DENVER, July 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- National Bank Holdings Corporation (NYSE: NBHC) reported:

In announcing these results, Chief Executive Officer Tim Laney shared, “During the second quarter, we delivered quarterly earnings of $0.68 per diluted share and continued to strengthen our balance sheet. We maintained a strong net interest margin of 3.76% and are prepared to take action should the Federal Reserve Bank lower interest rates this year. We are leveraging diverse revenue streams across our franchise, resulting in an increase in year-to-date fee income of 11.4% over the prior period. Our teams generated strong balance sheet growth by delivering 8.1% annualized net loan growth and 7.9% annualized average deposit growth during the second quarter.”

Mr. Laney added, “We made meaningful progress resolving our non-performing loans. We continue to adhere to sound banking practices by maintaining a prudent approach to extending credit along with a granular and diversified loan portfolio. We believe our strong Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio of 12.41%, ample liquidity position, and diversified funding sources provide strength in any economic environment and provide optionality that we will leverage for future growth.”

Second Quarter 2024 Results
(All comparisons refer to the first quarter of 2024, except as noted)

Net income totaled $26.1 million or $0.68 per diluted share, compared to $31.4 million or $0.82 per diluted share, a decrease from the prior quarter largely due to impairment of venture capital investments and increased provision expense driven by loan growth. Fully taxable equivalent pre-provision net revenue totaled $36.2 million, compared to $40.6 million. The return on average tangible assets totaled 1.17%, compared to 1.39%, and the return on average tangible common equity totaled 12.44%, compared to 15.14%.

Net Interest Income
Fully taxable equivalent net interest income totaled $85.3 million, compared to $85.7 million in the prior quarter. The fully taxable equivalent net interest margin was 3.76%, narrowing two basis points as a four basis point increase in earning asset yields was more than offset by a seven basis point increase in the cost of funds.

Loans
Total loans increased $153.1 million, or 8.1% annualized, to $7.7 billion at June 30, 2024. We generated quarterly loan fundings totaling $505.2 million, led by commercial loan fundings of $384.4 million. The average interest rate on the second quarter’s loan originations was 8.4%.

Asset Quality and Provision for Credit Losses
The Company recorded $2.8 million of provision expense for credit losses, compared to no provision expense in the prior quarter. The current quarter’s provision expense was driven by loan growth and higher reserve requirements from changes in the CECL model’s underlying economic forecast. Annualized net charge-offs were 0.22% of average total loans, compared to 0.00% in the prior quarter, driven by one previously reserved credit that was resolved during the quarter. Non-performing loans decreased 13 basis points to 0.34% of total loans at June 30, 2024, and non-performing assets decreased 17 basis points to 0.36% of total loans and OREO at June 30, 2024. The allowance for credit losses as a percentage of loans totaled 1.25% at June 30, 2024, compared to 1.29% in the prior quarter.

Deposits
Average total deposits increased $160.9 million, or 7.9% annualized, to $8.4 billion during the second quarter 2024. The loan to deposit ratio totaled 92.2% at June 30, 2024. Average transaction deposits (defined as total deposits less time deposits) increased $135.6 million to $7.4 billion. The mix of transaction deposits to total deposits was 87.8% and 88.3% at June 30, 2024 and March 31, 2024, respectively.

Non-Interest Income
Non-interest income totaled $14.0 million, compared to $17.7 million during the first quarter. Included in the second quarter was $3.9 million of impairment related to venture capital investments classified as non-marketable securities. Included in the prior quarter was a $0.6 million gain from the sale of a banking center building. Excluding these items, non-interest income increased $0.9 million driven by our diversified sources of fee revenue including increases in SBA loan income, trust income, Cambr income and mortgage banking income.

Non-Interest Expense
Non-interest expense increased $0.2 million to $63.1 million during the second quarter. Salaries and benefits increased $0.4 million and occupancy and equipment increased $0.2 million. Partially offsetting these increases was a decrease in other non-interest expense of $0.4 million. The efficiency ratio totaled 64.6% for the second quarter, compared to 61.8% for the first quarter. The fully taxable equivalent efficiency ratio, excluding other intangible assets amortization, totaled 61.5% for the second quarter, compared to 58.8%.

