CONTACT: ERIC J. DOSCH, CFO
Hammond, Louisiana, May 2, 2016 – First Guaranty Bancshares, Inc. (the "Company" or First Guaranty") (NASDAQ: FGBI), the holding company for First Guaranty Bank, announced its unaudited financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2016. Total common equity increased to $123.3 million as of March 31, 2016 compared to $118.2 as of December 31, 2015. The increase in common equity was a result of a $1.9 million increase in retained earnings and an increase in accumulated other comprehensive income. Book value per share rose to $16.20 as of March 31, 2016 compared to $15.54 as of December 31, 2015.
Alton Lewis, President and CEO commented, "2015 was a year of record earnings and strong progress for First Guaranty. The first quarter of 2016 indicates that progress in earnings, capital, and shareholder value will continue in 2016." The operating results for the quarter ending March 31, 2016 exceeded the operating results for the first quarter of 2015. The final numbers were slightly diminished due to a $230,000 provision which was made to reserve for a possible depository fraud by a bank customer. Full recovery is anticipated; however, the appropriate provision was made. The results for the quarter, even with that provision, are very close to the results for the first quarter of 2015. Without the provision, the results for the quarter ending March 31, 2016 exceed the results of quarter ending March 31, 2015. Net income for first quarter ending March 31, 2016 was $3.2 million compared to $3.3 million as of March 31, 2015.
Strong loan growth continued as the loan portfolio increased $854.8 million as of March 31, 2016 compared to $841.6 million as of December 31, 2015. The growth in the loan portfolio was predominately driven by our local loan originations. Syndicated loans declined during the first quarter of 2016 to $101.3 million from $105.9 million as of December 31, 2015. Total investment securities were $556.8 million as of March 31, 2016 an increase of $10.7 million as of December 31, 2015. The increase in investment securities was due to the normal seasonal increase in public funds during the first quarter of the year.
Net interest margin as of December 31, 2015 improved to 3.30% compared to 3.20% for the first quarter of 2015. First Guaranty attributes the improvement in the net interest margin to our continued transition in our assets to higher yielding loans from lower yielding securities and from lowering our time deposit costs. First Guaranty has been able to maintain an average yield of loans greater than 5% despite the low interest environment. Loans as a percentage of average earning assets increased to 58% for the first quarter of 2016 from 53% in the first quarter of 2015.
First Guaranty paid quarterly dividends of $0.16 per share in the first quarter of 2016. First Guaranty has paid common dividends for 91 consecutive quarters. Since 1993, First Guaranty has paid a total of $58.0 million in common dividends to shareholders.
Total deposits were $1.3 billion at March 31, 2016.
The provision for loan losses increased in the first quarter of 2016 to $0.8 million compared to $0.6 million for the first quarter of 2016.
First Guaranty continues to monitor the impact of fluctuations in oil and gas prices on our business. We had approximately 2.9% of funded and 1.3% of unfunded commitments in our loan portfolio to businesses engaged in support or service activities for oil and gas operations.
Mr. Lewis also commented, "2016 is off to a great start. We opened a new state-of-the-art branch in Ponchatoula, LA in March. This branch features Interactive Teller Machines and Universal Bankers to enhance the customer experience. We look forward to continuing the growth and expansion of First Guaranty as we break ground on another state-of-the-art branch in Bossier City, LA later this month."
About First Guaranty
First Guaranty, a Louisiana-based company, has approximately $1.5 billion in assets as of March 31, 2016 and provides personalized commercial banking services through 21 banking facilities located across Louisiana. For more information, visit www.fgb.net.
Certain statements contained herein are "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 forward looking statements may be identified by reference to a future period or periods, or by the use of forward looking terminology, such as "may," "will," "believe," "expect," "estimate," "anticipate," "continue," or similar terms or variations on those terms, or the negative of those terms. Forward looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, as described in our SEC filings, including, but not limited to, those related to the real estate and economic environment, particularly in the market areas in which the Company operates, competitive products and pricing, fiscal and monetary policies of the U.S. Government, changes in government regulations affecting financial institutions, including regulatory fees and capital requirements, changes in prevailing interest rates, acquisitions and the integration of acquired businesses, credit risk management, asset-liability management, the financial and securities markets and the availability of and costs associated with sources of liquidity.
The Company wishes to caution readers not to place undue reliance on any such forward looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company wishes to advise readers that the factors listed above could affect the Company's financial performance and could cause the Company's actual results for future periods to differ materially from any opinions or statements expressed with respect to future periods in any current statements. The Company does not undertake and specifically declines any obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions, which may be made to any forward looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.
