Sterling Bancorp Announces Results for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2017

Key Performance Highlights for the Three Months ended March 31, 2017 vs. March 31, 2016

• GAAP diluted earnings per share increased by 61.1% and adjusted diluted earnings per share increased by 24.0% relative to the same quarter last year.
• Annualized loan growth of 10.1% (end of period balances, including acquired loans) and 0.6% (average balances, including acquired loans) over the linked quarter.
• Weighted average yield on loans for the first quarter of 2017 was 4.57%, which represented an eight basis points increase over the linked quarter.
• Total deposits increased $183.5 million over the linked quarter mainly due to growth in commercial deposits and seasonal inflows in municipal deposits.  Total commercial and retail demand deposits grew $153.8 million over the linked quarter, or an annualized growth rate of 8.4%.
• Core deposits⁵ increased $281.8 million over the linked quarter and $551.8 million relative to the same quarter a year ago, which represented annualized growth of 13.0% and 6.5%, respectively.
• The loans to deposits ratio was 95.2% and the weighted average cost of deposits was 0.38%, which represented an increase of two basis points relative to the linked quarter.
• Total revenue was $121.6 million, a decrease of $1.7 million in the linked quarter due to two fewer days in the period and the sale of the trust division in the fourth quarter of 2016.  Adjusted total revenue increased $739 thousand relative to the linked quarter.
• Adjusted operating leverage, which is defined as the ratio of growth in adjusted total revenue to growth in adjusted non-interest expense, relative to the same quarter a year ago, was 11.8.
• Announced definitive agreement to merge with Astoria Financial Corporation (“Astoria”) on March 7, 2017.  The merger is expected to create a high performing regional bank focused on serving commercial and consumer clients in the Greater New York metropolitan area.  The combined company will have approximately $29 billion in assets, $20 billion in loans, and $19 billion in deposits.  The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2017, subject to stockholder and regulatory approval, and is expected to be immediately accretive to tangible book value and earnings per share.

<sup>1. Non-GAAP / as adjusted measures are defined in the non-GAAP tables beginning on page 16.
2. Total revenue as adjusted is equal to tax equivalent net interest income plus non-interest income excluding securities gains and losses.
3. Net interest margin as adjusted is equal to net interest margin plus the tax equivalent adjustment for tax exempt securities.
4. See page 17 for an explanation of the operating efficiency ratio.
5. Core deposits include retail, commercial and municipal transaction, money market and savings accounts and exclude certificates of deposit and brokered deposits, except for reciprocal Certificate of Deposit Account Registry balances.</sup>

MONTEBELLO, N.Y., April 25, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sterling Bancorp (NYSE:STL) (the “Company”), the parent company of Sterling National Bank (the “Bank”), today announced results for the three months ended March 31, 2017.  Net income for the quarter ended March 31, 2017 was $39.1 million, or $0.29 per diluted share, compared to net income of $41.0 million, or $0.31 per diluted share, for the linked quarter ended December 31, 2016 and net income of $23.8 million, or $0.18 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2016.

President’s Comments
Jack Kopnisky, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented: “Our positive momentum in operating performance continued in the first quarter of 2017, as we reached new records in loans, deposits, revenues and adjusted profitability.  As of March 31, 2017, our total assets reached $14.7 billion, compared to $12.9 billion a year ago.  Our total portfolio loans were $9.8 billion, compared to $8.3 billion a year ago and our total deposits were $10.3 billion, compared to $9.3 billion a year ago. We continue to make progress in building a high performing regional bank that focuses on serving commercial middle market clients and consumers in the most attractive markets in the Greater New York metropolitan area.

“We had strong earnings performance in the quarter.  Our GAAP net income was $39.1 million, or $0.29 per diluted share. Our adjusted net income was $41.5 million and adjusted diluted earnings per share were $0.31, compared to $32.2 million and $0.25, respectively, for the first quarter of 2016. This represents growth in adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share of 28.9% and 24.0%, respectively. We continue to focus on controlling our operating expenses and improving our operating efficiency. During the quarter, our reported operating efficiency ratio was 49.6% and our adjusted operating efficiency ratio was 43.7%.  This represents a decrease of 1,370 and 520 basis points, respectively, relative to the same quarter a year ago.  We also continue to increase our operating leverage as, for the quarter ended March 31, 2017, adjusted total revenues grew 13.0% while adjusted non-interest expenses grew 1.1% relative to the same quarter a year ago.

