Heritage Financial (US:HFWA)2025-04-24 18:02Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total loan balances decreased by $37 million in Q1 due to elevated payoffs and prepayments, with loan yields at 5.45%, down 2 basis points from the previous quarter [4][5] - Total deposits increased by $160.7 million, primarily in non-maturity deposits, with a significant growth in money market accounts [5][6] - Net interest margin increased to 3.44% from 3.36% in the prior quarter, driven by decreases in the cost of deposits and borrowings [8][9] - Regulatory capital ratios remain above well-capitalized thresholds, with the TCE ratio rising to 9.3% from 9% in the prior quarter [10] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Commercial lending closed $183 million in new loan commitments, down from $316 million in the previous quarter, with a commercial loan pipeline of $460 million [17][18] - The average interest rate for new commercial loans was 6.83%, up 20 basis points from the previous quarter [19][20] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The cost of interest-bearing deposits decreased to 1.92% from 1.98% in the prior quarter, with expectations for further decreases due to repricing of CDs [6][9] - Non-performing loans improved to 0.09% of total loans, down from 0.11% at year-end [12][13] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to leverage its solid balance sheet and strong capital position to navigate economic uncertainties and pursue growth opportunities [20] - There is a focus on maintaining a balanced loan mix, particularly between commercial and industrial (C&I) loans and real estate [49] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about core profitability due to strong deposit growth and prudent risk management, projecting continued benefits through 2025 [3][20] - The company is closely monitoring emerging economic risks, including tariffs and federal funding changes, which could impact credit quality [15][55] Other Important Information - A pretax loss of $3.9 million was recognized on the sale of $61 million of securities as part of a strategic repositioning of the balance sheet [7] - The company has 990,000 shares available for repurchase under the current plan, with potential future buybacks depending on market conditions [10][33] Q&A Session Summary Question: Perspective on Heritage's position among independent banks in the Northwest - Management believes the bank is well-positioned with specific goals for 2025 and is ready for potential M&A opportunities [25][26] Question: Details on the new team in Spokane - The team was acquired from a larger regional bank, and the decision was based on a thorough assessment of fit and market opportunity [29][30] Question: Comments on stock buyback activity - The decision on buybacks is made quarterly, with no repurchases in Q1 due to stock price increases, but future activity may resume depending on conditions [32][33] Question: Spot cost on total deposits and NIM in March - The NIM in March was 3.45%, with the cost of interest-bearing deposits at 1.92% [37][41] Question: Opportunities for further growth in loan commitments - Management expects a balanced mix of C&I and real estate loans, with a strong focus on deposit growth [49][50] Question: Anticipated loan growth and appetite for credit - The company projects an annualized growth rate of 5% to 8% for Q2, with a strong pipeline but acknowledges uncertainty in the market [58][62]