Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: BWFG) reported record GAAP net income of $6.9 million, or $0.87 per share, for the third quarter of 2021, versus $3.0 million, or $0.38 per share, for the same period in 2020.

The Company's Board of Directors declared an $0.18 per share cash dividend, payable November 22, 2021 to shareholders of record on November 12, 2021.

We recommend reading this earnings release in conjunction with the Third Quarter 2021 Investor Presentation, located at http://investor.mybankwell.com/Presentations and included as an exhibit to our October 27, 2021 Current Report on Form 8-K.

Notes Bankwell Financial Group President and CEO, Christopher R. Gruseke:

“On behalf of all of my colleagues at Bankwell, I am proud to announce our results for the most recent quarter. The Company achieved record levels in most performance categories of our business. Loan originations for the quarter totaled $200 million, with net loan growth of $92 million, excluding Paycheck Protection Program ("PPP") loans. Year to date, gross loan balances excluding PPP loans have grown by $232 million for an annualized growth rate of 19%. The Company’s ROAE and ROAA were 14.09% and 1.22%, respectively, for the quarter. Loan demand remains brisk; our healthy pipeline positions us for a strong finish to the year and lays the foundation for increased profitability in 2022.

“Confident in the strength of our balance sheet and the prospect of growing earnings, the Company’s Board of Directors today authorized the repurchase of an additional 200,000 shares of its common stock.”

Third Quarter 2021 Highlights:

• Return on average assets was 1.22% and return on average equity was 14.09% for the quarter ended September 30, 2021.
• The net interest margin improved to 3.39% for the quarter ended September 30, 2021.
• The efficiency ratio improved to 54.1% for the quarter ended September 30, 2021.
• Excluding Paycheck Protection Program ("PPP") loans, total gross loans were $1.8 billion, growing $232.1 million, or 14.6%, compared to December 31, 2020. On a quarterly basis loans grew $92.3 million, or 5.3% compared to June 30, 2021.
• Gains from loan sales totaled $0.9 million and $2.3 million for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2021, respectively, compared to $27 thousand for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2020.
• Total deposits were $1.9 billion compared to $1.8 billion at December 31, 2020.
• Noninterest bearing deposits increased by $68.5 million, or 25.3% compared to December 31, 2020.
• The percentage of noninterest bearing deposits to total deposits increased to 18.0% compared to 14.8% at December 31, 2020.
• The cost of interest bearing deposits decreased approximately 47 basis points to 0.60% for the quarter ended September 30, 2021 when compared to the quarter ended September 30, 2020.
• Investment securities totaled $105.9 million and represent 4.8% of total assets.
• Tangible book value per share rose to $25.25 compared to $22.43 at December 31, 2020.
• Shares issued and outstanding were 7,842,824, reflecting repurchases of 52,277 shares of common stock at a weighted average price of $27.26 during the quarter ended September 30, 2021.

Post Third Quarter 2021 Highlights:

• Subsequent to September 30, 2021, the Company issued a 3.25% fixed-to-floating rate subordinated note due 2031 in the principal amount of $35.0 million. The proceeds will be used for repayment of $15.5 million of existing subordinated notes and general corporate purposes.
• The Company's Board of Directors authorized an additional 200,000 shares for its existing share repurchase program.

Earnings and Performance

Revenues (net interest income plus noninterest income) for the quarter ended September 30, 2021 were $19.2 million, versus $14.2 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2020. Revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 were $53.8 million, versus $42.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020. The increase was primarily attributable to lower interest expense on deposits, an increase in interest and fees on loans due to loan growth and from the resumption of loan sales. Revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 also benefited from a one-time federal payroll tax credit for COVID-19 of $0.9 million.

Net income for the quarter ended September 30, 2021 was $6.9 million, versus $3.0 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2020. Net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 was $18.8 million, versus $5.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020. The increase in net income was primarily impacted by the aforementioned increases in revenues and a decrease in the provision for loan losses resulting from lower loan loss reserves in 2021 when compared to 2020, which saw a large increase in reserves due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Basic and diluted earnings per share were $0.88 and $0.87, respectively, for the quarter ended September 30, 2021 compared to basic and diluted earnings per share of $0.38 each for the quarter ended September 30, 2020. Basic and diluted earnings per share were $2.38 and $2.37, respectively, for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 compared to basic and diluted earnings per share of $0.71 each for the nine months ended September 30, 2020.

The net interest margin (fully taxable equivalent basis) for the quarters ended September 30, 2021 and September 30, 2020 was 3.39% and 2.67%, respectively. The net interest margin (fully taxable equivalent basis) for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and September 30, 2020 was 3.08% and 2.81%, respectively. The increase in the net interest margin was due to a decrease in rates on interest bearing deposits and a greater percentage of noninterest bearing deposits. In addition, the increase in the net interest margin for the quarter ended September 30, 2021 was positively impacted by a reduction in excess liquidity when compared to the quarter ended September 30, 2020.

Financial Condition

Assets totaled $2.23 billion at September 30, 2021, compared to assets of $2.25 billion at December 31, 2020. The change in assets remained relatively flat as the decrease in excess liquidity was offset by an increase in loans. Gross loans totaled $1.8 billion at September 30, 2021, an increase of $198.9 million compared to December 31, 2020. Excluding PPP loans, gross loans increased by $232.1 million at September 30, 2021 when compared to December 31, 2020. Deposits totaled $1.9 billion at September 30, 2021, compared to deposits of $1.8 billion at December 31, 2020.

Capital

Shareholders’ equity totaled $196.2 million as of September 30, 2021, an increase of $19.6 million compared to December 31, 2020, primarily a result of (i) net income of $18.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and (ii) a $6.2 million favorable impact to accumulated other comprehensive income driven by fair value marks related to hedge positions involving interest rate swaps. The Company's interest rate swaps are used to hedge interest rate risk. The Company's current interest rate swap positions will cause a decrease to other comprehensive income in a falling interest rate environment and an increase in a rising interest rate environment. The increase in Shareholders’ equity was partially offset by dividends paid of $3.6 million and common stock repurchases of $3.2 million.

About Bankwell Financial Group

Bankwell is a commercial bank that serves the banking needs of residents and businesses throughout Fairfield and New Haven Counties, Connecticut. For more information about this press release, interested parties may contact Christopher R. Gruseke, President and Chief Executive Officer or Penko Ivanov, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Bankwell Financial Group at (203) 652-0166.

For more information, visit www.mybankwell.com.

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements about the Company. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding anticipated future events and can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They often include words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” and “intend” or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” or “may.” Forward-looking statements, by their nature, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Certain factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results include, but are not limited to, increased competitive pressures, changes in the interest rate environment, general economic conditions or conditions within the securities markets, uncertain impacts of, or additional changes in, monetary, fiscal or tax policy to address the impact of COVID-19, prolonged measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 or premature easing of such containment measures, either of which could further exacerbate the effects on the Company’s business and results of operations, and legislative and regulatory changes that could adversely affect the business in which the Company and its subsidiaries are engaged.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In addition to evaluating the Company's financial performance in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"), management may evaluate certain non-GAAP financial measures, such as the efficiency ratio. A computation and reconciliation of certain non-GAAP financial measures used for these purposes is contained in the accompanying Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures tables. We believe that providing certain non-GAAP financial measures provides investors with information useful in understanding our financial performance, our performance trends and financial position. For example, the Company believes that the efficiency ratio is useful in the assessment of financial performance, including noninterest expense control. The Company believes that tangible common equity, tangible book value per share, and return on average tangible common equity are useful to evaluate the relative strength of the Company's performance and capital position. We utilize these measures for internal planning and forecasting purposes. These non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered a substitute for GAAP basis measures and results, and we strongly encourage investors to review our consolidated financial statements in their entirety and not to rely on any single financial measure.

(1) 2020 performance ratios were negatively impacted by COVID-19 pandemic related loan loss reserves and $3.9 million in one-time charges related to office consolidation, contract termination and employee severance costs recognized in the fourth quarter of 2020.

(2) Efficiency ratio is defined as noninterest expense, less other real estate owned expenses and amortization of intangible assets, divided by our operating revenue, which is equal to net interest income plus noninterest income excluding gains and losses on sales of securities and gains and losses on other real estate owned. In our judgment, the adjustments made to operating revenue allow investors and analysts to better assess our operating expenses in relation to our core operating revenue by removing the volatility that is associated with certain one-time items and other discrete items that are unrelated to our core business.

