Brookline Bancorp Announces Fourth Quarter Results

Published: 2022-01-26 16:06:03 ET BRKL

Net Income of $28.5 million, EPS of $0.37

BOSTON, Jan. 26, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brookline Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: BRKL) (the “Company”) today announced net income of $28.5 million, or $0.37 per basic and diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2021, compared to $28.8 million, or $0.37 per basic and diluted share, for the third quarter of 2021, and $26.7 million, or $0.34 per basic and diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2020.

For the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company reported record net income of $115.4 million, or $1.48 per basic and diluted share. This compared to $47.6 million, or $0.60 per basic and diluted share, for the year ended December 31, 2020.

Paul Perrault, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer commented on the Company’s performance, “I am pleased with our strong financial performance and earnings growth in 2021. We finished the year with exceptional loan growth and we are well positioned as we look forward to the coming year.  In the fourth quarter we continued to build on our legacy of providing our customers with an array of robust financial offerings by launching Clarendon Private, an investment and wealth management company. This past year was challenging in many respects, and I would like to recognize our employees for their hard work and dedication throughout the year providing exceptional service to our customers. As we continue to navigate these challenging times, we remain cautiously optimistic for the future.”

BALANCE SHEET

Total assets at December 31, 2021 increased $290.0 million to $8.6 billion from $8.3 billion at September 30, 2021, and decreased $339.8 million from $8.9 billion at December 31, 2020. At December 31, 2021, total loans and leases were $7.2 billion, representing an increase of $222.8 million from September 30, 2021, and a decrease of $115.1 million from December 31, 2020.

The Company funded a total of 4,700 of Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program ("PPP") loans in the aggregate amount of $872.1 million. As of December 31, 2021, $67.7 million in PPP loans remain outstanding, net of deferred fees and costs of $1.7 million. Excluding PPP loan activity, the core loan portfolio grew $315.6 million in the fourth quarter compared to growth of $99.2 million in the third quarter.

Total investment securities at December 31, 2021 decreased $11.2 million to $720.9 million from $732.0 million at September 30, 2021, and decreased $25.5 million from $746.3 million at December 31, 2020. Total cash and cash equivalents at December 31, 2021 increased $88.6 million to $327.7 million from $239.1 million at September 30, 2021, and decreased $107.2 million from $434.9 million at December 31, 2020. As of December 31, 2021, total investment securities and total cash and cash equivalents represented 12.2 percent of total assets as compared to 11.7 percent and 13.2 percent as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.

Total deposits at December 31, 2021 increased $176.9 million to $7.05 billion from $6.87 billion at September 30, 2021 and increased $139.2 million from $6.91 billion at December 31, 2020.

Total borrowed funds at December 31, 2021 increased $89.8 million to $357.3 million from $267.5 million at September 30, 2021 and decreased $462.9 million from $820.2 million at December 31, 2020.

The ratio of stockholders’ equity to total assets was 11.57 percent at December 31, 2021, as compared to 11.77 percent at September 30, 2021, and 10.53 percent at December 31, 2020. The ratio of tangible stockholders’ equity to tangible assets (non-GAAP) was 9.87 percent at December 31, 2021, as compared to 10.01 percent at September 30, 2021, and 8.86 percent at December 31, 2020. Tangible book value per common share (non-GAAP) increased $0.22 from $10.51 at September 30, 2021 to $10.73 at December 31, 2021, compared to $9.96 at December 31, 2020.

NET INTEREST INCOME

Net interest income increased $0.8 million to $71.5 million during the fourth quarter of 2021 from $70.7 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2021. The net interest margin decreased 1 basis point to 3.52 percent for the three months ended December 31, 2021 from 3.53 percent for the three months ended September 30, 2021.

NON-INTEREST INCOME

Total non-interest income for the quarter ended December 31, 2021 increased $5.1 million to $10.7 million from $5.6 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2021. The increase was primarily driven by increases of $3.8 million in loan level derivative income, net, and $1.4 million in gain on sales of loans and leases.

PROVISION FOR CREDIT LOSSES

The Company recorded a provision for credit losses of $0.8 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2021, compared to a negative provision of $3.1 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2021. Total net charge-offs for the fourth quarter of 2021 were $2.1 million compared to $1.3 million in the third quarter of 2021. The increase was primarily driven by an increase in net charge-offs on equipment financing loans of $0.9 million, partially offset by a decrease in net charge-offs on commercial loans of $0.1 million. The ratio of net loan and lease charge-offs to average loans and leases on an annualized basis increased to 12 basis points for the fourth quarter of 2021 from 7 basis points for the third quarter of 2021.

The allowance for loan and lease losses represented 1.38 percent of total loans and leases at December 31, 2021, compared to 1.48 percent at September 30, 2021, and 1.57 percent at December 31, 2020. Excluding PPP loans, the allowance for loan and lease losses represents 1.40 percent coverage at December 31, 2021 compared to 1.51 percent at September 30, 2021, and 1.69 percent at December 31, 2020.

