Stellar Bancorp, Inc. Reports First Quarter 2024 Results

Stellar Bancorp, Inc. (the "Company" or "Stellar") (NYSE:STEL) today reported net income of $26.1 million, or diluted earnings per share of $0.49, for the first quarter of 2024 compared to net income of $27.3 million, or diluted earnings per share of $0.51, for the fourth quarter of 2023.

"We are pleased to announce our first quarter 2024 results that reflect our continued focus on building capital, maintaining liquidity, and monitoring credit as uncertainty with the interest rate environment persists," said Robert R. Franklin, Jr., Stellar's Chief Executive Officer. "We are working with our customers as they adapt and understand how to operate in the higher interest rate environment," continued Mr. Franklin.

"We operate in one of the best markets in the country with continued population growth, increasing jobs and a friendly environment to build businesses. Our incredible team continues to deliver great service to the community and our customers. We are well positioned in our markets and are excited about what Stellar is building," concluded Mr. Franklin.

First Quarter 2024 Financial Highlights

• Solid Profitability: First quarter 2024 net income of $26.1 million, or diluted earnings per share of $0.49, translated into an annualized return on average assets of 0.98%, an annualized return on average equity of 6.88% and an annualized return on average tangible equity of 11.47%⁽¹⁾.

• Strong Net Interest Margin: Tax equivalent net interest margin was 4.26% for the first quarter of 2024 compared to 4.40% for the fourth quarter of 2023. The tax equivalent net interest margin, excluding purchase accounting accretion ("PAA"), was 3.91%⁽¹⁾ for the first quarter of 2024 compared to 3.91%⁽¹⁾ for the fourth quarter of 2023.

• Meaningful Regulatory Capital Build: Total risk-based capital ratio increased to 14.62% at March 31, 2024 from 14.02% at December 31, 2023 and Tier 1 leverage ratio increased to 10.41% at March 31, 2024 from 10.18% at December 31, 2023.

• Favorable Cost of Funds: Cost of funds was 2.06% for the first quarter of 2024 compared to 2.03% for the fourth quarter of 2023.

First Quarter 2024 Results

Net interest income in the first quarter of 2024 decreased $3.8 million, or 3.6%, to $102.1 million from $105.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2023. The net interest margin on a tax equivalent basis decreased 14 basis points to 4.26% for the first quarter of 2024 from 4.40% for the fourth quarter of 2023. The decrease in the net interest margin from the prior quarter was primarily due to the decreased yield on interest earning assets from decreased purchase accounting adjustments during the first quarter. Net interest income for the first quarter of 2024 benefited from $8.6 million of income from purchase accounting adjustments compared to $11.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. Excluding purchase accounting adjustments, net interest income (tax equivalent) for the first quarter 2024 would have been $93.7 million⁽¹⁾ and the tax equivalent net interest margin would have been 3.91%⁽¹⁾.

Noninterest income for the fourth quarter of 2023 was $6.3 million, a decrease of $590 thousand, or 8.6%, compared to $6.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2023. Noninterest income decreased in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the fourth quarter of 2023 primarily due to Small Business Investment Company income recognized in the fourth quarter of 2023, partially offset by an increase in gains on sales of assets in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the fourth quarter of 2023.

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⁽¹⁾ Refer to page 9 of this earnings release for the calculation of this non-GAAP financial measure.

Noninterest expense for the first quarter of 2024 decreased $6.5 million, or 8.4%, to $71.4 million compared to $77.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2023. The decrease in noninterest expense in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the fourth quarter of 2023 was primarily due to higher nonrecurring items in the fourth quarter of 2023, including higher professional fees associated with various projects some of which related to the Company's total assets crossing the $10 billion asset threshold, $3.1 million of acquisition and merger-related expenses, a $2.4 million accrual for future payments to the FDIC pursuant to the special insurance assessment and $1.9 million of severance expense.

The efficiency ratio was 66.18% for the first quarter of 2024 compared to 69.21% for the fourth quarter of 2023. First quarter 2024 annualized returns on average assets, average equity and average tangible equity were 0.98%, 6.88% and 11.47%⁽¹⁾, respectively, compared to 1.02%, 7.33% and 12.61%⁽¹⁾, respectively, for the fourth quarter of 2023.

Financial Condition

Total loans at March 31, 2024 decreased $17.0 million to $7.91 billion compared to $7.93 billion at December 31, 2023. At March 31, 2024, the remaining balance of the purchase accounting adjustments on loans was $98.3 million.

Total deposits at March 31, 2024 decreased $78.8 million to $8.79 billion compared to $8.87 billion at December 31, 2023, due to decreases in noninterest-bearing deposits and interest-bearing demand deposits, partially offset by increases in money market and certificates and other time deposits. Shifts in the deposit mix were primarily driven by the current interest rate environment and an intensely competitive market for deposits. Estimated uninsured deposits totaled $4.80 billion and estimated uninsured deposits net of collateralized deposits of $1.03 billion were $3.77 billion, or 42.8%, of total deposits at March 31, 2024.

