Home BancShares, Inc. Again Reports Strong and Stable Performance Metrics in All Areas During Turbulent Interest Rate Environment

CONWAY, Ark., July 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Home BancShares, Inc. (NASDAQ GS: HOMB), parent company of Centennial Bank, released solid second quarter earnings today that included over $1 billion in loan production at an average interest rate of 6.1% and a strong net interest margin that was relatively flat at 4.28%.

Highlights of the Second Quarter of 2019:

 ⁽¹⁾ Calculation of this metric and the reconciliation to GAAP are included in the schedules accompanying this release.

“The last three quarters show a strong trend of stability and growth in all our key metrics,” said John Allison, Chairman. “We continue to produce solid results with a positive growth trend,” Allison continued.

“Loan production was very strong during the second quarter,” said Tracy French, Centennial Bank President and Chief Executive Officer. “We saw loan production of over $1 billion dollars at an average interest rate of 6.1% and were able to increase the yield on the loan portfolio by 3 basis points,” added French.

“Our return on assets remains strong and steady at 1.92% as it was in the first quarter,” stated Randy Sims, Chief Executive Officer of Home BancShares. “Diluted earnings per share of $0.43 as compared to $0.42 from last quarter and an impressive efficiency ratio of 39.93% are just a few of the powerful numbers that contributed to another successful quarter for our shareholders,” added Sims.

Operating Highlights

Our net interest margin was 4.28% for the three-month period ended June 30, 2019 compared to 4.30% for the three-month period ended March 31, 2019. The yield on loans was 6.06% and 6.03% for the three months ended June 30, 2019 and March 31, 2019, respectively, as average loans decreased from $11.04 billion to $11.00 billion. Additionally, the rate on interest bearing deposits increased to 1.38% as of June 30, 2019 from 1.34% as of March 31, 2019, with average balances of $8.62 billion and $8.50 billion, respectively. 

During the second quarter of 2019, we experienced a $515,000 increase in investment premium amortization resulting from increased prepayment speeds on investment securities due to the declining interest rate environment. This increased investment premium amortization negatively impacted the net interest margin for the quarter ended June 30, 2019 by two basis points.

For the three months ended June 30, 2019 and March 31, 2019, we recognized $9.2 million and $9.1 million, respectively, in total net accretion for acquired loans and deposits.  Purchase accounting accretion on acquired loans was $9.2 million and $9.0 million and average purchase accounting loan discounts were $122.2 million and $131.6 million for the three-month periods ended June 30, 2019 and March 31, 2019, respectively.  Net accretion of time deposit premiums was $30,000 for the quarters ended June 30, 2019 and March 30, 2019, and net average remaining CD premiums were $327,000 and $357,000 for the three-month periods ended June 30, 2019 and March 31, 2019, respectively. 

Net interest income on a fully taxable equivalent basis increased $1.5 million, or 1.04%, to $142.3 million for the three-month period ended June 30, 2019, from $140.8 million for the three-month period ended March 31, 2019.  This increase in net interest income for the three-month period ended June 30, 2019 was the result of a $1.8 million increase in interest income, which was partially offset by a $283,000 increase in interest expense.  The $1.8 million increase in interest income was primarily the result of a $2.0 million increase in loan interest income. The $283,000 increase in interest expense was primarily the result of a $1.7 million increase in interest expense on deposits which was offset by a $1.4 million decrease in interest expense on FHLB and other borrowed funds resulting from the average balance of FHLB and other borrowings decreasing by $227.3 million or 19.60%.

Centennial Commercial Finance Group (“Centennial CFG”) net interest margin was 5.25% for the quarter just ended compared to 5.34% for the quarter ended March 31, 2019. Centennial CFG net interest margin for the second quarter of 2019 includes average interest earning assets of $1.59 billion and net interest income of $20.9 million, compared to average interest earning assets of $1.55 billion and net interest income of $20.4 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2019.

Centennial Community Banking (excluding Centennial CFG and Shore Premier Finance) net interest margin was 4.20% for the quarter just ended as well as for the quarter ended March 31, 2019. The net interest margin for the second quarter of 2019 includes average interest earning assets of $11.29 billion and net interest income of $118.1 million, compared to average interest earning assets of $11.31 billion and net interest income of $117.2 million for the first quarter of 2019. 

During the second quarter of 2019, the Company recorded a $1.3 million provision for loan loss, but no provision was recorded during the first quarter of 2019.  The Company continues to see strong asset quality.  Non-performing loans to total loans was 0.57% as of June 30, 2019 compared to 0.58% as of March 31, 2019. Non-performing assets to total assets was 0.51% as of June 30, 2019 compared to 0.52% as of March 31, 2019. For the second quarter of 2019, net charge-offs were $1.6 million compared to net charge-offs of $2.4 million for the first quarter of 2019.

The Company reported $23.1 million of non-interest income for the second quarter of 2019, compared to $23.7 million for the first quarter of 2019. The most important components of the second quarter non-interest income were $8.2 million from other service charges and fees, $6.3 million from service charges on deposits accounts, $3.5 million from mortgage lending income, $2.1 million from other income and $1.1 million from dividends from the FHLB, FRB, FNBB & other equity investments.  The Company exceeded $10 billion in assets during the first quarter of 2017 and became subject to the Durbin Amendment to the Dodd-Frank Act interchange fee restrictions beginning in the third quarter of 2018. The Durbin Amendment negatively impacted debit card and ATM fees beginning in the second half of 2018. The Company estimates quarterly interchange fees are approximately $3.0 million dollars lower as a result of the Durbin Amendment.

