HAFC Hanmi Financial Corporation

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hanmi Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: HAFC, or “Hanmi”), the parent company of Hanmi Bank (the “Bank”), today reported financial results for the 2023 fourth quarter and full year.

Net income for the fourth quarter of 2023 was $18.6 million, or $0.61 per diluted share, compared to $18.8 million, or $0.62 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2023. The annualized return on average assets for the fourth quarter was 0.99% and the return on average equity was 9.70%.

For the full year of 2023, net income was $80.0 million, or $2.62 per diluted share, compared to $101.4 million, or $3.32 per diluted share, for the full year of 2022. The year-over-year decline in net income reflects a $16.4 million decline in net interest income, a $6.2 million increase in noninterest expense and a $3.5 million increase in credit loss expense. The return on average assets for the full year of 2023 was 1.08% and the return on average equity was 10.70%.

CEO Commentary

“We finished 2023 with positive momentum, delivering strong fourth quarter results and building a solid foundation for 2024,” said Bonnie Lee, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our full year results reflect our team’s effective execution of our relationship-driven banking strategy, focus on strong credit administration and disciplined expense management. We further optimized our banking network with the opening of two new branch locations in the fourth quarter. Our proven strategies continued to drive growth and diversification in our loan portfolio and expansion of our customer base, all against the backdrop of a challenging interest rate environment and the lingering effects of an uncertain economy.”

“Looking ahead, Hanmi is moving forward with a strong balance sheet, excellent asset quality, a diverse and expanding base of loyal customers and an outstanding team that has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to navigate a variety of economic cycles. We will continue to take a selective and disciplined approach to lending in the current environment with a focus on attractively priced loans and high-quality borrowers, many who will also have a deposit relationship with us. Our consistent performance and growing reputation as a preferred relationship-based banker is enabling us to grow the number of communities we serve. We will also continue to invest in our people, technology and infrastructure to drive operational efficiencies, support disciplined growth and enhance shareholder value.

“I want to thank the entire Hanmi team for their outstanding work this year as well as their dedication to serving our customers and the communities in which we operate. Despite some near-term macroeconomic uncertainty, our future is bright and we will continue to focus on what we do best: building strong relationships and expanding our networks. I look forward to our team delivering another successful year for Hanmi.”

Fourth Quarter 2023 Highlights:

• Fourth quarter net income was $18.6 million, or $0.61 per diluted share, compared to $18.8 million, or $0.62 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2023. Fourth quarter results included a $2.9 million recovery of credit loss expense while third quarter results included a $5.2 million charge for credit loss expense and a $4.0 million gain from the sale-leaseback of a branch property. In addition, income tax expense for the fourth quarter included a $0.6 million charge to increase the valuation allowance on state net operating loss carryforwards.
• Loans receivable were $6.18 billion at December 31, 2023, up 2.7% from the end of the third quarter and up 3.6% from the 2022 year-end; loan production for the fourth quarter was $389.5 million with a weighted average interest rate of 8.10%.
• Deposits were $6.28 billion at the end of the fourth quarter, up 0.3% from the end of the third quarter and up 1.8% from the 2022 year-end; noninterest-bearing deposits were 31.9% of the deposit portfolio at December 31, 2023.
• Net interest income was $53.1 million for the fourth quarter, down 3.1% from third quarter, and net interest margin (taxable equivalent) was 2.92%, down 11 basis points; the average yield on loans increased 15 basis points from the third quarter while the cost of interest-bearing deposits increased 30 basis points.
• Noninterest income for the fourth quarter was $6.7 million, down from $11.2 million for the third quarter primarily reflecting the absence of the third quarter $4.0 million gain on the sale-leaseback of a branch property.
• Noninterest expenses were $35.2 million for the fourth quarter, up 2.8% from the third quarter primarily reflecting a seasonally higher spend on advertising and communications as well as costs associated with relocation (closing and opening) of two branch offices; the efficiency ratio for the fourth quarter was 58.86%.
• The fourth quarter included a credit loss expense recovery of $2.9 million; there were net loan recoveries of $5.0 million for the fourth quarter that included a $6.0 million recovery from a 2019 troubled loan relationship; the ratio of the allowance to loans was unchanged from the third quarter at 1.12%.
• Criticized loans declined 11.8% sequentially from the third quarter to $96.7 million, or 1.6% of loans at year-end; nonperforming assets declined 1.9% sequentially to $15.6 million, or 0.21% of total assets at December 31, 2023.
• At December 31, 2023, Hanmi had a tangible common equity to tangible assets ratio of 9.14%, a common equity tier 1 capital ratio of 11.86% and a total capital ratio of 14.95%.
  

