Exhibit 99.1
Heritage Commerce Corp Reports Earnings of $10.6 Million for the Second Quarter of 2020
San Jose, CA — July 23, 2020 — Heritage Commerce Corp (Nasdaq: HTBK), the holding company (the “Company”) for Heritage Bank of Commerce (the “Bank”), today announced second quarter 2020 net income of $10.6 million, or $0.18 per average diluted common share, compared to $11.4 million, or $0.26 per average diluted common share, for the second quarter of 2019, and $1.9 million, or $0.03 per average diluted common share, for the first quarter of 2020. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, net income was $12.5 million, or $0.21 per average diluted common share, compared to $23.5 million, or $0.54 per average diluted common share, for the six months ended June 30, 2019. All results are unaudited.
“Our results improved in the second quarter of 2020; however, the ongoing impact of the Coronavirus pandemic continues to weigh heavily on our communities and market,” said Keith A. Wilton, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We benefitted from a 5% sequential quarter growth in loan balances during the second quarter of 2020, which primarily resulted from the addition of $324.6 million in Small Business Administration (“SBA”) Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans that funded during the quarter. These loans are fully guaranteed by the SBA. In addition, total deposits increased 16% in the second quarter of 2020 from the first quarter 2020 as a result of $533.6 million growth in deposits, primarily tied to deposits from customers that took out PPP loans. As expected, our net interest margin came under pressure from two Federal Reserve rate cuts in March of this year, but also from lower yields on newly funded PPP loans. Credit quality improved on a sequential quarter basis, as nonperforming assets (“NPAs”) declined ($3.0) million, or (25%) at June 30, 2020 to $9.1 million, from $12.1 million at March 31, 2020, and classified assets decreased to $31.5 million from $39.6 million.”
“Notwithstanding the ongoing impact of the pandemic, we believe that our healthy capital and liquidity positions, strong earnings power, and conservative credit culture will serve us well through these challenging times,” said Mr. Wilton. “I also would like to thank our employees across the Company for their ongoing hard work and dedication to our customers.”
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Weighs on Local Communities and Our Economy
In mid-March, public health departments in the six largest counties in the San Francisco Bay Area, which account for most of the bank’s market footprint, imposed strict “Shelter-in-Place” orders for all residents. A few days later, the State of California issued a similar statewide order. Bay Area Counties and the state extended these orders through April, before easing restrictions in May and June. Following a resurgence in cases, on June 19, 2020, the state announced new health guidelines requiring the use of face coverings when in public or common spaces. On July 13, 2020, California expanded statewide indoor closures for businesses, encouraged the wearing of face masks and discouraged the gathering of individuals beyond immediate households. The Company has closely monitored the toll from the pandemic, including its economic impact. While the local response to COVID-19 appeared to have initially helped limit its spread, case numbers are once again increasing and the overall impact on our local economy may not be fully known. Since February, new jobless claims in California, through the week of July 11, totaled over 8.2 million, while the state has lost a net 2.6 million jobs (14.0%). In the seven Bay Area counties we serve, 423,000 jobs (11.8%) have been lost. The State’s unemployment rate at the end of June stood at 15.1%, up from 5.3% at the end of March, while the unemployment rate in the seven Bay Area counties we serve increased to 12.0% from 3.4%.
At the end of March, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) which included $349 billion in funding for the SBA PPP Loan Program. By mid-April, the Bank had processed 597 PPP loan applications with potential outstanding balances of $225.3 million. On April 23, 2020, Congress passed separate economic stimulus legislation, which provided an additional $310 billion in funding for the PPP Loan Program that the Company was also able to utilize to further support our small business clients. In all, the Bank processed a total of 1,105 PPP loan applications, with total principal balances of $333.4 million. PPP loan pay offs totaled $8.8 million during the second quarter of 2020, and the Company ended the quarter with $324.6 million in outstanding PPP loan balances. These generated $582,000 in interest income and $722,000 in deferred fees, which was partially offset by ($54,000) in deferred costs expensed during the quarter. At June 30, 2020, total loans included deferred fees on PPP loans of $10.4 million and deferred costs of $1.2 million. PPP borrowers who can demonstrate that the funding received has been used for certain purposes such as to cover payroll and rent costs and meet certain other requirements, can qualify for partial or full federal relief on loan principal and interest. At present, the qualifying process for PPP borrowers to receive approval for loan forgiveness has yet to be finalized by the SBA. Nonqualifying borrowers or borrowers who have not applied for forgiveness, who received loans under the CARES Act, are contractually obligated to begin making monthly repayments on principal and interest six months after their loans have funded.
Also in March 2020, in conjunction with the passage of the CARES Act, federal bank regulators announced new accounting guidance for loan modifications by banks, which is intended to provide temporary credit accommodation through loan payment deferrals for