(3) The dividend payout ratio is calculated by dividing dividends per share by earnings per share.

(1) Represents Bank ratios. Current period capital ratios are preliminary subject to finalization of the FDIC Call Report.

(2) Excludes unvested restricted shares of 178,797, 184,548, 186,485, 163,369, and 170,083 as of September 30, 2021, June 30, 2021, March 31, 2021, December 31, 2020, and September 30, 2020, respectively.

Total nonaccrual loans declined $4.5 million to $28.9 million as of September 30, 2021 when compared to December 31, 2020 partially a result of the charge-offs recognized in the second quarter of 2021. The Bank continues work-out activity on its nonaccrual loan population. Nonperforming assets as a percentage of total assets was 1.30% at September 30, 2021, down from 1.48% at December 31, 2020. The allowance for loan losses at September 30, 2021 was $16.8 million, representing 0.92% of total loans.

Gross loans totaled $1.8 billion at September 30, 2021, an increase of $198.9 million compared to December 31, 2020. Excluding PPP loans, gross loans increased by $232.1 million, or 14.6%, at September 30, 2021 when compared to December 31, 2020.

Total deposits were $1.9 billion at September 30, 2021, compared to $1.8 billion at December 31, 2020, an increase of $55.5 million, or 3.0%.

Noninterest income increased by $0.8 million to $1.4 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2021 compared to the quarter ended September 30, 2020. Noninterest income increased by $2.6 million to $4.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2020.

The increase in noninterest income was driven by resumed loan sales, totaling $0.9 million and $2.3 million for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2021, respectively. In addition, the increase in noninterest income for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 was impacted by a one-time federal payroll tax credit for COVID-19 of $0.9 million, partially offset by $0.4 million of non-recurring interest rate swap fees recognized during the nine months ended September 30, 2020.

Noninterest expense increased by $0.6 million to $10.4 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2021 compared to the quarter ended September 30, 2020. The increase in noninterest expense was primarily driven by an increase in occupancy and equipment expense and other expense, partially offset by a decrease in salaries and employee benefits expense.

Noninterest expense increased by $1.0 million to $30.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2020. The increase in noninterest expense was primarily driven by an increase in occupancy and equipment expense, data processing expense, FDIC insurance expense and other expense, partially offset by a decrease in salaries and employee benefits expense.

Occupancy and equipment expense totaled $2.6 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2021, an increase of $0.3 million when compared to the same period in 2020. Occupancy and equipment expense totaled $8.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021, an increase of $1.9 million when compared to the same period in 2020. The increase in occupancy and equipment expense was primarily due to additional one-time charges associated with office consolidation activity (previously disclosed in the fourth quarter of 2020) and an increase in lease expense resulting from the commencement of the lease on the Company's new headquarters building.

Data processing expense totaled $2.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021, an increase of $0.4 million when compared to the same period in 2020. The increase in data processing expense was primarily due to $0.4 million in costs associated with the conversion to a new online banking system implemented in the second quarter of 2021.

FDIC insurance expense totaled $1.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021, an increase of $0.5 million when compared to the same period in 2020. The increase in FDIC insurance expense was due to the absence of available FDIC insurance credits recognized in the first quarter of 2020 and elevated expense due to liquidity driven balance sheet growth in the first half 2021.

Salaries and employee benefits expense totaled $4.8 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2021, a decrease of $0.5 million when compared to the same period in 2020. Salaries and employee benefits expense totaled $13.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021, a decrease of $2.4 million when compared to the same period in 2020. The decrease in salaries and employee benefits expense was primarily driven by a decrease in full time equivalent employees as a direct result of the Voluntary Early Retirement Incentive Plan offered to eligible employees and other employee actions taken during the fourth quarter of 2020. Full time equivalent employees totaled 134 at September 30, 2021 compared to 142 for the same period in 2020. Average full time equivalent employees totaled 127 for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 compared to 151 for the same period in 2020. In addition, salaries and employee benefits expense also benefited by one-time deferrals of $0.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 in costs associated with a new online banking and other systems.