Discussions of certain matters in this Report on Form 10-Q may constitute forward looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and as such, may involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe future plans, strategies, and expectations, are generally identifiable by the use of words such as “believe”, “expect”, “intend”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “project”, “assume”, “plan”, “predict”, “forecast” or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, expectations of the business environment in which the Company operates, projections of future performance, potential future performance, potential future credit experience, perceived opportunities in the market, and statements regarding the Company's mission and vision. The Company's actual results, performance, and achievements may differ materially from the results, performance, and achievements expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements due to a wide range of factors. These factors include, but are not limited to, changes in interest rates, reducing interest margins or increasing interest rate risk, general economic conditions nationally or, in the State of California, legislative and regulatory changes adversely affecting the business in which the Company operates, monetary and fiscal policies of the US Government, real estate valuations, the availability of sources of liquidity at a reasonable cost, competition in the financial services industry, and other risks. All of the Company's operations and most of its customers are located in California. In addition, acts and threats of terrorism or the impact of military conflicts have increased the uncertainty related to the national and California economic outlook and could have an effect on the future operations of the Company or its customers, including borrowers. See “Item 1A – Risk Factors” in this Report on Form 10-Q and in “Item 1A- Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Year ended December 31, 2007 for further discussions of factors that could case actual result to differ from forward looking statements. The Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to update any forward-looking statements to reflect occurrences or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This summary is intended to identify the most important matters on which management focuses when it evaluates the financial condition and performance of the Company. When evaluating financial condition and performance, management looks at certain key metrics and measures. The Company’s evaluation includes comparisons with peer group financial institutions and its own performance objectives established in the internal planning process.
The primary activity of the Company is commercial banking. The Company’s operations are located entirely in the southern and eastern regions of the general San Francisco Bay area of California in the counties of Santa Clara, Alameda and Contra Costa. The largest city in this area is San Jose and the Company’s market includes the headquarters of a number of technology based companies in the region known commonly as Silicon Valley. The Company’s customers are primarily closely held businesses and professionals.
Performance Overview
For the three months ended March 31, 2008, net income was $1.7 million, or $0.14 per diluted share, compared to $4.0 million, or $0.34 per diluted share, for the three months ended March 31, 2007. The Company’s Return on Average Assets was 0.50% and Return on Average Equity was 4.33% for the first quarter of 2008 compared to 1.57% and 13.12% a year ago.
The following are major factors impacting the Company’s results of operations:
· | Net interest income increased 12% to $13.1 million in the first quarter of 2008 from $11.7 million in the first quarter of 2007, primarily due to an increase in the volume of average interest earning assets as a result of the merger with Diablo Valley Bank ("DVB") on June 20, 2007 and significant new loan production. |
· | Noninterest income decreased 40% to $1.5 million in the first quarter of 2008 from $2.5 million in the first quarter of 2007, primarily due to the strategic shift to retain SBA loan production. |
· | The efficiency ratio was 72.38% in the first quarter of 2008, compared to 58.26% in the first quarter of 2007, primarily due to a lower net interest margin and no gains on sale of SBA loans. |
· | Provision for loan losses increased to $1.7 million for the first quarter of 2008, compared to a credit provision of $236,000 in the first quarter of 2007, primarily reflecting the Company’s loan growth of $95.3 million. |
The following are important factors in understanding our current financial condition and liquidity position:
· | Total assets increased by $344 million, or 32%, to $1.41 billion at March 31, 2008 from $1.07 billion at March 31, 2007, primarily due to the acquisition of DVB and loans and deposits generated by additional relationship managers hired in the past year, as well as a new office in Walnut Creek. |
· | Gross loan balances (including loans held for sale) increased by $419 million, or 59%, from March 31, 2007 to March 31, 2008. |
· | The primary liquidity ratio was 3.20% as of March 31, 2008, which is composed of net cash, non pledged securities, and other marketable assets, divided by total deposits and short-term liabilities minus liabilities secured by investments or other marketable assets. The significant loan growth in the fourth quarter of 2008 contributed to the decrease in the liquidity ratio. We will look to attract deposits to increase this ratio. As of March 31, 2007 the primary liquidity ratio was 20.85%. |
Deposits
Growth in deposits is an important metric management uses to measure market share. The Company’s depositors are generally located in its primary market area. Depending on loan demand and other funding requirements, the Company occasionally obtains deposits from wholesale sources including deposit brokers. The Company had $65.9 million in brokered deposits at March 31, 2008. The Company also seeks deposits from title insurance companies and real estate exchange facilitators. The Company has a policy to monitor all deposits that may be sensitive to interest rate changes to help assure that liquidity risk does not become excessive due to concentrations. The Company’s acquisition of Diablo Valley Bank in 2007 resulted in a significant growth in deposits and expanded the Company’s market area. Deposits for the first quarter grew by 10% to $1.2 billion compared to $1.1 billion at December 31, 2007.
