EXHIBIT 99.1

Brookline Bancorp Announces Second Quarter Results

Net Income of $19.6 million, EPS of $0.25

Announces $0.115 Dividend per Share

BOSTON, July 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brookline Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: BRKL) (the “Company”) today announced net income of $19.6 million, or $0.25 per basic and diluted share, for the second quarter of 2020, compared to net loss of $(17.3) million, or $(0.22) per basic and diluted share, for the first quarter of 2020, and net income of $20.5 million, or $0.26 per basic and diluted share, for the second quarter of 2019.

Paul Perrault, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company noted, “The continued strength of our Company’s core operations is reflected in this quarter’s earnings.  While we remain vigilant as we look to the future, the business lines that are fundamental to our success continue to operate effectively in these challenging times.”

BALANCE SHEET

Total assets at June 30, 2020 increased $608.1 million to $9.1 billion from $8.5 billion at March 31, 2020, and increased $1.4 billion from $7.6 billion at June 30, 2019. At June 30, 2020, total loans and leases were $7.4 billion, representing an increase of $585.2 million from March 31, 2020, and an increase of $902.4 million from June 30, 2019, primarily driven by loans originated under the Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program ("PPP"). The Company funded $565.8 million of PPP loans in the second quarter of 2020.

Total investment securities at June 30, 2020 increased $92.4 million to $856.5 million, as compared to $764.1 million at March 31, 2020, and increased approximately $265.7 million from $590.8 million at June 30, 2019. Total cash and cash equivalents at June 30, 2020 decreased $85.9 million to $254.9 million, as compared to $340.8 million at March 31, 2020, and increased $162.1 million from $92.8 million at June 30, 2019. As of June 30, 2020, total investment securities and total cash and cash equivalents represented 12.3 percent of total assets as compared to 13.1 percent and 9.0 percent as of March 31, 2020 and June 30, 2019, respectively.

Total deposits at June 30, 2020 increased $550.3 million to $6.4 billion from $5.9 billion at March 31, 2020 and increased $817.7 million from $5.6 billion at June 30, 2019.

Total borrowed funds at June 30, 2020 increased $114.9 million to $1.4 billion from $1.3 billion at March 31, 2020 and increased $475.9 million from $930.8 million at June 30, 2019.

The ratio of stockholders’ equity to total assets was 10.21 percent at June 30, 2020, as compared to 10.78 percent at March 31, 2020, and 12.03 percent at June 30, 2019. The ratio of tangible stockholders’ equity to tangible assets was 8.56 percent at June 30, 2020, as compared to 9.02 percent at March 31, 2020, and 10.08 percent at June 30, 2019. Tangible book value per share increased $0.18 from $9.49 at March 31, 2020 to $9.67 at June 30, 2020, compared to $9.45 at June 30, 2019.

NET INTEREST INCOME

Net interest income increased $2.6 million to $64.3 million during the second quarter of 2020 from $61.7 million at the quarter ended March 31, 2020. The net interest margin decreased 22 basis points to 3.09 percent for the three months ended June 30, 2020.

NON-INTEREST INCOME

Total non-interest income for the quarter ended June 30, 2020 decreased $3.1 million to $6.2 million from $9.3 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2020. The decrease was primarily driven by decreases of $0.5 million in deposit fees, $0.7 million in loan level derivative income, net, $0.7 million in gain on investment securities, net and $1.2 million in other non-interest income.

PROVISION FOR CREDIT LOSSES

On January 1, 2020, the Company adopted ASU 2016-13 "Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments", commonly referred to as CECL. 

The Company recorded a provision for credit losses of  $5.3 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2020, compared to $54.1 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2020. Asset quality was consistent during the second quarter and the increase in provision was primarily driven by the forecasted economic effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Total net charge-offs for the second quarter of 2020 were $1.4 million compared to $2.2 million in the first quarter of 2020. The ratio of net loan and lease charge-offs to average loans and leases on an annualized basis decreased to 8 basis points for the second quarter of 2020 from 13 basis points for the first quarter of 2020.

The allowance for loan and lease losses represented 1.61 percent of total loans and leases at June 30, 2020, compared to 1.66 percent at March 31, 2020, and 0.90 percent at June 30, 2019. Excluding PPP loans, the allowance for loan losses and lease losses represents 1.75 percent coverage at June 30, 2020 compared to 1.66 percent at March 31, 2020.

NON-INTEREST EXPENSE

Non-interest expense for the quarter ended June 30, 2020 decreased $1.6 million to $39.1 million from $40.7 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2020. The decrease was primarily driven by decreases of $0.6 million in compensation and employee benefits expense, $0.5 million in equipment and data processing expense, and $0.5 million in professional services expense.

PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES

The effective tax rate was 24.9 percent and a negative 2.2 percent for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 compared to 27.5 percent for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 24.9 percent and 24.1 percent for the three and six months ended June 30, 2019.

RETURNS ON AVERAGE ASSETS AND AVERAGE EQUITY

The annualized return on average assets increased to 0.88 percent during the second quarter 2020 from a negative 0.87 percent for the first quarter of 2020.

