Norwood Financial Corp Announces First Quarter 2024 Earnings

Norwood Financial Corp
Norwood Financial Corp

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HONESDALE, Pa., April 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- James O. Donnelly, President and Chief Executive Officer of Norwood Financial Corp (Nasdaq Global Market – NWFL) and its subsidiary, Wayne Bank, announced net income of $4,433,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2024, a decrease of $1,349,000, from net income of $5,782,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2023. The decrease was due primarily to a $1,383,000 decrease in net interest income and a $1,296,000 increase in total other expenses. Earnings per share on a fully diluted basis were $0.55 for the three-month period ended March 31, 2024, compared to $0.71 in the three-month period ended March 31, 2023. The annualized return on average assets was 0.80% in the first quarter of 2024 and the annualized return on average equity was 9.79%, compared to 1.13% and 13.61%, respectively, in the first quarter of 2023.

Total assets were $2.260 billion as of March 31, 2024, an increase of $156.1 million, compared to March 31, 2023. As of March 31, 2024, loans receivable were $1.621 billion, total deposits were $1.839 billion and total stockholders’ equity was $181.2 million.

Net interest income on a fully taxable equivalent basis (fte), was $14,905,000 during the three months ended March 31, 2024, compared to $16,275,000 in the comparable three-month period of 2023. During the three-months ended March 31, 2024, the fte yield on interest-earning assets increased 71 basis points compared to the three months ended March 31, 2023, while the cost of funds increased 147 basis points. As a result, the annualized net interest spread (fte) decreased to 2.07% from 2.83% in the quarter ended March 31, 2024 compared to the corresponding three-month period in 2023.

Total other income was $2,006,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2024, compared to $1,912,000 during the corresponding three-month period in 2023. The increase in other income was due primarily to a $55,000 increase in earnings and proceeds on bank-owned life insurance. All other categories of other income increased $39,000, net.

During the three months ended March 31, 2024, operating expenses increased $1,296,000 to $11,732,000 as compared to operating expenses of $10,436,000 during the comparable three-month period of 2023.

During the three months ended March 31, 2024, the provision for credit losses decreased $924,000 compared to the corresponding three-month period of 2023 based on the Company’s analysis of the allowance for credit losses. A lower level of non-performing loans and reduced charge-offs contributed to the decreased provision for credit losses.