PEOPLES BANCORP OF NORTH CAROLINA INC - Annual Report: 2006 (Form 10-K)
UNITED
STATES
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SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
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Washington,
D.C. 20549
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FORM
10-K
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ANNUAL
REPORT PURSUANT
TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D)
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OF
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
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For
the fiscal year ended: December
31, 2006
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Peoples
Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc.
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(Exact
Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
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North
Carolina
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(State
or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
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000-27205
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56-2132396
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(Commission
File No.)
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(IRS
Employer Identification No.)
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518
West C Street, Newton, North Carolina
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28658
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(Address
of Principal Executive Offices)
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(Zip
Code)
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(828)
464-5620
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(Registrant’s
Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
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Securities
Registered Pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
None
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Securities
Registered Pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
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Common
Stock, no par value
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(title
of class)
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Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer,
as
defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.
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Yes
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o |
No
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x
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Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant
to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act
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Yes
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o |
No
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x
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Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required
to
be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934
during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the
registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject
to
such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
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Yes
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x
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No
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o | ||||||||||
Indicate
by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers in response to Item
405
of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained,
to
the best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information
statements incorporated by reference in
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Part
III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.
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x
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Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer,
and
accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer.
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Large
Accelerated Filer
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o |
Accelerated
Filer
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x
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Non-Accelerated
Filer
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o | ||||||||
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined
in
Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).
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Yes
o
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No
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x
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State
the aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity
held
by non-affiliates computed by reference to the price at which the
common
equity was last sold, or the average bid and asked prices of such
common
equity, as of the last business day of the registrant’s most recently
completed second fiscal quarter. $78,083,522 based on the closing
price of
such common stock on June 30, 2006, which was $26.01 per
share.
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Indicate
the number of shares outstanding of each of the registrant's classes
of
common stock, as of the latest practicable date.
3,834,175
shares of common stock, outstanding at February 28,
2007.
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DOCUMENTS
INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Portions
of the Annual Report of Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. for the year
ended December 31, 2006 (the “Annual Report”), which will be included as
Appendix A to the Proxy Statement for the 2007 Annual Meeting of Shareholders,
are incorporated by reference into Part I and Part II and included as Exhibit
13
to the Form 10-K.
Portions
of the Proxy Statement for the 2007 Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Peoples
Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. to be held on May 3, 2007 (the “Proxy
Statement”), are incorporated by reference into Part III.
This
report contains certain forward-looking statements with respect to the financial
condition, results of operations
and business of Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. (the “Company”). These
forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and are based
on the
beliefs and assumptions of management of the Company and on the information
available to management at the time that these disclosures were prepared.
These
statements can be identified by the use of words like “expect,” “anticipate,”
“estimate” and “believe,” variations of these words and other similar
expressions. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking
statements as a number of important factors could cause actual results to
differ
materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could
cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to,
(1)
competition in the markets served by Peoples Bank (the “Bank”), (2) changes in
the interest rate environment, (3) general national, regional or local economic
conditions may be less favorable than expected, resulting in, among other
things, a deterioration in credit quality and the possible impairment of
collectibility of loans, (4) legislative or regulatory changes, including
changes in accounting standards, (5) significant changes in the federal and
state legal and regulatory environment and tax laws, (6) the impact of changes
in monetary and fiscal policies, laws, rules and regulations and (7) other
risks
and factors identified in the Company’s other filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any
forward-looking statements.
2
PEOPLES
BANCORP OF NORTH CAROLINA, INC
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FORM
10-K CROSS REFERENCE INDEX
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2006
Form
10-K
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Notice
of 2007
Annual
Meeting,
Proxy
Statement
and
Annual Report
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Page
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Page
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PART
I
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Item
1 - Business
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3
-
10
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N/A
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Item
1A - Risk Factors
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10
- 12
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N/A
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Item
1B - Unresolved Staff Comments
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12
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N/A
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Item
2 - Properties
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13
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N/A
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Item
3 - Legal Proceedings
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13
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N/A
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Item
4 - Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
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13
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N/A
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PART
II
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Item
5 - Market for the Common Equity, Related Shareholder Matters and
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Issuer
Purchases of Equity Securities
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14
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A-24
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Item
6 - Selected Financial Data
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14
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A-3
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Item
7 - Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
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Results
of Operations
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14
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A-4
- A-25
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Item
7A - Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market
Risk
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14
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A-22
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Item
8 - Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
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15
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A-26
- A-56
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Item
9 - Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on
Accounting
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and
Financial Disclosure
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15
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N/A
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Item
9A - Controls and Procedures
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15
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N/A
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Item
9B - Other Information
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15
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N/A
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PART
III
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Item
10 - Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant
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15
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7
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11; 17 - 18
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Item
11 - Executive Compensation
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16
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11
- 32
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Item
12 - Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management
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16
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4
-
7; 22
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Item
13 - Certain Relationships and Related Transactions
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16
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31
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Item
14 - Principal Accountant Fees and Services
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16
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33
- 34
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PART
IV
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Item
15 - Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
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17
- 19
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N/A
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Signatures
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20
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N/A
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3
PART
I
ITEM
1. BUSINESS
General
Peoples
Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. (the “Company”), was formed in 1999 to serve as
the holding company for Peoples Bank (the “Bank”). The Company is a bank holding
company registered with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
(the “Federal Reserve”) under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended
(the “BHCA”). The Company’s principal source of income is any dividends, which
are declared and paid by the Bank on its capital stock. The Company has no
operations and conducts no business of its own other than owning the Bank.
Accordingly, the discussion of the business which follows concerns the business
conducted by the Bank, unless otherwise indicated.
The
Bank,
founded in 1912, is a state-chartered commercial bank serving the citizens
and
business interests of the Catawba Valley and surrounding communities through
18
banking offices located in Lincolnton, Newton, Denver, Catawba, Conover,
Maiden,
Claremont, Hiddenite, Hickory, Charlotte and Monroe, North Carolina. The
Bank
also operates loan production offices in Davidson and Denver, North Carolina.
At
December 31, 2006, the Company had total assets of $818.9 million, net loans
of
$643.1 million, deposits of $633.8 million, investment securities of $117.6
million, and shareholders’ equity of $62.8 million.
The
Bank
has a diversified loan portfolio, with no foreign loans and few agricultural
loans. Real estate loans are predominately variable rate commercial property
loans, which include residential development loans to commercial customers.
Commercial loans are spread throughout a variety of industries with no one
particular industry or group of related industries accounting for a significant
portion of the commercial loan portfolio. The majority of the Bank's deposit
and
loan customers are individuals and small to medium-sized businesses located
in
the Bank's market area. The Bank’s loan portfolio also includes Individual
Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) mortgage loans generated thorough the
Bank’s Banco de le Gente offices. Additional
discussion of the Bank’s loan portfolio and sources of funds for loans can be
found in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
Results of Operations” on pages A-4 through A-26 of the Annual Report, which is
included in this Form 10-K as Exhibit 13.
The
operations of the Bank and depository institutions in general are significantly
influenced by general economic conditions and by related monetary and fiscal
policies of depository institution regulatory agencies, including the Federal
Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”) and the North
Carolina Commissioner of Banks (the "Commissioner").
