prepayment penalties in the current year. Salaries and employee benefits, the largest component of noninterest expenses, increased $19,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2013 compared to the same period in 2012. This increase was primarily due to lifting a wage freeze and re-establishing the Company’s 401(k) match that was suspended as of January 1, 2011. Professional expenses have declined as the result of continued budget control. OREO and foreclosure expenses decreased $266,000 primarily as a result of decreased losses on sales. The three months ended September 30, 2012 had $421,000 in losses on sales compared to $29,000 in the three months ended September 30, 2013. FDIC premiums have declined $87,000 due to the Bank’s improved rating upon release from the Consent Order (and the Bank’s placement under the MOU) combined with a decrease in asset size.
Total noninterest expenses decreased $1,338,000, or 16.0%, for the nine months ended September 30, 2013, to $7,039,000 compared to $8,377,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2012. Salaries and employee benefits, the largest component of noninterest expenses, increased $54,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 compared to the same period in 2012. This increase wasprimarily due to lifting the wage freeze and re-establishing the Company’s 401(k) match that was suspended as of January 1, 2011. Professional expenses have declined as the result of continued budget control. OREO and foreclosure expenses decreased $465,000 primarily as a result of decreased losses on sales. For the nine months ended September 30, 2012, the Company had $468,000 in losses on sales compared to $105,000 in the nine months ended September 30, 2013. The Company had $641,000 of Federal Home Loan bank prepayment penalties in the nine months ended September 30, 2012 that the Company incurred as part of security sales and balance sheet restructuring transactions. The Company had no Federal Home Loan bank prepayment penalties in the nine months ended September 30, 2013. FDIC premiums have declined $264,000 due to the Bank’s improved rating upon release from the Consent Order (and the Bank’s placement under the MOU) combined with a decrease in asset size.
The Company has a net operating loss carry-forward for federal tax purposes for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 and September 30, 2012, but did incur federal alternative minimum tax for the nine months ended September 30, 2013. Also, the Bank had state tax expense in the nine months ended September 30, 2013 due to net income at the Bank level. See “Critical Accounting Policies — Income Taxes” and “Critical Accounting Policies — Deferred Tax Asset” above. In evaluating whether the full benefit of the net deferred tax asset will be realized, management considered both positive and negative evidence including recent earnings trends, projected earnings and asset quality. As of September 30, 2013, management concluded that the positive evidence outweighed the negative evidence in determining realization of any deferred tax temporary differences and reversed the valuation allowance in the amount of $5,691,000 on its net deferred tax assets. This non-cash reversal of the deferred tax asset valuation allowance was reflective of sustained profitability and improved earnings that support the ability to utilize the deferred tax asset in the future. The Company is three years cumulatively profitable and has been profitable for the last eight quarters. The Bank is deemed to be “well capitalized” with Tier one leverage and Total risk based capital ratios of 10.47% and 17.01%, respectively. The Company will continue to monitor deferred tax assets closely to evaluate future realization of the full benefit of the net deferred tax asset and the potential need to establish a valuation allowance.
The Company’s outstanding loans represented the largest component of earning assets at 56.0% of total earning assets as of September 30, 2013. The Company’s gross loans totaled $191,377,000 as of September 30, 2013, a decline of $5,092,000, or 2.6%, from gross loans of $196,469,000 as of December 31, 2012. As a result of the adverse economic environment and a desire to improve capital ratios, management has intentionally slowed loan growth and enhanced underwriting requirements. Adjustable rate loans totaled 52.2% of the Company’s loan portfolio as of September 30, 2013, which allows the Company to be in a favorable position as interest rates rise. The Company’s loan portfolio consists primarily of real estate mortgage loans, commercial loans and consumer loans with concentrations in commercial real estate, including construction and land development loans. Substantially all of these loans are to borrowers located in South Carolina, with the majority located in the Company’s local market area.
Although our asset and credit quality trends continue to improve, management continues to work aggressively to identify and quantify potential losses and execute plans to reduce problem assets. The Company uses internal and external loan review analysis performed by loan officers, credit administration and an external loan review firm that require detailed, written summaries of the loans reviewed to determine risk rating, accrual status and collateral valuation.
Allowance for Loan Losses
The Company’s allowance for loan losses at September 30, 2013 was $2,896,000, or 1.51% of gross loans outstanding, compared to $4,429,000 or 2.25% of gross loans outstanding at December 31, 2012. The net decrease of 0.74% in the allowance ratio was a result of a reduced loan portfolio size and improved loan metrics, in particular, historical loan loss experience and net recoveries during 2013 that warranted a non-cash provision reversal of $1,700,000 during the second quarter of 2013. The allowance at September 30, 2013 included an allocation of $78,000 related to specifically identified impaired loans compared to an allocation of $114,000 related to specifically identified impaired loans at December 31, 2012.
Internal reviews and evaluations of the Company’s loan portfolio for the purpose of identifying potential problem loans, external reviews by federal and state banking examiners, management’s consideration of current economic conditions, historical loan losses and other relevant risk factors are used in evaluating the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses. The level of loan loss reserves is monitored on an on-going basis. The evaluation is inherently subjective as it requires estimates that are susceptible to significant change. Despite the Company’s efforts to provide accurate estimates, actual losses will undoubtedly vary from the estimates. Also, there is a possibility that charge-offs in future periods will exceed the allowance for loan losses as estimated at any point in time. If delinquencies and defaults increase, additional loan loss provisions may be required which would adversely affect the Company’s results of operations and financial condition.
At September 30, 2013, the Company had $6,048,000 in non-performing assets, comprised of non-accruing loans of $3,321,000 and $2,727,000 in OREO. This compares to $8,641,000 in non-performing assets, comprised of $3,934,000 in non-accruing loans and $4,707,000 in OREO at December 31, 2012. Non-performing loans consisted of $3,301,000 in real estate loans and $20,000 in commercial loans at September 30, 2013. All nonperforming real estate loans have annual appraisals to support the loan balances.
The Company had net recovery of charge-offs of $167,000 for the first nine months of 2013 had a net recovery of charge-offs of $167,000, whereas the Company’s net charge-offs for the first nine months of 2012 were $2,234,000. The allowance for loan losses as a percentage of non-performing loans was 87.2% and 112.6% as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively.
Troubled debt restructured loans (“TDRs”), which are included in the impaired loan totals, were $4,030,000 and $5,254,000 at September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively. TDRs on non-accrual were $2,362,000 and $3,160,000 at September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively. This decrease in TDRs was a result of principal reductions through payments, charge-offs and transfers to OREO.
The Company’s potential problem loans, which are not included in non-performing or impaired loans, amounted to $12,305,000, or 6.4% of total loans outstanding at September 30, 2013 compared to $17,390,000, or 8.9% of totals loans outstanding at December 31, 2012. Potential problem loans represent those loans with a well-defined weakness and those loans where information about possible credit problems of borrowers or the performance of construction or development projects has caused management to have concerns about the borrower’s ability to comply with present repayment terms.
Securities
The Company’s investment portfolio is an important contributor to the earnings of the Company. The Company strives to maintain a portfolio that provides necessary liquidity for the Company while maximizing income consistent with the ability of the Company’s capital structure to accept nominal amounts of investment risk. During years when loan demand has not been strong, the Company has utilized the investment portfolio as a means for investing “excess” funds for higher yields, instead of accepting low overnight investment rates. The investment portfolio also provides securities that can be pledged against borrowings as a source of funding for loans. However, it is management’s intent to maintain a significant percentage of the Company’s earning assets in the loan portfolio as loan demand allows.
As of September 30, 2013, investment securities totaled $143,037,000 or 42.5% of total earning assets. Investment securities as of September 30, 2013 increased $6,727,000, or 4.9%, from $136,310,000 as of December 31, 2012, due to the purchase of $31,909,000 in mortgage backed securities, $11,382,000 in municipal securities and $9,050,000 in U.S. government and other agency obligations, offset by the call of six securities totaling $15,030,000, the sale of eight securities totaling $9,319,000, and cash inflows from principal payments on mortgage backed securities of $21,265,000.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Company’s cash and cash equivalents were $7,963,000 at September 30, 2013, compared to $10,251,000 at December 31, 2012, a decrease of $2,288,000. Balances due from bank accounts vary depending on the settlement of cash letters and other transactions.
