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8-K - CHOICEONE FORM 8-K - CHOICEONE FINANCIAL SERVICES INCchoice8k_012319.htm

 

EXHIBIT 99.1

 

 

 

News Release

 

Contact: Tom Lampen, ChoiceOne Bank
(616) 887-2337
tlampen@choiceone.com

 

ChoiceOne Financial Reports Fourth Quarter 2018 Results

 

Sparta, Mich. – January 23, 2019 – ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc. (OTC:COFS), the parent company for ChoiceOne Bank, reported net income of $1,828,000 for the fourth quarter of 2018 compared to $1,367,000 in the same period in 2017. Diluted earnings per share was $0.50 in the fourth quarter of 2018 compared to an adjusted $0.38 per share in the fourth quarter of the prior year. Net income for the year of 2018 was $7,333,000, compared to $6,168,000 in 2017. Diluted earnings per share for the twelve months ended December 31, 2018 was $2.02 compared to an adjusted $1.70 per share for the twelve months ended December 31, 2017. Per share amounts have been adjusted for the 5% stock dividends paid on May 31, 2017 and May 31, 2018.

 

“We are pleased to report that 2018 was another record year of earnings for ChoiceOne,” said Kelly Potes, President and Chief Executive Officer of ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc. “During the fourth quarter, we expanded our community bank franchise into West Michigan by opening two full-service branch offices in high-growth, high-traffic areas – one new location in downtown Grand Rapids and a second location in Rockford. We also experienced positive deposit and loan growth during the fourth quarter.”

 

Total assets have grown to $670.2 million as of the end of the fourth quarter of 2018 compared to $650.4 million as of September 30, 2018. Net loans grew $7.1 million from September 30, 2018 to December 31, 2018. This loan growth coupled with higher interest rates earned on both the loan and securities portfolios has helped total interest income for the twelve months ended December 31, 2018 to grow $2.5 million or 11.3% compared to the twelve months ended December 31, 2017. ChoiceOne also saw deposit growth during the fourth quarter 2018 of $32.7 million which helped to fund loan growth and decreased borrowings by $15.6 million.

 

ChoiceOne recorded no provision for loan losses in the fourth quarter of 2018 and nonperforming loans have declined $464,000 year to date 2018, as credit quality continues to remain a focal point for ChoiceOne.

 

Total noninterest income decreased $455,000 in the fourth quarter of 2018 and $891,000 in the twelve months ended December 31, 2018 compared to the same periods in the prior year. Insurance and investment commissions were the largest component of the decline because of ChoiceOne’s sale of a majority of its investment book of business during the fourth quarter of 2017. Gains on sales of loans have also declined as higher interest rates coupled with a low inventory of homes for sale in ChoiceOne’s market areas have negatively impacted the level of mortgage originations. Partially offsetting these reductions in income were higher customer service charges, gains on sales of securities in 2018 in contrast to losses sustained in 2017, and income from changes in the market value of equity securities in the twelve months ended December 31, 2018 compared to the same period in 2017. The implementation of Accounting Standard 2016-01 effective January 1, 2018 caused changes in the market value of equity securities to be recorded in noninterest income in 2018, in contrast with the treatment in prior years where changes were included in other comprehensive income.

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Total noninterest expense increased $229,000 in the fourth quarter of 2018 and $1.1 million in the twelve months ended December 31, 2018 compared to the same periods in 2017. Much of this increase was caused by higher salaries and benefits expense related to annual wage increases and additional sales and retail staff in preparation for the two new branch locations in 2018. Other noninterest expenses were also higher in the fourth quarter and twelve months ended December 31, 2018 compared to the same periods in the prior year due to growth in loan related costs, advertising and promotional expenses, and other expenses.

 

ChoiceOne’s income tax expense decreased $556,000 in the fourth quarter of 2018 and $1.2 million for the twelve months ended 2018 compared to the same periods in 2017, which caused the effective tax rate to decline from 28% in 2017 to 14% in 2018. This reduction in expense was due to the Tax Cut and Jobs Act passed in December of 2017.

 

“Increasing our locations in West Michigan to 14 full-service offices from 12 full-service offices allows us to reach more families and businesses in our broadened footprint,” said Potes. “In addition, we were able to hire more mortgage lenders, commercial loan officers and branch staff to serve our growing customer base. We believe it’s a win-win for ChoiceOne and our communities as we look to further growth.”

 

About ChoiceOne

ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc. is a financial holding company headquartered in Sparta, Michigan and the parent corporation of ChoiceOne Bank, Member FDIC. ChoiceOne Bank operates 14 full-service offices in parts of Kent, Ottawa, Muskegon, and Newaygo Counties. ChoiceOne Bank offers insurance and investment products through its subsidiary, ChoiceOne Insurance Agencies, Inc. ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc. common stock is quoted on the OTC under the symbol “COFS.” For more information, please visit Investor Relations at ChoiceOne’s website at www.choiceone.com.

