SB Financial Group Announces Second Quarter 2024 Results

DEFIANCE, Ohio, July 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SB Financial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: SBFG) (“SB Financial” or the “Company”), a diversified financial services company providing full-service community banking, mortgage banking, wealth management, private client and title insurance services today reported earnings for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024.

Second Quarter 2024 Highlights compared to the second quarter of the prior year:

• Net income of $3.1 million, up 1.2 percent and in line with the same quarter last year. Diluted Earnings Per Share (“EPS”) increased to $0.47 or 6.8% from $0.44;
• Net interest income totaled $9.7 million, a 1.7 percent decrease from the $9.8 million;
• Loan growth increased to $1.01 billion, up by $20.6 million or 2.1 percent from the $984.8 million;
• Return on Average Assets (“ROAA”) increased to 0.93%, up 2 basis points from the previous year, while Return on Average Equity (“ROAE”) declined slightly to 10.16%, down 16 basis points from 10.32%.

Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 Highlights compared to the same period of the prior year:

• Mortgage Banking Revenue increased to $3.4 million, up by 22.8 percent from $2.8 million.

Trailing Twelve Months Ended June 30, 2024 Highlights compared to the prior year:

• EPS was $1.78 for the twelve months ended June 2024, an increase of 1.1 percent from the prior twelve months of $1.76.
• Total deposits were $1.12 billion at the end of June 2024, representing an increase of 4.1 percent from $1.07 billion at the end of June 2023.
• Mortgage origination volume was $218.8 million for the trailing twelve months, with the servicing portfolio of $1.39 billion, which increased by 2.7 percent. 

“We demonstrated solid execution and financial stability in the quarter ended June 30, 2024,” stated Mark A. Klein, Chairman, President, and CEO. “We maintained a net income of $3.1 million, a testament to our operational resilience and our relentless focus on profitability. Notably, our diluted earnings per share increased by 6.8% to $0.47, reflecting our unwavering commitment to delivering shareholder value amidst economic uncertainties.”

“Our loan portfolio expanded to $1.01 billion, an increase of $20.6 million, showcasing our disciplined growth strategy and the strong confidence our clients place in our partnership. Despite ongoing market challenges, our deposit base grew by $44.0 million or 4.1% year-over-year to $1.12 billion, underscoring our margin oversight and the sustained trust of our customers. We continue to maintain a conservative risk profile, with peer leading asset quality and no loan charge-offs,” added Mr. Klein.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Consolidated Revenue

In the second quarter of 2024, SB Financial Group demonstrated operational resilience with a slight year-over-year decline in operating revenue of only 1.0%, coupled with an increase of 7.0% from the preceding quarter. Despite a 1.7% decrease in net interest income—largely attributable to elevated deposit costs—our financial management mitigated the impact, resulting in a nominal 5 basis point reduction in our net interest margin when compared to the second quarter of 2023.

Noninterest income recorded a 0.6% increase over the same quarter last year, fueled by a substantial 20.9% surge in gains from the sale of mortgages and OMSR, alongside a 14.4% increase in mortgage loan servicing fees. Consistent customer service fees further improved our solid revenue base. However, we noted variances in performance across other noninterest income areas, such as wealth management and title insurance services, which saw declines. For the first time in over 2 years, interest expenses decreased on a linked quarter basis, highlighting the stabilization of funding costs.

Mortgage Loan Business

In the second quarter of 2024, SB Financial Group’s mortgage loan business recorded a 14.9% increase in loan originations, reaching $75.1 million from $65.4 million in the corresponding period last year. This notable growth underscores some strengthening in the housing market and hopefully signals broader positive economic trends.

Mortgage sales demonstrated significant expansion this quarter, reaching $55.8 million, or 74% of total originations. This higher level of sales volume, marked a 16.5% year-over-year increase from $47.9 million, underscores our successful market penetration and strategic positioning, particularly in a competitive lending environment. Our mortgage banking net revenue saw an increase to $1.8 million, up 18.8% from the previous year, reflecting our strong operational efficiency. Additionally, the mortgage servicing portfolio expanded by 2.7%, reaching $1.39 billion, which reinforces our dedication to sustainable growth and enhanced servicing capabilities.

Mr. Klein, Chairman, President, and CEO of SB Financial Group, stated, “This quarter has showcased improved efficiency in our mortgage operations. Although our results slightly missed our internal targets, the shortfall primarily reflects the heightened competitiveness and shifting dynamics within the mortgage market. Despite these challenges, our proactive measures, most notably the expansion of our origination teams, have positioned us to capitalize on market opportunities and maintain our growth momentum.” 

Noninterest Income and Noninterest Expense

For the second quarter of 2024, noninterest income at SB Financial Group increased slightly to $4.4 million compared to the prior year quarter, marking a modest increase of 0.6%. This growth is primarily attributable to strategic initiatives, including enhanced gain-on-sale yields from mortgage loans and higher recapture of servicing rights, which significantly contributed to our financial performance. Additionally, customer service fees rose marginally, reinforcing our attention in this area. Noninterest expenses for the second quarter were reported at $10.7 million, reflecting a 3.2% increase from the previous year’s $10.3 million, as higher commission costs from mortgage volume drove compensation higher. 

