West Bancorporation, Inc. (Nasdaq: WTBA; the “Company”), parent company of West Bank, today reported 2021 net income was $49.6 million, or $2.95 per diluted common share, compared to 2020 net income of $32.7 million, or $1.98 per diluted common share. Net income for the fourth quarter of 2021 was $11.9 million, or $0.71 per diluted common share, compared to fourth quarter 2020 net income of $8.6 million, or $0.52 per diluted common share. On January 26, 2022, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.25 per common share, an increase of $0.01 from the prior quarter and representing a record high quarterly dividend for the Company. The dividend is payable on February 23, 2022, to stockholders of record on February 9, 2022.

The Company recorded negative provision for loan losses of $1,500 for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to provision for loan losses of $12,000 for the year ended December 31, 2020. The provision in 2020 was due to the onset of the global pandemic, whereas 2021 includes a reserve release due to the improving economic outlook.

David Nelson, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, commented, “West Bancorporation, Inc. experienced extraordinary financial performance in 2021. Net income increased 52 percent in 2021, compared to 2020, and net interest income increased 15 percent in 2021, compared to 2020. Total assets were $3.5 billion at December 31, 2021, compared to $3.2 billion at December 31, 2020. We experienced loan growth (exclusive of Paycheck Protection Program loan activity) of 16 percent and deposit growth of 12 percent in 2021. Our credit quality continues to improve as classified and impaired loans were paid down and paid off. As of December 31, 2021, the Texas ratio declined to 3.10 percent and there were no loans past due more than 30 days.”

David Nelson added, “We currently have four new bank building projects in various stages of planning and development. These buildings represent our commitment to our customers, our employees and the communities we serve as we continue our pursuit of excellence.”

The Company will file its report on Form 10-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission on or before February 24, 2022. Please refer to that document for a more in-depth discussion of the Company’s financial results. The Form 10-K will be available on the Investor Relations section of West Bank’s website at www.westbankstrong.com.

The Company will discuss its financial results on a conference call scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Central Time tomorrow, Friday, January 28, 2022. The telephone number for the conference call is 888-339-0814. A recording of the call will be available until February 11, 2022, by dialing 877-344-7529. The replay passcode is 3153348.

About West Bancorporation, Inc. (Nasdaq: WTBA)

West Bancorporation, Inc. is headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa. Serving customers since 1893, West Bank, a wholly-owned subsidiary of West Bancorporation, Inc., is a community bank that focuses on lending, deposit services, and trust services for small- to medium-sized businesses and consumers. West Bank has seven offices in the Des Moines, Iowa metropolitan area, one office in Coralville, Iowa, and four offices in Minnesota in the cities of Rochester, Owatonna, Mankato and St. Cloud.

Certain statements in this report, other than purely historical information, including estimates, projections, statements relating to the Company’s business plans, objectives and expected operating results, and the assumptions upon which those statements are based, are “forward-looking statements” within the meanings of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements may appear throughout this report. These forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words “believes,” “expects,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “future,” “confident,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “strategy,” “plan,” “opportunity,” “will be,” “will likely result,” “will continue” or similar references, or references to estimates, predictions or future events. Such forward-looking statements are based upon certain underlying assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Because of the possibility that the underlying assumptions are incorrect or do not materialize as expected in the future, actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking statements.  Risks and uncertainties that may affect future results include: the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including its effects on the economic environment, our customers and our operations, including due to supply chain disruptions, as well as any changes to federal, state or local government laws, regulations or orders in connection with the pandemic; interest rate risk; competitive pressures, including from non-bank competitors such as “fintech” companies; pricing pressures on loans and deposits; changes in credit and other risks posed by the Company’s loan and investment portfolios, including declines in commercial or residential real estate values or changes in the allowance for loan losses dictated by new market conditions, accounting standards (including as a result of the future implementation of the current expected credit loss (CECL) accounting standard) or regulatory requirements; changes in local, national and international economic conditions, including rising rates of inflation; changes in legal and regulatory requirements, limitations and costs; changes in customers’ acceptance of the Company’s products and services; cyber-attacks; unexpected outcomes of existing or new litigation involving the Company; the monetary, trade and other regulatory policies of the U.S. government, including anticipated rate increases; acts of war or terrorism, widespread disease or pandemics, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, or other adverse external events; developments and uncertainty related to the future use and availability of some reference rates, such as the London Interbank Offered Rate, as well as other alternative reference rates; changes to U.S. tax laws, regulations and guidance; liquidity risk due to excess liquidity at the Company’s bank subsidiary; talent and labor shortages; and any other risks described in the “Risk Factors” sections of reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update such forward-looking statements to reflect current or future events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

