Hilltop Holdings Inc. Announces Financial Results for Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2020

DALLAS-(BUSINESS WIRE)-Hilltop Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HTH) (“Hilltop”) today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2020. Hilltop produced income from continuing operations to common stockholders of $112.7 million, or $1.30 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2020, compared to $43.7 million, or $0.48 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2019. Income from continuing operations to common stockholders for the full year 2020 was $409.4 million, or $4.58 per diluted share, compared to $211.3 million, or $2.29 per diluted share, for the full year 2019. Hilltop’s financial results from continuing operations for the fourth quarter and full year 2020 reflect a significant increase in mortgage origination segment net gains from sale of loans and other mortgage production income.

Including income from discontinued operations related to the insurance business, income applicable to common stockholders was $116.4 million, or $1.35 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2020, compared to $49.3 million, or $0.54 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2019, and $447.8 million, or $5.01 per diluted share, for full year 2020, compared to $225.3 million, or $2.44 per diluted share, for full year 2019.

Hilltop also announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.12 per common share, a 33% increase from the prior quarter, payable on February 26, 2021, to all common stockholders of record as of the close of business on February 15, 2021.

Additionally, during 2020, Hilltop paid $208.7 million to repurchase approximately 8.78 million shares of its common stock at a weighted average price of $23.76 pursuant to the 2020 stock repurchase program, and inclusive of the tender offer completed in November 2020. These shares were returned to the pool of authorized but unissued shares of common stock. The previously authorized stock repurchase program was active through April 2020 when, in light of the uncertain outlook for 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hilltop Board of Directors suspended the stock repurchase program. Based on Hilltop’s expected ability to maintain strong capital and liquidity to meet the needs of its customers and communities during this exceptional period of economic uncertainty, and given that the previously noted stock repurchase program expired in January 2021, the Hilltop Board of Directors authorized, subject to regulatory review, a new stock repurchase program through January 2022, under which Hilltop may repurchase, in the aggregate, up to $75.0 million of its outstanding common stock.

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted financial markets and overall economic conditions, and is expected to continue to have implications on our business and operations. The extent of the impact of COVID-19 on our operational and financial performance for 2021 is dependent on certain developments, including, among others, the broader adverse implications of COVID-19 on our customers and clients, potential further disruption and deterioration in the financial services industry, including the mortgage servicing and commercial paper markets, and additional, or extended, federal, state and local government orders and regulations that might be imposed in response to the pandemic, all of which are uncertain.

Jeremy B. Ford, President and CEO of Hilltop, said, “Hilltop’s strong fourth quarter caps off a remarkable, yet unprecedented year. 2020 was a record-breaking year for our company, as PrimeLending funded a record 84 thousand residential mortgage loans, HilltopSecurities generated record net revenue of over $530 million, and Hilltop produced record consolidated earnings. While the pandemic created unique challenges, I could not be prouder of our teammates across the franchise and how they responded to take care of our clients and the communities we serve. Notably, our team at PlainsCapital Bank originated approximately 2,800 PPP loans and deferred loan payments for their commercial and consumer clients that were most impacted by the pandemic.

“Although the pandemic caused Hilltop to change the way we work, it did not deter our team from making progress on large and complex initiatives. By leveraging shared services, the coordinated efforts of our technology, properties management and human resources groups enabled us to effectively transition to a work-from-home model for a majority of our employees since last March. Further, we completed the implementation of our new mortgage loan origination system at PrimeLending and the core operating system at HilltopSecurities, both of which are foundational for the future growth in these businesses.

“As we embark upon 2021, we believe Hilltop is well positioned with established businesses, synchronized leadership and robust capital. We also believe our dividend increase and share repurchase authorization demonstrate the strength and momentum of our franchise.”

Fourth Quarter 2020 Highlights for Hilltop:

