JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind., Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Savings Financial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: FSFG - news) (the "Company"), the holding company for First Savings Bank (the "Bank"), today reported net income of $6.2 million, or $0.89 per diluted share, for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, compared to net income of $920,000, or $0.13 per diluted share, for the quarter ended December 31, 2023. Excluding nonrecurring items, the Company reported net income of $4.3 million (non-GAAP measure)⁽¹⁾ and net income per diluted share of $0.62 (non-GAAP measure)⁽¹⁾ for the quarter ended December 31, 2024 compared to $920,000, or $0.13 per diluted share for the quarter ended December 31, 2023. The core banking segment reported net income of $6.4 million, or $0.91 per diluted share, for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, compared to $4.0 million, or $0.59 per diluted share, for the quarter ended December 31, 2023. Excluding nonrecurring items, the core banking segment reported net income of $4.5 million, or $0.64 per diluted share for the quarter ended December 31, 2024 (non-GAAP measure)⁽¹⁾ compared to $4.0 million, or $0.59 per diluted share for the quarter ended December 31, 2023.

Commenting on the Company's performance, Larry W. Myers, President and CEO, stated "We are pleased with the first fiscal quarter, which included a bulk sale of first lien home equity lines of credit and continued improvement in our net interest margin. The bulk sale is part of a strategic initiative to transition the first lien home equity line of credit business to an originate for sale model during fiscal 2025 in order to enhance noninterest income, moderate the loan to deposit ratio, decrease reliance on noncore funding, and generate capital. The surplus capital generated from the bulk sale and potential future flow sales may be used to retire high-cost subordinated debt and repurchase Company common shares. We are optimistic regarding the remainder of fiscal 2025 as we continue to focus on asset quality, select loan growth opportunities, and capital and liquidity management. We'll continue to evaluate options and strategies that we believe will maximize shareholder value.”

(1) Non-GAAP net income and net income per diluted share exclude certain nonrecurring items. A reconciliation to GAAP and discussion of the use of non-GAAP measures is included in the table at the end of this release.

Results of Operations for the Three Months Ended December 31, 2024 and 2023

Net interest income increased $1.3 million, or 9.6%, to $15.5 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024 as compared to the same period in 2023. The tax equivalent net interest margin for the three months ended December 31, 2024 was 2.75% as compared to 2.69% for the same period in 2023. The increase in net interest income was due to a $3.8 million increase in interest income, partially offset by a $2.4 million increase in interest expense. A table of average balance sheets, including average asset yields and average liability costs, is included at the end of this release.

The Company recognized a reversal of provision for credit losses for loans and securities of $490,000 and $7,000, respectively, and a provision for unfunded lending commitments of $46,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to a provision for credit losses for loans of $470,000 and reversal of provision for unfunded lending commitments of $58,000 for the same period in 2023. The reversal of provisions during the 2024 period was due primarily to the bulk sale of approximately $87.2 million of home equity lines of credit during the quarter ended December 31, 2024, which resulted in the reversals of $980,000 in allowance for credit losses for loans and $129,000 in allowance for unfunded lending commitments. The Company recognized net charge-offs totaling $119,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2024, of which $52,000 was related to unguaranteed portions of SBA loans, compared to net charge-offs of $9,000 in 2023. Nonperforming loans, which consist of nonaccrual loans and loans over 90 days past due and still accruing interest, decreased $374,000 from $16.9 million at September 30, 2024 to $16.6 million at December 31, 2024.

Noninterest income increased $3.3 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024 as compared to the same period in 2023. The increase was due primarily to a $2.5 million net gain on sale of loans due to the aforementioned bulk loan sale and $403,000 in net gains on equity securities during the three months ended December 31, 2024 with no corresponding gains for 2023.

Noninterest expense decreased $1.1 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024 as compared to the same period in 2023. The decrease was due primarily to decreases in compensation and benefits, occupancy and equipment and professional fee expenses of $487,000, $405,000 and $385,000, respectively. These decreases were primarily due to the cessation of national mortgage banking operations in the quarter ended December 31, 2023.

The Company recognized income tax expense of $848,000 for the three months ended December 30, 2024 as compared to income tax benefit of $476,000 for the same period in 2023. The increase is due primarily to higher taxable income in the 2024 period, due primarily to the aforementioned net gain on sale of loans. The effective tax rate for 2024 was 12.0%. The effective tax rate is well below the statutory tax rate primarily due to the recognition of investment tax credits related to solar projects in both the 2024 and 2023 periods.

Comparison of Financial Condition at December 31, 2024 and September 30, 2024

Total assets decreased $61.6 million, from $2.45 billion at September 30, 2024 to $2.39 billion at December 31, 2024. Net loans held for investment decreased $79.3 million during the three months ended December 31, 2024 due primarily to the $87.2 million bulk sale of residential real estate home equity line of credit loans.

Total liabilities decreased $60.5 million due primarily to decreases in total deposits of $48.1 million, which included a decrease in brokered deposits of $72.1 million and a decrease in FHLB borrowings of $6.6 million. The decrease in brokered deposits and FHLB borrowings was due primary to repayments as a result of the aforementioned bulk loan sale. As of December 31, 2024, deposits exceeding the FDIC insurance limit of $250,000 per insured account were 31.1% of total deposits and 13.7% of total deposits when excluding public funds insured by the Indiana Public Deposit Insurance Fund.

Total stockholders' equity decreased $1.1 million, from $177.1 million at September 30, 2024 to $176.0 million at December 31, 2024, due primarily to a $6.6 million increase in accumulated other comprehensive loss, partially offset by an increase in retained net income of $5.2 million. The increase in accumulated other comprehensive loss was due primarily to increasing long-term market interest rates during the three months ended December 31, 2024, which resulted in a decrease in the fair value of securities available for sale. At December 31, 2024 and September 30, 2024, the Bank was considered "well-capitalized” under applicable regulatory capital guidelines.

First Savings Bank is an entrepreneurial community bank headquartered in Jeffersonville, Indiana, which is directly across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky, and operates fifteen depository branches within Southern Indiana. The Bank also has two national lending programs, including single-tenant net lease commercial real estate and SBA lending, with offices located predominately in the Midwest. The Bank is a recognized leader, both in its local communities and nationally for its lending programs. The employees of First Savings Bank strive daily to achieve the organization's vision, We Expect To Be The BEST community BANK, which fuels our success. The Company's common shares trade on The NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol "FSFG.”

This release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements are not historical facts; rather, they are statements based on the Company's current expectations regarding its business strategies and their intended results and its future performance. Forward-looking statements are preceded by terms such as "expects," "believes," "anticipates," "intends" and similar expressions.

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Numerous risks and uncertainties could cause or contribute to the Company's actual results, performance and achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause or contribute to these differences include, without limitation, changes in general economic conditions; changes in market interest rates; changes in monetary and fiscal policies of the federal government; legislative and regulatory changes; and other factors disclosed periodically in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Because of the risks and uncertainties inherent in forward-looking statements, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on them, whether included in this report or made elsewhere from time to time by the Company or on its behalf. Except as may be required by applicable law or regulation, the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

Contact:

Tony A. Schoen, CPA

Chief Financial Officer

812-283-0724