Amerant Reports Fourth Quarter 2023 and Full-Year 2023 Results

Total gross loans include loans held for investment, net of unamortized deferred loan origination fees and costs, as well as loans held for sale. As of December 31, 2023, September 30, 2023, June 30, 2023, March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, mortgage loans held for sale carried at fair value totaled $26.2 million, $26.0 million, $49.9 million, $65.3 million and $62.4 million, respectively. In addition, as of December 31, 2023 and September 30, 2023, includes $365.2 million and $43.3 million in loans held for sale carried at the lower of estimated fair value or cost.

Core deposits consist of total deposits excluding all time deposits.

In the fourth quarter of 2022, the Company announced that the Board of Directors authorized a new repurchase program pursuant to which the Company may purchase, from time to time, up to an aggregate amount of $25 million of its shares of Class A common stock (the "2023 Class A Common Stock Repurchase Program"). In the third, second and first quarters of 2023, the Company repurchased an aggregate of 142,188 shares of Class A common stock, 95,262 shares of Class A common stock and 22,403 shares of Class A common stock, respectively, at a weighted average price of $19.05 per share, $17.42 per share and $25.25 per share, respectively, under the 2023 Class A Common Stock Repurchase Program. In the third, second and first quarters of 2023, the aggregate purchase price for these transactions was approximately $2.7 million, $1.7 million and $0.6 million, respectively, including transaction costs. There were no repurchases of Class A common stock in the fourth quarter of 2023.

For each of the fourth, third, second and first quarters of 2023 and the fourth quarter of 2022, the Company's Board of Directors declared cash dividends of $0.09 per share of the Company's common stock and paid an aggregate amount of $3.0 million per quarter in connection with these dividends. The dividend declared in the fourth quarter of 2023 was paid on November 30, 2023 to shareholders of record at the close of business on November 14, 2023. The dividend declared in the third quarter of 2023 was paid on August 31, 2023 to shareholders of record at the close of business on August 15, 2023. The dividend declared in the second quarter of 2023 was paid on May 31, 2023 to shareholders of record at the close of business on May 15, 2023. The dividend declared in the first quarter of 2023 was paid on February 28, 2023 to shareholders of record at the close of business on February 13, 2023. The dividend declared in the fourth quarter of 2022 was paid on November 30, 2022 to shareholders of record at the close of business on November 15, 2022.

Assets held for clients in an agency or fiduciary capacity which are not assets of the Company and therefore are not included in the consolidated financial statements.

As previously disclosed, the Company adopted CECL in the fourth quarter of 2022, effective as of January 1, 2022. See Form 10-K for more details on the CECL adoption and related effects to quarterly results for each quarter in the year ended December 31, 2022.

In the fourth and third quarter of 2023, includes provision for credit losses on loans of $12.0 million and $7.4 million, respectively, and unfunded commitments (contingencies) of $0.5 million and $0.6 million, respectively. For all other periods shown, includes provision for credit losses on loans. There was no provision for credit losses on unfunded commitments in the second quarter of 2023 and the fourth quarter of 2022. In the first quarter of 2023, the provision for credit losses on unfunded commitments was $0.3 million.

In the three months ended December 31, 2023, September 30, 2023, June 30, 2023, March 31, 2023, and December 31, 2022, net income excludes losses of $0.8 million, $0.4 million, $0.3 million, $0.2 million and $0.2 million, respectively, attributable to a minority interest in Amerant Mortgage LLC. In the fourth quarter of 2023, the Company increased its ownership interest in Amerant Mortgage to 100% from 80% at September 30, 2023. This transaction had no material impact to the Company's results of operations in the three months and year ended December 31, 2023. In connection with the change in ownership interest, which brought the minority interest share to zero, the Company derecognized the equity attributable to noncontrolling interest of $3.8 million at December 31, 2023, with a corresponding reduction to additional paid-in capital.

This presentation contains adjusted financial information determined by methods other than GAAP. This adjusted financial information is reconciled to GAAP in Exhibit 2 - Non-GAAP Financial Measures Reconciliation.

In all the periods shown, potential dilutive instruments consisted of unvested shares of restricted stock, restricted stock units and performance stock units. In the fourth quarter of 2023, potential dilutive instruments were excluded from the diluted earnings per share computation because the Company reported a net loss and their inclusion would have an anti-dilutive effect in per share earnings in that period. In all other periods shown, potential dilutive instruments were included in the diluted earnings per share computation because, when the unamortized deferred compensation cost related to these shares was divided by the average market price per share in all the periods shown, fewer shares would have been purchased than restricted shares assumed issued. Therefore, in those periods, such awards resulted in higher diluted weighted average shares outstanding than basic weighted average shares outstanding, and had a dilutive effect in per share earnings.

