CB
CAMBRIDGE BANCORP (CATC)·Q1 2024 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q1 2024: Net income $6.9M and diluted EPS $0.87; operating diluted EPS $1.02. Sequentially lower vs Q4 2023 ($8.0M, $1.02) and materially down YoY vs Q1 2023 ($12.4M, $1.58) .
- Total revenue was $37.638M, down vs Q4 2023 ($38.587M) and vs Q1 2023 ($44.963M), with NIM compressing to 2.10% (from 2.14% in Q4 and 2.63% YoY) amid elevated deposit costs (2.18%) .
- Liquidity remained strong (~$2.35B, ~2x uninsured deposits), while funding mix shifted: wholesale CDs declined and borrowings (FHLB) increased; capital ratios and book value ticked up .
- Dividend maintained at $0.67 per share (payable May 23, 2024); merger with Eastern Bankshares progressing (shareholder approvals completed; regulatory approvals pending) .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- Wealth management strength: AUM&AUA rose to $4.80B (+4.5% q/q), and wealth management revenue increased to $8.7M (+2.8% q/q; +9.8% YoY) on market improvements .
- Capital and book value improved: common equity/assets to 9.97% (from 9.87%), TCE ratio to 8.76% (from 8.67%), book value per share to $68.27 (from $68.14) .
- Strategic progress: “We are pleased with the progress on our pending merger with Eastern and look forward to introducing Cambridge Trust clients to the strengths of the combined organization,” said CEO Denis K. Sheahan .
What Went Wrong
- Margin and spread pressure: NIM (FTE) fell to 2.10% (-4 bps q/q; -53 bps YoY), with adjusted NIM at 2.05%; net interest and dividend income declined to $27.0M (-4.0% q/q; -21.0% YoY) on higher funding costs .
- Expense inflation: Total noninterest expense rose to $28.3M (+5.0% q/q), driven by non-operating merger/office consolidation costs (+$709K), higher data processing and professional fees .
- Asset quality normalization: Non-performing loans increased to $17.2M and NPL/Loans to 0.43% (from 0.41% in Q4 and 0.18% YoY) though net charge-offs were de minimis .
Financial Results
Quarter-on-Quarter Trend (oldest → newest)
Year-over-Year (Q1 2023 → Q1 2024)
Segment/Income Mix (Noninterest Income detail; oldest → newest)
KPIs and Balance Sheet (oldest → newest)
Guidance Changes
- Management did not provide quantitative guidance for revenue, margins, OpEx, OI&E, or tax rate in the Q1 press release; forward-looking statements referenced merger conditions and macro/funding factors .
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Note: No Q1 2024 earnings call transcript was located in our document catalog; press release-driven themes below. The company announced the Q1 release date via PR on April 8, 2024 .
Management Commentary
- “We are pleased with the progress on our pending merger with Eastern and look forward to introducing Cambridge Trust clients to the strengths of the combined organization,” noted Denis K. Sheahan, Chairman, President and CEO .
- “We navigated through 2023 with strong liquidity and robust capital levels, despite a challenging environment in terms of interest rates and the impact to deposit and loan growth. The timeline for the planned merger with Eastern Bank is progressing as anticipated.” — Denis K. Sheahan .
- Q1 highlights emphasized ROA (0.51% operating ROA 0.60%), ROTCE (6.94%), liquidity (~$2.35B, ~2x uninsured deposits), and increases in capital ratios and book value per share .
Q&A Highlights
- No Q1 2024 earnings call transcript was found; therefore, Q&A highlights and any guidance clarifications are unavailable. The company announced the Q1 release timing via press release but did not furnish an earnings call transcript in our catalog .
Estimates Context
- S&P Global consensus estimates for CATC (EPS and revenue) were unavailable in our retrieval; as a result, formal comparisons to Wall Street consensus cannot be provided for Q1 2024.
- Where third-party websites suggest estimate comparisons, we do not rely on them; we anchor estimate comparisons to S&P Global when available (not available in this case).
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Top-line pressure persisted: total revenue fell to $37.638M, down q/q and YoY, as NIM compressed to 2.10% and deposit costs remained elevated; operating EPS declined to $1.02 q/q and YoY .
- Funding mix transformation is ongoing: wholesale CDs reduced; FHLB borrowings increased to $546.4M; expect continued scrutiny of cost of funds and adjusted NIM (2.05%) .
- Wealth management remains a stabilizer: revenue rose to $8.7M and AUM&AUA to $4.80B, supporting fee income resiliency amid rate pressure .
- Asset quality normalizing: NPLs/Loans at 0.43% vs 0.41% in Q4; watch credit metrics as the cycle matures, though net charge-offs were negligible .
- Capital/Book value improvements and maintained dividend ($0.67) provide support to shareholder returns pending the Eastern merger outcome .
- Merger with Eastern: shareholder approvals completed; regulatory approvals pending; merger synergy expectations and cost structure changes could become near-term stock catalysts once timing is clarified .
- Near-term focus: funding costs trajectory, margin stabilization, and merger developments; medium-term thesis hinges on fee income durability, credit normalization, and post-merger strategic positioning .
Appendix: Source Documents
- Q1 2024 8-K 2.02 and Exhibit 99.1 press release: “Cambridge Bancorp Announces First Quarter 2024 Results and Declares Quarterly Dividend” (Apr 23, 2024) .
- Q4 2023 8-K and press release: “Cambridge Bancorp Announces Results for 2023 and Declares Quarterly Dividend” (Jan 30, 2024) .
- Q3 2023 8-K and press release: “Cambridge Bancorp Announces Third Quarter 2023 Results and Declares Dividend” (Oct 17, 2023) .
- Other relevant press release: “Cambridge Bancorp Sets First Quarter 2024 Earnings Release Date” (Apr 8, 2024) .