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First Foundation Announces 2018 Second Quarter Financial ResultsFirst Foundation Inc. (NASDAQ: FFWM), a financial services company with two wholly-owned operating subsidiaries, First Foundation Advisors ("FFA") and First Foundation Bank ("FFB"), announced today its financial results for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2018. As we present certain non-GAAP measures in this release, the reader should refer to the non-GAAP reconciliations set forth below under the section "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures." Earnings for the second quarter of 2018 were impacted by $3.8 million of acquisition costs related to the closing of the acquisition of PBB Bancorp ("PBB"), $1.5 million of balance sheet restructuring costs and $3.5 million of loan chargeoffs. "We have been able to maintain strong growth in both our loan production and revenues while we continue to work through a challenging interest rate environment," said Scott F. Kavanaugh, CEO. "We used this quarter as an opportunity to start a process to restructure our balance sheet to better position us for 2019 and beyond." Highlights Financial Results:
Other Activity:
"We had a record quarter of loan production and our balance sheet restructuring will allow us to maintain a high level of loan originations as it reduces our loan concentrations," said David DePillo, President of First Foundation Bank. "The $3.5 million in chargeoffs relate to a legacy commercial relationship and a relationship from one of our acquisitions. As a result, we do not believe there are any significant credit issues in our portfolio." Details
About First Foundation First Foundation, a financial institution founded in 1990, provides personal banking, business banking and private wealth management. The Company has offices in California, Nevada and Hawaii with headquarters in Irvine, California. For more information, please visit www.firstfoundationinc.com. We have two business segments, "Banking" and "Investment Management and Wealth Planning" ("Wealth Management"). Banking includes the operations of FFB and First Foundation Insurance Services, and Wealth Management includes the operations of FFA. The financial position and operating results of the stand-alone holding company, FFI, are included under the caption "Other" in certain of the tables that follow, along with any consolidation elimination entries. Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this news release regarding our expectations and beliefs about our future financial performance and financial condition, as well as trends in our business and markets are "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements often include words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "estimate," "project," "outlook," or words of similar meaning, or future or conditional verbs such as "will," "would," "should," "could," or "may." The forward looking statements in this news release are based on current information and on assumptions that we make about future events and circumstances that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that are often difficult to predict and beyond our control. As a result of those risks and uncertainties, our actual financial results in the future could differ, possibly materially, from those expressed in or implied by the forward looking statements contained in this news release and could cause us to make changes to our future plans. Those risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to the risk that the balance sheet restructuring may not be completed as planned on a timely basis or at all; the risk of incurring loan losses, which is an inherent risk of the banking business; the risk that we will not be able to continue our internal growth rate; the risk that we will not be able to access the securitization market on favorable terms or at all; the risk that the economic recovery in the United States will stall or will be adversely affected by domestic or international economic conditions and risks associated with the Federal Reserve Board taking actions with respect to interest rates, any of which could adversely affect our interest income and interest rate margins and, therefore, our future operating results; the risk that the performance of our investment management business or of the equity and bond markets could lead clients to move their funds from or close their investment accounts with us, which would reduce our assets under management and adversely affect our operating results; risks associated with changes in income tax laws and regulations; and risks associated with seeking new client relationships and maintaining existing client relationships. Additional information regarding these and other risks and uncertainties to which our business and future financial performance are subject is contained in Item 1A, entitled "Risk Factors" in our 2017 Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 that we filed with the SEC on March 16, 2018, and other documents we file with the SEC from time to time. We urge readers of this news release to review the Risk Factors section of that Annual Report and the Risk Factors section of other documents we file with the SEC from time to time. Also, our actual financial results in the future may differ from those currently expected due to additional risks and uncertainties of which we are not currently aware or which we do not currently view as, but in the future may become, material to our business or operating results. Due to these and other possible uncertainties and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this news release, which speak only as of today's date, or to make predictions based solely on historical financial performance. We also disclaim any obligation to update forward-looking statements contained in this news release or in the above-referenced 2017 Annual Report on Form 10-K, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law or NASDAQ rules.
Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures To supplement our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements presented in accordance with GAAP, we use certain non-GAAP measures (including, but not limited to, non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP financial ratios) of financial performance. These supplemental performance measures may vary from, and may not be comparable to, similarly titled measures by other companies in our industry. Non-GAAP financial measures are not in accordance with, or an alternative for, GAAP. Generally, a non-GAAP financial measure is a numerical measure of a company's performance that either excludes or includes amounts that are not normally excluded or included in the most directly comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP. A non-GAAP financial measure may also be a financial metric that is not required by GAAP or other applicable requirement. We believe that these non-GAAP financial measures, when taken together with the corresponding GAAP financial measures (as applicable), provide meaningful supplemental information regarding our performance by providing additional information used by management that is not otherwise required by GAAP or other applicable requirements. Our management uses, and believes that investors benefit from referring to, these non-GAAP financial measures in assessing our operating results and when planning, forecasting and analyzing future periods. These non-GAAP financial measures also facilitate a comparison of our performance to prior periods. We believe these measures are frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties in the evaluation of companies in our industry. However, these non-GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for or superior to, net income or other financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. In the information below, we have provided a reconciliation of, where applicable, the most comparable GAAP financial measures to the non-GAAP financial measures used in this press release, or a reconciliation of the non-GAAP calculation of the financial measure. In this press release, we use certain non-GAAP financial ratios and measures that are not required by GAAP or exclude certain financial items from calculations that are otherwise required under GAAP, including:
Discussion of Changes in Results of Operations and Financial Position Quarter Ended June 30, 2018 as Compared to Quarter Ended June 30, 2017 Our net income and income before taxes in the second quarter of 2018 were $5.1 million and $6.8 million, respectively, as compared to $9.6 million and $14.3 million, respectively, in the second quarter of 2017. The $7.5 million decrease in income before taxes was the result of a $7.6 million decrease in income before taxes for Banking and a $0.2 million increase in income before taxes for Wealth Management. The decrease in Banking was due to a higher provision for loan losses, lower noninterest income and higher noninterest expenses which were partially offset by higher net interest income. The increase in Wealth Management was due to higher noninterest income which was partially offset by higher noninterest expenses. For Corporate, increases in interest costs on the holding company line of credit were offset by decreases in noninterest expenses. Our effective tax rate for the second quarter of 2018 was 24.4% as compared to 32.7% for the second quarter of 2017. As a result of reduced federal tax rates, our statutory tax rate decreased from 41.6% in 2017 to 29.0% in 2018. In addition, during the second quarter of 2018 and 2017, we realized a 347 and 1020 basis point reduction in our effective tax rate, respectively, related to excess tax benefits resulting from the exercise or vesting of stock awards. Net interest income for Banking increased 31% from $28.1 million in the second quarter of 2017, to $36.8 million in the second quarter of 2018 due to a 34% increase in interest-earning assets. On a consolidated basis our net yield on interest earning assets was 2.83% for the second quarter of 2018 as compared to 2.92% in the second quarter of 2017. This decrease was due to a decrease in the net interest rate spread from 2.68% in the second quarter of 2017 to 2.36% in the second quarter of 2018, the effects of which were partially offset by less reliance on higher cost borrowings and an increase in the proportion of our funding coming from noninterest bearing deposits. The decrease in the net interest rate spread was due to an increase in the cost of interest-bearing liabilities from 0.84% in the second quarter of 2017 to 1.42% in the second quarter of 2018 which was partially offset by an increase in yield on total interest-earning assets from 3.52% in the second quarter of 2017 to 3.78% in the second quarter of 2018. The yield on interest-earning assets increased as new loans added to the portfolio bear interest rates higher than the current portfolio rates as a result of increases in market rates. The increase in the cost of interest-bearing liabilities was due to increased costs of interest-bearing deposits, resulting from increases in deposit market rates, and increased costs of borrowings as the average rate on FHLB advances increased from 0.94% in the second quarter of 2017 to 1.89% in the second quarter of 2018. The average balance outstanding under the holding company line of credit increased from $15.5 million in the second quarter of 2017 to $34.6 million in the second quarter of 2018, and the average rate increased by over 100 basis points, resulting in a $0.3 million increase in corporate interest expense. The provision for loan losses in the second quarter of 2018 was $2.5 million as compared to $1.1 million in the second quarter of 2017. The $2.5 million provision in the second quarter of 2018 was due primarily to $3.5 million of chargeoffs in the second quarter of 2018. The $1.1 million provision in 2017 was primarily due to an 8% increase, excluding acquired loans, in loan balances. Noninterest income in Banking in the second quarter of 2018 was $1.0 million as compared $4.2 million in the second quarter of 2017. In the second quarter of 2018, we recognized a $1.5 million balance sheet restructuring charge with no comparable amount in 2017, and in the second quarter of 2017 we realized a $2.1 million gain on sale of loans with no comparable amount in 2018. As part of our balance sheet restructuring, we transferred $645 million of loans to loans held for sale with the intention of securitizing these loans, and, to mitigate against increases in interest rates on these loans, we entered into a swap agreement. In the second quarter of 2018, we recognized a mark to market decrease on our loans held for sale of $3.7 million and a $2.2 million gain in the value of the swap. Noninterest income for Wealth Management increased by $0.5 million in the second quarter of 2018 when compared to the second quarter of 2017 due to higher levels of AUM. Noninterest expense in Banking increased from $15.8 million in the second quarter of 2017 to $27.6 million in the second quarter of 2018, due to increases in staffing and costs associated with the Bank's expansion, including the acquisition of Community 1st Bank ("C1B") in November 2017 and Premier Business Bank ("PBB") in June 2018, and the growth of its balances of loans and deposits. Compensation and benefits for Banking increased $2.5 million or 26% during the second quarter of 2018 as compared to the second quarter of 2017 due to salary increases and an increase in the number of full time equivalent employees ("FTE") in Banking, which increased to 361.1 in the second quarter of 2018 from 305.8 in the second quarter of 2017 as a result of the increased staffing related to the acquisitions and additional personnel added to support the growth in loans and deposits. A $0.8 million increase in occupancy and depreciation for Banking in the second quarter of 2018 as compared to the second quarter of 2017 was due to costs related to the acquisitions and increases in our data processing costs due to increased volumes and the implementation of enhancements. The $1.7 million increase in professional services and marketing was due to a $1.8 million recovery of legal costs realized in the second quarter of 2017. Customer service costs for Banking increased from $1.3 million in the second quarter of 2017 to $3.8 million in the second quarter of 2018 due primarily to increases in the earnings credit rates paid on the balances, which reflect the increases in short term market rates during the second quarter of 2018 when compared to the second quarter of 2017. The $4.1 million increase in other expenses for Banking in the second quarter of 2018 when compared to the second quarter of 2017 were due to $3.8 million of acquisition costs related to the PBB acquisition and increases in activity related costs such as FDIC insurance. The increase in noninterest expense for Wealth Management was due salary increases and increases in referral fees due to higher levels of AUM. Six Months Ended June 30, 2018 as Compared to Six Months Ended June 30, 2017 Our net income and income before taxes in the first six months of 2018 were $14.1 million and $19.4 million, respectively, as compared to $15.7 million and $23.4 million, respectively, in the first six months of 2017. The $4.0 million decrease in income before taxes was the result of a $4.0 million decrease in income before taxes for Banking, a $0.5 million increase in income before taxes for Wealth Management and a $0.5 million net increase in Corporate results. The decrease in Banking was due to a higher provision for loan losses, lower noninterest income and higher noninterest expenses which were partially offset by higher net interest income. The increase in Wealth Management was due to higher noninterest income which was partially offset by higher noninterest expenses. For Corporate, a $0.8 million increase in interest costs on the holding company line of credit were offset by a $0.3 million increase in Corporate noninterest income Our effective tax rate for the six months of 2018 was 27.1% as compared to 32.6% for the first six months of 2017. As a result of reduced federal tax rates, our statutory tax rate decreased from 41.6% in 2017 to 29.0% in 2018. In addition, during the first six months of 2018 and 2017, we realized a 287 and 985 basis point reduction in our effective tax rate, respectively, related to excess tax benefits resulting from the exercise or vesting of stock awards. Net interest income for Banking increased 32% from $54.2 million in the first six months of 2017, to $71.6 million in the first six months of 2018 due to a 33% increase in interest-earning assets. On a consolidated basis our net yield on interest earning assets was 2.89% for the first six months of 2018 as compared to 2.94% in the first six months of 2017. This decrease was due to a decrease in the net interest rate spread from 2.72% in the first six months of 2017 to 2.45% in the first six months of 2018, the effects of which were partially offset by less reliance on higher cost borrowings and an increase in the proportion of our funding coming from noninterest bearing deposits. The decrease in the net interest rate spread was due to an increase in the cost of interest-bearing liabilities from 0.77% in the first six months of 2017 to 1.32% in the first six months