Finward Bancorp Announces Earnings for the Quarter and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024

MUNSTER, Ind., Oct. 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Finward Bancorp (Nasdaq: FNWD) (the “Bancorp”), the holding company for Peoples Bank (the “Bank”), today announced that net income available to common stockholders was $10.0 million, or $2.35 per diluted share, for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, as compared to $6.9 million, or $1.60 per diluted share, for the corresponding prior year period. For the quarter ended September 30, 2024, the Bancorp’s net income totaled $606 thousand, or $0.14 per diluted share, as compared to $143 thousand, or $0.03 per diluted share, for the three months ended June 30, 2024, and as compared to $2.2 million, or $0.51 per diluted share, for the three months ended September 30, 2023. Selected performance metrics are as follows for the periods presented:

“The Bank’s position continued to improve in the third quarter while we prepared for the Fed to begin their easing cycle. Margin and expenses were stable, with minimal benefit from the Fed’s late-quarter rate cut. We believe the Bank is poised to see margin expansion as lower rates work their way through the liability side of the balance sheet,” said Benjamin Bochnowski, chief executive officer. “We remain vigilant on credit, and we continued to build capital during the quarter. We also fully exited the Bank Term Funding Program well in advance of its March 2025 maturity.”

Highlights of the current period include:

• Net Interest Margin - The net interest margin was 2.53% for both the three months ended September 30, 2024 and the three months ended June 30, 2024. The tax-adjusted net interest margin (a non-GAAP measure) was 2.67% for both the three months ended September 30, 2024 and the three months ended June 30, 2024. The net interest margin for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, was 2.50%, compared to 2.89% for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The tax-adjusted net interest margin (a non-GAAP measure) for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, was 2.64%, compared to 3.04% for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. See Table 1 at the end of this press release for a reconciliation of the tax-adjusted net interest margin to the GAAP net interest margin.

• Funding - As of September 30, 2024, deposits totaled $1.7 billion, a decrease of $7.9 million or 0.5%, compared to June 30, 2024. Core deposits totaled $1.2 billion at both September 30, 2024 and June 30, 2024. Core deposits include checking, savings, and money market accounts and represented 67.9% of the Bancorp’s total deposits at September 30, 2024. As of September 30, 2024, balances for certificates of deposit totaled $562.2 million, compared to $541.2 million on June 30, 2024, an increase of $21.0 million or 3.9%. The decrease in total portfolio deposits is primarily related to cyclical flows and continued adjustments to deposit pricing. In addition, as of September 30, 2024, borrowings and repurchase agreements totaled $128.0 million, an increase of $65 thousand or 0.2%, compared to June 30, 2024. The increase in short-term borrowings was the result of cyclical inflows and outflows of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities. During the quarter, the Bancorp terminated its involvement in the Bank Term Funding Program (the “BTFP”) and paid off its outstanding balance of $60 million, in full, through a utilization of excess liquidity and FHLB advances. As of September 30, 2024, 72% of our deposits are fully FDIC insured, and another 7% are further backed by the Indiana Public Deposit Insurance Fund. The Bancorp’s liquidity position remains strong with solid core deposit customer relationships, excess cash, debt securities, and access to diversified borrowing sources. As of September 30, 2024, the Bancorp had available liquidity of $686 million including borrowing capacity from the FHLB and Federal Reserve facilities.

• Securities Portfolio - Securities available for sale balances increased by $10.4 million to $350.0 million as of September 30, 2024, compared to $339.6 million as of June 30, 2024. The increase in securities available for sale was due to a combination of portfolio runoff and a decrease of accumulated other comprehensive loss ("AOCL"). AOCL was $48.2 million as of September 30, 2024, compared to $58.9 million on June 30, 2024, an improvement of $10.7 million, or 18.2%. The yield on the securities portfolio decreased to 2.37% for the three months ended September 30, 2024, down from 2.43% for the three months ended June 30, 2024. Management did not execute any securities sale transactions during the quarter but will continue to monitor the securities portfolio for additional restructuring opportunities.

