WAUWATOSA, Wis., July 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Waterstone Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: WSBF), holding company for WaterStone Bank, reported net income of $17.9 million, or $0.74 per diluted share for the quarter ended June 30, 2021 compared to $20.9 million, or $0.85 per diluted share for the quarter ended June 30, 2020. Net income per diluted share was $1.64 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 compared to net income per diluted share of $1.08 for the six months ended June 30, 2020.

�Our Company�s strong performance continued during the second quarter and we were excited to declare and pay a $0.50 special dividend during the quarter,� said Douglas Gordon, Chief Executive Officer of Waterstone Financial, Inc. �Our business model has allowed us to maximize the opportunity presented by the current market, return capital to our shareholders and continue to enhance our book value.�

Highlights of the Quarter Ended June 30, 2021

Waterstone Financial, Inc. (Consolidated)

• Consolidated net income of Waterstone Financial, Inc. totaled $17.9 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2021, compared to $20.9 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2020.
• Consolidated return on average assets was 3.25% for the quarter ended June 30, 2021 compared to 3.87% for the quarter ended June 30, 2020.
• Consolidated return on average equity was 16.49% for the quarter ended June 30, 2021 and 22.39% for the quarter ended June 30, 2020.
• Dividends declared during the quarter ended June 30, 2021 totaled $0.70 per common share, which included a quarterly dividend of $0.20 per share and a special dividend of $0.50 per share.
• We repurchased approximately 59,000 shares at a cost of $1.1 million during the quarter ended June 30, 2021.

Community Banking Segment

• Pre-tax income totaled $9.7 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2021, which represents a 106.4% increase compared to $4.7 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2020.
• Net interest income totaled $14.5 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2021, which represents a 6.0% increase compared to $13.7 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2020.
• Average loans held for investment totaled $1.32 billion during the quarter ended June 30, 2021, which represents a decrease of $101.6 million, or 7.2%, compared to $1.42 billion for the quarter ended June 30, 2020. Average loans held for investment decreased $27.7 million compared to $1.35 billion for the quarter ended March 31, 2021 as residential real estate loans continue to prepay at an accelerated rate.
• Net interest margin increased 16 basis points to 2.78% for the quarter ended June 30, 2021 compared to 2.62% for the quarter ended June 30, 2020, which was a result of lower average rates on deposits, as certificate of deposits repriced at lower rates. Net interest margin decreased two basis points compared to 2.80% for the quarter ended March 31, 2021, driven by a decrease in PPP loan fees as the first round loan payoffs decreased.
• The segment had a negative provision for loan losses of $750,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2021 compared to a $4.3 million provision for loan losses for the quarter ended June 30, 2020. Net recoveries totaled $378,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2021 as one significant loan recovery payment was made in the quarter, compared to net recoveries of $8,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2020.��
• Noninterest income decreased $1.3 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2021 compared to the quarter ended June 30, 2020, due primarily to decreases on service charges on loans from fees earned on swaps.
• Noninterest expense decreased $397,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2021 compared to the quarter ended June 30, 2020. Compensation, payroll taxes and other employee benefits expense decreased $32,000 primarily due to a decrease in variable compensation offset by increases in health insurance and employee stock ownership plan expenses. Data processing expense decreased $212,000 due to the implementation of a new digital banking platform in 2020. Other noninterest expense decreased $71,000 as certain loan-related expenses decreased offset by a decrease of credits received for FDIC premiums in 2020 but not in 2021.
• The efficiency ratio was 44.79% for the quarter ended June 30, 2021, compared to 45.86% for the quarter ended June 30, 2020.
• Average deposits (excluding escrow accounts) totaled $1.23 billion during the quarter ended June 30, 2021, an increase of $103.4 million, or 9.2%, compared to $1.13 billion during the quarter ended June 30, 2020. Average deposits increased $24.8 million, or 8.2% annualized compared to the $1.21 billion for the quarter ended March 31, 2021.
• Nonperforming assets as percentage of total assets was 0.20% at June 30, 2021, 0.20% at March 31, 2021, and 0.28% at June 30, 2020.
• Past due loans as percentage of total loans was 0.53% at June 30, 2021, 0.52% at March 31, 2021, and 0.45% at June 30, 2020.
• PPP loans totaled $16.9 million as of June 30, 2021. The average balance for the quarter ended June 30, 2021 was $19.5 million. For the quarter ended June 30, 2021, PPP loan interest income recognized was approximately $49,000 and the amortization of fee income was approximately $286,000. Net interest margin, excluding the impact of the PPP loans, was 2.74%. Net interest margin for the quarter ended June 30, 2021, including the impact of the PPP loans, was 2.78%.
• The Company held approximately $3.5 million in loans, representing 0.3% of the total loan portfolio as of June 30, 2021, which had been modified as either a deferment of principal or principal and interest since the beginning of the pandemic. Of the $3.5 million in loans, $559,000 qualify as modifications under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (�CARES Act�). The remaining $2.9 million is composed of three loan relationships that are classified as troubled debt restructurings.