“We have a strong balance sheet with a loan portfolio that has a balanced mix of 42.8% commercial and industrial loans, 44.8% commercial real estate loans, 2.5% acquisition development and construction loans and 9.9% consumer loans. Our diversified loan portfolio and businesses position us well for a rising interest rate environment.  During the quarter, the weighted average yield on loans was 4.57%, an increase of eight basis points over the linked quarter.  We continue to maintain a strong funding profile with a loans to deposits ratio of approximately 95.2% and a weighted average cost of deposits of 0.38%.  Our net interest margin was 3.55% on a tax equivalent basis, which represented an increase of two basis points over the same period a year ago and three basis points over the linked quarter.

“In March 2017, we announced that we entered into a definitive agreement to merge with Astoria, which is the next step in the continued growth and evolution of our company.  Astoria operates in highly attractive markets in New York City and Long Island, has a premier low cost deposit base and will allow us to further accelerate our strategy of building a high performing regional bank.  The combined company will have approximately $29 billion in assets and $19 billion in deposits in the Greater New York metropolitan area. We anticipate the merger will close in the fourth quarter of 2017, subject to among other items, stockholder and regulatory approvals, and will be immediately accretive to tangible book value and earnings per share.

“Lastly, we have declared a dividend on our common stock of $0.07 per share payable on May 22, 2017 to holders of record as of May 8, 2017. Thank you to all of our clients, colleagues and stockholders for your continued support, and we welcome our new partners at Astoria as we work together to build a stronger, more diversified and more profitable company in 2017 and beyond.”

Reconciliation of GAAP Results to Adjusted Results (non-GAAP)
GAAP net income of $39.1 million, or $0.29 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2017, included a pre-tax net loss on sale of securities of $23 thousand, a pre-tax charge of $3.1 million due to merger-related expense associated with the pending merger with Astoria and the pre-tax amortization of non-compete agreements and acquired customer list intangibles of $396 thousand.  Excluding the impact of these items and their corresponding tax adjustment at the Company’s estimated effective tax rate of 32.5% for full year 2017, adjusted net income was $41.5 million, or $0.31 per diluted share.

Non-GAAP financial measures include references to the terms “adjusted” or “excluding”.  See the reconciliation of the Company’s non-GAAP financial measures beginning on page 16.

Net Interest Income and Margin

First quarter 2017 compared with first quarter 2016
Net interest income was $108.8 million, an increase of $15.3 million compared to the first quarter of 2016.  This was mainly due to an increase in average loans originated through our commercial banking teams and the acquisition of NewStar Business Credit LLC (“NSBC Acquisition”), which closed on March 31, 2016, and the franchise finance loan portfolio acquired from GE Capital, which closed in September 2016. Other key components of the changes in net interest income were the following:

• The yield on loans was 4.57%, compared to 4.62% for the three months ended March 31, 2016.  The decline in yield on loans  was mainly due to lower accretion income on acquired loans between the periods.
• Yield on loans included $3.5 million of accretion income on loans associated with prior acquisitions compared to $5.6 million in the first quarter of 2016.
• Average commercial loans were $8.3 billion compared to $6.7 billion in the first quarter of 2016, an increase of $1.6 billion or 24.0%.
• The tax equivalent yield on investment securities increased 32 basis points to 2.97%.  This was mainly due to an increase in the proportion of  tax exempt securities in the investment portfolio and increase in market interest rates.  Average tax exempt securities balances grew to $1.3 billion for the quarter ended March 31, 2017, compared to $593.8 million in the first quarter of 2016.
• The tax equivalent yield on interest earning assets increased nine basis points from the first quarter of 2016 to 4.09% for the first quarter of 2017.
• The cost of total deposits was 38 basis points and the cost of borrowings was 1.74%, compared to 29 basis points and 1.92%, respectively, for the same period a year ago.
• Tax equivalent net interest margin was 3.55% compared to 3.53% for the same period a year ago. 

First quarter 2017 compared with linked quarter ended December 31, 2016
Net interest income increased $1.5 million, or 5.7% annualized, compared to the linked quarter ended December 31, 2016.  Net interest income performance in the first quarter of 2017 relative to the linked quarter was negatively impacted given there are 90 days in the first quarter compared to 92 days in the linked quarter.  Key components of the changes in net interest income in the linked quarter were the following:

• The yield on loans was 4.57% compared to 4.49% for the linked quarter, an increase of eight basis points, which was mainly due to an increase in market interest rates.
• Accretion of income on acquired loans was $3.5 million in the first quarter of 2017 compared to $4.5 million in the linked quarter. 
• The average balance of loans increased $14.2 million for the first quarter of 2017 compared to the linked quarter. Based on end of period balances, total loans increased by $236.7 million, or 10.1% annualized relative to the linked quarter.  The majority of the loan growth was originated in March 2017; as a result, average loans should increase in the second quarter of 2017.
• The tax equivalent yield on investment securities increased 16 basis points to 2.97% in the first quarter of 2017.  This was mainly the result of increases in market interest rates and purchases of securities.  Average securities increased $300.2 million compared to the linked quarter, as we have begun to reposition our securities portfolio in anticipation of the merger with Astoria.
• The tax equivalent yield on interest earning assets increased seven basis points to 4.09% in the quarter. 
• The cost of total deposits increased two basis points to 38 basis points in the quarter. The total cost of borrowings increased two basis points to 1.74%.
• Average interest bearing deposits increased by $65.3 million and average borrowings increased $281.7 million relative to the linked quarter, which resulted in an increase of $1.4 million in interest expense.
• Tax equivalent net interest margin was 3.55% compared to 3.52% in the linked quarter.

Non-interest Income

First quarter 2017 compared with first quarter 2016
Excluding net (loss) gain on sale of securities, adjusted non-interest income declined $2.9 million in the first quarter of 2017 to $12.9 million compared to $15.7 million in the same quarter last year.  The change was mainly due to a decrease in mortgage banking fee income of $1.7 million resulting from the sale of our residential mortgage originations business, which was completed in the third quarter of 2016; a decrease of $1.2 million in deposit fees and service charges, associated mainly with the impact of the Durbin Amendment, which decreased our interchange revenue effective July 1, 2016; and a decline in investment management fees of $893 thousand, associated mainly with the sale of our trust division in the fourth quarter of 2016.  Partially offsetting these decreases was an increase in other non-interest income of $1.6 million, which was due to an increase in letters of credit fees, higher other commissions and loan fees, syndication fees and loan swap fees mainly generated by our commercial banking teams and the NSBC Acquisition.

First quarter 2017 compared with linked quarter ended December 31, 2016
Excluding net (loss) gain on sale of securities and net gain on sale of the trust division (which was $2.3 million and recorded in other non-interest income for the quarter ended December 31, 2016), adjusted non-interest income decreased $1.0 million from $13.9 million in the linked quarter ended December 31, 2016 to $12.9 million in the first quarter of 2017.  This was mainly due to lower accounts receivable and factoring commissions of $379 thousand given seasonality in the factoring business; lower mortgage banking fee income of $380 thousand as a result of the sale of our residential mortgage originations business; lower investment management fees of $334 thousand due to the sale of the trust division; and lower other non-interest income of $157 thousand due mainly to lower loan participation activity.  These declines were partially offset by an increase in deposit fees and service charges of $168 thousand.

Non-interest Expense

First quarter 2017 compared with first quarter 2016
Total non-interest expense decreased $8.6 million relative to the first quarter of 2016, from $68.9 million to $60.4 million, in the first quarter of 2017.  Contributing to the decline in non-interest expense was a decrease of $1.1 million in occupancy and office operations, which was mainly due to the consolidation of financial centers and other locations in 2016.  Expenses related to the loss on extinguishment of borrowings and charge for asset write-downs and severance were associated with the prepayment of FHLB debt and the NSBC Acquisition and did not recur in the first quarter of 2017.  Other expenses declined mainly due to lower amortization of intangible assets of $824 thousand, as certain non-compete intangible assets from prior acquisitions are now fully amortized, and regulatory fees and assessments decreased by $370 thousand, as FDIC deposit insurance fees assessed to the Bank were reduced.  Partially offsetting these declines was an increase in compensation and benefits expense of $1.4 million in the first quarter of 2017, which was mainly due to an increase in the accrual for self-funded medical insurance. The total FTE count declined by 100 between the first quarter of 2017 and the year earlier period, mainly due to the completion of the merger integration with Hudson Valley Holding Corp., the sale of the residential mortgage originations business and the sale of the trust division.  However, we have continued hiring new commercial banking teams, risk management personnel and acquired personnel through the NSBC Acquisition and will continue to do so in 2017. Merger-related expense in the first quarter of 2016 were incurred in connection with the NSBC Acquisition; merger-related expense in the first quarter of 2017 were incurred in connection with the Astoria merger and consisted mainly of financial and legal advisory fees.

