HINGHAM, Mass., April 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HINGHAM INSTITUTION FOR SAVINGS (NASDAQ:HIFS), Hingham, Massachusetts announced results for the quarter ended March 31, 2024. Earnings Net income for the quarter ended March 31, 2024 was $6,868,000 or $3.17 per share basic and $3.13 per share diluted, as compared to $8,510,000 or $3.96 per share basic and $3.87 per share diluted for the same period last year. The Bank's annualized return on average equity for the first quarter of 2024 was 6.63%, and the annualized return on average assets was 0.63%, as compared to 8.67% and 0.82% for the same period last year. Net income per share (diluted) for the first quarter of 2024 decreased by 19% compared to the same period in 2023. Core net income for the quarter ended March 31, 2024, which represents net income excluding the after-tax gains on equity securities, both realized and unrealized, was $2,213,000 or $1.02 per share basic and $1.01 per share diluted, as compared to $5,744,000 or $2.67 per share basic and $2.61 per share diluted for the same period last year. The Bank's annualized core return on average equity for the first quarter of 2024 was 2.14% and the annualized core return on average assets was 0.20%, as compared to 5.85% and 0.56% for the same period last year. Core net income per share (diluted) for the first quarter of 2024 decreased by 61% over the same period in 2023. See Page 9 for a Non-GAAP reconciliation between Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP") net income and core net income. In calculating core net income, the Bank did not make any adjustments other than those relating to after-tax gains on equity securities, realized and unrealized. In the first quarter of 2024, both net income and core net income were positively impacted by lower income tax expense driven by excess tax benefit associated with the exercise of stock options and the revision of income tax estimates. Balance Sheet Total assets increased to $4.529 billion at March 31, 2024, representing 4% annualized growth year-to-date and 8% growth from March 31, 2023. Net loans increased to $3.938 billion at March 31, 2024, representing 2% annualized growth year-to-date and 7% growth from March 31, 2023. Origination activity was concentrated in the Boston and Washington D.C. markets and remained focused on stabilized multifamily commercial real estate and multifamily construction. The Bank continues to evaluate new opportunities in the San Francisco market, where interest in acquisitions and refinancing activity from the Bank's customers began to pick up in early 2024. As noted below, asset quality remained strong. Retail and business deposits were $1.893 billion at March 31, 2024, representing 7% annualized growth year-to-date and a 5% decline from March 31, 2023. Non-interest-bearing deposits, included in retail and business deposits, were $347.4 million at March 31, 2024, representing 10% annualized growth year-to-date and an 8% decline from March 31, 2023. Growth in non-interest bearing and money market balances reflected the Bank's focus on developing and deepening deposit relationships with new and existing commercial and non-profit customers. Investments in new relationship managers in late 2023, combined with changes to our marketing approach, began to show some initial results. The Bank also added a new relationship manager in its Specialized Deposit Group in San Francisco during the quarter, as well as a specialist that supports the delivery of cash management services to our commercial customers. The Bank continues to recruit actively for talented retail and commercial bankers in Boston, Washington, and San Francisco, particularly as respected competitors have exited these markets or merged with larger regional banks. The stability of the Bank's balance sheet, as well as full and unlimited deposit insurance through the Bank's participation in the Massachusetts Depositors Insurance Fund, continues to be appealing to customers in times of uncertainty. Wholesale funds, which includes Federal Home Loan Bank borrowings, brokered deposits, and listing service deposits were $2.185 billion at March 31, 2024, representing 1% annualized growth year-to-date and 22% growth from March 31, 2023, as the Bank continued to manage its wholesale funding mix to optimize the cost of funds while adding duration where appropriate. Wholesale deposits, which include brokered and listing service time deposits, were $500.4 million at March 31, 2024, representing 10% annualized growth year-to-date and a 6% decline from March 31, 2023. Borrowings from the Federal Home Loan Bank totaled $1.685 billion at March 31, 2024, representing a 2% annualized decline from December 31, 2023, and 33% growth from March 31, 2023. As of March 31, 2024, the Bank maintained an additional $677.8 million in immediately available borrowing capacity at the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston and the Federal Reserve Bank, in addition to $373.2 million in cash and cash equivalents. Book value per share was $190.07 as of March 31, 2024, representing a 3% annualized growth year-to-date and 4% growth from March 31, 2023. In addition to the increase in book value per share, the Bank declared $2.52 in dividends per share since March 31, 2023. On March 27, 2024, the Bank declared a regular cash dividend of $0.63 