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Deposits
The Company receives its primary source of funding for loans and investments from its deposit accounts. The Company takes into consideration liquidity needs, direction and level of interest rates and market conditions when pricing deposits. At September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, interest bearing deposits comprised 83.7% and 82.7% of total deposits, respectively. Total deposits increased to $264,585,000 as of September 30, 2013 compared to $261,439,000 as of December 31, 2012. A decrease of $5,632,000 in retail certificates of deposit and $2,242,000 in demand deposits was offset by an increase of $11,020,000 in savings and negotiable order of withdrawal accounts. Total core deposits, defined as all deposits excluding time deposits of $100,000 or more and brokered deposits have increased by $2,670,000 in the nine months ended September 30, 2013.
Borrowings
The Company’s borrowings are comprised of federal funds purchased, repurchase agreements, long-term advances from the FHLB of Atlanta, and junior subordinated debentures. At September 30, 2013, total borrowings were $68,868,000, compared with $71,441,000 as of December 31, 2012. At September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, long term repurchase agreements were $15,000,000. Notes payable to the FHLB of Atlanta totaled $42,500,000 and $45,100,000 as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively. The weighted average rate of interest for the Company’s portfolio of FHLB of Atlanta advances was 2.13% and 2.07% as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively. The weighted average remaining maturity for FHLB of Atlanta advances was 1.58 years as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012.
In October 2004 and December 2006, the Company issued $6,186,000 and $5,155,000 of junior subordinated debentures to its wholly-owned capital trusts, Greer Capital Trust I and Greer Capital Trust II (collectively, the “Trusts”), respectively, to fully and unconditionally guarantee the trust preferred securities issued by the capital trusts.
The junior subordinated debentures issued in October 2004 mature in October 2034. Interest payments are due quarterly to Greer Capital Trust I at the three-month LIBOR plus 220 basis points.
The junior subordinated debentures issued in December 2006 mature in December 2036. Interest payments are due quarterly to Greer Capital Trust II at the three-month LIBOR plus 173 basis points.
Although the interest does continue to accrue, both junior subordinated debentures allow deferral of interest payments for up to five years. Due to the financial condition of the Company, on January 3, 2011, the Company elected to defer interest payments on the two junior subordinated debentures beginning with the January 2011 payments. As of September 30, 2013 the Company had deferred eleven such payments, and thus accrued and owed $815,000 in interest on these subordinated debentures . As a condition of deferring the interest payments, the Company is prohibited from paying dividends on its common stock or the Company’s preferred stock.
In accordance with relevant accounting guidance, the Trusts are not consolidated with the Company. Accordingly, the Company does not report the securities issued by the Trusts as liabilities, and instead reports as liabilities the junior subordinated debentures issued by the Company and held by each Trust. However, the Company has fully and unconditionally guaranteed the repayment of the variable rate trust preferred securities. These trust preferred securities currently qualify as Tier 1 capital for the regulatory capital requirements of the Company.
Off-Balance Sheet Financial Instruments
The Company has certain off-balance-sheet instruments in the form of contractual commitments to extend credit to customers and standby letters of credit. The commitments to extend credit are legally binding and have set expiration dates and are at predetermined interest rates. Standby letters of credit are conditional commitments issued by the Bank to guarantee the performance of a customer to a third party, which are issued primarily to support public and private borrowing arrangements. The underwriting criteria for these commitments are the same as for loans in the loan portfolio. Collateral is also obtained, if necessary, based on the credit evaluation of each borrower. Although many of the commitments will expire unused, management believes there are adequate resources to fund these commitments. Contractual commitments to extend credit to customers and standby letters of credit are commonly needed by commercial banking customers and are offered by the Bank to serve its commercial customer base. At September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, the Company’s commitments to extend credit totaled $31,941,000 and $31,131,000, respectively.
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LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
Liquidity represents the ability of a company to quickly convert assets into cash or cash equivalents without significant loss, and the ability to raise additional funds by increasing liabilities. Liquidity management involves monitoring sources and uses of funds to meet day-to-day cash flow requirements while maximizing profits. Liquidity management is made more complicated because different balance sheet components are subject to varying degrees of management control. For example, the timing of maturities in our investment portfolio is fairly predictable and subject to a high degree of control at the time investment decisions are made. However, net deposit inflows and outflows are far less predictable and are not subject to the same degree of control. Liquidity is also a measure of the Bank’s ability to provide funds to meet the needs of depositors and borrowers. The Bank’s primary goal is to meet these needs at all times. In addition to these basic cash needs, the Bank must meet liquidity requirements created by daily operations and regulatory requirements. Liquidity requirements of the Bank are met primarily through two categories of funding: core deposits and borrowings. In the first nine months of 2013, liquidity needs were met through maintaining core deposits and borrowings.
