Horizon Bancorp, Inc. Reports Second Quarter 2024 Results Including EPS of $0.32, Net Interest Margin Expansion, and Growth in Net Interest Income and Loans

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind., July 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (NASDAQ GS: HBNC) – Horizon Bancorp, Inc. (“Horizon” or the “Company”), the parent company of Horizon Bank (the “Bank”), announced its unaudited financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024.

Net income for the three months ended June 30, 2024 was $14.1 million, or $0.32 per diluted share, compared to net income of $14.0 million, or $0.32, for the first quarter of 2024 and compared to net income of $18.8 million, or $0.43 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2023.

Net income for the six months ended June 30, 2024 was $28.1 million, or $0.64 per diluted share, compared to net income of $37.0 million, or $0.85, for the six months ended June 30, 2023.

Second Quarter 2024 Highlights

• Net interest income increased for the third consecutive quarter to $45.3 million, compared to $43.3 million in the linked quarter of 2024. Net interest margin, on a fully taxable equivalent ("FTE") basis¹, expanded for the third consecutive quarter to 2.64%, compared to 2.50% in the linked quarter of 2024.

• Total loans held for investment ("HFI") were $4.8 billion at period end, increasing by 4.4% during the quarter, led by organic commercial loan growth of $154.8 million, or 5.6% in the quarter.

• Credit quality continues to perform well, with non-accrual loans declining $0.8 million, to $18.3 million at June 30, 2024 from March 31, 2024. Annualized net charge-offs remain low, at 0.05% of average loans during the second quarter. Provision for loan losses of $2.4 million primarily reflected continued loan growth in the quarter.

• Deposits totaled $5.6 billion at period end, increasing by 0.9% during the quarter. Non-interest bearing deposit balances at June 30, 2024 were relatively consistent with balances at March 31, 2024.

“We are proud of the Company's performance during the second quarter, which was highlighted by sequential growth in revenue and pre-tax pre-provision income resulting from the strategic shift of Horizon’s balance sheet toward a more profitable earning asset mix, and diligent expense management. Importantly, the previously discussed balance sheet efforts drove improving loan yields, which coupled with the relative stability of our funding costs, yielded 14 basis points of net interest margin expansion in the quarter,” President and Chief Executive Officer Thomas M. Prame said. “In-market businesses and consumers remain at the center of Horizon’s strong credit performance and low-cost deposit franchise, and our Indiana and Michigan markets continue to provide excellent opportunities for organic growth. We are pleased with our performance during the first half of 2024, and remain committed to enhancing our financial performance throughout 2024."

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¹ Non-GAAP financial metric. See non-GAAP reconciliation included herein for the most directly comparable GAAP measure.

Income Statement Highlights

Net Interest Income

Net interest income was $45.3 million in the second quarter of 2024, compared to $43.3 million in the first quarter of 2024, driven by net FTE interest margin expansion during the quarter. Horizon’s net FTE interest margin¹ was 2.64% for the second quarter of 2024, compared to 2.50% for the first quarter of 2024, attributable to the favorable mix shift in average interest earning assets toward higher-yielding loans against relatively stable costs of interest bearing liabilities. Interest accretion from the fair value of acquired loans did not contribute significantly to the second quarter net interest income, or net FTE interest margin.

Provision for Credit Losses

During the second quarter of 2024, the Company recorded a provision for credit losses of $2.4 million. This compares to a provision for credit losses of $0.8 million during the first quarter of 2024, and $0.7 million during the second quarter of 2023. The increase in the provision for credit losses during the second quarter of 2024 when compared with the first quarter of 2024 was primarily attributable to loan growth.

For the second quarter of 2024, the allowance for credit losses included net charge-offs of $0.6 million, or an annualized 0.05% of average loans outstanding, compared to net charge-offs of $0.4 million, or an annualized 0.04% of average loans outstanding for the first quarter of 2024, and net charge-offs of $0.3 million, or an annualized 0.04% of average loans outstanding, in the second quarter of 2023.

The Company’s allowance for credit losses as a percentage of period-end loans HFI was 1.08% at June 30, 2024, compared to 1.09% at March 31, 2024 and 1.17% at June 30, 2023.

Non-Interest Income

Total non-interest income was $10.5 million in the second quarter of 2024, compared to $9.9 million in the first quarter of 2024, due primarily to increased interchange fees and higher realized gain on sale of mortgage loans.

