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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 


 

FORM 10-K

 


 

x ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003

 

OR

 

¨ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the transition period from                    to                    

 

Commission file number: 001-13901

 


 

ABC BANCORP

(A GEORGIA CORPORATION)

 


 

I.R.S. EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER 58-1456434

24 2nd AVENUE, S.E., MOULTRIE, GEORGIA 31768

TELEPHONE NUMBER: (229) 890-1111

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: Common Stock, Par Value $1 Per Share

 


 

Check whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  x    No  ¨

 

Check if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.  x

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Exchange Act Rule 126-2).    Yes  x    No  ¨

 

As of the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, the aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by nonaffiliates of the registrant was approximately $126,396,550 million. As of March 1, 2004, the registrant had outstanding 9,765,180 shares of common stock, $1.00 par value per share.

 

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

 

The information required by Part III of this Annual Report is incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s definitive proxy statement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Regulation 14A not later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this Annual Report.

 



Table of Contents

PART I

 

ITEM 1.   BUSINESS

 

ABC Bancorp (“ABC”) was organized as a bank holding company under the Federal Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended in 1981 (the “BHCA”), and the bank holding company laws of Georgia.

 

ABC provides, through its commercial bank subsidiaries described below (sometimes hereinafter referred to as “Banks”), banking services to individuals and businesses in Southern Georgia, Southeastern Alabama and Northern Florida. ABC’s executive office is located at 24 2nd Avenue, S.E., Moultrie, Georgia 31768, its telephone number is (229) 890-1111 and its Internet address is http://www.abcbancorp.com. As a registered bank holding company, ABC is subject to the applicable provisions of the Federal Bank Holding Company Act and the Georgia Bank Holding Company Act, as well as to supervision by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the State of Georgia Department of Banking and Finance. ABC makes available, free of charge through its Internet website, copies of its annual reports and quarterly reports as soon as reasonably practicable after it electronically files such materials with the SEC. ABC will make available free of charge paper copies of its current reports on Form 8-K upon request.

 

Our primary business as a bank holding company is to manage the business and affairs of our Banks. Our Banks provide a broad range of retail and commercial banking services to its customers, including checking, savings, NOW, money market accounts, time deposit accounts of various types and IRAs; loans for business, agriculture, real estate, personal uses, home improvement and automobiles; credit cards through MBNA, N.A.; debit cards; overdraft protection services; Internet banking; letters of credit; brokerage services through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc.; fixed rate annuities through PFIC Corporation; safe deposit box rentals; bank official checks; and electronic funds transfer services, including wire transfers, automated teller machines and ACH transactions.

 

While we have decentralized certain of our management responsibilities, we maintain efficient centralized operating systems. As a result, corporate policy, strategy and certain administrative policies are established by our board of directors, while lending and community-specific marketing decisions are made primarily by each bank to allow it to respond to differing needs and demands of its own market. Data processing functions are centralized in ABC’s data processing division located in Moultrie, Georgia. Within this framework, our Banks focus on providing personalized services and quality products to their customers to meet the needs of the communities they serve. Our objective is to establish ABC as a major financial institution in Southern Georgia, Southeastern Alabama and Northern Florida. Management has pursued this objective through an acquisition-oriented growth strategy and a prudent operating strategy.

 

As a bank holding company, we perform central data processing functions, purchasing and other common functions and provide certain management services for our Banks. Traditional banking services are conducted by our Banks.

 

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Our Subsidiaries

 

Following is a list of our Banks, the market areas served by the Banks and the estimated relative size of the Banks as compared with their major competitors.

 

Subsidiary Bank


  

Principal Market Area


  

Estimated Relative Size

Among Competitors


American Banking Company    Moultrie and Colquitt County, Georgia    Second largest of seven banks in Colquitt County, Georgia
Heritage Community Bank    Quitman and Brooks County, Georgia and Valdosta and Lowndes County, Georgia    Second largest of four banks in Brooks County, Georgia
Bank of Thomas County    Coolidge, Thomasville and Thomas County, Georgia    Fifth largest of seven banks in Thomas County, Georgia
Citizens Security Bank    Tifton and Tift County, Georgia, Ocilla and Irwin County, Georgia, Douglas and Coffee County, Georgia    Third largest of seven banks in Tift County, Georgia
Cairo Banking Company    Cairo and Grady County, Georgia, Meigs and Thomas County, Georgia    Third largest of five banks in Grady County, Georgia
Southland Bank    Dothan, Abbeville, Clayton, Eufaula and Headland, Alabama    Fifth largest of eleven banks in Houston County, Alabama
Central Bank & Trust Company    Cordele and Crisp County, Georgia    Third largest of five banks in Crisp County, Georgia
First National Bank of South Georgia    Albany and Dougherty County, Georgia and Lee County, Georgia    Seventh largest of ten banks in Dougherty County, Georgia
Merchants & Farmers Bank    Donalsonville and Seminole County, Georgia and Colquitt and Miller County, Georgia    Second largest of three banks in Seminole County, Georgia
Tri-County Bank    Trenton and Gilchrist County, Florida and Newberry and Alachua County, Florida    Largest of three banks in Gilchrist County, Florida
The First Bank of Brunswick    Brunswick, St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island and Glynn County, Georgia    Fourth largest of eight banks in Glynn County, Georgia

 

All of our Banks offer traditional loan and deposit services discussed elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Only American Banking Company provides trust services directly to its customers and to the customers of the other subsidiary banks. All of the Banks maintain correspondent relationships with other commercial banks and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta. As compensation for services provided by the correspondent banks, the Banks maintain certain balances in noninterest-bearing accounts with those banks. The principal correspondent bank for all of our Banks is SunTrust Bank in Atlanta, Georgia.

 

On August 30, 2001, ABC formed ABC Bancorp Capital Trust I, a Delaware statutory trust and a wholly-owned subsidiary of ABC (the “Trust”), for the purpose of (i) issuing and selling its common securities to ABC and its trust preferred securities to the public, and (ii) using the proceeds from the sale of the trust preferred securities to purchase 9.00% Subordinated Debentures (the “Subordinated Debentures”) from ABC. In the quarter ended December 31, 2001, the Trust sold its securities and used the proceeds to purchase the Subordinated Debentures, which are the sole asset of the Trust. ABC pays interest on the Subordinated Debentures to the Trust at the end of each quarter at an annual rate of 9.00%, which is equal to the dividend rate payable by the Trust to the holders of its preferred securities. The cost of the issuance of the Trust’s preferred securities is treated as a deferred asset and will be amortized over a period of five years to September 30, 2006, the earliest redemption date. Following the offer and sale of the Trust’s securities, ABC owned and currently holds all of the outstanding common securities of the Trust, its only voting securities, and as a result the Trust is a subsidiary of the Company. See Notes to ABC’s Consolidated Financial Statements included in this annual report for a further discussion regarding the issuance of Trust’s preferred securities.

 

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Our Market Areas and Competition

 

Our market area is located in Southern Georgia, Southeastern Alabama and Northern Florida. The Banks’ main offices and larger branches are located in the southern Georgia cities of Albany, Brunswick, Cairo, Colquitt, Cordele, Donalsonville, Douglas, Jekyll Island, Moultrie, Ocilla, Quitman, St. Simons Island, Thomasville, Tifton and Valdosta, the southern Alabama cities of Abbeville, Clayton, Dothan, Eufaula and Headland and the northern Florida cities of Trenton and Newberry. Our Banks have a total of 36 offices located in either the cities or counties in which the main offices are located or in nearby cities.

 

We have subsidiary banks in several high-growth market areas that offer favorable growth and profitability potential, including banks in the cities of Valdosta, Tifton, Brunswick, St. Simons and Cordele, which are located along the I-75 corridor of Georgia, a major north-south transportation artery. We also have banks in Albany, Georgia and Dothan, Alabama, both of which are developing commercial and industrial “hubs” where residents of the numerous smaller, surrounding cities find jobs, entertainment, consumer products and services and medical services.

 

The banking industry in Georgia, Alabama and Florida is highly competitive. In recent years, intense market demands, economic pressures, fluctuating interest rates and increased customer awareness of product and service differences among financial institutions have forced banks to diversify their services and become more cost effective. Each of our Banks faces strong competition in attracting deposits and making loans. Their most direct competition for deposits comes from other commercial banks, thrift institutions, credit unions and issuers of securities such as brokerage firms. Interest rates, convenience of office locations and marketing are all significant factors in our Banks’ competition for deposits.

 

Competition for loans comes from other commercial banks, thrift institutions, savings banks, insurance companies, consumer finance companies, credit unions and other institutional lenders. Our Banks compete for loan originations through the interest rates and loan fees they charge and the efficiency and quality of services they provide. Competition is affected by the general availability of lendable funds, general and local economic conditions, current interest rate levels and other factors that are not readily predictable.

 

Management expects that competition will become more intense in the future due to changes in state and federal laws and regulations and the entry of additional bank and nonbank competitors. See “Supervision and Regulation”.

 

Growth Strategy

 

We intend to grow within our existing markets, to branch into or acquire financial institutions in existing markets and to branch into or acquire financial institutions in other markets consistent with our capital requirements and management abilities.

 

We seek opportunities to acquire banks at acceptable prices. Our operating strategy is to provide high quality community banking services to our customers and increase market share through solicitation of new business, repeat business, referrals from customers and selected promotional strategies.

 

Lending Policy

 

We have sought to maintain a comprehensive lending policy that meets the credit needs of each of the communities served by our Banks, including low- and moderate-income customers, and to employ lending procedures and policies consistent with this approach. All loans are subject to our written loan policy, which is reviewed annually, updated as needed, and provides that lending officers have sole authority to approve loans of various maximum amounts commensurate with their seniority and experience. Each Bank’s president has sole discretion to approve loans in varying principal amounts up to specified limits established for each president. Each Bank’s Board of Directors reviews and approves loans that exceed management’s lending authority and, in certain instances, other types of loans. New credit extensions are reviewed daily by each Bank’s senior management and at least monthly by its Board of Directors.

 

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The lending officers at each Bank have authority to make loans only in the county in which the Bank is located and its contiguous counties. Occasionally, the Loan Committee of the Company will approve a loan for purposes outside of the market area of our Banks, provided the Bank has established a relationship with the borrower by making loans for purposes within the Banks’ market area. Our lending policy requires analysis of the borrower’s projected cash flow and ability to service the debt. For agricultural loans, the lending officer visits the borrower regularly during the growing season and re-evaluates the loan in light of the borrower’s updated cash flow projections. Each subsidiary bank is assigned an approval limit by the holding company, which serves as the maximum limit of new extensions of credit each Bank can approve. That approval limit is reviewed annually by the Holding Company and adjusted as needed. All extensions of credit in excess of the Banks’ internal approval limits are reviewed by ABC’s Senior Credit Officer. Further approval by the Holding Company Loan Committee may also be needed. Under our ongoing loan review program, all loans are subject to sampling and objective review by an assigned loan reviewer who is independent of the originating loan officer.

 

We actively market our services to qualified lending customers in both the commercial and consumer sectors. Our commercial lending officers actively solicit the business of new companies entering the market as well as longstanding members of that market’s business community. Through personalized professional service and competitive pricing, we have been successful in attracting new commercial lending customers. At the same time, we actively advertise our consumer loan products and continually seek to make our lending officers more accessible.

 

Each Bank continually monitors its loan portfolio to identify areas of concern and to enable management to take corrective action when necessary. Each Bank’s lending officers and Board of Directors meet periodically to review all past due loans, the status of large loans and certain other matters. Individual lending officers are responsible for reviewing collection of past due amounts and monitoring any changes in the financial status of the borrowers.

 

Lending Activities

 

General. We provide a broad range of commercial and retail lending services to corporations, partnerships and individuals, including agricultural, commercial business loans, commercial and residential real estate construction and mortgage loans, loan participations, consumer loans, revolving lines of credit and letters of credit. The loan department of each Bank makes loans to consumers and originates and services residential mortgages. We maintain a diversified loan portfolio and make no foreign or energy-related loans.

 

Real Estate Loans. Our real estate loans are for a term of years, although rarely more than ten, over which period the principal thereof is amortized, and are generally secured by residential real estate, farmland or commercial real estate. Real estate related loans represent a significant portion of the loan portfolio.

 

Agricultural Loans. Our agricultural loans are made to finance crop production expenses and to finance the purchase of farm-related equipment or farmland. Agricultural loans typically involve seasonal fluctuations in amounts. Although we typically look to an agricultural borrower’s cash flow as the principal source of repayment, agricultural loans are also generally secured by a security interest in the crops or the farm-related equipment and, in some cases, an assignment of crop insurance or a mortgage on real estate. In addition, a portion of our agricultural loans are guaranteed by the FmHA Guaranteed Loan Program.

 

Commercial and Industrial Loans. General commercial and industrial loans consist of loans made primarily to manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers of goods, service companies and other industries. Management believes that a significant portion of these loans are, to varying degrees, agricultural-related. Our Banks have also generated loans which are guaranteed by the U. S. Small Business Administration. Management believes that making such loans helps the local community and also provides ABC with a source of income and solid future lending relationships as such businesses grow and prosper. The primary repayment risk for commercial loans is the failure of the business due to economic or financial factors. Although we typically look to a commercial borrower’s cash flow as the principal source of repayment for such loans, some commercial loans are secured by inventory, equipment, accounts receivable and other assets.

 

Consumer Lending. Our consumer loans include motor vehicle, home improvement, home equity, student and signature loans and small personal credit lines. Many of our Banks also offer credit cards to their customers via a marketing agreement with MBNA.

 

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Compliance with Community Reinvestment Act. Each of our Banks has a Community Reinvestment Act Officer who develops and oversees that Bank’s Community Reinvestment Act program and makes quarterly reports to that Bank’s Board of Directors. Our Banks regularly sponsor or participate in community programs designed to ascertain and meet the credit needs of each of the communities they serve, including low and moderate income neighborhoods. Some of these activities include participating in community meetings to explain the availability of Small Business Administration, Farmers’ Home Loan Administration and Regional Development Center loans, and sponsoring educational seminars for area farmers. In addition, each of our Georgia Banks participate in the Georgia Residential Finance Authority program which makes low interest rate loans to rehabilitate low income rental housing.

 

Deposits

 

Checking, savings, NOW, money market accounts and other time accounts are the primary sources of our Banks’ funds for loans and investments. Our Banks obtain most of their deposits from individuals and from businesses in their respective market areas.

 

Our Banks have not had to attract new or retain old deposits by paying depositors rates of interest on certificates of deposit, money market and other interest-bearing accounts significantly above rates paid by other banks in our respective market areas. In the future, increasing competition among banks in our market areas may cause our Banks’ interest margins to shrink. Our Banks have never accepted deposits for which a broker’s commission was paid.

 

Investment Activities

 

Our investment policy is designed to maximize income from funds not needed to meet loan demand in a manner consistent with appropriate liquidity and risk objectives. Under this policy, our Banks may invest in federal, state and municipal obligations, corporate obligations, public housing authority bonds, industrial development revenue bonds and Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”) securities and satisfactorily rated trust preferred obligations. Our Banks’ investments must satisfy certain investment quality criteria. Our Banks’ investments must be rated at least “BAA” by either Moody’s or Standard and Poor’s. Securities rated below “A” are periodically reviewed for creditworthiness. Our Banks may purchase non-rated municipal bonds only if the issuer of such bonds is located in the Bank’s general market area and such bonds are determined by the purchasing Bank to have a credit risk no greater than the minimum ratings referred to above. Industrial development authority bonds, which normally are not rated, are purchased only if the issuer is located in the purchasing Bank’s market area and if the bonds are considered to possess a high degree of credit soundness. Our Banks typically have not purchased a significant amount of GNMA securities, which normally have higher yields than our Banks’ other investments.

 

While our investment policy permits our Banks to trade securities to improve the quality of yields or marketability or to realign the composition of the portfolio, our Banks historically have not done so to any significant extent.

 

Our investment committee implements the investment policy and portfolio strategies, monitors the portfolio and reports to each Bank’s Board and ALCO committees. Reports on all purchases, sales, net profits or losses and market appreciation or depreciation of the bond portfolio are reviewed by our Boards of Directors each month. Once a year, the written investment policy is reviewed by our Board of Directors.

 

The Banks’ securities are kept in safekeeping accounts at correspondent banks.

 

Asset/Liability Management

 

Our objective is to manage our assets and liabilities to provide a satisfactory, consistent level of profitability within the framework of established cash, loan, investment, borrowing and capital policies. The overall philosophy of our management is to support asset growth primarily through growth of core deposits, which include deposits of all categories made by individuals, partnerships, corporations and other entities. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

 

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Properties

 

The table below sets forth the location, size and other information with respect to our real properties. Except for the leased 120 Third Avenue, S.E., Moultrie, Georgia, Jekyll Island property and 1817 South Oates Street in Dothan, Alabama, all properties are owned by ABC or our Banks and are unencumbered.

 

Offices


  

Used By


  

Approximate

Square
Footage


310 First Street, S.E., Moultrie, GA

   ABC    6,300

317 South Main Street, Moultrie, GA

   ABC    2,200

308-314 First Street, S.E., Moultrie, GA

   ABC    4,000

24 Second Avenue, S. E., Moultrie, GA

   ABC    16,000

120 Third Avenue S. E., Moultrie, GA

   ABC    7,800

305 South Main Street, Moultrie, GA

   ABC and American Bank    7,048

225 South Main Street, Moultrie, GA

   American Bank    9,100

1707 First Avenue, S.E., Moultrie, GA

   American Bank    5,000

137 Broad Street, Doerun, GA

   American Bank    2,500

2513 South Main Street, Moultrie, GA

   American Bank    3,973

322 First Street, S.E., Moultrie, GA

   American Bank    300

1000 West Screven Street, Quitman, GA

   Heritage Bank    11,300

19540 Valdosta Hwy., Valdosta, GA

   Heritage Bank    2,650

3140 Inner Perimeter Road, Valdosta, GA

   Heritage Bank    3,462

2484 East Pinetree Boulevard, Thomasville, GA

   Thomas Bank    4,400

529 Pine Street, Coolidge, GA

   Thomas Bank    4,000

735 West Second Street, Tifton, GA

   Citizens Security Bank    10,500

Magnolia & W 2nd Street, Tifton, GA

   Citizens Security Bank    2,354

731 West Second Street, Tifton, GA

   Citizens Security Bank    5,580

301 South Irwin Avenue, Ocilla, GA

   Citizens Security Bank    10,675

100 South Pearle Avenue, Douglas, GA

   Citizens Security Bank    4,964

201 South Broad Street, Cairo, GA

   Cairo Bank    10,000

Highway 84 Drive-in, Cairo, GA

   Cairo Bank    1,000

2023 East Depot Street, Meigs, GA

   Cairo Bank    4,500

3299 Ross Clark Circle, Dothan, AL

   Southland Bank    21,918

1817 South Oates Street, Dothan, AL

   Southland Bank    4,000

204 Kirkland Street, Abbeville, AL

   Southland Bank    5,300

211 Eufaula Street, Clayton, AL

   Southland Bank    8,000

1140 South Eufaula Avenue, Eufaula, AL

   Southland Bank    2,037

208 Main Street, Headland, AL

   Southland Bank    2,037

502 Second Street South, Cordele, GA

   Central Bank    5,800

1302 Sixteenth Avenue East, Cordele, GA

   Central Bank    840

509 16th Avenue, Cordele, GA

   Central Bank    1,500

2627 Dawson Road, Albany, GA

   First National Bank    8,750

1607 U. S. Highway 19 South, Leesburg, GA

   First National Bank    5,300

109 West Third Street, Donalsonville, GA

   M & F Bank    9,100

Highway 374 and 253, Donalsonville, GA

   M & F Bank    910

162 East Crawford Street, Colquitt, GA

   M & F Bank    4,672

302 North Main Street, Trenton, FL

   Tri-County Bank    5,000

25365 West Newberry Road, Newberry, FL

   Tri-County Bank    9,487

3340 Cypress Mill Road, Brunswick, GA

   First Bank of Brunswick    8,500

5340 New Jesup Highway, Brunswick, GA

   First Bank of Brunswick    2,305

3811 Frederica Road, St. Simons Island, GA

   First Bank of Brunswick    8,000

18-B Beachview Drive, Jekyll Island, GA

   First Bank of Brunswick    5,532

 

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Employees

 

At December 31, 2003, our Company and our Banks employed approximately 500 employees. We consider our relationship with our employees to be satisfactory.

 

We have adopted one retirement plan for our employees, the ABC Bancorp 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan. This plan provides deferral of compensation by our employees and contributions by ABC. ABC and our Banks made contributions for all eligible employees in 2003. We also maintain a comprehensive employee benefits program providing, among other benefits, hospitalization and major medical insurance and life insurance. Management considers these benefits to be competitive with those offered by other financial institutions in our market areas. Our employees are not represented by any collective bargaining group.

 

SUPERVISION AND REGULATION

 

General

 

As a bank holding company, we are subject to the regulation, supervision and reporting requirements of the Federal Reserve Board, the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance, the Alabama State Banking Department and the Florida Department of Banking and Finance. Our Banks are state and federally chartered banks. The FDIC to the full extent permitted by law insures each of our Banks. As a result, our Banks are subject to the supervision, examination and reporting requirements of the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance, the Alabama State Banking Department, the Florida Department of Banking and Finance, the FDIC and the OCC.

 

The Bank Holding Company Act requires every bank holding company to obtain the prior approval of the Federal Reserve before:

 

  it may acquire direct or indirect ownership or control of any voting shares of any bank if, after the acquisition, the bank holding company will directly or indirectly own or control more than 5% of the voting shares of the bank;

 

  it or any of its subsidiaries, other than a bank, may acquire all or substantially all of the assets of any bank; or

 

  it may merge or consolidate with any other bank holding company.

 

The Bank Holding Company Act further provides that the Federal Reserve may not approve any transaction that would result in a monopoly or that would substantially lessen competition in the banking business, unless the public interest in meeting the needs of the communities to be served outweighs the anti-competitive effects. The Federal Reserve is also required to consider the financial and managerial resources and future prospects of the bank holding companies and banks involved and the convenience and needs of the communities to be served. Consideration of financial resources generally focuses on capital adequacy, and consideration of convenience and needs issues focuses, in part, on the performance under The Community Reinvestment Act of 1977, both of which are discussed in more detail.

 

The Bank Holding Company Act generally prohibits a bank holding company from engaging in activities other than:

 

  banking;

 

  managing or controlling banks or other permissible subsidiaries; and

 

  acquiring or retaining direct or indirect control of any company engaged in any activities other than activities closely related to banking or managing or controlling banks.

 

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The activities in which holding companies and their affiliates are permitted to engage were substantially expanded by The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, which was signed on November 12, 1999. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act repeals the anti-affiliation provisions of The Glass-Steagall Act to permit the common ownership of commercial banks, investment banks and insurance companies. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act also amends The Bank Holding Company Act to permit a financial holding company to, among other things, engage in any activity that the Federal Reserve determines to be (i) financial in nature or incidental to such financial activity or (ii) complementary to a financial activity and not a substantial risk to the safety and soundness of depository institutions or the financial system generally. The Federal Reserve must consult with the Secretary of the Treasury in determining whether an activity is financial in nature or incidental to a financial activity. Holding companies may continue to own companies conducting activities which had been approved by federal order or regulation on the day before The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act was enacted. Effective August 24, 2000, pursuant to a previously-filed election with the Federal Reserve, ABC became a financial holding company.

 

In determining whether a particular activity is permissible, the Federal Reserve considers whether performing the activity can be expected to produce benefits to the public that outweigh possible adverse effects, such as undue concentration of resources, decreased or unfair competition, conflicts of interest or unsound banking practices. The Federal Reserve has the power to order a bank holding company or its subsidiaries to terminate any activity or control of any subsidiary when the continuation of the activity or control constitutes a serious risk to the financial safety, soundness or stability of any bank subsidiary of that bank holding company.

 

Our Banks are also subject to numerous state and federal statutes and regulations that affect their business, activities and operations, and each is supervised and examined by one or more state or federal bank regulatory agencies. The FDIC, the OCC, the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance, the Alabama State Banking Department and the Florida Department of Banking and Finance regularly examine the operations of our Banks and are given the authority to approve or disapprove mergers, consolidations, the establishment of branches and similar corporate actions. These agencies also have the power to prevent the continuance or development of unsafe or unsound banking practices or other violations of law.

 

Payment of Dividends and Other Restrictions

 

ABC is a legal entity separate and distinct from its subsidiaries. There are various legal and regulatory limitations under federal and state law on the extent to which our subsidiaries can pay dividends or otherwise supply funds to ABC.

