QCR Holdings, Inc. Announces First Quarter Earnings and Surpasses $5 Billion in Assets

First Quarter 2019 Highlights

• Net income of $12.9 million, or $0.81 per diluted share
• Adjusted net income (non-GAAP) of $13.0 million, or $0.82 per diluted share
• Annualized loan and lease growth of 7.1% for the quarter
• Annualized deposit growth of 21.8% for the quarter
• Noninterest income of $12.0 million for the quarter
• Nonperforming assets down $1.6 million, or 5.6% from the prior quarter

MOLINE, Ill., April 24, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- QCR Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: QCRH) (the “Company”) today announced net income of $12.9 million and diluted earnings per share (“EPS”) of $0.81 for the first quarter of 2019, compared to net income of $13.3 million and diluted EPS of $0.84 for the fourth quarter of 2018. The first quarter results included $0.1 million of acquisition and post-acquisition compensation, transition and integration costs (after-tax), compared to $1.2 million of similar costs in the fourth quarter of 2018. Excluding these expenses, the Company reported adjusted net income (non-GAAP) of $13.0 million and adjusted diluted EPS of $0.82 for the first quarter of 2019, compared to adjusted net income (non-GAAP) of $14.5 million and adjusted diluted EPS of $0.91 for the fourth quarter of 2018. For the first quarter of 2018, net income and diluted EPS were $10.6 million and $0.74, respectively, and adjusted net income (non-GAAP) and adjusted diluted EPS were $10.6 million and $0.75, respectively.

“We are generally pleased with our start to 2019 and during the quarter surpassed $5 billion in assets, a significant milestone for the Company,” commented Douglas M. Hultquist, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We recorded another solid quarter of net income, driven by organic loan and deposit growth, strong fee income and excellent credit quality. Our ongoing focus on gathering core deposits at each of the charters led to a 22% annualized increase for the quarter, which laid the foundation for continued balance sheet growth. The strong growth in deposits also created some excess liquidity during the quarter, which when combined with the ongoing flattening of the yield curve, resulted in compression in our net interest margin. Although we saw a decrease in our net interest income, given our robust loan pipeline, we believe we are well positioned to drive strong returns throughout 2019.”

Annualized Loan and Lease Growth of 7.1%

During the first quarter of 2019, the Company’s total assets increased $117.0 million to a total of $5.1 billion, while total loans and leases grew $66.7 million, or 1.8%, compared to the fourth quarter of 2018. Loan and lease growth was funded by an increase in core deposits. Core deposits (excluding brokered deposits) increased $175.1 million, or 4.7% on a linked quarter basis. At quarter-end, the percentage of wholesale funds to total assets was 11.9%, which is a meaningful decline from 13.8% in the fourth quarter. Additionally, at quarter-end the percentage of gross loans and leases to total assets stayed relatively flat on a linked quarter basis at 75%.

“Despite the normal seasonal impact, our loan growth for the quarter was driven by healthy loan production with ongoing strength in commercial and industrial and commercial real estate construction loans,” added Mr. Hultquist. “We also experienced a more normalized level of payoffs, which were down significantly from the fourth quarter’s elevated levels. Our loan and lease pipeline remains very strong, giving us confidence that we are on track to achieve organic loan growth for the full year of between 8% and 10%.”

Net Interest Income of $36.9 million

Net interest income for the first quarter of 2019 totaled $36.9 million, compared to $39.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2018 and $32.4 million for the first quarter of 2018. While average interest earning assets increased $99.3 million, or 2.2% on a linked quarter basis, the decrease in net interest income was due to a 23 basis point decrease in reported net interest margin. Acquisition-related net accretion totaled $1.1 million (pre-tax) for the first quarter of 2019, compared to $2.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2018 and $0.7 million for the first quarter of 2018. Adjusted net interest income (non-GAAP) was $37.6 million for the first quarter of 2019, compared to $38.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2018 and $33.1 million for the first quarter of 2018.

