Preferred Bank Posts $31.3M Q1 Profit, NIM Slips to 3.457%
Preferred Bank posted Q1 net income of $31.3M ($2.53/share), grew loans and deposits by 1.1% and 1.2%, and saw net interest margin fall to 3.457% from 3.74%. It repurchased 400,000 shares at $89–$90, sold $48.5M of nonperforming loans at par and forecasts NIM rebound to 3.70% by Q3.
1. Q1 Financial Results
Preferred Bank reported net income of $31.3 million, or $2.53 per share, in Q1; loans and deposits grew by 1.1% and 1.2% sequentially, while net interest margin declined to 3.457% from 3.74% due to nonrecurring interest income reversals.
2. Nonperforming Loans and Sales
The bank placed a $177 million commercial real estate and C&I relationship on nonaccrual, sold $48.5 million of the $76 million in held-for-sale loans at par on April 1, and is actively marketing remaining notes with a goal of resolving most nonperforming loans by Q3.
3. Expense, Deposit Costs and Asset Sensitivity
Non-interest expense remained stable at a 23.5% efficiency ratio in Q1, excluding over $1 million of payroll tax from bonus payouts; deposit costs are decreasing more slowly, and management maintains a near-neutral asset sensitivity profile to adapt to Federal Reserve actions.
4. Share Repurchases and Outlook
Preferred Bank repurchased approximately 400,000 shares at $89–$90 per share during the quarter and forecasts net interest margin to rebound toward 3.70% as interest reversals normalize and note sales contribute to income recovery.