Waterstone Financial, Inc. quarterly report, Q2 FY2017

Waterstone Financial, Inc. — Q2 2017 Form 10-Q

Reporting period: Quarter and six months ended June 30, 2017. Amounts below are in U.S. dollars; financial-statement amounts are generally converted from thousands to millions. The company operates community banking and mortgage banking businesses.

Financial performance and condition

MetricQ2 2017 / June 30, 2017Comparable period / prior date
Net income$8.9 million; diluted EPS $0.32Q2 2016: $7.8 million; diluted EPS $0.29
Six-month net income$15.5 million; diluted EPS $0.55First half 2016: $11.6 million; diluted EPS $0.43
Net interest incomeQ2: $12.5 million; first half: $24.4 millionQ2 2016: $10.2 million; first half 2016: $20.1 million
Noninterest incomeQ2: $37.2 million; first half: $63.2 millionQ2 2016: $36.4 million; first half 2016: $57.8 million
Noninterest expenseQ2: $36.2 million; first half: $65.2 millionQ2 2016: $34.2 million; first half 2016: $59.5 million
Net interest marginQ2: 3.00%; first half: 2.98%Q2 2016: 2.50%; first half 2016: 2.49%
Total assets$1.89 billion$1.79 billion at December 31, 2016
Loans receivable, net$1.21 billion$1.16 billion at December 31, 2016
Deposits$937.4 million$949.4 million at December 31, 2016
Borrowings$498.1 million$387.2 million at December 31, 2016
Cash and cash equivalents$129.6 million$47.2 million at December 31, 2016
Shareholders’ equity$408.0 million$410.7 million at December 31, 2016
  • Q2 pretax income was $13.5 million versus $12.3 million a year earlier. First-half pretax income was $23.5 million versus $18.3 million. The effective tax rate was 34.2% in the first half, down from 36.4%; the company cites an approximately $806,000 tax benefit from exercised stock awards following adoption of new stock-compensation guidance.
  • Mortgage banking income was $36.2 million in Q2 and $60.9 million in the first half. First-half residential mortgage originations for sale were $1.22 billion, up 16.5% year over year; higher volume was partly offset by lower margins. Mortgage banking segment net income was $5.8 million for the first half, approximately unchanged from 2016, as expenses rose along with volume.
  • Community banking first-half net income rose to $9.7 million from $5.8 million. Higher net interest income and a negative loan-loss provision contributed to the improvement.
  • First-half cash flow from operations was $41.5 million, compared with cash used of $33.0 million in 2016. Investing activities used $37.4 million and financing activities provided $78.3 million. Cash and cash equivalents increased $82.3 million during the first half.
  • First-half dividends paid were $20.3 million. The equity statement reports dividends of $0.74 per share for the period; shareholders’ equity also reflects share repurchases.

Material changes and asset quality

  • Loans receivable increased $47.9 million from year-end, led by one- to four-family, multifamily, and commercial real estate lending. Deposits decreased $12.0 million while borrowings increased $110.9 million. Management says additional FHLB funding increased cash and supported loan growth and refinancing of wholesale borrowings.
  • Allowance for loan losses fell to $14.6 million from $16.0 million, after a $1.2 million negative provision in the first half. Net charge-offs were $231,000, versus $685,000 a year earlier. Allowance coverage was 1.19% of loans.
  • Non-accrual loans declined to $8.6 million, or 0.70% of loans, from $9.9 million, or 0.84%, at year-end. Nonperforming assets were $13.4 million, or 0.71% of assets, compared with $16.0 million, or 0.89%. However, total past-due loans rose to $9.0 million from $8.2 million.
  • Real estate owned, net, decreased to $4.8 million from $6.1 million. The company recorded $464,000 of write-downs in the first half. Troubled debt restructurings totaled $8.2 million, down from $10.1 million at year-end.
  • The Bank reported regulatory capital ratios above applicable minimums and was classified as well capitalized. Its total capital ratio was 29.34% and common equity Tier 1 ratio was 28.26% at June 30, 2017.

Outlook, risks, contingencies, and unusual items

  • The filing gives no specific earnings or revenue guidance. Management notes that first-half results are not necessarily indicative of full-year results.
  • Management identifies interest-rate changes, competition, economic conditions, mortgage origination volume and margins, credit losses, secondary mortgage and securities markets, regulatory changes, and deposit retention as key risks. A 100-basis-point immediate rate increase was estimated to raise forecast one-year net interest income by 2.51%; a 100-basis-point decrease was estimated to lower it by 2.89%.
  • A July 5, 2017 arbitration award in the Herrington class action found Waterstone Mortgage liable for wage, expense, and related claims. The award was $7.3 million plus $3.3 million in attorney fees and costs; the company estimated exposure could reach $11.0 million. Management stated it would challenge the award, assessed the low end of the possible loss range at zero, and recorded no accrual because it did not consider a loss probable.
  • Mortgage servicing rights related to $295.1 million of loans were sold during the first half for $2.6 million, generating a $308,000 gain. The company also recorded a $107,000 loss on sale of securities.
  • The company says there were no changes to the risk factors reported in its 2016 Form 10-K. It reported disclosure controls as effective and no material change in internal control over financial reporting during the quarter.

Important facts for investors to verify

  • Monitor the legal case: confirmation, appeal or other challenge to the arbitration award, and any resulting accrual or cash impact.
  • Assess the sustainability of mortgage banking volume and margins, particularly as compensation and other operating costs increased.
  • Review funding and liquidity exposure, including the rise in borrowings, deposit trends, and the $557.7 million of time deposits scheduled to mature within one year.
  • Track credit quality and collateral valuations, including the increase in past-due loans, nonperforming assets, and real estate-owned write-downs.
  • Confirm dividend and repurchase activity against capital needs; the filing reports substantial first-half dividends and $989,500 shares remaining authorized for repurchase.