Veritex Holdings, Inc. Reports Third Quarter Operating Results

DALLAS, Oct. 24, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Veritex Holdings, Inc. (“Veritex”, the “Company”, “we” or “our”) ( VBTX), the holding company for Veritex Community Bank, today announced the results for the quarter ended September 30, 2023.

“Despite the challenging markets, Veritex continues to focus on strengthening our balance sheet and adding to capital”, said C. Malcolm Holland, III. “Our year long deposit centric strategy is gaining momentum shown by the positive trends in our balance sheet ratios.”

¹ Refer to the section titled “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for a reconciliation of these non-generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP measures.
² Annualized ratio.

Other Third Quarter Metrics and Company Highlights

• Total deposits increased by $962.6 million, or 41.68% annualized, to $10.2 billion as of September 30, 2023 compared to $9.2 billion as of June 30, 2023;
• Loan to deposit ratio decreased to 94.5% as of September 30, 2023 compared to 105.1% as of June 30, 2023;
• Allowance for credit losses (“ACL”) to total loans increased to 1.14% as of September 30, 2023, or an increase of 9 bps and 20 bps from June 30, 2023 and September 30, 2022, respectively;
• Annualized net charge-offs to average loans outstanding were 8 bps for the three months ended September 30, 2023 compared to 48 bps and 12 bps for the three months ended June 30, 2023 and September 30, 2022, respectively;
• Total Commercial Real Estate (“CRE”) / Risk Based Capital (“RBC”) decreased to 317.2% as of September 30, 2023 compared to 327.2% as of June 30, 2023;
• Total unfunded Acquisition, Development, and Construction (“ADC”) decreased to $1.15 billion, or approximately 16.3%, as of September 30, 2023 compared to $1.37 billion as of June 30, 2023;
• Common equity tier 1 capital increased 35 bps to 10.11% as of September 30, 2023 compared to 9.76% as of June 30, 2023 driven by earnings and a decrease in risk-weighted assets;
• Named one of the “Best Companies to Work For” by the 2023 Inaugural U.S. News & World Report which evaluates companies based on quality of pay, work/life balance, and opportunities for professional development and advancement; and
• Declared quarterly cash dividend of $0.20 per share of outstanding common stock payable on November 24, 2023.
  

Results of Operations for the Three Months Ended September 30, 2023

Net Interest Income

For the three months ended September 30, 2023, net interest income before provision for credit losses was $99.3 million and net interest margin was 3.46% compared to $100.8 million and 3.51%, respectively, for the three months ended June 30, 2023. The $1.5 million decrease, or 1.5%, in net interest income before provision for credit losses was primarily due to a $8.1 million increase in interest expense on certificates and other time deposits and a $7.0 million increase in interest expense on transaction and savings deposits driven by an increase in funding costs on deposits. The decrease in net interest income was partially offset by a $9.0 million decrease in interest expense on advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”), a $3.6 million increase in interest income on loans driven by an increase in loan yields and average balances, a $762 thousand increase in interest income on debt securities and a $573 thousand increase in equity securities and other investments during the three months ended September 30, 2023. Net interest margin decreased 5 bps compared to the three months ended June 30, 2023, primarily due to the increase in funding costs on deposits during three months ended September 30, 2023, partially offset by an increase in loan yields and debt securities.

Compared to the three months ended September 30, 2022, net interest income before provision for credit losses for the three months ended September 30, 2023 decreased by $1.7 million, or 1.7%. The decrease was primarily due to a $32.3 million increase in certificates and other time deposits, a $27.0 million increase in transaction and savings deposits and a $6.0 million increase in advances from the FHLB driven by an increase in funding costs. The decrease was partially offset by a $58.2 million increase in interest income on loans driven by an increase in loan yields and average balances and a $5.2 million increase in deposits in financial institutions and fed funds sold. Net interest margin decreased 31 bps from 3.77% for the three months ended September 30, 2022. The decrease was primarily due to the increase in funding costs on deposits during the three months ended September 30, 2023, partially offset by an increase in loan yields and debt securities.

