Bank OZK Announces Third Quarter 2021 Earnings

LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Oct. 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bank OZK (the “Bank”) (Nasdaq: OZK) today announced that net income for the third quarter of 2021 was $130.3 million, a 19.3% increase from $109.3 million for the third quarter of 2020. Diluted earnings per common share for the third quarter of 2021 were $1.00, a 19.0% increase from $0.84 for the third quarter of 2020.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2021, net income was $429.2 million, a 150.5% increase from $171.4 million for the first nine months of 2020. Diluted earnings per common share for the first nine months of 2021 were $3.30, a 150.0% increase from $1.32 for the first nine months of 2020.

As a result of improved economic conditions and prospects for improvement in the U.S. economy, management recorded negative provision for credit losses of $7.5 million during the third quarter and $69.9 million during the first nine months of 2021, reducing the Bank’s total allowance for credit losses (“ACL”) from $377.3 million at December 31, 2020 to $298.8 million at September 30, 2021. The Bank’s provision for credit losses was $7.2 million during the third quarter and $196.9 million during the first nine months of 2020, reflecting significant economic uncertainty at that time.

The Bank’s results for the first nine months of 2021 included pretax gains of $4.4 million from the sale of its South Carolina branches and $1.4 million of tax-exempt bank-owned life insurance (“BOLI”) death benefits, both of which were recognized during the first quarter of 2021. The Bank had no gains from branch sales and had $0.6 million of tax-exempt BOLI death benefits during the first nine months of 2020.

Pre-tax pre-provision net revenue (“PPNR”) was $163.5 million for the third quarter of 2021, a 12.3% increase from $145.7 million for the third quarter of 2020. For the nine months ended September 30, 2021, PPNR was $489.0 million, a 17.3% increase from $417.0 million for the first nine months of 2020. The calculation of PPNR and the reconciliation to generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) are included in the schedules accompanying this release.

The Bank’s annualized returns on average assets, average common stockholders’ equity and average tangible common stockholders’ equity for the third quarter of 2021 were 1.98%, 11.41% and 13.39%, respectively, compared to 1.63%, 10.48% and 12.52%, respectively, for the third quarter of 2020. The Bank’s annualized returns on average assets, average common stockholder’s equity and average tangible common stockholders’ equity for the first nine months of 2021 were 2.15%, 12.98% and 15.31%, respectively, compared to 0.90%, 5.55%, and 6.65%, respectively, for the first nine months of 2020. The calculation of the Bank’s return on average tangible common stockholders’ equity and the reconciliation to GAAP are included in the schedules accompanying this release.

George Gleason, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer stated, “We are pleased to report our highest level of quarterly RESG loan originations since 2017 along with record net interest income for the quarter just ended. Our strong capital and liquidity, disciplined credit culture and outstanding team have us well positioned for the future.”

KEY BALANCE SHEET METRICS

Total loans were $18.31 billion at September 30, 2021, a 5.4% decrease from $19.36 billion at September 30, 2020. Non-purchased loans were $17.71 billion at September 30, 2021, a 3.9% decrease from $18.42 billion at September 30, 2020, but a 0.5% increase from $17.61 billion at June 30, 2021. Purchased loans, which consist of loans acquired in previous acquisitions, were $0.60 billion at September 30, 2021, a 36.3% decrease from $0.94 billion at September 30, 2020.

Deposits were $20.10 billion at September 30, 2021, a 5.6% decrease from $21.29 billion at September 30, 2020. Total assets were $26.14 billion at September 30, 2021, a 2.8% decrease from $26.89 billion at September 30, 2020.

Common stockholders’ equity was $4.55 billion at September 30, 2021, an 8.8% increase from $4.19 billion at September 30, 2020. Tangible common stockholders’ equity was $3.88 billion at September 30, 2021, a 10.6% increase from $3.51 billion at September 30, 2020. Book value per common share was $35.35 at September 30, 2021, a 9.2% increase from $32.37 at September 30, 2020. Tangible book value per common share was $30.14 at September 30, 2021, an 11.1% increase from $27.13 at September 30, 2020. The calculations of the Bank’s tangible common stockholders’ equity and tangible book value per common share and the reconciliations to GAAP are included in the schedules accompanying this release.

