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FIRST FOUNDATION FIRST FOUNDATION INC . REPORTS FIRST QUARTER 2021 RESULTS • First quarter net income of $ 22.4 million and earnings per share of $ 0.50 . • Total revenues of $ 66.1 million in first quarter 2021 . 1Q21 Key Financial Data Profitability Metrics 1Q21 4Q20 1Q20 Return on average assets ( % ) 1.25 1.33 0.83 • Return on average common equity ( % ) 12.7 13.0 8.5 Return on tangible common equity ( % ) ( a ) 14.9 15.3 10.3 Net interest margin ( % ) 3.16 3.19 2.92 • Efficiency ratio ( % ) ( a ) 51.5 49.0 58.2 • Income Statement ( b ) 1Q21 4Q20 Net interest income Noninterest income Net income attributable to common Diluted earnings per common share Dividends declared per common share Balance Sheet ( b ) $ 54,229 $ 11,908 $ 11,362 $ 22,355 $ 22,366 $ 51,712 1Q20 $ 44,868 $ 10,675 $ 13,211 $ 0.50 $ 0.50 $ 0.09 $ 0.07 $ 0.29 $ 0.07 Average total loans 1Q21 4Q20 1Q20 $ 5,383,745 $ 5,132,081 $ 5,082,152 Average total deposits Net charge - off ratio Tangible book value per share Tier 1 Leverage Ratio $ 6,104,727 $ 5,670,959 $ 4,972,235 ( 0.01 ) % 0.02 % $ 13.84 $ 13.44 8.60 % 8.93 % 0.01 % $ 11.80 8.37 % ( a ) See Non - GAAP Financial Measures First Foundation Inc. ( NASDAQ : FFWM ) April 27 , 2021 Exhibit 99.1 Return on average assets of 1.25 % . Return on average tangible equity of 14.9 % . Tangible book value per share increased to $ 13.84 . • Tangible common equity to tangible assets increased to 8.91 % . • Net interest margin of 3.16 % ; 3.24 % in March . Another record quarter of loan originations of $ 765 million . ( b ) Dollars in thousands , except per share data DALLAS , TX - First Foundation Inc. ( NASDAQ : FFWM ) , a financial services company with two wholly - owned operating subsidiaries , First Foundation Advisors ( " FFA " ) and First Foundation Bank ( " FFB " ) , reported net income of $ 22.4 million , or $ 0.50 per diluted share , for the first quarter of 2021 , compared to net income of $ 22.4 million , or $ 0.50 per diluted share , for the fourth quarter of 2020. Additionally , First Foundation Inc. announced today that its Board of Directors has approved the payment of a quarterly cash dividend of $ 0.09 per common share , payable on May 17 , 2021 to common shareholders of record as of May 7 , 2021 . Scott F. Kavanaugh CEO " We experienced a great start to 2021 with record originations , strong growth in core deposits , and peak levels of assets under management , " said Scott F. Kavanaugh , CEO of First Foundation Inc. " As we expand into Texas and solidify our position as a regional bank , I am very pleased at the contributions from all facets of our business , including the strongest quarter ever for commercial lending . Our business model continues to perform very well , and we are excited about the future , especially as we explore bringing digital asset solutions into our offering . " David DePillo President " We are seeing tremendous success as part of our three - year pivot into a more commercial - focused banking platform , " said David DePillo , President of First Foundation Inc. " This is best evidenced by the fact commercial business lending accounted for over half of our originations in the first three months of the year . We accomplished this without changing our high underwriting standards . We have also been successful in the deployment of excess liquidity to help bolster originations . As we head into the second quarter and beyond , we are experiencing unprecedented demand and our loan pipeline is at record levels . " Investor contact : Kevin Thompson , kthompson@ff-inc.com | 949-202-4164 Media contact : Tyler Resh , tresh@ff-inc.com | 949-202-4131