EXHIBIT 99.1
PRESS RELEASE
Stewardship Financial Corporation Announces
Earnings for Second Quarter of 2015
Midland Park, NJ – July 30, 2015– Stewardship Financial Corporation (NASDAQ:SSFN), parent of Atlantic Stewardship Bank, announced net income for the three and six months ended June 30, 2015 of $1.2 million and $2.1 million, respectively, as compared to net income of $726,000 and $1.2 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2014, respectively. After dividends on preferred stock, net income available to common shareholders was $1.8 million, or $0.30 per common share, for the first six months of 2015 compared to $890,000, or $0.15 per common share, for the comparable period of 2014.
Commenting on the quarter and year-to-date numbers, Paul Van Ostenbridge, Stewardship Financial Corporation’s President and Chief Executive Officer stated, “Our results continue to demonstrate our ability to generate improving earnings. The strong loan growth we have seen for the last few quarters continues – with growth in the loan portfolio of $29.8 million for the first six months of 2015, or 12.5% on an annualized basis. In addition, results benefited from continued improvement in asset quality.”
Operating Results
The Corporation reported net interest income of $5.5 million and $10.9 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2015, compared to $5.4 million and $10.7 million for the equivalent prior year periods.
Press Release - Midland Park NJ | |
Stewardship Financial Corporation continued | July 30, 2015 |
Contributing to the improving results was the growth in average interest earning assets partially offset by reduced margins. The net interest margin was 3.40% for both the three and six months ended June 30, 2014 compared to 3.51% and 3.45% for the three and six months ended June 30, 2014, respectively. “Financial institutions, including the Corporation, continue to operate in this prolonged low interest rate environment where margins are generally expected to remain flat or show slight declines,” said Van Ostenbridge.
Noninterest income was reported at $882,000 and $1.8 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2015, respectively, compared to $807,000 and $1.2 million for the equivalent prior year periods. The current year periods reflect increases in fees and service charges of $53,000 and $111,000 when compared to 2014. In addition, gains on sales of mortgage loans increased over the prior year three and six month periods as the Corporation has returned to selling the majority of residential loan production. Another positive factor was noninterest income for the six months ended June 30 2015 included gains of $152,000 from the sale of available for sale securities and $53,000 from the sale of other real estate owned. The prior year period included a loss of $241,000 from the sale of nonperforming loans.
For both 2015 and 2014, total noninterest expenses of amounted to $5.1 million and $10.2 million for the three and six month periods, respectively.The Corporation remains committed to controlling expenses even as growth in the balance sheet is achieved.
Asset Quality
For the three and six months ended June 30, 2015, results were positively impacted by the Corporation recording negative provisions for loan losses of $600,000 and $700,000, respectively. There were no provisions for loan losses recorded in either the three or six months ended June 30, 2014. During 2015,
Press Release - Midland Park NJ | |
Stewardship Financial Corporation continued | July 30, 2015 |
the Corporation recorded $299,000 and $397,000 for the three and six month periods, respectively, of net recoveries of previously charged off loan balances. Furthermore, nonperforming loans continue to decline and were $2.5 million, or 0.50% of total loans at June 30, 2015 compared to $3.6 million, or 0.76%, at December 31, 2014 and $4.9 million, or 1.13%, a year earlier. Total nonperforming assets of $2.8 million, which includes other real estate owned, also showed continued improvement and represented just 0.39% of total assets at June 30, 2015 compared to 0.71% and 0.91% at December 31, 2014 and June 30, 2014, respectively.
Balance Sheet / Financial Condition
As of June 30, 2015, total assets reached $701.2 million, reflecting a slightly larger balance sheet when compared to assets of $693.6 million at December 31, 2014. A $29.8 million increase in gross loans for the first half of 2015 resulted from new loan originations, partially offset by normal principal amortization. As previously reported, early in 2015, the Corporation identified and sold approximately $27.8 million of available for sale securities with higher price volatility thus providing a portion of the funding for the loan growth while still continuing to manage overall asset growth.
Total deposits grew to $586.0 million at June 30, 2015, an increase of $29.5 million when compared to deposits of $556.5 million at December 31, 2014. Van Ostenbridge noted, “We are now focused on building on this growth in deposits to fund loan growth.”
In general, as a result of an increase in deposits, other borrowings decreased $21.7 million to $45.0 million at June 30, 2015. Other borrowings assist the Corporation in managing against rising interest rates through the extension of liabilities and enable us to handle temporary deposit outflows.
Press Release - Midland Park NJ | |
Stewardship Financial Corporation continued | July 30, 2015 |
At June 30, 2015, capital levels continue to significantly exceed the regulatory capital requirements for a “well capitalized” institution with a tier 1 leverage ratio of 9.90% (4% requirement) and total risk based capital ratio of 14.47% (8% requirement).
About Stewardship Financial Corporation
Stewardship Financial Corporation’s subsidiary, the Atlantic Stewardship Bank, has 12 banking offices in Midland Park, Hawthorne (2), Montville, North Haledon, Pequannock, Ridgewood, Waldwick, Wayne (2), Westwood and Wyckoff, New Jersey. The bank is known for tithing 10% of its pre-tax profits to Christian and local charities. To date, the Bank’s tithe donations total $8.2 million.
We invite you to visit our website at www.asbnow.com for additional information.
The information disclosed in this document contains certain “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and may be identified by the use of such words as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “should,” “plan,” “estimate,” and “potential.” Examples of forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, estimates with respect to the financial condition, results of operations and business of the Corporation that are subject to various factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from these estimates. These factors include: changes in general, economic and market conditions, legislative and regulatory conditions, or the development of an interest rate environment that adversely affects the Corporation’s interest rate spread or other income anticipated from operations and investments.
Stewardship Financial Corporation
Selected Consolidated Financial Information
(dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)
(unaudited)
| | June 30, | | | March 31, | | | December 31, | | | September 30, | | | June 30, | |
| | 2015 | | | 2015 | | | 2014 | | | 2014 | | | 2014 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Selected Financial Condition Data: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Cash and cash equivalents | | $ | 19,782 | | | $ | 21,035 | | | $ | 10,086 | | | $ | 10,850 | | | $ | 14,630 | |
Securities available for sale | | | 90,850 | | | | 94,553 | | | | 124,918 | | | | 138,255 | | | | 144,459 | |
Securities held to maturity | | | 58,363 | | | | 55,811 | | | | 55,097 | | | | 54,234 | | | | 54,225 | |
FHLB Stock | | | 2,833 | | | | 3,026 | | | | 3,777 | | | | 2,882 | | | | 2,429 | |
Loans receivable: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Loans receivable, gross | | | 507,105 | | | | 490,087 | | | | 477,320 | | | | 443,006 | | | | 433,198 | |
Allowance for loan losses | | | (9,299 | ) | | | (9,600 | ) | | | (9,602 | ) | | | (10,094 | ) | | | (9,825 | ) |
Other, net | | | (132 | ) | | | (7 | ) | | | (19 | ) | | | (17 | ) | | | 40 | |
Loans receivable, net | | | 497,674 | | | | 480,480 | | | | 467,699 | | | | 432,895 | | | | 423,413 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Loans held for sale | | | 1,416 | | | | 798 | | | | — | | | | 364 | | | | 259 | |
Other assets | | | 30,273 | | | | 30,114 | | | | 31,974 | | | | 33,072 | | | | 32,107 | |
Total assets | | $ | 701,191 | | | $ | 685,817 | | | $ | 693,551 | | | $ | 672,552 | | | $ | 671,522 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Noninterest-bearing deposits | | $ | 153,546 | | | $ | 141,406 | | | $ | 136,721 | | | $ | 140,345 | | | $ | 143,711 | |
Interest-bearing deposits | | | 432,453 | | | | 424,916 | | | | 419,755 | | | | 416,666 | | | | 422,669 | |
Total deposits | | | 585,999 | | | | 566,322 | | | | 556,476 | | | | 557,011 | | | | 566,380 | |
Other borrowings | | | 45,000 | | | | 50,000 | | | | 66,700 | | | | 46,800 | | | | 31,000 | |
Securities sold under agreements to repurchase | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 100 | | | | 7,601 | |
Subordinated debentures | | | 7,217 | | | | 7,217 | | | | 7,217 | | | | 7,217 | | | | 7,217 | |
Other liabilities | | | 2,123 | | | | 2,166 | | | | 4,189 | | | | 4,166 | | | | 2,329 | |
Total liabilities | | | 640,339 | | | | 625,705 | | | | 634,582 | | | | 615,294 | | | | 614,527 | |
Shareholders' equity | | | 60,852 | | | | 60,112 | | | | 58,969 | | | | 57,258 | | | | 56,995 | |
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity | | $ | 701,191 | | | $ | 685,817 | | | $ | 693,551 | | | $ | 672,552 | | | $ | 671,522 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Gross loans to deposits | | | 86.54% | | | | 86.54% | | | | 85.78% | | | | 79.53% | | | | 76.49% | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Equity to assets | | | 8.68% | | | | 8.77% | | | | 8.50% | | | | 8.51% | | | | 8.49% | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Asset Quality Data: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Nonaccrual loans | | $ | 2,539 | | | $ | 2,798 | | | $ | 3,628 | | | $ | 4,434 | | | $ | 4,875 | |
