West Bancorporation, Inc. Announces Net Income for the Third Quarter Of 2022, Declares ...

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa, Oct. 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- West Bancorporation, Inc. (Nasdaq: WTBA; the “Company”), parent company of West Bank, today reported third quarter 2022 net income of $11.6 million, or $0.69 per diluted common share, compared to third quarter 2021 net income of $12.7 million, or $0.76 per diluted common share. For the first nine months of 2022, net income was $37.5 million, or $2.23 per diluted common share, compared to $37.7 million, or $2.25 per diluted common share, for the first nine months of 2021. On October 26, 2022, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.25 per common share. The dividend is payable on November 23, 2022, to stockholders of record on November 9, 2022.

David Nelson, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, commented, “Our company had another strong quarter. Our credit quality remains pristine and we continue to see opportunities for high quality loan growth, although at a slower pace than we experienced the last few quarters. We remain diligent in monitoring and managing our credit quality as we anticipate increasing economic challenges as the Federal Reserve aggressively seeks to reduce inflation by raising interest rates. Our bankers are working hard every day to assist our customers and communities in navigating the current economic and interest rate uncertainties. For the fifth consecutive quarter end, we had no loans greater than 30 days past due.”

David Nelson added, “While the yield on our loan portfolio is increasing, changes in liquidity and competitive deposit pricing, resulting from volatility and uncertainty in the interest rate environment, has put upward pressure on our cost of funds. Our capital position is strong and we remain focused on our highly successful core business model to continue building shareholder value.”

Third Quarter 2022 Financial Highlights

Third Quarter 2022 Compared to Second Quarter 2022 Overview

• No provision for loan losses was recorded in the third quarter of 2022, compared to a negative provision for loan losses of $1.75 million in the second quarter of 2022. The negative provision in the second quarter of 2022 was due primarily to the reversal of a specific reserve on an impaired loan. The impaired loan, which had a specific reserve of $2.5 million, was settled in the second quarter of 2022 resulting in a charge-off of $451 thousand.
  
• The allowance for loan losses to total loans was 0.97 percent at September 30, 2022, compared to 0.99 percent at June 30, 2022. There were no loans greater than 30 days past due at September 30, 2022, for the fifth consecutive quarter. Nonaccrual loans at September 30, 2022 consisted of one loan with a balance of $329 thousand.
  
• Loan swap fees of $835 thousand were recorded in the third quarter of 2022, compared to none in the second quarter of 2022.
  
• Loans increased $41.0 million in the third quarter of 2022, or 6.3 percent annualized.
  
• Deposits decreased $19.6 million in the third quarter of 2022. Included in deposits were brokered deposits totaling $258.1 million at September 30, 2022, compared to $196.5 million at June 30, 2022.
  
• The efficiency ratio (a non-GAAP measure) was 43.16 percent for the third quarter of 2022, compared to 41.96 percent for the second quarter of 2022.
  
• Net interest margin, on a fully tax-equivalent basis (a non-GAAP measure), was 2.78 percent for the third quarter of 2022, compared to 2.93 percent for the second quarter of 2022. Net interest income for the third quarter of 2022 was $23.0 million, compared to $24.2 million for the second quarter of 2022. The rising cost of deposits and borrowed funds and the change in mix of liabilities has increased interest expense faster than the increase in the interest income from loan repricing and loan growth.
  
• The tangible common equity ratio was 5.65 percent at September 30, 2022, a decrease of 43 basis points compared to 6.22 percent at June 30, 2022 due to continued decline in the market value of the securities portfolio resulting from rising interest rates, which negatively impacts accumulated other comprehensive income.

Third Quarter 2022 Compared to Third Quarter 2021 Overview

• Loans increased $254.6 million at September 30, 2022, or 10.8 percent, compared to September 30, 2021.
  
• Deposits increased $85.9 million at September 30, 2022, compared to September 30, 2021. Included in deposits were brokered deposits totaling $258.1 million at September 30, 2022, compared to $103.0 million at September 30, 2021.
  
• Borrowed funds increased to $460.3 million at September 30, 2022, compared to $202.5 million at September 30, 2021. The increase included $58.9 million in subordinated notes that were issued in June 2022, $33.8 million in long-term debt that was issued in December 2021 and $165.1 million in federal funds purchased.
  
• The efficiency ratio (a non-GAAP measure) was 43.16 percent for the third quarter of 2022, compared to 39.41 percent for the third quarter of 2021. Salaries and benefits were higher in the third quarter of 2022, compared to the third quarter of 2021, due to a higher number of full-time equivalent employees and annual compensation adjustments.
  
• Net interest margin, on a fully tax-equivalent basis (a non-GAAP measure), was 2.78 percent for the third quarter of 2022, compared to 3.06 percent for the third quarter of 2021. Net interest income for the third quarter of 2022 was $23.0 million, compared to $24.5 million for the third quarter of 2021. Net interest income in the third quarter of 2021 included $1.6 million of PPP loan interest income, compared to $101 thousand in the third quarter of 2022. In 2022, the rising cost of deposits and borrowed funds and the change in mix of liabilities has increased interest expense faster than the increase in the interest income from loan repricing and loan growth.
  

The Company filed its report on Form 10-Q with the Securities and Exchange Commission today. Please refer to that document for a more in-depth discussion of the Company’s financial results. The Form 10-Q is available on the Investor Relations section of West Bank’s website at www.westbankstrong.com.

