NORWICH, N.Y., April 25, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NBT Bancorp Inc. (�NBT� or the �Company�) (NASDAQ: NBTB) reported net income of $39.1 million, or $0.90 per diluted share for the three months ended March 31, 2022, compared to $39.8 million, or $0.91 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2021 and $37.3 million, or $0.86 per diluted share in the fourth quarter of 2021. Net interest income recognized in the first quarter of 2022 from the Paycheck Protection Program (�PPP�) was approximately $2.0 million, compared to $6.2 million in the first quarter of 2021, and $7.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2021, reflective of significantly higher levels of loan forgiveness in the prior year. Excluding the impact of PPP loan income recognition, net interest income in the first quarter of 2022 improved in comparison to the first quarter of 2021 and the linked fourth quarter of 2021 due to solid organic loan growth, productive incremental deployment of excess liquidity into investment securities, and lower costs of deposits. Noninterest income grew to $42.7 million in the first quarter of 2022, up 15.2% from the first quarter of 2021, and 3.8% higher than the fourth quarter of 2021. Quarterly operating expenses of $72.1 million in the first quarter of 2022 were 6.3% above the first quarter of the prior year, and seasonally 3.9% lower than the linked fourth quarter of 2021. The Company recorded a provision for loan losses of $0.6 million in the first quarter of 2022, compared to a net benefit of $2.8 million in the first quarter of 2021, and a provision of $3.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2021.

CEO Comments

�We are extremely pleased with our first quarter results, including 11% annualized loan growth, deposit growth and continued strong performances by our fee-based businesses. Our customers have navigated this difficult operating environment and have grown their businesses, and we have been there to help them,� said NBT President and CEO John H. Watt, Jr. �Our asset quality is excellent, with historically low levels of net charge-offs and nonperforming assets. We recently received two powerful affirmations of our team and their commitment to our customers. NBT Bank was named one of Forbes World�s Best Banks for 2022, and we are the highest ranked bank based in New York State. In the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study, NBT Bank ranked #2 in the New York Tri-State Region, which includes New York, Connecticut and New Jersey.�

First Quarter Financial Highlights

Loans

• Period end total loans were $7.6 billion at March 31, 2022 and $7.5 billion at December 31, 2021.
• Excluding PPP loans, period end loans increased $202 million from December 31, 2021. Commercial and industrial loans increased $59.6 million to $1.2 billion; commercial real estate loans increased $54.2 million to $2.7 billion; and total consumer loans increased $87.8 million to $3.7 billion.
• Total PPP loans as of March 31, 2022 were $51 million (net of unamortized fees) with 90% of the original $836 million forgiven through the first quarter of 2022. The following PPP loan activity occurred during the first quarter of 2022:
  • $48.4 million of loans forgiven
  • $2.0 million of interest and fees recognized into interest income, compared to $7.5 million for the fourth quarter of 2021
• Commercial line of credit utilization rate was 23% at March 31, 2022 compared to 21% at December 31, 2021 and 22% at March 31, 2021.

Deposits

• Total deposits at March 31, 2022 were $10.5 billion, compared to $10.2 billion at December 31, 2021, driven by increases in savings and money market deposit accounts primarily due to seasonal municipal inflows during the quarter.
• Loan to deposit ratio was 73.1% at March 31, 2022, compared to 73.3% at December 31, 2021.

