WESTBURY, N.Y., July 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

New York Community Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: NYCB) (the "Company") today reported net income for the three months ended June 30, 2018 of $107.4 million, up about 1% from the $106.6 million reported for the three months ended March 31, 2018, and down 7% compared to the $115.3 million reported for the three months ended June 30, 2017.

Net income available to common shareholders was $99.1 million, also up about 1% compared to $98.3 million in the prior quarter, but down 7% from the $107.0 million in the year-ago quarter.

On a per share basis, diluted earnings per common share ("EPS") for the three months ended June 30, 2018 were $0.20, unchanged from the prior quarter and compared to $0.22 for the three months ended June 30, 2017.

Commenting on the Company's second quarter performance, President and Chief Executive Officer, Joseph R. Ficalora stated, "Our second quarter 2018 performance and operating results reflect the strategy we have outlined in the past. That is, grow our assets, reinvest our excess liquidity, and reduce operating expenses. In addition, we are pleased with the passage of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (the "Dodd-Frank Reform Act"), late in the second quarter, and believe we are poised to benefit from its enactment.

"Over the past several years, we have restricted our balance sheet growth in order to stay below the $50 billion in assets SIFI threshold. With the threshold lifted, our assets this quarter grew 7% on an annualized basis compared to March 31, 2018, to $50.5 billion as we continued to grow our loan portfolio. Our held-for-investment loan portfolio grew 6% on an annualized basis to $39.4 billion. This includes 8% annualized growth in our multi-family portfolio and 26% annualized growth in our C&I portfolio, which is comprised mostly of specialty finance loans. Since we launched this business five years ago, this portfolio has grown at a compounded annual rate of 67%, while credit losses have been zero. With the SIFI threshold increased to $250 billion, we expect continued loan growth going forward.

"Our asset quality remains pristine, despite our strong loan growth as we continue to adhere to our strict underwriting standards. In fact, our asset quality metrics improved this quarter on both a year-over-year and linked-quarter basis. Our core loan portfolio continues to generate little to no losses. In fact, combined, we had net recoveries on our multi-family and commercial real estate portfolios this quarter.

"Also, with the passage of the Dodd-Frank Reform Act, during the current quarter, the Company initiated its reinvestment strategy and re-deployed a portion of its excess cash position into higher yielding, shorter duration investment securities. We expect to continue to re-deploy our cash into higher yielding loans and securities throughout the rest of the year, subject to market conditions.

"Another benefit from the Dodd-Frank Reform Act will be lower operating expenses going forward. During the current second quarter, operating expenses declined $25.6 million or 16% on a year-over-year basis. On a year-to-date basis, operating expenses are down $53.3 million or 16% compared to the first six months of 2017. We remain on track to meet or exceed the $100 million in expense reductions in 2018 that we previously discussed. In addition, with Dodd-Frank reform completed, we expect additional opportunities to reduce expenses further over the next 18 months."

Board of Directors Declares $0.17 per Common Share Dividend Payable on August 21, 2018

Reflecting our earnings and our capital position, the Board of Directors yesterday declared a quarterly cash dividend on the Company's common stock of $0.17 per share. The dividend is payable on August 21, 2018 to common shareholders of record as of August 7, 2018, and represents a dividend yield of 6.0% based on yesterday's closing price.

BALANCE SHEET SUMMARY

Total assets at June 30, 2018 were $50.5 billion, up $1.3 billion or 3% from year-end 2017 and up 7% annualized from the level at March 31, 2018. Total loans held for investment increased $1.1 billion or 3% to $39.4 billion from December 31, 2017 and $558.4 million or 6% annualized compared to the balance at March 31, 2018. As in previous quarters, overall loan growth was driven by our multi-family loans, which ended the quarter at $29.2 billion, up $1.1 billion or 4% compared to the balance at year-end 2017 and $556.1 million or 8% annualized compared to the balance at March 31, 2018. During the current second quarter, the Company re-deployed a portion of its excess cash position by purchasing investment securities. Accordingly, the balance of available-for-sale securities increased $730.9 million to $4.1 billion compared to the prior quarter and by $591.5 million from year-end 2017.

