2024 Q2 Results Driven by Loan Growth, Stable Net Interest Margin, and Strong Asset Quality

The First Bancorp (Nasdaq: FNLC), ("the Company", "we", "us", "our"), parent company of First National Bank, today reported unaudited net income of $6.2 million with diluted earnings per share of $0.55 for the quarter ended June 30, 2024. The Company also reported results for the six months ended June 30, 2024. Net income year-to-date in 2024 was $12.2 million, with diluted earnings per share of $1.10.

Second Quarter Notable Items:

• Total assets reached $3.08 billion, an increase of $106.8 million in Q2
• Pre-tax, pre-provision earnings increased by $1.2 million or 18.1% from Q1
• Loan balances grew at an annualized rate of 13.6% to $2.25 billion
• Non-Performing Assets to Total Assets of 0.09%, unchanged from Q1
• Efficiency Ratio improved by 4.8 percentage points from Q1
• Quarterly shareholder dividend increased by $0.01 to $0.36 per share

CEO COMMENTS

"I am pleased to report our operating results for the second quarter," commented Tony C. McKim, the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Net income increased 2.5% from the first quarter of 2024, and diluted earnings per share increased 2.4%. On a pre-tax, pre-provision ("PTPP") basis, second quarter earnings increased $1.2 million, or 18.1%, from the first quarter of 2024 ("linked quarter").

"We continue to responsibly grow our balance sheet while enjoying strong asset quality, capital, and liquidity positions. Asset growth has been focused in the loan portfolio and comes from what has been a long-term formula for success - building relationships and lending to creditworthy borrowers under well-structured terms. Our net interest margin for the quarter was stable, and when combined with earning asset growth, produced a modest rise in linked quarter net interest income."

Mr. McKim concluded, "Rather than retreating from certain activities due to a challenging operating environment, we have continued our commitment to serving customers and supporting communities throughout our footprint. We originated over $200 million in new loan volume in the second quarter resulting in loan portfolio expansion of $73.9 million. As the Bank observes its 160th anniversary in 2024, our team remains totally focused upon serving their customers and communities."

FINANCIAL RESULTS FOR THE QUARTER ENDED JUNE 30, 2024

Net income was $6.2 million, or $0.55 per diluted share, for the three months ended June 30, 2024. On a PTPP basis, earnings for the quarter were $8.0 million. Results for the quarter compare favorably to the linked quarter for which net income was $6.0 million, diluted earnings per share were $0.54, and PTPP earnings were $6.8 million. The drivers of second quarter results are discussed in the following sections:

Net Interest Income

Net interest income was $15.1 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024, an increase of $195,000 or 1.3% from the first quarter of 2024. The increase resulted primarily from an expansion in earning assets during the quarter. Net interest margin stabilized at 2.21% for the second quarter of 2024, down slightly from 2.22% in the first quarter. The average tax equivalent yield on earning assets increased 13 basis points in the second quarter to 5.22%, while the cost of total liabilities also increased 13 basis points to an average of 3.48% for the quarter.

Provision for Credit Losses

A provision for credit losses on loans of $539,000 was recorded in the second quarter of 2024, compared with a provision expense of $99,000 in the first quarter. Loan growth and the modeling effects of slightly less favorable economic projections, partially offset by strong asset quality, drove the period-to-period increase. For the three months ended June 30, 2024 net charge-offs were $53,000 as compared to net recoveries of $79,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2024.

Non-Interest Income

Total non-interest income was $4.2 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024, an increase of $517,000, or 14.2% from the three months ended March 31, 2024. The Bank recorded quarterly revenue gains in all business lines, including a 12.4% increase in Debit Card income, a 6.8% increase in Wealth Management revenue, and an increase of 29.4% in Other Operating Income led by loan-related fees.

Non-Interest Expense

Total non-interest expense for three months ended June 30, 2024 was $11.3 million, a decrease of $511,000, or 4.3%, from the three months ended March 31, 2024. The period-to-period change was concentrated within employee salaries and benefits, resulting largely from early year salary and benefit dynamics and an increase in loan-related salary deferrals. The Company's efficiency ratio for the second quarter was 56.35%, significantly improved from the linked quarter ratio of 61.15%.

Loans, Total Assets & Funding

Total assets at June 30, 2024, were $3.08 billion, up $106.8 million in the second quarter and up $210.1 million from a year ago. Earning assets increased $102.7 million during the quarter comprised primarily of an increase in loans of $73.9 million. Earning assets have increased by $201.2 million since June 30, 2023 centered in loan growth of $186.7 million.

Loan growth in the second quarter was led by commercial credit. Commercial real estate balances increased $33.3 million, commercial and industrial balances increased $8.7 million, and multifamily loan balances increased $4.4 million. Growth was also present in the municipal, residential term, and home equity segments of the portfolio, up $7.4 million, $7.9 million, and $6.4 million, respectively, in the quarter.

Total deposits at June 30, 2024 were $2.58 billion, up $29.1 million during the period, and up $78.2 million, or 3.1%, from June 30, 2023. Time deposits led the quarterly change, increasing $46.3 million while low-cost deposits were collectively down $12.5 million. Borrowings increased $75.8 million during the period to $230.6 million. Uninsured deposits as of June 30, 2024, were estimated at 16% of total deposits, and 75% of uninsured deposits were fully collateralized. Available day-one liquidity was $594 million, sufficient to cover 143% of estimated uninsured deposits.

