Exhibit 99.1

Berkshire Hills Reports Strong First Quarter 2025 Results

$0.56 GAAP EPS; $0.60 Operating EPS

BOSTON, April 24, 2025 - Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: BHLB) today reported results for the first quarter of 2025. These results along with comparison periods are summarized below:

Berkshire CEO Nitin Mhatre stated, “The 22% increase in first quarter operating EPS year-over-year reflects revenue growth and improved efficiency, including the cumulative benefit of last year’s strategic initiatives. Operating leverage was a positive 5% quarter-over-quarter and 11% year-over year. Period-end loans were up 4% year-over-year, with growth continuing quarter-over-quarter. Credit performance remains strong and during the quarter the bank completed the sale of its Upstart consumer loan portfolio. First quarter operating return on tangible common equity improved to 9.7% from 8.7% year-over-year. Our teams remain focused on serving our clients while also advancing integration planning as we move toward our anticipated merger of equals with Brookline Bancorp.”

Mr. Mhatre continued, “Berkshire Bank’s multi-year Community Comeback program concluded by exceeding its $5 billion goal to lend and invest across the company’s markets, a testament to the impact we were able to create alongside our clients. Our impact is further highlighted in our latest Sustainability Report. We continue to be recognized for our efforts, most recently by Newsweek magazine for the fourth consecutive year as one of the most trusted companies in America. I thank all of our Berkshire Bankers for their contributions toward our financial success and service to our communities.”

Berkshire CFO Brett Brbovic stated, “First quarter net interest income increased 3% linked quarter and the net interest margin increased 10 basis points to 3.24%, benefiting from a 12 basis point decrease in the cost of deposits to 2.18%. Operating non-interest income decreased $2.6 million linked quarter and increased $3.4 million year-over-year due primarily to changes in loan related income. The provision for credit losses decreased $0.5 million linked quarter and operating non-interest expense decreased $3.1 million, with decreases in most categories except seasonally higher compensation and occupancy expense. The allowance for credit losses on loans increased 2 basis points to 1.24%. Capital remained stong, with the tangible common equity ratio increasing to 9.9% of assets. Tangible book value per share advanced 3% linked quarter to $25.50.”

Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: BHLB) is the parent company of Berkshire Bank, a relationship-driven, community-focused bank with $12.0 billion in assets and 83 financial centers in New England and New York. Berkshire is headquartered in Boston and offers commercial, retail, wealth, and private banking solutions. Berkshire has a pending agreement to merge with Brookline Bancorp, Inc., a multi-bank holding company with $11.5 billion in assets and branches in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New York.

1Q 2025 Financial Highlights (comparisons are to the linked quarter unless otherwise noted).

Income Statement. First quarter GAAP income was $26 million, or $0.56 per share. Operating earnings totaled $28 million, or $0.60 per share. GAAP results included $2.5 million in primarily merger-related non-operating expenses. Operating earnings increased $1.6 million, or 6%, linked quarter and 32% year-over-year, with ongoing positive operating leverage from operating revenue growth and operating expense reduction. Reflecting the merger-related share issuance in December 2024, operating EPS was unchanged at $0.60 linked quarter, and was up 22% year-over-year. The efficiency ratio was 59.5%, improving to the best quarterly result in two years.

Quarterly net interest income increased linked quarter by $2.9 million to $89.8 million in 1Q25.

Loans. Compared to the linked quarter, total loans increased $44 million, or 0.5% to $9.4 billion.

Deposits. Compared to the linked quarter, total end of period deposits decreased $495 million to $9.9 billion. Total end of period deposits excluding payroll and brokered deposits increased $11 million linked quarter and increased $460 million, or 6%, year-over year (also excluding deposits sold in the 2024 branch sale).

Equity. Total shareholders’ equity increased $29 million, or 3%, linked quarter to $1.2 billion. The ratio of tangible common equity to tangible assets measured 9.9%, increasing from 9.4% linked quarter.

Proposed Transaction with Brookline Bancorp, Inc. On December 16, 2024, Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc., Commerce Acquisition Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of Berkshire formed solely to facilitate the merger (“Merger Sub”) and Brookline Bancorp, Inc., a Delaware corporation  (“Brookline”), entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”). The Merger Agreement provides that, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein, Merger Sub will merge with and into Brookline, with Brookline as the surviving entity, and immediately thereafter, Brookline will merge with and into Berkshire, with Berkshire as the surviving entity (collectively, the “Merger”). As a result of the Merger, the separate corporate existence of Brookline will cease, and Berkshire will continue as the surviving corporation. Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, which was unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies, each outstanding share of Brookline common stock will be exchanged for the right to receive 0.42 shares of Berkshire common stock. Holders of Brookline common stock will receive cash in lieu of fractional shares of Berkshire common stock. As a result of the proposed transaction and a $100 million common stock offering by Berkshire to support the proposed transaction, Berkshire stockholders will own approximately 55% and Brookline stockholders will own approximately 45% of the outstanding shares of the combined company. The proposed transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2025, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including receipt of required regulatory approvals and approvals from Berkshire and Brookline stockholders.

Conference Call and Investor Presentation. Berkshire will conduct a conference call/webcast at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time on Thursday, April 24, 2025 to discuss results for the quarter and provide guidance about expected future results. Instructions for listening to the call may be found at the Company’s website at ir.berkshirebank.com. Additional materials relating to the call may also be accessed at this website. The call will be archived at the website and will be available for an extended period of time.

Forward Looking Statements: This document contains “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. You can identify these statements from the use of the words “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “plan,” “potential,” “estimate,” “project,” “believe,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “remain,” “target” and similar expressions. There are many factors that could cause actual results to differ significantly from expectations described in the forward-looking statements. For a discussion of such factors, please see the sections titled “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in Berkshire’s most recent reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. These factors include, but are not limited to, the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the right of Berkshire or Brookline to terminate the merger agreement; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Berkshire or Brookline; delays in completing the proposed transaction with Brookline; the failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals (and the risk that such approvals may result in the imposition of conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the proposed transaction) or stockholder approvals, or to satisfy any of the other conditions to the proposed transaction on a timely basis or at all, including the ability of Berkshire and Brookline to meet expectations regarding the timing, completion and accounting and tax treatments of the proposed transaction; the impact of certain restrictions during the pendency of the proposed transaction on the parties’ ability to pursue certain business opportunities and strategic transactions; diversion of management’s attention from ongoing business operations and opportunities; and potential adverse reactions or changes to business or employee relationships, including those resulting from the announcement or completion of the proposed transaction. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect our expectations only as of the date of this document. Berkshire does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements.

###

INVESTOR CONTACT

Kevin Conn

Investor Relations

617.641.9206

[email protected]

MEDIA CONTACT

Gary Levante

Corporate Communications

413.447.1737

[email protected]