Exhibit 99.1

Contact:

Jeffrey J. Carfora, SEVP and CFO

Peapack-Gladstone Financial Corporation

T: 908-719-4308

PEAPACK-GLADSTONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION

REPORTS STRONG FOURTH QUARTER RESULTS AND

ANNOUNCES ANOTHER 5% STOCK REPURCHASE PROGRAM  

Bedminster, N.J. – January 28, 2022 – Peapack-Gladstone Financial Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select Market: PGC) (the “Company”) announces its fourth quarter 2021 results.

This earnings release should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Q4 2021 Investor Update, a copy of which is available on our website at www.pgbank.com and via a current report on Form 8-K on the website of the Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov.  

For the quarter ended December 31, 2021, the Company recorded total revenue of $56.17 million, net income of $14.86 million and diluted earnings per share (“EPS”) of $0.78, compared to revenue of $46.14 million, net income of $3.03 million and diluted EPS of $0.16, respectively, for the three-month period ended December 31, 2020.

For the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company recorded total revenue of $210.31 million, net income of $56.62 million and diluted earnings per share (“EPS”) of $2.93 compared to revenue of $189.36 million, net income of $26.19 million and diluted EPS of $1.37, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 2020.

Improvement in the 2021 periods was principally driven by the Company’s wealth management and commercial banking businesses. 2021 included increased wealth management income, corporate advisory fees and SBA income, as well as increased net interest income resulting from asset growth, coupled with margin improvement.  The earnings for the full year of 2021 also benefitted from a significantly lower provision for loan losses.

The Q4 2021 period included a $893,000 swap valuation allowance recorded in operating expenses related to a loan placed on nonaccrual in Q3 2021. Q4 2021 also included a higher provision for loan losses due to the loan growth during the quarter.  

Douglas L. Kennedy, President and CEO said, “Our fourth quarter and full year results reflected continued solid growth in our wealth management business and commercial banking, including both corporate advisory and SBA activities.  Increases in these areas year-over-year more than made up for the $7.4 million of PPP gains that the Company had recorded in 2020. As we look into the new year our pipelines for wealth management and commercial banking continue to be robust and we remain quite constructive toward 2022.”

During the fourth quarter of 2021 the Company repurchased 274,929 shares under its stock repurchase program at an average price of $33.50 for a total cost of $9.21 million. For the full year of 2021, the Company repurchased 894,744 shares at an average price of $31.99 for a total cost of $28.63 million.

On January 27, 2022, the Company authorized a new 5% stock repurchase program of up to 920,000 shares.  Purchases will be conducted in accordance with the limitations set forth in the SEC’s Rule 10b-18.

Mr. Kennedy noted, “We believe that repurchasing our stock continues to be a great opportunity to take advantage of the Company’s discounted valuation relative to peers.”

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The following tables summarize specified financial measures for the periods shown.

2021 Year Compared to Prior Year

December 2021 Quarter Compared to Prior Year Quarter

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December 2021 Quarter Compared to Linked Quarter

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Select highlights:

Peapack Private Wealth Management:

Commercial Banking and Balance Sheet Management:

Capital Management:

SUPPLEMENTAL QUARTERLY DETAILS:

Wealth Management

In the December 2021 quarter, the Bank’s wealth management business generated a record $13.96 million in fee income, compared to $13.86 million for the September 30, 2021 quarter and $10.79 million for the December 2020 quarter.

The market value of the Company’s AUM/AUA increased 26% to $11.1 billion at December 31, 2021 from $8.8 billion at December 31, 2020, due to organic new business, the PPSG acquisition, and favorable market conditions.

