CRANBURY, NJ--(Marketwire - May 14, 2008) - 1ST Constitution Bancorp (
NASDAQ:
FCCY), the
parent company of 1ST Constitution Bank, reported net income of $802,197
for the quarter ended March 31, 2008, or $0.20 per diluted share, compared
to net income of $1,325,894 for the quarter ended March 31, 2007, or $0.33
per diluted earnings per share. Net income for the quarter decreased by
$523,697, or 39.5 percent, over the results reported for the first quarter
of 2007. The 2007 per share amount has been restated to give effect to a 6
percent stock dividend paid on February 6, 2008.
The actions taken by the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee to rapidly
reduce short-term interest rates, coupled with the absolute costs of the
Company's interest bearing liabilities, influenced the decline in net
income in the first quarter of 2008, as compared to the first quarter of
2007.
Net interest income declined for the first quarter ended March 31, 2008 to
$4,003,130 from $4,457,673 reported for the first quarter of 2007.
Supporting earnings for the quarter was the continued generation of
non-interest income, which reached $786,377, up $142,636, or 22 percent,
above the same prior year quarter.
At March 31, 2008, the allowance for loan and lease losses was $3,513,080,
an increase of $165,000 from December 31, 2007. The ratio of the allowance
for loan and lease losses to total loans was 0.98 percent at March 31,
2008, and 1.10 percent at December 31, 2007.
Total assets at March 31, 2008 reached $476.3 million, representing an
increase of $47.1 million over December 31, 2007 assets of $429.2 million.
Deposits at March 31, 2008 grew to $378.7 million, up from $329.3 million
at December 31, 2007.
1ST Constitution Bancorp, through its primary subsidiary, 1ST Constitution
Bank, operates eleven branch banking offices in Cranbury (2), Fort Lee,
Hamilton, Hightstown, Jamesburg, Montgomery, Perth Amboy, Plainsboro, West
Windsor and Princeton, New Jersey.
1ST Constitution Bancorp common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Market
under the trading symbol "FCCY." Information about 1ST Constitution
Bancorp can be accessed via the Internet at
www.1STCONSTITUTION.com.
The foregoing contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are not
historical facts and include expressions about management's confidence and
strategies and management's expectations about new and existing programs
and products, relationships, opportunities, taxation, technology and market
conditions. These statements may be identified by such forward-looking
terminology as "expect," "look," "believe," "anticipate," "may," "will," or
similar statements or variations of such terms. Actual results may differ
materially from such forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause
results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements include,
but are not limited to, changes in the direction of the economy in New
Jersey, the direction of interest rates, effective income tax rates, loan
prepayment assumptions, continued levels of loan quality and origination
volume, continued relationships with major customers including sources for
loans, as well as the effects of general economic conditions and legal and
regulatory barriers and structure. 1ST Constitution Bancorp assumes no
obligation for updating any such forward-looking statements at any time.
1st Constitution Bancorp
Selected Consolidated Financial Data
($ in thousands, except per share amounts) At or For the Three Months
Ended March 31,
2008 2007
--------------- ---------------
Income Statement Data:
Interest income $ 7,167 $ 7,389
Interest expense 3,164 2,931
--------------- ---------------
Net interest income 4,003 4,458
Provision for loan losses 165 40
--------------- ---------------
Net interest income after prov. for
loan losses 3,838 4,418
Non-interest income 786 643
Non-interest expense 3,414 3,074
--------------- ---------------
Income before income taxes 1,210 1,987
Income tax expense 408 661
--------------- ---------------
Net income $ 802 $ 1,326
=============== ===============
Balance Sheet Data:
Total Assets $ 476,280 $ 421,520
Loans, including loans held for sale 358,153 280,685
Allowance for possible loan losses (3,513) (3,348)
Securities available for sale 71,056 79,766
Securities held to maturity 16,487 26,578
Deposits 378,709 340,782
Shareholders' Equity 41,648 36,833
Performance Ratios:
Return on average assets 0.72% 1.31%
Return on average equity 7.75% 14.79%
Net interest margin 3.88% 4.81%
Efficiency ratio 71.3% 60.3%
Asset Quality:
Loans past due over 90 days and still
accruing $ 300 $ 0
Nonaccrual loans 2,969 3,565
OREO property 4,305 0
Net charge-offs (recoveries) 0 (80)
Allowance for loan losses to total
loans 0.98% 1.19%
Nonperforming loans to total loans 0.91% 1.27%
Per Share Data:
Earnings per share - Basic $ 0.20 $ 0.33
Earnings per share - Diluted $ 0.20 $ 0.33
Book value per share $ 10.44 $ 9.24
Contact Information: CONTACT:
Robert F. Mangano
President & Chief Executive Officer
(609) 655-4500
Joseph M. Reardon
Senior Vice President & Treasurer
(609) 655-4500