Farmers National Banc Corp. Announces 2022 Third Quarter Results

Farmers National Banc Corp. (“Farmers” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: FMNB) today announced third quarter net income of $15.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2022. This compares to $16.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021. Diluted earnings per share were $0.46 for the third quarter of 2022 versus $0.56 for the third quarter of 2021. The third quarter of 2022 results included pretax items of $872,000 for merger related costs and combined net losses of $6,000 on the sale of securities and the sale of other assets. Excluding these items (non-GAAP), net income for the quarter ended September 30, 2022, would have been $16.2 million, or $0.48 per diluted share.

“We’re extremely pleased with another quarter of solid loan growth and continue to see good lending opportunities in the market”, said Kevin J. Helmick, President and CEO. “Our quarterly earnings were strong, we opened a new lab branch in Canton during the quarter and we look forward to receiving regulatory approval for our acquisition of Emclaire Financial Corp.”

On March 23, 2022, Farmers entered into an agreement and plan of merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with Emclaire Financial Corp. (NASDAQ: EMCF), a Pennsylvania corporation (“Emclaire”), and the parent company of The Farmers National Bank of Emlenton (“Emlenton”). On July 20, 2022, the transaction received the approval of Emclaire’s shareholders. The transaction is expected to be completed after the satisfaction or waiver of the remaining closing conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, including the receipt of all required regulatory approvals. Emclaire operates 19 branches in ten counties throughout western Pennsylvania. As of September 30, 2022, Emclaire had total assets of $1.0 billion, gross loans of $810.1 million, deposits of $926.7 million and equity of $71.0 million.

Balance Sheet

At September 30, 2022, total assets were $4.12 billion compared to $4.11 billion at June 30, 2022 and $4.14 billion at December 31, 2021. Gross loans (excluding loans held for sale and PPP loans) increased to $2.40 billion at September 30, 2022 compared to $2.37 billion at June 30, 2022. The growth of $27.3 million for the quarter was equal to growth of 4.6% on an annualized basis. The quarter again exhibited strength across multiple sectors of the loan portfolio with loan pipelines still showing solid volume. At September 30, 2022, the Company’s PPP loans had declined to a minimal $637,000 before deferred fees still to be forgiven, and $13,000 in net deferred fees associated with these loans yet to be recognized into income.

The Company’s available for sale securities decreased $66.5 million from $1.36 billion at June 30, 2022 to $1.30 billion at September 30, 2022. The continued increase in U.S. treasury rates during the third quarter of 2022 resulted in a gross unrealized loss of $290.1 million compared to $206.1 million at June 30, 2022 and a gross unrealized gain of $11.7 million at December 31, 2021. With continued loan growth and the acquisition of Emclaire, the Company plans on allowing the securities portfolio to shrink and provide liquidity. The volatility in the bond market is expected to continue in 2022, which may result in increased volatility in the fair value of the Company’s available for sale securities.

The Company’s deposits declined from $3.63 billion at June 30, 2022 to $3.57 billion at September 30, 2022. Deposit balances at December 31, 2021 were $3.55 billion. Competition for deposits increased during the back half of the third quarter of 2022 as interest rates continued to increase. The Company expects competition for deposits to remain elevated which will increase funding costs moving forward.

Total stockholders’ equity decreased to $265.6 million at September 30, 2022 from $321.4 million at June 30, 2022 and $472.4 million at December 31, 2021. The decrease in stockholders’ equity has primarily been due to the decline in accumulated other comprehensive income associated with the rapid increase in U.S. treasury rates in 2022 which has had a negative effect on the value of the Company’s available for sale securities, and in turn, the dollar amount that flows through accumulated other comprehensive income. The Company’s tangible book value per share (non-GAAP) was $4.79 at September 30, 2022 compared to $6.46 at June 30, 2022, and $10.91 at December 31, 2021.

Credit Quality

Non-performing loans (NPLs) have continued to decline and the NPL to loans ratio was 0.54% at September 30, 2022 compared to 0.69% at December 31, 2021. Non-performing assets to assets has also declined from 0.39% at December 31, 2021 to 0.32% at September 30, 2022. In addition, early stage delinquencies, defined as 30-89 days delinquent, were $6.7 million, or 0.28% of total loans, at September 30, 2022 compared to $8.9 million, or 0.38% of total loans at December 31, 2021.

During the third quarter of 2022, the Company had a provision for credit losses and unfunded commitments of $448,000 compared to a credit for credit losses of $948,000 in the third quarter of 2021. Growth in loans was the primary reason for the increase in the provision expense. The Company experienced net charge-offs of $605,000 during the third quarter of 2022 compared to $286,000 in the third quarter of 2021. Net charge-offs as a percentage of average net loans was 10 basis point for the quarter ended September 30, 2022, compared to 6 basis points for the third quarter of 2021. The allowance for credit losses to total loans declined to 1.14% at September 30, 2022, compared to 1.26% at December 31, 2021, respectively. The low level of charge-off activity over the last several years continues to result in less allowance for credit losses being required.

