Morris State Bancshares Announces Solid Earnings in 2020 and Increases Quarterly Dividend


DUBLIN, Ga., Feb. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Morris State Bancshares, Inc. (OTCQX: MBLU) (the “Company”), the parent of Morris Bank, today announced net income of $17.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, representing an increase of $3.8 million, or 27.80%, compared to net income of $13.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. The company also announced diluted earnings per share of $8.30 for 2020, representing a 20.82% increase over diluted earnings per share of $6.87 for 2019. Earnings were a result of disciplined cost of funds management and strong fee income from the SBA Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP, and strong mortgage production.

“We are very pleased with the financial performance of the Company in 2020. It was a year of significant change and challenges with the pandemic. Our team worked to strengthen community partnerships with our customers during the unprecedented economic conditions,” said Spence Mullis, President and CEO. “We continued to create significant value for our shareholders as we grew core deposits over 37% to $896 million. Noninterest-bearing deposit growth represented $87.7 million, or 45%, of the overall core deposit growth.”

The Company’s total shareholders’ equity increased 16.15% to $129 million as of December 31, 2020, as compared to $111 million as of December 31, 2019. Tangible book value per share increased to $56.04 as of December 31, 2020, an 18.78% increase or $8.86 per share from December 31, 2019. On January 27, 2021, the board of directors approved an increase in its first quarter dividend to $0.38 per share payable on or about March 15, 2021 to all shareholders of record as of February 28, 2021.

Net interest income for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 was $48.8 million and $38.9 million respectively, an increase of $9.8 million, or 25.23%. With many moving parts during 2020, the net interest margin at the bank ended at 4.53% for December 31, 2020, which was equal to the December 31, 2019 level. The bank was an active participant in PPP, booking over $86 million in loans and recognizing $2.2 million in fee income during 2020. The margin’s stamina was a result of diligent cost of funds management that offset moderate earning asset yield contraction. Our earning asset yield declined form 5.47% for 2019 to 5.00% for the year ended December 31, 2020, a 47-basis point reduction. Our cost of funds declined from 1.02% for 2019 to 0.52% for the year ended December 31, 2020, a 50-basis point reduction. We anticipate continued pressure on the margin going forward as it will be difficult to significantly lower our cost of funds while competition for good loans will remain.

Provision for loan losses was $3.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 versus $1.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. Our reserve as a percentage of total loans was 1.39% when PPP loans are netted out of total loans as of December 31, 2020, versus 1.31% as of December 31, 2019. Our adversely classified coverage ratio was 8.75% as of December 31, 2020 versus 14.49% as of December 31, 2019. Our level of other real estate owned (ORE) decreased to $131 thousand as of December 31, 2020 from $384 thousand as of December 31, 2019. This level of problem assets and ORE are the lowest held by the bank in over ten years.

Noninterest expense increased 9.62%, or $2.46 million, to $28.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 versus $25.6 million as of December 31, 2019. Most of this increase was related to salaries and employee benefits.

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this release may not be based on historical facts and are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements may be identified by their reference to a future period or periods or by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “may,” “might,” “will,” “would,” “could” or “intend.” We caution you not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this news release, in that actual results could differ materially from those indicated in such forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including, among others, the business and economic conditions; risks related to the integration of acquired businesses and any future acquisitions; changes in management personnel; interest rate risk; ability to execute on planned expansion and organic growth; credit risk and concentrations associated with the Company’s loan portfolio; asset quality and loan charge-offs; inaccuracy of the assumptions and estimates management of the Company makes in establishing reserves for probable loan losses and other estimates; lack of liquidity; impairment of investment securities, goodwill or other intangible assets; the Company’s risk management strategies; increased competition; system failures or failures to prevent breaches of our network security; changes in federal tax law or policy; the impact of recent and future legislative and regulatory changes; and increases in capital requirements. We undertake no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date of this news release. 