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John P. Babcock, President of the Peapack Private Wealth Management division, said, “2021 showed continued strong business from new clients as well as additional business from existing clients.  Positive net flows, combined with solid client retention and favorable market conditions, all contributed to our strong quarterly and full year results.”  Mr. Babcock went on to note, “While we will continue to look at supplementing our organic growth with selective acquisitions, M&A activity in the RIA space is hyper-competitive with purchase price multiples reaching all-time highs – making it challenging for us to obtain acceptable returns on invested capital.  Internally, we are focused on completing our One Team consolidation of the businesses and people we have acquired over the last several years under a single operating and technology framework, completing our migration to a single trading platform and re-organizing our wealth business under a new, streamlined organizational structure to ensure the highest level of client experience, maximum efficiency, and growth.”

Loans / Commercial Banking

At December 31, 2021, loans totaled $4.83 billion (excluding $14 million of PPP loans), compared to $4.21 billion (excluding $196 million of PPP loans) at December 31, 2020, reflecting growth of 15%. This growth was achieved despite over $900 million of net paydown/payoff activity over the twelve-month period.  

Total C&I loans and leases (including the $14 million of PPP loans) at December 31, 2021 were $2.01 billion or 41% of the total loan portfolio.

Mr. Kennedy noted, “Our commercial loan pipelines continue to be strong going into the new year, standing at approximately $350 million with the likelihood of a first quarter closing. Notwithstanding significant payoff activity, we believe that we will achieve high single digit loan growth for 2022.”

Mr. Kennedy also noted, “We are proud to have built a leading middle market commercial banking franchise, as evidenced by over $200 million of net growth in our C&I Portfolio, continued growth in Treasury Management income, and our over $3 million of corporate advisory fees by our investment banking group – this team had record earnings in 2021 and continues to have a robust pipeline of new business opportunities.”

Funding / Liquidity / Interest Rate Risk Management

The Company actively manages its deposit base to reduce reliance on wholesale sourced deposits, volatility, and/or operational risk.  Total deposits at December 31, 2021 increased $448 million to $5.27 billion from $4.82 billion at December 31, 2020. Along with the deposit growth, the change in mix was favorable, as noninterest bearing demand deposits increased $123 million, interest-bearing demand increased $439 million, while higher costing CDs declined $121 million and brokered deposits declined $25 million, when comparing December 31, 2021 to December 31, 2020.  

Mr. Kennedy noted, “89% of our deposits are demand, savings, or money market accounts, and our noninterest bearing deposits comprise 18% of our total deposits; both metrics reflect the relationship aspect of our deposit base.”

At December 31, 2021, the Company’s balance sheet liquidity (investments available for sale, interest-earning deposits and cash) totaled $971.2 million (or 16% of assets). This level is lower than the level at September 30, 2021 due to an increase in loan activity during Q4 2021 and more in line with historical levels.

The Company maintains backup liquidity of approximately $1.8 billion of secured funding with the Federal Home Loan Bank and $1.2 billion of secured funding from the Federal Reserve Discount Window.  The available funding from the Federal Home Loan Bank and the Federal Reserve are secured by the Company’s loan and investment portfolios.

Mr. Kennedy noted, “We are well positioned for a rise in interest rates given that 40% of our loan portfolio reprices within three months and 52% within one-year. Our current modeling, with what we believe include conservative deposit beta assumptions, indicates net interest income will improve approximately 3% in year one and 5% in year two after a 100 basis point rate shock.”

Net Interest Income (NII)/Net Interest Margin (NIM)

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As shown above, the Company’s reported NII increased $2.0 million and NIM increased 4 basis points compared to the linked quarter. The Bank further lowered its cost of funds strategically and grew its average loan portfolio at rates/spreads beneficial to NIM.

Future net interest income and net interest margin should benefit from the following:

Income from Capital Markets Activities

Noninterest income from Capital Markets activities (detailed below) totaled $3.52 million for the December 2021 quarter compared to $2.06 million for the September 2021 quarter and $1.90 million for the December 2020 quarter.  The December 2021 quarterly results were driven by $2.18 million in Corporate Advisory income. The September 2021 quarter results were driven by $1.57 million in gains on sale of SBA loans. The December 2020 quarter reflected increased mortgage banking activity due to greater refinance activity in the low-rate environment. The December 2021, September 2021 and December 2020 quarters included no income from loan level, back-to-back swap activities, as there has been, and will continue to be, minimal activity for such in the current environment.

