Flushing Financial Corporation Reports 1Q24 GAAP and Core EPS of $0.12 and $0.14, Respectively; Excellent Quality Driven by Low Risk Credit Profile

"We take pride in what we believe is our low risk credit profile that has performed well over our 95-year history. While there have been increased concerns about commercial real estate loans, especially New York City office and rent regulated multifamily exposure, hallmarks of our risk averse credit culture are demonstrated by only $4,000 of net charge-offs, 24 bps of 30-89 day delinquencies to gross loans, and decreased criticized and classified loans of 23% and flat NPAs during 1Q24. The drivers of this excellent credit performance are centered in our conservative underwriting with 89% of the portfolio secured by real estate, average LTV ratios of less than 36%, multifamily and investor commercial real estate weighted average DCRs of 1.8x, and strong sponsor support. Our exposure to New York City office buildings is very low - approximately 0.5% of total loans, all of which are performing. Our multifamily portfolio has only 18 bps of NPLs, 41 bps of 30-89 day delinquencies, and 54 bps of criticized and classified loans. Additionally, over 99% of our real estate loans that repriced in 1Q24 are current. Our conservative lending profile has served us well. We believe the foundation for our long-term success is pillared by our four areas of focus, which include 1) increasing NIM and reducing volatility; 2) maintaining credit discipline; 3) preserving strong liquidity and capital; and 4) bending the expense curve. While there is more work to do, we continue to make progress and are committed to achieving these goals."

- John R. Buran, President and CEO

UNIONDALE, NY / ACCESSWIRE / April 23, 2024 / Growth in Average Deposits; GAAP and Core NIM Compress. The Company reported first quarter 2024 GAAP and Core EPS of $0.12 and $0.14, respectively, compared to $0.13, and $0.06, respectively, a year ago. 1Q24 GAAP and Core NIM were both 2.06%, down 21 bps and 19 bps YoY, and 23 bps and 25 bps QoQ, respectively. Absent episodic items1, the NIM was 2.01% in 1Q24 compared to 2.21% a year ago and 2.14% in the prior quarter. The expected NIM compression was driven by CD repricing, the absence of loan originations that met both our underwriting and pricing criteria, and increased cash from deposit growth. Average total deposits increased 4.0% YoY and 2.9% QoQ,

Credit Quality Improves; Capital Remains Solid. Criticized and classified loans to loans declined to 0.87% in 1Q24, compared to 1.11% in 4Q23, while nonperforming assets to total assets decreased to 53 bps compared to 54 bps in 4Q23. Net charge-offs were only $4,000 in 1Q24. Capital continues to be sound with TCE/TA2 of 7.40% at 1Q24 compared to 7.64% at 4Q23.

Key Financial Metrics3

Note: In certain circumstances, reclassifications have been made to prior periods to conform to the current presentation.

1 Episodic items include prepayment penalty income, customer swap termination fees, net reversals and recovered interest from nonaccrual loans, net gain/loss from fair value on qualifying hedges, and purchase accounting adjustments 2 Tangible Common Equity ("TCE")/Total Assets ("TA") 3 See "Reconciliation of GAAP Earnings and Core Earnings", "Reconciliation of GAAP Revenue and Pre-Provision Pre-Tax Net Revenue", and "Reconciliation of GAAP Net Interest Margin to Core Net Interest Income and Net Interest Margin." 4 Net Interest Margin ("NIM") Fully Taxable Equivalent ("FTE").

1Q24 Highlights

• Net interest margin FTE decreased 21 bps YoY and 23 bps QoQ to 2.06%; Core net interest margin FTE decreased 19 bps YoY and 25 bps QoQ to 2.06%; absent prepayment penalty income, customer swap termination fees, net reversals and recoveries of interest from nonaccrual loans, net gains and losses from fair value adjustments on qualifying hedges, and purchase accounting accretion the NIM was 2.01% in 1Q24 compared to 2.21% in 1Q23 and 2.14% in 4Q23.
• Average total deposits increased 4.0% YoY and 2.9% QoQ to $7.1 billion; Average noninterest bearing deposits were 11.8% of total average deposits compared to 13.2% in 1Q23 and 12.7% in 4Q23. Average CDs were $2.4 billion, up 43.3% YoY and 2.8% QoQ; During March and April, new CD rates were lowered across most products.
• Period end net loans decreased 1.2% YoY and QoQ to $6.8 billion; Loan closings were $130.0 million down 25.1% YoY and 46.8% QoQ; The yields on closings increased 19 bps YoY, but decreased 49 bps QoQ to 7.20%; Back-to-back swap loan originations were $15.3 million compared to $121.6 million in 4Q23 and generated $0.2 million and $1.5 million of noninterest income, respectively; Loan pipeline decreased 34.6% YoY, but increased 6.7% QoQ to $173.9 million; Approximately 22% of the loan pipeline consists of back-to-back swap loans
• NPAs increased slightly to $46.3 million from $42.2 million a year ago and from $46.2 million in the prior quarter
• 1Q24 noninterest expense includes $1.6 million of seasonal compensation expense that are not expected to repeat in 2Q24
• Provision for credit losses was $0.6 million in 1Q24 compared to $7.5 million in 1Q23 and $1.0 million in 4Q23; Net charge-offs were $4,000 in 1Q24 compared to $9.2 million in 1Q23 and $60,000 in 4Q23
• Tangible Common Equity to Tangible Assets was 7.40% at March 31, 2024, compared to 7.64% at December 31, 2023; Tangible book value was $22.39 compared to $22.14 a year ago

