Washington Trust Reports Third Quarter 2023 Earnings

WESTERLY, R.I., Oct. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: WASH), parent company of The Washington Trust Company, today announced third quarter 2023 net income of $11.2 million, or $0.65 per diluted share, compared to net income of $11.3 million, or $0.66 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2023.

"Washington Trust's third quarter performance reflects the Corporation's core strength, resilience, and ability to manage through difficult operating conditions," stated Edward O. Handy III, Washington Trust Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We continue to attract new business across all lines, which is challenging in the current rate and competitive environment. We value our employees, customers, communities, and shareholders and remain committed to enhancing the value of these relationships over time."

Selected financial highlights for the third quarter include:

• Returns on average equity and average assets for the third quarter were 9.65% and 0.62%, respectively, compared to 9.67% and 0.65%, respectively, for the preceding quarter.
• Net interest income totaled $33.8 million in the third quarter, up by $251 thousand, or 1%, from the preceding quarter. The net interest margin was 1.97% in the third quarter, compared to 2.03% in the preceding quarter, reflecting the challenging interest rate environment.
• In the third quarter, a provision for credit losses of $500 thousand was recognized, down by $200 thousand from the provision recognized in the preceding quarter.
• Noninterest income totaled $15.2 million in the third quarter, up by $901 thousand, or 6%, from the preceding quarter, reflecting increases in loan related derivative income and mortgage banking revenues.
• Total loans amounted to $5.6 billion, up by $230 million, or 4%, from the end of the preceding quarter. Total loans were up by $762 million, or 16%, from a year ago.
• In-market deposits (total deposits less wholesale brokered deposits) amounted to $4.7 billion, up by $35 million, or 1%, from June 30, 2023. In-market deposits were up by $121 million, or 3%, from a year ago.

Net Interest Income
Net interest income was $33.8 million for the third quarter of 2023, up by $251 thousand, or 1%, from the second quarter of 2023. The net interest margin was 1.97% for the third quarter, down by 6 basis points from the preceding quarter. Linked quarter changes included:

• Average interest-earning assets increased by $167 million, including an increase of $187 million in average loans. The yield on interest-earning assets for the third quarter was 4.69%, up by 16 basis points from the preceding quarter.
• Average interest-bearing liabilities increased by $160 million, reflecting increases in average wholesale funding balances of $83 million and average in-market deposits of $77 million. The cost of interest-bearing liabilities for the third quarter of 2023 was 3.26%, up by 24 basis points from the preceding quarter.

Noninterest Income
Noninterest income totaled $15.2 million for the third quarter of 2023, up by $901 thousand, or 6%, from the second quarter of 2023. Linked quarter changes included:

• Wealth management revenues amounted to $8.9 million in the third quarter of 2023, down by $100 thousand, or 1%, on a linked quarter basis. This included a decrease of $221 thousand, or 45%, in transaction-based revenues, partially offset by an increase of $121 thousand, or 1%, in asset-based revenues. The linked quarter decline in transaction-based revenues was mainly due to lower tax servicing fee income in the third quarter, as this income is concentrated in the first half of the year. The linked quarter increase in asset-based revenues reflected an increase in the average balance of wealth management assets under administration ("AUA"), which was up by approximately $140 million, or 2%, from the preceding quarter.
  
  The end of period AUA balance at September 30, 2023 amounted to $6.1 billion, down by $219 million, or 3%, from June 30, 2023. This decrease reflected net investment depreciation of $154 million, as well as net client asset outflows of $65 million.
• Mortgage banking revenues totaled $2.1 million for the third quarter of 2023, up by $355 thousand, or 20%, from the second quarter of 2023, reflecting higher realized gains on loan sales, partially offset by changes in the fair value of mortgage loans held for sale and forward loan commitments. Realized gains increased by $919 thousand, or 111%, from the preceding quarter, due to a higher sales yield, as well as a higher volume of loans sold. Loans sold amounted to $88.6 million in the third quarter of 2023, up by $24.1 million, or 37%, from the preceding quarter.
• Loan related derivative income from interest rate swap contracts with commercial borrowers in the third quarter of 2023 totaled $1.1 million, up by $835 thousand, or 338%, from the preceding quarter.
• Income from bank-owned life insurance totaled $710 thousand in the third quarter of 2023, down by $169 thousand, or 19%, from the preceding quarter. This decline was due to the recognition of $182 thousand of income associated with life insurance proceeds in the preceding quarter.

