CIB Marine Bancshares, Inc. Announces Third Quarter 2020 Results

BROOKFIELD, Wis., Oct. 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CIB Marine Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company” or “CIBM”) (OTCQB: CIBH), the holding company of CIBM Bank, announced its unaudited results of operations and financial condition for the third quarter of 2020. Net income for the quarter was $3.4 million compared to $1.0 million for the same period in 2019 and, for the nine months ending September 30, 2020, it was $5.9 million compared to $2.4 million for the same period in 2019.

A summary of financial results for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2020, is attached. Select highlights include:

• The return on average assets and efficiency ratio year to date were 1.05% and 72%, respectively, compared to 0.46% and 86%, respectively, for the same period in 2019.
• CIBM Bank’s Mortgage Banking Division was a significant contributor to improved quarter and year to date earnings results. Driven by refinance activity due to lower interest rates, net mortgage banking revenues and loan originations for the nine months ended September 30, 2020, were $13.9 million and $418 million, respectively, compared to $6.1 million and $226 million, respectively, for the same period of the prior year.
• Compensation expense was up 28% in the Company for the nine months ended September 30, 2020, primarily due to the increase in mortgage division compensation as a result of the significant increase in production.  Compensation at the mortgage division represents 52% of the total compensation in the Company year to date; excluding the mortgage division, the Company’s compensation year to date is up less than 2% compared to the same period last year.
• Net interest income was up $1.9 million for the first nine months of 2020, compared to the same period in 2019. The primary reasons for the increase include: (i) higher average balances in loans held for sale and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, (ii) a 68 basis point reduction in the cost of interest bearing liabilities due to the lower interest rate environment, and (iii) the collection of principal plus interest on a large non-performing commercial real estate loan.
• In addition to providing the impetus for lower interest rates, COVID-19 and the related Lockdown Recession have affected the Company in many ways. Year to date, CIBM Bank has originated approximately 350 government guaranteed PPP loans, with balances in excess of $43 million. As a result, CIBM Bank has received and deferred $1.5 million in fees from the SBA to be fully recognized in earnings when the loans are repaid or granted forgiveness with repayment by the government. To date, the Company has prepared PPP forgiveness applications totaling $7 million in principal balances and $0.2 million in related deferred origination fees; we expect receipt of proceeds during the fourth quarter. In addition, there were 90 loans totaling $74 million with COVID-19 loan payment deferrals as of September 30, 2020.
• Provisions for loan losses were $1.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020, compared to $0.1 million for the same period of 2019. The primary reason for the increase is environmental and qualitative factors as well as certain borrower credit deterioration primarily from those industries hardest hit by COVID-19 and the Lockdown Recession (i.e., restaurants and hospitality).   
• Non-performing assets, restructured loans, and loans 90 days or more past due and still accruing to total assets and nonaccrual loans to total loans were 0.60% and 0.32%, respectively; compared to 1.35% and 1.09%, respectively, at December 31, 2019; and 1.40% and 1.14%, respectively, at September 30, 2020. The improvements during the first nine months of 2020 were due to certain loan level improvements including a successful large commercial real estate loan collection.
  

Mr. J. Brian Chaffin, President and CEO of CIBM, commented, “We are happy to report very strong earnings for the first three quarters of 2020. Given the challenges that many banks have faced this year, the efforts of our staff to deliver these results is outstanding. From the logistical and technological aspects of servicing our customers and managing bank and mortgage operations remotely, to implementing the significant number of new government economic and industry level assistance programs, to the bank-wide initiatives to improve earnings and efficiency, investors can be proud of the dedication and commitment of the entire CIBM Bank team.

“Record levels of mortgage banking activity at the Company have contributed to our financial success this year, and we have seen improvements in our funding composition and cost of funds thanks to the lower rate environment and our ‘Project Falcon’ initiatives related to deposit generation and operating efficiencies. Despite the strong results thus far in 2020,” he cautioned, “we expect to see credit deterioration continue in the industry on whole and in portions of CIBM Bank’s portfolio in the quarters ahead. To address the Lockdown Recession’s impact on credit risk, CIBM Bank has established higher loan loss provisions this year, with the possibility of further increases in the quarters to come.”   

In closing he added, “We are also pleased to highlight the successful 1-for-15 reverse split of our common stock, effective September 14, 2020. Combined with a pending future upgrade for the Company’s common stock from the OTCQB to OTCQX market during the fourth quarter, this should assist in improving the marketplace for the common stock.”  

CIB Marine Bancshares, Inc. is the holding company for CIBM Bank, which operates eleven banking offices and five mortgage loan offices in Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana. More information on the Company is available at www.cibmarine.com, including recent shareholder letters, links to regulatory financial reports, and audited financial statements.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
CIB Marine has made statements in this release that may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. CIB Marine intends these forward-looking statements to be subject to the safe harbor created thereby and is including this statement to avail itself of the safe harbor. Forward-looking statements are identified generally by statements containing words and phrases such as “may,” “project,” “are confident,” “should be,” “intend,” “predict,” “believe,” “plan,” “expect,” “estimate,” “anticipate” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements reflect CIB Marine’s current views with respect to future events and financial performance that are subject to many uncertainties and factors relating to CIB Marine’s operations and the business environment, which could change at any time.

There are inherent difficulties in predicting factors that may affect the accuracy of forward-looking statements.

Stockholders should note that many factors, some of which are discussed elsewhere in this Earnings Release and in the documents that are incorporated by reference, could affect the future financial results of CIB Marine and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements contained or incorporated by reference in this document. These factors, many of which are beyond CIB Marine’s control, include but are not limited to:

• operating, legal, execution, credit, market, security (including cyber), and regulatory risks;
• economic, political, and competitive forces affecting CIB Marine’s banking business;
• the impact on net interest income and securities values from changes in monetary policy and general economic and political conditions; and
• the risk that CIB Marine’s analyses of these risks and forces could be incorrect and/or that the strategies developed to address them could be unsuccessful.

These factors should be considered in evaluating the forward-looking statements, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. CIB Marine undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Forward-looking statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties and CIB Marine’s actual results may differ materially from the results discussed in forward-looking statements.