Operating data for the periods presented have been annualized.

NIM is defined as NII divided by average interest-earning assets, which are loans, securities, deposits with banks and other financial assets which yield interest or similar income.

Calculated based upon the average daily balance of total assets.

Calculated based upon the average daily balance of stockholders' equity.

Total revenue is the result of net interest income before provision for credit losses plus noninterest income.

Total stockholders' equity divided by total risk-weighted assets, calculated according to the standardized regulatory capital ratio calculations.

Tier 1 capital divided by total risk-weighted assets. Tier 1 capital is composed of Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) capital plus outstanding qualifying trust preferred securities of $62.3 million at each of the dates presented.

Tier 1 capital divided by quarter to date average assets.

CET1 capital divided by total risk-weighted assets.

Tangible common equity is calculated as the ratio of common equity less goodwill and other intangibles divided by total assets less goodwill and other intangible assets. Other intangible assets primarily consist of naming rights and mortgage servicing rights and are included in other assets in the Company's consolidated balance sheets.

Calculated in the same manner described in footnote 20 but also includes unrealized losses on debt securities held to maturity in the balance of common equity and total assets.

Calculated as the ratio of total loans gross divided by total deposits.

Non-performing assets include all accruing loans past due by 90 days or more, all nonaccrual loans and other real estate owned ("OREO") properties acquired through or in lieu of foreclosure, and other repossessed assets.

Non-performing loans include all accruing loans past due by 90 days or more and all nonaccrual loans.

Calculated based upon the average daily balance of outstanding loan principal balance, net of unamortized deferred loan origination fees and costs, excluding the allowance for credit losses. During the fourth, third, second and first quarters of 2023, and in the fourth quarter of 2022, there were net charge offs of $15.3 million, $14.6 million, $7.5 million, $10.8 million, and $9.8 million, respectively. During the fourth quarter of 2023, the Company charged-off $10.3 million related to the NY CRE loan portfolio, $7.0 million related to indirect purchased consumer loans and $3.3 million related to multiple smaller business banking loans. During the third quarter of 2023, the Company charged-off $6.4 million related to multiple consumer loans, primarily purchased indirect consumer loans, and $9.3 million related to multiple commercial loans. During the second quarter of 2023, the Company charged-off $7.6 million related to multiple purchased indirect consumer loans and $1.5 million related to multiple commercial loans. During the first quarter of 2023, the Company charged-off $6.5 million in connection with a commercial loan relationship, $6.3 million related to multiple consumer loans and $1.5 million related to multiple commercial and real estate loans. During the fourth quarter of 2022, the Company charged-off $3.9 million related to a CRE loan, $5.5 million related to multiple consumer loans and $1.1 million related to multiple commercial loans.

Other operating expenses is the result of total noninterest expense less salary and employee benefits.

Efficiency ratio is the result of noninterest expense divided by the sum of noninterest income and NII.

As of December 31, 2023, September 30, 2023, June 30, 2023, March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, includes 67, 98, 93, 94 and 68 FTEs for Amerant Mortgage LLC, respectively.

Core efficiency ratio is the efficiency ratio less the effect of restructuring costs and other adjustments, described in Exhibit 2 - Non-GAAP Financial Measures Reconciliation.

As previously disclosed, the Company adopted CECL in the fourth quarter of 2022, effective as of January 1, 2022. See Form 10-K for more details of the CECL adoption and related effects to quarterly results for each quarter in the year ended December 31, 2022.

In the fourth and third quarter of 2023, includes provision for credit losses on loans of $12.0 million and $7.4 million, respectively, and unfunded commitments (contingencies) of $0.5 million and $0.6 million, respectively. For all other periods shown, includes provision for credit losses on loans. There was no provision for credit losses on unfunded commitments in the second quarter of 2023 and the fourth quarter of 2022. In the first quarter of 2023, the provision for credit losses on unfunded commitments was $0.3 million.

In the fourth quarter of 2023, the Company completed a restructuring of its bank-owned life insurance ("BOLI") program. This was executed through a combination of a 1035 exchange and a surrender and reinvestment into higher-yielding general account with a new investment grade insurance carrier. This transaction allowed for higher team member participation through an enhanced split-dollar plan. Estimated improved yields resulting from the enhancement have an earn-back period of approximately 2 years. In the fourth quarter of 2023, we recorded total additional expenses and charges of $4.6 million in connection with this transaction, including: (i) a reduction of $0.7 million to the cash surrender value of BOLI; (ii) transaction costs of $1.1 million, and (iii) income tax expense of $2.8 million.

