Item 1A. Risk Factors.
Economy and Our Markets
Adverse economic conditions in market areas we serve could adversely impact our earnings and could increase the credit risk associated with our loan portfolio.
A significant portion of our loans are to businesses and individuals in the state of Washington. An economic decline affecting our region could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects. Weakness in the global economy has adversely affected many businesses operating in our markets that are dependent on international trade. Deterioration in the national economy may also have an adverse effect on the region.
Any future deterioration in economic conditions in the market areas we serve, in particular the North Olympic Peninsula and Puget Sound area of Washington State, could result in the following consequences, any of which could have a materially adverse impact on our business, financial condition, and results of operations:
• Loan delinquencies, problem assets and foreclosures may increase;
A decline in local economic conditions may have a greater effect on our earnings and capital than on the earnings and capital of larger financial institutions whose real estate loan portfolios are geographically diverse. If we are required to liquidate a significant amount of collateral during a period of reduced real estate values, our financial condition and profitability could be adversely affected. Adverse changes in the regional and general economy could reduce our growth rate, impair our ability to collect loans, and generally have a negative effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
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Conditions in the financial markets may limit our access to additional funding to meet our liquidity needs, which could adversely affect our earnings and capital levels.
Liquidity is essential to our business. We rely on a variety of sources in order to meet our potential liquidity demands. We require enough liquidity to meet customer loan requests, customer deposit maturities and withdrawals, payments on our debt obligations as they come due and other cash commitments under both normal operating conditions and other unpredictable circumstances, including events causing industry or general financial market stress. A tightening of the credit markets and the inability to obtain adequate funding may negatively affect our liquidity, asset growth and, consequently, our earnings capability and capital levels. In addition to any deposit growth, and the sale of loans or investment securities, maturity of investment securities and loan payments, we rely from time to time on advances from the FHLB and certain other wholesale funding sources to meet liquidity demands. Our liquidity position could be significantly constrained if we were unable to access funds from the FHLB or other wholesale funding sources.
Factors that could detrimentally impact our access to liquidity sources include actions by the FRB, a decrease in the level of our business activity as a result of a downturn in the markets in which our loans are concentrated, negative operating results, or adverse regulatory action against us. Our ability to borrow could also be impaired by factors that are not specific to us, such as consumer and business behavior utilizing funds on deposit to pay down higher cost debt or to seek higher yielding investments, a disruption in the financial markets or negative views and expectations about the prospects for the financial services industry or deterioration in credit markets. Any decline in available funding could adversely impact our ability to originate loans, invest in securities, meet our expenses, or fulfill obligations such as repaying our borrowings or meeting deposit withdrawal demands, any of which could, in turn, have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Additionally, collateralized public funds are bank deposits of state and local municipalities. These deposits are required to be secured by certain investment grade securities or other collateral to ensure repayment, which on the one hand tends to reduce our contingent liquidity risk by making these funds somewhat less credit sensitive, but on the other hand reduces standby liquidity by restricting the potential liquidity of the pledged collateral. Although these funds historically have been a relatively stable source of funds for us, availability depends on the individual municipality's fiscal policies and cash flow needs.
Competition for deposits may limit our ability to grow.
Our loan growth is primarily dependent on retaining and attracting additional customer deposits. While we emphasize the generation of low-cost core deposits as a source of funding, there is strong competition for such deposits in our market area, including from internet-based banking institutions, which have grown rapidly in recent years.
Deposit flows are influenced by various factors, including customer relationships, sales and marketing efforts, interest rates paid by competitors, alternative investments such as money market mutual funds, equities and bonds, government stimulus programs, and the overall levels of business and personal income and savings. The current elevated interest rate environment has increased competition for deposits across the banking industry, and deposit balances may decrease if customers perceive alternative investments as providing a better risk/return tradeoff.
Our failure to grow or retain deposits may result in a loss of market share and slower or negative loan growth, which likely would have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Public health crises,geopolitical developments, acts of terrorism, natural disasters, climate change and other external factors could harm our business.
Public health crises, domestic or geopolitical crises, such as the current wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, political instability or civil unrest, terrorism, human error or other events outside of our control, could cause disruptions to our business or the United States' economy, resulting in potentially adverse operating results. Natural disasters may disrupt our operations, result in damage to our properties, reduce or destroy the value of the collateral for our loans and negatively affect the economies in which we operate. Climate change may worsen the severity and impact of future natural disasters and other extreme weather-related events that could cause disruption to our business and operations. Chronic results of climate change such as shifting weather patterns could also cause disruption to the business and operations of our customers, with potentially negative effects on our loan portfolio and growth opportunities. A significant natural disaster, such as a tsunami, earthquake, drought, fire or flood, where we or our customers live and do business, could have a material adverse impact on our local market areas and our ability to conduct business, especially if our insurance coverage is insufficient to compensate for losses that may occur. The effects of any of the foregoing factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, operations, and financial condition.
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Credit and Asset Quality
Our increased emphasis on commercial real estate lending subjects us to various risks that could adversely impact our results of operations and financial condition.
We have increased the amount of our commercial real estate and multi-family loans to $723.0 million, or 42.6%, of our total loan portfolio, at December 31, 2024, from $721.1 million, or 43.4%, of our total loan portfolio at December 31, 2023. We intend to continue to increase, subject to market demand, our origination and purchase of commercial real estate loans. As an institution’s concentration in commercial real estate lending increases, it becomes subject to more scrutiny under the FDIC's policies for management of its commercial real estate loan portfolio.
Our increased focus on this type of lending has increased our risk profile. Commercial real estate loans are intended to enhance the average yield of our earning assets; however, they do involve a different level of risk compared to one-to-four family loans. The repayment of commercial real estate loans typically depends on the successful operation and income stream of the borrowers’ operating business, or their ability to lease the commercial property at sufficient rates. The value of the commercial real estate securing the loan as collateral is a secondary source of repayment in case of default, which can be significantly affected by economic conditions. The FDIC has issued pronouncements alerting banks of its concerns about banks with a heavy concentration of commercial real estate loans. Moreover, federal bank regulators have highlighted the increased risk associated with commercial real estate loans, including with respect to the higher vulnerability of these credits to pressure as interest rates remain elevated and market conditions in many metropolitan areas continue to show signs of stress. These loans also involve larger balances to a single borrower or groups of related borrowers. Some of our commercial borrowers have more than one loan outstanding with us. Consequently, an adverse development with respect to one loan or one credit relationship can expose us to a significantly greater risk of loss compared to an adverse development on a single one-to-four family residential mortgage loan.
Since commercial real estate loans generally have large balances, deterioration in the quality of commercial loans may result in the need to significantly increase our provision for credit losses on loans and charge-offs will likely be larger on a per loan basis compared to consumer loans. As a result, deterioration of this portfolio could have a materially adverse effect on our future earnings. Collateral evaluation and financial statement analysis for commercial loans also requires a more detailed review at origination and on an ongoing basis. Finally, if we foreclose on a commercial real estate loan, our holding period for the collateral is typically longer than for a one-to-four family residence because the market for most types of commercial real estate is not readily liquid, resulting in less opportunity to mitigate credit risk by selling part or all of our interest in these assets. At December 31, 2024, we had $5,598,000 of nonperforming commercial real estate loans and $0 of nonperforming multi-family loans in our portfolio.
An increase in unsecured lending exposes us to an increase in loan losses.
We have increased our commercial business loan portfolio by purchasing unsecured loans to small businesses and professionals and our consumer loan portfolio through purchases from Splash Financial. Our exposure on these purchased loan portfolios was $21.1 million and $7.3 million, respectively, at December 31, 2024. Unsecured loans present additional risks to us because if a borrower defaults on an unsecured loan, there is no collateral to repossess and liquidate in order to satisfy the outstanding loan balance. Also, the application of various federal and state laws, including federal and state bankruptcy and insolvency laws, may limit the amount that can be recovered on an unsecured loan in default. Our efforts to mitigate this risk include carefully assessing a borrower’s creditworthiness, including their income, employment history, and debt-to-income ratio.
In 2022, we began purchasing unsecured consumer loans through a partnership with Splash Financial, a private lender that underwrites and funds personal loans. First Fed has experienced losses of $3.4 million on the Splash Financial loans to date. We made changes to the program participation criteria for these loans in 2023 with the goal of reducing additional losses. Purchases of Splash loans were suspended in August 2023. Additional losses in our unsecured lending portfolio would negatively affect our profitability and capital.
The significant growth in our loan portfolio and expansion into new markets may increase our credit risk.
Since the completion of our initial public offering in January 2015, we have grown substantially in terms of total assets, total loans, total deposits, employees, and locations, expanding our business activities throughout the Puget Sound region. Our commercial loan portfolio, which includes loans for commercial and multi-family real estate as well as other business loans, has increased to $874.5 million, or 51.6% of total loans, at December 31, 2024, from $833.4 million, or 50.2% of total loans, at December 31, 2023. One-to-four family loans have increased to $395.3 million, or 23.3% of total loans, at December 31, 2024, from $378.4 million, or 22.8% of total loans, at December 31, 2023. Total consumer loans have increased to $347.9 million, or 20.6% of total loans, at December 31, 2024, from $318.5 million, or 19.2% of total loans, at December 31, 2023.
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Rapidly growing loan portfolios are, by their nature, less seasoned and our experience with these loans may not provide us with a useful payment history pattern. Rapid growth combined with the geographic expansion of our lending area may make estimating loan loss allowances more difficult and more susceptible to changes in estimates, and to losses exceeding estimates, than our more seasoned portfolio of loans in our traditional lending area. As a result, it is difficult to predict the future performance of these parts of our loan portfolio. These loans may develop delinquency or charge-off levels above our historical experience, which could adversely affect our future performance.
We plan to continue both strategic and opportunistic growth, understanding that we may see a slowing of growth as we mature and manage capital down to more efficient levels. Continued growth can present substantial demands on management personnel, line employees, and other aspects of our operations, especially if our growth occurs rapidly. We may face difficulties in managing that growth effectively, which could damage our reputation, limit our growth, and negatively affect our operating results. Also see "Our expansion strategy will cause our expenses to increase and may negatively affect our earnings."
We have a concentration of large loans outstanding to a limited number of borrowers that increases our risk of loss.
First Fed has extended significant amounts of credit to certain borrowers, largely in connection with high-end residential real estate and commercial and multi-family real estate loans. At December 31, 2024, the aggregate amount of loans, including unused commitments, to First Fed's five largest borrowers (including related entities) amounted to approximately $95.9 million. Outstanding loan balances for the ten largest borrowing relationships at December 31, 2024, totaled $165.7 million, or 9.8% of total loans. Although only one of the loans to First Fed's 20 largest borrowers was nonperforming as of December 31, 2024, concentration of credit to a limited number of borrowers increases the risk in First Fed's loan portfolio. If one or more of these borrowers is not able to service the contractual repayment, the potential loss to First Fed is more likely to have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our construction and land loans are based upon estimates of costs and the value of the completed project.
During the year ended December 31, 2024, our construction and land loans decreased $51.6 million, or 39.8%, to $78.1 million, or 4.6%, of the total loan portfolio at December 31, 2024 and consisted of properties secured by multi-family of $15.4 million, one-to-four family residential of $38.9 million, commercial real estate of $17.3 million, and land of $6.5 million. Land loans include raw land and land acquisition and development loans.
Construction and land development lending generally involves additional risks when compared with permanent residential lending because funds are advanced upon estimates of costs in relation to values associated with the completed project that will produce a future value at completion. Because of the uncertainties inherent in estimating construction costs, the market value of the completed project, the effects of governmental regulation on real property, and changes in demand, it is relatively difficult to evaluate accurately the total funds required to complete a project and the completed project loan-to-value ratio, which may cause actual results to vary significantly from those estimated. For these reasons, this type of lending also typically involves higher loan principal amounts and is often concentrated with a small number of builders.
A downturn in housing, or the real estate market, could increase loan delinquencies, defaults and foreclosures, and significantly impair the value of our collateral and our ability to sell the collateral upon foreclosure. Some of our builders have more than one loan outstanding with us, and an adverse development with respect to one loan or one credit relationship may expose us to a significantly greater risk of loss.
In addition, during the term of most of our construction loans, no payment from the borrower is required since the accumulated interest is added to the principal of the loan through an interest reserve. As a result, these loans often involve the disbursement of funds with repayment substantially dependent on the successful outcome of the project and the ability of the borrower to sell or lease the property or obtain permanent take-out financing, rather than the ability of the borrower or guarantor to repay principal and interest. If our appraisal of the value of a completed project proves to be overstated, we may have inadequate security for the repayment of the loan upon completion of construction of the project and may incur a loss. Because construction loans require active monitoring of the building process, including cost comparisons and on-site inspections, these loans are more difficult and costly to monitor. Increases in market rates of interest may have a more pronounced effect on construction loans by rapidly increasing the end-purchasers' borrowing costs, thereby reducing the overall demand for the project. Properties under construction are often difficult to sell and typically must be completed in order to be successfully sold, which also complicates the process of working out problem construction loans. Under these circumstances we may be required to advance additional funds and/or contract with another builder to complete construction and assume the market risk of selling the project at a future market price, which may or may not enable us to fully recover unpaid loan funds and associated construction and liquidation costs.