of 2018 which was partially offset by an increase in yield on total interest-earning assets from 3.49% in the first six months of 2017 to 3.77% in the first six months of 2018. The yield on interest-earning assets increased as new loans added to the portfolio bear interest rates higher than the current portfolio rates as a result of increases in market rates. The increase in the cost of interest-bearing liabilities was due to increased costs of interest-bearing deposits, resulting from increases in deposit market rates, and increased costs of borrowings as the average rate on FHLB advances increased from 0.82% in the first six months of 2017 to 1.73% in the first six months of 2018. The average balance outstanding under the holding company line of credit increased from $8.9 million in the first six months of 2017 to $38.1 million in the first six months of 2018, and the average rate increased by over 80 basis points, resulting in a $0.8 million increase in corporate interest expense. The provision for loan losses in the first six months of 2018 was $4.1 million as compared to $1.2 million in the first six months of 2017. The $4.1 million provision in the first six months of 2018 was due to growth in our loan balances and the $3.5 million of chargeoffs in the first six months of 2018. The $1.2 million provision in 2017 was primarily due to increases, excluding acquired loans, in loan balances. Noninterest income in Banking in the first six months of 2018 was $3.5 million as compared $6.7 million in the first six months of 2017. In the first six months of 2018, we recognized a $1.5 million balance sheet restructuring charge with no comparable amount in 2017, and in the first six months of 2017 we realized a $2.4 million gain on sale of loans as compared to $0.5 million in the first six months of 2018. Noninterest income for Wealth Management increased by $1.5 million in the first six months of 2018 when compared to the first six months of 2017 due to higher levels of AUM. Noninterest expense in Banking increased from $34.2 million in the first six months of 2017 to $49.4 million in the first six months of 2018, due increases in staffing and costs associated with the Bank's expansion, including the acquisition of C1B in November 2017 and PBB in June 2018, and the growth of its balances of loans and deposits. Compensation and benefits for Banking increased $4.8 million or 24% during the first six months of 2018 as compared to the first six months of 2017 due to salary increases and an increase in the number of FTE in Banking, which increased to 349.7 in the first six months of 2018 from 297.9 in the first six months of 2017 as a result of the increased staffing related to the acquisitions and additional personnel added to support the growth in loans and deposits. A $1.5 million increase in occupancy and depreciation for Banking in the first six months of 2018 as compared to the first six months of 2017 was due to costs related to the acquisitions and increases in our data processing costs due to increased volumes and the implementation of enhancements. The $0.5 million increase in professional services and marketing in Banking was due to a $1.8 million recovery of legal costs realized in the first six months of 2017 which were offset by lower legal costs, excluding the recovery, incurred in the first six months of 2018. Customer service costs for Banking increased $4.6 million in the first six months of 2018 as compared to the first six months of 2017 due primarily to increases in the earnings credit rates paid on the balances, which reflect the increases in short term market rates during the first six months of 2018 when compared to the first six months of 2017. The $3.8 million increase in other expenses for Banking in the first six months of 2018 when compared to the first six months of 2017 were due to $3.8 million of acquisition costs related to the PBB acquisition. The increase in noninterest expense for Wealth Management was due to salary increases, legal costs and increases in referral fees due to higher levels of AUM. Quarter Ended June 30, 2018 as Compared to Quarter Ended March 31, 2018 Our net income and income before taxes in the second quarter of 2018 were $5.1 million and $6.8 million, respectively, as compared to $9.0 million and $12.6 million, respectively, in the first quarter of 2018. Income before taxes for Banking decreased by $6.2 million, while income before taxes for Wealth Management increased by $0.3 million. The decrease in Banking was due to a higher provision for loan losses, lower noninterest income and higher noninterest expenses which were partially offset by higher net interest income. The increase in Wealth Management was due to lower noninterest expenses which was offset by lower noninterest income. Our effective tax rate for the second quarter of 2018 was 24.4% as compared to 28.6% for the first quarter of 2018 and as compared to our statutory tax rate of 29.0%. During the second quarter of 2018, we realized a 347 basis point reduction in our effective tax rate related to excess tax benefits resulting from the exercise or vesting of stock awards. Net interest income for Banking increased 6% from $34.8 million in the first quarter of 2018 to $36.8 million in the second quarter of 2018 due to a 11% increase in interest-earning assets. On a consolidated basis our net yield on interest earning assets was 2.83% for the second quarter of 2018 as compared to 2.96% in the first quarter of 2018. This decrease was due to a decrease in the net interest rate spread from 2.56% in the first quarter of 2018 to 2.36% in the second quarter of 2018, the effects of which were partially offset by a higher proportion of equity