HERITAGE FINANCIAL CORP WA

One of the Company's key sources of earnings is net interest income. There are several factors that affect net interest income, including, but not limited to, the volume, pricing, mix and maturity of interest earning assets and interest bearing liabilities; the volume of noninterest earning assets, noninterest bearing demand deposits, other noninterest bearing liabilities and stockholders' equity; market interest rate fluctuations; and asset quality.

Market rates impact the results of the Company's net interest income, including the significant increases in the federal funds target rate by the Federal Reserve in response to inflation during 2022 and 2023. The following table provides the federal funds target rate history and changes since December 31, 2021:

Average Balances, Yields and Rates Paid

The following table provides relevant net interest income information for the periods indicated:

(1) Average balances are calculated using daily balances.

(2) Average loans receivable, net includes loans held for sale and loans classified as nonaccrual, which carry a zero yield. Interest earned on loans receivable, net includes the amortization of net deferred loan fees of $3.3 million, $7.4 million and $28.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, respectively.

(3) Yields on tax-exempt loans and securities have not been stated on a tax-equivalent basis.

The following tables provide the changes in net interest income for the periods indicated due to changes in average asset and liability balances (volume), changes in average yields/rates (rate) and changes attributable to the combined effect of volume and rates allocated proportionately to the absolute value of changes due to volume and changes due to rates:

Total interest income increased $57.0 million, or 25.1%, to $284.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to $227.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase was primarily due to a 106 basis point increase in the yield on interest earning assets to 4.53% for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to 3.47% for the year ended December 31, 2022 following increases in market interest rates.

Total interest expense increased $51.2 million, or 634.8%, to $59.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to $8.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 due primarily to increased costs of interest bearing deposits resulting from competitive rate pressures as well as customers transferring balances from non-maturity deposits to higher rate certificates of deposits and an increase in borrowings. Total cost of interest bearing liabilities increased 120 basis points to 1.40% for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to 0.20% for the year ended December 31, 2022.

The net interest margin increased 23 basis points to 3.58% for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 3.35% for the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase in net interest margin was due primarily to increases in average yields on total interest earning assets as a result of increases in market interest rates. This was partially offset by increases in the average cost of interest bearing liabilities as a result of upward market pressure related to deposit rates and an increase in borrowings.