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Univest Financial Corporation Reports Second Quarter Results

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Univest Financial Corporation (“Univest” or the “Corporation”) (NASDAQ: UVSP), parent company of Univest Bank and Trust Co. (the “Bank”) and its insurance, investments and equipment financing subsidiaries, announced net income for the quarter ended June 30, 2023 was $16.8 million, or $0.57 diluted earnings per share, compared to net income of $13.2 million, or $0.45 diluted earnings per share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2022.

One-Time Items

The financial results for the quarter included a $1.3 million ($1.1 million after-tax), or $0.04 diluted earnings per share, restructuring charge associated with the Corporation’s financial service center optimization and expense management strategies deployed in response to macroeconomic headwinds. These strategies will result in a net reduction of three locations and a headcount rationalization, primarily concentrated within certain commercial real estate and residential mortgage lending teams. Estimated annualized cost savings from these initiatives is approximately $5.4 million. The financial results for the quarter also included a $250 thousand ($198 thousand after-tax) loss associated with the planned sale of a $19.7 million interest in a shared national credit.

Loans

Gross loans and leases increased $222.4 million, or 3.6% (14.4% annualized), from March 31, 2023 and $339.0 million, or 5.5% (11.0% annualized), from December 31, 2022. The increase in both periods was primarily due to increases in commercial real estate, construction, residential mortgage loans, and lease financings.

Deposits and Liquidity

Total deposits increased $152.7 million, or 2.6% (10.5% annualized), from March 31, 2023, primarily due to increases in brokered deposits partially offset by decreases in commercial and consumer deposits and public funds. Total deposits increased $73.9 million, or 1.2% (2.4% annualized), from December 31, 2022, primarily due to increases in public funds and brokered deposits partially offset by decreases in commercial and consumer deposits. Noninterest-bearing deposits represented 26.4% of total deposits at June 30, 2023, down from 30.8% at March 31, 2023. At June 30, 2023, unprotected deposits, which excludes insured accounts, internal accounts, and collateralized trust accounts, represented 23.3% of total deposits, down from 27.2% at March 31, 2023.

The Corporation and its subsidiaries had committed borrowing capacity of $3.2 billion at June 30, 2023, of which $2.0 billion was available. The Corporation and its subsidiaries also maintained uncommitted funding sources from correspondent banks of $410.0 million at June 30, 2023, of which $285.0 million was unused. Future availability under these uncommitted funding sources is subject to the prerogatives of the granting banks and may be withdrawn at will.

Net Interest Income and Margin

Net interest income of $54.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2023 decreased   $5.0 million, or 8.4%, from the three months ended March 31, 2023, and increased $2.9 million, or 5.6%, from the three months ended June 30, 2022. The decrease in net interest income for the three months ended June 30, 2023 compared to the prior quarter was due to an increase in cost of funds, including long-term borrowings as well as the continued increase in deposit cost of funds, both of which outpaced the impact of higher asset yields and loan growth during the quarter. The increase in net interest income for the three months ended June 30, 2023 compared to the same period of 2022 was largely due to an increase in average loan balances and asset yields, offset by increases in the average balance of interest bearing liabilities and the cost of funds.

Net interest margin, on a tax-equivalent basis, was 3.14% for the second quarter of 2023, compared to 3.58% for the first quarter of 2023 and 3.19% for the second quarter of 2022. Excess liquidity reduced net interest margin by approximately 23 basis points for the quarter ended June 30, 2022.

Noninterest Income

Noninterest income for the quarter ended June 30, 2023 was $19.8 million, an increase of $835 thousand, or 4.4%, compared to the second quarter of 2022.

Insurance commission and fee income increased $479 thousand, or 10.3%, for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, primarily due to an increase in premiums for commercial lines. Other income increased $481 thousand, or 64.9%, for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, primarily due to $292 thousand of other real estate owned (“OREO”) income related to a commercial real estate loan transferred to OREO during the second quarter of 2022 and an increase of $232 thousand in fees on risk participation agreements for interest rate swaps. These increases were offset by a loss of $250 thousand on the planned sale of an interest in a shared national credit, as previously discussed.

Noninterest Expense

Noninterest expense for the quarter ended June 30, 2023 was $49.8 million, an increase of $2.4 million, or 5.1%, compared to the second quarter of 2022. Excluding restructuring charges, expenses increased $1.1 million, or 2.3%.

Salaries, benefits and commissions increased $742 thousand, or 2.5%, for the quarter ended June 30, 2023. This increase reflects our expansion into Maryland and Western Pennsylvania and annual merit increases offset by a reduction in incentive compensation. Data processing expenses increased $429 thousand, or 11.6%, for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, primarily due to our investments in technology in recent years and general price increases incurred in the second half of 2022. Restructuring charges increased $1.3 million, as previously discussed. Other expense increased $757 thousand, or 11.8%, for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, primarily due to increases in retirement plan costs of $410 thousand, which is driven by the current interest rate environment. Professional fees decreased $1.2 million, or 41.3%, for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, primarily due to consultant fees incurred in the second quarter of 2022 related to our digital transformation initiative.

Tax Provision

The effective income tax rate was 19.8% for the quarters ended June 30, 2023 and 2022. The effective tax rates for the three months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022 reflected the benefits of tax-exempt income from investments in municipal securities and loans and leases.

Asset Quality and Provision for Credit Losses

Nonperforming assets were $34.5 million at June 30, 2023, compared to $32.4 million at March 31, 2023 and $34.7 million at June 30, 2022. During the quarter, a $5.8 million construction loan was placed on nonaccrual status and a $2.5 million nonaccrual commercial loan was paid off. Based on the value of the underlying collateral, an individual reserve was not recorded for the $5.8 million construction loan as of June 30, 2023.

Net loan and lease charge-offs were $512 thousand for the three months ended June 30, 2023 compared to $2.8 million and $1.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and June 30, 2022, respectively.

The provision for credit losses was $3.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2023 compared to $3.4 million and $6.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and June 30, 2022, respectively. The allowance for credit losses on loans and leases as a percentage of loans and leases held for investment was 1.28% at June 30, 2023 and March 31, 2023, and 1.27% at June 30, 2022.

Dividend

On July 26, 2023, Univest declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.21 per share to be paid on August 23, 2023 to shareholders of record as of August 9, 2023.

Conference Call

Univest will host a conference call to discuss second quarter 2023 results on Thursday, July 27, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. EST. Participants may preregister at https://conferencingportals.com/event/QPDnglhR. The general public can access the call by dialing 1-888-330-2398; using Conference ID 38917. A replay of the conference call will be available through August 26, 2023 by dialing 1-800-700-2030; using Conference ID 38917.

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“Grand Huangshan” Debuts at the 2024 World Brand Moganshan Conference

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HUZHOU, China, May 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — On May 10th, the brand promotion conference of “Grand Huangshan” was held in Deqing County, Zhejiang Province, during the 2024 World Brand Moganshan Conference.

The decision by the Anhui Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government to build “Grand Huangshan” is a major initiative based on the unique advantages of the landscape, culture, and ecology of southern Anhui Province. It aims to cultivate new drivers for high-quality development, embodying innovative concepts and a systematic approach to constructing a modern industrial system.

The greatness of “Grand Huangshan” lies firstly in its geographical scope, covering the entire area of Huangshan, Chizhou, Anqing, and Xuancheng cities. Secondly, it encompasses abundant resources including natural ecology, cultural heritage, and market potential. Thirdly, it is characterized by a commitment to deepening structural reforms in the tourism industry. Fourthly, it sets ambitious goals, aiming for a regional GDP of 1.4 trillion yuan by 2033.

The future “Grand Huangshan” will be benchmarked against international standards. The most prominent feature of advancing the construction of “Grand Huangshan” is its focus on global goals and adherence to international standards, striving to shape a leisure and health brand with quality and warmth.

The future Grand Huangshan is a convergence of cross-disciplinary fields. It aims to create a cluster of modern high-end service industries, including leisure tourism, medical care and wellness, creative economy, sports events, exhibition economy, cultural services, and suitable advanced manufacturing.

The future Grand Huangshan will be a Grand Huangshan of coordinated development. It will break through geographical, administrative, institutional, planning, and policy boundaries, allowing the overall linkage, free flow, and optimized interaction of regional resources and elements, ultimately forming a synergistic effect for industrial agglomeration and development.

Anhui Province has meticulously formulated guidance plans for “Grand Huangshan,” It focuses on the development of leisure tourism, medical care and wellness, creative economy, sports events, exhibition economy, cultural services, and suitable advanced manufacturing (including green food) as the “6+1” industries. It has prepared 50 key projects with a total investment of 103.8 billion yuan and 100 key investment promotion projects with a total investment of 177.8 billion yuan for construction by 2024, ensuring readiness for participation from friends at home and abroad who are interested in contributing to the construction of Grand Huangshan.

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Venom and KuCoin Ventures forge strategic partnership

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ABU DHABI, UAE, May 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Venom, an innovative layer-0 and layer-1 blockchain network capable of hosting projects at massive scale, has continued to expand its offerings, this time forming a strategic partnership with KuCoin Ventures, the investment arm of KuCoin, a leading global crypto exchange.

 

 

The partnership follows on the heels of Venom’s launch into mainnet and the listing of the VENOM token on KuCoin.

One of the most anticipated new blockchain projects, the Venom network, has continued to make inroads across the blockchain industry following its launch into mainnet earlier this year. Venom has drawn attention due to its unique capabilities as both a layer-0 and layer-1 blockchain. The network is powered by Mesh technology, which allows it to communicate seamlessly and at great speed with other, independent networks.

Built to be capable of hosting massive platforms and projects, specifically global payment systems and CBDCs, Venom has emerged as one of the most promising new networks, with capabilities that could revolutionize what is possible in global commerce.

Now, the network has put itself in a prime position to further expand and integrate with other blockchain projects by reaching an agreement with KuCoin, one of the industry’s largest exchanges. KuCoin is one of the top-ten cryptocurrency exchanges with a daily trading volume of well over $500 million.