Lending
Our lending business originates primarily through our branch offices located in our primary market. While the economy in our primary service area has shown signs of weakening in late 2007 and early 2008, the Company has continued to experience strong loan growth. Commercial and commercial real estate loans increased from December 31, 2007, as a result of key relationship manager additions over the past year and opportunities created by consolidation in the local banking industry. We will continue to use and improve existing products to expand market share at current locations. Total loans increased to $1.1 billion for the first quarter of 2008 compared to $1.0 billion at December 31, 2007.
Net Interest Income
The management of interest income and interest expense is fundamental to the performance of the Company. Net interest income, the difference between interest income and interest expense, is the largest component of the Company’s total revenue. Management closely monitors both net interest income and the net interest margin (net interest income divided by average earning assets).
The Company, through its asset and liability policies and practices, seeks to maximize net interest income without exposing the Company to an excessive level of interest rate risk. Interest rate risk is managed by monitoring the pricing, maturity and repricing options of all classes of interest bearing assets and liabilities.
During the first quarter of 2008, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System reduced short-term interest rates by 200 basis points. This decrease in short-term rates immediately affected the rates applicable to the majority of the Company’s loans. While the decrease in interest rates also lowered the cost of interest bearing deposits, which represents the Company’s primary funding source, these deposits tend to price more slowly than floating rate loans.
Management of Credit Risk
Because of its focus on business banking, loans to single borrowing entities are often larger than would be found in a more consumer oriented bank with many smaller, more homogenous loans. The average size of its relationships makes the Company more susceptible to larger losses. As a result of this concentration of larger risks, the Company has maintained an allowance for loan losses which is higher than would be indicated by its actual historic loss experience. As the Company’s loan production has grown, its provision for loan losses also increased to $1.7 million in the first quarter of 2008 compared to a credit provision of $236,000 a year ago for the same period.
Noninterest Income
While net interest income remains the largest single component of total revenues, noninterest income is an important component. A significant percentage of the Company’s noninterest income is associated with its SBA lending activity, either as gains on the sale of loans sold in the secondary market or servicing income from loans sold in the secondary market with retained servicing rights. Noninterest income will continue to be affected by the Company’s strategic decision in the third quarter of 2007 to retain rather than sell its SBA loans.
Noninterest Expense
Management considers the control of operating expenses to be a critical element of the Company’s performance. Over the last three years the Company has undertaken several initiatives to reduce its noninterest expense and improve its efficiency. Management monitors progress in reducing noninterest expense through review of the Company’s efficiency ratio. The Company’s efficiency ratio was 72.38% in the first quarter of 2008 compared with 58.26% in the first quarter of 2007. The efficiency ratio increased in 2008 primarily due to compression of the Company’s net interest margin and a decrease in noninterest income. As a percentage of average assets, noninterest expense decreased to 3.09% in 2008 from 3.24% in the first quarter of 2007.
Capital Management and Share Repurchases
Heritage Commerce Corp and Heritage Bank of Commerce meet the regulatory definition of “well capitalized” at March 31, 2008. As part of its asset and liability process, the Company continually assesses its capital position to take into consideration growth, expected earnings, risk profile and potential corporate activities that it may choose to pursue. In July, 2007, the Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to an additional $30 million of common stock through July, 2009. Through March 31, 2008, the Company has bought back 1,262,370 shares for a total of $23.1 million under the current stock repurchase plan. The repurchase program expires in July, 2009. The repurchase program may be modified, suspended or terminated by the Board of Directors at any time without notice. The extent to which the Company repurchases its shares and the timing of such repurchases will depend upon market conditions and other corporate considerations.
Starting in 2006, the Company initiated the payment of quarterly cash dividends. The Company’s general policy is to pay cash dividends within the range of typical peer payout ratios, provided that such payments do not adversely affect our financial condition and are not overly restrictive to our growth capacity. On April 30, 2008, the Company declared an $0.08 per share quarterly cash dividend for the first quarter of 2008. The dividend will be paid on June 6, 2008, to shareholders of record on May 16, 2008. The Company expects to pay quarterly cash dividends through 2008.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The Company earns income from two primary sources. The first is net interest income, which is interest income generated by earning assets less interest expense on interest-bearing liabilities. The second is noninterest income, which primarily consists of gains from the sale of loans, loan servicing fees, and customer service charges and fees as well as non-customer sources such as Company-owned life insurance. The majority of the Company’s noninterest expenses are operating costs that relate to providing a full range of banking services to our customers.
Net Interest Income and Net Interest Margin
In the first quarter of 2008, net interest income was $13.1 million, compared to $11.7 million in the first quarter of 2007. The level of net interest income depends on several factors in combination, including growth in earning assets, yields on earning assets, the cost of interest-bearing liabilities, the relative volumes of earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities, and the mix of products which comprise the Company’s earning assets, deposits, and other interest-bearing liabilities. To maintain its net interest margin, the Company must manage the relationship between interest earned and paid.
The following Distribution, Rate and Yield table presents the average amounts outstanding for the major categories of the Company's balance sheet, the average interest rates earned or paid thereon, and the resulting net interest margin on average interest earning assets for the periods indicated. Average balances are based on daily averages.