Fulton Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: FULT) (“Fulton” or the “Corporation”) reported net income available to common shareholders of $61.7 million, or $0.37 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2023, a decrease of $7.8 million, or 11.3%, in comparison to the third quarter of 2023. Operating net income available to common shareholders for the three months ended December 31, 2023 was $68.8 million, or $0.42 per diluted share⁽¹⁾.

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For the year ended December 31, 2023, net income available to common shareholders was $274.0 million, or $1.64 per diluted share, a decrease of $2.7 million, or 1.0%, in comparison to the same period in 2022. Operating net income available to common shareholders for the year-ended December 31, 2023 was $285.0 million, or $1.71 per diluted share⁽¹⁾.

During the fourth quarter of 2023, the Corporation launched the "FultonFirst" initiative that is focused on evaluating and improving how Fulton operates. Approximately $3.2 million was recorded in the fourth quarter of 2023 related to this initiative. Additionally, the Corporation recognized a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC") special assessment charge of $6.5 million.

"2023 was an extraordinary year and we were pleased with our results," said Curtis J. Myers, Chairman and CEO of Fulton Financial Corporation. "Our team advanced our strategic objectives. We grew loans and deposits in a challenging environment, delivered enhancements to the customer experience, continued to operate with excellence and served our stakeholders well. Looking forward, 2024 is full of opportunity."

Net Interest Income and Balance Sheet

Net interest income for the fourth quarter of 2023 was $212.0 million, a decrease of $1.8 million in comparison to the third quarter of 2023. The net interest margin for the fourth quarter of 2023 decreased four basis points, to 3.36%, in comparison to 3.40% in the third quarter of 2023.

The linked-quarter decrease in net interest income was primarily due to an increase in the rate on average interest-bearing deposits and a shift in the funding mix from noninterest-bearing demand deposits to interest-bearing deposits, partially offset by higher loan yields, a lower rate on borrowings and other interest-bearing liabilities, an increase in the average balance of net loans and a decrease in the average balance of borrowings and other interest-bearing liabilities.

An 11 basis point increase in the yield on average net loans and an increase in the average balance of net loans of $134.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2023 drove an increase in interest income of $7.8 million to $338.1 million in comparison to $330.4 million in the third quarter of 2023.

Interest expense on interest-bearing liabilities for the fourth quarter of 2023 increased by $9.6 million to $126.1 million in comparison to $116.5 million in the third quarter of 2023. The linked-quarter increase in interest expense in the fourth quarter of 2023 was primarily due to an increase in the rate on average interest-bearing deposits of 26 basis points, a decline of $232.3 million in the average balance of noninterest-bearing deposits and an increase in the average balance of interest-bearing deposits of $351.6 million in comparison to the third quarter of 2023, partially offset by a decrease in the rate on borrowings and other interest-bearing deposits of 16 basis points and a decrease in the average balance of borrowings and other interest-bearing deposits of $149.4 million.

For the fourth quarter of 2023, net interest income was $212.0 million, a decrease of $13.9 million, or 6.2%, in comparison to the fourth quarter of 2022. Interest income for the fourth quarter of 2023 increased by $70.3 million to $338.1 million in comparison to $267.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2022, primarily driven by rising interest rates resulting in an increase in interest income from net loans of $70.1 million. Increases in the average balance of net loans of $1.3 billion and in yields on net loans of 103 basis points in the fourth quarter of 2023 compared to the fourth quarter of 2022 each contributed to the increase in interest income. Interest expense on interest-bearing liabilities for the fourth quarter of 2023 increased by $84.2 million to $126.1 million in comparison to $41.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2022, primarily driven by rising interest rates resulting in increases in interest expense from interest-bearing deposits and borrowings and other interest-bearing liabilities of $74.3 million and $9.9 million, respectively. A decrease in the average balance of noninterest-bearing deposits of $1.9 billion and an increase in the average balances of interest-bearing deposits and borrowings and other interest-bearing liabilities of $2.3 billion and $516.2 million, respectively, in the fourth quarter of 2023 in comparison to the fourth quarter of 2022 also contributed to the increase in interest expense.

Total average interest-earning assets for the fourth quarter of 2023 were $25.6 billion, an increase of $61.8 million from the third quarter of 2023 primarily driven by an increase in average net loans of $134.5 million, partially offset by a decrease in average investment securities of $76.8 million.

Total average interest-earning assets for the fourth quarter of 2023 increased by $848.6 million from the fourth quarter of 2022. Average net loans for the fourth quarter of 2023 were $21.3 billion, an increase of $1.3 billion from the same period in 2022. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2022, average investment securities decreased $209.9 million and average other interest-earning assets decreased $192.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Total average interest-bearing liabilities increased $202.2 million to $18.6 billion in the fourth quarter of 2023 in comparison to $18.4 billion in the third quarter of 2023. The increase in average interest-bearing liabilities was driven by an increase in the average balance of total interest-bearing deposits of $351.6 million, partially offset by a decrease in the average balance of borrowings and other interest-bearing liabilities of $149.4 million.

Total average interest-bearing liabilities for the fourth quarter of 2023 increased $2.8 billion to $18.6 billion in comparison to $15.7 billion in the fourth quarter of 2022, driven by increases in the average balances of total interest-bearing deposits and borrowings and other interest-bearing liabilities of $2.3 billion and $0.5 billion, respectively.