The new partnership would involve Venom receiving investment support for its VENOM token, while also providing enhanced visibility for projects integrated with the Venom blockchain on KuCoin. KuCoin Ventures will also provide support and resources during and after Venom projects on-boarding process.

Reached for comment on the new partnership, Venom Foundation CEO Christopher Louis Tsu had this to say: “This new partnership with KuCoin Ventures, the investment arm of KuCoin exchange, which is one of the industry’s largest and most important exchanges, marks a new chapter for the Venom network. This will open a lot of new doors for Venom and set the stage for collaborative work that will redefine this industry and allow Venom to reach its full potential. We are all very eager to see this come to fruition and what lies ahead for both us and KuCoin Ventures.”

About Venom:
Venom is a cutting-edge layer-0 and layer-1 network, seamlessly communicating and integrating with other independent networks through its innovative Mesh technology. The Venom ecosystem is anchored by a masterchain, which manages the overall network state and consensus, while workchains — an unlimited number of autonomous chains — host user accounts, smart contracts, and decentralized applications. Mesh technology revolutionizes inter-chain communication, optimizing interactions without compromising speed or unparalleled scalability. With a robust technology stack that ensures rapid finality, comprehensive security, stability, and user-friendly interfaces, Venom is the ideal network for hosting CBDCs and other large-scale platforms. Learn more at https://venom.foundation/

About KuCoin:
Launched in September 2017, KuCoin is a leading global cryptocurrency exchange with its operational headquarters in Seychelles. As a user-oriented platform with a focus on inclusiveness and community action reach, it offers over 800 digital assets and currently provides Spot trading, Margin trading, P2P Fiat trading, Futures trading, and Staking to its 30 million users in more than 200 countries and regions. In 2023, KuCoin was named one of the Best Crypto Exchanges by Forbes and recognized as a highly commended global exchange in Finder’s 2023 Global Cryptocurrency Trading Platform Awards.

Learn more at https://www.kucoin.com.

Contact for Venom foundation:
Email: [email protected]

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Yili’s 2023 Revenue Reaches 126.2 Billion Yuan, Leading Global Dairy Industry towards Healthy and Sustainable Development

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HOHHOT, China, May 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — On April 29, Yili Group released its 2023 financial report, showing a record-breaking total operating income of 126.179 billion yuan and a net profit attributable to parent company of 10.429 billion yuan. This marked 31 consecutive years of steady growth.

On the same day, Yili also announced a plan to repurchase shares worth no less than 1 billion yuan but no more than 2 billion yuan. These shares will be entirely canceled to reduce the company’s registered capital.

During the reporting period, Yili’s entire range of products remained industry-leading. Its liquid milk business generated an operating income of 85.54 billion yuan, maintaining its top position in both scale and market share. The milk powder and dairy products recorded 27.598 billion yuan in revenue, up 5.09% year on year, and overall milk powder sales rose to the top of the Chinese market. The cold beverage business generated an operating income of 10.69 billion up, up 11.72% from the previous year, far exceeding the industrial average growth rate, and retained its market leadership for the 29th consecutive year.   

Overseas business also performed well. In 2023, Yili’s overseas business income increased by 10.08% year on year, with products sold to over 60 countries and regions. Notably, Cremo and Joyday products gained significant popularity in Southeast Asia, while Joyday ice cream made a strong entry into Africa.

Yili has continuously improved and optimized its global supply chain network, achieving efficient synergy between its domestic and overseas bases. In May 2023, construction work commenced for a lactoferrin factory of Westland Dairy Company Limited, one of Yili’s subsidiaries. Once the factory is put into operation, it will be one of the top three lactoferrin producers worldwide. This capacity breakthrough is driven by innovative technological advancements that have spurred the transformation of research into tangible results.

In 2023, Yili made continuous breakthroughs in cutting-edge technologies, quickly translating these innovations into products that have set new trends in healthy consumption. One notable achievement was the development of a unique lactoferrin directional extraction and protection technology, which increased the lactoferrin retention rate in UHT milk from 10% to over 90%. Furthermore, the company solved the challenge of probiotic inactivation at ambient temperatures, creating new healthy consumption scenarios for yogurt.

With industry-leading technological capabilities as the foundation, the Group has launched bestselling new products such as the SATINE Active Lactoferrin Organic Milk and Ambpomial AMX Probiotic Yogurt, providing the company with new growth drivers.

These innovative achievements stem from the company’s long-term investment in technology. Recently, on the tenth anniversary of the Yili European Innovation Center, the center’s upgrade and the establishment of the Global Maternal and Child Nutrition Research Center were celebrated at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. Since its inception, the center has achieved remarkable results in areas like breast milk research, probiotics development, and innovative processes and technologies. Going forward, the center will focus on cutting-edge global dairy technologies to accelerate the application and commercialization of innovative results.

As an industry leader, Yili is not only achieving steady business growth but also emphasizing a sustainable future. The company actively promotes green and sustainable development, contributes to environmental protection and public welfare, and strives to create a win-win situation in economic, social, and environmental benefits.

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Cision View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/yilis-2023-revenue-reaches-126-2-billion-yuan-leading-global-dairy-industry-towards-healthy-and-sustainable-development-302142361.html

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