Core deposits, which are generally the result of stable consumer and commercial banking relationships, are considered to be a relatively stable component of the Bank’s mix of liabilities. At September 30, 2013, core deposits totaled $216,532,000, or 81.8%, of the Bank’s total deposits, compared to $213,817,000, or 81.7%, of the Bank’s total deposits as of December 31, 2012.
Secured and unsecured lines of credit with correspondent banks are also sources of liquidity. At September 30, 2013, the Bank had unsecured and secured federal funds lines of credit with correspondent banks totaling $12,000,000 and $4,000,000, respectively. Federal funds lines of $15,973,000 and $12,000,000 were available for use as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively. The Bank also has a collateralized borrowing capacity of 25% of total assets from the FHLB. Outstanding FHLB borrowings totaled $42,500,000 and $45,100,000 at September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively. Unused available FHLB borrowings totaled $49,730,000 and $45,760,000 at September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively, and were subject to collateral availability. The Bank has additional borrowing capacity through the Federal Reserve Bank “discount window” and has pledged a portion of its consumer and commercial loan portfolio as collateral for $13,301,000 in unused available credit as of September 30, 2013.
The Bank’s liquidity ratio (cash, federal funds and unpledged securities available for sale divided by total deposits) has decreased slightly from 36.4% to 34.1% from December 31, 2012 to September 30, 2013 primarily as a result of the Bank’s increased pledging of securities for certain deposits.
In addition to the primary funding sources discussed above, secondary sources of liquidity include sales of investment securities which are not held for pledging purposes.
Management believes that the Bank’s available borrowing capacity and efforts to grow deposits are adequate to provide the necessary funding for its banking operations for the remainder of 2013 and for the foreseeable future thereafter. However, management is prepared to take other actions, including potential asset sales, if necessary to maintain appropriate liquidity.
Liquidity — Parent Holding Company
Greer Bancshares Incorporated, the parent holding company (the “Holding Company”) generally has liquidity needs to pay limited operating expenses and dividends. These liquidity needs include interest on junior subordinated debt and dividends on preferred stock issued as a part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program. Any cash dividends paid to shareholders, as well as the Holding Company’s other liquidity needs, are typically funded by dividends from the Bank and rental income of land leased to the Bank. However, the Holding Company has not received dividends from the Bank since August 2010. The Holding Company had $245,000 in cash remaining as of September 30, 2013 to meet short term liquidity needs. This amount is considered adequate to meet the short term liquidity needs of the Holding Company with the deferral of debenture interest payments and suspension of dividend payments noted below.
In October 2004 and December 2006, the Company issued two different series of “Trust Preferred” securities to raise capital. In these offerings, the Company issued $6,186,000 and $5,155,000, respectively, of junior subordinated debentures to its wholly-owned capital Trusts, Greer Capital Trust I and Greer Capital Trust II (collectively, the “Trusts”), respectively, and fully and unconditionally guaranteed corresponding principal amounts of the trust preferred securities issued by the Trusts. On January 3, 2011, the Company elected to defer interest payments on the two junior subordinated debentures beginning with the
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January 2011 payments. The Company is permitted to defer paying such interest for up to twenty consecutive quarters. As a condition of deferring the interest payments, the Company is prohibited from paying dividends on its common stock or the Company’s preferred stock. As of September 30, 2013, the Company deferred eleven such payments, and thus had accrued and owed a total of $815,000 in interest payments on the two junior subordinated debentures.
On January 6, 2011, the Company gave notice to the U.S. Treasury Department that the Company was suspending the payment of regular quarterly cash dividends on the cumulative perpetual preferred stock issued as part of the Troubled Assets Relief Program (“TARP”), beginning with the February 15, 2011 dividend. The Company’s failure to pay a total of six such dividends, whether or not consecutive, gives the U.S. Treasury Department the right to elect two directors to the Company’s board of directors. That right would continue until the Company pays all due but unpaid dividends. As of September 30, 2013 the Company has failed to pay eleven such dividends. As a result, the U.S. Treasury Department has the right to elect two of the Company’s directors; however, the U.S. Treasury Department has not acted upon their right to elect two directors. As of September 30, 2013 there was $1,507,000 in non-declared TARP dividends and the related accrued interest as well as $68,000 in declared but not paid TARP dividends.