This quarter's growth was funded by a combination of deposits and wholesale borrowings. Total deposits increased $320.4 million to $29.6 billion, compared to the prior quarter, up 4% annualized and $453.7 compared to year-end 2017. The deposit growth was centered on certificates of deposit ("CDs"). Wholesale borrowings rose $450 million sequentially or 14% annualized and $880.0 million compared to the balance at year-end 2017.

Loans

Loans Held for Investment

Loans held for investment, net totaled $39.3 billion at June 30, 2018, a $1.1 billion improvement from year-end 2017 and a $558.9 million or 6% annualized increase from the prior quarter. Both the year-to-date and sequential quarter improvements were driven by growth in the multi-family and commercial and industrial ("C&I") loan portfolios. Total multi-family loans grew $556.1 million or 8% on an annualized basis compared to the prior quarter and $1.1 billion on a year-to-date basis. C&I loans increased $134.1 million or 26% on an annualized basis compared to the prior quarter and $128.8 million on a year-to-date basis.

Commercial real estate ("CRE") loans declined $98.9 million to $7.2 billion or 5% annualized compared to the first quarter of the year and dropped $168.4 million year-to-date. Acquisition, development, and construction ("ADC") loans declined $17.0 million sequentially to $424.6 million or 15% and $11.2 million compared to December 31, 2017.

Originations

Total loans originated for investment of $2.9 billion nearly doubled on a year-over-year basis and increased 22% compared to the first quarter of 2018. With the exception of ADC and one-to-four family loans, originations increased across the board.

Pipeline

The current pipeline stands at approximately $1.8 billion. This includes $1.2 billion in multi-family loans, $254 million in CRE loans, and $165 million in specialty finance loans.

Funding Sources

Deposits

Deposits totaled $29.6 billion at June 30, 2018 and represented a $320.4 million or a 4% annualized sequential increase and a $453.7 million increase on a year-to-date basis. The deposit mix and customer preference continues to move toward short-term CDs. As such, our CD balances increased $1.2 billion or 14% on a sequential basis and $1.7 billion year-to-date. The remaining deposit categories declined on both a sequential and year-to-date basis, except for non-interest bearing accounts, which increased $185.8 million on a year-to-date basis.

Borrowed Funds

Total borrowed funds were $13.8 billion at June 30, 2018, up $450.1 million or 13% on an annualized basis compared to the balance at March 31, 2018, and increased $880.2 million compared to the balance at December 31, 2017. The entire increase for both periods was related to higher balances of wholesale borrowings.

Stockholders' Equity

Total stockholders' equity at June 30, 2018 was $6.8 billion, unchanged from the level at March 31, 2018 and up $54.6 million from the level at June 30, 2017.

Common stockholders' equity to total assets represented 12.46% at June 30, 2018, compared to 12.64% and 12.89%, at March 31, 2018 and June 30, 2017, respectively.

Book value per common share equaled $12.82 at June 30, 2018, compared to $12.80 at March 31, 2018 and $12.74 at June 30, 2017.

Excluding goodwill of $2.4 billion, tangible common stockholders' equity totaled $3.9 billion at June 30, 2018 compared to $3.8 billion at both March 31, 2018 and June 30, 2017.

Tangible common stockholders' equity to tangible assets was 8.02%, 8.14%, and 8.27%, respectively, at June 30, 2018, March 31, 2018, and June 30, 2017.

Tangible book value per share equaled $7.85 at June 30, 2018, $7.83 at March 31, 2018, and $7.76 at June 30, 2017.

Asset Quality

Total non-performing assets ("NPAs") declined $18.2 million or 20% to $70.7 million or 0.14% of total assets at June 30, 2018, compared to $88.8 million or 0.18% of total assets at March 31, 2018, and decreased $20.9 million or 23% compared to $91.6 million or 0.20% of total assets at June 30, 2017.

The majority of the improvements in our NPAs stemmed from large decreases in non-performing mortgage loans ("NPLs"). NPLs declined 23% on a sequential basis and 31% on a year-over-year basis to $56.5 million, representing 14 basis points of total loans. The majority of NPLs are taxi medallion-related loans which were $43.5 million for the current second quarter compared to $44.8 million in the prior quarter and $48.3 million in the year-ago quarter.

