Financial Institutions, Inc. Announces First Quarter 2018 Results

WARSAW, N.Y., April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Financial Institutions, Inc. (Nasdaq:FISI), today reported financial and operational results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2018.  Financial Institutions, Inc. (the “Company”) is the parent company of Five Star Bank (the “Bank”), Scott Danahy Naylon, LLC (“Scott Danahy Naylon” or “SDN”) and Courier Capital, LLC (“Courier Capital”).

Net income in the quarter was $9.3 million, 17% higher than $7.9 million in the first quarter of 2017. After preferred dividends, net income available to common shareholders was $8.9 million, or $0.56 per diluted share, compared to $7.6 million, or $0.52 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2017.

President and Chief Executive Officer Martin K. Birmingham stated, “I am pleased with our first quarter results. We continued to make progress against our fundamental long-term strategic goals, generating loan and deposit growth in-line with our plan while maintaining a strong credit culture. Our wealth management and insurance businesses also performed well in the quarter and we are seeing improved synergies across our community financial services platform.  

“In February, we launched our new brand campaign designed to increase customer knowledge surrounding the services we offer in community banking, wealth management and insurance and to increase awareness of our brand in key urban growth markets. Our campaign tag line ‒ Today is tomorrow in progress ‒ reinforces our goal of providing solutions today that lead to financial well-being in the future. The campaign has been very well-received and early statistics indicate terrific growth in customer awareness and satisfaction.”

First Quarter 2018 Highlights:

• Diluted earnings per share of $0.56 was $0.04, or 7.7%, higher than the first quarter of 2017  
  
  
• Net interest income of $29.6 million was $2.6 million, or 9.8%, higher than the first quarter of 2017
  
  
• Noninterest income of $9.0 million was $1.1 million, or 14.7%, higher than the first quarter of 2017
  
  
• Return on average common equity was 9.95%
  
  -- Return on average tangible common equity was 12.52% ⁽¹⁾
  
  
• Total assets, interest-earning assets, loans and deposits all reached record-high levels at quarter-end:
  
  -- Total assets increased $47.2 million during the quarter, to $4.15 billion
  
  -- Total interest-earning assets increased $36.2 million during the quarter, to $3.82 billion
  
  -- Total loans increased $58.2 million during the quarter, to $2.79 billion
  
  -- Total deposits increased $169.8 million during the quarter, to $3.38 billion
  
  
• The Company declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.24 per common share, a 9.1% increase from the most recent dividend. The first quarter dividend represented a 3.29% annualized yield as of March 31, 2018, and a return of ­­43% of first quarter net income to common shareholders

Chief Financial Officer Kevin B. Klotzbach added, “Loan growth was 2.1% in the quarter and relatively balanced across all loan categories with commercial business loans 3.1% higher, residential real estate loans 2.7% higher, consumer indirect loans 2.5% higher and commercial mortgage loans 1.5% higher than at December 31, 2017. Our credit quality remains strong with total non-performing loans to total loans at 0.38% at quarter-end. Our investment securities portfolio decreased by $29.3 million during the quarter as we continued to convert a portion of our marketable securities into loans.”

Net Interest Income and Net Interest Margin

Net interest income was $29.6 million in the first quarter of 2018, $132 thousand lower than the fourth quarter of 2017 and $2.6 million higher than the first quarter of 2017.

• Average interest-earning assets for the quarter were $3.80 billion, $59.8 million higher than the fourth quarter of 2017 and $320.7 million higher than the first quarter of 2017. The primary driver of the increase was organic loan growth.

• Net interest margin for the first quarter of 2018 was 3.19%, six basis points lower than the fourth quarter of 2017 and four basis points lower than the first quarter of 2017. The tax-equivalent yield on municipal securities was lower in the quarter because of the reduction in federal income tax rate to 21% in 2018 from 35% in 2017, negatively impacting net interest margin compared to the prior year. Fourth quarter of 2017 net interest margin was positively impacted by approximately $300 thousand of fee income comprised of yield maintenance fees relating to prepayment of mortgage-backed securities and payment deferral program fees. First quarter of 2017 net interest margin benefitted from approximately $100 thousand of yield maintenance fees relating to prepayment of mortgage-backed securities. No such fees were recognized in the first quarter of 2018.

