© Reuters.
Cathay General Bancorp (NASDAQ: NASDAQ:) reported a net income of $82.4 million in Q3 2023, marking an 11.6% decrease compared to the previous quarter. The company also reported slower loan growth due to the paydown of several large commercial loans. CEO Heng Chen remains optimistic about the future, with plans to focus on supporting existing clients, vetting new relationships for commercial and industrial loans, and expecting loan yields to increase in the fourth quarter.
Key takeaways from the call include:
- The company’s gross loans increased by $71 million, primarily driven by increases in commercial real estate loans and residential mortgage loans.
- Total deposits increased by $539 million, allowing the company to reduce its borrowings from the Federal Home Loan Bank.
- The company’s net interest margin was 3.38% in the third quarter, and noninterest income decreased by $15.3 million.
- The effective tax rate for the third quarter was 11%. The Tier 1 leverage capital ratio decreased slightly, while the Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio and total risk-based capital ratio increased.
- The bank expects loan yields to increase in the fourth quarter, driven by growth in the residential mortgage market and commercial real estate loans.
- The bank has an appetite for buybacks in the next 12 months, pending approval from the Fed.
According to InvestingPro data, Cathay General Bancorp has a market cap of $2420M USD and a P/E ratio of 6.36. The company’s revenue growth for the last twelve months stands at 17.43%, which is a positive sign for potential investors. The company’s return on assets for the last twelve months was 1.74%, indicating efficient use of its assets to generate profits.
Despite the decrease in net income, Cathay General Bancorp saw some positive trends in the third quarter. Gross loans increased, primarily due to an uptick in commercial real estate and residential mortgage loans. Total deposits also saw a substantial increase, allowing the company to reduce its borrowings from the Federal Home Loan Bank.
InvestingPro Tips suggests that Cathay General Bancorp has high earnings quality, with free cash flow exceeding net income. The company has also been consistently increasing earnings per share. This is an encouraging sign for investors as it shows the company’s ability to generate profits. For more insights like these, consider the InvestingPro product which offers additional tips.
CEO Heng Chen expressed optimism for the future, particularly in terms of loan growth. He noted that the loan pipeline for the fourth quarter indicates solid growth in the residential mortgage market, while commercial real estate is slowing down. The bank plans to focus on supporting existing clients and carefully vetting new relationships for commercial and industrial loans.
Chen also confirmed that the bank has an appetite for buybacks in the next 12 months, pending approval from the Fed. This move could potentially increase shareholder value and demonstrate the company’s confidence in its future prospects.
The company’s net interest margin was 3.38% in the third quarter, and noninterest income decreased by $15.3 million. However, the company expects its net interest margin for 2023 to be between 3.45% and 3.50%, indicating optimism for improved financial performance.
In terms of credit quality, Chen explained that the increase in nonaccrual in the construction portfolio was primarily driven by a partnership dispute in a Southern California hospitality asset and a repositioning play in a NorCal office building. The bank also added a single-family house in Pacific Palisades to its Other Real Estate Owned (OREO) assets.
In conclusion, while Cathay General Bancorp faced some challenges in Q3 2023, the company remains optimistic about the future. With plans for solid loan growth and potential buybacks, the company looks forward to its next quarterly earnings release call.
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