WEST BANCORPORATION, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY        
Financial Information (unaudited)        
(in thousands)        
         
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS   December 31, 2021   December 31, 2020
Assets        
Cash and due from banks   $ 17,555     $ 77,693  
Federal funds sold     175,270       318,742  
Securities available for sale, at fair value     758,822       420,571  
Federal Home Loan Bank stock, at cost     9,965       11,723  
Loans     2,456,196       2,280,575  
Allowance for loan losses     (28,364 )     (29,436 )
Loans, net     2,427,832       2,251,139  
Premises and equipment, net     34,568       29,077  
Bank-owned life insurance     43,609       42,686  
Other assets     32,580       34,113  
Total assets   $ 3,500,201     $ 3,185,744  
         
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity        
Deposits:        
Noninterest-bearing demand   $ 720,136     $ 696,731  
Interest-bearing:        
Demand     548,242       553,881  
Savings     1,550,636       1,274,254  
Time of $250 or more     53,019       46,907  
Other time     143,972       129,221  
Total deposits     3,016,005       2,700,994  
Federal funds purchased     2,880       5,375  
Other borrowings     196,986       217,010  
Other liabilities     24,002       38,670  
Stockholders’ equity     260,328       223,695  
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity   $ 3,500,201     $ 3,185,744  
WEST BANCORPORATION, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY            
Financial Information (continued) (unaudited)                
(in thousands)                
                 
    Three Months Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31,
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME     2021       2020       2021       2020  
Interest income                
Loans, including fees   $ 24,179     $ 23,536     $ 95,585     $ 90,668  
Securities     3,419       2,162       11,403       9,261  
Other     66       48       292       304  
Total interest income     27,664       25,746       107,280       100,233  
Interest expense                
Deposits     2,055       1,913       7,948       11,256  
Federal funds purchased     1       2       5       23  
Other borrowings     1,006       1,341       4,268       6,121  
Total interest expense     3,062       3,256       12,221       17,400  
Net interest income     24,602       22,490       95,059       82,833  
Provision for loan losses           4,000       (1,500 )     12,000  
Net interest income after provision for loan losses     24,602       18,490       96,559       70,833  
Noninterest income                
Service charges on deposit accounts     603       617       2,352       2,360  
Debit card usage fees     505       427       1,948       1,632  
Trust services     633       601       2,671       2,078  
Increase in cash value of bank-owned life insurance     233       166       923       593  
Loan swap fees     24             66       1,572  
Realized securities gains (losses), net           (4 )     51       77  
Other income     350       297       1,718       1,290  
Total noninterest income     2,348       2,104       9,729       9,602  
Noninterest expense                
Salaries and employee benefits     5,928       5,577       23,226       21,591  
Occupancy     1,532       1,228       5,162       4,879  
Data processing     630       575       2,465       2,331  
FDIC insurance     460       330       1,818       1,210  
Other expenses     3,321       2,205       10,709       9,043  
Total noninterest expense     11,871       9,915       43,380       39,054  
Income before income taxes     15,079       10,679       62,908       41,381  
Income taxes     3,169       2,125       13,301       8,669  
Net income   $ 11,910     $ 8,554     $ 49,607     $ 32,712  
WEST BANCORPORATION, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY    
Financial Information (continued) (unaudited)                
                 
             
    PER COMMON SHARE   MARKET INFORMATION (1)
    Net Income            
    Basic   Diluted   Dividends   High   Low
2021                    
4th Quarter   $ 0.72     $ 0.71     $ 0.24     $ 34.50     $ 29.30  
3rd Quarter     0.77       0.76       0.24       31.98       26.26  
2nd Quarter     0.80       0.79       0.24       29.90       23.92  
1st Quarter     0.71       0.70       0.22       26.78       18.86  
                     
2020                    
4th Quarter   $ 0.52     $ 0.52     $ 0.21     $ 21.79     $ 15.53  
3rd Quarter     0.49       0.49       0.21       17.99       15.50  
2nd Quarter     0.48       0.48       0.21       20.67       14.50  
1st Quarter     0.49       0.49       0.21       25.68       13.74  
(1)   The prices shown are the high and low sale prices for the Company’s common stock, which trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol WTBA. The market quotations, reported by Nasdaq, do not include retail markup, markdown or commissions.

