National Penn Bancshares, Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2013 Results

National Penn Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq: NPBC) reported net income of $24.6 million, or $0.17 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2013, compared to $25.0 million, or $0.17 per diluted share for the second quarter of 2013. Year-to-date 2013 adjusted net income¹ was $0.50 per diluted share, exclusive of the first quarter 2013 debt extinguishment and retail trust preferred redemption, compared to net income of $0.49 per diluted share, for the prior year period. Adjusted return on average assets¹ was 1.17% for the third quarter and year-to-date 2013.

“This quarter is indicative of our ongoing commitment to consistent results at a high level, despite the sluggish economy and difficult rate environment,” said Scott V. Fainor, president and CEO of National Penn. “Our team remains focused on prudently managing and positioning the Company to maximize longer-term shareholder value.”

Management’s recent and ongoing strategies to mitigate the impact of the low interest rate environment resulted in a stable net interest margin of 3.51% for the first nine months of 2013, equal to the net interest margin for the first nine months of 2012. Year-to-date 2013, the cost of interest-bearing liabilities has been reduced from 0.87% to 0.54%. Net interest margin for the third quarter of 2013 was 3.49%, compared to 3.53% in the prior quarter, while net interest income of $63.1 million for the third quarter was comparable to the prior quarter and the third quarter of 2012. Loans increased modestly in the third quarter of 2013 as trends continue to reflect management’s disciplined approach of growing quality loans, while maintaining underwriting standards and managing interest rate risk.

Favorable credit quality trends continued as classified loans declined 7% in the third quarter of 2013 and have declined 26% over the last twelve months. Net charge-offs during the quarter were 0.38% of average loans on an annualized basis. The continued strength of National Penn’s asset quality supported a modest reduction in the provision for loan losses to $1.25 million, compared to a provision of $1.5 million in the second quarter of 2013. Asset quality ratios remained strong as non-performing loans were 1.04% of total loans, and the allowance for loan loss coverage of non-performing loans was 184% at September 30, 2013.

Operating expenses¹ of $53.6 million for the third quarter were comparable to both the second quarter of 2013 and the third quarter of 2012. A continued focus on managing operating expenses¹ has resulted in operating expenses¹ increasing by less than 1% through the first nine months of 2013, compared to the prior year period. The efficiency ratio for the third quarter was 58%, compared to 57% for the linked quarter.

National Penn’s Board of Directors declared a fourth quarter 2013 cash dividend of ten cents per common share payable on November 15, 2013 to shareholders of record as of November 2, 2013. At September 30, 2013, the Company’s tier 1 common and tangible common equity¹ to tangible assets ratios were a strong 14.38% and 10.61%, respectively.

Scott V. Fainor stated, “As we close out 2013, we look forward to beginning the relocations of designated teams to our new Reading, Pennsylvania business center, and in the spring of 2014, to our new corporate headquarters in Allentown, Pennsylvania. We are on track with our plan and motivated by the opportunities these moves provide us to leverage the strategic benefits of these locations and increase employee efficiency and collaboration.”

About National Penn Bancshares, Inc.:

National Penn Bancshares, Inc., with approximately $8.4 billion in assets, is a bank holding company based in Pennsylvania. Headquartered in Boyertown, National Penn Bank operates 120 branch offices comprising 119 branches in Pennsylvania and one branch in Maryland.

National Penn’s financial services affiliates are National Penn Wealth Management, N.A., including its National Penn Investors Trust Company division; National Penn Capital Advisors, Inc.; Institutional Advisors LLC; and National Penn Insurance Services Group, Inc., including its Higgins Insurance and Caruso Benefits Group divisions.

National Penn Bancshares, Inc. common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol “NPBC”. Please visit our Web site at www.nationalpennbancshares.com to see our regularly posted material information.

¹Statement Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Measures:

This release, including the attached Financial Highlights and financial data tables, contains supplemental financial information determined by methods other than in accordance with Accounting Principles Generally Accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). National Penn’s management uses these non-GAAP measures in its analysis of National Penn’s performance. These measures should not be considered a substitute for GAAP basis measures nor should they be viewed as a substitute for operating results determined in accordance with GAAP. Management believes the presentation of the following non-GAAP financial measures, which exclude the impact of the specified items, provides useful supplemental information that is essential to a proper understanding of the financial results of National Penn.

• Tangible common equity excludes goodwill and intangible assets and preferred equity. Banking and financial institution regulators also exclude goodwill and intangible assets from shareholders’ equity when assessing the capital adequacy of a financial institution. Tangible common equity provides a method to assess the Company’s tangible capital trends.
• Tangible book value expresses tangible common equity on a per share basis. Tangible book value provides a method to assess the level of tangible net assets on a per share basis.
• Adjusted net income and return on assets exclude the effects of certain gains and losses, adjusted for taxes when applicable. Adjusted net income and return on assets provide methods to assess earnings performance by excluding items that management believes are not comparable among the periods presented.
• Efficiency ratio expresses operating expenses as a percentage of fully-taxable equivalent net interest income plus non-interest income. Operating expenses exclude items from non-interest expense that management believes are not comparable among the periods presented. Non-interest income is also adjusted to exclude items that management believes are not comparable among the periods presented. Efficiency ratio is used as a method for management to assess its operating expense level and to compare to financial institutions of varying sizes.

Management believes the use of non-GAAP measures will help readers compare National Penn’s current results to those of prior periods as presented in the accompanying Financial Highlights and financial data tables.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information:

This release contains forward-looking information about National Penn Bancshares, Inc. that is intended to be covered by the safe harbor for forward-looking statements provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believe," "expect," "may," "will," "should," "project," "could," "plan," "goal," "potential," "pro forma," "seek," "intend," or "anticipate" or the negative thereof or comparable terminology, and include discussions of strategy, financial projections, guidance and estimates (including their underlying assumptions), statements regarding plans, objectives, expectations or consequences of announced transactions, and statements about the future performance, operations, products and services of National Penn and its subsidiaries. National Penn cautions readers not to place undue reliance on these statements.

National Penn’s business and operations are subject to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors. Consequently, actual results and experience may materially differ from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results and experience to differ from those projected include, but are not limited to, the following: difficult conditions in the capital markets and the economy generally, regulatory requirements or other actions mandated by National Penn’s regulators, recent and ongoing changes to the state and federal regulatory schemes under which National Penn and other financial services companies operate (including the Dodd-Frank Act and regulations adopted or to be adopted to implement that Act), delayed improvement in the credit quality of loans, the effect of credit risk exposure, the ability to strategically manage our capital position and to raise capital, allowance for loan losses may prove inadequate, variations in interest rates, unanticipated costs from our corporate relocation plan, the geographic concentration of National Penn’s operations, declines in the value of National Penn’s assets and the effect of any resulting impairment charges, competition for personnel and from other financial institutions, interruptions or breaches of National Penn’s security systems, the development and maintenance of National Penn’s information technology, potential dilution of National Penn’s shareholders, the ability of National Penn and its subsidiaries to pay dividends, severe weather and natural disasters, and the nature and frequency of litigation and other similar proceedings to which National Penn may be a party . These risks and others are described in greater detail in National Penn’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012, as well as in National Penn’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other documents filed by National Penn with the SEC after the date thereof. National Penn makes no commitment to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances occurring or existing after the date any forward-looking statement is made.