Western Alliance Bancorporation Reports Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results

Western Alliance Bancorporation (NYSE:WAL):

THIRD QUARTER 2024 FINANCIAL RESULTS

Income Statement

Net interest income totaled $696.9 million in the third quarter 2024, an increase of $40.3 million, or 6.1%, from $656.6 million in the second quarter 2024, and an increase of $109.9 million, or 18.7%, compared to the third quarter 2023. The increase in net interest income from the second quarter 2024 is due to an increase in average HFI and HFS loan balances, partially offset by a decrease in HFI loan yields. The increase in net interest income from the third quarter 2023 was driven by an increase in average HFI loan and investment securities balances, partially offset by higher balances and rates on deposits and a lower yields on HFI loans.

The Company recorded a provision for credit losses of $33.6 million in the third quarter 2024, a decrease of $3.5 million from $37.1 million in the second quarter 2024, and an increase of $21.5 million from $12.1 million in the third quarter 2023. The provision for credit losses during the third quarter 2024 is primarily reflective of net-charge offs of $26.6 million and loan growth.

The Company’s net interest margin in the third quarter 2024 was 3.61%, a decrease from 3.63% in the second quarter 2024, and a decrease from 3.67% in the third quarter 2023. The decrease in net interest margin from the second quarter 2024 was driven by lower yields on HFI loans. The decrease in net interest margin from the third quarter 2023 was driven by lower HFI loan yields and higher deposit rates.

Non-interest income was $126.2 million for the third quarter 2024, compared to $115.2 million for the second quarter 2024, and $129.2 million for the third quarter 2023. The $11.0 million increase in non-interest income from the second quarter 2024 was primarily due to increases in service charges and loan fees of $12.3 million, gain on sales of investment securities of $6.5 million, and other non-interest income of $10.8 million primarily from income on recently purchased bank owned life insurance policies. These increases were partially offset by a decrease of $25.8 million in net loan servicing revenue due to higher MSR fair value losses combined with lower servicing income. The $3.0 million decrease in non-interest income from the third quarter 2023 was primarily driven by lower net loan servicing revenue and lower fair value gain adjustments, partially offset by higher other non-interest income due to income on new bank owned life insurance policies.

Net revenue totaled $823.1 million for the third quarter 2024, an increase of $51.3 million or 6.6%, compared to $771.8 million for the second quarter 2024, and an increase of $106.9 million or 14.9%, compared to $716.2 million for the third quarter 2023.

Non-interest expense was $537.4 million for the third quarter 2024, compared to $486.8 million for the second quarter 2024, and $426.2 million for the third quarter 2023. The Company’s efficiency ratio, adjusted for deposit costs¹ was 52.7% for the third quarter 2024, compared to 51.5% in the second quarter 2024, and 50.0% for the third quarter 2023. The increase in non-interest expense from the second quarter 2024 is due primarily to an increase of $34.3 million in deposit costs. The increase in non-interest expense from the third quarter 2023 is primarily attributable to an increase in deposit costs and salaries and employee benefits.

Income tax expense was $52.3 million for the third quarter 2024, compared to $54.3 million for the second quarter 2024, and $61.3 million for the third quarter 2023. The decrease in income tax expense from the second quarter 2024 is primarily related to increased expected utilization of tax credits. The decrease in income tax expense from the third quarter 2023 is primarily related to lower pre-tax income.

Net income was $199.8 million for the third quarter 2024, an increase of $6.2 million from $193.6 million for the second quarter 2024, and a decrease of $16.8 million from $216.6 million for the third quarter 2023. Earnings per share totaled $1.80 for the third quarter 2024, compared to $1.75 for the second quarter 2024, and $1.97 for the third quarter 2023.

The Company views its pre-provision net revenue¹ ("PPNR") as a key metric for assessing the Company’s earnings power, which it defines as net revenue less non-interest expense. For the third quarter 2024, the Company’s PPNR¹ was $285.7 million, up $0.7 million from $285.0 million in the second quarter 2024, and down $4.3 million from $290.0 million in the third quarter 2023.

The Company had 3,426 full-time equivalent employees and 56 offices at September 30, 2024, compared to 3,310 full-time equivalent employees and 56 offices at June 30, 2024, and 3,272 full-time equivalent employees and 56 offices at September 30, 2023.

Balance Sheet

HFI loans, net of deferred fees totaled $53.3 billion at September 30, 2024, compared to $52.4 billion at June 30, 2024, and $49.4 billion at September 30, 2023. The increase in HFI loans of $916 million from the prior quarter was primarily driven by increases of $861 million and $154 million in commercial and industrial and commercial real estate non-owner occupied loans, respectively, partially offset by decreases of $69 million and $50 million in commercial real estate owner occupied and residential real estate loans, respectively. The increase in HFI loans of $3.9 billion from September 30, 2023 was primarily driven by an increase of $4.2 billion in commercial and industrial loans, partially offset by a decrease of $384 million in residential real estate loans. HFS loans totaled $2.3 billion at September 30, 2024, compared to $2.0 billion at June 30, 2024, and $1.8 billion at September 30, 2023. The increases of $320 million and $561 million in HFS loans from June 30, 2024 and September 30, 2023, respectively, are primarily related to an increase in agency conforming loans.

