Kentucky First Federal Bancorp Announces Suspension of Quarterly Cash Dividend
HAZARD, Ky. and FRANKFORT, Ky. and DANVILLE, Ky. and LANCASTER, Ky., Jan. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kentucky First Federal Bancorp (Nasdaq:KFFB) (the “Company”), the holding company for First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Hazard, Kentucky and First Federal Savings Bank of Kentucky, Frankfort, Kentucky (collectively the “Banks”), announced today that the Company’s Board of Directors has voted to suspend the payment of the quarterly cash dividend on the Company’s common stock indefinitely. Emphasizing that the Banks are both well-capitalized under all applicable regulatory requirements and that asset quality remains good, Don Jennings, President and Chief Executive Office of the Company stated, “While the suspension of our quarterly dividend is very disappointing, as previously disclosed, we have experienced historical increases in short-term market interest rates as well as a persistent inversion of the yield curve that has resulted in compressed net interest margins and much lower earnings at the bank level. As designed, our loans are repricing in response to the higher rate environment, but due to contractual terms of those loans, increases are restricted as to time and amount, resulting in a slower pace of increase than that of liabilities. Currently, lower earnings limit the Banks’ ability to stream sufficient funds to the Company to fund operations and dividends while still maintaining adequate liquidity at the Banks to fund operations and loan growth. While the Board continues to believe in a strong Company dividend policy, all of these factors, coupled with regulators’ enhanced scrutiny on liquidity and bank dividend payout ratios to their holding companies relative to bank earnings, necessitate this change. While, future dividend payments will be dependent upon the Banks’ ability to generate positive retained earnings and enhanced liquidity, the Board intends to re-evaluate the payment of a quarterly dividend in the future as soon as possible.”