Contact: Donald F. Holt, EVP/CFO
COMMUNITY REPORTS EARNINGS, INCLUDES MERGER EXPENSES
Harrisburg, PA- Community Banks, Inc. (“Community”) (Listed on NASDAQ: CMTY) today reported third quarter earnings per share for 2007 of $0.42, which was $0.03 less than the $0.45 recorded in the same period of 2006. Net income reached $10.5 million, almost equal to the net income recorded in the prior year’s quarter. Results for the third quarter of 2007 were inclusive of $754,000 of merger-related expenses incurred in connection with the upcoming merger with Susquehanna Bancshares, Inc. (Listed on NASDAQ: SUSQ), which reduced the current quarter’s earnings by more than $0.02 per share.
Net income and earnings per share for the first nine months of 2007 were hampered by the March 31, 2007, recognition of securities losses that were attributed to Community’s portfolio restructuring initiative in the first quarter. The first quarter investment losses reduced year-to-date net income and earnings per share by $2.9 million and $0.12, respectively. Primarily as a result of the restructuring charge, year-to-date earnings per share performance for the first nine months of 2007 declined to $1.14 versus $1.32 for the same period of 2006. The losses stemming from that initiative facilitated the reinvestment of investment sale proceeds into higher-yielding securities.
On May 1, 2007, Community announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement with Susquehanna Bancshares, Inc., ("Susquehanna") pursuant to which Community will be merged with Susquehanna in a stock and cash transaction that was valued at approximately $860 million. Under the terms of the merger agreement, shareholders of Community will be entitled to elect to receive for each share of Community common stock they own, either $34.00 in cash or 1.48 shares of Susquehanna common stock. Community shareholders may elect to receive cash for some shares and stock for others, but all shareholder elections will be subject to allocation procedures that will result in the exchange of 90 percent of Community's common shares outstanding for shares of Susquehanna common stock and the remaining 10 percent of Community common shares outstanding for cash. The transaction will consolidate the companies' presence in southeastern Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic region, particularly in the attractive York and Lancaster markets. The combined company will have over $12 billion in assets and approximately $2 billion in market capitalization, making it the 45th largest bank holding company in the United States.
"We have remained determined in our efforts to favorably position the Community franchise even as we finalize our preparation for the upcoming affiliation with Susquehanna,” commented Eddie L. Dunklebarger, President and Chief Executive Officer. “The favorable earnings trends that have occurred since the time of our announcement, particularly in light of continuing unfavorable conditions for the banking industry, have reflected the tireless efforts of our employees. We know that this same dedication will carry over as we prepare to become a vital part of a much larger franchise.”
Community Banks, Inc. • 777 East Park Drive, 2nd Floor • Harrisburg, PA 17111 • Phone 717-920-5800
Community completed two mergers of its own effective April 1, 2007, and the results for the six months ended September 30, 2007 reflect the combined results of both BUCS Financial Corp (BUCS) and East Prospect State Bank (East Prospect). BUCS’ four branches, located primarily in central Maryland, and East Prospect's single banking office in York County, have provided an important market extension into the desirable, adjacent Maryland market and bolstered Community’s position in the vibrant York County, Pennsylvania, market. With the completion of the two mergers, Community’s operating footprint boasts assets of $3.8 billion and 81 banking offices that extend throughout the center of Pennsylvania from the Pocono region into suburban Baltimore, Maryland. Community Banks, Inc., is the 8th largest financial services holding company headquartered in Pennsylvania and the largest financial institution headquartered in its capital city of Harrisburg.
Comparisons of operating performance in the third quarter are slightly distorted by the impact of the two mergers that occurred on April 1, 2007. A number of performance metrics serve to illustrate the continuing difficulties presented by the external operating environment. Despite these challenges, Community has continued to record results ahead of many of its competitors. Net interest margin, a primary driver of net interest income performance, declined only slightly from the second quarter, from 3.72% to 3.67%. At the same time, non-interest income as a percent of total income also declined, from 26.8% to 25.38%. The efficiency ratio, which expresses non-interest expenses as a percent of total revenues was a bright spot at 56.31% and served to illustrate Community’s ongoing efforts to keep operating expenses in line with revenue performance. Loan, total asset and deposit growth were all in the 8% to11% range, though a significant portion of the growth was attributed to the additional loans, assets and deposits brought on in the mergers.
Like many banks of its size, Community has begun to experience increases in the level of non-accrual loans, which grew from $12.5 million at December 31, 2006, to $26.4 million at September 30, 2007. Community continues to maintain an allowance for loan losses that it believes is adequate to absorb losses, if any, by deterioration in these credit relationships. During the third quarter, Community added nearly $1.1 million to the allowance via its provision to loan losses. Such provision was in excess of the $0.5 million of net-charge offs which occurred for the three months ended September 30, 2007.
This press release contains “forward looking” information as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which is based on Community’s current expectations, estimates and projections about future events and financial trends affecting the financial condition of its business. These statements are not historical facts or guarantees of future performance, events, or results. Such statements involve potential risks and uncertainties and, accordingly, actual performance results may differ materially. Community undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward looking information, whether as a result of new, updated information, future events, or otherwise.