Asset Quality

In the fourth quarter of 2023, a provision for credit losses of $9.8 million was recorded in comparison to $9.9 million in the third quarter of 2023 and $14.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2022. The provision for credit losses of $9.8 million recorded in the fourth quarter of 2023 was primarily due to loan growth and some weakening of credit metrics.

Non-performing assets were $154.2 million, or 0.56% of total assets, at December 31, 2023, in comparison to $143.5 million, or 0.52% of total assets, at September 30, 2023, and $177.7 million, or 0.66% of total assets, at December 31, 2022.

Net charge-offs for the fourth quarter of 2023 were 0.15% of total average loans in comparison to 0.10% and 0.23% in the third quarter of 2023 and the fourth quarter of 2022, respectively.

Non-interest Income

Non-interest income before investment securities gains (losses) in the fourth quarter of 2023 was $60.1 million, an increase of $4.2 million, or 7.4%, from the third quarter of 2023. The increase in non-interest income was primarily due to a $4.1 million linked-quarter net change from market movements in our commercial customer interest rate swap program resulting from the reference rate transition from the London Inter-Bank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") to the Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR"), reflected as an increase to other non-interest income. Additional contributors to the increase in non-interest income were increases of $1.4 million in commercial customer interest rate swap fee income, reflected in capital markets, and a $0.6 million increase in cash surrender value of life insurance policies, reflected in other income, partially offset by decreases in mortgage banking income, income from equity method investments, reflected in other income, and merchant and card income of $0.9 million, $0.7 million and $0.6 million, respectively.

Compared to the fourth quarter of 2022, non-interest income before investment securities gains (losses) in the fourth quarter of 2023 increased $5.8 million, or 10.7%, from $54.3 million. The increase in non-interest income was primarily due to increases of $1.9 million in wealth management revenues, $1.6 million in commercial customer interest rate swap fee income, reflected in capital markets, a $1.1 million market valuation movement in our commercial customer interest rate swap program resulting from the reference rate transition from LIBOR to SOFR and reflected as an increase to other non-interest income, a $0.7 million increase in cash surrender value of life insurance policies, reflected in other income, a $0.3 million increase in cash management fee income and a $0.3 million increase in gains on sale from Small Business Association ("SBA") loans, reflected in other commercial banking income.

Non-interest Expense

Non-interest expense was $180.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2023, an increase of $9.5 million, or 5.6%, compared to $171.0 million in the third quarter of 2023. The increase was primarily due to increases of $6.4 million in FDIC insurance expense, primarily due to the special assessment of $6.5 million charged to recover the loss to the Deposit Insurance Fund in connection with the closures of certain banks in 2023, $2.6 million in other outside services related to consulting fees incurred for the FultonFirst initiative, $1.6 million in marketing expense due to a targeted customer deposit acquisition program and brand marketing campaigns in growth markets, partially offset by a $0.7 million gain from debt extinguishment recorded in the fourth quarter of 2023, reflected in other expense. Included in salaries and benefits expense was $0.6 million for severance expense incurred as a result of the FultonFirst initiative.

Compared to the fourth quarter of 2022, non-interest expense, excluding merger-related expenses of $1.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2022, increased $14.0 million, or 8.4%. The increase was primarily due to increases of $7.9 million in FDIC insurance expense, primarily due to the special assessment of $6.5 million discussed above and the adoption of a final rule to increase base deposit insurance assessment rates effective January 1, 2023, $4.5 million in salaries and employee benefits expense, $3.8 million in other outside services expense driven by the FultonFirst initiative, partially offset by a $1.6 million decrease related to a contingent liability recorded in 2022 and a $0.7 million gain from debt extinguishment recorded in the fourth quarter of 2023, both reflected in other expense. The $4.5 million increase in salaries and benefits expense was primarily driven by annual merit increases, lower deferred employee loan origination costs, higher employee benefits expense, due to healthcare claims experience, and higher pension costs, partially offset by lower incentive plan compensation expense. Also included in salaries and benefits expense was $0.6 million for severance expense incurred as a result of the FultonFirst initiative.

Income Tax Expense

For 2023 the effective tax rate was 18.5% in comparison to 17.3% for 2022.

Additional information on Fulton is available on the Internet at www.fultonbank.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release may contain forward-looking statements with respect to the Corporation’s financial condition, results of operations and business. Do not unduly rely on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may," "should," "will," "could," "estimates," "predicts," "potential," "continue," "anticipates," "believes," "plans," "expects," "future," "intends," “projects,” the negative of these terms and other comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements may include projections of, or guidance on, the Corporation’s future financial performance, expected levels of future expenses, including future credit losses, anticipated growth strategies, descriptions of new business initiatives and anticipated trends in the Corporation’s business or financial results.

Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts, nor assurance of future performance. Instead, the statements are based on current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of the Corporation’s business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of the Corporation’s control, and actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not unduly rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement is based only on information currently available and speaks only as of the date when made. The Corporation undertakes no obligation, other than as required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

A discussion of certain risks and uncertainties affecting the Corporation, and some of the factors that could cause the Corporation's actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements, can be found in the sections entitled "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in the Corporation’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2023, June 30, 2023 and September 30, 2023 and other current and periodic reports, which have been, or will be, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and are, or will be, available in the Investor Relations section of the Corporation's website (www.fultonbank.com) and on the SEC's website (www.sec.gov).

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Corporation uses certain financial measures in this press release that have been derived from methods other than GAAP. These non-GAAP financial measures are reconciled to the most comparable GAAP measures in tables at the end of this press release.