Commerce Bancshares, Inc. Reports Second Quarter Earnings Per Share of $1.02

Commerce Bancshares, Inc. announced earnings of $1.02 per share for the three months ended June 30, 2023, compared to $.92 per share in the same quarter last year and $.95 per share in the first quarter of 2023. Net income for the second quarter of 2023 amounted to $127.8 million, compared to $115.8 million in the second quarter of 2022 and $119.5 million in the prior quarter.

For the six months ended June 30, 2023, earnings per share totaled $1.97, compared to $1.84 for the first six months of 2022. Net income amounted to $247.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023, compared to $233.9 million in the comparable period last year. For the year to date, the return on average assets was 1.55%, and the return on average equity was 18.78%.

“Commerce delivered strong results in the second quarter,” said John Kemper, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Against a backdrop of elevated interest rates, the Company produced record revenues, showing strength in both our net interest and non-interest income categories. These results reflect the ability of our diversified business model to perform across economic cycles. Our low loan-to-deposit ratio positioned us to meet loan demand across our footprint and provided opportunities for our teams to welcome new customer relationships.”

On deposit balances, Kemper added, “Our customer deposits increased during the quarter, helping to accommodate loan growth. On top of this, the Company took steps to add short-term brokered deposit funding, increasing our liquidity cushion in the wake of the first quarter’s industry disruption. This short-term liquidity build impacted our net interest margin but was neutral to net interest income and reflects our conservative posture in times of economic uncertainty.

We are confident in our liquidity and capital levels, and credit performance remains excellent.”

Second Quarter 2023 Financial Highlights:

• Net interest income was $249.5 million, a $2.1 million decrease from the prior quarter. The net yield on interest earning assets decreased 14 basis points to 3.12%.

• Non-interest income totaled $147.6 million, an increase of $8.2 million compared to the same quarter last year.

• Non-interest expense totaled $227.6 million, an increase of $14.1 million compared to the same quarter last year.

• Average loan balances totaled $16.7 billion, an increase of $265.2 million, or 1.6%, over the prior quarter.

• Total average available for sale debt securities decreased 7.2%, or $852.8 million, from the prior quarter to $11.0 billion, at fair value. During the second quarter of 2023, the unrealized loss on available for sale securities increased $109.2 million to $1.4 billion, at period end.

• Period end deposits increased $1.2 billion, or 4.8%, over March 31, 2023. The average rate paid on interest bearing deposits in the current quarter was 1.29%.

• The ratio of annualized net loan charge-offs to average loans was .16% compared to .17% in the prior quarter.

• The allowance for credit losses on loans decreased $632 thousand during the second quarter to $158.7 million, and at June 30, 2023, the ratio of the allowance for credit losses on loans to total loans was .94%, compared to .96% at March 31, 2023.

• Total assets at June 30, 2023 were $32.8 billion, an increase of $826.4 million, or 2.6%, over the prior quarter.

• For the quarter, the return on average assets was 1.56%, the return on average equity was 18.81%, and the efficiency ratio was 57.2%.

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 Second Quarter Results

June 30, 2023

For the quarter ended June 30, 2023, net income amounted to $127.8 million, compared to $119.5 million in the previous quarter and $115.8 million in the same quarter last year. The increase in net income compared to the previous quarter was primarily the result of higher non-interest income and investment securities gains coupled with a lower provision for credit losses, partly offset by lower net interest income and higher non-interest expense. The net yield on interest earning assets declined 14 basis points from the previous quarter to 3.12%. Average loans grew $265.2 million compared to the previous quarter, while average available for sale debt securities and average deposits declined $852.8 million and $41.9 million, respectively. For the quarter, the return on average assets was 1.56%, the return on average equity was 18.81%, and the efficiency ratio was 57.2%.

Balance Sheet Review

During the 2nd quarter of 2023, average loans totaled $16.7 billion, an increase of $265.2 million over the prior quarter, and $1.2 billion, or 7.6%, over the same quarter last year. Compared to the previous quarter, average balances of business, business real estate, and construction loans grew $101.3 million, $62.5 million, and $39.4 million, respectively. During the current quarter, the Company sold certain fixed rate personal real estate loans totaling $8.9 million, compared to $3.2 million in the prior quarter.

