Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. (NASDAQ: PEBK), the parent company of Peoples Bank, reported second quarter and year to date earnings results with highlights as follows:

Second quarter highlights:

·	Net earnings were $2.8 million or $0.52 basic net earnings per share and $0.51 diluted net earnings per share for the three months ended June 30, 2017, as compared to $3.0 million or $0.54 basic net earnings per share and $0.53 diluted net earnings per share for the same period one year ago.

Year to date highlights:

·	Net earnings were $5.0 million or $0.92 basic net earnings per share and $0.91 diluted net earnings per share for the three months ended June 30, 2017, as compared to $5.4 million or $0.98 basic net earnings per share and $0.97 diluted net earnings per share for the same period one year ago.

·	Non-performing assets declined to $4.7 million or 0.4% of total assets at June 30, 2017, compared to $6.2 million or 0.6% of total assets at June 30, 2016.

·	Total loans increased $43.0 million to $745.0 million at June 30, 2017, compared to $702.0 million at June 30, 2016.

·	Core deposits were $869.3 million or 97.4% of total deposits at June 30, 2017, compared to $815.0 million or 96.9% of total deposits at June 30, 2016.

Lance A. Sellers, President and Chief Executive Officer, attributed the decrease in second quarter net earnings to an increase in the provision for loan losses, a decrease in non-interest income and an increase in non-interest expense, which were partially offset by an increase in net interest income during the three months ended June 30, 2017, as compared to the three months ended June 30, 2016.

Net interest income was $9.8 million for the three months ended June 30, 2017, compared to $9.0 million for the three months ended June 30, 2016.  The increase in net interest income was primarily due to a $646,000 increase in interest income, which was primarily attributable to an increase in the average outstanding balance of loans and a 0.75% increase in the prime rate since June 2016, combined with a $191,000 decrease in interest expense, which was primarily attributable to a decrease in the average outstanding balance of Federal Home Loan Bank borrowings during the three months ended June 30, 2017, as compared to the same period one year ago.  Net interest income after the provision for loan losses was $9.8 million for the three months ended June 30, 2017, compared to $9.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2016.  The provision for loan losses for the three months ended June 30, 2017 was an expense of $49,000, as compared to a credit of $531,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2016.  The increase in the provision for loan losses is primarily attributable to a $43.0 million increase in loans from June 30, 2016 to June 30, 2017.

Non-interest income was $3.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2017, compared to $3.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2016.  The decrease in non-interest income is primarily attributable to a $324,000 decrease in gains on the sale of securities during the three months ended June 30, 2017, compared to the same period one year ago.

 

Non-interest expense was $9.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2017, compared to $9.1 million for the three months ended June 30, 2016.  The increase in non-interest expense was primarily due to a $167,000 increase in salaries and benefits expense and a $94,000 increase in other non-interest expense, which was partially offset by a $35,000 decrease in occupancy expense during the three months ended June 30, 2017, as compared to the three months ended June 30, 2016.  The increase in salaries and benefits expense is primarily due to an increase in the number of full-time equivalent employees and annual salary increases.  The increase in other non-interest expense is primarily due to increases in advertising expenses and legal fees, which were partially offset by a decrease in consulting fees during the three months ended June 30, 2017, as compared to the three months ended June 30, 2016.

Year-to-date net earnings as of  June 30, 2017 were $5.0 million or $0.92 basic net earnings per share and $0.91 diluted net earnings per share, as compared to $5.4 million or $0.98 basic net earnings per share and $0.97 diluted net earnings per share for the same period one year ago.  The decrease in year-to-date net earnings is primarily attributable to a decrease in the credit to the provision for loan losses, a decrease in non-interest income and an increase in non-interest expense, which were partially offset by an increase in net interest income, as discussed below.

