Exhibit 99.1
Blue Ridge Bankshares, Inc. Releases 2019 4th Quarter and Year End Results
Company Release – 2/10/20
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – Blue Ridge Bankshares, Inc. (NYSEAM: BRBS) (the “Company”), parent company of Blue Ridge Bank, N.A., announced today its unaudited financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2019. The Company reported net income of $4.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, or $1.16 per common share, compared to net income of $4.6 million, or $1.64 per common share, for the year ended December 31, 2018. The Company’s shares outstanding increased 2.8 million during 2019, 1.5 million from the common stock raise in early 2019 and an additional 1.3 million related to the acquisition of Virginia Community Bankshares, Inc. (“VCB”) in December 2019. Earnings for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2019 were $745 thousand, or $0.15 per common share, compared to net income of $986 thousand, or $0.35 per common share, for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2018. The Company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.1425 during the fourth quarter of 2019, an increase of 1.79% compared to the 2018 fourth quarter dividend of $0.1400 per share. The dividend yield is 2.69% based on the closing share price of $21.19 on February 7, 2020.
Selected Highlights:
Closing on Acquisition of VCB:The transaction closed on December 15, 2019.
Substantial Asset Growth:Total assets increased $421.7 million, or 78.2%, during 2019, with $178.9 million, or 33.2%, representing growth prior to the acquisition of VCB.
Strong Loan Growth: Total loans held for investment increased $232.0 million, or 56.0%, during 2019, with $59.1 million, or 14.3%, representing growth prior to the acquisition of VCB. Loans held for sale increased $26.4 million, or 90.4%, during 2019.
Considerable Deposit Growth: Total deposits increased $307.0 million, or 74.0%, during 2019, with $89.0 million, or 21.5%, representing growth prior to the acquisition of VCB.
“We ended the fourth quarter of 2019 on a momentous note, the closing on the acquisition of Virginia Community Bankshares, Inc.,” stated President and Chief Executive Officer Brian K. Plum. “The Company recently completed the core integration of VCB into Blue Ridge Bank at the end of January 2020 and has been focused on ensuring a smooth transition for the VCB customer base. We are excited to have this huge milestone completed and look forward to realizing the synergies from the combination of these two strong institutions in the coming quarters.”
Income Statement
Net interest income increased $4.1 million, or 23.6%, during the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to year ended December 31, 2018. During the fourth quarter of 2019, net interest income was $5.9 million compared to $4.8 million during the fourth quarter of 2018, an increase of $1.1 million, or 22.9%. Approximately $365 thousand of net interest income is related to the acquisition of VCB since the merger date.
The Company experienced significant growth in certain other income sources in 2019. Earnings on investment in bank owned life insurance increased $769 thousand, or 383.5%, primarily due to the recognition of life insurance proceeds of approximately $700 thousand. The combination of mortgage brokerage income and gain on sale of mortgages increased $7.2 million in 2019, or 99.0%, compared to 2018, and $1.1 million, or 44.6%, during the fourth quarter of 2019 compared to the fourth quarter of 2018. This increase is largely attributable to a steady growth in volume throughout 2019 due to the expansion of the Company’s mortgage division in the latter part of 2018. Approximately $438 thousand of net income for the year ended December 31, 2019 is attributable to the Company’s mortgage division compared to $404 thousand in 2018.
Salaries and employee benefit expenses increased $7.5 million, or 63.3%, for the year ended December 31, 2019. This increase is primarily attributable to the expansion of the mortgage division as well as building the Company’s infrastructure to support continued growth. Salaries and employee benefits for the fourth quarter of 2019 were $5.2 million compared to $3.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2018, an increase of $1.5 million, or 39.7%.