Member News

Northwest Bancshares, Inc., (the "Company"), (NasdaqGS: NWBI) announced net income for the quarter ended December 31, 2022 of $34.6 million, or $0.27 per diluted share.  This represents an increase of $4.6 million, or 15.3%, compared to the same quarter last year, when net income was $30.1 million, or $0.24 per diluted share.  The annualized returns on average shareholders’ equity and average assets for the quarter ended December 31, 2022 were 9.38% and 0.98% compared to 7.65% and 0.82% for the quarter ended December 31, 2021.

The Company also announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.20 per share payable on February 14, 2023 to shareholders of record as of February 2, 2023. This is the 113th consecutive quarter in which the Company has paid a cash dividend. Based on the market value of the Company's common stock as of December 31, 2022, this represents an annualized dividend yield of approximately 5.7%.

Louis J. Torchio, President and CEO, added, "We were very pleased with our organic loan growth this quarter of $178.9 million, or 1.7%, spread across all loan categories. In addition, our net interest margin expanded by 15 basis points to 3.57%, and asset quality metrics remain solid.  We have also taken additional measures to reduce expenses and improve our efficiency.  We recently announced the further optimization of eight offices within our branch network to be completed in April 2023.  In-branch activity continues to slow as customers prefer to transact through online and mobile channels.  In addition, we have re-aligned our workforce to correspond with our strategic direction as a commercial bank, further streamlining our operations.  These efforts generated $4.2 million of severance and restructuring costs in the fourth quarter with an additional $3.2 million expected to be recognized in the first quarter of 2023."

Mr. Torchio continued, "These necessary measures will reduce our overall workforce by approximately 12% and generate approximately $16.0 million in annual operating expense savings beginning in the second quarter of 2023. These operating expense savings are expected to be reinvested in the Company's strategic initiatives during 2023, focused on shifting our balance sheet mix and continuing our journey as a full-service commercial bank. This shift includes further buildout of our core middle market C&I strategy throughout our footprint with full relationship banking, including enhanced treasury management services. In addition, we will further scale small business lending with particular focus on Small Business Administration (SBA) financing and secondary market sales, as well as the recent addition of our new equipment finance team with specialty finance expertise throughout the east coast"

Net interest income increased by $20.4 million, or 21.1%, to $117.0 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2022, from $96.7 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2021.  This increase in net interest income is due to both the increase in market interest rates and the change in our interest-earning asset mix. Cash in interest-earning deposits was redeployed into higher yielding loans and investments, which, along with higher market interest rates, caused the yield on interest-earning assets to increase to 3.89% for the quarter ended December 31, 2022 from 3.05% for the quarter ended December 31, 2021.  This increase in yield was partially offset by an increase in the cost of interest-bearing liabilities, which increased to 0.46% for the quarter ended December 31, 2022 from 0.26% for the quarter ended December 31, 2021.  The net effect of the changes in interest rates and average balances was an increase in the Company's net interest margin to 3.57% for the quarter ended December 31, 2022, from 2.89% for the same quarter last year.

The provision for credit losses increased by $10.9 million, reflecting an expense of $9.0 million for the current quarter ended December 31, 2022 compared to a provision credit of $1.9 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2021.  This increase was primarily due to growth within our loan portfolio during the current year in conjunction with forecasted economic deterioration reflected in our allowance for credit loss models, including a reduction in home and used vehicle values.  The Company continued to experience improvement in asset quality as classified loans decreased by $126.9 million, or 34.9%, to $236.2 million, or 2.2% of total loans, at December 31, 2022, from $363.2 million, or 3.6% of total loans, at December 31, 2021.  Total delinquent loans also decreased to $85.9 million, or 0.8% of loans receivable, at December 31, 2022 from $96.9 million, or 1.0% of loans receivable, at December 31, 2021. In addition, the Company experienced net charge-offs during the current quarter of $806,000, or 0.03% on an annualized basis, compared to net charge-offs of $5.6 million, or 0.22% on an annualized basis, during the same quarter last year, for an overall net improvement of $4.8 million.

Noninterest income increased by $816,000, or 3.0%, to $27.9 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2022, from $27.0 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2021. This increase was primarily due to an increase in our other operating income of $1.7 million, or 53.5%, to $4.9 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2022 from $3.2 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2021. This increase was primarily the result of gains from the sale of branch buildings associated with the previously announced branch consolidations and improvements in other fee income. Partially offsetting this increase was a decline in mortgage banking income of $1.6 million, or 77.5%, to $477,000 for the quarter ended December 31, 2022 from $2.1 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2021. This decrease reflects the impact of less favorable pricing in the secondary market, due primarily to the volatile interest rate environment, as well as a decrease in mortgage volumes primarily due to higher market interest rates.

Noninterest expense increased by $4.4 million, or 5.1%, to $90.7 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2022 from $86.3 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2021. This increase was primarily due to an increase in other expenses of $2.8 million, or 210.5%, and an increase in merger, asset disposition and restructuring expenses of $1.4 million, or 50.9%. The increase in other expense was primarily due to an increase in our unfunded loan loss reserve associated with the origination of loans with current off-balance sheet exposure. The increase in merger, asset disposition and restructuring expense was a result of severance and fixed asset charges related to the branch optimization and personnel reduction, as previously noted.

The provision for income taxes increased by $1.3 million, or 14.1%, to $10.6 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2022 from $9.3 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2021 due primarily to an increase in income before taxes in the current quarter.

Net income for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $133.7 million, or $1.05 per diluted share. This represents a decrease of $20.7 million, or 13.4%, compared to the year ended December 31, 2021, when net income was $154.3 million, or $1.21 per diluted share. The annualized returns on average shareholders' equity and average assets for the year ended December 31, 2022 were 8.80% and 0.94% compared to 9.91% and 1.08% for the prior year. This decrease in net income was the result of an increase in provision for credit losses of $29.7 million, primarily as a result of the provision credit in 2021 related to the release of reserves built-up during COVID-19. In addition, noninterest income decreased by $32.0 million, or 22.4%, largely due to the $25.3 million gain recognized on the sale of the insurance business in the second quarter of 2021.  Also contributing to the decline in noninterest income was an $11.0 million reduction in mortgage banking income due to the volatile interest rate environment causing unfavorable pricing in the secondary market and a slowdown in mortgage loan activity in general.  Partially offsetting these unfavorable variances was an increase in net interest income by $29.4 million, or 7.5%, to $420.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 from $391.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2021.  This increase in net interest income was due primarily to an increase in the yield on interest-earning assets to 3.41% for the year ended December 31, 2022 from 3.18% for the year ended December 31, 2021, as well as an increase in the average balance of interest earning assets by $17.6 million.  Lastly, noninterest expense decreased by $4.9 million, or 1.4%, to $340.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 from $344.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 despite an increase in merger, asset disposition and restructuring expense of $2.2 million, or 62.7%, related to the branch and personnel optimization expense and an increase in other expenses of $7.3 million related primarily to the buildup of credit loss reserves for unfunded loans with off balance sheet exposure.