WesBanco Announces Third Quarter 2015 Net Income

WHEELING, W.Va., Oct. 20, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Todd F. Clossin, President and Chief Executive Officer of WesBanco, Inc. (NASDAQ: WSBC), a Wheeling, West Virginia based multi-state bank holding company, today announced net income and related earnings per share for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015.  Net income for the three months ended September 30, 2015 was $22.2 million, while diluted earnings per share were $0.58, compared to $18.2 million or $0.62 per diluted share for the third quarter of 2014.  Net income for the first nine months of 2015 was $57.8 million or $1.55 per diluted share compared to $53.5 million or $1.82 per diluted share for the same period of 2014.  For the nine month period ending September 30, 2015, net income excluding after-tax merger-related expenses of $7.2 million, increased 21.5% to $64.9 million (non-GAAP measure) compared to $53.5 million for the same period in 2014, while diluted earnings per share, excluding after-tax merger-related expenses, totaled $1.75 (non-GAAP measure), compared to $1.82 per share for the same 2014 period.

WesBanco's results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 included ESB Financial Corporation's ("ESB") results from February 10, 2015, the date of consummation of the merger.  ESB was a Pennsylvania thrift holding company, headquartered just to the northwest of Pittsburgh, PA, with approximately $2.0 billion in assets and 23 offices in southwestern PA including three in the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area ("MSA"). 

Mr. Clossin commented, "The third quarter reflects continued growth in loans and non-interest income against the headwind of net interest margin pressure.  Growth, efficiency and disciplined expense control contributed to the financial results.  Net income excluding after-tax merger-related expenses of $0.1 million increased 23.1% from the third quarter of last year.  Return on average assets is at 1.05% for the second consecutive quarter. Our efficiency ratio continues to stand in the mid 50's. Annualized loan growth was 5.3% from December 31, 2014, exclusive of ESB, as total originations increased.  Most credit quality metrics improved in the third quarter, despite an increase in net charge-offs, as non-performing, criticized and classified loans all decreased as a percentage of loans.  Major components of non-interest income are also improving as service charges on deposits, electronic banking fees, securities brokerage revenue and gains on sale of mortgage loans all increased from the third quarter of last year and from the second quarter of 2015."

Financial Condition

Total assets at September 30, 2015 increased 34.6% or $2.2 billion compared to September 30, 2014, with approximately $2.0 billion from the acquisition of ESB and $0.2 billion from organic growth exclusive of ESB.  Portfolio loans increased $918.9 million, with $701.0 million from the acquisition and $217.9 million from loan growth exclusive of ESB.  Organic loan growth from December 31, 2014, annualized, was 5.3%, primarily achieved through $1.3 billion in loan originations for the first nine months of 2015 compared to $1.0 billion last year. Loan growth occurred in all major loan categories, with approximately 30.0% of the growth in commercial and industrial loans.  Loan growth was driven by increased business activity, additional commercial and residential lending personnel in our urban markets, focused marketing efforts and continued improvement in loan origination processes. Deposits increased $1.1 billion compared to September 30, 2014, primarily due to the acquisition.  Non-interest bearing deposits, excluding $128.0 million from the acquisition, were up 12.1% over the last year. Excluding certificates of deposit, deposits increased $221.9 million or 5.9% from September 30, 2014, and also at an annualized rate of 7.9% for the first nine months of 2015, with deposits from Marcellus and Utica shale gas customers contributing to the increase.  Certificates of deposit, excluding $645.1 million from ESB, decreased $372.5 million from September 30, 2014 due to lower rate offerings for maturing CDs and customer preferences for other deposit types.

WesBanco continues to maintain strong regulatory capital ratios after the ESB acquisition and implementation of the new BASEL III capital standards.  At September 30, 2015, Tier I leverage was 9.39%, Tier I Risk-Based capital was 13.69%, and Total Risk-Based capital was 14.48%, all improved since the second quarter of this year.  Both consolidated and bank-level regulatory capital ratios are well above the applicable, revised "well-capitalized" standards promulgated by bank regulators, as well as the recently finalized BASEL III capital standards.  As required by BASEL III, a new ratio for 2015, Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio (CET 1), was 11.93% for the third quarter of 2015, significantly above the requirement of 4.5%. Total tangible equity to tangible assets (non-GAAP measure) was 7.87% at September 30, 2015, decreasing from 7.91% at September 30, 2014, but nearly unchanged from pre-acquisition year-end's 7.88% and improved over both of the first two quarters of 2015. Strong earnings and increased total capital have enabled WesBanco to increase the quarterly dividend rate, currently at $0.23 per share, eight times over the last five years, cumulatively representing a 64% increase.  The most recent increase was $0.01 per share in the first quarter of 2015.