On May 3, 2012, the U.S. Treasury announced additional details on its strategy for winding down the remaining bank and bank holding company investments made through TARP, and one such strategy is utilizing an auction to sell pools of several recipient companies’ TARP securities to third parties. The U.S. Treasury has indicated that it expects a single winning bidder to purchase all of the TARP securities included in a pool. By letter dated as of June 19, 2012, the U.S. Treasury informed the Company that the U.S. Treasury was considering including the Company’s TARP preferred stock as part of a series of pooled auctions. The U.S. Treasury has also indicated that a TARP recipient may, with regulatory approval, opt out of the pool auction process and either make its own bid to repurchase all of its remaining TARP securities or designate a single outside investor (or single group of investors) to make such a bid. TARP recipients that received an extension of the original August 6, 2012 deadline (as the Company did) had until October 9, 2012 to submit a bid. The Company did not submit a bid at this time. By letter dated as of January 18, 2013, the U.S. Treasury informed the Company that it was extending the opt-out process and that the Company had until April 30, 2013 to submit a bid. The Company submitted its own bid to repurchase all its outstanding TARP securities on April 18, 2013, but subsequently withdrew its bid. If the Company’s TARP preferred stock is sold by the U.S. Treasury to a third party investor, the Company’s understanding is that a purchaser of the Company’s TARP preferred stock would assume the right, which the U.S. Treasury currently possesses, to elect two directors to the Company’s board of directors until the Company pays all due but unpaid quarterly dividends on the TARP preferred stock.
Memorandum of Understanding — Bank
On March 1, 2011, the Bank entered into the Consent Order with the FDIC and the S.C. Bank Board. The Consent Order required the Bank to take specific steps regarding, among other things, its management, capital levels, asset quality, lending practices, liquidity and profitability in order to improve the safety and soundness of the Bank’s operations, each as described and set forth in the Consent Order.
Effective March 20, 2013, the FDIC and S.C. Bank Board terminated the Consent Order and replaced it with the MOU, which became effective on January 31, 2013. The MOU is based on the findings of the FDIC during their on-site examination of the Bank as of October 15, 2012. The MOU is a step down in corrective action requirements as compared to the Consent Order. The MOU requires the Bank, among other things, to (i) prepare and submit annual, comprehensive budgets; (ii) maintain a minimum 8% Tier one leverage capital ratio and a minimum 10% Total Risk based capital ratio; (iii) take various specified actions to continue to reduce classified assets; (iv) obtain the written consent of its supervisory authorities prior to paying any cash dividends; and (v) submit periodic reports to the FDIC regarding various aspects of the foregoing actions. The minimum capital ratios established by the FDIC in the MOU are higher than the minimum and well-capitalized ratios generally applicable to all banks. However, the Bank will be deemed “well-capitalized” as long as it maintains its capital over the above noted required capital levels. As of September 30, 2013, the Bank’s Tier One Capital Ratio was 10.47% and Total Risk Based Capital Ratio was 17.01%, exceeding the levels required by the MOU and the Bank was in compliance with all of the MOU requirements.
Management has researched available options for raising additional capital and improving the Bank’s capital ratios. While there is not a ready market for bank capital investments, the minimum capital ratios required by the MOU have been attained through the reduction of total assets, operating profits and recognition of gains on the sale of securities. Continued success of the plan is conditioned upon, among other things, retention of profits, which is in turn contingent upon expense control and decreased loan loss provisions in the future.
Memorandum of Understanding with Federal Reserve — Company
On July 7, 2011, the Company entered into the Written Agreement with the FRB. The Written Agreement was intended to enhance the ability of the Company to serve as a source of strength to the Bank. The Written Agreement’s requirements were in addition to those of the Bank’s Consent Order (which, as discussed above, has been terminated and replaced with the MOU) and required the Company to take specific steps regarding, among other things, compliance with the supervisory
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actions of its regulators, appointment of directors and senior executive officers, indemnification and severance payments to executive officers and employees, payment of debt or dividends and quarterly reporting.
