Peoples Bancorp Announces First Quarter Earnings Results

NEWTON, NC / ACCESSWIRE / April 22, 2019 / Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. (NASDAQ: PEBK), the parent company of Peoples Bank, reported first quarter earnings results with highlights as follows:

First quarter highlights:

• Net earnings were $3.7 million or $0.61 basic and diluted net earnings per share for the three months ended March 31, 2019, compared to $3.3 million or $0.55 basic and diluted net earnings per share for the same period one year ago.
• Total loans increased $57.8 million to $823.6 million at March 31, 2019, compared to $765.8 million at March 31, 2018.
• Core deposits were $887.6 million or 97.74% of total deposits at March 31, 2019, compared to $889.0 million or 97.94% of total deposits at March 31, 2018.

Lance A. Sellers, President and Chief Executive Officer, attributed the increase in first quarter net earnings to an increase in net interest income and an increase in non-interest income, which were partially offset by an increase in the provision for loan losses and an increase in non-interest expense during the three months ended March 31, 2019, as compared to the three months ended March 31, 2018, as discussed below.

Net interest income was $11.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019, compared to $10.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The increase in net interest income was primarily due to a $1.4 million increase in interest income, which was partially offset by a $290,000 increase in interest expense. The increase in interest income was primarily attributable to an increase in the average outstanding balance of loans and a 0.75% increase in the prime rate since March 31, 2018. Net interest income after the provision for loan losses was $11.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019, compared to $10.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The provision for loan losses for the three months ended March 31, 2019 was $178,000, compared to $31,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The increase in the provision for loan losses is primarily attributable to a $57.8 million increase in loans from March 31, 2018 to March 31, 2019.

Non-interest income was $4.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019, compared to $3.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The increase in non-interest income is primarily attributable to a $231,000 increase in gains on the sale of securities during the three months ended March 31, 2019, compared to the same period one year ago.

Non-interest expense was $10.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019, compared to $10.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The increase in non-interest expense was primarily attributable to a $685,000 increase in salaries and benefits expense, which was primarily due to an increase in the number of full-time equivalent employees and annual salary increases.

Income tax expense was $785,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2019, compared to $652,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The effective tax rate was 17.63% for the three months ended March 31, 2019, compared to 16.49% for the three months ended March 31, 2018.

Total assets were $1.1 billion as of March 31, 2019 and 2018. Available for sale securities were $184.4 million as of March 31, 2019, compared to $213.3 million as of March 31, 2018. Total loans were $823.6 million as of March 31, 2019, compared to $765.8 million as of March 31, 2018.

Non-performing assets were $2.8 million or 0.25% of total assets at March 31, 2019, compared to $3.7 million or 0.34% of total assets at March 31, 2018. Non-performing loans include $2.7 million in commercial and residential mortgage loans and $89,000 in other loans at March 31, 2019, as compared to $3.4 million in commercial and residential mortgage loans, $130,000 in acquisition, development and construction loans and $114,000 in other loans at March 31, 2018.

The allowance for loan losses at March 31, 2019 was $6.6 million or 0.80% of total loans, compared to $6.4 million or 0.83% of total loans at March 31, 2018. Management believes the current level of the allowance for loan losses is adequate; however, there is no assurance that additional adjustments to the allowance will not be required because of changes in economic conditions, regulatory requirements or other factors.

Deposits were $908.1 million at March 31, 2019, compared to $907.6 million at March 31, 2018. Core deposits, which include noninterest-bearing demand deposits, NOW, MMDA, savings and non-brokered certificates of deposit of denominations less than $250,000, were $887.6 million at March 31, 2019, compared to $889.0 million at March 31, 2018. Certificates of deposit in amounts of $250,000 or more totaled $20.4 million at March 31, 2019, compared to $17.9 million at March 31, 2018.

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase were $41.2 million at March 31, 2019, compared to $38.3 million at March 31, 2018.

Shareholders' equity was $126.6 million, or 11.39% of total assets, at March 31, 2019, compared to $116.5 million, or 10.65% of total assets, at March 31, 2018. The Company repurchased 5,518 shares of its common stock during the first quarter of 2019 under the Company's stock repurchase program, which was funded in February 2019.

Peoples Bank currently operates 20 banking offices entirely in North Carolina, with offices in Catawba, Alexander, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Iredell and Wake Counties. Peoples Bank also operates loan production offices in Lincoln, Mecklenburg and Durham Counties. The Company's common stock is publicly traded and is quoted on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol "PEBK."

Statements made in this press release, other than those concerning historical information, should be considered forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and are based on the beliefs and assumptions of management and on the information available to management at the time that this release was prepared. These statements can be identified by the use of words like "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," and "believe," variations of these words and other similar expressions. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, (1) competition in the markets served by Peoples Bank, (2) changes in the interest rate environment, (3) general national, regional or local economic conditions may be less favorable than expected, resulting in, among other things, a deterioration in credit quality and the possible impairment of collectibility of loans, (4) legislative or regulatory changes, including changes in accounting standards, (5) significant changes in the federal and state legal and regulatory environment and tax laws, (6) the impact of changes in monetary and fiscal policies, laws, rules and regulations and (7) other risks and factors identified in the Company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to those described in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018.

Contact:

Lance A. Sellers
President and Chief Executive Officer

A. Joseph Lampron, Jr.
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

828-464-5620, Fax 828-465-6780

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
March 31, 2019, December 31, 2018 and March 31, 2018
(Dollars in thousands)

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
For the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018
(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
For the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018
(Dollars in thousands)

LOAN RISK GRADE ANALYSIS:

At March 31, 2019, including non-accrual loans, there were two relationships exceeding $1.0 million in the Watch risk grade (which totaled $3.2 million). There were no relationships exceeding $1.0 million in the Substandard risk grade.

SOURCE: Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc.