Berkshire Hills Reports 17% Increase in Third Quarter Core EPS; Dividend Declared

PITTSFIELD, Mass., Oct. 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: BHLB) reported $0.54 in core earnings per share in the third quarter of 2015, which was a 17% increase year over year and a 6% increase over the prior quarter.  GAAP EPS totaled $0.49 in the most recent quarter including net non-core acquisition related charges.  For the year-to-date, core EPS increased by 17% to $1.55 and GAAP EPS increased by 33% to $1.20.   Berkshire completed the acquisition of Firestone Financial, a commercial equipment finance company, on August 7, 2015.

THIRD QUARTER FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (comparisons are to prior quarter unless otherwise stated):

• 6% increase in core earnings per share compared to prior quarter
• 14% annualized organic increase in loans
• 9% annualized organic increase in commercial loans
• 3% increase in deposits
• 3.37% net interest margin
• 60.4% efficiency ratio
• 0.86% core ROA (0.78% GAAP ROA)
• 0.31% non-performing assets/assets
• 0.26% net loan charge-offs/average loans

CEO Michael Daly stated, "We are producing strong quarterly core EPS growth, including margin expansion and core profitability improvement.   We continue to post solid organic loan growth while maintaining our financial and risk management disciplines.  Our team is delivering on the promise of our franchise, and this was reflected in our recent leadership promotions as we empower our leaders to further expand our market presence and bottom line results."

Mr. Daly continued, "Berkshire completed its acquisition and integration of Firestone Financial in the most recent quarter.  I am very pleased at the prospects for increased scale and cross sales in Firestone's lending markets.  The third quarter was also our first complete quarter with the integrated operations of our Springfield area team from Hampden Bancorp and we are seeing financial and market benefits there.  Our growing SBA lending volume has positioned us as a leading regional originator of SBA 7(a) loans to small businesses.   In the third quarter, we recruited a team leader for our auto lending operation which is expanding across our region.  I'm proud of the growth in banking solutions that we are providing to our markets."

Mr. Daly concluded, "Our shareholder base has grown as a result of recent acquisitions and we are advancing our per share core earnings and book value metrics this year even as we absorb the costs of business expansion.  Our business momentum is continuing into the fourth quarter, including recent hires in wealth management and private banking.  We have enhanced our America's Most Exciting Bank^® branding throughout our offices in support of our growing recognition as a preferred financial partner in our region."

DIVIDEND DECLARED

The Board of Directors voted to declare a cash dividend of $0.19 per share to shareholders of record at the close of business on November 12, 2015, payable on November 25, 2015.  This dividend equates to a 2.7% annualized yield based on the $28.28 average closing price of Berkshire's common stock during the third quarter. 

FINANCIAL CONDITION

Total assets increased in the most recent quarter by $286 million, or 4%, to $7.8 billion based on strong loan growth including the Firestone acquisition.  This growth was funded primarily by a $185 million increase in deposits, together with the utilization of excess cash and a $42 million benefit from the issuance of common stock for Firestone merger consideration. 

Total loans increased by $380 million, including $192 million in commercial loans acquired with Firestone.  Annualized organic loan growth was 14% based on contributions from commercial loans and residential mortgages.  Loan growth was supported by strong originations, including the benefit of higher mortgage applications in the prior quarter.  Quarterly results benefited from targeted reductions in lower margin balances.  The loans acquired with Firestone consist primarily of variable rate equipment term loans to a diversified portfolio of national commercial borrowers.  Firestone continues to operate as a subsidiary of Berkshire Bank.  As of period-end, commercial loans increased to 54% of total loans, reflecting Berkshire's focus on building profitable commercial relationships.

Asset quality metrics remained favorable during the quarter.  Annualized net loan charge-offs measured 0.26% of average loans and quarter-end non-performing assets measured 0.31% of total assets.  The loan loss allowance has increased by 7% in 2015 as a result of organic loan growth.  Pursuant to accounting principles, no loan loss allowance was recorded for the acquired Firestone loans. 

Total deposits increased by 3% in the most recent quarter.  Growth was concentrated in time deposits as the Company utilized promotions and brokered deposits to raise funds to replace more costly borrowed funds previously used by Firestone.  The ratio of loans/deposits stood at 103% at the end of the quarter.

Shareholders' equity increased by $54 million including the Firestone stock consideration consisting of 1.442 million shares issued for the acquisition and recorded at $29.20 per share based on the closing price of Berkshire's stock on August 6.  Goodwill and intangible assets increased by $16 million during the quarter due to the Firestone acquisition, and the ratio of tangible equity to assets increased to 7.3% from 7.0%.   Total equity similarly increased to 11.3% of assets from 11.0%.   Tangible book value per share increased to $17.61 from $17.16 during the quarter and total book value per share improved to $28.48 from $28.02. 

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Many categories of revenue and expense increased in the most recent quarter due to the added Firestone operations as of August 7.   The third quarter also was the first full quarter to benefit from the integrated operations of Hampden Bank.  The third quarter efficiency ratio improved to 60.4% as a result of revenue driven positive operating leverage.  Berkshire's core ROA and core ROE increased compared to the prior quarter and to the third quarter of 2014.  Third quarter core return on tangible equity measured 12.8%, while GAAP ROE measured 6.9%. 

