SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 11-K
(Mark One)
X ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT 0F 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003
OR
137
__ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from to
Commission file number: 0-10658
A. Full title of the plan and the address of the plan, if different from that of the issuer named below:
BANK OF WALNUT CREEK EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP AND SAVINGS PLAN
B. Name of issuer of the securities held pursuant to the plan and the address of its principal office:
BWC Financial Corp.
1400 Civic Drive
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
BANK OF WALNUT CREEK
EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP
AND SAVINGS PLAN
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT
and
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2003 and 2002
Contents - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PAGE Independent Auditor's Report 1 Financial Statements Statements of net assets available for benefits 2 Statements of changes in net assets available for benefits 3 Notes to financial statements 4 - 9 Supplementary Information Assets held for investment 11
MOSS ADAMS LLP
Independent Auditor's Report
To the Trustees
Bank of Walnut Creek
Employee Stock Ownership and Savings Plan
We have audited the accompanying statements of net assets available for benefits of Bank of Walnut Creek Employee Stock Ownership and Savings Plan as of December 31, 2003 and 2002 and the related statements of changes in net assets available for benefits as of December 31, 2003 and 2002. These financial statements and supplementary schedules are the responsibility of the Plan’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the net assets available for benefits of Bank of Walnut Creek Employee Stock Ownership and Savings Plan as of December 31, 2003 and 2002, and the changes in its net assets available for benefits for the years then ended in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Our audit was conducted for the purpose of forming an opinion on the basic financial statements taken as a whole. The supplementary information includes the schedule of assets held for investment purposes referred to as “supplementary information,” is presented for the purpose of additional analysis and is not a required part of the basic financial statements but is supplementary information required by the Department of Labor’s Rules and Regulations for Reporting and Disclosure under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. This supplementary information is the responsibility of the Plan’s management. The supplementary information has been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in the audit of the basic financial statements and, in our opinion, is fairly stated in all material respects in relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole.
MOSS ADAMS LLP
Stockton, California
April 26, 2004
Bank of Walnut Creek
Employee Stock Ownership and Savings Plan
Bank of Walnut Creek
Employee Stock Ownership and Savings Plan
Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASSETS DECEMBER 31, 2003 2002 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cash $ 24,343 $ 12,068 Investments at fair value: Money Market accounts 249,952 184,342 BWC Financial Corp. common stock 10,221,341 6,378,865 Mutual funds 1,174,116 696,707 Loans made to participants 112,149 191,345 ----------------------------------- 11,757,558 7,451,259 Accounts receivable: Employer contributions 136,730 92,065 Participant contributions 19,176 17,765 ----------------------------------- 155,906 109,830 ----------------------------------- Total assets $ 11,937,807 $ 7,573,157 ===================---==================== LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS Liabilities: Benefit claims payable $ 1,126 $ 921 ----------------------------------- Total liabilities 1,126 921 Net assets available for benefits 11,936,681 7,572,236 ----------------------------------- Total liabilities and net assets available for benefits $ 11,937,807 $ 7,573,157 ====================---==================== See accompanying notes
Bank of Walnut Creek
Employee Stock Ownership and Savings Plan
Statements of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, ------------------------------------------- 2003 2002 -------------------- -------------------- Changes in net assets attributed to: Investment income: Net appreciation (depreciation) in fair value of investments $ 3,573,446 $ (687,175) Interest income 68,641 21,382 -------------------- -------------------- 3,642,087 (665,793) -------------------- -------------------- Contributions: Participant 583,211 522,628 Employer 341,730 314,198 Other 2,957 20,775 -------------------- -------------------- 927,898 857,601 -------------------- -------------------- Total additions 4,569,985 191,808 Deductions: Benefits paid to participants 205,540 529,925 -------------------- -------------------- NET INCREASE (DECREASE) 4,364,445 (338,117) Net assets available for benefits - beginning of year 7,572,236 7,910,353 -------------------- -------------------- Net assets available for benefits - end of year $ 11,936,681 $ 7,572,236 ==================== ==================== See accompanying notes
Bank of Walnut Creek
Employee Stock Ownership and Savings Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
Note 1 - Plan Description
The following description of the Bank of Walnut Creek Employee Stock Ownership and Savings Plan (the Plan) provides only general information. Participants should refer to the Plan agreement for a more complete description of the Plan’s provisions.
General – The Bank of Walnut Creek Employee Stock Ownership and Savings Plan was established January 1, 1997. The existing 401(k) plan, which was established January 1, 1988, was incorporated into this new plan as an employee stock ownership plan with a participant directed, defined contribution savings plan covering all eligible employees of Bank of Walnut Creek (the Company). The Employee Stock Ownership (ESOP) portion of the Plan is a Company sponsored profit sharing plan.
The Plan is subject to the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).