Noninterest Income

Noninterest income was $9.0 million in the first quarter of 2018, relatively unchanged as compared to the fourth quarter of 2017 and $1.1 million higher than the first quarter of 2017. 

• Excluding the net gain on investment securities from all periods, noninterest income was $9.0 million in the first quarter of 2018, $657 thousand higher than $8.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2017, and $1.4 million higher than $7.6 million in the first quarter of 2017. 
  
  
• The Company has made investments in limited partnerships, primarily small business investment companies, and accounts for these investments under the equity method. Income from investments in limited partnerships was $568 thousand in the first quarter of 2018 as compared to $19 thousand in the fourth quarter of 2017 and a loss of $30 thousand in the first quarter of 2017. Income from these investments fluctuates based on the maturity and performance of the underlying investments.
  
  
• Investment advisory income was $1.8 million in the first quarter of 2018, $31 thousand higher than the fourth quarter of 2017 and $347 thousand higher than the first quarter of 2017. The increase over the prior year period was primarily driven by the third quarter of 2017 acquisition of the assets of a Buffalo-area wealth management firm.

Noninterest Expense

Noninterest expense was $24.1 million in the first quarter of 2018 as compared to $23.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2017 and $20.9 million in the first quarter of 2017.

• Salaries and employee benefits expense of $13.4 million was $457 thousand higher than the fourth quarter of 2017 and $2.1 million higher than the first quarter of 2017 as a result of our organic growth initiatives and approximately $1.0 million of non-recurring expenses in the first quarter of 2018 related to senior management retirements at our insurance subsidiary, higher contingent incentive compensation related to our wealth management subsidiary as a result of expected earnout payment, and the payment of one-time awards to employees not covered by certain incentive programs.
  
  
• Occupancy and equipment expense of $4.4 million was $349 thousand higher than the fourth quarter of 2017 and $443 thousand higher than the first quarter of 2017. The increase from the fourth quarter of 2017 was largely due to higher snow removal expense. The increase as compared to the first quarter of 2017 was primarily the result of the relocation of the Five Star Bank Rochester regional administration center in the first quarter of 2017 and the impact of a branch opening in February 2017.
  
  
• Advertising and promotions expense of $977 thousand was $257 thousand higher than the fourth quarter of 2017 and $515 thousand higher than the first quarter of 2017 as a result of the new Five Star Bank brand campaign launched in February 2018. Advertising and promotions expense in 2017 was lower than historical experience in anticipation of the new campaign.

Income Taxes

Income tax expense was $2.3 million in the first quarter of 2018 as compared to $580 thousand in the fourth quarter of 2017 and $3.2 million in the first quarter of 2017.

• The effective tax rate was 19.6% in the first quarter of 2018 as compared to 28.5% in the first quarter of 2017, reflecting lower federal corporate tax rates because of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “TCJ Act”).
  
  
• The effective tax rate of 5.0% in the fourth quarter of 2017 was the result of a $2.9 million reduction in income tax expense due to the TCJ Act, primarily driven by a revaluation adjustment to the net deferred tax liability.

Balance Sheet and Capital Management

Total assets were $4.15 billion at March 31, 2018, up $47.2 million from $4.11 billion at December 31, 2017, and up $292.6 million from $3.86 billion at March 31, 2017. The increases were largely the result of loan growth funded by deposit growth and net proceeds from a 2017 common equity offering. Between May and November of 2017, the Company sold 1.4 million shares of common stock through an at-the-market offering (“2017 Equity Offering”) generating approximately $40.0 million of gross proceeds and $38.3 million of net proceeds.