 

The principal source of ABC’s cash revenues is dividends from its subsidiaries, and there are certain limitations under federal and state laws on the payment of dividends by our subsidiaries. The prior approval of applicable regulatory authorities, as the case may be, is required if the total dividends declared by any subsidiary Bank in any calendar year exceeds the Bank’s net profits (as defined) for that year combined with its retained net profits for the preceding two calendar years, less any required transfers to surplus or a fund for the retirement of any preferred stock or 50% of the Bank’s net profits for the previous year in the case of Georgia banks. The relevant federal and state regulatory agencies also have authority to prohibit a state member bank or bank holding company, which would include ABC and its Banks, from engaging in what, in the opinion of such regulatory body, constitutes an unsafe or unsound practice in conducting its business. The payment of dividends could, depending upon the financial condition of the subsidiary, be deemed to constitute an unsafe or unsound practice in conducting its business.

 

Under Georgia law (which would apply to any payment of dividends by the Georgia Banks to ABC), the prior approval of the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance is required before any cash dividends may be paid by a state bank if: (i) total classified assets at the most recent examination of such bank exceed 80% of the equity capital (as defined, which includes the reserve for loan losses) of such bank; (ii) the aggregate amount of dividends declared or anticipated to be declared in the calendar year exceeds 50% of the net profits (as defined) for the previous calendar year; or (iii) the ratio of equity capital to adjusted total assets is less than 6%.

 

Retained earnings of our Banks available for payment of cash dividends under all applicable regulations without obtaining governmental approval were approximately $7.7 million as of December 31, 2003.

 

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In addition, our Banks are subject to limitations under Section 23A of the Federal Reserve Act with respect to extensions of credit to, investments in, and certain other transactions with, ABC. Furthermore, loans and extensions of credit are also subject to various collateral requirements.

 

The Federal Reserve has issued a policy statement on the payment of cash dividends by bank holding companies, which expresses the Federal Reserve’s view that a bank holding company should pay cash dividends only to the extent that the holding company’s net income for the past year is sufficient to cover both the cash dividends and a rate of earning retention that is consistent with the holding company’s capital needs, asset quality and overall financial condition. The Federal Reserve also indicated that it would be inappropriate for a holding company experiencing serious financial problems to borrow funds to pay dividends. Furthermore, under the prompt corrective action regulations adopted by the Federal Reserve, the Federal Reserve may prohibit a bank holding company from paying any dividends if one or more of the holding company’s bank subsidiaries are classified as undercapitalized.

 

Bank holding companies are required to give the Federal Reserve prior written notice of any purchase or redemption of its outstanding equity securities if the gross consideration for the purchase or redemption, when combined with the net consideration paid for all such purchases or redemptions during the preceding 12 months, is equal to 10% or more of their consolidated net worth. The Federal Reserve may disapprove such a purchase or redemption if it determines that the proposal would constitute an unsafe or unsound practice or would violate any law, regulation, Federal Reserve order, or any condition imposed by, or written agreement with, the Federal Reserve. This notification requirement does not apply to any company that meets the well-capitalized standard for commercial banks, has a safety and soundness examination rating of at least a “2” and is not subject to any unresolved supervisory issues. As of December 31, 2003, ABC meets these requirements.

 

Capital Adequacy

 

ABC must comply with the Federal Reserve’s established capital adequacy standards, and our Banks are required to comply with the capital adequacy standards established by the FDIC and the OCC. The Federal Reserve has promulgated two basic measures of capital adequacy for bank holding companies: a risk-based measure and a leverage measure. A bank holding company must satisfy all applicable capital standards to be considered in compliance.

 

The risk-based capital standards are designed to:

 

  make regulatory capital requirements more sensitive to differences in risk profile among banks and bank holding companies;

 

  account for off-balance-sheet exposure; and

 

  minimize disincentives for holding liquid assets.

 

Assets and off-balance-sheet items are assigned to broad risk categories, each with appropriate weights. The resulting capital ratios represent capital as a percentage of total risk-weighted assets and off-balance-sheet items.

 

The minimum guideline for the ratio of total capital to risk-weighted assets is 8%. At least half of total capital must be comprised of Tier 1 Capital, which is common stock, undivided profits, minority interests in the equity accounts of consolidated subsidiaries and noncumulative perpetual preferred stock, less goodwill and certain other intangible assets. The remainder may consist of Tier 2 Capital, which is subordinated debt, other preferred stock and a limited amount of loan loss reserves. During 2001, we increased our consolidated ratios by issuing trust preferred securities in the amount of $34,500,000. At December 31, 2003, $30,191,000 (25% of total Tier 1 Capital) was included in Tier 1 Capital and the balance included in Tier 2 Capital. At December 31, 2003, ABC’s total risk-based capital ratio and its Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio were 15.60% and 13.85%, respectively.

 

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In addition, the Federal Reserve has established minimum leverage ratio guidelines for bank holding companies. These guidelines provide for a minimum ratio of Tier 1 Capital to average assets, less goodwill and certain other intangible assets, of 3% for bank holding companies that meet specified criteria. All other bank holding companies generally are required to maintain a minimum leverage ratio of 4%. ABC’s ratio at December 31, 2003 was 10.77%. The guidelines also provide that bank holding companies experiencing internal growth or making acquisitions will be expected to maintain strong capital positions substantially above the minimum supervisory levels without significant reliance on intangible assets. Furthermore, the Federal Reserve has indicated that it will consider a “tangible Tier 1 Capital leverage ratio” and other indicia of capital strength in evaluating proposals for expansion or new activities. The Federal Reserve has not advised ABC of any specific minimum leverage ratio or tangible Tier 1 Capital leverage ratio applicable to it.

 

Our Banks are subject to risk-based and leverage capital requirements adopted by the FDIC and the OCC that are substantially similar to those adopted by the Federal Reserve for bank holding companies. All of our Banks were in compliance with applicable minimum capital requirements as of December 31, 2003.

 

Neither ABC nor any of our Banks has been advised by any federal banking agency of any specific minimum capital ratio requirement applicable to it.

 

In January 2001, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision issued a second consultative paper entitled “Proposal for a New Basel Capital Accord”. This proposal, which will apply to all banks and holding companies that are parents of banking groups, is expected to be finalized by the middle of 2004. Implementation of this new framework, to the extent it is adopted and promulgated by the Federal Reserve, is expected to begin at the end of 2006. The Company is monitoring the status and progress of this proposal.

 

Failure to meet capital guidelines could subject a bank to a variety of enforcement remedies, including issuance of a capital directive, the termination of deposit insurance by the FDIC, a prohibition on taking brokered deposits, and certain other restrictions on its business. As described below, the FDIC can impose substantial additional restrictions upon FDIC-insured depository institutions that fail to meet applicable capital requirements.

 

Prompt Corrective Action

 

The Federal Deposit Insurance Act (or “FDI Act”), among other things, requires the federal regulatory agencies to take “prompt corrective action” if a depository institution does not meet minimum capital requirements. The FDI Act establishes five capital tiers: “well capitalized”, “adequately capitalized”, “undercapitalized”, “significantly undercapitalized” and “critically undercapitalized”. A depository institution’s capital tier will depend upon how its capital levels compare to various relevant capital measures and certain other factors, as established by regulation.

 

The federal bank regulatory agencies have adopted regulations establishing relevant capital measurers and relevant capital levels applicable to FDIC-insured banks. The relevant capital measures are the Total Capital ratio, Tier 1 Capital ratio and the leverage ratio. Under the regulations, a FDIC-insured bank will be:

 

  “well capitalized” if it has a Total Capital ratio of 10% or greater, a Tier 1 Capital ratio of 6% or greater and a leverage ratio of 5% or greater and is not subject to any order or written directive by the appropriate regulatory authority to meet and maintain a specific capital level for any capital measure;

 

  “adequately capitalized” if it has a Total Capital ratio of 8% or greater, a Tier 1 Capital ratio of 4% or greater and a leverage ratio of 4% or greater (3% in certain circumstances) and is not “well capitalized”;

 

  “undercapitalized” if it has a Total Capital ratio of less than 8%, a Tier 1 Capital ratio of less than 4% or a leverage ratio of less than 4% (3% in certain circumstances);

 

  “significantly undercapitalized” if it has a Total Capital ratio of less than 6%, a Tier 1 Capital ratio of less than 3% or a leverage ratio of less than 3%; and

 

  “critically undercapitalized” if its tangible equity is equal to or less than 2% of average quarterly tangible assets.

 

An institution may be downgraded to, or deemed to be in, a capital category that is lower than is indicated by its capital ratios if it is determined to be in an unsafe or unsound condition or if it receives an unsatisfactory examination rating with respect to certain matters. As of December 31, 2003, all of our Banks had capital levels that qualify as “well capitalized” under such regulations.

 

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The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act allows bank holding companies that are “well managed” and “well capitalized” and whose depositor subsidiaries have “satisfactory” or better Community Reinvestment Act ratings to become financial holding companies that may engage in a substantially broader range of nonbanking activities than are currently permissible, including insurance underwriting and securities activities. As previously stated, ABC became a financial holding company effective August 24, 2000.

 

The FDI Act generally prohibits an FDIC-insured bank from making a capital distribution (including payment of a dividend) or paying any management fee to its holding company if the bank would thereafter be “undercapitalized”. “Undercapitalized” banks are subject to growth limitations and are required to submit a capital restoration plan. The federal regulators may not accept a capital plan without determining, among other things, that the plan is based on realistic assumptions and is likely to succeed in restoring the bank’s capital. In addition, for a capital restoration plan to be acceptable, the bank’s parent holding company must guarantee that the institution will comply with such capital restoration plan. The aggregate liability of the parent holding company is limited to the lesser of: (i) an amount equal to 5% of the bank’s total assets at the time it became “undercapitalized”; and (ii) the amount which is necessary (or would have been necessary) to bring the institution into compliance with all capital standards applicable with respect to such institution as of the time it fails to comply with the plan. If a bank fails to submit an acceptable plan, it is treated as if it is “significantly undercapitalized”.

 

“Significantly undercapitalized” insured banks may be subject to a number of requirements and restrictions, including orders to sell sufficient voting stock to become “adequately capitalized”, requirements to reduce total assets and the cessation of receipt of deposits from correspondent banks. “Critically undercapitalized” institutions are subject to the appointment of a receiver or conservator. A bank that is not “well capitalized” is also subject to certain limitations relating to so-called “brokered” deposits.

 

Community Reinvestment Act

 

The Community Reinvestment Act requires federal bank regulatory agencies to encourage financial institutions to meet the credit needs of low- and moderate-income borrowers in their local communities. An institution’s size and business strategy determines the type of examination that it will receive. Large, retail-oriented institutions are examined using a performance-based lending, investment and service test. Small institutions are examined using a streamlined approach. All institutions may opt to be evaluated under a strategic plan formulated with community input and pre-approved by the bank regulatory agency.

 

The Community Reinvestment Act regulations provide for certain disclosure obligations. Each institution must post a notice advising the public of its right to comment to the institution and its regulator on the institution’s Community Reinvestment Act performance and to review the institution’s Community Reinvestment Act public file. Each lending institution must maintain for public inspection a file that includes a listing of branch locations and services, a summary of lending activity, a map of its communities and any written comments from the public on its performance in meeting community credit needs. The Community Reinvestment Act requires public disclosure of a financial institution’s written Community Reinvestment Act evaluations. This promotes enforcement of Community Reinvestment Act requirements by providing the public with the status of a particular institution’s community reinvestment record.

 

The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act made various changes to The Community Reinvestment Act. Among other changes, Community Reinvestment Act agreements with private parties must be disclosed and annual Community Reinvestment Act reports must be made available to a bank’s primary federal regulator. A bank holding company will not be permitted to become a financial holding company and no new activities authorized under The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act may be commenced by a holding company or by a bank financial subsidiary if any of its bank subsidiaries received less than a “satisfactory” Community Reinvestment Act rating in its latest Community Reinvestment Act examination.

 

Privacy

 

Financial institutions are required to disclose their policies for collecting and protecting confidential information. Customers generally may prevent financial institutions from sharing personal financial information with nonaffiliated third parties except for third parties which market the institutions’ own products and services. Additionally, financial institutions generally may not disclose consumer account numbers to any nonaffiliated third party for use in telemarketing, direct mail marketing or other marketing through electronic mail to consumers.

 

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The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act also includes provisions to protect consumer privacy by prohibiting banks from disclosing non-public, personal, financial information to unaffiliated parties without the consent of the customer, and by requiring annual disclosure of the Banks’ privacy policies. Each Bank’s primary regulator is responsible for promulgating rules to implement these provisions.

 

Legislative and Regulatory Changes

 

On October 26, 2001, President Bush signed into law the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (the “USA PATRIOT Act”). Among its other provisions, the USA PATRIOT Act requires each financial institution: (i) to establish an anti-money laundering program; (ii) to establish due diligence policies, procedures and controls with respect to its private banking accounts involving foreign individuals and certain foreign banks; and (iii) to avoid establishing, maintaining, administering, or managing correspondent accounts in the United States for, or on behalf of, foreign banks that do not have a physical presence in any country. The USA PATRIOT Act also requires the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe, by regulations to be issued jointly with the federal banking regulators and certain other agencies, minimum standards that financial institutions must follow to verify the identity of customers, both foreign and domestic, when a customer opens an account. In addition, the USA PATRIOT Act contains a provision encouraging cooperation among financial institutions, regulatory authorities and law enforcement authorities with respect to individuals, entities and organizations engaged in, or reasonably suspected of engaging in, terrorist acts or money laundering activities. Most specific changes are to take effect October 1, 2003. At this time, the provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act will not have a material impact on the business of ABC and our banks.

 

On July 30, 2002, the President signed into law the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes Act”), which mandated a variety of reforms intended to address corporate and accounting fraud. The Sarbanes Act provides for the establishment of a new Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) which will enforce auditing, quality control and independence standards for firms that audit Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) reporting companies and the PCAOB will be funded by fees from all SEC reporting companies. The Sarbanes Act imposes higher standards for auditor independence and restricts provision of consulting services by auditing firms to companies they audit and in addition, certain audit partners must be rotated periodically. The Sarbanes Act requires chief executive officers and chief financial officers, or their equivalents, to certify to the accuracy of periodic reports filed with the SEC, subject to civil and criminal penalties if they knowingly or willfully violate this certification requirement. In addition, under the Sarbanes Act, counsel will be required to report specific violations. Directors and executive officers must report most changes in their ownership of a company’s securities and executives will have restrictions on trading, and loans. The Sarbanes Act also increases the oversight and authority of audit committees of publicly traded companies. Although ABC anticipates it will incur additional expense in complying with the provisions of the Sarbanes Act and the related rules, management does not expect that such compliance will have a material impact on ABC’s financial condition or results of operation. Certain provisions of the Sarbanes Act were effective immediately upon passage or at various times in fiscal 2003. Other provisions of the Sarbanes Act will be effective through fiscal 2004 and after.

 

Fiscal and Monetary Policy

 

Banking is a business which depends on interest rate differentials. In general, the difference between the interest paid by a bank on its deposits and its other borrowings, and the interest received by a bank on its loans and securities holdings, constitutes the major portion of a bank’s earnings. Thus, our earnings and growth will be subject to the influence of economic conditions generally, both domestic and foreign, and also to the monetary and fiscal policies of the United States and its agencies, particularly the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve regulates the supply of money through various means, including open market dealings in United States government securities, the discount rate at which banks may borrow from the Federal Reserve and the reserve requirements on deposits. The nature and timing of any changes in such policies and their effect on ABC cannot be predicted.

 

Current and future legislation and the policies established by federal and state regulatory authorities will affect our future operations. Banking legislation and regulations may limit our growth and the return to our investors by restricting certain of our activities.

 

In addition, capital requirements could be changed and have the effect of restricting our activities or requiring additional capital to be maintained. We cannot predict what changes, if any, will be made to existing federal and state legislation and regulations or the effect that such changes may have on our business.

 

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Federal Home Loan Bank System

 

All of our Banks have correspondent relationships with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta (“FHLB Atlanta”), which is one of 12 regional Federal Home Loan Banks (or “FHLBs”) that administer the home financing credit function of savings companies. Each FHLB serves as a reserve or central bank for its members within its assigned region. FHLBs are funded primarily from proceeds derived from the sale of consolidated obligations of the FHLB System and make loans to members (i.e., advances) in accordance with policies and procedures, established by the Board of Directors of the FHLB which are subject to the oversight of the Federal Housing Finance Board. All advances from the FHLB are required to be fully secured by sufficient collateral as determined by the FHLB. In addition, all long-term advances are required to provide funds for residential home financing.

 

FHLB Atlanta provides certain services to certain of our Banks such as processing checks and other items, buying and selling Federal funds, handling money transfers and exchanges, shipping coin and currency, providing security and safekeeping of funds or other valuable items, and furnishing limited management information and advice. As compensation for these services, our Banks maintain certain balances with FHLB Atlanta in interest-bearing accounts.

 

Under federal law, the FHLBs are required to provide funds for the resolution of troubled savings companies and to contribute to low- and moderately-priced housing programs through direct loans or interest subsidies on advances targeted for community investment and low- and moderate-income housing projects.

 

Title 6 of the GLB Act, entitled the Federal Home Loan Bank System Modernization Act of 1999 (called the “FHLB Modernization Act”), has amended the Federal Home Loan Bank Act by allowing for voluntary membership and modernizing the capital structure and governance of the FHLBs. The new capital structure established under the FHLB Modernization Act sets forth new leverage and risk-based capital requirements based on permanence of capital. It also requires some minimum investment in the stock of the FHLBs of all member entities. Capital will include retained earnings and two forms of stock: Class A stock redeemable within six months written notice and Class B stock redeemable within five years written notice. The FHLB Modernization Act provides a transition period to the new capital regime, which will not be effective until the FHLBs enact implementing regulations. The FHLB Modernization Act also reduces the period of time in which a member exiting the FHLB system must stay out of the system.

 

Real Estate Lending Evaluations

 

The federal regulators have adopted uniform standards for evaluations of loans secured by real estate or made to finance improvements to real estate. Banks are required to establish and maintain written internal real estate lending policies consistent with safe and sound banking practices and appropriate to the size of the institution and the nature and scope of its operations. The regulations establish loan to value ratio limitations on real estate loans. Our Bank’s loan policies establish limits on loan to value ratios that are equal to or less than those established in such regulations.

 

Changing Regulatory Structure

 

The laws and regulations affecting banks and bank holding companies are in a state of change. The rules and the regulatory agencies in this area have changed significantly over recent years, and there is reason to expect that similar changes will continue in the future. It is not possible to predict the outcome of these changes.

 

One of the major additional burdens imposed on the banking industry is the increased authority of federal agencies to regulate the activities of federal and state banks and their holding companies. The Federal Reserve, the OCC and the FDIC have extensive authority to police unsafe or unsound practices and violations of applicable laws and regulations by depository institutions and their holding companies. These agencies can assess civil money penalties. Other laws such as the Sarbanes Act have expanded the agencies’ authority in recent years, and the agencies have not yet fully tested the limits of their powers. In addition, the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance, the Alabama State Banking Department and the Florida Department of Banking and Finance possess broad enforcement powers to address violations of their banking laws by banks chartered in their respective states.

 

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Economic Environment

 

The policies of regulatory authorities, including the monetary policy of the Federal Reserve, have a significant effect on the operating results of bank holding companies and their subsidiaries. Among the means available to the Federal Reserve to affect the money supply are open market operations in U.S. government securities, changes in the discount rate on member bank borrowings, and changes in reserve requirements against member bank deposits. These means are used in varying combinations to influence overall growth and distribution of bank loans, investments and deposits and their use may affect interest rates charged on loans or paid on deposits.

 

The Federal Reserve’s monetary policies have materially affected the operating results of commercial banks in the past and are expected to continue to do so in the future. The nature of future monetary policies and the effect of these policies on the business and earnings of ABC and our Banks cannot be predicted.

 

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ITEM 2.   PROPERTIES

 

Our principal properties consist of the properties of our Banks. For a description of our properties, see “Item 1 - Business - Properties” included elsewhere in this Annual Report.

 

ITEM 3.   LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

 

Neither ABC nor any of our Banks is a party to, nor is any of their property the subject of, any material pending legal proceedings, other than ordinary routine proceedings incidental to the business of our Banks, nor to the knowledge of the management of ABC are any such proceedings contemplated or threatened against it or our Banks.

 

ITEM 4.   SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SHAREHOLDERS

 

No matters were submitted to a vote of our shareholders during the fourth quarter of 2003.

 

ITEM 4.5   EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT

 

The following table sets forth certain information with respect to the executive officers of ABC.

 

Name, Age and

Term as Officer


  

Position with the

Registrant


  

Principal Occupation for the Last Five Years

and Other Directorships


Kenneth J. Hunnicutt; 67 Officer since 1981

  

Chief Executive Officer,

Director and Chairman of the

Board

   Chairman of the Board of ABC since May 2001, Chief Executive Officer since 1994 and President from 1981 to May 2001 and from August 2002 to November 2003. Mr. Hunnicutt served as Senior President of American Banking Company from 1989 to 1991 and as President of American Banking Company from 1975 to 1989. From 1985 to May 2002, he served as a director on each of the subsidiary bank boards.

Edwin W. Hortman, Jr.; 50 Officer since 2002

  

President and Chief Operating

Officer, Regional Bank

Executive for Northern

Division and Director

   President and Chief Operating Officer of ABC and a director since November 2003. Executive Vice President and Regional Bank Executive for Northern Division since August 2002. Since September 2002, Mr. Hortman has served on the board of each of the subsidiary banks in the Northern Division. President and Chief Executive Officer and Director of Citizens Security Bank from April 1998 to November 2003. Mr. Hortman served as Senior Vice President of Colony Bankcorp and President of Colony Management Services from September 1992 to April 1998.

W. Edwin Lane, Jr.; 49 Officer since 1995

  

Executive Vice President and

Chief Financial Officer

   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of ABC since January 1995. Mr. Lane served as Controller of First Liberty Bank, Macon, Georgia from August 1992 to December 1994. Mr. Lane was associated with Mauldin & Jenkins, Certified Public Accountants, from 1985 to 1992, where he served as an audit manager from 1989 to 1992.

Jon S. Edwards; 42
Officer since 1999

  

Executive Vice President and

Regional Bank Executive for

Southern Division and

Director

   Executive Vice President and Regional Bank Executive for Southern Division of ABC since August 2002. Director of Credit Administration from March 1999 to July 2003. Senior Vice President of ABC from March 1999 to August 2002. Since September 2002, Mr. Edwards has served on the board of each of the subsidiary banks in the Southern Division. Mr. Edwards served as the Manager of Loan Review of the GA/TN region of Nations Bank from March 1993 to March 1999.

Cindi Lewis; 50
Officer since 1987

  

Executive Vice President and

Director of Human Resources

and Corporate Secretary

   Executive Vice President since May 2002 and Director of Human Resources and Corporate Secretary of ABC since May 2000. Senior Vice President of ABC from May 2000 to May 2002 and Vice President of Operations, Client Services and Assistant Corporate Secretary from April 1993 to May 2000. Ms. Lewis served in other positions within the Company from 1987 to 1992.

 

Officers serve at the discretion of the Board of Directors.

 

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PART II

 

ITEM 5.   MARKET FOR THE REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

 

  (a) ABC’s common stock, $1.00 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), is listed on the Nasdaq National Market System (or “Nasdaq-NMS”) under the symbol “ABCB”. The following table sets forth: (i) the high and low bid prices for the Common Stock as quoted on Nasdaq-NMS during 2003 and 2002; and (ii) the amount of quarterly dividends declared on the Common Stock during the periods indicated. The high and low bid prices reflect inter-dealer prices, without retail mark-up, mark-down or commission and may not necessarily represent actual transactions.

 

Calendar Period


   Bid Prices

  

Cash
Dividends

Declared


2003


   High

   Low

  

First quarter

   $ 14.58    $ 12.97    $ .12

Second quarter

     14.98      13.55      .12

Third quarter

     17.65      14.35      .14

Fourth quarter

     17.65      15.25      .14

 

Calendar Period


   Bid Prices

  

Cash
Dividends

Declared


2002


   High

   Low

  

First quarter

   $ 14.70    $ 12.92    $ .12

Second quarter

     16.50      13.10      .12

Third quarter

     15.24      11.05      .12

Fourth quarter

     14.14      12.50      .12

 

  (b) As of March 1, 2004, there were approximately 2,028 holders of record of the Common Stock, excluding individuals in security position listings.

 

  (c) ABC paid annual dividends on its Common Stock of $.52 and $.48 per share for fiscal years 2003 and 2002, respectively.

 

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ITEM 6.   SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

 

The following table presents selected consolidated financial information for ABC. The data set forth below are derived from the audited consolidated financial statements of ABC. The selected financial data should be read in conjunction with, and are qualified in their entirety by, the Consolidated Financial Statements and the Notes thereto and Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included elsewhere herein.