First quarter 2017 compared with linked quarter ended December 31, 2016
Total non-interest expense increased $3.3 million from $57.1 million in the linked quarter to $60.4 million in the first quarter of 2017. The increase was mainly related to the increase in merger-related expense, as described above, and an increase in other real estate owned, net (“OREO”) expense.  In the first quarter of 2017 we incurred $1.7 million of OREO expense, of which $1.3 million represented the write-down of properties to their fair value based on updated appraisals and pending and completed sales. OREO balances decreased by $4.0 million, or 29.3%, in the first quarter of 2017 relative to the linked quarter. Partially offsetting these increases was a decrease in compensation and benefits expense of $669 thousand between the periods. Occupancy and office operations also declined in the quarter by $238 thousand due to the ongoing consolidation of our real estate footprint and locations.

Taxes
We recorded income tax expense at an effective tax rate of 31.2% for the first quarter of 2017, compared to 34.0% in the first quarter of 2016.  The effective tax rate in the linked quarter ended December 31, 2016 was 32.5%.

The adoption of a new accounting standard in the first quarter of 2017 requires that tax benefits in excess of compensation costs associated with our stock-based compensation plans be included in income tax expense as a discrete item.  In the first quarter of 2017, we recorded a tax benefit of $742 thousand associated with the vesting of stock-based compensation which reduced our tax rate by 1.3% for the period. We anticipate our effective income tax rate, excluding the impact of income tax expense associated with vested stock-based compensation plans in 2017 will remain between 32% and 33%. However, the effective income tax rate may change materially should changes to current tax law be enacted in 2017.  Any changes to current tax law may also have an impact on our deferred tax position. 

Key Balance Sheet Highlights as of March 31, 2017

Highlights in balance sheet items as of March 31, 2017 were the following:

• C&I loans (which include traditional C&I, asset-based lending, payroll finance, warehouse lending, factored receivables, equipment financing and public sector finance loans) represented 42.8%, commercial real estate loans represented 44.8%, consumer and residential mortgage loans combined represented 9.9%, and acquisition, development and construction loans represented 2.5% of the total loan portfolio.
• Commercial loan growth, which includes all C&I loans, commercial real estate and acquisition, development and construction loans, was $1.5 billion for the twelve months ended March 31, 2017. Commercial loan growth was $251.4 million relative to the linked quarter.
• Mortgage warehouse lending balances were $486.4 million at March 31, 2017, a decline of $130.6 million, or 21.2%, compared to December 31, 2016.  As anticipated, the decrease in balances was due to an increase in residential mortgage lending interest rates which negatively impacted mortgage refinance activity and origination volumes in the period.
• Aggregate exposure to taxi medallion relationships was $49.8 million, which represented 0.51% of total loans as of March 31, 2017, a decline of $1.9 million from $51.7 million as of December 31, 2016.  The decline was due to repayments.
• Total deposits at March 31, 2017 increased $183.5 million, or 1.8%, compared to December 31, 2016, and increased $923.1 million, or 9.9%, over March 31, 2016.  The increase in deposits was mainly due to seasonal inflows in municipal deposits and growth in commercial deposits.
• Core deposits at March 31, 2017 increased $281.8 million, compared to December 31, 2016.  The increase was mainly due to growth in commercial deposits and seasonal inflows in municipal deposits. Core deposits increased $551.8 million, or 6.5%, over March 31, 2016.

Credit Quality

^{6 See a reconciliation of this non-GAAP financial measure on page 18.}

Provision for loan losses was $4.5 million for the first quarter of 2017 compared to $5.5 million in the linked quarter and $4.0 million in the same period a year ago. In the first quarter of 2017, provision for loan losses was $3.3 million in excess of net charge-offs of $1.2 million.  Allowance coverage ratios increased to 0.69% of total loans and 91.8% of non-performing loans.  The decrease in non-performing loans at March 31, 2017 compared to December 31, 2016 was mainly due to improvements in borrower performance as non-performing loans decreased by $5.9 million to $72.9 million.

As a result of purchase accounting, a substantial portion of the loans acquired in prior merger transactions do not have an allocation in the allowance for loan losses as the performance of these loans remains satisfactory. The total valuation balances recorded against portfolio loans to adjusted gross portfolio loans⁶ was 1.05% and 1.03% at December 31, 2016 and March 31, 2017, respectively. 

Aggregate exposure to taxi medallion relationships as of March 31, 2017 was $49.8 million.  This represented a decrease of $1.9 million relative to the linked quarter.

Capital

The increase in stockholders’ equity of $33.4 million to $1.9 billion as of March 31, 2017 compared to December 31, 2016 was mainly due to net income of $39.1 million and a decrease in accumulated other comprehensive loss of $2.9 million.  The decrease in accumulated other comprehensive loss was due to an increase in the fair value of our available for sale securities portfolio.  Stock option exercises and stock-based compensation, which totaled $885 thousand also contributed to the increase.  These increases were partially offset by declared dividends of $9.4 million.

Total goodwill and other intangible assets were $760.7 million at March 31, 2017, a decrease of $2.3 million compared to December 31, 2016, which was due to amortization of intangibles.

For the quarter ended March 31, 2017, basic and diluted weighted average common shares outstanding increased to 135.2 million and 135.8 million, respectively, compared to 132.3 million basic shares and 133.0 million diluted shares, respectively, for the quarter ended December 31, 2016.  The increase in the diluted weighted average shares was mainly due to our common equity raise completed on November 22, 2016. Total common shares outstanding at March 31, 2017 were approximately 135.6 million.

Conference Call Information
Sterling Bancorp will host a teleconference and webcast on Wednesday, April 26, 2017 at 10:30 AM Eastern Time to discuss the Company’s results. Interested parties are invited to listen to the webcast and view accompanying slides on the Company’s website at www.sterlingbancorp.com. Analysts are invited to listen by dialing (877) 874-1570, Conference ID #9380814.  A replay of the teleconference can be accessed through the Company’s website.

About Sterling Bancorp
Sterling Bancorp, whose principal subsidiary is Sterling National Bank, specializes in the delivery of service and solutions to business owners, their families and consumers within the communities it serves through teams of dedicated and experienced relationship managers. Sterling National Bank offers a complete line of commercial, business, and consumer banking products and services. For more information, visit the Sterling Bancorp website at www.sterlingbancorp.com.

CAUTION CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This release may contain “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Forward-looking statements may concern Sterling Bancorp’s current expectations about its future results, plans, operations and prospects and involve certain risks, including the following: our ability to obtain regulatory approvals and meet other closing conditions to the merger with Astoria, including approval by Sterling Bancorp and Astoria Financial Corporation stockholders, on the expected terms and schedule; delay in closing the Astoria merger; difficulties and delays in integrating Astoria’s business or fully realizing cost savings and other benefits; business disruption following the proposed transaction; to grow revenues faster than we grow expenses, a deterioration in general economic conditions, either nationally, internationally, or in our market areas, including extended declines in the real estate market and constrained financial markets; inflation; the effects of, and changes in, trade; changes in asset quality and credit risk; introduction, withdrawal, success and timing of business initiatives; capital management activities; including our ability to effectively deploy recently raised capital; customer disintermediation; and the success of Sterling Bancorp in managing those risks.  Other factors that could cause Sterling Bancorp’s actual results to differ from those indicated in forward-looking statements are included in the “Risk Factors” section of Sterling Bancorp’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and we undertake no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date on which such statements were made.

Financial information contained in this release should be considered to be an estimate pending the filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission of the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2017. While the Company is not aware of any need to revise the results disclosed in this release, accounting literature may require information received by management between the date of this release and the filing of the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q to be reflected in the results of the fiscal period, even though the new information was received by management subsequent to the date of this release.

