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The Company paid cash dividends of $0.78 per share in the first nine months of 2021,
an increase of 2% from the same
period of 2020.
The Company’s share repurchases of $1.3
million since December 31, 2020 resulted in 37,093 fewer
outstanding common shares at September 30, 2021.
At September 30, 2021, the Bank’s regulatory
capital ratios were well
above the minimum amounts required to be “well capitalized” under current regulatory
standards with a total risk-based
capital ratio of 17.72%, a tier 1 leverage ratio of 9.57%
and a common equity
tier 1 (“CET1”) ratio of 16.82% at September
30, 2021.
For the third quarter of 2021, net earnings were $1.9 million, or $0.53 per
share, compared to $1.9 million, or $0.54 per
share, for the third quarter of 2020.
Net interest income (tax-equivalent) was $6.2 million for the third quarter of 2021,
a
3% increase compared to $6.0
million for the third quarter of 2020.
This increase was primarily due to balance sheet
growth, partially offset by a decrease in net interest margin.
The Company’s net interest margin
(tax-equivalent) decreased
to 2.51%
in the third quarter of 2021,
compared to 2.72% for the third quarter of 2020 primarily due to the lower interest
rate environment and changes in our asset mix resulting from the significant increase
in deposits from government stimulus
and relief programs and customers’ increased savings. Net interest income (tax-equivalent)
included $0.3 million in PPP
loan fees, net of related costs for both the third quarter of 2021 and 2020.
The Company had no provision for loan losses
during the third quarter of 2021 compared to $0.3 million in provision for loan losses during
the third quarter 2020.
Noninterest income was $1.0 million in the third quarter of 2021, compared to
$1.4 million in the third quarter of 2020.
The decrease in noninterest income was primarily due to a decrease in mortgage lending
income of $0.4 million as
refinance activity slowed in our primary market area.
Noninterest expense was $4.7 million in the third quarter of 2021,
largely unchanged, compared to the third quarter of 2020.
Income tax expense was $0.4
million for the third quarter of
2021 and 2020, respectively.
The Company's effective tax rate for the third quarter of 2021
was 17.07%, compared to
17.23%
in the third quarter of 2020.
COVID-19 Impact Assessment
In December 2019, COVID-19 was first reported in China and has since spread
globally. In March 2020,
the World Health
Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic and the
United States declared a National Public Health Emergency.
The COVID-19 pandemic has, at times, especially in 2020, severely restricted
the level of economic activity in our markets.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the State of Alabama, and
most other states, have taken preventative or protective
actions to prevent the spread of the virus, including imposing restrictions on travel
and business operations and a statewide
mask mandate, advising or requiring individuals to limit or forego their time outside
of their homes, limitations on
gathering of people and social distancing, and causing temporary closures of businesses
that have been deemed to be non-
essential.
Though certain of these measures have been relaxed or
eliminated, increases in reported cases could cause these
measures to be reestablished.
Auburn University, a major
source of economic activity in Lee County,
went to remote
instruction on March 16, 2020.
Auburn University has guidelines for the remainder of the 2021 school year,
which
involves resumption of full on-site operations as well as other measures.
COVID-19 has significantly affected local state, national and
global health and economic activity and its future effects are
uncertain and will depend on various factors, including, among others, the duration
and scope of the pandemic, the
development and distribution of COVID-19 testing and contact tracing, effective
drug treatments and vaccines, together
with governmental, regulatory and private sector responses.
COVID-19 has had continuing significant effects on the
economy, financial
markets and our employees, customers and vendors. Our business, financial condition
and results of
operations generally rely upon the ability of our borrowers to make deposits and
repay their loans, the value of collateral
underlying our secured loans, market value, stability and liquidity and demand
for loans and other products and services we
offer, all of which are affected
by the pandemic.
See “Balance Sheet Analysis – Loans” for supplemental COVID-19
disclosures.
We have implemented
a number of procedures in response to the pandemic to support the safety and
well-being of our
employees, customers and shareholders.
•
We believe our business continuity
plan has worked to provide essential banking services to our
communities and
customers, while protecting our employees’ health.
As part of our efforts to exercise social distancing in accordance with
the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control, starting March 23,
2020, we limited branch lobby service to appointment
only while continuing to operate our branch drive-thru facilities and
ATMs.
As permitted by state public health guidelines,
on June 1, 2020, we re-opened some of our branch lobbies.
In 2021, we opened our remaining branch lobbies. We
continue
to provide services through our online and other electronic channels.
In addition, we established remote work access to
help employees stay at home where job duties permit.