Commerce Bancshares, Inc. Reports Third Quarter Earnings Per Share of $.96

Commerce Bancshares, Inc. announced earnings of $.96 per share for the three months ended September 30, 2023, compared to $.97 per share in the same quarter last year and $1.02 per share in the second quarter of 2023. Net income for the third quarter of 2023 amounted to $120.6 million, compared to $122.8 million in the third quarter of 2022 and $127.8 million in the prior quarter.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, earnings per share totaled $2.93, compared to $2.81 for the first nine months of 2022. Net income amounted to $367.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, compared to $356.8 million in the comparable period last year. For the year to date, the return on average assets was 1.53%, and the return on average equity was 18.42%.

"Our strong quarterly performance in this high-rate environment demonstrates the resilience of our operating model and the adaptability of our bank," said John Kemper, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Our net interest margin declined only one basis point from the previous quarter, reflecting the impact of higher asset yields and the strength of our core deposits. Non-interest income comprised 36.5% of total revenue."

On the balance sheet, Kemper added, "As planned, we decreased the excess liquidity position that was built through short-term brokered deposit funding and FHLB advances during the second quarter.

"Our liquidity and capital levels remain robust, and credit performance remains excellent, with non-accrual loans at .05% of total loans, the same level as the third quarter of last year."

Third Quarter 2023 Financial Highlights:

• Net interest income was $248.5 million, a $991 thousand decrease from the prior quarter. The net yield on interest earning assets decreased 1 basis point to 3.11%.

• Non-interest income totaled $142.9 million, an increase of $4.4 million compared to the same quarter last year.

• Non-interest expense totaled $228.0 million, an increase of $15.1 million compared to the same quarter last year.

• Average loan balances totaled $17.0 billion, an increase of $299.3 million, or 1.8%, over the prior quarter.

• Total average available for sale debt securities decreased 6.9%, or $752.0 million, from the prior quarter to $10.2 billion, at fair value. During the third quarter of 2023, the unrealized loss on available for sale securities increased $177.4 million to $1.6 billion, at period end.

• Total average deposits increased $358.6 million, or 1.4%, compared to June 30, 2023. The average rate paid on interest bearing deposits in the current quarter was 1.76%.

• The ratio of annualized net loan charge-offs to average loans was .23% compared to .16% in the prior quarter.

• The allowance for credit losses on loans increased $3.6 million during the third quarter to $162.2 million, and at September 30, 2023, the ratio of the allowance for credit losses on loans to total loans was .95%, compared to .94% at June 30, 2023.

• Total assets at September 30, 2023 were $31.4 billion, a decrease of $1.5 billion, or 4.4%, from the prior quarter.

• For the quarter, the return on average assets was 1.49%, the return on average equity was 17.73%, and the efficiency ratio was 58.2%.

Commerce Bancshares, Inc. is a regional bank holding company offering a full line of banking services through its subsidiaries, including payment solutions, investment management and securities brokerage. One of its subsidiaries, Commerce Bank, leverages nearly 160 years of proven strength and experience to help individuals and businesses solve financial challenges. In addition to offering payment solutions across the U.S., Commerce Bank currently operates full-service banking facilities across the Midwest including the St. Louis and Kansas City metropolitan areas, Springfield, Central Missouri, Central Illinois, Wichita, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, and Denver. It also maintains commercial offices in Dallas, Houston, Cincinnati, Nashville, Des Moines, Indianapolis, and Grand Rapids. Commerce delivers high-touch service and sophisticated financial solutions at regional branches, commercial offices, ATMs, online, mobile and through a 24/7 customer service line.

This financial news release and the supplementary Earnings Highlights presentation are available on the Company’s website at https://investor.commercebank.com/news-info/financial-news-releases/default.aspx.

COMMERCE BANCSHARES, INC.

