Oct. 23, 2009 (GlobeNewswire) --
HOUSTON, Oct. 23, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Encore Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq:EBTX) today announced its financial results for the third quarter of 2009.
Improved key revenue drivers
* Record quarterly revenue of $18.9 million on a tax equivalent
basis (TE)
* Revenue (TE) growth of 6.7% compared with the third quarter of
2008
* Core deposit growth of 10.7% compared with September 30, 2008,
which included noninterest-bearing deposit growth of 25.8%
* Net interest margin (TE) improvement of 4 basis points compared
with the second quarter of 2009
Increased credit reserve
* Allowance for loan losses increased to 2.49% of total loans
Maintained strong capital position
* Tier 1 capital of $173.0 million, or 15.29% Tier 1 risk-based
capital ratio
* Tangible common equity ratio was 7.93%
"We reported record revenue in the third quarter and I am encouraged that our key revenue drivers continue to improve," said James S. D'Agostino, Jr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Encore Bancshares, Inc. "However, credit costs, particularly in Florida, continue to remain high and we added $2.4 million in excess of net charge-offs to our allowance for loan losses during the quarter, bringing our allowance to 2.49% of total loans. Our capital position remains strong as we maintained a tangible common equity ratio of 7.93%."
Earnings
For the three months ended September 30, 2009, the net loss was $1.8 million, compared with net earnings of $228,000 for the same period of 2008. Loss per diluted common share for the third quarter of 2009 was $0.22, compared with earnings per diluted common share of $0.02 for the same period of 2008. Earnings per share include the dividends on preferred stock issued in the fourth quarter of 2008. The decrease in earnings was due primarily to higher credit costs, as we provisioned $2.4 million in excess of net charge-offs for the third quarter reflecting the deterioration of real estate values in Florida.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2009, net earnings were $203,000, compared with $1.9 million for the same period of 2008. The loss per diluted common share for the nine months ended September 30, 2009 was $0.14, compared with net earnings of $0.17 for the comparable period of 2008. Net interest income (TE) increased $2.9 million, or 8.9%, but was more than offset by higher credit costs and higher expenses. The increase in expenses was due primarily to higher FDIC insurance assessments.
Net Interest Income
Net interest income (TE) for the third quarter of 2009 was $12.1 million, an increase of $473,000, or 4.1%, compared with the same period of 2008. The net interest margin (TE) contracted 21 basis points to 3.13%, due primarily to a decrease in loans and greater liquidity on the balance sheet as a result of the slow economy. On a linked quarter basis (compared with immediately preceding quarter), net interest income (TE) rose $500,000, or 4.3%, and the net interest margin (TE) expanded 4 basis points. The improvement in the margin was due primarily to the repricing of time deposits at lower rates. For the nine months ended September 30, 2009, net interest income (TE) was $35.2 million, an increase of $2.9 million, or 8.9%, compared with the same period of 2008. The net interest margin (TE) decreased 2 basis points.
Noninterest Income
Noninterest income was $6.8 million for the third quarter of 2009, an increase of $713,000, or 11.7%, compared with the same period in 2008. The increase reflected growth in trust and investment management fees and gain on sale of securities. For the nine months ended September 30, 2009, noninterest income was $19.2 million, a decrease of $140,000 compared with the same period of 2008. The decrease was due primarily to lower trust and investment management fees resulting from lower assets under management, as equity values declined during the recession.
Noninterest Expense
Noninterest expense was $13.3 million for the third quarter of 2009, an increase of $1.1 million, or 8.9%, compared with the same period of 2008. The increase was due primarily to a combination of higher FDIC insurance assessments, higher professional expenses related to loan collection, and higher compensation expense. For the nine months ended September 30, 2009, noninterest expense was $39.7 million, an increase of $1.2 million, or 3.2%, compared with the same period of 2008. The increase was due primarily to higher FDIC insurance assessments, which included the special assessment of $684,000 in the second quarter of 2009, and higher professional expenses related to loan collection. The FDIC has adopted a proposed rule to require depository institutions to pre-pay, on December 30, 2009, estimated quarterly risk-based assessments for the fourth quarter of 2009 and all of 2010, 2011 and 2012. Comments to the proposed rule are due to the FDIC by October 28, 2009 and a final rule will be adopted after that date.
Segment Earnings
On a segment basis, our wealth management group showed net earnings of $866,000 for the third quarter of 2009, an increase of $72,000, or 9.1%, compared with the same period of 2008. The increase was mainly due to higher trust and investment management fees, as expenses were essentially flat. Our banking segment lost $2.6 million, a decrease of $2.0 million, compared with the same period in 2008, due primarily to higher credit costs. Our insurance agency had net earnings of $175,000, a decrease of $90,000, or 34.0%, compared with the same period of 2008.
Loans
Period end loans were $1.1 billion at September 30, 2009, a decrease of $92.3 million, or 7.7%, compared with September 30, 2008. The reduction in the loan portfolio was primarily in the commercial and construction categories as our clients continue to de-lever as a result of the weak economy.
Deposits
Period end deposits were $1.2 billion at September 30, 2009, an increase of $126.4 million, or 12.2%, compared with September 30, 2008. Noninterest-bearing deposits grew to $152.4 million, an increase of $31.3 million, or 25.8%, compared with September 30, 2008. Average deposits were $1.2 billion for the third quarter of 2009, an increase of $128.5 million, or 12.3%, compared with the same period of 2008.
Credit Quality and Capital Ratios
The provision for loan losses was $7.7 million for the third quarter of 2009, compared with $5.2 million in the third quarter of 2008. The increase in provision reflected the rise in unemployment and declining collateral values and specific reserves for two commercial real estate loans located in Florida. Net charge-offs for the third quarter of 2009 were $5.3 million, or 1.88% of average total loans on an annualized basis, compared with $2.7 million, or 0.90% of average total loans on an annualized basis for the same period of 2008. The increase in charge-offs resulted primarily from two private client loans and a residential construction loan in Houston, and a charge down of a commercial land loan in Florida. The allowance for loan losses was $27.6 million, or 2.49% of total loans at September 30, 2009, compared with $14.6 million, or 1.22%, at September 30, 2008.
At September 30, 2009, nonperforming assets were $39.9 million, or 3.58% of total loans and investment in real estate, compared with $36.6 million, or 3.16% of total loans and investment in real estate at June 30, 2009, and $23.4 million, or 1.95% of total loans and investment in real estate at September 30, 2008. At September 30, 2009, nonaccrual loans were $32.9 million, compared with $28.6 million at June 30, 2009, an increase of $4.4 million, or 15.4%. The increase was due primarily to a commercial construction loan in Florida. Investment in real estate was $7.0 million at September 30, 2009, compared with $8.0 million at June 30, 2009. The decrease was due primarily to the sale of several residential properties in Houston. At September 30, 2009, restructured loans consisted of a single commercial real estate loan in Florida, which continues to pay interest.
As of September 30, 2009, our estimated Tier 1 risk-based, total risk-based and leverage capital ratios were 15.29%, 16.56%, and 10.94%, respectively, and Encore Bank was considered "well capitalized" pursuant to regulatory capital definitions.
Conference Call
A conference call will be held on Friday, October 23, 2009 at 9:30 a.m., Central time, to discuss third quarter 2009 results. A question and answer session will follow the prepared remarks. Individuals may access the call by dialing 1-888-820-9415, or access the live webcast by visiting www.encorebank.com.
About Encore Bancshares, Inc.
Encore Bancshares, Inc. is a financial holding company headquartered in Houston, Texas and offers a broad range of banking, wealth management and insurance services through Encore Bank, N.A., and its affiliated companies. Encore Bank operates 11 private client offices in the Greater Houston area and six in southwest Florida. Headquartered in Houston and with $1.6 billion in assets, Encore Bank builds relationships with professional firms, privately-owned businesses, investors and affluent individuals. Encore Bank offers a full range of business and personal banking products and services, as well as financial planning, wealth management, trust and insurance products through its trust division, Encore Trust, and its affiliated companies, Linscomb & Williams and Town & Country Insurance. Products and services offered by Encore Bank's affiliates are not FDIC insured. The Company's common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol "EBTX".