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Our business may be adversely affected by credit risk associated with residential real estate.
At December 31, 2024, $474.4 million, or 28.0% of our total loan portfolio, consisted of one-to-four family mortgage loans and home equity loans secured by residential properties. Lending on residential property is sensitive to regional and local economic conditions that significantly impact the ability of borrowers to meet their loan payment obligations, making loss levels difficult to predict. Declines in residential real estate values securing these types of loans may increase the level of borrower defaults and losses above the recent charge-off experience on these loans. Jumbo one-to-four family residential loans that do not conform to secondary market mortgage requirements for our market areas would not be immediately saleable to Freddie Mac or other investors and may expose us to increased risk because of their larger balances. Further, a significant amount of our home equity lines of credit consist of loans in a subordinate lien position to a first lienholder.
For home equity lines secured by a second mortgage, it is unlikely that we will be successful in recovering all or a portion of our loan balances in the event of default unless we repay the first mortgage loan and such repayment and the costs associated with a foreclosure are justified by the value of the property. For these reasons we may experience higher rates of delinquencies, default and losses on loans secured by junior liens.
Repayment of our commercial business loans is often dependent on the cash flows of the borrower, which may be unpredictable, and the collateral securing these loans may fluctuate in value.
At December 31, 2024, we had $151.5 million, or 8.9% of total loans, in commercial business loans. Commercial business lending involves risks that are different from those associated with residential and commercial real estate lending. Real estate lending is generally considered to be collateral-based lending with loan amounts based on the value of the collateral and predetermined loan to collateral ratios; liquidation of the underlying real estate collateral is the primary source of repayment in the event of borrower default. Our commercial business loans are primarily supported by the cash flow of the borrower and secondarily by the underlying collateral provided by the borrower. The borrowers' cash flows may be unpredictable, and the collateral securing these loans may fluctuate in value. Although commercial business loans are often collateralized by equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, or other business assets, the liquidation of collateral in the event of default is often an insufficient source of repayment. Factors affecting the value of this type of collateral include uncollectable accounts receivable and obsolete or limited use inventory, among others.
Our allowance for credit losses on loans may prove to be insufficient to absorb losses in our loan portfolio.
We make various assumptions and judgments about the collectability of our loan portfolio, including the creditworthiness of our borrowers and the value of the real estate and other assets serving as collateral for the repayment of many of our loans. In determining the allowance for credit losses on loans, we review our loan portfolios, loss and delinquency trends, and economic conditions. If our assumptions are incorrect, our allowance for credit losses on loans may not be sufficient to cover incurred losses, resulting in additions to our allowance for credit losses on loans through the provision for credit losses on loans which is charged against income.
Additionally, pursuant to our growth strategy, management recognizes that significant new loan growth, new loan products, new market areas, and the refinancing of existing loans, resulting in portfolios composed of unseasoned loans that may not perform in a historical or projected manner, may increase the risk that our allowance may be insufficient to absorb losses without significant additional provisions. Significant provisions to our allowance could materially decrease our net income. In addition, bank regulatory agencies periodically review our allowance for credit losses on loans and may require an increase in the provision for possible loan losses or the recognition of further loan charge-offs, based on judgments different than those of management.
In addition, if charge-offs in future periods exceed the allowance for credit losses on loans, we will need additional provisions to replenish the allowance for credit losses on loans. Any additional provisions will result in a decrease in net income, and possibly capital, and may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
If our nonperforming assets increase, our earnings will be adversely affected.
At December 31, 2024, our nonperforming assets, which consist of nonaccrual loans, real estate owned and repossessed assets, were $30.5 million, or 1.4% of total assets. Our nonperforming assets adversely affect our net income in various ways. If additional borrowers become delinquent and do not pay their loans and we are unable to successfully manage our nonperforming assets, our losses and troubled assets could increase significantly, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
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Our securities portfolio may be negatively impacted by fluctuations in market value and interest rates.
Factors beyond our control can significantly influence the fair value of securities in our portfolio and can cause potential adverse changes to the fair value of these securities. These factors include, but are not limited to, ratings agency actions, defaults or other adverse events affecting the issuer or the underlying collateral, if any, of the security, changes in market interest rates, and continued instability in the capital markets. Additionally, financial markets may be adversely affected by the current or anticipated impact of military conflict, including the current wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, terrorism, or other geopolitical events. A need for additional liquidity may also require us to sell investment securities at depressed prices. These factors, among others, could result in an allowance for credit losses on investment securities, realized and/or unrealized losses in future periods, and declines in other comprehensive income, which could materially affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Determining an allowance for credit losses on investment securities requires complex, subjective judgments about the future financial performance and liquidity of the security's issuer and underlying collateral, if any, to assess the probability of receiving all contractual principal and interest payments due, and these estimates may differ significantly from actual future performance of the security.
We may incur losses due to direct and indirect minority investments in fintech and specialty finance companies.
We have and may continue to make minority investments in fintech and specialty finance companies or make investments in funds that do the same. For example, we currently have investments in Canapi Venture Fund, LP, BankTech Ventures, LP and JAM FINTOP Blockchain, LP to strategically invest in fintech-related businesses. In addition, we have invested in Meriwether Group Capital Hero Fund LP, Meriwether Group Capital, LLC and The Meriwether Group, LLC, which provide funding and services to lower-middle market businesses and entrepreneurs. We generally are not able to influence the activities of companies or funds in which we invest and may suffer losses due to these activities. For example, in 2021 we entered into a joint venture with Quin Ventures, Inc. and Peace of Mind, Inc., which ultimately resulted in the Company writing off the related investment. In addition, the companies or funds we invest in may have economic or business interests, values, or goals that are inconsistent or conflict with ours, which could damage our reputation or business. Additionally, the companies or funds we invest in may experience financial difficulties, default on their obligations, diminished liquidity or insolvency; or our management team’s distraction relative to the potential financial benefit may be disproportional. If the companies we invest in, directly or indirectly, seek additional financing in the future to fund their growth strategies, these financing transactions may result in dilution to our ownership stakes and these transactions may occur at lower valuations than the investment transaction through which we acquired such ownership interest, which could significantly decrease the fair value of our investment in those entities. We may also be unable to dispose of our minority investments within our contemplated time horizon or at all or withdraw our investment from funds in which we participate. Our inability to dispose of our minority investment in an entity, a downward adjustment to or impairment of an equity investment or our inability to access funds otherwise invested could adversely impact our business, financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.
If our real estate owned is not properly valued or declines further in value, our earnings could be reduced.
We obtain updated valuations in the form of appraisals and tax assessed values when a loan has been foreclosed and the property taken in as real estate owned and at certain other times during the asset’s holding period. Our net book value of the loan at the time of foreclosure and thereafter is compared to the updated market value of the foreclosed property less estimated selling costs (fair value). A charge-off is recorded for any excess in the asset’s net book value over its fair value. If our valuation process is incorrect, or if property values decline, the fair value of our real estate owned may not be sufficient to recover our carrying value in such assets, resulting in the need for additional charge-offs. In addition, bank regulators periodically review our real estate owned and may require us to recognize further charge-offs. Significant charge-offs to our real estate owned could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
We operate in a highly competitive industry.
We face substantial competition in all areas of our operations from a variety of different competitors, many of which are larger and may have more financial resources. These competitors primarily include national, regional and digital banks within the various markets in which we operate. We also face competition from many other types of financial institutions, including savings and loans, credit unions, mortgage banking finance companies, brokerage firms, insurance companies and other financial intermediaries. The financial services industry could become even more competitive as a result of legislative, regulatory and technological changes and continued consolidation. Further, clients may choose to conduct business with other market participants who engage in business or offer products in areas we deem speculative or risky, such as cryptocurrencies, non-fungible tokens, and other digital assets. Additionally, technology has lowered barriers to entry and made it possible for nonbanks to offer products and services traditionally provided by banks, such as automatic transfer and automatic payment systems. Competitors in these nonbank sectors may have fewer regulatory constraints, as well as lower cost structures. Additionally, due to their size, many competitors may be able to achieve economies of scale and, as a result, may offer a broader range of products and services as well as better pricing for those products and services than we can.
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Failure to perform in any of these areas could significantly weaken our competitive position, which could adversely affect our growth and profitability and result in a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
We are subject to certain risks in connection with our use of networks and technology systems
Our security measures may not be sufficient to mitigate the risk of a cyber-attack. Communications and information systems are essential to the conduct of our business, as we use such systems to manage our customer relationships, our general ledger and virtually all other aspects of our business. Our operations rely on the secure processing, storage, and transmission of confidential and other information in our computer systems and networks. Although we take protective measures and endeavor to modify them as circumstances warrant, the security of our computer systems, software, and networks may be vulnerable to breaches, unauthorized access, misuse, computer viruses, or other malicious code and cyber-attacks that could have a security impact. If one or more of these events occur, this could jeopardize our or our customers’ confidential and other information processed and stored in, and transmitted through, our computer systems and networks, or otherwise cause interruptions or malfunctions in our operations or the operations of our customers or counterparties. We may be required to expend significant additional resources to modify our protective measures or to investigate and remediate vulnerabilities or other exposures, and we may be subject to litigation and financial losses that are either not insured against or not fully covered through any insurance maintained by us. We could also suffer significant reputational damage.
We support the ability of our customers to transact business through multiple automated methods. As such, we may be susceptible to fraud performed through these technologies.
Security breaches in our internet banking activities could further expose us to possible liability and damage our reputation. Any compromise of our security also could deter customers from using our internet banking services that involve the transmission of confidential information. We rely on standard internet security systems to provide the security and authentication necessary to effect secure transmission of data. These precautions may not protect our systems from compromises or breaches of our security measures, which could result in significant legal liability, heightened regulatory scrutiny or fines, violations of consumer protection and privacy laws, and significant damage to our reputation and our business.
Our security measures may not protect us from systems failures or interruptions. While we have established policies and procedures to prevent or limit the impact of systems failures and interruptions, there can be no assurance that such events will not occur or that they will be adequately addressed if they do. In addition, we outsource certain aspects of our data processing and other operational functions to certain third-party providers. If our third-party providers encounter difficulties, or if we have difficulty in communicating with them, our ability to adequately process and account for transactions could be affected, and our business operations could be adversely impacted. Threats to information security also exist in the processing of customer and consumer information through various third-party vendors and their personnel.
The occurrence of any failures or interruptions may require us to identify alternative sources of such services, and we cannot assure that we would be able to negotiate terms that are as favorable to us or obtain services with similar functionality as found in our existing systems without the need to expend substantial resources, if at all. Further, the occurrence of any systems failure or interruption could damage our reputation and result in a loss of customers and business, could subject us to additional regulatory scrutiny, or could expose us to legal liability. Any of these occurrences could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Interest Rates, Operations and Risk Management
We are subject to interest rate risk.
Our earnings and cash flows are largely dependent on our net interest income. Interest rates are highly sensitive to many factors beyond our control, including general economic conditions and policies of various governmental and regulatory agencies, particularly the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve decreased the federal funds target rate beginning in September 2024, with the most recent decrease occurring in December 2024. When the Federal Reserve Board decreases the Fed Funds rate, overall interest rates will likely fall, which may positively impact housing markets by increasing refinancing activity and new home purchases. A falling interest rate environment may also positively affect the U.S. economy and, as a result, our business as a whole. However, there can be no assurance of the timing or amount of any future rate adjustments. Further, there can be no assurance regarding any forecasts or predictions about the effect that any future rate adjustment may have on our results of operations.
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Further changes in monetary policy, including changes in interest rates, could influence not only the interest we receive on loans and investments and the amount of interest we pay on deposits and borrowings, but these changes could also affect (i) our ability to originate and/or sell mortgage and SBA loans; (ii) the fair value of our financial assets and liabilities, which could negatively impact shareholders' equity, and our ability to realize gains from sales of such assets; (iii) our ability to obtain and retain deposits in competition with other available investment alternatives; (iv) the ability of our borrowers to repay adjustable or variable rate loans; and (v) the average duration of our MBS portfolio and other interest-earning assets. If the interest rates paid on deposits and other borrowings increase at a faster rate than the interest rates received on loans and other investments, our net interest income, and therefore earnings, could be adversely affected. Earnings could also be adversely affected if the interest rates received on loans and other investments fall more quickly than the interest rates paid on deposits and other borrowings.
