First Financial Northwest, Inc. Reports Net Income of $2.6 Million or $0.16 Per Share for the Third Quarter of 2013

RENTON, Wash., Oct. 24, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Financial Northwest, Inc. (the "Company") (Nasdaq:FFNW), the holding company for First Savings Bank Northwest (the "Bank"), today reported net income for the quarter ended September 30, 2013 of $2.6 million or $0.16 per diluted share, compared to net income of $16.4 million, or $0.95 per diluted share for the quarter ended June 30, 2013 and a net loss of $791,000, or $0.04 per diluted share for the comparable quarter in 2012. For the nine months ended September 30, 2013, net income was $20.5 million or $1.21 per diluted share, compared to $1.2 million or $0.07 per diluted share for the comparable period in 2012.

As reported previously, during the quarter ended June 30, 2013, the Company reversed most of the valuation allowance on its deferred tax asset ("DTA") reflecting its return to profitability and its expectations of sustainable profitability for future periods. The reversal of the DTA valuation allowance, combined with the Company's pre-tax income of $2.6 million, resulted in a net tax benefit of $13.8 million. During the quarter ended September 30, 2013, the Company reversed an additional $135,000 of its DTA valuation allowance and expects to reverse the small remainder of its DTA valuation allowance in the final quarter of 2013.

"During the quarter, we continued to see improvement in our credit quality metrics, with nonperforming assets declining to $22.0 million at September 30, 2013 from $28.8 million at June 30, 2013 and $42.8 million at September 30, 2012. We are pleased to report continued success disposing of our other real estate owned ("OREO"), which decreased to $12.6 million at September 30, 2013 compared to $19.2 million at September 30, 2012, a 34.4% decline over the past 12 months," stated Joseph W. Kiley III, President and Chief Executive Officer.

Highlights for the quarter ended September 30, 2013 included:

• Loan originations for the quarter were $36.7 million, compared to $54.2 million and $30.6 million for the quarters ended June 30, 2013 and September 30, 2012, respectively;
• Nonperforming assets at September 30, 2013 decreased $6.8 million, or 23.4% to $22.0 million from $28.8 million at June 30, 2013 and decreased $20.8 million, or 48.5% from $42.8 million at September 30, 2012;
• Net OREO related expenses increased $279,000 to a net loss of $123,000 for the quarter, compared to a net gain of $156,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2013 and a net loss of $1.6 million for the comparable quarter of 2012;
• Sales of OREO generated net gains on sales of $35,000 for the quarter, compared to net gains of $383,000 and $78,000 for the quarters ended June 30, 2013 and September 30, 2012, respectively;
• The Company's book value per share increased to $11.05 at September 30, 2013, from $10.88 at June 30, 2013 and $9.84 at September 30, 2012;
• Under the stock repurchase plan ("Plan") approved by the Board of Directors in August 2013, the Company was authorized to purchase 848,271 shares of its common stock, of which 276,620 shares were purchased at an average price per share of $10.70 during the quarter. Earlier in the year, the Company repurchased 1,879,747 shares at an average price of $10.06 per share under the Plan approved in May 2013.
• The Bank's Tier 1 and total risk-based capital ratios at September 30, 2013 were 18.51% and 28.14%, respectively.

There was no provision for loan losses recorded in the third quarter based on management's evaluation of the adequacy of the allowance for loan and lease losses ("ALLL"). This compares to $100,000 for the prior quarter and a $700,000 provision for the comparable quarter one year ago. The following items were considered in evaluating the loan loss provision for the quarter ended September 30, 2013:

• Delinquent loans (loans over 30 days past due) were $5.5 million at September 30, 2013, decreasing $2.6 million and $19.1 million from June 30, 2013 and September 30, 2012, respectively;
• Nonperforming loans were $9.4 million at September 30, 2013 decreasing $5.1 million and $14.1 million from June 30, 2013 and September 30, 2012, respectively;
• Nonperforming loans as a percent of total loans was 1.4% at September 30, 2013, compared to 2.2% at June 30, 2013 and 3.5% at September 30, 2012, continuing the trend of improvement within the loan portfolio.

The ALLL represented 130.1% of nonperforming loans and 1.8% of total loans at September 30, 2013, compared to 84.6% and 1.8%, respectively, at June 30, 2013.

The following table presents a breakdown of our nonperforming assets:

The following table presents a breakdown of our OREO by county and property type at September 30, 2013:

OREO decreased $1.6 million, or 11.3% to $12.6 million at September 30, 2013, from $14.2 million at June 30, 2013, as sales and write-downs of OREO exceeded transfers of loans into OREO during the quarter. We sold $2.5 million of OREO during the third quarter of 2013, generating net gains of $35,000.  Our largest OREO property is an office/retail building valued at $3.4 million, located in Pierce County. We are currently in the process of leasing up the building and preparing it for sale. As a result of our quarterly evaluation of our OREO, we expensed $135,000 related to the decline in the market values of properties in our portfolio during the current quarter, compared to $76,000 for the second quarter of 2013. We incurred additional OREO expenses of $23,000 during the quarter ended September 30, 2013, compared to $151,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2013. We continue to actively market our OREO properties in an effort to minimize the amount of our holding costs and to convert these nonperforming assets into performing assets.

The following table presents a breakdown of our troubled debt restructured ("TDR") loans:

During the third quarter of 2013, TDRs decreased $377,000 to $63.7 million, compared to $64.1 million at June 30, 2013. At September 30, 2013, $62.9 million or 98.7% of TDRs were performing in accordance with their repayment terms.

Net interest income for the third quarter of 2013 decreased $60,000 to $7.7 million, compared to the second quarter of 2013, and increased $534,000 from the same quarter in 2012. Net interest income for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 increased $757,000 to $22.9 million, compared to $22.2 million for the same period in 2012.

Interest income for the third quarter of 2013 decreased $608,000 compared to the same quarter in 2012, due in part to the decline in yields on the loan portfolio during this sustained low interest rate environment resulting in a significant number of loans refinancing at lower rates.

Interest expense decreased $1.1 million compared to the same quarter in 2012 primarily due to decreases in the average balance of both certificates of deposit and Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle ("FHLB") advances, and a lower cost of funds. The average balance of our certificates of deposit and FHLB advances decreased $80.9 million and $9.1 million, respectively, during the third quarter of 2013 compared to the third quarter of 2012. The change in the average balances of certificates of deposit between these periods accounted for $368,000 of the decrease in interest expense, while $362,000 of the decline was due to the repricing of the certificates at lower market rates. We have priced our certificate of deposit accounts to reflect the lower interest rate environment, which has contributed to the decrease in the average balance as some of our customers have elected to withdraw their funds to invest in higher yielding non-deposit investment products. Interest expense on FHLB advances increased slightly compared to the quarter ended June 30, 2013 due to the change in the average balance outstanding. The decrease in interest expense for FHLB advances during the quarter compared to the third quarter one year ago was due to a $57,000 decrease in the average balance for FHLB advances and a $311,000 decrease in the average cost resulting from the refinance and prepayment of certain advances during the first quarter of 2013.

Our net interest margin for both quarters ended September 30, 2013 and June 30, 2013, was 3.71%, an improvement from 3.08% for the quarter ended September 30, 2012. Our ratio of average interest-earning assets to average interest-bearing liabilities grew to 121.31% at September 30, 2013, from 118.96% at September 30, 2012, reflecting our efforts to convert nonearning assets to earnings assets, resulting in a more efficient balance sheet.

Noninterest income for the quarter ended September 30, 2013 decreased $35,000 to $120,000 compared to the quarter ended June 30, 2013, and increased $13,000 compared to the same quarter in 2012. We incurred a loss of $39,000 on investment sales during the quarter ended September 30, 2013, compared to a gain of $1,000 in the quarter ended June 30, 2013, and no sales of investments during the quarter ended September 30, 2012.

Noninterest expense for the quarter ended September 30, 2013 increased $82,000 compared to the second quarter of 2013 due primarily to one-time compensation expenses relating to the previously reported departure of three executive officers during the quarter.  Noninterest expense for the quarter ended September 30, 2013 decreased $2.1 million compared to the same quarter in 2012. The decrease from the comparable quarter in 2012 was due in large part to a decrease in net OREO related expenses of $1.4 million.   In addition, proxy contest and related litigation expenses decreased $263,000 between periods. Our efficiency ratio was 68.5% during the quarter ended September 30, 2013, compared to 66.7% for the quarter ended June 30, 2013 and 101.9% for the comparable period one year ago.

First Financial Northwest, Inc. is the parent company of First Savings Bank Northwest, a Washington chartered stock savings bank headquartered in Renton, Washington, serving the Puget Sound Region through its full-service banking office. We are a part of the ABA NASDAQ Community Bank Index as well as the Russell 2000 and 3000 Indices. For additional information about us, please visit our website at www.fsbnw.com and click on the "Investor Relations" section. 

Forward-looking statements:

Certain matters discussed in this press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, expectations of the business environment in which we operate, projections of future performance or financial items, perceived opportunities in the market, potential future credit experience, and statements regarding our mission and vision. These forward-looking statements are based upon current management expectations and may, therefore, involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results, performance, or achievements may differ materially from those suggested, expressed, or implied by forward-looking statements as a result of a wide variety or range of factors including, but not limited to: the credit risks of lending activities, including changes in the level and trend of loan delinquencies and write-offs that may be impacted by deterioration in the housing and commercial real estate markets and may lead to increased losses and nonperforming assets in our loan portfolio, and may result in our allowance for loan losses not being adequate to cover actual losses, and require us to materially increase our reserves; changes in general economic conditions, either nationally or in our market areas; changes in the levels of general interest rates, and the relative differences between short and long term interest rates, deposit interest rates, our net interest margin and funding sources; fluctuations in the demand for loans, the number of unsold homes and other properties and fluctuations in real estate values in our market areas; results of examinations of us by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System ("Federal Reserve") and our bank subsidiary by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC"), the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions, Division of Banks ("Washington DFI") or other regulatory authorities, including the possibility that any such regulatory authority may, among other things, institute enforcement actions against the Company or the Bank, to take additional corrective action and refrain from unsafe and unsound practices, which may also require us to increase our reserve for loan losses, write-down assets, change our regulatory capital position or affect our ability to borrow funds or maintain or increase deposits, which could adversely affect our liquidity and earnings; our ability to continue to pay dividends on or repurchase our common stock; our ability to attract and retain deposits; further increases in premiums for deposit insurance; our ability to control operating costs and expenses; the use of estimates in determining the fair value of certain of our assets, which estimates may prove to be incorrect and result in significant declines in valuation; difficulties in reducing risk associated with the loans on our balance sheet; staffing fluctuations in response to product demand or the implementation of corporate strategies that affect our work force and potential associated charges; computer systems on which we depend could fail or experience a security breach; our ability to retain key members of our senior management team; costs and effects of litigation, including settlements and judgments; our ability to implement our branch expansion strategy; our ability to successfully integrate any assets, liabilities, customers, systems, and management personnel we have acquired or may in the future acquire into our operations and our ability to realize related revenue synergies and cost savings within expected time frames and any goodwill charges related thereto; our ability to manage loan delinquency rates; increased competitive pressures among financial services companies; changes in consumer spending, borrowing and savings habits; legislative or regulatory changes that adversely affect our business including changes in regulatory policies and principles, including the interpretation of regulatory capital or other rules or as a result of Basel III; the impact of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the implementing regulations; the availability of resources to address changes in laws, rules, or regulations or to respond to regulatory actions; adverse changes in the securities markets; inability of key third-party providers to perform their obligations to us; changes in accounting policies and practices, as may be adopted by the financial institution regulatory agencies or the Financial Accounting Standards Board, including additional guidance and interpretation on accounting issues and details of the implementation of new accounting methods; the economic impact of war or any terrorist activities; other economic, competitive, governmental, regulatory, and technological factors affecting our operations; pricing, products and services; and other risks detailed in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012. Any of the forward-looking statements that we make in this Press Release and in the other public statements we make may turn out to be wrong because of the inaccurate assumptions we might make, because of the factors illustrated above or because of other factors that we cannot foresee. Because of these and other uncertainties, our actual future results may be materially different from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by or on our behalf. Therefore, these factors should be considered in evaluating the forward-looking statements, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. We undertake no responsibility to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

The following table presents a breakdown of our loan portfolio (unaudited):