Total average available for sale debt securities decreased $852.8 million compared to the previous quarter to $11.0 billion, at fair value. The decrease in investment securities was mainly the result of lower balances of mortgage-backed, other asset-backed, and state and municipal securities. During the 2nd quarter of 2023, the unrealized loss on available for sale securities increased $109.2 million to $1.4 billion, at period end, and sales, maturities and pay downs were $702.3 million. At June 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 decreased $41.9 million this quarter compared to the previous quarter. The decrease in deposits mostly resulted from lower demand deposits and interest checking and money market deposits of $890.0 million and $347.1 million, respectively. These decreases were partly offset by higher certificate of deposit balances of $1.2 billion. Compared to the previous quarter, total average commercial, consumer, and wealth deposits declined $256.5 million, $189.5 million, and $123.4 million, respectively. These decreases were offset by $523.5 million of average brokered deposits, which are not reported in the Company’s operating segments. The average loans to deposits ratio was 66.2% in the current quarter and 65.0% in the prior quarter. The Company’s average borrowings, which included customer repurchase agreements of $2.2 billion, were $4.3 billion in the 2nd quarter of 2023 and $3.5 billion in the prior quarter.

Net Interest Income

Net interest income in the 2nd quarter of 2023 amounted to $249.5 million, a decrease of $2.1 million compared to the previous quarter. On a fully taxable-equivalent (FTE) basis, net interest income for the current quarter decreased $1.7 million from the previous quarter to $251.8 million. The decrease in net interest income was mostly due to higher interest expense, mostly offset by higher interest earned on loans and deposits with banks. The net yield (FTE) on earning assets decreased to 3.12%, from 3.26% in the prior quarter.

Compared to the previous quarter, interest income on loans (FTE) increased $17.6 million, due to higher average rates earned on all loan categories, coupled with higher average balances of all loan categories, except consumer credit cards. The average yield (FTE) on the loan portfolio increased 28 basis points to 5.84% this quarter.

Interest income on investment securities (FTE) increased $2.2 million compared to the prior quarter, due to higher rates earned, partly offset by lower average balances. Interest income earned on U.S. government and federal agency securities increased due to higher rates earned, which included the impact of $4.1 million in higher inflation income from Treasury inflation-protected securities this quarter. At June 30, 2023, the Company recorded a $1.7 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 2.37% in the current quarter, compared to 2.18% in the previous quarter.

Compared to the previous quarter, interest income on deposits with banks increased $19.9 million, mostly due to higher average balances of $1.5 billion coupled with higher average rates earned. The average yield on deposits with banks was 5.14% in the current quarter, compared to 4.67% in the prior quarter.

Interest expense increased $41.1 million, mostly due to higher rates paid on deposits and higher Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) borrowings. The average rate paid on interest bearing deposits totaled 1.29% in the current quarter compared to .71% in the prior quarter. Interest expense on deposits increased $26.4 million this quarter compared to the previous quarter. Interest expense on borrowings increased $14.8 million, due to a 64 basis point increase in the average rate paid coupled with higher average borrowings of $868.0 million. The overall rate paid on interest bearing liabilities was 1.87% in the current quarter compared to 1.20% in the prior quarter.

Non-Interest Income

In the 2^nd quarter of 2023, total non-interest income amounted to $147.6 million, an increase of $8.2 million compared to the same period last year and an increase of $10.0 million compared to the prior quarter. The increase in non-interest income compared to the same period last year was mainly due to higher bank card fees, letter of credit fees, and an increase in fair value adjustments recorded on the Company’s deferred compensation plan assets, which are held in a trust and recorded as both an asset and liability, affecting both other income and other expense. These increases were partly offset by lower deposit fees. The increase in non-interest income compared to the prior quarter was mainly due to higher bank card fees, letter of credit fees, trust fees, swap fees, and a gain on the sale of real estate recorded in the current quarter.

Total net bank card fees in the current quarter increased $5.9 million, or 13.3%, compared to the same period last year, and increased $3.1 million compared to the prior quarter. Net corporate card fees increased $4.5 million, or 18.3%, over the same quarter of last year mainly due to higher interchange fee income and lower rewards expense. Net debit card fees increased $807 thousand, or 7.7%, net merchant fees increased $425 thousand, or 8.6%, and net credit card fees increased $100 thousand, or 2.7%. Total net bank card fees this quarter were comprised of fees on corporate card ($29.2 million), debit card ($11.3 million), merchant ($5.4 million) and credit card ($3.8 million) transactions.

In the current quarter, trust fees increased $473 thousand, or 1.0%, 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 $2.9 million, or 11.5%, mainly due to lower overdraft and return item fees of $2.9 million.

Other non-interest income increased over the same period last year primarily due to higher swap fees of $1.1 million, higher letter of credit fees of $2.7 million, a $3.4 million increase in the deferred compensation adjustment previously mentioned, and a gain on the sale of real estate of $1.1 million recorded in the current quarter. These increases were partly offset by a decrease in tax credit sales fees of $1.5 million and the receipt of a $2.2 million life insurance death benefit recorded in the 2^nd quarter of 2022. For the 2^nd quarter of 2023, non-interest income comprised 37.2% of the Company’s total revenue.