Income tax expense totaled $5.6 million, compared to $7.5 million in the prior quarter, due to lower pre-tax income. The effective tax rate was 17.7%, compared to 19.3% for the first quarter.

Capital
Capital ratios continue to be strong and in excess of federal bank regulatory agency “well capitalized” thresholds. The tier 1 leverage ratio totaled 10.20%, and the common equity tier 1 capital ratio totaled 12.41% at June 30, 2024. Shareholders’ equity totaled $1.2 billion at June 30, 2024, increasing $15.8 million, largely due to $15.4 million of growth in retained earnings.

Common book value per share increased $0.34 to $32.92 at June 30, 2024. Tangible common book value per share increased $0.42 to $23.74 as this quarter’s earnings outpaced the quarterly dividend.

Year-Over-Year Review
(All comparisons refer to the first six months of 2023, except as noted)

Net income totaled $57.5 million, or $1.50 per diluted share, compared to net income of $72.8 million, or $1.91 per diluted share, for the first six months of 2023. The decrease over the same period prior year was largely driven by lower net interest income, due to an increase in cost of funds outpacing the increase in interest income. Partially offsetting this decrease was an increase in our non-interest income discussed below. Fully taxable equivalent pre-provision net revenue totaled $76.8 million, compared to $96.7 million. The return on average tangible assets totaled 1.28%, compared to 1.63%, and the return on average tangible common equity was 13.77%, compared to 19.05%.

Fully taxable equivalent net interest income totaled $171.0 million, compared to $187.5 million. Average earning assets increased $171.4 million, including average loan growth of $313.0 million, which was partially offset by a decrease in average investment securities of $87.9 million. The fully taxable equivalent net interest margin narrowed 45 basis points to 3.77%, as the increase in earning asset yields was more than offset by an increase in the cost of funds. Average interest bearing liabilities increased $654.4 million due to higher deposit balances, and the cost of funds totaled 2.29%, compared to 1.20% in the same period prior year.

Loans outstanding totaled $7.7 billion, increasing $307.8 million or 4.2%. New loan fundings over the trailing twelve months totaled $1.5 billion, led by commercial loan fundings of $1.0 billion.  

The Company recorded $2.8 million of provision expense for credit losses for the first six months of 2024, compared to provision expense of $2.6 million in the same period prior year. Annualized net charge-offs totaled 0.11% of average total loans during the first six months of 2024, compared to 0.02% of average total loans during the first six months of 2023. Non-performing loans decreased 11 basis points to 0.34% of total loans at June 30, 2024, and non-performing assets decreased 14 basis points to 0.36% of total loans and OREO at June 30, 2024. The allowance for credit losses as a percentage of loans totaled 1.25% at June 30, 2024 and 2023.

Average total deposits increased $469.1 million or 6.0% to $8.3 billion, and average transaction deposits increased $418.4 million or 6.1%. The mix of transaction deposits to total deposits was 87.8%, compared to 87.9% at June 30, 2023.

Non-interest income totaled $31.7 million, an increase of $3.2 million or 11.4%, driven by our diversified sources of fee revenue. Other non-interest income increased $4.3 million and included increases in SBA loan income, trust income, Cambr income and swap fee income. Mortgage banking income decreased $1.0 million as the sustained high-interest rate environment has lowered mortgage volume.

Non-interest expense totaled $125.9 million, an increase of $6.6 million or 5.6%, largely due to ongoing investments in technology. Salaries and benefits increased $5.2 million, occupancy and equipment increased $1.9 million and data processing increased $1.5 million. Other intangible assets amortization increased $0.6 million due to our Cambr acquisition in April of 2023. These increases were partially offset by a decrease of $2.4 million in professional fees.

Income tax expense totaled $13.1 million, a decrease of $5.3 million from the same period prior year, driven by lower pre-tax income. The effective tax rate was 18.6% for the first six months of 2024, compared to 20.2%.

Conference Call
Management will host a conference call to review the results at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. Interested parties may listen to this call by dialing (877) 400-0505 using the participant passcode of 1616066 and asking for the NBHC Q2 2024 Earnings Call. The earnings release and a link to the replay of the call will be available on the Company’s website at www.nationalbankholdings.com by visiting the investor relations area.

