Provident Financial Services(PFS) - 2025 Q4 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported net earnings of $83 million or $0.64 per share for the fourth quarter, with an annualized return on average assets of 1.34% and an adjusted return on average tangible common equity of 17.6% [3][10] - Pre-provision net revenue reached a record $111 million, representing an ROA of 1.78% [3][10] - Revenue increased to a record $226 million, driven by record net interest income of $197 million and non-interest income of $28.3 million [10] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The commercial loan team generated total new loan production of $3.2 billion in 2025, with net commercial loan growth of 5.5% for the year [4] - Average non-interest-bearing deposits grew by 2% annualized, contributing to the overall growth in core deposits, which increased by $260 million or 6.6% annualized [5] - Non-interest income increased to $28.3 million, with significant contributions from the insurance agency and SBA loan sales [7][8][15] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company experienced a favorable improvement in non-performing assets, which declined to 0.32% of total assets [6][14] - The average cost of total deposits decreased to 2.1%, while the total cost of funds decreased to 2.34% [13] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to continue investing in revenue-producing talent across various platforms, including middle market banking, treasury management, SBA, wealth management, and insurance [8][9] - A core system conversion is scheduled for the fall of 2026 to enhance scalability and digital capabilities [9][84] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in sustaining growth momentum and improving profitability, with expectations for loans and deposits to grow in the 4%-6% range for 2026 [18] - The competitive landscape for deposits remains challenging, but the company is focused on maintaining its core model and capturing market share [36] Other Important Information - The company announced a new share repurchase authorization allowing for the buyback of an additional 2 million shares [8] - The tangible book value per share increased by 3.8% to $15.70, and the tangible common equity ratio rose to 8.48% [17] Q&A Session Summary Question: Inquiry about the effective tax rate and tax credit investments - Management clarified that the effective tax rate is projected to be approximately 29% for 2026, with benefits from tax credit investments realized throughout the year [23][25] Question: Discussion on capital deployment priorities - Management indicated that organic growth remains the primary focus, with potential considerations for dividends and investments in insurance and wealth platforms [26][27] Question: Insights on deposit competition and its impact - Management acknowledged heightened competition for deposits but emphasized their strong performance in core deposits and the ability to capture market share [36] Question: Trends in the commercial real estate (CRE) market - Management noted a healthier CRE market and expressed no interest in acquiring portfolios from competitors, focusing instead on organic growth [40] Question: Potential for loan yields to increase - Management indicated that there is potential for yields to improve as the pipeline yield increases and backflow repricing occurs [45] Question: Plans for geographic expansion - Management expressed interest in expanding into adjacent geographies, including Long Island and the Philadelphia suburbs, while already having teams in those areas [50]