For more information about Hanmi, please see the Q4 2023 Investor Update (and Supplemental Financial Information), which is available on the Bank’s website at www.hanmi.com and via a current report on Form 8-K on the website of the Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov. Also, please refer to “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” herein for further details of the presentation of certain non-GAAP financial measures.

Quarterly Highlights
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)

Results of Operations
Net interest income for the fourth quarter decreased $1.8 million to $53.1 million from $54.9 million for the third quarter of 2023, down 3.1%. The decrease was primarily due to an increase in the cost of interest-bearing deposits, partially offset by an increase in interest-earning asset yields. The cost of interest-bearing deposits increased 30 basis points to 3.83% for the fourth quarter of 2023 from 3.53% for the third quarter of 2023. The increase in the cost of interest-bearing deposits was due to higher market interest rates and a shift in the composition of the portfolio to higher-rate deposits. Average interest-bearing deposits were $4.17 billion for the fourth quarter, compared with $4.13 billion for the third quarter. The yield on average loans for the third quarter increased 15 basis points to 5.88% from 5.73% for the third quarter. Average loans were $6.07 billion for the fourth quarter, compared with $5.92 billion for the third quarter of 2023. Fourth quarter loan prepayment fees were $0.1 million, compared with less than $0.1 million for the third quarter. Net interest margin (taxable-equivalent) for the fourth quarter was 2.92% compared with 3.03% for the third quarter.

Net interest income was $221.3 million for the full year 2023 compared with $237.6 million for 2022, a decline of 6.9%. The decrease reflected the rise in the general level of interest rates during 2023, including an increase in the cost of interest-bearing deposits and a shift in the composition of the portfolio to higher-rate deposits, partially offset by an increase in interest-earning asset yields. The cost of interest-bearing deposits for the full year 2023 increased 256 basis points to 3.35% from 0.79% for 2022. Average interest-bearing deposits for the full year 2023 increased to $4.0 billion from $3.3 billion for 2002 where, for the same period, average time deposits increased $1.2 billion. Average interest-earning assets for the full year 2023 increased 5.6% to $7.18 billion from $6.80 billion for 2022. The yield on average interest-earning assets for the full year 2023 increased 112 basis points to 5.15% from 4.03% for 2022. Average loans for the full year 2023 were $5.97 billion, up 6.6% from $5.60 billion for 2022. Full year 2022 loan prepayment fees were $0.8 million compared with $1.3 million for 2022. Net interest margin (taxable-equivalent) for the full year 2023 was 3.08% compared with 3.50% for 2022. The 42 basis point decrease in the net interest margin reflected the increase in the cost of interest-bearing deposits, partially offset by the increase in average loan yields.

Credit loss recovery for the fourth quarter was $2.9 million, which included a $2.9 million recovery for loan losses, offset by a less than $0.1 million provision for off-balance sheet items. There were net loan recoveries of $5.0 million for the fourth quarter that included a $6.0 million recovery from a 2019 troubled loan relationship. For the third quarter, credit loss expense was $5.2 million, which included a $5.2 million provision for loan losses and a recovery for off-balance sheet items of less than $0.1 million.

Credit loss expense was $4.3 million for the full year 2023, compared to a credit loss expense of $0.8 million for 2022. The full year 2023 credit loss expense was comprised of a $4.9 million provision for loan losses and a $0.6 million recovery for off-balance sheet items. The credit loss expense for 2022 was comprised of a $0.3 million provision for loan losses and a $0.5 million provision for off-balance sheet items.