ASSET QUALITY

Asset quality continues to be very strong. As of June 30, 2024, the ratio of non-performing assets to total assets was 0.09%, unchanged from March 31, 2024, and up modestly from 0.06% as of June 30, 2023. The ratio of non-performing loans to total loans was 0.11% as of June 30, 2024, in range with the 0.12% and 0.08% reported as of March 31, 2024 and June 30, 2023, respectively. Past due loans remain low at 0.15% of total loans as of June 30, 2024, a decrease from 0.18% of total loans as of March 31, 2024 and a slight increase from 0.14% of total loans as of June 30, 2023.

The Allowance for Credit Losses (ACL) on Loans stood at 1.10% of total loans as of June 30, 2024, as compared to an ACL of 1.11% and 1.14% of total loans as of March 31, 2024, and June 30, 2023, respectively. The loan portfolio is well-diversified with Commercial Real Estate exposures comfortably below regulatory guidance limits, and with very limited exposure in sectors frequently mentioned as potential problems, such as office space.

CAPITAL

The Company’s regulatory capital position remained strong as of June 30, 2024. The Leverage Capital ratio was an estimated 8.58% as of June 30, 2024, as compared to the 8.67% and 8.68% reported as of March 31, 2024, and as of June 30, 2023, respectively, with period-to-period changes attributable primarily to earning asset growth. The estimated Total Risk-Based Capital ratio was 13.24% as of June 30, 2024, as compared to the 13.54% and 13.66% reported as of March 31, 2024, and as of June 30, 2023, respectively. The Company's tangible book value per share was $19.20 as of June 30, 2024, up from $19.03 as March 31, 2024 and up from $18.15 as of June 30, 2023. Earning asset growth during the quarter, coupled with a moderately larger unrealized loss position on available-for-sale securities, produced a Tangible Common Equity ratio of 7.00% as of June 30, 2024, as compared to 7.19% as of March 31, 2024 and 7.07% as of June 30, 2023.

DIVIDEND

On June 27, 2024, the Company's Board of Directors declared a second quarter dividend of $0.36 per share. The dividend was paid on July 19, 2024, to shareholders of record as of July 9, 2024.

ABOUT THE FIRST BANCORP

The First Bancorp, the parent company of First National Bank, is based in Damariscotta, Maine. Founded in 1864, First National Bank is a full-service community bank with $3.06 billion in assets. The Bank provides a complete array of commercial and retail banking services through eighteen locations in mid-coast and eastern Maine. First National Wealth Management, a division of the Bank, provides investment management and trust services to individuals, businesses, and municipalities. More information about The First Bancorp, First National Bank and First National Wealth Management may be found at www.thefirst.com.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Certain information in this release contains financial information determined by methods other than in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). Management uses these “non-GAAP” measures in its analysis of the Company's performance (including for purposes of determining the compensation of certain executive officers and other Company employees) and believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide a greater understanding of ongoing operations and enhance comparability of results with prior periods and with other financial institutions, as well as demonstrating the effects of significant gains and charges in the current period, in light of the disclosure practices employed by many other publicly-traded financial institutions. The Company believes that a meaningful analysis of its financial performance requires an understanding of the factors underlying that performance. Management believes that investors may use these non-GAAP financial measures to analyze financial performance without the impact of unusual items that may obscure trends in the Company's underlying performance. These disclosures should not be viewed as a substitute for operating results determined in accordance with GAAP, nor are they necessarily comparable to non-GAAP performance measures that may be presented by other companies.

In several places net interest income is calculated on a fully tax-equivalent basis. Specifically included in interest income was tax-exempt interest income from certain investment securities and loans. An amount equal to the tax benefit derived from this tax-exempt income has been added back to the interest income total which, as adjusted, increased net interest income accordingly. Management believes the disclosure of tax-equivalent net interest income information improves the clarity of financial analysis, and is particularly useful to investors in understanding and evaluating the changes and trends in the Company's results of operations. Other financial institutions commonly present net interest income on a tax-equivalent basis. This adjustment is considered helpful in the comparison of one financial institution's net interest income to that of another institution, as each will have a different proportion of tax-exempt interest from its earning assets. Moreover, net interest income is a component of a second financial measure commonly used by financial institutions, net interest margin, which is the ratio of net interest income to average earning assets. For purposes of this measure as well, other financial institutions generally use tax-equivalent net interest income to provide a better basis of comparison from institution to institution. The Company follows these practices.

The following table provides a reconciliation of tax-equivalent financial information to the Company's consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. A 21.0% tax rate was used in both 2024 and 2023.

The Company presents its efficiency ratio using non-GAAP information which is most commonly used by financial institutions. The GAAP-based efficiency ratio is non-interest expenses divided by net interest income plus non-interest income from the Consolidated Statements of Income. The non-GAAP efficiency ratio excludes securities losses and provision for credit losses on securities from non-interest expenses, excludes securities gains from non-interest income, and adds the tax-equivalent adjustment to net interest income. The following table provides a reconciliation between the GAAP and non-GAAP efficiency ratio:

The Company presents certain information based upon tangible common equity instead of total shareholders' equity. The difference between these two measures is the Company's intangible assets, specifically goodwill from prior acquisitions. Management, banking regulators and many stock analysts use the tangible common equity ratio and the tangible book value per common share in conjunction with more traditional bank capital ratios to compare the capital adequacy of banking organizations with significant amounts of goodwill or other intangible assets, typically stemming from the use of the purchase accounting method in accounting for mergers and acquisitions. The following table provides a reconciliation of average tangible common equity to the Company's consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP:

To provide period-to-period comparison of operating results prior to consideration of credit loss provision and income taxes, the non-GAAP measure of PTPP Net Income is presented. The following table provides a reconciliation to Net Income:

Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements

Except for the historical information and discussions contained herein, statements contained in this release may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results and events to differ materially, as discussed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Category: Earnings

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