Noninterest Expense
Noninterest expense totaled $34.4 million for the third quarter of 2023, up by $1.4 million, or 4%, from the second quarter of 2023. Linked quarter changes included:

• Salaries and employee benefits expense amounted to $21.6 million, up by $1.0 million, or 5%, from the preceding quarter as performance-based compensation accruals were reduced in the second quarter.
• Advertising and promotion expense totaled $789 thousand, up by $362 thousand, or 85%, from the second quarter of 2023, largely due to the timing of such activities.

Income Tax
Income tax expense totaled $2.9 million for the third quarter of 2023, up by $73 thousand from the preceding quarter. The effective tax rate for the third quarter of 2023 was 20.8%, compared to 20.2% in the preceding quarter. Based on current federal and applicable state income tax statutes, the Corporation currently expects its full-year 2023 effective tax rate to be approximately 20.8%.

Investment Securities
The securities portfolio totaled $959 million at September 30, 2023, down by $63 million, or 6%, from June 30, 2023, reflecting a decrease of $43 million in the fair value of available for sale debt securities due to changes in market interest rates, as well as routine pay-downs. The securities portfolio represented 13% of total assets at September 30, 2023, compared to 15% of total assets at June 30, 2023.

Loans
Total loans amounted to $5.6 billion at September 30, 2023, up by $230 million, or 4%, from the end of the preceding quarter. Linked quarter changes included:

• Commercial loans increased by $123 million, or 5%, from June 30, 2023, reflecting originations and advances of approximately $195 million, partially offset by principal payments of approximately $72 million.
• Residential real estate loans increased by $101 million, or 4%, from June 30, 2023. In the third quarter of 2023, residential real estate loans originated for portfolio amounted to $162 million, up by $13 million, or 9%, from the preceding quarter.
• The consumer loan portfolio increased by $6 million, or 2%, from June 30, 2023, largely reflecting growth in home equity lines and loans.

Deposits and Borrowings
Total deposits, which include wholesale brokered deposits, amounted to $5.4 billion at September 30, 2023, up by $101 million, or 2%, from the end of the preceding quarter. Uninsured deposits, after exclusions (as detailed in the financial tables below) amounted to $979 million, or 18% of total deposits, at September 30, 2023.

In-market deposits, which exclude wholesale brokered deposits, amounted to $4.7 billion at September 30, 2023, up by $35 million, or 1%, from June 30, 2023. As of September 30, 2023, in-market deposits were approximately 59% retail and 41% commercial. The average size of our in-market deposit accounts was approximately $37 thousand at September 30, 2023.

Wholesale funding was utilized in the third quarter to fund balance sheet growth. FHLB advances totaled $1 billion at September 30, 2023, up by $80 million, or 8%, from June 30, 2023. Wholesale brokered deposits amounted to $668 million and were up by $67 million, or 11%, from June 30, 2023. As of September 30, 2023, Washington Trust has contingent liquidity of $1.8 billion, consisting of noninterest-bearing cash, unencumbered securities and unused collateralized borrowing capacity.

Asset Quality
Nonaccrual loans were $33.7 million, or 0.60% of total loans, at September 30, 2023, compared to $10.4 million, or 0.19% of total loans, at June 30, 2023. The increase in nonaccrual loans was largely due to two commercial real estate loans that were placed on nonaccrual status in the quarter. The composition of nonaccrual loans at September 30, 2023 was 69% commercial and 31% residential and consumer.

Past due loans were $9.7 million, or 0.17% of total loans, at September 30, 2023, compared to $6.3 million, or 0.12% of total loans, at June 30, 2023. The composition of past due loans at September 30, 2023 was essentially 100% residential and consumer.

The allowance for credit losses ("ACL") on loans amounted to $40.2 million, or 0.72% of total loans, at September 30, 2023, compared to $39.3 million, or 0.73% of total loans, at June 30, 2023. The ACL on unfunded commitments, included in other liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets, was $2.0 million at September 30, 2023, compared to $2.4 million at June 30, 2023.

The provision for credit losses totaled $500 thousand in the third quarter of 2023, down by $200 thousand from the preceding quarter. The provision for credit losses in the third quarter of 2023 was composed of a provision for credit losses on loans of $900 thousand and a negative provision (or a benefit) for credit losses on unfunded commitments of $400 thousand.

