4.5% on a linked-quarter basis. The Company defines customer relationship deposits to include core banking accounts such as checking, money market, and savings but excluding all wholesale or brokered deposits and CD’s greater than $100,000. Return on Equity was 13.54% and Return on Tangible Equity was 23.06% for the third quarter of 2007 and Return on Assets was 1.69%. Stock Repurchase Program: On August 13, 2007, the Company announced that the Board of Directors approved a stock repurchase program of up to 5% of the Company’s issued and outstanding common shares. Purchases will occur at management’s discretion over a two-year period. At September 30, 2007, the Company has acquired 53,900 shares at an average price per share of $22.37 totaling $1.2 million. Loan Growth and Credit Quality: At September 30, 2007, Cascade’s loan portfolio was $2.0 billion, up 9.0% compared to the year ago period and up $82.5 million or 4.2% on a linked-quarter basis. Loan portfolio growth was primarily in construction related credits along with higher commercial and industrial loans outstanding. As expected for the quarter ended September 30, 2007, credit metrics trended higher from their historic lows of 2006. Net loan charge-offs were $1.6 million or 0.32% (annualized) of total loans for the quarter compared to 0.10% (annualized) for the linked-quarter. There was no concentration of charge-offs as to amount, loan type, or geographic location. Also, the quarter saw a modest uptick in consumer related loan charge-offs. Meanwhile, delinquent loans greater than 30 days past due were stable at 0.09% of total loans, compared to 0.11% for the linked-quarter. Non-performing assets (NPA’s) were also higher at $21.0 million as of September 30, 2007, or 0.89% of assets compared to $9.4 million or 0.41% of assets for the linked-quarter. The increase in NPA’s was mainly residential construction credits in the Boise, Idaho market which has experienced some slowing in new home sales 1. The Reserve for Credit Losses (reserve for loan losses and unfunded commitments) was a sturdy 1.37% of total loans at September 30, 2007, compared to 1.43% for the prior quarter and 1.39% a year ago. Cascade’s loan loss provision was $1.75 million for the third quarter of 2007, up from $1.0 million for the linked-quarter but below the $2.2 million provision in the year ago period. Cascade’s credit reserves remain strong compared to the average of its peer banks and management believes such reserves are at an appropriate level based upon its analysis and assessment of portfolio credit quality and prevailing economic conditions. Deposit Growth: At September 30, 2007, customer relationship deposits were up 9.2% compared to a year ago and increased 4.5% on a linked-quarter basis. The majority of the linked-quarter growth was from the Idaho and Portland markets, including strong deposit inflows to our new corporate money market sweep product for select business customers. For the third quarter of 2007, average non-interest bearing deposits were stable at $476.7 million compared to the linked quarter. However, current quarter average non-interest bearing deposits were $89.1 million or 15.7% below the average of the same quarter a year ago mainly due to the contraction of real estate related activity in Cascade markets. Total Deposits were $1.8 billion, up 10.0% compared to a year ago and flat on a linked-quarter basis. Net Interest Margin and Interest Rate Risk: Cascade’s net interest margin (NIM) eased modestly to 5.24% for the third quarter of 2007, down 10 basis points from the linked-quarter, primarily due to a decrease in yields on earning assets. Yields on earning assets during the third quarter of 2007 were lower at 8.29% compared to 8.39% in the linked-quarter quarter and up from 8.22% in the year ago quarter. Lower yields were in part a result of the Federal Reserve’s action to reduce short term fed funds rate by 50 basis points late in the quarter as well as a result of interest adjustments with respect to non performing loans. |