Ronald Nicolas

Thanks, Steve, and good morning. For comparison purposes, the majority of my remarks are on a linked-quarter basis. Let's start with the quarter's financial highlights.
Second quarter net income totaled $41.9 million or $0.43 per share, and our average return -- our return on average assets and average tangible common equity were 0.90% and 8.92%, respectively. Total revenue was $154.6 million, and non-interest expense decreased $5.1 million to $97.6 million resulting in an efficiency ratio of 61.3% and a pre-provision net revenue as a percentage of average assets of 1.23% for the quarter.
Taking a closer look at the income statement, net interest income decreased to $136.4 million, primarily as a result of higher cost of funds as well as lower loan balances reflecting the impact from the prolonged higher interest rate environment and tepid loan demand. On the funding side, deposit -- the deposit mix shift also contributed to the increase in deposit costs impacting the second-quarter net interest margin, which narrowed 13 basis points to 3.26%.
Our average non-maturity deposit costs increased 11 basis points to 1.17%, and total deposit costs were 1.73%, reflecting the shift of interest-bearing -- to interest-bearing money market and retail CDs during the quarter.
On the earnings side, we saw higher yielding loans prepaid during the quarter, as well as lower C&I line utilization, keeping the average loan rate flat with the prior quarter. Assuming one rate cut in September, our current expectation for the third quarter is modest net interest margin pressure from continuing higher funding costs.
On a spot basis, our total cost of deposits was 1.81% at quarter end. Lastly, we have $600 million of fixed to floating SOFR-based swaps that are set to mature in a latter fashion beginning in September through year-end. For the third quarter, we expect a similar level of swap income as we saw in the second quarter, again, assuming we don't see any Fed moves before September.
Non-interest income of $18.2 million decreased $7.6 million from the first quarter, driven by the prior quarter's $5.1 million debt extinguishment gain and $1.7 million of lower trust income due to the seasonal timing of annual tax fees recognized in the first quarter. For the third quarter, we expect our total non-interest income to be in the range of $19 million to $20 million.
Non-interest expense came in better than expected at $97.6 million, representing a reduction of $5.1 million compared to the first quarter, primarily due to a non-recurring $4 million legal-related insurance claim. Compensation and benefits expense also decreased $1 million to $53.1 million, primarily reflecting lower payroll tax expense.
From a staffing perspective, we ended the quarter relatively flat with a head count of 1,348 compared with 1,353 as of March 31. We continue to manage expenses tightly and our expense -- expectations for the third quarter for expense is to be in the range of approximately $101 million to $102 million.
Our provision for credit losses of $1.3 million decreased compared to the prior quarter, commensurate with the smaller loan portfolio and our current asset quality profile. While we have not seen any meaningful deterioration in asset quality, we continue to actively monitor our portfolio concentrations and performance of certain asset classes that are more sensitive to the higher for longer rate environment.
Turning now to the balance sheet. We finished the quarter at $18.3 billion in total assets as lower deposit levels were matched by decreases in loans and lower cash balances, offset by increases in our AFS securities portfolio.
Total loans held for investment declined $522 million driven by prepayments, paydowns, maturities, and lower C&I line utilization. The C&I spot utilization rate decreased to 41% from 48% at March 31. Consistent with prior periods, we maintained a prudent approach to balance sheet risk management, opting to prioritize capital accumulation and enhance liquidity.
As part of these ongoing efforts, we sold $35 million of adversely classified loans during the second quarter as part of our proactive credit risk management approach. Total deposits ended the quarter at $14.6 billion, which represented a linked quarter decrease of $560.2 million.
The anticipated decrease was due to seasonality around tax payments and clients continuing to pay down loans and seeking higher returns for excess liquidity. The securities portfolio increased $155.7 million to $3.1 billion, and the average yield on our investment portfolio was 3.62%.
During the quarter, we purchased $443 million of shorter-term US treasuries with maturities predominantly 18 months or less at a weighted average yield of 5.08%. Our investment strategy continues to prioritize liquidity, providing us important balance sheet optionality. Our reinvestment levels will be dependent upon customer deposit flows as well as interest rate risk considerations.
The combination of solid earnings and a smaller balance sheet further strengthened our capital ratios this quarter, with all ratios increasing significantly from March 31. In addition, our total common equity increased 44 basis points to 11.41%, and our tangible book value per share increased to $20.58.
And lastly, from an asset quality standpoint, non-performing loans were 0.42% of total loans, 7 basis points lower from the prior quarter; and our classified loans also fell to 1.47% from 1.57% in the first quarter. Delinquency continues to run at low levels at 0.14%.
During the second quarter of 2024, we had $10.3 million of net charge-offs primarily related to the sale of two substandard loans compared to $6.4 million of net charge-offs in the first quarter. We remain very well reserved across all loan segments, with our ACL at a healthy $183.8 million and our coverage ratio essentially flat at 1.47%.
Our allowance reflects changes in the economic and market forecasts as well as changes in our asset quality profile and loan portfolio balances and composition. Finally, our total loss absorption, which includes the fair value discount on loans acquired through bank acquisitions, finished the quarter at 1.78%.
With that, I'll turn the call back to Steve.