per share. This dividend will be paid on May 15, 2024 to stockholders of record as of May 6, 2024. This was the Bank's 121st consecutive quarterly dividend. The Bank has also generally declared special cash dividends in each of the last twenty-nine years, typically in the fourth quarter, but did not declare a special dividend in 2023. The Bank sets the level of the special dividend based on the Bank's capital requirements and the prospective return on other capital allocation options, particularly the incremental return on capital from new loan originations. This may result in special dividends, if any, significantly above or below the regular quarterly dividend. Future regular and special dividends will be considered by the Board of Directors on a quarterly basis. Operational Performance Metrics The net interest margin for the quarter ended March 31, 2024 decreased 4 basis points to 0.85%, as compared to 0.89% in the quarter ended December 31, 2023. It was stable on a monthly basis throughout the quarter. This was primarily the result of an increase in the cost of interest-bearing liabilities, driven primarily by an increase in the cost of the Bank's wholesale funding sources and higher rates on the Bank's retail and commercial deposits, partially offset by an increase in the yield on loans from the prior quarter. The increase in the yield on loans was driven by both new loan originations at higher rates and the repricing of existing adjustable rate loans. The pace of net interest margin compression slowed substantially as compared to prior quarters. The net interest margin appears to be stabilizing at this point, as short-term market rates have remained stable, the pace of increase in the Bank's deposit costs has slowed or reversed in some products, and asset yields continue to climb slowly and sustainably. The net interest margin for the quarter ended March 31, 2024 decreased 61 basis points to 0.85%, as compared to 1.46% for the same period last year. The Bank experienced a substantial increase in the cost of interest-bearing liabilities when compared to the prior year. This was driven primarily by the repricing of the Bank's funding sources. During this period, the increase in the cost of funds was partially offset by a higher yield on interest-earning assets, driven primarily by an increase in the interest on reserves held at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, a higher Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston stock dividend and an increase in the yield on loans. Key credit and operational metrics remained strong in the first quarter. At March 31, 2024, non-performing assets totaled 0.04% of total assets, compared to 0.03% at December 31, 2023 and 0.01% at March 31, 2023. Non-performing loans as a percentage of the total loan portfolio totaled 0.04% at March 31, 2024, compared to 0.04% at December 31, 2023 and 0.01% at March 31, 2023. The Bank did not record any charge-offs in the first three months of 2024 or 2023. All non-performing assets and loans cited above were and are residential, owner-occupant loans. The Bank did not have any delinquent or non-performing commercial real estate loans as of March 31, 2024, December 31, 2023, or March 31, 2023. The Bank did not own any foreclosed property at March 31, 2024, December 31, 2023 or March 31, 2023. The efficiency ratio, as defined on page 5 below, increased to 77.24% for the first quarter of 2024, as compared to 45.96% for the same period last year. Operating expenses as a percentage of average assets fell to 0.67% for the first quarter of 2024, as compared to 0.68% for the same period last year. As the efficiency ratio can be significantly influenced by the level of net interest income, the Bank utilizes these paired figures together to assess its operational efficiency over time. During periods of significant net interest income volatility, the efficiency ratio in isolation may over or understate the underlying operational efficiency of the Bank. The Bank remains focused on reducing waste through an ongoing process of continuous improvement and standard work that supports operational leverage. Chairman Robert H. Gaughen Jr. stated, "Returns on equity and assets in the first quarter of 2024 were significantly lower than our long-term performance, reflecting the challenge from the increase in short-term interest rates over the last twenty-four months and a historically long and deep inversion of the yield curve. These conditions have posed a significant - albeit temporary - challenge to our business model. Our core business has been particularly challenged during this period and our investment operations have been critical to sustaining growth in book value per share in this environment. We are cautiously optimistic that this challenge will fade over this year. To the extent we can capitalize on the inverted yield curve and reduce liability sensitivity slightly via our wholesale funding activities, we will do so. This normalization of the yield curve will eventually allow us to achieve more satisfactory returns as we obtain higher rates on new and adjusting loans and incremental funding pressure abates. While the current market environment has been extraordinarily challenging, the Bank's business model has been built over time to compound shareholder capital over an economic cycle. During all such