Press Release

GLENVILLE, N.Y., Jan. 23, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TrustCo Bank Corp NY (TrustCo, NASDAQ: TRST) today announced full year 2022 net income of $75.2 million or $3.93 diluted earnings per share, compared to net income of $61.5 million or $3.19 diluted earnings per share for the full year 2021; and net income of $20.9 million or $1.10 diluted earnings per share for the three months ended December 31, 2022 which is another record quarter, compared to net income of $16.2 million or $0.85 diluted earnings per share for the three months ended December 31, 2021.

Overview

Chairman, President, and CEO, Robert J. McCormick said, “For Trustco Bank, 2022 was a banner year marked by celebrations surrounding our 120^th Anniversary. There also is cause for celebration as the year ends and the Company’s performance is evaluated. A record fourth quarter caps off a year during which each successive quarter saw record earnings. As these records were set, the Company maintained strong liquidity and saw extraordinary loan growth. Throughout the year, we executed upon a strategy long in development that supported not only the completion of our stock buy-back program, but also a dividend increase – the third since 2018. As we look expectantly toward 2023, our team is ready to make the most of the expansion of the Bank’s areas of operation and opportunities as they develop.”

TrustCo saw continued loan growth in the fourth quarter of 2022 compared to the prior year, led by an increase in residential mortgages. Loan portfolio expansion was funded by a combination of utilizing a portion of our strong cash balances and by cash flow from investments, as well as growth in funding from expansion of earnings. The Federal Reserve decision to raise the target Federal Funds rate has contributed to our results during 2022, as our cash position and other variable rate products repriced upward, and is likely to continue to do so to the extent there are additional rate increases. We also note that current mortgage rates significantly exceed the yield on our existing portfolio of mortgages, which, if sustained, should be positive to net interest margin going forward. TrustCo’s strong liquidity position continues to allow us to take advantage of opportunities as they arise.

Details

Average loans were up $253.2 million or 5.7% in the fourth quarter 2022 over the same period in 2021. Average residential loans, our primary lending focus, were up $181.8 million, or 4.6%, in the fourth quarter 2022 over the same period in 2021. Average deposits were down $25.4 million or 0.5% for the fourth quarter 2022 over the same period a year earlier. The decrease in deposits over the same period in 2021 was the result of a $72.2 million or 6.8% decrease in average time deposits, offset by an increase in total average core deposits of $46.8 million or 1.1%, which consist of interest bearing and non-interest bearing checking, savings and money market deposits. Within the core deposits, checking balances were up $62.7 million or 3.2% (including interest bearing and non-interest bearing checking balances), money market balances were down $94.5 million or 12.4%, and savings balances were up $78.6 million or 5.4%. As we move forward, our objective is to continue to encourage customers to retain these funds in the expanded product offerings of the Bank through aggressive marketing and product differentiation.       

Net interest income and Net interest income on a tax equivalent basis, were both $49.2 million for the fourth quarter of 2022, an increase of $8.9 million or 22.1% compared to the same period in 2021, driven by solid liquidity and the recent increases in the Federal Funds target rate. The net interest margin for the fourth quarter 2022 was 3.34%, up 65 basis points from 2.69% in the fourth quarter of 2021. The cost of interest bearing liabilities increased to 0.26% in the fourth quarter 2022 from 0.13% in the fourth quarter 2021. As expected our CD portfolio (time deposits) repriced throughout the year at higher rates as the Bank continues to remain competitive due to the recent Federal Funds target rate increases. Continued repricing of the CD portfolio and increases in rates by the Federal Reserve Board will more than likely cause further increases in rates on interest bearing liabilities.      

For the fourth quarter of 2022, return on average assets and return on average equity were 1.38% and 13.91%, respectively, compared to 1.05% and 10.92% for the fourth quarter of 2021. As previously discussed, improving efficiencies to reduce costs continues to remain a key area of focus. The efficiency ratio was 48.75% for the fourth quarter of 2022, a decrease compared to 58.50% for the fourth quarter of 2021. Total operating expenses increased by $215 thousand in the fourth quarter of 2022 as compared to the fourth quarter of 2021, with increases in salary and employee benefits, outsourced services and the other real estate expense (income), partly offset by declines in the occupancy, equipment, professional services, advertising, and other expense categories.
  
Asset quality remains strong and loan loss reserve measures are consistent over the past twelve months. The Company recorded a provision for credit losses of $50 thousand in the fourth quarter of 2022, which includes a provision for credit losses on loans of $500 thousand and a benefit for credit losses on unfunded commitments of $450 thousand as a result of a corresponding decrease in unfunded loan commitments. The ratio of allowance for credit losses on loans to total loans was 0.97% and 1.00% as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The allowance for credit losses on loans was $46.0 million at December 31, 2022, compared to $44.3 million at December 31, 2021. Nonperforming loans (NPLs) were $17.5 million at December 31, 2022, compared to $18.8 million at December 31, 2021. NPLs were 0.37% and 0.42% of total loans at December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The coverage ratio, or allowance for credit losses on loans to NPLs, was 263.1% at December 31, 2022, compared to 236.0% at December 31, 2021. Nonperforming assets (NPAs) were $19.6 million at December 31, 2022, compared to $19.1 million at December 31, 2021. As mentioned in the prior quarters, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (“CECL”) effective January 1, 2022. TrustCo recorded a net decrease to retained earnings of $3.5 million upon adoption of the new accounting standard. The transition adjustment at January 1, 2022 included a $2.4 million increase in the allowance for credit losses on loans, a $2.3 million increase in the allowance for estimated credit losses on unfunded off-balance sheet credit exposures, and a corresponding increase in deferred tax assets of $1.2 million.

At December 31, 2022 our equity to asset ratio was 10.00%, compared to 9.70% at December 31, 2021. Book value per share at December 31, 2022 was $31.54, up 0.8% compared to $31.28 a year earlier.

TrustCo Bank Corp NY is a $6.0 billion savings and loan holding company and through its subsidiary, Trustco Bank, operated 143 offices in New York, New Jersey, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Florida at December 31, 2022.

In addition, the Bank’s Financial Services Department offers a full range of investment services, retirement planning and trust and estate administration services. The common shares of TrustCo are traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol TRST.

A conference call to discuss fourth quarter 2022 results will be held at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on January 24, 2023. Those wishing to participate in the call may dial for the United States at 1-844-200-6205, for Canada at 1-833-950-0062, and all other locations at 1-929-526-1599, Access code 485191.   A replay of the call will be available for thirty days by dialing toll-free for the United States at 1-866-813-9403, for Canada at 1-226-828-7578, and all other locations at +44-204-525-0658, Access code 756689. The call will also be audio webcast at https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/840065868, and will be available for one year.  