Steven Gardner

Great. Thanks, Ron. I'll wrap up with a few comments about our outlook. We have spent several quarters building a war chest of capital and liquidity to position our institution to take advantage of organic and strategic opportunities that align with our risk-adjusted return thresholds. In the near term, our priorities are unchanged as we expect to prioritize capital accumulation and maintaining ample sources of liquidity.
We may be reaching a point in the credit cycle where loan demand accelerates. Should that materialize, we anticipate that we will be able to leverage our diverse client base and disciplined business development capabilities to grow loan and deposit balances.
In terms of capital allocation, we will maintain a prudent approach while staying flexible as potential opportunities arise to expand our business, better serve our clients, and maximize long-term shareholder value. Our executive management team, along with the Board, continually evaluate a wide range of potential options for capital deployment, which could include transactions to reposition the balance sheet as we move through the remainder of this year.
On the M&A front, the uncertain regulatory and operating environments dictate a discerning approach to strategic growth. We remain open to transactions that will diversify and complement our franchise while delivering long-term value to our shareholders.
I want to thank all Pacific Premier team members for their exceptional contributions throughout the quarter. Additionally, I want to say thank you to all of our stakeholders for their ongoing support of our organization as we remain committed to creating sustainable long-term value.
That concludes our prepared remarks, and we would be happy to answer any questions. Nick, please open up the call for questions.

Question and Answer Session

Operator

Thank you. We will now begin the question=and-answer session. (Operator Instructions) David Feaster, Raymond James.

David Feaster

Hi. Good morning, everybody.

Steven Gardner

Hi, David.

Ronald Nicolas

Good morning.

David Feaster

I just wanted to -- I was hoping you could elaborate on your commentary about loan and deposit balances stabilizing in the back half here. And what gives you confidence in that? I mean, is it the prospects of rates down or just business activity or your bankers maybe being more active? I'm just curious, what gives you confidence that loans and deposits are going to stabilize?

Steven Gardner

It's in part due to the conversations that we're hearing from the clients. Also the fact that, as Ron had mentioned, we did see a bit of seasonality here in the deposit outflows. And in many ways, we've matched the deposit outflows with contraction in the loan portfolio.
It's also that some of the activity that we're seeing, we originated a larger amount of loans in the second quarter, although relatively modest from a historic perspective, for the institution. And then also, two is, as you mentioned, potential around declining rates having a positive impact.
Lastly, the certainty that I think we will all gain as the election approaches and then we've got a determination there. So I think it's a combination of factors, David, as we look out here and move through the remaining part of the year.

David Feaster

Got it. And where are you seeing activity? I mean, it's encouraging to see the increase in C&I originations in the quarter. I'm just curious, in the conversations that you're having with clients, where are you seeing potential activity? Where are you having success? And what could get things to stabilize or start increasing then with the C&I improvement with that -- in part to what's giving you confidence on the deposit front?

Steven Gardner

I think so, to an extent. On the deposit front, the reality is that -- with our business model that we've historically banked very strong businesses that had carried quite a bit of excess liquidity. And as that is being redeployed, either through the paydown and payoff of loans and/or redeployed into higher-yielding alternatives and, again, some of the seasonality factors in the second quarter.
You put all those pieces together, and we think that we potentially start to reach that stabilization here, maybe before the end of the year is kind of our expectation right now. We are seeing pretty good origination on the C&I side. We've seen a little bit modest pickup in some of the construction lending, at least what's in the pipeline. So we'll see how all of this materializes here in the coming quarters.

David Feaster

Okay. And then just last one for me. You talked about war chest of capital and liquidity just as you concluded your prepared remarks. It sounds like you maybe have a bit more appetite to deploy some of that today. I'm just curious, what's your interest in it?
It sounds like maybe some M&A but also some balance sheet repositioning opportunities. Would you be interested in potential loan pool purchases or another securities repositioning or primarily focused on M&A broadly?

Steven Gardner

I think the answer to the question, David, is we're considering all of the options and thinking them through, analyzing, and assessing each one. And we'll be very thorough and thoughtful on what we do. But I think we are thinking about all of the options. As I mentioned in the prepared remarks, from the M&A front, there's uncertainty on the regulatory front, and the operating environment, I think, has held back activity.
We did see a couple of sizable transactions get announced earlier in the quarter. And we'll see how those play out. We're certainly hopeful there, as I'm sure every investment banker is in the country. So we'll see how all of these factors play, but we are considering all of the options, but are going to be thoughtful and analytical in our approach.

David Feaster

Got it. That's helpful. Thanks, everybody.

Operator

Matthew Clark, Piper Sandler.

Matthew Clark

Hey. Good morning, everyone. Thanks for the questions. First one, the swap revenue this quarter. Ron, how much was that in net interest income?

Ronald Nicolas

In net interest, it was about 16 basis points, about [22] to loans. And again, we expect consistent here in the third quarter, assuming just one Fed move in September.

Matthew Clark

Okay. And then if you had it, the average NIM in the month of June.

Ronald Nicolas

I'll take a look at that, Matt, and get back with you on that.

Matthew Clark

Okay. And then just thinking through deposit costs. From here, you gave us a spot rate which is up a little further. But I guess, how do you plan to approach rate cuts, assuming we get one in September and December? I mean, should we assume the peak in deposit costs in the third quarter and starts to decline from there? Do you feel like there might be some delay in that or even just stability in the fourth quarter?

Steven Gardner

I would say that we think about probably some stability. It's also [as] well on the flows here. I think they're interrelated to an extent should -- yeah, third and fourth quarter.

Ronald Nicolas

I would also add, Matt, if we see the rate cut and maybe one coming about in the fourth quarter, obviously, we're -- when we price, we price based on competition as well and what we're seeing and what we're -- how we're managing it. So -- but at the end of the day, I would suggest that we probably see pricing actions on our part for sure, from -- that's just the way we approach it.
But at the same time, what we can't predict is what we've seen as the shifts in the deposit mix. The industry has seen movement out of the net interest bearing into interest-bearing money markets and time deposits in that. We obviously saw that as well this past quarter. So that's a little less predictable.
Now some of that could subside, but let's face it, a 25 basis point cut. Maybe that's psychologically a big move, but it's certainly not going to be a material move from a pricing standpoint. So we probably see continued movement just by the momentum that's currently in place today with the shifts and with the pricing that's out in the marketplace.

Steven Gardner

And I'd add, although it's not going to move the number substantively. We do have about $180 million of broker deposits that mature this quarter that in all likelihood will -- we'll pay off and not replace. And those carry pretty high cost.

Matthew Clark

Yeah, okay. And then what are the plans for the $200 million of FHLB that you still have left?

Steven Gardner

They mature in third quarter.

Ronald Nicolas

November.

Steven Gardner

Yeah, we'll pay those off.

Ronald Nicolas

Yeah, yeah, just let that mature without renewals.

Matthew Clark

In fourth, you said?

Steven Gardner

The fourth quarter, yes.

Ronald Nicolas

Yes. Yeah.

Steven Gardner

Look, I think overall, our belief is that in this business, you utilize wholesale advances at periods of time. But historically, we utilize them very little, and I see no reason. They add no value to have wholesale advances, whether it's broker deposits or FHLB borrowings. And so our intent is to pay those down and off over time.

Matthew Clark

Okay. And then just on a potential securities loss trade. Should we assume you're considering the rest of the AFS book that you didn't restructure last year? Or would you consider restructuring the HTM portfolio, too?

Steven Gardner

I think we're looking at all options.

Matthew Clark

Okay. And then just on (multiple speakers)

Steven Gardner

And I would consider, you look at the loan portfolio for low yielding credits there. We certainly have a CRE concentration. It's been well managed. It's performed exceedingly well, but we are all well aware of the big focus of that area from either investors and/or regulators in this environment. So as I said, we're looking at all options.
The great thing is we have the capital to be in a position to do that and to take actions that maybe in the immediate term may have a negative impact, but would drive earnings higher potentially in the longer term. So we're looking at all of these options.

Matthew Clark

Okay. And then just on capital. What's your -- what do you view as your most constraining ratio? And what's the minimum level you would be willing to operate on, just trying to guesstimate your excess capital?

Steven Gardner

Yeah. Our most restraining is the fact that we've got a lot of it. Look, we have internal targets. But they're in part based off of the risks that we see in the broader economy, the risks that we see in our own balance sheet and various outlooks. So they remain flexible to an extent.

Matthew Clark

Okay. And then last one for me. Just on the substandard loans that were sold, how much of the net charge-offs were related to that this quarter, of the $10 million?

Steven Gardner

You know the (inaudible) number on the top of your head or, I mean, a good portion of it.

Ronald Nicolas

Just about all of it.

Steven Gardner

Just about -- pretty close to all of it.

Ronald Nicolas

Yeah, it was just about all of it. In fact, all but...

Steven Gardner

Yeah, a few pennies, yes.

Operator

Chris McGratty, KBW.

Chris McGratty

Hey. Good morning.

Steven Gardner

Good morning.

Chris McGratty

Steve and Ron, the comments on the swap roll off and the balance sheet restructuring. If I just kind of zoom out, if that headwind and that opportunity were pushed together, is the net result that you think NII can begin to grow into next year? I mean, I'm just trying to think -- there's probably a downward revision after the quarter because of the balance sheet size. But if you put those two together, can NII begin to grow?

Steven Gardner

Yes. Right. Right.

Ronald Nicolas

That would certainly be the objective, yeah. That's why we're analyzing all of the various options, but that would be -- if we're going to execute on something, that's a big driver of its future earnings.

Chris McGratty

Okay. And then, Steve, you mentioned in your remarks a couple of times just the investor and regulatory focus on CRE. Has there been any change in your conversations with respect to concentration risk. You've always been above 300; it's never been an issue for you. But there's obviously a tone shift at the top of the industry. Has there been any change specifically that you've noticed?

Steven Gardner

Yes. Have you seen any of the reports out there, Chris, on Bloomberg, CNBC, the Journal, and comments from the regulators. Being facetious here, but yes, there's clearly a tone shift. I mean -- and look, I think, it started maybe even before the Silicon Valley signature, First Republic failures and Silvergate's liquidation and then some of the issues of the big East Coast multi-family lenders faced earlier this year. The regulators have been very clear that it is an ongoing concern. And we take those queues seriously.

Chris McGratty

Okay. And then maybe the last one that's more of a technical, the securities restructuring that might be contemplated. Does that -- do you have to be a little bit careful on the timing given when you did the last one and just in terms of dividend capacity and being in an operating loss position?