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Other Noninterest Income (other than Wealth Management fee income and Income from Capital Markets Activities)

Other noninterest income (as defined above) totaled $1.48 million, $1.86 million, and $1.72 million, for the December 2021, September 2021, and December 2020 quarters, respectively. The December 2021 quarter included $265,000 net loss on loans held for sale.

Operating Expenses

The Company’s total operating expenses were $31.70 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2021, compared to $32.18 million for the September 2021 quarter and $39.25 million for the December 2020 quarter. The December 2021 and September 2021 quarters included $893,000 and $1.35 million related to a swap valuation allowance, respectively.  The December and September 2021 quarters also included a full quarter’s worth of expense related to the teams hired from Lucas and Noyes and the acquisition of PPSG. The December 2020 quarter included $4.8 million for the prepayment of FHLB advances, $4.4 million for a valuation allowance on a loan held for sale and $210,000 related to the consolidation of two private banking offices.  

Mr. Kennedy noted, “While we continue to manage expenses closely and prudently, we will invest in our existing people as the market demands in order to retain the talent we have acquired, grow and expand our core wealth management and commercial banking businesses, including lift-outs, strategic hires, and wealth M&A, and invest in digital enhancements to further enhance the client experience.”

Income Taxes

The effective tax rate for the three months ended December 31, 2021 was 28.31%, as compared to 26.22% for the September 2021 quarter and 33.29% for the quarter ended December 31, 2020. A tax return to book adjustment recorded in the December 2020 quarter coupled with reduced pretax income in the quarter, increased the December 2020 effective tax rate by approximately 5%.

The effective annual tax rate for 2021 was 27.09% compared to 18.16% for 2020. During the first quarter of 2020, the Company recorded a $3.34 million tax benefit, principally due to a $3.2 million federal income tax benefit that resulted from a tax NOL carryback. The Company had a $23 million operating loss for tax purposes in 2018 (when the federal tax rate was 21%) resulting from accelerated tax depreciation. Under the CARES Act, the Company was allowed to carry this NOL back to a period when the federal tax rate was 35%, generating a permanent tax benefit.  

Asset Quality / Provision for Loan and Lease Losses

Nonperforming assets (which does not include troubled debt restructured loans that are performing in accordance with their terms) at December 31, 2021 were $15.6 million, or 0.26% of total assets, compared to $25.9 million, or 0.42% of total assets, at September 30, 2021. The $10.3 million decline was largely due to a $2 million C&I loan moved back to accrual status, and a $7 million charge-off of the specific reserve on the commercial real estate loan with a large retail component located in Manhattan, and on deferral, that was placed on nonaccrual status in the third quarter of 2021.  

For the quarter ended December 31, 2021, the Company’s provision for loan and lease losses was $3.8 million compared to $1.6 million for the September 2021 quarter and $2.4 million for the December 2020 quarter. The increased provision for loan and lease losses in the December 2021 quarter, when compared to the linked quarter and the 2020 quarter, was due principally to significant loan growth during the December 2021 quarter and additional specific reserves of $4.2 million on the commercial real estate loan noted above, offset by reduced qualitative loss factors related to the unemployment rate and amount of loan deferrals and other economic qualitative factors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Loans on deferral, and accruing, entered into during the COVID-19 pandemic have come down significantly from $914 million at June 30, 2020 to $13 million at December 31, 2021. The Company’s provision for loan and lease losses, and its allowance for loan and lease losses (ALLL) also reflect, among other things, the Company’s assessment of asset quality metrics, net charge-offs/recoveries, and the composition of the loan portfolio.