The Encore Bancshares, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=4257
This press release contains certain financial information determined by methods other than in accordance with GAAP. Specifically, Encore reviews tangible book value per share, return on average tangible common equity and the tangible common equity to tangible assets ratio for internal planning and forecasting purposes. Encore reviews its net interest income, net interest spread and net interest margin on a tax equivalent basis, which is standard practice in the banking industry. Encore has included in this press release information relating to these non-GAAP financial measures for the applicable periods presented. Encore's management believes these non-GAAP financial measures provide information useful to investors in understanding our financial results and believes that its presentation, together with the accompanying reconciliations, provides a complete understanding of factors and trends affecting our business and allows investors to view performance in a manner similar to management, the entire financial services sector, bank stock analysts and bank regulators. These non-GAAP measures should not be considered a substitute for operating results determined in accordance with GAAP and Encore strongly encourages investors to review its consolidated financial statements in their entirety and not to rely on any single financial measure. Because non-GAAP financial measures are not standardized, it may not be possible to compare these financial measures with other companies' non-GAAP financial measures having the same or similar names.
This press release contains certain forward-looking information about Encore Bancshares that is intended to be covered by the safe harbor for "forward-looking statements" provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: competitive pressure among financial institutions; volatility and disruption in national and international financial markets; government intervention in the U.S. financial system; our ability to expand and grow our businesses and operations and to realize the cost savings and revenue enhancements expected from such activities; a deterioration of credit quality or a reduced demand for credit; changes in the interest rate environment; the continued service of key management personnel; our ability to attract, motivate and retain key employees; changes in availability of funds; general economic conditions, either nationally, regionally or in the market areas in which we operate; legislative or regulatory developments or changes in laws; changes in the securities markets and other risks that are described from time to time in our 2008 Annual Report on Form 10-K and other reports and documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Encore Bancshares, Inc. and Subsidiaries
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
(Unaudited, amounts in thousands, except per share data)
As of and for the As of and for the
Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended
September 30, September 30,
------------------ ------------------
2009 2008 2009 2008
-------- -------- -------- --------
Operations Statement Data:
Interest income $ 19,517 $ 20,481 $ 58,671 $ 61,078
Interest expense 7,562 8,873 23,797 28,746
-------- -------- -------- --------
Net interest income 11,955 11,608 34,874 32,332
Provision for loan losses 7,685 5,249 13,651 10,527
-------- -------- -------- --------
Net interest income after
provision for loan losses 4,270 6,359 21,223 21,805
Noninterest income(1) 6,813 6,100 19,244 19,384
Noninterest expense(1) 13,289 12,198 39,737 38,519
-------- -------- -------- --------
Net earnings (loss) before
income taxes (2,206) 261 730 2,670
Income tax expense (benefit) (453) 33 527 791
-------- -------- -------- --------
Net earnings (loss) $ (1,753) $ 228 $ 203 $ 1,879
======== ======== ======== ========
Earnings (loss) available to
common shareholders(2) $ (2,306) $ 228 $ (1,457) $ 1,879
======== ======== ======== ========
Common Share Data:
Basic earnings (loss) per
share(3) $ (0.22) $ 0.02 $ (0.14) $ 0.18
Diluted earnings (loss) per
share(3) (0.22) 0.02 (0.14) 0.17
Book value per share 15.01 15.73 15.01 15.73
Tangible book value per
share(4) 11.83 12.39 11.83 12.39
Average common shares
outstanding(3) 10,441 10,237 10,337 10,194
Diluted average common shares
outstanding(3) 10,441 10,934 10,337 10,904
Shares outstanding at end of
period 10,499 10,238 10,499 10,238
Selected Performance Ratios:
Return on average assets (0.43)% 0.06% 0.02% 0.17%
Return on average common
equity(5) (5.72)% 0.56% (1.22)% 1.56%
Return on average tangible
common equity(4)(5) (7.24)% 0.71% (1.55)% 1.99%
Net interest margin (6) 3.13% 3.34% 3.12% 3.14%
Efficiency ratio (1) 71.37% 67.82% 73.00% 73.39%
Noninterest income to total
revenue(1) 36.30% 34.45% 35.56% 37.48%
(1) Prior periods adjusted to include net expenses of foreclosed real
estate in other noninterest expense.
(2) Net earnings after deducting preferred dividends. The shares of
preferred stock were issued on December 5, 2008.
(3) Prior periods adjusted to include nonvested restricted stock in
average common shares outstanding as required by FASB ASC
260-45-60A.
(4) Non-GAAP measure. See calculation of tangible common equity in
subsequent table.
(5) Using earnings (loss) available to common shareholders.
(6) On taxable-equivalent basis in 2009. Taxable-equivalent amounts
in 2008 were immaterial.
Encore Bancshares, Inc.