Webster Financial Reports Record Quarterly Earnings

Oct 18, 2000

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WATERBURY, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 18, 2000--Webster Financial Corporation (Nasdaq:WBST), holding company for Webster Bank, today reported a 20 percent increase in net income for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, 2000.

Net income for the quarter rose to a record $31.6 million, or $.64 per diluted share, compared to $26.4 million, or $.57 per diluted share, for the quarter ended Sept. 30, 1999. The increase in net income is due in part to the acquisition of Mechanics Savings Bank, which was completed in June 2000, and to expanded product offerings -- including insurance, trust and investment management services -- to Webster's growing customer base. Prior period financial data have been restated to reflect the December 1999 merger with New England Community Bancorp, Inc., which was accounted for using the pooling of interests method of accounting.

"As we celebrate Webster's 65th anniversary this month, I am pleased to report record results," said James C. Smith, Webster chairman and chief executive officer. "My father, Harold Webster Smith, opened the bank during the Great Depression to help people buy and build their homes. Today, we are a regional financial services provider with $11 billion in assets and more than 2,000 employees. Our company's strong roots enhance our capacity to grow and to be our customers' trusted financial partner in the years to come."

Third Quarter Financial Highlights

Net interest margin (net interest income as a percentage of average earnings assets) was 3.30 percent in the quarter, compared to

  • 3.36 percent in the third quarter of 1999 and 3.29 percent in the second quarter of 2000. The net interest margin has remained stable as rising retail interest rate spreads have offset the impact of higher wholesale borrowing costs.

Total noninterest income for the quarter increased 51 percent to $33.2 million, compared to $21.9 million for the same period in 1999. Excluding income from gains on the sale of securities and loans, total noninterest income increased 28 percent to $28.7 million from $22.4 million in the year-ago period due to revenue related to trust and investment services, revenue from expanded insurance operations and income from other fee-based services.

Return on average shareholders' equity for the third quarter was

  • 16.2 percent, compared to 16.7 percent in the third quarter of 1999, while cash return on average shareholders' equity rose to 19.3 percent from 18.7 percent in the year-ago period.

Return on average assets for the third quarter was 1.12 percent, up from 1.08 percent in the third quarter of 1999.

Asset quality remained strong in the quarter with nonaccrual assets amounting to 0.43 percent of total assets compared to 0.48 percent of total assets in the year-ago quarter and 0.42 percent of total assets in the second quarter. The allowance for loan losses as a percent of nonaccrual loans was 200 percent, compared to 185 percent a year earlier and 204 percent in the second quarter. Allowances for nonaccrual assets as a percent of nonaccrual assets were 185 percent, up from 157 percent in the year-ago quarter and unchanged from the second quarter.

Book value per common share increased 20 percent to $16.95 from $14.16 in the third quarter of 1999 due primarily to net income and the issuance of 7.8 million common shares to Mechanics Savings Bank shareholders. Shareholders equity of $828 million at Sept. 30, 2000, represented 7.4 percent of total assets.

Webster had 48.9 million common shares outstanding at Sept. 30, 2000.

Recent News Highlights

In August, Webster completed its purchase and conversion of four Connecticut branch offices from FleetBoston Financial that were divested as the result of the Fleet-BankBoston merger. The branches, with $138 million in deposits, are located in Brookfield, Guilford, Meriden, and Thomaston. The transaction included the purchase of deposits and loans for individual and small business customers of these branches.

Also in August, Webster formed a strategic alliance with Princeton eCom, a leading provider of electronic bill presentment and payment services. The alliance will enable Webster to develop faster and easier ways for websterbank.com customers to pay their bills electronically.

In September, Webster Bank and Combio (formerly FSPNetwork Inc.), a leading provider of Internet solutions, announced a strategic alliance designed to further Webster's Internet strategy. Through this alliance, Webster customers will not only enjoy the convenience of electronic banking, but also will have access to the latest in portal technology to view news and information on finance, sports, entertainment, health, travel and weather in addition to e-shopping.

Earlier this month, Webster announced that it had reached a definitive agreement to sell its Olde Port Bank division, consisting of two bank branches in Portsmouth and Hampton, NH, to Granite Bank, a state-chartered commercial bank, whose parent company is Granite State Bankshares, Inc. (Nasdaq:GSBI) of Keene, NH. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The two branch offices have a total of $47 million in loans and $47 million in deposits. Webster acquired the former Olde Port Bank & Trust with the purchase of New England Community Bancorp.