Increases in interest rates could also have a negative impact on our results of operations by reducing the ability of borrowers to repay their current loan obligations or by reducing our margins and profitability. Our net interest margin is the net interest income divided by average interest-earning assets. Further changes in interest rates, up or down, could adversely affect our net interest margin and, as a result, our net interest income. Although the yield we earn on our assets and our funding costs tend to move in the same direction in response to changes in interest rates, one can rise or fall faster than the other, causing our net interest margin to expand or contract. Our liabilities tend to be shorter in duration than our assets, so they may adjust faster in response to changes in interest rates. As a result, when interest rates rise, our funding costs may rise faster than the yield we earn on our assets, causing our net interest margin to contract until the yields on interest-earning assets catch up. Changes in the slope of the "yield curve", or the spread between short-term and long-term interest rates, could also reduce our net interest margin. Normally, the yield curve is upward sloping, meaning short-term rates are lower than long-term rates. Because our liabilities tend to be shorter in duration than our assets, when the yield curve flattens or even inverts, we could experience pressure on our net interest margin as our cost of funds increases relative to the yield we can earn on our assets.
A sustained increase in market interest rates could adversely affect our earnings. As a result of the exceptionally low interest rate environment in the years prior to 2022, a high percentage of our deposits were composed of deposits bearing no or a relatively low rate of interest and having a shorter duration than our assets. We would likely incur a higher cost of funds to retain these deposits in an elevated interest rate environment. If the interest rates paid on deposits and other borrowings increase at a faster rate than the interest rates received on loans and other investments, our net interest income, and therefore earnings, would be adversely affected.
Changes in interest rates also affect the value of our interest-earning assets, including our securities portfolio. Generally, the fair value of fixed-rate securities fluctuates inversely with changes in interest rates. Unrealized gains and losses on securities available for sale are reported as a separate component of equity, net of tax. Decreases in the fair value of securities available for sale resulting from increases in interest rates could have an adverse effect on our shareholders’ equity.
Although management believes it has implemented effective asset and liability management strategies to reduce the potential effects of changes in interest rates on our results of operations, any substantial, unexpected or prolonged change in market interest rates could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Also, our interest rate risk modeling techniques and assumptions likely will not fully predict or capture the impact of actual interest rate changes on our balance sheet. See Item 7. "Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Asset and Liability Management and Market Risk," in this Form 10-K for additional information.
Decreased volumes and lower gains on sales of loans could adversely impact our noninterest income.
We originate and sell one-to-four family mortgage loans. Our mortgage banking income is a significant portion of our noninterest income. We generate gains on the sale of one-to-four family mortgage loans pursuant to programs currently offered by Freddie Mac and other secondary market investors. Any future changes in their purchase programs, our eligibility to participate in such programs, the criteria for loans to be accepted or laws that significantly affect the activity of such entities could, in turn, materially adversely affect our results of operations.
Further, in a rising or higher interest rate environment, our originations of mortgage loans may decrease, resulting in fewer loans that are available to be sold to investors. This would result in a decrease in mortgage banking revenues and a corresponding decrease in noninterest income. In addition, our results of operations are affected by the amount of noninterest expense associated with mortgage banking activities, such as salaries and employee benefits, occupancy, equipment and data processing expense and other operating costs. During periods of reduced loan demand, our results of operations may be adversely affected to the extent that we are unable to reduce expenses commensurate with the decline in loan originations. In addition, although we sell loans into the secondary market without recourse, we are required to give customary representations and warranties about the loans to the buyers. If we breach those representations and warranties, the buyers may require us to repurchase the loans and we may incur a loss on the repurchase.
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A portion of our loan portfolio is serviced by third parties, which may limit our ability to foreclose on or repossess such loans.
At December 31, 2024, $145.7 million of our consumer, $36.1 million of our commercial real estate, and $16.5 million of our one-to-four family loan portfolios were serviced by third parties. When a loan goes into default, it is the responsibility of the third-party servicer to enforce the borrower’s obligation to repay the outstanding indebtedness. We are reliant on the servicer to bring the loan current, enter into a satisfactory loan modification or foreclose on the property on behalf of First Fed. We must comply with any loan modification entered into by the servicer even if we would not otherwise agree to the modified terms, which may result in a reduction in our interest income due to the loan modification. Delays in foreclosing on property, whether caused by restrictions under state or federal law or the failure of a third-party servicer to timely pursue foreclosure action, may increase our potential loss on such property, due to factors such as lack of maintenance, unpaid property taxes and adverse changes in market conditions. These delays may adversely affect our ability to limit our credit losses.
Regulatory Matters
Our lending limit may restrict our growth.
Washington law provides that Washington chartered commercial banks are subject to loans-to-one-borrower restrictions, which generally restrict total loans and extensions of credit by a bank to 20% of its unimpaired capital and surplus. As a result, under Washington law, First Fed would be limited to loans to one borrower of $45.7 million at December 31, 2024. Under its current policy, First Fed has elected to restrict its loans to one borrower to no more than 60% of the Bank's lending limit, which is adjusted quarterly and was $34.3 million at December 31, 2024, unless specifically approved by the Senior Loan Committee as an exception to policy. This amount is significantly less than that of many of our competitors and may discourage potential commercial borrowers who have credit needs in excess of our loans to one borrower lending limit from doing business with us. Our loans to one borrower restriction also impacts the efficiency of our commercial lending operation because it lowers our average loan size, which means we have to generate a higher number of transactions to achieve the same portfolio volume. We can accommodate larger loans by selling participations in those loans to other financial partners, but this strategy is not the most efficient or always available. We may not be able to attract or maintain clients seeking larger loans or may not be able to sell participations in these loans on terms we consider favorable.
We operate in a highly regulated environment and may be adversely affected by changes in laws and regulations.
We are subject to extensive examination, supervision and comprehensive regulation by the Federal Reserve, the FDIC as insurer of our deposits, and by the DFI. First Northwest Bancorp is subject to regulation and supervision by the Federal Reserve (as a financial holding company) and regulation by the State of Washington (as a Washington corporation). The Bank is subject to regulation and supervision by the FDIC and the DFI. Such regulation and supervision govern the activities in which we may engage, primarily for the protection of depositors and the Deposit Insurance Fund. These regulatory authorities have extensive discretion in connection with their supervisory and enforcement activities, including the ability to impose restrictions on an institution’s operations, require additional capital, reclassify assets, determine the adequacy of an institution’s allowance for credit losses on loans and determine the level of deposit insurance premiums assessed. For example, in November 2023, the Bank entered into a consent order with the FDIC in connection with certain deficiencies in the Bank's compliance program. The consent order was terminated on October 23, 2024. Any future changes to the laws, rules and regulations applicable to us could make compliance more difficult and expensive, or otherwise adversely affect our business, financial condition or prospects.
We are also subject to tax, accounting, securities, insurance, monetary laws and regulations, rules, standards, policies, and interpretations that control the methods by which financial institutions conduct business. These may change significantly over time, which could materially impact our business and have a significant adverse effect on our cost of regulatory compliance and results of operations. Further, changes in accounting standards and their interpretation may materially impact how we report, potentially retroactively, our financial condition and results of operations.
Changes in federal policy and at regulatory agencies are expected to occur over time through policy and personnel changes, which could lead to changes involving the level of oversight and focus on the financial services industry. The nature, timing, and economic and political effects of potential changes to the current legal and regulatory framework affecting financial institutions remain highly uncertain. If changes to laws, rules and/or regulations applicable to us are made, such changes could offset the otherwise anticipated increase in operating and compliance costs (included in noninterest expense); however, no assurance can be given as to whether such changes will occur or what may result from such changes.
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General Risk Factors
We are dependent on key personnel and the loss of one or more of those key persons may materially and adversely affect our prospects.
We rely heavily on the efforts and abilities of our executive officers, and certain other key management personnel, which make up our management team. The loss of the services of any of our current management team could have a material adverse impact on our operations. The ability to attract, retain and season replacements to our management team presents risks to executing our business plan. Changes in our current management team and their responsibilities may be disruptive to our business and operations and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. While we believe that our relationship with our management team is good, we cannot guarantee that all members of our management team will remain with our organization.
Our consideration of whole bank, branch acquisitions, or fintech partnerships in the future may expose us to financial, execution and operational risks that could adversely affect us.
We may evaluate supplementing organic growth by acquiring other financial institutions or their businesses that we believe will help us fulfill our strategic objectives and enhance our earnings. There are risks associated with this strategy, however, including the following:
Our expansion strategy will cause our expenses to increase and may negatively affect our earnings.
Over the past seven years, we have opened four new full-service branches and two business centers. We also acquired a branch from another financial institution in 2021. We may continue to open or purchase new branches and lending centers, and the success of our expansion strategy into new markets is contingent upon numerous factors, such as our ability to select suitable locations, assess each market's competitive environment, secure managerial resources, hire and retain qualified personnel and implement effective marketing strategies. The opening of new offices may not increase the volume of our loans and deposits as quickly or to the degree that we projected and opening new offices will increase our operating expenses. The cost of opening additional de novo branches and lending centers is uncertain, and projected timelines and estimated dollar amounts involved in opening new offices could differ significantly from actual results. In addition, we may not successfully manage the costs and implementation risks associated with our branching strategy. Accordingly, any new branch or lending center may negatively impact our earnings for some period of time until the office reaches certain economies of scale, and there is a risk that our new offices will not be successful even after they have been established.
We may also expand our digital footprint through partnerships with and investments in fintech companies. The new technology and start-up companies we invest in may not be as successful as anticipated or may fail, resulting in a total loss of our related investment.
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
None.
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Item 1C. Cybersecurity
The Company recognizes cybersecurity as a critical risk to its operations and the management of this risk is a top priority. We are committed to protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of our customer information, information systems, data, and assets from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction. The Company adheres to cybersecurity industry best practices such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology cybersecurity framework and Federal Financial Institutions Examinations Council ("FFIEC") guidance. The Company conducted a NIST cybersecurity framework version 1 to version 2 gap analysis and is in the process of updating controls to adhere to the newest version. Company management has integrated its processes for assessing, identifying, and managing material risks from cybersecurity threats into the Company’s overall risk management program, including regularly conducting risk assessments and gap analyses in order to identify and prioritize cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities across our entire digital estate which is comprised of our IT infrastructure as well cloud-based applications and storage. These assessments consider industry best practices, evolving threats, and the specific needs of our business.
The Company implements a defense in depth, or layered, approach to security controls, including network security, intrusion detection and prevention, anomaly detection, endpoint security, data encryption, identity and access management, and security awareness training. Staff evaluate and update our controls on an ongoing basis to address emerging threats. We have a documented incident response plan in place to identify, contain, and remediate cybersecurity incidents. The plan includes roles and responsibilities for key personnel, communication protocols, and procedures for recovery and notification. We also maintain business continuity, crisis management, and disaster recovery plans to ensure the continued operation of critical business functions in the event of a major disruption, including a cyberattack, which are tested regularly through tabletop exercises, simulations, parallel testing, and functional testing.
The Company adheres to a continuous improvement philosophy in regard to cybersecurity and leverages external experts, consultants, auditors, and assessors on a regular basis to complement the internal staff in identifying and remediating any gaps in the Company’s cybersecurity program.
The Company has a well-defined and mature vendor management program that includes controls to address third-party cybersecurity risks throughout the vendor management lifecycle.
The Board has oversight responsibility for enterprise-wide risks, including cybersecurity risks. The Audit Committee, a designated committee of the Board, is responsible for overseeing the Company's cybersecurity risk management program and reviewing its effectiveness. The Information Security Officer ("ISO") is responsible for assessing and managing material risks from cybersecurity threats, with a dedicated staff of internal and external information security professionals. The ISO is a Systems Security Certified Practitioner and Certified Information Systems Security Professional with over 12 years of education, training and experience managing technology and cybersecurity risks, including eight years of experience in the banking industry specifically. The ISO regularly updates executive and senior management, including the Bank's Enterprise Risk Management Committee, as well as the Board Audit Committee on cybersecurity risks and mitigation strategies. The Company has implemented internal controls to address the effectiveness of our cybersecurity program. These controls include risk assessments, vulnerability assessments and scans, periodic audits, and periodic penetration testing.
We are committed to disclosing material cybersecurity incidents to investors and other stakeholders in a timely and transparent manner in compliance with applicable regulations and in keeping with market practices. Management will assess the materiality of a cybersecurity incident based on its potential impact on our financial condition, results of operations, reputation, or ability to meet our business objectives. The Company is not aware of any current cybersecurity threats that are reasonably likely to affect the Company’s business strategy, results of operations or financial condition.
See "We are subject to certain risks in connection with our use of networks and technology systems"in Item 1A. Risk Factors of this Form 10-K for additional information regarding the risks we face from cybersecurity threats.
