United Bankshares, Inc. Announces Record Earnings for the Year 2020

United Bankshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: UBSI) (“United”), today reported earnings for the fourth quarter and the year of 2020. Earnings for the fourth quarter of 2020 were $92.4 million, or $0.71 per diluted share, as compared to earnings of $63.3 million, or $0.62 per diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2019. Earnings for the year of 2020 were a record $289.0 million as compared to earnings of $260.1 million for the year of 2019. Earnings per diluted share for the year of 2020 were $2.40 as compared to earnings per diluted share of $2.55 for the year of 2019.

Fourth quarter 2020 results produced annualized returns on average assets, average equity and average tangible equity of 1.41%, 8.51% and 14.72%, respectively compared to annualized returns on average assets, average equity and average tangible equity of 1.29%, 7.42% and 13.38%, respectively, for the fourth quarter of 2019. For the year of 2020, United’s returns on average assets, average equity and average tangible equity were 1.20%, 7.30% and 12.90%, respectively compared to returns on average assets, average equity and average tangible equity of 1.34%, 7.80% and 14.26%, respectively, for the year of 2019.

The record net income for the year of 2020, as compared to the year of 2019, was primarily due to higher income from mortgage banking activities, driven by an elevated volume of mortgage loan originations and sales in the secondary market, as well as the impact of the Carolina Financial Corporation (“Carolina Financial”) acquisition. Partially offsetting these increases in net income was higher provision for credit losses resulting from an adverse future macroeconomic forecast as a result of the coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic under the Current Expected Credit Loss (“CECL”) accounting standard and merger-related expenses related to the Carolina Financial acquisition.

“During the many challenges of 2020, United delivered a strong performance for our shareholders, our team members, our customers and our communities,” stated Richard M. Adams, United’s Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. “For 2020, we earned a record $289 million, increased our dividend for the 47th consecutive year, successfully completed the largest acquisition in our company’s history with Carolina Financial, and maintained our focus on meeting the needs of our customers, our employees and our communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. We enter 2021 with strong credit quality and regulatory ratios that position us well for continued success.”

The results of operations for Carolina Financial are included in the consolidated results of operations from the date of acquisition, May 1, 2020. As a result of the acquisition, the fourth quarter and year of 2020 reflected higher average balances, income, and expense as compared to the fourth quarter and year of 2020. In addition, the fourth quarter and year of 2020 included merger-related expenses of $558 thousand and $54.2 million, respectively, as compared to $589 thousand for both the fourth quarter and year of 2019.

Net Interest Income and Net Interest Margin

Net interest income for the fourth quarter of 2020 was $192.0 million, which was an increase of $50.7 million or 36% from the fourth quarter of 2019, primarily due to an increase in average earning assets from the Carolina Financial acquisition and Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans. Tax-equivalent net interest income, a non-GAAP measure which adjusts for the tax-favored status of income from certain loans and investments, for the fourth quarter of 2020 increased $50.9 million or 36% from the fourth quarter of 2019 to $193.0 million. Average earning assets for the fourth quarter of 2020 increased $6.0 billion or 35% from the fourth quarter of 2019 due to a $4.4 billion increase in average net loans and loans held for sale, a $1.2 billion increase in average short-term investments and a $395.1 million increase in average investment securities. The net interest spread for the fourth quarter of 2020 increased 36 basis points from the fourth quarter of 2019 due to a 102 basis point decrease in the average cost of funds primarily due to the decline in market interest rates from the fourth quarter of 2019. The increase in the net interest spread was partially offset by a 66 basis point decrease in the average yield on earning assets from the fourth quarter of 2019 due to the decline in market interest rates and the lower yield on PPP loans. Loan accretion on acquired loans was $10.9 million and $8.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2020 and 2019, respectively, an increase of $2.3 million, primarily driven by the accretion on loans acquired from the Carolina Financial acquisition. The net interest margin of 3.33% for the fourth quarter of 2020 was an increase of 4 basis points from the net interest margin of 3.29% for the fourth quarter of 2019.