Connecticut-based Webster Bank provides business and consumer banking, mortgage, insurance, trust and investment services through more than 110 banking offices, 200 ATMs and the Internet (www.websterbank.com). Webster's online mortgage subsidiary at www.nowlending.com on the Worldwide Web originates low-cost mortgages across the United States.

For more information on Webster, including past press releases and the latest Annual Report, visit the Webster Bank website at www.websterbank.com.

Conference Call

A conference call covering today's announcement will be held today, Wednesday, Oct. 18, at 2:30 p.m., Eastern Time and may be heard through Webster's investor relations website at www.wbst.com, or in listen-only mode by calling 1-800-553-3540 (Access Code: 828456). The call will be archived on the website and available for future retrieval.

Statements in this press release regarding Webster Financial Corporation's business that are not historical facts are "forward looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statement, see "Forward Looking Statements" in the Company's Annual Report for the most recently ended fiscal year.

Webster Financial Corp.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Consolidated Statements of Condition   (unaudited)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           September 30,   December 31,
          (Dollars in thousands)                2000           1999
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Assets:

Cash and due from depository institutions     $ 232,294    $ 245,783
Interest-bearing deposits                        10,240       37,838
Securities:
   Trading, at fair value                             -       50,854
   Available for sale, at fair value          3,060,994    2,700,585
   Held to maturity, (fair value: $258,503
     in 2000; $300,282 in 1999)                 275,006      315,462
Loans receivable:
   Residential loans                          4,215,112    3,898,943
   Commercial and industrial loans            1,158,338      915,035
   Commercial real estate loans                 893,622      741,168
   Home equity loans                            584,747      492,684
   Other consumer loans                          97,863       47,064
   Allowance for loan losses                    (88,917)     (72,658)
                                          ---------------------------
Loans receivable, net                         6,860,765    6,022,236

Accrued interest receivable                      71,781       58,918
Premises and equipment, net                     104,803      103,403
Foreclosed properties, net                        3,389        4,909
Intangible assets                               312,525      138,829
Cash surrender value of life insurance          171,973      148,252
Prepaid expenses and other assets               152,780      104,675
                                          ---------------------------

   Total assets                            $ 11,256,550  $ 9,931,744
                                          ===========================


Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity:

Deposits:
   Checking and NOW                         $ 1,565,898  $ 1,375,692
   Savings and MMDAs                          1,967,585    1,719,562
   Certificates of deposit                    3,497,420    3,095,837
                                          ---------------------------
Total deposits                                7,030,903    6,191,091

Borrowed funds                                3,085,703    2,788,445
Accrued expenses and other liabilities          112,385      116,964
                                          ---------------------------
   Total liabilities                         10,228,991    9,096,500
                                          ---------------------------


Corporation-obligated
 mandatorily redeemable
 capital securities of subsidiary trusts        150,000      150,000

Preferred stock of subsidiary corporation        49,577       49,577

Shareholders' equity                            827,982      635,667
                                          ---------------------------

   Total liabilities
    and shareholders' equity               $ 11,256,550  $ 9,931,744
                                           ========================= 

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Consolidated Statements of Income (unaudited)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
                               Three months ended    Nine months ended
                                  September 30,         September 30,
     (Dollars in thousands,
       except per share data)    2000       1999      2000       1999
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Interest income:
Loans                         $139,867   $110,640  $377,000   $321,684
Securities and
 interest-bearing
 deposits                       57,733     51,539   165,189    160,334
                             -----------------------------------------
  Total interest income        197,600    162,179   542,189    482,018
                             -----------------------------------------

Interest expense:
Deposits                        60,376     49,548   162,445    153,209
Borrowings                      51,414     34,783   138,631    101,834
                             -----------------------------------------
  Total interest expense       111,790     84,331   301,076    255,043
                             -----------------------------------------

Net interest
 income                         85,810     77,848   241,113    226,975
Provision for
 loan losses                     3,200      2,245     8,600      6,678
                             -----------------------------------------
Net interest income
 after provision
 for loan losses                82,610     75,603   232,513    220,297
                             -----------------------------------------

Noninterest income:
Fees and
 service charges                15,987     13,529    42,748     35,645
Trust and
 investment services             4,837      3,309    13,566      6,674
Insurance commissions            3,685      1,692    10,909      5,360
Gain on sale
 of loans and
 loan servicing, net             2,560      1,006     3,503      4,104
Gain (loss)
 on sale of
 securities, net                 1,871     (1,505)    7,829      2,413
Increase in cash
 surrender value
  of life insurance              2,271      2,181     6,233      5,910
Other noninterest
 income                          1,958      1,691     6,629      5,943
                             -----------------------------------------
  Total noninterest
   income                       33,169     21,903    91,417     66,049
                             -----------------------------------------

