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8-K - FORM 8-K - WELLS FINANCIAL CORPf8k_110215-0129.htm

 
Contact:                                                                                                                            FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
James D. Moll                                                                                                                           November 2, 2015
President and CEO
Wells Financial Corp.
(507)553-3151


Wells Financial Corp. Announces Third Quarter Results of Operations

Selected Financial Data
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
(Unaudited)
 
Quarter Ended September 30,
Nine Months Ended September 30,
 
2015
2014
2015
2014
         
Net Income
$    3,420
$       518
$      4,463
$      865
Basic earnings per share
$      4.63
$      0.68
$        5.88
$     1.14
Diluted earnings per share
$      4.63
$      0.68
$        5.87
$     1.14
Return on average equity (1)(2)
46.42%
7.82%
21.28%
4.37%
Return on average assets(1)
5.11%
0.84%
2.31%
0.47%
Net interest rate spread
3.74%
3.54%
3.67%
3.47%
Net interest rate margin
3.75%
3.56%
3.69%
3.48%
Book value per share (2)
$    38.69
$   35.37
$     38.69
$ 35.37
(1) Annualized
       
(2) Includes stockholders’ equity and mezzanine equity
 
 

Quarter Ended September 30, 2015

Wells, Minnesota--OTCQB-WEFP--November 2, 2015-- James D. Moll, President of Wells Financial Corp.(the Company), the holding company of Wells Federal Bank (the Bank), announced net income for the third quarter of 2015 of $3,420,000, up $2,902,000 or 560.2%, when compared to the third quarter of 2014.  Basic and diluted earnings per share for the third quarter of 2015 were $4.63, up $3.95 or 581.0%, when compared to the third quarter of 2014.  The improvement in net income for the quarter is due, primarily, to the bargain purchase gain of $2,848,000 that resulted from the merger with St. James Federal Savings and Loan Association consummated on July 16, 2015, discussed below.  Also contributing to the improved earnings were an increase in net interest income of $298,000 and a decrease in the provision for loan losses of $170,000.

The increase in net interest income reflects the increase in interest-earning assets resulting from the St. James acquisition and was aided by an increase in the net interest rate spread which improved to 3.74% in the current quarter compared to 3.54% in the prior year.  The yield on interest-bearing assets increased to 3.95% from 3.81% while the average cost of interest-bearing liabilities decreased to 0.21% from 0.27% in the third quarter of 2014.  The average volume of interest-bearing assets increased to $251.3 million from $231.2 million in the prior-year period.  While the average volume of interest-bearing liabilities increased to $233.9 million from $216.0 million between periods, the decrease in average cost resulted in lower interest expense during the current quarter.  The decrease in the provision for loan losses to a net credit of $70,000 resulted from management’s analysis of credit quality.

In accordance with the Bank’s internal classification of assets policy, management evaluates the loan portfolio on a quarterly basis to identify and determine the adequacy of the allowance for loan loss and adjusts the level of the allowance for loan losses through the provision for loan losses.  As of September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, the
 
 
 
 

 
balance in the allowance for loan losses and the allowance for loan losses as a percentage of total loans was $2.1 million and $2.2 million and 1.1% and 1.2%, respectively.
 
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2015

Net income increased by $3,598,000 or 416.0% for the nine months ended September 30, 2015, when compared to the same period in 2014, primarily due to the bargain purchase gain of $2,848,000 that resulted from the conversion/merger with St. James Federal Savings and Loan Association.  Diluted earnings per share increased by $4.73 for the nine months ended September 30, 2015, when compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2014.  Net interest income increased by $699,000, or 11.7%, in the nine months ended September 30, 2015, when compared to the same period in 2014. When comparing the nine months ended September 30, 2015 to the same period in 2014, the provision for loan loss decreased by $420,000 and noninterest income increased by $3,140,000 which included the aforementioned bargain purchase gain.   Increases in net interest income and noninterest income and the decrease in provision for loan loss were the primary reasons for the increase in earnings.

Acquisition Completed in Third Quarter

On July 16, 2015 the Company announced that it had completed the acquisition of St. James Federal Savings and Loan Association (“St. James”) in a conversion merger transaction and the related stock offering of the Company, effective July 16, 2015.  As a result of the conversion merger, St. James converted from a federally-chartered mutual savings association to a federally-chartered stock savings association and immediately merged with and into Wells Federal Bank, the surviving entity in the merger conversion.  The Company sold 78,736 shares of common stock at a price of $27.36 per share to depositor and borrower members of St. James, to the Employee Stock Ownership Plan and stockholders of Wells, and to members of the general public in a concurrent subscription offering and community offering.  Gross offering proceeds totaled approximately $2.15 million.  As a result of the stock offering, the Company had 814,758 shares of common stock issued and outstanding as of the close of business on July 16, 2015. St. James’ sole office, located in St. James, Minnesota, has become a branch office of Wells Federal Bank.

About Wells Financial Corp.