Eligibility – All employees who are age 18 and over become eligible to participate in the Plan after 90 days of service. Eligibility for employer matching and profit sharing contributions will occur on the first day of the quarter following completion of one year (with at least 1,000 hours) of service. Employees do not need to elect to participate in the profit sharing portion of the Plan and are automatically enrolled when they become eligible.
Contributions – Eligible participants may elect to personally contribute up to 50% of annual compensation up to a maximum of the Internal Revenue Service’s annual Section 402(g) limit ($12,000 and $11,000 in 2003 and 2002, respectively). Company contributions are voluntary. The Company will match 50% of the employee deferral amount for contributions invested in any one or combination of the five mutual funds or 100% of the employee deferral amount for contributions invested in the BWC Financial Corporation Stock Fund, not to exceed 3% of the employee’s salary. The Company contributed $151,870 and $132,039 for the 401(k) portion of the Plan for the years ended December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively.
The Plan provides for discretionary profit sharing employer contributions to the participants’ profit sharing accounts. Profit sharing contributions and forfeitures are allocated to participants based on the participant’s proportionate share of total compensation paid during the year to all participants in the Plan. The Company contributed $189,860 and $182,159 for the profit sharing portion of the Plan for the years ended December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively.
Bank of Walnut Creek
Employee Stock Ownership and Savings Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
Note 1 - Plan Description (continued)
Participant accounts – Each participant’s self-directed account is credited with the participant’s contribution, the Company’s matching and profit sharing contributions, if any, and fund earnings. Earnings for each fund are allocated based upon participant account balances invested in such funds as defined in the Plan.
Any cash dividends received on unallocated shares of BWC Financial Corp. stock are allocated to participants in the same manner as Bank profit sharing contributions.
Voting rights – Each participant is entitled to exercise voting rights attributable to the shares allocated to his or her account and is notified by the Trustee prior to the time that such rights are to be exercised. The Trustee is not permitted to vote any allocated share for which instructions have not been given by a participant. The Trustee is required, however, to vote any unallocated shares on behalf of the collective best interest of plan participants and beneficiaries.
Vesting – Employee contributions are 100% vested at all times. In the event of termination due to death, disability or retirement, all balances including employer matching and profit sharing accounts are 100% vested.
Participant’s profit sharing accounts vest in accordance with the following schedule:
Years of Service Vested Percentage Less than 2 years 0% 2 years 20% 3 years 40% 4 years 60% 5 years 80% 6 years or more 100%
Forfeitures – Any portion of the final balance in a participant’s account which is not vested when the participant terminates employment with the Company, will be forfeited. All forfeitures will be reallocated to the accounts of remaining participants as of the allocation date of the plan year in which the forfeiture occurs.
Diversification – Diversification is offered to participants close to retirement so that they may have the opportunity to move part of the value of their investment in Company stock into investments which are more diversified. Participants who are at least age 55 with at least 10 years of participation in the employee stock ownership plan may elect to diversify a portion of their account. Participants are given the option to diversify 25% of their accounts once each year during a 90 day election period for the five plan years after attaining age 55. At age 60, participants are given a one time option to diversify 50% of their accounts, less the amounts diversified previously.
Bank of Walnut Creek
Employee Stock Ownership and Savings Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
Note 1 - Plan Description (continued)
Investment costs and administrative fees – Investment fees pertaining to the custody of Plan assets and execution of investment transactions, as well as all administrative fees pertaining to the third party administrator, are paid by the Company.
Loans – A participating employee may borrow money from their account by submitting a written loan application. The loan may not be for less than $2,000 and the total amount of loans outstanding with the Plan may not exceed 50% of the vested benefits or $50,000, whichever is less. Loans are secured by the balance in the participant’s account and bear interest at the prime lending rate based on the date the loan agreement is signed. Principal and interest are paid ratably through monthly payroll deductions.
Investments – All participant-directed funds (salary deferrals and employer matching contributions) are invested in mutual funds pooled separate accounts or in the BWC Financial Corporation Stock Fund, which allows the employee to purchase shares of BWC Financial Corp. common stock. Highmark Funds commingle participant funds with funds from other plans and invest these in available mutual funds as elected by the participant. Profit sharing contributions are non-participant directed and are invested in the BWC Financial Corporation Stock Fund.
Note 2 - Summary of Accounting Policies
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles as applied to employee benefit plans and in accordance with the Plan agreement. A summary of the Plan’s significant accounting policies applied in the preparation of the accompanying financial statements follows.
Asset valuation of investments – Investments are valued at fair market value as determined by quoted market price on each anniversary date of the Plan. Mutual fund separate pooled accounts are valued at the fair market value of the mutual funds in which the funds are invested. Loans made to participants are valued at cost which approximates fair market value.