ASSET QUALITY

The ratio of total nonperforming loans and leases to total loans and leases was 0.45 percent at December 31, 2021 as compared to 0.52 percent at September 30, 2021. Nonperforming loans and leases decreased $3.4 million to $32.5 million at December 31, 2021 from $35.9 million at September 30, 2021. The ratio of nonperforming assets to total assets was 0.39 percent at December 31, 2021 as compared to 0.44 percent at September 30, 2021. Nonperforming assets decreased $3.3 million to $33.2 million at December 31, 2021 from $36.5 million at September 30, 2021.

From March 1, 2020 through the earlier of January 1, 2022 or 60 days after the termination date of the national emergency declared by the President on March 13, 2020 concerning the COVID-19 outbreak, a financial institution may elect to suspend the requirements under accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. for loan modifications related to the COVID-19 pandemic that would otherwise be categorized as a troubled debt restructured, including impairment accounting. This troubled debt restructuring relief applies for the term of the loan modification that occurs during the applicable period for a loan that was not more than 30 days past due as of December 31, 2019. Financial institutions are required to maintain records of the volume of loans involved in modifications to which troubled debt restructuring relief is applicable. As of December 31, 2021, approximately 96 percent of loans granted an initial loan payment deferral have returned to payment status and 98 credits totaling $38.1 million or 0.5 percent of total loans outstanding have been modified.

NON-INTEREST EXPENSE

Non-interest expense for the quarter ended December 31, 2021 increased $2.0 million to $42.9 million from $40.9 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2021. The increase was primarily driven by increases of $1.4 million in compensation and employee benefits and $0.7 million in other non-interest expense, partially offset by a decrease of $0.2 million in advertising and marketing expense.

PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES

The effective tax rate was 25.9 percent and 25.3 percent for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2021, respectively.

RETURNS ON AVERAGE ASSETS AND AVERAGE EQUITY

The annualized return on average assets decreased to 1.35 percent during the fourth quarter of 2021 compared to 1.38 percent for the third quarter of 2021; and was 1.36 percent for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to 0.55 percent for the year ended December 31, 2020.

The annualized return on average tangible stockholders' equity decreased to 13.84 percent during the fourth quarter of 2021 compared to 14.15 percent for the third quarter of 2021; and was 14.35 percent for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to 6.17 percent for the year ended December 31, 2020.

DIVIDEND DECLARED

The Company’s Board approved a dividend of $0.125 per share for the quarter ended December 31, 2021. The dividend will be paid on February 25, 2022 to stockholders of record on February 11, 2022.

CONFERENCE CALL

The Company will conduct a conference call/webcast at 1:30 PM Eastern Time on Thursday, January 27, 2022 to discuss the results for the quarter, business highlights and outlook. A copy of the Earnings Presentation is available on the Company’s website, www.brooklinebancorp.com. To listen to the call and view the Company’s Earnings Presentation, please join the call via https://services.choruscall.com/links/brkl220127.html. To listen to the call without access to the slides, please dial 844-200-6205 (United States) or 929-526-1599 (internationally) and ask for the Brookline Bancorp, Inc. call (Access Code 817809). A recording of the call will be available for one week following the call on the Company’s website under “Investor Relations” or by dialing 866-813-9403 (United States) or 1-929-458-6194 (internationally) and entering the passcode: 342504.

ABOUT BROOKLINE BANCORP, INC.

Brookline Bancorp, Inc., a bank holding company with $8.6 billion in assets and branch locations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts and operates as the holding company for Brookline Bank and Bank Rhode Island (the "banks"). The Company provides commercial and retail banking services, cash management and investment services to customers throughout Central New England. More information about Brookline Bancorp, Inc. and its banks can be found at the following websites: www.brooklinebank.com and www.bankri.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are intended to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We may also make forward-looking statements in other documents we file with the 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, including statements regard the potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company’s business, credit quality, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. The Company’s actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of, among other factors, ongoing disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, general business and economic conditions on a national basis and in the local markets in which the Company operates; changes in consumer behavior due to changing political business and economic conditions or legislative or regulatory initiatives; the possibility that future credit losses may be higher than currently expected; reputational risk relating to the Company’s participation in the Paycheck Protection Program and other pandemic-related legislative and regulatory initiatives and programs; turbulence in capital and debt markets; and the risks outlined in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, as updated by its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings submitted to the SEC. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made.

BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The Company's consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) as set forth by the Financial Accounting Standards Board in its Accounting Standards Codification and through the rules and interpretive releases of the SEC under the authority of federal securities laws. Certain amounts previously reported have been reclassified to conform to the current period's presentation.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

The Company uses certain non-GAAP financial measures, such as operating earnings, operating return on average assets, operating return on average tangible assets, operating return on average stockholders' equity, operating return on average tangible stockholders' equity, the allowance for loan and lease losses as a percentage of total loans and leases less PPP loans, tangible book value per common share, tangible stockholders’ equity to tangible assets, return on average tangible assets (annualized) and return on average tangible stockholders' equity (annualized). These non-GAAP financial measures provide information for investors to effectively analyze financial trends of ongoing business activities, and to enhance comparability with peers across the financial services sector. A detailed reconciliation table of the Company's GAAP to the non-GAAP measures is attached.

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