GREENSBORO, N.C., April 28, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Carolina Bank Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq:CLBH) today reported net income for the first quarter of 2009 of $665,000 and net income available to common stockholders of $411,000, or $0.12 per diluted common share, compared to $702,000, or $0.21 per diluted common share in the first quarter of 2008. Net income before income taxes and the provision for loan losses was $2.2 million in the first quarter of 2009 compared to $1.3 million in the first quarter of 2008.
Robert T. Braswell, President and CEO of Carolina Bank Holdings, commented, "Our core earnings before provision for loan losses was strong during the first quarter of 2009. On a sequential basis our net income of $665,000 for the first quarter of 2009 exceeded net income of $180,000 in the fourth quarter of 2008. Our net interest margin increased by 0.40% from the fourth quarter of 2008 and fee income from our wholesale mortgage division reached record levels. We have also increased our efforts assisting more of our customers through some challenging credit issues during this difficult economic cycle."
Net interest income for the first quarter of 2009 increased $0.7 million from the same quarter in 2008, or 21.0% to $4.3 million, reflecting a 22.0% increase in average earning assets and a 2 basis point increase in the net interest margin to 2.96% in 2009.
Non-interest income for the first quarter of 2009 was $2.4 million, an increase of $1.5 million from the first quarter of 2008. Excluding gains on the sale of investments of $235,000 during the first quarter of 2009, non-interest income increased 152.9% over the first quarter of 2008. Mortgage banking income, which are fees from the origination and sale of residential mortgage loans, increased to $1.8 million in the first quarter of 2009 from $0.6 million in the first quarter of 2008.
Non-interest expense increased to $4.5 million in the first quarter of 2009, an increase of 44.7% from the first quarter of 2008. Excluding a $251,000 impairment charge in the first quarter of 2009 related to an investment security in a correspondent bank, the increase in expenses was 36.6% and corresponded with our strong loan, deposit and fee income growth. A new corporate headquarters and full service office in downtown Greensboro, a new office in Winston-Salem, and the expanded wholesale mortgage division accounted for much of the new expense in 2009.
Mr. Braswell added, "We continue to concentrate on our bank's asset quality as our non-performing asset levels have risen in 2009 due to economic weakness and the related impact on some of our business customers. We are disappointed in the increase in non-performing assets over the past quarter but are working diligently to reduce them." Non-performing assets were $13.5 million, or 2.13% of assets at March 31, 2009, compared with $6.4 million, or 1.04% of assets at December 31, 2008. The bank had annualized net charge-offs of 0.16% and 0.06% of average loans in the first quarters of 2009 and 2008, respectively. The allowance for loan losses was 1.31% and 1.13% of loans held for investment at March 31, 2009 and 2008, respectively.
Shareholders' equity was strengthened during the first quarter of 2009 from the issuance of $16.0 million of preferred stock to the United States Treasury under the UST Capital Purchase Program and from an increase in retained earnings. Dividends paid and accrued to the United States Treasury totaled $178,000 in the first quarter of 2009.
About the Company
Carolina Bank, the banking subsidiary of Carolina Bank Holdings, Inc. began banking operations on November 25, 1996. The parent company is a North Carolina corporation organized in 2000. The bank is engaged in lending and deposit gathering activities in the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina, with operations in four counties: Guilford, Alamance, Forsyth and Randolph. The bank has eight full-service banking locations, four in Greensboro, one in Asheboro, one in High Point, one in Burlington, and one in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The Company's stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol CLBH. Further information is available on the Company's web site: www.carolinabank.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events. These statements are only predictions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual events or results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include risks of managing our growth, substantial changes in financial markets, regulatory changes, changes in interest rates, loss of deposits and loan demand to other financial institutions, and changes in real estate values and the real estate market. Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results to be materially different from those in the forward-looking statements is contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Carolina Bank Holdings undertakes no obligation to update or clarify forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Carolina Bank Holdings, Inc. and Subsidiary Consolidated Balance Sheets At March 31, 2009 and 2008 and December 31, 2008 (unaudited) March 31, Dec. 31, 2009 2008 2008 --------------------------------------------------------------------- (in thousands) ASSETS Cash and due from banks $ 6,282 $ 5,320 $ 5,896 Short-term investments and interest-earning deposits 38 28 51 Federal funds sold 1 -- 1 ------------------ -------- Total cash and cash equivalents 6,321 5,348 5,948 Securities available for sale, at fair value 52,145 58,793 59,803 Securities held-to-maturity, at amortized cost 1,074 3,087 1,116 Loans held for sale 30,796 16,020 19,163 Loans 514,203 416,121 501,424 Allowance for loan losses (6,749) (4,700) (5,760) ------------------ -------- Net loans 507,454 411,421 495,664 Premises and equipment, net 19,459 15,542 19,652 Other assets 16,555 13,992 15,265 ------------------ -------- Total assets $633,804 $524,203 $616,611 ================== ======== LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY LIABILITIES Deposits: Noninterest-bearing $ 27,692 $ 29,650 $ 29,367 Interest-bearing 493,755 408,049 468,697 ------------------ -------- Total deposits 521,447 437,699 498,064 Short-term borrowings 4,918 5,486 6,591 Federal Home Loan Bank advances 36,840 36,574 56,856 Subordinated debentures 19,283 10,310 19,265 Other liabilities 3,601 3,601 4,259 ------------------ -------- Total liabilities 586,089 493,670 585,035 STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Preferred stock, no par, authorized 1,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding 16,000 shares in 2009 and none in 2008 14,235 -- -- Common stock, $1 par value, 20,000,000 shares authorized; issued and outstanding - 3,387,045 shares in 2009 and 3,342,966 and 3,348,193 in 2008 3,387 3,343 3,348 Additional paid-in capital 17,613 15,515 15,586 Retained earnings 13,304 11,401 12,893 Stock in director rabbi trust (713) (588) (648) Directors deferred fees obligation 713 588 648 Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (824) 274 (251) ------------------ -------- Total stockholders' equity 47,715 30,533 31,576 ------------------ -------- Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $633,804 $524,203 $616,611 ================== ======== Carolina Bank Holdings, Inc. and Subsidiary Consolidated Statements of Operations For the three months ended March 31, 2009 and 2008 (unaudited) For the Three Months Ended March 31, ---------------------- 2009 2008 --------------------------------------------------------------------- (in thousands, except per share data) Interest income: Loans $ 7,213 $ 7,318 Investment securities - taxable 593 740 Investment securities - non taxable 123 82 Interest from federal funds sold -- 12 Other interest income -- 1 ---------------------- Total interest income 7,929 8,153 Interest expense: NOW, money market, savings 980 1,227 Time deposits 2,272 2,846 Other borrowed funds 365 515 ---------------------- Total interest expense 3,617 4,588 ---------------------- Net interest income 4,312 3,565 Provision for loan losses 1,195 235 ---------------------- Net interest income after provision for loan losses 3,117 3,330 Noninterest income: Service charges 250 197 Mortgage banking income 1,810 575 Gain on sale of investments 235 -- Other 107 85 ---------------------- Total noninterest income 2,402 857 Noninterest expense: Salaries and benefits 2,443 1,755 Occupancy and equipment 593 379 Professional fees 348 289 Outside data processing 205 174 Advertising and promotion 158 115 Stationery, printing and supplies 112 108 Impairment of marketable securities 251 -- Other 367 273 ---------------------- Total noninterest expense 4,477 3,093 ---------------------- Income before income taxes 1,042 1,094 Income taxes expense 377 392 ---------------------- Net income 665 702 Dividends and accretion on preferred stock 254 -- ---------------------- Net income available to common stockholders $ 411 $ 702 ====================== Basic earnings per common share $ 0.12 $ 0.21 Diluted earnings per common share $ 0.12 $ 0.21 Average common shares outstanding 3,451,559 3,341,061 Average common shares and dilutive potential common shares outstanding 3,455,621 3,415,029 