In the first quarter, reported net interest margin was 3.25%, and on a tax-equivalent yield basis, net interest margin was 3.40%. This represented a decrease in both net interest margin and tax-equivalent net interest margin from the fourth quarter of 23 basis points. Net interest margin, excluding acquisition-related net accretion was 3.31% in the first quarter, a decline of 9 basis points from the fourth quarter of 2018. This decline in adjusted net interest margin was due to a combination of factors, including increases in the Company’s cost of funds (due to both mix and rate), excess liquidity due to the strong deposit growth in the quarter and the impact of the issuance of  $65 million of subordinated debt during the first quarter.

(1) See GAAP to non-GAAP reconciliations.

 “Competition for new deposits remains strong and as a result, our overall cost of funds increased by 17 basis points, excluding acquisition amortization,” stated Todd A. Gipple, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. “Excluding the impact of acquisition-related accretion, our adjusted loan yields on a tax-equivalent basis increased by 8 basis points.  Furthermore, excluding the impact of the excess liquidity and the additional interest expense incurred with the subordinated debt, adjusted net interest margin declined approximately 3 basis points during the first quarter.”

Noninterest Income of $12.0 million

Noninterest income for the first quarter of 2019 totaled $12.0 million, compared to $15.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2018. The decrease was primarily due to $3.8 million in lower swap fee income coming off a very strong fourth quarter, partially offset by a $0.4 million increase in wealth management revenue. Wealth management revenue was $4.2 million for the quarter, a 9.2% increase from the fourth quarter of 2018. Noninterest income increased 40.4% when compared to the first quarter of 2018.

“We continued to see strong production from our Specialty Finance Group, which led to $3.2 million in swap fee income during the quarter, and when annualized is at the high end of our full year target of $8 to $12 million,” added Mr. Gipple. “Additionally, we are very pleased with the 9.2% increase in our wealth management revenue, which was driven by organic growth in assets under management across our legacy charters.”

Noninterest Expenses of $32.4 million

Noninterest expenses for the first quarter of 2019 totaled $32.4 million, compared to $36.4 million and $25.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2018 and first quarter of 2018, respectively. Excluding post-acquisition and other one-time costs, our noninterest expenses would have totaled $32.1 million. The linked quarter decrease was primarily due to a combination of factors, including a $2.2 million decrease in net costs of operations of other real estate and a $0.8 million decrease in professional and data processing fees, partially offset by a $1.1 million increase in salaries and employee benefits due to annual merit increases, additions to staff and lower deferred costs on loans and leases.  

Asset Quality Improvement

Nonperforming assets (“NPAs”) totaled $26.4 million, a decrease of $1.6 million from the fourth quarter of 2018. The lower NPAs resulted in the ratio of NPAs to total assets improving to 0.52% at March 31, 2019, compared to 0.56% at December 31, 2018 and 0.77% at March 31, 2018.

The Company’s provision for loan and lease losses totaled $2.1 million for the first quarter of 2019, which was up $0.5 million from the prior quarter and down $0.4 million compared to the first quarter of 2018. The linked quarter increase in the provision for loan and lease losses was primarily due to a lower than normal provision in the fourth quarter of 2018 as a result of a more favorable outcome than expected on a large credit that was partially charged off. As of March 31, 2019, the Company’s allowance to total loans and leases was 1.08%, which was up slightly from 1.07% at December 31, 2018 and down from 1.20% at March 31, 2018.

In accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for acquisition accounting, the loans acquired through past acquisitions were recorded at market value; therefore, there was no allowance associated with the acquired loans at the acquisition date. Management continues to evaluate the allowance needed on the acquired loans factoring in the net remaining discount ($10.4 million at March 31, 2019).

Strong Capital Levels

As of March 31, 2019, the Company’s total risk-based capital ratio was 12.22%, the common equity Tier 1 ratio was 8.98%, and the tangible common equity to tangible assets ratio was 7.92%. By comparison, these respective ratios were 10.69%, 8.89% and 7.78% as of December 31, 2018. The increase in capital ratios from December 31, 2018 to March 31, 2019 was primarily the result of net income and the issuance of $63.4 million in subordinated notes (net of issuance costs) during the quarter. 