Sterling Bancorp and Subsidiaries
CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
(unaudited, in thousands, except share and per share data)      

^{1 See reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures beginning on page 16.}

Sterling Bancorp and Subsidiaries
CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED INCOME STATEMENTS
(unaudited, in thousands, except share and per share data)

Sterling Bancorp and Subsidiaries
SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
(unaudited, in thousands, except share and per share data)

Sterling Bancorp and Subsidiaries
SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA AND PERFORMANCE RATIOS
(unaudited, in thousands, except share and per share data)

Sterling Bancorp and Subsidiaries    
ASSET QUALITY INFORMATION
(unaudited, in thousands, except share and per share data)                                                                                                                                    

Sterling Bancorp and Subsidiaries
QUARTERLY YIELD TABLE
(unaudited, in thousands, except share and per share data)

^{1 Average balances include loans held for sale and non-accrual loans.  Interest includes prepayment fees and late charges.
2 Includes club accounts and interest bearing mortgage escrow balances.
3 Net interest rate spread represents the difference between the tax equivalent yield on average interest earning assets and the cost of average interest bearing liabilities.
4 Net interest earning assets represents total interest earning assets less total interest bearing liabilities.}

Sterling Bancorp and Subsidiaries
QUARTERLY YIELD TABLE
(unaudited, in thousands, except share and per share data)

^{1 Average balances include loans held for sale and non-accrual loans.  Interest includes prepayment fees and late charges.
2 Includes club accounts and interest bearing mortgage escrow balances.
3 Net interest rate spread represents the difference between the tax equivalent yield on average interest earning assets and the cost of average interest bearing liabilities.
4 Net interest earning assets represents total interest earning assets less total interest bearing liabilities.}

Sterling Bancorp and Subsidiaries
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES          
(unaudited, in thousands, except share and per share data)

Sterling Bancorp and Subsidiaries                                  
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
(unaudited, in thousands, except share and per share data)

Sterling Bancorp and Subsidiaries                                                  
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
(unaudited, in thousands, except share and per share data)

The non-GAAP / adjusted measures presented above are used by our management and Board of Directors on a regular basis in addition to our GAAP results to facilitate the assessment of our financial performance and to assess our performance compared to our annual budget and strategic plans.  These non-GAAP/adjusted financial measures complement our GAAP reporting and are presented above to provide investors, analysts, regulators and others information that we use to manage and evaluate our performance each period. This information supplements our GAAP reported results, and should not be viewed in isolation from, or as a substitute for, our GAAP results.  When non-GAAP / adjusted measures are impacted by income tax expense, we present the pre-tax amount for the income and expense items that result in the non-GAAP adjustments and present the income tax expense impact at the effective tax rate in effect for the period presented.

^{1 Stockholders’ equity as a percentage of total assets, book value per share, tangible equity as a percentage of tangible assets and tangible book value per share provides information to help assess our capital position and financial strength.  We believe tangible book measures improve comparability to other banking organizations that have not engaged in acquisitions that have resulted in the accumulation of goodwill and other intangible assets.
2 Reported return on average tangible equity and adjusted return on average tangible equity measures provide information to evaluate the use of our tangible equity.
3 Reported return on tangible assets and adjusted return on tangible assets measures provide information to help assess our profitability.
4 The reported operating efficiency ratio is a non-GAAP measure calculated by dividing our GAAP non-interest expense by the sum of our GAAP net interest income plus GAAP non-interest income. The adjusted operating efficiency ratio is a non-GAAP measure calculated by dividing non-interest expense adjusted for intangible asset amortization and certain expenses generally associated with discrete merger transactions and non-recurring strategic plans by the sum of net interest income plus non-interest income plus the tax equivalent adjustment on securities income and elimination of the impact of gain or loss on sale of securities. The adjusted operating efficiency ratio is a measure we use to assess our operating performance.
5 Adjusted net income and adjusted earnings per share present a summary of our earnings which includes adjustments to exclude certain revenues and expenses (generally associated with discrete merger transactions and non-recurring strategic plans) to help in assessing our profitability. Historically we have imputed income tax expense on adjusted earnings at our GAAP earnings effective tax rate.  Due to the adoption of a new accounting standard in the first quarter of 2017 that requires vesting of share-based compensation awards be treated as a discrete item in income tax expense, our effective tax rate for GAAP earnings decreased from our estimate for full year 2017 of 32.5% to 31.2% for the quarter ended March 31, 2017.  Therefore, for purposes of calculating adjusted net income, we recognized income tax expense at our 2017 anticipated effective tax rate of 32.5%.
6 The reconciliation of the allowance for loan losses and remaining purchase accounting adjustments to portfolio loans provides information to evaluate the impact of purchase accounting adjustments and the allowance for loan losses on our portfolio loans.  In purchase accounting, the prior allowance for loan losses is not carried over, and in place, we are required to estimate the fair value of the loan, which includes an estimate of life of loan losses on the portfolio, which is included as a purchase discount within the acquired loan portfolio.}