Total Shares outstanding at end of period 3,387,045 3,342,966 Carolina Bank Holdings, Inc. Consolidated Financial Highlights First Quarter 2009 (unaudited) Quarterly ---------------------------------------------- ($ in thousands except 1st Qtr. 4th Qtr. 3rd Qtr. 2nd Qtr. for share data) 2009 2008 2008 2008 ---------------------------------------------- EARNINGS Net interest income $ 4,312 3,591 3,860 3,711 Provision for loan loss $ 1,195 705 350 620 NonInterest income $ 2,402 1,297 1,034 1,421 NonInterest expense $ 4,482 3,931 3,434 3,600 Net income $ 665 180 704 608 Net income available to common stockholders $ 411 180 704 608 Basic earnings per share $ 0.12 0.05 0.21 0.18 Diluted earnings per share $ 0.12 0.05 0.21 0.18 Average shares outstanding 3,451,559 3,348,193 3,343,818 3,342,966 Average diluted shares outstanding 3,455,621 3,366,244 3,367,778 3,397,474 PERFORMANCE RATIOS Return on average assets * 0.26% 0.12% 0.49% 0.45% Return on average common equity * 5.07% 2.31% 8.99% 7.90% Net interest margin (fully-tax equivalent) * 2.96% 2.56% 2.86% 2.91% Efficiency ratio 68.65% 79.64% 69.54% 69.63% # of full-time equivalent employees - period end 119 119 114 101 CAPITAL Equity to ending assets 7.53% 5.12% 5.30% 5.42% Tier 1 leverage capital ratio - Bank 8.32% 7.00% 7.28% 7.51% Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio - Bank 9.25% 7.62% 7.78% 8.08% Total risk-based capital ratio - Bank 12.01% 10.29% 10.47% 9.09% Book value per share $ 10.00 9.43 9.28 9.19 ASSET QUALITY Net charge-offs (recoveries) $ 206 399 (2) 218 Net charge-offs to average loans * 0.16% 0.33% 0.00% 0.20% Allowance for loan losses $ 6,749 5,760 5,454 5,102 Allowance for loan losses to loans held for investment 1.31% 1.15% 1.14% 1.12% Nonperforming loans $ 12,201 5,656 2,912 1,601 Restructured loans $ 0 0 0 0 Other real estate owned $ 1,288 728 441 511 Nonperforming loans to loans held for investment 2.37% 1.13% 0.61% 0.35% Nonperforming assets to total assets 2.13% 1.04% 0.57% 0.37% END OF PERIOD BALANCES Total assets $ 633,804 616,611 591,364 567,119 Total loans held for investment $ 514,203 501,424 477,298 456,841 Total deposits $ 521,447 498,064 464,969 460,340 Stockholders' equity $ 47,715 31,576 31,357 30,723 AVERAGE BALANCES Total assets $ 633,285 598,800 571,941 544,808 Total earning assets $ 598,620 563,769 541,231 516,152 Total loans held for investment $ 514,292 486,472 470,730 436,610 Total interest-bearing deposits $ 478,247 453,645 427,669 411,423 Stockholders' equity $ 32,901 30,911 31,058 30,869 Quarterly Year Ended ---------------------------------- ($ in thousands except 1st Qtr. for share data) 2008 2008 2007 ---------------------- ---------- EARNINGS Net interest income $ 3,565 14,727 14,171 Provision for loan loss $ 235 1,910 1,162 NonInterest income $ 857 4,609 1,729 NonInterest expense $ 3,093 14,058 9,927 Net income $ 702 2,194 3,024 Net income available to common stockholders $ 702 2,194 3,024 Basic earnings per share $ 0.21 0.66 0.92 Diluted earnings per share $ 0.21 0.65 0.89 Average shares outstanding 3,341,061 3,344,010 3,280,315 Average diluted shares outstanding 3,415,029 3,386,631 3,402,711 PERFORMANCE RATIOS Return on average assets * 0.55% 0.39% 0.67% Return on average common equity * 9.29% 7.13% 10.98% Net interest margin (fully-tax equivalent) * 2.94% 2.82% 3.30% Efficiency ratio 69.40% 72.08% 62.20% # of full-time equivalent employees - period end 96 119 89 CAPITAL Equity to ending assets 5.82% 5.12% 5.93% Tier 1 leverage capital ratio - Bank 7.83% 7.00% 8.17% Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio - Bank 8.71% 7.62% 8.97% Total risk-based capital ratio - Bank 9.73% 10.29% 10.00% Book value per share $ 9.13 9.43 8.94 ASSET QUALITY Net charge-offs (recoveries) $ 67 682 528 Net charge-offs to average loans * 0.06% 0.15% 0.15% Allowance for loan losses $ 4,700 5,760 4,532 Allowance for loan losses to loans held for investment 1.13% 1.15% 1.13% Nonperforming loans $ 3,715 5,656 3,538 Restructured loans $ 0 0 0 Other real estate owned $ 592 728 1,001 Nonperforming loans to loans held for investment 0.89% 1.13% 0.88% Nonperforming assets to total assets 0.82% 1.04% 0.91% END OF PERIOD BALANCES Total assets $ 524,203 616,611 500,116 Total loans held for investment $ 416,121 501,424 400,784 Total deposits $ 437,699 498,064 418,573 Stockholders' equity $ 30,533 31,576 29,640 AVERAGE BALANCES Total assets $ 513,580 557,282 451,130 Total earning assets $ 490,678 527,957 431,926 Total loans held for investment $ 412,521 451,583 358,575 Total interest-bearing deposits $ 401,975 423,679 361,800 Stockholders' equity $ 30,319 30,771 27,541 * annualized for all periods presented