• For the fourth quarter of 2020, net gains from sale of loans and other mortgage production income and mortgage loan origination fees within our mortgage origination segment was $297.6 million, compared to $157.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2019, an 88.9% increase;
  • Mortgage loan origination production volume was $6.8 billion during the fourth quarter of 2020, compared to $4.4 billion in the fourth quarter of 2019.
• The reversal of credit losses was $3.5 million during the fourth quarter of 2020, compared to $0.6 million in the third quarter of 2020;
  • The reversal of credit losses during the fourth quarter of 2020 primarily reflected improvements in Bank loan portfolio macroeconomic factor assumptions and qualitative factors from the prior quarter, partially offset by the identified changes in the loan portfolio composition and credit quality.
• Hilltop’s consolidated annualized return on average assets and return on average equity for the fourth quarter of 2020 were 2.83% and 20.56%, respectively, compared to 1.40% and 9.43%, respectively, for the fourth quarter of 2019;
• Hilltop’s book value per common share increased to $28.28 at December 31, 2020, compared to $26.72 at September 30, 2020;
• Hilltop’s total assets were $16.9 billion at both December 31, 2020 and September 30, 2020;
• Loans¹, net of allowance for credit losses, were $7.1 billion at December 31, 2020, compared to $7.3 billionSeptember 30, 2020;
  • Includes supporting our impacted banking clients through funding of over 2,800 loans through the Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP, with a remaining balance of approximately $487 million as of December 31, 2020, compared to approximately $671 million as of September 30, 2020.
• Non-performing loans were $79.9 million, or 0.76% of total loans, at December 31, 2020, compared to $84.0 million, or 0.80% of total loans, at September 30, 2020;
• During the fourth quarter of 2020, we further supported our impacted banking clients through the approval of COVID-19 related loan modifications, resulting in active deferrals that have not reached the end of their deferral period of approximately $240 million as of December 31, 2020;
  • As of September 30, 2020 and June 30, 2020, active COVID-19 related loan modifications totaled approximately $291 million and $968 million, respectively;
  • During the third and fourth quarters of 2020, COVID-19 related loan modifications of approximately $714 million have made at least one payment pursuant to agreed-upon contractual terms;
  • The extent of these loans progressing into non-performing loans during future periods is uncertain.
• Loans held for sale increased by 9.4% from September 30, 2020 to $2.8 billion at December 31, 2020;
• Total deposits were $11.2 billion at December 31, 2020, compared to $11.3 billion at September 30, 2020;
• Hilltop maintained strong capital levels with a Tier 1 Leverage Ratio² of 12.64% and a Common Equity Tier 1 Capital Ratio of 18.97% at December 31, 2020;
  • Capital ratios reflect Hilltop’s decision to elect the transition option as issued by the federal banking regulatory agencies in March 2020 that permits banking institutions to mitigate the estimated cumulative regulatory capital effects from CECL over a five-year transitionary period.
• Hilltop’s consolidated net interest margin³ increased to 2.71% for the fourth quarter of 2020, compared to 2.56% in the third quarter of 2020;
• For the fourth quarter of 2020, noninterest income from continuing operations was $447.9 million, compared to $263.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2019, a 69.9% increase;
• For the fourth quarter of 2020, noninterest expense from continuing operations was $402.3 million, compared to $307.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2019, a 30.7% increase; and
• Hilltop’s effective tax rate from continuing operations was 25.1% during the fourth quarter of 2020, compared to 22.8% during the same period in 2019.

Discontinued Operations

On June 30, 2020, Hilltop completed the sale of National Lloyds Corporation, or NLC, which comprised the operations of its former insurance segment, for cash proceeds of $154.1 million. Insurance segment results and its assets and liabilities have been presented as discontinued operations. Included within discontinued operations of corporate for the fourth quarter of 2020 is the recognition of a pre-tax post-closing adjustment gain of $3.7 million related to the finalization of the June 30, 2020 closing balance sheet, resulting in an aggregate gain on sale of NLC of $36.8 million, net of transaction costs. The resulting book gain from this sale transaction was not recognized for tax purposes pursuant to the rules promulgated under the Internal Revenue Code.

Conference Call Information

Hilltop will host a live webcast and conference call at 8:00 AM Central (9:00 AM Eastern) on Friday, January 29, 2021. Hilltop President and CEO Jeremy B. Ford and Hilltop CFO William B. Furr will review fourth quarter and full year 2020 financial results. Interested parties can access the conference call by dialing 1-877-508-9457 (domestic) or 1-412-317-0789 (international). The conference call also will be webcast simultaneously on Hilltop’s Investor Relations website (http://ir.hilltop-holdings.com).

About Hilltop

Hilltop Holdings is a Dallas-based financial holding company. Its primary line of business is to provide business and consumer banking services from offices located throughout Texas through PlainsCapital Bank. PlainsCapital Bank’s wholly owned subsidiary, PrimeLending, provides residential mortgage lending throughout the United States. Hilltop Holdings’ broker-dealer subsidiaries, Hilltop Securities Inc. and Hilltop Securities Independent Network Inc., provide a full complement of securities brokerage, institutional and investment banking services in addition to clearing services and retail financial advisory. At December 31, 2020, Hilltop employed approximately 4,900 people and operated approximately 420 locations in 48 states. Hilltop Holdings’ common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “HTH.” Find more information at Hilltop-Holdings.com, PlainsCapital.com, PrimeLending.com and Hilltopsecurities.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and, except as required by law, we do not assume any duty to update forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning such things as our plans, objectives, strategies, expectations, intentions and other statements that are not statements of historical fact, and may be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “building,” “could,” “estimates,” “expects,” “extent,” “forecasts,” “goal,” “guidance,” “intends,” “may,” “might,” “outlook,” “plan,” “probable,” “progressing,” “projects,” “seeks,” “should,” “target,” “view,” “will” or “would” or the negative of these words and phrases or similar words or phrases. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements: (i) the COVID-19 pandemic and the response of governmental authorities to the pandemic, which have caused and are causing significant harm to the global economy and our business; (ii) the credit risks of lending activities, including our ability to estimate credit losses, as well as the effects of, and trends in, loan delinquencies and write-offs; (iii) effectiveness of our data security controls in the face of cyber attacks; (iv) changes in general economic, market and business conditions in areas or markets where we compete, including changes in the price of crude oil; (v) risks associated with concentration in real estate related loans; and (vi) changes in the interest rate environment and transitions away from the London Interbank Offered Rate. For further discussion of such factors, see the risk factors described in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

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Investor Relations Contact:
Erik Yohe
214-525-4634
eyohe@hilltop-holdings.com

Source: Hilltop Holdings Inc.