 

     Year Ended December 31,

 
     2003

    2002

    2001

    2000

    1999

 
     (Dollars in Thousands, Except Per Share Data)  

Selected Balance Sheet Data:

                                        

Total assets

   $ 1,168,044     $ 1,192,339     $ 1,176,886     $ 826,197     $ 789,460  

Total loans

     840,539       833,447       805,076       587,381       530,225  

Total deposits

     906,524       916,047       931,156       679,885       640,658  

Investment securities

     196,289       184,081       156,835       162,105       146,990  

Shareholders’ equity

     113,613       107,484       104,148       80,656       76,016  

Selected Income Statement Data:

                                        

Interest income

   $ 64,479     $ 71,347     $ 72,913     $ 68,976     $ 59,991  

Interest expense

     22,045       28,144       34,904       30,805       24,400  
    


 


 


 


 


Net interest income

     42,434       43,203       38,009       38,171       35,591  

Provision for loan losses

     3,945       5,574       4,566       1,712       2,154  

Other income

     14,622       15,610       11,725       8,215       7,752  

Other expenses

     35,147       37,807       30,843       30,233       27,942  
    


 


 


 


 


Income before tax

     17,964       15,432       14,325       14,441       13,247  

Income tax expense

     5,954       5,077       4,692       4,343       4,291  
    


 


 


 


 


Net income

   $ 12,010     $ 10,355     $ 9,633     $ 10,098     $ 8,956  
    


 


 


 


 


Per Share Data:

                                        

Net income - basic

   $ 1.23     $ 1.05     $ 1.05     $ 1.19     $ 1.03  

Net income - diluted

     1.22       1.05       1.04       1.19       1.03  

Book value

     11.61       11.00       10.42       9.66       8.71  

Tangible book value

     9.31       8.59       7.88       8.84       7.84  

Dividends

     0.52       0.48       0.48       0.46       0.35  

Profitability Ratios:

                                        

Net income to average total assets

     1.04 %     0.90 %     1.00 %     1.27 %     1.23 %

Net income to average stockholders’ equity

     10.85       9.81       10.30       13.19       11.93  

Net interest margin

     3.97       4.08       4.28       5.14       5.31  

Efficiency ratio

     61.60       64.28       62.02       65.18       64.47  

 

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SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA (Continued)

 

     Year Ended December 31,

 
     2003

    2002

    2001

    2000

    1999

 
     (Dollars in Thousands, Except Per Share Data)  

Loan Quality Ratios:

                              

Net charge-offs to total loans

   0.46 %   0.68 %   0.54 %   0.30 %   0.46 %

Reserve for loan losses to total loans and OREO

   1.78     1.78     1.85     1.67     1.86  

Nonperforming assets to total loans and OREO

   0.95     1.11     1.67     0.95     1.15  

Reserve for loan losses to nonperforming loans

   231.20     196.64     124.97     202.18     178.26  

Reserve for loan losses to total nonperforming assets

   187.58     160.74     111.00     175.38     162.59  

Liquidity Ratios:

                              

Loans to total deposits

   92.72 %   90.98 %   86.46 %   86.39 %   82.76 %

Loans to average earnings assets

   78.63     78.76     90.56     79.05     79.17  

Noninterest-bearing deposits to total deposits

   15.63     14.38     13.48     13.96     16.12  

Capital Adequacy Ratios:

                              

Common stockholders’ equity to total assets

   9.73 %   9.01 %   8.85 %   9.76 %   9.63 %

Average total stockholders’ equity to average total assets

   9.57     9.18     9.74     9.59     10.29  

Dividend payout ratio

   42.28     45.71     45.71     38.66     33.98  

 

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ITEM 7.   MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

 

ABC’s 2003 Annual Report contains forward-looking statements in addition to historical information. ABC cautions that there are various important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995; accordingly, there can be no assurance that such indicated results will be realized.

 

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a safe harbor for forward-looking statements. In order to comply with the terms of the safe harbor, ABC is required to note the variety of factors that could cause ABC’s actual results and experience to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in ABC’s forward-looking statements. These factors include legislative and regulatory initiatives regarding deregulation and restructuring of the banking industry; the extent and timing of the entry of additional competition in ABC’s markets; potential business strategies, including acquisitions or dispositions of assets or internal restructuring, that may be pursued by ABC, state and federal banking regulations; changes in or application of environmental and other laws and regulations to which ABC is subject; political, legal and economic conditions and developments; financial market conditions and the results of financing efforts; changes in commodity prices and interest rates; weather, natural disasters and other catastrophic events; and other factors discussed in ABC’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K. The words “believe”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “project”, and similar expressions signify such forward-looking statements.

 

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of ABC. Any such statement speaks only as of the date the statement was made. ABC undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. Additional information with respect to factors that may cause results to differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements is included in the ABC’s current and subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

ABC has established certain accounting and financial reporting policies to govern the application of accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America in the preparation of our financial statements. Our significant accounting policies are described in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements. Certain accounting policies involve significant judgments and assumptions by management which have a material impact on the carrying value of certain assets and liabilities; management considers these accounting policies to be critical accounting policies. The judgments and assumptions used by management are based on historical experience and other factors which are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Because of the nature of the judgments and assumptions made by management, actual results could differ from the judgments and estimates adopted by management which could have a material impact on the carrying values of assets and liabilities and the results of ABC’s operations. We believe the following accounting policies applied by ABC represent critical accounting policies.

 

Allowance for Loan Losses

 

We believe the allowance for loan losses is a critical accounting policy that requires the most significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements. The allowance for loan losses represents management’s estimate of probable loan losses inherent in the loan portfolio. Calculation of the allowance for loan losses represents a critical accounting estimate due to the significant judgment, assumptions and estimates related to the amount and timing of estimated losses, consideration of current and historical trends and the amount and timing of cash flows related to impaired loans.

 

Management believes that the allowance for loan losses is adequate. While management uses available information to recognize losses on loans, future additions to the allowance for loan losses may be necessary based on changes in economic conditions. In addition, various regulatory agencies, as an integral part of their examination process, periodically review the subsidiary banks’ allowances for loan losses. Such agencies may require the subsidiary banks to recognize additions to the allowance for loan losses based on their judgments about information available to them at the time of their examination.

 

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Considering current information and events regarding a borrower’s ability to repay its obligations, management considers a loan to be impaired when the ultimate collectibility of all amounts due, according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement, is in doubt. When a loan is considered to be impaired, the amount of impairment is measured based on the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate. If the loan is collateral-dependent, the fair value of the collateral is used to determine the amount of impairment. Impairment losses are included in the allowance for loan losses through a charge to the provision for losses on loans.

 

Subsequent recoveries are credited to the allowance for loan losses. Cash receipts for accruing loans are applied to principal and interest under the contractual terms of the loan agreement. Cash receipts on impaired loans for which the accrual of interest has been discontinued are applied first to principal and then to interest income.

 

The accounting for impaired loans described above applies to all loans, except for large pools of smaller-balance, homogeneous loans that are collectively evaluated for impairment, loans that are measured at fair value or at the lower of cost or fair value, and debt securities. The allowance for loan losses for large pools of smaller-balance, homogeneous loans is established through consideration of such factors as changes in the nature and volume of the portfolio, overall portfolio quality, adequacy of the underlying collateral, loan concentrations, historical charge-off trends, and economic conditions that may affect the borrowers’ ability to pay.

 

Certain economic and interest rate factors could have a material impact on the determination of the allowance for loan losses. The national economy showed signs of rebounding during the fourth quarter of 2003. If the economy’s momentum continues, certain factors could evolve which would positively impact our net interest margin. An increase in interest rates by the Federal Reserve Bank would favorably impact our net interest margin. An improving economy could result in the expansion of businesses and creation of jobs which would positively affect ABC’s loan growth and improve our gross revenue stream. Conversely, certain factors could result from an expanding economy which could increase our credit costs and adversely impact our net earnings. A significant rapid rise in interest rates could create higher borrowing costs and shrinking corporate profits which could have a material impact on borrowers’ ability to pay. We will continue to concentrate on maintaining a high quality loan portfolio through strict administration of our loan policy.

 

Another factor that we have considered in the determination of the allowance for loan losses is loan concentrations to individual borrowers or industries. At December 31, 2003, we had 12 individual credit relationships that exceeded $5.0 million with none exceeding $12.0 million.

 

A substantial portion of our loan portfolio is in the commercial real estate and residential real estate sectors. Those loans are secured by real estate in ABC’s primary market area. A substantial of portion of other real estate owned is located in those same markets. Therefore, the ultimate collectibility of a substantial portion of our loan portfolio and the recovery of a substantial portion of the carrying amount of other real estate owned are susceptible to changes to market conditions in ABC’s primary market area.

 

We are closely monitoring certain portions of our loan portfolio that we believe have a higher credit risk profile under the current environment based solely upon their industry classification which includes agricultural and agribusiness loans. Based on current information, we have not identified any problem credits included in these categories, which are not already classified as nonperforming or impaired loans. However, if the economic recovery takes longer than expected, the allowance for loan losses could be impacted by adverse developments in these credits.

 

Income Taxes

 

SFAS No. 109, “Accounting for Income Taxes,” requires the asset and liability approach for financial accounting and reporting for deferred income taxes. We use the asset and liability method of accounting for deferred income taxes and provide deferred income taxes for all significant income tax temporary differences. See Note 11 to the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional details.

 

As part of the process of preparing our consolidated financial statements we are required to estimate our income taxes in each of the jurisdictions in which we operate. This process involves estimating our actual current tax exposure together with assessing temporary differences resulting from differing treatment of items, such as depreciation and the provision for loan losses, for tax and financial reporting purposes. These differences result in deferred tax assets and liabilities that are included in our consolidated balance sheet.

 

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We must also assess the likelihood that our deferred tax assets will be recovered from future taxable income, and to the extent we believe that recovery is not likely, we must establish a valuation allowance. Significant management judgment is required in determining our provision for income taxes, our deferred tax assets and liabilities and any valuation allowance recorded against our net deferred tax assets. To the extent we establish a valuation allowance or adjust this allowance in a period, we must include an expense within the tax provisions in the statement of income.

 

We have recorded on our consolidated balance sheet net deferred tax assets of $4,363,000 which includes amounts relating to loss carryforwards. We believe there will be sufficient taxable income in the future allowing us to utilize these loss carryforwards in the tax jurisdictions where they exist.

 

Long-Lived Assets, Including Intangibles

 

We evaluate long-lived assets, such as property and equipment, specifically identifiable intangibles and goodwill, when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of such assets might not be recoverable. Factors that could trigger an impairment include significant underperformance relative to historical or projected future operating results, significant changes in the manner of our use of the acquired assets and significant negative industry or economic trends.

 

The determination of whether an impairment has occurred is based on an estimate of undiscounted cash flows attributable to the assets as compared to the carrying value of the assets. If an impairment has occurred, the amount of the impairment loss recognized would be determined by estimating the fair value of the assets and recording a loss if the fair value was less than the book value.

 

In determining the existence of impairment factors, our assessment is based on market conditions, operational performance and legal factors of our Company and its subsidiary banks. Our review of factors present and the resulting appropriate carrying value of our goodwill, intangibles, and other long-lived assets are subject to judgments and estimates that management is required to make. Future events could cause us to conclude that impairment indicators exist and that our goodwill, intangibles and other long-lived assets might be impaired.

 

Performance Overview

 

We reported net income of $12.010 million, or $1.22 per diluted common share in 2003, compared to $10.355 million, or $1.05 per diluted common share in 2002 and $9.633 million, or $1.04 per diluted common share in 2001. The return on average assets was 1.04% in 2003 compared to .90% in 2002 and 1.00% in 2001. The return on average common shareholders’ equity was 10.85% in 2003 compared to 9.81% in 2002 and 10.30% in 2001. As a result of a new accounting rule issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), no amount of goodwill was expensed in 2003 or 2002, except for the impairment charge of $9,000 in 2003. During 2001, we expensed $668,000 or $.07 per diluted common share associated with goodwill.

 

During 2003, we focused on three priorities: preserving asset quality, minimizing shrinkage of our net interest margin and controlling noninterest expenses. As a result of our focus on asset quality, nonperforming assets decreased 13% during the year, our charge-off ratio was 22 basis points lower than the previous year, and the ratio of our allowance for loan losses to nonperforming assets increased 26 basis points during the year. Due to the improvement of asset quality, we reduced our provision for loan losses $1.7 million to $3.9 million in 2003 compared to $5.6 million in 2002.

 

Due to the record low interest rate environment during 2003, our net interest margin decreased $.8 million or 1.85% to $42.4 million in 2003 compared to $43.2 million in 2002. To lessen the adverse impact on net interest margins, we avoided paying excessive interest rates on non-core deposits and relied on lower cost alternative funding. Although this strategy lessened the adverse impact on interest margins, it resulted in a shrinkage of $4.1 million or .5% in average deposits during 2003 compared to 2002.

 

As a result of our focus on controlling noninterest expenses, we reduced noninterest expenses $2.7 million or 7.04% to $35.1 million in 2003 compared to $37.8 million in 2002.

 

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RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

General

 

Our principal asset is the ownership of our Banks. Accordingly, our results of operations are primarily dependent upon the results of operations of our Banks. Our Banks conduct a commercial banking business which consists of attracting deposits from the general public and applying those funds to the origination of commercial, consumer and real estate loans (including commercial loans collateralized by real estate). The Banks’ profitability depends primarily on net interest income, which is the difference between interest income generated from interest-earning assets (i.e., loans and investments) less the interest expense incurred on interest-bearing liabilities (i.e., customer deposits and borrowed funds). Net interest income is affected by the relative amounts of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities, and the interest rate paid and earned on these balances. Net interest income is dependent upon the Banks’ interest rate spread, which is the difference between the average yield earned on its interest-earning assets and the average rate paid on its interest-bearing liabilities. When interest-earning assets approximate or exceed interest-bearing liabilities, any positive interest rate spread will generate interest income. The interest rate spread is impacted by interest rates, deposit flows and loan demand. Additionally, and to a lesser extent, the profitability of the Banks is affected by such factors as the level of noninterest income and expenses, the provision for loan losses and the effective tax rate. Noninterest income consists primarily of service charges on deposit accounts and other fees and income from the sale of investment securities and origination of mortgage loans. Noninterest expenses consist of compensation and benefits, occupancy-related expenses and other operating expenses.

 

Earnings Summary

 

We reported earnings of $12.0 million for 2003 representing an increase of $1.6 million or 15% compared to earnings of $10.4 million for 2002. Diluted earnings per common share were $1.22 in 2003 compared to $1.05 per common share in 2002 and $1.04 per common share in 2001.

 

As a result of accounting changes required by FASB, we discontinued the amortization of goodwill in 2002. As required by FASB, we will periodically test goodwill to determine whether the carrying value of our goodwill is impaired. We continue to amortize core deposit premiums and other identifiable intangibles as a noncash charge that increases our operating expenses. Intangible asset amortization included as an operating expense amounted to $1.0 million, $1.8 million and $1.2 million in 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively.

 

Net interest income, on a taxable-equivalent basis, decreased 1.85% in 2003 to $42.5 million from $43.3 million in 2002. Net interest income increased 12.47% in 2002 to $43.3 million from $38.5 million in 2001. The significant increase in net interest income in 2002 is attributable to bank acquisitions consummated in 2001 and accounted for as purchase transactions. The net interest margin decreased 11 basis points to 3.98% in 2003 from 4.09% in 2002. The net interest margin decreased 24 basis points to 4.09% in 2002 from 4.33% in 2001. Over the past three years, the net interest margin has been impacted by changes in balance sheet mix and fair market value purchase accounting adjustments related to recent purchase acquisitions which have affected the yields earned and rates paid on the underlying assets and liabilities. These factors, coupled with the decrease in general interest rates as a result of action undertaken by the Federal Reserve, have resulted in net interest margin compression over the past three years.

 

Our provision for loan losses totaled $3.9 million in 2003, $5.6 million in 2002 and $4.6 in 2001. The allowance for loan losses represented 1.78% of total loans outstanding at both December 31, 2003 and December 31, 2002. The allowance for loan losses represented 1.85% of total loans outstanding at December 31, 2001. The allowance for loan losses is discussed in more detail under “Summary of Loan Loss Experience.”

 

Noninterest income decreased 6.41% to $14.6 million in 2003 compared to $15.6 million in 2002. Noninterest income increased 33.3% in 2002 from $11.7 million in 2001. The decrease in noninterest income in 2003 is attributable to securities transactions. In 2002, we recorded gains on sales of securities in the amount of $1.6 million; whereas in 2003, we recorded losses on sales of securities in the amount of $5,000. We recorded an increase of $.2 million in mortgage origination fees in 2003 from the amount recorded in 2002. We also recorded in 2003 approximately $.6 million representing gains on the sale of bank property and the reversal of contingent liabilities recorded in connection with the sale of our credit card portfolio in 2002. The increase in noninterest income in 2002 compared to 2001 represented increases in service charges on deposit accounts and mortgage origination fees.

 

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Noninterest expense decreased $2.7 million to $35.1 million in 2003 from $37.8 million in 2002. Salaries and employee benefits increased $1.4 million; equipment and occupancy expense decreased $.3 million; and all other expenses decreased a net of $3.8 million. These reductions resulted from our focus on controlling expenses. Noninterest expense increased $7.0 million in 2002 compared to 2001. The majority of the increase resulted from the purchase acquisitions consummated in 2001.

 

Net Interest Income

 

A portion of interest income is earned on tax-exempt investments such as state and municipal bonds. In an effort to state this tax-exempt income and its resultant yields on a basis comparable to all other taxable investments, an adjustment is made to analyze this income on a taxable-equivalent basis assuming a 34% federal income tax rate.

 

Net interest income totaled $42.4 million in 2003 representing a decrease of $.8 million compared to net interest income of $43.2 million in 2002. Net interest income increased 13.68% in 2002 over 2001. The decrease in net interest income in 2003 was attributable to a decrease in general interest rates as a result of action undertaken by the Federal Reserve. In 2003, the net interest spread declined 6 basis points resulting in a net interest margin decline of 11 basis points. In 2002, the net interest spread increased 2 basis points, but the net interest margin declined 24 basis points. Net interest income in 2003 reflected a decrease in the average yield on earning assets of 70 basis points, while the average cost of interest-bearing liabilities declined only 64 basis points. In 2002, net interest income reflected a decrease in the average yield on earning assets of 150 points, while the average cost of interest-bearing liabilities declined 152 basis points. Over the past three years, the net interest margin has been impacted by changes in earning assets mix and the decrease in general interest rates precipitated by actions of the Federal Reserve.

 

The yield on loans decreased 62 basis points in 2003, 141 basis points in 2002 and 89 basis points in 2001 as a significant portion of our loan portfolio repriced as interest rates fell through 2003, 2002 and 2001. The cost of interest-bearing liabilities decreased 64 basis points in 2003, 152 basis points in 2002 and 34 basis points in 2001 as deposits repriced when interest rates declined. Average borrowings increased $4.3 million in 2003 and $35.4 million in 2002 as an alternative funding source when loan growth exceeded deposit growth. The average rate paid on borrowings in 2003 decreased 13 basis points to 3.93%. The effects of changes in rates and average volumes are set forth in the table titled “Rate/Volume Analysis.”

 

Average earning assets increased $9.2 million, or .87%, to $1,067.4 million in 2003 compared to $1,058.2 in 2002. In 2002, average earning assets increased $169.2 million, or 19.03%, from $889.0 million in 2001. Average loans increased $14.0 million, or 1.69%, to $841.9 million in 2003 compared to $827.9 in 2002. Average loans increased $129.6 million, or 18.56%, in 2002 compared to average loans of $698.3 million in 2001. Loan growth has remained strong in our market. The growth in average loans in 2002 also reflected the impact of acquisitions consummated in 2001 and accounted for as purchase transactions. The average balance of our securities portfolio increased $14.3 million, or 8.44% during 2003 and $10.0 million, or 6.30% during 2002. Average investment securities represented 15.83% of total average assets in 2003 and 14.68% of total average assets in 2002. All of our investment securities are classified as available for sale. Average earning assets as a percentage of total average assets was 92.28% in 2003 compared to 92.00% in 2002 and 92.60% in 2001.

 

Average interest-bearing liabilities decreased $8.3 million, or .90%, in 2003 compared to an increase of $159.2 million, or 20.91% in 2002 and an increase of $134.9 million, or 21.53% in 2001. Average interest-bearing deposits decreased $13.0 million, or 1.62%, in 2003 compared to an increase of $94.4 million, or 13.83%, in 2002 and an increase of $117.3 million, or 20.74% in 2001. The decrease in average interest-bearing deposits in 2003 resulted from management’s decision to avoid paying the relatively high interest rates on non-core deposits. The increase in average interest-bearing deposits in 2002 was attributable to the purchase acquisitions consummated in 2001. Approximately 14% of total average deposits were noninterest-bearing in 2003 compared to 13% for both 2002 and 2001.

 

Average short-term borrowings do not represent a material source of funds and the average amounts outstanding during the last three years have remained fairly constant. Other borrowings represent primarily advances by the Federal Home Loan Bank. Average other borrowings increased $3.1 million, or 2.99%, to $106.8 million in 2003 compared to $103.7 in 2002. Average other borrowings increased $34.5 million, or 49.86%, in 2002 compared to average borrowings of $69.2 million in 2001. The increase in average other borrowings in 2002 was attributable to greater utilization of Federal Home Loan advances to fund loan growth. In late 2001, we issued trust preferred securities in the amount of $34.5 million which have been included in interest-bearing liabilities and have remained unchanged since issue.

 

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Noninterest Income

 

Noninterest income totaled $14.6 million in 2003 compared to $15.6 million in 2002 and $11.7 million in 2001. The decrease of $1.0 million in 2003 resulted from a decrease of $1.6 million in gains on sale of investments securities offset by an increase of $.4 million in service charges on deposit accounts, mortgage origination fees, and other service charges and fees. Other net noninterest income increased $.2 million in 2003 attributable primarily to nonrecurring transactions related to sale of branch real estate and the reversal of contingent liabilities recorded in connection with the sale of our credit card portfolio in 2002.

 

Noninterest income increased $3.9 million in 2002 compared to 2001. Service charges on deposit accounts increased $2.8 million, or 36.64%, to $10.6 million in 2002 compared to $7.7 million in 2001 on an increase in average deposits of $112.9 million, or 14.46% to $893.8 million in 2002 from $780.9 million in 2001. The increase in service charges on deposit accounts and the increase in average deposits was directly related to the purchase acquisitions consummated in 2001. Origination fees on mortgage loans increased $.5 million or 52.34% to $1.4 million from $.9 million in 2001. The significant increase in mortgage fee income resulted from the volume of mortgage refinancing generated by the decrease in mortgage rates and the inclusion of results of operations for the entire year in 2002 for banks acquired in 2001, whose results of operations were included only since the date of acquisition in accordance with purchase accounting. In 2002, we realized $1. 6 million in gain on sale of securities as compared to $1.2 million in gain on sale of securities in 2001. All other noninterest income increased $214,000 or 20.74 % in 2002 from 2001 and $237,000 or 29.81% in 2001 from 2000. Such increases were primarily attributable to the 2001 bank acquisitions.

 

Following is a comparison of noninterest income for 2003, 2002 and 2001.

 

     Year Ended December 31,

     2003

    2002

   2001

     (Dollars in Thousands)

Service charges on deposit accounts

   $ 10,638     $ 10,550    $ 7,721

Mortgage origination fees

     1,637       1,365      896

Other service charges, commissions and fees

     917       806      823

Gain (loss) on sale of securities

     (5 )     1,643      1,253

Other income

     1,435       1,246      1,032
    


 

  

     $ 14,622     $ 15,610    $ 11,725
    


 

  

 

Noninterest Expense

 

In compliance with the requirements of FASB Statement No. 91, “Accounting for Nonrefundable Fees and Costs Associated with Originating or Acquiring Loans and Initial Direct Costs of Leases”, we allocated $3.4 million of salaries to loan costs in 2003, $3.1 million in 2002 and $3.2 million in 2001. After adjusting salaries and benefits for amounts allocated to loan costs, total salaries and benefits increased $1.7 million, or 7.98%, to $23.0 million in 2003 compared to $21.3 million in 2002. The total full-time equivalent employees remained at approximately 500 employees for both 2003 and 2002. Salaries and employee benefits increased $3.0 million, or 16.39% to $21.3 in 2002 from $18.3 million in 2001. Approximately $2.0 million, or 66.66% of the increase, resulted from the inclusion of salaries and employee benefits for the entire year in expense for 2002 whereas salaries and benefits were included in expense in 2001 from the dates banks were acquired in accordance with purchase accounting. Salaries increased $1.9 million; bonuses increased $.6 million; retirement expense increased $.2 million; and all other employee benefits, including stock options and other grants, insurance and payroll taxes, increased $.3 million.

 

Equipment and occupancy expense decreased $.3 million to $4.7 million in 2003 compared to $5.0 million in 2002. Equipment and occupancy expense increased $.2 million to $5.0 million in 2002 from $4.8 million in 2001. The 2002 bank acquisitions had the effect of increasing equipment and occupancy expense $.5 million in 2002. This increase was offset by a reduction in leased equipment expense of $.2 million in 2002 and other reductions totaling $.1 million attributable to decreased depreciation .

