Guaranty Bancshares, Inc. (NYSE: GNTY) (the "Company"), the parent company of Guaranty Bank & Trust, N.A. (the "Bank"), today reported financial results for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2024. The Company's net income available to common shareholders was $7.4 million, or $0.65 per basic share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2024, compared to $6.7 million, or $0.58 per basic share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2024 and $9.6 million, or $0.82 per basic share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2023. Return on average assets and average equity for the second quarter of 2024 were 0.95% and 9.91%, respectively, compared to 0.85% and 8.93%, respectively, for the first quarter of 2024 and 1.17% and 12.87%, respectively, for the second quarter of 2023. The increase in earnings during the second quarter of 2024 compared to the first quarter of 2024 was primarily due to the $1.2 million reversal of the provision for credit losses during the second quarter. The decrease in earnings in the second quarter of 2024 compared to the second quarter of 2023 was primarily due to a decrease in noninterest income in the current quarter compared to the prior year quarter.

"Second quarter 2024 results were good and consistent with our expectations. Net interest margin continued to improve from 3.16% in the first quarter to 3.26% in the second quarter. Deposit balances have remained stable as we've strategically shrunk the balance sheet and repaid an additional $30.0 million in FHLB advances during the quarter, as well as purchased some higher-yielding investment securities. Credit quality overall remains manageable with low past-due and charge-off percentages. That, along with lower loan balances, resulted in a $1.2 million reverse provision for credit losses during the quarter. However, we are closely monitoring and working with a handful of one-off borrowers that are experiencing financial difficulties and have adjusted their risk ratings and loss reserve amounts accordingly. We believe our balance sheet is strong and positioned to go on the offensive as the economy improves and the Bank continues to provide consistent earnings results for our shareholders," said Ty Abston, the Company's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

QUARTERLY HIGHLIGHTS

• Growing Earnings and Improving NIM. Net interest margin, on a fully taxable equivalent basis, continued to improve in the second quarter, increasing to 3.26%, compared to 3.16% in the first quarter and 3.19% in the prior year quarter. Earnings also improved compared to the prior quarter, due to the improved net interest margin, reverse credit loss provisions, and lower employee and compensation expenses. The net interest improvements resulted primarily from a slow-down in deposit cost increases, while earning assets have continued to reprice upward.
  
  
  
  
• Good Asset Quality. We have experienced some risk rating downgrades as we work with certain borrowers that are experiencing cash flow and other challenges. However, we believe overall credit quality remains strong and the expected losses on deteriorating credits are low primarily due to the Bank's equity position and/or strong guarantor support. Nonperforming assets as a percentage of total assets were 0.71% at June 30, 2024, compared to 0.68% at March 31, 2024 and 0.11% at June 30, 2023. Net charge-offs (annualized) to average loans were 0.01% for the quarter ended June 30, 2024, compared to 0.02% for the quarter ended March 31, 2024, and 0.03% for the quarter ended June 30, 2023.
  
  
  
  There was a reverse provision to the allowance for credit losses of $1.2 million during the second quarter, in addition to the $250,000 reverse provision in the first quarter. Changes to historical and qualitative factors have been minimal during the first half of 2024, therefore the decrease in the allowance for credit losses is due primarily to the decreases in outstanding loan balances of $107.6 million, or 4.6%, since January 1, 2024, which were partially offset by an increase in special mention and substandard loans during the same period as we continue to work with some stressed borrowers.
  
  
  
  Nonperforming assets consist of both nonaccrual loans and other real estate owned (ORE). Nonaccrual loans represent 0.28% of total outstanding loan balances as of June 30, 2024 and consist primarily of smaller dollar consumer and small business loans. In the first quarter, we foreclosed on a multi-purpose commercial real estate loan in a vibrant location in the South Austin area and recorded other real estate owned of $14.9 million. As the property was prepared for sale and marketing in the second quarter, management applied a more conservative capitalization rate to estimate current value and applied a $900,000 valuation allowance during the quarter, which is included in other noninterest income on the income statement and explains the quarter-over-quarter decrease in that balance. During the second quarter, we also foreclosed on a single-family residential property with a fair value of $1.2 million. At this time, we do not expect additional valuation allowances or losses on the ORE.
  
  
  
  Commercial real estate (CRE) loans, particularly office related loans, have received increased scrutiny in recent months. As of June 30, 2024, our CRE loans and real estate C&D loans represent 40.6% and 10.4% of the total loan portfolio, respectively, and office-related loans represent 5.5% of the total loan portfolio with an average balance of $551,000.
  
  
  
  
• Granular and Consistent Core Deposit Base. As of June 30, 2024, we have 89,370 total deposit accounts with an average account balance of $29,385. We have a historically reliable core deposit base, with strong and trusted banking relationships. Total deposits decreased slightly by $1.7 million during the second quarter. DDA balances decreased $11.1 million, savings and MMDA balances decreased $21.9 million while time deposits increased $31.3 million. Excluding public funds and Bank-owned accounts, our uninsured deposits as of June 30, 2024 were 25.7% of total deposits.
  