Credit Quality

The provision for credit losses was $1.8 million in the third quarter of 2015 compared to $1.5 million in the same quarter of 2014.  Year-to-date, the provision was $5.8 million compared to $4.5 million for 2014. Net charge-offs for the first nine months of 2015 were $8.6 million or 0.24% of average portfolio loans compared to $6.9 million for the same period of 2014, also representing 0.24% of average portfolio loans.  The increase in charge-offs was primarily due to two non-energy industry-related commercial credits placed on nonaccrual and charged-down by $2.5 million. However, other credit metrics continue to improve overall.

Non-performing loans, including TDRs, as well as criticized and classified loans, improved as a percentage of total portfolio loans from their pre-acquisition levels in the fourth and third quarter of 2014. Total non-performing loans were 1.08% of total loans at September 30, 2015, decreasing from 1.22% of total loans at September 30, 2014. Criticized and classified loans were 1.65% of total loans, improving from 2.17% of total loans a year ago.  Past due loans at September 30, 2015 were 0.37% of total loans, increasing slightly from 0.35% at September 30, 2014.

The allowance for loan losses represented 0.84% of total portfolio loans at September 30, 2015.  If the acquired ESB loans (which were recorded at fair value at the date of acquisition) were excluded from the ratio, the allowance would approximate 0.98% of the adjusted loan total as compared to 1.12% at the end of the third quarter of 2014.

Net Interest Income

Net interest income increased $12.0 million or 24.7% in the third quarter of 2015 compared to the third quarter of 2014 due to a 33.3% increase in average earning assets, primarily through the acquisition, and through a 6.3% increase in average loan balances, exclusive of ESB, partially offset by a 22 basis point decrease in the net interest margin.  Year-to-date, net interest income increased $32.1 million or 22.3%.

The net interest margin decreased to 3.36% in the third quarter compared to 3.58% in the same quarter of 2014. The decrease in the net interest margin is primarily due to a 41 basis point decline in the average rate earned on securities due to lower yields on ESB's retained securities portfolio and other purchased securities, while rates on loans decreased by 15 basis points due to repricing of existing loans and competitive pricing on new loans.  The lower rates were due to the low interest rate environment and were somewhat mitigated by a reduction in funding costs of 9 basis points.  In addition, the aforementioned loan growth improves asset yields as the average rate on loans is higher than the average rate on securities. Funding costs continued to decrease in 2015 as a result of a 31 basis point decrease in the average rate on CDs as higher-rate CDs matured. Overall, average deposits increased by 21.9% in the third quarter of 2015 compared to the same quarter of 2014 with a decrease in total rate of 10 basis points on interest bearing deposits.  To replace funding from runoff of higher cost CDs, increased average FHLB borrowings of intermediate terms in the first nine months of 2015 resulted in an increase in the third quarter cost of FHLB borrowings by 11 basis points compared to the third quarter of 2014.  The decline in the net interest margin is also due to asset and liability mix shifts post-ESB, with a greater percentage of lower-yielding investment securities and a greater percentage of CDs versus lower-cost deposit types. Compared to the second quarter of 2015, margin compression resulted primarily due to repricing of existing loans and competitive pricing on new loans. Year-to-date the net interest margin decreased to 3.44% from 3.62% in the same period of 2014, as a result of changes to individual balances and rates similar to the third quarter.

Non-Interest Income

For the third quarter of 2015, non-interest income increased $1.5 million or 9.2% compared to the third quarter of 2014. Service charges on deposits increased $0.3 million or 6.1% from the addition of ESB and an overall higher fee schedule.  Electronic banking fees increased $0.6 million or 17.8% from increases in transaction volume.  Net security brokerage revenue increased by $0.3 million or 17.3% through the addition of support and sales staff in several regions. Net gains on sales of mortgage loans increased $0.2 million or 41.6% from increases in originations and a larger percentage of originations being sold into the secondary market. Net losses on other assets improved by $1.1 million due to a $1.4 million charge in the third quarter of 2014 relating to the prepayment of a repurchase agreement with another bank.  These increases were partially offset by a decrease in net securities gains of $0.5 million and lower other service fee income, primarily swap fees.  For the first nine months of 2015, non-interest income increased by $2.5 million or 4.8%, reflecting similar trends as in the third quarter, while trust fees increased $0.7 million or 4.4% for the year-to-date period from higher fees and customer development initiatives. 

