Independent Bank Corp. Reports Fourth Quarter Net Income of $34.6 Million

Full year performance demonstrates solid fundamentals to help counter Coronavirus impact

ROCKLAND, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Independent Bank Corp. (Nasdaq Global Select Market: INDB), parent of Rockland Trust Company, today announced 2020 fourth quarter net income of $34.6 million, or $1.05 per diluted share, compared to net income of $34.9 million, or $1.06 per diluted share, reported for the third quarter of 2020. Fourth quarter results included $5.2 million of pretax cost related to the pending closure of two branches and the sale of non-strategic investments. Full year 2020 net income was $121.2 million, or $3.64 on a diluted per share basis, a decrease of $44.0 million, or 26.6%, as compared to the prior year. On an operating basis, full year 2020 net income was $121.7 million, or $3.66 on a diluted per share basis, which excluded a loss on terminated hedges of $684,000 recognized during the third quarter, and represents a decrease of $63.0 million, or 34.1%, as compared to 2019, which excluded certain merger and acquisition expenses as well as a gain on sale of loans. Decreases in the full year 2020 results were primarily driven by the negative impact of the Coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic, which resulted in elevated provision for credit losses as compared to the prior year, as well as a lower interest-rate environment.

Rockland Trust continues to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic impact on our colleagues, customers, and the communities we serve. The safety of our colleagues and customers continues to be of the utmost importance, while the Company simultaneously continues to serve customer needs.

“Our core fundamentals served us well as we encountered the unprecedented turbulence and uncertainty brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and our 2020 results reflect on the strength of our fundamentals. We are confident we are well positioned to continue to successfully navigate forward as we enter 2021,” said Christopher Oddleifson, the Chief Executive Officer of Independent Bank Corp. and Rockland Trust Company. “Throughout 2020 as we faced the many challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, we demonstrated an unwavering commitment to one another, our customers and our communities. I want to extend my sincere thanks my colleagues for the results we achieved in 2020. Each and every day our commitment to one another, our customers and our communities leads to a shared sense of purpose at the Bank Where Each Relationship Matters® and inspires us to find meaning in the work we do. This in turn leads to remarkable discretionary effort, which it turn positions us for continuing success in 2021 and beyond.”

BALANCE SHEET

Total assets of $13.2 billion at December 31, 2020 increased by $30.6 million, or 0.2%, from the prior quarter, and by $1.8 billion, or 15.9%, as compared to the year ago period. Total asset growth experienced during 2020 is primarily attributable to increases in interest-earning cash balances resulting from strong deposit growth, along with net loan growth for the year, supported primarily by the Company’s participation in the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”).

Total loans at December 31, 2020 decreased slightly by $12.3 million, or 0.1% (0.5% annualized), when compared to the prior quarter. Despite strong origination volumes, overall portfolio growth continues to be constrained by ongoing paydowns and re-financings primarily attributable to the low interest-rate environment. Increases during the fourth quarter in most commercial loans categories totaled $77.3 million, or 1.1% (4.4% annualized), were offset by decreases in the consumer portfolio of $88.4 million, or 3.60% (14.3% annualized). Growth across commercial categories, with the exception of construction, reflects strong closing activity diversified across a number of industries and property types. Within the consumer portfolios, the low interest-rate environment has driven record mortgage banking volumes and results, while portfolio balances further declined as the majority of residential mortgage production continues to be sold into the secondary market. Similarly, on the home equity side, despite strong closing activity, loan growth continues to be challenged by attrition.

Deposit balances of $11.0 billion at December 31, 2020 increased by $141.9 million, or 1.3%, (5.2% annualized), from the prior quarter. With customer behavior continuing to foster excess liquidity positions across the industry, the majority of the fourth quarter deposit growth was fueled by increases on existing customer accounts, combined with another strong quarter of new customer account generation. As time deposits continued to run off, core deposits rose to 89.6% of total deposits at December 31, 2020, which, combined with rate reductions across all products, has led to a total cost of deposits for the fourth quarter of 0.14%, representing a reduction of six basis points when compared to the prior quarter.

The securities portfolio increased by $55.5 million, or 5.0%, when compared to the prior quarter, reflecting $174.6 million of purchases offset by paydowns, called securities, and maturities.

Total borrowings decreased $114.7 million, or 38.8% when compared to the prior quarter. The decrease primarily reflects the decision to redeploy excess liquidity to pay down $100.0 million of Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”) borrowings early in the fourth quarter. These borrowings had been hedged, and the Company incurred a $684,000 loss during the third quarter of 2020 when it decided to exit its $100 million hedge against these borrowings.

