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EX-3.1 - EXHIBIT 3.1 - WEST BANCORPORATION INCwtba-2019124exhibit31.htm
8-K - 8-K - WEST BANCORPORATION INCwtba-2019124form8xk.htm


Exhibit 99.1

wtbalogoedita06a01a01a01a17.jpg

Press Release
 
January 24, 2019
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information contact:
Doug Gulling, Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer (515) 222-2309
 
WEST BANCORPORATION, INC. ANNOUNCES RECORD NET INCOME, DECLARES QUARTERLY DIVIDEND
 
West Des Moines, IA - West Bancorporation, Inc. (Nasdaq: WTBA; the “Company”), parent company of West Bank, today reported 2018 record net income of $28.5 million, or $1.74 per diluted common share, compared to 2017 net income of $23.1 million, or $1.41 per diluted common share. Net income for the fourth quarter of 2018 was $7.2 million, or $0.44 per diluted common share. This compares to fourth quarter 2017 net income of $4.2 million, or $0.26 per diluted common share. An additional tax provision of $2.3 million was recorded in the fourth quarter of 2017 related to the revaluation of our deferred tax assets as a result of the changes in tax laws that occurred in the fourth quarter of 2017. The tax law changes reduced the Company’s federal income tax rate from 35 percent in 2017 to 21 percent in 2018. On January 23, 2019, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.20 per common share. The dividend is payable on February 20, 2019, to stockholders of record on February 6, 2019.

“We believe the Company’s ability to successfully execute our community banking initiatives has helped us reach another financial milestone as we report record earnings for 2018,” commented Dave Nelson, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. “Earnings benefited from loan growth and the lower corporate income tax rate but continued to be tempered by rising interest rates and the resulting increased cost of funds. Management remains committed to achieving a high level of earnings and creating value for our stockholders.” In addition, Dave Nelson commented, “West Bank would like to congratulate Eastern Iowa Market President, Jim Conard, for being recognized by the Corridor Business Journal as one of the Top 25 Most Influential People in the Iowa City/Cedar Rapids corridor.”
Brad Winterbottom, West Bank President, said, “We are seeing strong growth opportunities, and the overall economic conditions in our communities remain favorable. West Bank had strong loan growth of $121.0 million, or 7.6 percent, in the fourth quarter and $211.3 million, or 14.0 percent, for the year in 2018. We believe West Bank is well positioned to continue developing healthy organic loan growth while maintaining a disciplined approach to credit quality.”
Eastern Iowa Market President, Jim Conard, commented, “The Eastern Iowa commercial banking team had a record year in terms of loan production.  Our relationships with many of the area’s leading local developers, real estate investors, and business leaders resulted in a number of new business transactions that grew our market’s total loan portfolio by 31.3 percent in 2018.  Our pipeline of pending business transactions remains strong, and we believe that we will continue to see healthy growth in loans and deposits in 2019.”
“We are very pleased with another strong year and fourth quarter for West Bank in Rochester, and look forward to extending the momentum into 2019,” said Mike Zinser, West Bank’s Rochester Market President.  “Our year-end 2018 loans outstanding in Rochester increased 22.9 percent and our deposits increased 35.6 percent compared to the prior year-end.  While nearly all of our loan growth was from business banking, much of our deposit growth was from a large inflow of high value personal deposits through our high service, concierge-type banking model, which continues to gain traction.”  Zinser concluded, “Coming into 2019, our team has built a strong pipeline with good strategies in place to continue driving new business and build upon our solid reputation and brand in Rochester.” 

The Company will file its report on Form 10-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission on or about February 28, 2019. Please refer to that document for a more in-depth discussion of our financial results. The Form 10-K will be available on the Investor Relations section of West Bank’s website at www.westbankstrong.com.

The Company will discuss its financial results on a conference call scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Central Time tomorrow, Friday, January 25, 2019. The telephone number for the conference call is 888-339-0814. A recording of the call will be available until February 8, 2019, by dialing 877-344-7529. The replay passcode is 10127160.