Year-to-date net interest income as of June 30, 2017 was $19.3 million compared to $18.1 million for same period one year ago.  The increase in net interest income was primarily due to a $805,000 increase in interest income, which was primarily attributable to an increase in the average outstanding balance of loans and a 0.75% increase in the prime rate since June 2016, combined with a $402,000 decrease in interest expense, which was primarily attributable to a decrease in the average outstanding balance of  FHLB borrowings during the six months ended June 30, 2017, as compared to the same period one year ago.  Net interest income after the provision for loan losses was $19.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017, compared to $18.8 million for the same period one year ago.  The provision for loan losses for the six months ended June 30, 2017 was a credit of $187,000, as compared to a credit of $748,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2016.  The decrease in the credit to the provision for loan losses is primarily attributable to a $43.0 million increase in loans from June 30, 2016 to June 30, 2017.

Non-interest income was $6.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017, compared to $6.9 million for the six months ended June 30, 2016.  The decrease in non-interest income is primarily attributable to a $324,000 decrease in gains on the sale of securities, a $162,000 decrease in service charges and fees and a $290,000 decrease in miscellaneous non-interest income during the six months ended June 30, 2017, as compared to the six months ended June 30, 2016.

Non-interest expense was $19.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017, as compared to $18.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2016.  The increase in non-interest expense was primarily due to a $820,000 increase in salaries and benefits expense, which was partially offset by a $176,000 decrease in occupancy expense and a $115,000 decrease in other non-interest expense, during the six months ended June 30, 2017, as compared to the six months ended June 30, 2016.  The increase in salaries and benefits expense is primarily due to an increase in the number of full-time equivalent employees, annual salary increases and an increase in expenses associated with restricted stock units due to an increase in the Company's stock price.  The decrease in occupancy expense is primarily due to a reduction in depreciation expense during the six months ended June 30, 2017, as compared to the six months ended June 30, 2016.  The decrease in other non-interest expense is primarily due to a decrease in consulting fees during the six months ended June 30, 2017, as compared to the six months ended June 30, 2016 due to a reduction in expenses associated with the consent order issued in August 2015.  The Bank continues to make progress in addressing the issues identified in the consent order and expects that it will be able to undertake and implement all required actions within the time periods specified in the consent order.

Total assets were $1.1 billion as of June 30, 2017 and 2016.  Available for sale securities were $241.3 million as of June 30, 2017, compared to $265.1 million as of June 30, 2016.  Total loans were $745.0 million as of June 30, 2017, compared to $702.0 million as of June 30, 2016.

 

Non-performing assets declined to $4.7 million or 0.4% of total assets at June 30, 2017, compared to $6.2 million or 0.6% of total assets at June 30, 2016.  The decline in non-performing assets is primarily due to a $1.3 million decrease in non-accrual loans.  Non-performing loans include $4.4 million in commercial and residential mortgage loans, $18,000 in acquisition, development and construction ("AD&C") loans and $269,000 in other loans at June 30, 2017, as compared to $5.8 million in commercial and residential mortgage loans, $36,000 in AD&C loans and $184,000 in other loans at June 30, 2016.

The allowance for loan losses at June 30, 2017 was $7.2 million or 0.96% of total loans, compared to $8.5 million or 1.2% of total loans at June 30, 2016.  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 were $892.5 million at June 30, 2017, compared to $841.4 million at June 30, 2016.  Core deposits, which include noninterest-bearing demand deposits, NOW, MMDA, savings and non-brokered certificates of deposit of denominations less than $250,000, increased $54.3 million to $869.3 million at June 30, 2017, as compared to $815.0 million at June 30, 2016.  Certificates of deposit in amounts of $250,000 or more totaled $22.5 million at June 30, 2017, as compared to $25.7 million at June 30, 2016.

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase were $50.0 million at June 30, 2017, as compared to $42.7 million at June 30, 2016.

Shareholders' equity was $113.9 million, or 10.3% of total assets, as of June 30, 2017, compared to $111.8 million, or 10.4% of total assets, as of June 30, 2016.  The increase in shareholders' equity is primarily due to an increase in retained earnings due to net income, which was partially offset by a decrease in accumulated other comprehensive income resulting from a decrease in unrealized gain on investment securities.

Peoples Bank operates 19 banking offices entirely in North Carolina, with offices in Catawba, Alexander, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Iredell and Wake Counties.  Peoples 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, 2016.

 

 

 

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