Mr. Klein commented on the financial performance, stating, “Our noninterest income has shown consistent resilience, supported by significant gains from mortgage and mortgage servicing fees, reflecting our agility and expertise in capitalizing on favorable market conditions. Regarding expenses, the increase this quarter is driven by revenue generation activities. Our focus remains on optimizing our cost structure and ensuring operational efficiency, which is paramount in delivering sustained value to our stakeholders.”

Balance Sheet

As of June 30, 2024, SB Financial Group has continued to demonstrate financial stability, with total assets reporting a marginal increase to $1.34 billion, up by 0.06% year-over-year. Our loan portfolio again crossed the $1 billion threshold and now stands at $1.01 billion, marking an increase of $20.6 million or 2.1% compared to the previous year. This growth is indicative of our effective lending practices in a dynamic economic landscape. Furthermore, an increase in cash and cash equivalents has provided enhanced liquidity, further strengthening our financial position.

Shareholders’ equity experienced a slight quarterly expansion of 1.4% to $125.5 million compared to the linked quarter and also showed positive growth of 6.6% on a year-over-year basis. This growth underscores our consistent efforts to enhance shareholder value amidst fluctuating market conditions.

“In 2024, we have maintained a disciplined and proactive approach to our growth and capital management, aligning closely with our objectives. Our ability to sustain and grow our loan portfolio, even in a highly competitive market, demonstrates the resilience of our business model and the effectiveness of our relationship-driven lending practices. Moreover, the year-over-year increase in shareholders’ equity highlights our continued commitment to driving shareholder value. We remain poised to leverage any opportunities that will fortify our financial position and ensure long-term prosperity for our stakeholders,” commented Mr. Klein. 

Asset Quality

SB Financial Group’s dedication to maintaining exceptional asset quality remains evident through the second quarter of 2024. As of June 2024, nonperforming loans constituted 0.47% of total loans, reflecting an increase from 0.25% in the previous quarter. Despite the slight increase in nonperforming loans to total loans, our criticized loan categories are down nearly 23% compared to the prior year and our reserve coverage remains above 325%.

Moreover, the net loan charge-offs to average loans ratio, annualized at -0.01%, highlights our effective management of loan repayments and the high quality of our credit portfolio. These metrics reinforce our reputation for rigorous risk management and credit excellence.

Mark A. Klein, Chairman, President, and CEO of SB Financial, commented, “Our second-quarter performance underscores our unwavering commitment to asset quality. Despite a slight increase in nonperforming loans, our substantial allowance for credit losses and effective loan management practices reflects our measured approach to risk management. We are steadfast in ensuring the strength and stability of our loan portfolio, even in the face of economic fluctuations.” 

Webcast and Conference Call

The Company will hold the second quarter 2024 earnings conference call and webcast on July 19, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. EDT. Interested parties may access the conference call by dialing 1-888-338-9469. The webcast can be accessed at ir.yourstatebank.com. An audio replay of the call will be available on the Company’s website.

About SB Financial Group

Headquartered in Defiance, Ohio, SB Financial is a diversified financial services holding company for the State Bank & Trust Company (State Bank) and SBFG Title, LLC dba Peak Title (Peak Title). State Bank provides a full range of financial services for consumers and small businesses, including wealth management, private client services, mortgage banking and commercial and agricultural lending, operating through a total of 23 offices: 22 in nine Ohio counties and one in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and 23 ATMs. State Bank has six loan production offices located throughout the Tri-State region of Ohio, Indiana and Michigan. Peak Title provides title insurance and title opinions throughout the Tri-State region. SB Financial’s common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Capital Market with the ticker symbol “SBFG”.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements within this document, which are not statements of historical fact, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from those predicted by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties inherent in the national and regional banking industry, changes in economic conditions in the market areas in which SB Financial and its subsidiaries operate, changes in policies by regulatory agencies, changes in accounting standards and policies, changes in tax laws, fluctuations in interest rates, demand for loans in the market areas in SB Financial and its subsidiaries operate, increases in FDIC insurance premiums, changes in the competitive environment, losses of significant customers, geopolitical events, the loss of key personnel and other risks identified in SB Financial’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and documents subsequently filed by SB Financial with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and SB Financial undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the statement is made, except as required by law. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to SB Financial or any person acting on its behalf are qualified by these cautionary statements.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This press release contains financial information determined by methods other than in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). Non-GAAP financial measures, specifically pre-tax, pre-provision income, tangible common equity, tangible assets, tangible book value per common share, tangible common equity to tangible assets, return on average tangible common equity, total interest income – FTE, net interest income – FTE and net interest margin – FTE are used by the Company’s management to measure the strength of its capital and analyze profitability, including its ability to generate earnings on tangible capital invested by its shareholders. In addition, the Company excludes the OMSR valuation adjustment from net income to report a non-GAAP adjusted net income level. Although management believes these non-GAAP measures are useful to investors by providing a greater understanding of its business, they should not be considered a substitute for financial measures determined in accordance with GAAP, nor are they necessarily comparable to non-GAAP performance measures that may be presented by other companies.

Investor Contact Information:

Mark A. Klein
Chairman, President and
Chief Executive Officer
Mark.Klein@YourStateBank.com

Anthony V. Cosentino
Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
Tony.Cosentino@YourStateBank.com