 

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The decrease of $.8 million in amortization of intangible assets in 2003 compared to 2002 resulted from a reduction in amortization of core deposit premiums paid on prior acquisitions. Amortization of intangible assets charged to expense increased $.6 million in 2002 compared to 2001. As of January 1, 2002, we were required to adopt the provisions of SFAS No. 142, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets.” The adoption of this statement had the effect of reducing amortization expense by approximately $.6 million for amortization of goodwill charged to expense in 2001. Amortization expense for 2002 also included approximately $1.2 million additional amortization related to the 2001 bank acquisitions. The additional expense related to acquisitions, net of the nonamortization provisions of the newly adopted accounting statement resulted in a net increase in amortization expense in 2002 of $.6 million.

 

Data processing fees remained constant in 2003 compared to 2002. Data processing fees increased $.3 million to $1.5 million in 2002 from $1.2 million in 2001. The significant increase in fees was attributable to increased volume of transactions processed resulting from bank acquisitions and the inclusion of the acquired banks’ results of operations for the entire year in 2002 as opposed to inclusion of operations of the acquired banks from the dates of acquisition in 2001. Bank transactions and all accounting data are now processed online on equipment at the Banks, parent company offices or central operations.

 

All other noninterest expense decreased $3.1 million to $8.2 million in 2003 from $11.3 million in 2002. The decrease was attributed to management’s focus on controlling operating expenses in 2003. Significant reductions include decreases in conversion fees of $.7 million, accounting and auditing fees of $.3 million, OREO losses and other losses of $.2 million and postage, stationary and supplies of $.3 million. All other expense increased $2.8 million to $11.5 million in 2002 from $8.7 million in 2001. Approximately $.9 million, or 33.62% of the increase, was attributable to the 2001 acquisitions. Included in the 2002 expense was $.6 million resulting from other real estate losses and sale or abandonment of fixed assets. In 2002, we incurred $.7 million more in conversion charges compared to 2001, $.4 million in additional bank analysis charges and $.3 million in additional postage and stationery supplies. All other expense increased $1.1 million in 2002 over 2001.

 

Following is a comparison of noninterest expense for 2003, 2002 and 2001.

 

     Years Ended December 31,

     2003

   2002

   2001

     (Dollars in Thousands)

Salaries and employee benefits

   $ 19,599    $ 18,192    $ 15,100

Equipment and occupancy

     4,725      5,039      4,784

Amortization of intangible assets

     1,032      1,765      1,185

Data processing fees

     1,587      1,546      1,250

Other expense

     8,204      11,265      8,524
    

  

  

     $ 35,147    $ 37,807    $ 30,843
    

  

  

 

Income Taxes

 

Income taxes totaled $6.0 million in 2003, $5.1 million in 2002 and $4.7 million in 2001. The effective tax rate was 33% for each of the years ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001.

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

Liquidity management involves the matching of the cash flow requirements of customers, who may be either depositors desiring to withdraw funds or borrowers needing assurance that sufficient funds will be available to meet their credit needs, and the ability of ABC and our Banks to meet those needs. We seek to meet liquidity requirements primarily through management of short-term investments (principally interest-bearing deposits in banks) and monthly amortizing loans. Another source of liquidity is the repayment of maturing single payment loans. In addition, our Banks maintain relationships with correspondent banks which could provide funds to them on short notice, if needed.

 

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The liquidity and capital resources of ABC and our Banks are monitored on a periodic basis by state and federal regulatory authorities. At December 31, 2003, the Banks’ short-term investments were adequate to cover any reasonable anticipated immediate need for funds. During 2003, we increased our capital by retaining net earnings of $6,935,000 after payment of dividends. After recording a decrease in capital of $1,114,000 for unrealized losses on securities available for sale, net of taxes, an increase of $469,000 for restricted stock transactions, an increase of $9,000 for the exercise of stock options, a decrease of $170,000 for the repurchase of treasury shares, total capital increased $6,129,000 during 2003. At December 31, 2003, total capital of ABC amounted to $113,613,000. We are aware of no events or trends likely to result in a material change in our liquidity.

 

The following table summarizes short-term borrowings for the periods indicated:

 

     Years Ended December 31,

 
     2003

    2002

    2001

 
     Average
Balance


   Average
Rate


    Average
Balance


   Average
Rate


    Average
Balance


   Average
Rate


 

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreement to repurchase

   $ 6,547    1.04 %   $ 5,363    2.20 %   $ 4,523    4.40 %
    

  

 

  

 

  

     Total
Balance


         Total
Balance


         Total
Balance


      

Total maximum short-term borrowings outstanding at any month-end during the year

   $ 13,978          $ 15,978          $ 16,941       
    

        

        

      

 

The following table sets forth certain information about contractual cash obligations as of December 31, 2003.

 

          Payments Due After December 31, 2003

     Total

  

1 Year

Or Less


   1 -3
Years


   4 -5
Years


  

After 5

Years


Short-term borrowings

   $ 8,211    $ 8,211    $ —      $ —      $ —  

Time certificates of deposit

     407,176      355,473      39,969      11,580      154

Long-term debt

     1,681      1,462      219      —        —  

Federal Home Loan Bank advances

     95,864      22      16,044      —        79,798

Subordinated deferrable interest debentures

     34,500      —        34,500      —        —  
    

  

  

  

  

Total contractual cash obligations

   $ 547,432    $ 365,168    $ 90,732    $ 11,580    $ 79,952
    

  

  

  

  

 

Our operating leases represent short-term obligations, normally with maturities of one year or less. Many of the operating leases have thirty-day cancellation provisions. The total contractual obligations for operating leases do not require a material amount of our cash funds.

 

At December 31, 2003, we had $1,478,000 in binding commitments for capital expenditures.

 

In accordance with risk capital guidelines issued by the Federal Reserve Board, we are required to maintain a minimum standard of total capital to risk-weighted assets of 8%. Additionally, all member banks must maintain “core” or “Tier 1” capital of at least 4% of total assets (“leverage ratio”). Member banks operating at or near the 4% capital level are expected to have well-diversified risks, including no undue interest rate risk exposure, excellent control systems, good earnings, high asset quality, and well managed on- and off-balance sheet activities; and, in general, be considered strong banking organizations with a composite 1 rating under the CAMEL rating system of banks. For all but the most highly rated banks meeting the above conditions, the minimum leverage ratio is to be 4% plus an additional 100 to 200 basis points.

 

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The following table summarizes the regulatory capital levels of our Company at December 31, 2003.

 

     Actual

    Required

    Excess

 
     Amount

   Percent

    Amount

   Percent

    Amount

   Percent

 
     (Dollars in Thousands)  

Leverage capital

   $ 120,765    10.77 %   $ 44,852    4.00 %   $ 75,913    6.77 %

Risk-based capital:

                                       

Core capital

     120,765    13.85       34,874    4.00       85,891    9.85  

Total capital

     136,022    15.60       69,748    8.00       66,274    7.60  

 

Each Bank also met its individual regulatory capital requirements at December 31, 2003.

 

Commitments and Lines of Credit

 

In the ordinary course of business, our Banks have granted commitments to extend credit to approved customers. Generally, these commitments to extend credit have been granted on a temporary basis for seasonal or inventory requirements and have been approved by the Banks’ Board of Directors. Our Banks have also granted commitments to approved customers for standby letters of credit. These commitments are recorded in the financial statements when funds are disbursed or the financial instruments become payable. The Banks use the same credit policies for these off balance sheet commitments as they do for financial instruments that are recorded in the consolidated financial statements. Commitments generally have fixed expiration dates or other termination clauses and may require payment of a fee. Since many of the commitment amounts expire without being drawn upon, the total commitment amounts do not necessarily represent future cash requirements.

 

Following is a summary of the commitments outstanding at December 31, 2003 and 2002.

 

     2003

   2002

     (Dollars in Thousands)

Commitments to extend credit

   $ 104,573    $ 89,540

Financial standby letters of credit

     2,536      5,315
    

  

     $ 107,109    $ 94,855
    

  

 

Impact of Inflation

 

The consolidated financial statements and related consolidated financial data presented herein have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and practices within the banking industry which require the measurement of financial position and operating results in terms of historical dollars without considering the changes in the relative purchasing power of money over time due to inflation. Unlike most industrial companies, virtually all the assets and liabilities of a financial institution are monetary in nature. As a result, interest rates have a more significant impact on a financial institution’s performance than the effects of general levels of inflation.

 

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Table of Contents

SELECTED STATISTICAL INFORMATION OF ABC BANCORP

 

The following statistical information should be read in conjunction with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation” and the financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report and in the documents incorporated herein by reference.

 

Average Balances and Net Income Analysis

 

The following tables set forth the amount of the our interest income or interest expense for each category of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities and the average interest rate for total interest-earning assets and total interest-bearing liabilities, net interest spread and net yield on average interest-earning assets. Federally tax-exempt income is presented on a taxable-equivalent basis assuming a 34% federal tax rate.

 

    Year Ended December 31,

 
    2003

    2002

    2001

 
   

Average

Balance


   

Interest

Income/
Expense


 

Average

Yield/
Rate Paid


   

Average

Balance


   

Interest

Income/
Expense


 

Average

Yield/
Rate Paid


   

Average

Balance


   

Interest

Income/
Expense


  Average
Yield/
Rate Paid


 
    (Dollars in Thousands)  

ASSETS

                                                           

Interest-earning assets:

                                                           

Loans, net of unearned interest

  $ 841,857     $ 57,707   6.85 %   $ 827,939     $ 61,864   7.47 %   $ 698,292     $ 61,980   8.88 %

Investment securities:

                                                           

Taxable

    179,925       6,079   3.38       164,899       8,275   5.02       141,378       9,072   6.42  

Nontaxable

    3,133       236   7.53       3,908       283   7.24       17,476       1,317   7.54  

Interest-bearing deposits in banks

    42,482       537   1.26       61,440       1,020   1.66       30,285       943   3.11  

Federal funds sold

    —         —     —         35       1   2.86       1,597       49   3.07  
   


 

       


 

       


 

     

Total interest-earning assets

    1,067,397       64,559   6.05       1,058,221       71,443   6.75       889,028       73,361   8.25  
   


 

       


 

       


 

     

Noninterest-earning assets:

                                                           

Cash

    37,387                   35,485                   30,270              

Allowance for loan losses

    (15,867 )                 (14,607 )                 (12,121 )            

Unrealized gain (loss) on available for sale securities

    1,524                   2,129                   3,274              

Other assets

    66,194                   69,038                   49,580              
   


             


             


           

Total noninterest-earning assets

    89,238                   92,045                   71,003              
   


             


             


           

Total assets

  $ 1,156,635                 $ 1,150,266                 $ 960,031              
   


             


             


           

 

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Table of Contents

Average Balances and Net Income Analysis (Continued)

 

    Year Ended December 31,

 
    2003

    2002

    2001

 
   

Average

Balance


  Interest
Income/
Expense


 

Average

Yield/
Rate Paid


   

Average

Balance


 

Interest

Income/
Expense


 

Average

Yield/
Rate Paid


   

Average

Balance


 

Interest

Income/
Expense


  Average
Yield/
Rate
Paid


 
    (Dollars in Thousands)  

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

                                                     

Interest-bearing liabilities:

                                                     

Savings and interest-bearing demand deposits

  $ 324,819   $ 2,691   0.83 %   $ 306,897   $ 4,261   1.39 %   $ 230,476   $ 5,379   2.33 %

Time deposits

    439,873     11,492   2.61       470,415     16,025   3.41       452,407     25,057   5.54  

Other short-term borrowings

    6,547     68   1.04       5,363     118   2.20       4,523     199   4.40  

Other borrowings

    106,809     4,392   4.11       103,698     4,314   4.16       69,159     3,768   5.45  

Trust preferred securities

    34,500     3,402   9.86       34,500     3,426   9.93       5,078     501   9.87  
   

 

       

 

       

 

     

Total interest-bearing liabilities

    912,548     22,045   2.42       920,873     28,144   3.06       761,643     34,904   4.58  
   

 

       

 

       

 

     

Noninterest-bearing liabilities and stockholders’ equity:

                                                     

Demand deposits

    124,972                 116,447                 97,981            

Other liabilities

    8,421                 7,377                 6,877            

Stockholders’ equity

    110,694                 105,569                 93,530            
   

             

             

           

Total noninterest-bearing liabilities and stockholders’ equity

    244,087                 229,393                 198,388            
   

             

             

           

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

  $ 1,156,635               $ 1,150,266               $ 960,031            
   

             

             

           

Interest rate spread

              3.63 %               3.69 %               3.67 %
               

             

             

Net interest income

        $ 42,514               $ 43,299               $ 38,457      
         

             

             

     

Net interest margin

              3.98 %               4.09 %               4.33 %
               

             

             

 

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Table of Contents

Rate and Volume Analysis

 

The following table reflects the changes in net interest income resulting from changes in interest rates and from asset and liability volume. Federally tax-exempt interest is presented on a taxable-equivalent basis assuming a 34% federal tax rate. The change in interest attributable to rate has been determined by applying the change in rate between years to average balances outstanding in the later year. The change in interest due to volume has been determined by applying the rate from the earlier year to the change in average balances outstanding between years. Thus, changes that are not solely due to volume have been consistently attributed to rate.

 

     Year Ended December 31,

 
     2003 vs. 2002

    2002 vs. 2001

 
    

Increase

(Decrease)


    Changes Due To

   

Increase

(Decrease)


    Changes Due To

 
       Rate

    Volume

      Rate

    Volume

 
     (Dollars in Thousands)  

Increase (decrease) in:

                                                

Income from earning assets:

                                                

Interest and fees on loans

   $ (4,157 )   $ (5,197 )   $ 1,040     $ (116 )   $ (11,623 )   $ 11,507  

Interest on securities:

                                                

Taxable

     (2,196 )     (2,950 )     754       (797 )     (2,306 )     1,509  

Tax exempt

     (47 )     9       (56 )     (1,034 )     (12 )     (1,022 )

Interest-bearing deposits in banks

     (483 )     (168 )     (315 )     77       (893 )     970  

Interest on federal funds

     (1 )     —         (1 )     (48 )     —         (48 )
    


 


 


 


 


 


Total interest income

     (6,884 )     (8,306 )     1,422       (1,918 )     (14,834 )     12,916  
    


 


 


 


 


 


Expense from interest-bearing liabilities:

                                                

Interest on savings and interest-bearing demand deposits

     (1,570 )     (1,819 )     249       (1,118 )     (2,902 )     1,784  

Interest on time deposits

     (4,533 )     (3,493 )     (1,040 )     (9,032 )     (10,029 )     997  

Interest on short-term borrowings

     (50 )     (76 )     26       (81 )     (118 )     37  

Interest on other borrowings

     78       (51 )     129       546       (1,336 )     1,882  

Interest on trust preferred securities

     (24 )     (24 )     —         2,925       22       2,903  
    


 


 


 


 


 


Total interest expense

     (6,099 )     (5,463 )     (636 )     (6,760 )     (14,363 )     7,603  
    


 


 


 


 


 


Net interest income

   $ (785 )   $ (2,843 )   $ 2,058     $ 4,842     $ (471 )   $ 5,313  
    


 


 


 


 


 


 

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Table of Contents

Asset/Liability Management

 

A principal objective of our asset/liability management strategy is to minimize its exposure to changes in interest rates by matching the maturity and repricing horizons of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities. This strategy is overseen in part through the direction of our Asset and Liability Committee (the “ALCO Committee”) which establishes policies and monitors results to control interest rate sensitivity.

 

As part of our interest rate risk management policy, the ALCO Committee examines the extent to which its assets and liabilities are “interest rate-sensitive” and monitors its interest rate-sensitivity “gap”. An asset or liability is considered to be interest rate sensitive if it will reprice or mature within the time period analyzed, usually one year or less. The interest rate-sensitivity gap is the difference between the interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities scheduled to mature or reprice within such time period. A gap is considered positive when the amount of interest rate-sensitive assets exceeds the amount of interest rate-sensitive liabilities. A gap is considered negative when the amount of interest rate-sensitive liabilities exceeds the interest rate-sensitive assets. During a period of rising interest rates, a negative gap would tend to adversely affect net interest income, while a positive gap would tend to result in an increase in net interest income. During a period of falling interest rates, a negative gap would tend to result in an increase in net interest income, while a positive gap would tend to adversely affect net interest income. If our assets and liabilities were equally flexible and moved concurrently, the impact of any increase or decrease in interest rates on net interest income would be minimal.

 

A simple interest rate “gap” analysis by itself may not be an accurate indicator of how net interest income will be affected by changes in interest rates. Accordingly, the ALCO Committee also evaluates how the repayment of particular assets and liabilities is impacted by changes in interest rates. Income associated with interest-earning assets and costs associated with interest-bearing liabilities may not be affected uniformly by changes in interest rates. In addition, the magnitude and duration of changes in interest rates may have a significant impact on net interest income. For example, although certain assets and liabilities may have similar maturities or periods of repricing, they may not react identically to changes in market interest rates. Interest rates on certain types of assets and liabilities fluctuate in advance of changes in general market interest rates, while interest rates on other types may lag behind changes in general market rates. In addition, certain assets, such as adjustable rate mortgage loans, have features (generally referred to as “interest rate caps”) which limit changes in interest rates on a short-term basis and over the life of the asset. In the event of a change in interest rates, prepayment and early withdrawal levels also could deviate significantly from those assumed in calculating the interest-rate gap. The ability of many borrowers to service their debts also may decrease in the event of an interest-rate increase.

 

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Table of Contents

The following table sets forth the distribution of the repricing of our earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities as of December 31, 2003, the interest rate sensitivity gap (i.e., interest rate sensitive assets divided by interest rate sensitivity liabilities), the cumulative interest rate sensitivity gap ratio (i.e., interest rate sensitive assets divided by interest rate sensitive liabilities) and the cumulative sensitivity gap ratio. The table also sets forth the time periods in which earning assets and liabilities will mature or may reprice in accordance with their contractual terms. However, the table does not necessarily indicate the impact of general interest rate movements on the net interest margin since the repricing of various categories of assets and liabilities is subject to competitive pressures and the needs of our customers. In addition, various assets and liabilities indicated as repricing within the same period may in fact reprice at different times within such period and at different rates.

 

    At December 31, 2003

    Maturing or Repricing Within

   

Zero to

Three

Months


 

Three

Months to

One Year


   

One to

Five

Years


 

Over

Five

Years


    Total

    (Dollars in Thousands)

Earning assets:

                                 

Interest-bearing deposits in banks

  $ 35,626   $ —       $ —     $ —       $ 35,626

Restricted stock

    5,694     —         —       —         5,694

Investment securities

    3,181     36,249       131,217     19,948       190,595

Loans

    351,186     249,597       224,096     15,660       840,539
   

 


 

 


 

      395,687     285,846       355,313     35,608       1,072,454
   

 


 

 


 

Interest-bearing liabilities:

                                 

Interest-bearing demand deposits (1)

    —       91,890       199,825     —         291,715

Savings (1)

    —       23,071       42,847     —         65,918

Certificates less than $100,000

    74,824     150,045       32,162     154       257,185

Certificates, $100,000 and over

    51,987     78,614       19,390     —         149,991

Other short-term borrowings

    8,211     —         —       —         8,211

Other borrowings

    16,682     1,022       2,543     77,298       97,545

Trust preferred securities

    —       —         —       34,500       34,500
   

 


 

 


 

      151,704     344,642       296,767     111,952       905,065
   

 


 

 


 

Interest rate sensitivity gap

  $ 243,983   $ (58,796 )   $ 58,546   $ (76,344 )   $ 167,389
   

 


 

 


 

Cumulative interest rate sensitivity gap

  $ 243,983   $ 185,187     $ 243,733   $ 167,389        
   

 


 

 


     

Interest rate sensitivity gap ratio

    2.61     0.83       1.20     0.32        
   

 


 

 


     

Cumulative interest rate sensitivity gap ratio

    2.61     1.37       1.31     1.18        
   

 


 

 


     

(1) We have found that NOW and money-market checking deposits and savings deposits reprice between three months and one year or between one to five years depending on the competition in the market areas where the deposits are located. Therefore, we have placed portions of these deposits in the three months to one year horizon and the one to five years horizon based on estimated amounts repricing in each horizon.

 

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INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO

 

We manage the mix of asset and liability maturities in an effort to control the effects of changes in the general level of interest rates on net interest income. See “—Asset/Liability Management.” Except for its effect on the general level of interest rates, inflation does not have a material impact on the portfolio due to the rate variability and short-term maturities of its earning assets. In particular, approximately 71% of the loan portfolio is comprised of loans which mature or reprice within one year or less. Mortgage loans, primarily with five to fifteen year maturities, are also made on a variable rate basis with rates being adjusted every one to five years. Additionally, 21% of the investment portfolio matures or reprices within one year or less.

 

Types of Investments

 

Securities

 

Following is a summary of the carrying value of investments, including restricted equity securities, as of the end of each reported period:

 

     December 31,

     2003

   2002

   2001

     (Dollars in Thousands)

U. S. Government and agency securities

   $ 79,545    $ 73,773    $ 50,473

State and municipal securities

     3,733      3,529      5,339

Corporate debt securities

     23,468      22,867      6,715

Mortgage-backed securities

     83,108      77,314      89,111

Marketable equity securities

     741      820      496

Restricted stock

     5,694      5,778      4,701
    

  

  

     $ 196,289    $ 184,081    $ 156,835
    

  

  

 

Maturities

 

The amounts of securities available for sale in each category as of December 31, 2003 are shown in the following table according to contractual maturity classifications (1) one year or less, (2) after one year through five years, (3) after five years through ten years, and (4) after ten years.

 

    

U. S. Treasury

and Other U. S.

Government Agencies

and Corporations


   

State and

Political Subdivisions


 
     Amount

  

Yield

(1)


    Amount

   Yield
(1) (2)


 
     (Dollars in Thousands)  

Maturity:

                          

One year or less

   $ 39,110    3.46 %   $ 319    7.47 %

After one year through five years

     130,356    3.37       861    8.95  

After five years through ten years

     10,066    4.36       2,553    6.25  

After ten years

     7,330    7.59       —      —    
    

  

 

  

     $ 186,862    3.61 %   $ 3,733    6.98 %
    

  

 

  


(1) Yields were computed using coupon interest, adding discount accretion or subtracting premium amortization, as appropriate, on a ratable basis over the life of each security. The weighted average yield for each maturity range was computed using the acquisition price of each security in that range.
(2) Yields on securities of state and political subdivisions are stated on a taxable-equivalent basis, using a tax rate of 34%.

 

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Table of Contents

LOAN PORTFOLIO

 

Types of Loans

 

Management believes that our loan portfolio is adequately diversified. The loan portfolio contains no foreign or energy-related loans or significant concentrations in any one industry, with the exception of residential and commercial real estate mortgages, which constituted approximately 55% of our loan portfolio as of December 31, 2003. The amount of loans outstanding at the indicated dates is shown in the following table according to type of loans.

 

     December 31,

     2003

   2002

   2001

   2000

   1999

     (Dollars in Thousands)

Commercial and financial

   $ 157,594    $ 172,429    $ 152,097    $ 109,647    $ 83,385

Agricultural

     22,051      34,007      39,878      34,840      29,694

Real estate - construction

     60,978      23,020      24,650      14,046      13,228

Real estate - mortgage, farmland

     65,433      63,093      63,533      57,253      59,018

Real estate - mortgage, commercial

     250,247      243,037      225,470      160,456      150,075

Real estate - mortgage, residential

     209,172      209,485      202,447      128,614      117,936

Consumer installment loans

     68,230      78,535      91,557      76,076      59,529

Other

     6,834      9,841      5,444      6,449      17,360
    

  

  

  

  

       840,539      833,447      805,076      587,381      530,225

Less reserve for possible loan losses

     14,963      14,868      14,944      9,832      9,895
    

  

  

  

  

Loans, net

   $ 825,576    $ 818,579    $ 790,132    $ 577,549    $ 520,330
    

  

  

  

  

 

Maturities and Sensitivity to Changes in Interest Rates

 

Total loans as of December 31, 2003 are shown in the following table according to maturity or repricing opportunities (1) one year or less, (2) after one year through five years, and (3) after five years.

 

    

(Dollars in

Thousands)


Maturity or Repricing Within:

      

One year or less

   $ 600,783

After one year through five years

     224,096

After five years

     15,660
    

     $ 840,539
    

 

The following table summarizes loans at December 31, 2003 with the due dates after one year which (1) have predetermined interest rates and (2) have floating or adjustable interest rates.

 

     (Dollars in
Thousands)


Predetermined interest rates

   $ 234,416

Floating or adjustable interest rates

     5,340
    

     $ 239,756
    

 

Records were not available to present the above information in each category listed in the first paragraph above and could not be reconstructed without undue burden.

 

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Table of Contents

Nonperforming Loans

 

A loan is placed on nonaccrual status when, in management’s judgment, the collection of the interest income appears doubtful. Interest receivable that has been accrued in prior years and is subsequently determined to have doubtful collectibility is charged to the allowance for possible loan losses. Interest on loans that are classified as nonaccrual is recognized when received. Past due loans are loans whose principal or interest is past due 90 days or more. In some cases, where borrowers are experiencing financial difficulties, loans may be restructured to provide terms significantly different from the original contractual terms.