Expenses incurred for actions designed to implement the Company's business strategy. These actions include, but are not limited to reductions in workforce, streamlining operational processes, promoting the Amerant brand, implementation of new technology system applications, decommissioning of legacy technologies, enhanced sales tools and training, expanded product offerings and improved customer analytics to identify opportunities.

Staff reduction costs consist of severance expenses related to organizational rationalization.

Contract termination and related costs associated with third party vendors resulting from the Company's engagement of FIS.

In the three months and year ended December 31, 2023, includes an aggregate of $1.6 million and $6.4 million, respectively, of nonrecurrent expenses in connection with the engagement of FIS and, to a lesser extent, software expenses related to legacy applications running in parallel to new core banking applications. There were no significant nonrecurrent expenses in connection with engagement of FIS in the three months ended September 30, 2023. In the three months ended June 30, 2023, March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, and the year ended December 31, 2022, include expenses of $2.0 million, $2.6 million, $1.1 million and $2.9 million, respectively, in connection with engagement of FIS. In addition, includes $0.2 million in connection with certain search and recruitment expenses and $0.1 million of costs associated with the subleasing of the New York office space in the year ended December 31, 2022.

Include expenses in connection with the disposition of fixed assets due to the write-off of in-development software in each of the three months ended June 30, 2023 and year ended December 31, 2023.

In each of the three months ended September 30, 2023 and year ended December 31, 2023, include expenses of $0.3 million in connection with the closure of a branch in Houston, Texas in 2023. In addition, in each of the three months ended June 30, 2023 and year ended December 31, 2023, include $0.9 million of accelerated amortization of leasehold improvements and $0.6 million of right-of-use, or ROU asset impairment, associated with the closure of a branch in Miami, Florida in 2023. Also, in each of the three months ended March 31, 2023 and year ended December 31, 2023, include $0.5 million of ROU asset impairment associated with the closure of a branch in Houston, Texas in 2023. In the year ended December 31, 2022, includes $1.6 million of ROU asset impairment associated with the closure of a branch in Pembroke Pines, Florida in 2022.

In each of the three months and year ended December 31, 2023, includes: (i) a fair value adjustment of $35.5 million related to an aggregate of $401 million in Houston-based CRE loans held for sale which are carried at the lower of fair value or cost, and (ii) a loss on sale of $2.0 million related to a New York-based CRE loan previously carried at the lower of fair value or cost. In each of the three months ended September 30, 2023 and the year ended December 31, 2023, includes a fair value adjustment of $5.6 million related to a New York-based CRE loan held for sale carried at the lower of fair value or cost. In the year ended December 31, 2022, amount represents the fair value adjustment related to the New York loan portfolio held for sale carried at the lower of cost or fair value.

In each of the three months ended June 30, 2023 and year ended December 31, 2023, amount represents the loss on sale of repossessed assets in connection with our equipment-financing activities. In the year ended December 31, 2022, amount represents the fair value adjustment related to one OREO property in New York.

In the year ended December 31, 2023, amounts were calculated using an estimated tax rate of 21.00%. In the year ended December 31, 2022 and the three months ended March 31, 2023, amounts were calculated based upon the effective tax rate for the periods of 21.15% and 21.00%, respectively. For all of the other periods shown, amounts represent the difference between the prior and current period year-to-date tax effect.

Potential dilutive instruments consisted of unvested shares of restricted stock, restricted stock units and performance stock units. In all the periods presented, potential dilutive instruments were included in the diluted earnings per share computation because, when the unamortized deferred compensation cost related to these shares was divided by the average market price per share in those periods, fewer shares would have been purchased than restricted shares assumed issued. Therefore, in those periods, such awards resulted in higher diluted weighted average shares outstanding than basic weighted average shares outstanding, and had a dilutive effect on per share earnings.

In the three months and year ended December 31, 2023, per share amounts and percentages were calculated using the after-tax impact of non-routine items in noninterest expense of $34.2 million and $52.3 million, respectively, and BOLI tax impact of $2.8 million in each period. In all other periods shown, per share amounts and percentages were calculated using the after tax impact of non-routine items in noninterest expense.

At December 31, 2023 and September 30, 2023, other intangible assets primarily consist of naming rights of $2.5 million and $2.7 million, respectively, and mortgage servicing rights ("MSRs")of $1.4 million and $1.3 million, respectively. At June 30, 2023, March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, other intangible assets primarily consist of MSRs of $1.3 million, $1.4 million and $1.3 million, respectively. Other intangible assets are included in other assets in the Company's consolidated balance sheets.

As of December 31, 2023, September 30, 2023, June 30, 2023, March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, amounts were calculated based upon the fair value on debt securities held to maturity, and assuming a tax rate of 25.36%, 25.51%, 25.46%, 25.53% and 25.55%, respectively.