Noninterest income for the fourth quarter declined $4.5 million to $6.7 million from $11.2 million for the third quarter of 2023. The decline primarily reflected the absence of the third quarter $4.0 million gain on the sale-leaseback of a branch property, a $0.2 million decrease in service charges on deposits, and a $0.3 million valuation adjustment to bank-owned life insurance. A $0.3 million increase in the gain on sale of SBA loans partially offset these decreases. The volume of SBA loans sold in the fourth quarter increased to $29.9 million from $21.0 million for the third quarter, while trade premiums decreased to 6.17% for the fourth quarter from 6.84% for the third quarter.

Noninterest income was $34.2 million for the full year 2023, consistent with 2022. Noninterest income for 2023 included a $4.0 million gain on the sale-and-leaseback of a branch property, offset by a $3.8 million decline in gain on sale of SBA loans and a $1.3 million decrease in service charges on deposits. The volume of SBA loans sold for the full year 2023 declined to $100.5 million from $156.1 million and trade premiums also declined to 7.12% from 7.44% for the full year 2022.

Noninterest expense for the fourth quarter increased by $1.0 million to $35.2 million from $34.2 million for the third quarter. Professional fees increased by $0.4 million, advertising and promotion expense increased by $0.5 million and other operating expense increased by $0.6 million. A $0.3 million decline in salaries and employee benefits and a $0.2 million decline in occupancy and equipment expense partially offset the increases noted. The efficiency ratio for the fourth quarter was 58.86%, compared to 51.82% for the third quarter, primarily due to the lower revenue.

Noninterest expense was $136.5 million for the full year 2023, compared with $130.3 million for 2022, up 4.8%. The increase reflected a $5.3 million, or 6.9% increase in salaries and benefits, a $0.7 million increase in occupancy and equipment expense, a $0.6 million increase in data processing expenses and a $0.6 million increase in professional fees. A $0.5 million decrease in advertising and promotion expenses partially offset these increases. The efficiency ratio for the full year 2023 was 53.45%, compared with 47.93% for 2022, primarily due to the higher expenses and lower revenue.

Hanmi recorded a provision for income taxes of $8.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2023, compared to $7.9 million for the third quarter, and representing an effective tax rate of 32.2% and 29.6%, respectively for each period. 2023 fourth quarter income tax expense included a $0.6 million charge to increase the valuation allowance on state net operating loss carryforwards. The effective tax rate for the full year 2023 was 30.1%, compared to 27.9% for the full year 2022.

Financial Position
Total assets at December 31, 2023 increased 3.0%, or $220.2 million, to $7.57 billion from $7.35 billion at September 30, 2023. The sequential quarter increase reflected a 2.7%, or $159.5 million, growth in loans receivable, net, as well as a $48.5 million increase in securities and a $13.3 million increase in cash and due from banks, primarily supported by a $162.5 million increase in borrowings and a $20.5 million increase in deposits. From December 31, 2022, total assets increased 2.6%, or $192.1 million. This year-over-year increase reflected a 3.7%, or $217.4 million, growth in loans receivable, net, supported by a 14.2%, or $50.1 million decrease in cash and due from banks and a 1.8%, or $112.5 million increase in deposits.

Loans receivable, before allowance for credit losses, were $6.18 billion at December 31, 2023, up from $6.02 billion at September 30, 2023. Loans held for sale, representing the guaranteed portion of SBA 7(a) loans, were $12.0 million at the end of the fourth quarter of 2023, up slightly from $11.8 million at the end of the third quarter.

New loan production was $389.5 million for the fourth quarter of 2023 at an average rate of 8.10%, while $78.0 million of loans paid-off during the quarter at an average rate of 6.82%.

Commercial real estate loan production for the fourth quarter of 2023 was $178.2 million. Commercial and industrial loan production was $52.1 million, SBA loan production was $48.4 million, equipment finance production was $57.3 million, and residential mortgage loan production was $53.5 million.

New loan production for the full year 2023 was $1.29 billion, a decrease of 39.1%, or $826.6 million, from $2.12 billion for the full year 2022.