Total loans were $2.79 billion at March 31, 2018, up $58.2 million, or 2.1%, from December 31, 2017, and up $390.6 million, or 16.3%, from March 31, 2017.

• Commercial business loans totaled $464.1 million, up $13.8 million, or 3.1%, from December 31, 2017, and up $88.6 million, or 23.6%, from March 31, 2017.
  
  
• Commercial mortgage loans totaled $821.1 million, up $12.2 million, or 1.5%, from December 31, 2017, and up $146.1 million, or 21.6%, from March 31, 2017.
  
  
• Residential real estate loans totaled $477.9 million, up $12.7 million, or 2.7%, from December 31, 2017, and up $49.8 million, or 11.6%, from March 31, 2017.
  
  
• Consumer indirect loans totaled $898.1 million, up $21.5 million, or 2.5%, from December 31, 2017, and up $112.0 million, or 14.2%, from March 31, 2017.

Total deposits were $3.38 billion at March 31, 2018, an increase of $169.8 million from December 31, 2017, and an increase of $210.4 million from March 31, 2017. The increase from December 31, 2017, was primarily due to public deposit seasonality. The increase from March 31, 2017, was primarily the result of successful business development efforts in both municipal and retail banking. Public deposit balances represented 29% of total deposits at March 31, 2018, compared to 26% at December 31, 2017 and 31% at March 31, 2017.

Shareholders’ equity was $380.3 million at March 31, 2018, compared to $381.2 million at December 31, 2017, and $325.7 million at March 31, 2017. Common book value per share was $22.83 at March 31, 2018, $22.85 at December 31, 2017, and $21.21 at March 31, 2017. Changes in shareholders’ equity and common book value per share are attributable to net income less dividends paid plus proceeds from the 2017 Equity Offering, net of the change in unrealized gain (loss) on investment securities.

During the first quarter of 2018, the Company declared a common stock dividend of $0.24 per common share, a 9.1% increase from the most recent dividend. The dividend returned 43% of first quarter net income to common shareholders. 

Regulatory capital ratios at March 31, 2018, were slightly lower than December 31, 2017 ratios, primarily as a result of loan growth and higher asset levels. March 31, 2018 ratios were higher than March 31, 2017 ratios as a result of the 2017 Equity Offering:

• Leverage Ratio was 8.11%, compared to 8.13% and 7.30% at December 31, 2017, and March 31, 2017, respectively.
  
  
• Common Equity Tier 1 Capital Ratio was 10.09%, compared to 10.16% and 9.46% at December 31, 2017, and March 31, 2017, respectively.
  
  
• Tier 1 Capital Ratio was 10.65%, compared to 10.74% and 10.11% at December 31, 2017, and March 31, 2017, respectively.
  
  
• Total Risk-Based Capital Ratio was 13.09%, compared to 13.19% and 12.75% at December 31, 2017, and March 31, 2017, respectively.

Credit Quality

Non-performing loans were $10.7 million at March 31, 2018, compared to $12.5 million at December 31, 2017, and $8.0 million at March 31, 2017. The ratio of non-performing loans to total loans was 0.38% at March 31, 2018; 0.46% at December 31, 2017; and 0.33% at March 31, 2017.

Provision for loan losses was $2.9 million for the first quarter, a decrease of $1.0 million from the fourth quarter of 2017 and an increase of $168 thousand from the first quarter of 2017.

• Net charge-offs were $2.0 million during the quarter, $1.6 million lower than the fourth quarter of 2017 and $607 thousand lower than the first quarter of 2017. The ratio of annualized net charge-offs to total average loans was 0.30% in the quarter; 0.54% in the fourth quarter of 2017; and 0.45% in the first quarter of 2017.

The ratio of allowance for loan losses to total loans was 1.27% at March 31, 2018, 1.27% at December 31, 2017, and 1.29% at March 31, 2017. 