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Item 2. Properties
The Company's main administrative office is located at 105 West Eighth Street, Port Angeles, WA 98362. As of December 31, 2024, we conducted our business through twelve branch offices located in Clallam, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, and Whatcom Counties, Washington; two business centers located in King County, Washington; one business center in Snohomish County, Washington; one business center in Whatcom County, Washington; and our main administrative office and a business center located in Clallam County, Washington. The Company currently owns the main administrative office and the Clallam County business center. The remaining twelve branch offices and four business centers are leased. The net book value of the Company’s properties totaled $8.3 million at December 31, 2024. Additional information is presented in Note 5 - Premises and Equipment, Note 6 - Leases, and Note 20 - Sale and Leaseback of Premises of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in "Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data."
Item 3. Legal Proceedings
The Company and First Fed are involved from time to time in various claims and legal actions arising in the ordinary course of business. There are currently no matters that, in the opinion of management, would have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operation, or liquidity.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
Not applicable
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PART II
Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Market and Holder Information. Our common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC’s Global Market, under the symbol "FNWB." As of the close of business on March 6, 2025, there were 9,358,008 shares of common stock issued and outstanding and we had approximately 477 shareholders of record, excluding persons or entities who hold stock in nominee or "street name" accounts with brokers.
Stock Repurchases. The Company's repurchase programs permit shares to be repurchased in the open market or private transactions, through block trades, and pursuant to any trading plan that may be adopted in accordance with the SEC's Rule 10b5-1. On October 28, 2020, the Company announced that its Board of Directors had authorized the repurchase and retirement of up to an additional 1,023,420 shares of its common stock. As of December 31, 2024, all 1,023,420 shares at an average cost of $14.07 per share had been repurchased pursuant to the October 28, 2020 stock repurchase plan. On April 25, 2024, the Company announced that its Board of Directors had authorized the repurchase and retirement of up to an additional 944,279 shares of its common stock.
The following table provides information regarding repurchases of the Company's common stock during the quarter ended December 31, 2024.
Item 6. [Reserved]
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Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
General
First Northwest is a bank holding company and a financial holding company and is engaged in banking activities through its wholly owned subsidiary, First Fed Bank, as well as certain non-banking financial activities. Non-banking investments include several limited partnership investments, including a 33% interest in The Meriwether Group, LLC ("MWG"). The Company's business activities are generally focused on passive investment activities and oversight of the activities of First Fed. The Company has also entered into partnerships to strategically invest in fintech-related businesses.
First Fed is a community-oriented commercial bank serving Clallam, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Snohomish, and Whatcom counties in Washington State, through its twelve full-service branches and six business centers, including our headquarters. We offer a wide range of products and services focused on the lending, deposit and money movement needs of the communities we serve. To diversify our portfolio and increase interest income, we increased our origination of commercial real estate, multi-family real estate, and commercial business loans. We also increased our auto and consumer loans through purchased auto loan programs and purchased manufactured homes. We continue to originate one-to-four family residential mortgage loans, primarily for sale into the secondary market to generate noninterest gain on sale and servicing fee revenue and manage interest rate risk or retain select loans in our portfolio to enhance interest income. Home equity, residential construction and commercial construction loans are also originated primarily in Western Washington. We offer traditional consumer and business deposit products, including transaction accounts, savings and money market accounts and certificates of deposit for individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations. Deposits are our primary source of funding for our lending and investing activities. First Fed has a limited partnership investment in the Canapi Ventures SBIC Fund II, LP. First Fed also has a limited partnership investment in the Meriwether Group Capital Hero Fund LP ("Hero Fund") which was previously held by First Northwest. The Hero Fund is a private commercial lender focused on lower-middle market businesses, primarily in the Pacific Northwest.
First Fed is impacted by prevailing economic conditions as well as government policies and regulations concerning, among other things, monetary and fiscal policy, including fiscal stimulus, interest rate policy and open market operations, housing, and consumer protection. Deposit flows are influenced by various factors, including changes in market rates; sales and marketing efforts; interest rates paid by competitors; available alternative investments such as money market mutual funds, the stock and bond markets; account maturities; government stimulus and unemployment programs; and the overall level of personal income and savings. Lending activities are influenced by prevailing interest rates and property values in our markets, the demand for funds, the number and quality of lenders employed by First Fed, and both regional and national economic cycles.
Our primary source of pre-tax income is net interest income. Net interest income is the difference between interest income earned on our loans and investments less interest expense paid on our deposits and borrowings. Changes in levels of interest rates impact our net interest income. A secondary source of income is noninterest income, which includes revenue we receive from providing products and services, including service charges on deposit accounts, debit card interchange income, mortgage banking income, treasury and other commercial banking related fees, earnings from bank-owned life insurance, loan servicing income, earnings from equity and partnership investments, and gains and losses from the sale of loans and securities.
An offset to net interest income is the provision for credit losses, which represents the periodic charge to operations required to adequately provide for probable losses inherent in our loan, unfunded commitments and investment portfolios through our allowance for credit losses. A recapture of previously recognized provision for credit losses may be added to net interest income if forecasted macroeconomic factors improve, underlying balances decrease, or recoveries of amounts previously charged off are received.
The noninterest expenses incurred in operating our business consist of salaries and employee benefit costs, occupancy and equipment expenses, professional fees, deposit insurance premiums and regulatory assessments, digital delivery and data processing expenses, marketing and other customer acquisition expenses, expenses related to real estate and personal property owned, state and local taxes, federal income tax, and other miscellaneous expenses.
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Our Business and Operating Strategy
Our operating strategy is focused on growing and diversifying our loan portfolio, expanding our deposit product offerings, and enhancing our digital infrastructure. Certain highlights of our operations in the last three years include:
Our objective is to be an independent, high performing bank focused on meeting the needs of individuals, small businesses and community organizations throughout our market areas with exceptional service and competitive products. Below are strategies we have implemented, or intend to implement, to achieve our objectives:
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Critical Accounting Policies
We have certain accounting policies that are important to the assessment of our financial condition, since they require management to make difficult, complex or subjective judgments, some of which may relate to matters that are inherently uncertain. Estimates associated with these policies are susceptible to material changes as a result of changes in facts and circumstances. Facts and circumstances which could affect these judgments include, but are not limited to, changes in interest rates, changes in the performance of the economy and changes in the financial condition of borrowers. Our accounting policies are discussed in detail in Note 1 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8, "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this Form 10-K.
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The following represent our critical accounting policies:
Allowance for Credit Losses on Loans. The allowance for credit losses on loans ("ACLL") is a valuation account that is deducted from the amortized cost of loans receivable to present the net amount expected to be collected. The allowance is established through the provision for credit losses on loans, which is charged to income. Determining the amount of the ACLL necessarily involves a high degree of judgment. Management has adopted a discounted cash flow ("DCF") methodology for most of its segments to calculate the ACLL. For certain segments with smaller portfolios or where data is prohibitive to running a DCF calculation, management has elected to use a remaining life methodology. The Company also uses established metrics to estimate qualitative risk factors by segment based on the identified risk. The Company evaluates individual loans for expected credit losses when those loans do not share similar risk characteristics with loans evaluated using a collective (pooled) basis using either a collateral value or cash flow method. All of the factors used in these methodologies are susceptible to significant change. Management reviews and approves, at least quarterly, the level of the allowance and the provision for credit losses on loans based on anticipated future economic conditions and other factors related to the collectability of the loan portfolio. Although we believe that we use the best information available to establish the allowance for credit losses on loans, future economic or other conditions may differ substantially from the assumptions used in making the evaluation. The FDIC and the DFI, as an integral part of their examination process, periodically review our ACLL and may require us to recognize adjustments to the allowance based on their judgment about information available at the time of their examination. A large loss could deplete the allowance and require increased provisions for credit losses on loans to replenish the allowance, which would adversely affect earnings. Management considers the ACLL to be a critical accounting estimate. Our accounting policies are discussed in detail in Notes 1 and 4 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8, "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this Form 10-K.
Mortgage Servicing Rights. We record servicing rights on loans originated and subsequently sold into the secondary market. We stratify our capitalized servicing rights based on the type, term and interest rates of the underlying loans. Servicing rights are measured at fair value at each reporting date with the change reported in earnings. The value is determined through a discounted cash flow analysis, which uses interest rates, prepayment speeds and delinquency rate assumptions as inputs. All of these assumptions require a significant degree of management judgment. If our assumptions prove to be incorrect, the value of our mortgage servicing rights could be negatively affected. See Notes 1, 7 and 15 to the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8, "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this Form 10-K.
Income Taxes. Management makes estimates and judgments to calculate certain tax liabilities and to determine the recoverability of certain deferred tax assets, which arise from temporary differences between the tax and financial statement recognition of revenues and expenses. We also estimate a valuation allowance for deferred tax assets if, based on the available evidence, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the recorded deferred tax assets will not be realized in future periods. These estimates and judgments are inherently subjective. In evaluating the recoverability of deferred tax assets, management considers all available positive and negative evidence, including past operating results, recent cumulative losses - both capital and operating - and the forecast of future taxable income, both capital gains and operating. In determining future taxable income, management makes assumptions for the amount of taxable income, the reversal of temporary differences and the implementation of feasible and prudent tax planning strategies. These assumptions require judgments about future taxable income and are consistent with the plans and estimates to manage our business. Any reduction in estimated future taxable income may require us to record a valuation allowance against deferred tax assets. An increase in the valuation allowance would result in additional income tax expense in the period and could have a significant impact on future earnings.
Fair Value. Fair values of financial instruments are estimated using relevant market information and other assumptions. Fair value estimates involve uncertainties and matters of significant judgment regarding interest rates, credit risk, prepayments, and other factors, especially in the absence of broad markets for particular items. Changes in assumptions or in market conditions could significantly affect these estimates. In the absence of quoted market prices, management determines the fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities using valuation models or third-party pricing services.
New Accounting Pronouncements
For a discussion of new accounting pronouncements and their impact on the Company, see Note 1 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8, "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this Form 10-K.
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Comparison of Financial Condition at December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023
Assets. Total assets increased $30.2 million, or 1.4%, to $2.23 billion at December 31, 2024, from $2.2 billion at December 31, 2023.
Cash and cash equivalents decreased by $50.7 million, or 41.2%, to $72.5 million as of December 31, 2024, compared to $123.2 million at December 31, 2023, as proceeds from the sale of investment securities in the fourth quarter of 2023 were deployed into interest-earning assets.
Total investment securities increased $44.7 million, or 15.1%, to $340.3 million at December 31, 2024, from $295.6 million at December 31, 2023. The year-over-year increase was the result of purchases and an improvement in the portfolio market value, partially offset by sales and normal amortization during the year. During 2024, we repositioned the investment portfolio by selling $22.8 million of available-for-sale securities yielding 3.1% for a total loss of $2.1 million during the period, and purchased $100.4 million of available-for-sale securities yielding 6.5%. The increase in the portfolio market value of $2.4 million relates mainly to the recognition of $1.9 million in realized losses related to the securities sale and a $458,000 improvement in the remaining portfolio driven by changes in long-term interest rates.
The estimated average life of the total investment securities portfolio was 6.9 years as of December 31, 2024, compared to 7.7 years as of December 31, 2023, and the average repricing term was approximately 5.3 years as of December 31, 2024, compared to 6.3 years as of December 31, 2023, based on the interest rate environments at those times. Expected duration of the portfolio has decreased to 3.9 years as of December 31, 2024, compared to 4.8 years as of December 31, 2023. If prevailing market interest rates fall, we expect prepayments will accelerate due to the current coupons of fixed rate bonds. We anticipate the investment portfolio will continue to provide additional interest income and act as a source of liquidity.
MBS represent the largest portion of our investment portfolio and totaled $170.3 million at December 31, 2024, an increase of $31.0 million, or 22.2%, from $139.3 million at December 31, 2023. Municipal bonds are the second largest segment, totaling $77.9 million at December 31, 2024, a decrease of $9.9 million, or 11.3%, from $87.8 million at December 31, 2023. The purchase of investment securities during 2024 resulted in a shift in the investment mix from municipal bonds toward more mortgage-backed, corporate asset-backed and SBA securities. Other investment securities totaled $92.2 million at December 31, 2024, an increase of $23.6 million, or 34.5%, from $68.5 million at December 31, 2023. Included in MBS non-agency were $44.4 million of commercial mortgage-backed securities ("CMBS"), of which 93.4% were in "A" tranches with the remaining 6.6% in "B" tranches. Our largest exposure in the CMBS portfolio was to long-term care facilities, which comprised 76.8%, or $34.1 million, of our private label CMBS securities. All of the CMBS had credit enhancements ranging from 28.8% to 93.1%, with a weighted-average credit enhancement of 58.9%, that further reduced the risk of loss on these investments.