  
  
  Interest rates paid on deposits during the quarter stabilized with minimal increases. Despite the decrease in DDA during the quarter, noninterest-bearing deposits still represent 31.2% of total deposits. Our cost of interest-bearing deposits increased seven basis points during the quarter from 3.25% in the prior quarter to 3.32%. This increase was primarily due to renewals of maturing certificates of deposit into new CDs paying higher rates and the shift from noninterest-bearing balances to interest-bearing. Our cost of total deposits for the second quarter of 2024 increased five basis points from 2.23% in the prior quarter to 2.28%^†.
  
  
  
  
• Healthy Capital and Liquidity. Our capital and liquidity ratios, as well as contingent liquidity sources, remain very healthy. During the second quarter of 2024, we repurchased 138,427 shares of our common stock, or 1.21% of our average shares outstanding during the period, at an average price of $29.56 per share. Our liquidity ratio, calculated as cash and cash equivalents and unpledged investments divided by total liabilities, was 13.6% as of June 30, 2024, compared to 12.9% as of June 30, 2023. Our total available contingent liquidity, net of current outstanding borrowings, was $1.3 billion, consisting of FHLB, FRB and correspondent bank fed funds and revolving lines of credit. Finally, our total equity to average quarterly assets as of June 30, 2024 was 9.9%. If we had to recognize our entire net unrealized losses on both AFS and HTM securities, our total equity to average assets ratio would be 9.1%^†, which we believe represents a strong capital level under regulatory requirements.

† Non-GAAP financial metric. Calculations of this metric and reconciliations to GAAP are included in the schedules accompanying this release.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Net interest income, before the provision for credit losses, in the second quarter of 2024 and 2023 was $23.9 million and $24.7 million, respectively, a decrease of $823,000, or 3.3%. The decrease in net interest income resulted from an increase in interest expense of $2.8 million, or 20.0%, compared to the prior year quarter, which was partially offset by an increase in interest income of $2.0 million, or 5.1%, from the same quarter in the prior year. The increases in both interest income and expense resulted primarily from higher rates during the period. Interest expense was also somewhat impacted by a shift from noninterest-bearing to interest-bearing deposit accounts, which resulted in increased expense in the second quarter of 2024 compared to the prior year quarter. Our noninterest-bearing deposits to total deposits were 31.2% and 35.2% as of June 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

Net interest margin, on a fully taxable equivalent basis, for the second quarter of 2024 and 2023 was 3.26% and 3.19%, respectively. Net interest margin, on a fully taxable equivalent basis, increased seven basis points primarily due to increases in interest earned on loans and available for sale securities during the period. The cost of interest-bearing liabilities increased 61 basis points from the prior year quarter, while interest-earning asset yields increased 57 basis points. The increase in the cost of interest-bearing liabilities was due primarily to an increase in the cost of interest-bearing deposits from 2.41% to 3.32%, a change of 91 basis points, in the second quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. The increases in cost were partially offset by increases in yield on the loan portfolio from 5.70% to 6.29%, or 59 basis points, as well as 97 and 14 basis point increases in yield on AFS and HTM securities, respectively. Although the cost of interest-bearing liabilities have repriced more quickly during this period, the weighted average yield on $73.5 million in new loans originated in the second quarter was 8.26%.

Net interest income, before the provision for credit losses, increased $293,000, or 1.2%, from $23.6 million in the first quarter of 2024 to $23.9 million in the second quarter of 2024. The increase in net interest income resulted primarily from an decrease in interest expense of $332,000, or 1.9%, compared to a decrease in interest income of only $39,000, or 0.1%.

Net interest margin, on a fully taxable equivalent basis, increased from 3.16% for the first quarter of 2024 to 3.26% for the second quarter of 2024, an increase of 10 basis points. The increase in net interest margin, on a fully taxable equivalent basis, was primarily due to an increase in loan yields from 6.21% for the first quarter of 2024 to 6.29% for the second quarter of 2024, a change of eight basis points, and a decrease in total interest-earning assets during the second quarter of 2024. This increase was partially offset by an increase in the cost of interest-bearing deposits from 3.25% in the first quarter of 2024 to 3.32% in the second quarter of 2024, a change of seven basis points.

We recorded a reverse provision for credit losses of $1.2 million and $250,000 during the second and first quarters of 2024, respectively. Our gross loan balances decreased by $50.3 million during the second quarter and by $107.6 million during the first half of 2024, while overall credit quality trends and economic forecast assumptions remained relatively stable. As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, our allowance for credit losses as a percentage of total loans was 1.32% and 1.33%, respectively.

