Strong First Quarter Financial Performance
WSFS reported a core earnings per share of $1.13, core ROA of 1.29%, core PPNR of $104.6 million, and core return on tangible common equity of 16.97%, all improvements from the prior quarter.
Expansion of Net Interest Margin
Core net interest margin expanded by 8 basis points to 3.88% despite a 100 basis point interest rate cut.
Growth in Core Fee Revenue
Core fee revenue grew 6% year-over-year, driven by a 19% increase in Wealth and Trust revenue.
Strong Capital Returns
WSFS returned $62.6 million of capital in the first quarter, including $53.8 million in buybacks and $8.8 million in dividends. They also announced a 13% increase in the quarterly dividend.
Improved Efficiency
The core efficiency ratio was 59% as expenses declined by 9% quarter-over-quarter.