At December 31, 2024, the investment portfolio contained 60.2% of amortizing securities, compared to 52.0% at December 31, 2023. The projected average life of our securities may vary due to prepayment activity, which, particularly in the MBS portfolio, is generally affected by changing interest rates. We may purchase investment securities as a source of additional interest income. For additional information, see Note 2 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8, "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data," of this Form 10-K.
Total loans, excluding loans held for sale, increased $35.8 million, or 2.2%, during the year ended December 31, 2024. Commercial business loans increased $39.2 million primarily due to an increase in the Northpointe MPP of $26.7 million, $15.2 million of equipment loan originations and purchases of $8.5 million of unsecured Bankers Healthcare Group loans in addition to advances on new and existing lines of credit and originations of amortizing commercial loans. Auto and other consumer loans increased $19.8 million, or 7.9%, with the purchase of a pool of manufactured home loans as well as purchases of individual manufactured home loans and specialty auto loans. Multi-family and commercial real estate loans increased $1.9 million, or 0.3%, consisting mainly of an increase in commercial real estate loans of $2.4 million as new loan originations of $34.6 million and $1.1 million from construction loans converting into permanent amortizing loans exceeded payment activity. Multi-family real estate loans decreased $498,000 as a result of payoffs and regular payments exceeding $36.5 million of construction loans converting into permanent amortizing loans and $13.6 million of new originations.
One-to-four family residential loans increased $16.9 million, or 4.5%, with $42.5 million in construction loans converting to permanent amortizing loans during the year, partially offset by payoffs and regular payments. We continue to focus on the origination of one-to-four family mortgage loans with the intention of selling the majority of our saleable production to the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("Freddie Mac") and other investors, while retaining certain adjustable-rate loans that may not be readily sold in the secondary market.
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Construction and land loans decreased $51.6 million, or 39.8%, with $80.1 million converting into fully amortizing loans partially offset by draws on new and existing commitments. Undisbursed construction commitments totaled $51.7 million at December 31, 2024 compared to $55.4 million at December 31, 2023. Undisbursed construction commitments at December 31, 2024 included $27.5 million of commercial real estate construction, $15.4 million of mainly custom one-to-four family residential construction, and $8.9 million of multi-family construction. Our construction loans are geographically disbursed throughout the state of Washington. All construction projects are monitored by either a third-party firm or our internal construction administration team. Projects with larger loan commitments have more robust monitoring by firms with more services and expertise.
During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company originated $232.4 million of loans, of which $156.0 million, or 67.2%, were originated in the Puget Sound region; $55.8 million, or 24.0%, in the Olympic Peninsula region; $8.7 million, or 3.7%, in other areas in Washington; and $11.8 million, or 5.1%, in other states. The Company also purchased loans totaling $88.9 million with the largest concentration of these loans located in California. We will continue to strategically assess our lending strategies across all product lines and markets where we do business as well as evaluate opportunities to supplement organic originations through wholesale acquisitions with a goal of improving earnings while also prudently managing credit risk.
Loans receivable, excluding loans held for sale, consisted of the following at the dates indicated:
(In thousands)
Real Estate:
Consumer:
Less:
Derivative basis adjustment 188 —
Our allowance for credit losses on loans ("ACLL") increased $2.9 million, or 16.8%, during the year ended December 31, 2024, primarily due to increased loss factors applied to commercial business, one-to-four family and multi-family loan pools and additional reserves on individually evaluated commercial business loans. Asset quality declined with increases in past due, nonaccrual and classified assets compared to the total loan portfolio. Management continues to closely monitor economic conditions for potential weaknesses that could expose the loan portfolio to losses. The ACLL as a percentage of total loans was 1.21% at December 31, 2024 and 1.05% at December 31, 2023. We believe our ACLL is adequate to cover current expected credit losses in the loan portfolio.
Nonperforming loans increased $11.9 million, or 63.7%, during the year ended December 31, 2024 to $30.5 million. This increase was mainly the result of increases in nonperforming commercial real estate of $5.6 million, commercial construction of $4.6 million and commercial business of $2.3 million, partially offset by decreases in one-to-four family of $367,000, auto and other consumer of $86,000 and home equity loans of $68,000. Nonperforming loans to total loans was 1.80% at December 31, 2024, an increase from 1.12% at December 31, 2023.
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At December 31, 2024, substantially all restructured loans were performing in accordance with their modified payment terms and returned to accrual status. Classified loans, consisting solely of substandard loans, increased by $7.4 million, or 21.1%, to $42.5 million at December 31, 2024, from $35.1 million at December 31, 2023. The change in classified loans was mainly the result of downgrades of an $8.2 million commercial construction loan and a $6.4 million commercial real estate loan along with downgrades of six commercial business loans totaling $2.2 million during 2024. These downgrades were partially offset by a $3.6 million net charge off on one commercial construction relationship and payments received on previously identified classified loans. An $11.4 million construction loan relationship, which became a classified loan in the fourth quarter of 2022; an $8.1 million commercial construction loan relationship, which became classified in the second quarter of 2024; and a $6.2 million commercial loan relationship, which became classified in the fourth quarter of 2023, account for 61% of the classified loan balance at December 31, 2024. The Bank has exercised legal remedies, including the appointment of a third-party receiver and foreclosure actions, to liquidate the underlying collateral to satisfy the real estate loans in two of these three collateral-dependent relationships. The Bank is also closely monitoring a group of commercial business loans that have similar collateral, with 15 loans totaling $2.2 million included in classified loans at December 31, 2024, and an additional eight loans totaling $2.8 million included in the special mention risk grading category. The Bank continues to work with its borrowers to facilitate satisfactory repayment.
In the second quarter of 2024, the Bank completed the sale and leaseback of six branch properties to Mountainseed Real Estate Services, LLC ("Mountainseed"), reducing premises and equipment by $6.8 million. The Bank received the full sales price of $14.7 million. The proceeds of the sale transaction were used to pay down borrowings. First Fed is leasing back the six properties sold to Mountainseed under agreements with initial terms of 15 years with one 15-year renewal option each. The leases, recorded in the second quarter of 2024, resulted in an increase of $12.2 million to both other assets and other liabilities for the related right-of-use assets and lease liabilities created by the contracts, respectively.
Also in the second quarter of 2024, a redemption of First Northwest's limited partnership investment in Meriwether Group Hero Fund LP was offset by a subsequent limited partnership investment in the same entity by First Fed. First Northwest utilized the cash received to pay down the NexBank line of credit. Equity and partnership investments decreased to $13.2 million at December 31, 2024, compared to $14.8 million at December 31, 2023, due to a $1.8 million write down in the fourth quarter of 2024 on an equity investment in an organization that is involved in a lawsuit.
Liabilities. Total liabilities increased $39.7 million, or 1.9%, to $2.08 billion at December 31, 2024, from $2.04 billion at December 31, 2023, with increases in deposits and borrowings used mainly to purchase investment securities and fund loan growth.
Deposit account balances increased $11.1 million, or 0.7%, to $1.69 billion at December 31, 2024 from $1.68 billion at December 31, 2023. Money market accounts increased $51.6 million, while savings accounts decreased $37.1 million and transaction accounts decreased $194,000. Customer CDs increased $21.5 million, or 4.9%, to $464.9 million and Brokered CDs decreased $24.7 million, or 11.9%, to $182.9 million at December 31, 2024. The current rate environment continued to contribute to greater competition for deposits across the industry during 2024. As a result, the Bank continues offering deposit rate specials to attract new funds. Our focus continues to be on increasing core customer deposits, with an emphasis on small-to-medium sized business deposits, digital accounts and maintaining a stable source of funding to reduce interest expense as a percentage of liabilities.
Borrowings increased $15.1 million, or 4.7%, to $336.0 million at December 31, 2024, from $320.9 million at December 31, 2023. The Bank increased long-term FHLB advances by $80.0 million during 2024 to take advantage of lower rates compared to those offered on FHLB overnight advances. FHLB overnight advances decreased $65.0 million compared to the prior year end.
Equity. Total shareholders' equity decreased $9.5 million, or 5.8%, to $153.9 million at December 31, 2024, from $163.3 million at December 31, 2023. The decrease during the year resulted from a net loss of $6.6 million, share repurchases of $4.1 million and $2.6 million in dividends paid in 2024. These decreases were partially offset by a $2.5 million reduction in accumulated other comprehensive loss related to an improved unrealized market value of available for sale securities, net of tax, and an increase of $1.6 million related to share-based compensation plans. During the year ended December 31, 2024, we repurchased 214,132 shares of common stock at an average cost of $14.03 per share, pursuant to the Company's 2020 stock repurchase plan, closing out the 2020 plan. An additional 98,156 shares of common stock were repurchased during 2024 at an average cost of $10.19 per share, pursuant to the Company's new 2024 stock repurchase plan, for a total of 312,288 shares repurchased during 2024.
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Comparison of Results of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2024 and 2023
General. The Company generated a loss on average assets of -0.30%, and a loss on average equity of -4.09%, for the year ended December 31, 2024, compared to a return on average assets of 0.11% and a return on average equity of 1.43% for the year ended December 31, 2023. Net income decreased $8.9 million compared to 2023. Net interest income declined as increases to interest expense outpaced increases to interest income. The provision for credit losses increased as the Bank charged-off several large commercial loan balances during 2024. Noninterest income increased over the prior year primarily due to the gain on sale of premises, lower loss on sale of investment securities and a BOLI death benefit received. Noninterest expense was lower due to decreased advertising and professional fees and did not include the one-time write-off expenses recorded in December 2023 for the investment in QUIL. We recorded a loss of $0.75 per common and diluted share for the year ended December 31, 2024, compared to earnings of $0.26 per common and diluted share for the year ended December 31, 2023.
Net Interest Income. Net interest income decreased $5.1 million, or 8.3%, to $56.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, from $61.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, mainly as the result of additional interest expense related to higher costs on both deposit and advance balances as well as an increase in the average balances of CDs and advances.
The increase in interest income was largely attributable to changes in loans receivable with an average balance increase of $92.7 million, at an average yield of 5.56%, for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to an average yield of 5.31%, for the year ended December 31, 2023. The interest income earned from higher yields was offset by higher interest-bearing liability costs which increased to 3.22% for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to 2.42% for the year ended December 31, 2023. This resulted in a 39-basis point decrease in our net interest margin to 2.74% for the year ended December 31, 2024, from 3.13% for the year ended December 31, 2023.
The $11.4 million increase in interest income was offset by the net increase in interest costs of $16.6 million as changes in rates outpaced increases in yields. As noted above, loans receivable was the main contributor to the increase in interest income with $4.9 million due to an increase in average volume and $4.2 million due to higher rates. The increase to the cost of average interest-bearing liabilities for the year ended December 31, 2024 was due primarily to costs from higher rates paid of $12.3 million on all interest-bearing deposits and advances and increased average balances of $3.6 million on certificates of deposit.
Interest Income. Interest income increased $11.4 million, or 11.3%, to $112.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 from $100.9 million for the comparable period in 2023, primarily due to an increase in the average balance of and higher yields on loans receivable. Interest and fees on loans receivable increased $9.1 million during the year, in part, as the Bank grew the loan portfolio through participation in the Northpointe MPP and purchased auto and manufactured home loans. Loan yields also increased due to higher rates on new originations. The fair value hedge on loans added $1.1 million to interest income for the year ended December 31, 2024.
Interest income on investment securities increased $1.8 million to $15.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, compared to $13.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase in interest income on investment securities was driven by an increase in the average yield during the year of 64-basis points due to the investment securities portfolio restructure in the first half of 2024. The higher rate environment in the first part of the year also contributed to increased interest income as slower prepayment activity reduced the amount of premium amortization during the period. The fair value hedge on investments added $621,000 and $449,000 to interest income for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
The following table compares average earning asset balances, associated yields, and resulting changes in interest income for the periods shown:
Year Ended December 31,
(Dollars in thousands)
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Interest Expense. Total interest expense increased $16.6 million, or 41.9%, for the year ended December 31, 2024, compared to the prior year, with increases in deposit costs and borrowing costs of $15.4 million and $1.2 million, respectively. Deposit costs increased due to higher funding costs and an increase of $92.0 million in the average balance of interest-bearing deposits. The average cost of all interest-bearing deposit products increased 94-basis points to 2.95% for the year ended December 31, 2024 from 2.01% for the year ended December 31, 2023. The average balances of money market and CD accounts increased year-over-year, while lower cost transaction and savings average account balances declined. Borrowing costs increased 16-basis points, due to higher rates paid combined with an increase of $15.8 million in the average balance outstanding.
The following table details average balances, cost of funds and the change in interest expense for the periods shown:
Year Ended December 31,
(Dollars in thousands)
Provision for Credit Losses. The total provision for credit losses increased $15.2 million to $16.5 million during the year ended December 31, 2024, compared to $1.3 million for 2023. The higher provision for credit losses on loans compared to 2023 is mainly the result of loan balances charged-off during the year, an increase in reserve for individually evaluated loans and an increase in loss factors applied to one-to-four family, multi-family and commercial business pooled loans. The unfunded commitments recapture is due to a decrease in the loss factor applied to this pool.
