NEW YORK, July 28, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ponce Financial Group, Inc., (the “Company”) (NASDAQ: PDLB), the holding company for Ponce Bank (the “Bank”), today announced results for the second quarter of 2023.

Second Quarter 2023 Highlights (Compared to Prior Periods):

• Net loss of ($0.1) million, or $0.00 per diluted share for the three months ended June 30, 2023, as compared to net income of $0.3 million, or $0.01 per diluted share for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and net income of $0.8 million, or $0.03 per diluted share for the three months ended June 30, 2022.
• Included in the ($0.1) million of net loss for the second quarter of 2023 results is $31.1 million in interest and dividend income and $1.5 million in non-interest income, offset by a $17.1 million in non-interest expense and $14.8 million in interest expense.
• Net interest income of $16.3 million for the second quarter of 2023 increased $1.0 million, or 6.80%, from the prior quarter and $0.8 million, or 5.13%, from the same quarter last year.
• Net interest margin was 2.65% for the second quarter of 2023, decreased from 2.75% for the prior quarter and from 3.92% for the same quarter last year.
• Cash and equivalents were $243.8 million as of June 30, 2023, an increase of $189.4 million, or 348.47%, from December 31, 2022, as we decided to keep ample sources of liquidity at hand while taking advantage of the positive spread between our interest bearing overnight deposits at the Fed and borrowing costs under the Bank Term Funding Program ("BTFP").
• Securities totaled $605.7 million as of June 30, 2023, a decrease of $34.7 million, or 5.59%, from December 31, 2022 primarily due to a call on one of the securities amounting to $10.0 million and regular principal payments.
• Net loans receivable were $1.70 billion as of June 30, 2023, an increase of $201.9 million, or 13.52%, from December 31, 2022.
• Deposits were $1.44 billion as of June 30, 2023, an increase of $189.6 million, or 15.14%, from December 31, 2022.

President and Chief Executive Officer’s Comments

Carlos P. Naudon, Ponce Financial Group’s President and CEO, stated “Despite the challenges we face, we’re thrilled to have started our share buy-back program during the second quarter of 2023. As of June 30, 2023, we have purchased 615,948 shares at an average price of $8.44 per share, well below our book value of $10.94 per common share. Our book value per common share also increased by $0.04 per share during the quarter. We also saw our stock added to the Russell 3000 index which increases the exposure and liquidity of our stock."

"We continue to show strong levels of capital and liquidity. On the capital front, our total capital ratio at Ponce Bank stands at 26.30%, well in excess of regulatory requirements. In terms of liquidity, our liquid assets plus borrowing capacity at the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York ("FHLBNY") stand at $817 million, more than two and a half times of our uninsured deposits of $325 million."

"As previously announced, we were awarded a grant of $3.7 million from the U.S. Treasury as part of the Community Development Financial Institution (“CDFI”) Equitable Recovery Program which we expect to receive during the third quarter of 2023."

"We remain committed to the communities we serve, our Minority Depository Institution (“MDI”)/CDFI status and to continue to invest in our people and in technology to improve our efficiency."

Executive Chairman’s Comment

Steven A. Tsavaris, Ponce Financial Group’s Executive Chairman added “While the increase in rates will continue to put pressure on growth, we were able to organically grow our loans and deposits during the quarter. The US economy continues to show resiliency and credit conditions remain strong. Our credit metrics improved during the quarter with nonperforming loans ratios declining quarter over quarter and year over year."

Selected performance metrics are as follows (refer to “Key Metrics” for additional information):

(1) Annualized where appropriate.
(2) Net interest rate spread represents the difference between the weighted average yield on interest-earning assets and the weighted average rate of interest-bearing liabilities.
(3) Net interest margin represents net interest income divided by average total interest-earning assets.
(4) Efficiency ratio represents noninterest expense divided by the sum of net interest income and noninterest income.

Summary of Results of Operations

Net loss for the three months ended June 30, 2023 was ($0.1) million compared to net income of $0.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and net income of $0.8 million for the three months ended June 30, 2022. The decrease of net income for the three months ended June 30, 2023 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2023 was attributed mainly to increases in provision for credit loss and non-interest expense and a decrease in non-interest income, partially offset by an increase in net interest income. The decrease of net income for the three months ended June 30, 2023 compared to the three months ended June 30, 2022 was largely due to a decrease in non-interest income and an increase in non-interest expense, partially offset by an increase net interest income.

Net income for the six months ended June 30, 2023 was $0.2 million compared to a net loss of ($6.0) million for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The increase in net income was attributable to decreases in non-interest expense and provision for credit losses, partially offset by decreases in net interest income and non-interest income.