Net Interest Income and Net Interest Margin

• Net interest income for the first quarter of 2022 was $80.3 million, which was down $4.8 million, or 5.7%, from the fourth quarter of 2021 and up $1.3 million, or 1.6%, from the first quarter of 2021. PPP income of $2.0 million was $5.6 million lower in the first quarter of 2022 compared to the prior quarter, partly offset by a $1.1 million increase in interest income on securities.
• The NIM on a FTE basis for the first quarter of 2022 was 2.95%, down 13 bps from the fourth quarter of 2021 and down 22 bps from the first quarter of 2021. Excluding the impact of PPP interest and fees and excess liquidity from each quarter, the NIM decreased 2 bps from the prior quarter primarily due to a 3 bp decrease in earning asset yields partially offset by a 1 bp decline in the cost of interest-bearing liabilities. The net impact of income from PPP loans and excess liquidity negatively impacted the NIM by 22 bps in the first quarter of 2022 compared to a negative 11 bps impact in the fourth quarter of 2021.
• Earning asset yields for the three months ended March 31, 2022 were down 14 bps from the prior quarter and down 29 bps from the same quarter in the prior year. Earning assets grew $71.9 million, or 0.7%, from the prior quarter and grew $948.0 million, or 9.3%, from the same quarter in the prior year. The following are highlights comparing the first quarter of 2022 to the prior quarter:
  • The average balance of investment securities increased $204.0 million and yields increased 9 bps.
  • Investment of excess liquidity resulted in a $155.5 million decrease in the average balances of short-term interest-bearing accounts with a yield of 0.17%.
  • Loan yields decreased 25 bps to 3.95% for the quarter. Excluding PPP loans, loan yields declined 1 bp from the prior quarter.
• Total cost of deposits was 0.07% for the first quarter of 2022, down 1 bp from the prior quarter and down 7 bps from the same period in the prior year.
• The cost of interest-bearing liabilities for the three months ended March 31, 2022 was 0.23%, down 1 bp compared to the prior quarter of 0.24% and down 11 bps from the first quarter of 2021 of 0.34%.

Credit Quality and Allowance for Credit Losses

• Net charge-offs to total average loans of 14 bps compared to 22 bps in the prior quarter and 12 bps (13 bps excluding PPP loans) in the first quarter of 2021.
• Nonperforming assets to total assets was 0.23% compared to 0.27% (0.28% excluding PPP loans) at December 31, 2021 and 0.41% (0.43% excluding PPP loans) at March 31, 2021.
• Provision expense for the three months ended March 31, 2022 was $0.6 million with net charge-offs of $2.6 million. Provision expense was $2.5 million lower than the fourth quarter of 2021 and $3.4 million higher than the first quarter of 2021. The decrease in provision expense from the prior quarter was driven by generally positive changes in macro-economic forecasts and a lower level of charge-offs, partly offset by providing for loan growth. The increase in provision expense from the first quarter of 2021 was meaningfully influenced by positive year-over-year changes in the economic forecast, loan growth and the resultant required level of allowance for loan losses.
• The allowance for loan losses was $90.0 million, or 1.18% loans (1.18% excluding PPP loans and related allowance) of total at March 31, 2022, compared to 1.23% (1.24% excluding PPP loans and related allowance) of total loans at December 31, 2021 and 1.38% (1.48% excluding PPP loans and related allowance) of total loans at March 31, 2021. The decrease in the level of allowance for loan losses was primarily due to the positive impact the forecasted improving economic conditions had on expected credit losses partly offset by the increase in loan balances.
• The reserve for unfunded loan commitments decreased to $4.8 million at March 31, 2022 compared to the prior quarter at $5.1 million.

Noninterest Income

• Total noninterest income, excluding securities gains (losses), was $42.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022, up $1.7 million from the prior quarter and up $6.3 million from the prior year quarter.
• Service charges on deposit accounts were comparable to the prior quarter and higher than the first quarter of 2021. During the quarter, the Company made adjustments to customer non-sufficient funds processing practices and expects, once fully implemented, these adjustments to reduce service charge fee income by approximately $0.5 million per quarter.
• Card services income was comparable to the prior quarter and higher than the first quarter of 2021 due to increased volume. As discussed in previous quarters, the Company will be subject to the provisions of the Durbin Amendment to the Dodd-Frank Act beginning in the third quarter of 2022, which it estimates will reduce quarterly debit card interchange income by approximately $3.7 million.
• Retirement plan administration fees were higher than the prior quarter and higher than the first quarter of 2021 driven by higher activity-based fees, continued organic growth as well as the impact of positive equity market returns over the past year.
• Wealth management fees were comparable to the prior quarter and higher than the first quarter of 2021 aided by market performance and additional new customers.

