OFG Bancorp (NYSE: OFG), the financial holding company for Oriental Bank, today reported results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2023. 4Q23: EPS diluted of $0.98 compared to $0.95 in 3Q23 and $0.97 in 4Q22. Total core revenues of $175.6 million compared to $172.2 million in 3Q23 and $168.3 million in 4Q22. Full Year 2023: EPS diluted of $3.83 compared to $3.44 in 2022. Total core revenues of $682.7 million compared to $607.8 million.
CEO Comment
José Rafael Fernández, Chief Executive Officer, said: “2023 was an outstanding year. We are proud of our accomplishments and thank the entire team for making it possible. We ended 2023 with record levels of loans, customer deposits, assets, and stockholders’ equity. Year-end commercial loan balances exceeded $3 billion and tangible common equity was more than $1 billion, both for the first time. Our ‘Digital First Strategy’ continues to empower our retail customers to complete 93% of routine transactions through self-service channels. While consumer credit has begun to normalize post-pandemic, consumer liquidity and employment as well as commercial clients and the economy continues to be strong in Puerto Rico.”
4Q23 Highlights
Performance Metrics: Net interest margin of 5.62%, return on average assets of 1.76%, return on average tangible common stockholders’ equity of 18.22%, and efficiency ratio of 53.59%.
Total Interest Income of $176.2 million compared to $165.7 million in 3Q23 and $145.7 million in 4Q22. Compared to 3Q23, 4Q23 primarily reflected higher average balances and yields on loans and investment securities.
Total Interest Expenseof $32.7 million compared to $23.9 million in 3Q23 and $10.4 million in 4Q22. Compared to 3Q23, 4Q23 reflected increases of $4.0 million in the cost of average core deposits and $4.8 million in the cost of average wholesale funding, primarily due to temporarily higher balances of borrowings and brokered deposits during the quarter.
Total Banking & Financial Service Revenues of $32.1 million compared to $30.4 million in 3Q23 and $33.0 million in 4Q22. Compared to 3Q23, 4Q23 reflected annual insurance commission recognition of $2.5 million in wealth management revenues and lower mortgage servicing revenues.
Pre-Provision Net Revenues of $88.2 million compared to $82.3 million in 3Q23 and $76.9 million in 4Q22.
Total Provision for Credit Losses of $19.7 million compared to $16.4 million in 3Q23 and $8.8 million in 4Q22. 4Q23 provision primarily reflected increased loan volume.
Credit Quality: Net charge-offs of $16.3 million compared to $18.8 million in 3Q23 and $11.2 million in 4Q22. 4Q23 early and total delinquency rates were 2.76% and 3.76%, respectively, in line with 3Q23. The nonperforming loan rate of 1.22% was the lowest over the last five quarters.
Total Non-Interest Expense of $94.1 million compared to $90.2 million in 3Q23 and $91.6 million in 4Q22.
New Loan Production of $663.9 million compared to $567.5 million in 3Q23 and $616.4 million in 4Q22. 4Q23 primarily reflected increased Puerto Rico commercial lending.
Total Investments (EOP) of $2.69 billion compared to $2.07 billion in 3Q23 and $1.97 billion in 4Q22. 4Q23 investments reflected purchases of $300 million of short-term US Treasury bills and $250 million of long-term government insured, mortgage-backed securities.
Customer Deposits (EOP) of $9.60 billion compared to $8.54 billion in 3Q23 and $8.56 billion in 4Q22.
Total Borrowings & Brokered Deposits (EOP) of $363.0 million compared to $454.4 million in 3Q23 and $38.4 million in 4Q22. The average balance of such wholesale funding was $602.0 million in 4Q23 compared to $266.4 million in 3Q23. The 12/31/23 balance reflected repayment of $250 million of borrowings and the addition of $160 million of brokered deposits, most of which will mature in early 1Q24.
Cash & Cash Equivalents (EOP) of $748.2 million compared to $532.7 million in 3Q23 and $550.5 million in 4Q22.
Total Assets (EOP) of $11.34 billion compared to $10.26 billion in 3Q23 and $9.82 billion in 4Q22.
Capital: CET1 ratio was 14.12% compared to 14.06% in 3Q23 and 13.64% in 4Q22. The Tangible Common Equity ratio was 9.68% compared to 9.74% in 3Q23 and 9.59% in 4Q22. Tangible Book Value (TBV) of $23.13 per share compared to $21.01 in 3Q23 and $19.56 in 4Q22. 4Q23 TBV reflected increased retained earnings and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
In addition to our financial information presented in accordance with GAAP, management uses certain “non-GAAP financial measures” within the meaning of SEC Regulation G, to clarify and enhance understanding of past performance and prospects for the future. Please refer to Tables 8-1 and 8-2 in OFG’s above-mentioned Financial Supplement for a reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP measures and calculations.
Forward Looking Statements
The information included in this document contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and involve certain risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements.
Factors that might cause such a difference include but are not limited to (i) general business and economic conditions, including changes in interest rates; (ii) cybersecurity breaches; (iii) hurricanes, earthquakes, pandemics, and other natural disasters; and (iv) competition in the financial services industry.
For a discussion of such factors and certain risks and uncertainties to which OFG is subject, please refer to OFG’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as well as its other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Other than to the extent required by applicable law, including the requirements of applicable securities laws, OFG assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect occurrences or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements.
About OFG Bancorp
Now in its 60th year in business, OFG Bancorp is a diversified financial holding company that operates under U.S., Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands banking laws and regulations. Its three principal subsidiaries, Oriental Bank, Oriental Financial Services, and Oriental Insurance, provide a wide range of retail and commercial banking, lending and wealth management products, services, and technology, primarily in Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands. Visit us at www.ofgbancorp.com.
