Peapack-Gladstone Financial Corporation Reports Fourth Quarter Results

(A) Other income for the December 2023 quarter included a positive fair value adjustment on a CRA equity security of $585,000.  Other income for the September 2023 quarter included fee income from equipment finance activity of $2.3 million and a negative fair value adjustment on a CRA equity security of $404,000. 

SUPPLEMENTAL QUARTERLY DETAILS:

Wealth Management

AUM/AUA in the Bank’s Wealth Management Division were $10.9 billion at December 31, 2023.  For the December 2023 quarter, the Wealth Management Team generated $13.8 million in fee income, compared to $14.0 million for the September 30, 2023 quarter and $13.0 million for the December 2022 quarter. The equity market increased during Q4 2023, contributing to the increase in AUM/AUA from $10.4 billion at September 30, 2023.

John Babcock, President of the Bank's Wealth Management Division, noted, “2023 included total new accounts and client additions of $948 million ($703 million managed). As we prepare for 2024, our new business pipeline is healthy and we remain focused on delivering excellent service and advice to our clients. Our highly skilled wealth management professionals, our fiduciary powers and expertise, our financial planning capabilities and our high-touch client service model distinguishes us in our market and continues to drive our growth and success.” 

Loans / Commercial Banking

Total loans grew $135.2 million, or 3% to $5.4 billion at December 31, 2023 when compared to $5.3 billion at December 31, 2022.

Total C&I loans and leases at December 31, 2023 were $2.3 billion or 42% of the total loan portfolio.

Mr. Kennedy noted, “As previously mentioned, we have tightened our underwriting guidelines due to economic uncertainty. As a result, we achieved modest loan growth in 2023 compared to prior years. We are proud to have built a leading middle market commercial banking franchise, as evidenced by our C&I Portfolio, Treasury Management services, Corporate Advisory and SBA businesses. We believe these business lines fit perfectly with our private banking business model.”

Net Interest Income (NII)/Net Interest Margin (NIM)

The Company’s NII of $36.7 million and NIM of 2.29% for Q4 2023 increased $160,000 and 1 basis point from NII of $36.5 million and NIM of 2.28% for the linked quarter (Q3 2023), respectively, and decreased $11.4 million and 83 basis points from NII of $48.0 million and NIM of 3.12% for the prior year (Q4 2022), respectively.  When comparing Q4 2023 to the prior year quarter, the Company has seen a sharp increase in interest expense mostly driven by higher deposit rates during 2023. Cycle to date betas are approximately 48%.  Clients continue to migrate out of noninterest bearing checking products and into higher costing alternatives, which leads to intense competition for deposit balances from other banks and alternative investment opportunities due to the significant rise in interest rates.

Funding / Liquidity / Interest Rate Risk Management

Total deposits increased $69.0 million to $5.3 billion at December 31, 2023 from $5.2 billion at December 31, 2022.  The Company saw limited deposit increases in 2023 as the ongoing acquisition of new relationships driven by our private banking strategy was offset by larger deposit relationships using funds for purposes such as deployment of excess liquidity into higher-yielding treasuries or the equity market, tax payments, or asset acquisitions or investments.  The Company has also seen clients transition money from noninterest bearing deposit accounts to higher yielding deposit accounts as a result of increases in the Fed Funds rate.

At December 31, 2023, the Company’s balance sheet liquidity (investments available for sale, interest-earning deposits and cash) totaled $782.4 million, or 12% of assets.

The Company maintains additional liquidity resources of approximately $2.7 billion through secured available funding with the Federal Home Loan Bank and the Federal Reserve Discount Window.  The available funding from the Federal Home Loan Bank and the Federal Reserve are secured by the Company’s loan and investment portfolios. In addition, the Company also has access to the Bank Term Funding Program offered by the Federal Reserve Bank if needed.

The Company's total on and off-balance sheet liquidity totaled $3.5 billion, which is 297% of the total uninsured/uncollateralized deposits on the Company's balance sheet.

Income from Capital Markets Activities

Noninterest income from Capital Markets activities (detailed below) totaled $296,000 for the December 2023 quarter compared to $613,000 for the September 2023 quarter and $950,000 for the December 2022 quarter. The gain on sale of SBA loans was lower in Q4 2023 due to less activity in the higher interest rate environment and tighter margins.