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¹ Non-GAAP financial metric. See non-GAAP reconciliation included herein for the most directly comparable GAAP measure.

Non-Interest Expense

Income Taxes

Horizon's effective tax rate was 10.9% for the second quarter of 2024, as compared to 8.6% for the first quarter of 2024. The sequential increase in the effective tax rate brings the year-to-date effective tax rate to 9.8%, consistent with the Company's current estimated annual effective tax rate.

Balance Sheet

Total assets increased by $56.8 million, or 0.7%, to $7.91 billion as of June 30, 2024, from $7.86 billion as of March 31, 2024. The increase in total assets is primarily due to increases in gross loans HFI of $204.7 million, or 4.4%, to $4.8 billion as of June 30, 2024, compared to $4.6 billion as of March 31, 2024. Loan growth during the period was partially offset by a decrease in fed funds sold of $127.3 million, or 78.7%, to $34.5 million as of June 30, 2024, from $161.7 million as of March 31, 2024.

Total investment securities decreased $29.7 million, or 1.2%, to $2.4 billion as of June 30, 2024, from $2.5 billion as of March 31, 2024, primarily as a result of normal pay-downs and maturities. There were no purchases of investment securities during the second quarter of 2024.

Total loans HFI and loans held for sale increased to $4.8 billion as of June 30, 2024 compared to $4.6 billion as of March 31, 2024, led by organic commercial loan growth of $154.8 million.

Total deposit balances increased by $50.3 million, or 0.9%, to $5.6 billion on June 30, 2024 when compared to balances as of March 31, 2024.

All other interest bearing liabilities at June 30, 2024, primarily comprised of Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis advances, remained relatively stable when compared to balances as of March 31, 2024.

Capital

The following table presents the consolidated regulatory capital ratios of the Company for the previous three quarters:

During the second quarter of 2024 management corrected a prior computation of the Company’s total capital (to risk-weighted assets), Tier 1 capital (to risk-weighted assets), and Tier 1 capital (to average assets) ratios for purposes of the Company’s consolidated financial statements for holding companies filed with the Federal Reserve (the “Regulatory Filings”), which involved an incorrect classification of the Company’s subordinated notes as Tier 1 capital. The Company evaluated the effects of the incorrect classification to its previously filed Regulatory Filings and previously issued financial statements and determined the errors were not material to either of the prior periods noted above. The Company has amended its Regulatory Filings for the periods ended March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 to reclassify the subordinated notes balance from Tier 1 capital into Tier 2 capital. The correction of the classification had no effect on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets, statements of income, stockholders’ equity, or the amounts or disclosure of the regulatory capital ratios of the Bank as included in its call reports. The Company continues to exceed regulatory proxy ratios to be considered “well capitalized”, plus the capital conservation buffer, at June 30, 2024. The Company will reflect the reclassification of the subordinated notes described above in its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2024.

As of June 30, 2024, the ratio of total stockholders’ equity to total assets is 9.18%. Book value per common share was $16.62, increasing $0.13 during the second quarter of 2024.

Tangible common equity¹ totaled $559.5 million at June 30, 2024, and the ratio of tangible common equity to tangible assets¹ was 7.22% at June 30, 2024. Tangible book value, which excludes intangible assets from total equity, per common share¹ was $12.80, increasing $0.15 during the second quarter of 2024.

Credit Quality

As of June 30, 2024, total non-accrual loans decreased by $0.8 million, or 4.1%, from March 31, 2024, to 0.38% of total loans HFI. Total non-performing assets increased $0.2 million, or 0.8%, to $20.5 million, compared to $20.3 million as of March 31, 2024. The ratio of non-performing assets to total assets was unchanged compared to the first quarter of 2024.

As of June 30, 2024, net charge-offs increased by $0.2 million to $0.6 million, compared to $0.4 million as of March 31, 2024, but remain low at 0.05% annualized of average loan balances.

Earnings Conference Call

As previously announced, Horizon will host a conference call to review its second quarter financial results and operating performance.

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¹ Non-GAAP financial metric. See non-GAAP reconciliation included herein for the most directly comparable GAAP measure.

Participants may access the live conference call on July 25, 2024 at 7:30 a.m. CT (8:30 a.m. ET) by dialing 833-974-2379 from the United States, 866-450-4696 from Canada or 1-412-317-5772 from international locations and requesting the “Horizon Bancorp Call.” Participants are asked to dial in approximately 10 minutes prior to the call.

