Enterprise Financial Services Corp (Nasdaq: EFSC) (the “Company” or “EFSC”) reported net income of $29.1 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2019, an increase of $10.6 million compared to the linked second quarter (“linked quarter”) and an increase of $6.6 million from the prior year quarter. Earnings per diluted share (“EPS”) were $1.08 for the current quarter, compared to $0.68 and $0.97 for the linked and prior year quarters, respectively. Merger-related expenses from the Trinity Capital Corporation (“Trinity”) acquisition reduced net income by $0.4 million pretax ($0.3 million after tax), or $0.01 per diluted share in the current quarter compared to $10.3 million pretax ($8.0 million after tax), or $0.30 per diluted share in the linked quarter. The increase in EPS for the current quarter, compared to the prior year quarter, was positively impacted by the Trinity acquisition. The year-over-year comparison of EPS is also impacted by a tax benefit recognized in the prior year quarter that did not occur in the current year period. Net interest margin, on a tax equivalent basis, in the current quarter was 3.81%, compared to 3.86% in the linked quarter and 3.78% in the prior year quarter.

The Company’s Board of Directors approved a quarterly dividend of $0.17 per common share, an increase from $0.16 for the prior quarter, payable on December 31, 2019 to shareholders of record as of December 16, 2019.

Jim Lally, EFSC’s President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “I am pleased with our results in the third quarter of 2019. We generated balanced loan growth, expanded the deposit portfolio with a focus on non-interest bearing deposits and grew operating revenue. We have continued to deliver strong shareholder returns through solid earnings and by actively managing our capital position. In the third quarter we repurchased approximately $12 million of outstanding shares and approved an increased dividend of $0.17 for the fourth quarter. Our return on average tangible common equity1 has increased to 19% due to our strong earnings profile and prudent capital management. Despite the challenging interest rate environment, we have increased net interest income through balance sheet growth which we believe leaves us well-positioned as we enter the fourth quarter.”

Net Interest Income

The Company closed its acquisition of Trinity on March 8, 2019. The results of operations of Trinity are included in our consolidated results from this date forward and are excluded from preceding periods.

Net interest income for the third quarter increased $1.3 million to $63.0 million from $61.7 million in the linked quarter, and increased $15.0 million from the prior year period. The increase from the linked quarter was primarily due to incremental accretion on non-core acquired loans while the increase from the prior year period was primarily due to the Trinity acquisition and organic growth. Net interest margin, on a tax equivalent basis, was 3.81% for the third quarter, compared to 3.86% in the linked quarter, and 3.78% in the third quarter of 2018.

Core net interest income and core net interest margin noted in the table below exclude incremental accretion on non-core acquired loans.

Average Balance Sheets

The following table presents, for the periods indicated, certain information related to our average interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities, as well as, the corresponding interest rates earned and paid, all on a tax-equivalent basis.

Net interest margin decreased five basis points from the linked quarter to 3.81% during the current quarter primarily due to a 12 basis point decrease in yield on the loan portfolio. This is a result of the decline of both the one month LIBOR and Prime interest rates during the third quarter, which impacted the underlying interest rates of the Company’s loan portfolio, 60% of which is priced to variable interest rate indices. The interest rate trend is also indicative of the prices obtained on newly originated loans in the quarter, which carried a weighted average interest rate of 4.66%. In addition, the second quarter of 2019 included purchase accounting adjustments which added two basis points to the overall net interest margin, which did not reoccur during the third quarter of 2019. Finally, the overall mix of interest-earning assets also negatively impacted net interest margin due to a larger investment portfolio.

The Company responded to interest rate trends by reducing the cost of certain managed money market and interest-bearing transaction accounts. This effort improved the cost of money market accounts by 10 basis points over the linked quarter. Conversely, certificates of deposit retention was robust in the quarter, and carried a corresponding headwind to overall net interest margin, as did the overall mix of funding from the FHLB and other relatively higher cost sources.

The Company manages its balance sheet to defend against pressures on core net interest margin, which could be negatively impacted by continued competition for deposits, current interest rate conditions, and downward movement in short-term rates.

Loans

The following table presents total loans for the most recent five quarters:

Loans totaled $5.2 billion at September 30, 2019, increasing $78.5 million, or 6% annualized, compared to the linked quarter. On a year-over-year basis, loans increased $960.6 million primarily due to the Trinity acquisition along with organic growth. We expect loan growth in 2019 to be a high single digit percentage, excluding Trinity acquired loans.

The Company continues to focus on originating high-quality C&I relationships, as they typically have variable interest rates and allow for cross selling opportunities involving other banking products. C&I loan growth, coupled with fixed- rate CRE lending, supports management’s efforts to maintain a flexible asset sensitive interest rate risk position.

Asset Quality

The following table presents the categories of nonperforming assets and related ratios for the most recent five quarters:

Nonperforming loans decreased $4.3 million to $15.6 million at September 30, 2019 from $19.8 million at June 30, 2019 primarily due to two loans totaling $4.0 million that were 90 days past due and still accruing interest at June 30, 2019 being current at September 30, 2019. The past-due status of these loans at June 30, 2019 was administrative in nature. Nonaccrual loan additions of $4.3 million in the current quarter primarily consisted of three relationships and were offset by paydowns of $3.1 million and charge-offs of $1.5 million. Other real estate decreased during the quarter ended September 30, 2019 primarily due to sales of three properties totaling $2.1 million.

The Company recorded a provision for loan losses of $1.8 million compared to $1.7 million for the linked quarter and $2.3 million for the prior year quarter, respectively. The provision is reflective of loan growth during the period. The decrease in the ratio of allowance for loan losses to total loans in 2019, from 1.00% at the end of 2018 to 0.85% in the current quarter, is primarily due to the acquisition of Trinity loans that were recorded at fair value and did not have a corresponding allowance for loan losses. In addition, the level of specific reserves in 2019 decreased due to two relationships that were charged off. The Company recorded a credit mark on the Trinity loan portfolio of $24.4 million as of the acquisition date.

Deposits

The following table presents deposits broken out by type for the most recent five quarters:

Total deposits at September 30, 2019 were $5.6 billion, an increase of $65.0 million from June 30, 2019, and an increase of $1.4 billion from September 30, 2018. The increase over the prior year period is primarily due to the Trinity acquisition.

Core deposits, defined as total deposits excluding certificates of deposits, were $4.8 billion at September 30, 2019, an increase of $67.6 million from the linked quarter. Noninterest-bearing deposits were $1.3 billion at September 30, 2019, an increase of $113.9 million compared to June 30, 2019, and an increase of $233.3 million compared to September 30, 2018. The total cost of deposits was 0.94% for the current and linked quarters and 0.86% in the prior year quarter.

Noninterest Income

Total noninterest income for the quarter ended September 30, 2019 was $13.6 million, an increase of $1.6 million, or 13% from the linked quarter, and an increase of $5.2 million, or 61% from the prior year quarter. Loan workout efforts resulted in $1.0 million of income during the third quarter, and was reported in other non-interest income. Tax credit income of $1.2 million in the current quarter increased $0.7 million and $1.0 million over the linked and prior year quarters, respectively. A gain on the sale of investment securities of $0.3 million was recognized in the third quarter of 2019. The increase from the prior year quarter was also driven by contributions from Trinity of $2.4 million.

The Company expects growth in noninterest income of a high single digit percentage for 2019 over 2018 levels, exclusive of the impact of the Trinity acquisition.

Noninterest Expenses

Noninterest expenses were $38.2 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2019, compared to $49.1 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2019, and $29.9 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2018. The decrease from the linked quarter was primarily due to a decline in merger-related expenses following the acquisition of Trinity. Merger-related expenses in the quarter decreased $9.9 million from the linked quarter. The Company expects its noninterest expense to range between $37 million and $39 million during the fourth quarter.

The Company’s core efficiency ratio4 was 51.7% for the quarter ended September 30, 2019, compared to 53.3% for the linked quarter and 52.2% for the prior year period, and reflects continued growth in net interest income and noninterest income, along with continued improvement in core noninterest expense over the linked quarter.

Income Taxes

The Company’s effective tax rate was 20% for the quarter ended September 30, 2019 compared to 20% and 7% for the linked quarter and prior year quarter, respectively. The low rate for the prior year quarter resulted from a non-recurring reduction of income tax expense of $2.7 million from a tax planning election.

The Company expects its effective tax rate for the full year of 2019 to be approximately 20%.

Capital

The following table presents various EFSC capital ratios:

Capital ratios for the current quarter are subject to, among other things, completion and filing of the Company’s regulatory reports and ongoing regulatory review.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Company’s accounting and reporting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) and the prevailing practices in the banking industry. However, the Company provides other financial measures, such as adjusted EPS, core net interest income, core net interest margin, tangible common equity, core efficiency ratios, ROATCE, adjusted ROAA, adjusted ROAE, and adjusted ROATCE, and the tangible common equity ratio, in this release that are considered “non-GAAP financial measures.” Generally, a non-GAAP financial measure is a numerical measure of a company’s financial performance, financial position, or cash flows that exclude (or include) amounts that are included in (or excluded from) the most directly comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP.

The Company considers its adjusted EPS, core net interest income, core net interest margin, core efficiency ratio, adjusted ROAA, adjusted ROAE, ROATCE, adjusted ROATCE, and the tangible common equity ratio, collectively “core performance measures,” presented in this earnings release and the included tables as important measures of financial performance, even though they are non-GAAP measures, as they provide supplemental information by which to evaluate the impact of non-core acquired loans, which were acquired from the FDIC and previously covered by shared-loss agreements, and the related income and expenses, the impact of certain non-comparable items, and the Company’s operating performance on an ongoing basis. Core performance measures include contractual interest on non-core acquired loans, but exclude incremental accretion on these loans. Core performance measures also exclude expenses directly related to non-core acquired loans. Core performance measures also exclude certain other income and expense items, such as merger related expenses, facilities charges, and the gain or loss on sale of investment securities, the Company believes to be not indicative of or useful to measure the Company’s operating performance on an ongoing basis. The attached tables contain a reconciliation of these core performance measures to the GAAP measures. The Company believes that the tangible common equity ratio provides useful information to investors about the Company’s capital strength even though it is considered to be a non-GAAP financial measure and is not part of the regulatory capital requirements to which the Company is subject.

The Company believes these non-GAAP measures and ratios, when taken together with the corresponding GAAP measures and ratios, provide meaningful supplemental information regarding the Company’s performance and capital strength. The Company’s management uses, and believes that investors benefit from referring to, these non-GAAP measures and ratios in assessing the Company’s operating results and related trends and when forecasting future periods. However, these non-GAAP measures and ratios should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for or preferable to, ratios prepared in accordance with GAAP. In the attached tables, the Company has provided a reconciliation of, where applicable, the most comparable GAAP financial measures and ratios to the non-GAAP financial measures and ratios, or a reconciliation of the non-GAAP calculation of the financial measures for the periods indicated.

Conference Call and Webcast Information

The Company will host a conference call and webcast at 2:30 p.m. Central time on Tuesday, October 22, 2019. During the call, management will review the third quarter of 2019 results and related matters. This press release as well as a related slide presentation will be accessible on the Company’s website at www.enterprisebank.com under “Investor Relations” prior to the scheduled broadcast of the conference call. The call can be accessed via this same website page, or via telephone at 1-800-367-2403 (Conference ID #8577165). A recorded replay of the conference call will be available on the website two hours after the call’s completion. Visit http://bit.ly/EFSC3Q2019earnings and register to receive a dial in number, passcode, and pin number. The replay will be available for approximately two weeks following the conference call.

About Enterprise

Enterprise Financial Services Corp (Nasdaq: EFSC), with approximately $7 billion in assets, is a financial holding company headquartered in Clayton, Missouri. Enterprise Bank & Trust, a Missouri state-chartered trust company with banking powers and a wholly-owned subsidiary of EFSC, operates 34 branch offices in Arizona, Kansas, Missouri and New Mexico. Enterprise Bank & Trust offers a range of business and personal banking services and wealth management services. Enterprise Trust, a division of Enterprise Bank & Trust, provides financial planning, estate planning, investment management and trust services to businesses, individuals, institutions, retirement plans and non-profit organizations. Additional information is available at www.enterprisebank.com.

Enterprise Financial Services Corp’s common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol “EFSC.” Please visit our website at www.enterprisebank.com to see our regularly posted material information.

Forward-looking Statements

Readers should note that, in addition to the historical information contained herein, this press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of, and intended to be covered by, the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements based on management’s current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on the Company including, without limitation, plans, strategies and goals, and statements about the Company’s expectations regarding revenue and asset growth, financial performance and profitability, loan and deposit growth, yields and returns, loan diversification and credit management, shareholder value creation and the impact of the acquisition of Trinity and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Los Alamos National Bank, and other acquisitions.

Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the Company’s plans, expectations, and projections of future financial and operating results, as well as statements regarding the Company’s plans, objectives, expectations or consequences of announced transactions. The Company uses words such as “may,” “might,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “could,” “continue,” and “intend”, and variations of such words and similar expressions, in this release to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated from such statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, the Company’s ability to efficiently integrate acquisitions, including the Trinity acquisition, into its operations, retain the customers of these businesses and grow the acquired operations, as well as credit risk, changes in the appraised valuation of real estate securing impaired loans, outcomes of litigation and other contingencies, exposure to general and local economic conditions, risks associated with rapid increases or decreases in prevailing interest rates, consolidation in the banking industry, competition from banks and other financial institutions, the Company’s ability to attract and retain relationship officers and other key personnel, burdens imposed by federal and state regulation, changes in regulatory requirements, changes in accounting policies and practices or accounting standards, including ASU 2016-13 (Topic 326), “Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments,” commonly referenced as the Current Expected Credit Loss (“CECL”) model, which will change how we estimate credit losses and may increase the required level of our allowance for credit losses after adoption on January 1, 2020, uncertainty regarding the future of LIBOR, as well as other risk factors described in the Company’s 2018 Annual Report on Form 10-K and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update them in light of new information or future events unless required under the federal securities laws.

Average Balance Sheets

The following table presents, for the periods indicated, certain information related to our average interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities, as well as, the corresponding interest rates earned and paid, all on a tax equivalent basis.