Steven Gardner

I think that's a great question. There are a multitude of factors that one has to take into consideration. They're all important, and that's -- we do thorough analysis. We try to make sure that we run all the traps, we get feedback and perspective from a number of advisers along the way.
And that's exactly what we would do if that is something that the management and Board think is the right thing to do. So we'll consider all of them. It's a very good question.

Operator

Gary Tenner, D.A. Davidson.

Gary Tenner

Thanks. Good morning. So at risk of beating a dead horse on a bond transaction question, I'm going to ask one more. With the amount of CET1 you've accreted the last year, outlook for a flattish loan portfolio, let's say, for the rest of the year, that CET1 going to continue to accrete higher, what would the argument be against a bond repositioning? I mean you're talking about you considering all the options, and I know you just answered a question about the dividend, of course. But what would be the argument against it?

Steven Gardner

Well, look Gary, that would be depending upon the size that you did. That's a pretty sizable hit to earnings and capital, although -- I think most investors probably back out in their own mines the fair value of those securities anyway. But that's a pretty sizable hit to earnings, which would be impacting tangible book value.
You've got -- you have to think about what's the outlook in the interest rate environment? And how does that play into it? Where do you redeploy that cash?
Look, it's a multi-dimensional question, if you will. And I don't think there's ever any simple or easy answers. One has to make sure that you think about this from all differing perspectives. And that's how we approach any big decision that we do, and that's how we're going to continue to analyze the various options that we have out there.

Gary Tenner

I appreciate your thoughts on that. And then a follow-up question on deposits. I know that there was a question asked about the near-term reaction of deposits, to say, a September cut. And it seems like it would be 2025, maybe until we start seeing some materially lower deposit costs depending on what the rate environment looks like on a go-forward basis.
But as you think of an easing cycle and kind of where your beta was in this tightening cycle, do you think you could match that on the way down? Or do you think the dynamics around deposit pricing have had changed on a more permanent basis?

Steven Gardner

It's hard to say. I think that's a really good question as well, Gary. It's hard to say in this environment. But I think I'd go back to what the core of our business model is and our clients. They do business with us because of our relationship bankers and the trust that they have in our organization and how we deliver service for them.
it's never been about what the price we pay on deposits. We probably, in all likelihood, could have retained a lot of deposits that have left the institution or paid down loans, but that would have been at the risk of repricing a good many of the deposits we have and the clients and, frankly, would have been sending the wrong message to our clients about what we do and the reason that they bank with us.

Gary Tenner

Thank you.

Steven Gardner

Sure, Gary.

Operator

Andrew Terrell, Stephens.

Andrew Terrell

Hey. Good morning. Probably really risking beating a dead horse here, but I wanted to go back to some of the questions around capital. if I look back at mid, late 2022, you were around 13% of the CET1 ratio. We've seen the balance sheet compress pretty significantly, but your CET1 and your capital is, call it, 300 basis points higher now. Would you be willing to take capital back down to the 13% level on the CET1?

Steven Gardner

I think -- again, I think that you have to look at all of the dynamics going on in the economy, the outlook, the risks that we're seeing in our portfolio. But 13% is a pretty healthy level enough of itself. So there's -- we're thinking about all of those.
Look, the reality is we are sitting on very high levels of capital. In fact, once all the data comes out, I suspect that the KRX, we are the highest capitalized bank on virtually every capital measure, including TCE. We're going to be the highest.
So it just gives us a lot of flexibility and optionality. And I know to an extent, investors might like to see us deploying this capital more rapidly, and we understand that. We think through all of these dynamics. We have the discussions at the Board. There are important questions, and we're going to continue to take a very thorough approach and think through all of the dynamics here of if we -- whatever direction we happen to take.

Andrew Terrell

Okay, understood. That was it for me. Appreciate taking my question.

Steven Gardner

Anytime.

Operator

That concludes our question-and-answer session. I would like to turn the conference back over to Steve Gardner for any closing remarks.

Steven Gardner

Thank you all for joining us today. Have a nice week.

Operator

The conference has now concluded. Thank you for attending today's presentation. You may now disconnect.