2019 Fourth Quarter Financial Highlights
Total loans were $1.81 billion at December 31, 2019, compared to $1.74 billion at December 31, 2018, representing an increase of 4.4%. The increase in loans is a direct result of Farmers’ focus on loan growth utilizing a talented lending and credit team, while adhering to a sound underwriting discipline. The increase in loans has occurred in the agricultural, commercial, commercial real estate, and residential real estate loan portfolios. Loans now comprise 79.5% of the Bank’s average earning assets for the quarter ended December 31, 2019, a slight improvement compared to 79.4% for the same period in 2018. This improvement, along with the growth in earning assets, has resulted in a 6.1% increase in tax equated loan interest income, including fees, in the fourth quarter of 2019 compared to the same quarter in 2018.
Non-performing assets to total assets remain at a low level, currently at 0.26%. Early stage delinquencies also continue to remain at low levels, at $11.9 million, or 0.66% of total loans, at December 31, 2019. Net charge-offs for the current quarter were $374 thousand, compared to $310 thousand in the same quarter in 2018, and total net charge-offs as a percentage of average net loans outstanding is only 0.09% for the quarter ended December 31, 2019.
The net interest margin for the three months ended December 31, 2019 was 3.84%, a 4 basis points increase from the quarter ended December 31, 2018, and 5 basis points better than the 3.79% reported for the linked quarter. In comparing the fourth quarter of 2019 to the same period in 2018, asset yields increased 7 basis points, while the cost of interest-bearing liabilities increased just 3 basis points. Most of the increase in the asset yields was the result of higher rates earned on loans. The net interest margin is impacted by the additional accretion as a result of the discounted loan portfolios acquired in the previous mergers, which increased the net interest margin by 4 basis points for the quarter ended December 31, 2019 and 5 basis points for the quarter ended December 31, 2018.
Noninterest income increased 14.1% to $7.6 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2019 compared to $6.7 million in the same quarter in 2018. Gains on the sales of mortgage loans increased $685 thousand or 82%, investment commissions increased $176 thousand or 68%, trust fees increased $139 thousand or 8%, insurance agency commissions grew $54 thousand or 8%, and other operating income increased $91 thousand or 23% in comparing the fourth quarter of 2019 to the same quarter in 2018. These increases were offset by a decrease of securities gains of $232 thousand or 89%.
Farmers has remained committed to managing the level of noninterest expenses. Total noninterest expenses for the fourth quarter of 2019 increased 2.3% to $16.4 million compared to $16.0 million in the same quarter in 2018, primarily as a result of increases in merger related costs of $284 thousand and other operating expenses of $236 thousand, offset by a $316 thousand decrease in salaries and employee benefits and a $155 thousand decrease in FDIC insurance expense. Annualized noninterest expenses measured as a percentage of quarterly average assets decreased from 2.75% in the fourth quarter of 2018 to 2.68% in the fourth quarter of 2019.
The efficiency ratio for the quarter ended December 31, 2019 decreased to 54.51% compared to 57.73% for the same quarter in 2018. The improvement in net interest income and noninterest income in the fourth quarter of 2019 was offset by a slightly higher level of noninterest expenses as explained in the preceding paragraphs.
2020 Outlook
Mr. Helmick added, “With the announcement of the completion of our acquisition of Geauga Savings Bank and our continued strong financial performance during this year, we look forward in 2020 to realize the benefits of the full integration of our new banking locations and to build on our momentum of having achieved another successful year. We remain extremely proud of our committed employees that continue to deliver strong results for our stakeholders and remain committed to our community banking approach and culture.”
Founded in 1887, Farmers National Banc Corp. is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Canfield, Ohio, with $2.4 billion in banking assets. Farmers National Banc Corp.’s wholly-owned subsidiaries are comprised of The Farmers National Bank of Canfield, a full-service national bank engaged in commercial and retail banking with 41 banking locations in Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana, Stark, Wayne, Medina and Cuyahoga Counties in Ohio and Beaver County in Pennsylvania, and Farmers Trust Company, which operates five trust offices and offers services in the same geographic markets. Total wealth management assets under care at December 31, 2019 are $2.5 billion. Farmers National Insurance, LLC and Bowers Insurance Agency, Inc., wholly-owned subsidiaries of The Farmers National Bank of Canfield, offer a variety of insurance products.