Noninterest Expense

• Total noninterest expense for the first quarter of 2022 was down 3.9% from the previous quarter and up 6.3% from the first quarter of 2021.
• Salaries and benefits increased from the prior quarter due to seasonally higher payroll taxes and stock-based compensation expenses, partly offset by two less payroll days, and increased from the first quarter of 2021 due to increased salaries and wages including merit pay increases and higher levels of incentive compensation.
• Professional fees and outside services expense were lower than the prior quarter and higher than the first quarter of 2021 due to timing of costs associated with several digital and other technology-related initiatives.
• Loan collection and other real estate owned were lower than the prior quarter due to the gain on the sale of a property in the first quarter of 2022 and a write-down of a property in the fourth quarter of 2021.
• Other expenses declined from the linked fourth quarter of 2021 due principally to the seasonal timing of certain items.

Income Taxes

• The effective tax rate was 22.2% for the first quarter of 2022 compared to 22.4% for the fourth quarter of 2021 and 21.9% for the first quarter of 2021.

Capital

• Capital ratios remain strong with tangible common equity to tangible assets¹ at 7.70%. Tangible book value per share²�was $21.25 at March 31, 2022, $22.26 at December 31, 2021 and $20.71 at March 31, 2021.
• Stockholder�s equity decreased $48 million driven by the $68 million decrease in accumulated other comprehensive income due to the change in the market value of securities available for sale, dividends declared of $12 million and the repurchase of common stock of $8 million, partly offset by net income of $39 million.
• March 31, 2022, CET1 capital ratio of 12.23%, leverage ratio of 9.52% and total risk-based capital ratio of 15.64%.

Stock Repurchase

• The Company purchased 217,100 shares of common stock during the first quarter of 2022 at a weighted average price of $37.55 including commissions. The repurchase program under which these shares were purchased expires on December 31, 2023. The Company purchased 182,900 shares of common stock during the month of April 2022 at a weighted average price of $35.88 including commissions.

Other Events

• On April 1, 2022, the Company completed the acquisition of Cleveland Hauswirth Investment Management (�CH�). CH is a Registered Investment Advisor located in Milwaukee, WI with $150 million in assets under management that provides investment advice and fiduciary services to individual and corporate retirement plan clients.

Conference Call and Webcast

The Company will host a conference call at 8:30 a.m. (Eastern) Tuesday, April 26, 2022, to review first quarter 2022 financial results. The audio webcast link, along with the corresponding presentation slides, will be available on the Company�s Event Calendar page at https://stockholderinfo.nbtbancorp.com/events-calendar/upcoming-events and will be archived for twelve months.

