Donald L. Stacy, Chief Financial Officer, stated, “We remain well-positioned to benefit from a rising interest rate environment. In addition, as economic uncertainty has increased, we are entering this period from a position of strength with a historically strong balance sheet and excellent asset quality. These trends allow us to navigate a changing economic cycle while simultaneously allocating capital to support our long-term growth strategies, dividend payment, and share repurchase program.”
Mr. Stacy continued, “We continue to allocate excess capital to our dividend and share repurchase programs. Year-to-date, we have repurchased 95,364 shares of our common stock at a total cost of $2.4 million. This includes 63,214 shares repurchased during the 2022 second quarter at an average price of $25.35 per share at June 30, 2022. With 292,187 shares remaining under our repurchase program, we will continue to focus on returning capital to shareholders through our share repurchase program.”
Stockholders’ Equity and Dividends
At June 30, 2022, stockholders’ equity was $128.2 million compared to $146.0 million at June 30, 2021. The 12.2% year-over-year decline in stockholders’ equity was primarily due to an increase in the unrealized loss on the available-for-sale investment portfolio during the three-month period and the Company’s stock repurchase program. On a per-share basis, shareholders’ equity at June 30, 2022, was $22.07 compared to $23.50 at June 30, 2021.
At June 30, 2022, tangible stockholders’ equity(1) was $111.9 million, compared to $129.4 million at June 30, 2021. On a per-share basis, tangible stockholders’ equity(1) was $19.26 at June 30, 2022, compared to $20.82 at June 30, 2021.
Through the 2022 first half, the Company declared cash dividends of $0.34 per share, compared to $0.32 per share for the same period last year.
At June 30, 2022, the Company had an equity-to-assets ratio of 9.91%, compared to 10.74% at June 30, 2021.
Asset Quality
There was no provision for loan losses for the 2022 second quarter versus a $200,000 provision for loan losses for the same period last year. The year-over-year decline in the provision for loan losses was partially due to strong asset quality and the previous year’s prudent build in the Company’s allowance for loan losses associated with the potential economic impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. There was no provision for loan losses for the 2022 first half versus $900,000 for the same period last year.
Net recoveries were $58,000, or 0.02% of average loans, annualized, during the 2022 second quarter, compared to net charge-offs of $122,000, or 0.05% of average loans, annualized, at June 30, 2021. Year-to-date net recoveries were $208,000, or 0.04% of average loans, annualized, compared to net charge-offs of $159,000, or 0.03% of average loans, annualized for the six-months ended June 30, 2021.
Nonperforming loans at June 30, 2022, were $4.7 million, compared to $7.8 million at June 30, 2021. Nonperforming assets at June 30, 2022, were $11.5 million, compared to $14.9 million at June 30, 2021. The allowance for loan losses at June 30, 2022, stood at $14.6 million, or 1.49% of total loans, compared to $14.2 million, or 1.34% of total loans at June 30, 2021.