Noninterest expenses:
Compensation
 and benefits                   31,235     27,796    90,751     78,030
Occupancy expense                6,573      5,005    17,651     15,255
Furniture and
 equipment expense               6,090      5,543    18,830     16,051
Intangible amortization
 expense                         6,907      3,959    15,065      9,804
Marketing expense                1,778      2,263     6,577      6,966
Professional services
 expense                         1,688      1,757     5,171      7,027
Capital securities
 expense                         3,477      3,661    10,708     10,984
Dividends on preferred
 stock of subsidiary
  corporation                    1,037      1,038     3,113      3,113
Other operating
 expenses                        9,816      8,114    26,888     25,824
                             -----------------------------------------
  Total noninterest
   expenses                     68,601     59,136   194,754    173,054
                             -----------------------------------------

Income before
 income taxes                   47,178     38,370   129,176    113,292
Income taxes                    15,595     11,973    42,675     37,572
                             -----------------------------------------
Net income                    $ 31,583   $ 26,397  $ 86,501   $ 75,720
                             =========================================

Net income per
 common share:
  Basic                          $0.65      $0.58     $1.92      $1.71
  Diluted                        $0.64      $0.57     $1.90      $1.67


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Selected Financial Highlights (unaudited)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
                              At or for the Three   At or for the Nine
                                 Months Ended          Months Ended 
(Dollars in thousands,           September 30,         September 30,
 except per share data)        2000        1999       2000       1999
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating and Performance Ratios
 (annualized):
----------------------------------------------------------------------

GAAP earnings (a)          $ 31,583    $ 26,397   $ 86,501   $ 75,720

Return on average
 shareholders' equity         16.17%      16.65%     17.41%     16.31%
Return on average
 shareholders'
  equity before
   non-recurring income (b)   16.17       16.65      17.19      16.31

Return on average assets       1.12        1.08       1.10       1.04
Return on average
 assets before non-recurring
 income (b)                    1.12        1.08       1.09       1.04

Cash earnings              $ 37,633    $ 29,569   $ 99,172   $ 83,160

Cash return on average
 shareholders' equity (c)     19.26%      18.65%     19.96%     17.91%
Cash return on average
 shareholders' equity before
  non recurring income(d)     19.26       18.65      19.74      17.91

Noninterest expenses
 / average assets              2.44        2.42       2.48       2.37
Noninterest expenses
 / average assets (e)          2.04        2.07       2.12       2.04

Efficiency ratio (f)          54.11       55.52      56.24      56.99
Efficiency ratio (e)          50.16       50.79      51.92      52.06

Shareholders' equity
 / total assets                7.36        6.54       7.36       6.54
Interest-rate spread           3.18        3.25       3.15       3.18
Net interest margin            3.30        3.36       3.27       3.32

Loan originations:
 Residential              $ 150,970   $ 250,383  $ 500,740  $ 979,845
 Commercial                 162,756     142,065    492,223    426,441
 Consumer                    80,142      73,057    244,140    208,960

Asset Quality:
--------------

Nonaccrual loans           $ 44,479    $ 39,424   $ 44,479   $ 39,424
Nonaccrual assets, net       47,868      46,442     47,868     46,442
Allowance for
 loan losses                 88,917      72,989     88,917     72,989
Allowances for
 nonaccrual assets           89,138      73,251     89,138     73,251
Net loan charge-offs            483         908      3,321      2,529
Nonaccrual assets
 /total assets                 0.43%       0.48%      0.43%      0.48%
Allowance for loan losses
 /nonaccrual loans           199.91      185.14     199.91     185.14
Allowances for nonaccrual
 assets/nonaccrual assets    185.36      156.84     185.36     156.84

Share Related:
--------------

Book value per common share $ 16.95     $ 14.16    $ 16.95    $ 14.16
Tangible book value
 per common share             10.55       11.08      10.55      11.08
Common stock closing price    26.94       25.50      26.94      25.50
Dividend declared
 per common share            $ 0.16      $ 0.12     $ 0.46     $ 0.35
Common shares issued
 and outstanding         48,862,027  45,320,787 48,862,027 45,320,787
Basic shares             48,870,159  45,190,818 44,946,750 44,391,294
Diluted shares           49,438,353  45,952,470 45,460,378 45,281,168