At
December 31, 2006, the Bank employed 239 full-time equivalent
employees.
Subsidiaries
The
Bank
is a subsidiary of the Company. The Bank has two subsidiaries, Peoples
Investment Services, Inc. and Real Estate Advisory Services, Inc. Through
a
relationship with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., Peoples Investment
Services, Inc. provides the Bank's customers access to investment counseling
and
non-deposit investment products such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, tax
deferred annuities, and related brokerage services. Real Estate Advisory
Services, Inc., provides real estate appraisal and real estate brokerage
services.
In
June
2006, the Company formed a second wholly-owned Delaware statutory trust,
PEBK
Capital Trust II (“PEBK Trust II”), which issued $20.0 million of guaranteed
preferred beneficial interests in the Company’s junior subordinated deferrable
interest debentures. All of the common securities of PEBK Trust II are owned
by
the Company. The proceeds from the issuance of the common securities and
the
trust preferred securities were used by PEBK Trust II to purchase $20.6 million
of junior subordinated debentures of the Company, which pay a floating rate
equal to three month LIBOR plus 163 basis points. The proceeds received by
the
Company from the sale of the junior subordinated debentures were used in
December 2006 to repay the trust preferred securities issued by PEBK Trust
in
December 2001 and for general purposes. The debentures represent the sole
asset
of PEBK Trust II. PEBK Trust II is not included in the consolidated financial
statements.
The
trust
preferred securities issued by PEBK Trust II accrue and pay quarterly at
a
floating rate of three-month LIBOR plus 163 basis points. The Company has
guaranteed distributions and other payments due on the trust preferred
4
securities
to the extent PEBK Trust II has funds with which to make the distributions
and
other payments. The net combined effect of the trust preferred securities
transaction is that the Company is obligated to make the distributions
and other
payments required on the trust preferred securities.
These
trust preferred securities are mandatorily redeemable upon maturity of the
debentures on June 28, 2036, or upon earlier redemption as provided in the
indenture. The Company has the right to redeem the debentures purchased by
PEBK
Trust II, in whole or in part, on or after June 28, 2011. As specified in
the
indenture, if the debentures are redeemed prior to maturity, the redemption
price will be the principal amount and any accrued but unpaid
interest.
Market
Area
The
Bank's primary market consists of the communities in an approximately 25-mile
radius around its headquarters office in Newton, North Carolina. This area
includes Catawba County, Alexander County, Lincoln County, Iredell County
and
portions of northeast Gaston County. The Bank is located only 40 miles north
of
Charlotte, North Carolina and the Bank's primary market area is and will
continue to be significantly affected by its close proximity to this major
metropolitan area. The Bank has two offices in Mecklenburg County and one
office
in Union County specifically designed to serve the growing Latino market.
Employment
in the Bank's primary market area is diversified among manufacturing,
agricultural, retail and wholesale trade, technology, services and utilities.
Catawba County’s largest employers include Catawba County Schools, Frye Regional
Medical Center, CommScope, Inc. (manufacturer of fiber optic cable and
accessories), Merchant Distributors, Inc (wholesale food distributor), Hickory
Springs (manufacturer of foam rubber cushions), Catawba Valley Medical Center,
Catawba County, Sherrill Furniture Company, CV Industries (furniture
manufacturer) and McCreary Modern (furniture manufacturer).
Competition
The
Bank
has operated in the Catawba Valley region for more than 90 years and is the
only
financial institution headquartered in Newton. Nevertheless, the Bank faces
strong competition both in attracting deposits and making loans. Its most
direct
competition for deposits has historically come from other commercial banks,
credit unions and brokerage firms located in its primary market area, including
large financial institutions. Two national money center commercial banks
are
headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. Based upon June 30, 2006 comparative
data, the Bank had 21.19% of the deposits in Catawba County, placing it second
in deposit size among a total of 13 banks with branch offices in Catawba
County;
10.70% of the deposits in Lincoln County, placing it seventh in deposit size
among a total of eight banks with branch offices in Lincoln County and 12.45%
of
the deposits in Alexander County, placing it fifth in deposit size among
a total
of seven banks with branch offices in Alexander County.
The
Bank
also faces additional significant competition for investors' funds from
short-term money market securities and other corporate and government
securities. The Bank's deposit base has grown principally due to economic
growth
in the Bank's market area coupled with the implementation of new and competitive
deposit products. The ability of the Bank to attract and retain deposits
depends
on its ability to generally provide a rate of return, liquidity and risk
comparable to that offered by competing investment opportunities.
The
Bank
experiences strong competition for loans from commercial banks and mortgage
banking companies. The Bank competes for loans primarily through the interest
rates and loan fees it charges and the efficiency and quality of services
it
provides borrowers. Competition is increasing as a result of the continuing
reduction of restrictions on the interstate operations of financial
institutions.
Supervision
and Regulation
Bank
holding companies and commercial banks are extensively regulated under both
federal and state law. The following is a brief summary of certain statutes
and
rules and regulations that affect or will affect the Company, the Bank and
any
subsidiaries. This summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the
particular statute and regulatory provisions cited below and is not intended
to
be an exhaustive description of the statutes or regulations applicable to
the
business of the Company and the Bank. Supervision, regulation and examination
of
the Company and the Bank by the regulatory agencies are intended primarily
for
the protection of depositors rather than shareholders of the Company. Statutes
and regulations which contain wide-ranging proposals for altering the
structures, regulations and competitive relationship of financial institutions
are introduced regularly. The Company cannot predict whether or in what form
any
5
proposed
statute or regulation will be adopted or the extent to which the business
of the
Company and the Bank may be affected by such statute or
regulation.
General.
There
are a number of obligations and restrictions imposed on bank holding companies
and their depository institution subsidiaries by law and regulatory policy
that
are designed to minimize potential loss to the depositors of such depository
institutions and the FDIC insurance funds in the event the depository
institution becomes in danger of default or in default. For example, to avoid
receivership of an insured depository institution subsidiary, a bank holding
company is required to guarantee the compliance of any insured depository
institution subsidiary that may become “undercapitalized” with the terms of the
capital restoration plan filed by such subsidiary with its appropriate federal
banking agency up to the lesser of (i) an amount equal to 5% of the bank's
total
assets at the time the bank became undercapitalized or (ii) the amount which
is
necessary (or would have been necessary) to bring the bank into compliance
with
all acceptable capital standards as of the time the bank fails to comply
with
such capital restoration plan. The Company, as a registered bank holding
company, is subject to the regulation of the Federal Reserve. Under a policy
of
the Federal Reserve with respect to bank holding company operations, a bank
holding company is required to serve as a source of financial strength to
its
subsidiary depository institutions and to commit resources to support such
institutions in circumstances where it might not do so absent such policy.
The
Federal Reserve under the BHCA also has the authority to require a bank holding
company to terminate any activity or to relinquish control of a nonbank
subsidiary (other than a nonbank subsidiary of a bank) upon the Federal
Reserve's determination that such activity or control constitutes a serious
risk
to the financial soundness and stability of any bank subsidiary of the bank
holding company.
