Southern States Bancshares, Inc. Announces Third Quarter 2023 Financial Results

Third Quarter 2023 Performance and Operational Highlights

• Core net income⁽¹⁾ of $9.6 million, or $1.06 per diluted share⁽¹⁾

• Net income of $6.6 million, or $0.73 per diluted share

• Net interest income of $20.7 million, an increase of $1.3 million from the prior quarter

• Net interest margin (“NIM”) of 3.78%, up 5 basis points from the prior quarter

• NIM of 3.79% on a fully-taxable equivalent basis (“NIM - FTE”)⁽¹⁾

• Return on average assets (“ROAA”) of 1.15%; return on average stockholders’ equity (“ROAE”) of 12.96%; and return on average tangible common equity (“ROATCE”)⁽¹⁾ of 14.21%

• Core ROAA⁽¹⁾ of 1.66%; and core ROATCE⁽¹⁾ of 20.50%

• Efficiency ratio of 48.01%; and core efficiency ratio of 42.79%

• Linked-quarter loan growth was 13.3% annualized

• Linked-quarter total deposits declined 1.5% annualized, primarily due to a reduction in brokered deposits

• Linked-quarter total deposits, excluding brokered deposits, increased 4.2% annualized from the prior quarter

^{(1) See “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below for reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to their most closely comparable GAAP financial measures.}

ANNISTON, Ala., Oct. 23, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Southern States Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: SSBK) (“Southern States” or the “Company”), the holding company for Southern States Bank, an Alabama state-chartered commercial bank (the “Bank”), today reported net income of $6.6 million, or $0.73 diluted earnings per share, for the third quarter of 2023. This compares to net income of $8.8 million, or $0.98 diluted earnings per share, for the second quarter of 2023, and net income of $6.7 million, or $0.75 diluted earnings per share, for the third quarter of 2022. The Company reported core net income of $9.6 million, or $1.06 diluted core earnings per share, for the third quarter of 2023. This compares to core net income of $7.1 million, or $0.79 diluted core earnings per share, for the second quarter of 2023, and core net income of $6.8 million, or $0.77 diluted core earnings per share, for the third quarter of 2022 (see “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures”).

During the second quarter of 2023, the Company received a $5.1 million employee retention credit (“ERC”). The second quarter of 2023 included the $5.1 million ERC in noninterest income, and also included $1.2 million in noninterest expense for professional fees paid by the Company in obtaining the ERC. After reviewing the revised IRS guidelines pertaining to ERC issued during the third quarter, the Company determined to return the full $5.1 million ERC to the IRS and has recorded a payable. The Company will also receive a refund of all professional fees totaling $1.2 million related to ERC. Accordingly, the third quarter of 2023 reflects a $5.1 million reduction in noninterest income and a $1.2 million reduction in noninterest expense related to the return of the ERC. This was deemed a change in circumstance between the second and third quarters of 2023. The following table for the three months ended June 30, 2023 and the three months ended September 30, 2023 eliminates the effect of the ERC. There is no impact on the nine months ended September 30, 2023.

Net interest income for the third quarter of 2023 was $20.7 million, an increase of 6.7% from $19.4 million for the second quarter of 2023. The increase was primarily driven by the impact of a higher yield on interest-earning assets due to both growth and higher interest rates, which more than offset a higher cost of interest-bearing deposits primarily due to rising interest rates.

Relative to the third quarter of 2022, net interest income increased $1.3 million, or 6.7%. The increase was primarily the result of a sharp improvement in the yield on interest-earning assets due to both year over year growth and higher interest rates, which outpaced the accelerated rise in costs on interest-bearing liabilities due to a rapid rise in interest rates, coupled with growth in interest-bearing liabilities. A portion of the growth in interest-bearing deposits is due to migration from noninterest-bearing into interest-bearing deposits.

Net interest margin for the third quarter of 2023 was 3.78%, compared to 3.73% for the second quarter of 2023. The increase was primarily due to an increase in the average balance and yield on interest-earning assets, which outpaced the combined effect of higher average balances and cost of interest-bearing deposits.

Relative to the third quarter of 2022, net interest margin decreased from 4.15%. The decrease was primarily due to a rapid increase in interest rates, which accelerated the cost on interest-bearing liabilities at a faster pace than the yield received on interest-earning assets. A shift from noninterest-bearing deposits into interest-bearing deposits also had a negative impact on net interest margin.

Noninterest income for the third quarter of 2023 was reported as a $2.9 million net expense, compared to noninterest income of $6.9 million for the second quarter of 2023. The change in ERC eligibility between the second and third quarters of 2023 is substantially the reason for the significant variation. This decrease was partially offset by a $280,000 increase in swap fees during the third quarter of 2023.

Relative to the third quarter of 2022, noninterest income decreased 316.1% from $1.3 million. The decrease was substantially due to the aforementioned return of ERC. This decrease was partially offset by a $280,000 increase in swap fees during the third quarter of 2023 and $132,000 in dividend income realized on equity securities.

Noninterest expense for the third quarter of 2023 was $8.6 million, a decrease of 36.2% from $13.4 million for the second quarter of 2023. The decrease was substantially attributable to a decrease in salaries and benefits as a result of significantly less retirement expenses during the third quarter of 2023, in addition to several open positions. Additionally, the change in ERC eligibility resulted in a $1.2 million refund of professional fees related to the ERC. Provision for unfunded loan commitments decreased $181,000 during the third quarter of 2023.

