or circumvention of our internal controls; failure or disruption of our information systems; significant changes in accounting, tax or regulatory practices or requirements; new legal obligations or liabilities or unfavorable resolutions of litigations; disruptive technologies in payment systems and other services traditionally provided by banks; computer hacking and other cybersecurity threats; other matters discussed in this press release and other factors identified in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and other periodic filings with the SEC.  These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this press release, and Old National does not undertake an obligation to release revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or conditions after the date of this press release.