Total assets at March 31, 2024 were $10.73 billion, an increase of $82.1 million, compared to $10.65 billion at December 31, 2023.

Asset Quality

Nonperforming assets totaled $57.1 million, or 0.53% of total assets, at March 31, 2024, compared to $39.2 million, or 0.37%, of total assets, at December 31, 2023. The allowance for credit losses on loans as a percentage of total loans was 1.22% at March 31, 2024 and 1.16% at December 31, 2023.

The provision for credit losses for the first quarter of 2024 was $4.1 million compared to $1.0 million for the fourth quarter of 2023. First quarter 2024 net charge-offs were $714 thousand, or 0.04% (annualized) of average loans, compared to net charge-offs of $2.6 million, or 0.13% (annualized) of average loans, for the fourth quarter 2023.

GAAP Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Stellar's management uses certain non-GAAP financial measures to evaluate its performance. Please refer to the GAAP Reconciliation and Management's Explanation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures on page 9 of this earnings release for a reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures.

Conference Call

Stellar's management team will host a conference call and webcast on Friday, April 26, 2024 at 8:00 a.m. Central Time (9:00 a.m. Eastern Time) to discuss its first quarter 2024 results. Participants may register for the conference call at https://registrations.events/direct/Q4I635866971 to receive the dial-in numbers and unique PIN to access the call. If you need assistance in obtaining a dial-in number, please contact [email protected]. A simultaneous audio-only webcast may be accessed at https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/952298333. If you are unable to participate during the live webcast, the webcast will be accessible via the Investor Relations section of the Company's website at ir.stellar.bank.

About Stellar Bancorp, Inc.

Stellar Bancorp, Inc. is a bank holding company headquartered in Houston, Texas. Stellar's principal banking subsidiary, Stellar Bank, provides a diversified range of commercial banking services primarily to small- to medium-sized businesses and individual customers across the Houston, Dallas, Beaumont and surrounding communities in Texas.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release which are not historical in nature are intended to be, and are hereby identified as, "forward-looking statements" for purposes of the safe harbor provided by Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the benefits of the Company's merger with Allegiance Bancshares, Inc. (the "Merger"), including future financial performance and operating results, the Company's plans, business and growth strategies, objectives, expectations and intentions, and other statements that are not historical facts, including projections of macroeconomic and industry trends, which are inherently unreliable due to the multiple factors that impact economic trends, and any such variations may be material. Forward-looking statements may be identified by terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "could," "scheduled," "plans," "intends," "projects," "anticipates," "expects," "believes," "estimates," "potential," "would," or "continue" or negatives of such terms or other comparable terminology.

All forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Stellar to differ materially from any results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others: the risk that the cost savings and any revenue synergies from the Merger may not be fully realized or may take longer than anticipated to be realized; disruption to our business as a result of the Merger; the risk that the integration of operations will be materially delayed or will be more costly or difficult than we expected or that we are otherwise unable to successfully integrate our legacy businesses; the amount of the costs, fees, expenses and charges related to the Merger; reputational risk and the reaction of our customers, suppliers, employees or other business partners to the Merger; changes in the interest rate environment, the value of Stellar's assets and obligations and the availability of capital and liquidity; general competitive, economic, political and market conditions; and other factors that may affect future results of Stellar including changes in asset quality and credit risk; the inability to sustain revenue and earnings growth; changes in interest rates and capital markets; inflation; customer borrowing, repayment, investment and deposit practices; the impact, extent and timing of technological changes; capital management activities; disruptions to the economy and the U.S. banking system caused by recent bank failures, risks associated with uninsured deposits and responsive measures by federal or state governments or banking regulators, including increases in the cost of our deposit insurance assessments and other actions of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and Texas Department of Banking and legislative and regulatory actions and reforms.

Additional factors which could affect the Company's future results can be found in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, in each case filed with the SEC and available on the SEC's website at https://www.sec.gov. We disclaim any obligation and do not intend to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this communication, which speak only as of the date hereof, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by federal securities laws. As forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, caution should be exercised against placing undue reliance on such statements.

Stellar's management uses certain non-GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) financial measures to evaluate its performance. Stellar believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide meaningful supplemental information regarding its performance and that management and investors benefit from referring to these non-GAAP financial measures in assessing Stellar's performance and when planning, forecasting, analyzing and comparing past, present and future periods. Specifically, Stellar reviews pre-tax, pre-provision income, pre-tax pre-provision ROAA, tangible book value per share, return on average tangible equity, tangible equity to tangible assets and net interest margin (tax equivalent) excluding PAA for internal planning and forecasting purposes. Stellar has included in this earnings release information relating to these non-GAAP financial measures for the applicable periods presented. These non-GAAP measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the most directly comparable or other financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. Moreover, the manner in which Stellar calculates the non-GAAP financial measures may differ from that of other companies reporting measures with similar names.