• Lending - The Bank’s aggregate loan portfolio totaled $1.5 billion on both September 30, 2024 and June 30, 2024. During the three months ended September 30, 2024, the Bank originated $70.4 million in new commercial loans, compared to $48.7 million during the three months ended June 30, 2024 and $73.2 million during the three months ended September 30, 2023. The loan portfolio represents 78.7% of earning assets and is comprised of 62.6% commercial-related credits. At September 30, 2024, the Bancorp’s portfolio loan balances in commercial real estate owner occupied properties totaled $236.9 million or 15.7% of total loan balances and commercial real estate non-owner occupied properties totaled $302.8 million or 20.1% of total loan balances. Of the $302.8 million in commercial real estate non-owner occupied properties balances, loans collateralized by office buildings represented $42.4 million or 2.8% of total loan balances.

• Gain on Sale of Loans - Gains from the sale of loans for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 totaled $810 thousand, an increase from $729 thousand for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. During the nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Bank originated $22.5 million in new fixed rate mortgage loans for sale, compared to $30.4 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2023. During the nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Bank originated $17.6 million in new 1-4 family loans retained in its portfolio, compared to $31.8 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2023. Total 1-4 family originations for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, totaled $20.1 million, an increase of $1.3 million compared to $18.8 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2024. These retained loans are primarily construction loans and adjustable-rate loans with a fixed-rate period of 7 years or less. The Bank continues to sell longer-duration fixed rate mortgages into the secondary market.

• Asset Quality - At September 30, 2024, non-performing loans totaled $13.8 million, compared to $11.4 million at June 30, 2024, an increase of $2.4 million or 21.4%. The Bank’s ratio of non-performing loans to total loans was 0.92% at September 30, 2024, compared to 0.75% at June 30, 2024. The Bank’s ratio of non-performing assets to total assets increased from 0.61% at June 30, 2024 to 0.73% at September 30, 2024. Management maintains a vigilant oversight of nonperforming loans through proactive relationship management. The allowance for credit losses (ACL) totaled $18.5 million at September 30, 2024, compared to $18.3 million at June 30, 2024, an increase of $186 thousand or 1.0% and is considered adequate by management. For the quarter ended September 30, 2024, recoveries, net of charge-offs, totaled $186 thousand. The allowance for credit losses as a percentage of total loans was 1.23% at September 30, 2024, and the allowance for credit losses as a percentage of non-performing loans, or coverage ratio, was 134.1% at September 30, 2024.

• Operating Expenses - Non-interest expense as a percentage of average assets was 2.80% for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, as compared to 2.79% for the quarter ended June 30, 2024. Increases in non-interest expenses quarter over quarter were primarily attributable to slightly higher federal deposit insurance premium and higher occupancy and equipment expenses. The Bank remains focused on identifying additional operating efficiencies and third-party expense reductions through the remainder of this year and beyond. Compensation and benefits expense is down 1.2% for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, compared to September 30, 2023.

• Capital Adequacy - As of September 30, 2024, the Bank’s tier 1 capital to adjusted average assets ratio was 8.38%, an improvement of 0.06% compared to 8.32% at June 30, 2024. The Bank’s capital continues to exceed all applicable regulatory capital requirements as set forth in 12 C.F.R. § 324. The Bancorp’s tangible book value per share was $31.28 at September 30, 2024, up from $28.67 as of June 30, 2024 (a non-GAAP measure). Tangible common equity to total assets was 6.51% at September 30, 2024, up from 5.95% as of June 30, 2024 (a non-GAAP measure). Excluding accumulated other comprehensive losses, tangible book value per share increased to $42.47 as of September 30, 2024, from $42.33 as of June 30, 2024 (a non-GAAP measure). See Table 1 at the end of this press release for a reconciliation of the tangible book value per share, tangible book value per share adjusted for other accumulated comprehensive losses, tangible common equity as a percentage of total assets, and tangible common equity as a percentage of total assets adjusted for accumulated other comprehensive losses to the related GAAP ratios.