Corporate Overview

NBT Bancorp Inc. is a financial holding company headquartered in Norwich, NY, with total assets of $12.1 billion at March 31, 2022. The Company primarily operates through NBT Bank, N.A., a full-service community bank, and through two financial services companies. NBT Bank, N.A. has 140 banking locations in New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and Connecticut. EPIC Retirement Plan Services, based in Rochester, NY, is a national benefits administration firm. NBT Insurance Agency, LLC, based in Norwich, NY, is a full-service insurance agency. More information about NBT and its divisions is available online at: www.nbtbancorp.com, www.nbtbank.com, www.epicrps.com and www.nbtinsurance.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by the use of phrases such as �anticipate,� �believe,� �expect,� �forecasts,� �projects,� �will,� �can,� �would,� �should,� �could,� �may,� or other similar terms. There are a number of factors, many of which are beyond the Company�s control that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements include, among others, the following possibilities: (1) local, regional, national and international economic conditions and the impact they may have on the Company and its customers and the Company�s assessment of that impact; (2) changes in the level of nonperforming assets and charge-offs; (3) changes in estimates of future reserve requirements based upon the periodic review thereof under relevant regulatory and accounting requirements; (4) the effects of and changes in trade and monetary and fiscal policies and laws, including the interest rate policies of the Federal Reserve Board (�FRB�); (5) inflation, interest rate, securities market and monetary fluctuations; (6) political instability; (7) acts of war or terrorism; (8) the timely development and acceptance of new products and services and perceived overall value of these products and services by users; (9) changes in consumer spending, borrowings and savings habits; (10) changes in the financial performance and/or condition of the Company�s borrowers; (11) technological changes; (12) acquisitions and integration of acquired businesses; (13) the ability to increase market share and control expenses; (14) changes in the competitive environment among financial holding companies; (15) the effect of changes in laws and regulations (including laws and regulations concerning taxes, banking, securities and insurance) with which the Company and its subsidiaries must comply, including those under the Dodd-Frank Act, Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, Consumer Protection Act of 2018, Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (�CARES Act�), and other legislative and regulatory responses to the coronavirus (�COVID-19�) pandemic; (16) the effect of changes in accounting policies and practices, as may be adopted by the regulatory agencies, as well as the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (�FASB�) and other accounting standard setters; (17) changes in the Company�s organization, compensation and benefit plans; (18) the costs and effects of legal and regulatory developments including the resolution of legal proceedings or regulatory or other governmental inquiries and the results of regulatory examinations or reviews; (19) greater than expected costs or difficulties related to the integration of new products and lines of business; (20) the adverse impact on the U.S. economy, including the markets in which we operate, of the COVID-19 global pandemic; and (21) the Company�s success at managing the risks involved in the foregoing items.

Currently, one of the most significant factors that could cause actual outcomes to differ materially from the Company�s forward-looking statements is the potential adverse effect of the current COVID-19 pandemic on the financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and performance of the Company, its customers and the global economy and financial markets. The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic impacts the Company will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence, including the scope, severity and duration of the pandemic, treatment developments, public adoption rates of COVID-19 vaccines, including booster shots, and their effectiveness against emerging variants of COVID-19, including the Delta and Omicron variants, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company�s customers and demand for financial services, the actions governments, businesses and individuals take in response to the pandemic, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and actions taken in response to the pandemic on global and regional economies, national and local economic activity, and the pace of recovery when the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, among others. Moreover, investors are cautioned to interpret many of the risks identified under the section entitled �Risk Factors� in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 as being heightened as a result of the ongoing and numerous adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Company cautions readers not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made, and advises readers that various factors including, but not limited to, those described above and other factors discussed in the Company�s annual and quarterly reports previously filed with the SEC, could affect the Company�s financial performance and could cause the Company�s actual results or circumstances for future periods to differ materially from those anticipated or projected.

Unless required by law, the Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligations to, publicly release any revisions that may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements.

Non-GAAP Measures

This press release contains financial information determined by methods other than in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (�GAAP�). Where non-GAAP disclosures are used in this press release, the comparable GAAP measure, as well as a reconciliation to the comparable GAAP measure, is provided in the accompanying tables. Management believes that these non-GAAP measures provide useful information that is important to an understanding of the results of the Company�s core business as well as provide information standard in the financial institution industry. Non-GAAP measures should not be considered a substitute for financial measures determined in accordance with GAAP and investors should consider the Company�s performance and financial condition as reported under GAAP and all other relevant information when assessing the performance or financial condition of the Company. Amounts previously reported in the consolidated financial statements are reclassified whenever necessary to conform to current period presentation.

Contact: ��������
John H. Watt, Jr., President and CEO
Scott A. Kingsley, Executive Vice President and CFO
NBT Bancorp Inc.
52 South Broad Street
Norwich, NY 13815
607-337-6589

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