S&T Bancorp, Inc. Announces Second Quarter 2020 Results and Declares Second Quarter Dividend

INDIANA, Pa., July 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- S&T Bancorp, Inc. (S&T) (NASDAQ: STBA), the holding company for S&T Bank, with operations in five markets including Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Pennsylvania, Northeast Ohio, Central Ohio, and Upstate New York, announced a net loss of ($33.1) million, or ($0.85) per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2020 compared to net income of $13.2 million, or $0.34 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2020, and $26.1 million, or $0.76 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2019.

A loss of  $58.7 million was recognized during the second quarter of 2020 related to a previously disclosed customer fraud resulting from a check kiting scheme. This fraud loss reduced net income by $46.3 million, or $1.19 per diluted share, resulting in a net loss for the second quarter of 2020. S&T continues to pursue all available sources of recovery to mitigate the loss.

"While we are very disappointed in the loss that we experienced this quarter related to the fraudulent activities of a single business customer, we are a resilient company with 118 years of history overcoming all manner of challenges. I am confident we will emerge from this situation as strong, if not stronger, than before," said Todd Brice, Chief Executive Officer. "The personalized assistance given to our customers who are experiencing financial hardships as a result of COVID-19 is a direct reflection of the integral role we play in the communities where we operate. As we move forward, we will continue to be a source of strength for our customers and our employees."

Impact and Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic:

As we navigate through these uncertain times, our focus remains on the health and safety of our employees and the customers and communities that we serve. We continue to support our customers through the potential financial hardships that have arisen through this crisis, including:

• Providing consumer and homeowner needs-based loan assistance with payment deferrals for 1,071 loans totaling $123.0 million
• Providing commercial and business needs-based loan assistance with payment deferrals for 1,289 loans totaling $1.3 billion
• Originating SBA Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans of $547.6 million

Second Quarter of 2020 Highlights:

• Return on average assets (ROA) was (1.41%), return on average equity (ROE) was (11.17%) and return on average tangible equity (ROTE) (non-GAAP) was (16.19%). Excluding the loss from the customer fraud ROA (non-GAAP) was 0.57%, ROE (non-GAAP) was 4.48% and ROTE (non-GAAP) was 6.86%.
• Portfolio loans increased $301.8 million compared to the first quarter of 2020. Excluding the PPP portfolio, loans decreased $245.8 million.
• With an influx of funds from PPP loans and stimulus payments, along with the heightened liquidity concerns of customers, deposits increased $810.0 million to $7.9 billion at June 30, 2020 compared to $7.1 billion at March 31, 2020.
• Net interest margin (FTE) (non-GAAP) was 3.31% compared to 3.53% for the first quarter of 2020.
• The allowance for credit losses to total portfolio loans was 1.52% at June 30, 2020 compared to 1.34% at March 31, 2020. Excluding the PPP loans, the allowance for credit losses to total portfolio loans was 1.64% at June 30, 2020.
• S&T's Board of Directors declared a $0.28 per share dividend. This is an increase of 3.7% compared to a dividend of $0.27 per share declared in the same period in the prior year.

"While we faced many challenges during the quarter given the uncertain environment, I couldn't be prouder of the incredible work that our employees have done for our customers," said Todd Brice. "A testament to our employees was the recent announcement that S&T Bank was ranked #1 in customer satisfaction with retail banking in the Mid-Atlantic, including best in communication and advice,  by J.D. Power which is a reflection of the confidence and trust our customers have in our great employees at S&T Bank."

Net Interest Income

Net interest income was $70.1 million for the second quarter of 2020 compared to $70.0 million for the first quarter of 2020. Average loans increased $474.2 million mainly due to loans from the PPP of $449.3 million compared to the first quarter of 2020. Net interest margin on a fully taxable equivalent basis (FTE) (non-GAAP) declined 22 basis points to 3.31% for the second quarter of 2020 from 3.53% in the first quarter of 2020 primarily due to decreases in short-term rates. Loan rates decreased 64 basis points to 4.00% and total interest-bearing deposit costs decreased 48 basis points to 0.67%.