In
addition, insured depository institutions under common control are required
to
reimburse the FDIC for any loss suffered by its deposit insurance funds as
a
result of the default of a commonly controlled insured depository institution
or
for any assistance provided by the FDIC to a commonly controlled insured
depository institution in danger of default. The FDIC may decline to enforce
the
cross-guarantee provisions if it determines that a waiver is in the best
interest of the deposit insurance funds. The FDIC's claim for damages is
superior to claims of stockholders of the insured depository institution
or its
holding company but is subordinate to claims of depositors, secured creditors
and holders of subordinated debt (other than affiliates) of the commonly
controlled insured depository institutions.
As
a
result of the Company's ownership of the Bank, the Company is also registered
under the bank holding company laws of North Carolina. Accordingly, the Company
is also subject to regulation and supervision by the Commissioner.
Capital
Adequacy Guidelines for Holding Companies.
The
Federal Reserve has adopted capital adequacy guidelines for bank holding
companies and banks that are members of the Federal Reserve System and have
consolidated assets of $150 million or more. Bank holding companies subject
to
the Federal Reserve’s capital adequacy guidelines are required to comply with
the Federal Reserve's risk-based capital guidelines. Under these regulations,
the minimum ratio of total capital to risk-weighted assets is 8%. At least
half
of the total capital is required to be “Tier I capital,” principally consisting
of common stockholders' equity, noncumulative perpetual preferred stock,
and a
limited amount of cumulative perpetual preferred stock, less certain goodwill
items. The remainder (“Tier II capital”) may consist of a limited amount of
subordinated debt, certain hybrid capital instruments and other debt securities,
perpetual preferred stock, and a limited amount of the general loan loss
allowance. In addition to the risk-based capital guidelines, the Federal
Reserve
has adopted a minimum Tier I capital (leverage) ratio, under which a bank
holding company must maintain a minimum level of Tier I capital to average
total
consolidated assets of at least 3% in the case of a bank holding company
which
has the highest regulatory examination rating and is not contemplating
significant growth or expansion. All other bank holding companies are expected
to maintain a Tier I capital (leverage) ratio of at least 1% to 2% above
the
stated minimum.
Capital
Requirements for the Bank.
The
Bank, as a North Carolina commercial bank, is required to maintain a surplus
account equal to 50% or more of its paid-in capital stock. As a North Carolina
chartered, FDIC-insured commercial bank which is not a member of the Federal
Reserve System, the Bank is also subject to capital requirements imposed
by the
FDIC. Under the FDIC's regulations, state nonmember banks that (a) receive
the
highest rating during the examination process and (b) are not anticipating
or
experiencing any significant growth, are required to maintain a minimum leverage
ratio of 3% of total consolidated assets; all other banks are required to
maintain a minimum ratio of 1% or 2% above the stated minimum, with a minimum
leverage ratio of not less than 4%. The Bank exceeded all applicable capital
requirements as of December 31, 2006.
Dividend
and Repurchase Limitations.
The
Company must obtain Federal Reserve approval prior to repurchasing its Common
Stock in excess of 10% of its net worth during any twelve-month period unless
the Company (i)
6
both
before and after the redemption satisfies capital requirements for "well
capitalized" state member banks; (ii) received a one or two rating in its
last
examination; and (iii) is not the subject of any unresolved supervisory
issues.
Although
the payment of dividends and repurchase of stock by the Company are subject
to
certain requirements and limitations of North Carolina corporate law, except
as
set forth in this paragraph, neither the Commissioner nor the FDIC have
promulgated any regulations specifically limiting the right of the Company
to
pay dividends and repurchase shares. However, the ability of the Company
to pay
dividends or repurchase shares may be dependent upon the Company's receipt
of
dividends from the Bank.
North
Carolina commercial banks, such as the Bank, are subject to legal limitations
on
the amounts of dividends they are permitted to pay. Dividends may be paid
by the
Bank from undivided profits, which are determined by deducting and charging
certain items against actual profits, including any contributions to surplus
required by North Carolina law. Also, an insured depository institution,
such as
the Bank, is prohibited from making capital distributions, including the
payment
of dividends, if, after making such distribution, the institution would become
"undercapitalized" (as such term is defined in the applicable law and
regulations).
Deposit
Insurance.
The
deposits of the Bank are currently insured to a maximum of $100,000 per
depositor, subject to aggregation rules. The FDIC establishes rates for the
payment of premiums by federally insured banks and thrifts for deposit
insurance. Since 1993, insured depository institutions like the Bank have
paid
for deposit insurance under a risk-based premium system. Insurance of deposits
may be terminated by the FDIC upon a finding that the institution has engaged in
unsafe and unsound practices, is in an unsafe or unsound condition to continue
operations, or has violated any applicable law, regulation, rule, order,
or
condition imposed by the FDIC. Due to its severe consequences, the FDIC
historically uses insurance termination as an enforcement action of last
resort
and the termination process itself involves substantial notice, a formal
adjudicative hearing and federal appellate review. In instances where insurance
deposit is terminated, the financial institution is required to notify its
depositors and insured funds on the date of termination that they will continue
to be insured for at least six months and up to two years, at the discretion
of
the FDIC. After the date of termination, no new deposits accepted by the
financial institution will be federally insured.
Federal
Deposit Insurance Reform.
On
February 8, 2006, President Bush signed the Federal Deposit Insurance Reform
Act
of 2005 (FDIRA). The FDIC was required to adopt rules implementing the various
provisions of FDIRA by November 5, 2006. Among other things, FDIRA changes
the
Federal deposit insurance system by:
·
|
raising
the coverage level for retirement accounts to $250,000;
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·
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indexing
deposit insurance coverage levels for inflation beginning in
2012;
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·
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prohibiting
undercapitalized financial institutions from accepting employee
benefit
plan deposits;
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·
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merging
the Bank Insurance Fund and Savings Association Insurance Fund
into a new
Deposit Insurance Fund (the DIF); and
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·
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providing
credits to financial institutions that capitalized the FDIC prior
to 1996
to offset future assessment
premiums.
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FDIRA
also authorizes the FDIC to revise the current risk-based assessment system,
subject to notice and comment and caps the amount of the DIF at 1.50% of
domestic deposits. The FDIC must issue cash dividends, awarded on a historical
basis, for the amount of the DIF over the 1.50% ratio. Additionally, if the
DIF
exceeds 1.35% of domestic deposits at year-end, the FDIC must issue cash
dividends, awarded on a historical basis, for half of the amount of the
excess.
Federal
Home Loan Bank System.
The FHLB
system provides a central credit facility for member institutions. As a member
of the FHLB of Atlanta, the Bank is required to own capital stock in the
FHLB of
Atlanta in an amount at least equal to 0.20% (or 20 basis points) of the
Bank’s
total assets at the end of each calendar year, plus 4.5% of its outstanding
advances (borrowings) from the FHLB of Atlanta under the new activity-based
stock ownership requirement. On December 31, 2006, the Bank was in compliance
with this requirement.
Community
Reinvestment.