Net interest income for the year of 2020 was $689.8 million, which was an increase of $111.9 million or 19% from the year of 2019, primarily due to an increase in average earning assets from the Carolina Financial acquisition. Tax-equivalent net interest income for the year of 2020 was $693.7 million, an increase of $112.0 million or 19% from the year of 2019. Average earning assets for the year of 2020 increased $4.2 billion or 25% from the year of 2019 due to a $3.2 billion increase in average net loans and loans held for sale, a $767.9 million increase in average short-term investments and a $293.2 million increase in average investment securities. The net interest spread for the year of 2020 increased 8 basis points from the year of 2019 due to an 80 basis point decrease in the average cost of funds partially offset by a 72 basis point decrease in the average yield on earning assets. Loan accretion on acquired loans was $41.8 million and $38.8 million for the year of 2020 and 2019, respectively, an increase of $3.0 million. The net interest margin of 3.24% for the year of 2020 was a decrease of 15 basis points from the net interest margin of 3.39% for the year of 2019.

On a linked-quarter basis, net interest income for the fourth quarter of 2020 increased $6.3 million or 3% from the third quarter of 2020. United’s tax-equivalent net interest income for the fourth quarter of 2020 also increased $6.3 million or 3% from the third quarter of 2020. The net interest spread for the fourth quarter of 2020 increased 21 basis points from the third quarter of 2020 due to an 18 basis point decrease in the average cost of funds and a 3 basis point increase in the average yield on earning assets. PPP loan fee income increased $2.2 million to $7.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2020 from the third quarter of 2020, driven by loan forgiveness. Average earning assets decreased approximately $302.1 million or 1% from the third quarter of 2020, driven by a decrease in average net loans and loans held for sale of $165.3 million and average short-term investments of $199.8 million from the third quarter of 2020. Loan accretion on acquired loans decreased approximately $815 thousand from the third quarter of 2020. The net interest margin of 3.33% for the fourth quarter of 2020 was an increase of 15 basis points from the net interest margin of 3.18% for the third quarter of 2020.

Credit Quality

United’s asset quality continues to be sound relative to the current economic environment. At December 31, 2020, nonperforming loans were $132.2 million, or 0.75% of loans & leases, net of unearned income, as compared to nonperforming loans of $131.1 million, or 0.96% of loans & leases, net of unearned income, at December 31, 2019. As of December 31, 2020, the allowance for loan losses was $235.8 million or 1.34% of loans & leases, net of unearned income, as compared to $77.1 million or 0.56% of loans & leases, net of unearned income, at December 31, 2019. The increase in the allowance for loan losses was due to the adoption of CECL, the impact of COVID-19 and the loans acquired from Carolina Financial. Total nonperforming assets of $154.8 million, including OREO of $22.6 million at December 31, 2020, represented 0.59% of total assets as compared to nonperforming assets of $146.6 million or 0.75% of total assets at December 31, 2019.

For the quarters ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, the provision for credit losses was $16.8 million and $5.9 million, respectively. The increase in the provision in relation to the prior year quarter was driven by the impact from the reasonable and supportable forecasts of future macroeconomic conditions used in the estimation of expected credit losses adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic under CECL. The provision for the year of 2020 was $106.6 million as compared to $21.3 million for the year of 2019. In addition to the impact of reasonable and supportable forecasts on reserves, the increase year over year was also driven by the provision for credit losses of $29.0 million recorded on purchased non-credit deteriorated (“non-PCD”) loans from the Carolina Financial acquisition. Net charge-offs were $6.9 million and $5.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2020 and 2019, respectively. Net charge-offs were $23.6 million and $21.0 million for the year of 2020 and 2019, respectively. Annualized net charge-offs as a percentage of average loans & leases, net of unearned income were 0.16% and 0.14% for the fourth quarter and year of 2020, respectively. On a linked-quarter basis, the provision for credit losses remained flat at $16.8 million.

Noninterest Income

Noninterest income for the fourth quarter of 2020 was $94.1 million, which was an increase of $56.8 million or 153% from the fourth quarter of 2019. The increase was driven by a $53.2 million increase in income from mortgage banking activities due to an elevated volume of mortgage loan originations and sales in the secondary market as well as the addition of mortgage banking operations from the Carolina Financial acquisition. Noninterest income for the fourth quarter of 2020 also included $2.3 million in mortgage loan servicing income.

Noninterest income for the year of 2020 was $354.7 million, which was an increase of $204.3 million or 136% from the year of 2019. The increase was due mainly to an increase of $189.1 million in income from mortgage banking activities. Net gains on investment securities were $3.2 million for the year of 2020 as compared to a net gain of $175 thousand for the year of 2019, an increase of approximately $3.0 million. Noninterest income for the year of 2020 also included $6.2 million in mortgage loan servicing income and a $2.2 million gain on the sale of a bank premises.