Asset Quality

The customer fraud that resulted in a $58.7 million loss to the bank had a significant impact on asset quality during the second quarter of 2020. The customer also had a $15.1 million lending relationship which was charged down by $4.2 million leaving a new nonperforming loan of $10.9 million in the second quarter of 2020. Net loan charge-offs were $68.1 million for the second quarter of 2020 compared to $11.2 million in the first quarter of 2020. Excluding the fraud, net loan charge-offs were $9.4 million for the second quarter of 2020. The provision for credit losses increased $66.7 million to $86.8 million in the second quarter of 2020 compared to $20.1 million in the first quarter of 2020. Total nonperforming loans increased $16.3 million to $90.1 million, or 1.19% of total loans, at June 30, 2020 compared to $73.8 million, or 1.02% of total loans at March 31, 2020. The uncertainty around the economic environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the higher allowance for credit losses of 1.52% of total portfolio loans as of June 30, 2020 compared to 1.34% at March 31, 2020. Excluding the PPP loans, the allowance for credit losses to total portfolio loans was 1.64%.

Noninterest Income and Expense

Noninterest income increased $2.8 million to $15.2 million in the second quarter of 2020 compared to $12.4 million in the first quarter of 2020. Other noninterest income increased by $3.7 million primarily due to the increase in the fair value of the assets in a nonqualified benefit plan of $2.1 million and an increase in the fair value of equity securities of $1.9 million. Mortgage banking income improved during the quarter by $1.4 million due to increased refinancing activity. These increases were offset by a decrease in service charges on deposit accounts of $1.2 million and commercial loan swap income of $1.5 million due to lower activity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Noninterest expense decreased $2.9 million to $43.5 million for the second quarter of 2020 compared to $46.4 million in the first quarter of 2020. The decrease in noninterest expense was mainly due to  merger expenses of $2.3 million in the first quarter of 2020.  Other expense decreased $1.6 million related to historic tax credits of $1.2 million in the first quarter of 2020. Professional services and legal increased $0.9 million mainly due to higher legal expense compared to the first quarter of 2020.

Financial Condition

Total assets increased $468.8 million to $9.5 billion at June 30, 2020 compared to $9.0 billion at March 31, 2020. Portfolio loans increased $301.8 million, which included $547.6 million of loans from the PPP, compared to March 31, 2020. Excluding the PPP portfolio, loans decreased $245.8 million due to decreased activity related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Deposits increased $810.0 million to $7.9 billion at June 30, 2020 compared to $7.1 billion at March 31, 2020. The increase in deposits relates largely to customer PPP loans and stimulus payments along with customers conservatively holding cash deposits in these uncertain times.

All regulatory risk-based capital ratios declined at June 30, 2020 compared to March 31, 2020, except for total capital, due to a decrease in retained earnings offset in part by a reduction in risk weighted assets. S&T continues to maintain a strong capital position with all capital ratios above the well-capitalized thresholds of federal bank regulatory agencies.

Dividend

The Board of Directors of S&T declared a $0.28 per share cash dividend on July 27, 2020. This is an increase of 3.7% compared to a dividend of $0.27 per share declared in the same period in the prior year. The dividend is payable August 27, 2020 to shareholders of record on August 13, 2020.

Conference Call

S&T will host its second quarter 2020 earnings conference call live over the Internet at 1:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 30, 2020. To access the webcast, go to S&T's webpage at www.stbancorp.com and click on "Events & Presentations." Select "2nd Quarter 2020 Earnings Conference Call" and follow the instructions. After the live presentation, the webcast will be archived on this website for at least 90 days. A replay of the call will also be available until August 6, 2020, by dialing 1.877.481.4010; the Conference ID is 35499.

About S&T Bancorp, Inc. and S&T Bank

S&T Bancorp, Inc. is a $9.5 billion bank holding company that is headquartered in Indiana, Pennsylvania and trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol STBA. Its principal subsidiary, S&T Bank, was recently ranked #1 in customer satisfaction with retail banking in the Mid-Atlantic including best in communication and advice by J.D. Power. Established in 1902, S&T Bank operates in five markets including Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Pennsylvania, Northeast Ohio, Central Ohio, and Upstate New York. For more information visit stbancorp.com or stbank.com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

This quarterly report on Form 10-Q contains or incorporates statements that we believe are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally relate to our financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, outlook for earnings, revenues, expenses, capital and liquidity levels and ratios, asset levels, asset quality, financial position, and other matters regarding or affecting S&T and its future business and operations. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words or phrases such as "will likely result", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "forecast", "project", "intend", " believe", "assume", "strategy", "trend", "plan", "outlook", "outcome", "continue", "remain", "potential", "opportunity", "believe", "comfortable", "current", "position", "maintain", "sustain", "seek", "achieve" and variations of such words and similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as will, would, should, could or may. Although we believe the assumptions upon which these forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, any of these assumptions could prove to be inaccurate and the forward-looking statements based on these assumptions could be incorrect. The matters discussed in these forward-looking statements are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results and trends to differ materially from those made, projected, or implied in or by the forward-looking statements depending on a variety of uncertainties or other factors including, but not limited to: credit losses and the credit risk of our commercial and consumer loan products; changes in the level of charge-offs and changes in estimates of the adequacy of the allowance for credit losses; cyber-security concerns; rapid technological developments and changes; operational risks or risk management failures by us or critical third parties, including fraud risk; our ability to manage our reputational risks; sensitivity to the interest rate environment including a prolonged period of low interest rates, a rapid increase in interest rates or a change in the shape of the yield curve; a change in spreads on interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities; regulatory supervision and oversight, including changes in regulatory capital requirements and our ability to address those requirements; unanticipated changes in our liquidity position; changes in accounting policies, practices, or guidance, for example, our adoption of CECL; legislation affecting the financial services industry as a whole, and S&T, in particular; the outcome of pending and future litigation and governmental proceedings; increasing price and product/service competition; the ability to continue to introduce competitive new products and services on a timely, cost-effective basis; managing our internal growth and acquisitions; the possibility that the anticipated benefits from acquisitions, including DNB, cannot be fully realized in a timely manner or at all, or that integrating the acquired operations will be more difficult, disruptive or costly than anticipated; containing costs and expenses; reliance on significant customer relationships; an interruption or cessation of an important service by a third-party provider; our ability to attract and retain talented executives and employees; general economic or business conditions, including the strength of regional economic conditions in our market area; the duration and severity of the coronavirus ("COVID-19") pandemic, both in our principal area of operations and nationally, including the ultimate impact of the pandemic on the economy generally and on our operations; deterioration of the housing market and reduced demand for mortgages; deterioration in the overall macroeconomic conditions or the state of the banking industry that could warrant further analysis of the carrying value of goodwill and could result in an adjustment to its carrying value resulting in a non-cash charge to net income; the stability of our core deposit base and access to contingency funding; re-emergence of turbulence in significant portions of the global financial and real estate markets that could impact our performance, both directly, by affecting our revenues and the value of our assets and liabilities, and indirectly, by affecting the economy generally and access to capital in the amounts, at the times and on the terms required to support our future businesses.

Many of these factors, as well as other factors, are described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, including Part I, Item 1A-"Risk Factors" and any of our subsequent filings with the SEC. Forward-looking statements are based on beliefs and assumptions using information available at the time the statements are made. We caution you not to unduly rely on forward-looking statements because the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and projections about future events may, and often do, differ materially from actual results. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as to the date on which it is made, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect developments occurring after the statement is made.