Employer’s contributions – Contributions from the Company are accrued in the year for which they are authorized by the Board of Directors.
Payment of benefits – Benefits are recorded when paid.
Tax status – The Plan obtained its latest determination letter on April 25, 2003, in which the Internal Revenue Service stated that the Plan, as then designed, was in compliance with the applicable requirements of the Internal Revenue Code. Therefore, no provision for income taxes has been included in the Plan’s financial statements.
Bank of Walnut Creek
Employee Stock Ownership and Savings Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
Note 2 - Summary of Accounting Policies (continued)
Estimates in financial statements – In preparing financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles, management makes estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Note 3 - Investments
The following presents investments that represent 5 percent or more of the Plan’s net assets.
DECEMBER 31, ------------------------------------------- 2003 2002 -------------------- -------------------- Investments at fair market value By quoted market price: Common stock (held at Union Bank of California):* BWC Financial Corp. $ 10,221,341 $ 6,378,865* A portion of this stock is non participant-directed
During 2003 and 2002, the Plan’s investments, including gains and losses on investments bought and sold, as well as held during the year, appreciated (depreciated) in value as follows:
DECEMBER 31, ------------------------------------------- 2003 2002 -------------------- -------------------- BWC Financial Corp. common stock $ 3,305,070 $ (550,249) Mutual funds 268,376 (136,926) -------------------- -------------------- $ 3,573,446 $ (687,175) ==================== ====================
Bank of Walnut Creek
Employee Stock Ownership and Savings Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
Note 4 - Non Participant-Directed Investments
Information about the net assets and the significant components of the changes in net assets relating to the non participant-directed investments is as follows:
DECEMBER 31, ------------------------------------------- 2003 2002 -------------------- -------------------- Net assets: Money Market funds $ 109,764 $ 111,759 BWC Financial Corp. common stock 3,607,848 2,249,323 -------------------- -------------------- $ 3,717,612 $ 2,361,082 ==================== ==================== DECEMBER 31, ------------------------------------------- 2003 2002 -------------------- -------------------- Changes in net assets: Contributions $ 189,860 $ 182,159 Net (depreciation) appreciation 1,203,955 (192,144) Benefits paid to participants (37,285) (134,449) -------------------- -------------------- $ 1,356,530 $ (144,434) ==================== ====================
Note 5 - Plan Termination
Although it has not expressed any intent to do so, the Company has the right under the Plan to discontinue its contributions at any time and to terminate the Plan subject to the provisions of ERISA. In the event of plan termination, participants will become 100% vested in their accounts.
Bank of Walnut Creek
Employee Stock Ownership and Savings Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
Note 6 - Concentration of Investments
At December 31, 2003 and 2002, the Plan had a significant portion of plan assets invested in the Plan sponsor's common stock (BWC Financial Corp.).
The Plan invests in various investment securities which, in general, are exposed to various risks such as interest rate, credit, and overall market volatility. Due to the level of risk associated with certain investment securities, it is reasonably possible that changes in the values of investment securities will occur in the near term and that such changes could materially affect the amounts reported in the statements of net assets available for plan benefits.
Currently there is significant evaluation by Congress and other agencies of regulatory and accounting issues surrounding pension plans. It is possible future changes in regulations may have a significant effect on the Plan operations and/or investments.
Note 7 - Related-Party Transactions
Plan investments include shares of BWC Financial Corp. common stock (plan sponsor stock), which qualifies as a party-in-interest transaction.
Supplementary Information
Bank of Walnut Creek
Employee Stock Ownership and Savings Plan
Assets Held for Investment
DECEMBER 31, 2003 - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Identity of issuer, Description of investment, borrower, lessor including maturity date, rate of interest, Current or similar party collateral, par or maturity value Cost value - ----------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------- -------------- ---------------- Various participants Loans bearing interest 4.0% to 9.5% maturing through 2033 $112,149 $ 112,149 Highmark Funds Money Market account 249,952 BWC Financial Corp.* 427,135 shares Common Stock 10,221,341 Baron Asset Growth Fund 4,837 shares 171,437 Dreyfus Appreciation Fund 3,450 shares 128,138 Dreyfus Intermediate Term Income Fund 2,578 shares 33,379 Dreyfus Index Fund 1,080 shares 35,010 Highmark Funds Balanced Fund 20,315 shares 266,979 Highmark Funds Growth Fund 15,512 shares 123,668 Highmark Funds Large Cap Value Fund 11,659 shares 117,652 Highmark Funds Small Cap Value Fund 5,739 shares 90,795 Highmark Funds Value Momentum Fund 948 shares 21,056 MFS Total Return Fund 7,825 shares 117,930 MFS Value Fund 2,241 shares 45,588 Templeton Growth Fund 1,088 shares 22,484 ---------------- $ 11,757,558 ================ * Party in interest