The Company's allowance for credit losses on HFI loans consists of an allowance for funded HFI loans and an allowance for unfunded loan commitments. The allowance for loan losses to funded HFI loans ratio was 0.67%, 0.67%, and 0.66% at September 30, 2024, June 30, 2024, and September 30, 2023, respectively. The allowance for credit losses, which includes the allowance for unfunded loan commitments, to funded HFI loans ratio was 0.74% at September 30, 2024, June 30, 2024, and September 30, 2023. The Company is a party to credit linked note transactions which effectively transfer a portion of the risk of losses on reference pools of loans to the purchasers of the notes. The Company is protected from first credit losses on reference pools of loans totaling $8.8 billion, $8.9 billion, and $9.3 billion as of September 30, 2024, June 30, 2024, and September 30, 2023, respectively, under these transactions. However, as these note transactions are considered to be free standing credit enhancements, the allowance for credit losses cannot be reduced by the expected credit losses that may be mitigated by these notes. Accordingly, the allowance for loan and credit losses ratios include an allowance related to these pools of loans of $11.8 million as of September 30, 2024, $11.7 million as of June 30, 2024, and $17.4 million as of September 30, 2023. The allowance for credit losses to funded HFI loans ratio, adjusted to reduce the HFI loan balance by the amount of loans in covered reference pools, was 0.88% at September 30, 2024, 0.89% at June 30, 2024, and 0.91% at September 30, 2023.

Deposits totaled $68.0 billion at September 30, 2024, an increase of $1.8 billion from $66.2 billion at June 30, 2024, and an increase of $13.8 billion from $54.3 billion at September 30, 2023. By deposit type, the increase from the prior quarter is attributable to increases of $3.4 billion from non-interest bearing deposits and $2.5 billion from savings and money market deposits, partially offset by decreases of $3.4 billion from interest-bearing demand deposits and $714 million from certificates of deposits. From September 30, 2023, non-interest bearing deposits increased $7.0 billion, savings and money market deposits increased $4.9 billion, interest-bearing demand deposits increased $1.0 billion, and certificates of deposit increased $873 million. Non-interest bearing deposits were $25.0 billion at September 30, 2024, compared to $21.5 billion at June 30, 2024, and $18.0 billion at September 30, 2023.

The table below shows the Company's deposit types as a percentage of total deposits:

The Company’s ratio of HFI loans to deposits was 78.4% at September 30, 2024, compared to 79.1% at June 30, 2024, and 91.1% at September 30, 2023.

Borrowings were $3.0 billion at September 30, 2024, $5.6 billion at June 30, 2024, and $8.7 billion at September 30, 2023. Borrowings decreased $2.6 billion from June 30, 2024 primarily due to a decrease of $3.6 billion in short-term borrowings, partially offset by a $1.0 billion increase in long-term borrowings. The decrease in borrowings from September 30, 2023 is primarily due to a decrease in short-term borrowings of $6.4 billion and payoff of the AmeriHome senior notes as part of the Company's balance sheet repositioning, partially offset by an increase in long term borrowings of $1.0 billion.

Stockholders’ equity was $6.7 billion at September 30, 2024, compared to $6.3 billion at June 30, 2024 and $5.7 billion at September 30, 2023. The increase in stockholders’ equity from the prior quarter was due to net income and unrealized fair value gains of $176 million on the Company's available-for-sale securities, which are recorded in other comprehensive loss, net of tax, partially offset by dividends to shareholders. Cash dividends of $40.7 million ($0.37 per common share) and $3.2 million ($0.27 per depository share) were paid to stockholders during the third quarter 2024. The increase in stockholders' equity from September 30, 2023 is primarily a function of net income and unrealized fair value gains on available-for-sale securities, partially offset by dividends to stockholders.

The Company's common equity tier 1 capital ratio was 11.2% at September 30, 2024, compared to 11.0% and 10.6% at June 30, 2024 and September 30, 2023, respectively. At September 30, 2024, tangible common equity, net of tax¹, was 7.2% of tangible assets¹ and total capital was 14.1% of risk-weighted assets. The Company’s tangible book value per share¹ was $51.98 at September 30, 2024, an increase of 6.5% from $48.79 at June 30, 2024, and an increase of 19.1% from $43.66 at September 30, 2023. The increase in tangible book value per share from June 30, 2024 and September 30, 2023 is attributable to net income.

Total assets decreased $501 million, or 0.6%, to $80.1 billion at September 30, 2024 from $80.6 billion at June 30, 2024, and increased 13.0% from $70.9 billion at September 30, 2023. The decrease in total assets from June 30, 2024 was primarily driven by a decrease in cash and due from banks and investment securities, which funded an increase in HFI loans and bank owned life insurance. The increase in total assets from September 30, 2023 was primarily driven by an increase in investment securities and HFI loans, partially offset by a decrease in cash and due from banks.