Stockholders’ equity at December 31, 2020 increased slightly by 0.8% (3.1% annualized), as compared to the prior quarter. Despite the repurchase of 1.5 million shares totaling $95.1 million that was executed over the first half of 2020, stockholders’ equity remained consistent with the year ago period, reflecting strong earnings retention and an increase in accumulated other comprehensive income of $22.5 million. Book value per share increased by $0.38, or 0.7%, to $51.65 during the fourth quarter as compared to the prior quarter. The Company’s ratio of common equity to assets of 12.89% increased by six basis points from the prior quarter and decreased by 210 basis points from the year ago period. The Company’s tangible book value per share at December 31, 2020 rose by $0.42, or 1.2%, from the prior quarter to $35.59, representing an increase of 4.3% from the year ago period. The Company’s ratio of tangible common equity to tangible assets of 9.26% at December 31, 2020 is nine basis points higher than the prior quarter and 154 basis points below the year ago period, largely attributable to the increase in the Company’s balance sheet and stock repurchase activity.

NET INTEREST INCOME

Net interest income for the fourth quarter increased to $91.4 million compared to $90.9 million for the prior quarter, reflective of nonaccrual interest recoveries, slightly higher average earning asset levels, and a decline in the amount of loans placed on nonaccrual during the fourth quarter. The 2020 fourth quarter net interest margin of 3.10% represents a reduction of three basis points from the prior quarter. The table below illustrates the changes within the net interest margin for the fourth quarter:

Please refer to Appendix C for additional details regarding the net interest margin, including a quarter-to-date reconciliation of adjusted core margin to GAAP net interest margin.

NONINTEREST INCOME

Noninterest income of $27.5 million for the fourth quarter of 2020 was $1.9 million, or 6.4%, lower than the prior quarter. Significant changes in noninterest income for the fourth quarter compared to the prior quarter included the following:

• Deposit account fees increased by $466,000, or 13.6%, primarily driven by an increase in overdraft fees.

• Interchange and ATM fees decreased by $364,000, or 12.0%, due primarily to a seasonal decline in debit card usage along with higher annual debit card branding incentives that occurred in the third quarter of 2020.

• Investment management income increased by $165,000, or 2.2%, due primarily to an increase in market valuation. Assets under administration at December 31, 2020 increased 9.0% to $4.9 billion from the prior quarter.

• Mortgage banking income decreased by $2.3 million, or 30.2%, despite continued strong origination volumes due primarily to narrower spreads in secondary market pricing combined with a higher percentage of closing volume retained in the portfolio.

• The Company recognized a gain on life insurance benefits of $352,000 during the fourth quarter of 2020 with no such gain recorded during the prior quarter.

• Loan level derivative income decreased by $1.3 million, or 53.6%, to $1.1 million during the fourth quarter of 2020, due primarily to decreased customer demand.

• Other noninterest income increased by $1.0 million, or 26.1%, primarily attributable to unrealized gains on equity securities, IRS Code Section 1031 exchange fees, discounted purchases of Massachusetts historical tax credits, as well as capital gain distributions on equity securities.

NONINTEREST EXPENSE

Noninterest expense of $73.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2020 was $7.1 million, or 10.6% higher than the prior quarter. Significant changes in noninterest expense for the fourth quarter compared to the prior quarter included the following:

• Salaries and employee benefits increased by $1.0 million, or 2.7%, mainly due to increases in incentive programs and commissions.

• During the fourth quarter, the Company recorded an impairment charge of $4.2 million reflecting accelerated lease termination costs and the write-off of leasehold improvements related to two branch closure decisions made during the quarter.

• During the third quarter, the Company recorded a $684,000 loss on the termination of a swap derivative contract with a notional amount of $100.0 million. There were no such charges during the fourth quarter.

• During the fourth quarter of 2020, the Company recognized a loss of $1.0 million on the sale of certain Small Business Investment Company (“SBIC”) investment holdings that were acquired in the Blue Hills Bancorp, Inc. merger in 2019. No such losses were incurred during the prior quarter.

• Other noninterest expense increased by $1.7 million, or 10.5%, primarily due to increases in consultant fees, software maintenance fees, pension expense adjustments, and other miscellaneous expenses

The Company generated a return on average assets and a return on average common equity of 1.04% and 8.10%, respectively, for the fourth quarter of 2020, as compared to 1.07% and 8.21%, respectively, for the prior quarter.