Non-interest expense for the second quarter of 2019 was $67.6 million compared to $69.1 million for the first quarter of 2019.  The most important components of the second quarter non-interest expense were $38.0 million from salaries and employee benefits, $17.0 million in other expense and $8.9 million in occupancy and equipment expenses.  Non-interest expense for the first quarter of 2019 included $900,000 related to an outsourced special project and $897,000 in hurricane expense associated with Hurricane Michael which made landfall in Mexico Beach, Florida on October 10, 2018.  For the second quarter of 2019, our efficiency ratio improved to 39.93% compared to 41.01% reported for the first quarter of 2019. 

Financial Condition

Total loans receivable were $11.05 billion at June 30, 2019 compared to $11.07 billion at December 31, 2018.  Total deposits were $11.35 billion at June 30, 2019 compared to $10.90 billion at December 31, 2018.  Total assets were $15.29 billion at June 30, 2019 compared to $15.30 billion at December 31, 2018.

During the second quarter 2019, the Company experienced approximately $74.2 million in organic loan growth. Centennial CFG experienced $146.1 million of organic loan growth and had loans of $1.67 billion at June 30, 2019.  Centennial Community Banking experienced approximately $77.8 million in organic loan decline.   Additionally, Shore Premier Finance experienced $5.8 million of organic loan growth and had loans of $442.1 million at June 30, 2019.

Non-performing loans at June 30, 2019 were $20.0 million, $37.1 million, $3.3 million, $2.4 million and zero in the Arkansas, Florida, Alabama, Shore Premier Finance and Centennial CFG markets, respectively, for a total of $62.8 million.  Non-performing assets at June 30, 2019 were $26.6 million, $45.3 million, $3.3 million, $2.4 million and zero in the Arkansas, Florida, Alabama, Shore Premier Finance and Centennial CFG markets, respectively, for a total of $77.5 million. 

The Company’s allowance for loan losses was $106.1 million at June 30, 2019, or 0.96% of total loans, compared to $108.8 million, or 0.98% of total loans, at December 31, 2018. As of June 30, 2019, and December 31, 2018, the Company’s allowance for loan losses was 168.9% and 169.4% of its total non-performing loans, respectively.

Stockholders’ equity was $2.42 billion at June 30, 2019 compared to $2.35 billion at December 31, 2018, an increase of $71.5 million. The increase in stockholders’ equity is primarily associated with the $101.8 million increase in retained earnings and the $28.6 million increase in comprehensive income which were partially offset by the repurchase of $64.4 million of our common stock during 2019.  Book value per common share was $14.46 at June 30, 2019 compared to $13.76 at December 31, 2018.  Tangible book value per common share (non-GAAP) was $8.50 at June 30, 2019 compared to $7.90 at December 31, 2018, an annualized increase of 15.3%. 

Branches

The Company currently has 77 branches in Arkansas, 76 branches in Florida, 5 branches in Alabama and one branch in New York City.

Conference Call

Management will conduct a conference call to review this information at 1:00 p.m. CT (2:00 ET) on Thursday, July 18, 2019.  We encourage all participants to pre-register for the conference call using the following link:  http://dpregister.com/10132572.  Callers who pre-register will be given dial-in instructions and a unique PIN to gain immediate access to the live call.  Participants may pre-register now, or at any time prior to the call, and will immediately receive simple instructions via email.  The Home BancShares conference call will also be automatically scheduled as an event in your Outlook calendar.

Those without internet access or unable to pre-register may dial in and listen to the live call by calling 1-877-508-9586 and asking for the Home BancShares conference call.  A replay of the call will be available by calling 1-877-344-7529, Passcode: 10132572, which will be available until July 25, 2019 at 10:59 p.m. CT (11:59 ET).  Internet access to the call will be available live or in recorded version on the Company's website at www.homebancshares.com under “Investor Relations” for 12 months.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This press release contains financial information determined by methods other than in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). The Company’s management uses these non-GAAP financial measures--including net income (earnings), as adjusted; diluted earnings per common share, as adjusted; return on average assets, as adjusted; return on average common equity, as adjusted; return on average tangible common equity; return on average tangible common equity, as adjusted; efficiency ratio, as adjusted, tangible book value per common share and tangible common equity to tangible assets--to provide meaningful supplemental information regarding our performance.  These measures typically adjust GAAP performance measures to include the tax benefit associated with revenue items that are tax-exempt, as well as adjust income available to common shareholders for certain significant items or transactions.  Since the presentation of these GAAP performance measures and their impact differ between companies, management believes presentations of these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful supplemental information that is essential to a proper understanding of the operating results of the Company’s business. These non-GAAP 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. Where non-GAAP financial measures are used, the comparable GAAP financial measure, as well as the reconciliation to the comparable GAAP financial measure, can be found in the tables of this release.

General

This release contains forward-looking statements regarding the Company’s plans, expectations, goals and outlook for the future. Statements in this press release that are not historical facts should be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements of this type speak only as of the date of this news release. By nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risk and uncertainties. Various factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements.  These factors include, but are not limited to, the following:  economic conditions, credit quality, interest rates, loan demand, the ability to successfully integrate new acquisitions, increased regulatory requirements as a result of our exceeding $10 billion in total assets, legislative and regulatory changes, technological changes and cybersecurity risks, competition from other financial institutions, changes in the assumptions used in making the forward-looking statements, and other factors described in reports we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including those factors set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 filed with the SEC on February 26, 2019.

Home BancShares, Inc. is a bank holding company, headquartered in Conway, Arkansas. Its wholly-owned subsidiary, Centennial Bank, provides a broad range of commercial and retail banking plus related financial services to businesses, real estate developers, investors, individuals and municipalities. Centennial Bank has branch locations in Arkansas, Florida, South Alabama and New York City. The Company’s common stock is traded through the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “HOMB.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Donna Townsell
Director of Investor Relations
Home BancShares, Inc.
(501) 328-4625