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WaFd Bank Thursday , October 14 , 2021 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington Federal Reports Earnings Per Share Of $ 2.39 For Fiscal 2021 _ SEATTLE , WASHINGTON – Washington Federal , Inc. ( Nasdaq : WAFD ) ( the " Company " ) , parent company of Washington Federal Bank , N.A. ( " WaFd Bank " ) , today announced annual earnings of $ 183,615,000 for the fiscal year ended September 30 , 2021 , an increase of $ 10,177,000 from earnings of $ 173,438,000 for the year ended September 30 , 2020. After the effect of dividends on preferred stock , net income available for common shareholders was $ 2.39 per share for the fiscal year ended September 30 , 2021 , a $ 0.13 or 5.8 % increase from $ 2.26 for the prior fiscal year . Return on common shareholders ' equity for the fiscal year ended September 30 , 2021 was 8.69 % compared to 8.63 % for the year ended September 30 , 2020 . Return on assets for the year ended September 30 , 2021 was 0.95 % compared to 1.00 % for the prior year . President and Chief Executive Officer Brent J. Beardall commented , " We are a 104 year - old bank that is in the midst of re - inventing itself in a digital age , and fiscal 2021 was one of the best years we have ever experienced . Operating in an ongoing worldwide pandemic , WaFd Bank was able to generate record new loan originations , record core deposit balances , an eighth consecutive year of net recoveries ( net loan charge - offs were less than zero ) , significant improvements in our Bank Secrecy Act program and improvements that resulted in a high degree of client satisfaction . We are believers in conscious capitalism , meaning that an organization can be a good corporate citizen by supporting its employees and communities while also delivering reasonable returns to its shareholders . The 4th quarter's earnings per share of $ 0.72 is an all - time quarterly high ( excluding non - recurring gains ) . Key performance indicators are trending in the right direction : our 4th quarter net interest margin improved on a linked quarter basis and year - over - year , loan repayments are slowing as market interest rates have increased , and we currently have the strongest loan pipeline in the Company's history . We expect to stand apart from many of our peers in terms of loan growth , 1