Investment Securities Gains and Losses

The Company recorded net securities gains of $3.4 million in the current quarter, compared to losses of $306 thousand in the prior quarter and gains of $1.0 million in the 2nd quarter of 2022. Net securities gains in the current quarter primarily resulted from net fair value gains of $9.1 million on the Company’s private equity portfolio, partly offset by losses of $5.4 million realized on sales of available for sale debt securities.

Non-Interest Expense

Non-interest expense for the current quarter amounted to $227.6 million, compared to $213.5 million in the same period last year and $224.1 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, FDIC insurance expense, data processing and software expense, deconversion expense, travel and entertainment expense, and the deferred compensation adjustment previously mentioned. The increase in non-interest expense compared to the prior quarter was mainly due to higher full-time salaries expense, marketing expense, travel and entertainment expense and deconversion expense, partly offset by lower employee benefits expense and miscellaneous losses.

Compared to the 2nd quarter of last year, salaries and employee benefits expense increased $3.2 million, mostly due to higher full-time salaries expense of $6.9 million, or 7.6%. This increase was partly offset by lower incentive compensation of $5.7 million, largely the result of a $5.4 million accrual for special bonuses in 2022 that did not reoccur in 2023. Full-time equivalent employees totaled 4,680 and 4,579 at June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Compared to the same period last year, data processing and software expense increased $1.1 million due to higher bank card fees expense and increased costs for service providers. Other non-interest expense increased $8.4 million, mostly due to growth in deferred compensation, FDIC insurance, and travel and entertainment expense of $3.4 million, $1.8 million, and $797 thousand, respectively. Additionally, the Company recorded $2.1 million in deconversion expenses relating to the transition of Commerce Financial Advisors support to LPL Financial’s Institution Services platform.

Income Taxes

The effective tax rate for the Company was 22.0% in the current quarter, 21.6% in the previous quarter, and 21.7% in the 2nd quarter of 2022.

Credit Quality

Net loan charge-offs in the 2nd quarter of 2023 amounted to $6.5 million, compared to $6.8 million in the prior quarter and $4.0 million in the same period last year. The ratio of annualized net loan charge-offs to total average loans was .16% in the current quarter, .17% in the previous quarter, and .10% in the 2nd quarter of last year. Net loan charge-offs on personal banking loans decreased $90 thousand to $6.5 million, mainly due to lower overdraft loan net charge-offs, partly offset by higher consumer credit card loan net charge-offs.

In the 2nd quarter of 2023, annualized net loan charge-offs on average consumer credit card loans were 3.38%, compared to 3.15% in the previous quarter, and 2.19% in the same quarter last year. Consumer loan net charge-offs were .24% of average consumer loans in the current quarter, .25% in the prior quarter, and .12% in the same quarter last year.

At June 30, 2023, the allowance for credit losses on loans totaled $158.7 million, or .94% of total loans, and decreased $632 thousand compared to the prior quarter. Additionally, the liability for unfunded lending commitments at June 30, 2023 was $29.2 million, an increase of $607 thousand compared to the liability at March 31, 2023.

At June 30, 2023, total non-accrual loans amounted to $6.2 million, a decrease of $1.6 million compared to the previous quarter. At June 30, 2023, the balance of non-accrual loans, which represented .04% of loans outstanding, included business loans of $4.7 million, personal real estate loans of $1.3 million, and business real estate loans of $153 thousand. Loans more than 90 days past due and still accruing interest totaled $15.4 million at June 30, 2023.

Liquidity

During the 2nd quarter of 2023, the Company increased its deposit balance at the Federal Reserve Bank (FRB) by $1.2 billion to $2.6 billion. The change in the balance at the FRB was mostly the result of a $1.2 billion increase in total deposits and $702.3 million of sales, maturities, and paydowns in the available for sale debt securities portfolio, partly offset by a $500.0 million decrease in FHLB advances, a $220.8 million decrease in net fed funds purchased, and growth of $421.0 million in loan balances.

The Company regularly pledges loans and securities to the FRB and at June 30, 2023, the Company’s pledging resulted in a total borrowing capacity of $5.0 billion, or an increase of $1.2 billion compared to March 31, 2023. 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 2nd quarter of 2023, the Company reduced its outstanding borrowings from the FHLB by $500.0 million to $1.0 billion and had $1.1 billion of available borrowing capacity at June 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 $10.4 billion at June 30, 2023. Approximately $2.0 billion is expected to mature or pay down over the next 12 months. At June 30, 2023, the Company had pledged $8.1 billion of the securities portfolio. The Company also has a portfolio of $825.0 million in securities purchased under agreements to resell, of which $700.0 million are expected to mature over the next 12 months.

Other

During the 2nd 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 6,205 shares of treasury stock during the current quarter at an average price of $52.61. Additionally, the Company completed its acquisition of L.J. Hart and Company, a municipal bond underwriter and advisor, in June 2023.

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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