About West Bancorporation, Inc. (Nasdaq: WTBA)
West Bancorporation, Inc. is headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa. Serving Iowans since 1893, West Bank, a wholly-owned subsidiary of West Bancorporation, Inc., is a community bank that focuses on lending, deposit services, and trust services for consumers and small- to medium-sized businesses. West Bank has eight offices in the Des Moines metropolitan area, one office in Coralville, Iowa, and one office in Rochester, Minnesota.

Certain statements in this report, other than purely historical information, including estimates, projections, statements relating to the Company’s business plans, objectives and expected operating results, and the assumptions upon which those statements are based, are “forward-looking statements” within the meanings of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements may appear throughout this report. These forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words “believes,” “expects,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “future,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “strategy,” “plan,” “opportunity,” “will be,” “will likely result,” “will continue” or similar references, or references to estimates, predictions or future events.  Such forward-looking statements are based upon certain underlying assumptions, risks and uncertainties.  Because of the possibility that the underlying assumptions are incorrect or do not materialize as expected in the future, actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking statements.  Risks and uncertainties that may affect future results include: interest rate risk; competitive pressures; pricing pressures on loans and deposits; changes in credit and other risks posed by the Company’s loan and investment portfolios, including declines in commercial or residential real estate values or changes in the allowance for loan losses dictated by new market conditions or regulatory requirements; actions of bank and nonbank competitors; changes in local, national and international economic conditions; changes in legal and regulatory requirements, limitations and costs; changes in customers’ acceptance of the Company’s products and services; cyber-attacks; unexpected outcomes of existing or new litigation involving the Company; and any other risks described in the “Risk Factors” sections of other reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update such forward-looking statements to reflect current or future events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.







WEST BANCORPORATION, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
 
 
 
 
Financial Information (unaudited)
 
 
 
 
(in thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
 
December 31, 2018
 
December 31, 2017
Assets
 
 
 
 
Cash and due from banks
 
$
46,369

 
$
34,952

Federal funds sold
 
1,105

 
12,997

Investment securities available for sale, at fair value
 
453,758

 
444,219

Investment securities held to maturity, at amortized cost
 

 
45,527

Federal Home Loan Bank stock, at cost
 
12,037

 
9,174

Loans
 
1,721,830

 
1,510,500

Allowance for loan losses
 
(16,689
)
 
(16,430
)
Loans, net
 
1,705,141

 
1,494,070

Premises and equipment, net
 
21,491

 
23,022

Bank-owned life insurance
 
34,249

 
33,618

Other assets
 
22,418

 
16,798

Total assets
 
$
2,296,568

 
$
2,114,377

 
 
 
 
 
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
 
 
 
 
Deposits:
 
 
 
 
Noninterest-bearing
 
$
400,530

 
$
395,888

Interest-bearing:
 
 
 
 
Demand
 
336,089

 
395,052

Savings
 
950,501

 
850,216

Time of $250 or more
 
55,745

 
16,965

Other time
 
151,664

 
152,692

Total deposits
 
1,894,529

 
1,810,813

Federal funds purchased
 
19,985

 
545

Other borrowings
 
185,343

 
119,711

Other liabilities
 
5,688

 
5,210

Stockholders’ equity
 
191,023

 
178,098

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity
 
$
2,296,568

 
$
2,114,377








WEST BANCORPORATION, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
 
 
 
 
 
 
Financial Information (continued) (unaudited)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(in thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Three Months Ended December 31,
 
