Earnings Summary for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2013
The Company recorded net income of $5.5 million during the first six months of 2013 versus net income of $5.4 million in the comparable 2012 period. The increase in 2013 net income primarily reflects a $2.3 million reduction in total operating expenses, a $1.1 million increase in non-interest income and a lower effective tax rate when compared to last year. Largely offsetting these improvements were a $1.6 million decrease in net interest income in 2013 and the already noted $2.4 million credit to the provision for loan losses in 2012 as compared to no provision for loan losses recorded in 2013.
Total operating expenses decreased by $2.3 million or 7.8% to $26.5 million in 2013 from $28.7 million in 2012, primarily due to reductions in employee compensation and benefits ($2.1 million), consulting and professional services ($494 thousand) and accounting and audit fees ($544 thousand).
The $1.1 million increase in non-interest income resulted from improvements in several categories, most notably net gain on the sale of portfolio loans of $445 thousand, net gain on the sale of mortgage loans originated for sale of $412 thousand and net gain on the sale of securities available for sale of $392 thousand.
The decrease in net interest income was due to a 44 basis point narrowing of the Company’s net interest margin to 3.89% in 2013 from 4.33% a year ago.
The Company recorded income tax expense of $1.3 million in the first six months of 2013 resulting in an effective tax rate of 19.2% versus $2.0 million and 27.4%, respectively, in the comparable 2012 period. The reduction in the Company’s effective tax rate in 2013 versus 2012 resulted from a change in the expected tax rate at which the deferred tax asset will be realized in future periods.
Asset Quality
Non-accrual loans, excluding loans categorized as held-for-sale, totaled $17 million or 1.92% of total loans outstanding at June 30, 2013 versus $16 million or 2.10% of loans outstanding at December 31, 2012 and $54 million or 6.38% of loans outstanding at June 30, 2012. The decrease in non-accrual loans at June 30, 2013 compared to June 30, 2012 resulted primarily from the sales in 2012 of non-performing and other criticized and classified loans as part of management’s strategy to resolve legacy credit issues. The allowance for loan losses as a percentage of total non-accrual loans amounted to 101% at June 30, 2013 versus 108% at December 31, 2012 and 54% at June 30, 2012.
Total accruing loans delinquent 30 days or more amounted to $4 million or 0.44% of loans outstanding at June 30, 2013 versus $14 million or 1.81% of loans outstanding as of December 31, 2012 and $14 million or 1.63% of loans outstanding at June 30, 2012.
Total criticized and classified loans were $73 million at June 30, 2013, $99 million at December 31, 2012 and $179 million at June 30, 2012. Criticized loans are those loans that are not classified but require some degree of heightened monitoring. Classified loans were $47 million at June 30, 2013, $54 million at December 31, 2012 and $130 million at June 30, 2012. The allowance for loan losses as a percentage of total classified loans was 36%, 33% and 23%, respectively, at the same dates.
At June 30, 2013, the Company had $16 million in troubled debt restructurings (“TDRs”), primarily consisting of commercial and industrial loans, commercial real estate loans and residential mortgages totaling $6 million, $5 million and $4 million, respectively. The Company had TDRs amounting to $17 million at December 31, 2012 and $26 million at June 30, 2012.
As of June 30, 2013, the Company’s allowance for loan losses amounted to $17 million or 1.93% of period-end loans outstanding. The allowance as a percentage of loans outstanding was 2.28% at December 31, 2012 and 3.45% at June 30, 2012.
Net loan charge-offs of $541 thousand were recorded in the second quarter of 2013 versus net loan recoveries of $53 thousand in the first quarter of 2013 and net loan charge-offs of $8.4 million in the second quarter of 2012. As a percentage of average total loans outstanding, these net amounts represented, on an annualized basis, 0.26% for the second quarter of 2013, (0.03)% for the first quarter of 2013 and 3.73% for the second quarter of 2012.