Forward-Looking Statements
All statements in this news release that are not historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "goal," "seek," "believe," "project," "estimate," "expect," "strategy," "future," "likely," "may," "should," "will" and similar references to future development, results or periods. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements we make regarding our expectations for our performance during 2023, including our expectations regarding the effects of the economic environment on our financial results, our ability to retain customers and the amount of customers’ business, including deposit balances, with us, the impact of the Federal Reserve’s actions regarding interest rates, the growth of loans and deposits throughout our branch network, the increase in residential mortgage rates, and our ability to capitalize on economic changes in the areas in which we operate. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations as well as certain assumptions and estimates made by, and information available to, management at the time the statements are made. Such forward-looking statements are subject to factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially for TrustCo from the views, beliefs and projections expressed in such statements, and many of the risks and uncertainties are heightened by or may, in the future, be heightened by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and macroeconomic or geopolitical concerns related to inflation, rising interest rates and the war in Ukraine. TrustCo wishes to caution readers not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The following important factors, among others, in some cases have affected and in the future could affect TrustCo’s actual results and could cause TrustCo’s actual financial performance to differ materially from that expressed in any forward-looking statement: the effects of inflation and inflationary pressures and changes in monetary and fiscal policies and laws, including increases in the Federal Funds target rate by, and interest rate policies of, the Federal Reserve Board; the geopolitical and macroeconomic impact of the war in Ukraine; the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the impact of the actions taken by governmental authorities to contain the COVID-19 pandemic or address the impact of the pandemic on the economy, and the effect of all of such items on our operations, liquidity and capital position, and on the financial condition of our borrowers and other customers; changes in and uncertainty related to benchmark interest rates used to price loans and deposits; future business strategies related to the implementation of CECL; changes in and uncertainty related to benchmark interest rates used to price loans and deposits; credit risks and risks from concentrations (by geographic area and by loan product) within our loan portfolio; changes in local market areas and general business and economic trends, as well as changes in consumer spending, borrowing and savings habits; our ability to assess and react effectively to such changes; our ability to continue to originate a significant volume of one-to-four family mortgage loans in our market areas; our ability to continue to maintain noninterest expense and other overhead costs at reasonable levels relative to income; our ability to make accurate assumptions and judgments regarding the credit risks associated with lending and investing activities; the effects of, and changes in, trade, monetary and fiscal policies and laws; restrictions or conditions imposed by our regulators on our operations that may make it more difficult for us to achieve our goals; the future earnings and capital levels of us and Trustco Bank and the continued receipt of approvals from our primary federal banking regulators under regulatory rules to distribute capital to TrustCo, which could affect our ability to pay dividends; results of supervisory monitoring or examinations of Trustco Bank and TrustCo by our respective regulators; adverse conditions in the securities markets that lead to impairment in the value of securities in our investment portfolio; the perceived overall value of our products and services by users, including in comparison to competitors’ products and services and the willingness of current and prospective customers to substitute competitors’ products and services for our products and services; the effect of changes in financial services laws and regulations and the impact of other governmental initiatives affecting the financial services industry; changes in management personnel; real estate and collateral values; the effects of changes in tax laws; changes in accounting policies and practices, as may be adopted by the bank regulatory agencies, the FASB or PCAOB; disruptions, security breaches, or other adverse events affecting the third-party vendors who perform several of our critical processing functions; technological changes and electronic, cyber and physical security breaches; our success at managing the risks involved in the foregoing and managing our business; the impact of severe weather events and climate change on us and the communities we serve; and other risks and uncertainties under the heading “Risk Factors” in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and, if any, in our subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or other securities filings. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release represent TrustCo management’s judgment as of the date of this news release. TrustCo disclaims, however, any intent or obligation to update forward-looking statements, either as a result of future developments, new information or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures Reconciliation

Tangible book value per share is a non-GAAP financial measure derived from GAAP-based amounts. We calculate tangible book value by excluding the balance of intangible assets from total shareholders’ equity divided by shares outstanding. We believe that this is consistent with the treatment by bank regulatory agencies, which exclude intangible assets from the calculation of risk-based capital ratios. Additionally, we believe that this measure is important to many investors in the marketplace who are interested in relative changes from period to period in equity exclusive of changes in intangible assets.

Tangible equity as a percentage of tangible assets at period end is a non-GAAP financial measure derived from GAAP-based amounts. We calculate tangible equity and tangible assets by excluding the balance of intangible assets from total shareholders’ equity and total assets, respectively. We calculate tangible equity as a percentage of tangible assets at period end by dividing tangible equity by tangible assets at period end. We believe that this is consistent with the treatment by bank regulatory agencies, which exclude intangible assets from the calculation of risk-based capital ratios. Additionally, we believe that this measure is important to many investors in the marketplace who are interested in relative changes from period to period in equity and total assets, each exclusive of changes in intangible assets.

The efficiency ratio is a non-GAAP measure of expense control relative to revenue from net interest income and non-interest fee income. We calculate the efficiency ratio by dividing total noninterest expenses as determined under GAAP, excluding other real estate expense, net, by net interest income (fully taxable equivalent) and total noninterest income as determined under GAAP, excluding non-routine items from this calculation. We believe that this provides a reasonable measure of primary banking expenses relative to primary banking revenue. Additionally, we believe this measure is important to investors looking for a measure of efficiency in our productivity measured by the amount of revenue generated for each dollar spent.

We believe that these non-GAAP financial measures provide information that is important to investors and that is useful in understanding our financial results. Our management internally assesses our performance based, in part, on these measures. However, these non-GAAP financial measures are supplemental and not a substitute for an analysis based on GAAP measures. As other companies may use different calculations for these measures, this presentation may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures reported by other companies. A reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures of tangible book value per share, tangible common equity, and efficiency ratio to the most directly comparable GAAP measures is set forth below.