(a) Net income applying General Accepted Accounting Principles.
(b) Excluding income from a one-time life insurance benefit of $1.1
    million.
(c) Net income, excluding tax-effected intangible amortization,
    divided by average shareholders' equity.
(d) Net income, excluding tax-effected intangible amortization and
    income from a one-time life insurance benefit of $1.1 million,
    divided by average shareholders' equity.
(e) Excludes acquisition-related, intangible amortization, capital
    securities, preferred dividend, foreclosed property expenses and
    non-recurring charges.
(f) Excludes acquisition-related, intangible amortization, foreclosed
    property expenses and non-recurring charges. 


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Retail and Wholesale Interest-Rate Spreads   (unaudited)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Three months ended,          September  June   March December September
                                2000    2000    2000    1999    1999
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Interest-rate spread
--------------------
Total interest-earning
 assets (a)                     7.56%   7.32%   7.21%   7.14%   7.05%
Total interest-bearing                   
 liabilities                    4.38    4.14    4.11    3.91    3.80
                               ---------------------------------------
 Interest-rate spread           3.18%   3.18%   3.10%   3.23%   3.25%
 Net interest margin            3.30    3.29    3.22    3.34    3.36

Retail interest-rate 
 spread                                  
--------------------
Yield on loans                  8.06%   7.79%   7.68%   7.57%   7.44%
Rate on deposits                3.44    3.25    3.27    3.23    3.15
                               ---------------------------------------
    Spread                      4.62%   4.54%   4.41%   4.34%   4.29%
                               =======================================

Wholesale interest-rate                  
 spread                                  
-----------------------
Yield on securities (a)         6.58%   6.46%   6.35%   6.32%   6.27%
Rate on borrowings              6.43    6.13    5.85    5.57    5.28
                               ---------------------------------------
    Spread                      0.15%   0.33%   0.50%   0.75%   0.99%
                               =======================================


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Consolidated Average Statements of Condition   (unaudited)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Three months ended September 30,               2000
----------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      Fully tax
                                    Average           equivalent
(Dollars in thousands)              balance  Interest yield/rate
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Assets:
 Interest-earning assets:
 Loans                            $6,927,869  $139,867  8.06%  
 Securities and
  interest-bearing deposits        3,413,888    57,733  6.58 (a)  
                                 -------------------------------
    Total interest-earning
     assets                       10,341,757   197,600  7.56      

 Noninterest-earning assets          889,849
                                 -------------------------------
    Total assets                 $11,231,606
                                 ===============================

Liabilities and
 Shareholders' Equity:
 Interest-bearing liabilities:
 Interest-bearing deposits        $6,162,524   $60,376  3.90%   
 Noninterest-bearing deposits        815,308        -     -
 Federal Home Loan Bank advances   2,185,577    35,408  6.45
 Repurchase agreements
  and other borrowings               995,367    15,916  6.36
 Senior notes                             -         90    -
                                 -------------------------------
    Total interest-bearing
     liabilities                  10,158,776   111,790  4.38

 Noninterest-bearing other
 liabilities                          91,865
                                 -------------------------------
    Total liabilities             10,250,641

 Capital securities and
  preferred stock of
   subsidiary corporation            199,577

 Shareholders' Equity                781,388
                                 -------------------------------
    Total liabilities and
     shareholders' equity        $11,231,606
                                 ===============================

 Net interest income                           $85,810
                                 ===============================

 Interest-rate spread                                   3.18%
                                 ===============================
 Net interest margin                                    3.30%
                                 ===============================


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Three months ended September 30,               1999
----------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      Fully tax
                                    Average           equivalent
(Dollars in thousands)              balance  Interest yield/rate
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Assets:
 Interest-earning assets:
 Loans                            $5,900,836  $110,640  7.44%
 Securities and
  interest-bearing deposits        3,294,076    51,539  6.27 (a)
                                 -------------------------------
    Total interest-earning
     assets                        9,194,912   162,179  7.05

 Noninterest-earning assets          572,709
                                 -------------------------------
    Total assets                  $9,767,621
                                 ===============================

Liabilities and
 Shareholders' Equity:
 Interest-bearing liabilities:
 Interest-bearing deposits        $5,611,017   $49,548  3.50%
 Noninterest-bearing deposits        624,044        -     -
 Federal Home Loan Bank advances   1,611,180    21,910  5.40
 Repurchase agreements
  and other borrowings               963,736    11,958  4.92
 Senior notes                         40,000       915  9.15
                                 -------------------------------
    Total interest-bearing
     liabilities                   8,849,977    84,331  3.80