 

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “forecasts,” “intends,” “is likely,” “plans,” “predicts,” “projects,” “may,” “could,” “look forward,” “continue”, “future” and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Management’s determination of the provision and allowance for loan losses, the carrying value of goodwill and loan servicing rights, and the fair value of investment securities (including whether any impairment on any investment security is temporary or other than temporary and the amount of any impairment) and management’s assumptions concerning pension and other postretirement benefit plans involve judgments that are inherently forward-looking. These statements reflect management’s current beliefs as to the expected outcomes of future events and are not guarantees of future performance. These statements involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions (“risk factors”) that are difficult to predict with regard to timing, extent, likelihood and degree of occurrence. Therefore, actual results and outcomes may materially differ from what may be expressed, implied or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. Furthermore, ChoiceOne undertakes no obligation to update, amend, or clarify forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

 

Risk factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors described in Item 1A in ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017. These and other factors are representative of the risk factors that could cause a difference between an ultimate actual outcome and a preceding forward-looking statement.

 

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EDITORS NOTE: Media interviews with ChoiceOne Bank executives are available by calling Tom Lampen at (616)887-2337 or tlampen@choiceone.com. Electronic versions of bank official headshots are also available.

 

 

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Condensed Balance Sheets
(Unaudited)

 

 

(In thousands) 12/31/2018   9/30/2018   12/31/2017
   Cash and Cash Equivalents $ 19,690   $ 14,427   $ 36,837
   Securities   173,016     169,361     159,158
   Loans Held For Sale   831     672     1,721
   Loans to Other Financial Institutions   20,644     16,238     6,802
   Loans, Net of Allowance For Loan Losses   404,401     397,293     394,208
   Premises and Equipment   16,010     14,947     12,855
   Cash Surrender Value of Life Insurance Policies   14,899     14,803     14,514
   Goodwill   13,728     13,728     13,728
   Other Assets   6,954     8,894     6,721
                 
      Total Assets $ 670,173   $ 650,363   $ 646,544
                 
   Noninterest-bearing Deposits $ 153,542   $ 145,025   $ 151,462
   Interest-bearing Deposits   423,473     399,322     388,391
   Borrowings   10,034     25,642     27,416
   Other Liabilities   2,647     3,209     2,725
                 
      Total Liabilities   589,696     573,198     569,994
                 
   Shareholders' Equity   80,477     77,165     76,550
                 
      Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity $ 670,173   $ 650,363   $ 646,544

 

 

 

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Condensed Statements of Income
(Unaudited)

 

  Three Months Ended   Twelve Months Ended  
(In Thousands, Except Per Share Data) 12/31/2018   12/31/2017   12/31/2018   12/31/2017  
Interest Income                
   Loans, including fees $ 5,298   $ 4,807   $ 20,033   $ 17,964  
   Securities and other   1,152     1,024     4,492     4,077  
Total Interest Income   6,450     5,831     24,525     22,041  
                         
Interest Expense                        
   Deposits   747     328     2,175     1,189  
   Borrowings   87     111     286     289  
Total Interest Expense   834     439     2,461     1,478  
                         
Net Interest Income   5,616     5,392     22,064     20,563  
Provision for Loan Losses   -     365     35     485  
                         
Net Interest Income After Provision for Loan Losses   5,616     5,027     22,029     20,078  
                         
Noninterest Income                        
   Customer service charges   1,186     1,054     4,526     4,135  
   Insurance and investment commissions   104     66     335     826  
   Gains on sales of loans   231     345     1,003     1,265  
   Gains on sales of securities   9     (457 )   34     (280 )
   Earnings on life insurance policies   96     99     385     398  
   Gain on sale of investment book of business   -     908     -     908  
   Change in market value of equity securities   (90 )   -     71     -  
   Other income   163     139     566     559  
Total Noninterest Income   1,699     2,154     6,920     7,811  
                         
Noninterest Expense                        
   Salaries and benefits   2,689     2,523     10,997     10,248  
   Occupancy and equipment   717     797     2,722     2,896  
   Data processing   560     598     2,204     2,279  
   Professional fees   511     388     1,349     1,166  
   Other expenses   847     789     3,189     2,745  
Total Noninterest Expense   5,324     5,095     20,461     19,334  
                         
Income Before Income Tax   1,991     2,086     8,488     8,555  
Income Tax Expense   163     719     1,155     2,387  
                         
Net Income $ 1,828   $ 1,367   $ 7,333   $ 6,168  
                         
Basic Earnings Per Share $ 0.51   $ 0.38   $ 2.03   $ 1.70  
Diluted Earnings Per Share $ 0.50   $ 0.38   $ 2.02   $ 1.70  

 

 

 

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