On Friday, Stephens maintained its Equal Weight rating on Financial Institutions (NASDAQ:FISI), with a steady price target of $28.50. The company’s recent financial results surpassed analyst expectations, with reported GAAP and operating earnings per share (EPS) of $0.84 and $0.82, respectively. This performance exceeded Stephens’ estimate of $0.81 and the consensus estimate of $0.76.
The higher-than-expected earnings were attributed to a lower provision of $3.1 million and reduced expenses, including lower FDIC insurance costs and other miscellaneous expenses.
Pre-provision net revenue (PPNR) stood at $17.9 million, marginally above the anticipated $17.7 million. This was despite net interest income (NII) coming in lower than expected at $40.7 million and a net interest margin (NIM) of 2.89%, which was slightly below the estimated 2.94%.
Financial Institutions experienced a 3.4% quarter-over-quarter increase in deposits, with non-interest-bearing demand accounts (DDAs) rising by 4.2%. However, the loan portfolio shrank by 1.3% due to a decline in commercial balances. Credit quality showed signs of weakening, with the non-performing assets to assets ratio increasing by 25 basis points to 0.66%, and net charge-offs to average loans at 0.15%.
Additionally, Financial Institutions benefited from a lower-than-anticipated tax rate of 7.4%, and tangible book value (TBV) per share increased by 8.4% quarter-over-quarter to $27.28. The report concluded with an expectation that the company’s shares will trade in line with the market following the announcement of these financial results.
In other recent news, Financial Institutions, Inc. has reported a record net income for Q2 2024, primarily due to the profitable sale of its insurance subsidiary. This was further supported by an expanded net interest margin and improvements in asset quality. The company’s commercial loan portfolio saw growth, while the quality of the residential loan portfolio remained stable.
Despite a recent deposit-related fraud event, noninterest income increased significantly from the gain on the insurance subsidiary’s sale, and noninterest expenses decreased. The company also reported an improved tangible common equity ratio and book value per share, following a tax credit investment.
Financial Institutions, Inc. anticipates a growth of 1% to 3% in loans and deposits and expects net interest margin to be between 285 to 295 basis points. It also projects an effective tax rate of 11% to 13% for 2024. Feedback from analysts indicates that the company is evaluating options to reissue or replace sub-debt facilities.
These are the recent developments for Financial Institutions, Inc.
InvestingPro Insights
Financial Institutions (NASDAQ:FISI) has demonstrated resilience and growth, as reflected in both its recent financial results and long-term performance metrics. According to InvestingPro data, the company’s revenue growth stands at 11.24% over the last twelve months, with a notable 24.9% increase in quarterly revenue as of Q2 2024. This aligns with the company’s better-than-expected earnings reported in the article.
InvestingPro Tips highlight FISI’s commitment to shareholder value, having raised its dividend for 13 consecutive years and maintained dividend payments for 26 years. The current dividend yield of 4.8% may be attractive to income-focused investors. Additionally, the company’s profitability over the last twelve months and analysts’ predictions of profitability for the current year support the positive earnings trend mentioned in the article.
The stock’s performance has been particularly strong, with a 70.78% price total return over the past year and a 47.7% return in the last six months. This impressive growth is reflected in the company’s P/E ratio of 7.63, which suggests the stock may be undervalued relative to its earnings.
For investors seeking more comprehensive analysis, InvestingPro offers additional tips and insights, with 7 more tips available for Financial Institutions.
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