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First Bancorp /PR: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 23 October 2025: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net income rose to $100.5 million: Net income was $100.5 million, or $0.63 per diluted share, against $80.2 million, or $0.50 per diluted share, in the second quarter. Source
  • Special items lifted reported earnings: Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.51, excluding a $2.3 million Employee Retention Credit benefit and a $16.6 million deferred tax valuation allowance reversal. Source
  • Margin edged up one basis point: Net interest margin was 4.57%, against 4.56% in the second quarter and 4.25% a year earlier. Source
  • Loans passed $13 billion: Total loans rose by $181.4 million, with commercial and construction loans accounting for $159.6 million of the increase. Source
  • Non-performing assets fell $8.6 million: Nonaccrual loans declined mainly in residential and commercial mortgage portfolios; non-performing assets were 0.62% of total assets. Source
  • Net charge-offs edged higher: Consumer loans and finance leases carried most of the charge-off volume, at an annualized 2.16% of average balances. Source
  • Adversely classified loans rose: Commercial loans rated adversely rose, mainly from one Puerto Rico C&I downgrade. Source
  • Expenses rose on an OREO valuation: Non-interest expenses reached $124.9 million, with the Virgin Islands OREO adjustment partly offset by the Employee Retention Credit. Source
  • Capital ratios rose across the board: All four Basel III capital ratios rose from June 30, and FirstBank’s capital ratios were also higher. Source

“We delivered another quarter of exceptional financial performance underscored by record net interest income, disciplined loan growth, and well-managed asset quality.”

Aurelio Alemán, President and Chief Executive Officer of First BanCorp

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Puerto Rico Act 65-2025 was enacted July 17, 2025, allowing certain LLCs to elect disregarded treatment. The company reversed about $16.6 million of valuation allowance. Source
  • New: Board authorized a new buyback program of up to $200 million, announced one day before the release. Source

Results and earnings drivers

  • Net income rose to $100.5 million: Net income was $100.5 million, or $0.63 per diluted share, against $80.2 million, or $0.50 per diluted share, in the second quarter. Source
  • Special items lifted reported earnings: Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.51, excluding a $2.3 million Employee Retention Credit benefit and a $16.6 million deferred tax valuation allowance reversal. Source
  • Record net interest income: Net interest income reached $217.9 million, up $2.0 million, including about $1.3 million from an extra day in the quarter. Source
  • Adjusted pre-tax income fell: Adjusted pre-tax, pre-provision income was $121.5 million, a 1.6% decline from the second quarter. Source

Net interest margin and pricing

  • Margin edged up one basis point: Net interest margin was 4.57%, against 4.56% in the second quarter and 4.25% a year earlier. Source
  • Public sector deposit costs climbed: Cost of public sector checking and savings rose, while the cost of other such accounts held at 0.72%. Source
  • Securities cash flows funded loans: Management linked the margin to moving cash from lower-yielding securities into loans and higher-yielding securities, largely offset by funding costs. Source
  • Prime rate cut in September: The Prime rate fell 25 basis points effective September 17; about 51% of commercial and construction loans were variable-rate at quarter end. Source

“We are generating significant organic capital and are well-positioned to continue returning any excess to shareholders in the form of buybacks and dividends.”

Aurelio Alemán, President and Chief Executive Officer of First BanCorp

Loans and originations

  • Loans passed $13 billion: Total loans rose by $181.4 million, with commercial and construction loans accounting for $159.6 million of the increase. Source
  • Three large commercial term loans: Three Puerto Rico C&I term loans, each over $15 million, lifted that portfolio by $51.7 million, with higher line utilization also contributing. Source
  • Originations edged down: Total originations, excluding card utilization, were $1.3 billion, down $39.2 million, mainly in commercial and construction loans. Source

Regional loan and funding trends

  • Puerto Rico drove most loan growth: Puerto Rico had the largest regional loan increase, with Florida second and the Virgin Islands declining slightly. Source
  • Florida brokered CDs grew: Total brokered CDs reached $628.3 million at quarter end, with the increase concentrated in the Florida region. Source
  • Virgin Islands originations fell: Virgin Islands loan originations declined to $28.2 million, mainly in commercial and construction lending. Source

“Credit continues to behave in line with expectations, with stable consumer charge-offs, healthy commercial credit trends, and a reduction in non-performing loans.”