    Three Months Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31,
SELECTED FINANCIAL MEASURES   2021   2020   2021   2020
Return on average assets   1.38 %   1.15 %   1.52 %   1.19 %
Return on average equity   18.51 %   15.54 %   20.33 %   15.49 %
Net interest margin on a FTE basis (1)   3.00 %   3.20 %   3.05 %   3.20 %
Efficiency ratio (1)(2)   43.32 %   39.99 %   40.91 %   41.96 %
                 
        As of December 31,
            2021   2020
Texas ratio (2)           3.10 %   6.40 %
Allowance for loan losses ratio           1.15 %   1.29 %
Allowance for loan losses ratio, excluding PPP loans (1)(3)       1.17 %   1.40 %
Tangible common equity ratio           7.44 %   7.02 %
(1)   Non-GAAP financial measures - see reconciliation below
(2)   A lower ratio is more desirable
(3)   Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)

Definitions of ratios:

  • Return on average assets - annualized net income divided by average assets.
  • Return on average equity - annualized net income divided by average stockholders’ equity.
  • Net interest margin - annualized tax-equivalent net interest income divided by average interest-earning assets.
  • Efficiency ratio - noninterest expense (excluding other real estate owned expense) divided by noninterest income (excluding net securities gains/losses and gains/losses on disposition of premises and equipment) plus tax-equivalent net interest income.
  • Texas ratio - total nonperforming assets divided by tangible common equity plus the allowance for loan losses.
  • Allowance for loan losses ratio - allowance for loan losses divided by total loans.
  • Allowance for loan losses ratio, excluding PPP loans - allowance for loan losses divided by total loans minus the amount of PPP loans.
  • Tangible common equity ratio - common equity less intangible assets (none held) divided by tangible assets.

WEST BANCORPORATION, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY Financial Information (continued) (unaudited) (dollars in thousands)

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

This press release contains references to financial measures that are not defined in generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). The following table reconciles the non-GAAP financial measures of net interest income and net interest margin on a fully taxable equivalent (FTE) basis, efficiency ratio on an adjusted and FTE basis, loans, net of PPP loans and allowance for loan losses ratio, excluding PPP loans, to their most directly comparable measures under GAAP.

    Three Months Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31,
      2021       2020       2021       2020  
Reconciliation of net interest income and net interest margin on a FTE basis to GAAP:                
Net interest income (GAAP)   $ 24,602     $ 22,490     $ 95,059     $ 82,833  
Tax-equivalent adjustment (1)     397       191       1,202       707  
Net interest income on a FTE basis (non-GAAP)     24,999       22,681       96,261       83,540  
Average interest-earning assets     3,309,625       2,822,563       3,152,138       2,614,342  
Net interest margin on a FTE basis (non-GAAP)     3.00 %     3.20 %     3.05 %     3.20 %
                 
Reconciliation of efficiency ratio on an adjusted and FTE basis to GAAP:                
Net interest income on a FTE basis (non-GAAP)   $ 24,999     $ 22,681     $ 96,261     $ 83,540  
Noninterest income     2,348       2,104       9,729       9,602  
Adjustment for realized securities (gains) losses, net           4       (51 )     (77 )
Adjustment for losses on disposal of premises and equipment, net     55       6       84       9  
Adjusted income     27,402       24,795       106,023       93,074  
Noninterest expense     11,871       9,915       43,380       39,054  
Efficiency ratio on an adjusted and FTE basis (non-GAAP) (2)     43.32 %     39.99 %     40.91 %     41.96 %
                 
            As of December 31,
              2021       2020  
Reconciliation of allowance for loan losses ratio, excluding PPP loans:            
Loans outstanding (GAAP)           $ 2,456,196     $ 2,280,575  
Less: PPP loans             (22,206 )     (180,757 )
Loans, net of PPP loans (non-GAAP)             2,433,990       2,099,818  
Allowance for loan losses             28,364       29,436  
Allowance for loan losses ratio, excluding PPP loans (non-GAAP) (3)         1.17 %     1.40 %
(1)   Computed on a tax-equivalent basis using a federal income tax rate of 21 percent, adjusted to reflect the effect of the nondeductible interest expense associated with owning tax-exempt securities and loans. Management believes the presentation of this non-GAAP measure provides supplemental useful information for proper understanding of the financial results, as it enhances the comparability of income arising from taxable and nontaxable sources.
(2)   The efficiency ratio expresses noninterest expense as a percent of fully taxable equivalent net interest income and noninterest income, excluding specific noninterest income and expenses. Management believes the presentation of this non-GAAP measure provides supplemental useful information for proper understanding of the Company’s financial performance. It is a standard measure of comparison within the banking industry. A lower ratio is more desirable.
(3)   Management believes that presenting the allowance for loan losses as a percentage of total loans excluding PPP loans is useful in assessing the credit quality of the Company’s core portfolio.

For more information contact:Jane Funk, Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer (515) 222-5766

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