Wauwatosa, WI – 4/25/2023 – Waterstone Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: WSBF), holding company for WaterStone Bank, reported net income of $2.2 million, or $0.10 per diluted share for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, compared to $5.3 million, or $0.23 per diluted share for the quarter ended March 31, 2022.
"The Community Banking segment achieved an 18% increase in year over year pre-tax income, while our Mortgage Banking segment, as well as the entire mortgage industry, continue to be challenged by higher mortgage rates and a nationwide housing inventory shortage,” said Douglas Gordon, Chief Executive Officer of Waterstone Financial, Inc. “Despite the mortgage industry headwinds, we will continue to position our mortgage segment to take advantage of future improvements in the industry.”
Highlights of the Quarter Ended March 31, 2023
Waterstone Financial, Inc. (Consolidated)
● | Consolidated net income of Waterstone Financial, Inc. totaled $2.2 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, compared to $5.3 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2022. |
● | Consolidated return on average assets was 0.43% for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, compared to 1.00% for the quarter ended March 31, 2022. |
● | Consolidated return on average equity was 2.35% for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, and 5.00% for the quarter ended March 31, 2022. |
● | Dividends declared during the quarter ended March 31, 2023, totaled $0.20 per common share. |
● | We repurchased approximately 373,000 shares at a cost of $5.8 million, or $15.65 per share, during the quarter ended March 31, 2023. |
● | Nonperforming assets as percentage of total assets was 0.22% at March 31, 2023, 0.22% at December 31, 2022, and 0.34% at March 31, 2022. |
● | Past due loans as percentage of total loans was 0.64% at March 31, 2023, 0.41% at December 31, 2022, and 0.53% at March 31, 2022. |
● | Book value per share was $16.73 at March 31, 2023 and $16.71 at December 31, 2022. |
Community Banking Segment
● | Pre-tax income totaled $6.4 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, which represents a $1.0 million, or 18.5%, increase compared to $5.4 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2022. |
● | Net interest income totaled $14.0 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, which represents a $2.4 million, or 20.2%, increase compared to $11.7 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2022. |
● | Average loans held for investment totaled $1.53 billion during the quarter ended March 31, 2023, which represents an increase of $326.6 million, or 27.1%, compared to $1.20 billion for the quarter ended March 31, 2022. The increase was primarily due to increases in the single-family and multi-family mortgages. Average loans held for investment increased $118.3 million compared to $1.41 billion for the quarter ended December 31, 2022. The increase was primarily due to increases in the single-family and multi-family mortgages. |
● | The community banking segment purchased $27.4 million adjustable-rate loans that were originated by the mortgage banking segment during the quarter ended March 31, 2023. |
● | Net interest margin increased 50 basis points to 2.88% for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, compared to 2.38% for the quarter ended March 31, 2022, which was a result of a decrease in the average balance of cash, as funds were utilized to fund loans held for investment, and purchase investment securities. In addition, yields increased on loans receivable, loans held for sale, mortgage related securities, debt securities, federal funds sold and short-term investments category. Net interest margin decreased 41 basis points compared to 3.29% for the quarter ended December 31, 2022, driven by an increase in weighted average cost of deposits and borrowings as the federal funds rate increases resulted in increased funding rates. |
● | The segment had a negative provision for credit losses - loans of $96,000 for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, compared to a provision for credit losses - loans of $17,000 for the quarter ended March 31, 2022. The current quarter decrease was primarily due to a decrease in loan loss rates. The provision for credit losses - unfunded commitments was $484,000 for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, compared to a negative provision for credit losses - unfunded commitments of $157,000 for the quarter ended March 31, 2022. The increase for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, was due primarily to three significant construction loans that have not funded. |
● | The efficiency ratio, a non-GAAP ratio, was 54.53% for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, compared to 59.59% for the quarter ended March 31, 2022. |
● | Average deposits (excluding escrow accounts) totaled $1.17 billion during the quarter ended March 31, 2023, a decrease of $56.9 million, or 4.6%, compared to $1.23 billion during the quarter ended March 31, 2022. Average deposits decreased $37.3 million, or 12.3% annualized, compared to the $1.21 billion for the quarter ended December 31, 2022. |