Repossessed assets of $14.2 million were down 8% compared to March 31, 2018, but increased 48% compared to June 30, 2017.

During the current second quarter, the Company recorded net charge-offs of $5.2 million or 0.01% of average loans, down 20% compared to the $6.5 million or 0.02% recorded during the prior quarter and down 54% compared to the $11.4 million or 0.03% recorded during the year-ago quarter. The majority of this quarter's charge-offs were taxi medallion-related. At June 30, 2018, the Company's total taxi medallion-related exposure was $85.8 million compared to $95.4 million in the prior quarter.

EARNINGS SUMMARY FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2018

For the three months ended June 30, 2018, the Company reported net income of $107.4 million, up 1% from the $106.6 million reported for the three months ended March 31, 2018, but down 7% from the $115.3 million reported for the three months ended June 30, 2017.

Net income available to common shareholders was $99.1 million for the current second quarter period, up 1% from the trailing three months and down 7% from the prior year.

Diluted EPS for the three months ended June 30, 2018 were $0.20 compared to $0.20 for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and $0.22 for the three months ended June 30, 2017.

Net Interest Income

Net interest income for the three months ended June 30, 2018 totaled $264.0 million, down 8% on a year-over-year basis and down 2% on a sequential basis. The decline relative to both periods was the result of higher deposit balances, specifically CDs, and higher levels of wholesale borrowings along with higher rates paid during the quarter on those balances. These increases were somewhat mitigated by an increase in interest income compared to prior periods, as our loan growth continued, along with higher yields on those loan balances, and the reinvestment of excess liquidity into securities.

Net Interest Margin

The net interest margin for the second quarter of 2018 decreased nine basis points to 2.33% compared to the first quarter of 2018 and 32 basis points compared to the second quarter of 2017. Excluding the contribution to net interest income from prepayment income, the second quarter 2018 net interest margin declined 10 basis points to 2.19% compared to the first quarter of 2018 and 32 basis points compared to the second quarter of 2017.

Provision for Loan Losses

The provision for loan losses for the second quarter of 2018 was $4.7 million, down 51% compared to the first quarter of 2018 and 60% compared to the second quarter of 2017.

Non-Interest Income

Non-interest income for the second quarter of 2018 totaled $22.7 million, down modestly from the $22.9 million reported in the first quarter of 2018 and down 55% from the $50.4 million reported in the second quarter of 2017.

Non-Interest Expense

Total non-interest expense for the second quarter of 2018 was $138.1 million. Included in this amount was approximately $1.0 million related to a write down on taxi medallion-related repossessed assets. The year-over-year improvement was driven by lower compensation and benefits expense and lower general and administrative expense offset by a slight increase in occupancy and equipment expense. The linked-quarter improvement was due to lower compensation and benefits expense.

The efficiency ratio was 48.19% in the second quarter as compared to 47.45% in the first quarter of 2018 and 48.41% in the second quarter of 2017.

Income Tax Expense

The Company recorded an effective tax rate of 25.35% during the current second quarter and income tax expense of $36.5 million. This is slightly lower than the 26.25% tax rate in the prior quarter and well-below the 36.22% tax rate recorded in the second quarter of last year.

About New York Community Bancorp, Inc.

Based in Westbury, NY, New York Community Bancorp, Inc. is a leading producer of multi-family loans on non-luxury, rent-regulated apartment buildings in New York City, and the parent of New York Community Bank and New York Commercial Bank. At June 30, 2018, the Company reported assets of $50.5 billion, loans of $39.4 billion, deposits of $29.6 billion, and stockholders' equity of $6.8 billion.

Reflecting our growth through a series of acquisitions, the Community Bank operates 223 branches through seven local divisions, each with a history of service and strength: Queens County Savings Bank, Roslyn Savings Bank, Richmond County Savings Bank, and Roosevelt Savings Bank in New York; Garden State Community Bank in New Jersey; Ohio Savings Bank in Ohio; and AmTrust Bank in Florida and Arizona, while the Commercial Bank operates 18 of its 30 New York-based branches under the divisional name Atlantic Bank. Additional information about the Company and its bank subsidiaries is available at www.myNYCB.com and www.NewYorkCommercialBank.com.

