SAN RAFAEL, CA: Westamerica Bancorporation (Nasdaq: WABC), parent company of Westamerica Bank, generated net income for the second quarter 2022 of $25.3 million and diluted earnings per common share (“EPS”) of $0.94. Second quarter 2022 results compare to net income of $22.6 million and EPS of $0.84 for the first quarter 2022.
“Westamerica’s second quarter 2022 results benefited from the Company’s variable-rate bonds, cash and loans, a valuable deposit base with ninety-eight percent of deposits represented by checking and savings deposits, and well controlled operating expenses. Credit quality remained solid with nonperforming loans of $861 thousand at June 30, 2022,” said Chairman, President and CEO David Payne. “Second quarter 2022 results generated an annualized 12.9% return on average common equity. Shareholders were paid a $0.42 per common share dividend during the second quarter 2022,” concluded Payne.
Net interest income on a fully-taxable equivalent (FTE) basis was $48.0 million for the second quarter 2022, compared to $43.8 million for the first quarter 2022. Interest income on Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans was $645 thousand for the second quarter 2022, compared to $849 thousand first quarter 2022.
Variable rate assets at June 30, 2022 included $1.6 billion in collateralized loan obligations for which interest rates reset quarterly, and $640 million in interest-bearing cash balances for which the interest rate changes concurrently with Federal Open Market Committee adjustments to the federal funds rate.
At June 30, 2022, nonperforming loans totaled $861 thousand and the allowance for credit losses on loans was $22.3 million.
Noninterest income for the second quarter 2022 totaled $11.3 million, compared to noninterest income for the first quarter 2022 of $11.6 million. Noninterest income for the first quarter 2022 included a $1.2 million reconciling payment from a payments network. Merchant card processing fees increased $751 thousand from the first quarter 2022 to the second quarter 2022.
Noninterest expenses for the second quarter 2022 were $24.6 million compared to $24.9 million for the first quarter 2022; the decline in noninterest expenses was primarily due to lower personnel salaries and benefits.
The fully-tax equivalent (FTE) tax rate for the second quarter 2022 was 27.0%, compared to 25.9% for the first quarter 2022; the higher second quarter tax rate is attributable to the increase in income before taxes without a proportional increase in tax preference items such as tax-exempt interest and tax credits.
Westamerica Bancorporation’s wholly owned subsidiary Westamerica Bank, operates commercial banking and trust offices throughout Northern and Central California.
Quarterly Financial Highlights (PDF)
FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION:
The following appears in accordance with the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:
This press release may contain forward-looking statements about the Company, including descriptions of plans or objectives of its management for future operations, products or services, and forecasts of its revenues, earnings or other measures of economic performance. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They often include the words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “estimate,” or words of similar meaning, or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” or “may.”
Forward-looking statements, by their nature, are subject to risks and uncertainties. A number of factors — many of which are beyond the Company’s control — could cause actual conditions, events or results to differ significantly from those described in the forward-looking statements. The Company’s most recent reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the annual report for the year ended December 31, 2020 filed on Form 10-K and quarterly report for the quarter ended September 30, 2020 filed on Form 10-Q, describe some of these factors, including certain credit, interest rate, operational, liquidity and market risks associated with the Company’s business and operations. Other factors described in these reports include changes in business and economic conditions, competition, fiscal and monetary policies, disintermediation, cyber security risks, legislation including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2011, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999, and mergers and acquisitions.
Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date forward-looking statements are made.
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For additional information contact:
Westamerica Bancorporation
Robert A. Thorson, Senior Vice President and Treasurer, (707) 863-6840
E-mail: [email protected]