Noninterest Income

Noninterest income for the three months ended September 30, 2023 was $9.7 million, a decrease of $4.0 million, or 29.3%, compared to the three months ended June 30, 2023. The decrease was primarily due to a $2.4 million decrease in government guaranteed loan income primarily driven by a decrease in U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) loans sold. In addition, the decrease was due to a $759 thousand decrease in customer swap income and a $621 thousand decrease in equity method investment income. This decrease was partially offset by a $178 thousand increase in other income.

Compared to the three months ended September 30, 2022, noninterest income for the three months ended September 30, 2023 decreased by $3.3 million, or 25.7%. The decrease was primarily due to a $3.2 million decrease in customer swap income, a $1.2 million decrease in loan fees driven by a $1.2 million decrease in syndication fees and a $1.0 million decrease in other noninterest income. The decrease was partially offset by a $1.2 million increase in government guaranteed loan income, primarily driven by an increase in USDA loans sold through our wholly owned subsidiary North Avenue Capital, LLC, and a $922 thousand increase in equity method investment income.

Noninterest Expense

Noninterest expense was $59.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023, compared to $57.2 million for the three months ended June 30, 2023, an increase of $2.2 million, or 3.9%. The increase was primarily due to a $2.3 million increase in salaries and employee benefits and a $415 thousand increase in professional and regulatory fees driven by FDIC assessment fees. The increase is partially offset by a decrease of $274 thousand in marketing expense and a $168 thousand decrease in data processing and software expense.

Compared to the three months ended September 30, 2022, noninterest expense for the three months ended September 30, 2023 increased by $8.4 million, or 16.5%. The increase was primarily driven by a $3.6 million increase in professional and regulatory fees driven by FDIC assessment fees that increased when the Company crossed $10 billion in total assets, a $2.3 million increase in other noninterest expenses, a $1.2 million increase in salaries and employee benefits, a $1.0 million increase in data processing and software expenses and a $508 thousand increase in marketing expenses.

Financial Condition

Total loans held for investment (“LHI”) was $9.64 billion at September 30, 2023, a decrease of $67.8 million, or 2.8% annualized, compared to June 30, 2023. The decrease was the result of the state of the economy and banking environment as a result of higher interest rates.

Total deposits were $10.20 billion at September 30, 2023, an increase of $962.6 million, or 41.7% annualized, compared to June 30, 2023. The increase was primarily the result of an increase of $474.5 million in certificates and other time deposits, an increase of $345.8 million in interest-bearing deposits, an increase of $129.2 million in non-interest bearing deposits and an increase of $13.1 million in correspondent money market account balances.

Credit Quality

Nonperforming assets (“NPAs”) totaled $79.9 million, or 0.65% of total assets, at September 30, 2023, compared to $68.3 million, or 0.55% of total assets, at June 30, 2023. The Company had net charge-offs of $1.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023. Annualized net charge-offs were down to 8 bps for the three months ended September 30, 2023, compared to 48 bps and 12 bps for the three months ended June 30, 2023 and September 30, 2022, respectively.

ACL as a percentage of LHI was 1.14%, 1.05% and 0.94% at September 30, 2023, June 30, 2023 and September 30, 2022, respectively. The Company recorded a provision for credit losses of $8.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023, a $15.0 million provision for credit losses for the three months ended June 30, 2023 and a $6.7 million provision for credit losses for the three months ended September 30, 2022. The recorded provision for credit losses for the three months ended September 30, 2023, compared to the three months ended June 30, 2023, was primarily attributable to an increase in general reserves as a result of changes in economic factors and individually analyzed loans receiving specific reserves. The Company recorded a benefit for unfunded commitments of $909 thousand for the three months ended September 30, 2023, a $1.1 million benefit for unfunded commitments for the three months ended June 30, 2023, and a $850 thousand provision for unfunded commitments for the three months ended September 30, 2022. The recorded benefit for unfunded commitments for the three months ended September 30, 2023, compared to the three months ended June 30, 2023, was attributable to a decrease in unfunded commitment balances partially offset by changes in economic factors.