The Bank’s ratio of total common stockholders’ equity to total assets was 17.42% at September 30, 2021 compared to 15.57% at September 30, 2020. Its ratio of total tangible common stockholders’ equity to total tangible assets was 15.24% at September 30, 2021 compared to 13.39% at September 30, 2020. The calculation of the Bank’s ratio of total tangible common stockholders’ equity to total tangible assets and the reconciliation to GAAP are included in the schedules accompanying this release.

SUBORDINATED DEBT REDEMPTION AND OFFERING

On July 1, 2021, the Bank redeemed all of its $225 million of 5.50% Fixed-to-Floating rate Subordinated Notes at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the subordinated notes plus accrued and unpaid interest. As a result of the subordinated debt redemption, the Bank recognized approximately $0.8 million in remaining unamortized debt issue cost as non-interest expense during the third quarter of 2021.

On September 16, 2021, the Bank completed its public offering of $350 million in aggregate principal amount of its 2.75% Fixed-to-Floating rate Subordinated Notes (the “2.75% Notes”) due 2031, which will initially bear interest at a fixed rate of 2.75% per annum until September 30, 2026. On October 1, 2026, the 2.75% Notes will bear interest at a floating rate equal to a benchmark (which is expected to be three-month SOFR) plus 209 basis points. The 2.75% Notes are unsecured, subordinated debt obligations and mature on October 1, 2031, and the Bank expects to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, which may include, among other things, financing organic growth or strategic acquisitions, repurchase of shares of the Bank’s common stock, supporting the Bank’s regulatory capital levels and ongoing working capital needs. As of September 30, 2021, the Bank’s subordinated debt had a carrying value of $345.9 million and remaining unamortized debt issuance cost of $4.1 million.

STOCK REPURCHASE PROGRAM

In July 2021, the Bank adopted a stock repurchase program authorizing the purchase of up to $300 million of the Bank’s outstanding shares of common stock. During the quarter just ended, the Bank repurchased 888,567 shares at a weighted average cost of $41.61, for a total of $37.0 million. The timing and amount of future repurchases will be determined by management based on a variety of factors such as the Bank’s capital position, liquidity, financial performance and alternative uses of capital, stock price, regulatory requirements and general market and economic conditions. The repurchase program may be suspended by the Bank at any time.

MANAGEMENT’S COMMENTS, CONFERENCE CALL, TRANSCRIPT AND FILINGS

In connection with this release, the Bank released management’s comments on its quarterly results, which are available at http://ir.ozk.com. This release should be read in conjunction with management’s comments on the quarterly results.

Management will conduct a conference call to take questions on these quarterly results and management’s comments at 10:00 a.m. CT (11:00 a.m. ET) on October 22, 2021. Interested parties may listen to this call by dialing 1-844-818-5110 (U.S. and Canada) or 210-229-8841 (internationally) and asking for the Bank OZK conference call. A recorded playback of the call will be available for one week following the call at 1-855-859-2056 (U.S. and Canada) or 404-537-3406 (internationally). The conference ID for this playback is 8870579. The call will be available live or in a recorded version on the Bank’s Investor Relations website at ir.ozk.com under “Company News/Webcasts.” The Bank will also provide a transcript of the conference call on its Investor Relations website.

The Bank files with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy materials and other information required by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, copies of which are available electronically at the FDIC’s website at https://efr.fdic.gov/fcxweb/efr/index.html and are also available on the Bank’s Investor Relations website at http://ir.ozk.com. To receive automated email alerts for these materials, please visit http://ir.ozk.com/EmailNotification to sign up.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