Effective May 3, 2013, as a result of the steps the Company took in complying with the Written Agreement and improvement in the overall condition of the Company, the FRB terminated the Written Agreement and replaced it with the FRB MOU, which became effective May 29, 2013, after approval by the Company’s Board of Directors and upon final execution by the FRB. The FRB MOU is a step down in corrective action requirements as compared to the Written Agreement and reflects an improvement in the overall condition of the Company from “troubled” to “less than satisfactory”. The FRB MOU requires the Company, among other things, to (i) preserve its cash; (ii) obtain the written consent of its supervisory authorities prior to paying any dividends with respect to its common or preferred stock or trust preferred securities, purchasing or redeeming any shares of its stock or incurring, increasing or guaranteeing any debt; and (iii) submit quarterly reports to the FRB regarding the Company’s actions to comply with the requirements of the FRB MOU. As of September 30, 2013 the Company was in compliance with all of the FRB MOU requirements.
Given its strategy of seeking to improve the Company’s and Bank’s capital positions, as well as the capital requirements and restrictions contained in the FRB MOU, the Company has no plans to pay dividends or engage in any of the other restricted capital and financing activities described above.
Dividends — Bank
Under South Carolina banking law, the Bank is authorized to pay cash dividends up to 100% of net income in any calendar year without obtaining the prior approval of the S.C. Bank Board provided that the Bank received a composite rating of one or two at the last federal or state regulatory examination. Otherwise, the Bank must obtain approval from the S.C. Bank Board prior to the payment of any cash dividends. In addition, under the FDIC Improvement Act, the Bank may not pay a dividend if, after paying the dividend, the Bank would be undercapitalized.
The Bank’s ability to pay dividends is also restricted by the MOU entered into by the Bank with the FDIC and the S.C. Bank Board on January 31, 2013. The MOU is discussed under “Memorandum of Understanding — Bank” above. Pursuant to the MOU, the Bank may not pay any dividends to the Company without the prior written approval of the FDIC and the S.C. Bank Board.
Dividends — Company
The Company’s ability to pay dividends and interest on trust preferred subordinated debt is restricted by the FRB MOU discussed under “Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Reserve — Company” above. Pursuant to the FRB MOU, the Company may not pay any dividends or interest on trust preferred subordinated debt without the prior written approval of the FRB.
Regulatory Capital — Bank and Company
The Federal Reserve Board and bank regulatory agencies require bank holding companies and financial institutions to maintain capital at adequate levels based on a percentage of assets and off-balance-sheet exposures, adjusted for risk weights ranging from 0% to 100%. Under the risk-based standard, capital is classified into two tiers. Tier 1 capital of the Company consists of equity minus unrealized gains plus unrealized losses on securities available for sale and less a disallowed portion of our deferred tax assets. In addition to Tier 1 capital requirements, Tier 2 capital consists of the allowance for loan losses subject to certain limitations. A bank holding company’s qualifying capital base for purposes of its risk-based capital ratio consists of the sum of its Tier 1 and Tier 2 capital. The regulatory minimum requirements are 4% for Tier 1 and 8% for total risk-based capital. The Company and the Bank are also required to maintain capital at a minimum level based on average assets, which is known as the leverage ratio. Only the strongest bank holding companies and banks are allowed to maintain capital at the minimum requirement, which is 4%. All others are subject to maintaining ratios 100 to 200 basis points above the minimum requirement.