Wells Financial Corp. is the bank holding company for Wells Federal Bank, a Minnesota-chartered, FDIC-insured bank.  Wells Federal Bank, originally chartered in 1934, operates from nine full-service offices in Faribault, Blue Earth, Nicollet, Freeborn, Watonwan and Steele Counties, Minnesota.

Forward-looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical may be “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1996, which involve risks and uncertainties.  The foregoing material may contain forward-looking statements concerning the financial condition, results of operations and business of the Company.  We caution that such statements are subject to a number of uncertainties and actual results could differ materially and, therefore, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements.  The Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims, any obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions that may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances arising after the date hereof.

**An unaudited consolidated balance sheet and income statement are part of this press release**

 
 

 


 
 
Wells Financial Corp. and Subsidiary
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Dollars in Thousands, Except Per Share Data)
 
 
Assets
09/30/15
12/31/14
 
(unaudited)
 
Cash and cash equivalents, including interest-bearing accounts,
   
2015, $5,435; 2014, $7,411
$          9,896
 $         14,373
Certificates of deposit, at cost
9,521
              4,181
Federal funds sold
3,000
              2,000
Securities available for sale
35,495
            34,177
Federal Home Loan Bank stock, at cost
2,036
              2,079
Loans held for sale
1,719
              1,707
Loans receivable, net of allowance for loan loss of $2,125 in 2015;  $2,158 in 2014;
197,336
182,050
Accrued interest receivable
1,252
                834
Premises and equipment, net
3,417
              3,172
Mortgage servicing rights, net
1,862
              1,886
Foreclosed real estate
1,975
              3,656
Other assets
1,041
              1,711
Total assets
$     268,550
 $       251,826
     
Liabilities, Mezzanine Equity and Stockholders’ Equity
   
     
Liabilities
   
Deposits
$     232,714
 $       221,972
Advances from borrowers for taxes and insurance
3,639
              2,630
Accrued interest payable
83
                  17
Accrued expenses and other liabilities
903
                588
Total liabilities
237,339
          225,207
     
Commitments, Contingencies and Credit Risk
   
     
Mezzanine Equity
   Redeemable common stock held by ESOP, $0.10 par value, shares issued and
        outstanding 85,160 at September 30, 2015; 95,602 at December 31, 2014
 
 
2,257
 
 
 2,533
 
Stockholders’ Equity
   
Preferred stock, no par value; 500,000 shares authorized; none
   
outstanding
                     -
Common stock, $0.10 par value; 7,000,000 shares authorized;
   
2,170,634 shares issued
217
209
Additional paid-in capital
18,119
17,110
Retained earnings, substantially restricted
39,879
35,552
Accumulated other comprehensive income
170
                  93
Unallocated Employee Stock Ownership Plan shares
(172)
-
Treasury stock, 2015, 1,459,526 shares; 2014, 1,445,248 shares
(29,259)
(28,878)
Total stockholders’ equity
28,954
24,086
Total liabilities, mezzanine equity and stockholders’ equity
$     268,550
 $       251,826
     


 
 

 


 

 
Wells Financial Corp. and Subsidiary
Consolidated Statements of Income
(Dollars in Thousands, Except Per Share Data)
 
 
 
Three Months Ended
September 30,
Nine Months Ended
September 30,
 
2015
2014
2015
2014
 
(unaudited)
(unaudited)
Interest income:
       
Loans receivable
$     2,293
$     2,026
$     6,530
$     5,903
Investment securities and interest-bearing deposits
185
177
508
548
Total interest income
2,478
2,203
7,038
6,451
         
Interest expense:
       
Deposits
125
148
350
462
Total interest expense
 125
148
350
462
         
Net interest income
2,353
2,055
6,688
5,989
         
Provision for loan losses
(70)
100
-
420
Net interest income after provision for
      loan losses
 
2,423
 
1,955
 
6,688
 
5,569
         
Noninterest income:
       
Gain on sale of loans held for sale
302
214
826
564
Loan servicing fees
210
168
640
600
Insurance commissions
188
195
529
487
Fees and service charges
113
129
342
346
Bargain purchase gain
2,848
-
2,848
-
Other
204
211
650
698
Total noninterest income
3,865
917
5,835
2,695
         
Noninterest expenses:
       
Compensation and benefits
1,168
1,093
3,425
3,460
Occupancy
196
172
553
573
Data processing
268
266
698
685
Advertising
71
71
194
181
Amortization of mortgage servicing rights
98
90
275
239
Other real estate owned
173
-
429
398
Other
546
570
1,491
1,540
Total noninterest expenses
2,520
2,262
7,065
7,076
         
Income before income taxes
3,768
610
5,458
1,188
         
Income tax expense
348
92
995
323
Net income
$     3,420
$     518
$     4,463
$       865
         
Earnings per share:
       
Basic
 $       4.63
$    0.68
$       5.88
$      1.14
Diluted
$       4.63
$    0.68
$       5.87
$      1.14