ARCHBOLD, Ohio, April 19, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: FMAO) today reported financial results for the 2023 first quarter ended March 31, 2023.

2023 First Quarter Financial Highlights Include (on a year-over-year basis unless noted):

• Net interest income before provision for credit losses increased 9.6% to $21.7 million
• Adopted CECL accounting standards, which led to a one-time adjustment to equity of $3.4 million, net of tax
• Net income of $6.5 million, compared to $8.1 million
• Earnings were $0.47 per basic and diluted share, compared to $0.62 per basic and diluted share
• Total loans increased 24.7% to a record $2.447 billion
• Organic loan growth of 19.4%, excluding PPP loans and the Peoples-Sidney Financial Corporation acquisition
• Total assets increased 14.3% to a record $3.07 billion, and up 1.8% from December 31, 2022
• Deposits increased 11.5% to a record $2.51 billion, and up 1.8% from December 31, 2022
• Uninsured deposits to total deposits of approximately 18% at March 31, 2023
• Strong asset quality continues as nonperforming loans declined 10.1% to $7.7 million, or 0.32% of total loans
• Net charge-offs to average loans were 0.00%
• Allowance for credit losses, with the accretable yield adjustment from recent acquisitions, of 319.22% of nonperforming loans

Lars B. Eller, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “F&M’s increased scale, strong balance sheet, and highly profitable financial model supports our growth initiatives, while providing us with the flexibility to invest across our business and return capital to shareholders. Despite increased economic volatility, we remain focused on executing our new three-year strategic growth plan and I am pleased with the progress we are making. During the quarter, we successfully completed the integration of the October 2022 acquisition of the Peoples-Sidney Financial Corporation. We implemented CECL accounting standards, which maintained our allowance, even as non-performing loans declined 10.1% over the past 12 months. In the first quarter, we completed the conversion of our credit card sale with new cards issued and the scorecard rewards carried over to the new provider. In addition, we completed the first phase of our previously announced investments, preparing to open three new offices in the second quarter as well as enhancing our training, commercial and deposit operations, customer care center, and risk and compliance teams and capabilities. Finally, we added a new, highly experienced lending team in our Fort Wayne region to lead our growth within this compelling market.”

Mr. Eller continued, “We grew total deposits by $44.3 million over the past three months, despite extremely high competition for deposits. Competition for deposits has also significantly increased our cost of interest-bearing liabilities. Interest expense on deposits increased over five times from $1.4 million in the 2022 first quarter to $8.2 million, compared to an 11.5% increase in total deposits over this period. Despite these trends, net interest income before provision for credit losses increased 9.6% to a first quarter record as a result of strong loan growth and higher yields on loans.”

“Profitability was impacted by several strategic one-time expenses that we incurred during the 2023 first quarter including $541,000 of total charges related to the conversion of our credit card platform. In addition, we sold $21.6 million of investments and recognized a loss of $891,000 during the quarter, which temporarily reduced ROA by 9 basis points and ROE by 93 basis points. We expect this opportunistic sale to contribute to earnings going forward and earn a payback in approximately eight months. Offsetting these actions was significant growth in income from agriculture servicing rights, which were recognized at a value of $1.5 million during the first quarter. Overall, first quarter profitability was in line with our expectations. We expect the actions taken in the first quarter will enhance profitability going forward and we remain focused on investing in our growth initiatives, controlling operating expenses, and managing our cost of funds,” continued Mr. Eller.

Income Statement

Net income for the 2023 first quarter ended March 31, 2023, was $6.5 million, compared to $8.1 million for the same period last year. Net income per basic and diluted share for the 2023 first quarter was $0.47, compared to $0.62 for the same period last year.

Deposits
At March 31, 2023, total deposits were a record $2.513 billion, an increase of 11.5% from March 31, 2022, and an increase of 1.8% from December 31, 2022. The Company’s cost of interest-bearing liabilities increased to 1.85% for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, compared to 0.45% for the quarter ended March 31, 2022, and 1.32% for the quarter ended December 31, 2022.

At March 31, 2023, F&M’s average deposit account had an average balance of $25,544. In addition, uninsured deposits to total deposits were approximately 18% for the quarter ended March 31, 2023.

Loan Portfolio and Asset Quality
Total loans, net at March 31, 2023, increased 24.5%, or by $476.6 million to a record $2.422 billion, compared to $1.945 billion at March 31, 2022, and up 3.7% from $2.336 billion at December 31, 2022. The year-over-year improvement resulted primarily from the contribution of continued strong organic loan growth and the completion of the Peoples acquisition. Not including the Peoples acquisition, total net loans increased 19.1% organically, or by $371.9 million from the same period a year ago.