ASSET QUALITY

During the fourth quarter, the Company recorded total net charge-offs of $2.2 million, or 0.09% of average loans on an annualized basis. In addition, nonperforming loans decreased to $66.9 million, or 0.71% of total loans at December 31, 2020 as compared to $98.0 million, or 1.04% of total loans at September 30, 2020. The decrease in nonperforming loans was primarily due to the successful resolution of two large nonperforming commercial relationships during the quarter, and included approximately $900,000 of interest recoveries on previously deferred interest.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many loans have had terms modified. Total loans subject to deferral decreased by $410.1 million for the fourth quarter, to $173.6 million, or 1.8% of total loans, at December 31, 2020. The majority of these loans that have been granted deferrals continue to be characterized as current loans. Delinquency as a percentage of total loans was 0.23%, representing a decrease of eight basis points from the prior quarter. Please refer to Appendix F for additional details regarding loans whose terms have been modified as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reflecting the improvements in asset quality noted above, along with no significant changes to the Company’s outlook with respect to general future economic conditions, the Company recorded no provision expense during the fourth quarter, as compared to $7.5 million provision expense recorded in the prior quarter. The allowance for credit losses on loans was $113.4 million at December 31, 2020, or 1.21% of total loans, as compared to $115.6 million at September 30, 2020, or 1.23% of total loans. Please refer to Appendix E for information regarding loan exposures within industries deemed highly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

CONFERENCE CALL INFORMATION

Christopher Oddleifson, Chief Executive Officer, Robert Cozzone, Chief Operating Officer, Mark Ruggiero, Chief Financial Officer, and Gerard Nadeau, President and Chief Commercial Banking Officer will host a conference call to discuss fourth quarter earnings at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Friday, January 22, 2021. Internet access to the call is available on the Company’s website at www.RocklandTrust.com or via telephonic access by dial-in at 1-888-336-7153 reference: INDB. A replay of the call will be available by calling 1-877-344-7529, Replay Conference Number: 10149598 and will be available through January 29, 2021. Additionally, a webcast replay will be available until January 22, 2022.

ABOUT INDEPENDENT BANK CORP.

Independent Bank Corp. (NASDAQ Global Select Market: INDB) is the holding company for Rockland Trust Company, a full-service commercial bank headquartered in Massachusetts. Rockland Trust was named to The Boston Globe’s “Top Places to Work” 2020 list, an honor earned for the 12th consecutive year. In 2020, Rockland Trust was ranked the #1 Bank in Massachusetts according to Forbes World’s Best Banks list. Rockland Trust has a longstanding commitment to equity and inclusion. This commitment is underscored by initiatives such as Diversity and Inclusion leadership training, a colleague Allyship mentoring program, numerous Employee Resource Groups focused on providing colleague support and education, reinforcing a culture of mutual respect and advancing professional development, and Rockland Trust’s sponsorship of diverse community organizations through charitable giving and employee-based volunteerism. Rockland Trust is deeply committed to the communities it serves, as reflected in the overall “Outstanding” rating received in its most recent Community Reinvestment Act performance evaluation. Rockland Trust offers a wide range of banking, investment, and insurance services. The Bank serves businesses and individuals through approximately 100 retail branches, commercial and residential lending centers, and investment management offices in eastern Massachusetts, including Greater Boston, the South Shore, Cape Cod and Islands, Worcester County, and Rhode Island. Rockland Trust also offers a full suite of mobile, online, and telephone banking services. Rockland Trust is an FDIC member and an Equal Housing Lender. To find out why Rockland Trust is the bank “Where Each Relationship Matters®,” please visit RocklandTrust.com.

This press release contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 with respect to the financial condition, results of operations and business of the Company. These statements may be identified by such forward-looking terminology as “expect,” “achieve,” “plan,” “believe,” “future,” “positioned,” “continued,” “will,” “would,” “potential,” or similar statements or variations of such terms. Actual results may differ from those contemplated by these forward-looking statements.

Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to:

• further weakening in the United States economy in general and the regional and local economies within the New England region and the Company’s market area, including future weakening caused by the COVID-19 pandemic;
• the length and extent of economic contraction as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic;
• unanticipated loan delinquencies, loss of collateral, decreased service revenues, and other potential negative effects on our business caused by severe weather, pandemics or other external events;
• adverse changes or volatility in the local real estate market;
• adverse changes in asset quality and any unanticipated credit deterioration in our loan portfolio including those related to one or more large commercial relationships;
• acquisitions may not produce results at levels or within time frames originally anticipated and may result in unforeseen integration issues or impairment of goodwill and/or other intangibles;
• additional regulatory oversight and related compliance costs, including the additional costs associated with the Company’s increase in assets to over $10 billion;
• changes in trade, monetary and fiscal policies and laws, including interest rate policies of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System;
• higher than expected tax expense, resulting from failure to comply with general tax laws, changes in tax laws, or failure to comply with requirements of the federal New Markets Tax Credit program;
• changes in market interest rates for interest earning assets and/or interest bearing liabilities and changes related to the phase-out of LIBOR;
• increased competition in the Company’s market areas;
• adverse weather, changes in climate, natural disasters, the emergence of widespread health emergencies or pandemics, including the magnitude and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, other public health crises or man-made events could negatively affect our local economies or disrupt our operations, which would have an adverse effect on our business or results of operations;
• a deterioration in the conditions of the securities markets;
• a deterioration of the credit rating for U.S. long-term sovereign debt;
• inability to adapt to changes in information technology, including changes to industry accepted delivery models driven by a migration to the internet as a means of service delivery;
• electronic fraudulent activity within the financial services industry, especially in the commercial banking sector;
• adverse changes in consumer spending and savings habits;
• the effect of laws and regulations regarding the financial services industry;
• changes in laws and regulations (including laws and regulations concerning taxes, banking, securities and insurance) generally applicable to the Company’s business;
• the Company’s potential judgments, claims, damages, penalties, fines and reputational damage resulting from pending or future litigation and regulatory and government actions, including as a result of our participation in and execution of government programs related to the COVID-19 pandemic;
• changes in accounting policies, practices and standards, as may be adopted by the regulatory agencies as well as the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, and other accounting standard setters including, but not limited to, changes to how the Company accounts for credit losses;
• cyber security attacks or intrusions that could adversely impact our businesses; and
• other unexpected material adverse changes in our operations or earnings.

Further, the foregoing factors may be exacerbated by the ultimate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is unknown at this time. Statements about the COVID-19 pandemic and its potential impact on our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations may constitute forward-looking statements and are subject to the risk that actual results may differ, possibly materially, from what is reflected in such statements due to factors and future developments that are uncertain, unpredictable and, in many cases, beyond our control, including the scope, duration and extent of the pandemic and any resurgences, actions taken by governmental authorities in response to the pandemic and the direct and indirect impact on the Company’s employees, customers, business and third-parties with which the Company conducts business.

The Company wishes to caution readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements as the Company’s business and its forward-looking statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q (“Risk Factors”). Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any such forward-looking statements, whether in response to new information, future events or otherwise. Any public statements or disclosures by the Company following this release which modify or impact any of the forward-looking statements contained in this release will be deemed to modify or supersede such statements in this release. In addition to the information set forth in this press release, you should carefully consider the Risk Factors.

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”). This information includes operating net income and operating earnings per share (“EPS”), operating return on average assets, operating return on average common equity, core net margin, tangible book value per share and the tangible common equity ratio.

Operating net income, operating EPS, operating return on average assets and operating return on average common equity exclude items that management believes are unrelated to its core banking business such as merger and acquisition expenses, and other items, if applicable. The Company’s management uses operating earnings and related ratios and operating EPS to measure the strength of the Company’s core banking business and to identify trends that may to some extent be obscured by such items. Management reviews its core net interest margin to determine any items that may impact the net interest margin that may be one-time in nature or not reflective of its core operating environment, such as out-sized cash balances, unique low-yielding loans originated through government programs in response to the pandemic, or significant purchase accounting adjustments. Management believes that adjusting for these items to arrive at a core margin provides additional insight into the operating environment and how management decisions impact the net interest margin. Similarly, management reviews certain loan metrics such as growth rates and allowance as a percentage of total loans, adjusted to exclude loans that are not considered part of its core portfolio, which includes loans originated in association with government sponsored and guaranteed programs in response to the pandemic, to arrive at adjusted numbers more representative of the core growth of the portfolio and core reserve to loan ratio.

Management also supplements its evaluation of financial performance with analysis of tangible book value per share (which is computed by dividing stockholders’ equity less goodwill and identifiable intangible assets, or “tangible common equity”, by common shares outstanding), the tangible common equity ratio (which is computed by dividing tangible common equity by “tangible assets”, defined as total assets less goodwill and other intangibles).

Contacts

Chris Oddleifson
President and Chief Executive Officer
(781) 982-6660

Mark J. Ruggiero
Chief Financial Officer and
Chief Accounting Officer
(781) 982-6281

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