On a linked-quarter basis, noninterest income for the fourth quarter of 2020 decreased $41.4 million or 31% from the third quarter of 2020 primarily due to a decrease of $38.7 million in income from mortgage banking activities. Mortgage loan originations and sales volumes remained strong in the fourth quarter of 2020. The decrease in the fourth quarter of 2020 in relation to the third quarter of 2020 was primarily due to lower balances and volume of loans held for sale and loan commitments. The third quarter of 2020 also included a $2.2 million gain on the sale of a bank premises.

Noninterest Expense

Noninterest expense for the fourth quarter of 2020 was $156.1 million, an increase of $59.2 million or 61% from the fourth quarter of 2019. Employee compensation increased $32.6 million from the fourth quarter of 2019 due to the Carolina Financial acquisition as well as due to higher employee incentives and commissions expense mainly related to higher mortgage banking production. Additionally, noninterest expense increased from the fourth quarter of 2019 due to a $10.8 million increase in other expense, a $3.4 million increase in mortgage loan servicing expense and impairment, a $3.0 million increase in employee benefits, a $2.9 million increase in equipment expense and a $2.2 million increase in net occupancy expense. Within other expense, the largest drivers of the increase included an increase in the expense for the reserve for unfunded commitments of $3.3 million and an increase in the amortization of income tax credits of $1.9 million. The increases in employee benefits, equipment expense and occupancy expense were mainly from the Carolina Financial acquisition.

Noninterest expense for the year of 2020 was $578.2 million, an increase of $195.6 million or 51% from the year of 2019. Employee compensation increased $100.7 million from the year of 2019 due to the Carolina Financial acquisition as well as due to higher employee incentives and commissions expense mainly related to higher mortgage banking production. Additional employee benefit expense of $13.1 million and occupancy expense of $6.5 million were recognized in the year of 2020 mainly from the Carolina Financial acquisition. Data processing expense increased $13.2 million (including the Carolina Financial data processing contract termination penalty of $9.7 million recorded in the second quarter of 2020), mortgage loan servicing expense and impairment increased $9.0 million (including $1.4 million temporary impairment on mortgage servicing rights) and prepayment penalties on the early payoff of long-term FHLB advances increased $5.3 million. Other expense also increased $39.1 million due to an increase in merger-related expenses of $10.7 million associated with the Carolina Financial acquisition, an increase in the expense for the reserve for unfunded commitments of $11.0 million, and an increase in the amortization of income tax credits of $5.7 million which reduces the effective tax rate.

On a linked-quarter basis, noninterest expense for the fourth quarter of 2020 decreased $15.5 million or 9% from the third quarter of 2020 due primarily to the $10.4 million in prepayment penalties on the early payoff of three long-term FHLB advances recognized in the third quarter of 2020. Additionally, employee compensation decreased $7.5 million due a decline in salaries expense as a result of fewer employees and lower employee incentives and commissions expense recognized in the fourth quarter of 2020 related primarily to mortgage banking production.

Income Tax Expense

For the fourth quarter and year of 2020, income tax expense was $20.8 million and $70.7 million as compared to $12.5 million and $64.3 million, respectively, for the fourth quarter and year of 2019. The increase in the comparative quarter and year periods was due to overall higher earnings. On a linked-quarter basis, income tax expense decreased $8.1 million due to lower earnings and a lower effective tax rate primarily as a result of an increased benefit from income tax credits. United’s effective tax rate was 18.4% for the fourth quarter of 2020, 16.5% for the fourth quarter of 2019 and 21.8% for the third quarter of 2020. For the year of 2020 and 2019, United's effective tax rate was 19.7% and 19.8%, respectively.

Regulatory Capital

United continues to be well-capitalized based upon regulatory guidelines. United’s estimated risk-based capital ratio is 15.6% at December 31, 2020 while its estimated Common Equity Tier 1 capital, Tier 1 capital and leverage ratios are 13.3%, 13.3% and 10.3%, respectively. The December 31, 2020 ratios reflect United’s election of a five-year transition provision, allowed by the Federal Reserve Board and other federal banking agencies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, to delay for two years the full impact of CECL on regulatory capital, followed by a three-year transition period. The regulatory requirements for a well-capitalized financial institution are a risk-based capital ratio of 10.0%, a Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio of 6.5%, a Tier 1 capital ratio of 8.0% and a leverage ratio of 5.0%.