Deposits were $6.28 billion at the end of the fourth quarter of 2023, up $20.5 million, or 0.3%, from $6.26 billion at the end of the preceding quarter. Driving the change was a $158.7 million increase in money market and savings deposits and a $20.2 million increase in time deposits, partially offset by a $157.6 decline in noninterest-bearing demand deposits due primarily to higher rates offered due to the higher interest rate environment and competition for deposits. Noninterest-bearing demand deposits represented 31.9% of total deposits at December 31, 2023 and the loan-to-deposit ratio was 98.4%.

Stockholders’ equity at December 31, 2023 was $701.9 million, up $38.5 million from $663.4 million at September 30, 2023. The increase includes a $27.3 million decrease in unrealized after-tax losses on securities available for sale due to changes in intermediate-term interest rates during the fourth quarter. Fourth quarter net income, net of dividends paid, added $11.0 million to stockholders’ equity for the period. In addition, Hanmi repurchased 50,000 shares during the fourth quarter at an average share price of $14.77. At December 31, 2023, 409,972 shares remain under Hanmi’s share repurchase program. Tangible common stockholders’ equity was $690.8 million, or 9.14% of tangible assets, at December 31, 2023, compared with $652.2 million, or 8.89% of tangible assets at the end of the third quarter. Tangible book value per share increased to $22.75 at December 31, 2023 from $21.45 at the end of the prior quarter.

Hanmi and the Bank exceeded the minimum regulatory capital requirements and the Bank continues to exceed the minimum for the “well capitalized” category. At December 31, 2023, Hanmi’s preliminary common equity tier 1 capital ratio was 11.86% and its total risk-based capital ratio was 14.95%, compared with 11.95% and 15.07%, respectively, at the end of the third quarter of 2023.

Asset Quality
Loans 30 to 89 days past due and still accruing were 0.17% of loans at the end of the fourth quarter of 2023, compared with 0.16% at the end of the prior quarter.

Criticized loans totaled $96.7 million at the end of the fourth quarter, down from $109.6 million at the end of the third quarter. Special mention loans were $65.3 million at the end of the fourth quarter, down from $76.5 million at September 30, 2023. Reductions in special mention loans included upgrades to pass loans of $12.9 million and paydowns and payoffs of $1.9 million. The quarter-over-quarter change also included increases from downgrades of $3.6 million of pass loans.

Classified loans were $31.4 million at December 31, 2023, down from $33.1 million at the end of the prior quarter. The $1.7 million decrease was primarily driven by charge-offs of $1.5 million and amortization, paydowns and payoffs of $5.3 million, offset by new downgrades to classified of $5.1 million.

Nonperforming loans were $15.5 million at December 31, 2023, down from $15.8 million at the end of the third quarter. As a percentage of the loan portfolio, nonperforming loans improved to 0.25% at quarter-end, down from 0.26% at the end of the third quarter.

Nonperforming assets were $15.6 million at the end of the fourth quarter of 2023, down from $15.9 million at the end of the prior quarter. As a percentage of total assets, nonperforming assets also improved to 0.21% at quarter-end, down from 0.22% at the end of the third quarter.

Gross charge-offs for the fourth quarter of 2023 were $1.8 million, compared with $9.4 million for the preceding quarter. Recoveries of previously charged-off loans for the fourth quarter of 2023 were $6.8 million, which included a $6.0 million recovery from a 2019 troubled loan relationship, compared with $0.5 million of recoveries for the prior quarter. As a result, there were net recoveries of $5.0 million for the fourth quarter of 2023, compared with net charge-offs of $8.9 million for the prior quarter. For the fourth quarter of 2023, net recoveries represented 0.33% of average loans on an annualized basis, compared with net charge-offs of 0.60% of average loans for the third quarter on an annualized basis. For the full year 2023, net charge-offs were 0.12% of average loans, compared with 0.02% for 2022.

The allowance for credit losses was $69.5 million at December 31, 2023, up from $67.3 million at September 30, 2023. Specific allowances for loans increased $0.5 million while the allowance for quantitative and qualitative considerations increased $1.7 million. The ratio of the allowance for credit losses to loans was 1.12% at the end of both the fourth quarter and third quarter of 2023.

Corporate Developments
On October 26, 2023, Hanmi’s Board of Directors declared a cash dividend on its common stock for the 2023 fourth quarter of $0.25 per share. Hanmi paid the dividend on November 22, 2023, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on November 6, 2023.