Non-Interest Expense

In the third quarter of 2015, net revenue growth of 20.7% outpaced non-interest expense growth of 19.2%, excluding merger-related expenses of $0.2 million, compared to the third quarter of 2014.  As a result, the efficiency ratio (net of merger-related expenses) improved in the current quarter to 57.6% from 58.5% in the third quarter of 2014. Overall non-interest expense increased $7.7 million in the third quarter, principally from the acquisition which increased assets by $2.0 billion and added 23 offices to our branch network, and $0.2 million of merger-related expenses. Salaries and wages increased $2.5 million or 14.4%, due to an increase in average full-time equivalent employees from the merger, increased stock compensation costs and routine annual adjustments to compensation, partially offset by increased deferrals of compensation costs on new loan originations. Employee benefits expense increased $1.0 million or 19.3%, primarily from increased pension, health insurance, social security contributions and other benefit plan costs.  Net occupancy increased $0.6 million principally due to increased building-related costs including utilities, lease expense, and depreciation. Equipment costs increased $0.9 million related to continuous improvements in computer system infrastructure, and origination and customer support systems.  Amortization of intangible assets increased $0.3 million from additional ESB intangible assets, primarily related to core deposits.  Year-to-date through September 30, 2015, non-interest expense for the combined company increased by $16.3 million or 13.7%, excluding merger-related expenses, compared to the first nine months of 2014, reflecting factors similar to the three month period.

Financial Results Conference Call

WesBanco will also host a conference call to discuss the Company's financial results for the third quarter of 2015 on Wednesday, October 21, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. E.D.T.  Callers wishing to participate should access the call by dialing 1-888-347-6607 or 1-412-902-4290 for international callers.  The call may also be listened to live via Webcast through the "Investor Relations" section of the Company's Web site or by registering at https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/905/10946. Access to the Webcast will begin approximately 15 minutes prior to the start of the call.

WesBanco is a multi-state bank holding company with total assets of approximately $8.5 billion, operating through 141 branch locations and 129 ATMs in West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.  WesBanco's banking subsidiary is WesBanco Bank, Inc., headquartered in Wheeling, West Virginia. WesBanco also operates an insurance brokerage company, WesBanco Insurance Services, Inc., and a full service broker/dealer, WesBanco Securities, Inc.

Forward-looking Statements:

Forward-looking statements in this report relating to WesBanco's plans, strategies, objectives, expectations, intentions and adequacy of resources, are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  The information contained in this report should be read in conjunction with WesBanco's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 and documents subsequently filed by WesBanco with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including WesBanco's Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31 and June 30, 2015, which are available at the SEC's website, www.sec.gov or at WesBanco's website, www.wesbanco.com.  Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements, which are not historical fact, involve risks and uncertainties, including those detailed in WesBanco's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC under "Risk Factors" in Part I, Item 1A.  Such statements are subject to important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by such statements, including, without limitation, the effects of changing regional and national economic conditions; changes in interest rates, spreads on earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities, and associated interest rate sensitivity; sources of liquidity available to WesBanco and its related subsidiary operations; potential future credit losses and the credit risk of commercial, real estate, and consumer loan customers and their borrowing activities; actions of the Federal Reserve Board, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the SEC, the Financial Institution Regulatory Authority, the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, the Securities Investors Protection Corporation, and other regulatory bodies; potential legislative and federal and state regulatory actions and reform, including, without limitation, the impact of the implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act; adverse decisions of federal and state courts; fraud, scams and schemes of third parties; internet hacking; competitive conditions in the financial services industry; rapidly changing technology affecting financial services; marketability of debt instruments and corresponding impact on fair value adjustments; and/or other external developments materially impacting WesBanco's operational and financial performance.  WesBanco does not assume any duty to update forward-looking statements.

SOURCE WesBanco, Inc.

Related Links

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