F&M continues to closely monitor its loan portfolio with a particular emphasis on higher risk sectors. Nonperforming loans were $7.7 million, or 0.32% of total loans at March 31, 2023, compared to $8.6 million, or 0.44% of total loans at March 31, 2022. Loans past due were 0.52% of the loan portfolio at March 31, 2023, which included one large farm loan that was paid off after the quarter ended and another loan that is expected to be refinanced through another bank in the 2023 second quarter. Past due loans adjusted for these two credits as a percent of the loan portfolio would have been 0.13% at March 31, 2023. CRE loans represented 50.1% of the Company’s total loan portfolio at March 31, 2023.

F&M maintains a well-balanced, diverse and high performing CRE portfolio, which included the following categories at March 31, 2023:

   * Numbers have been rounded

On January 1, 2023, F&M adopted ASU 2016-13 - Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments and implemented the current expected credit losses (“CECL”) accounting standards. As a result, the Company recorded the one-time adjustment from equity into the allowance for credit losses and unfunded commitment liability in the amount of $4.3 million, or $3.4 million, net of tax. The adoption of CECL did not have a material impact on the Bank’s regulatory capital ratios.

At March 31, 2023, the Company’s allowance for credit losses to nonperforming loans was 319.22%, compared to 198.29% at March 31, 2022. As a result of F&M’s recent acquisitions, the Company has an accretable yield adjustment of $5.8 million, which further enhances F&M’s allowance at March 31, 2023. Including the accretable yield adjustment, F&M’s allowance for credit losses to total loans was 1.24% at March 31, 2023, compared to 1.22% at March 31, 2022.

Mr. Eller concluded, “We expect to make approximately $7 million of annual strategic investments during 2023 across our business. These investments combined with a higher cost of funds are expected to temporarily impact profitability in 2023. We believe earnings growth will reaccelerate in 2024 as we benefit from the investments and strategies we are pursuing. I am encouraged by the progress we are making and the dedication of our team members, as we remain focused on supporting the financial needs of our Ohio, Indiana and Michigan communities.”

Stockholders’ Equity and Dividends
Total stockholders’ equity increased 6.7% to $305.8 million at March 31, 2023, from $286.5 million at March 31, 2022. At March 31, 2023, the Company had a Tier 1 leverage ratio of 8.36%, compared to 8.51% at March 31, 2022.

Based on a regulatory basis, tangible stockholders’ equity increased to $244.2 million at March 31, 2023, compared to $221.6 million at March 31, 2022. On a per share basis, regulatory tangible stockholders’ equity at March 31, 2023, was $17.92 per share, compared to $16.96 per share at March 31, 2022. A non-GAAP reconciliation is provided as a table in this press release.

For the 2023 first quarter, the company declared cash dividends of $0.21 per share, which is a 10.5% increase over the 2022 first quarter declared dividend payment. F&M is committed to returning capital to shareholders and has increased the annual cash dividend for 28 consecutive years. For the 2023 first quarter, the dividend payout ratio was 43.79% compared to 30.64% for the same period last year.

About Farmers & Merchants State Bank:
The Farmers & Merchants State Bank is a local independent community bank that has been serving Northwest Ohio and Northeast Indiana since 1897. The Farmers & Merchants State Bank provides commercial banking, retail banking and other financial services. Our locations are in Champaign, Fulton, Defiance, Hancock, Henry, Lucas, Shelby, Williams, and Wood counties in Western Ohio. In Northeast Indiana, we have offices located in Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Jay, Steuben and Wells counties, and we have Loan Production Offices in West Bloomfield, Michigan; Muncie, Indiana; and Bryan and Oxford, Ohio.

Safe harbor statement
Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc. (“F&M”) wishes to take advantage of the Safe Harbor provisions included in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements by F&M, including management’s expectations and comments, may not be based on historical facts and are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21B of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Actual results could vary materially depending on risks and uncertainties inherent in general and local banking conditions, competitive factors specific to markets in which F&M and its subsidiaries operate, future interest rate levels, legislative and regulatory decisions, capital market conditions, or the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and its impacts on our credit quality and business operations, as well as its impact on general economic and financial market conditions. F&M assumes no responsibility to update this information. For more details, please refer to F&M’s SEC filing, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Such filings can be viewed at the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov or through F&M’s website www.fm.bank.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This press release includes disclosure of financial measures not prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (GAAP). A non-GAAP financial measure is a numerical measure of historical or future financial performance, financial position or cash flows that excludes or includes amounts that are required to be disclosed by GAAP. Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc. believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide both management and investors a more complete understanding of the underlying operational results and trends and Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc.’s marketplace performance. The presentation of this additional information is not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the numbers prepared in accordance with GAAP. A reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures is included within this press release.