 

     December 31,

     2003

   2002

   2001

   2000

   1999

     (Dollars in Thousands)

Loans accounted for on a nonaccrual basis

   $ 6,472    $ 7,561    $ 11,958    $ 4,863    $ 5,551

Installment loans and term loans contractually past due ninety days or more as to interest or principal payments and still accruing

     25      171      691      81      48

Loans, the terms of which have been renegotiated to provide a reduction or deferral of interest or principal because of deterioration in the financial position of the borrower

     —        —        —        —        —  

Loans now current about which there are serious doubts as to the ability of the borrower to comply with present loan repayment terms

     —        —        —        —        —  

 

In the opinion of management, any loans classified by regulatory authorities as doubtful, substandard or special mention that have not been disclosed above do not (i) represent or result from trends or uncertainties which management reasonably expects will materially impact future operating results, liquidity or capital resources, or (ii) represent material credits about which management is aware of any information which causes management to have serious doubts as to the ability of such borrowers to comply with the loan repayment terms. Any loans classified by regulatory authorities as loss have been charged off.

 

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Table of Contents

SUMMARY OF LOAN LOSS EXPERIENCE

 

The allowance for loan losses represents a reserve for potential losses in the loan portfolio. The adequacy of the allowance for loan losses is evaluated periodically based on a review of all significant loans, with a particular emphasis on nonaccruing, past due and other loans that management believes require attention. We segregate our loan portfolio by type of loan and utilize this segregation in evaluating exposure to risks within the portfolio. In addition, based on internal reviews and external reviews performed by independent auditors and regulatory authorities, we further segregates our loan portfolio by loan classifications within each type of loan based on an assessment of risk for a particular loan or group of loans. Certain reviewed loans require specific allowances. Allowances are provided for other types and classifications of loans based on anticipated loss rates. Allowances are also provided for loans that are reviewed by management and considered creditworthy and loans for which management determines no review is required. In establishing allowances, management considers historical loan loss experience with an emphasis on current loan quality trends, current economic conditions and other factors in the markets where the subsidiary banks operate. Factors considered include among others, unemployment rates, effect of weather on agriculture and significant local economic events, such as major plant closings.

 

We have developed a methodology for determining the adequacy of the loan loss reserve which is followed by all our Banks and monitored by ABC’s senior credit officer and internal audit staff. Procedures provide for the assignment of a risk rating for every loan included in our total loan portfolio, with the exception of credit card receivables and overdraft protection loans which are treated as pools for risk rating purposes. The risk rating schedule provides seven ratings of which three ratings are classified as pass ratings and four ratings are classified as criticized ratings. Each risk rating is assigned a percent factor to be applied to the loan balance to determine the adequate amount of reserve. Many of the larger loans require an annual review by an independent loan officer. As a result of loan reviews certain loans may be assigned specific reserve allocations. Other loans that surface as problem loans may also be assigned specific reserves. Past due loans are assigned risk ratings based on the number of days past due.

 

The provision for loan losses is a charge to earnings in the current period to replenish the allowance and maintain it at a level management has determined to be adequate. The provision for loan losses charged to earnings amounted to $3.9 million in 2003, $5.6 million in 2002, and $4.6 million in 2001. The decrease in the provision for loan losses in 2003 resulted from a decrease in net charge-offs in 2003 and an improvement in the quality of the loan portfolio. The increase in the provision for loan losses in 2002 was necessary to cover an increase in average loans of 18.57% over 2001 and increase in net loan charge-offs of 29.05% in 2002 as compared to 2001. These charge-offs resulted from depressed economic conditions during the year.

 

Our allowance for loan losses was $15.0 million at December 31, 2003, representing 1.78% of year end total loans outstanding compared to $14.9 million at December 31, 2002, which also represented 1.78% of year end total loans outstanding. Management considers the allowance for loan losses adequate to cover potential loan losses.

 

Allocation of the Allowance for Loan Losses

 

The following table sets forth the breakdown of the allowance for loan losses by loan category for the periods indicated. Management believes the allowance can be allocated only on an approximate basis. The allocation of the allowance to each category is not necessarily indicative of future losses and does not restrict the use of the allowance to absorb losses in any other category.

 

    At December 31,

 
    2003

    2002

    2001

    2000

    1999

 
    Amount

 

Percent of

Loans in
Category
to Total
Loans


    Amount

 

Percent of

Loans in
Category
to Total
Loans


    Amount

  Percent of
Loans in
Category
to Total
Loans


    Amount

  Percent of
Loans in
Category
to Total
Loans


    Amount

   Percent of
Loans in
Category
to Total
Loans


 
    (Dollars in Thousands)  

Commercial, financial, industrial and agricultural

  $ 6,289   21 %   $ 5,892   25 %   $ 6,009   24 %   $ 2,981   25 %   $ 2,904    22 %

Real estate

    2,431   70       2,651   65       2,825   64       2,925   61       3,213    64  

Consumer

    3,550   9       3,649   10       3,420   12       2,156   14       1,997    14  

Unallocated

    2,693   —         2,676   —         2,690   —         1,770   —         1,781    —    
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

    $ 14,963   100 %   $ 14,868   100 %   $ 14,944   100 %   $ 9,832   100 %   $ 9,895    100 %
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

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Table of Contents

The following table presents an analysis of our loan loss experience for the periods indicated:

 

     December 31,

 
     2003

    2002

    2001

    2000

    1999

 
     (Dollars in Thousands)  

Average amount of loans outstanding

   $ 841,857     $ 827,939     $ 698,292     $ 570,526     $ 505,941  
    


 


 


 


 


Balance of reserve for possible loan losses at beginning of period

   $ 14,868     $ 14,944     $ 9,832     $ 9,895     $ 10,192  
    


 


 


 


 


Charge-offs:

                                        

Commercial, financial and agricultural

     (3,114 )     (2,576 )     (3,534 )     (1,077 )     (1,383 )

Real estate

     (781 )     (2,491 )     (626 )     (249 )     (933 )

Consumer

     (1,443 )     (2,092 )     (1,328 )     (1,268 )     (1,417 )

Recoveries:

                                        

Commercial, financial and agricultural

     963       502       203       302       434  

Real estate

     46       492       546       146       263  

Consumer

     479       515       361       371       585  
    


 


 


 


 


Net charge-offs

     (3,850 )     (5,650 )     (4,378 )     (1,775 )     (2,451 )
    


 


 


 


 


Additions to reserve charged to operating expenses

     3,945       5,574       4,566       1,712       2,154  
    


 


 


 


 


Allowance for loan losses of acquired subsidiary

     —         —         4,924       —         —    
    


 


 


 


 


Balance of reserve for possible loan losses at end of period

   $ 14,963     $ 14,868     $ 14,944     $ 9,832     $ 9,895  
    


 


 


 


 


Ratio of net loan charge-offs to average loans

     0.46 %     0.68 %     .63 %     .31 %     .48 %
    


 


 


 


 


 

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DEPOSITS

 

Average amount of deposits and average rate paid thereon, classified as to noninterest-bearing demand deposits, interest-bearing demand and savings deposits and time deposits, for the periods indicated are presented below.

 

     Year Ended December 31,

 
     2003

    2002

 
     Amount

   Rate

    Amount

   Rate

 
     (Dollars in Thousands)  

Noninterest-bearing demand deposits

   $ 124,972    —   %   $ 116,447    —   %

Interest-bearing demand and savings deposits

     324,819    0.83       306,897    1.39  

Time deposits

     439,873    2.61       470,415    3.41  
    

        

      

Total deposits

   $ 889,664          $ 893,759       
    

        

      

 

We have a large, stable base of time deposits with little or no dependence on volatile deposits of $100,000 or more. The time deposits are principally certificates of deposit and individual retirement accounts obtained for individual customers.

 

The amounts of time certificates of deposit issued in amounts of $100,000 or more as of December 31, 2003, are shown below by category, which is based on time remaining until maturity of (1) three months or less, (2) over three through twelve months and (3) over twelve months.

 

     (Dollars in
Thousands)


Three months or less

   $ 51,987

Over three through twelve months

     78,614

Over twelve months

     19,390
    

Total

   $ 149,991
    

 

RETURN ON ASSETS AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

 

The following rate of return information for the periods indicated is presented below.

 

     Year Ended December 31,

 
     2003

    2002

    2001

 

Return on assets (1)

   1.04 %   0.90 %   1.00 %

Return on equity (2)

   10.85     9.81     10.30  

Dividends payout ratio (3)

   42.28     45.71     45.71  

Equity to assets ratio (4)

   9.57     9.18     9.74  

(1) Net income divided by average total assets.
(2) Net income divided by average equity.
(3) Dividends declared per share divided by net income per share.
(4) Average equity divided by average total assets.

 

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Table of Contents
ITEM 7a.   QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

 

We are exposed only to U. S. Dollar interest rate changes and, accordingly, we manage exposure by considering the possible changes in the net interest margin. We do not have any trading instruments nor do we classify any portion of the investment portfolio as held for trading. We do not engage in any hedging activities or enter into any derivative instruments with a higher degree of risk than mortgage-backed securities, which are commonly, pass through securities. Finally, we have no exposure to foreign currency exchange rate risk, commodity price risk, and other market risks.

 

Interest rates play a major part in the net interest income of a financial institution. The sensitivity to rate changes is known as “interest rate risk.” The repricing of interest earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities can influence the changes in net interest income. As part of our asset/liability management program, the timing of repriced assets and liabilities is referred to as Gap management. Our policy is to maintain a Gap ratio in the one-year time horizon of .80 to 1.20. As indicated by the Gap analysis included in this annual report, we are somewhat asset sensitive in relation to changes in market interest rates. Being asset sensitive would result in net interest income increasing in a rising rate environment and decreasing in a declining rate environment. See “Asset/Liability Management” included in this Annual Report.

 

We use simulation analysis to monitor changes in net interest income due to changes in market interest rates. The simulation of rising, declining and flat interest rate scenarios allow management to monitor and adjust interest rate sensitivity to minimize the impact of market interest rate swings. The analysis of the impact on net interest income over a twelve-month period is subjected to a gradual 200 basis points increase or 100 basis points decrease in market rates on net interest income and is monitored on a quarterly basis. Our most recent simulation model projects net interest income would increase 4.40% if rates rise 200 basis points gradually over the next year. On the other hand, the model projects net interest income to decrease 2.64% if rates decline 100 basis points over the next year.

 

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Table of Contents
ITEM 8.   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

 

The following consolidated financial statements of ABC and its subsidiaries are included on pages F-1 through F-35 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K:

 

Consolidated Balance Sheets - December 31, 2003 and 2002

 

Consolidated Statements of Income - Years ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001

 

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income - Years ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001

 

Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity - Years ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001

 

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - Years ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001

 

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

Selected Quarterly Financial Data pursuant to Item 302 of Regulation S-K is provided below:

 

SELECTED QUARTERLY FINANCIAL DATA

 

     Quarters Ended December 31, 2003

     4

   3

   2

   1

     (Dollars in Thousands, Except Per Share Data)

Selected Income Statement Data:

                           

Interest income

   $ 15,695    $ 15,959    $ 16,292    $ 16,533

Net interest income

     10,814      10,723      10,476      10,421

Net income

     3,587      2,844      2,810      2,769

Per Share Data:

                           

Net income - basic

     .37      .29      .29      .28

Net income - diluted

     .36      .29      .29      .28

Dividends

     .14      .14      .12      .12

 

     Quarters Ended December 31, 2002

     4

   3

   2

   1

     (Dollars in Thousands, Except Per Share Data)

Selected Income Statement Data:

                           

Interest income

   $ 17,618    $ 18,086    $ 17,641    $ 18,002

Net interest income

     10,843      11,237      10,748      10,375

Net income

     2,730      2,570      2,883      2,172

Per Share Data:

                           

Net income - basic

     .28      .26      .29      .22

Net income - diluted

     .28      .26      .29      .22

Dividends

     .12      .12      .12      .12

 

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Table of Contents
ITEM 9.   CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

 

During 2003 and 2002, the Company did not change its accountants and there was no disagreement on any matter of accounting principles or practices for financial statement disclosure that would have required the filing of a current report on Form 8-K.

 

ITEM 9A.   CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

 

Based on the evaluation conducted by ABC’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of ABC’s controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), as of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report, as required by paragraph (b) of Rules 13a-15 or 15d-15 of the Exchange Act, such officers have concluded that such controls and procedures are effective.

 

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Table of Contents

PART III

 

ITEM 10.   DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT

 

The information required by this Item is incorporated by reference to ABC’s definitive Proxy Statement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Regulation 14A within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this Annual Report (“ABC’s Proxy Statement”).

 

Information concerning ABC’s executive officers is included in Item 4.5 of Part I of this Annual Report.

 

ITEM 11.   EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

 

The information required by this Item is incorporated by reference to ABC’s Proxy Statement.

 

ITEM 12.   SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

 

The information required by this Item is incorporated by reference to ABC’s Proxy Statement.

 

ITEM 13.   CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

 

The information required by this Item is incorporated by reference to ABC’s Proxy Statement.

 

ITEM 14.   PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES

 

The following is a summary of the fees billed to ABC by Mauldin & Jenkins, ABC’s independent accountants, for professional services rendered for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2003 and December 31, 2002:

 

Fee Category


   Fiscal
2003 Fees


   Fiscal
2002 Fees


Audit fees

   $ 237,500    $ 313,500

Audit related fees

     42,500      43,850

Tax fees

     51,500      58,700

All other fees

     —        —  
    

  

Total fees

   $ 331,500    $ 416,050
    

  

 

Audit Fees

 

Consists of fees billed for professional services rendered for the audit of the ABC’s annual consolidated financial statements and review of the interim consolidated financial statements included in quarterly reports, and services that are normally provided by Mauldin & Jenkins in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements.

 

Audit-Related Fees

 

Consists of fees billed for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of ABC’s consolidated financial statements and are not reported under “Audit Fees.” These services include employee benefit plan audits, accounting consolidations in connection with acquisitions and divestitures, attest services that are not required by statute or regulation, and consultations concerning financial accounting and reporting standards.

 

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Table of Contents

Tax Fees

 

Consists of fees billed for professional services for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning. These services include assistance regarding federal, state and local tax compliance, tax audit defense, custom and duties and acquisitions and divestitures tax planning.

 

All Other Fees

 

Consists of fees for products and services other than the services reported above. There were no fees paid to Mauldin & Jenkins in fiscal 2003 or 2002 that are not included in the above classifications.

 

Policy on Audit Committee Pre-Approval of Audit and Permissible Non-Audit Services of Independent Auditors

 

All services provided by Mauldin & Jenkins are subject to pre-approval by the Audit Committee of ABC’s Board of Directors. The Audit Committee has authorized the Chairman of the Audit Committee to approve services by Mauldin & Jenkins in the event there is a need for such approval prior to the next full Audit Committee meeting. However, a full report of any such interim approvals must be given at the next Audit Committee meeting. Before granting any approval, the Audit Committee must receive: (1) a detailed description of the proposed service; (2) a statement from management as to why they believe Mauldin & Jenkins is best qualified to perform the service; and (3) an estimate of the fees to be incurred. Before granting any approval, the Audit Committee gives due consideration to whether approval of the proposed service will have a detrimental impact on Mauldin & Jenkins’ independence.

 

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Table of Contents

PART IV

 

ITEM 15.   EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K

 

  (a) The following documents are filed as part of this report:

 

  1. Financial statements:

 

  (a) ABC Bancorp and Subsidiaries:

 

  (i) Consolidated Balance Sheets - December 31, 2003 and 2002;

 

  (ii) Consolidated Statements of Income - Years ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001;

 

  (iii) Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income - Years ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001;

 

  (iv) Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity - Years ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001;

 

  (v) Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - Years ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001; and

 

  (vi) Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

  (b) ABC Bancorp (parent company only):

 

Parent company only financial information has been included in Note 19 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

  2. Financial statement schedules:

 

All schedules are omitted as the required information is inapplicable or the information is presented in the financial statements or related notes.

 

  3. A list of the Exhibits required by Item 601 of Regulation S-K to be filed as a part of this report is shown on the “Exhibit Index” filed herewith.

 

  (b) ABC has filed a Current Report on Form 8-K dated October 9, 2003, concerning the issuance of its press release announcing ABC’s estimated third quarter results. The Current Report on Form 8-K was filed under Item 12 of Form 8-K, and no financial information concerning ABC was required to be filed therewith.

 

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Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

         ABC BANCORP

Date:

 

March 11, 2004


   By:   

/s/ Kenneth J. Hunnicutt


              Kenneth J. Hunnicutt, Chief Executive Officer, Director and Chairman of the Board

Date:

 

March 11, 2004


   By:   

/s/ Edwin W. Hortman, Jr.


              Edwin W. Hortman, Jr., President, Chief Operating Officer and Director

Date:

 

March 11, 2004


   By:   

/s/ W. Edwin Lane, Jr.


              W. Edwin Lane, Jr., Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Kenneth J. Hunnicutt as his attorney-in-fact, acting with full power of substitution for him in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any amendments to this Form 10-K and to file the same, with exhibits thereto, and any other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and hereby ratifies and confirms all that said attorney-in-fact, or his substitute or substitutes, may do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Exchange Act, this Form 10-K has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Date:

 

March 11, 2004


      

/s/ Kenneth J. Hunnicutt


             Kenneth J. Hunnicutt, Chief Executive Officer, Director and Chairman of the Board

Date:

 

March 11, 2004


      

/s/ Edwin W. Hortman, Jr.


             Edwin W. Hortman, Jr., President, Chief Operating Officer and Director

Date:

 

March 11, 2004


      

/s/ W. Edwin Lane, Jr.


             W. Edwin Lane, Jr., Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Date:

 

March 11, 2004


      

/s/ Johnny W. Floyd


             Johnny W. Floyd, Director

Date:

 

March 11, 2004


      

/s/ J. Raymond Fulp


             J. Raymond Fulp, Director

Date:

 

March 11, 2004


      

/s/ Daniel B. Jeter


             Daniel B. Jeter, Director

Date:

 
      

 


             Robert P. Lynch, Director

Date:

 
      

 


             Eugene M. Vereen, Jr., Director

Date:

 

March 11, 2004


      

/s/ Doyle Weltzbarker


             Doyle Weltzbarker, Director and Vice Chairman of the Board

Date:

 
      

 


             J. Thomas Whelchel, Director

Date:

 

March 11, 2004


      

/s/ Henry Wortman


             Henry Wortman, Director

 

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Table of Contents

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.

  

Description


3.1    Articles of Incorporation of ABC, as amended (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to ABC’s Regulation A Offering Statement on Form 1-A (File No. 24A-2630) filed August 14, 1987).
3.2    Amendment to Amended Articles of Incorporation dated May 26, 1995 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1.1 to ABC’s Form 10-K filed March 28, 1996).
3.3    Amendment to Amended Articles of Incorporation (filed as Exhibit 4.3 to ABC’s Registration on Form S-4 (Registration No. 333-08301), filed with the Commission on July 17, 1996 and incorporated herein by reference).
3.4    Bylaws of ABC, as amended (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.2 to ABC’s Regulation A Offering Statement on Form 1-A (File No. 24A-2630) filed August 14, 1987.
3.5    Form of Articles of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.5 to ABC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 001-13901), filed with the Commission on March 25, 1998).
3.6    Form of Amendment to Bylaws (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.6 to ABC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 001-13901), filed with the Commission on March 25, 1998).
3.7    Form of Articles of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.7 to ABC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 001-13901), filed with the Commission on March 26, 1999).
3.8    Form of Amendment to Bylaws (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.8 to ABC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 001-13901), filed with the Commission on March 26, 1999).
3.9    Articles of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation dated May 17, 2001 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.9 to ABC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 001-13901), filed with the Commission on March 31, 2003).
4.1    Form of Indenture for Subordinated Debentures (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to ABC’s Registration Statement on Form S-3/A (File No. 333-69140), filed with the Commission on November 2, 2001).
4.2    Form of Subordinated Debenture (incorporated by reference to Exhibit A to Exhibit 4.1 to ABC’s Registration Statement on Form S-3/A (File No. 333-69140), filed with the Commission on November 2, 2001).
4.3    Certificate of Trust of ABC Bancorp Capital Trust I (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to ABC’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-69140), filed with the Commission on September 7, 2001).
4.4    Trust Agreement of ABC Bancorp Capital Trust I (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.4 to ABC’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-69140), filed with the Commission on September 7, 2001).
4.5    Form of Amended and Restated Trust Agreement of ABC Bancorp Capital Trust I (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.5 to ABC’s Registration Statement on Form S-3/A (File No. 333-69140), filed with the Commission on November 2, 2001).

 

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Table of Contents
Exhibit No.

  

Description


4.6    Form of ABC Bancorp Capital Trust I Preferred Securities Certificate (incorporated by reference to Exhibit D to Exhibit 4.5 to ABC’s Registration Statement on Form S-3/A (File No. 333-69140), filed with the Commission on November 2, 2001).
4.7    Form of Preferred Securities Guarantee Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.7 to ABC’s Registration Statement on Form S-3/A (File No. 333-69140), filed with the Commission on November 2, 2001).
4.8    Form of Agreement as to Expenses and Liabilities of ABC Bancorp Capital Trust I (incorporated by reference to Exhibit C to Exhibit 4.5 to ABC’s Registration Statement on Form S-3/A (File No. 333-69140), filed with the Commission on November 2, 2001).
10.1    Deferred Compensation Agreement for Kenneth J. Hunnicutt dated December 16, 1986 (filed as Exhibit 5.3 to ABC’s Regulation A Offering Statement on Form 1-A (File No. 24A-2630), filed with the Commission on August 14, 1987 and incorporated herein by reference).
10.2    Executive Salary Continuation Agreement dated February 14, 1984 (filed as Exhibit 10.6 to ABC’s Annual Report on Form 10-KSB (File Number 2-71257), filed with the Commission on March 27, 1989 and incorporated herein by reference).
10.3    1992 Incentive Stock Option Plan and Option Agreement for K. J. Hunnicutt (filed as Exhibit 10.7 to ABC’s Annual Report on Form 10-KSB (File Number 0-16181), filed with the Commission on March 30, 1993 and incorporated herein by reference).
10.4    Form of Omnibus Stock Ownership and Long-Term Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.17 to ABC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 001-13901), filed with the Commission on March 25, 1998).
10.5    Form of Rights Agreement between ABC Bancorp and SunTrust Bank dated as of February 17, 1998 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.18 to ABC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 001-13901), filed with the Commission on March 25, 1998).
10.6    ABC Bancorp 2000 Officer/Director Stock Bonus Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.19 to ABC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 001-13901), filed with the Commission on Mach 29, 2000).
10.7    Form of Severance Protection Agreement between ABC and certain of ABC’s other executive officers (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.21 to ABC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 001-13901), filed with the Commission on March 29, 2001).
10.8    Executive Employment Agreement with W. Edwin Lane, Jr. dated as of August 21, 2001 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.21 to ABC’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (File No. 001-13901), filed with the Commission on October 19, 2001).
10.9    Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among ABC, Tri-County Bank and Tri-County Merger Sub, Inc. dated as of November 28, 2000, as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto dated as of January 26, 2001, and by Amendment No. 2 thereto dated as of February 20, 2001 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to ABC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 001-13901), filed with the Commission on March 29, 2001).

 

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Table of Contents
Exhibit No.

  

Description


10.10    Agreement and Plan of Merger by and between ABC and Golden Isles Financial Holdings, Inc. dated as of February 20, 2001 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to ABC’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on February 23, 2001 and incorporated herein by reference).
10.11    Commission Agreement by and between ABC and Jerry L. Keen dated as of September 12, 2002 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to ABC’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (File No. 001-13901), filed with the Commission on November 14, 2002).
10.12    Termination Agreement by and between ABC and Mark D. Thomas dated as of August 8, 2002 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to ABC’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (File No. 001-13901), filed with the Commission on November 14, 2002).
10.13    Asset Purchase Agreement by and between Southland Bank and MBNA America Bank, N.A. dated as of December 19, 2002 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.16 to ABC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 001-13901), filed with the Commission on March 31, 2003).
10.14    Interim Servicing Agreement by and between Southland Bank and MBNA America Bank, N.A. dated as of December 19, 2002 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.17 to ABC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 001-13901), filed with the Commission on March 31, 2003).
10.15    Joint Marketing Agreement by and between ABC Bancorp and MBNA America Bank, N.A. dated as of December 19, 2002 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.18 to ABC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 001-13901), filed with the Commission on March 31, 2003).
10.16    Executive Employment Agreement with Jon S. Edwards dated as of July 1, 2003 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to ABC’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (File No. 001-13901), filed with the Commission on November 12, 2003).
10.17    Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement with Kenneth J. Hunnicutt dated as of May 24, 1999.
10.18    Amendment No. 1 to Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement with Kenneth J. Hunnicutt dated as of December 31, 2003.
10.19    Executive Employment Agreement with Edwin W. Hortman, Jr. dated as of December 31, 2003.
10.20    Executive Employment Agreement with Cindi H. Lewis dated as of December 31, 2003.
10.21    ABC Bancorp Code of Business Conduct and Ethics.
21.1      Schedule of subsidiaries of ABC Bancorp.
24.1      Power of Attorney relating to this Form 10-K is set forth on the signature pages of this Form 10-K.
31.1      Certification of ABC’s Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
31.2      Certification of ABC’s Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
32.1      Certification of ABC’s Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
32.2      Certification of ABC’s Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley-Act of 2002.