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At December 31, 2021, the allowance for loan and lease losses was $61.70 million (1.27% of total loans), compared to $65.13 million at September 30, 2021 (1.42% of loans) and $67.31 million at December 31, 2020 (1.53% of total loans).  

The Company will adopt CECL during the first quarter of 2022 and does not expect a material adjustment upon adoption.

Capital

The Company’s capital position during the December 2021 quarter was benefitted by net income of $14.86 million, which was offset by the purchase of shares through the Company’s stock repurchase program and the quarterly dividend. During the fourth quarter of 2021, the Company repurchased 274,929 shares at an average price of $33.50 for a total cost of $9.2 million.  GAAP Capital at December 31, 2021 was also impacted by an increase in the unrealized loss on available-for-sale securities in the fourth quarter of 2021, due to a rise in medium-term Treasury yields.

The Company’s and Bank’s capital ratios at December 31, 2021 all remain strong.  Such ratios remain well above regulatory well capitalized standards.

As previously announced, in the fourth quarter of 2020, the Company successfully completed a private placement of $100 million in fixed-to floating rate subordinated notes due 2030 at a rate of 3.5%. Such funds benefitted the Company’s Regulatory Tier 2 Capital. At the time, the Company noted the proceeds raised would be used for general corporate purposes, which could include stock repurchases, the redemption of the Company’s then existing 6% subordinated debt and acquisitions of wealth management firms. Throughout the twelve months of 2021, the Company repurchased $29 million of stock.  On June 30, 2021, the Company redeemed its 6% subordinated debt. On July 1, 2021, the Company closed on the acquisition of PPSG.

The Company employs quarterly capital stress testing – adverse case and severely adverse case. In the most recent completed stress test on September 30, 2021, under severely adverse case, and no growth scenarios, the Bank remains well capitalized over a two-year stress period. With a Pandemic stress overlay, the Bank still remains well capitalized over the two-year stress period.

On January 27, 2022, the Company declared a cash dividend of $0.05 per share payable on February 25, 2022, to shareholders of record on February 10, 2022.

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Peapack-Gladstone Financial Corporation is a New Jersey bank holding company with total assets of $6.1 billion and assets under management/administration of $11.1 billion as of December 31, 2021.  Founded in 1921, Peapack-Gladstone Bank is a commercial bank that provides innovative wealth management, commercial and retail solutions, including residential lending and online platforms, to businesses and consumers.  Peapack Private, the bank’s wealth management division, offers comprehensive financial, tax, fiduciary and investment advice and solutions to individuals, families, privately-held businesses, family offices and not-for-profit organizations, which help them to establish, maintain and expand their legacy.  Together, Peapack-Gladstone Bank and Peapack Private offer an unparalleled commitment to client service.  Visit www.pgbank.com and www.peapackprivate.com for more information.

The foregoing may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Such statements are not historical facts and include expressions about management’s confidence and strategies and management’s expectations about new and existing programs and products, investments, relationships, opportunities and market conditions.  These statements may be identified by such forward-looking terminology as “expect,” “look,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “may” or similar statements or variations of such terms.  Actual results may differ materially from such forward-looking statements.  Factors that may cause results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to:

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Further, given its ongoing and dynamic nature, it is difficult to predict the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business. The extent of such impact will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain, including when the coronavirus can be controlled and abated. As the result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the related adverse local and national economic consequences, we could be subject to any of the following risks, any of which could have a material, adverse effect on our business, financial condition, liquidity, and results of operations:

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A discussion of these and other factors that could affect our results is included in our SEC filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020.  We undertake no duty to update any forward-looking statement to conform the statement to actual results or changes in the Company’s expectations.

Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements.

(Tables to follow)

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PEAPACK-GLADSTONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION

SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

(Dollars in Thousands, except share data)

(Unaudited)

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PEAPACK-GLADSTONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION

SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

(Dollars in Thousands, except share data)

(Unaudited)

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