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The Bank exceeded minimum regulatory capital and MOU requirements at September 30, 2013 as set forth in the following table:
(Dollars in thousands)
| | | | | | | | For Capital Adequacy Purposes
| | To meet the requirements of the Consent Order in effect 12-31-12 and the MOU in effect 9-30-13
| |
---|
Bank:
| | | | Actual
| | Minimum
| | Minimum
| |
---|
| | | | Amount
| | Ratio
| | Amount
| | Ratio
| | Amount
| | Ratio
|
---|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total risk-based capital (to risk-weighted assets) | | | | $ | 40,618 | | | | 17.01 | % | | $ | 19,100 | | | | 8.0 | % | | $ | 23,875 | | | | 10.0 | % |
Tier 1 capital (to risk-weighted assets) | | | | $ | 37,722 | | | | 15.80 | % | | $ | 9,550 | | | | 4.0 | % | | | N/A | | | | N/A | |
Tier 1 capital (leverage) (to average assets) | | | | $ | 37,722 | | | | 10.47 | % | | $ | 14,551 | | | | 4.0 | % | | $ | 29,102 | | | | 8.0 | % |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total risk-based capital (to risk-weighted assets) | | | | $ | 35,684 | | | | 15.14 | % | | $ | 18,853 | | | | 8.0 | % | | $ | 23,567 | | | | 10.0 | % |
Tier 1 capital (to risk-weighted assets) | | | | $ | 32,723 | | | | 13.89 | % | | $ | 9,427 | | | | 4.0 | % | | | N/A | | | | N/A | |
Tier 1 capital (leverage) (to average assets) | | | | $ | 32,723 | | | | 9.08 | % | | $ | 14,412 | | | | 4.0 | % | | $ | 28,824 | | | | 8.0 | % |
The Company is also subject to certain capital requirements as noted above. At September 30, 2013, the Company’s Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio, Tier 1 capital (leverage) ratio and the total risk-based capital ratio were 15.12%, 9.94% and 17.09%, respectively. At December 31, 2012, the Company’s Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio, Tier 1 capital ratio and the total risk-based capital ratio were 12.76%, 8.36% and 15.29%, respectively.
Board Involvement
The Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) continues to be very active in providing oversight and supervision to the management of the Bank. In addition to the regular monthly Board meetings, the Board committees are active with the Corporate Governance and Loan Committee meeting monthly, Audit Committee meeting quarterly, and Human Resources meeting as needed but usually quarterly.
Forward-looking and Cautionary Statements
This report contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such statements relate to, among other things, future economic performance, plans and objectives of management for future operations, and projections of revenues and other financial items that are based on the beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management. Words such as “may,” “will,” “anticipate,” “should,” “would,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “expect,” “estimate,” “continue,” “may,” “appear,” and “intend,” as well as other similar words and expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. The Company’s operating performance is subject to various risks and uncertainties including, without limitation:
• | | significant increases in competitive pressure in the banking and financial services industries; |
• | | reduced earnings due to higher credit losses owing to economic factors, including declining home values, increasing interest rates, increasing unemployment, or changes in payment behavior or other causes; |
• | | the concentration of our portfolio in real estate based loans and the weakness in the commercial real estate market; |
• | | increased funding costs due to market illiquidity, increased competition for funding or other regulatory requirements; |
• | | market risk and inflation; |
• | | level, composition and re-pricing characteristics of our securities portfolios; |
• | | availability of wholesale funding; |
• | | adequacy of capital and future capital needs; |
• | | our reliance on secondary sources of liquidity such as FHLB advances, federal funds lines of credit from correspondent banks and brokered time deposits, to meet our liquidity needs; |
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• | | changes in the interest rate environment which could reduce anticipated or actual margins; |
• | | changes in political conditions or the legislative or regulatory environment, including recently enacted and proposed legislation; |
• | | adequacy of the level of our allowance for loan losses; |
• | | the rate of delinquencies and amounts of charge-offs; |
• | | the rates of loan growth; |
• | | adverse changes in asset quality and resulting credit risk-related losses and expenses; |
• | | general economic conditions, either nationally or regionally and especially in our primary service area, becoming less favorable than expected resulting in, among other things, a deterioration in credit quality; |
• | | changes occurring in business conditions and inflation; |
• | | changes in monetary and tax policies; |
• | | loss of consumer confidence and economic disruptions resulting from terrorist activities; |
• | | changes in the securities markets; |
• | | ability to generate future taxable income to realize deferred tax assets; |
• | | ability to have sufficient liquidity at the parent holding company level to pay preferred stock dividends and interest expense on junior subordinated debt; and |
• | | other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. |
For a description of risk factors which may cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements, see the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, and other reports from time to time filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements as these statements speak only as of the date when made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements made in this report.
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Not applicable.
Item 4. Controls and Procedures
As of the end of the period covered by this report, an evaluation was carried out, under the supervision of and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Based upon that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that the current disclosure controls and procedures are effective as of September 30, 2013. There have been no changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2013 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
The design of any system of controls and procedures is based in part upon certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events. There can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions, regardless of how remote.
PART II — OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1. Legal Proceedings
The Company is involved in various legal actions arising in the normal course of business. Management believes that these proceedings will not result in a material loss to the Company.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
Information regarding risk factors appears in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Forward-looking and Cautionary Statements,” in Part I-Item 2 of this Form 10-Q. More detailed information concerning our risk factors may be found in Part I-Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012 (the “Form 10-K”).