Disclosures Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Measures
Reported amounts are presented in accordance with GAAP. In this press release, the Bancorp also provides certain financial measures identified as non-GAAP. The Bancorp’s management believes that the non-GAAP information, which consists of tangible common equity, tangible common equity adjusted for accumulated other comprehensive losses, tangible book value per share, tangible book value per share adjusted for accumulated other comprehensive losses, tangible common equity/total assets, tax-adjusted net interest margin, and efficiency ratio, which can vary from period to period, provides a better comparison of period to period operating performance. The adjusted net interest income and tax-adjusted net interest margin measures recognize the income tax savings when comparing taxable and tax-exempt assets. Interest income and yields on tax-exempt securities and loans are presented using the current federal income tax rate of 21%. Management believes that it is standard practice in the banking industry to present net interest income and net interest margin on a fully tax-equivalent basis and that it may enhance comparability for peer comparison purposes. Additionally, the Bancorp believes this information is utilized by regulators and market analysts to evaluate a company’s financial condition and, therefore, such information is useful to investors. These disclosures should not be viewed as a substitute for financial results in accordance with GAAP, nor are they necessarily comparable to non-GAAP performance measures which may be presented by other companies. Refer to Table 1 – Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures at the end of this document for a reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures identified herein and their most comparable GAAP measures.

About Finward Bancorp
Finward Bancorp is a locally managed and independent financial holding company headquartered in Munster, Indiana, whose activities are primarily limited to holding the stock of Peoples Bank. Peoples Bank provides a wide range of personal, business, electronic and wealth management financial services from its 26 locations in Lake and Porter Counties in Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland. Finward Bancorp’s common stock is quoted on The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC under the symbol FNWD. The website ibankpeoples.com provides information on Peoples Bank’s products and services, and Finward Bancorp’s investor relations.

Forward Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements regarding the financial performance, business prospects, growth and operating strategies of the Bancorp. For these statements, the Bancorp claims the protections of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements in this communication should be considered in conjunction with the other information available about the Bancorp, including the information in the filings the Bancorp makes with the SEC. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations or forecasts of future events and are not guarantees of future performance. The forward-looking statements are based on management’s expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by using words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “will” and similar expressions in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance.

Although management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially include: the Bank’s ability to demonstrate compliance with the terms of the previously disclosed consent order and memorandum of understanding entered into between the Bank and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) and Indiana Department of Financial Institutions (“DFI”), or to demonstrate compliance to the satisfaction of the FDIC and/or DFI within prescribed time frames; the Bank’s agreement under the memorandum of understanding to refrain from paying cash dividends without prior regulatory approval; changes in asset quality and credit risk; the inability to sustain revenue and earnings growth; changes in interest rates, market liquidity, and capital markets, as well as the magnitude of such changes, which may reduce net interest margins; inflation; further deterioration in the market value of securities held in the Bancorp’s investment securities portfolio, whether as a result of macroeconomic factors or otherwise; customer acceptance of the Bancorp’s products and services; customer borrowing, repayment, investment, and deposit practices; customer disintermediation; the introduction, withdrawal, success, and timing of business initiatives; competitive conditions; the inability to realize cost savings or revenues or to implement integration plans and other consequences associated with mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures; economic conditions; and the impact, extent, and timing of technological changes, capital management activities, regulatory actions by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and Indiana Department of Financial Institutions, and other actions of the Federal Reserve Board and legislative and regulatory actions and reforms. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements are discussed in the Bancorp’s reports (such as the Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K) filed with the SEC and available at the SEC’s Internet website (www.sec.gov). All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning matters attributable to the Bancorp or any person acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above. Except as required by law, The Bancorp does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statement is made.

In addition to the above factors, we also caution that the actual amounts and timing of any future common stock dividends or share repurchases will be subject to various factors, including our capital position, financial performance, capital impacts of strategic initiatives, market conditions, and regulatory and accounting considerations, as well as any other factors that our Board of Directors deems relevant in making such a determination. Therefore, there can be no assurance that we will repurchase shares or pay any dividends to holders of our common stock, or as to the amount of any such repurchases or dividends.

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