First Republic Bank (NYSE: FRC) today announced financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2020.

“First Republic’s client-centric business model delivered another quarter of safe, consistent growth,” said Jim Herbert, Founder, Chairman and CEO of First Republic. “Lending, deposits and wealth management all continued to grow strongly due to our focus on exceptional, differentiated client service.”

Quarterly Highlights

Financial Results

• Year-over-year:
  • Revenues were $1.0 billion, up 19.6%.
  • Net interest income was $830.3 million, up 19.5%.
  • Net income was $293.1 million, up 24.8%.
  • Diluted earnings per share of $1.61, up 22.9% (included $0.09 positive impact from discounts on loans sold, insurance proceeds and an amended tax return refund).
  • Tangible book value per share was $55.00, up 12.6%.
• Loan originations totaled $12.2 billion, our best quarter ever.
• Net interest margin was 2.71%, compared to 2.70% for the prior quarter.
• Efficiency ratio was 60.7%, compared to 62.0% for the prior quarter.

Continued Capital and Credit Strength

• Tier 1 leverage ratio was 8.38%. 
• Nonperforming assets remained at a low 12 basis points of total assets.
• Net charge-offs were only $1.7 million, or less than 1 basis point of average loans.

Continued Franchise Development

• Year-over-year:
  • Loans totaled $102.7 billion, up 19.0% (excluding SBA Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and for sale loans).
  • Deposits were $104.4 billion, up 21.8%.
  • Wealth management assets were $168.2 billion, up 19.9%.
  • Wealth management revenues were $126.8 million, up 10.5%.

“We’re very pleased with the double-digit growth of revenue, net interest income and earnings per share, both this quarter and year to date,” said Mike Roffler, Chief Financial Officer. “Credit quality, capital and liquidity remain strong. We’re pleased to have raised $500 million of Tier 1 fixed-for-life perpetual, preferred stock during the quarter at the lowest dividend rate ever for a bank.”

Quarterly Cash Dividend of $0.20 per Share

The Bank declared a cash dividend for the third quarter of $0.20 per share of common stock, which is payable on November 12, 2020 to shareholders of record as of October 29, 2020. The current quarterly dividend is an increase over last year, our ninth consecutive year of dividend increases.

Strong Asset Quality

Credit quality remains strong. Nonperforming assets were only 12 basis points of total assets at September 30, 2020.

The provision for credit losses for the quarter was $28.5 million, which was driven by loan growth and an economic outlook reflecting the impact of COVID-19. For the first nine months of 2020, the provision for credit losses was $122.0 million, with net loan charge-offs of only $3.0 million.

Continued Capital Strength

The Bank’s Tier 1 leverage ratio was 8.38% at September 30, 2020, up from 8.15% at June 30, 2020.

During the third quarter, the Bank issued $500.0 million of 4.125% Noncumulative Perpetual Series K Preferred Stock, which qualifies as Tier 1 capital. In addition, on October 9, 2020, the Bank redeemed the $100.0 million of outstanding shares of its 5.70% Noncumulative Perpetual Series F Preferred Stock.

The Bank has not and does not engage in common stock buybacks.

Tangible Book Value Growth

Tangible book value per common share at September 30, 2020 was $55.00, up 12.6% from a year ago.

Continued Franchise Development

Loan Originations

Loan originations were $12.2 billion for the quarter, up 11.6% from the same quarter a year ago primarily due to an increase in single family lending.

Single family loan originations were 56% of the total for the quarter and had a weighted average loan-to-value ratio of 58%. In addition, multifamily and commercial real estate loans originated were 9% of total originations, and had a weighted average loan-to-value ratio of 50%.

Loans, excluding PPP loans and loans held for sale, totaled $102.7 billion at September 30, 2020, up 19.0% compared to a year ago primarily due to increases in single family and multifamily loans.

COVID-19 Loan Modifications

Loan modifications to those borrowers experiencing financial challenges as a result of COVID-19 (not classified as troubled debt restructurings) totaled $3.9 billion, and were 3.7% of total loans.