Other Noninterest Income (other than Wealth Management Fee Income and Income from Capital Markets Activities)

Other noninterest income was $3.5 million for Q4 2023 compared to $4.8 million for Q3 2023 and $2.9 million for Q4 2022. Q4 2023 included $309,000 of income recorded by the Equipment Finance Division related to equipment transfers to lessees upon the termination of leases while Q3 2023 included $2.3 million and Q4 2022 included $294,000 respectively. Additionally, Q4 2023 included $750,000 of unused line fees compared to $794,000 for Q3 2023 and $732,000 for Q4 2022.

Operating Expenses

The Company’s total operating expenses were $37.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2023, compared to $37.4 million for the September 2023 quarter and $33.4 million for the December 2022 quarter. The December 2023 and September 2023 quarters included expenses associated with the expansion of the Company into New York City.

Mr. Kennedy noted, “While we have made a strategic decision to expand into a new market which results in additional costs, we are pleased with our ability to manage expenses across the Company. We will continue to look for opportunities to create efficiencies while investing in digital and other software tools to further enhance the client experience.”

Income Taxes

The effective tax rate for the three months ended December 31, 2023 was 26.0%, as compared to 30.5% for the September 2023 quarter and 30.3% for the quarter ended December 31, 2022.  The higher tax rate for the September 2023 quarter was primarily due to the impact of certain non-deductible expenses related to compensation and benefits and the higher tax rate for the December 2022 quarter included income tax expense related to legislation that changed the nexus standard for New York City business tax.

Asset Quality / Provision for Credit Losses

Nonperforming assets (which does not include modified loans that are performing in accordance with their terms) were $61.3 million, or 0.95% of total assets at December 31, 2023, as compared to $70.8 million, or 1.09% of total assets at September 30, 2023. The third quarter was impacted by two freight related clients totaling $33.4 million that were transferred to nonaccrual status during the third quarter. One credit, totaling $9.9 million, was successfully liquidated during the fourth quarter and management is working diligently to resolve the remaining matter as quickly and efficiently as possible. Loans past due 30 to 89 days and still accruing were $34.6 million, or 0.64% of total loans at December 31, 2023 compared to $9.8 million, or 0.18% of total loans at September 30, 2023. The Q4 2023 loans past due 30 to 89 days and still accruing included $16.5 million to US governmental entities and $11.8 million to one multifamily sponsor.

Criticized and classified loans totaled $155.8 million at December 31, 2023, reflecting an increase from September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 levels. The Company currently has no loans or leases on deferral and accruing.  

For the quarter ended December 31, 2023, the Company’s provision for credit losses was $5.1 million compared to $5.9 million for the September 2023 quarter and $2.1 million for the December 2022 quarter. The elevated level of provision for credit losses in both the December and September 2023 quarters was primarily driven by specific provisions related to the two freight credits that were transferred to nonaccrual status during the third quarter of 2023 as described above.  Net charge-offs for the quarter ended December 31, 2023 included charge-offs of $2.2 million of a previously established reserve to loans individually evaluated on one multifamily loan and $5.6 million on one equipment finance relationship. 

At December 31, 2023, the allowance for credit losses was $65.9 million (1.21% of total loans), compared to $68.6 million (1.25% of loans) at September 30, 2023, and $60.8 million (1.15% of loans) at December 31, 2022.

Capital

The Company’s capital position benefited by net income of $8.6 million during the December 2023 quarter, which was partially offset by the repurchase of 88,327 shares through the Company's stock repurchase program at a total cost of $2.1 million and the quarterly dividend of $891,000. Additionally, during the fourth quarter of 2023, the Company recorded a net gain in accumulated other comprehensive loss of $16.8 million, net of tax. This amount was driven by a $21.2 million increase in the value of the available for sale securities portfolio partially offset by a $4.4 million loss on cash flow hedges. The total accumulated other comprehensive loss declined to $64.9 million as of December 31, 2023, ($69.8 million loss related to the available for sale securities portfolio partially offset by a $4.9 million gain on the cash flow hedges)

Tangible book value per share increased during Q4 2023 to $30.31 at December 31, 2023 from $28.77 at September 30, 2023. Tangible book value per share is a non-GAAP financial measure.  See the reconciliation tables included in this release. The Company’s and Bank’s regulatory capital ratios as of December 31, 2023 remain strong, and generally reflect increases from December 31, 2022 levels. Where applicable, such ratios remain well above regulatory well capitalized standards.

