PHILADELPHIA, April 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Beneficial Bancorp, Inc. (“Beneficial”) (NASDAQ:BNCL), the parent company of Beneficial Bank (the “Bank”), today announced its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2018.  Beneficial recorded net income of $9.8 million, or $0.13 per diluted share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2018, compared to net income of $8.4 million, or $0.11 per diluted share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2017.

On April 19, 2018, the Company declared a cash dividend of 6 cents per share, payable on or after May 10, 2018, to common shareholders of record at the close of business on April 30, 2018.

Highlights for the quarter ended March 31, 2018, are as follows:

• Net interest margin totaled 3.20% for the quarter ended March 31, 2018 compared to 3.04% for the same period in 2017.  Net interest income increased $2.4 million, or 6.0%, for the quarter compared to the same period in the prior year.  Net interest margin and net interest income increased primarily due to higher yields on the investment and loan portfolios following three Federal Reserve Bank federal funds rate increases of 25 basis points in 2017.
  
  
• During the quarter ended March 31, 2018, our loan portfolio decreased $30.7 million, or 0.8%, as a result of increases in our core commercial real estate and C&I portfolios of 1.3% and 4.4%, respectively, which were more than offset by decreases in our shared national credit and consumer loan portfolios.
  
  
• Charge-offs continue to remain low.  Net charge-offs for the quarter ended March 31, 2018, totaled $1.2 million, or 12 basis points annualized of average loans, compared to net charge-offs of $766 thousand, or 8 basis points annualized of average loans, in the same period in the 2017.
  
  
• During the quarter ended March 31, 2018, the Company recorded a $308 thousand net gain on the sale of $4.7 million of the guaranteed portion of SBA loans.
   
• Asset quality metrics continued to remain strong with a non-performing assets to total assets, excluding government guaranteed student loans, of 0.41% at March 31, 2018.  Our allowance for loan losses totaled $43.1 million, or 1.08% of total loans, as of March 31, 2018, compared to $43.3 million, or 1.07% of total loans, as of December 31, 2017.
  
  
• Our effective tax rate decreased to 22.3% for the first quarter of 2018 compared to 29.6% in the first quarter of 2017 as a result of H.R. 1, which was enacted on December 22, 2017 and lowered the federal corporate tax rate to 21% from 35%.
  
  
• During the quarter ended March 31, 2018, the Company purchased 715,600 shares of its common stock under its previously announced stock repurchase plan.  Our tangible capital to tangible assets decreased to 15.02% at March 31, 2018, compared to 15.07% at March 31, 2017.  The decrease in this ratio can be attributed to share repurchases and cash dividends.  Tangible book value per share totaled $11.21 at March 31, 2018.

Gerard Cuddy, Beneficial’s President and CEO, stated “Our financial results continue to improve, driven by a rise in interest rates, continued favorable asset quality and management of our expense base.  Organic growth continues to be a challenge.  We are seeing some growth in our commercial lending businesses, but the pace of growth has slowed.  We are working diligently to build out the Neumann Finance team and infrastructure and expect to start booking leases in the second half of 2018 to positively impact revenue growth.”

Balance Sheet
Total assets decreased $9.9 million, or 0.2%, to $5.79 billion at March 31, 2018, compared to $5.80 billion at December 31, 2017.  The decrease in total assets was primarily due to a decrease in total investment securities and loans, partially offset by an increase in cash and cash equivalents.   

Cash and cash equivalents increased $45.1 million, or 8.1%, to $602.7 million at March 31, 2018, from $557.6 million at December 31, 2017.  The increase in cash and cash equivalents was primarily driven by investment maturities and repayments and a decrease in our total loan portfolio.
           
Investments decreased $28.2 million, or 3.2%, to $842.6 million at March 31, 2018, compared to $870.8 million at December 31, 2017, as we continued to focus on improving our balance sheet mix by reducing the percentage of our assets in investments and growing our loan portfolio.  We continue to focus on maintaining a high quality investment portfolio that provides a steady stream of cash flows both in the current and in rising interest rate environments.

Loans decreased $30.7 million, or 0.8%, to $4.00 billion at March 31, 2018, from $4.03 billion at December 31, 2017.  During the quarter ended March 31, 2018, our commercial real estate and commercial and industrial loan portfolios increased $21.6 million, representing 1.3% growth, and $20.5 million, representing 4.4% growth, respectively.  However, this growth was offset by decreases in our consumer loan portfolios and our shared national credit portfolio.  The $31.4 million decrease in our total consumer loan portfolio was due primarily to a $17.7 million decrease in indirect auto loans resulting from our planned run-off of this portfolio segment.  As previously disclosed, we decided to exit the indirect lending business in the first quarter of 2017.

Deposits increased $37.6 million, or 0.9%, to $4.19 billion at March 31, 2018, from $4.15 billion at December 31, 2017.  Growth in deposits was achieved primarily by a $77.6 million increase in core deposits and a $12.9 million increase in time deposits, partially offset by the maturity of $51.1 million of brokered certificates of deposit.  The increase in core deposits was also attributable to $43.2 million of tax refunds.

Borrowings decreased $25.4 million to $515.0 million at March 31, 2018.  During the quarter ended March 31, 2018, the Company paid off $25.8 million of a higher cost trust preferred debenture.

Stockholders’ equity decreased $18.7 million, or 1.8%, to $1.02 billion at March 31, 2018, from $1.03 billion at December 31, 2017.  The decrease in stockholders’ equity was primarily due the declaration of cash dividends and stock repurchases, partially offset by net income of $9.8 million.