Mortgage Banking Segment

• Pre-tax income totaled $14.2 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2021, compared to $23.2 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2020.
• Loan originations decreased $77.5 million, or 6.8%, to $1.07 billion during the quarter ended June 30, 2021, compared to $1.14 billion during the quarter ended June 30, 2020. Origination volume relative to purchase activity accounted for 75.4% of originations for the quarter ended June 30, 2021 compared to 55.5% of total originations for the quarter ended June 30, 2020.
• Mortgage banking non-interest income decreased $13.7 million, or 21.3%, to $50.6 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2021, compared to $64.2 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2020.
• Gross margin on loans sold decreased to 4.81% for the quarter ended June 30, 2021, compared to 5.45% for the quarter ended June 30, 2020.
• Total compensation, payroll taxes and other employee benefits decreased $3.0 million, or 9.2%, to $29.2 million during the quarter ended June 30, 2021 compared to $32.1 million during the quarter ended June 30, 2020. The decrease primarily related to decreased commission expense and branch manager compensation driven by decreased loan origination volume and branch profitability as gross margins decreased.
• Professional fees decreased $489,000 to $361,000 during the quarter ended June 30, 2021 compared to $850,000 of expense during the quarter ended June 30, 2020. The decrease related to a decrease in litigation costs compared to the prior year, as the Herrington settlement was resolved in 2020.
• Other noninterest expense decreased $561,000 to $2.7 million during the quarter ended June 30, 2021 compared to $3.2 million during the quarter ended June 30, 2020. The decrease related to a decrease in the provision for losses on loans sold to the secondary market that results from both early payoff and early default provisions with investors. The decreased provision is driven by both an decrease in the number and volume of loans sold, as well as actual default activity resulting from COVID-19 pandemic was lower than expected.

Recent Developments:

COVID-19 Pandemic and the CARES Act

The CARES Act, signed into law at the end of March 2020, allowed for a temporary delay in the adoption of accounting guidance under Accounting Standards Codification Topic 326, �Financial Instruments � Credit Losses (�CECL�) until the earlier of December 31, 2020 or the 60th�day after the end of the COVID-19 national emergency. During the quarter ended March 31, 2020, pursuant to the CARES Act and guidance from the Securities and Exchange Commission (�SEC�) and Financial Accounting Standards Board (�FASB�), we elected to delay adoption of CECL.� On December 27, 2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 was signed into law. Among other provisions, this Act extended the temporary delay on the adoption of CECL until January 1, 2022. We have elected to continue to delay adoption of CECL. As a result, our financial statements for the quarter and year ended June 30, 2021 include an allowance for loan losses that was prepared under the existing incurred loss methodology.

About Waterstone Financial, Inc.
Waterstone Financial, Inc. is the savings and loan holding company for WaterStone Bank. WaterStone Bank was established in 1921 and offers a full suite of personal and business banking products. The Bank has branches in Wauwatosa/State St, Brookfield, Fox Point/North Shore, Franklin/Hales Corners, Germantown/Menomonee Falls, Greenfield/Loomis Rd, Milwaukee/Oklahoma Ave, Oak Creek/27th St, Oak Creek/Howell Ave, Oconomowoc/Lake Country, Pewaukee, Waukesha, West Allis/Greenfield Ave, and West Allis/National Ave, Wisconsin. WaterStone Bank is the parent company to Waterstone Mortgage, which has the ability to lend in 48 states. For more information about WaterStone Bank, go to http://www.wsbonline.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements or information that may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. �Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding expected financial and operating activities and results that are preceded by, followed by, or that include words such as �may,� �expects,� �anticipates,� �estimates� or �believes.� �Any such statements are based upon current expectations that involve a number of risks and uncertainties and are subject to important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such a difference include changes in interest rates; demand for products and services; the degree of competition by traditional and nontraditional competitors; changes in banking regulation or actions by bank regulators; changes in tax laws; the impact of technological advances; governmental and regulatory policy changes; the outcomes of contingencies; trends in customer behavior as well as their ability to repay loans; changes in local real estate values; changes in the national and local economies, including significant disruption to financial market and other economic activity caused by the outbreak of COVID-19; and other factors, including risk factors referenced in Item 1A. Risk Factors in Waterstone�s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and as may be described from time to time in Waterstone�s subsequent SEC filings, which factors are incorporated herein by reference. �Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect only Waterstone�s belief as of the date of this press release.

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Contact: Mark R. Gerke
Chief Financial Officer
414-459-4012
[email protected]