Post-Earnings Release Conference Call

The Company will host a conference call on Wednesday, July 25, 2018, at 8:30 a.m. (Eastern Time) to discuss its second quarter 2018 performance. The conference call may be accessed by dialing (877) 407-8293 (for domestic calls) or (201) 689-8349 (for international calls) and asking for "New York Community Bancorp" or "NYCB." A replay will be available approximately three hours following completion of the call through 11:59 p.m. on July 29, 2018 and may be accessed by calling (877) 660-6853 (domestic) or (201) 612-7415 (international) and providing the following conference ID: 13680932. In addition, the conference call will be webcast at ir.myNYCB.com, and archived through 5:00 p.m. on August 22, 2018.

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This earnings release and the associated conference call may include forward looking statements by the Company and our authorized officers pertaining to such matters as our goals, intentions, and expectations regarding revenues, earnings, loan production, asset quality, capital levels, and acquisitions, among other matters; our estimates of future costs and benefits of the actions we may take; our assessments of probable losses on loans; our assessments of interest rate and other market risks; and our ability to achieve our financial and other strategic goals.

Forward looking statements are typically identified by such words as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "outlook," "estimate," "forecast," "project," and other similar words and expressions, and are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, which change over time. Additionally, forward looking statements speak only as of the date they are made; the Company does not assume any duty, and does not undertake, to update our forward looking statements. Furthermore, because forward looking statements are subject to assumptions and uncertainties, actual results or future events could differ, possibly materially, from those anticipated in our statements, and our future performance could differ materially from our historical results.

Our forward looking statements are subject to the following principal risks and uncertainties: general economic conditions and trends, either nationally or locally; conditions in the securities markets; changes in interest rates; changes in deposit flows, and in the demand for deposit, loan, and investment products and other financial services; changes in real estate values; changes in the quality or composition of our loan or investment portfolios; changes in competitive pressures among financial institutions or from non financial institutions; our ability to obtain the necessary shareholder and regulatory approvals of any acquisitions we may propose; our ability to successfully integrate any assets, liabilities, customers, systems, and management personnel we may acquire into our operations, and our ability to realize related revenue synergies and cost savings within expected time frames; changes in legislation, regulations, and policies; and a variety of other matters which, by their nature, are subject to significant uncertainties and/or are beyond our control.

More information regarding some of these factors is provided in the Risk Factors section of our Form 10 K for the year ended December 31, 2017 and in other SEC reports we file. Our forward looking statements may also be subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those we may discuss in this news release, on our conference call, during investor presentations, or in our SEC filings, which are accessible on our website and at the SEC's website, www.sec.gov.

- Financial Statements and Highlights Follow -

NEW YORK COMMUNITY BANCORP, INC.
RECONCILIATIONS OF CERTAIN GAAP AND NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

(unaudited)

While stockholders' equity, total assets, and book value per share are financial measures that are recorded in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"), tangible stockholders' equity, tangible assets, and tangible book value per share are not. Nevertheless, it is management's belief that these non-GAAP measures should be disclosed in our earnings releases and other investor communications for the following reasons:

1. Tangible stockholders' equity is an important indication of the Company's ability to grow organically and through business combinations, as well as its ability to pay dividends and to engage in various capital management strategies.
2. Returns on average tangible assets and average tangible stockholders' equity are among the profitability measures considered by current and prospective investors, both independent of, and in comparison with, the Company's peers.
3. Tangible book value per share and the ratio of tangible stockholders' equity to tangible assets are among the capital measures considered by current and prospective investors, both independent of, and in comparison with, its peers. 

Tangible stockholders' equity, tangible assets, and the related non-GAAP profitability and capital measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for stockholders' equity, total assets, or any other profitability or capital measure calculated in accordance with GAAP. Moreover, the manner in which we calculate these non-GAAP measures may differ from that of other companies reporting non-GAAP measures with similar names.

The following table presents reconciliations of our common stockholders' equity and tangible common stockholders' equity, our total assets and tangible assets, and the related GAAP and non-GAAP profitability and capital measures at or for the three months ended June 30, 2018, March 31, 2018, and June 30, 2017 and for the six months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017: