Pathward Financial, Inc. Announces Results for 2024 Fiscal Second Quarter

SIOUX FALLS, S.D.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Pathward Financial, Inc. (“Pathward Financial” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: CASH) reported net income of $65.3 million, or $2.56 per share, for the three months ended March 31, 2024, compared to net income of $54.8 million, or $1.99 per share, for the three months ended March 31, 2023. For the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2023, the Company recognized adjusted net income of $60.3 million, or $2.18 per share, when adjusting for the adverse financial impacts related to legacy mobile solar transactions and a venture capital investment impairment expense. See non-GAAP reconciliation table below.

CEO Brett Pharr said, “We continue to produce strong results by focusing on risk adjusted returns, enhancing our Banking as a Service offerings, and spending the off-season in tax services improving our data analytics, underwriting and monitoring processes. We delivered significant growth in net income and earnings per share through solid performance across the enterprise. The Pathward team continues to perform by maintaining our culture, focusing on risk and compliance, working closely with our partners, and embodying our purpose of financial inclusion. I am excited to be a part of this company and for what we can create in the future.”

Company Highlights

• On February 27, 2024, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Pathward Financial appointed Neeraj Mehta as a member of the Board.
• On April 3, 2024, Pathward^®, N.A. announced it became Certified™ by Great Place to Work^® for the second year in a row. Great Place to Work describes itself as the global authority on workplace culture, employee experience, and the leadership behaviors proven to deliver market-leading revenue, employee retention and increased innovation.

Financial Highlights for the 2024 Fiscal Second Quarter

• Total revenue for the second quarter was $247.2 million, an increase of $18.8 million, or 8%, compared to the same quarter in fiscal 2023, driven by an increase in both net interest income and noninterest income.
• Net interest margin (“NIM”) increased 11 basis points to 6.23% for the second quarter from 6.12% during the same period last year, primarily driven by increased yields on earning assets and an improved earning asset mix from the continued optimization of the portfolio. When including contractual, rate-related processing expense, NIM would have been 4.65% in the fiscal 2024 second quarter compared to 4.89% during the fiscal 2023 second quarter due to increases in rate-related card processing expenses from a higher rate environment. Servicing fee income on off-balance sheet deposits is not included in this calculation. See non-GAAP reconciliation table below.
• Total gross loans and leases at March 31, 2024 increased $683.8 million to $4.41 billion compared to March 31, 2023 and decreased $16.9 million when compared to December 31, 2023. The increase compared to the prior year quarter was due to growth across all loan portfolios. The primary driver for the sequential decrease was a reduction in the commercial and consumer finance loan portfolios, partially offset by growth in the warehouse finance and seasonal tax services loan portfolios.
• During the 2024 fiscal second quarter, the Company repurchased 764,185 shares of common stock at an average share price of $51.20. An additional 100,990 shares of common stock were repurchased at an average price of $49.47 in April 2024 through April 15, 2024. As of April 15, 2024, there were 7,568,673 shares available for repurchase under the current common stock share repurchase programs.
• The Company is narrowing its fiscal year 2024 GAAP earnings per diluted share guidance to a range of $6.30 to $6.60. See Outlook section below.

Tax Season

For the six months ended March 31, 2024, total tax services product revenue was $72.9 million, an increase of 1% compared to the same period of the prior year. Total tax services product fee income increased marginally compared to the prior year, while total tax services product expense and net interest income on tax services loans decreased.

Provision for credit losses for tax services portfolio decreased $6.5 million for the six months ended March 31, 2024 when compared to the same period of the prior year, due to improvements in data analytics, underwriting and monitoring.

Total tax services product income, net of losses and direct product expenses, increased 24% to $36.9 million from $29.7 million, when comparing the first six months of fiscal 2024 to the same period of the prior fiscal year.

For the 2024 tax season through March 31, 2024, Pathward originated $1.56 billion in refund advance loans compared to $1.46 billion during the 2023 tax season.

Net Interest Income

Net interest income for the second quarter of fiscal 2024 was $118.3 million, an increase of 17% from the same quarter in fiscal 2023. The increase was mainly attributable to increased yields, higher average interest-earning asset balances and an improved earning asset mix.

The Company’s average interest-earning assets for the second quarter of fiscal 2024 increased by $917.9 million to $7.64 billion compared to the same quarter in fiscal 2023, primarily due to growth in loans and leases and an increase in cash balances, partially offset by a decrease in total investment security balances. The second quarter average outstanding balance of loans and leases increased $889.1 million compared to the same quarter of the prior fiscal year, primarily due to an increase across all loan portfolios.

Fiscal 2024 second quarter NIM increased to 6.23% from 6.12% in the second fiscal quarter of last year. When including contractual, rate-related processing expense, NIM would have been 4.65% in the fiscal 2024 second quarter compared to 4.89% during the fiscal 2023 second quarter. See non-GAAP reconciliation table below. The overall reported tax-equivalent yield (“TEY”) on average earning asset yields increased 35 basis points to 6.69% compared to the prior year quarter, driven by an improved earning asset mix. The yield on the loan and lease portfolio was 8.43% compared to 8.47% for the comparable period last year and the TEY on the securities portfolio was 3.20% compared to 2.89% over that same period.

The Company’s cost of funds for all deposits and borrowings averaged 0.47% during the fiscal 2024 second quarter, as compared to 0.21% during the prior year quarter. The Company’s overall cost of deposits was 0.38% in the fiscal second quarter of 2024, as compared to 0.13% during the prior year quarter. When including contractual, rate-related processing expense, the Company’s overall cost of deposits was 2.06% in the fiscal 2024 second quarter, as compared to 1.43% during the prior year quarter. See non-GAAP reconciliation table below.

Noninterest Income

Fiscal 2024 second quarter noninterest income increased 2% to $128.9 million, compared to $127.0 million for the same period of the prior year. The increase was primarily driven by an increase in refund advance fee income. The period-over-period increase was partially offset by a decrease in card and deposits fees.

The period-over-period decrease in card and deposit fee income was primarily related to servicing fee income on off-balance sheet deposits, which totaled $10.4 million during the 2024 fiscal second quarter, compared to $18.2 million for the same period of the prior year. The decrease in servicing fee income when compared to the prior year period was due to a reduction in off-balance sheet deposits. For the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2023, servicing fee income on off-balance sheet deposits totaled $5.1 million.

Noninterest Expense

Noninterest expense increased 10% to $140.4 million for the fiscal 2024 second quarter, from $127.1 million for the same quarter last year. The increase was primarily attributable to increases in card processing expense, compensation and benefits expense, impairment expense, legal and consulting expense, and occupancy and equipment expense. The period-over-period increase was partially offset by decreases in operating lease equipment depreciation, other expense, refund transfer product expense, and intangible amortization expense.

The card processing expense increase was due to rate-related agreements with BaaS partners. The amount of expense paid under those agreements is based on an agreed upon rate index that varies depending on the deposit levels, floor rates, market conditions, and other performance conditions. Generally, this rate index is based on a percentage of the Effective Federal Funds Rate (“EFFR”) and reprices immediately upon a change in the EFFR. Approximately 56% of the deposit portfolio was subject to these rate-related processing expenses during the fiscal 2024 second quarter. For the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2024, contractual, rate-related processing expenses were $30.1 million, as compared to $26.8 million for the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2023, and $20.4 million for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2023.

Income Tax Expense

The Company recorded income tax expense of $15.2 million, representing an effective tax rate of 18.9%, for the fiscal 2024 second quarter, compared to $9.2 million, representing an effective tax rate of 14.2%, for the second quarter last fiscal year. The current quarter increase in income tax expense compared to the prior year quarter was primarily due to increased earnings and also a decrease in investment tax credits recognized ratably when compared to the prior year quarter.

The Company originated $25.9 million in renewable energy leases during the fiscal 2024 second quarter, resulting in $7.0 million in total net investment tax credits. During the second quarter of fiscal 2023, the Company originated $18.1 million in renewable energy leases resulting in $4.9 million in total net investment tax credits. For the six months ended March 31, 2024, the Company originated $38.1 million in renewable energy leases, compared to $29.5 million for the comparable prior year period. Investment tax credits related to renewable energy leases are recognized ratably based on income throughout each fiscal year.

Outlook

The following forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s expectations as of the date of this release and are subject to substantial uncertainty. The Company’s results may be materially affected by many factors, such as changes in economic conditions and customer demand, changes in interest rates, adverse developments in the financial services industry generally, inflation, competition, and other factors detailed below under “Forward-looking Statements.”

The Company is narrowing its fiscal year 2024 GAAP earnings per diluted share guidance to a range of $6.30 to $6.60. As part of this guidance, the Company is reiterating its expectation that the annual effective tax rate in fiscal year 2024 will be in a range between 16% and 20%.

Investments, Loans and Leases

The Company’s investment security balances at March 31, 2024 totaled $1.81 billion, as compared to $1.89 billion at December 31, 2023 and $1.86 billion at March 31, 2023.

Total gross loans and leases totaled $4.41 billion at March 31, 2024, as compared to $4.43 billion at December 31, 2023 and $3.73 billion at March 31, 2023. The primary driver for the sequential decrease was a decrease in commercial finance loans and consumer finance loans. This was partially offset by an increase in warehouse finance loans and seasonal tax service loans. The year-over-year increase was due to growth across all loan portfolios.

Commercial finance loans, which comprised 83% of the Company’s loan and lease portfolio, totaled $3.66 billion at March 31, 2024, reflecting a decrease of $78.4 million from December 31, 2023 and an increase of $523.4 million, or 17%, from March 31, 2023. The sequential decrease in commercial finance loans was primarily driven by a $148.1 million decrease in the insurance premium finance portfolio, a $20.3 million decrease in the lease financing portfolio, and a $11.6 million decrease in the other commercial finance portfolio, partially offset by increases in the asset-based lending, term lending, SBA/USDA, and factoring loan portfolios. The increase in commercial finance loans when comparing the current period to the same period of the prior year was primarily driven by increases in the term lending, SBA/USDA, insurance premium finance, and asset-based lending portfolios, partially offset by reductions in the factoring, lease financing, and other commercial finance portfolios.

Asset Quality

The Company’s allowance for credit losses (“ACL”) totaled $80.8 million at March 31, 2024, an increase compared to $53.8 million at December 31, 2023 and a decrease compared to $84.3 million at March 31, 2023. The increase in the ACL at March 31, 2024, when compared to December 31, 2023, was primarily due to a $31.0 million increase in the allowance related to the seasonal tax services portfolio, partially offset by a $4.3 million decrease in the allowance related to the commercial finance portfolio.

The $3.5 million year-over-year decrease in the ACL was primarily driven by a $3.6 million decrease in the allowance related to the commercial finance portfolio and a $1.5 million decrease in the allowance related to the seasonal tax services portfolio, partially offset by a $1.6 million increase in the allowance related to the consumer finance portfolio.

The following table presents the Company’s ACL as a percentage of its total loans and leases.

The Company’s ACL as a percentage of total loans and leases increased to 1.83% at March 31, 2024 from 1.22% at December 31, 2023. The increase in the total loans and leases coverage ratio was primarily driven by seasonality in both the tax services portfolio and consumer finance portfolio.

Activity in the allowance for credit losses for the periods presented was as follows.

The Company recognized a provision for credit losses of $26.1 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2024, compared to $36.8 million for the comparable period in the prior fiscal year. The period-over-period decrease in provision for credit losses was due to improvements in the Company’s data analytics, underwriting and monitoring in the Independent Tax space along with a decrease in provision for credit losses in the commercial finance portfolio primarily due to a mix shift in the loan portfolio and a benign credit environment. The Company recognized net recoveries of $1.1 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2024, compared to net charge-offs of $5.0 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2023. Net charge-offs attributable to the commercial finance portfolio for the current quarter were $4.7 million, while recoveries of $5.8 million were recognized in the tax services portfolio. Net charge-offs attributable to the commercial finance and consumer finance portfolios for the same quarter of the prior year were $5.9 million and $0.2 million, respectively, while a recovery of $1.1 million was recognized in the tax services portfolio.

The Company’s past due loans and leases were as follows for the periods presented.

The Company’s nonperforming assets at March 31, 2024 were $37.2 million, representing 0.50% of total assets, compared to $42.4 million, or 0.53% of total assets at December 31, 2023 and $30.1 million, or 0.44% of total assets at March 31, 2023.

The decrease in the nonperforming assets as a percentage of total assets at March 31, 2024 compared to December 31, 2023, was primarily driven by a decrease in nonperforming loans in the commercial finance portfolio, partially offset by an increase in nonperforming loans in the consumer finance portfolio. When comparing the current period to the same period of the prior year, the increase in nonperforming assets was primarily due to an increase in nonperforming loans in the commercial finance portfolio.

The Company’s nonperforming loans and leases at March 31, 2024, were $34.4 million, representing 0.78% of total gross loans and leases, compared to $39.5 million, or 0.88% of total gross loans and leases at December 31, 2023 and $28.5 million, or 0.76% of total gross loans and leases at March 31, 2023.

The Company has various portfolios of consumer lending and tax services loans that present unique risks that are statistically managed. Due to the unique risks associated with these portfolios, the Company monitors other credit quality indicators in their evaluation of the appropriateness of the allowance for credit losses on these portfolios, and as such, these loans are not included in the asset classification table below. The Company’s loans and leases held for investment by asset classification were as follows for the periods presented.

Deposits, Borrowings and Other Liabilities

The average balance of total deposits and interest-bearing liabilities was $7.28 billion for the three-month period ended March 31, 2024, compared to $6.47 billion for the same period in the prior fiscal year, representing an increase of 13%. Total average deposits for the fiscal 2024 second quarter increased by $782.1 million to $7.17 billion compared to the same period in fiscal 2023. The increase in average deposits was due to increases in noninterest bearing deposits, wholesale deposits, and money market deposits, partially offset by decreases in savings and time deposits.

Total end-of-period deposits increased 8% to $6.37 billion at March 31, 2024, compared to $5.90 billion at March 31, 2023. The increase in end-of-period deposits was primarily driven by increases in noninterest-bearing deposits of $329.4 million, wholesale deposits of $96.1 million, and money market deposits of $53.7 million, partially offset by slight decreases in savings and time deposits.

As of March 31, 2024, the Company had $740.8 million in deposits related to government stimulus programs. Of the total amount of government stimulus program deposits, $323.3 million are on activated cards while $417.

Contacts

Investor Relations Contact
Darby Schoenfeld, CPA

SVP, Investor Relations

877-497-7497

[email protected]

Media Relations Contact
[email protected]

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