Areas of Focus

1 Episodic items include prepayment penalty income, customer swap termination fees, net reversals and recovered interest from nonaccrual loans, net gain/loss from fair value on qualifying hedges, and purchase accounting adjustments, which totaled $1.0 million or 5 bps in 1Q24 compared to $3.0 million or 15 bps in 4Q23

Income Statemen

1 See Reconciliation of GAAP Earnings and Core Earnings

Net interest income decreased YoY and QoQ.

• Net Interest Margin FTE of 2.06% decreased 21 bps YoY and 23 bps QoQ
• Prepayment penalty income, customer swap termination fees, net reversals and recoveries of interest from nonaccrual loans, net gains and losses from fair value adjustments on qualifying hedges, and purchase accounting accretion totaled $1.0 million (5 bps to the NIM) compared to $3.0 million (15 bps) in 4Q23, $2.6 million (13 bps to the NIM) in 3Q23, $0.5 million (3 bps) in 2Q23, and $1.1 million (6 bps) in 1Q23
• Excluding the items in the previous bullet, net interest margin was 2.01% in 1Q24, 2.14% in 4Q23, 2.09% in 3Q23, 2.15% in 2Q23, and 2.21% in 1Q23

The provision for credit losses decreased YoY and QoQ.

• Net charge-offs (recoveries) were $4,000 (less than 1 bp of average loans) in 1Q24 compared to $60,000 in 4Q23 (less than 1 bp of average loans), $(42,000) in 3Q23 (less than (1) bp of average loans), $1.6 million in 2Q23 (9 bps of average loans), and $9.2 million in 1Q23 (54 bps of average loans)
• 1Q23 net charge-offs were primarily related to a commercial business relationship that was placed on nonaccrual in 2Q22

Noninterest income decreased YoY and QoQ.

• Back-to-back swap loan closings of $15.3 million in 1Q24 (compared to $121.6 million in 4Q23 and none in 1Q23) and generated $0.2 million of fee income compared to $1.5 million in 4Q23
• Net gains (losses) from fair value adjustments were $(0.8) million in 1Q24 ($(0.02) per share, net of tax), $0.9 million in 4Q23 ($0.02 per share, net of tax), $(1.2) million in 3Q23 ($(0.03) per share, net of tax), $0.3 million in 2Q23 ($0.01 per share, net of tax), and $2.6 million in 1Q23 ($0.06 per share, net of tax)
• Life insurance proceeds were $0.7 million in 4Q23 ($0.02 per share), $23,000 in 3Q23 (less than $0.01 per share), and $0.6 million ($0.02 per share) in 2Q23
• Absent the items in the previous two bullets and other immaterial adjustments, core noninterest income was $3.9 million in 1Q24, down 7.6% YoY and 32.4% QoQ
• 4Q23 other fee income includes net realized gains on the sale of assets and other dividends from nonqualified plans that are expected to normalize in future periods

Noninterest expense increased slightly YoY but declined QoQ.

• Seasonal compensation expense was $1.6 million in 1Q24 compared to $4.1 million in 1Q23
• Excluding the effects of immaterial adjustments, core operating expenses were $39.8 million in 1Q24, up 1.9% YoY, but down 0.8% QoQ
• GAAP noninterest expense to average assets was 1.83% in 1Q24, 1.90% in 4Q23, 1.71% in 3Q23, 1.66% in 2Q23, and 1.85% in 1Q23

Provision for income taxes decreased YoY and QoQ.

• The effective tax rate was 26.3% in 1Q24, 31.1% in 4Q23, 27.1% in 3Q23, 26.8% in 2Q23, and 25.9% in 1Q23
• The 4Q23 effective tax rate increased as a result of preferential tax items having a smaller impact due to higher pre-tax income than estimated in 3Q23 and 2Q23

Balance Sheet, Credit Quality, and Capital Highlights

Average loans decreased slightly YoY and QoQ.

• Period end net loans totaled $6.8 billion, down 1.2% YoY and QoQ
• Total loan closings were $130.0 million in 1Q24, $244.3 million in 4Q23, $241.5 million in 3Q23, $158.8 million in 2Q23, and $173.5 million in 1Q23; the loan pipeline was $173.9 million at March 31, 2024, down 34.6% YoY, but up 6.7% QoQ
• The diversified loan portfolio is approximately 89% collateralized by real estate with an average loan-to-value ratio of