Under
the Community Reinvestment Act (“CRA”), as implemented by regulations of the
FDIC, an insured institution has a continuing and affirmative obligation
consistent with its safe and sound operation to help meet the credit needs
of
its entire community, including low and moderate income neighborhoods. The
CRA
does not establish specific lending requirements or programs for financial
institutions, nor does it limit an institution’s discretion to develop,
consistent with the CRA, the types of products and services that it believes
are
best
7
suited
to
its particular community. The CRA requires the federal banking regulators,
in
connection with their examinations of insured institutions, to assess the
institutions’ records of meeting the credit needs of their communities, using
the ratings of “outstanding,” “satisfactory,” “needs to improve,” or
“substantial noncompliance,” and to take that record
into account in its evaluation of certain applications by those institutions.
All institutions are required to make public disclosure of their CRA performance
ratings. The Bank received a “satisfactory” rating in its last CRA examination,
which was conducted during March 2004.
Prompt
Corrective Action. The
FDIC
has broad powers to take corrective action to resolve the problems of insured
depository institutions. The extent of these powers will depend upon whether
the
institution in question is "well capitalized," "adequately capitalized,"
"undercapitalized," "significantly undercapitalized," or "critically
undercapitalized." Under the regulations, an institution is considered: (A)
"well capitalized" if it has (i) a total risk-based capital ratio of 10%
or
greater, (ii) a Tier I risk-based capital ratio of 6% or greater, (iii) a
leverage ratio of 5% or greater and (iv) is not subject to any order or written
directive to meet and maintain a specific capital level for any capital measure;
(B) "adequately capitalized" if it has (i) a total risk-based capital ratio
of
8% or greater, (ii) a Tier I risk-based capital ratio of 4% or greater and
(iii)
a leverage ratio of 4% or greater (or 3% or greater in the case of an
institution with the highest examination rating); (C)"undercapitalized" if
it
has (i) a total risk-based capital ratio of less than 8%, (ii) a Tier I
risk-based capital ratio of less than 4% or (iii) a leverage ratio of less
than
4% (or 3% in the case of an institution with the highest examination rating);
(D) "significantly undercapitalized" if it has (i) a total risk-based capital
ratio of less than 6%, or (ii) a Tier I risk-based capital ratio of less
than 3%
or (iii) a leverage ratio of less than 3%; and (E) "critically undercapitalized"
if the institution has a ratio of tangible equity to total assets equal to
or
less than 2%.
Changes in Control.
The BHCA
prohibits the Company from acquiring direct or indirect control of more than
5%
of the outstanding voting stock or substantially all of the assets of any
bank
or savings bank or merging or consolidating with another bank holding company
or
savings bank holding company without prior approval of the Federal Reserve.
Similarly, Federal Reserve approval (or, in certain cases, non-disapproval)
must
be obtained prior to any person acquiring control of the Company. Control
is
conclusively presumed to exist if, among other things, a person acquires
more
than 25% of any class of voting stock of the Company or controls in any manner
the election of a majority of the directors of the Company. Control is presumed
to exist if a person acquires more than 10% of any class of voting stock
and the
stock is registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or
the acquiror will be the largest shareholder after the acquisition.
Federal
Securities Law.
The
Company has registered its Common Stock with the SEC pursuant to Section
12(g)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. As a result of such registration,
the
proxy and tender offer rules, insider trading reporting requirements, annual
and
periodic reporting and other requirements of the Exchange Act are applicable
to
the Company.
Transactions
with Affiliates. Under
current federal law, depository institutions are subject to the restrictions
contained in Section 22(h) of the Federal Reserve Act with respect to loans
to
directors, executive officers and principal shareholders. Under Section 22(h),
loans to directors, executive officers and shareholders who own more than
10% of
a depository institution (18% in the case of institutions located in an area
with less than 30,000 in population), and certain affiliated entities of
any of
the foregoing, may not exceed, together with all other outstanding loans
to such
person and affiliated entities, the institution's loans-to-one-borrower limit
(as discussed below). Section 22(h) also prohibits loans above amounts
prescribed by the appropriate federal banking agency to directors, executive
officers and shareholders who own more than 10% of an institution, and their
respective affiliates, unless such loans are approved in advance by a majority
of the board of directors of the institution. Any "interested" director may
not
participate in the voting. The FDIC has prescribed the loan amount (which
includes all other outstanding loans to such person), as to which such prior
board of director approval is required, as being the greater of $25,000 or
5% of
capital and surplus (up to $500,000). Further, pursuant to Section 22(h),
the
Federal Reserve requires that loans to directors, executive officers, and
principal shareholders be made on terms substantially the same as offered
in
comparable transactions with non-executive employees of the Bank. The FDIC
has
imposed additional limits on the amount a bank can loan to an executive
officer.
Loans
to One Borrower. The
Bank
is subject to the Commissioner's loans to one borrower limits which are
substantially the same as those applicable to national banks. Under these
limits, no loans and extensions of credit to any borrower outstanding at
one
time and not fully secured by readily marketable collateral shall exceed
15% of
the unimpaired capital and unimpaired surplus of the bank. Loans and extensions
of credit fully secured by readily marketable collateral may comprise an
additional 10% of unimpaired capital and unimpaired surplus.
8
Gramm-Leach-Bliley
Act.
The
federal Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (the “GLB Act”) dramatically changed various
federal laws governing the banking, securities and insurance industries.
The GLB
Act has expanded opportunities for banks and bank holding companies to provide
services and engage in other revenue-generating activities that previously
were
prohibited to them. However, this expanded authority also may present us
with
new challenges as our
larger competitors are able to expand their services and products into areas
that are not feasible for smaller, community oriented financial institutions.
The GLB Act likely will have a significant economic impact on the banking
industry and on competitive conditions in the financial services industry
generally.
USA
Patriot Act of 2001.
The
USA
Patriot Act of 2001 was enacted in response to the terrorist attacks that
occurred in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. on September 11,
2001.
The Act is intended to strengthen the ability of U.S. law enforcement and
the
intelligence community to work cohesively to combat terrorism on a variety
of
fronts. The potential impact of the Act on financial institutions of all
kinds
is significant and wide ranging. The Act contains sweeping anti-money laundering
and financial transparency laws and contains various regulations, including
standards for verifying customer identification at account opening, and rules
to
promote cooperation among financial institutions, regulators, and law
enforcement entities in identifying parties that may be involved in terrorism
or
money laundering.
Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002.
On
July
30, 2002, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 was signed into law and became some
of
the most sweeping federal legislation addressing accounting, corporate
governance and disclosure issues. The impact of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act is
wide-ranging as it applies to all public companies and imposes significant
new
requirements for public company governance and disclosure requirements. Some
of
the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act became effective immediately while
others are still being implemented.
In general, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act mandates important new corporate governance
and financial reporting requirements intended to enhance the accuracy and
transparency of public companies’ reported financial results. It establishes new
responsibilities for corporate chief executive officers, chief financial
officers and audit committees in the financial reporting process and creates
a
new regulatory body to oversee auditors of public companies. It backs these
requirements with new SEC enforcement tools, increases criminal penalties
for
federal mail, wire and securities fraud, and creates new criminal penalties
for
document and record destruction in connection with federal investigations.