Conference Call

The Company will host an earnings conference call and audio webcast on April 27, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time. The call will be hosted by Martin K. Birmingham, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Kevin B. Klotzbach, Chief Financial Officer. The live webcast will be available in listen-only mode on the Company’s website at www.fiiwarsaw.com. Within the United States, listeners may also access the call by dialing 1-888-317-6016 and requesting the Financial Institutions, Inc. (FISI) call. The webcast replay will be available on the Company’s website for at least 30 days.

About Financial Institutions, Inc.

Financial Institutions, Inc. provides diversified financial services through its subsidiaries Five Star Bank, Scott Danahy Naylon and Courier Capital. Five Star Bank provides a wide range of consumer and commercial banking and lending services to individuals, municipalities and businesses through a network of more than 50 offices throughout Western and Central New York State. Scott Danahy Naylon provides a broad range of insurance services to personal and business clients across 45 states. Courier Capital provides customized investment management, investment consulting and retirement plan services to individuals, businesses, institutions, foundations and retirement plans. Financial Institutions, Inc. and its subsidiaries employ approximately 650 individuals. The Company’s stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol FISI. Additional information is available at www.fiiwarsaw.com.

Non-GAAP Financial Information

This news release contains disclosure regarding tangible assets, tangible common equity, tangible common equity to tangible assets, tangible common book value per share, average tangible assets, average tangible common equity, and return on average tangible common equity, which are determined by methods other than in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). The Company believes that these non-GAAP measures are useful to our investors as measures of the strength of the Company’s capital and ability to generate earnings on tangible common equity invested by our shareholders. These non-GAAP measures provide supplemental information that may help investors to analyze our capital position without regard to the effects of intangible assets. Non-GAAP financial measures have inherent limitations and are not uniformly applied by issuers. Therefore, these non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered in isolation, or as a substitute for comparable measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. The comparable GAAP financial measures and reconciliation to the comparable GAAP financial measures can be found in Appendix A to this document.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release may contain forward-looking statements as defined by Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended that involve significant risks and uncertainties. In this context, forward-looking statements often address our expected future business and financial performance and financial condition, and often contain words such as "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "seek," "see," "will," "would," “estimate,” “forecast,” "target," “preliminary,” or “range.” Statements herein are based on certain assumptions and analyses by the Company and factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Actual results could differ materially from those contained in or implied by such statements for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to:  the Company’s ability to implement its strategic plan, the Company’s ability to redeploy investment assets into loan assets, whether the Company experiences greater credit losses than expected, whether the Company experiences breaches of its, or third party, information systems, the attitudes and preferences of the Company’s customers, the Company’s ability to successfully integrate and profitably operate Scott Danahy Naylon, Courier Capital and other acquisitions, the competitive environment, fluctuations in the fair value of securities in its investment portfolio, changes in the regulatory environment and the Company’s compliance with regulatory requirements, changes in interest rates, general economic and credit market conditions nationally and regionally. Consequently, all forward-looking statements made herein are qualified by these cautionary statements and the cautionary language in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other documents filed with the SEC. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to revise these statements following the date of this press release.

⁽¹⁾ See Appendix A — Reconciliation to Non-GAAP Financial Measures for the computation of this Non-GAAP measure.

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(1) See Appendix A – Reconciliation to Non-GAAP Financial Measures for the computation of this Non-GAAP measure.

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(1)  See Appendix A – Reconciliation to Non-GAAP Financial Measures for the computation of this Non-GAAP measure.
⁽²⁾  The efficiency ratio is calculated by dividing noninterest expense by net revenue, i.e., the sum of net interest income (fully taxable equivalent) and noninterest income before net gains on investment securities. This is a banking industry measure not required by GAAP.

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(1) Includes investment securities at adjusted amortized cost.
⁽²⁾ See Appendix A – Reconciliation to Non-GAAP Financial Measures for the computation of this Non-GAAP measure.

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(1) At period end.

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(1) Tangible common equity divided by tangible assets.
⁽²⁾ Tangible common equity divided by common shares outstanding.
⁽³⁾ Net income available to common shareholders (annualized) divided by average tangible common equity.