Brookline Bancorp(BRKL) - 2025 Q1 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Operating earnings for Q1 2025 were $20 million, translating to $0.22 per share, while GAAP net income was $19.1 million or $0.21 per share after accounting for merger charges of $971,000 [6][7] - Total assets decreased by $385.5 million to $11.5 billion, primarily due to a deliberate reduction in cash equivalents and loan portfolio components [11] - Customer deposits increased by $113.8 million, and the net interest margin improved by 10 basis points to 3.22% [8][13] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The loan portfolio contracted by $130.6 million, with significant declines in commercial real estate and equipment finance, while commercial loans experienced growth [7][12] - The specialty vehicle portfolio decreased by $29 million to $267 million, following the exit from that business [12] - Net interest income reached $85.8 million, an increase of $800,000 from the previous quarter, despite a decline in average interest-earning assets [14] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The provision for credit losses was $6 million, which is $2 million higher than Q4, with net charge-offs totaling $7.6 million [15] - The reserve coverage slightly increased to 129 basis points of total loans [15] - The economic scenarios weightings remained at 40% baseline, 35% moderate recession, and 25% stronger near-term growth [16] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on reducing commercial real estate exposures while maintaining important customer relationships [7] - The planned merger with Berkshire Hills Bancorp is progressing well, with regulatory applications filed and stockholder meetings scheduled for May 21 [9][22] - The company anticipates low single-digit growth in the loan portfolio for the remainder of 2025, with a projected deposit growth of 4% to 5% [19] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed uncertainty regarding the interest rate environment and its potential impact on operations, indicating a need for continual adaptation [18] - While modest improvements to the net interest margin are uncertain, an increase of four to eight basis points is estimated for Q2 [18] - The company is managing expenses to $247 million or less for the full year, excluding merger-related costs [20] Other Important Information - The effective tax rate is expected to be around 24.25%, excluding the impact of non-deductible merger charges [20] - The quarterly dividend was maintained at $0.135 per share, to be paid on May 23 [17] Q&A Session Summary Question: Impact of a 25 basis point Fed rate cut on margin - Management indicated that the impact depends on the yield curve's behavior, with a cut in short-term rates potentially being beneficial if mid to long-term rates remain stable [29][30] Question: Details on the $7.1 million commercial charge-off - The charge-off was related to a large C&I credit, specifically a $13 million credit that required additional provisioning [34][35] Question: Tariff implications on equipment finance and manufacturing loan book - Management noted that tariffs are causing unease among customers, affecting underwriting processes, but no tangible impacts have been observed yet [36][37] Question: Loan pricing and sentiment among C&I borrowers - Management expressed optimism about loan pricing and the quality of the pipeline, noting that larger banks are currently cautious, which benefits the company [46][47] Question: Update on the $11 million office loan - Management confirmed that the loan is imminent to close and is fully reserved [64][66] Question: Overall credit quality and pass-rated loans - The overall pass-rated loans are approximately 95%, indicating strong credit quality [68] Question: Future of stock buybacks post-merger - Management stated it is too early to discuss stock buybacks, as capital structure optimization will be reviewed post-merger [79] Question: Exposure to Cambridge market and lab space - The company has minimal exposure in the Cambridge area, with approximately $50 million in lab space across its portfolio [99][100]