Net Interest Income and Net Margin

Net interest income for the three months ended June 30, 2023, was $16.3 million compared to $15.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and $15.5 million for the three months end June 30, 2022. This increase is largely explained by an increase in interest and dividend income, offset by an increase in interest expenses due to higher interest rates. Included in net interest income are the effects of our borrowings under the Bank Term Funding Program (BTFP). Our average borrowing cost under the program is 4.45% while our deposit at the Fed account yields 5.15% as of June 30, 2023. The BTFP has a maturity of one year and allows for prepayment with no penalty.

Net interest margin was 2.65% for the three months ended June 30, 2023 compared to 2.75% for the prior quarter, a decrease of 10bps and 3.92% for the same period last year, a decrease of 127bps. The decrease in net interest margin was a result of an increase in the cost of funds driven by higher interest rates.

Non-interest Income

Non-interest income for the three months ended June 30, 2023, was $1.5 million, a decrease of $0.3 million, or 17.98%, compared to the three months ended March 31, 2023 and a decrease of $0.7 million, or 31.53%, compared to the three months ended June 30, 2022.

The $0.3 million decrease in non-interest income for the three months ended June 30, 2023 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2023 was related to a prepayment fee reported in the prior quarter.

The $0.7 million decrease in non-interest income for the three months ended June 30, 2023 compared to the three months ended June 30, 2022 was attributable to decreases of $0.7 million in loan origination fees, $0.2 million in brokerage commission and $0.1 million in income on sale of mortgage loans, partially offset by increases of $0.2 million in late and prepayment charges and $0.1 million in other non-interest income.

Non-interest income for the six months ended June 30, 2023, was $3.3 million, a decrease of $1.1 million, or 24.84%, compared to the six months ended June 30, 2022. The $1.1 million decrease from the six months ended June 30, 2022 was attributable to decreases of $1.3 million in loan origination, $0.5 million in brokerage commission and $0.4 million in income on sale of mortgage loans, partially offset by increases of $0.9 million in late and prepayment charges, $0.2 million in other non-interest income and $0.1 million in service charges and fees.

Non-interest Expense

Non-interest expense for the three months ended June 30, 2023, was $17.1 million, an increase of $0.7 million, or 4.45%, compared to the three months ended March 31, 2023 and an increase of $0.5 million, or 3.15%, compared to the three months ended June 30, 2022.

The $0.7 million increase from the three months ended March 31, 2023 was mainly attributable to a decrease of $0.6 million in consumer microloan recoveries, increases of $0.4 million in professional fees, $0.2 million in marketing and promotional expenses and $0.2 million in occupancy and equipment, offset by a decrease of $0.5 million in provision for contingencies.

The $0.5 million increase from the three months ended June 30, 2022 was attributable to increases of $0.5 million in compensation and benefits, $0.5 million in occupancy and equipment, $0.5 million in provision for contingencies, $0.4 million in data processing expenses, $0.3 million marketing and promotional expenses and $0.2 million in professional fees, offset by a $1.5 million charge in the prior year period and a $0.4 million recovery in the current year period related to Grain.

Non-interest expense for the six months ended June 30, 2023, was $33.5 million, a decrease of $11.2 million, or 25.07%, compared to the six months ended June 30, 2022. The $11.2 million decrease of non-interest expense from the six months ended June 30, 2022 was attributable to a $9.6 million consumer microloan write-off during the corresponding period last year, compared with $1.3 million of consumer microloan recoveries during the six months ending June 30, 2023 and a $5.0 million contribution to the Ponce De Leon Foundation during the six months ended June 30, 2022.

Balance Sheet Summary

Total assets increased $360.0 million, or 15.57%, to $2.67 billion as of June 30, 2023 from $2.31 billion as of December 31, 2022. The increase in total assets is largely attributable to increases of $201.9 million in net loans receivable, $189.4 million in cash and cash equivalents, $8.1 million in mortgage loans held for sale and $1.9 million in other assets, offset by decreases of $28.9 million in held-to-maturity securities, $5.8 million in available-for-sale securities, and $5.5 million in Federal Home Loan Bank of New York stock.

Total liabilities increased $362.2 million, or 19.91%, to $2.18 billion as of June 30, 2023 from $1.82 billion as of December 31, 2022. The increase in total liabilities was largely attributable to increases of $189.6 million in deposits and $164.7 million in borrowings.

Total stockholders’ equity decreased $2.2 million, or 0.45%, to $490.5 million as of June 30, 2023, from $492.7 million as of December 31, 2022. This decrease in stockholders’ equity was largely attributable to $5.2 million in share repurchases, partially offset by increases in equity of $1.1 million as a result of implementation of CECL, $0.8 million in share-based compensation, $0.6 million in ESOP, $0.3 million in other comprehensive income related to improved valuation of securities and $0.2 million in net income.

About Ponce Financial Group, Inc.