periods, we remain focused on careful capital allocation, defensive underwriting and disciplined cost control - the building blocks for compounding shareholder capital through all stages of the economic cycle. These remain constant, regardless of the macroeconomic environment in which we operate. I believe that over the past twenty-four months we have retained this focus." The Bank's quarterly financial results are summarized in this earnings release, but shareholders are encouraged to read the Bank's quarterly report on Form 10-Q, which is generally available several weeks after the earnings release. The Bank expects to file Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2024 with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) on or about May 8, 2024. Incorporated in 1834, Hingham Institution for Savings is one of America's oldest banks. The Bank maintains offices in Boston, Nantucket, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco. The Bank's shares of common stock are listed and traded on The NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol HIFS. Annual Meeting The Bank will hold its Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the "Meeting") at 2:00PM EST on Thursday, April 25, 2024 at the Old Derby Academy, located at 34 Main Street, Hingham, Massachusetts. Stockholders may also observe the Meeting by streaming video. Immediately following the business meeting, the Bank will hold an informal meeting to discuss the results of the prior year and the operations of the Bank, as well as a question and answers session. We strongly encourage all shareholders to vote by proxy. Electronic voting will not be available. Registration for the meeting is available on the Bank's website (click here). In addition to participating in the meeting itself, we also encourage shareholders to submit questions in writing in advance using the form on the Bank's website. HINGHAM INSTITUTION FOR SAVINGS Selected Financial Ratios     Three Months Ended March 31,   2023   2024 (Unaudited)                               Key Performance Ratios               Return on average assets (1)   0.82 %     0.63 % Return on average equity (1)   8.67       6.63   Core return on average assets (1) (5)   0.56       0.20   Core return on average equity (1) (5)   5.85       2.14   Interest rate spread (1) (2)   0.92       0.13   Net interest margin (1) (3)   1.46       0.85   Operating expenses to average assets (1)   0.68       0.67   Efficiency ratio (4)   45.96       77.24   Average equity to average assets   9.51       9.54   Average interest-earning assets to average interest bearing liabilities   121.68       119.91                     March 31, 2023   December 31,2023   March 31, 2024 (Unaudited)                                               Asset Quality Ratios                       Allowance for credit losses/total loans   0.69 %     0.68 %     0.67 % Allowance for credit losses/non-performing loans   5,169.01       1,804.47       1,530.95                           Non-performing loans/total loans   0.01       0.04       0.04   Non-performing loans/total assets   0.01       0.03       0.04   Non-performing assets/total assets   0.01       0.03       0.04                           Share Related                       Book value per share $ 182.89     $ 188.50     $ 190.07   Market value per share $ 233.44     $ 194.40     $ 174.46   Shares outstanding at end of period   2,147,400       2,162,400       2,180,250                           (1) Annualized. (2) Interest rate spread represents the difference between the yield on interest-earning assets and the cost of interest-bearing liabilities. (3) Net interest margin represents net interest income divided by average interest-earning assets. (4) The efficiency ratio is a non-GAAP measure that represents total operating expenses, divided by the sum of net interest income and total other income, excluding gain on equity securities, net. (5) Non-GAAP measurements that represent return on average assets and return on average equity, excluding the after-tax gain on equity securities, net. HINGHAM INSTITUTION FOR SAVINGS Consolidated Balance Sheets (In thousands, except share amounts) March 31, 2023   December 31, 2023   March 31, 2024 (Unaudited)                       ASSETS                           Cash and due from banks $ 5,727     $ 5,654     $ 6,200   Federal Reserve and other short-term investments   346,713       356,823       367,046   Cash and cash equivalents   352,440       362,477       373,246                           CRA investment   8,361       8,853       8,759   Other marketable equity securities   59,115       70,949       78,497   Securities, at fair value   67,476       79,802       87,256   Securities held to maturity, at amortized cost   3,500       3,500       5,500   Federal Home Loan Bank stock, at cost   52,316       69,574       69,484   Loans, net of allowance for credit losses of $25,690 at March 31, 2023, $26,652 at December 31, 2023 and $26,760 at March 31, 2024   3,672,258       3,914,244       3,938,252   Bank-owned life insurance   13,395       13,642       13,723   Premises and equipment, net   18,056       17,008       16,844   Accrued interest receivable   7,161       8,554       8,783   Deferred income tax asset, net   3,432       974       —   Other assets   15,901       14,172       16,263   Total assets $ 4,205,935