Wauwatosa, WI – 7/25/2023 – Waterstone Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: WSBF), holding company for WaterStone Bank, reported net income of $4.0 million, or $0.20 per diluted share for the quarter ended June 30, 2023 compared to $8.0 million, or $0.36 per diluted share for the quarter ended June 30, 2022. Net income per diluted share was $0.30 for the six months ended June 30, 2023 compared to net income per diluted share of $0.58 for the six months ended June 30, 2022.

“The Community Banking segment’s continued strong asset quality metrics and growing loan portfolio stand out as bring spots in an otherwise challenging environment,” said Douglas Gordon, Chief Executive Officer of Waterstone Financial, Inc. “While we achieved marginally better performance compared to recent quarters, the Mortgage Banking segment loss continues to reflect an industry that is challenged by low levels of housing inventory and higher mortgage rates. Both dynamics have resulted in lower volumes and margins for the mortgage banking inventory. In spite of the challenges in the market, we announced a 2,000,000 share repurchase program during the quarter, as we believe in the long-term success of the Company and providing a high level of total return to our shareholders.”

Highlights of the Quarter Ended June 30, 2023

Waterstone Financial, Inc. (Consolidated)

● Consolidated net income of Waterstone Financial, Inc. totaled $4.0 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, compared to $8.0 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2022.

● Consolidated return on average assets was 0.74% for the quarter ended June 30, 2023 compared to 1.61% for the quarter ended June 30, 2022.

● Consolidated return on average equity was 4.41% for the quarter ended June 30, 2023 and 7.93% for the quarter ended June 30, 2022.

● Dividends declared during the quarter ended June 30, 2023 totaled $0.20 per common share.

● We repurchased approximately 511,000 shares at a cost (including the excise tax) of $7.3 million, or $14.32 per share, during the quarter ended June 30, 2023.

● We authorized a new share repurchase program during the quarter that allows to repurchase up to 2,000,000 million shares issued and outstanding.

● Nonperforming assets as percentage of total assets was 0.19% at June 30, 2023, 0.22% at March 31, 2023, and 0.39% at June 30, 2022.

● Past due loans as a percentage of total loans was 0.50% at June 30, 2023, 0.64% at March 31, 2023, and 0.60% at June 30, 2022.

● Book value per share was $16.64 at June 30, 2023 and $16.71 at December 31, 2022.

Community Banking Segment

● Pre-tax income totaled $6.4 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, which represents a $1.6 million, or 19.9%, decrease compared to $8.0 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2022.

● Past due loans at the community banking segment was $5.7 million at June 30, 2023, $7.5 million at March 31, 2023, and $5.8 million at June 30, 2022.

● Net interest income totaled $13.2 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, which represents a $472,000, or 3.4%, decrease compared to $13.7 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2022.

● Average loans held for investment totaled $1.59 billion during the quarter ended June 30, 2023, which represents an increase of $339.6 million, or 27.2%, compared to $1.25 billion for the quarter ended June 30, 2022. The increase was primarily due to increases in the single-family and multi-family mortgages. Average loans held for investment increased $55.5 million compared to $1.53 billion for the quarter ended March 31, 2023. The increase was primarily due to an increase in the single-family mortgages.

● The community banking segment purchased $59.9 million adjustable-rate loans that were originated by the mortgage banking segment during the quarter ended June 30, 2023.

● Net interest margin decreased 55 basis points to 2.47% for the quarter ended June 30, 2023 compared to 3.02% for the quarter ended June 30, 2022, which was a result of an increase in weighted average cost of deposits and borrowings as the federal funds rate increases resulted in increased funding rates. Net interest margin decreased 41 basis points compared to 2.88% for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, 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 provision for credit losses related to funded loans of $619,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2023 compared to a provision for credit losses related to funded loans of $170,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2022. The current quarter increase was primarily due to an increase in originations and loan balance. The negative provision for credit losses related to unfunded loan commitments was $462,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2023 compared to a negative provision for credit losses related to unfunded loan commitments of $211,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2022. The decrease for the quarter ended June 30, 2023 was due primarily to a decrease of loans in the loan commitment pipeline as loan funding activity increased during the quarter.

● The efficiency ratio, a non-GAAP ratio, was 55.81% for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, compared to 48.43% for the quarter ended June 30, 2022. ● Average deposits (excluding escrow accounts) totaled $1.18 billion during the quarter ended June 30, 2023, a decrease of $24.3 million, or 2.0%, compared to $1.21 billion during the quarter ended June 30, 2022. Average deposits increased $9.7 million, or 3.3% annualized, compared to the $1.17 billion for the quarter ended March 31, 2023.

● Other noninterest expense increased $635,000 to $1.6 million during the quarter ended June 30, 2023 compared to $1.0 million during the quarter ended June 30, 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 $1.1 million during the quarter ended June 30, 2023 compared to $504,000 during the quarter ended June 30, 2022.

Mortgage Banking Segment

● Pre-tax loss totaled $1.4 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, compared to $2.3 million of pre-tax income for the quarter ended June 30, 2022.

● Loan originations decreased $155.4 million, or 20.0%, to $623.3 million during the quarter ended June 30, 2023, compared to $778.8 million during the quarter ended June 30, 2022. Origination volume relative to purchase activity accounted for 96.4% of originations for the quarter ended June 30, 2023 compared to 90.4% of total originations for the quarter ended June 30, 2022.

● Mortgage banking non-interest income decreased $7.1 million, or 23.5%, to $23.0 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, compared to $30.1 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2022.

● Gross margin on loans sold decreased to 3.73% for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, compared to 3.85% for the quarter ended June 30, 2022.

● Total compensation, payroll taxes and other employee benefits decreased $3.4 million, or 15.9%, to $17.9 million during the quarter ended June 30, 2023 compared to $21.3 million during the quarter ended June 30, 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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