Dividend Information

After the close of the market on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, Veritex’s Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.20 per share on its outstanding shares of common stock. The dividend will be paid on or after November 24, 2023 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on November 10, 2023.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Veritex’s management uses certain non-GAAP (U.S. generally accepted accounting principles) financial measures to evaluate its operating performance and provide information that is important to investors. However, non-GAAP financial measures are supplemental and should be viewed in addition to, and not as an alternative for, Veritex’s reported results prepared in accordance with GAAP. Specifically, Veritex reviews and reports tangible book value per common share, operating earnings, tangible common equity to tangible assets, return on average tangible common equity, pre-tax, pre-provision operating earnings, pre-tax, pre-provision operating return on average assets, pre-tax, pre-provision operating return on average loans, pre-tax, pre-provision operating return on average loans, diluted operating earnings per share, operating return on average assets, operating return on average tangible common equity and operating efficiency ratio. Veritex has included in this earnings release information related to these non-GAAP financial measures for the applicable periods presented. Please refer to “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” after the financial highlights at the end of this earnings release for a reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures.

Conference Call

The Company will host an investor conference call and webcast to review the results on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, at 8:30 a.m. Central Time. Participants may pre-register for the call by visiting https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/nzdfo4ub/ and will receive a unique PIN, which can be used when dialing in for the call.

Participants may also register via teleconference: https://register.vevent.com/register/BI9b72154b2c424063aae6950d635afeec. Once registration is completed, participants will be provided with a dial-in number containing a personalized conference code to access the call. All participants are instructed to dial-in 15 minutes prior to the start time.

A replay will be available within approximately two hours after the completion of the call, and made accessible for one week thereafter. You may access the replay via webcast through the investor relations section of Veritex’s website.

About Veritex Holdings, Inc.

Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Veritex is a bank holding company that conducts banking activities through its wholly owned subsidiary, Veritex Community Bank, with locations throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and in the Houston metropolitan area. Veritex Community Bank is a Texas state chartered bank regulated by the Texas Department of Banking and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. For more information, visit www.veritexbank.com.

Media and Investor Relations:
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Forward-Looking Statements

This earnings release includes “forward-looking statements”, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on various facts and derived utilizing assumptions, current expectations, estimates and projections and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which change over time and are beyond our control, that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements relating to the expected payment of Veritex Holdings, Inc.’s (“Veritex”) quarterly cash dividend; the impact of certain changes in Veritex’s accounting policies, standards and interpretations; a continuation of recent turmoil in the banking industry, responsive measures to mitigate and manage it and related supervisory and regulatory actions and costs and Veritex’s future financial performance, business and growth strategy, projected plans and objectives, as well as other projections based on macroeconomic and industry trends, which are inherently unreliable due to the multiple factors that impact broader economic and industry trends, and any such variations may be material. Statements preceded by, followed by or that otherwise include the words “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “projects,” “estimates,” “seeks,” “targets,” “outlooks,” “plans” and similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “should,” “would,” “may” and “could” are generally forward-looking in nature and not historical facts, although not all forward-looking statements include the foregoing words. We refer you to the “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections of Veritex’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 and any updates to those risk factors set forth in Veritex’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), which are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. If one or more events related to these or other risks or uncertainties materialize, or if Veritex’s underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may differ materially from what Veritex anticipates. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Veritex does not undertake any obligation, and specifically declines any obligation, to supplement, update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by law. All forward-looking statements, expressed or implied, included in this earnings release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. This cautionary statement should also be considered in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that Veritex or persons acting on Veritex’s behalf may issue.