CONTACT:
Morris State Bancshares
Chris Bond
Chief Financial Officer
478-272-5202 

 
 
MORRIS STATE BANCSHARES, INC.
AND SUBSIDIARIES
         
Consolidating Statement of Income
December 31, 2020
         
   2020   2019  Change % Change
  (Unaudited)       
Interest and Dividend Income:        
Interest and fees on loans $50,465,805  $43,205,235  $7,260,570  16.80%
Interest income on securities  4,015,455   2,885,821   1,129,634  39.14%
Income on federal funds sold  103,208   513,422   (410,214) -79.90%
Income on time deposits held in other banks  286,418   925,860   (639,442) -69.06%
Other interest and dividend income  59,919   137,457   (77,538) -56.41%
Total interest and dividend income  54,930,805   47,667,795   7,263,010  15.24%
         
Interest Expense:        
Deposits  5,037,818   7,963,852  $(2,926,034) -36.74%
Interest on other borrowed funds  1,091,607   733,330   358,277  48.86%
Interest on federal funds purchased  72   151   (79) -52.32%
Total interest expense  6,129,497   8,697,333   (2,567,836) -29.52%
         
Net interest income before provision for loan losses  48,801,308   38,970,462   9,830,846  25.23%
Less-provision for loan losses  3,635,000   1,650,000   1,985,000  120.30%
Net interest income after provision for loan losses  45,166,308   37,320,462   7,845,846  21.02%
         
Noninterest Income:        
Service charges on deposit accounts  1,951,399   2,303,415   (352,016) -15.28%
Other service charges, commissions and fees  1,282,853   828,467   454,386  54.85%
Gain on sale of loans  187,006   263,029   (76,023) -28.90%
Increase in CSV of life insurance  372,060   213,246   158,814  74.47%
Other income  366,850   401,956   (35,106) -8.73%
Total noninterest income  4,160,168   4,010,113   150,055  3.74%
         
Noninterest Expense:        
Salaries and employee benefits  16,656,208   14,358,637   2,297,571  16.00%
Occupancy and equipment expenses, net  2,650,008   2,372,548   277,460  11.69%
(Gain) loss on sales and calls of securities  (46,323)  24,471   (70,794) -289.30%
Loss (gain) on sales of foreclosed assets and other real estate  74,094   (270,572)  344,666  -127.38%
Gain on sales of premises and equipment  (4,000)  (1,000)  (3,000) 300.00%
Other expenses  8,732,695   9,116,832   (384,137) -4.21%
Total noninterest expense  28,062,682   25,600,916   2,461,766  9.62%
         
Income Before Income Taxes  21,263,794   15,729,659   5,534,135  35.18%
Provision for income taxes  3,855,806   2,108,705   1,747,101  82.85%
         
Net Income $17,407,988  $13,620,954  $3,787,034  27.80%
         
         
Earnings per common share:        
Basic $8.30  $6.87  $1.43  20.82%
Diluted $8.30  $6.87  $1.43  20.82%
         


 
MORRIS STATE BANCSHARES, INC.
AND SUBSIDIARIES
         
Consolidating Balance Sheet
December 31, 2020
         
   2020   2019  Change % Change
  (Unaudited)       
ASSETS        
         
Cash and due from banks $56,290,263  $77,696,887  $(21,406,624) -27.55%
Federal funds sold  93,200,409   16,293,628   76,906,781  472.01%
Total cash and cash equivalents  149,490,672   93,990,515   55,500,157  59.05%
         
Interest-bearing time deposits in other banks  350,000   1,350,000   (1,000,000) -74.07%
Securities available for sale, at fair value  205,427,671   124,315,098   81,112,573  65.25%
Securities held to maturity, at cost  12,730,837   4,752,384   7,978,453  167.88%
Federal Home Loan Bank stock, restricted, at cost  899,700   842,900   56,800  6.74%
         
Loans, net of unearned income  837,333,161   738,886,405   98,446,756  13.32%
Less-allowance for loan losses  (10,781,434)  (9,716,060)  (1,065,374) 10.97%
Loans, net  826,551,727   729,170,345   97,381,382  13.36%
         
