CSB Bancorp, Inc. Reports First Quarter Earnings

CSB Bancorp, Inc. CSBB:

First Quarter Highlights

CSB Bancorp, Inc. CSBB today announced first quarter 2023 net income of $3,934,000, or $1.46 per basic and diluted share, as compared to $2,701,000, or $0.99 per basic and diluted share, for the same period in 2022. Income before federal income tax amounted to $4,905,000, an increase of 47% over the same quarter in the prior year.

Annualized returns on average common equity ("ROE") and average assets ("ROA") for the quarter were 16.39% and 1.39%, respectively, compared with 11.26% and 0.96% for the first quarter of 2022.

Eddie Steiner, President and CEO stated, "The balance sheet remains strong, with adequate capital and liquidity to respond to foreseeable loan and depositor needs and to fund the Company's ongoing projects. Net interest income has trended upward, spurred by continuing growth in loan balances and the higher rate environment. Credit quality within earning asset portfolios remains high. We anticipate some slowing of the general economy in coming quarters as higher interest rates curtail consumer and business spending, and employment levels to soften as employers calibrate operating costs to match the economic environment."

Net interest income and noninterest income totaled $10.6 million during the quarter, an increase of $2.1 million from the prior year's first quarter. Net interest income increased $2.1 million, or 31%, in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.

Loan interest income including fees increased $2.2 million, or 38%, during first quarter 2023 as compared to the same quarter in 2022. The increase was mainly due to rate increases as well as a $77 million increase in average loan volume. Securities interest income increased $722 thousand, or 52%, during the first quarter 2023 compared to the same quarter 2022 from both rate and volume increases. Loan yields for first quarter 2023 averaged 5.07%, an increase of 88 basis points from the 2022 first quarter average of 4.19%, while security yields for first quarter 2023 averaged 2.18% compared to 1.60% in the first quarter 2022.

Interest expense rose $1.3 million, or 341%, during first quarter 2023 as compared to first quarter 2022. The increase follows a period of rapid interest rate increases spurred by the Federal Reserve followed by competitive pressures from banks and others to secure adequate funding. The cost of interest bearing liabilities for the first quarter 2023 was 0.95% as compared to 0.22% for the first quarter of 2022. Interest expense increases are anticipated to continue in 2023 but are not forecast to grow at 2022 levels.

The fully taxable equivalent (FTE) net interest margin was 3.37% compared to 2.60% for first quarter 2022. Compared to the 2022 first quarter, FTE net interest income increased $2.1 million, or 30%, reflecting 77 basis points of net interest margin expansion, and a $5 million, or less than 1%, increase in average earning assets. The higher interest rate environment drove the increase in yields coupled with loan and security volume growth, partially offset by the higher cost of funds and lower loan fees from the Paycheck Protection Program. The tax equivalency effect on the margin was 0.01% in first quarter 2023 and 0.02% in first quarter 2022.

Noninterest income decreased 1%, compared to first quarter of 2022. The decrease was primarily the result of a $115 thousand, or 98%, decline in gain on sale of mortgages to the secondary market, as higher interest rates sharply curbed fixed rate purchase and refinancing originations, along with a lack of housing inventory for sale. Offsetting increases were recognized in service charges on deposit accounts, debit card interchange fees, and credit card fee income.

Noninterest expense increased 5% from first quarter 2022. Salary and employee benefit costs increased $139 thousand, or 4%, compared to the prior year quarter, primarily resulting from increases in compensation and benefits partially offset by less FTE's. Software expense increased $66 thousand, or 20%, with the deployment of new reporting software and upgrades. Professional and directors' fees increased $45 thousand, or 16% primarily reflecting an increase in audit, tax and accounting fees in 2023. Marketing and public relations increased by $12 thousand, or 11%, reflecting a return to normalized levels. Telephone expense decreased $21 thousand below the prior year quarter due to a contract negotiation. The Company's first quarter efficiency ratio decreased to 53.9% compared to 64.0%.

Federal income tax expense was $971 thousand in the 2023 first quarter compared to $638 thousand in the 2022 first quarter. The effective tax rate for the 2023 first quarter and 2022 first quarter were 19.8% and 19.1%, respectively.

Average earning assets for the 2023 first quarter increased $5 million, or less than 1%, from the year-ago quarter, primarily reflecting a $77 million, or 14%, increase in average loans, a $38 million, or 11%, increase in average securities, and a $111 million, or 70%, decrease in interest-earning deposits in other banks, held mainly at the Federal Reserve Bank.

Average commercial loan balances for the quarter, including commercial real estate, increased $49 million, or 13%, from prior year levels. Average PPP loan balances were $3 million below the prior year quarter, and less than $125 thousand in PPP balances remain as of March 31, 2023. Excluding the decrease in average PPP loan balances, commercial loans increased $52 million year over year as construction loans were drawn and borrowers used term loans to fund equipment and other purchases. Average residential mortgage balances increased $21 million, or 16%, above the prior year's quarter as borrowers have been favoring adjustable-rate mortgages. Home equity lines of credit increased $6 million from the prior year's quarter as balances were drawn and new loans originated. Average consumer credit balances increased $664 thousand, or 4%, versus the same quarter of the prior year. Increased organic loan demand continues to be largely dependent on the pace at which excess liquidity is absorbed by businesses and households and restoration of borrower confidence.

Nonperforming assets were $218 thousand, or 0.03%, of total loans on March 31, 2023, compared to $1.2 million, or 0.21% of total loans, a year ago. Delinquent loan balances as of March 31, 2023, were stable at 0.13% of total loans as compared to 0.24% on March 31, 2022. Net loan charge-offs recognized during first quarter 2022 were $4 thousand, or 0.0% annualized, compared to first quarter 2022 net loan losses of $13 thousand.

On January 1, 2023, CSB adopted ASU 2016-13 known as current expected credit losses or "CECL". Following a period of extremely low historical credit losses and nonperforming assets, the initial entries to adjust the CECL loan loss allowance and the CECL allowance for unfunded commitments resulted in a net of tax entry increasing retained earnings by approximately $52 thousand. The allowance for expected credit losses amounted to 0.97% of total loans on March 31, 2023, as compared to 1.29% on March 31, 2022. The allowance for credit losses on off-balance sheet commitments on March 31, 2023 was $430 thousand, as compared to a March 31, 2022 balance of $141 thousand. CSB recorded no allowance for credit losses related to AFS or HTM debt securities as there is a zero loss expectation on these securities.

Average deposit balances grew on a quarter over prior year quarter comparison by $15 million, or 2%. For the first quarter 2023, the average cost of deposits amounted to 0.64%, as compared to 0.14% for the first quarter 2022. During the first quarter 2023, increases in average deposit balances over the prior year quarter included noninterest-bearing demand accounts of $5 million and interest-bearing demand and savings accounts of $8 million, while time deposits increased $2 million. The average balance of securities sold under repurchase agreement during the first quarter of 2023 decreased by $8 million, or 19%, compared to the average for the same period in the prior year.

Shareholders' equity totaled $99.0 million on March 31, 2023, with 2.7 million common shares outstanding. The average equity to assets ratio amounted to 8.48% for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, and 8.54% for the quarter ended March 31, 2022. The Company declared a first quarter dividend of $0.36 per share, producing an annualized yield of 3.8% based on the March 31, 2023 closing price of $38.00.

About CSB Bancorp, Inc.

CSB is a financial holding company headquartered in Millersburg, Ohio, with approximate assets of $1.1 billion as of March 31, 2023. CSB provides a complete range of banking and other financial services to consumers and businesses through its wholly owned subsidiary, The Commercial and Savings Bank, with sixteen banking centers in Holmes, Wayne, Tuscarawas, and Stark counties and Trust offices located in Millersburg, North Canton, and Wooster, Ohio.

Forward-Looking Statement

This release contains forward-looking statements relating to present or future trends or factors affecting the banking industry, and specifically the financial condition and results of operations, including without limitation, statements relating to the earnings outlook of the Company, as well as its operations, markets, and products. Actual results could differ materially from those indicated. Among the important factors that could cause results to differ materially are interest rate changes, softening in the economy, which could materially impact credit quality trends and the ability to generate loans, changes in the mix of the Company's business, competitive pressures, changes in accounting, tax or regulatory practices or requirements and those risk factors detailed in the Company's periodic reports and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to release revisions to these forward-looking statements or reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.

NOTES:

(a) - Net Interest income on a fully tax-equivalent ("FTE") basis restates interest on tax-exempt securities and loans as if such interest were subject to federal income tax at the statutory rate. Net interest income on an FTE basis differs from net interest income under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) - Tangible equity is a non-GAAP measure, which is shareholders' equity net of goodwill.

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