The Company will discuss its results in a conference call scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Central Time on Thursday, October 27, 2022. The telephone number for the conference call is 844-200-6205. The access code for the conference call is 014998. A recording of the call will be available until November 10, 2022, by dialing 866-813-9403. The replay access code is 419470.

About West Bancorporation, Inc. (Nasdaq: WTBA)

West Bancorporation, Inc. is headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa. Serving customers since 1893, West Bank, a wholly-owned subsidiary of West Bancorporation, Inc., is a community bank that focuses on lending, deposit services, and trust services for small- to medium-sized businesses and consumers. West Bank has six offices in the Des Moines, Iowa metropolitan area, one office in Coralville, Iowa, and four offices in Minnesota in the cities of Rochester, Owatonna, Mankato and St. Cloud.

Certain statements in this report, other than purely historical information, including estimates, projections, statements relating to the Company’s business plans, objectives and expected operating results, and the assumptions upon which those statements are based, are “forward-looking statements” within the meanings of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements may appear throughout this report. These forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words “believes,” “expects,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “future,” “confident,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “strategy,” “plan,” “opportunity,” “will be,” “will likely result,” “will continue” or similar references, or references to estimates, predictions or future events. Such forward-looking statements are based upon certain underlying assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Because of the possibility that the underlying assumptions are incorrect or do not materialize as expected in the future, actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking statements.  Risks and uncertainties that may affect future results include: interest rate risk, including the effects of recent rate increases by the Federal Reserve; fluctuations in the values of the securities held in our investment portfolio, including as a result of rising interest rates; competitive pressures, including from non-bank competitors such as “fintech” companies; pricing pressures on loans and deposits; changes in credit and other risks posed by the Company’s loan portfolio, including declines in commercial or residential real estate values or changes in the allowance for loan losses dictated by new market conditions, accounting standards (including as a result of the future implementation of the current expected credit loss (CECL) accounting standard) or regulatory requirements; changes in local, national and international economic conditions, including rising rates of inflation; changes in legal and regulatory requirements, limitations and costs; changes in customers’ acceptance of the Company’s products and services; cyber-attacks; unexpected outcomes of existing or new litigation involving the Company; the monetary, trade and other regulatory policies of the U.S. government; acts of war or terrorism, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, widespread disease or pandemics, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, or other adverse external events; developments and uncertainty related to the future use and availability of some reference rates, such as the London Interbank Offered Rate, as well as other alternative reference rates; changes to U.S. tax laws, regulations and guidance; talent and labor shortages; the new 1% excise tax on stock buybacks by publicly traded companies; and any other risks described in the “Risk Factors” sections of reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update such forward-looking statements to reflect current or future events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

(1) Includes accumulated other comprehensive income (loss).
(2) Closing stock price divided by book value per common share.
(3) Closing stock price divided by annualized earnings per common share (basic).
(4) Annualized dividend divided by period end closing stock price.
(5) Annualized net income divided by average assets.
(6) Annualized net income divided by average stockholders’ equity.
(7) Annualized tax-equivalent net interest income divided by average interest-earning assets.
(8) Annualized tax-equivalent interest income on interest-earning assets divided by average interest-earning assets.
(9) Noninterest expense (excluding other real estate owned expense and write-down of premises) divided by noninterest income (excluding net securities gains/losses and gains/losses on disposition of premises and equipment) plus tax-equivalent net interest income.
(10) Total nonperforming assets divided by total assets.
(11) Allowance for loan losses divided by total loans.        
(12) Common equity less intangible assets (none held) divided by tangible assets.
(13) A non-GAAP measure.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

This report contains references to financial measures that are not defined in GAAP. Such non-GAAP financial measures include the Company’s presentation of net interest income and net interest margin on a fully taxable equivalent (FTE) basis and the presentation of the efficiency ratio on an adjusted and FTE basis, excluding certain income and expenses. Management believes these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information to both management and investors to analyze and evaluate the Company’s financial performance. These measures are considered standard measures of comparison within the banking industry. Additionally, management believes providing measures on a FTE basis enhances the comparability of income arising from taxable and nontaxable sources. Limitations associated with non-GAAP financial measures include the risks that persons might disagree as to the appropriateness of items included in these measures and that different companies might calculate these measures differently. These non-GAAP disclosures should not be considered an alternative to the Company’s GAAP results. The following table reconciles the non-GAAP financial measures of net interest income and net interest margin on a fully taxable equivalent basis and efficiency ratio on an adjusted and FTE basis.

(1) Computed on a tax-equivalent basis using a federal income tax rate of 21 percent, adjusted to reflect the effect of the nondeductible interest expense associated with owning tax-exempt securities and loans. Management believes the presentation of this non-GAAP measure provides supplemental useful information for proper understanding of the financial results, as it enhances the comparability of income arising from taxable and nontaxable sources.
(2) The efficiency ratio expresses noninterest expense as a percent of fully taxable equivalent net interest income and noninterest income, excluding specific noninterest income and expenses. Management believes the presentation of this non-GAAP measure provides supplemental useful information for proper understanding of the Company's financial performance. It is a standard measure of comparison within the banking industry. A lower ratio is more desirable. 

For more information contact:
Jane Funk, Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer (515) 222-5766