The following table details activity and information related to the allowance for credit losses on loans and reserve for unfunded commitments for the periods shown:
Year Ended December 31,
(Dollars in thousands)
Provision for credit losses on loans $ 16,716 $ 2,357
Charge offs net of recoveries (13,777 ) (3,172 )
Reserve for unfunded commitments 599 817
Noninterest Income. Noninterest income increased to $12.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, from $4.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase compared to the prior year was primarily due to one-time transactions in 2024, including the gain on sale of six branch properties in the sale-leaseback transaction and a BOLI death benefit payment, partially offset by the loss on sale of securities. First Northwest also recorded a $1.8 million write down on an equity investment in an organization that is involved in a lawsuit, included in Other (loss) income below. Saleable mortgage loan production and related gains continued to be impacted by higher market rates on mortgage loans. The BOLI exchange and reinvestment transactions during 2024 resulted in an increase in the cash surrender value recorded for the year.
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The following table provides an analysis of the changes in the components of noninterest income for the periods shown:
Year Ended December 31, Increase (Decrease)
(Dollars in thousands)
Net gain on sale of premises and equipment 7,919 — 7,919 100.0
Income from death benefit on bank-owned life insurance, net 1,536 — 1,536 100.0
Noninterest Expense. Noninterest expense decreased to $60.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, from $61.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The decrease from the prior year is primarily related to one-time noninterest expenses recorded during 2023, including the QUIL commitment receivable write-off of $1.5 million, a write-off of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac investor accounting related items totaling $725,000, and an accrual for a civil money penalty proposed by the FDIC of $718,000. The FDIC proposed assessing a civil money penalty in connection with the concerns detailed in the consent order entered into by the Bank during 2023 which was lifted in 2024 and the penalty reduced by $218,000. Compensation expense increased compared to the prior year as a result of nonrecurring payments related to the July 2024 reduction-in-force and increases in incentives and commissions. Other year-over-year changes include increased lease expense included in occupancy as a result additional lease expense after the sale-leaseback transaction, partially offset by lower advertising and professional fees.
The following table provides an analysis of the changes in the components of noninterest expense for the periods shown:
Year Ended December 31, Increase (Decrease)
(Dollars in thousands)
Provision for Income Tax. The Company recorded an income tax benefit for the year ended December 31, 2024, of $944,000 compared to expense of $549,000 for the year ended December 31, 2023, reflecting differences in pre-tax income. The effective tax rate decreased over the prior year as a result of the permanent tax exclusion of BOLI noninterest income, including the BOLI death benefit, in 2024, partially offset by an estimate for the penalty on the early surrender of the BOLI contracts. The provision includes accruals for both federal and state income taxes.
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Average Balances, Interest and Average Yields/Cost
The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, information regarding average balances of assets and liabilities as well as the total dollar amounts of interest income from average interest-earning assets and interest expense on average interest-bearing liabilities, resultant yields, interest rate spread, net interest margin (otherwise known as net yield on interest-earning assets), and the ratio of average interest-earning assets to average interest-bearing liabilities. Also presented is the weighted average yield on interest-earning assets, rates paid on interest-bearing liabilities and the resultant spread at December 31, 2024 and 2023. Income and all average balances are daily average balances. Nonaccrual loans have been included in the table as loans carrying a zero yield.
Year Ended December 31,
Interest-earning assets: (Dollars in thousands)
Interest-bearing liabilities:
Other noninterest-bearing liabilities 44,217 37,967
Net interest rate spread 2.25 2.71
(1) The average loans receivable, net balances include nonaccrual loans.
(2) Interest earned on loans receivable includes net deferred costs of $12,000 and $561,000 for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
(3) Includes interest-bearing deposits at other financial institutions.
(4) Cost of all deposits, including noninterest-bearing demand deposits, was 2.51% and 1.66% for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
(5) Net interest income divided by average interest-earning assets.
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Rate/Volume Analysis
The following table presents the dollar amount of changes in interest income and interest expense for major components of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities. The presentation distinguishes between the changes related to outstanding balances and the changes in interest rates. For each component, information is provided on changes attributable to (i) changes in volume (i.e., changes in volume multiplied by old rate) and (ii) changes in rate (i.e., changes in rate multiplied by old volume). For purposes of this table, changes attributable to both rate and volume, which cannot be segregated, have been allocated proportionately to the change due to volume and the change due to rate.
Increase (Decrease) Due to Total Increase
Volume Rate (Decrease)
(In thousands)
Interest-earning assets:
Interest-bearing liabilities:
Interest-bearing demand deposits $ (56 ) $ 37 $ (19 )
Subordinated debt, net 3 (3 ) —
Net change in interest income $ 633 $ (5,745 ) $ (5,112 )
(1) Includes net deferred fee income.
(2) Includes interest-bearing deposits at other financial institutions.
Asset and Liability Management and Market Risk
Risk Management Overview. Managing risk is an essential part of successfully managing a financial institution. Our Enterprise Risk Management Committee reports key risk indicators to the Board of Directors through the Audit Committee. The most prominent risk exposures management monitors are strategic, credit, interest rate, liquidity, operational, compliance, reputational, cybersecurity, and legal risk.
Interest Rate Risk Management. We manage the interest rate sensitivity of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities in an effort to minimize the adverse effects of changes in the interest rate environment. Deposit accounts may reprice more quickly in response to changes in market interest rates because of their shorter maturities. Certain adjustable-rate investment securities, home equity lines of credit, and commercial real estate loans that are tied to the prime rate, the twelve-month constant maturity treasury, or the Term Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("TSOFR") will also reprice higher when market interest rates increase. Increases in interest rates should beneficially affect our earnings when variable or adjustable interest-earning assets reprice at higher interest rates faster than it takes for deposit and borrowing costs to reprice higher. Decreases in interest rates may adversely affect earnings as variable and adjustable assets will reprice lower which will reduce interest income.
Additionally, lower rates may result in increased prepayments and refinancing associated with loans and investment securities, particularly consumer and one-to-four family residential loans and MBS securities with no prepayment restrictions, which are then reinvested into lower yielding assets, further reducing interest income.
The Bank employs the services of outside firms to assist us in our asset and liability management and our analysis of market and interest rate risk.
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Interest Rate Sensitivity Analysis. Management uses an interest rate sensitivity analysis to review our level of interest rate risk. This analysis measures interest rate risk by computing changes in the present value of our cash flows from assets, liabilities and off-balance sheet items in the event of a range of assumed changes in market interest rates. The present value of equity is equal to the market value of assets minus the market value of liabilities, with adjustments made for off-balance sheet items. This analysis assesses the risk of loss in market risk sensitive instruments in the event of a sudden and sustained 100 to 400 basis point increase or a 100 to 400 basis point decrease in market interest rates with no effect given to any future steps that management might take to counter the impact of that interest rate movement. The Bank's balance sheet remains more liability sensitive due to slower loan prepayment speeds, driven by higher interest rates during the first nine months of 2024, and deposit migration from non-maturity deposits to certificates of deposits with shorter average lives.
The following table presents the change in the present value of First Fed’s equity at December 31, 2024, that would occur in the event of an immediate change in interest rates based on management's assumptions.
Economic Value of Equity
Basis Point Change in Interest Rates $ Amount $ Change % Change EVE Ratio %
(Dollars in thousands)
Using the same assumptions as above, the sensitivity of our projected net interest income over a one-year period for the year ended December 31, 2024, is as follows:
Basis Point Change Projected Net Interest Income
in Interest Rates $ Amount $ Change % Change
(Dollars in thousands)
Management makes assumptions about interest rates, loan prepayment rates, deposit decay rates, and the market values of certain assets under differing interest rate scenarios, among others. As with any method of measuring interest rate risk, certain shortcomings are inherent in our analysis. For example, although certain assets and liabilities may have similar maturities or periods to repricing, they may react in different degrees to changes in market interest rates. Also, the interest rates on certain types of assets and liabilities may fluctuate in advance of changes in market interest rates, while interest rates on other types may take longer to adjust to changes in market rates. Additionally, certain assets have features, such as rate caps or floors, which restrict changes in interest rates on a short-term basis and over the life of the asset. Further, in the event of a change in interest rates, expected rates of prepayments on loans and early withdrawals from certificates could deviate significantly from those assumed in calculating forgoing the table.
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Liquidity Management
Liquidity is the ability to meet current and future financial obligations of a short-term and long-term nature. Our primary sources of funds consist of investment security principal and interest payments, deposit inflows, brokered deposits, loan repayments, maturities, sales of securities, and borrowings from the FHLB. While maturities and scheduled amortization of loans and securities are usually predictable sources of funds, deposit flows, calls of investment securities and borrowed funds, and prepayments on loans and investment securities are greatly influenced by general interest rates, economic conditions and competition, which can cause those sources of funds to fluctuate.
Management regularly adjusts our holdings of liquid assets based upon an assessment of expected loan demand, expected deposit flows, yields available on interest-earning deposits and securities, and objectives of our interest-rate risk and investment policies.
Our most liquid assets are cash and cash equivalents followed by available for sale securities. The levels of these assets depend on our operating, financing, lending and investing activities during any given period. At December 31, 2024, cash and cash equivalents totaled $72.5 million and securities classified as available-for-sale had a market value of $340.3 million. We have pledged loan collateral with principal balances totaling $951.8 million to support borrowings from the FHLB of $290.0 million, with a remaining borrowing capacity of $207.3 million. We have also pledged collateral of $17.9 million to the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco to secure discount window advances; the Company has performed periodic borrowing tests on this line with the Federal Reserve; however, no such funds were borrowed as of December 31, 2024. First Northwest maintains a $20.0 million line of credit with NexBank, with an available borrowing capacity of $13.5 million at year end, which is secured by First Northwest's personal property assets (with certain exclusions), including all the outstanding shares of First Fed, cash, loans receivable, and limited partnership investments.
At December 31, 2024, we had $165.8 million in undisbursed loans, including undisbursed construction commitments, and standby letters of credit. The Company also had unfunded partnership commitments totaling $3.2 million.
Customer CDs due within one year as of December 31, 2024, totaled $426.6 million, or 65.9% of total CDs. Brokered CDs due within one year as of December 31, 2024, totaled $100.9 million, or 15.6% of total CDs. Management believes a significant portion of our customer CDs will be renewed or rolled into new certificates of deposit given the current rate environment. If these maturing deposits are not renewed or rolled into other deposit products, we will seek other sources of funds, which may include borrowings and brokered deposits. We also attract and retain deposits by adjusting the interest rates offered, including the offering of promotional rates on certificates of deposit to encourage the renewal or rollover of maturing certificates of deposit and mitigate the risk of loss of these deposits. Depending on market conditions, we may pay higher rates on borrowings or brokered deposits than we currently pay on standard certificates of deposit or promotional rate offerings. However, rates on these sources of funds may also be less than what the market demands for customer deposits. We believe relationships developed by our sales teams, including our commercial relationship managers, branch managers and members of our branch network, and the general cash flows from our existing lending and investment activities, will afford us sufficient short- and long-term liquidity. For additional information, see the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows included in Item 8, "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data," of this Form 10-K.
First Fed has a diversified deposit base with approximately 61% of deposit account balances held by consumers, 28% held by business and public fund depositors, and 11% in brokered deposits. The average deposit account balance, excluding brokered and public fund accounts, was $28,000 at December 31, 2024. We estimate that 20-25% of our customer deposit balances, or $390.5 million, are over the $250,000 FDIC insurance limit, representing less than 5% of deposit customers. Management believes that maintaining a diversified deposit base is an important factor in managing liquidity.
The Company is a separate legal entity from the Bank and relies on dividends from its subsidiary, First Fed Bank, the NexBank line of credit and future investment redemptions for liquidity to pay its operating expenses and other financial obligations. At December 31, 2024, the Company (on an unconsolidated basis) had liquid assets of $441,000.
Off-Balance Sheet Activities
In the normal course of operations, First Fed engages in a variety of financial transactions that are not recorded in the financial statements. These transactions involve varying degrees of off-balance sheet credit, interest rate and liquidity risks. These transactions are used primarily to manage customers’ requests for funding and take the form of loan commitments and lines of credit. For the year ended December 31, 2024, we engaged in no off-balance sheet transactions likely to have a material effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.
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Commitments and Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
The following table summarizes our commitments and contingent liabilities with off-balance sheet risks as of December 31, 2024:
Amount of Commitment Expiration
(In thousands)
Unfunded commitments under existing maritime loans — — — 1,600 1,600
Unfunded commitments under partnership agreements 3,158 — — — 3,158
Capital Resources
First Northwest Bancorp is a financial holding company (a type of bank holding company) subject to regulation by the Federal Reserve. As a bank holding company, we are subject to capital adequacy requirements of the Federal Reserve under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended, and the regulations of the Federal Reserve. Our subsidiary, First Fed, is subject to minimum capital requirements imposed by the FDIC. Capital adequacy requirements are quantitative measures established by regulation that require us to maintain minimum amounts and ratios of capital.