 

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ABC BANCORP

 

INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SCHEDULES

 

Consolidated financial statements:

   

Independent Auditor’s Report

  F-2

Consolidated Balance Sheets - December 31, 2003 and 2002

  F-3

Consolidated Statements of Income - Years ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001

  F-4

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income - Years ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001

  F-5

Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity - Years ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001

  F-6

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - Years ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001

  F-7

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

  F-9

 

All schedules are omitted as the required information is inapplicable or the information is presented in the financial statements or related notes.

 

 

F-1


Table of Contents

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT

 

To the Board of Directors

ABC Bancorp

Moultrie, Georgia

 

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of ABC Bancorp and Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2003 and 2002, and the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2003. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.

 

We conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of ABC Bancorp and Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2003 and 2002, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2003, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

/s/ Mauldin & Jenkins, LLC

 

Albany, Georgia

January 26, 2004

 

F-2


Table of Contents

ABC BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

DECEMBER 31, 2003 AND 2002

(Dollars in Thousands)

 

     2003

    2002

 

Assets

                

Cash and due from banks

   $ 44,854     $ 45,098  

Interest-bearing deposits in banks

     35,626       77,979  

Securities available for sale, at fair value

     190,595       178,303  

Restricted stock

     5,694       5,778  

Loans, net of unearned income

     840,539       833,447  

Less allowance for loan losses

     14,963       14,868  
    


 


Loans, net

     825,576       818,579  
    


 


Premises and equipment, net

     25,537       25,327  

Intangible assets

     3,286       4,309  

Goodwill

     19,231       19,240  

Other assets

     17,645       17,726  
    


 


     $ 1,168,044     $ 1,192,339  
    


 


Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity

                

Deposits

                

Noninterest-bearing

   $ 141,715     $ 131,611  

Interest-bearing

     764,809       784,436  
    


 


Total deposits

     906,524       916,047  

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase

     8,211       8,204  

Other borrowings

     97,545       117,290  

Other liabilities

     7,651       8,814  

Subordinated deferrable interest debentures

     34,500       34,500  
    


 


Total liabilities

     1,054,431       1,084,855  
    


 


Commitments and contingencies

                

Stockholders’ equity

                

Common stock, par value $1; 30,000,000 shares authorized; 10,849,922 and 10,824,257 shares issued

     10,850       10,824  

Capital surplus

     46,446       45,946  

Retained earnings

     66,145       59,210  

Accumulated other comprehensive income

     522       1,636  

Unearned compensation

     (491 )     (443 )
    


 


       123,472       117,173  

Less cost of 1,066,068 and 1,053,321 shares acquired for the treasury

     (9,859 )     (9,689 )
    


 


Total stockholders’ equity

     113,613       107,484  
    


 


     $ 1,168,044     $ 1,192,339  
    


 


 

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

F-3


Table of Contents

ABC BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2003, 2002 AND 2001

(Dollars in Thousands)

     2003

    2002

   2001

Interest income

                     

Interest and fees on loans

   $ 57,707     $ 61,864    $ 61,980

Interest on taxable securities

     6,079       8,275      9,072

Interest on nontaxable securities

     156       187      869

Interest on deposits in other banks

     537       1,020      943

Interest on federal funds sold

     —         1      49
    


 

  

       64,479       71,347      72,913
    


 

  

Interest expense

                     

Interest on deposits

     14,183       20,286      30,480

Interest on other borrowings

     7,862       7,858      4,424
    


 

  

       22,045       28,144      34,904
    


 

  

Net interest income

     42,434       43,203      38,009

Provision for loan losses

     3,945       5,574      4,566
    


 

  

Net interest income after provision for loan losses

     38,489       37,629      33,443
    


 

  

Other income

                     

Service charges on deposit accounts

     10,638       10,550      7,721

Other service charges, commissions and fees

     917       806      823

Mortgage origination fees

     1,637       1,365      896

Gain (loss) on sale of securities

     (5 )     1,643      1,253

Other

     1,435       1,246      1,032
    


 

  

       14,622       15,610      11,725
    


 

  

Other expenses

                     

Salaries and employee benefits

     19,599       18,192      15,100

Equipment expense

     2,112       2,451      2,833

Occupancy expense

     2,613       2,588      1,951

Amortization of intangible assets

     1,032       1,765      1,185

Data processing fees

     1,587       1,546      1,250

Other operating expenses

     8,204       11,265      8,524
    


 

  

       35,147       37,807      30,843
    


 

  

Income before income taxes

     17,964       15,432      14,325

Applicable income taxes

     5,954       5,077      4,692
    


 

  

Net income

   $ 12,010     $ 10,355    $ 9,633
    


 

  

Basic earnings per share

   $ 1.23     $ 1.05    $ 1.05
    


 

  

Diluted earnings per share

   $ 1.22     $ 1.05    $ 1.04
    


 

  

 

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

F-4


Table of Contents

ABC BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2003, 2002 AND 2001

(Dollars in Thousands)

     2003

    2002

    2001

 

Net income

   $ 12,010     $ 10,355     $ 9,633  
    


 


 


Other comprehensive income (loss):

                        

Net unrealized holding gains (losses) arising during period, net of tax (benefits) of $(575), $869 and $606

     (1,117 )     1,687       1,176  

Reclassification adjustment for (gains) losses included in net income, net of (tax) benefits of $2, $(558) and $(426)

     3       (1,085 )     (827 )
    


 


 


Total other comprehensive income (loss)

     (1,114 )     602       349  
    


 


 


Comprehensive income

   $ 10,896     $ 10,957     $ 9,982  
    


 


 


 

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

F-5


Table of Contents

ABC BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2003, 2002 AND 2001

(Dollars in Thousands)

 

    Common Stock

 

Capital

Surplus


 

Retained

Earnings


   

Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive

Income


   

Unearned

Compensation


    Treasury Stock

       
    Shares

  Par Value

          Shares

  Cost

    Total

 

Balance, December 31, 2000

  9,137,990   $ 9,138   $ 29,237   $ 48,411     $ 685     $ (595 )   790,982   $ (6,220 )   $ 80,656  

Net income

  —       —       —       9,633       —         —       —       —         9,633  

Cash dividends declared, $.48 per share

  —       —       —       (4,460 )     —         —       —       —         (4,460 )

Adjustments to record acquisition of purchased subsidiaries

  1,588,347     1,588     15,768     —         —         —       —       —         17,356  

Issuance of restricted shares of common stock under employee incentive plan

  62,800     63     600     —         —         (663 )   —       —         —    

Amortization of unearned compensation, net of forfeitures

  —       —       —       —         —         602     —       —         602  

Proceeds from exercise of stock options

  1,232     1     11     —         —         —       —       —         12  

Other comprehensive income

  —       —       —       —         349       —       —       —         349  
   
 

 

 


 


 


 
 


 


Balance, December 31, 2001

  10,790,369     10,790     45,616     53,584       1,034       (656 )   790,982     (6,220 )     104,148  

Net income

  —       —       —       10,355       —         —       —       —         10,355  

Cash dividends declared, $.48 per share

  —       —       —       (4,729 )     —         —       —       —         (4,729 )

Issuance of restricted shares of common stock under employee incentive plan

  15,300     16     215     —         —         (231 )   —       —         —    

Amortization of unearned compensation, net of forfeitures

  —       —       —       —         —         444     —       —         444  

Proceeds from exercise of stock options

  18,588     18     115     —         —         —       —       —         133  

Repurchase of shares for treasury

  —       —       —       —         —         —       262,339     (3,469 )     (3,469 )

Other comprehensive income

  —       —       —       —         602       —       —       —         602  
   
 

 

 


 


 


 
 


 


Balance, December 31, 2002

  10,824,257     10,824     45,946     59,210       1,636       (443 )   1,053,321     (9,689 )     107,484  

Net income

  —       —       —       12,010       —         —       —       —         12,010  

Cash dividends declared, $.52 per share

  —       —       —       (5,075 )     —         —       —       —         (5,075 )

Issuance of restricted shares of common stock under employee incentive plan

  24,800     25     386     —         —         (411 )   —       —         —    

Amortization of unearned compensation, net of forfeitures

  —       —       —       —         —         363     —       —         363  

Proceeds from exercise of stock options

  865     1     8     —         —         —       —       —         9  

Reduction in income taxes payable resulting from vesting of restricted shares

  —       —       106     —         —         —       —       —         106  

Repurchase of shares for treasury

  —       —       —       —         —         —       12,747     (170 )     (170 )

Other comprehensive loss

  —       —       —       —         (1,114 )     —       —       —         (1,114 )
   
 

 

 


 


 


 
 


 


Balance, December 31, 2003

  10,849,922   $ 10,850   $ 46,446   $ 66,145     $ 522     $ (491 )   1,066,068   $ (9,859 )   $ 113,613  
   
 

 

 


 


 


 
 


 


 

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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Table of Contents

ABC BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2003, 2002 AND 2001

(Dollars in Thousands)

     2003

    2002

    2001

 

OPERATING ACTIVITIES

                        

Net income

   $ 12,010     $ 10,355     $ 9,633  
    


 


 


Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

                        

Depreciation and amortization

     1,858       2,241       2,438  

Amortization of intangible assets

     1,032       1,765       1,185  

Amortization of unearned compensation

     363       444       602  

Net gains (losses) on sale of securities available for sale

     5       (1,643 )     (1,253 )

Net (gains) losses on sale or disposal of premises and equipment

     3       320       (13 )

Provision for loan losses

     3,945       5,574       4,566  

Provision for deferred taxes

     (157 )     (65 )     (726 )

Decrease in interest receivable

     944       1,120       2,233  

Decrease in interest payable

     (667 )     (1,216 )     (672 )

Increase (decrease) in taxes payable

     (284 )     588       167  

Net other operating activities

     (533 )     2,964       (900 )
    


 


 


Total adjustments

     6,509       12,092       7,627  
    


 


 


Net cash provided by operating activities

     18,519       22,447       17,260  
    


 


 


INVESTING ACTIVITIES

                        

(Increase) decrease in interest-bearing deposits in banks

     42,353       28,193       (97,267 )

Purchases of securities available for sale

     (129,998 )     (140,148 )     (86,585 )

Proceeds from maturities of securities available for sale

     89,533       78,632       82,511  

Proceeds from sale of securities available for sale

     26,479       37,903       42,996  

(Increase) decrease in restricted stock, net

     84       (1,077 )     (1,215 )

Decrease in federal funds sold

     —         44       13,942  

Increase in loans, net

     (10,942 )     (34,021 )     (53,244 )

Purchase of premises and equipment

     (2,071 )     (1,726 )     (1,896 )

Proceeds from sale of premises and equipment

     —         —         28  

Net cash received from acquisitions

     —         —         11,609  
    


 


 


Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities

     15,438       (32,200 )     (89,121 )
    


 


 


FINANCING ACTIVITIES

                        

Increase (decrease) in deposits

     (9,523 )     (14,971 )     24,591  

Increase in federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase

     7       4,412       1,139  

Proceeds from other borrowings

     15,000       25,100       69,738  

Repayment of other borrowings

     (34,745 )     (2,908 )     (39,515 )

Dividends paid

     (4,885 )     (4,749 )     (4,262 )

Proceeds from exercise of stock options

     9       133       12  

Proceeds from issuance of trust preferred securities

     —         —         34,500  

Reduction in income taxes payable resulting from vesting of restricted shares

     106       —         —    

Payment for debt issue costs

     —         —         (1,450 )

Purchase of treasury shares

     (170 )     (3,469 )     —    
    


 


 


Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

     (34,201 )     3,548       84,753  
    


 


 


Net increase (decrease) in cash and due from banks

     (244 )     (6,205 )     12,892  

Cash and due from banks at beginning of year

     45,098       51,303       38,411  
    


 


 


Cash and due from banks at end of year

   $ 44,854     $ 45,098     $ 51,303  
    


 


 


 

F-7


Table of Contents

ABC BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2003, 2002 AND 2001

(Dollars in Thousands)

 

     2003

   2002

   2001

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION

                    

Cash paid during the year for:

                    

Interest

   $ 22,712    $ 29,360    $ 35,576

Income taxes

   $ 6,395    $ 4,554    $ 5,251

NONCASH TRANSACTIONS

                    

Principal balances of loans transferred to other real estate owned

   $ 2,096    $ 3,930    $ 2,216

Common stock issued in connection with business acquisitions

   $ —      $ —      $ 17,590

 

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

F-8


Table of Contents

ABC BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 1.   SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

       Nature of Business

 

ABC Bancorp (the “Company”) is a multi-bank holding company whose business is presently conducted by its subsidiary banks (the “Banks”). Through the Banks, the Company operates a full service banking business and offers a broad range of retail and commercial banking services to its customers located in a market area which includes South and Southeast Georgia, North Florida and Southeast Alabama. The Company and the Banks are subject to the regulations of certain federal and state agencies and are periodically examined by those regulatory agencies.

 

       Basis of Presentation and Accounting Estimates

 

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. Significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

 

In preparing the consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, management is required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the balance sheet date and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

 

Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change relate to the determination of the allowance for loan losses, the valuation of foreclosed real estate, contingent assets and liabilities, impairment of intangible assets and goodwill. The determination of the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses is based on estimates that are susceptible to significant changes in the economic environment and market conditions. In connection with the determination of the estimated losses on loans and the valuation of foreclosed real estate, management obtains independent appraisals for significant collateral. Management also tests intangible assets and goodwill for impairment on an annual basis.

 

       Cash, Due from Banks and Cash Flows

 

For purposes of reporting cash flows, cash and due from banks includes cash on hand, cash items in process of collection and amounts due from banks. Cash flows from loans, federal funds sold, deposits, interest-bearing deposits in banks and federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase are reported net.

 

The Banks are required to maintain reserve balances in cash or on deposit with the Federal Reserve Bank, based on a percentage of deposits. The total of those reserve balances was approximately $7,845,000 and $6,438,000 at December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively.

 

       Securities

 

Debt securities that management has the positive intent and ability to hold to maturity are classified as held to maturity and recorded at amortized cost. Management has not classified any of its debt securities as held to maturity. Securities not classified as held to maturity, including equity securities with readily determinable fair values, are classified as available for sale and recorded at fair value with unrealized gains and losses excluded from earnings and reported in accumulated other comprehensive income, net of the related deferred tax effect. Equity securities, including restricted stock, without a readily determinable fair value are classified as available for sale and recorded at cost.

 

The amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts are recognized in interest income using methods approximating the interest method over the life of the securities. Realized gains and losses, determined on the basis of the cost of specific securities sold, are included in earnings on the settlement date. Declines in the fair value of securities available for sale below their cost that are deemed to be other than temporary are reflected in earnings as realized losses.

 

F-9


Table of Contents

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 1.   SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

 

       Loans

 

Loans are reported at their outstanding principal balances less unearned income, net deferred fees and the allowance for loan losses. Interest income is accrued on the outstanding principal balance. Loan origination fees, net of certain direct loan origination costs, are deferred and recognized as an adjustment of the related loan yield over the life of the loan using a method which approximates a level yield.

 

The accrual of interest on loans is discontinued when, in management’s opinion, the borrower may be unable to meet payments as they become due, unless the loan is well-secured. All interest accrued, but not collected for loans that are placed on nonaccrual or charged off, is reversed against interest income, unless management believes that the accrued interest is recoverable through the liquidation of collateral. Interest income on nonaccrual loans is subsequently recognized only to the extent cash payments are received until the loans are returned to accrual status. Loans are returned to accrual status when all the principal and interest amounts are brought current and future payments are reasonably assured.

 

A loan is considered impaired when it is probable, based on current information and events, the Company will be unable to collect all principal and interest payments due in accordance with the contractual terms of the loan agreement. Impaired loans are measured by either the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate, the loan’s obtainable market price or the fair value of the collateral if the loan is collateral dependent. The amount of impairment, if any, and any subsequent changes are included in the allowance for loan losses. Interest on accruing impaired loans is recognized as long as such loans do not meet the criteria for nonaccrual status.

 

       Allowance for Loan Losses

 

The allowance for loan losses is established through a provision for loan losses charged to expense. Loan losses are charged against the allowance when management believes the collectibility of the principal is unlikely. Subsequent recoveries are credited to the allowance.

 

The allowance is an amount that management believes will be adequate to absorb estimated losses relating to specifically identified loans, as well as probable credit losses inherent in the balance of the loan portfolio, based on an evaluation of the collectibility of existing loans and prior loss experience. This evaluation also takes into consideration such factors as changes in the nature and volume of the loan portfolio, overall portfolio quality, review of specific problem loans, concentrations and current economic conditions that may affect the borrower’s ability to pay. This evaluation does not include the effects of expected losses on specific loans or groups of loans that are related to future events or expected changes in economic conditions. While management uses the best information available to make its evaluation, future adjustments to the allowance may be necessary if there are significant changes in economic conditions. In addition, regulatory agencies, as an integral part of their examination process, periodically review the Banks’ allowance for loan losses and may require the Banks to make additions to the allowance based on their judgment about information available to them at the time of their examinations.

 

The allowance consists of specific, general and unallocated components. The specific component relates to loans that are classified as either doubtful, substandard or special mention. For such loans that are also classified as impaired, an allowance is established when the discounted cash flows (or collateral value or observable market price) of the impaired loan is lower than the carrying value of that loan. The general component covers non-classified loans and is based on historical loss experience adjusted for qualitative factors. An unallocated component is maintained to cover uncertainties that could affect management’s estimate of probable losses. The unallocated component of the allowance reflects the margin of imprecision inherent in the underlying assumptions used in the methodologies for estimating specific and general losses in the portfolio.

 

F-10


Table of Contents

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 1.   SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

 

     Premises and Equipment

 

Land is carried at cost. Premises and equipment are carried at cost less accumulated depreciation computed principally on the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives:

 

     Years

Buildings

   39

Furniture and equipment

   5-7

 

Goodwill and Intangible Assets

 

Goodwill represents the excess of cost over the fair value of the net assets purchased in business combinations. Goodwill is required to be tested annually for impairment or whenever events occur that may indicate that the recoverability of the carrying amount is not probable. In the event of an impairment, the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the fair value is charged to earnings. The Company performed its annual test of impairment in the fourth quarter and determined that there was impairment of approximately $9,000 in the carrying value of goodwill allocated to a subsidiary bank as of October 1, 2003.

 

Intangible assets consist of core deposit premiums acquired in connection with the business combinations. The core deposit premium is initially recognized based on a valuation performed as of the consummation date. The core deposit premium is amortized over the average remaining life of the acquired customer deposits, or five to eight years. Amortization periods are reviewed annually in connection with the annual impairment testing of goodwill.

 

For the years ended December 31, 2003 and December 31, 2002, no amortization of goodwill was included in the consolidated statements of income, except for the impairment charge of $9,000 in 2003. For the year ended December 31, 2001, charges in the amount of $668,000 were included in the consolidated statements of income for amortization of goodwill. Included in the consolidated statements of income for December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001 were charges for amortization of identifiable intangible assets in the amounts of $1,023,000, $1,765,000 and $517,000, respectively.

 

       Other Real Estate Owned

 

Other real estate owned represents properties acquired through or in lieu of loan foreclosure and is initially recorded at the lower of cost or fair value less estimated costs to sell. Any write-down to fair value at the time of transfer to other real estate owned is charged to the allowance for loan losses. Costs of improvements are capitalized, whereas costs relating to holding other real estate owned and subsequent adjustments to the value are expensed. The carrying amount of other real estate owned at December 31, 2003 and 2002 was $1,503,139 and $1,534,200, respectively.

 

       Income Taxes

 

Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are determined using the balance sheet method. Under this method, the net deferred tax asset or liability is determined based on the tax effects of the temporary differences between the book and tax bases of the various balance sheet assets and liabilities and gives current recognition to changes in tax rates and laws.

 

F-11


Table of Contents

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 1.   SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

 

       Stock-Based Compensation

 

The Company has two stock-based employee compensation plans, which are described more fully in Note 13. The Company accounts for those plans under the recognition and measurement principles of APB Opinion No. 25, Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees, and related interpretations. No stock-based employee compensation cost is reflected in net income, as all options granted under those plans had an exercise price equal to the market value of the underlying stock on the date of grant.

 

The following table illustrates the effect on net income and earnings per share if the Company had applied the fair value recognition provisions of FASB Statement No. 123, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation, to stock-based employee compensation.

 

     Years Ended December 31,

 
     2003

    2002

    2001

 
     (Dollars in Thousands)  

Net income, as reported

   $ 12,010     $ 10,355     $ 9,633  

Deduct: Total stock-based employee compensation expense determined under fair value based method for all awards, net of related tax effects

     (70 )     (54 )     (39 )
    


 


 


Pro forma net income

   $ 11,940     $ 10,301     $ 9,594  
    


 


 


Earnings per share:

                        

Basic - as reported

   $ 1.23     $ 1.05     $ 1.05  
    


 


 


Basic - pro forma

   $ 1.22     $ 1.04     $ 1.04  
    


 


 


Diluted - as reported

   $ 1.22     $ 1.05     $ 1.04  
    


 


 


Diluted - pro forma

   $ 1.21     $ 1.04     $ 1.04  
    


 


 


 

       Treasury Stock

 

The Company’s repurchases of shares of its common stock are recorded at cost as “Treasury Stock” and result in a reduction of “Stockholders’ Equity.” When treasury shares are reissued, the Company uses a first-in, first-out method and any difference in repurchase cost and reissuance price is recorded as an increase or reduction in “Capital Surplus.”

 

       Earnings Per share

 

Basic earnings per common share are computed by dividing net income by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding. Diluted earnings per common share are computed by dividing net income by the effect of the issuance of potential common shares that are dilutive by the sum of the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding and potential common shares. Potential common shares consist of stock options for the years ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001. The weighted-average number of shares outstanding for the years ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001 was 9,772,166, 9,858,463 and 9,214,276, respectively. The weighted-average number of shares outstanding and potential shares for the years ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001 was 9,838,590, 9,908,663 and 9,250,040, respectively.

 

Potential common shares not included due to the fact that they would be anti-dilutive at December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001 were 62,577, 89,944 and 30,696, respectively.

 

F-12


Table of Contents

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 1.   SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

 

       Comprehensive Income

 

Accounting principles generally require that recognized revenue, expenses, gains and losses be included in net income. Although certain changes in assets and liabilities, such as unrealized gains and losses on securities available for sale, are reported as a separate component of the equity section of the balance sheet, such items, along with net income, are components of comprehensive income.

 

       Recent Accounting Standards

 

In November 2002, the FASB issued Interpretation No. 45, “Guarantor’s Accounting and Disclosure Requirements for Guarantees, Including Indirect Guarantees of Indebtedness of Others, an interpretation of FASB Statements No. 5, 57 and 107 and a rescission of FASB Interpretation No. 34”. The interpretation discusses the disclosures to be made by a guarantor in its interim and annual financial statements about its obligations under guarantees issued. It also clarifies that a guarantor is required to recognize, at inception of a guarantee, a liability for the fair value of the obligation undertaken in issuing a guarantee. The initial recognition and initial measurement provisions of the interpretation are applicable to guarantees issued or modified after December 31, 2002. The disclosure requirements in the interpretation are effective for financial statements of interim or annual periods ending after December 15, 2002. The adoption of the interpretation did not have a material effect on the Company’s financial condition or results of operations.

 

In December 2002, the FASB issued Statement No. 148, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation—Transition and Disclosure, an amendment of FASB Statement No. 123”. The Statement amends Statement No. 123, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation”, to provide alternative methods of transition for a voluntary change to the fair value method of accounting for stock-based employee compensation. In addition, the statement amends the disclosure requirements of Statement No. 123 to require prominent disclosures in both annual and interim financial statements about the method of accounting for stock-based compensation and the effect on reported results of operations. The disclosure requirements of the statement are required for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2002 and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2002. The Company has not adopted Statement No. 123 for accounting for stock-based compensation as of December 31, 2003; however, all required disclosures of Statement No. 148 are included above under the heading “Stock-Based Compensation”.