A telephone replay of the call will be available approximately one hour after the end of the conference through August 2, 2024. The replay may be accessed by dialing 877-344-7529 from the United States, 855-669-9658 from Canada or 1–412–317-0088 from other international locations, and entering the access code 6800817.

About Horizon Bancorp, Inc.

Horizon Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ GS: HBNC) is the $7.9 billion-asset commercial bank holding company for Horizon Bank, which serve customers across diverse and economically attractive Midwestern markets through convenient digital and virtual tools, as well as its Indiana and Michigan branches. Horizon's retail offerings include prime residential and other secured consumer lending to in-market customers, as well as a range of personal banking and wealth management solutions. Horizon also provides a comprehensive array of in-market business banking and treasury management services, as well as equipment financing solutions for customers regionally and nationally, with commercial lending representing over half of total loans. More information on Horizon, headquartered in Northwest Indiana's Michigan City, is available at horizonbank.com and investor.horizonbank.com.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Certain information set forth in this press release refers to financial measures determined by methods other than in accordance with GAAP. Specifically, we have included non-GAAP financial measures relating to net income, diluted earnings per share, pre-tax, pre-provision net income, net interest margin, tangible stockholders’ equity and tangible book value per share, efficiency ratio, the return on average assets, the return on average common equity, and return on average tangible equity. In each case, we have identified special circumstances that we consider to be non-recurring and have excluded them. We believe that this shows the impact of such events as acquisition-related purchase accounting adjustments and swap termination fees, among others we have identified in our reconciliations. Horizon believes these non-GAAP financial measures are helpful to investors and provide a greater understanding of our business and financial results without giving effect to the purchase accounting impacts and one-time costs of acquisitions and non–recurring items. These measures are not necessarily comparable to similar measures that may be presented by other companies and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the related GAAP measure. See the tables and other information below and contained elsewhere in this press release for reconciliations of the non-GAAP information identified herein and its most comparable GAAP measures.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward–looking statements regarding the financial performance, business prospects, growth and operating strategies of Horizon Bancorp, Inc. and its affiliates (collectively, “Horizon”). For these statements, Horizon claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements in this press release should be considered in conjunction with the other information available about Horizon, including the information in the filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Forward-looking statements provide current expectations or forecasts of future events and are not guarantees of future performance. The forward-looking statements are based on management’s expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. We have tried, wherever possible, to identify such statements by using words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “will” and similar expressions in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance.

Although management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially include: current financial conditions within the banking industry, including the effects of recent failures of other financial institutions, liquidity levels, and responses by the Federal Reserve, Department of the Treasury, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to address these issues; changes in the level and volatility of interest rates, changes in spreads on earning assets and changes in interest bearing liabilities; increased interest rate sensitivity; the ability of Horizon to remediate its material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting; continuing increases in inflation; loss of key Horizon personnel; increases in disintermediation; potential loss of fee income, including interchange fees, as new and emerging alternative payment platforms take a greater market share of the payment systems; estimates of fair value of certain of Horizon’s assets and liabilities; changes in prepayment speeds, loan originations, credit losses, market values, collateral securing loans and other assets; changes in sources of liquidity; economic conditions and their impact on Horizon and its customers, including local and global economic recovery from the pandemic; legislative and regulatory actions and reforms; changes in accounting policies or procedures as may be adopted and required by regulatory agencies; litigation, regulatory enforcement, and legal compliance risk and costs; rapid technological developments and changes; cyber terrorism and data security breaches; the rising costs of cybersecurity; the ability of the U.S. federal government to manage federal debt limits; climate change and social justice initiatives; the inability to realize cost savings or revenues or to effectively implement integration plans and other consequences associated with mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures; acts of terrorism, war and global conflicts, such as the Russia and Ukraine conflict and the Israel and Hamas conflict; and supply chain disruptions and delays. These and additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements are discussed in Horizon’s reports (such as the Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K) filed with the SEC and available at the SEC’s website (). Undue reliance should not be placed on the forward–looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Horizon does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to publicly release the result of any revisions that may be made to update any forward-looking statement to reflect the events or circumstances after the date on which the forward–looking statement is made, or reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except to the extent required by law.