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8-K - FORM 8-K FOR APRIL 20, 2015 - PEOPLES BANCORP OF NORTH CAROLINA INCform8kforapr202015.htm
EXHIBIT (99)(a)
       
       
NEWS RELEASE
   
       
   
April 20, 2015
 
Contact:
Lance A. Sellers
   
 
President and Chief Executive Officer
   
       
 
A. Joseph Lampron, Jr.
   
 
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
   
       
 
828-464-5620, Fax 828-465-6780
   
       
For Immediate Release
   
 
PEOPLES BANCORP ANNOUNCES FIRST QUARTER EARNINGS RESULTS
 
Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. (NASDAQ: PEBK), the parent company of Peoples Bank, reported first quarter earnings results with highlights as follows:

First quarter highlights:

·  
Net earnings available to common shareholders were $2.3 million or $0.41 basic and diluted net earnings per common share for the three months ended March 31, 2015, as compared to $2.6 million or $0.46 basic and diluted net earnings per common share for the same period one year ago.
·  
Average outstanding principal balance of loans increased $37.2 million to $654.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2015 compared to $617.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014.
·  
Non-performing assets declined to $12.4 million or 1.2% of total assets at March 31, 2015, compared to $14.9 million or 1.4% of total assets at March 31, 2014.
·  
Total loans increased $42.5 million to $660.5 million at March 31, 2015, compared to $618.0 million at March 31, 2014.
·  
Core deposits were $786.2 million or 94.73% of total deposits at March 31, 2015, compared to $748.3 million or 92.3% of total deposits at March 31, 2014.
 
Lance A. Sellers, President and Chief Executive Officer, attributed the decrease in first quarter earnings to an increase in the provision for loan losses and an increase in non-interest expense, which were partially offset by an increase in non-interest income and an increase in net interest income.
 
Net interest income was $8.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2015, compared to $8.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014.  This increase was primarily due to an increase in interest income resulting from an increase in the average outstanding principal balance of loans combined with a decrease in interest expense resulting from a reduction in the cost of funds and a decrease in the average outstanding balance of interest bearing liabilities.  Net interest income after the provision for loan losses decreased to $8.5 million during the first quarter of 2015, compared to $8.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014.  The provision for loan losses for the three months ended March 31, 2015 was an expense of $173,000, as compared to a credit of $349,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2014.  The increase in the provision for loan losses is primarily attributable to a $42.5 million increase in loans from March 31, 2014 to March 31, 2015 and a $238,000 increase in net charge-offs during the three months ended March 31, 2015, as compared to the same period one year ago.
 
Non-interest income was $3.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2015, compared to $2.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014.  This increase is primarily attributable to a $391,000 increase in miscellaneous non-interest income and a $135,000 increase in mortgage banking income.  The increase in miscellaneous non-interest income is primarily due to $87,000 in net gains on other real estate owned properties for the three months ended March 31, 2015, as compared to $162,000 in net losses and write-downs on other real estate owned properties for the three months ended March 31, 2014.
 
 
5

 
 
Non-interest expense was $8.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2015, compared to $8.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014.  The increase in non-interest expense was primarily due to a $525,000 increase in salaries and benefits expense resulting primarily from an increase in the number of full-time equivalent employees and annual salary increases combined with a $138,000 increase in other non-interest expenses primarily due to a $49,000 increase in foreclosed property expense and a $25,000 increase in legal fees, which were partially offset by a $38,000 decrease in occupancy expense during the three months ended March 31, 2015, as compared to the three months ended March 31, 2014.
 
Total assets were $1.0 billion as of March 31, 2015 and 2014.  Available for sale securities were $282.6 million as of March 31, 2015, compared to $281.1 million as of March 31, 2014.  Total loans were $660.5 million as of March 31, 2015, compared to $618.0 million as of March 31, 2014.
 
Non-performing assets declined to $12.4 million or 1.2% of total assets at March 31, 2015, compared to $14.9 million or 1.4% of total assets at March 31, 2014.  The decline in non-performing assets is primarily due to a $2.6 million decrease in non-accrual loans.  Non-performing loans include $8.1 million in commercial and residential mortgage loans, $565,000 in acquisition, development and construction (“AD&C”) loans and $192,000 in other loans at March 31, 2015, as compared to $6.0 million in commercial and residential mortgage loans, $5.3 million in AD&C loans and $324,000 in other loans at March 31, 2014.  The allowance for loan losses at March 31, 2015 was $10.8 million or 1.6% of total loans, compared to $13.0 million or 2.1% of total loans at March 31, 2014.  Management believes the current level of the allowance for loan losses is adequate; however, there is no assurance that additional adjustments to the allowance will not be required because of changes in economic conditions, regulatory requirements or other factors.
 
Deposits amounted to $830.0 million as of March 31, 2015, compared to $810.5 million at March 31, 2014.  Core deposits, which include noninterest-bearing demand deposits, NOW, MMDA, savings and non-brokered certificates of deposit of denominations less than $250,000, increased $37.9 million to $786.2 million at March 31, 2015, as compared to $748.3 million at March 31, 2014.  Certificates of deposit in amounts of $250,000 or more totaled $36.2 million at March 31, 2015, as compared to $51.0 million at March 31, 2014.  This decrease is attributable to a $3.8 million decrease in wholesale certificates of deposit combined with a decrease in retail certificates of deposit which was expected as part of the Bank’s pricing strategy to allow maturing high cost certificates of deposit to roll-off.
 
Securities sold under agreements to repurchase were $38.7 million at March 31, 2015, as compared to $43.3 million at March 31, 2014.
 
Shareholders’ equity was $101.5 million, or 9.7% of total assets, as of March 31, 2015, compared to $88.4 million, or 8.5% of total assets, as of March 31, 2014.  This increase is primarily due to an increase in retained earnings and an increase in accumulated other comprehensive income resulting from an increase in the unrealized gain on investment securities.
 
Peoples Bank operates 21 banking offices entirely in North Carolina, with offices in Catawba, Alexander, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Union, Iredell and Wake Counties.  The Bank also operates loan production offices in Lincoln and Durham Counties.  The Company’s common stock is publicly traded and is quoted on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “PEBK.”

Statements made in this press release, other than those concerning historical information, should be considered forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995.  These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and are based on the beliefs and assumptions of management and on the information available to management at the time that this release was prepared.  These statements can be identified by the use of words like “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” and “believe,” variations of these words and other similar expressions.  Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements.  Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, (1) competition in the markets served by Peoples Bank, (2) changes in the interest rate environment, (3) general national, regional or local economic conditions may be less favorable than expected, resulting in, among other things, a deterioration in credit quality and the possible impairment of collectibility of loans, (4) legislative or regulatory changes, including changes in accounting standards, (5) significant changes in the federal and state legal and regulatory environment and tax laws, (6) the impact of changes in monetary and fiscal policies, laws, rules and regulations and (7) other risks and factors identified in the Company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission,  including but not limited to those described in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014.

 
 
6

 
 
 
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
March 31, 2015, December 31, 2014 and March 31, 2014
(Dollars in thousands)
             
             
             
             
 
March 31, 2015
 
December 31, 2014
 
March 31, 2014
 
 
(Unaudited)
 
(Audited)
 
(Unaudited)
 
ASSETS:
           
Cash and due from banks
$ 47,730   $ 51,213   $ 50,906  
Interest-bearing deposits
  19,783     17,885     28,006  
Cash and cash equivalents
  67,513     69,098     78,912  
                   
Investment securities available for sale
  282,575     281,099     300,756  
Other investments
  3,912     4,031     4,706  
Total securities
  286,487     285,130     305,462  
                   
Mortgage loans held for sale
  806     1,375     635  
                   
Loans
  660,477     651,891     618,040  
Less:  Allowance for loan losses
  (10,843 )   (11,082 )   (12,978 )
Net loans
  649,634     640,809     605,062  
                   
Premises and equipment, net
  16,745     17,000     16,419  
Cash surrender value of life insurance
  14,229     14,125     13,809  
Accrued interest receivable and other assets
  14,041     12,957     18,465  
Total assets
$ 1,049,455   $ 1,040,494   $ 1,038,764  
                   
                   
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY:
                 
Deposits:
                 
Noninterest-bearing demand
$ 217,603   $ 210,758   $ 195,465  
NOW, MMDA & savings
  432,541     407,504     399,847  
Time, $250,000 or more
  36,237     47,872     51,046  
Other time
  143,579     148,566     164,177  
Total deposits
  829,960     814,700     810,535  
                   
Securities sold under agreements to repurchase
  38,702     48,430     43,319  
FHLB borrowings
  50,000     50,000     65,000  
Junior subordinated debentures
  20,619     20,619     20,619  
Accrued interest payable and other liabilities
  8,660     8,080     10,880  
Total liabilities
  947,941     941,829     950,353  
                   
Shareholders' equity:
                 
Series A preferred stock, $1,000 stated value; authorized
             
5,000,000 shares; no shares issued and outstanding
  -        -        -     
Common stock, no par value; authorized
                 
20,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding
                 
5,612,588 shares at 3/31/15 and 12/31/14
                 
5,613,495 shares at 3/31/14
  48,088     48,088     48,133  
Retained earnings
  47,110     45,124     39,109  
Accumulated other comprehensive income
  6,316     5,453     1,169  
Total shareholders' equity
  101,514     98,665     88,411  
                   