 

In January 2003, the FASB issued Interpretation No. 46, “Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities, an interpretation of ARB No. 51” and, on December 24, 2003, the FASB issued FASB Interpretation No. 46 (Revised December 2003), “Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities” which replaced FIN 46. The interpretation addresses consolidation by business enterprises of variable interest entities. A variable interest entity is defined as an entity subject to consolidation according to the provisions of the interpretation. The revised interpretation provided for special effective dates for entities that had fully or partially applied the original interpretation as of December 24, 2003. Otherwise, application of the interpretation is required in financial statements of public entities that have interests in special-purpose entities, or SPEs, for periods ending after December 15, 2003. Application by public entities, other than small business issuers, for all other types of variable interest entities (i.e., non-SPEs) is required in financial statements for periods ending after March 15, 2004. Application by small business issuers to variable interest entities other than SPEs and by nonpublic entities to all types of variable interest entities is required at various dates in 2004 and 2005. The Company has determined that the provisions of FIN 46 may require deconsolidation of subsidiary trusts which issued subordinated debentures. The Company plans to adopt the provisions under the revised interpretation in the first quarter of 2004. The adoption of FIN 46 and related revisions is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

 

F-13


Table of Contents

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 1.   SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

 

       Recent Accounting Standards (Continued)

 

In May 2003, the FASB issued Statement No. 150, “Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Characteristics of both Liabilities and Equity”. The statement establishes standards for how an issuer classifies and measures certain financial instruments with characteristics of both liabilities and equity. The statement requires that an issuer classify a financial instrument that is within its scope as a liability. Many of those instruments were previously classified as equity. The statement is effective for financial instruments entered into or modified after May 31, 2003, and otherwise is effective at the beginning of the first interim period beginning after June 15, 2003, except for mandatorily redeemable financial instruments of nonpublic entities. Mandatorily redeemable financial instruments of nonpublic entities are subject to the provisions of the statement for the first fiscal period beginning after December 15, 2003. The adoption of the statement did not have a material effect on the Company’s financial condition or results of operations.

 

       Reclassification of Certain Items

 

Certain items in the consolidated financial statements as of and for the years ended December 31, 2002 and 2001 have been reclassified, with no effect on net income, to be consistent with the classifications adopted for the year ended December 31, 2003.

 

NOTE 2.   SECURITIES

 

The amortized cost and fair value of securities available for sale are summarized as follows:

 

    

Amortized

Cost


  

Gross

Unrealized

Gains


  

Gross

Unrealized

Losses


   

Fair

Value


     (Dollars in Thousands)

December 31, 2003:

                            

U. S. Government and agency securities

   $ 78,826    $ 727    $ (8 )   $ 79,545

State and municipal securities

     3,584      149      —         3,733

Corporate debt securities

     23,057      418      (7 )     23,468

Mortgage-backed securities

     83,550      131      (573 )     83,108

Equity securities

     788      —        (47 )     741
    

  

  


 

     $ 189,805    $ 1,425    $ (635 )   $ 190,595
    

  

  


 

December 31, 2002:

                            

U. S. Government and agency securities

   $ 72,326    $ 1,488    $ (41 )   $ 73,773

State and municipal securities

     3,362      179      (12 )     3,529

Corporate debt securities

     22,838      384      (355 )     22,867

Mortgage-backed securities

     76,439      921      (46 )     77,314

Equity securities

     859      —        (39 )     820
    

  

  


 

     $ 175,824    $ 2,972    $ (493 )   $ 178,303
    

  

  


 

 

F-14


Table of Contents

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 2.   SECURITIES (Continued)

 

The amortized cost and fair value of securities available for sale as of December 31, 2003 by contractual maturity are shown below. Maturities may differ from contractual maturities in mortgage-backed securities because the mortgages underlying the securities may be called or repaid without penalty. Therefore, these securities are not included in the maturity categories in the following maturity summary.

 

    

Amortized

Cost


  

Fair

Value


     (Dollars in Thousands)

Due in one year or less

   $ 37,330    $ 37,793

Due from one year to five years

     57,171      57,893

Due from five to ten years

     6,340      6,375

Due after ten years

     4,626      4,685

Mortgage-backed securities

     83,550      83,108

Equity securities

     788      741
    

  

     $ 189,805    $ 190,595
    

  

 

Securities with a carrying value of $125,547,653 and $84,535,517 at December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively, were pledged to secure public deposits and for other purposes required or permitted by law.

 

Gains and losses on sales of securities available for sale consist of the following:

 

     December 31,

     2003

    2002

   2001

     (Dollars in Thousands)

Gross gains on sales of securities

   $ 87     $ 1,643    $ 1,253

Gross losses on sales of securities

     (92 )     —        —  
    


 

  

Net realized gains on sales of securities available for sale

   $ (5 )   $ 1,643    $ 1,253
    


 

  

 

The following table shows the gross unrealized losses and fair value of securities aggregated by category and length of time that securities have been in a continuous unrealized loss position at December 31, 2003.

 

     Less Than 12 Months

   12 Months or More

   Total

Description of
Securities


   Fair
Value


   Unrealized
Losses


   Fair
Value


   Unrealized
Losses


   Fair
Value


   Unrealized
Losses


U. S. Government and agency securities

   $ 1,912    $ 8    $ —      $ —      $ 1,912    $ 8

Corporate debt securities

     1,012      7      —        —        1,012      7

Mortgage-backed securities

     59,838      572      982      1      60,820      573

Subtotal, debt securities

     62,762      587      982      1      63,744      588

Equity securities

     —        —        221      47      221      47
    

  

  

  

  

  

Total temporarily impaired securities

   $ 62,762    $ 587    $ 1,203    $ 48    $ 63,965    $ 635
    

  

  

  

  

  

 

The majority of debt securities containing unrealized losses at December 31, 2003 represent mortgage-backed securities. Nine (9) securities contained unrealized losses greater than two percent (2%) of their costs. None of the securities contained an unrealized loss greater than 2.50% of its cost. One equity security representing an investment in a mutual fund reflected an unrealized loss of 17% of its cost. The unrealized loss in this security represented 7.4% of the total unrealized losses in the Company’s investment portfolio. The unrealized losses are considered temporary because each security carries an acceptable investment grade and the repayment sources of principal and interest are government backed.

 

F-15


Table of Contents

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 3.   LOANS AND ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN LOSSES

 

The composition of loans is summarized as follows:

 

     December 31,

     2003

   2002

     (Dollars in Thousands)

Commercial and financial

   $ 157,594    $ 172,429

Agricultural

     22,051      34,007

Real estate – construction

     60,978      23,020

Real estate - mortgage, farmland

     65,433      63,093

Real estate - mortgage, commercial

     250,247      243,037

Real estate - mortgage, residential

     209,172      209,485

Consumer installment loans

     68,230      78,535

Other

     6,834      9,841
    

  

       840,539      833,447

Allowance for loan losses

     14,963      14,868
    

  

     $ 825,576    $ 818,579
    

  

 

The following is a summary of information pertaining to impaired loans:

 

     As of and For the Years Ended
December 31,


     2003

   2002

   2001

Impaired loans without a valuation allowance

   $ —      $ —      $ —  

Impaired loans with a valuation allowance

     6,472      7,561      11,958
    

  

  

Total impaired loans

   $ 6,472    $ 7,561    $ 11,958
    

  

  

Valuation allowance related to impaired loans

   $ 1,105    $ 1,358    $ 1,984
    

  

  

Average investment in impaired loans

   $ 8,619    $ 8,966    $ 8,249
    

  

  

Interest income recognized on impaired loans

   $ 27    $ 26    $ 6
    

  

  

Forgone interest income on impaired loans

   $ 842    $ 792    $ 666
    

  

  

 

Loans on nonaccrual status amounted to approximately $6,472,000, $7,561,000 and $11,958,000 at December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively. There were $25,000, $171,000 and $691,000 of loans past due ninety days or more and still accruing interest at December 31, 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively.

 

F-16


Table of Contents

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 3.   LOANS AND ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN LOSSES (Continued)

 

Changes in the allowance for loan losses for the years ended December 31, 2003, 2002, and 2001 are as follows:

 

     December 31,

 
     2003

    2002

    2001

 
     (Dollars in Thousands)  

Balance, beginning of year

   $ 14,868     $ 14,944     $ 9,832  

Provision for loan losses

     3,945       5,574       4,566  

Loans charged off

     (5,226 )     (7,159 )     (5,488 )

Recoveries of loans previously charged off

     1,376       1,509       1,110  

Acquired loan loss reserve

     —         —         4,924  
    


 


 


Balance, end of year

   $ 14,963     $ 14,868     $ 14,944  
    


 


 


 

In the ordinary course of business, the Company has granted loans to certain directors, executive officers and their affiliates. The interest rates on these loans were substantially the same as rates prevailing at the time of the transaction and repayment terms are customary for the type of loan. Changes in related party loans are summarized as follows:

 

     December 31,

 
     2003

    2002

 
     (Dollars in Thousands)  

Balance, beginning of year

   $ 42,807     $ 34,488  

Advances

     19,467       33,424  

Repayments

     (29,966 )     (26,285 )

Transactions due to changes in related parties

     2,934       1,180  
    


 


Balance, end of year

   $ 35,242     $ 42,807  
    


 


NOTE 4.   PREMISES AND EQUIPMENT

 

Premises and equipment are summarized as follows:

 

     December 31,

 
     2003

    2002

 
     (Dollars in Thousands)  

Land

   $ 6,694     $ 6,096  

Buildings

     23,030       22,618  

Furniture and equipment

     17,275       17,889  

Construction in progress; estimated cost to complete, $1,478,000

     1,026       472  
    


 


       48,025       47,075  

Accumulated depreciation

     (22,488 )     (21,748 )
    


 


     $ 25,537     $ 25,327  
    


 


 

F-17


Table of Contents

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 5.   INTANGIBLE ASSETS

 

Following is a summary of information related to acquired intangible assets:

 

     As of December 31, 2003

   As of December 31, 2002

     Gross
Carrying
Amount


   Accumulated
Amortization


   Gross
Carrying
Amount


   Accumulated
Amortization


     (Dollars in Thousands)

Amortized intangible assets Core deposit premiums

   $ 8,896    $ 5,610    $ 8,896    $ 4,587
    

  

  

  

 

The aggregate amortization expense for intangible assets was $1,023,000, $1,765,000 and $1,185,000 for the years ended December 31, 2003, 2002, and 2001, respectively.

 

The estimated amortization expense for each of the next five years is as follows:

 

2004

   $ 790,000

2005

     642,000

2006

     549,000

2007

     490,000

2008

     287,000

 

Changes in the carrying amount of goodwill are as follows:

 

     For the Year Ended
December 31,


     2003

    2002

     (Dollars in Thousands)

Beginning balance

   $ 19,240     $ 19,240

Goodwill written off at a subsidiary Bank

     (9 )     —  
    


 

Ending balance

   $ 19,231     $ 19,240
    


 

 

Following is a summary of net income and earnings per share that would have been reported exclusive of amortization expense recognized in those periods related to goodwill and intangible assets that are no longer being amortized.

 

     For the Years Ended December 31,

     2003

   2002

   2001

     (Dollars in Thousands)

Reported net income

   $ 12,010    $ 10,355    $ 9,633

Add back goodwill amortization

     —        —        668
    

  

  

Adjusted net income

   $ 12,010    $ 10,355    $ 10,301
    

  

  

 

F-18


Table of Contents

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 5.   INTANGIBLE ASSETS (Continued)

 

     For the Years Ended
December 31,


     2003

   2002

   2001

     (Dollars in Thousands)

Basic earnings per share:

                    

Reported net income

   $ 1.23    $ 1.05    $ 1.05

Goodwill amortization

     —        —        .07
    

  

  

Adjusted net income

   $ 1.23    $ 1.05    $ 1.12
    

  

  

Diluted earnings per share:

                    

Reported net income

   $ 1.22    $ 1.05    $ 1.04

Goodwill amortization

     —        —        .07
    

  

  

Adjusted net income

   $ 1.22    $ 1.05    $ 1.11
    

  

  

 

NOTE 6.   DEPOSITS

 

The aggregate amount of time deposits in denominations of $100,000 or more at December 31, 2003 and 2002 was $149,991,000 and $155,048,000, respectively. The scheduled maturities of time deposits at December 31, 2003 are as follows:

 

     (Dollars in
Thousands)


2004

   $ 355,470

2005

     30,634

2006

     9,338

2007

     6,855

2008

     4,725

Later years

     154
    

     $ 407,176
    

 

At December 31, 2003 and 2002, overdraft demand deposits reclassified to loans totaled $1,402,000 and $1,226,000, respectively.

 

NOTE 7.   SECURITIES SOLD UNDER REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS

 

Securities sold under repurchase agreements, which are secured borrowings, generally mature within one to four days from the transaction date. Securities sold under repurchase agreements are reflected at the amount of cash received in connection with the transactions. The Company may be required to provide additional collateral based on the fair value of the underlying securities. The Company monitors the fair value of the underlying securities on a daily basis. Securities sold under repurchase agreements at December 31, 2003 and 2002 were $8,211,000 and $8,204,000, respectively.

 

F-19


Table of Contents

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 8.   EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

 

The Company has established a retirement plan for eligible employees. The ABC Bancorp 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan allows a participant to defer a portion of his compensation and provides that the Company will match a portion of the deferred compensation. The plan also provides for nonelective and discretionary contributions. All full-time and part-time employees are eligible to participate in the 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan provided they have met the eligibility requirements. Generally, a participant must have completed twelve months of employment with a minimum of 1,000 hours.

 

In 2002, the Company terminated the ABC Bancorp Money Purchase Pension Plan. All fully funded employee benefits under the plan were transferred to the 401(k) profit sharing plan.

 

Aggregate expense under the two plans charged to operations during 2003, 2002 and 2001 amounted to $1,149,000, $877,000 and $655,000, respectively.

 

NOTE 9.   DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLANS

 

The Company and two subsidiary banks have entered into separate deferred compensation arrangements with certain executive officers and directors. The plans call for certain amounts payable at retirement, death or disability. The estimated present value of the deferred compensation is being accrued over the remaining expected service period. The Company and Banks have purchased life insurance policies which they intend to use to finance this liability. Cash surrender value of life insurance of $1,231,000 and $1,038,000 at December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively, is included in other assets. Accrued deferred compensation of $1,105,000 and $1,012,000 at December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively, is included in other liabilities. Aggregate compensation expense under the plans were $94,000, $93,000 and $74,000 for 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively, and is included in other operating expenses.

 

NOTE 10.   OTHER BORROWINGS

 

Other borrowings consist of the following:

 

     December 31,

     2003

   2002

     (Dollars in Thousands)

Advances under revolving credit agreement with SunTrust Bank with interest at LIBOR plus 1.15% (2.02% at December 31, 2003) due on May 31, 2004, secured by subsidiary bank stock.

   $ —      $ 100

Advances from SunTrust Bank with 5 quarterly principal payments of $366,000 at sixty-day LIBOR rate plus .9% (2.07% at December 31, 2003), maturing July 23, 2005.

     1,681      8,044

Advances from Federal Home Loan Bank with interest at adjustable rate (4.08% at December 31, 2003), due February 10, 2005.

     15,000      26,000

Advances from Federal Home Loan Bank with interest at a fixed rate of 6.72%, due in annual installments due November 1, 2006.

     65      152

Advances from Federal Home Loan Bank with interest at a fixed rate (ranging from 3.66% to 6.12%) convertible to a variable rate at option of Federal Home Loan Bank, due at various dates from September 28,2004 through August 6, 2012.

     80,799      82,994
    

  

     $ 97,545    $ 117,290
    

  

 

F-20


Table of Contents

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 10.   OTHER BORROWINGS (Continued)

 

The advances from Federal Home Loan Bank are collateralized by the pledging of a blanket lien on all first mortgage loans and other specific loans, as well as FLHB stock.

 

Other borrowings at December 31, 2003 have maturities in future years as follows:

 

     (Dollars in
Thousands)


2004

   $ 1,484

2005

     16,241

2006

     22

2007

     —  

2008

     —  

Later years

     79,798
    

     $ 97,545
    

 

The Company and subsidiaries have available unused lines of credit with various financial institutions totaling approximately $80,100,000 at December 31, 2003. There were no other advances outstanding at December 31, 2003 or 2002.

 

NOTE 11.   INCOME TAXES

 

The income tax expense in the consolidated statements of income consists of the following:

 

     Years Ended December 31,

 
     2003

    2002

    2001

 
     (Dollars in Thousands)  

Current

   $ 6,111     $ 5,142     $ 5,418  

Deferred

     (157 )     (65 )     (726 )
    


 


 


     $ 5,954     $ 5,077     $ 4,692  
    


 


 


 

The Company’s income tax expense differs from the amounts computed by applying the federal income tax statutory rates to income before income taxes. A reconciliation of the differences is as follows:

 

     Years Ended December 31,

 
     2003

    2002

    2001

 
     (Dollars in Thousands)  

Tax at federal income tax rate

   $ 6,108     $ 5,247     $ 4,871  

Increase (decrease) resulting from:

                        

Tax-exempt interest

     (201 )     (224 )     (476 )

Amortization of intangible assets

     13       33       274  

Other

     34       21       23  
    


 


 


Provision for income taxes

   $ 5,954     $ 5,077     $ 4,692  
    


 


 


 

F-21


Table of Contents

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 11.   INCOME TAXES (Continued)

 

Net deferred income tax assets of $4,363,000 and $3,632,000 at December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively, are included in other assets. The components of deferred income taxes are as follows:

 

     December 31,

     2003

   2002

     (Dollars in Thousands)

Deferred tax assets:

             

Loan loss reserves

   $ 5,022    $ 4,942

Deferred compensation

     376      344

Unearned compensation related to restricted stock

     287      295

Nonaccrual interest

     134      235

Net operating loss tax carryforward

     91      115

Other

     232      121
    

  

       6,142      6,052
    

  

Deferred tax liabilities:

             

Depreciation and amortization

     419      242

Unrealized gain on securities available for sale

     269      843

Intangible assets

     1,091      1,335
    

  

       1,779      2,420
    

  

Net deferred tax assets

   $ 4,363    $ 3,632
    

  

 

NOTE 12. SUBORDINATED DEFERRABLE INTEREST DEBENTURES

 

In 2001, the Company formed a wholly-owned grantor trust to issue cumulative trust preferred securities to the public. The grantor trust invested the proceeds of the trust preferred securities in junior subordinated debentures of the Company. The trust preferred securities can be redeemed prior to maturity at the option of the Company on or after September 30, 2006. The sole assets of the guarantor trust are the Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures of the Company (the Debentures) held by the grantor trust. The Debentures have the same interest rate (9%) as the trust preferred securities. The Company has the right to defer interest payments on the Debentures at any time or from time to time for a period not exceeding 20 consecutive quarters provided that no extension period may extend beyond the stated maturity of the related Debentures. During any such extension period, distributions on the trust preferred certificates would also be deferred.

 

The trust preferred securities are subject to mandatory redemption upon repayment of the related Debentures at their stated maturity date or their earlier redemption at a redemption price equal to their stated maturity date or their earlier redemption at a redemption price equal to their liquidation amount plus accrued distributions to the date fixed for the redemption upon concurrent repayment of the related Debentures. The trust preferred securities may be redeemed in whole or part at any time on or after September 30, 2006.

 

Payment of periodic cash distributions and payment upon liquidation or redemption with respect to the trust preferred securities are guaranteed by the Company to the extent of funds held by the grantor trust (the Preferred Securities Guarantee). The Preferred Securities Guarantee, when taken together with the Company’s other obligations under the Debentures, constitute a full and unconditional guarantee, on a subordinated basis, by the Company of payments due on the trust preferred securities.

 

F-22


Table of Contents

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 12.   SUBORDINATED DEFERRABLE INTEREST DEBENTURES (Continued)

 

The Company is required by the Federal Reserve Board to maintain certain levels of capital for bank regulatory purposes. The Federal Reserve Board has determined that certain cumulative preferred securities having the characteristics of trust preferred securities qualify as minority interest, which is included in Tier 1 capital for bank and financial holding companies. In calculating the amount of Tier l qualifying capital, the trust preferred securities can only be included up to the amount constituting 25% of total Tier 1 capital elements (including trust preferred securities). Such Tier 1 capital treatment provides the Company with a more cost-effective means of obtaining capital for bank regulatory purposes than if the Company were to issue preferred stock.

 

The trust preferred securities and the related Debentures were issued on November 8, 2001. Both financial instruments bear an identical annual rate of interest of 9%. Distributions on the trust preferred securities are paid quarterly on March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 of each year. Interest on the Debentures is paid on the corresponding dates. The aggregate principal amount of trust preferred certificates outstanding at December 31, 2003 and 2002 was $34,500,000. The aggregate principal amount of Debentures outstanding at those dates was $35,567,000.

 

The Company will be required to adopt the provisions of FIN 46 in the first quarter of 2004 and may be required to deconsolidate the trust subsidiary. The adoption of FIN 46 is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

 

NOTE 13.   STOCK OPTION PLANS

 

The Company has two fixed stock option plans under which it has granted options to its Chief Executive Officer to purchase common stock at the fair market price on the date of grant. All of the options are intended to be incentive stock options qualifying under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code for favorable tax treatment. Under the 1992 Plan, options to purchase 10,000 shares were granted. All of these options were exercised during 2002. Under the 1997 Plan, options to purchase 67,500 shares were granted. Options under the 1997 Plan are fully vested and are exercisable over a period of ten years subject to certain limitations as to aggregate fair market value (determined as of the date of the grant) of all options exercisable for the first time by the optionee during any calendar year (the “$100,000 Per-Year Limitation”). Under the 1997 Plan, options to purchase 60,150 shares were exercisable as of December 31, 2003.

 

At the annual meeting on April 15, 1997, the shareholders approved the ABC Bancorp Omnibus Stock Ownership and Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “Omnibus Plan”). Awards granted under the Omnibus Plan may be in the form of Qualified or Nonqualified Stock Options, Restricted Stock, Stock Appreciation Rights (“SARS”), Long-Term Incentive Compensation Units consisting of a combination of cash and Common Stock, or any combination thereof within the limitations set forth in the Omnibus Plan. The Omnibus Plan provides that the aggregate number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock which may be subject to award may not exceed 637,500 subject to adjustment in certain circumstances to prevent dilution. As of December 31, 2003, the Company has issued a total of 211,596 restricted shares under the Omnibus Plan as compensation for certain employees. These shares carry dividend and voting rights. Sale of these shares is restricted prior to the date of vesting, which is three years from the date of the grant. Shares issued under this plan were recorded at their fair market value on the date of their grant with a corresponding charge to equity. The unearned portion is being amortized as compensation expense on a straight-line basis over the related vesting period. Compensation expense related to these grants was $363,000, $444,000 and $602,000 for 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively. In addition to the granting of restricted shares, options to purchase 276,039 shares of the Company’s common stock have been granted under the Omnibus Plan as of December 31, 2003.

 

F-23


Table of Contents

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 13.   STOCK OPTION PLANS (Continued)

 

Other pertinent information related to the options is as follows:

 

     December 31,

     2003

   2002

   2001

     Number

   

Weighted-

Average

Exercise
Price


   Number

   

Weighted-

Average

Exercise
Price


   Number

   

Weighted-

Average

Exercise
Price


Under option, beginning of the year

   313,988     $ 11.95    285,943     $ 10.95    239,553     $ 11.00

Granted

   40,250       16.50    81,950       14.42    71,550       10.60

Exercised

   (865 )     9.90    (18,589 )     7.17    (1,232 )     10.09

Forfeited

   (9,834 )     13.16    (35,316 )     12.06    (23,928 )     10.47
    

        

        

     

Under option, end of year

   343,539       12.46    313,988       11.95    285,943       10.95
    

        

        

     

Exercisable at end of year

   182,757     $ 11.75    130,352     $ 11.67    99,625     $ 11.09
    

 

  

 

  

 

Weighted-average fair value per option of options granted during year

         $ 3.13          $ 2.96          $ 1.84
          

        

        

 

Information pertaining to options outstanding at December 31, 2003 is as follows:

 

     Options Outstanding

   Options Exercisable

Range
of Exercise
Prices


   Number
Outstanding


  

Weighted-

Average
Contractual
Life in Years


  

Weighted-

Average
Exercise
Price


   Number
Outstanding


  

Weighted-

Average
Exercise
Price


$   11.33    67,500    3.3    11.33    60,150    11.33
  15.94    22,327    4.0    15.94    22,327    15.94
  14.17    6,000    4.3    14.17    6,000    14.17
  10.39    600    5.1    10.39    480    10.39
  9.90    21,462    5.1    9.90    17,170    9.90
  10.11    6,000    5.3    10.11    4,800    10.11
  10.83    2,400    5.9    10.83    1,920    10.83
  10.38    56,000    6.1    10.38    33,600    10.38
  9.94    3,000    6.5    9.94    1,800    9.94
  10.50    44,550    7.1    10.50    17,820    10.50
  11.20    10,000    7.5    11.20    4,000    11.20
  13.25    8,000    8.2    13.25    1,600    13.25
  14.55    55,450    8.7    14.55    11,090    14.55
  16.50    40,250    9.3    16.50    —      —  
      
            
    
       343,539    6.32    12.46    182,757    11.75
      
            
    

 

24


Table of Contents

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 13.   STOCK OPTION PLANS (Continued)

 

The fair value of each option grant is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following weighted-average assumptions:

 

     Years Ended December 31,

 
     2003

    2002

    2001

 

Dividend yield

   3.60 %   3.60 %   3.60 %

Expected life

   7 years     7 years     10 years  

Expected volatility

   22.30 %   22.80 %   15.04 %

Risk-free interest rate

   4.03 %   4.60 %   5.05 %

 

NOTE 14.   EARNINGS PER SHARE

 

Presented below is a summary of the components used to calculate basic and diluted earnings per share:

 

     Years Ended December 31,

     2003

   2002

   2001

Net income

   $ 12,010    $ 10,355    $ 9,633
    

  

  

Weighted average number of common shares outstanding

     9,772      9,859      9,214

Effect of dilutive options

     66      50      36
    

  

  

Weighted average number of common shares outstanding used to calculate dilutive earnings per share

     9,838      9,909      9,250
    

  

  

 

F-25


Table of Contents

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 15.   COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENT LIABILITIES

 

Loan Commitments

 

The Company is a party to financial instruments with off-balance-sheet risk in the normal course of business to meet the financing needs of its customers. These financial instruments include commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit. They involve, to varying degrees, elements of credit risk and interest rate risk in excess of the amount recognized in the balance sheets.