Year Ended December 31,
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
 
2018
 
2017
 
2018
 
2017
Interest income
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Loans, including fees
 
$
19,200

 
$
16,377

 
$
71,189

 
$
63,242

Investment securities
 
3,255

 
3,032

 
13,117

 
9,461

Other
 
151

 
108

 
487

 
331

Total interest income
 
22,606

 
19,517

 
84,793

 
73,034

Interest expense
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Deposits
 
5,486

 
2,538

 
17,064

 
7,622

Federal funds purchased
 
48

 
17

 
188

 
99

Other borrowings
 
1,416

 
1,418

 
5,483

 
5,256

Total interest expense
 
6,950

 
3,973

 
22,735

 
12,977

Net interest income
 
15,656

 
15,544

 
62,058

 
60,057

Provision for loan losses
 

 

 
(250
)
 

Net interest income after provision for loan losses
 
15,656

 
15,544

 
62,308

 
60,057

Noninterest income
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Service charges on deposit accounts
 
616

 
686

 
2,541

 
2,632

Debit card usage fees
 
427

 
421

 
1,681

 
1,754

Trust services
 
456

 
441

 
1,921

 
1,705

Increase in cash value of bank-owned life insurance
 
163

 
168

 
631

 
652

Gain from bank-owned life insurance
 

 

 

 
307

Realized investment securities gains (losses), net
 
(160
)
 
(97
)
 
(263
)
 
326

Other income
 
200

 
289

 
1,241

 
1,272

Total noninterest income
 
1,702

 
1,908

 
7,752

 
8,648

Noninterest expense
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Salaries and employee benefits
 
4,729

 
4,417

 
18,791

 
17,633

Occupancy
 
1,265

 
1,091

 
4,996

 
4,406

Data processing
 
662

 
646

 
2,682

 
2,677

FDIC insurance
 
186

 
163

 
685

 
677

Write-down of premises
 

 

 
333

 

Other expenses
 
2,344

 
1,715

 
7,505

 
6,874

Total noninterest expense
 
9,186

 
8,032

 
34,992

 
32,267

Income before income taxes
 
8,172

 
9,420

 
35,068

 
36,438

Income taxes
 
945

 
5,226

 
6,560

 
13,368

Net income
 
$
7,227

 
$
4,194

 
$
28,508

 
$
23,070







WEST BANCORPORATION, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
 
 
Financial Information (continued) (unaudited)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
PER COMMON SHARE
 
MARKET INFORMATION (1)
 
 
Net Income
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Basic
 
Diluted
 
Dividends
 
High
 
Low
2018
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4th Quarter
 
$
0.44

 
$
0.44

 
$
0.20

 
$
23.88

 
$
18.06

3rd Quarter
 
0.44

 
0.43

 
0.20

 
26.51

 
23.10

2nd Quarter
 
0.42

 
0.41

 
0.20

 
26.95

 
22.65

1st Quarter
 
0.46

 
0.45

 
0.18

 
26.85

 
23.65

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2017
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4th Quarter
 
$
0.26

 
$
0.26

 
$
0.18

 
$
28.00

 
$
23.40

3rd Quarter
 
0.40

 
0.39

 
0.18

 
24.75

 
20.90

2nd Quarter
 
0.39

 
0.39

 
0.18

 
24.60

 
21.40

1st Quarter
 
0.38

 
0.37

 
0.17

 
24.90

 
20.60

(1) The prices shown are the high and low sale prices for the Company’s common stock, which trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol WTBA. The market quotations, reported by Nasdaq, do not include retail markup, markdown or commissions.


 
 
Three Months Ended December 31,
 
Year Ended December 31,
SELECTED FINANCIAL MEASURES
 
2018
 
2017
 
2018
 
2017
Return on average assets
 
1.29
%
 
0.80
%
 
1.31
%
 
1.18
%
Return on average equity
 
15.45
%
 
9.31
%
 
15.68
%
 
13.29
%
Net interest margin
 
2.94
%
 
3.25
%
 
3.02
%
 
3.37
%
Efficiency ratio*
 
51.90
%
 
43.81
%
 
48.92
%
 
45.39
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
As of December 31,
 
 
 
 
 
 
2018
 
2017
Texas ratio*
 
 
 
 
 
0.93
%
 
0.32
%
Allowance for loan losses ratio
 
 
 
 
 
0.97
%
 
1.09
%
Tangible common equity ratio
 
 
 
 
 
8.32
%
 
8.42
%
* A lower ratio is more desirable.

Definitions of ratios:
Return on average assets - annualized net income divided by average assets.
Return on average equity - annualized net income divided by average stockholders’ equity.
Net interest margin(1) - annualized tax-equivalent net interest income divided by average interest-earning assets.
Efficiency ratio(1) - noninterest expense (excluding other real estate owned expense and write down of premises) divided by noninterest income (excluding net securities gains/losses and gains/losses on disposition of premises and equipment) plus tax-equivalent net interest income.
Texas ratio - total nonperforming assets divided by tangible common equity plus the allowance for loan losses.
Allowance for loan losses ratio - allowance for loan losses divided by total loans.
Tangible common equity ratio - common equity less intangible assets (none held) divided by tangible assets.

(1) Non-GAAP financial measures - see reconciliation below.






WEST BANCORPORATION, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
Financial Information (continued) (unaudited)
(dollars in thousands)

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

This report contains references to financial measures that are not defined in generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). The following table reconciles the non-GAAP financial measures of net interest income, net interest margin and efficiency ratio on a fully taxable equivalent (FTE) basis to GAAP.
 
 
Three Months Ended December 31,
 
Year Ended December 31,
 
 
2018
 
2017
 
2018
 
2017
Reconciliation of net interest income and annualized net interest margin on an FTE basis to GAAP:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net interest income (GAAP)
 
$
15,656

 
$
15,544

 
$
62,058

 
$
60,057

Tax-equivalent adjustment (1)
 
87

 
785

 
661

 
2,677

Net interest income on an FTE basis (non-GAAP)
 
$
15,743

 
$
16,329

 
$
62,719

 
$
62,734

Average interest-earning assets
 
$
2,124,148

 
$
1,990,776

 
$
2,075,372

 
$
1,863,791

Net interest margin on an FTE basis (non-GAAP)
 
2.94
%
 
3.25
%
 
3.02
%
 
3.37
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Reconciliation of efficiency ratio on an FTE basis to GAAP:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net interest income on an FTE basis (non-GAAP)
 
$
15,743

 
$
16,329

 
$
62,719

 
$
62,734

Noninterest income
 
1,702

 
1,908

 
7,752

 
8,648

Adjustment for realized investment securities (gains) losses, net
 
160

 
97

 
263

 
(326
)
Plus: losses on disposal of premises and equipment, net
 
95

 

 
109

 
25

Adjusted income
 
$
17,700

 
$
18,334

 
$
70,843

 
$
71,081

Noninterest expense
 
$
9,186

 
$
8,032

 
$
34,992

 
$
32,267

Adjustment for write-down of premises
 

 

 
(333
)
 

   Adjusted expense
 
$
9,186

 
$
8,032

 
$
34,659

 
$
32,267

Efficiency ratio on an adjusted and FTE basis (non-GAAP) (2)
 
51.90
%
 
43.81
%
 
48.92
%
 
45.39
%

(1) Computed on a tax-equivalent basis using a federal income tax rate of 21 percent in 2018 and 35 percent in 2017, adjusted to reflect the effect of the nondeductible interest expense associated with owning tax-exempt securities and loans. Management believes the presentation of this non-GAAP measure provides supplemental useful information for proper understanding of the financial results, as it enhances the comparability of income arising from taxable and nontaxable sources.
(2) The efficiency ratio expresses noninterest expense as a percent of fully taxable equivalent net interest income and noninterest income, excluding specific noninterest income and expenses. Management believes the presentation of this non-GAAP measure provides supplemental useful information for proper understanding of the financial performance. It is a standard measure of comparison within the banking industry.