● | Other noninterest expense increased $296,000 to $896,000 during the quarter ended March 31, 2023, compared to $600,000 during the quarter ended March 31, 2022. The increase was driven by fees paid to the mortgage banking segment for the purchase of single-family adjustable-rate mortgage loans. These fees totaled $383,000 during the quarter ended March 31, 2023, compared to $181,000 during the quarter ended March 31, 2022. |
Mortgage Banking Segment
● | Pre-tax loss totaled $3.7 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, compared to $1.4 million of pre-tax income for the quarter ended March 31, 2022. |
● | Loan originations decreased $265.8 million, or 37.5%, to $442.7 million during the quarter ended March 31, 2023, compared to $708.5 million during the quarter ended March 31, 2022. Origination volume relative to purchase activity accounted for 96.5% of originations for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, compared to 77.3% of total originations for the quarter ended March 31, 2022. |
● | Mortgage banking non-interest income decreased $10.7 million, or 37.2%, to $18.0 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, compared to $28.6 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2022. |
● | Gross margin on loans sold decreased to 3.78% for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, compared to 4.00% for the quarter ended March 31, 2022. |
● | During the quarter ended March 31, 2023, the Company sold mortgage servicing rights related to $318.3 million in loans receivable and with a book value of $2.8 million for $3.4 million resulting in a gain on sale of $601,000. There was no comparable sale during the quarter ended March 31, 2022. As of March 31, 2023, the Company maintained servicing rights related to $116.6 million in loans previously sold to third parties. |
● | Total compensation, payroll taxes and other employee benefits decreased $5.3 million, or 26.1%, to $15.1 million during the quarter ended March 31, 2023, compared to $20.4 million during the quarter ended March 31, 2022. The decrease primarily related to decreased commission expense and salary expense driven by decreased loan origination volume and reduced employee headcount. |
About Waterstone Financial, Inc.
Waterstone Financial, Inc. is the savings and loan holding company for WaterStone Bank. WaterStone Bank was established in 1921 and offers a full suite of personal and business banking products. The Bank has branches in Wauwatosa/State St, Brookfield, Fox Point/North Shore, Franklin/Hales Corners, Germantown/Menomonee Falls, Greenfield/Loomis Rd, Milwaukee/Oklahoma Ave, Oak Creek/27th St, Oak Creek/Howell Ave, Oconomowoc/Lake Country, Pewaukee, Waukesha, West Allis/Greenfield Ave, and West Allis/National Ave, Wisconsin. WaterStone Bank is the parent company to Waterstone Mortgage, which has the ability to lend in 48 states. For more information about WaterStone Bank, go to http://www.wsbonline.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements or information that may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding expected financial and operating activities and results that are preceded by, followed by, or that include words such as “may,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates” or “believes.” Any such statements are based upon current expectations that involve a number of risks and uncertainties and are subject to important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such a difference include changes in interest rates; demand for products and services; the degree of competition by traditional and nontraditional competitors; changes in banking regulation or actions by bank regulators; changes in tax laws; the impact of technological advances; governmental and regulatory policy changes; the outcomes of contingencies; trends in customer behavior as well as their ability to repay loans; changes in local real estate values; changes in the national and local economies; and other factors, including risk factors referenced in Item 1A. Risk Factors in Waterstone’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and as may be described from time to time in Waterstone’s subsequent SEC filings, which factors are incorporated herein by reference. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect only Waterstone’s belief as of the date of this press release.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
Management uses non-GAAP financial information in its analysis of the Company's performance. Management believes that this non-GAAP measure provides a greater understanding of ongoing operations and enhance comparability of results of operations with prior periods. The Company’s management believes that investors may use this non-GAAP measure to analyze the Company's financial performance without the impact of unusual items or events that may obscure trends in the Company’s underlying performance. This non-GAAP data should be considered in addition to results prepared in accordance with GAAP, and is not a substitute for, or superior to, GAAP results. Limitations associated with non-GAAP financial measures include the risks that persons might disagree as to the appropriateness of items included in this measure and that different companies might calculate this measure differently.
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