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Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
Not applicable
Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities
As previously disclosed, In October 2004 and December 2006, the Company issued two different series of “Trust Preferred” securities to raise capital. In these offerings, the Company issued $6,186,000 and $5,155,000, respectively, of junior subordinated debentures to its wholly-owned capital Trusts, Greer Capital Trust I and Greer Capital Trust II (collectively, the “Trusts”), respectively, and fully and unconditionally guaranteed corresponding principal amounts of the trust preferred securities issued by the Trusts. On January 3, 2011, the Company elected to defer interest payments on the two junior subordinated debentures beginning with the January 2011 payments. The Company is permitted to defer paying such interest for up to twenty consecutive quarters. As a condition of deferring the interest payments, the Company is prohibited from paying dividends on its common stock or the Company’s preferred stock. The junior subordinated debentures issued in October 2004 mature in October 2034. Interest payments are due quarterly to Greer Capital Trust I at the three-month LIBOR plus 220 basis points. The junior subordinated debentures issued in December 2006 mature in December 2036. Interest payments are due quarterly to Greer Capital Trust II at the three-month LIBOR plus 173 basis points. As of September 30, 2013, the Company had accrued and owed a total of $815,000 of interest payments on the two junior subordinated debentures.
Also as previously disclosed, on January 30, 2009, the Company issued 9,993 shares of its Series 2009-SP cumulative perpetual preferred stock and warrants to purchase an additional 500 shares of cumulative perpetual preferred stock (which warrants were immediately exercised) to the U.S. Treasury under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (“TARP”) for aggregate consideration of $9,993,000. On January 6, 2011, the Company gave notice to the U.S. Treasury Department that the Company was suspending the payment of regular quarterly cash dividends on the TARP cumulative perpetual preferred stock, beginning with the February 15, 2011 dividend. The Company’s failure to pay a total of six such dividends, whether or not consecutive, gives the U.S. Treasury Department the right to elect two directors to the Company’s board of directors. That right would continue until the Company pays all due but unpaid dividends. As of September 30, 2013, the Company has failed to pay eleven such dividends. As a result, the U.S. Treasury Department has the right to elect two of the Company’s directors; however, the U.S. Treasury Department has not acted upon their right to elect two directors. As of September 30, 2013 there is $1,507,000 in non-declared TARP dividends and the related accrued interest as well as $68,000 in declared but not paid TARP dividends. The decision to elect the deferral of interest payments and to suspend the dividends payments was made in consultation with the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.
Item 5. Other Information
None
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Item 6. Exhibits
| | | | Certification of the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14 of the Securities Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
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| | | | Certification of the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14 of the Securities Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
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| | | | Certifications of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 USC §1350, as adopted pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
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| | | | XBRL Taxonomy Calculation Linkbase Document |
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| | | | XBRL Taxonomy Label Linkbase Document |
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| | | | XBRL Taxonomy Presentation Linkbase Document |
* | | Filed herewith. |
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** | | Pursuant to Rule 406T of Regulation S-T, exhibits marked with two asterisks (**) are interactive data files and are deemed not filed or part of a registration statement or prospectus for purposes of Sections 11 or 12 of the Securities Act of 1933 or Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and otherwise are not subject to liability. |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
| | | | GREER BANCSHARES INCORPORATED |
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| | | | |
| | | | President and Chief Executive Officer |
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| | | | /s/ J. Richard Medlock, Jr. |
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INDEX TO EXHIBITS
| | | | Certification of the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14 of the Securities Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
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| | | | Certification of the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14 of the Securities Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
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| | | | Certifications of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 USC § 1350, as adopted pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
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| | | | |
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| | | | XBRL Taxonomy Calculation Linkbase Document |
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| | | | XBRL Taxonomy Label Linkbase Document |
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| | | | XBRL Taxonomy Presentation Linkbase Document |
* | | Filed herewith. |
| | |
** | | Pursuant to Rule 406T of Regulation S-T, exhibits marked with two asterisks (**) are interactive data files and are deemed not filed or part of a registration statement or prospectus for purposes of Sections 11 or 12 of the Securities Act of 1933 or Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and otherwise are not subject to liability |
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