Ponce Financial Group, Inc. is the holding company for Ponce Bank. Ponce Bank is a Minority Depository Institution, a Community Development Financial Institution, and a certified Small Business Administration lender. Ponce Bank’s business primarily consists of taking deposits from the general public and to a lesser extent alternative funding sources and investing those funds, together with funds generated from operations and borrowings, in mortgage loans, consisting of 1-4 family residences (investor-owned and owner-occupied), multifamily residences, nonresidential properties, construction and land, and, to a lesser extent, in business and consumer loans. Ponce Bank also invests in securities, which consist of U.S. Government and federal agency securities and securities issued by government-sponsored or government-owned enterprises, as well as, mortgage-backed securities, corporate bonds and obligations, and Federal Home Loan Bank stock.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements herein constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act and are intended to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may be identified by words such as “believes,” “will,” “would,” “expects,” “project,” “may,” “could,” “developments,” “strategic,” “launching,” “opportunities,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “intends,” “plans,” “targets” and similar expressions. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements as a result of numerous factors. Factors that could cause such differences to exist include, but are not limited to, adverse conditions in the capital and debt markets and the impact of such conditions on business activities; changes in interest rates; competitive pressures from other financial institutions; the effects of general economic conditions on a national basis or in the local markets in which Ponce Bank operates, including changes that adversely affect borrowers’ ability to service and repay Ponce Bank’s loans; anticipated losses with respect to the Company's investment in Grain; changes in the value of securities in the investment portfolio; changes in loan default and charge-off rates; fluctuations in real estate values; the adequacy of loan loss reserves; decreases in deposit levels necessitating increased borrowing to fund loans and investments; operational risks including, but not limited to, cybersecurity, fraud and natural disasters; changes in government regulation; changes in accounting standards and practices; the risk that intangibles recorded in the financial statements will become impaired; demand for loans in Ponce Bank’s market area; Ponce Bank’s ability to attract and maintain deposits; risks related to the implementation of acquisitions, dispositions, and restructurings; the risk that Ponce Financial Group, Inc. may not be successful in the implementation of its business strategy; changes in assumptions used in making such forward-looking statements and the risk factors described in Ponce Financial Group, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), which are available at the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. Ponce Financial Group, Inc. disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect changes in underlying assumptions or factors, new information, future events or other changes, except as may be required by applicable law or regulation.

Ponce Financial Group, Inc.and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition
(Dollars in thousands, except for share data)

(1) Included for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2023 and March 31, 2023 was $0.9 million and $0.8 million, respectively, related to the allowance for credit loss on held-to-maturity securities.

Ponce Financial Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)

(1) Amounts for the quarterly period ended December 31, 2022 include the reversal of $0.8 million of loan origination income that had been taken upfront in prior quarters of 2022 (as opposed to deferred over the life of ‎the loan)‎.

Ponce Financial Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)

Ponce Financial Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Key Metrics

(1) Annualized where appropriate.
(2) Net interest rate spread represents the difference between the weighted average yield on interest-earning assets and the weighted average rate of interest-bearing liabilities.
(3) Net interest margin represents net interest income divided by average total interest-earning assets.
(4) Efficiency ratio represents noninterest expense divided by the sum of net interest income and noninterest income.

Ponce Financial Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Securities Portfolio

(1) Comprised of Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”), Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”) and Ginnie Mae (“GNMA”) issued securities.

The following table presents the activity in the allowance for credit losses for held-to-maturity securities.

Ponce Financial Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Loan Portfolio

(1) As of June 30, 2023, March 31, 2023, December 31, 2022, September 30, 2022 and June 30, 2022, business loans include $3.2 million, $3.6 million, $20.0 million, $24.7 million and $30.8 million, respectively, of PPP loans.
(2) As of June 30, 2023, March 31, 2023, December 31, 2022, September 30, 2022 and June 30, 2022, consumer loans include $11.2 million, $13.4 million, $18.2 million, $21.5 million and $28.3 million, respectively, of loans originated by the Bank pursuant to its arrangement with Grain.

Ponce Financial Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Grain Loan Exposure

(1) Includes $0.3 million for allowance for unused commitments on the $2.4 million of unused commitments available to Grain originated borrowers reported in other liabilities in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Financial Conditions. Excludes $1.3 million of security deposits by Grain originated borrowers reported in deposits in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Financial Conditions.

Ponce Financial Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Allowance for Credit Losses on Loans

Ponce Financial Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Deposits

(1) As of June 30, 2023, March 31, 2023, December 31, 2022, September 30, 2022, June 30, 2022, there were $3.3 million, $9.5 million, $13.6 million, $13.8 million, and $18.5 million, respectively, in individual listing service deposits amounting to $250,000 or more. All brokered certificates of deposit individually amounted to less than $250,000.

Ponce Financial Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Borrowings

Ponce Financial Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Nonperforming Assets