This release contains certain non-GAAP financial measures. The Bank uses these non-GAAP financial measures, specifically return on average tangible common stockholders’ equity, tangible book value per common share, total tangible common stockholders’ equity, the ratio of total tangible common stockholders’ equity to total tangible assets, and PPNR, to assess the strength of its capital, its ability to generate earnings on tangible capital invested by its shareholders and trends in its net revenue. These measures typically adjust GAAP financial measures to exclude intangible assets or provision for credit losses. Management believes presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures provides useful supplemental information which contributes to a proper understanding of the financial results and capital levels of the Bank. These non-GAAP disclosures should not be viewed as a substitute for financial results determined in accordance with GAAP, and they are not necessarily comparable to non-GAAP performance measures that may be presented by other banks. Reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures are included in the tables at the end of this release under the caption “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release and other communications by the Bank include certain “forward-looking statements” regarding the Bank’s plans, expectations, thoughts, beliefs, estimates, goals and outlook for the future that are intended to be covered by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s expectations as well as certain assumptions and estimates made by, and information available to, management at the time. Those statements are not guarantees of future results or performance and are subject to certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to: potential delays or other problems implementing the Bank’s growth, expansion and acquisition strategies, including delays in identifying satisfactory sites, hiring or retaining qualified personnel, obtaining regulatory or other approvals, obtaining permits and designing, constructing and opening new offices or relocating, selling or closing existing offices; the ability to enter into and/or close additional acquisitions; the availability of and access to capital; possible downgrades in the Bank’s credit ratings or outlook which could increase the costs of or decrease the availability of funding from capital markets; the ability to attract new or retain existing or acquired deposits or to retain or grow loans, including growth from unfunded closed loans; the ability to generate future revenue growth or to control future growth in non-interest expense; interest rate fluctuations, including changes in the yield curve between short-term and long-term interest rates or changes in the relative relationships of various interest rate indices; the potential impact of the phase-out of the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) or other changes involving LIBOR; competitive factors and pricing pressures, including their effect on the Bank’s net interest margin or core spread; general economic, unemployment, credit market and real estate market conditions, and the effect of such conditions on the creditworthiness of borrowers, collateral values, the value of investment securities and asset recovery values; changes in legal, financial and/or regulatory requirements; recently enacted and potential legislation and regulatory actions and the costs and expenses to comply with new and/or existing legislation and regulatory actions, including those in response to the COVID-19 pandemic such as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, and any similar or related laws, rules and regulations; the impact of any future federal government shutdown and uncertainty regarding the federal government’s debt limit or changes in U.S. government monetary and fiscal policy; FDIC special assessments or changes to regular assessments; the ability to keep pace with technological changes, including changes regarding maintaining cybersecurity; the impact of failure in, or breach of, the Bank’s operational or security systems or infrastructure, or those of third parties with whom it does business, including as a result of cyber-attacks or an increase in the incidence or severity of fraud, illegal payments, security breaches or other illegal acts impacting the Bank or its customers; natural disasters or acts of war or terrorism; the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the duration of the pandemic and actions taken to contain or treat COVID-19, on the Bank, the Bank’s customers, the Bank’s staff, the global economy and financial markets; potential impact of supply chain disruptions; national, international or political instability; impairment of the Bank’s goodwill or other intangible assets; adoption of new accounting standards, or changes in existing standards; and adverse results (including costs, fines, reputational harm and/or other negative effects) from current or future litigation, regulatory examinations or other legal and/or regulatory actions or rulings as well as other factors identified in this press release or as detailed from time to time in the other public reports the Bank files with the FDIC, including those factors described in the disclosures under the headings “Forward-Looking Information” and “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in the Bank’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Should one or more of the foregoing risks materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results or outcomes may vary materially from those projected in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements. The Bank disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements based on the occurrence of future events, the receipt of new information or otherwise.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Bank OZK (Nasdaq: OZK) is a regional bank providing innovative financial solutions delivered by expert bankers with a relentless pursuit of excellence. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Bank OZK conducts operations through 249 offices in eight states, including Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, California, New York and Mississippi. Bank OZK can be found at www.ozk.com and on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn or contacted at (501) 978-2265 or P. O. Box 8811, Little Rock, Arkansas 72231-8811.

(1)  Current Expected Credit Loss.

(1) Calculations of pre-tax pre-provision net revenue, tangible book value per common share and return on average tangible common stockholders’ equity and the reconciliations to GAAP are included in the schedules accompanying this release.(2) Ratios for interim periods annualized based on actual days.(3) Excludes purchased loans and net charge-offs related to such loans.(4) Excludes purchased loans, except for their inclusion in total assets.(5) Excludes reserve for losses on unfunded loan commitments.

(1)  Calculations of pre-tax pre-provision net revenue, tangible book value per common share and return on average tangible common stockholders’ equity and the reconciliations to GAAP are included in the schedules accompanying this release.(2)  Ratios for interim periods annualized based on actual days.(3)  Excludes purchased loans and net charge-offs related to such loans.(4)  Excludes purchased loans, except for their inclusion in total assets.(5)  Excludes reserve for losses on unfunded loan commitments.

(1)  Current Expected Credit Loss.(2)  Ratios for interim periods annualized based on actual days.(3)  Excludes purchased loans and net charge-offs related to such loans.(4)  Excludes purchased loans, except for their inclusion in total assets.(5)  Excludes reserve for losses on unfunded loan commitments.