In the third quarter of 2023, net charge-offs of $30 thousand were recognized, compared to $37 thousand in the preceding quarter.

Capital and Dividends
Total shareholders' equity was $431.4 million at September 30, 2023, down by $27.8 million, or 6%, from June 30, 2023. The accumulated other comprehensive income component of shareholders' equity decreased by $29.9 million in the third quarter, reflecting a decrease in the fair value of available for sale debt securities due to changes in market interest rates. The decrease in shareholders' equity also included $9.6 million in dividend declarations. These decreases were partially offset by net income of $11.2 million in the third quarter.

The Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of 56 cents per share for the quarter ended September 30, 2023. The dividend was paid on October 12, 2023 to shareholders of record on October 2, 2023.

Capital levels at September 30, 2023 exceeded the regulatory minimum levels to be considered well capitalized, with a total risk-based capital ratio of 11.48% at September 30, 2023, compared to 11.81% at June 30, 2023. Book value per share was $25.35 at September 30, 2023, compared to $26.98 at June 30, 2023.

Conference Call
Washington Trust will host a conference call to discuss its third quarter results, business highlights and outlook on Tuesday, October 24, 2023 at 8:30 a.m. (Eastern Time). Individuals may dial in to the call at 1-833-470-1428 and enter Access Code 431699. An audio replay of the call will be available, shortly after the conclusion of the call, by dialing 1-866-813-9403 and entering the Replay Access Code 734631. The audio replay will be available through November 7, 2023. Also, a webcast of the call will be posted in the Investor Relations section of Washington Trust's website, https://ir.washtrust.com, and will be available through December 31, 2023.

Background
Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc. is the parent of The Washington Trust Company. Founded in 1800, Washington Trust is the oldest community bank in the nation, the largest state-chartered bank headquartered in Rhode Island and one of the Northeast's premier financial services companies. Washington Trust offers a full range of financial services, including commercial banking, mortgage banking, personal banking and wealth management and trust services through its offices located in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts. The Corporation's common stock trades on NASDAQ under the symbol WASH. Investor information is available on the Corporation's website at https://ir.washtrust.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements that are "forward-looking statements." We may also make forward-looking statements in other documents we file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), in our annual reports to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials, and in oral statements made by our officers, directors or employees. You can identify forward-looking statements by the use of the words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "assume," "outlook," "will," "should," and other expressions that predict or indicate future events and trends and which do not relate to historical matters. You should not rely on forward-looking statements, because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond our control. These risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.

Some of the factors that might cause these differences include the following:

• changes in general business and economic conditions on a national basis and in the local markets in which we operate;
• changes in customer behavior due to political, business and economic conditions, including inflation and concerns about liquidity;
• interest rate changes or volatility, as well as changes in the balance and mix of loans and deposits;
• changes in loan demand and collectability;
• the possibility that future credit losses are higher than currently expected due to changes in economic assumptions or adverse economic developments;
• ongoing volatility in national and international financial markets;
• reductions in the market value or outflows of wealth management AUA;
• decreases in the value of securities and other assets;
• increases in defaults and charge-off rates;
• changes in the size and nature of our competition;
• changes in legislation or regulation and accounting principles, policies and guidelines;
• operational risks including, but not limited to, changes in information technology, cybersecurity incidents, fraud, natural disasters, war, terrorism, civil unrest and future pandemics;
• regulatory, litigation and reputational risks; and
• changes in the assumptions used in making such forward-looking statements.

In addition, the factors described under "Risk Factors" in Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, as updated by our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings submitted to the SEC, may result in these differences. You should carefully review all of these factors and you should be aware that there may be other factors that could cause these differences. These forward-looking statements were based on information, plans and estimates at the date of this report, and we assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect changes in underlying assumptions or factors, new information, future events or other changes.

Supplemental Information - Explanation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
In addition to results presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"), this press release contains certain non-GAAP financial measures. Washington Trust's management believes that the supplemental non-GAAP information, which consists of measurements and ratios based on tangible equity and tangible assets, is utilized by regulators and market analysts to evaluate a company's financial condition and therefore, such information is useful to investors. These disclosures should not be viewed as a substitute for financial results determined in accordance with GAAP, nor are they necessarily comparable to non-GAAP performance measures, which may be presented by other companies. Because non-GAAP financial measures are not standardized, it may not be possible to compare these financial measures with other companies' non-GAAP financial measures having the same or similar names.