The Bank has limited exposure to several of the areas most directly impacted by COVID-19, such as the retail, hotel and restaurant industries, which totaled $2.4 billion as of September 30, 2020, only 2.3% of total loans. As of September 30, 2020, the Bank had modifications of these portfolios for $640 million, or 26%.

Deposit Growth

Total deposits increased to $104.4 billion, up 21.8% compared to a year ago, and had an average rate paid of 21 basis points during the quarter.

At September 30, 2020, checking deposit balances were 64.8% of total deposits.

Investments

Total investment securities at September 30, 2020 were $18.7 billion, a 7.1% increase compared to a year ago.

High-quality liquid assets, including eligible cash, totaled $17.1 billion at September 30, 2020, and represented 12.9% of quarterly average total assets.

Wealth Management

Total wealth management assets were $168.2 billion at September 30, 2020, up 8.0% for the quarter and up 19.9% compared to a year ago. The increases in wealth management assets were due to market appreciation and net client inflow.

Wealth management revenues totaled $126.8 million for the quarter, up 10.5% compared to last year’s third quarter. Such revenues represented 12.7% of the Bank’s total revenues for the quarter.

Wealth management assets at September 30, 2020 included investment management assets of $74.7 billion, brokerage assets and money market mutual funds of $81.2 billion, and trust and custody assets of $12.3 billion.

Income Statement and Key Ratios

Revenue Growth

Total revenues were $1.0 billion for the quarter, up 19.6% compared to the third quarter a year ago.

Net Interest Income Growth

Net interest income was $830.3 million for the quarter, up 19.5% compared to the third quarter a year ago. The increase in net interest income resulted primarily from growth in average interest-earning assets, partially offset by a decrease in net interest margin.

Net Interest Margin

The net interest margin increased to 2.71% in the third quarter, from 2.70% in the prior quarter.

Noninterest Income

Noninterest income was $171.0 million for the quarter, up 20.2% compared to the third quarter a year ago. The increase was primarily driven by the elevated gain on sale of loans, which included $10.3 million related to discounts on loans purchased, higher investment management fees, and income from investments in life insurance, which included a $5.3 million gain from life insurance proceeds.

Noninterest Expense and Efficiency Ratio

Noninterest expense was $608.2 million for the quarter, up 13.9% compared to the third quarter a year ago. The increase was primarily due to increased salaries and benefits and information systems costs from the continued investments in the quality and expansion of the franchise, partially offset by lower travel and entertainment, as well as advertising and marketing expenses.

The efficiency ratio was 60.7% for the quarter, compared to 63.8% for the third quarter a year ago. For the first nine months of 2020, the efficiency ratio was 62.0%.

Income Taxes

The Bank’s effective tax rate for the third quarter of 2020 was 19.6%, compared to 19.4% for the prior quarter, and 18.0% for the third quarter a year ago. For the first nine months of 2020, the Bank’s effective tax rate was 19.5%, compared to 17.0% a year ago. The increases were primarily the result of lower excess tax benefits from a decrease in stock option exercises by employees, partially offset by a tax refund from an amended tax return.

Conference Call Details

First Republic Bank’s third quarter 2020 earnings conference call is scheduled for October 13, 2020 at 7:00 a.m. PT / 10:00 a.m. ET. To access the event by telephone, please dial (800) 353-6461 and use confirmation code 2953562# approximately 15 minutes prior to the start time (to allow time for registration). International callers should dial +1 (334) 323-0501 and enter the same confirmation code.

The call will also be broadcast live over the Internet and can be accessed in the Investor Relations section of First Republic’s website at firstrepublic.com. To listen to the live webcast, please visit the site at least 15 minutes prior to the start time to register, download and install any necessary audio software.

For those unable to join the live presentation, a replay of the call will be available beginning October 13, 2020, at 11:00 a.m. PT / 2:00 p.m. ET, through October 20, 2020, at 8:59 p.m. PT / 11:59 p.m. ET. To access the replay, dial (888) 203-1112 and use confirmation code 2953562#. International callers should dial +1 (719) 457-0820 and enter the same confirmation code. A replay of the webcast also will be available for 90 days following, accessible in the Investor Relations section of First Republic Bank’s website at firstrepublic.com.