Noninterest income decreased $3.3 million, or 41.6%, in the second quarter of 2024 to $4.6 million, compared to $7.9 million for the second quarter of 2023. The decrease from the same quarter in 2023 was primarily due to a one-time gain on the sale of nonmarketable correspondent bank stock of $2.8 million in the prior year quarter and a $900,000 ORE valuation allowance during the second quarter of 2024 (described further in the Quarterly Highlights above).

Noninterest expense increased $131,000, or 0.6%, in the second quarter of 2024 to $20.6 million, compared to $20.5 million for the second quarter of 2023. The increase in noninterest expense in the second quarter of 2024 was driven primarily by an increase in other noninterest expense of $393,000, or 32.5%, due to $222,000 in ORE expenses during the current quarter, as well as a $123,000 increase in losses sustained due to fraudulent check activity during the current quarter. Additionally, the Bank saw an increase in software and technology expense of $122,000, or 8.0%. These were partially offset by a $216,000, or 1.8%, decrease in employee compensation and benefits and a $144,000, or 14.6%, decrease in legal and professional fees compared to the second quarter of 2023.

Noninterest income in the second quarter of 2024 decreased by $659,000, or 12.5%, from $5.3 million in the first quarter of 2024. The decrease was primarily due to a decrease in other noninterest income of $1.1 million, or 94.3%, primarily the result of a $900,000 ORE valuation allowance during the second quarter of 2024. Additionally, there was $499,000 in prior write-down recoveries on receivables related to SBA loans during the first quarter of 2024 that were not present in the second quarter of 2024.

Noninterest expense decreased $90,000, or 0.4%, in the second quarter of 2024, from $20.7 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2024. The decrease resulted primarily from a $714,000, or 5.7%, decrease in employee compensation and benefits. There was a $287,000 higher expense in the first quarter related to our executive compensation program, which is primarily funded by the Company during the first quarter of each year. Payroll tax-related expense decreased by $192,000 from the first quarter to the second quarter due to bonus-related taxes paid during the first quarter. Bonus expense was decreased in the second quarter compared to the first quarter by $125,000 as production-related incentives are expected to be lower than originally accrued for. These decreases were partially offset by a $177,000, or 6.4%, increase in occupancy expenses, a $176,000, or 28.9%, increase in ATM and debit card expense and a $164,000, or 11.4%, increase in other noninterest expense during the second quarter of 2024 compared to the first quarter of 2024.

The Company’s efficiency ratio in the second quarter of 2024 was 72.34%, compared to 62.84% in the prior year quarter and 71.74% in the first quarter of 2024.

FINANCIAL CONDITION

Consolidated assets for the Company totaled $3.08 billion at June 30, 2024, compared to $3.13 billion at March 31, 2024 and $3.21 billion at June 30, 2023.

Gross loans decreased by $50.3 million, or 2.2%, during the quarter resulting in a gross loan balance of $2.21 billion at June 30, 2024, compared to $2.27 billion at March 31, 2024. Our decline in loans resulted primarily from tighter underwriting due to the current economic environment and from lower demand from potential borrowers.

Gross loans decreased $118.9 million, or 5.1%, from $2.33 billion at June 30, 2023. The decrease in gross loans during the second quarter of 2024 compared to the second quarter of 2023 resulted from tightened credit underwriting standards and loan terms, along with fewer borrower requests in response to higher interest rates and project costs.

Total deposits decreased by $1.7 million, or 0.1%, to $2.63 billion at June 30, 2024, compared to $2.63 billion at March 31, 2024, and increased $23.3 million, or 0.9%, from $2.60 billion at June 30, 2023. The decrease in deposits during the second quarter of 2024 compared to the first quarter of 2024 was the result of a decrease in noninterest-bearing deposits of $8.4 million, offset by an increase in interest-bearing deposits of $6.7 million. The increase in deposits during the current quarter compared to the prior year quarter resulted primarily from an increase in interest-bearing deposits of $118.4 million, partially offset by a decrease in noninterest-bearing deposits of $95.0 million.

Nonperforming assets as a percentage of total loans were 0.98% at June 30, 2024, compared to 0.94% at March 31, 2024 and 0.15% at June 30, 2023. Nonperforming assets as a percentage of total assets were 0.71% at June 30, 2024, compared to 0.68% at March 31, 2024, and 0.11% at June 30, 2023. The Bank's nonperforming assets consist primarily of other real estate owned and nonaccrual loans. The increase in nonperforming assets compared to the prior year quarter was primarily due to the increase in other real estate owned, which is described in the Quarterly Highlights above.

Total equity was $308.6 million at June 30, 2024, compared to $305.9 million at March 31, 2024 and $297.4 million at June 30, 2023. The increase in total equity compared to the prior quarter and prior year quarter resulted primarily from net income of $7.4 million during the second quarter and a positive shift in our net unrealized losses on securities compared to the prior periods. These increases were somewhat offset by the payment of dividends of $2.7 million during the second quarter of 2024, and a higher volume of stock share repurchases of $4.1 million during the second quarter of 2024 compared to prior quarters.