WEST BANCORPORATION INC

The following discussion describes the consolidated operations and financial condition of the Company, West Bank and West Bank's special purpose subsidiaries (which are invested in new markets tax credit activities). Results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 are compared to the results for the same periods in 2023, and the consolidated financial condition of the Company as of September 30, 2024 is compared to that as of December 31, 2023. This discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on February 23, 2024.

The Company conducts business from its headquarters building in West Des Moines, Iowa and through its branch offices in central Iowa, which is generally the greater Des Moines metropolitan area; eastern Iowa, which is the area including and surrounding Iowa City and Coralville; and southern Minnesota, which includes the cities of Rochester, Owatonna, Mankato and St. Cloud.

Net income for the three months ended September 30, 2024 was $5,952, or $0.35 per diluted common share, compared to $5,906, or $0.35 per diluted common share, for the three months ended September 30, 2023. The Company's annualized return on average assets and return on average equity for the three months ended September 30, 2024 were 0.60 percent and 10.41 percent, respectively, compared to 0.64 percent and 10.89 percent, respectively, for the three months ended September 30, 2023.

Net interest income for the three months ended September 30, 2024 increased $1,326, or 8.0 percent, compared to the three months ended September 30, 2023. The increase in net interest income was primarily due to the increase in interest income on loans and decrease in interest expense on federal funds purchased and other short-term borrowings, partially offset by the increase in interest expense on deposits.

Noninterest income decreased $463 for the three months ended September 30, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, due to $431 in loan swap fees earned during the three months ended September 30, 2023. Noninterest expense increased $987 during the three months ended September 30, 2024 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2023, primarily due to increases in occupancy and equipment, technology and software expense and FDIC insurance, partially offset by a decrease in business development expenses.

Net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 was $16,953, or $1.00 per diluted common share, compared to $19,612, or $1.17 per diluted common share, for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The Company's annualized return on average assets and return on average equity for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 were 0.59 percent and 10.18 percent, respectively, compared to 0.72 percent and 12.22 percent, respectively, for the nine months ended September 30, 2023.

Net interest income for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 declined $730, or 1.4 percent, compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The decrease in net interest income was primarily due to the increase in interest expense on deposits, resulting from rising short-term interest rates and changes in deposit mix, partially offset by an increase in interest income on loans.

Noninterest income decreased $1,164 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, primarily due to loan swap fees and a nonrecurring gain from bank-owned life insurance in 2023. Noninterest expense increased $1,504 during the nine months ended September 30, 2024 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2023, primarily due to increases in occupancy and equipment, technology and software expense and FDIC insurance, partially offset by a decrease in business development expenses.

The Company recorded a provision for credit losses on loans of $1,000 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, compared to $200 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023. The provision for credit losses recorded in 2024 was due to changes in the forecasted loss rates, driven by increases in the forecasted unemployment rates. The Company also recorded a negative provision for credit losses on unfunded commitments of $1,000 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, compared to no provision for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023. The negative provision for unfunded commitments recorded in 2024 was due to the decrease in balances of unfunded commitments resulting primarily from the funding of construction loans.

Total loans outstanding increased $93,686, or 3.2 percent, during the first nine months of 2024. The credit quality of the loan portfolio remained strong, as evidenced by the Company's ratio of nonperforming loans to total assets of 0.01 percent as of both September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023. As of both September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the allowance for credit losses was 0.97 percent of total outstanding loans. Management believed the allowance for credit losses at September 30, 2024 was adequate to absorb expected losses in the loan portfolio as of that date.

On a quarterly basis, the Company compares three key performance metrics to those of our identified peer group. The peer group for 2024 consists of 21 Midwestern, publicly traded financial institutions, including Bank First Corporation, Bridgewater Bancshares Inc., ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc., Civista Bancshares, Inc., CrossFirst Bankshares, Inc., Equity Bancshares, Inc., Farmers National Banc Corp., Farmers & Merchants Bancorp., First Business Financial Services, Inc., First Financial Corp., First Mid Bancshares, Inc., German American Bancorp, Inc., HBT Financial Inc., Hills Bancorporation, Isabella Bank Corporation, LCNB Corp., Mercantile Bank Corporation, MidWest One Financial Group, Inc., Nicolet Bankshares, Inc., Peoples Bancorp, Inc., and Southern Missouri Bancorp, Inc. The Company is in the middle of the group in terms of asset size. The Company's goal is to perform at or near the top of this peer group relative to what we consider to be three key metrics: return on average equity, efficiency ratio and nonperforming assets to total assets. We believe these measures encompass the factors that define the performance of a community bank. Company and peer results for the key financial performance measures are summarized below.

(1) The efficiency ratio is a non-GAAP financial measure. For further information, refer to the Non-GAAP Financial Measures section of this report.

(2) Latest data available.

At its meeting on October 23, 2024, the Company's Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.25 per common share. The dividend is payable on November 20, 2024, to stockholders of record on November 6, 2024.