balances. The decrease in the net interest rate spread was due to an increase in the cost of interest-bearing liabilities, which increased from 1.20% in the first quarter of 2018 to 1.42% in the second quarter of 2018, which was partially offset by an increase in yield on total interest-earning assets, which increased from 3.76% in the first quarter of 2018 to 3.78% in the second quarter of 2018. The yield on interest-earning assets increased as new loans added to the portfolio bear interest rates higher than the current portfolio rates as a result of increases in market rates. The increase in the cost of interest-bearing liabilities was due to increased costs of interest-bearing deposits, resulting from increases in deposit market rates, and increased costs of borrowings as the average rate on FHLB advances increased from 1.75% in the first quarter of 2018 to 2.06% in the second quarter of 2018. The provision for loan losses in the second quarter of 2018 was $2.5 million as compared to $1.7 million in the first quarter of 2018. The provision for the second quarter of 2018 was primarily related to the $3.5 million of chargeoffs while the provision in the first quarter of 2018 was due to increases, excluding acquired loans, in loan balances. Noninterest income in Banking decreased from $2.6 million in the first quarter of 2018 to $1.0 million in the second quarter of 2018. In the second quarter of 2018, we recognized a $1.5 million balance sheet restructuring charge with no comparable amount in the first quarter of 2018. Noninterest income for Wealth Management decreased by $0.2 million in the second quarter of 2018 when compared to the first quarter of 2018 due to lower levels of AUM. Noninterest expense in Banking increased from $21.8 million in the first quarter of 2018 to $27.6 million in the second quarter of 2018. A $0.5 million increase in occupancy and depreciation for Banking in the second quarter of 2018 as compared to the first quarter of 2018 was due to costs related to the acquisition of PBB and increases in our data processing costs due to the implementation of enhancements. Customer service costs for Banking increased $1.0 million in the second quarter of 2018 as compared to the first quarter of 2018 due to increases balances and increases in the earnings credit rates paid on the balances, which reflect the increases in short term market rates. Other expenses for Banking were $4.6 million higher during the second quarter of 2018 as compared to the first quarter of 2018 primarily due to $3.6 million of one-time costs related to the acquisition of PBB incurred in the second quarter of 2018 and higher FDIC insurance costs. The decrease in noninterest expense for Wealth Management was due to a $0.2 million decrease in compensation and benefits and a $0.3 million decrease in professional services and marketing costs. The $0.2 million decrease in compensation and benefits for Wealth Management was due to seasonal increases in costs associated with employer taxes and employer contributions to retirement plans incurred in the first quarter of 2018. The $0.3 million decrease in professional services and marketing for Wealth Management was due to legal related costs incurred in the first quarter of 2018. Changes in Financial Position During the second quarter of 2018, as part of our balance sheet restructuring, we transferred $645 million of loans to loans held for sale with the intention of securitizing these loans, and, to mitigate against increases in interest rates on these loans, we entered into a swap agreement. Upon completion of this restructuring, we will have removed lower yielding loans from our loan portfolio, replaced cash holdings with higher yielding securities and reduced our multifamily loan concentrations. During the first six months of 2018, total assets increased by $1.4 billion million primarily due to increases in cash and cash equivalents and loans, including the balances related to the PBB acquisition. As a result of the PPB acquisition, we acquired $523 million in loans and $478 million in deposits. Cash and cash equivalents increased to $370 million at June 30, 2018 from $120 million at December 31, 2017 as we increased our on balance sheet liquidity to maintain compliance with regulatory guidelines. Loans and loans held for sale increased by $1.1 billion as a result of the acquisition of PBB and $971 million of originations which were partially offset by the sale of $52 million of multifamily loans and payoffs or scheduled payments of $323 million. Deposits increased by $1.2 billion as a result of the acquisition of PBB and as our specialty deposits, branch deposits and wholesale deposits increased by $218 million, $48 million and $445 million, respectively. Borrowings increased by $113 million due primarily to the additional borrowings utilized to support our loan growth. During the first quarter of 2018, the Company sold 0.6 million shares of its common stock through its at-the-market offering at an average price of $18.46 per share, generating net proceeds of $11.3 million. At June 30, 2018, the outstanding balance on the holding company line of credit was $40 million as compared to $50 million at December 31, 2017. Our credit quality remains strong as our ratio of non-performing assets to total assets is at 0.20% at June 30, 2018. We recorded $3.6 million of loan chargeoffs in the first six months of 2018 as compared to $0.2 million of recoveries in corresponding period in 2017. The ratio of the allowance for loan and lease losses to loans, excluding loans acquired in acquisitions, was 0.53% at June 30, 2018 and 0.54% at December 31, 2017. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180730005180/en/ |