OAKDALE, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 01/30/09 -- Oak Valley Bancorp (NASDAQ: OVLY), the bank holding company for Oak Valley Community Bank and Eastern Sierra Community Bank, recently reported financial results for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008. Total assets exceeded $500 million, increasing to $508.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2008, an 11.8% increase from the prior year. Net income for 2008 totaled $2.2 million compared to $3.9 million for 2007. Diluted earnings per common share were $0.27 in 2008 compared to $0.53 in 2007. For the three months ended December 31, 2008, net income totaled $283 thousand compared to $950 thousand, for the same period in 2007. Diluted earnings per common share were $0.03 for the quarter ended December 31, 2008, compared to $0.12 in the same quarter of 2007.

"Reaching the $500 million asset mark is a milestone for us, one which we are happy to have achieved in a steady and consistent manner over the Bank's eighteen year history. Although we are not delighted with our net income relative to last year, we are pleased to be in a position to report positive net income; a profit, amidst these turbulent times faced by the financial sector and the country as a whole," stated Ron Martin, CEO. "Despite the decrease in net earnings, operating income remains healthy, non-performing loans remain below peer average and the bank took cautionary measures to fortify the balance sheet by strengthening an already well-capitalized position by injecting additional capital," Martin concluded.

At December 31, 2008 gross loans totaled $428.2 million, an increase of $40.4 million, or 10.4%, during 2008. The Bank's loan loss provision totaled $2.2 million in 2008, including $1.0 million during the fourth quarter of 2008. This compares to $555 thousand in loan loss provision for the year ended December 31, 2007. The increases in loan loss provisions reflect 2008 charge-offs, strong loan growth and increased allocation for economic uncertainty. Net charge-offs totaling $1.1 million for 2008 primarily relate to construction loans secured by real property, where the value of the collateral has declined.

"The bank experienced loan growth of $40 million in 2008, and while growth is part of the general plan, we are definitely pleased with our good fortune under these economic circumstances. Though we are not overly optimistic about 2009 production potential, we believe opportunities continue to exist that will allow us to grow with quality loans," commented Chris Courtney, President. "Careful credit decisions and adherence to a style of relationship lending requires a deeper understanding of the borrower, which has, and will continue to serve the bank well even in hard economic times," Courtney concluded.

The allowance for loan losses as a percentage of loans totaled 1.30% at December 31, 2008, compared to 1.16% at December 31, 2007. The increase represents the increased allocation for economic uncertainty. At December 31, 2008 non-performing assets totaled $6.8 million, or 1.34% of total assets, compared to $9.1 million, or 2.00% of total assets, at December 31, 2007. Write-downs on OREO properties represented $1.3 million of the decrease in non-performing assets during 2008.

Total deposits were $378.2 million at year-end 2008, compared to $377.3 million at December 31, 2007. Despite the nominal growth in total deposits, the number of deposit accounts increased by 2.4 thousand, or 15%, during 2008, to over 18.3 thousand deposits accounts at December 31, 2008. Average balances per account have declined as a result of the impact of the weak economic environment, on both commercial and retail customers.

Net interest income of $20.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2008, increased by $1.7 million, or 8.9%, over the prior year. The increase reflects the growth in earning assets and expansion of the Bank's net interest margin. The Bank's net interest margin was 4.72% for the year ended December 31, 2008, compared to 4.53% for the year ended December 31, 2007. The increase is a result of the Bank's ability to reduce its cost of funds more rapidly than the decline in the yield on earning assets, through the declining rate environment of 2008.

Non-interest expense of $17.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2008, increased by $3.7 million, or 25.7%, over the prior year.