Loans past due 90 days or more and accruing | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
Total nonperforming loans | | | 2,539 | | | | 2,798 | | | | 3,628 | | | | 4,434 | | | | 4,875 | |
Other real estate owned | | | 219 | | | | 320 | | | | 1,308 | | | | 2,090 | | | | 1,225 | |
Total nonperforming assets | | $ | 2,758 | | | $ | 3,118 | | | $ | 4,936 | | | $ | 6,524 | | | $ | 6,100 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Nonperforming loans to total loans | | | 0.50% | | | | 0.57% | | | | 0.76% | | | | 1.00% | | | | 1.13% | |
Nonperforming assets to total assets | | | 0.39% | | | | 0.45% | | | | 0.71% | | | | 0.97% | | | | 0.91% | |
Allowance for loan losses to nonperforming loans | | | 366.25% | | | | 343.10% | | | | 264.66% | | | | 227.65% | | | | 201.54% | |
Allowance for loan losses to total gross loans | | | 1.83% | | | | 1.96% | | | | 2.01% | | | | 2.28% | | | | 2.27% | |
Stewardship Financial Corporation
Selected Consolidated Financial Information
(dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)
(unaudited)
| | For the three months ended | | | For the six months ended | |
| | June 30, | | | June 30, | |
| | 2015 | | | 2014 | | | 2015 | | | 2014 | |
Selected Operating Data: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Interest income | | $ | 6,360 | | | $ | 6,186 | | | $ | 12,554 | | | $ | 12,331 | |
Interest expense | | | 842 | | | | 810 | | | | 1,635 | | | | 1,649 | |
Net interest and dividend income | | | 5,518 | | | | 5,376 | | | | 10,919 | | | | 10,682 | |
Provision for loan losses | | | (600 | ) | | | — | | | | (700 | ) | | | — | |
Net interest and dividend income | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
after provision for loan losses | | | 6,118 | | | | 5,376 | | | | 11,619 | | | | 10,682 | |
Noninterest income: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Fees and service charges | | | 557 | | | | 504 | | | | 1,036 | | | | 925 | |
Bank owned life insurance | | | 101 | | | | 106 | | | | 197 | | | | 202 | |
Gain on calls and sales of securities | | | — | | | | — | | | | 152 | | | | — | |
Gain on sales of mortgage loans | | | 55 | | | | 2 | | | | 65 | | | | 14 | |
Loss on sales of loans | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | (241 | ) |
Gain on sales of other real estate owned | | | — | | | | 54 | | | | 53 | | | | 54 | |
Other | | | 169 | | | | 141 | | | | 297 | | | | 252 | |
Total noninterest income | | | 882 | | | | 807 | | | | 1,800 | | | | 1,206 | |
Noninterest expenses: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Salaries and employee benefits | | | 2,688 | | | | 2,557 | | | | 5,396 | | | | 5,235 | |
Occupancy, net | | | 423 | | | | 520 | | | | 890 | | | | 1,075 | |
Equipment | | | 165 | | | | 175 | | | | 321 | | | | 363 | |
Data processing | | | 459 | | | | 435 | | | | 912 | | | | 822 | |
FDIC insurance premium | | | 117 | | | | 133 | | | | 230 | | | | 344 | |
Other | | | 1,253 | | | | 1,286 | | | | 2,405 | | | | 2,361 | |
Total noninterest expenses | | | 5,105 | | | | 5,106 | | | | 10,154 | | | | 10,200 | |
Income before income tax expense | | | 1,895 | | | | 1,077 | | | | 3,265 | | | | 1,688 | |
Income tax expense | | | 673 | | | | 351 | | | | 1,126 | | | | 456 | |
Net income | | | 1,222 | | | | 726 | | | | 2,139 | | | | 1,232 | |
Dividends on preferred stock | | | 171 | | | | 171 | | | | 342 | | | | 342 | |
Net income available to common shareholders | | $ | 1,051 | | | $ | 555 | | | $ | 1,797 | | | $ | 890 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Weighted avg. no. of diluted common shares | | | 6,086,474 | | | | 5,999,897 | | | | 6,066,191 | | | | 5,978,511 | |
Diluted earnings per common share | | $ | 0.17 | | | $ | 0.09 | | | $ | 0.30 | | | $ | 0.15 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Return on average common equity | | | 9.25% | | | | 5.41% | | | | 8.03% | | | | 4.43% | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Return on average assets | | | 0.71% | | | | 0.44% | | | | 0.63% | | | | 0.37% | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Yield on average interest-earning assets | | | 3.91% | | | | 4.03% | | | | 3.91% | | | | 3.98% | |