Management Discussion of Third Quarter Results

September 30, 2023

For the quarter ended September 30, 2023, net income amounted to $120.6 million, compared to $127.8 million in the previous quarter and $122.8 million in the same quarter last year. The decrease in net income compared to the previous quarter was primarily the result of lower non-interest income coupled with a higher provision for credit losses. The net yield on interest earning assets declined 1 basis point from the previous quarter to 3.11%. Average loans and deposits grew $299.3 million and $358.6 million, respectively, compared to the previous quarter, while average borrowings and available for sale debt securities, at fair value, declined $854.6 million and $752.0 million, respectively. For the quarter, the return on average assets was 1.49%, the return on average equity was 17.73%, and the efficiency ratio was 58.2%.

Balance Sheet Review

During the 3rd quarter of 2023, average loans totaled $17.0 billion, an increase of $299.3 million over the prior quarter, and $1.3 billion, or 8.5%, over the same quarter last year. Compared to the previous quarter, average balances of business real estate, business, construction, and personal real estate loans grew $101.2 million, $91.8 million, $58.7 million, and $31.5 million, respectively. During the current quarter, the Company sold certain fixed rate personal real estate loans totaling $9.2 million, compared to $8.9 million in the prior quarter.

Total average available for sale debt securities decreased $752.0 million compared to the previous quarter to $10.2 billion, at fair value. The decrease in investment securities was mainly the result of lower balances of asset-backed, mortgage-backed, and state and municipal securities. During the 3rd quarter of 2023, the unrealized loss on available for sale securities increased $177.4 million to $1.6 billion, at period end, and maturities and pay downs were $369.5 million. At September 30, 2023, the duration of the available for sale investment portfolio was 3.9 years. The Company does not have any investment securities classified as held-to-maturity.

Total average deposits increased $358.6 million this quarter compared to the previous quarter. The increase in deposits mostly resulted from higher certificates of deposit and interest checking and money market deposits of $594.8 million and $129.8 million, respectively, partly offset by lower demand deposits of $285.3 million. Compared to the previous quarter, total average commercial deposits increased $452.3 million, while consumer deposits and wealth deposits declined $185.3 million and $66.1 million, respectively. The average loans to deposits ratio was 66.4% in the current quarter and 66.2% in the prior quarter. The Company’s average borrowings, which included customer repurchase agreements of $2.3 billion, decreased $854.6 million to $3.5 billion in the 3rd quarter of 2023, mostly due to a decline of $931.7 million in Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) borrowings.

Net Interest Income

Net interest income in the 3rd quarter of 2023 amounted to $248.5 million, a decrease of $991 thousand compared to the previous quarter. On a fully taxable-equivalent (FTE) basis, net interest income for the current quarter decreased $795 thousand from the previous quarter to $251.0 million. The decrease in net interest income was mostly due to higher interest expense on deposits and lower interest income on investment securities, partly offset by higher interest earned on loans and lower interest expense on borrowings. The net yield (FTE) on earning assets decreased to 3.11%, from 3.12% in the prior quarter.

Compared to the previous quarter, interest income on loans (FTE) increased $15.0 million, due to higher average rates earned in most loan categories, coupled with higher average balances in all loan categories. The average yield (FTE) on the loan portfolio increased 18 basis points to 6.02% this quarter.

Interest income on investment securities (FTE) decreased $4.4 million compared to the prior quarter, mostly due to lower average balances. Interest income earned on U.S. government and federal agency securities decreased due to lower rates earned, which included the impact of $2.5 million in lower inflation income from Treasury inflation-protected securities this quarter. Partly offsetting this decrease was a $2.3 million dividend from a private equity investment this quarter. Additionally, at September 30, 2023, the Company recorded a $1.3 million adjustment to premium amortization, which increased interest income to reflect slower forward prepayment speed estimates on mortgage-backed securities. The average yield (FTE) on total investment securities was 2.33% in the current quarter, compared to 2.37% in the previous quarter.

Compared to the previous quarter, interest income on deposits with banks increased $2.5 million, due to higher average rates earned and average balances. The average yield on deposits with banks was 5.39% in the current quarter, compared to 5.14% in the prior quarter.

Interest expense increased $13.5 million, mostly due to higher average balances and rates paid on deposits, partly offset by lower average borrowings. The average rate paid on interest bearing deposits totaled 1.76% in the current quarter compared to 1.29% in the prior quarter. Interest expense on deposits increased $23.6 million this quarter compared to the previous quarter. Interest expense on borrowings decreased $10.1 million, mostly due to a decline in average FHLB borrowings of $931.7 million. The overall rate paid on interest bearing liabilities was 2.12% in the current quarter compared to 1.87% in the prior quarter.

Non-Interest Income

In the 3rd quarter of 2023, total non-interest income amounted to $142.9 million, an increase of $4.4 million compared to the same period last year and a decrease of $4.7 million compared to the prior quarter. The increase in non-interest income compared to the same period last year was mainly due to higher trust and bank card fees, partly offset by lower deposit fees, brokerage fees, and capital market fees. The decrease in non-interest income compared to the prior quarter was mainly due to lower bank card fees, letter of credit fees, and swap fees, partly offset by higher trust fees and tax credit fees. Additionally, a decrease of $1.5 million in fair value adjustments was recorded on the Company’s deferred compensation plan assets, which are held in a trust and recorded as both and asset and liability, affecting both other income and other expense.

Total net bank card fees in the current quarter increased $1.3 million, or 2.8%, compared to the same period last year, and decreased $2.8 million compared to the prior quarter. Net corporate card fees increased $220 thousand, or .8%, over the same quarter of last year mainly due to lower network expense and rewards expense, mostly offset by lower interchange fee income. Net debit card fees increased $581 thousand, or 5.5%, and net merchant fees increased $627 thousand, or 12.0%, due to higher interchange fees, while net credit card fees decreased $167 thousand, or 4.6%. Total net bank card fees this quarter were comprised of fees on corporate card ($26.5 million), debit card ($11.1 million), merchant ($5.9 million) and credit card ($3.4 million) transactions.

In the current quarter, trust fees increased $3.8 million, or 8.4%, over the same period last year, mostly resulting from higher private client trust fees. Compared to the same period last year, deposit account fees decreased $1.4 million, or 5.8%, due to lower overdraft and return item fees of $3.0 million, partly offset by higher corporate cash management fees of $1.6 million.

Other non-interest income increased over the same period last year primarily due to higher bond underwriting fees of $942 thousand and gains on the sale of real estate in the current quarter of $1.3 million. For the 3rd quarter of 2023, non-interest income comprised 36.5% of the Company’s total revenue.

Investment Securities Gains and Losses

The Company recorded net securities gains of $4.3 million in the current quarter, compared to gains of $3.4 million in both the prior quarter and the 3rd quarter of 2022. Net securities gains in the current quarter primarily resulted from net fair value gains of $5.6 million and an $847 thousand loss on the sale of an investment in the Company’s private equity portfolio.

Non-Interest Expense

Non-interest expense for the current quarter amounted to $228.0 million, compared to $212.9 million in the same period last year and $227.6 million in the prior quarter. The increase in non-interest expense compared to the same period last year was mainly due to higher salaries and employee benefits expense, data processing and software expense, FDIC insurance expense, and occupancy expense. The increase in non-interest expense compared to the prior quarter was mainly due to higher salaries expense, data processing and software expense, and miscellaneous losses, partly offset by lower deconversion expense and the $1.5 million decrease in the deferred compensation adjustment previously mentioned.

Compared to the 3rd quarter of last year, salaries and employee benefits expense increased $9.4 million, mostly due to higher full-time salaries expense of $6.4 million, or 6.9%, and higher medical expense of $2.0 million. Full-time equivalent employees totaled 4,714 and 4,595 at September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Compared to the same period last year, data processing and software expense increased $2.7 million due to higher bank card fees expense and increased costs for service providers. Occupancy expense increased $1.4 million mostly due to higher depreciation and real estate taxes, partly offset by higher external rent income. Other non-interest expense increased $1.6 million, mostly due to growth in FDIC insurance and lower deferred loan origination costs of $1.3 million and $982 thousand, respectively.

Income Taxes

The effective tax rate for the Company was 21.7% in the current quarter, 22.0% in the previous quarter, and 21.7% in the 3rd quarter of 2022.

Credit Quality

Net loan charge-offs in the 3rd quarter of 2023 amounted to $9.8 million, compared to $6.5 million in the prior quarter and $4.8 million in the same period last year. The ratio of annualized net loan charge-offs to total average loans was .23% in the current quarter, .16% in the previous quarter, and .12% in the 3rd quarter of last year. Compared to the prior quarter, net loan charge-offs on commercial loans increased $2.6 million to $2.6 million, while net loan charge-offs on personal banking loans increased $735 thousand to $7.2 million, mainly due to higher consumer loan net charge-offs.

In the 3rd quarter of 2023, annualized net loan charge-offs on average consumer credit card loans were 3.32%, compared to 3.38% in the previous quarter, and 2.08% in the same quarter last year. Consumer loan net charge-offs were .34% of average consumer loans in the current quarter, .24% in the prior quarter, and .16% in the same quarter last year.

At September 30, 2023, the allowance for credit losses on loans totaled $162.2 million, or .95% of total loans, and increased $3.6 million compared to the prior quarter. Additionally, the liability for unfunded lending commitments at September 30, 2023 was $27.5 million, a decrease of $1.7 million compared to the liability at June 30, 2023.

At September 30, 2023, total non-accrual loans amounted to $8.2 million, an increase of $2.0 compared to the previous quarter. At September 30, 2023, the balance of non-accrual loans, which represented .05% of loans outstanding, included business loans of $6.6 million, personal real estate loans of $1.5 million, and business real estate loans of $76 thousand. Loans more than 90 days past due and still accruing interest totaled $18.6 million at September 30, 2023.

Liquidity

During the 3rd quarter of 2023, the Company reduced its deposit balance at the Federal Reserve Bank (FRB) by $721.1 million to $1.8 billion. The change in the balance at the FRB was mostly the result of a $779.0 million decrease in total deposits, including a $502.6 million decrease in brokered certificates of deposit, a $500.0 million decrease in FHLB advances, and a $172.8 million increase in loan balances, partly offset by $369.5 million of maturities and paydowns in the available for sale debt securities portfolio, and $375.0 million of maturities in securities purchased under agreements to resell.

The Company regularly pledges loans and securities to the FRB and at both September 30, 2023 and June 30, 2023, the Company’s pledging resulted in a total borrowing capacity of $5.0 billion. The Company did not have any borrowings from the FRB’s Discount Window or the Bank Term Funding Program during the current quarter. The Company also pledges loans and securities and borrows from the FHLB. During the 3rd quarter of 2023, the Company reduced its outstanding borrowings from the FHLB by $500.0 million to $500.0 million and had $1.6 billion of available borrowing capacity at September 30, 2023. Additionally, the Company pledges portions of its investment securities portfolio to secure public fund deposits, trust funds, and securities sold under agreements to repurchase.

The Company has an available for sale debt securities portfolio with a fair market value of $9.9 billion at September 30, 2023. Approximately $2.1 billion is expected to mature or pay down over the next 12 months. At September 30, 2023, the Company had pledged $6.9 billion of the securities portfolio. The Company also has a portfolio of $450.0 million in securities purchased under agreements to resell, of which $325.0 million are expected to mature over the next 12 months.

Other

During the 3rd quarter of 2023, the Company paid a cash dividend of $.27 per common share, representing a 7.1% increase over the same period last year. The Company purchased 388,304 shares of treasury stock during the current quarter at an average price of $50.96.

Forward Looking Information

This information contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include future financial and operating results, expectations, intentions, and other statements that are not historical facts. Such statements are based on current beliefs and expectations of the Company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

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