Third quarter net interest income increased by $4.3 million, or 8%, compared to the prior quarter due to higher loan interest income including the benefit of organic growth.  Before accretion, the net interest margin increased to 3.22% from 3.16% in the prior quarter and the yield on commercial loans increased to 4.21% from 3.93%.  Purchased loan accretion increased to $2.7 million from $2.2 million, including unanticipated recoveries from impaired loans collected at quarter-end.  With accretion, the net interest margin improved to 3.37% from 3.30%. 

Fee income decreased quarter over quarter due to a decline from high second quarter volumes of mortgage banking and commercial loan swap activity spurred by a dip in long term interest rates in the first half of the year.  Total fee income related to deposits, insurance, and wealth management was up slightly from the prior quarter. 

The $4.2 million loan loss provision was unchanged in the third quarter compared to the prior quarter, and contributed to growth in the allowance after absorbing net charge-offs.  Core non-interest expense increased by $0.7 million due to the Firestone acquisition, and was down before these costs.  Total annualized core expense decreased to 2.44% of average assets from 2.52% in the prior quarter.  GAAP non-interest expense totaled $49.4 million in the third quarter compared to $54.0 million in the prior quarter due to the Hampden merger costs recorded in the prior quarter.  Full time equivalent staff totaled 1,169 positions at quarter-end including 51 positions added with Firestone. 

Berkshire's income tax rate on core income was 17% in the most recent quarter, which was unchanged from the prior quarter.  Berkshire income tax benefited by $4.0 million from tax-advantaged commercial development projects including both tax credits and tax deductions on the $2.9 million investment amortization included as a charge against non-interest income.   Berkshire's tax rate on GAAP income was 8% in the most recent quarter and reflected the tax benefit related to non-core Hampden merger related charges recorded earlier in the year.

CONFERENCE CALL

Berkshire will conduct a conference call/webcast at 10:00 a.m. eastern time on Tuesday, October 27, 2015 to discuss the results for the quarter and provide guidance about expected future results.

We encourage participants to pre-register for the conference call using the following link: http://dpregister.com/10073969.

Callers who pre-register will be given dial-in instructions and a unique PIN to gain immediate access to the call. Participants may pre-register at any time prior to the call, and will immediately receive simple instructions via email. The BHLB earnings call will also be automatically scheduled as an event in your Outlook calendar.

Additionally, you may reach the registration link and access the webcast by logging in through the investor section of our website at http://ir.berkshirebank.com.

For those parties who do not have internet access or are otherwise unable to pre-register for this event, you may still participate at the above time by dialing 1-888-317-6016. Please ask the Operator to join you to the Berkshire Hills Bancorp (BHLB) earnings call.  A telephone replay of the call will be available through Friday, November 27, 2015 by dialing 877-344-7529 and entering access number 10073969. The webcast will be available on Berkshire's website for an extended period of time.

BACKGROUND

Berkshire Hills Bancorp is the parent of Berkshire Bank – America's Most Exciting Bank^®. Berkshire has $7.8 billion in assets and 93 full-service branch offices in Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, and Vermont providing personal and business banking, insurance, and wealth management services.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This document contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. There are several factors that could cause actual results to differ significantly from expectations described in the forward-looking statements. For a discussion of such factors, please see Berkshire's most recent reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Berkshire does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

This document contains certain non-GAAP financial measures in addition to results presented in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP").  These non-GAAP measures provide supplemental perspectives on operating results, performance trends, and financial condition.  They are not a substitute for GAAP measures; they should be read and used in conjunction with the Company's GAAP financial information.  A reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP measures is included in the accompanying financial tables.  In all cases, it should be understood that non-GAAP per share measures do not depict amounts that accrue directly to the benefit of shareholders.  The Company utilizes the non-GAAP measure of core earnings in evaluating operating trends, including components for core revenue and expense.  These measures exclude amounts which the Company views as unrelated to its normalized operations, including securities gains/losses, losses recorded for hedge terminations, merger costs, restructuring costs, systems conversion costs, and out-of-period adjustments.  Non-core adjustments are presented net of an adjustment for income tax expense.  This adjustment is determined as the difference between the GAAP tax rate and the effective tax rate applicable to core income.  The efficiency ratio is adjusted for non-core revenue and expense items and for tax preference items.  The Company also calculates measures related to tangible equity, which adjust equity (and assets where applicable) to exclude intangible assets due to the importance of these measures to the investment community.  Charges related to merger and acquisition activity consist primarily of severance/benefit related expenses, contract termination costs, and professional fees.  Systems conversion costs relate primarily to the Company's core systems conversion and related systems conversions costs.   Restructuring costs primarily consist of costs and losses associated with the disposition of assets.   In 2015, the Company's disclosures of organic growth of loans and deposits exclude balances acquired through the business combinations with Hampden Bancorp and Firestone Financial. 

CONTACTS

Investor Relations Contact
Allison O'Rourke; Executive Vice President, Investor Relations Officer; 413-236-3149

Media Contact
Elizabeth Mach; Vice President, Marketing Officer; 413-445-8390