NORWOOD FINANCIAL CORP quarterly report, Q2 FY2020

Norwood Financial Corp. — Q2 2020 Form 10-Q

Reporting period: Three and six months ended June 30, 2020. Norwood is a Pennsylvania bank holding company operating through Wayne Bank. Amounts are in millions unless otherwise noted.

Financial performance

MetricQ2 2020Q2 2019Six months 2020Six months 2019
Net interest income$9.867$9.612$19.532$18.882
Provision for loan losses$1.300$0.300$2.000$0.750
Net income$1.488$3.522$4.567$6.712
Diluted earnings per share$0.24$0.56$0.73$1.06
  • Q2 net income fell 58% year over year; the six-month decline was 32%. Management attributed the decreases primarily to higher loan-loss provisions and $1.597 million of merger-related expense in 2020.
  • Tax-equivalent net interest margin was 3.25% in Q2 and 3.36% for the first half, versus 3.49% and 3.46%, respectively, in 2019. Management cited low-yield PPP loans and increased deposits held at banks as factors weighing on margin.
  • Q2 return on average assets and equity was 0.45% and 4.17%, respectively, compared with 1.16% and 10.93% a year earlier. First-half returns were 0.72% and 6.46%, versus 1.12% and 10.66%.

Financial position, cash flow and liquidity

  • At June 30, total assets were $1.355 billion, up from $1.231 billion at December 31, 2019. Loans were $988.7 million, up $64.1 million, including $67.3 million of PPP loans; securities available for sale were $196.7 million, down from $210.2 million.
  • Deposits increased $128.7 million to $1.086 billion. Non-interest-bearing demand deposits rose $77.5 million. Short-term borrowings were $55.2 million and other borrowings were $50.8 million, compared with $62.3 million and $56.4 million at year-end.
  • Cash and cash equivalents were $83.4 million, versus $15.4 million at year-end. Cash plus available-for-sale securities totaled $280.1 million, or 20.7% of assets, compared with $225.6 million, or 18.3%.
  • For the first half, operating cash flow was $0.6 million, investing cash outflow was $45.4 million, and financing cash inflow was $112.8 million. Cash increased $68.0 million. The filing does not provide a clear explanation for the $6.2 million negative “other, net” operating-cash-flow adjustment.
  • Stockholders’ equity was $142.7 million, versus $137.4 million at year-end. Regulatory capital ratios included Tier 1 leverage of 9.61%, Common Equity Tier 1 of 13.20%, and total risk-based capital of 14.29%; the company reported compliance with applicable requirements.

Credit, material developments and outlook

  • The allowance for loan losses was $10.3 million, or 1.04% of loans, versus $8.5 million, or 0.92%, at year-end. Management said COVID-19-related qualitative factors increased the required allowance, including $1.0 million of pandemic-related factors; the economic-conditions factor added $1.7 million. Net charge-offs were $0.197 million for the first half, down from $0.974 million.
  • Nonperforming loans rose to $3.0 million, or 0.30% of loans, from $0.8 million, or 0.09%, at year-end. Nonperforming assets were $3.9 million, or 0.29% of assets, versus $2.4 million, or 0.19%.
  • As of June 30, the bank had received forbearance requests for 918 loans totaling $192.9 million; 863 loans totaling $182.3 million remained in forbearance. Management said these short-term COVID-19 modifications generally were not treated as troubled debt restructurings where applicable guidance criteria were met. It expected additional residential borrowers to seek relief in Q3.
  • The bank originated 746 PPP loans totaling $67.3 million and received approximately $2.4 million in processing fees, deferred and to be recognized over the loan terms. PPP loans are SBA-guaranteed, but the filing warns that the guarantee could be challenged if origination, funding or servicing requirements were deficient. It also identifies potential PPP-related litigation and associated financial, legal-cost and reputational risks.
  • Norwood completed its acquisition of UpState New York Bancorp on July 7, 2020, after quarter-end. UpState reported March 31 assets of $443.8 million, deposits of $393.9 million and equity of $46.5 million. Consideration included approximately $8.8 million cash and 1,865,738 Norwood shares. Integration, realized results and acquisition impacts are not reflected in the June 30 balance sheet.
  • Management estimated 2020 loan growth of approximately 3%, excluding PPP loans, as part of its allowance analysis; this is not formal earnings guidance. Interest-rate simulations for a plus or minus 200-basis-point shift were within policy limits. Management considered liquidity adequate.

Important facts for investors to verify

  • Subsequent-quarter credit performance, especially loans emerging from deferral, commercial real estate and hospitality/lodging exposures.
  • PPP forgiveness, fee recognition, SBA guarantee compliance and any PPP-related litigation or claims.
  • UpState acquisition accounting, integration costs, realized synergies and post-merger capital, asset quality and earnings.
  • The adequacy of the loan-loss allowance as pandemic conditions and borrower relief programs evolve.
  • Whether deposit growth and elevated cash balances can be deployed profitably without further pressure on net interest margin.