Net Interest Income
For the quarter ended March 31, 2018, net interest income was $43.2 million, an increase of $2.4 million, or 6.0%, from the quarter ended March 31, 2017.  The increase in net interest income was primarily due to an increase in average interest earning assets of $36.6 million, primarily loans, and higher yields on the investment and loan portfolios following three Federal Reserve Bank federal funds rate increases of 25 basis points in 2017. The Company paid off $25.8 million of a higher cost trust preferred debenture during the quarter. The net interest margin totaled 3.20% for the quarter ended March 31, 2018 as compared to 3.04% for the same period in 2017. During the quarter ended March 31, 2018, the net interest margin was positively impacted by 5 basis points due to loan prepayments compared to a 2 basis point positive impact during the quarter ended March 31, 2017 related to loan prepayments. Also during the quarter ended March 31, 2018, the net interest margin was negatively impacted 15 basis points by higher cash levels due to slower than anticipated loan growth as average cash for the quarter totaled $537.6 million, an increase of $276.0 million from $261.6 million during the quarter ended March 31, 2017.

Non-interest Income
For the quarter ended March 31, 2018, non-interest income totaled $6.7 million, a decrease of $404 thousand, or 5.7%, from the quarter ended March 31, 2017.  The decrease was primarily due to a $308 thousand net gain on the sale of $4.7 million of SBA loans recorded during the quarter ended March 31, 2018 compared to a $654 thousand net gain on the sale of $7.3 million of SBA loans recorded during the quarter ended March 31, 2017.

Non-interest Expense
For the quarter ended March 31, 2018, non-interest expense totaled $36.4 million, an increase of $990 thousand, or 2.8%, from the quarter ended March 31, 2017.  The increase in non-interest expense was primarily due to an increase in salaries and employee benefits of $1.1 million due primarily to enhanced medical coverage provided to our entire employee base, annual merit increases, and the costs associated with the formation of Neumann Finance. Marketing expense increased $818 thousand to $1.9 million due to the production and airing of a new television commercial. Other expenses decreased $529 thousand primarily from declines in training and on-line banking expenses.

Income Taxes
For the quarter ended March 31, 2018, we recorded a provision for income taxes of $2.8 million, reflecting an effective tax rate of 22.3%, compared to a provision for income taxes of $3.5 million, reflecting an effective tax rate of 29.6%, for the quarter ended March 31, 2017.  The decrease in the effective tax rate for the quarter ended March 31, 2018 compared to the same period a year ago is primarily due to the passage of H.R. 1, which was enacted on December 22, 2017 and lowered the federal corporate tax rate to 21% from 35%.

Asset Quality
Non-accruing loans, excluding government guaranteed student loans, increased $2.8 million to $23.3 million at March 31, 2018, compared to $20.5 million at December 31, 2017.  Our ratio of non-performing assets to total assets, excluding government guaranteed student loans, increased to 0.41% at March 31, 2018, compared to 0.36% at December 31, 2017.  As a result of charge-offs, we recorded a $999 thousand provision for loan losses during the quarter ended March 31, 2018 compared to a $600 thousand provision for loan losses during the quarter ended March 31, 2017.  Our allowance for loan losses totaled $43.1 million, or 1.08% of total loans, as of March 31, 2018, compared to $43.3 million, or 1.07% of total loans, as of December 31, 2017, and $43.1 million, or 1.06% of total loans, as of March 31, 2017.

Capital
Beneficial’s and the Bank’s capital position remains strong relative to current regulatory requirements. Beneficial and the Bank continue to have substantial liquidity that has been retained in cash or invested in high quality government-backed securities. As of March 31, 2018, Beneficial’s tangible capital to tangible assets totaled 15.02%. In addition, at March 31, 2018, we had the ability to borrow up to $2.2 billion combined from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Beneficial’s capital ratios are considered to be well capitalized and are as follows:

The Bank’s capital ratios are considered to be well capitalized and are as follows:

Maintaining strong capital levels remains one of our top priorities.  Our capital levels are in excess of well capitalized levels under Basel III regulatory requirements.

About Beneficial Bancorp, Inc.
Beneficial is a community-based, diversified financial services company providing consumer and commercial banking services. Its principal subsidiary, Beneficial Bank, has served individuals and businesses in the Delaware Valley area since 1853. The Bank is the oldest and largest bank headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with 61 offices in the greater Philadelphia and South New Jersey regions. Insurance services are offered through Beneficial Insurance Services, LLC and wealth management services are offered through the Beneficial Advisors, LLC, both wholly owned subsidiaries of the Bank. Equipment leasing services are offered through Beneficial Equipment Leasing Corporation, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Bank.  For more information about the Bank and Beneficial, please visit www.thebeneficial.com.

Forward Looking Statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements, which can be identified by the use of words such as “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates” or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements and all other statements that are not historic facts are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic conditions, changes in the interest rate environment, legislative or regulatory changes that may adversely affect our business, changes in accounting policies and practices, changes in competition and demand for financial services, adverse changes in the securities markets, changes in deposit flows, changes in the quality or composition of Beneficial’s loan or investment portfolios, our ability to successfully integrate the assets, liabilities, customers, systems and employees of acquired companies into our operations and our ability to realize related revenue synergies and cost savings within expected time frames and our ability to successfully engage in leasing activities through our new investment in Neumann Finance. Additionally, other risks and uncertainties may be described in Beneficial’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or its other reports as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available through the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Should one or more of these risks materialize, actual results may vary from those anticipated, estimated or projected. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Except as may be required by applicable law or regulation, Beneficial assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

BENEFICIAL BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
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BENEFICIAL BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
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Key performance ratios (annualized) are as follows for the quarter ended (unaudited):