Relative to the third quarter of 2022, noninterest expense decreased 16.3% from $10.2 million. The decrease was substantially due to the aforementioned refund of professional fees related to the ERC, a decrease in salaries and benefits as a result of a reduction in employees and a net reduction in forgery/fraud losses during the third quarter of 2023.

Loans, net of unearned income, were $1.8 billion at September 30, 2023, up $57.6 million from June 30, 2023 and up $249.2 million from September 30, 2022. The linked-quarter and year-over-year increases in loans were primarily attributable to new business growth across our footprint.

Nonperforming loans totaled $1.1 million, or 0.06% of gross loans, at September 30, 2023, compared with $1.0 million, or 0.06% of gross loans, at June 30, 2023, and $4.0 million, or 0.26% of gross loans, at September 30, 2022. The $72,000 net increase in nonperforming loans in the third quarter of 2023 was primarily attributable to a commercial real estate loan that was added to nonaccrual status and partially offset by a commercial real estate loan that moved back to accruing status. The $2.9 million net decrease in nonperforming loans from September 30, 2022, was primarily attributable to a significant commercial real estate loan being moved back to accruing status, two loans that were paid-off and one loan that was charged-off.

The Company recorded a provision for credit losses of $773,000 for the third quarter of 2023, compared to $1.6 million for the second quarter of 2023. Provision in the second quarter of 2023 was based on increases for qualitative economic factors as well as loan growth, whereas provision in the third quarter of 2023 was based solely on loan growth. The Company expects future provisions to be based on loan growth, unless credit issues arise.

Net recoveries for the third quarter of 2023 were $23,000, or (0.01)% of average loans on an annualized basis, compared to net charge-offs of $27,000, or 0.01% of average loans on an annualized basis, for the second quarter of 2023, and net charge-offs of $47,000, or 0.01% of average loans on an annualized basis, for the third quarter of 2022.

The Company’s allowance for credit losses was 1.25% of total loans and 2050.00% of nonperforming loans at September 30, 2023, compared with 1.25% of total loans and 2117.33% of nonperforming loans at June 30, 2023. Allowance for credit losses on unfunded commitments was $1.5 million at September 30, 2023.

Total deposits were $1.9 billion at September 30, 2023, down slightly from June 30, 2023 and up from $1.8 billion at September 30, 2022. The $7.5 million decrease in total deposits in the third quarter was primarily related to a reduction in brokered deposits of $25.9 million, partially offset by an $18.4 million increase in customer deposits. Total brokered deposits were $168.3 million at September 30, 2023.

As of September 30, 2023, total stockholders’ equity was $201.9 million, up from $197.3 million at June 30, 2023. The increase of $4.7 million was substantially due to earnings growth, partially offset by an increase in accumulated other comprehensive loss resulting from changes in the value of the available for sale securities portfolio.

About Southern States Bancshares, Inc.
Headquartered in Anniston, Alabama, Southern States Bancshares, Inc. is a bank holding company that operates primarily through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Southern States Bank. The Bank is a full service community banking institution, which offers an array of deposit, loan and other banking-related products and services to businesses and individuals in its communities. The Bank operates 13 branches in Alabama and Georgia and two loan production offices in Atlanta.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, which reflect our current expectations and beliefs with respect to, among other things, future events and our financial performance. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts, and are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about our industry, management’s beliefs and certain assumptions made by management, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and beyond our control. This may be especially true given recent events and trends in the banking industry and the inflationary environment. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the dates made, we cannot give any assurance that such expectations will prove correct and actual results may prove to be materially different from the results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are set forth in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 under the section entitled “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors”. Accordingly, we caution you that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, assumptions and uncertainties that are difficult to predict.

These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as “may,” “can,” “should,” “could,” “to be,” “predict,” “potential,” “believe,” “will likely result,” “expect,” “continue,” “will,” “likely,” “anticipate,” “seek,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “target,” “project,” “would” and “outlook,” or the negative version of those words or other similar words or phrases of a future or forward-looking nature. Forward-looking statements appear in a number of places in this press release and may include statements about business strategy and prospects for growth, operations, ability to pay dividends, competition, regulation and general economic conditions.

^{(1) See “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below for reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to their most closely comparable GAAP financial measures.
(2) Includes total interest-bearing liabilities and noninterest deposits.}

^{(1) We define core deposits as total deposits excluding brokered deposits and time deposits greater than $250,000.
(2) Ratio is annualized.
(3) See “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below for reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to their most closely comparable GAAP financial measures.}

^{(1)   Includes nonaccrual loans.
(2)   Net interest spread is the difference between interest rates earned on interest earning assets and interest rates paid on interest-bearing liabilities.
(3)   Net interest margin is a ratio of net interest income to average interest earning assets for the same period.
(4)   Net interest margin - FTE is a ratio of fully-taxable equivalent net interest income to average interest earning assets for the same period. It assumes a 24.0% tax rate.
(5)   Refer to “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures”.
(6)   Includes total interest-bearing liabilities and noninterest deposits.}

^{(1)   Includes nonaccrual loans.
(2)   Net interest spread is the difference between interest rates earned on interest earning assets and interest rates paid on interest-bearing liabilities.
(3)   Net interest margin is a ratio of net interest income to average interest earning assets for the same period.
(4)   Net interest margin - FTE is a ratio of fully-taxable equivalent net interest income to average interest earning assets for the same period. It assumes a 24.0% tax rate.
(5)   Refer to “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures”.
(6)   Includes total interest-bearing liabilities and noninterest deposits.}