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity
$ 1,049,455   $ 1,040,494   $ 1,038,764  
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
For the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014
(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)
         
         
         
 
Three months ended
 
 
March 31,
 
 
2015
 
2014
 
 
(Unaudited)
 
(Unaudited)
 
INTEREST INCOME:
       
Interest and fees on loans
$ 7,593   $ 7,401  
Interest on due from banks
  10     12  
Interest on investment securities:
           
U.S. Government sponsored enterprises
  713     847  
State and political subdivisions
  1,163     1,177  
Other
  88     108  
Total interest income
  9,567     9,545  
             
INTEREST EXPENSE:
           
NOW, MMDA & savings deposits
  111     126  
Time deposits
  247     334  
FHLB borrowings
  418     545  
Junior subordinated debentures
  97     96  
Other
  11     10  
Total interest expense
  884     1,111  
             
NET INTEREST INCOME
  8,683     8,434  
PROVISION FOR LOAN LOSSES
  173     (349 )
NET INTEREST INCOME AFTER
           
PROVISION FOR LOAN LOSSES
  8,510     8,783  
             
NON-INTEREST INCOME:
           
Service charges
  1,134     1,129  
Other service charges and fees
  355     419  
Gain on sale of securities
  -        26  
Mortgage banking income
  239     104  
Insurance and brokerage commissions
  161     198  
Miscellaneous
  1,356     965  
Total non-interest income
  3,245     2,841  
             
NON-INTEREST EXPENSES:
           
Salaries and employee benefits
  4,801     4,276  
Occupancy
  1,483     1,521  
Other
  2,464     2,326  
Total non-interest expense
  8,748     8,123  
             
EARNINGS BEFORE INCOME TAXES
  3,007     3,501  
INCOME TAXES
  679     923  
             
NET EARNINGS AVAILABLE TO
           
COMMON SHAREHOLDERS
$ 2,328   $ 2,578  
             
PER COMMON SHARE AMOUNTS
           
Basic net earnings
$ 0.41   $ 0.46  
Diluted net earnings
$ 0.41   $ 0.46  
Cash dividends
$ 0.06   $ 0.04  
Book value
$ 18.09   $ 15.75  
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
For the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014
(Dollars in thousands)
         
         
         
 
Three months ended
 
 
March 31,
 
 
2015
 
2014
 
 
(Unaudited)
 
(Unaudited)
 
SELECTED AVERAGE BALANCES:
       
Available for sale securities
$ 272,111   $ 299,017  
Loans
  654,728     617,461  
Earning assets
  948,279     942,723  
Assets
  1,036,299     1,019,275  
Deposits
  819,654     798,297  
Shareholders' equity
  101,328     87,712  
             
SELECTED KEY DATA:
           
Net interest margin (tax equivalent)
  3.97%     3.88%  
Return on average assets
  0.91%     1.03%  
Return on average shareholders' equity
  9.32%     11.92%  
Shareholders' equity to total assets (period end)
  9.67%     8.51%  
             
ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN LOSSES:
           
Balance, beginning of period
$ 11,082   $ 13,501  
Provision for loan losses
  173     (349 )
Charge-offs
  (530 )   (575 )
Recoveries
  118     401  
Balance, end of period
$ 10,843   $ 12,978  
             
ASSET QUALITY:
           
Non-accrual loans
$ 8,934   $ 11,568  
90 days past due and still accruing
  -        60  
Other real estate owned
  3,424     3,282  
Total non-performing assets
$ 12,358   $ 14,910  
Non-performing assets to total assets
  1.18%     1.44%  
Allowance for loan losses to non-performing assets
  87.74%     87.04%  
Allowance for loan losses to total loans
  1.64%     2.10%  
 
LOAN RISK GRADE ANALYSIS:
     
 
Percentage of Loans
 
By Risk Grade
 
3/31/2015
 
3/31/2014
Risk Grade 1 (excellent quality)
2.03%   2.32%
Risk Grade 2 (high quality)
23.44%   19.32%
Risk Grade 3 (good quality)
50.69%   48.80%
Risk Grade 4 (management attention)
16.36%   18.55%
Risk Grade 5 (watch)
4.28%   5.72%
Risk Grade 6 (substandard)
2.96%   5.00%
Risk Grade 7 (doubtful)
0.00%   0.00%
Risk Grade 8 (loss)
0.00%   0.00%
       
At March 31, 2015, including non-accrual loans, there were six relationships exceeding $1.0 million in the Watch risk grade (which totaled $14.2 million) and one relationship exceeding $1.0 million in the Substandard risk grade (which totaled $1.3 million). There was one relationship with loans in both the Watch and Substandard risk grades, which totaled $1.3 million for loans in both risk grades combined.
       
(END)