The annualized return on average stockholders' equity increased to 8.45 percent during the second quarter of 2020 from a negative 7.30 percent for the first quarter of 2020. The annualized return on average tangible stockholders’ equity increased to 10.28 percent for the second quarter of 2020 from a negative 8.84 percent for the first quarter of 2020.

ASSET QUALITY

The ratio of nonperforming loans and leases to total loans and leases was 0.56 percent at June 30, 2020, a decrease from 0.57 percent at March 31, 2020. Nonperforming loans and leases increased $2.2 million to $41.3 million at June 30, 2020 from $39.1 million at March 31, 2020. The ratio of nonperforming assets to total assets was 0.47 percent at June 30, 2020, a decrease from 0.49 percent at March 31, 2020. Nonperforming assets increased $1.6 million to $42.8 million at June 30, 2020 from $41.1 million at March 31, 2020.

From March 1, 2020 through the earlier of December 31, 2020 or 60 days after the termination date of the national emergency declared by the President on March 13, 2020 concerning the COVID-19 outbreak (the “national emergency”), a financial institution may elect to suspend the requirements under accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. for loan modifications related to the COVID-19 pandemic that would otherwise be categorized as a troubled debt restructured, including impairment accounting. This troubled debt restructuring relief applies for the term of the loan modification that occurs during the applicable period for a loan that was not more than 30 days past due as of December 31, 2019. Financial institutions are required to maintain records of the volume of loans involved in modifications to which troubled debt restructuring relief is applicable. As of June 30, 2020, the banks have granted 5,366 short-term deferments on loan balances of $1.2 billion, which represented 16 percent of total loan balances.

DIVIDEND DECLARED

The Company’s Board of Directors approved a dividend of $0.115 per share for the quarter ended June 30, 2020. The dividend will be paid on August 21, 2020 to stockholders of record on August 7, 2020.

CONFERENCE CALL

The Company will conduct a conference call/webcast at 1:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time on Thursday, July 23, 2020 to discuss the results for the quarter, business highlights and outlook. The call can be accessed by dialing 877-504-4120 (United States) or 412-902-6650 (internationally) or by visiting https://services.choruscall.com/links/brkl200723.html.  A recorded playback of the call will be available for one week following the call at 877-344-7529 (United States) or 412-317-0088 (internationally). The passcode for the playback is 10145885. The call will be available live and in a recorded version on the Company’s website under “Investor Relations” at www.brooklinebancorp.com.

ABOUT BROOKLINE BANCORP, INC.

Brookline Bancorp, Inc., a bank holding company with $9.1 billion in assets and branch locations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts and operates as the holding company for Brookline Bank and Bank Rhode Island (the "banks"). The Company provides commercial and retail banking services, cash management and investment services to customers throughout Central New England. More information about Brookline Bancorp, Inc. and its banks can be found at the following websites: www.brooklinebank.com and www.bankri.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are intended to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements contained in this press release that do not describe historical or current facts are forward-looking statements, including statements regard the potential effects of COVID-19 on the Company’s business, credit quality, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations. Forward-looking statements made with regard to the potential effects of COVID-19 on the Company’s business, financial condition, credit quality, liquidity and results of operation may differ, possibly materially, from what is included in this press release due to factors and future developments that are uncertain and beyond the scope of the Company’s control. These included, but are not limited to, the length and extent of the economic contraction as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; continued deterioration in employment levels, general business and economic conditions on a national basis and in the local markets in which the Company operates; the possibility that future credit losses may be higher than currently expected; changes in consumer behavior due to changing political business and economic conditions or legislative or regulatory initiatives; the possibility that future credit losses may be higher than currently expected; reputational risk relating to the Company’s participation in the Paycheck Protection Program and other pandemic-related legislative and regulatory initiatives and programs; and turbulence in capital and debt markets. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties which are difficult to predict. The Company’s actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of, among others, the risks outlined in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, as updated by its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made.

BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The Company's consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) as set forth by the Financial Accounting Standards Board in its Accounting Standards Codification and through the rules and interpretive releases of the SEC under the authority of federal securities laws. Certain amounts previously reported have been reclassified to conform to the current period's presentation.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

The Company uses certain non-GAAP financial measures, such as operating earnings, operating return on average assets, operating return on average tangible assets, operating return on average stockholders' equity, operating return on average tangible stockholders' equity, the allowance for loan and lease losses related to originated loans and leases as a percentage of originated loans and leases, tangible book value per common share, tangible stockholders’ equity to tangible assets, return on average tangible assets (annualized) and return on average tangible stockholders' equity (annualized). These non-GAAP financial measures provide information for investors to effectively analyze financial trends of ongoing business activities, and to enhance comparability with peers across the financial services sector. A detailed reconciliation table of the Company's GAAP to the non-GAAP measures is attached.

INVESTOR RELATIONS:

(1) Calculated on a fully tax-equivalent basis.
(2) Calculated as non-interest expense as a percentage of net interest income plus non-interest income.

*provision for loan and lease losses does not include provision of $2.4 million and $6.4 million for credit losses on unfunded commitments during the three months ended June 30, 2020 and March 31, 2020, respectively.