Continued Focus on Seven Key Initiatives

The Company continues to focus on the following long-term initiatives in an effort to improve profitability and drive increased shareholder value:

• Strong organic loan and lease growth in order to maintain loans and leases to total assets ratio in the range of 73% - 78%
• Grow core deposits to maintain reliance on wholesale funding at less than 15% of assets
• Generate gains on sale of government guaranteed loans, and fee income on interest rate swaps, as a significant and consistent component of core revenue
• Grow wealth management net income by 10% annually
• Carefully manage noninterest expense growth
• Maintain asset quality metrics at better than peer levels
• Participate as an acquirer in the consolidation taking place in our industry to further boost return on average assets, improve efficiency ratio, and increase EPS

Conference Call Details

The Company will host an earnings call/webcast tomorrow, April 25, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. central time. Dial-in information for the call is toll-free 888-346-9286 (international 412-317-5253). Participants should request to join the QCR Holdings, Inc. call. The event will be  available for digital replay through May 9, 2019. The replay access information is toll-free 877-344-7529 (international 412-317-0088); access code 10130063. A webcast of the teleconference can be accessed at the Company’s News and Events page at www.qcrh.com. An archived version of the webcast will be available at the same location shortly after the live event has ended.

About Us

QCR Holdings, Inc., headquartered in Moline, Illinois, is a relationship-driven, multi-bank holding company serving the Quad Cities, Cedar Rapids, Cedar Valley, Des Moines/Ankeny, Springfield and Rockford communities through its wholly owned subsidiary banks which provide full-service commercial and consumer banking and trust and wealth management services. Quad City Bank & Trust Company, based in Bettendorf, Iowa, commenced operations in 1994, Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust Company, based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, commenced operations in 2001, Community State Bank, based in Ankeny, Iowa, was acquired by the Company in 2016, and Rockford Bank & Trust Company, based in Rockford, Illinois, commenced operations in 2005. In 2018, the Company acquired the Bates Companies, a wealth management firm. Quad City Bank & Trust Company also provides correspondent banking services. In addition, Quad City Bank & Trust Company engages in commercial leasing through its wholly owned subsidiary, m2 Lease Funds, LLC, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Additionally, the Company serves the Waterloo/Cedar Falls, Iowa community through Community Bank & Trust, a division of Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust Company. In July 2018, QCR Holdings completed a merger with Springfield Bancshares, Inc., the holding company of Springfield First Community Bank of Springfield, Missouri. With this addition of Springfield First Community Bank, the Company has 27 locations in Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Missouri. As of March 31, 2019, QCR Holdings had approximately $5.1 billion in assets, $3.8 billion in loans and $4.2 billion in deposits. For additional information, please visit our website at www.qcrh.com.

Special Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements. This document contains, and future oral and written statements of the Company and its management may contain, forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 with respect to the financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance and business of the Company. Forward-looking statements, which may be based upon beliefs, expectations and assumptions of the Company’s management and on information currently available to management, are generally identifiable by the use of words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “predict,” “suggest,” “appear,” “plan,” “intend,” “estimate,” ”annualize,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “should” or other similar expressions. Additionally, all statements in this document, including forward-looking statements, speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any statement in light of new information or future events.
               
A number of factors, many of which are beyond the ability of the Company to control or predict, could cause actual results to differ materially from those in its forward-looking statements. These factors include, among others, the following: (i) the strength of the local, state, national and international economies; (ii) the economic impact of any future terrorist threats and attacks, and the response of the United States to any such threats and attacks; (iii) changes in state and federal laws, regulations and governmental policies concerning the Company’s general business; (iv) changes in interest rates and prepayment rates of the Company’s assets; (v) increased competition in the financial services sector and the inability to attract new customers; (vi) changes in technology and the ability to develop and maintain secure and reliable electronic systems; (vii) unexpected results of acquisitions, which may include failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the acquisition and the possibility that the transaction costs may be greater than anticipated; (viii) the loss of key executives or employees; (ix) changes in consumer spending; (x)  unexpected outcomes of existing or new litigation involving the Company; and (xi) changes in accounting policies and practices. These risks and uncertainties should be considered in evaluating forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Additional information concerning the Company and its business, including additional factors that could materially affect the Company’s financial results, is included in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contacts:

Todd A. Gipple
Executive Vice President
Chief Operating Officer
Chief Financial Officer
(309) 743-7745
tgipple@qcrh.com 

Christopher J. Lindell
Executive Vice President
Corporate Communications
(319) 743-7006
clindell@qcrh.com