About United Bankshares, Inc.

As of December 31, 2020, United had consolidated assets of approximately $26.2 billion. United is the parent company of United Bank, the largest community bank headquartered in the D.C. Metro region. United Bank has 230 offices in West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and the nation’s capital. United’s stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the quotation symbol “UBSI”.

Cautionary Statements

The Company is required under generally accepted accounting principles to evaluate subsequent events through the filing of its December 31, 2020 consolidated financial statements on Form 10-K. As a result, the Company will continue to evaluate the impact of any subsequent events on critical accounting assumptions and estimates made as of December 31, 2020 and will adjust amounts preliminarily reported, if necessary.

Use of non-GAAP Financial Measures

This press release contains certain financial measures that are not recognized under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"). Generally, United has presented these “non-GAAP” financial measures because it believes that these measures provide meaningful additional information to assist in the evaluation of United’s results of operations or financial position. Presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is consistent with how United’s management evaluates its performance internally and these non-GAAP financial measures are frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties in the evaluation of companies in the banking industry.

Specifically, this press release contains certain references to financial measures identified as tax-equivalent (FTE) net interest income, tangible equity, return on tangible equity and tangible book value per share. Management believes these non-GAAP financial measures to be helpful in understanding United’s results of operations or financial position.

Net interest income is presented in this press release on a tax-equivalent basis. The tax-equivalent basis adjusts for the tax-favored status of income from certain loans and investments. Although this is a non-GAAP measure, United’s management believes this measure is more widely used within the financial services industry and provides better comparability of net interest income arising from taxable and tax-exempt sources. United uses this measure to monitor net interest income performance and to manage its balance sheet composition. The tax-equivalent adjustment combines amounts of interest income on federally nontaxable loans and investment securities using the statutory federal income tax rate of 21%.

Tangible common equity is calculated as GAAP total shareholders’ equity minus total intangible assets. Tangible common equity can thus be considered the most conservative valuation of the company. Tangible common equity is also presented on a per common share basis and considering net income, a return on average tangible equity. Management provides these amounts to facilitate the understanding of as well as to assess the quality and composition of United’s capital structure. By removing the effect of intangible assets that result from merger and acquisition activity, the “permanent” items of common equity are presented. These measures, along with others, are used by management to analyze capital adequacy and performance.

Where non-GAAP financial measures are used, the comparable GAAP financial measure, as well as reconciliation to that comparable GAAP financial measure can be found in the attached financial information tables to this press release. Investors should recognize that United’s presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures might not be comparable to similarly titled measures at other companies. These non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered a substitute for GAAP basis measures and United strongly encourages a review of its condensed consolidated financial statements in their entirety.

Forward-Looking Statements

In this report, we have made various statements regarding current expectations or forecasts of future events, which speak only as of the date the statements are made. These statements are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are also made from time-to-time in press releases and in oral statements made by the officers of the Company. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of the words “expect,” “may,” “could,” “intend,” “project,” “estimate,” “believe,” “anticipate,” and other words of similar meaning. Such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and estimates, which although believed to be reasonable, may turn out to be incorrect, such as statements about the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, undue reliance should not be placed upon these estimates and statements. United cannot assure that any of these statements, estimates, or beliefs will be realized and actual results may differ from those contemplated in these “forward-looking statements.” The following factors, among others, could cause the actual results of United’s operations to differ materially from its expectations: the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the negative impacts and disruptions on United’s colleagues, the communities United serves, and the domestic and global economy, which may have an adverse effect on United’s business; current and future economic and market conditions, including the effects of declines in housing prices, high unemployment rates, U.S. fiscal debt, budget and tax matters, geopolitical matters, and any slowdown in global economic growth; fiscal and monetary policies of the Federal Reserve Board; the effect of changes in the level of checking or savings account deposits on United’s funding costs and net interest margin; future provisions for credit losses on loans and debt securities; changes in nonperforming assets; the successful integration of operations of Carolina Financial Corporation; competition; and changes in legislation or regulatory requirements. For more information about factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from United’s expectations, refer to its reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the discussion under “Risk Factors” in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on its website at www.sec.gov. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and United undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. You are advised to consult further disclosures United may make on related subjects in our filings with the SEC.