Asset Quality

Provision for credit losses totaled $33.6 million for the third quarter 2024, compared to $37.1 million for the second quarter 2024, and $12.1 million for the third quarter 2023. Net loan charge-offs in the third quarter 2024 totaled $26.6 million, or 0.20% of average loans (annualized), compared to $22.8 million, or 0.18%, in the second quarter 2024, and $8.0 million, or 0.07%, in the third quarter 2023.

Nonaccrual loans decreased $52 million to $349 million during the quarter and increased $112 million from September 30, 2023. Loans past due 90 days and still accruing interest totaled $4 million at September 30, 2024 and zero at June 30, 2024 and September 30, 2023 (excluding government guaranteed loans of $313 million, $330 million, and $439 million, respectively). Loans past due 30-89 days and still accruing interest totaled $110 million at September 30, 2024, an increase from $83 million at June 30, 2024, and a decrease from $189 million at September 30, 2023 (excluding government guaranteed loans of $203 million, $221 million, and $261 million, respectively).

Repossessed assets totaled $8 million at September 30, 2024, flat from June 30, 2024 and September 30, 2023. Classified assets totaled $838 million at September 30, 2024, an increase of $90 million from $748 million at June 30, 2024, and an increase of $199 million from $639 million at September 30, 2023.

The ratio of classified assets to Tier 1 capital plus the allowance for credit losses², a common regulatory measure of asset quality, was 12.2% at September 30, 2024, compared to 11.2% at June 30, 2024, and 10.2% at September 30, 2023.

Conference Call and Webcast

Western Alliance Bancorporation will host a conference call and live webcast to discuss its third quarter 2024 financial results at 12:00 p.m. ET on Friday, October 18, 2024. Participants may access the call by dialing 1-833-470-1428 and using access code 586867 or via live audio webcast using the website link https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/875780058. The webcast is also available via the Company’s website at www.westernalliancebancorporation.com. Participants should log in at least 15 minutes early to receive instructions. The call will be recorded and made available for replay after 3:00 p.m. ET October 18th through 11:59 p.m. ET November 17th by dialing 1-866-813-9403, using access code 196595.

Reclassifications

Certain amounts in the Consolidated Income Statements for the prior periods have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation. The reclassifications have no effect on net income or stockholders’ equity as previously reported.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information

This press release contains both financial measures based on GAAP and non-GAAP based financial measures, which are used where management believes them to be helpful in understanding the Company’s results of operations or financial position. Where non-GAAP financial measures are used, the comparable GAAP financial measure, as well as the reconciliation to the comparable GAAP financial measure, can be found in this press release. These disclosures should not be viewed as a substitute for operating results determined in accordance with GAAP, nor are they necessarily comparable to non-GAAP performance measures that may be presented by other companies.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements that relate to expectations, beliefs, projections, future plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements we make regarding our expectations with regard to our business, financial and operating results, future economic performance and dividends. The forward-looking statements contained herein reflect our current views about future events and financial performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and changes in circumstances that may cause our actual results to differ significantly from historical results and those expressed in any forward-looking statement. Some factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical or expected results include, among others: the risk factors discussed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and the Company's subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, each as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission; adverse developments in the financial services industry generally such as the bank failures in 2023 and any related impact on depositor behavior; risks related to the sufficiency of liquidity; the potential adverse effects of unusual and infrequently occurring events and any governmental or societal responses thereto; changes in general economic conditions, either nationally or locally in the areas in which we conduct or will conduct our business; the impact on financial markets from geopolitical conflicts such as the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East; inflation, interest rate, market and monetary fluctuations; increases in competitive pressures among financial institutions and businesses offering similar products and services; higher defaults on our loan portfolio than we expect; changes in management’s estimate of the adequacy of the allowance for credit losses; legislative or regulatory changes or changes in accounting principles, policies or guidelines; supervisory actions by regulatory agencies which may limit our ability to pursue certain growth opportunities, including expansion through acquisitions; additional regulatory requirements resulting from our continued growth; management’s estimates and projections of interest rates and interest rate policy; the execution of our business plan; and other factors affecting the financial services industry generally or the banking industry in particular.

Any forward-looking statement made by us in this release is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. We do not intend and disclaim any duty or obligation to update or revise any industry information or forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, set forth in this press release to reflect new information, future events or otherwise.

About Western Alliance Bancorporation

With more than $80 billion in assets, Western Alliance Bancorporation (NYSE:WAL) is one of the country’s top-performing banking companies. Through its primary subsidiary, Western Alliance Bank, Member FDIC, clients benefit from a full spectrum of tailored commercial banking solutions and consumer products, all delivered with outstanding service by industry experts who put customers first. Major accolades include being ranked as a top U.S. bank in 2023 by American Banker and Bank Director and receiving #1 rankings on Institutional Investor's All-America Executive Team Midcap 2023-2024 for Best CEO, Best CFO, Best Company Board of Directors and Best Investor Relations Team. Serving clients across the country wherever business happens, Western Alliance Bank operates individual, full-service banking and financial brands with offices in key markets nationwide. For more information, visit westernalliancebank.com.