About National Bank Holdings Corporation
National Bank Holdings Corporation is a bank holding company created to build a leading community bank franchise, delivering high quality client service and committed to stakeholder results. Through its bank subsidiaries, NBH Bank and Bank of Jackson Hole Trust, National Bank Holdings Corporation operates a network of over 90 banking centers, serving individual consumers, small, medium and large businesses, and government and non-profit entities. Its banking centers are located in its core footprint of Colorado, the greater Kansas City region, Utah, Wyoming, Texas, New Mexico and Idaho. Its comprehensive residential mortgage banking group primarily serves the bank’s core footprint. Its trust and wealth management business is operated in its core footprint under the Bank of Jackson Hole Trust charter. NBH Bank operates under a single state charter through the following brand names as divisions of NBH Bank: in Colorado, Community Banks of Colorado and Community Banks Mortgage; in Kansas and Missouri, Bank Midwest and Bank Midwest Mortgage; in Texas, Utah, New Mexico and Idaho, Hillcrest Bank and Hillcrest Bank Mortgage; and in Wyoming, Bank of Jackson Hole and Bank of Jackson Hole Mortgage. Additional information about National Bank Holdings Corporation can be found at www.nationalbankholdings.com.

For more information visit: cobnks.com, bankmw.com, hillcrestbank.com, bankofjacksonhole.com, or nbhbank.com, or connect with any of our brands on LinkedIn.

About Non-GAAP Financial Measures
Certain of the financial measures and ratios we present, including “tangible assets,” “return on average tangible assets,” “tangible common equity,” “return on average tangible common equity,” “tangible common book value per share,” “tangible common book value, excluding accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax,” “tangible common book value per share, excluding accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax,” “tangible common equity to tangible assets,” “non-interest expense excluding other intangible assets amortization,” “efficiency ratio excluding other intangible assets amortization,” “net income excluding the impact of other intangible assets amortization expense, after tax,” “pre-provision net revenue,” and “fully taxable equivalent” metrics, are supplemental measures that are not required by, or are not presented in accordance with, U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). We refer to these financial measures and ratios as “non-GAAP financial measures.” We consider the use of select non-GAAP financial measures and ratios to be useful for financial and operational decision making and useful in evaluating period-to-period comparisons. We believe that these non-GAAP financial measures provide meaningful supplemental information regarding our performance by excluding certain expenditures or assets that we believe are not indicative of our primary business operating results or by presenting certain metrics on a fully taxable equivalent basis. We believe that management and investors benefit from referring to these non-GAAP financial measures in assessing our performance and when planning, forecasting, analyzing and comparing past, present and future periods.