It
also increases the opportunity for more private litigation by lengthening
the
statute of limitations for securities fraud claims and providing new federal
corporate whistleblower protection.
The
economic and operational effects of this new legislation on public companies,
including us, will be significant in terms of the time, resources and costs
associated with complying with the new law. Because the Sarbanes-Oxley Act,
for
the most part, applies equally to larger and smaller public companies, we
will
be presented with additional challenges as a smaller, community-oriented
financial institution seeking to compete with larger financial institutions
in
our market.
The
Company qualified as an accelerated filer in accordance with Rule 12b-2 of
the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, effective December 31, 2006. Therefore,
the
Company is now subject to the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002 (“SOX 404”). The Company incurred additional consulting and audit
expenses in becoming compliant with SOX 404, and will continue to incur
additional audit expenses to comply with SOX 404 going forward. Management
does
not expect expenses related to SOX 404 to have a material impact on the
Company’s financial statements
Other.
Additional regulations require annual examinations of all insured depository
institutions by the appropriate federal banking agency, with some exceptions
for
small, well-capitalized institutions and state chartered institutions examined
by state regulators. Additional regulations also establish operational and
managerial, asset quality, earnings and stock valuation standards for insured
depository institutions, as well as compensation standards.
The
Bank
is subject to examination by the FDIC and the Commissioner. In addition,
the
Bank is subject to various other state and federal laws and regulations,
including state usury laws, laws relating to fiduciaries, consumer credit
and
equal credit, fair credit reporting laws and laws relating to branch banking.
The Bank, as an insured North Carolina commercial bank, is prohibited from
engaging as a principal in activities that are not permitted for national
banks,
unless (i) the FDIC determines that the activity would pose no significant
risk
to the appropriate deposit insurance fund and (ii) the Bank is, and continues
to
be, in compliance with all applicable capital standards.
9
Under
Chapter 53 of the North Carolina General Statutes, if the capital stock of
a
North Carolina commercial bank is impaired by losses or otherwise, the
Commissioner is authorized to require payment of the deficiency by assessment
upon the bank's shareholders, pro rata, and to the extent necessary, if any
such
assessment is not paid by any shareholder, upon 30 days notice, to sell as
much
as is necessary of the stock of such shareholder to make good the
deficiency.
ITEM
1A.
|
RISK
FACTORS
|
The
following are potential risks that management considers material and that
could
affect the future operating results and financial condition of the Bank and
the
Company. The risks are not listed in any particular order of importance,
and
there is the potential that there are other risks that have either not been
identified or that management believed to be immaterial but which could in
fact
adversely affect the Bank’s operating results and financial condition.
Loss
of key personnel could adversely impact results
The
success of the Bank has been and will continue to be greatly influenced by
the
ability to retain the services of existing senior management The Bank has
benefited from consistency within its senior management team, with its top five
executives averaging over 14 years of service with the Bank. The Company
has
entered into employment contracts with each of these top management officials.
Nevertheless, the unexpected loss of the services of any of the key management
personnel, or the inability to recruit and retain qualified personnel in
the
future, could have an adverse impact on the business and financial results
of
the Bank.
A
significant amount of the Bank’s business is concentrated in lending which is
secured by property located in the Catawba Valley and surrounding areas
In
addition to the financial strength and cash flow characteristics of the borrower
in each case, the Bank often secures its loans with real estate collateral.
The
real estate collateral in each case provides an alternate source of repayment
in
the event of default by the borrower and may deteriorate in value during
the
time the credit is extended. If the Bank is required to liquidate the collateral
securing a loan during a period of reduced real estate values to satisfy
the
debt, the Bank’s earnings and capital could be adversely affected.
Additionally,
with most of the Bank’s loans concentrated in the Catawba Valley and surrounding
areas, a decline in local economic conditions could adversely affect the
values
of the Bank’s real estate collateral. Consequently, a decline in local economic
conditions may have a greater effect on the Bank’s earnings and capital than on
the earnings and capital of larger financial institutions whose real estate
loan
portfolios are geographically diverse.
An
inadequate allowance for loan losses would reduce our earnings
The
risk
of credit losses on loans varies with, among other things, general economic
conditions, the creditworthiness of the borrower over the term of the loan
and,
in the case of a collateralized loan, the value and marketability of the
collateral for the loan. Management maintains an allowance for loan losses
based
upon, among other things, historical experience, an evaluation of economic
conditions and regular reviews of delinquencies and loan portfolio quality.
Considering such factors, management makes various assumptions and judgments
about the ultimate collectability of the loan portfolio and provides an
allowance for loan losses based upon a percentage of the outstanding balances
within assigned risk grades and for specific loans when their ultimate
collectability is considered questionable. If management’s assumptions and
judgments prove to be incorrect and the allowance for loan losses is inadequate
to absorb future losses, or if the bank regulatory authorities require the
Bank
to increase the allowance for loan losses as a part of their examination
process, the Bank’s earnings and capital could be significantly and adversely
affected. For further discussion related to our process for determining the
appropriate level of the allowance for loan losses, see “Allowance for Loan
Losses” within “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results and Operation” of this Annual Report on Form
10-K.
Changes
in interest rates affect profitability and assets
Changes
in prevailing interest rates may hurt the Bank’s business. The Bank derives its
income primarily from the difference or “spread” between the interest earned on
loans, securities and other interest-earning assets, and interest paid on
deposits, borrowings and other interest-bearing liabilities. In general,
the
larger the spread, the more the Bank earns. When market rates of interest
change, the interest the Bank receives on its assets and the interest the
Bank
pays on its liabilities will fluctuate. This can cause decreases in the “spread”
and can adversely affect the Bank’s income. Changes in market interest rates
could reduce the value of the Bank’s financial assets. Fixed-rate investments,
mortgage-backed and related securities and mortgage loans generally decrease
in
value as interest rates rise. In addition, interest rates affect how much
money
the Bank lends. For example, when interest rates rise, the cost of borrowing
increases and the loan
10
originations
tend to decrease. If the Bank is unsuccessful in managing the effects of
changes
in interest rates, the financial condition and results of operations could
suffer.
We
measure interest rate risk under various rate scenarios using specific criteria
and assumptions. A summary of this process, along with the results of our
net
interest income simulations is presented within “Item 7A. Quantitative and
Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk” of this Annual Report on
Form 10-K.
Regional
economic factors may have an adverse impact on our business
Substantially
all of the Bank’s business is with customers in its local market areas. Most of
the Bank’s customers are individuals and medium-sized businesses which are
dependent upon the regional economy. Adverse changes in economic and business
conditions in the Bank’s markets could adversely affect its borrowers, their
ability to repay their loans and to borrow additional funds or buy financial
services and products from the Bank.
The
Bank faces strong competition from other banks and financial institutions
which
can hurt its business
The
financial services industry is highly competitive. The Bank competes against
commercial banks, savings banks, savings and loan associations, credit unions,
mortgage banks, brokerage firms, investment advisory firms, insurance companies
and other financial institutions. Many of these entities are larger
organizations with significantly greater financial, management and other
resources than the Bank has. Moreover, two national money center commercial
banks are headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, only 40 miles from
the
Bank's primary market area.
While
management believes it can and does successfully compete with other financial
institutions in our market, we may face a competitive disadvantage as a result
of our smaller size and lack of geographic diversification.
Government
regulations and policies impose limitations and may result in higher operating
costs and competitive disadvantages
The
Bank
is subject to extensive federal government supervision and regulation that
is
intended primarily to protect depositors and the FDIC’s Bank Insurance Fund,
rather than the Company’s shareholders. Existing banking laws subject the Bank
to substantial limitations with respect to loans, the purchase of securities,
the payment of dividends and many other aspects of banking business. Some
of the
banking laws may increase the cost of doing business or otherwise adversely
affect the Bank and create competitive advantages for non-bank competitors.
There can be no assurance that future legislation or government policy will
not
adversely affect the banking industry or the Bank’s operations. Federal economic
and monetary policy may also affect the Bank’s ability to attract deposits, make
loans and achieve satisfactory interest spreads.
Changes
in technology may impact the Bank’s business
The
Bank
uses various technologies in its business and the banking industry is undergoing
rapid technological changes. The effective use of technology increases
efficiency and enables financial institutions to reduce costs. The Bank’s future
success will depend in part on its ability to address the needs of its customers
by using technology to provide products and services that will satisfy customer
demands for convenience as well as create additional efficiencies in the
Bank’s
operations. The Bank’s competitors may have substantially greater resources to
invest in technological improvements.
The
trading volume in our common stock is less than that of larger public companies
which can cause price volatility
The trading history of our common stock has been characterized by relatively
low
trading volume. The value of a shareholder’s investment may be subject to sudden
decreases due to the volatility of the price of our common stock, which trades
on the NASDAQ Global Market.
The
market price of our common stock may be volatile and subject to fluctuations
in
response to numerous factors, including, but not limited to, the factors
discussed in other risk factors and the following:
l
|
actual or anticipated fluctuation in our operating results; | |
|
l
|
changes in interest rates; |
|
l
|
changes in the legal or regulatory environment in which we operate; |
|
l
|
press releases, announcements or publicity relating to us or our competitors or relating to trends in our industry; |
|
l
|
changes in expectations as to our future financial performance, including financial estimates or recommendations by securities analysts and investors; |
|
l
|
future sales of our common stock; |
11
· |
changes
in economic conditions in our market, general conditions in the
U.S. economy, financial markets or the banking
industry; and
|
· |
other
developments affecting us or our
competitors.
|
These
factors may adversely affect the trading price of our common stock, regardless
of our actual operating performance, and could prevent a shareholder from
selling common stock at or above the current market price.
We
may be subject to examinations by taxing authorities which could adversely
affect our results of operations
In
the
normal course of business, we may be subject to examinations from federal
and
state taxing authorities regarding the amount of taxes due in connection
with
investments we have made and the businesses in which we are engaged. Recently,
federal and state taxing authorities have become increasingly aggressive
in
challenging tax positions taken by financial institutions. The challenges
made
by taxing authorities may result in adjustments to the timing or amount of
taxable income or deductions or the allocation of income among tax
jurisdictions. If any such challenges are made and are not resolved in our
favor, they could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results
of operations.
We
may not be able to pay dividends in the future in accordance with past
practice
We
have
in the past paid a quarterly dividend to shareholders. However, we are dependent
primarily upon the Bank for our earnings and funds to pay dividends on our
common stock. The payment of dividends also is subject to legal and regulatory
restrictions. Any payment of dividends in the future will depend, in large
part,
on the Bank’s earnings, capital requirements, financial condition and other
factors considered relevant by our Board of Directors.
ITEM
1B.
|
UNRESOLVED
STAFF COMMENTS
|
Not
applicable.
12
ITEM
2.
|
PROPERTIES
|
At
December 31, 2006, the Bank conducted its business from the headquarters
office
in Newton, North Carolina, and its 18 other branch offices in Lincolnton,
Hickory, Newton, Catawba, Conover, Claremont, Maiden, Denver, Triangle,
Hiddenite, Charlotte and Monroe, North Carolina. The Bank also operates loan
production offices in Davidson and Denver, North Carolina. The following
table
sets forth certain information regarding the Bank's properties at December
31,
2006.
Owned
|
Leased
|
|||
Corporate
Office
|
1333
2nd Street NE
|
|||
518
West C Street
|
Hickory,
North Carolina 28601
|
|||
Newton,
North Carolina 28658
|
||||
1910
East Main Street
|
||||
420
West A Street
|
Lincolnton,
North Carolina 28092
|
|||
Newton,
North Carolina 28658
|
||||
2050
Catawba Valley Boulevard
|
||||
2619
North Main Avenue
|
Hickory,
North Carolina 28601
|
|||
Newton,
North Carolina 28658
|
||||
760
Highway 27 West
|
||||
213
1st Street, West
|
Lincolnton,
North Carolina 28092
|
|||
Conover,
North Carolina 28613
|
||||
102
Leonard Avenue
|
||||
3261
East Main Street
|
Newton,
North Carolina 28658
|
|||
Claremont,
North Carolina 28610
|
||||
6300
South Boulevard
|
||||
6125
Highway 16 South
|
Suite
100
|
|||
Denver,
North Carolina 28037
|
Charlotte,
North Carolina 28217
|
|||
5153
N.C. Highway 90E
|
4451
Central Avenue
|
|||
Hiddenite,
North Carolina 28636
|
Suite
A
|
|||
Charlotte,
North Carolina 28205
|
||||
200
Island Ford Road
|
||||
Maiden,
North Carolina 28650
|
3752/3754
Highway 16 North
|
|||
Denver,
North Carolina 28037
|
||||
3310
Springs Road NE
|
||||
Hickory,
North Carolina 28601
|
209
Delburg Street
|
|||
Suite
105
|
||||
142
South Highway 16
|
Davidson,
North Carolina 28036
|
|||
Denver,
North Carolina 28037
|
||||
501 West Roosevelt Boulevard | ||||
106
North Main Street
|
Monroe, NC 28110 | |||
Catawba,
North Carolina 28609
|
ITEM
3.
|
LEGAL
PROCEEDINGS
|
In
the
opinion of management, the Company is not involved in any material pending
legal
proceedings other than routine proceedings occurring in the ordinary course
of business.
ITEM
4.
|
SUBMISSION
OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY
HOLDERS
|
No
matter
was submitted to a vote of the Company's shareholders during the quarter
ended
December 31, 2006
13
PART
II
ITEM
5.
|
MARKET
FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED SHAREHOLDER MATTERS AND
ISSUER
PURCHASES OF EQUITY
SECURITIES
|
The
information required by this Item is set forth under the section captioned
"Market for the Company’s Common Equity and Related Shareholder Matters" on page
A-24 of the Annual Report. The Annual Report is included in this
Form 10-K as Exhibit (13). See "Item 1. BUSINESS--Supervision and
Regulation" above for regulatory restrictions which limit the ability of
the
Company to pay dividends.
The
information required by Item 201(d) concerning securities authorized for
issuance under equity compensation plans is set forth in Item 12
hereof.
ISSUER
PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
|
||||||||||||||||
Period
|
Total
Number
of
Shares
Purchased
|
Average
Price
Paid
per
Share
|
Total
Number of
Shares
Purchased
as
Part of Publicly Announced Plans
or
Programs
|
Maximum
Number (or Approximate Dollar
Value)
of Shares that
May
Yet Be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs
|
||||||||||||
October
1 - 31, 2006
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
-
|
$
|
1,575,000
|
||||||||||
November
1 - 30, 2006
|
569
|
29.71
|
-
|
1,575,000
|
(1)
|
|
||||||||||
December
1 - 31, 2006
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2,000,000
|
(2)
|
|
||||||||||
Total
|
569
|
$
|
29.71
|
-
|
$
|
2,000,000
|
||||||||||
(1)
The Company authorized a $2.0 million stock repurchase program
effective
December 1, 2005. This program expired November 30, 2006. The Company
repurchased 19,250 shares pursuant to this program in first quarter
2006.
|
||||||||||||||||
(2)
The Company authorized a $2.0 million stock repurchase program
effective
December 1, 2006. This program will expire November 30, 2007. No
shares
were repurchased pursuant to this program in 2006.
|
The
information required by Item 201(e), the Performance Graph, is set forth
in the
section captioned “Stock Performance Graph” on page A-25 of the Annual Report,
which is included in this Form 10-K as Exhibit (13).
ITEM
6.
|
SELECTED
FINANCIAL DATA
|
The
information required by this Item is set forth in the table captioned "Selected
Financial Data" on page A-3 of the Annual Report, which table is included
in
this Form 10-K as Exhibit (13).
ITEM
7.
|
MANAGEMENT'S
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF
OPERATIONS
|
The
information required by this Item is set forth in the section captioned
“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations” on pages A-4 through A-25 of the Annual Report, which section is
included in this Form 10-K as Exhibit (13).
ITEM
7A.
|
QUANTITATIVE
AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET
RISK
|
The
information required by this Item is set forth in the section captioned
“Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk” on page A-22 of the
Annual Report, which section is included in this Form 10-K as Exhibit
(13).
14
ITEM
8.
|
FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY
DATA
|
The
consolidated financial statements of the Company and supplementary data set
forth on pages A-26 through A-56 of the Annual Report are included in this
Form
10-K as Exhibit (13).
ITEM
9.
|
CHANGES
IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL
DISCLOSURE
|
Not
applicable.
ITEM
9A.
|
CONTROLS
AND PROCEDURES
|
The
Company’s management, under the supervision and with the participation of the
Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company have
concluded, based on their evaluation as
of the
end of the period covered by this Report,
that the
Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13A-15(e)
promulgated under the Exchange Act) are effective to ensure that information
required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports filed or submitted
by it
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, is recorded, processed,
summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the applicable
rules and forms.
There
have been no significant changes in internal control over financial reporting
during the quarter ended December 31, 2006 that have materially affected,
or are
reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over
financial reporting. Please see "Management's Report on Internal
Controls Over Financial Reporting" on page A-28 of the Annual
Report included in this Form 10-K as Exhibit (13).
ITEM
9B.
|
OTHER
INFORMATION
|
None
PART
III
ITEM
10.
|
DIRECTORS
AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE
REGISTRANT
|
The
information required by this Item regarding directors and executive officers
of
the Company is set forth under the sections captioned “Proposal 1 - Election of
Directors - Nominees” contained in the
Proxy
Statement and “Proposal 1 - Election of Directors - Executive Officers”
contained in the
Proxy
Statement, which sections are incorporated herein by reference.
The
information required by this Item regarding compliance with Section 16(a)
of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is set forth under the section captioned
“Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance” contained in the
Proxy Statement, which section is incorporated herein by reference.
The
information required by this Item regarding identification of members of
the
Company’s Audit Committee is set forth under the section captioned “Proposal 1 -
Election of Directors” contained in the
Proxy
Statement, which section is incorporated herein by reference.
The
Company has adopted a Code of Ethics that applies to the Company’s employees,
including the principal executive officer and principal financial
officer. The
Company has also adopted a written charter for the Audit Committee, which
is
reviewed annually, and amended as needed, by the Committee. The
Company will provide to any person, without charge, upon request, a copy
of
these documents. To request a copy, a written request should be submitted
to the
Company’s corporate headquarters, addressed to the attention of A. Joseph
Lampron, Chief Financial Officer. These documents are also available on the
Bank’s website (www.peoplesbanknc.com) under "Investor
Relations."
ITEM
11.
|
EXECUTIVE
COMPENSATION
|
The
information required by this Item is set forth under the sections captioned
“Proposal 1 - Election of Directors” contained in the Proxy Statement,
which sections are incorporated herein by reference.
15
ITEM
12.
|
SECURITY
OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND
MANAGEMENT
|
The
information required by this Item is incorporated by reference from the section
captioned “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management”
contained in the
Proxy
Statement and the section captioned “Equity Compensation Plan Information”
contained in the
Proxy
Statement.
ITEM
13.
|
CERTAIN
RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED
TRANSACTIONS
|
See
the
section captioned “Proposal 1 - Election of Directors - Indebtedness of and
Transactions with Management and Directors” contained in the
Proxy
Statement, which section is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM
14.
|
PRINCIPAL
ACCOUNTANT FEES AND
SERVICES
|
See
the
section captioned “Proposal 3 - Ratification of Selection of Independent
Auditor” contained in the
Proxy
Statement, which section is incorporated herein by reference.
16
PART
IV
ITEM
15.
|
EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT
SCHEDULES
|
15(a)1.
|
Consolidated
Financial Statements (contained in the Annual Report attached hereto
as
Exhibit (13) and incorporated herein by
reference)
|
(a)
|
Reports
of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
|
(b)
|
Consolidated
Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2006 and
2005
|
(c)
|
Consolidated
Statements of Earnings for the Years Ended December 31, 2006, 2005
and
2004
|
(d)
|
Consolidated
Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity for the Years Ended December
31, 2006, 2005 and 2004
|
(e)
|
Consolidated
Statements of Comprehensive Income for the Years Ended December 31,
2006,
2005 and 2004
|
(f)
|
Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2006, 2005
and
2004
|
(g)
|
Notes
to Consolidated Financial
Statements
|
15(a)2.
|
Financial
Consolidated Statement Schedules
|
All
schedules have been omitted as the required information is either inapplicable
or included in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
15(a)3.
|
Exhibits
|
|
Exhibit
(3)(i)
|
Articles
of Incorporation of Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina,
Inc.,
|
|
incorporated
by reference to Exhibit (3)(i) to the Form 8-A filed with the
|
||
Securities
and Exchange Commission on September 2, 1999
|
||
Exhibit
(3)(ii)
|
Amended
and Restated Bylaws of Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina,
|
|
Inc.,
incorporated by reference to Exhibit (3)(ii) to the Form 10-K filed
|
||
with
the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 26,
2004
|
||
Exhibit
(4)
|
Specimen
Stock Certificate, incorporated by reference to Exhibit (4) to
|
|
the
Form 8-A filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
|
||
September 2, 1999 | ||
Exhibit
(10)(a)
|
Employment
Agreement between Peoples Bank and Tony W. Wolfe
|
|
incorporated
by reference to Exhibit (10)(a) to the Form 10-K filed with
|
||
the
Securities and Exchange Commission on March 30, 2000
|
||
Exhibit
(10)(b)
|
Employment
Agreement between Peoples Bank and Joseph F. Beaman,
|
|
Jr.