 Noninterest-bearing other
 liabilities                          83,963
                                 -------------------------------
    Total liabilities              8,933,940

 Capital securities and
  preferred stock of
  subsidiary corporation             199,577

 Shareholders' Equity                634,104
                                 -------------------------------
    Total liabilities and
    shareholders' equity          $9,767,621
                                 ===============================

 Net interest income                           $77,848
                                 ===============================

 Interest-rate spread                                   3.25%
                                 ===============================
 Net interest margin                                    3.36%
                                 ===============================

(a) For purposes of this computation, unrealized gains(losses) are
    excluded from the average rate calculations.


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Consolidated Average Statements of Condition   (unaudited)
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Nine months ended September 30,                2000
----------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       Fully tax
                                    Average            equivalent    
(Dollars in thousands)              balance   Interest yield/rate    
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Assets:
 Interest-earning assets:
 Loans                           $ 6,406,198  $377,000  7.85%    
 Securities and
  interest-bearing deposits        3,294,119   165,189  6.46(a) 
                                 -------------------------------
    Total interest-earning
     assets                        9,700,317   542,189  7.37      

 Noninterest-earning assets          774,288        
                                 -------------------------------
    Total assets                $ 10,474,605         
                                 ===============================

Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity:
 Interest-bearing liabilities:
 Interest-bearing deposits       $ 5,790,577  $162,445  3.75%    
 Noninterest-bearing deposits        730,927        -     -      
 Federal Home Loan Bank advances   1,986,311    91,473  6.15      
 Repurchase agreements
  and other borrowings             1,001,440    45,238  6.03      
 Senior notes                         26,423     1,920  9.69      
                                 -------------------------------
    Total interest-bearing
     liabilities                   9,535,678   301,076  4.22      

 Noninterest-bearing
  other liabilities                   76,970                          
                                 -------------------------------
    Total liabilities              9,612,648         

 Capital securities and preferred
  stock of subsidiary
  corporation                        199,577

 Shareholders' Equity                662,380
                                 -------------------------------
    Total liabilities
     and shareholders' equity   $ 10,474,605
                                 ===============================

 Net interest income                          $241,113
                                 ===============================

 Interest-rate spread                                   3.15 %    
                                 ===============================
 Net interest margin                                    3.27 %    
                                 ===============================


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Consolidated Average Statements of Condition   (unaudited)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Nine months ended September 30,              1999
----------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       Fully tax
                                    Average            equivalent    
(Dollars in thousands)              balance   Interest yield/rate    
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Assets:
 Interest-earning assets:
 Loans                            $5,740,223  $321,684  7.49%
 Securities and
  interest-bearing deposits        3,399,011   160,334  6.31 (a)
                                 -------------------------------
    Total interest-earning
     assets                        9,139,234   482,018  7.04

 Noninterest-earning assets          599,650
                                 -------------------------------
    Total assets                  $9,738,884
                                 ===============================

Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity:
 Interest-bearing liabilities:
 Interest-bearing deposits        $5,617,071  $153,209  3.65%
 Noninterest-bearing deposits        613,315        -     -
 Federal Home Loan Bank advances   1,586,206    63,040  5.31
 Repurchase agreements
  and other borrowings               976,412    36,049  4.94
 Senior notes                         40,000     2,745  9.15
                                 -------------------------------
    Total interest-bearing
     liabilities                   8,833,004   255,043  3.86

 Noninterest-bearing
  other liabilities                   87,329
                                 -------------------------------
    Total liabilities              8,920,333

 Capital securities and
  preferred stock of
  subsidiary corporation             199,577

 Shareholders' Equity                618,974
                                 -------------------------------
    Total liabilities
     and shareholders' equity     $9,738,884
                                 ===============================

 Net interest income                          $226,975
                                 ===============================

 Interest-rate spread                                   3.18%
                                 ===============================
 Net interest margin                                    3.32%
                                 ===============================

(a) For purposes of this computation, unrealized gains(losses) are
    excluded from the average rate calculations.

--30--sds/ny* es/ny

CONTACT:

Webster Financial

Media: Michael G. Bazinet, 
203/578-2391
mbazinet@websterbank.com

Investors: James M. Sitro, 
203/578-2399
jsitro@websterbank.com

Investors: James Kalach, 
203/578-2461
jkalach@websterbank.com