RIVERVIEW BANCORP INC quarterly report, Q3 FY2020

Riverview Bancorp, Inc. — Form 10-Q Summary

Reporting period: Fiscal third quarter and nine months ended December 31, 2019; comparative results are for the periods ended December 31, 2018. Balance-sheet comparisons are to March 31, 2019. Amounts below are in U.S. dollars; financial statement amounts are rounded to millions unless stated otherwise.

Business context

Riverview is a community-focused bank serving markets in Washington and Oregon, with commercial and construction lending, deposit-taking, and trust and asset-management services. Commercial and construction loans were 90.0% of total loans at December 31, 2019. Management’s stated strategy emphasizes commercial loan growth, core deposits, asset quality, expense management, and expanding fee income.

Financial performance and condition

MetricThree months ended Dec. 31, 2019Nine months ended Dec. 31, 2019Comparison
Net income$4.1 million$12.9 millionDown 5.9% and 1.6%, respectively, year over year
Diluted EPS$0.18$0.57$0.19 and $0.58 in prior-year periods
Net interest income$11.5 million$34.7 millionDown $0.2 million and $0.5 million year over year
Net interest margin4.23%4.31%4.41% and 4.42% in prior-year periods
Non-interest income$3.2 million$9.5 millionUp 15.9% and 12.2% year over year
Non-interest expense$9.2 million$27.4 millionUp 5.1% and 2.6% year over year
  • Revenue and margin drivers: Interest and dividend income increased to $12.8 million for the quarter and $38.2 million year to date, largely reflecting higher average loan balances. Higher deposit costs—particularly the cost of interest-bearing deposits—more than offset the income growth and compressed margins.
  • Fee income: Growth in service charges and asset-management fees lifted non-interest income. Trust Company assets under management reached $1.2 billion, up from $646 million at March 31, primarily due to one large client added during the quarter.
  • Balance sheet: Total assets were $1.184 billion, up from $1.157 billion at March 31. Net loans were $875.1 million, up $10.4 million; deposits were $990.5 million, up $65.4 million. Shareholders’ equity was $145.8 million, versus $133.1 million.
  • Credit quality: Nonperforming loans were $1.5 million, or 0.17% of total loans. The allowance for loan losses was $11.4 million, 1.29% of loans, with coverage of nonperforming loans of 753.66%. No loan-loss provision was recorded for the nine-month period; net charge-offs were $24,000. Classified loans declined to $3.1 million from $6.0 million a year earlier.
  • Cash flow and liquidity: Nine-month operating cash flow was $17.7 million; investing activities provided $15.7 million and financing activities provided $5.8 million. Cash and cash equivalents rose $39.2 million to $62.1 million. Cash, certificates of deposit held for investment, and available-for-sale securities totaled $218.1 million, or 18.4% of assets. Management reported total available liquidity of $676.4 million, including borrowing capacity.
  • Debt and capital: FHLB advances were zero at December 31, down from $56.6 million at March 31, as deposit growth enabled repayment. Junior subordinated debentures were $26.6 million. The Bank was categorized as “well capitalized”; its total capital ratio was 17.66%, Tier 1 leverage ratio 12.05%, and CET1 ratio 16.41%.

Material changes and unusual items

  • Deposits increased 7.1% from March 31, while net loans grew 1.2%. The company had no wholesale-brokered deposits at either balance-sheet date, and core branch deposits were 97.6% of total deposits at December 31.
  • The prior-year comparison included a $355,000 gain on sale of land and a building related to the Longview branch closure; no such gain occurred in the current periods. This contributed to the reported increase in other expense year over year.
  • Investment securities declined to $155.8 million from $178.3 million, principally due to repayments, maturities, and sales. Management reported no other-than-temporary impairment; unrealized losses were attributed primarily to market interest-rate changes.
  • The company adopted the lease accounting standard (ASC 842) on April 1, 2019, recording operating lease right-of-use assets of $4.3 million and operating lease liabilities of $4.4 million at December 31.

Outlook, risks, and contingencies

No quantitative earnings or financial guidance is provided. Management reported steady loan demand and anticipates continued organic loan growth, while emphasizing core-deposit growth and relationship banking. It described local economic and real-estate conditions as generally positive. These statements are expectations, not guarantees.

  • Key exposures include credit deterioration, especially given the portfolio’s concentration in commercial and commercial real-estate lending; changes in real-estate values and local economic conditions; competition for deposits; and interest-rate movements that could pressure funding costs and net interest margin.
  • The company had $155.8 million of off-balance-sheet commitments, including loan commitments, unused lines, undisbursed loan funds, and standby letters of credit. Management expected available funds to meet current commitments.
  • Management expects adoption of the current expected credit loss standard (CECL) to increase the allowance for loan losses, but the amount was not yet known. One $851,000 commercial real-estate TDR was on nonaccrual; other TDRs were reported as paying as agreed.
  • Management said ordinary-course litigation was not expected to materially affect financial position, results, or liquidity. The filing reported no material changes to previously disclosed risk factors and no material change in market-risk disclosures.

Important facts for investors to verify

  • Whether deposit pricing and mix, as well as funding costs, continue to affect net interest margin and earnings.
  • Whether the unusually large addition to Trust Company assets under management is retained and translates into recurring fee revenue.
  • Whether loan growth—particularly commercial real-estate growth—remains consistent with credit standards, and whether criticized, delinquent, or nonperforming loans change.
  • The eventual CECL allowance impact and any effect on capital or reported earnings.
  • How much of stated liquidity is readily available under actual collateral and borrowing conditions, and how the $155.8 million of commitments are drawn or funded.