Heritage Financial (HFWA) - 2025 Q1 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total loan balances decreased by $37 million in Q1 2025 due to elevated payoffs and prepayments, with loan yields at 5.45%, down 2 basis points from Q4 2024 [7][12] - Total deposits increased by$ 160.7 million in the quarter, with 95% of this growth in non-mature deposits, primarily in money market accounts [9][27] - Net interest margin increased to 3.44% for Q1 from 3.36% in the prior quarter, driven by decreases in the cost of deposits and borrowings [12] - Non-interest expense increased by $1.8 million from the prior quarter, primarily due to higher benefit costs and payroll taxes [14] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Commercial lending closed$ 183 million in new loan commitments, down from $316 million in the previous quarter but up from$ 133 million in Q1 2024 [24] - The commercial loan pipeline ended Q1 at $460 million, up from$ 452 million in the previous quarter [25] - Investment balances decreased by $53.8 million, partly due to a pretax loss of$ 3.9 million on the sale of $61 million of securities [11] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The cost of interest-bearing deposits decreased to 1.92% in Q1 from 1.98% in the prior quarter, with expectations for further decreases due to repricing of CDs [10] - Non-performing loans improved from 0.11% of total loans at year-end to 0.09% [18] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to continue taking advantage of opportunities for growth and potential M&A, with a solid balance sheet and a strong loan pipeline [34][36] - The focus remains on prudent risk management and maintaining a strong capital position to navigate economic uncertainties [29][22] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about core profitability due to strong deposit growth and prudent risk management [5] - The company anticipates an annualized loan growth rate of 5% to 8% for Q2 2025, despite uncertainties in the market [77][82] Other Important Information - The company has 990,000 shares available for repurchase under the current plan, although no shares were repurchased in Q1 [15] - Credit quality metrics remained stable, with non-accrual loans totaling just over$ 4.4 million, representing 0.09% of total loans [17] Q&A Session Summary Question: Perspective on Heritage's position among independent banks - Management believes the bank is well-positioned with specific goals for 2025 and readiness for potential M&A opportunities [34][36] Question: Details on the new team in Spokane - The new team was sourced from a larger regional bank, and the decision was based on fit and market opportunity [38][40] Question: Comments on stock buyback activity - The decision on stock buybacks is made quarterly, with no repurchases in Q1 due to stock price considerations [43] Question: Margin and deposit costs - The NIM in March was 3.45%, with the cost of interest-bearing deposits at 1.92% [48] Question: Loan growth opportunities - The company sees balanced opportunities in commercial real estate and C&I, with a focus on deposit-rich clients [62] Question: Credit metrics and underwriting approach - Management is closely monitoring economic changes and adapting their credit management strategies accordingly [72]