Aurelio Alemán, President and Chief Executive Officer of First BanCorp

Deposits and funding

  • Core deposits grew $138.7 million: Core deposits reached $12.8 billion, with the increase mainly in interest-bearing time deposits, which rose $166.7 million. Source
  • Government deposits rose $66.5 million: Government deposits, fully collateralized, reached $3.4 billion at quarter end, mainly in Puerto Rico. Source
  • Uninsured deposit share rose: Management reported uninsured deposits, excluding fully collateralized government and FDIC-insured deposits, as a share of total deposits, up from the prior quarter. Source
  • Brokered CD issuance and maturities: Maturing brokered CDs of $67.2 million carried an all-in cost of 4.68%, above the cost of the new issuance. Source

Credit quality

  • Non-performing assets fell $8.6 million: Nonaccrual loans declined mainly in residential and commercial mortgage portfolios; non-performing assets were 0.62% of total assets. Source
  • Net charge-offs edged higher: Consumer loans and finance leases carried most of the charge-off volume, at an annualized 2.16% of average balances. Source
  • Provision eased on mortgage benefit: Total provision fell to $17.6 million from $20.6 million; consumer loan provision rose to $18.9 million on higher reserve requirements. Source
  • Adversely classified loans rose: Commercial loans rated adversely rose, mainly from one Puerto Rico C&I downgrade. Source
  • Early delinquency rose $8.9 million: Early-delinquency loans totaled $142.9 million at quarter end, with the commercial rise tied to one Florida loan. Source
  • Consumer nonaccrual inflows rose: Commercial and construction nonaccrual inflows fell to $0.3 million, down from a larger second-quarter amount. Source
  • Reserve ratio eased to 1.89%: Allowance on loans fell $1.6 million to $247.0 million, mainly on residential mortgage and consumer reserves. Source

Costs, taxes and special items

  • Expenses rose on an OREO valuation: Non-interest expenses reached $124.9 million, with the Virgin Islands OREO adjustment partly offset by the Employee Retention Credit. Source
  • Adjusted expenses rose more: Excluding the Employee Retention Credit, adjusted non-interest expenses rose more than the reported figure. Source
  • Tax expense fell on one-time reversal: Income tax expense was $5.7 million, down from $22.7 million, after the one-time valuation allowance reversal. Source
  • Deferred tax asset position: The valuation allowance had been $103.3 million at the end of the second quarter. Source

Capital, liquidity and shareholder returns

  • Buybacks and dividends in quarter: Repurchases were made at an average price of $21.00 per share; dividends declared were $0.18 per share. Source
  • Capital ratios rose across the board: All four Basel III capital ratios rose from June 30, and FirstBank’s capital ratios were also higher. Source
  • Tangible common equity ratio improved: The increase was helped by a $48.8 million fair value gain on available-for-sale debt securities as market rates moved. Source
  • Cash rose and liquidity ratio up: Basic liquidity ratio rose to 18.10% from 17.58%, including $1.1 billion of available FHLB lending capacity. Source

Public sector exposure

  • Puerto Rico government exposure rose: The rise came mainly from a $33.1 million increase in three municipal loans. Source
  • Public sector deposit mix: The remaining 77% came from public corporations, the central government and agencies, and US federal agencies in Puerto Rico. Source
  • Conduit-financed housing construction loans: LIHTC conduit-financed construction loans reached $78.3 million, up from $69.7 million; unfunded commitments were $74.7 million. Source

Operating environment and focus

  • Environment described as stable: Management described the operating environment as stable, despite continuing uncertainty over US fiscal and monetary policy. Source
  • Earnings grew capital and loans: Management said earnings translated into growth across all capital ratios while loans grew organically and $50 million of shares were repurchased. Source
  • Focus on execution: Management said it will keep its focus on execution and on matters within its control. Source

Coming up, as management said on 23 October 2025

  • Management looks to year-end 2025: Management said it looks forward to the close of 2025 after the year's accomplishments. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Net interest margin Source4.57%
Net interest income Source$217.9 million
Total loans Source$13.1 billion
Loan growth Source$181 million, or 5.6% linked quarter annualized
Deposits excluding brokered CDs Source$16.2 billion
Deposit costs Source0.72% on interest-bearing checking and savings, excluding public sector deposits
Provision for credit losses Source$17.6 million
Net charge-offs Source0.62% annualized
Nonperforming assets Source$119.4 million
CET1 ratio Source16.67%
Efficiency ratio Source50.22%

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management cited continuing uncertainty over US fiscal and monetary policy as part of the operating environment. Source
  • Financial: Ongoing litigation over a Virgin Islands commercial OREO property could lead to loss of title on that property. Source
  • Financial: Commercial loans rated adversely rose, mainly from one Puerto Rico C&I downgrade. Source
  • Financial: Early-delinquency increase was tied to a past-due C&I loan in the Florida region. Source
  • Demand: Consumer nonaccrual inflows rose, mainly in auto loans. Source
  • Financial: Management reported uninsured deposits at 28.36% of total deposits, a higher share than in the prior quarter. Source
  • External: Variable-rate loan pricing moved with lower SOFR; about 51% of commercial and construction loans were variable-rate. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management described credit as in line with expectations, with consumer charge-offs stable and non-performing loans reduced. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.