Strong Fourth Quarter Caps Record Year for Isabella Bank Corporation: Record Net Income and EPS in 2022; EPS up 19% over 2021

Isabella Bank Corporation (the “Corporation”) (OTCQX: ISBA) reported record net income, net interest income and earnings per share for the year ended December 31, 2022.  Fourth quarter net income was $6.3 million, surpassing $4.8 million for the same period in 2021, resulting in net income of $22.2 million in 2022, up 14% from $19.5 million reported in 2021.  Earnings per common share were $0.84 in the fourth quarter and $2.95 for the year, above the $0.63 and $2.48 reported for the same periods a year ago, respectively.

"Isabella Bank had another outstanding year, driven by solid growth across our geographic and business portfolios and a favorable interest rate environment," said Jae A. Evans, President & CEO.  "We are seeing the results of implementing our strategic plan, which led to increased market share in several markets, by investing in digital technology and new offerings."

Additional 2022 Highlights

• Total deposits increased $33.9 million in 2022, or 2%.
• Fourth quarter net interest income rose $2.8 million, or 21%, over the same period in 2021, and net interest income was $7.8 million in 2022, up 15% from 2021.
• Net yield on interest earning assets reached 3.43% in the fourth quarter, up from 2.86% for the same period in 2021.
• Asset quality also improved, with nonperforming loans at 0.04% of total loans, compared to 0.10% at the end of 2021.

“We are attracting new customers, while also expanding our offerings with current customers," Evans added.  "This is possible because of our outstanding Isabella Bank team.  We remain committed to growing with our customers and communities, just as we have since 1903.  Our reputation as a strong, reliable and community-focused bank will not change, even as we continue to evolve to provide the services our customers and communities want and need."

Operating Results

Net income: Fourth quarter 2022 net income increased 31.9% compared to the same period in 2021.  For the year ended December 31, 2022, net income was $22.2 million, compared to $19.5 million in 2021. 

Net interest income, fourth quarter 2022: Net interest income for the fourth quarter 2022 improved by $2.8 million, or 21%, compared to the fourth quarter of 2021.  Interest income increased $2.9 million, or 19.1%, driven largely by rising interest rates.

Net interest income: Net interest income for the year ended December 31, 2022, increased $7.8 million to $60.5 million, up 14.8% compared to 2021.  While Paycheck Protection Program loan fees declined, rising interest rates and growth in available-for-sale securities led to a $5.7 million, or 9.5%, increase in gross interest income for the year ended December 31, 2022, compared to 2021.  The Corporation continued to benefit from the significant reduction in its higher-cost borrowings — a strategic move that commenced in 2019 and contributed to a $2.1 million, or 28.3%, decrease in interest expense on deposits and borrowings for the year ended December 31, 2022, when compared to 2021.  The provision for loan loss in 2022 was $483,000 compared to a $518,000 provision reversal in 2021, when concerns over potential credit quality issues related to the pandemic did not materialize.

Noninterest income and expenses, fourth quarter 2022: Noninterest income decreased $336,000 compared to the fourth quarter of 2021, primarily driven by a reduction in gain on sale of mortgage loans.  Noninterest expenses for the quarter increased $725,000, attributed to increased compensation, equipment, and loan underwriting expenses.

Noninterest income and expenses: Noninterest income for the year ended December 31, 2022, decreased $156,000 compared to 2021.  Gain on sale of mortgages decreased $1.1 million, as demand for residential mortgage originations declined due to the rising interest rate environment.  This was offset by an increase in service charges and fees of $1.1 million, with $619,000 of the increase related to mortgage servicing rights.  Noninterest expense increased $3.1 million in 2022 compared to 2021, primarily the result of increased compensation, other losses, and donations and community relations expenses.

Net yield on interest earning assets: The Corporation’s fully taxable equivalent net yield on interest earning assets was 3.43% and 3.18% for the fourth quarter and year ended 2022, respectively, compared to 2.86% and 2.87% for the same periods in 2021.  The marked improvement is a result of strategies that positioned the Bank to benefit in a rising interest rate environment, including a reduced reliance on higher-cost borrowed funds and brokered deposits.

Balance Sheet

Assets: Total assets were $2.03 billion and assets under management were $2.81 billion as of December 31, 2022.  Managed assets included loans sold and serviced of $264.2 million as well as $513.9 million in investment and trust assets managed by Isabella Wealth.

Loans: Loans outstanding as of December 31, 2022, totaled $1.26 billion.  Core loan growth improved $35.1 million, or 2.9%, primarily due to commercial loan growth.  Gross loans declined $36.9 million since December 31, 2021, due to a decrease of $72 million in advances to mortgage brokers, which are included in the commercial loan portfolio but are not considered a component of the Bank's core lending business.  While the Bank has experienced fluctuations in credit quality indicators in recent periods, credit quality remained strong, as evidenced by total past due and nonaccrual loans being just 0.88% of gross loans as of December 31, 2022.  Additionally, nonperforming loans at year end 2022 declined to $457,000, or 0.04% of total loans, compared to $1.3 million, or 0.10%, at December 31, 2021.

Deposits: Growth in accounts from new customers drove total deposits to $1.74 billion as of December 31, 2022, an increase of $33.9 million, or 2.0%, since December 31, 2021.  A large percentage of this increase came in the form of demand deposits which helps to minimize total interest expense and reduce overall cost of funds.

Capital: Due to an increase in short-term and intermediate-term benchmark interest rates, unrealized losses related to available-for-sale securities increased significantly during 2022.  As a result, shareholders' equity has declined, negatively impacting tangible book value.  The Bank continues to be considered a “well-capitalized” institution, as its capital ratios exceeded the minimum designated requirements.  As of December 31, 2022, the Bank’s Tier 1 Leverage Ratio was 9.36%, Tier 1 Capital Ratio was 14.07% and Total Capital Ratio was 14.80%. The minimum requirements to be considered well capitalized are a Tier 1 Leverage Ratio of 5.0%, Tier 1 Capital Ratio of 8.0% and Total Capital Ratio of 10.0%.

Dividend: The Corporation paid a $0.28 per common share cash dividend for the fourth quarter of 2022, an increase of 3.7% compared to fourth quarter of 2021. Total cash dividends paid for the year ended December 31, 2022, totaled $1.09.  Based on the Corporation’s closing stock price of $23.50 as of December 31, 2022, the annualized cash dividend yield was 4.77%.

About the Corporation

Isabella Bank Corporation (OTCQX: ISBA) is the parent holding company of Isabella Bank, a state-chartered community bank headquartered in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. Isabella Bank was established in 1903 and has been committed to serving the local banking needs of its customers and communities for 120 years. The Bank offers personal and commercial lending and deposit products, as well as investment, trust, and estate planning services through Isabella Wealth. The Bank has locations throughout seven Mid-Michigan counties: Clare, Gratiot, Isabella, Mecosta, Midland, Montcalm, and Saginaw.

For more information about Isabella Bank Corporation, visit the investors link at www.isabellabank.com. Isabella Bank Corporation common stock is quoted on the OTCQX tier of the OTC Markets Group, Inc.’s electronic quotation system (www.otcmarkets.com) under the symbol “ISBA.” The Corporation’s investor relations firm is Renmark Financial Communications, Inc. (www.renmarkfinancial.com).

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements. To the extent that the foregoing information refers to matters that may occur in the future, please be aware that such forward-looking statements may differ materially from the actual results. Additional information concerning some of the factors that could cause materially different results is included in the sections titled “Risk Factors” and “Forward Looking Statements” set forth in Isabella Bank Corporation’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available from the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Public Reference facilities and from its website at www.sec.gov.