incorporated by reference to Exhibit (10)(b) to the Form 10-K
filed
|
||
with
the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 30,
2000
|
||
Exhibit
(10)(c)
|
Employment
Agreement between Peoples Bank and William D. Cable
|
|
incorporated
by reference to Exhibit (10)(d) to the Form 10-K filed with
|
||
the
Securities and Exchange Commission on March 30,
2000
|
17
Exhibit
(10)(d)
|
Employment
Agreement between Peoples Bank and Lance A. Sellers
|
|
incorporated
by reference to Exhibit (10)(e) to the Form 10-K filed with
|
||
the
Securities and Exchange Commission on March 30, 2000
|
||
Exhibit
(10)(e)
|
Peoples
Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. Omnibus Stock Ownership and
|
|
Long
Term Incentive Plan incorporated by reference to Exhibit (10)(f)
to
|
||
the
Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
|
||
March 30, 2000 | ||
Exhibit (10)(e)(i) | Amendment No. 1 to the Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. | |
Omnibus Stock Ownership and Long Term Incentive Plan | ||
Exhibit
(10)(f)
|
Employment
Agreement between Peoples Bank and A. Joseph Lampron,
|
|
incorporated
by reference to Exhibit (10)(g) to the Form 10-K filed with
the
|
||
Securities
and Exchange Commission on March 28, 2002
|
||
Exhibit
(10)(g)
|
Peoples
Bank Directors' and Officers' Deferral Plan, incorporated by
|
|
reference
to Exhibit (10)(h) to the Form 10-K filed with the Securities and
|
||
Exchange
Commission on March 28, 2002
|
||
Exhibit
(10)(h)
|
Rabbi
Trust for the Peoples Bank Directors' and Officers' Deferral
Plan,
|
|
incorporated
by reference to Exhibit (10)(i) to the Form 10-K filed with the
|
||
Securities
and Exchange Commission on March 28, 2002
|
||
Exhibit
(10)(i)
|
Description
of Service Recognition Program maintained by Peoples Bank,
|
|
incorporated
by reference to Exhibit (10)(i) to the Form 10-K filed with the
|
||
Securities
and Exchange Commission on March 27,
2003
|
Exhibit
(10)(j)
|
Capital
Securities Purchase Agreement dated as of June 26, 2006, by
and
|
|
among
Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc., PEBK Capital Trust
II
|
||
and
Bear, Sterns Securities Corp., incorporated by reference to Exhibit
|
||
10(j)
to the Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange
|
||
Commission
on November 13, 2006
|
||
Exhibit
(10)(k)
|
Amended
and Restated Trust Agreement of PEBK Capital Trust II,
dated
|
|
as
of June 28, 2006, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10(k) to the
|
||
Form
10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
on
|
||
November
13, 2006
|
||
Exhibit
(10)(l)
|
Guarantee
Agreement of Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc.
dated
|
|
as
of June 28, 2006, incorporated by reference to Exhibit (10)(l) to
the
|
||
Form
10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
on
|
||
November
13, 2006
|
||
Exhibit
(10)(m)
|
Indenture,
dated as of June 28, 2006, by and between Peoples Bancorp of
|
|
North
Carolina, Inc. and LaSalle Bank National Association, as Trustee,
|
||
relating
to Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Due September 15,
2036,
|
||
incorporated
by reference to Exhibit (10)(m) to the Form 10-Q filed with
|
||
the
Securities and Exchange Commission on November 13,
2006
|
Exhibit
(12)
|
Statement
Regarding Computation of Ratios
|
|
Exhibit
(13)
|
2006
Annual Report of Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina,
Inc.
|
|
Exhibit
(14)
|
Code
of Business Conduct and Ethics of Peoples Bancorp of
North
|
|
Carolina,
Inc., incorporated by reference to Exhibit 14 to the Form
10-K
|
||
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 25, 2005 |
18
Exhibit (21) | Subsidiaries of Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc., incorporated by | |
reference to Exhibit 21 to the Form 10-K filed with the Securities and | ||
Exchange Commission on March 27, 2003 | ||
Exhibit
(23)
|
Consent
of Porter Keadle Moore, LLP
|
|
Exhibit (31)(a) | Certification of principal executive officer pursuant to section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 | |
Exhibit
(31)(b)
|
Certification
of principal financial officer pursuant to section 302 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
|
|
Exhibit
(32)
|
Certification
Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section
906 of
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002
|
19
SIGNATURES
|
Pursuant
to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act
of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed
on its
behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized.
|
PEOPLES BANCORP OF NORTH CAROLINA, INC. | |||||||
(Registrant) | |||||||
By:
|
/s/ Tony W. Wolfe | ||||||
Tony W. Wolfe | |||||||
President and Chief Executive Officer | |||||||
Date: March 15, 2007 |
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this
report
has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the
registrant
and in the capacities and on the dates indicated:
|
||||
Signature
|
Title
|
Date
|
||
/s/
Tony W. Wolfe
|
President
and Chief Executive Officer
|
March
15, 2007
|
||
Tony
W. Wolfe
|
(Principal
Executive Officer)
|
|||
/s/
James S. Abernethy
|
Director
|
March
15, 2007
|
||
James
S. Abernethy
|
||||
/s/
Robert C. Abernethy
|
Chairman
of the Board and Director
|
March
15, 2007
|
||
Robert
C. Abernethy
|
||||
/s/
Douglas S. Howard
|
Director
|
March
15, 2007
|
||
Douglas
S. Howard
|
||||
/s/
A. Joseph Lampron
|
Executive
Vice President and Chief
|
March
15, 2007
|
||
A.
Joseph Lampron
|
Financial
Officer (Principal Financial
|
|||
and
Principal Accounting Officer)
|
||||
/s/
John W. Lineberger, Jr.
|
Director
|
March
15, 2007
|
||
John
W. Lineberger, Jr.
|
|
|||
/s/
Gary E. Matthews
|
Director
|
March
15, 2007
|
||
Gary
E. Matthews
|
||||
/s/
Billy L. Price, Jr., M.D.
|
Director
|
March
15, 2007
|
||
Billy
L. Price, Jr., M.D.
|
||||
/s/
Larry E. Robinson
|
Director
|
March
15, 2007
|
||
Larry
E. Robinson
|
||||
/s/
William Gregory Terry
|
Director
|
March
15, 2007
|
||
William
Gregory Terry
|
||||
/s/
Dan Ray Timmerman, Sr.
|
Director
|
March
15, 2007
|
||
Dan
Ray Timmerman, Sr.
|
||||
/s/
Benjamin I. Zachary
|
Director
|
March
15, 2007
|
||
Benjamin
I. Zachary
|
20