These non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered a substitute for financial information presented in accordance with GAAP and you should not rely on non-GAAP financial measures alone as measures of our performance. The non-GAAP financial measures we present may differ from non-GAAP financial measures used by our peers or other companies. We compensate for these limitations by providing the equivalent GAAP measures whenever we present the non-GAAP financial measures and by including a reconciliation of the impact of the components adjusted for in the non-GAAP financial measure so that both measures and the individual components may be considered when analyzing our performance. A reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to the comparable GAAP financial measures is included at the end of the financial statement tables.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements contain words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “can,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “may,” “predict,” “seek,” “potential,” “will,” “estimate,” “target,” “plan,” “project,” “continuing,” “ongoing,” “expect,” “intend” or similar expressions that relate to the Company’s strategy, plans or intentions. Forward-looking statements involve certain important risks, uncertainties and other factors, any of which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such statements. Such factors include, without limitation, the “Risk Factors” referenced in our most recent Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), other risks and uncertainties listed from time to time in our reports and documents filed with the SEC, and the following factors: the impact of potential regulatory changes to capital requirements, treatment of investment securities and FDIC deposit insurance levels and costs; our ability to execute our business strategy, including our digital strategy, as well as changes in our business strategy or development plans; business and economic conditions; effects of any potential government shutdowns; economic, market, operational, liquidity, credit and interest rate risks associated with the Company’s business, including increased competition for deposits due to prevailing market interest rates and banking sector volatility; effects of any changes in trade, monetary and fiscal policies and laws, including the interest rate policies of the Federal Reserve Board; changes imposed by regulatory agencies to increase capital standards; effects of inflation, as well as interest rate, securities market and monetary supply fluctuations; changes in the economy or supply-demand imbalances affecting local real estate values; changes in consumer spending, borrowings and savings habits; changes in the fair value of our investment securities due to market conditions outside of our control; financial or reputational impacts associated with the increased prevalence of fraud or other financial crimes; with respect to our mortgage business, the inability to negotiate fees with investors for the purchase of our loans or our obligation to indemnify purchasers or repurchase related loans if the loans fail to meet certain criteria, or higher rate of delinquencies and defaults as a result of the geographic concentration of our servicing portfolio; the Company’s ability to identify potential candidates for, obtain regulatory approval for, and consummate, integrate and realize operating efficiencies from, acquisitions, consolidations and other expansion opportunities; our ability to integrate acquisitions or consolidations and to achieve synergies, operating efficiencies and/or other expected benefits within expected timeframes, or at all, or within expected cost projections, and to preserve the goodwill of acquired financial institutions; the Company's ability to realize anticipated benefits from enhancements or updates to its core operating systems from time to time without significant change in client service or risk to the Company's control environment; the Company's dependence on information technology and telecommunications systems of third-party service providers and the risk of systems failures, interruptions or breaches of security, including those that could result in disclosure or misuse of confidential or proprietary client or other information; the Company’s ability to achieve organic loan and deposit growth and the competition for, and composition of, such growth; changes in sources and uses of funds; increased competition in the financial services industry; regulatory and financial impacts associated with the Company growing to over $10 billion in consolidated assets; increases in claims and litigation related to our fiduciary responsibilities in connection with our trust and wealth management business; the effect of changes in accounting policies and practices as may be adopted by the regulatory agencies, as well as the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) and other accounting standard setters; the share price of the Company’s stock; the Company's ability to realize deferred tax assets or the need for a valuation allowance, or the effects of changes in tax laws on our deferred tax assets; the effects of tax legislation, including the potential of future increases to prevailing tax rules, or challenges to our positions; continued consolidation in the financial services industry; ability to maintain or increase market share and control expenses; costs and effects of changes in laws and regulations and of other legal and regulatory developments, including, but not limited to, changes in regulation that affect the fees that we charge, the resolution of legal proceedings or regulatory or other government inquiries, and the results of regulatory examinations, reviews or other inquiries, and changes in regulations that apply to us as a Colorado state-chartered bank and a Wyoming state-chartered bank; technological changes, including with respect to the advancement of artificial intelligence; the timely development and acceptance of new products and services, including in the digital technology space our digital solution 2UniFi; changes in our management personnel and the Company’s continued ability to attract, hire and maintain qualified personnel; ability to implement and/or improve operational management and other internal risk controls and processes and reporting system and procedures; regulatory limitations on dividends from our bank subsidiaries; changes in estimates of future credit reserve requirements based upon the periodic review thereof under relevant regulatory and accounting requirements; financial, reputational, or strategic risks associated with our investments in financial technology companies and initiatives; widespread natural and other disasters, pandemics, dislocations, political instability, acts of war or terrorist activities, cyberattacks or international hostilities through impacts on the economy and financial markets generally or on us or our counterparties specifically; a cybersecurity incident, data breach or a failure of a key information technology system; impact of reputational risk; other risks and uncertainties listed from time to time in the Company’s reports and documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and success at managing the risks involved in the foregoing items. The Company can give no assurance that any goal or plan or expectation set forth in forward-looking statements can be achieved and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not intend, and assumes no obligation, to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events or circumstances, except as required by applicable law.

Contacts:
Analysts/Institutional Investors:
Emily Gooden, Investor Relations Director, (720) 554-6640, ir@nationalbankholdings.com
Aldis Birkans, Chief Financial Officer, (720) 529-3314, ir@nationalbankholdings.com

Media:
Jody Soper, Chief Marketing Officer, (303) 784-5925, Jody.Soper@nbhbank.com