First Fed is subject to meeting minimum capital adequacy requirements for common equity Tier 1 ("CET1") capital, Tier 1 risk-based capital, total risk-based capital, and tier 1 capital ("leverage"). Failure to meet minimum capital requirements can initiate certain mandatory and possibly additional discretionary actions by bank regulators that, if undertaken, could have a direct material effect on the Company’s financial statements.
First Fed is subject to capital requirements adopted by the Federal Reserve and the FDIC. See Item 1, "Business-How We Are Regulated," and Note 12 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8, "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data," of this Form 10-K for additional information regarding First Northwest Bancorp and First Fed’s regulatory capital requirements.
In order to avoid limitations on paying dividends, engaging in share repurchases, and paying discretionary bonuses based on percentages of eligible retained income that could be utilized for such actions, First Northwest Bancorp and First Fed must maintain CET1 capital at an amount greater than the required minimum levels plus a capital conservation buffer. This new capital conservation buffer requirement was phased in starting in January 2016 until fully implemented in the amount of 2.5% of risk-weighted assets in January 2019. As of December 31, 2024, the conservation buffer was 2.5%.
Consistent with our goals to operate a sound and profitable organization, our policy for First Fed is to maintain its "well-capitalized" status in accordance with regulatory standards. At December 31, 2024, the Bank and consolidated Company exceeded all regulatory capital requirements, and the Bank was considered "well capitalized" under FDIC regulatory capital guidelines.
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The following table provides the capital requirements and actual results at December 31, 2024.
Actual Minimum Capital Requirements Minimum Required to be Well-Capitalized
Amount Ratio Amount Ratio Amount Ratio
(Dollars in thousands)
Tier I leverage capital (to average assets)
Common equity tier I (to risk-weighted assets)
Tier I risk-based capital (to risk-weighted assets)
Total risk-based capital (to risk-weighted assets)
Effect of Inflation and Changing Prices
The consolidated financial statements and related financial data presented in this report have been prepared according to generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, which require the measurement of financial and operating results in terms of historical dollars without considering the change in the relative purchasing power of money over time due to inflation. The primary impact of inflation on our operations is reflected in increased operating costs and the effect that general inflation may have on both short-term and long-term interest rates. Unlike most industrial companies, virtually all the assets and liabilities of a financial institution are monetary in nature. As a result, interest rates generally have a more significant impact on a financial institution's performance than do general levels of inflation. Although inflation expectations do affect interest rates, interest rates do not necessarily move in the same direction or to the same extent as the prices of goods and services.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
See Note 1 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements contained in Item 8, "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data," of this Form 10-K.
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
The information contained under "Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Market Risk and Asset and Liability Management" of this Form 10-K is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
Index to Consolidated Financial Statements Page
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements 87
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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of
First Northwest Bancorp and Subsidiary
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of First Northwest Bancorp and Subsidiary (the "Company") as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive (loss) income, shareholders' equity, and cash flows for the years then ended, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the "consolidated financial statements"). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, and the consolidatedresults of its operations and its cash flows for the years then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) ("PCAOB"), the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2024, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission and our report dated March 13, 2025 expressed an unqualified opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
Basis for Opinion
These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidatedfinancial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures to respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Critical Audit Matter
The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the consolidated financial statements that was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that (1) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the consolidated financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments.
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The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.
Allowance for Credit Losses on Loans
As described in Notes 1 and 4 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company's consolidated allowance for credit losses on loans (ACLL) balance was $20.5 million as of December 31, 2024. The ACLL is a valuation account that is deducted from the amortized cost of loans receivable to present the net amount expected to be collected. Management's estimate of the ACLL uses relevant available information, from internal and external sources, relating to past events, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts.
We identified management’s application of historical losses including reasonable and supportable forecasts of future economic conditions in the discounted cash flow model, and management’s estimation of qualitative risk factors, which are both components of the ACLL calculation, as a critical audit matter. Baseline loss rates are calculated using peer institution data related to historical losses. Historical losses are adjusted for management’s consideration of the forecasted direction of the economic environment. The Company also considers other qualitative risk factors to adjust the estimated ACLL.
Addressing the matter involved performing procedures and evaluating audit evidence in connection with forming our overall opinion on the consolidated financial statements. Our audit procedures related to the critical audit matter included the following, among others:
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/s/ Moss Adams LLP
Everett, Washington
March 13, 2025
We have served as the Company's auditor since 2002.
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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of
First Northwest Bancorp and Subsidiary
Opinion on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
We have audited First Northwest Bancorp and Subsidiary's (the "Company") internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2024, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission ("COSO"). In our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2024, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by COSO.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) ("PCAOB"), the consolidated balance sheets of First Northwest Bancorp and Subsidiary as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive (loss) income, shareholders' equity and cash flows for the years then ended, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “consolidatedfinancial statements”) and our report dated March 13, 2025 expressed an unqualified opinion on those consolidated financial statements.
Basis for Opinion
The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting included in Item 9A. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audit also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Definition and Limitations of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and
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dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
/s/ Moss Adams LLP
Everett, Washington
March 13, 2025
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2002.
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CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(In thousands, except share data)
ASSETS
Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) stock, at cost 14,435 13,664
Servicing rights on sold loans, at fair value 3,281 3,793
Goodwill and other intangible assets 1,082 1,086
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accrued expenses and other liabilities 31,770 29,545
Advances from borrowers for taxes and insurance 1,484 1,260
Commitments and Contingencies (Note 14)
Shareholders' Equity
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax (30,172 ) (32,636 )
Unearned employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) shares (6,594 ) (7,253 )
See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(In thousands, except per share data)
For the Year Ended December 31,
INTEREST INCOME
Interest and fees on loans receivable $ 93,752 $ 84,614
Interest-bearing deposits and other 2,348 2,126
INTEREST EXPENSE
PROVISION FOR CREDIT LOSSES
Provision for credit losses on loans 16,716 2,357
Recapture of provision for credit losses on unfunded commitments (218 ) (1,034 )
Net interest income after provision for credit losses 39,822 60,109
NONINTEREST INCOME
Sold loan servicing fees and servicing rights mark-to-market 188 676
Net gain on sale of loans 312 438
Net loss on sale of investment securities (2,117 ) (5,397 )
Net gain on sale of premises and equipment 7,919 —
Increase in cash surrender value of bank-owned life insurance, net 1,179 928
Income from death benefit on bank-owned life insurance, net 1,536 —
NONINTEREST EXPENSE
Supplies, postage, and telephone 1,266 1,433
Regulatory assessments and state taxes 1,978 1,635
(Loss) income before (benefit) provision for income taxes (7,557 ) 2,675
(Benefit) provision for income taxes (944 ) 549
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest in Quin Ventures, Inc. — 160
Net (loss) income attributable to parent $ (6,613 ) $ 2,286
Basic and diluted (loss) earnings per common share $ (0.75 ) $ 0.26
See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS) INCOME
(In thousands)
For the Year Ended December 31,
Other comprehensive (loss) income:
Net actuarial (losses) gains on defined benefit ("DB") plan assets (252 ) 397
Amortization of unrecognized DB plan prior service cost 150 150
Tax effect (32 ) (32 )
Other comprehensive income, net of tax 2,464 7,907
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest — (160 )
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to parent $ (4,149 ) $ 10,193
See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
(In thousands, except share data)
Shares Amount Capital Earnings Shares Net of Tax Interest Equity
Restricted stock award grants net of forfeitures 16,856 — — —
Restricted stock awards canceled (20,666 ) — (280 ) (280 )
Other comprehensive income, net of tax 7,907 7,907
Close out investment in Quin Ventures (3,451 ) 3,451 —
ESOP shares committed to be released 32 660 692
Cash dividends declared and paid ($0.28 per share) (2,700 ) (2,700 )
Restricted stock award grants net of forfeitures 66,924 — — —
Restricted stock awards canceled (13,164 ) — (187 ) (187 )
Other comprehensive income, net of tax 2,464 2,464
Share-based compensation 957 957
ESOP shares committed to be released (37 ) 659 622
Cash dividends declared and paid ($0.28 per share) (2,644 ) (2,644 )
See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(In thousands)
For the Year Ended December 31,
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss) income before noncontrolling interest $ (6,613 ) $ 2,126
Depreciation and amortization 1,412 1,612
Amortization of core deposit intangible 3 3
Accretion of deferred loan fees and purchased premiums, net (1,535 ) (653 )
Amortization of debt issuance costs 78 78
Change in fair value of sold loan servicing rights 550 243
Additions to servicing rights on sold loans, net (38 ) (149 )
Provision for credit losses on loans 16,716 2,357
Recapture of provision for credit losses on unfunded commitments (218 ) (1,034 )
Deferred federal income taxes, net (1,409 ) 134
Allocation of ESOP shares 622 692
Share-based compensation expense 957 1,413
Gain on sale of loans, net (312 ) (438 )
Loss on sale of securities available for sale, net 2,117 5,397
Increase in cash surrender value of life insurance, net (1,179 ) (928 )
Income from death benefit on bank-owned life insurance, net (1,536 ) —
Origination of loans held for sale (22,197 ) (25,612 )
Change in assets and liabilities:
Increase in accrued interest receivable (265 ) (1,151 )
(Increase) decrease in ROU asset (10,954 ) 639
Decrease in prepaid expenses and other assets 2,380 654
(Decrease) increase in accrued interest payable (101 ) 2,941
Increase (decrease) in lease liabilities 11,107 (596 )
Increase in accrued expenses and other liabilities 3,890 2,866
Net cash provided by operating activities 16,876 17,875
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchase of securities available for sale (99,963 ) (20,330 )
Proceeds from sales of securities available for sale 21,048 40,619
Purchase of FHLB stock (771 ) (1,983 )
Early surrender of bank-owned life insurance policy 14,616 15
Purchase of bank-owned life insurance (14,616 ) —
Proceeds from bank-owned life insurance death benefit 1,602 —
Sale (purchase) of premises and equipment, net of amortization 6,508 (1,571 )
Capital contributions to partnership investments (6,502 ) (608 )
Redemption of partnership investment 5,931 —
Capital disbursements from partnership agreements 1,067 759
Net cash used by investing activities (87,066 ) (84,194 )
See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(In thousands)
For the Year Ended December 31,
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of long-term FHLB advances (25,000 ) (15,000 )
Net (decrease) increase in short-term FHLB advances (65,000 ) 41,000
Net increase (decrease) in line of credit — (5,500 )
Restricted stock awards canceled (187 ) (280 )
Repurchase of common stock (4,057 ) (1,149 )
Net cash provided by financing activities 19,469 143,892
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents (50,721 ) 77,573
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 123,169 45,596
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 72,448 $ 123,169
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest on deposits and borrowings $ 56,121 $ 36,526
Cash paid for income taxes 83 2,125
Supplemental disclosures of noncash investing activities:
Change in unrealized loss on securities available for sale $ 2,406 $ 10,287
Change in unrealized gain (loss) on fair value hedge 834 (1,054 )
Lease liabilities arising from obtaining right-of-use assets 12,158 152
Write-down of equity investment (1,762 ) —
See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.
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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Nature of operations - First Northwest Bancorp, a Washington corporation ("First Northwest"), became the holding company of First Fed Bank ("First Fed" or the "Bank") on January 29,2015, upon completion of the Bank's conversion from a mutual to stock form of organization (the "Conversion").
In connection with the Conversion, the Company issued an aggregate of 12,167,000 shares of common stock at an offering price of $10.00 per share for gross proceeds of $121.7 million. An additional 933,360 shares of Company common stock and $400,000 in cash were contributed to the First Federal Community Foundation ("Foundation"), a charitable foundation that was established in connection with the Conversion, resulting in the issuance of a total of 13,100,360 shares. The Company received $117.6 million in net proceeds from the stock offering of which $58.4 million were contributed to the Bank upon Conversion.
At the time of Conversion, the Bank established a liquidation account in an amount equal to its total net worth, approximately $79.7 million, as of June 30,2014, the latest statement of financial condition appearing in First Northwest's prospectus. The liquidation account is maintained for the benefit of eligible depositors who continue to maintain their accounts at the Bank after the Conversion. The liquidation account is reduced annually to the extent that eligible depositors have reduced their qualifying deposits. Subsequent increases will not restore an eligible holder’s interest in the liquidation account. In the event of a complete liquidation, each eligible depositor will be entitled to receive a distribution from the liquidation account in an amount proportionate to the current adjusted qualifying balances for accounts then held. The liquidation account balance is not available for payment of dividends, and the Bank may not pay dividends if those dividends would reduce equity capital below the required liquidation account amount.