The Bank’s press releases are available after release in the Investor Relations section of First Republic Bank’s website at firstrepublic.com.

About First Republic Bank

Founded in 1985, First Republic and its subsidiaries offer private banking, private business banking and private wealth management, including investment, trust and brokerage services. First Republic specializes in delivering exceptional, relationship-based service and offers a complete line of products, including residential, commercial and personal loans, deposit services, and wealth management. Services are offered through preferred banking or wealth management offices primarily in San Francisco, Palo Alto, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Newport Beach and San Diego, California; Portland, Oregon; Boston, Massachusetts; Palm Beach, Florida; Greenwich, Connecticut; New York, New York; and Jackson, Wyoming. First Republic is a constituent of the S&P 500 Index and KBW Nasdaq Bank Index. For more information, visit firstrepublic.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are hereby identified as “forward-looking statements” for the purpose of the safe harbor provided by Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Any statements about our expectations, beliefs, plans, predictions, forecasts, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not historical facts and may be forward-looking. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “can,” “could,” “may,” “predicts,” “potential,” “should,” “will,” “estimates,” “plans,” “projects,” “continuing,” “ongoing,” “expects,” “intends” and similar words or phrases. Accordingly, these statements are only predictions and involve estimates, known and unknown risks, assumptions and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in them.

Forward-looking statements involving such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: projections of loans, assets, deposits, liabilities, revenues, expenses, tax liabilities, net income, capital expenditures, liquidity, dividends, capital structure, investments or other financial items; expectations regarding the banking and wealth management industries; descriptions of plans or objectives of management for future operations, products or services; forecasts of future economic conditions generally and in our market areas in particular, which may affect the ability of borrowers to repay their loans and the value of real property or other property held as collateral for such loans; our opportunities for growth and our plans for expansion (including opening new offices); expectations about the performance of any new offices; projections about the amount and the value of intangible assets, as well as amortization of recorded amounts; future provisions for credit losses on loans and debt securities, as well as for unfunded loan commitments; changes in nonperforming assets; expectations regarding the impact and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic (collectively referred to as “COVID-19” herein); projections about future levels of loan originations or loan repayments; projections regarding costs, including the impact on our efficiency ratio; and descriptions of assumptions underlying or relating to any of the foregoing.

Factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: significant competition to attract and retain banking and wealth management customers, from both traditional and non-traditional financial services and technology companies; our ability to recruit and retain key managers, employees and board members; the possibility of earthquakes, fires and other natural disasters affecting the markets in which we operate; the negative impacts and disruptions resulting from COVID-19 on our colleagues and clients, the communities we serve and the domestic and global economy, which may have an adverse effect on our business, financial position and results of operations; interest rate risk and credit risk; our ability to maintain and follow high underwriting standards; economic and market conditions, including those affecting the valuation of our investment securities portfolio and credit losses on our loans and debt securities; real estate prices generally and in our markets; our geographic and product concentrations; demand for our products and services; developments and uncertainty related to the future use and availability of some reference rates, such as the London Interbank Offered Rate and the 11th District Monthly Weighted Average Cost of Funds Index, as well as other alternative reference rates; the regulatory environment in which we operate, our regulatory compliance and future regulatory requirements; any future changes to regulatory capital requirements; legislative and regulatory actions affecting us and the financial services industry, such as the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), including increased compliance costs, limitations on activities and requirements to hold additional capital, as well as changes to the Dodd-Frank Act pursuant to the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act; our ability to avoid litigation and its associated costs and liabilities; future Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) special assessments or changes to regular assessments; fraud, cybersecurity and privacy risks; and custom technology preferences of our customers and our ability to successfully execute on initiatives relating to enhancements of our technology infrastructure, including client-facing systems and applications. For a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, see First Republic’s FDIC filings, including, but not limited to, the risk factors in First Republic’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and any subsequent reports filed by First Republic with the FDIC. These filings are available in the Investor Relations section of our website.

All forward-looking statements are necessarily only estimates of future results, and there can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from expectations, and, therefore, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements. Any forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to the factors discussed throughout our public filings under the Exchange Act. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and we undertake 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.