Net Interest Income

Net interest income increased to $31.8 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2022 from $26.5 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2021. The increase was due to the acquisition of Cortland Bancorp (“Cortland”) offset by a reduction in PPP interest and fees. During the third quarter of 2021, the Company recognized $1.4 million in interest and fees associated with PPP loans compared to $62,000 in the third quarter of 2022. The net interest margin was 3.21% for the third quarter of 2022 compared to 3.25% for the second quarter of 2022 and 3.49% for the third quarter of 2021. The decline in net interest margin in the third quarter of 2022 compared to the third quarter of 2021 was driven by the lower PPP income in 2022 compared to 2021 and a greater percentage of earning assets invested in securities rather than loans. Excluding the impact of acquisition marks and related accretion and PPP interest and fees, the net interest margin (non-GAAP) for the third quarter of 2022 was 3.18% compared to 3.16% for the second quarter of 2022 and 3.37% for the third quarter of 2021.

Noninterest Income

Noninterest income decreased $188,000, to $8.8 million for the third quarter of 2022 compared to the third quarter of 2021. Service charges on deposit accounts increased $305,000 to $1.2 million in the third quarter of 2022 compared to $924,000 for the third quarter of 2021. The increase was primarily due to the acquisition of Cortland and growth. Insurance commissions increased to $1.1 million in the third quarter of 2022 compared to $799,000 in the third quarter of 2021. This business line continues to exhibit good growth. Net gains on the sale of loans decreased to $326,000 in the third quarter of 2022 compared to $1.5 million in the third quarter of 2021. This drop was caused by lower mortgage production compared to the prior year, compressed margins and a lower saleable mix due to the dramatic increase in interest rates in 2022.

Security losses for the third quarter of 2022 totaled $17,000 compared to security gains of $459,000 for the same period in 2021. Debit card and EFT fees increased to $1.5 million in the third quarter of 2022 compared to $1.2 million in the third quarter of 2021. This increase was due to the Cortland acquisition and increased volumes. Other noninterest income increased to $1.1 million in the third quarter of 2022 compared to $461,000 in the third quarter of 2021. This increase was due to the acquisition of Cortland and increased income related to investments in SBIC and SBA funds.

Noninterest Expense

Total noninterest expense increased to $21.4 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2022 compared to $17.1 million for the third quarter of 2021. The year-over-year increase was primarily due to the acquisition of Cortland, continued higher healthcare benefit costs and more merger related costs in the third quarter of 2022 compared to the third quarter of 2021.

About Farmers National Banc Corp.

Founded in 1887, Farmers National Banc Corp. is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Canfield, Ohio, with $4.1 billion in banking assets. Farmers National Banc Corp.’s wholly-owned subsidiaries are comprised of The Farmers National Bank of Canfield, a full-service national bank engaged in commercial and retail banking with 46 banking locations in Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana, Portage, Stark, Wayne, Medina, Geauga and Cuyahoga Counties in Ohio and Beaver County in Pennsylvania, and Farmers Trust Company, which operates five trust offices and offers services in the same geographic markets. Total wealth management assets under care at September 30, 2022 are $2.9 billion. Farmers National Insurance, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Farmers National Bank of Canfield, offers a variety of insurance products.

Non-GAAP Disclosure

This press release includes disclosures of Farmers’ tangible common equity ratio, return on average tangible assets, return on average tangible equity, net income excluding costs related to acquisition activities and certain items, return on average assets excluding merger costs and certain items, return on average equity excluding merger costs and certain items, net interest margin excluding acquisition marks and related accretion and PPP interest and fees, efficiency ratio less one-time expenses, and allowance for credit losses to gross loans, excluding PPP loans and acquired loans, which are financial measures not prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (GAAP). A non-GAAP financial measure is a numerical measure of historical or future financial performance, financial position or cash flows that excludes or includes amounts that are required to be disclosed by GAAP. Farmers believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide both management and investors a more complete understanding of the underlying operational results and trends and Farmers’ marketplace performance. The presentation of this additional information is not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the numbers prepared in accordance with GAAP. The reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to their GAAP equivalents are included in the tables following Consolidated Financial Highlights below.

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

We make statements in this news release and our related investor conference call, and we may from time to time make other statements, that are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements about Farmers’ financial condition, results of operations, asset quality trends and profitability. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts but instead represent only management’s current expectations and forecasts regarding future events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of Farmers’ control. Forward-looking statements are preceded by terms such as “expects,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “intends” and similar expressions, as well as any statements related to future expectations of performance or conditional verbs, such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could” or “may.” Farmers’ actual results and financial condition may differ, possibly materially, from the anticipated results and financial condition indicated in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause Farmers’ actual results to differ materially from those described in certain forward-looking statements include impacts from the length and extent of the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic; significant changes in near-term local, regional, and U.S. economic conditions resulting from continued high rates of inflation, tightening monetary policy of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, and possibility of a recession; Farmers’ failure to integrate Emclaire and Emlenton with Farmers in accordance with expectations; deviations from performance expectations related to Emclaire and Emlenton; and the other factors contained in Farmers’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and available on Farmers’ website (www.farmersbankgroup.com) and on the SEC’s website (www.sec.gov). Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and should not be relied upon as representing management’s views as of any subsequent date. Farmers does not undertake any obligation to update the forward-looking statements to reflect the impact of circumstances or events that may arise after the date of the forward-looking statements.