The Company employs quarterly capital stress testing modeling of an adverse case and severely adverse case. In the most recently completed stress test (as of September 30, 2023), under the severely adverse case, and no growth scenario, the Bank remains well capitalized over a two-year stress period.

On December 19, 2023, the Company declared a cash dividend of $0.05 per share payable on February 23, 2024 to shareholders of record on February 8, 2024.

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Peapack-Gladstone Financial Corporation is a New Jersey bank holding company with total assets of $6.5 billion and assets under management/administration of $10.9 billion as of December 31, 2023.  Founded in 1921, Peapack-Gladstone Bank is a commercial bank that provides Private Banking customized solutions through its wealth management, commercial and retail solutions, including residential lending and online platforms, to businesses and consumers.  Peapack Private, the bank’s wealth management division, offers comprehensive financial, tax, fiduciary and investment advice and solutions to individuals, families, privately-held businesses, family offices and not-for-profit organizations, which help them to establish, maintain and expand their legacy.  Together, Peapack-Gladstone Bank and Peapack Private offer an unparalleled commitment to client service.  Visit www.pgbank.com and www.peapackprivate.com for more information.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

The foregoing may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Such statements are not historical facts and include expressions about management’s confidence and strategies and management’s expectations about new and existing programs and products, investments, relationships, opportunities and market conditions.  These statements may be identified by such forward-looking terminology as “expect,” “look,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “may” or similar statements or variations of such terms.  Actual results may differ materially from such forward-looking statements.  Factors that may cause results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to:

·       our ability to successfully grow our business and implement our strategic plan, including our ability to generate revenues to offset the increased personnel and other costs related to the strategic plan;

·       the impact of anticipated higher operating expenses in 2024 and beyond;

·       our ability to successfully integrate wealth management firm acquisitions;

·       our ability to successfully integrate our expanded employee base;

·       an unexpected decline in the economy, in particular in our New Jersey and New York market areas, including potential recessionary conditions;

·       declines in our net interest margin caused by the interest rate environment and/or our highly competitive market;

·       declines in the value in our investment portfolio;

·       impact from a pandemic event on our business, operations, customers, allowance for credit losses and capital levels;

·       the continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business and results of operation;

·       higher than expected increases in our allowance for credit losses;

·       higher than expected increases in credit losses or in the level of delinquent, nonperforming, classified and criticized loans;

·       inflation and changes in interest rates, which may adversely impact our margins and yields, reduce the fair value of our financial instruments, reduce our loan originations and lead to higher operating costs;

·       decline in real estate values within our market areas;

·       legislative and regulatory actions (including the impact of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, Basel III and related regulations) that may result in increased compliance costs;

·       a potential government shutdown;

·       successful cyberattacks against our IT infrastructure and that of our IT and third-party providers;

·       higher than expected FDIC insurance premiums;

·       adverse weather conditions;

·       the current or anticipated impact of military conflict, terrorism or other geopolitical events;

·       our inability to successfully generate new business in new geographic markets, including our expansion into New York City;

·       a reduction in our lower-cost funding sources;

·       changes in liquidity, including the size and composition of our deposit portfolio, including the percentage of uninsured deposits in the portfolio;

·       our inability to adapt to technological changes;

·       claims and litigation pertaining to fiduciary responsibility, environmental laws and other matters;

·       our inability to retain key employees;

·       demands for loans and deposits in our market areas;

·       adverse changes in securities markets;

·       changes in governmental regulation, including, but not limited to, any increase in FDIC insurance premiums and changes in the monetary policies of the U.S. Treasury and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System;

·       changes in accounting policies and practices; and/or

·       other unexpected material adverse changes in our operations or earnings.

A discussion of these and other factors that could affect our results is included in our SEC filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022.  We undertake no duty to update any forward-looking statement to conform the statement to actual results or changes in the Company’s expectations.

Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements.

Contact:

Frank A. Cavallaro, SEVP and CFO

Peapack-Gladstone Financial Corporation

T: 908-306-8933

 (Tables to follow)

PEAPACK-GLADSTONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA
(Dollars in Thousands, except per share data)
 (Unaudited)