Cost of average interest-bearing liabilities | | | 0.70% | | | | 0.70% | | | | 0.68% | | | | 0.70% | |
Net interest rate spread | | | 3.21% | | | | 3.33% | | | | 3.23% | | | | 3.28% | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net interest margin | | | 3.40% | | | | 3.51% | | | | 3.40% | | | | 3.45% | |
Stewardship Financial Corporation
Selected Consolidated Financial Information
(dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)
(unaudited)
| | For the three months ended | |
| | June 30, | | | March 31, | | | December 31, | | | September 30, | | | June 30, | |
| | 2015 | | | 2015 | | | 2014 | | | 2014 | | | 2014 | |
Selected Operating Data: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Interest income | | $ | 6,360 | | | $ | 6,194 | | | $ | 6,534 | | | $ | 6,069 | | | $ | 6,186 | |
Interest expense | | | 842 | | | | 793 | | | | 767 | | | | 791 | | | | 810 | |
Net interest and dividend income | | | 5,518 | | | | 5,401 | | | | 5,767 | | | | 5,278 | | | | 5,376 | |
Provision for loan losses | | | (600 | ) | | | (100 | ) | | | (300 | ) | | | 250 | | | | — | |
Net interest and dividend income | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
after provision for loan losses | | | 6,118 | | | | 5,501 | | | | 6,067 | | | | 5,028 | | | | 5,376 | |
Noninterest income: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Fees and service charges | | | 557 | | | | 479 | | | | 568 | | | | 510 | | | | 504 | |
Bank owned life insurance | | | 101 | | | | 96 | | | | 103 | | | | 100 | | | | 106 | |
Gain on calls and sales of securities | | | — | | | | 152 | | | | 165 | | | | — | | | | — | |
Gain on sales of mortgage loans | | | 55 | | | | 10 | | | | 26 | | | | 32 | | | | 2 | |
Loss on sales of loans | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
Gain on sales of other real estate owned | | | — | | | | 53 | | | | 9 | | | | — | | | | 54 | |
Other | | | 169 | | | | 128 | | | | 119 | | | | 122 | | | | 141 | |
Total noninterest income | | | 882 | | | | 918 | | | | 990 | | | | 764 | | | | 807 | |
Noninterest expenses: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Salaries and employee benefits | | | 2,688 | | | | 2,708 | | | | 2,738 | | | | 2,624 | | | | 2,557 | |
Occupancy, net | | | 423 | | | | 467 | | | | 420 | | | | 439 | | | | 520 | |
Equipment | | | 165 | | | | 156 | | | | 157 | | | | 167 | | | | 175 | |
Data processing | | | 459 | | | | 453 | | | | 447 | | | | 433 | | | | 435 | |
FDIC insurance premium | | | 117 | | | | 113 | | | | 103 | | | | 133 | | | | 133 | |
Other | | | 1,253 | | | | 1,152 | | | | 1,179 | | | | 1,193 | | | | 1,286 | |
Total noninterest expenses | | | 5,105 | | | | 5,049 | | | | 5,044 | | | | 4,989 | | | | 5,106 | |
Income before income tax expense | | | 1,895 | | | | 1,370 | | | | 2,013 | | | | 803 | | | | 1,077 | |
Income tax expense | | | 673 | | | | 453 | | | | 712 | | | | 251 | | | | 351 | |
Net income | | | 1,222 | | | | 917 | | | | 1,301 | | | | 552 | | | | 726 | |
Dividends on preferred stock | | | 171 | | | | 171 | | | | 171 | | | | 170 | | | | 171 | |
Net income available to common shareholders | | $ | 1,051 | | | $ | 746 | | | $ | 1,130 | | | $ | 382 | | | $ | 555 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Weighted avg. no. of diluted common shares | | | 6,086,474 | | | | 6,045,683 | | | | 6,030,561 | | | | 6,026,848 | | | | 5,999,897 | |
Diluted earnings per common share | | $ | 0.17 | | | $ | 0.12 | | | $ | 0.19 | | | $ | 0.06 | | | $ | 0.09 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Return on average common equity | | | 9.25% | | | | 6.77% | | | | 10.41% | | | | 3.58% | | | | 5.41% | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Return on average assets | | | 0.71% | | | | 0.54% | | | | 0.75% | | | | 0.33% | | | | 0.44% | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Yield on average interest-earning assets | | | 3.91% | | | | 3.90% | | | | 4.04% | | | | 3.85% | | | | 4.03% | |
Cost of average interest-bearing liabilities | | | 0.70% | | | | 0.67% | | | | 0.64% | | | | 0.68% | | | | 0.70% | |
Net interest rate spread | | | 3.21% | | | | 3.23% | | | | 3.40% | | | | 3.17% | | | | 3.33% | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net interest margin | | | 3.40% | | | | 3.41% | | | | 3.57% | | | | 3.36% | | | | 3.51% | |