Bank premises and equipment, net  15,348,697   15,618,198   (269,501) -1.73%
ROU assets for operating lease, net  641,008   519,601   121,407  23.37%
Goodwill  9,361,770   9,361,770   -  0.00%
Intangible assets, net  2,717,311   3,067,075   (349,764) -11.40%
Other real estate and foreclosed assets  141,255   396,486   (255,231) -64.37%
Accrued interest receivable  4,763,849   3,962,808   801,041  20.21%
Cash surrender value of life insurance  13,620,443   13,248,384   372,059  2.81%
Other assets  7,370,992   6,352,407   1,018,585  16.03%
Total Assets $1,249,415,932  $1,006,947,971  $242,467,961  24.08%
         
         
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY        
         
Deposits:        
Non-interest bearing $282,746,775  $195,016,772  $87,730,003  44.99%
Interest bearing  804,440,237   682,509,497   121,930,740  17.87%
   1,087,187,012   877,526,269   209,660,743  23.89%
         
Other borrowed funds  28,677,477   14,483,605   14,193,872  98.00%
Lease liability for operating lease  641,008   519,601   121,407  23.37%
Accrued interest payable  269,880   537,598   (267,718) -49.80%
Accrued expenses and other liabilities  3,221,471   2,455,266   766,205  31.21%
         
Total liabilities  1,119,996,848   895,522,339   224,474,509  25.07%
         
Shareholders' Equity:        
Common stock  2,144,766   2,144,766   -  0.00%
Paid in capital surplus  39,292,064   39,292,064   -  0.00%
Retained earnings  65,858,082   55,916,996   9,941,086  17.78%
Current year earnings  17,407,988   13,620,954   3,787,034  27.80%
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)  6,381,381   1,830,484   4,550,897  248.62%
Treasury Stock, at cost 50,927 in 2020 and 46,517 shares in 2019  (1,665,197)  (1,379,632)  (285,565) 20.70%
Total shareholders' equity  129,419,084   111,425,632   17,993,452  16.15%
         
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity $1,249,415,932  $1,006,947,971   242,467,961  24.08%
         


     
MORRIS STATE BANCSHARES, INC.
AND SUBSIDIARIES
              
Selected Financial Information
     
  Year Ending Quarter Ended   
  December 31,December 31, December 31, September 30, June 30,  March 31,  December 31,
   2020  2019   2020   2020   2020   2020   2019 
(Dollars in thousand, except per share data) (Unaudited)  (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited)
              
Per Share Data             
Basic Earnings per Common Share $8.30 $6.87  $2.64  $1.95  $0.95  $2.50  $1.48 
Diluted Earnings per Common Share  8.30  6.87   2.64   1.95   0.95   2.50   1.48 
Dividends per Common Share  1.75  0.93   -   -   -   1.02   - 
Book Value per Common Share  61.81  53.11   61.81   51.87   49.78   46.71   53.11 
Tangible Book Value per Common Share  56.04  47.18   56.04   45.91   43.62   45.18   47.18 
              
              
Average Diluted Shares Outstanding  2,095,633  1,997,735   2,095,185   2,058,039   1,988,231   1,840,764   2,100,395 
End of Period Common Shares Outstanding  2,093,839  2,098,250   2,093,839   2,100,842   2,057,568   1,840,980   2,098,250 
              
              
Annualized Performance Ratios (Bank Only)             
Return on Average Assets  1.78%  1.63%   2.05%   1.74%   1.51%   1.75%   1.49% 
Return on Average Equity  14.38%  14.56%   16.31%   14.07%   11.82%   14.46%   12.37% 
Equity/Assets  11.98%  11.81%   11.98%   12.48%   2.00%   11.88%   11.65% 
Cost of Funds  0.52%  1.03%   0.31%   0.40%   0.57%   0.84%   0.91% 
Net Interest Margin  4.53%  4.53%   4.44%   4.40%   4.70%   4.59%   4.41% 
Efficiency Ratio  51.52%  57.80%   51.45%   51.38%   50.56%   53.26%   54.88% 
              


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