 

The Company’s exposure to credit loss in the event of nonperformance by the other party to the financial instrument for commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit is represented by the contractual amount of those instruments. The Company uses the same credit policies in making commitments and conditional obligations as it does for on-balance-sheet instruments. A summary of the Company’s commitments is as follows:

 

     December 31,

     2003

   2002

     (Dollars in Thousands)

Commitments to extend credit

   $ 104,573    $ 89,540

Financial standby letters of credit

     2,536      5,315
    

  

     $ 107,109    $ 94,855
    

  

 

Commitments to extend credit are agreements to lend to a customer as long as there is no violation of any condition established in the contract. Commitments generally have fixed expiration dates or other termination clauses and may require payment of a fee. Since many of the commitments are expected to expire without being drawn upon, the total commitment amounts do not necessarily represent future cash requirements. The amount of collateral obtained, if deemed necessary by the Company upon extension of credit, is based on management’s credit evaluation of the party.

 

Standby letters of credit are conditional commitments issued by the Company to guarantee the performance of a customer to a third party. Those guarantees are primarily issued to support public and private borrowing arrangements. The credit risk involved in issuing letters of credit is essentially the same as that involved in extending loans to customers. Collateral is required in instances which the Company deems necessary.

 

At December 31, 2003 and 2002, the carrying amount of liabilities related to the Company’s obligation to perform under financial standby letters of credit was insignificant. The Company has not been required to perform on any financial standby letters of credit and the Company has not incurred any losses on financial standby letters of credit for the years ended December 31, 2003 and 2002.

 

Contingencies

 

In the normal course of business, the Company is involved in various legal proceedings. In the opinion of management, any liability resulting from such proceedings would not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial statements.

 

F-26


Table of Contents

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 16.   CONCENTRATIONS OF CREDIT

 

The Banks make commercial, residential, construction, agricultural, agribusiness and consumer loans to customers primarily in counties in South and Southeast Georgia, North Florida and Southeast Alabama. A substantial portion of the Company’s customers’ abilities to honor their contracts is dependent on the business economy in the geographical area served by the Banks.

 

A substantial portion of the Company’s loans are secured by real estate in the Company’s primary market area. In addition, a substantial portion of the other real estate owned is located in those same markets. Accordingly, the ultimate collectibility of a substantial portion of the Company’s loan portfolio and the recovery of a substantial portion of the carrying amount of other real estate owned are susceptible to changes in market conditions in the Company’s primary market area.

 

Although the Company’s loan portfolio is diversified, there is a relationship in this region between the agricultural economy and the economic performance of loans made to nonagricultural customers. The Company’s lending policies for agricultural and nonagricultural customers require loans to be well-collateralized and supported by cash flows. Collateral for agricultural loans include equipment, crops, livestock and land. Credit losses from loans related to the agricultural economy is taken into consideration by management in determining the allowance for loan losses.

 

The Company has a concentration of funds on deposit at its two primary correspondent banks at December 31, 2003 as follows:

 

Noninterest-bearing accounts

   $ 28,412
    

Interest-bearing accounts

   $ 33,847
    

 

NOTE 17.   REGULATORY MATTERS

 

The Banks are subject to certain restrictions on the amount of dividends that may be declared without prior regulatory approval. At December 31, 2003, approximately $7,664,000 of retained earnings were available for dividend declaration without regulatory approval.

 

The Company and the Banks are subject to various regulatory capital requirements administered by the federal banking agencies. Failure to meet minimum capital requirements can initiate certain mandatory, and possibly additional discretionary, actions by regulators that, if undertaken, could have a direct material effect on the consolidated financial statements. Under capital adequacy guidelines and the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action, the Company and the Banks must meet specific capital guidelines that involve quantitative measures of the Company’s and Banks’ assets, liabilities and certain off-balance-sheet items as calculated under regulatory accounting practices. Capital amounts and classification are also subject to qualitative judgments by the regulators about components, risk weightings and other factors.

 

F-27


Table of Contents

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 17.   REGULATORY MATTERS (Continued)

 

Quantitative measures established by regulation to ensure capital adequacy require the Company and the Banks to maintain minimum amounts and ratios of total and Tier I capital to risk-weighted assets, as defined, and of Tier I capital to average assets, as defined. Management believes, as of December 31, 2003 and 2002, the Company and the Banks met all capital adequacy requirements to which they are subject.

 

As of December 31, 2003, the most recent notification from the regulatory authorities categorized the Banks as well capitalized under the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action. To be categorized as well capitalized, the Banks must maintain minimum total risk-based, Tier I risk-based and Tier I leverage ratios as set forth in the following table. There are no conditions or events since that notification that management believes have changed the Banks’ category. Prompt corrective action provisions are not applicable to bank holding companies.

 

The Company and Banks’ actual capital amounts and ratios are presented in the following table.

 

     Actual

   

For Capital
Adequacy

Purposes


   

To Be Well

Capitalized Under

Prompt Corrective

Action Provisions


 
     Amount

   Ratio

    Amount

   Ratio

    Amount

   Ratio

 
     (Dollars in Thousands)  

As of December 31, 2003

                                       

Total Capital to Risk Weighted Assets:

                                       

Consolidated

   $ 136,022    15.60 %   $ 69,748    8.00 %     - - - N/A- - -  

American Banking Company

   $ 16,812    13.06 %   $ 10,295    8.00 %   $ 12,869    10.00 %

Heritage Community Bank

   $ 7,865    11.11 %   $ 5,663    8.00 %   $ 7,078    10.00 %

Bank of Thomas County

   $ 4,521    13.22 %   $ 2,737    8.00 %   $ 3,421    10.00 %

Citizens Security Bank

   $ 15,697    12.02 %   $ 10,445    8.00 %   $ 13,056    10.00 %

Cairo Banking Company

   $ 6,885    13.50 %   $ 4,080    8.00 %   $ 5,100    10.00 %

Southland Bank

   $ 18,285    12.58 %   $ 11,627    8.00 %   $ 14,534    10.00 %

Central Bank and Trust

   $ 5,012    11.33 %   $ 3,538    8.00 %   $ 4,423    10.00 %

First National Bank of South Georgia

   $ 7,077    11.08 %   $ 5,111    8.00 %   $ 6,389    10.00 %

Merchants and Farmers Bank

   $ 8,402    14.00 %   $ 4,802    8.00 %   $ 6,002    10.00 %

Tri-County Bank

   $ 7,093    16.93 %   $ 3,351    8.00 %   $ 4,189    10.00 %

First Bank of Brunswick

   $ 15,963    13.36 %   $ 9,560    8.00 %   $ 11,950    10.00 %

 

F-28


Table of Contents

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 17.   REGULATORY MATTERS (Continued)

 

     Actual

   

For Capital
Adequacy

Purposes


   

To Be Well

Capitalized
Under

Prompt
Corrective

Action Provisions


 
     Amount

   Ratio

    Amount

   Ratio

    Amount

   Ratio

 
     (Dollars in Thousands)  

As of December 31, 2003 (Continued)

                                       

Tier I Capital to Risk Weighted Assets:

                                       

Consolidated

   $ 120,765    13.85 %   $ 34,874    4.00 %     - - -N/A- - -  

American Banking Company

   $ 15,200    11.81 %   $ 5,148    4.00 %   $ 7,722    6.00 %

Heritage Community Bank

   $ 6,979    9.86 %   $ 2,831    4.00 %   $ 4,247    6.00 %

Bank of Thomas County

   $ 4,085    11.94 %   $ 1,368    4.00 %   $ 2,052    6.00 %

Citizens Security Bank

   $ 14,059    10.77 %   $ 5,222    4.00 %   $ 7,833    6.00 %

Cairo Banking Company

   $ 6,244    12.24 %   $ 2,040    4.00 %   $ 3,060    6.00 %

Southland Bank

   $ 16,460    11.33 %   $ 5,814    4.00 %   $ 8,720    6.00 %

Central Bank and Trust

   $ 4,456    10.08 %   $ 1,769    4.00 %   $ 2,654    6.00 %

First National Bank of South Georgia

   $ 6,275    9.82 %   $ 2,556    4.00 %   $ 3,834    6.00 %

Merchants and Farmers Bank

   $ 7,648    12.74 %   $ 2,401    4.00 %   $ 3,601    6.00 %

Tri-County Bank

   $ 6,568    15.68 %   $ 1,675    4.00 %   $ 2,513    6.00 %

First Bank of Brunswick

   $ 14,464    12.10 %   $ 4,780    4.00 %   $ 7,170    6.00 %

Tier I Capital to Average Assets:

                                       

Consolidated

   $ 120,765    10.77 %   $ 44,852    4.00 %     - - - N/A- - -  

American Banking Company

   $ 15,200    8.47 %   $ 7,178    4.00 %   $ 8,973    5.00 %

Heritage Community Bank

   $ 6,979    8.04 %   $ 3,472    4.00 %   $ 4,340    5.00 %

Bank of Thomas County

   $ 4,085    8.65 %   $ 1,889    4.00 %   $ 2,361    5.00 %

Citizens Security Bank

   $ 14,059    8.79 %   $ 6,398    4.00 %   $ 7,997    5.00 %

Cairo Banking Company

   $ 6,244    7.45 %   $ 3,352    4.00 %   $ 4,191    5.00 %

Southland Bank

   $ 16,460    7.09 %   $ 9,286    4.00 %   $ 11,608    5.00 %

Central Bank and Trust

   $ 4,456    7.92 %   $ 2,251    4.00 %   $ 2,813    5.00 %

First National Bank of South Georgia

   $ 6,275    7.92 %   $ 3,169    4.00 %   $ 3,961    5.00 %

Merchants and Farmers Bank

   $ 7,648    8.60 %   $ 3,557    4.00 %   $ 4,447    5.00 %

Tri-County Bank

   $ 6,568    9.61 %   $ 2,734    4.00 %   $ 3,417    5.00 %

First Bank of Brunswick

   $ 14,464    10.29 %   $ 5,623    4.00 %   $ 7,028    5.00 %

 

F-29


Table of Contents

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 17.   REGULATORY MATTERS (Continued)

 

     Actual

    For Capital
Adequacy
Purposes


    To Be Well
Capitalized Under
Prompt Corrective
Action Provisions


 
     Amount

   Ratio

    Amount

   Ratio

    Amount

   Ratio

 
     (Dollars in Thousands)  

As of December 31, 2002

                                       

Total Capital to Risk Weighted Assets:

                                       

Consolidated

   $ 127,577    14.87 %   $ 68,649    8.00 %     - - -N/A- - -  

American Banking Company

   $ 17,374    13.63 %   $ 10,200    8.00 %   $ 12,750    10.00 %

Heritage Community Bank

   $ 8,210    12.30 %   $ 5,342    8.00 %   $ 6,678    10.00 %

Bank of Thomas County

   $ 4,813    11.67 %   $ 3,299    8.00 %   $ 4,124    10.00 %

Citizens Security Bank

   $ 14,937    11.95 %   $ 10,002    8.00 %   $ 12,502    10.00 %

Cairo Banking Company

   $ 7,236    13.85 %   $ 4,181    8.00 %   $ 5,226    10.00 %

Southland Bank

   $ 19,782    14.13 %   $ 11,198    8.00 %   $ 13,998    10.00 %

Central Bank and Trust

   $ 5,721    13.04 %   $ 3,509    8.00 %   $ 4,386    10.00 %

First National Bank of South Georgia

   $ 6,772    11.21 %   $ 4,833    8.00 %   $ 6,041    10.00 %

Merchants and Farmers Bank

   $ 8,266    14.40 %   $ 4,591    8.00 %   $ 5,739    10.00 %

Tri-County Bank

   $ 6,589    16.20 %   $ 3,254    8.00 %   $ 4,067    10.00 %

First Bank of Brunswick

   $ 14,342    12.15 %   $ 9,443    8.00 %   $ 11,804    10.00 %

Tier I Capital to Risk Weighted Assets:

                                       

Consolidated

   $ 109,733    12.79 %   $ 34,325    4.00 %     - - -N/A- - -  

American Banking Company

   $ 15,776    12.37 %   $ 5,100    4.00 %   $ 7,650    6.00 %

Heritage Community Bank

   $ 7,375    11.04 %   $ 2,671    4.00 %   $ 4,007    6.00 %

Bank of Thomas County

   $ 4,296    10.42 %   $ 1,649    4.00 %   $ 2,474    6.00 %

Citizens Security Bank

   $ 13,366    10.69 %   $ 5,001    4.00 %   $ 7,501    6.00 %

Cairo Banking Company

   $ 6,577    12.58 %   $ 2,090    4.00 %   $ 3,136    6.00 %

Southland Bank

   $ 18,019    12.87 %   $ 5,599    4.00 %   $ 8,399    6.00 %

Central Bank and Trust

   $ 5,169    11.79 %   $ 1,754    4.00 %   $ 2,631    6.00 %

First National Bank of South Georgia

   $ 6,015    9.96 %   $ 2,416    4.00 %   $ 3,625    6.00 %

Merchants and Farmers Bank

   $ 7,543    13.14 %   $ 2,295    4.00 %   $ 3,443    6.00 %

Tri-County Bank

   $ 6,104    15.01 %   $ 1,627    4.00 %   $ 2,440    6.00 %

First Bank of Brunswick

   $ 12,861    10.90 %   $ 4,722    4.00 %   $ 7,083    6.00 %

 

F-30


Table of Contents

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 17.   REGULATORY MATTERS (Continued)

 

     Actual

   

For Capital
Adequacy

Purposes


   

To Be Well
Capitalized Under
Prompt Corrective

Action Provisions


 
     Amount

   Ratio

    Amount

   Ratio

    Amount

   Ratio

 
     (Dollars in Thousands)  

As of December 31, 2002 (Continued)

                                       

Tier I Capital to Average Assets:

                                       

Consolidated

   $ 109,733    9.49 %   $ 46,252    4.00 %     - - -N/A- - -  

American Banking Company

   $ 15,776    9.02 %   $ 6,996    4.00 %   $ 8,745    5.00 %

Heritage Community Bank

   $ 7,375    9.21 %   $ 3,203    4.00 %   $ 4,004    5.00 %

Bank of Thomas County

   $ 4,296    8.37 %   $ 2,053    4.00 %   $ 2,566    5.00 %

Citizens Security Bank

   $ 13,366    8.01 %   $ 6,675    4.00 %   $ 8,343    5.00 %

Cairo Banking Company

   $ 6,577    8.09 %   $ 3,252    4.00 %   $ 4,065    5.00 %

Southland Bank

   $ 18,019    6.83 %   $ 10,553    4.00 %   $ 13,191    5.00 %

Central Bank and Trust

   $ 5,169    8.44 %   $ 2,450    4.00 %   $ 3,062    5.00 %

First National Bank of South Georgia

   $ 6,015    8.04 %   $ 2,993    4.00 %   $ 3,741    5.00 %

Merchants and Farmers Bank

   $ 7,543    8.11 %   $ 3,720    4.00 %   $ 4,650    5.00 %

Tri-County Bank

   $ 6,104    9.19 %   $ 2,657    4.00 %   $ 3,321    5.00 %

First Bank of Brunswick

   $ 12,861    9.29 %   $ 5,538    4.00 %   $ 6,922    5.00 %

 

NOTE 18.   FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

 

The fair value of a financial instrument is the current amount that would be exchanged between willing parties, other than in a forced liquidation. Fair value is best determined based upon quoted market prices. However, in many instances, there are no quoted market prices for the Company’s various financial instruments. In cases where quoted market prices are not available, fair value is based on discounted cash flows or other valuation techniques. These techniques are significantly affected by the assumptions used, including the discount rate and estimates of future cash flows. Accordingly, the fair value estimates may not be realized in an immediate settlement of the instrument. SFAS 107, Disclosures about Fair Value of Financial Instruments, excludes certain financial instruments and all nonfinancial instruments from its disclosure requirements. Accordingly, the aggregate fair value amounts presented may not necessarily represent the underlying fair value of the Company.

 

The following methods and assumptions were used by the Company in estimating the fair value of its financial instruments.

 

Cash, Due From Banks, Interest-Bearing Deposits in Banks: The carrying amount of cash, due from banks and interest-bearing deposits in banks approximates fair value.

 

Securities: Fair value of securities is based on available quoted market prices. The carrying amount of equity securities with no readily determinable fair value approximates fair value.

 

F-31


Table of Contents

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 18.   FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (Continued)

 

Loans: The carrying amount of variable-rate loans that reprice frequently and have no significant change in credit risk approximates fair value. The fair value of fixed-rate loans is estimated based on discounted contractual cash flows, using interest rates currently being offered for loans with similar terms to borrowers with similar credit quality. The fair value of impaired loans is estimated based on discounted contractual cash flows or underlying collateral values, where applicable.

 

Deposits: The carrying amount of demand deposits, savings deposits and variable-rate certificates of deposit approximates fair value. The fair value of fixed-rate certificates of deposit is estimated based on discounted contractual cash flows using interest rates currently being offered for certificates of similar maturities.

 

Federal Funds Purchased, Repurchase Agreements and Other Borrowings: The carrying amount of variable rate borrowings, federal funds purchased and securities sold under repurchase agreements approximate fair value. The fair value of fixed rate other borrowings are estimated based on discounted contractual cash flows using the current incremental borrowing rates for similar type borrowing arrangements.

 

Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures: The fair value of the Company’s fixed rate trust preferred securities are based on available quoted market prices.

 

Accrued Interest: The carrying amount of accrued interest approximates their fair value.

 

Off-Balance-Sheet Instruments: The carrying amount of commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit approximates fair value. The carrying amount of the off-balance-sheet financial instruments is based on fees charged to enter into such agreements.

 

The carrying amount and estimated fair value of the Company’s financial instruments were as follows:

 

     December 31, 2003

   December 31, 2002

    

Carrying

Amount


  

Fair

Value


  

Carrying

Amount


  

Fair

Value


     (Dollars in Thousands)

Financial assets:

                           

Cash, due from banks and interest-bearing deposits in banks

   $ 80,480    $ 80,480    $ 123,077    $ 123,077
    

  

  

  

Securities available for sale

   $ 190,595    $ 190,595    $ 178,303    $ 178,303
    

  

  

  

Restricted stock

   $ 5,694    $ 5,694    $ 5,778    $ 5,778
    

  

  

  

Loans

   $ 840,539    $ 843,095    $ 833,447    $ 837,057

Allowance for loan losses

     14,963      —        14,868      —  
    

  

  

  

Loans, net

   $ 825,576    $ 843,095    $ 818,579    $ 837,057
    

  

  

  

Accrued interest receivable

   $ 8,702    $ 8,702    $ 9,647    $ 9,647
    

  

  

  

 

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Table of Contents

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 18.   FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (Continued)

 

     December 31, 2003

   December 31, 2002

    

Carrying

Amount


  

Fair

Value


  

Carrying

Amount


  

Fair

Value


     (Dollars in Thousands)

Financial liabilities:

                           

Deposits

   $ 906,524    $ 908,079    $ 916,185    $ 919,406
    

  

  

  

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   $ 8,211    $ 8,211    $ 8,204    $ 8,204
    

  

  

  

Other borrowings

   $ 97,545    $ 97,515    $ 117,290    $ 117,094
    

  

  

  

Accrued interest payable

   $ 1,728    $ 1,728    $ 2,395    $ 2,395
    

  

  

  

Trust preferred securities

   $ 34,500    $ 38,019    $ 34,500    $ 37,088
    

  

  

  

 

NOTE 19.   CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF ABC BANCORP (PARENT COMPANY ONLY)

 

CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS

DECEMBER 31, 2003 AND 2002

(Dollars in Thousands)

     2003

   2002

Assets

             

Cash

   $ 1,547    $ 3,535

Interest bearing deposits in banks

     17,575      14,933

Investment in subsidiaries

     125,477      128,286

Other assets

     8,252      6,232
    

  

Total assets

   $ 152,851    $ 152,986
    

  

Liabilities

             

Other borrowings

   $ 1,681    $ 8,144

Other liabilities

     3,057      2,858

Trust preferred securities

     34,500      34,500
    

  

Total liabilities

     39,238      45,502
    

  

Stockholders’ equity

     113,613      107,484
    

  

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

   $ 152,851    $ 152,986
    

  

 

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Table of Contents

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 19.   CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF ABC BANCORP (PARENT COMPANY ONLY) (Continued)

 

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2003, 2002 AND 2001

(Dollars in Thousands)

     2003

    2002

    2001

Income

                      

Dividends from subsidiaries

   $ 17,464     $ 4,220     $ 7,386

Interest

     165       334       212

Fee income

     10,440       9,865       9,252

Other income

     2,049       1,416       1,002
    


 


 

Total income

     30,118       15,835       17,852
    


 


 

Expense

                      

Interest

     3,536       3,650       955

Amortization and depreciation

     839       1,129       1,599

Other expense

     12,221       12,239       10,072
    


 


 

Total expense

     16,596       17,018       12,626
    


 


 

Income (loss) before income tax benefits and equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries (distributions in excess of earnings)

     13,522       (1,183 )     5,226

Income tax benefits

     1,232       1,860       590
    


 


 

Income before equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries (distributions in excess of earnings)

     14,754       677       5,816

Equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries (distributions in excess of earnings)

     (2,744 )     9,678       3,817
    


 


 

Net income

   $ 12,010     $ 10,355     $ 9,633
    


 


 

 

 

 

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Table of Contents

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 19.   CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF ABC BANCORP (PARENT COMPANY ONLY) (Continued)

 

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2003, 2002 AND 2001

(Dollars in Thousands)

 

     2003

    2002

    2001

 

OPERATING ACTIVITIES

                        

Net income

   $ 12,010     $ 10,355     $ 9,633  

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

                        

Depreciation and amortization

     476       685       698  

Amortization of intangible assets

     —         —         299  

Amortization of unearned compensation

     363       444       602  

(Undistributed earnings of subsidiaries) distributions in excess of earnings

     2,744       (9,678 )     (3,817 )

(Increase) decrease in interest receivable

     5       (9 )     (2 )

Increase (decrease) in interest payable

     —         (58 )     58  

Increase (decrease) in taxes payable

     (564 )     4       (552 )

Provision for deferred taxes

     80       (27 )     (284 )

(Increase) decrease in due from subsidiaries

     (178 )     301       (61 )

Other operating activities

     (709 )     624       (729 )
    


 


 


Total adjustments

     2,217       (7,714 )     (3,788 )
    


 


 


Net cash provided by operating activities

     14,227       2,641       5,845  
    


 


 


INVESTING ACTIVITIES

                        

Increase in interest-bearing deposits in banks

     (2,642 )     (11,376 )     (3,557 )

Purchases of premises and equipment

     (1,121 )     (369 )     (111 )

Contribution of capital to subsidiary bank

     (1,050 )     —         (8,500 )

Proceeds from sale of premises and equipment

     —         —         422  

Net cash paid for purchased subsidiaries

     —         —         (11,681 )
    


 


 


Net cash used in investing activities

     (4,813 )     (11,745 )     (23,427 )
    


 


 


FINANCING ACTIVITIES

                        

Repayment of other borrowings

     (6,462 )     (1,463 )     (7,131 )

Purchase of treasury shares

     (170 )     (3,469 )     —    

Dividends paid

     (4,885 )     (4,749 )     (4,262 )

Proceeds from other borrowings

     —         —         14,738  

Proceeds from issuance of trust preferred

     —         —         34,500  

Reduction in income taxes payable resulting from vesting of restricted shares

     106       —         —    

Proceeds from exercise of stock options

     9       133       12  
    


 


 


Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

     (11,402 )     (9,548 )     37,857  
    


 


 


Net increase (decrease) in cash

     (1,988 )     (18,652 )     20,275  

Cash at beginning of year

     3,535       22,187       1,912  
    


 


 


Cash at end of year

   $ 1,547     $ 3,535     $ 22,187  
    


 


 


SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION

                        

Cash paid during the year for interest

   $ 3,239     $ 3,388     $ 853  

 

F-35