Earnings Conference Call
Hanmi Bank will host its fourth quarter and year-end 2023 earnings conference call today, January 23, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. PST (5:00 p.m. EST) to discuss these results. This call will also be webcast. To access the call, please dial 1-877-407-9039 before 2:00 p.m. PST, using access code Hanmi Bank. To listen to the call online, either live or archived, please visit Hanmi’s Investor Relations website at https://investors.hanmi.com/ where it will also be available for replay approximately one hour following the call.

About Hanmi Financial Corporation
Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Hanmi Financial Corporation owns Hanmi Bank, which serves multi-ethnic communities through its network of 35 full-service branches and eight loan production offices in California, Texas, Illinois, Virginia, New Jersey, New York, Colorado, Washington and Georgia. Hanmi Bank specializes in real estate, commercial, SBA and trade finance lending to small and middle market businesses. Additional information is available at www.hanmi.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, which are included in accordance with the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact are “forward–looking statements” for purposes of federal and state securities laws, including, but not limited to, statements about our anticipated future operating and financial performance, financial position and liquidity, business strategies, regulatory and competitive outlook, investment and expenditure plans, capital and financing needs and availability, plans and objectives of management for future operations, developments regarding our capital and strategic plans, and other similar forecasts and statements of expectation and statements of assumption underlying any of the foregoing. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” or “continue,” or the negative of such terms and other comparable terminology. Although we believe that our forward-looking statements to be reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These factors include the following:

• a failure to maintain adequate levels of capital and liquidity to support our operations;
• general economic and business conditions internationally, nationally and in those areas in which we operate, including any potential recessionary conditions;
• volatility and deterioration in the credit and equity markets;
• changes in consumer spending, borrowing and savings habits;
• availability of capital from private and government sources;
• demographic changes;
• competition for loans and deposits and failure to attract or retain loans and deposits;
• inflation and fluctuations in interest rates that reduce our margins and yields, the fair value of financial instruments, the level of loan originations or prepayments on loans we have made and make, and the cost we pay to retain and attract deposits and secure other types of funding;
• our ability to enter new markets successfully and capitalize on growth opportunities;
• the current or anticipated impact of military conflict, terrorism or other geopolitical events;
• the effect of potential future supervisory action against us or Hanmi Bank and our ability to address any issues raised in our regulatory exams;
• risks of natural disasters;
• legal proceedings and litigation brought against us;
• a failure in or breach of our operational or security systems or infrastructure, including cyberattacks;
• the failure to maintain current technologies;
• risks associated with Small Business Administration loans;
• failure to attract or retain key employees;
• our ability to access cost-effective funding;
• changes in liquidity, including the size and composition of our deposit portfolio, including the percentage of uninsured deposits in the portfolio;
• fluctuations in real estate values;
• changes in accounting policies and practices;
• changes in governmental regulation, including, but not limited to, any increase in FDIC insurance premiums and changes in the monetary policies of the U.S. Treasury and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System;
• the continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business and results of operation;
• the ability of Hanmi Bank to make distributions to Hanmi Financial Corporation, which is restricted by certain factors, including Hanmi Bank’s retained earnings, net income, prior distributions made, and certain other financial tests;
• strategic transactions we may enter into;
• the adequacy of our allowance for credit losses;
• our credit quality and the effect of credit quality on our credit losses expense and allowance for credit losses;
• changes in the financial performance and/or condition of our borrowers and the ability of our borrowers to perform under the terms of their loans and other terms of credit agreements;
• our ability to control expenses; and
• cyber security and fraud risks against our information technology and those of our third-party providers and vendors.

In addition, we set forth certain risks in our reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including, Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K that we will file hereafter, which could cause actual results to differ from those projected. We undertake no obligation to update such forward-looking statements except as required by law.

Investor Contacts:
Romolo (Ron) Santarosa
Senior Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
213-427-5636

Larry Clark, CFA
Investor Relations
Financial Profiles, Inc.
lclark@finprofiles.com
310-622-8223

Hanmi Financial Corporation and Subsidiaries
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Hanmi Financial Corporation and Subsidiaries
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