Pursuant to the Conversion, the Bank’s Board of Directors adopted an ESOP which purchased in the open market 8% of the common stock originally issued for a total of 1,048,029 shares. As of December 15,2015,1,048,029 shares, or 100.0% of the total, had been purchased. As of December 31, 2024, First Northwest had allocated 492,208 shares from the total shares purchased to participants.
In April 2021, First Northwest entered into an Amended and Restated Joint Venture Agreement (the "Joint Venture Agreement") with the Bank, Peace of Mind, Inc. ("POM"), and Quin Ventures, Inc. ("Quin" or "Quin Ventures"). First Northwest extended $8.0 million to Quin Ventures under a capital financing agreement and related promissory note and issued 29,719 shares of the Company's common stock to POM with a value of $500,000. Quin Ventures sold substantially all of its assets in December 2022 to Quil Ventures, Inc. ("QUIL"), at which time POM returned the 29,719 shares previously issued and the joint venture agreement was terminated. As part of the sale transaction, the Company received a 5% ownership stake in QUIL valued at $225,000 and recorded a $1.5 million commitment receivable. In June 2023, First Northwest determined that Quin Ventures was no longer a going concern. The Company wrote off the remaining investment in Quin Ventures through retained earnings in accordance with applicable non-controlling interest accounting methods. The noncontrolling interest in Quin Ventures balance was moved to retained earnings, with no change to total shareholders' equity as a result of the transaction. In December 2023, the Company determined that QUIL was no longer a going concern, making the collectability of the receivable from and investment in QUIL unlikely. As result, the related investment of $225,000 and commitment receivable of $1.5 million were written off during the fourth quarter of 2023, impacting other noninterest income and other noninterest expense, respectively.
On October 31, 2021, the Bank converted from a State Savings Bank Charter to a State Commercial Bank Charter and was simultaneously renamed First Fed Bank from First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Port Angeles.
On August 5, 2022, First Northwest's election to be treated as a financial holding company became effective, allowing the Company to engage in non-banking activities that are financial in nature or incidental to financial activities.
First Northwest and the Bank are collectively referred to as the "Company." For periods prior to June 30, 2023, Company references also include Quin Ventures.
First Northwest's business activities generally are limited to passive investment activities and oversight of its investments in First Fed and former controlling interest in Quin Ventures. Accordingly, the information set forth in this report, including the consolidated financial statements and related data, relates primarily to the Bank for balance sheet related disclosures and the Bank and Quin Ventures for income statement related disclosures.
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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The Bank is a community-oriented financial institution providing commercial and consumer banking services to individuals and businesses primarily in western Washington State with offices in Clallam, Jefferson, Kitsap, King, Snohomish and Whatcom counties. These services include deposit and lending transactions that are supplemented with borrowing and investing activities.
Use of estimates - The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make assumptions. These assumptions result in estimates that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, revenues and expenses, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenue and expense during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change in the near term relate to a determination of the allowance for credit losses, fair value of financial instruments, deferred tax assets and liabilities, and the valuation of collateral dependent loans.
Principles of consolidation - The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of First Northwest Bancorp and its wholly owned subsidiary, First Fed, and its former controlling interest in Quin Ventures, Inc. All material intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Through June 2023, First Northwest and POM shared equal ownership in Quin Ventures; however, it was previously determined that First Northwest had a controlling interest for financial reporting purposes under Accounting Standards Codification 810. As a result, 100% of Quin Ventures balances, excluding intercompany activity, are reported in the consolidated financial statements presented. The Quin Ventures net loss allocable to POM is shown on the financial statements thorough a noncontrolling interest adjustment where applicable.
Subsequent events - The Company has evaluated subsequent events for potential recognition and disclosure.
Cash and cash equivalents - Cash and cash equivalents consist of currency on hand, due from banks, and interest-bearing deposits with financial institutions with an original maturity of three months or less. The amounts on deposit fluctuate and, at times, exceed the insured limit by the FDIC, which potentially subjects First Fed to credit risk. First Fed has not experienced any losses due to balances exceeding FDIC insurance limits.
Restricted assets - Federal Reserve Board regulations require maintenance of certain minimum reserve balances on deposit with the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. The deposit requirement was zero at both December 31, 2024 and 2023. First Fed was in compliance with its reserve requirements at December 31, 2024 and 2023.
Investment securities - Investments in debt securities are classified into one of three categories: (1) held-to-maturity, (2) available-for-sale, or (3) trading. First Fed had no trading securities at December 31, 2024 and 2023. Investment securities are categorized as held-to-maturity when First Fed has the positive intent and ability to hold those securities to maturity. First Fed had no held-to-maturity securities at December 31, 2024 and 2023.
Securities that are held-to-maturity are stated at cost and adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts, which are recognized as adjustments to interest income.
Investment securities categorized as available for sale are generally held for investment purposes (to maturity), although unanticipated future events may result in the sale of some securities. Available-for-sale securities are recorded at fair value, with the unrealized holding gain or loss reported in other comprehensive income (OCI), net of tax, as a separate component of shareholders' equity. Realized gains or losses are determined using the amortized cost basis of securities sold using the specific identification method and are included in earnings. Dividend and interest income on investments are recognized when earned. Premiums and discounts on securities without call features are recognized in interest income using the level yield method over the period to maturity. Premiums on securities with call features are amortized to the earliest call date.
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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The Company reviews the need for an allowance for credit losses on investment securities ("ACLI") on at least a quarterly basis, and more frequently when economic or market conditions warrant such an evaluation. For investment securities available for sale in an unrealized loss position, the Company first assesses whether it intends to sell, or it is more likely than not that it will be required to sell the security before the recovery of its amortized cost basis. If either of the criteria regarding intent or requirement to sell is met, the security’s amortized cost basis is written down to fair value through income. For investment securities available for sale that do not meet the aforementioned criteria, the Company evaluates whether the decline in fair value has resulted from credit losses or other factors. In making this assessment, management considers the extent to which fair value is less than amortized cost, any changes to the rating of the security by a rating agency and adverse conditions specifically related to the security, among other factors. The credit loss is defined as the difference between the present value of the cash flows expected to be collected and the amortized cost basis. If the present value of cash flows expected to be collected is less than the amortized cost basis, a credit loss exists and an ACLI is recorded for the credit loss, limited by the amount that the fair value is less than the amortized cost basis. Any decline in fair value that has not been recorded through an ACLI is recognized in other comprehensive income (loss). Changes in the ACLI are recorded as provision, or recapture of provision, for credit losses expense. Losses are charged against the allowance when management believes the uncollectibility of an investment security available for sale is confirmed or when either of the criteria regarding intent or requirement to sell is met. Accrued interest receivable on investment securities available for sale is excluded from the estimate of credit losses as interest accrued, but not received, is reversed timely in accordance with the policy for investment securities above.
Federal Home Loan Bank stock - First Fed’s investment in Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines (FHLB) stock is carried at cost, which approximates fair value. As a member of the FHLB system, First Fed is required to maintain a minimum investment in FHLB stock based on specific percentages of its outstanding mortgages, total assets, or FHLB advances. At December 31, 2024 and 2023, First Fed’s minimum investment requirement was approximately $14.4 million and $13.7 million, respectively. First Fed was in compliance with the FHLB minimum investment requirement at December 31, 2024 and 2023. First Fed may request redemption at par value of any stock in excess of the amount First Fed is required to hold. Stock redemptions are granted at the discretion of the FHLB.
Management evaluates FHLB stock for impairment based on its assessment of the ultimate recoverability of cost rather than by recognizing temporary declines in value. The determination of whether a decline affects the ultimate recoverability of cost is influenced by criteria such as (1) the significance of any decline in net assets of the FHLB compared with the capital stock amount for the FHLB and the length of time this situation has persisted, (2) commitments by the FHLB to make payments required by law or regulation and the level of such payments in relation to the operating performance of the FHLB, (3) the impact of legislative and regulatory changes on institutions and, accordingly, the customer base of the FHLB, and (4) the liquidity position of the FHLB. Based on its evaluation, First Fed did not recognize a loss on its FHLB stock at December 31, 2024 and 2023.
Loans held for sale - Mortgage loans originated and intended for sale in the secondary market are carried at the lower of aggregate cost or fair value. Fair value is determined based upon market prices from third-party purchasers and brokers. Net unrealized losses, if any, are recognized through a valuation allowance by charges to earnings. Gains or losses on the sale of loans are recognized at the time of sale and determined by the difference between net sale proceeds and the net book value of the loan less the estimated fair value of any retained mortgage servicing rights.
Loans receivable - Loans are stated at the amount of unpaid principal, net of charge-offs, unearned income, allowance for credit losses on loans (ACLL) and any deferred fees or costs. Interest on loans is calculated using the simple interest method based on the month end balance of the principal amount outstanding and is credited to income as earned. The estimated life is adjusted for prepayments.
Each loan segment and class inherently contains differing credit risk profiles depending on the unique aspects of that segment or class of loans. For example, borrowers tend to consider their primary residence and access to transportation for employment-related purposes as basic requirements; accordingly, many consumers prioritize making payments on real estate first-mortgage loans and vehicle loans. Conversely, second-mortgage real estate loans or unsecured loans may not be supported by sufficient collateral; thus, in the event of financial hardship, borrowers may tend to place less importance on maintaining these loans as current and the Bank may not have adequate collateral to provide a secondary source of repayment in the event of default. Notwithstanding the various risk profiles unique to each class of loan, management believes that the credit risk for all loans is similarly dependent on essentially the same factors, including the financial strength of the borrower, the cash flow available to service maturing debt obligations, the condition and value of underlying collateral, the financial strength of any guarantors, and other factors.
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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Problem loans are monitored and a portion or all of the balance is charged off when collectability is sufficiently questionable that the Bank can no longer justify showing the loan as an asset on the balance sheet. To determine if a loan should be charged off, all possible sources of repayment are analyzed. Possible sources of repayment include the potential for future cash flow, the value of the Bank’s collateral, and the strength of co-makers or guarantors. When these sources do not add up to a reasonable probability that the loan can be collected, charge off is processed.
The accrual of interest on loans is discontinued at the time the loan is 90 days delinquent, unless the credit is well secured and in process of collection. In all cases, loans are placed on nonaccrual or charged off at an earlier date if collection of principal or interest is considered doubtful.
All interest accrued but not collected for loans that are placed on nonaccrual or charged off is reversed against interest income. The interest on these loans is accounted for on the cash basis or cost recovery method until qualifying for return to accrual. Loans are returned to accrual status when all the principal and interest amounts contractually due are brought current and future payments are reasonably assured. For those loans placed on non-accrual status due to payment delinquency, return to accrual status will generally not occur until the borrower demonstrates repayment ability over a period of not less than six months.
Loan fees and purchased premiums - Loan origination fees and certain direct origination costs are deferred and amortized as an adjustment to the yield of the loan over the contractual life using the effective interest method. In the event a loan is sold, the remaining deferred loan origination fees and/or costs are recognized as a component of gains or losses on the sale of loans. We may pay a purchase premium or receive a purchase discount on fully originated loans that we purchase. Premiums and discounts are capitalized at the time of purchase and amortized as an adjustment to the yield over the contractual life using the effective interest method.
Allowance for credit losses - On January 1, 2023, the Company adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") ASU 2016-13 Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, as amended, which replaces the incurred loss methodology with a current expected credit loss ("CECL") methodology. The allowance for credit losses on loans ("ACLL") is a valuation account that is deducted from the amortized cost of loans receivable to present the net amount expected to be collected. Loans are charged against the allowance when management believes the collectability of a loan balance is unlikely. Subsequent recoveries, if any, are credited to the allowance. The Bank records the changes in the ACLL through earnings, as a provision for credit losses on the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Accrued interest receivable on loans receivable is excluded from the estimate of credit losses. Instead, interest accrued, but not received, is reversed timely in accordance with the policy for loans receivable above.
The Company has identified segments of loans with similar risk characteristics for which it then applies one of two loss methodologies. Management has adopted a discounted cash flow ("DCF") methodology for most of its segments to calculate the ACLL. For certain segments with smaller portfolios or where data is prohibitive to running a DCF calculation, management has elected to use a remaining life methodology. The Company will evaluate individual loans for expected credit losses when those loans do not share similar risk characteristics with loans evaluated using a collective (pooled) basis. The allowance for individually evaluated loans is calculated using the collateral value method, which considers the likely source of repayment as the value of the collateral, less estimated costs to sell, or another method such as the cash flow method, which considers the contractual principal and interest terms and estimated cash flows available from the borrower to satisfy the debt. When the cash flow method is used, cash flows are discounted back by the effective interest rate and compared to the total recorded investment. If the present value of cash flows is less than the total recorded investment, a reserve is calculated.