UNITED SECURITY BANCSHARES - Quarter Report: 2007 March (Form 10-Q)
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
D.C. 20549
FORM
10-Q
x |
QUARTERLY
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE
ACT OF
1934 FOR THE QUARTERLY PERIOD ENDED MARCH 31,
2007.
|
o |
TRANSITION
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE
ACT OF
1934 FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM
TO
.
|
Commission
file number: 000-32987
UNITED
SECURITY BANCSHARES
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
CALIFORNIA
|
91-2112732
|
(State
or other jurisdiction of
|
(I.R.S.
Employer
|
incorporation
or organization)
|
Identification
No.)
|
1525
East Shaw Ave., Fresno, California
|
93710
|
(Address
of principal executive offices)
|
(Zip
Code)
|
Registrants
telephone number, including area code (559)
248-4943
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 for the past
90
days.
Yes
x
No
o
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in
Rule
12b-2 of the Act).
Large
accelerated filer o Accelerated
filer x Non-accelerated
filer o
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule
12b-2 of the Act). Yes o No
x
Aggregate
market value of the Common Stock held by non-affiliates as of the last business
day of the registrant's most recently completed second fiscal quarter - June
30,
2006: $176,056,726
Indicate
the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer's classes of common
stock, as of the latest practicable date.
Common
Stock, no par value
(Title
of
Class)
Shares
outstanding as of April 30, 2007: 12,205,731
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Facing
Page
Table
of
Contents
PART I. Financial Information | |||
Item
1.
|
Financial
Statements
|
2
|
|
Consolidated
Balance Sheets
|
2
|
||
Consolidated
Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income
|
3
|
||
Consolidated
Statements of Changes in Shareholders' Equity
|
4
|
||
Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows
|
5
|
||
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
|
6
|
||
Item
2.
|
Management's
Discussion and Analysis of
|
18
|
|
|
Financial
Condition and Results of Operations
|
||
Overview
|
18
|
||
Results
of Operations
|
21
|
||
Financial
Condition
|
25
|
||
Liquidity
and Asset/Liability Management
|
32
|
||
Regulatory
Matters
|
32
|
||
|
|||
Item
3.
|
Quantitative
and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
|
33
|
|
Interest
Rate Sensitivity and Market Risk
|
33
|
||
Item
4.
|
Controls
and Procedures
|
34
|
|
PART II. Other Information | |||
Item
1.
|
Legal
Proceedings
|
36
|
|
Item
1A.
|
Risk
Factors
|
36
|
|
Item
2.
|
Unregistered
Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceed
|
36
|
|
Item
3.
|
Defaults
Upon Senior Securities
|
36
|
|
Item
4.
|
Submission
of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
|
36
|
|
Item
5.
|
Other
Information
|
36
|
|
Item
6.
|
Exhibits
|
36
|
|
Signatures |
37
|
PART
I. Financial Information
United
Security Bancshares and Subsidiaries
|
|||||||
Consolidated
Balance Sheets - (unaudited)
|
|||||||
March
31, 2007 and December 31, 2006
|
March
31,
|
December
31,
|
||||||
(in
thousands except shares)
|
2007
|
2006
|
|||||
Assets
|
|||||||
Cash
and due from banks
|
$
|
24,680
|
$
|
28,771
|
|||
Federal
funds sold
|
7,277
|
14,297
|
|||||
Cash
and cash equivalents
|
31,957
|
43,068
|
|||||
Interest-bearing
deposits in other banks
|
7,953
|
7,893
|
|||||
Investment
securities available for sale at fair value
|
98,026
|
83,366
|
|||||
Loans
and leases
|
562,313
|
500,568
|
|||||
Unearned
fees
|
(1,308
|
)
|
(999
|
)
|
|||
Allowance
for credit losses
|
(9,702
|
)
|
(8,365
|
)
|
|||
Net
loans
|
551,303
|
491,204
|
|||||
Accrued
interest receivable
|
4,809
|
4,237
|
|||||
Premises
and equipment - net
|
16,205
|
15,302
|
|||||
Other
real estate owned
|
1,919
|
1,919
|
|||||
Intangible
assets
|
5,413
|
2,264
|
|||||
Goodwill
|
8,502
|
750
|
|||||
Cash
surrender value of life insurance
|
13,789
|
13,668
|
|||||
Investment
in limited partnership
|
3,464
|
3,564
|
|||||
Deferred
income taxes
|
7,831
|
5,307
|
|||||
Other
assets
|
12,652
|
5,772
|
|||||
Total
assets
|
$
|
763,823
|
$
|
678,314
|
|||
Liabilities
& Shareholders' Equity
|
|||||||
Liabilities
|
|||||||
Deposits
|
|||||||
Noninterest
bearing
|
$
|
148,199
|
$
|
159,002
|
|||
Interest
bearing
|
492,138
|
428,125
|
|||||
Total
deposits
|
640,337
|
587,127
|
|||||
Other
borrowings
|
10,000
|
0
|
|||||
Accrued
interest payable
|
1,753
|
2,477
|
|||||
Accounts
payable and other liabilities
|
9,316
|
7,204
|
|||||
Junior
subordinated debentures (at fair value 3/31/07)
|
16,712
|
15,464
|
|||||
Total
liabilities
|
678,118
|
612,272
|
|||||
Shareholders'
Equity
|
|||||||
Common
stock, no par value
|
|||||||
20,000,000
shares authorized, 12,220,121 and 11,301,113
|
|||||||
issued
and outstanding, in 2007 and 2006, respectively
|
39,849
|
20,448
|
|||||
Retained
earnings
|
46,808
|
46,884
|
|||||
Accumulated
other comprehensive loss
|
(952
|
)
|
(1,290
|
)
|
|||
Total
shareholders' equity
|
85,705
|
66,042
|
|||||
Total
liabilities and shareholders' equity
|
$
|
763,823
|
$
|
678,314
|
See
notes to consolidated financial statements
|
2
United
Security Bancshares and Subsidiaries
Consolidated
Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income
(unaudited)
|
Three
Months Ended March 31,
|
|||||||
(In
thousands except shares and EPS)
|
2007
|
2006
|
|||||
Interest
Income:
|
|||||||
Loans,
including fees
|
$
|
13,100
|
$
|
9,254
|
|||
Investment
securities - AFS - taxable
|
933
|
840
|
|||||
Investment
securities - AFS - nontaxable
|
27
|
27
|
|||||
Federal
funds sold
|
96
|
350
|
|||||
Interest
on deposits in other banks
|
80
|
81
|
|||||
Total
interest income
|
14,236
|
10,552
|
|||||
Interest
Expense:
|
|||||||
Interest
on deposits
|
4,057
|
2,446
|
|||||
Interest
on other borrowings
|
446
|
293
|
|||||
Total
interest expense
|
4,503
|
2,739
|
|||||
Net
Interest Income Before
|
|||||||
Provision
for Credit Losses
|
9,733
|
7,813
|
|||||
Provision
for Credit Losses
|
202
|
240
|
|||||
Net
Interest Income
|
9,531
|
7,573
|
|||||
Noninterest
Income:
|
|||||||
Customer
service fees
|
1,136
|
1,036
|
|||||
Gain
on sale of other real estate owned
|
12
|
15
|
|||||
Loss
on swap ineffectiveness
|
(1
|
)
|
0
|
||||
Gain
on sale of investment in correspondent bank stock
|
0
|
1,877
|
|||||
Shared
appreciation income
|
6
|
0
|
|||||
Other
|
428
|
279
|
|||||
Total
noninterest income
|
1,581
|
3,207
|
|||||
Noninterest
Expense:
|
|||||||
Salaries
and employee benefits
|
2,687
|
2,436
|
|||||
Occupancy
expense
|
823
|
589
|
|||||
Data
processing
|
137
|
132
|
|||||
Professional
fees
|
433
|
213
|
|||||
Director
fees
|
56
|
54
|
|||||
Amortization
of intangibles
|
184
|
134
|
|||||
Correspondent
bank service charges
|
76
|
49
|
|||||
Loss
on California tax credit partnership
|
101
|
110
|
|||||
OREO
expense
|
42
|
254
|
|||||
Other
|
661
|
577
|
|||||
Total
noninterest expense
|
5,200
|
4,548
|
|||||
Income
Before Taxes on Income
|
5,912
|
6,232
|
|||||
Provision
for Taxes on Income
|
2,309
|
2,368
|
|||||
Net
Income
|
$
|
3,603
|
$
|
3,864
|
|||
Other
comprehensive income, net of tax:
|
|||||||
Unrealized
gain (loss) on available for sale securities,
|
|||||||
interest
rate swap, and past service costs of employee benefit
|
|||||||
plans
- net income tax (benefit) of $225, and $(156)
|
338
|
(126
|
)
|
||||
Comprehensive
Income
|
$
|
3,941
|
$
|
3,738
|
|||
Net
Income per common share
|
|||||||
Basic
|
$
|
0.30
|
$
|
0.34
|
|||
Diluted
|
$
|
0.30
|
$
|
0.34
|
|||
Shares
on which net income per common shares
|
|||||||
were
based
|
|||||||
Basic
|
11,947,319
|
11,369,729
|
|||||
Diluted
|
12,006,111
|
11,489,832
|
See
notes to consolidated financial statements
|
3
United
Security Bancshares and Subsidiaries
|
|||||
Consolidated
Statements of Changes in Shareholders' Equity
|
|||||
Periods
Ended March 31, 2007
|
Common
stock
|
Common
stock
|
Accumulated
Other
|
||||||||||||||
Number
|
Retained
|
Comprehensive
|
||||||||||||||
(In
thousands except shares)
|
of
Shares
|
Amount
|
Earnings
|
Income
(Loss)
|
Total
|
|||||||||||
Balance
January 1, 2006
|
11,361,118
|
$
|
22,084
|
$
|
38,682
|
$
|
(1,752
|
)
|
$
|
59,014
|
||||||
Director/Employee
stock options exercised
|
14,000
|
122
|
122
|
|||||||||||||
Net
changes in unrealized loss
|
||||||||||||||||
on
available for sale securities
|
||||||||||||||||
(net
of income tax benefit of $164)
|
(247
|
)
|
(247
|
)
|
||||||||||||
Net
changes in unrealized loss
|
||||||||||||||||
on
interest rate swaps
|
||||||||||||||||
(net
of income tax of $8)
|
121
|
121
|
||||||||||||||
Dividends
on common stock ($0.11 per share)
|
(1,251
|
)
|
(1,251
|
)
|
||||||||||||
Repurchase
and cancellation of common shares
|
(84
|
)
|
(1
|
)
|
(1
|
)
|
||||||||||
Stock-based
compensation expense
|
0
|
46
|
46
|
|||||||||||||
Net
Income
|
3,864
|
3,864
|
||||||||||||||
Balance
March 31, 2006 (Unaudited)
|
11,375,034
|
22,251
|
41,295
|
(1,878
|
)
|
61,668
|
||||||||||
Director/Employee
stock options exercised
|
34,000
|
212
|
212
|
|||||||||||||
Tax
benefit of stock options exercised
|
218
|
218
|
||||||||||||||
Net
changes in unrealized loss
|
||||||||||||||||
on
available for sale securities
|
||||||||||||||||
(net
of income tax of $406)
|
609
|
609
|
||||||||||||||
Net
changes in unrealized loss
|
||||||||||||||||
on
interest rate swaps
|
||||||||||||||||
(net
of income tax of $131)
|
148
|
148
|
||||||||||||||
Net
changes in unrecognized past service
|
||||||||||||||||
Cost
on employee benefit plans
|
||||||||||||||||
(net
of income tax benefit of $112)
|
(169
|
)
|
(169
|
)
|
||||||||||||
Dividends
on common stock ($0.335 per share)
|
(3,907
|
)
|
(3,907
|
)
|
||||||||||||
Repurchase
and cancellation of common shares
|
(107,921
|
)
|
(2,435
|
)
|
(2,435
|
)
|
||||||||||
Stock-based
compensation expense
|
0
|
202
|
202
|
|||||||||||||
Net
Income
|
9,496
|
9,496
|
||||||||||||||
Balance
December 31, 2006
|
11,301,113
|
20,448
|
46,884
|
(1,290
|
)
|
66,042
|
||||||||||
Director/Employee
stock options exercised
|
60,000
|
340
|
340
|
|||||||||||||
Net
changes in unrealized loss
|
||||||||||||||||
on
available for sale securities
|
||||||||||||||||
(net
of income tax of $164)
|
247
|
247
|
||||||||||||||
Net
changes in unrealized loss
|
||||||||||||||||
on
interest rate swaps
|
||||||||||||||||
(net
of income tax of $47)
|
70
|
70
|
||||||||||||||
Net
changes in unrecognized past service
|
||||||||||||||||
Cost
on employee benefit plans
|
||||||||||||||||
(net
of income tax of $14)
|
21
|
21
|
||||||||||||||
Dividends
on common stock ($0.125 per share)
|
(1,536
|
)
|
(1,536
|
)
|
||||||||||||
Repurchase
and cancellation of common shares
|
(117,403
|
)
|
(2,522
|
)
|
(2,522
|
)
|
||||||||||
Issuance
of shares for business combination
|
976,411
|
21,536
|
21,536
|
|||||||||||||
Stock-based
compensation expense
|
47
|
47
|
||||||||||||||
Cumulative
effect of adoption of SFAS No. 159
|
||||||||||||||||
(net
income tax benefit of $613)
|
(845
|
)
|
(845
|
)
|
||||||||||||
Cumulative
effect of adoption of FIN48
|
(1,298
|
)
|
(1,298
|
)
|
||||||||||||
Net
Income
|
3,603
|
3,603
|
||||||||||||||
Balance
March 31, 2007 (Unaudited)
|
12,220,121
|
$
|
39,849
|
$
|
46,808
|
$
|
(952
|
)
|
$
|
85,705
|
See
notes to consolidated financial statements
|
4
United
Security Bancshares and Subsidiaries
|
||
Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows (unaudited)
|
Quarter
Ended March 31,
|
|||||||
(In
thousands)
|
2007
|
2006
|
|||||
Cash
Flows From Operating Activities:
|
|||||||
Net
income
|
$
|
3,603
|
$
|
3,864
|
|||
Adjustments
to reconcile net earnings to cash provided by operating
activities:
|
|||||||
Provision
for credit losses
|
202
|
240
|
|||||
Depreciation
and amortization
|
576
|
396
|
|||||
Amortization
of investment securities
|
(27
|
)
|
(24
|
)
|
|||
Increase
in accrued interest receivable
|
(221
|
)
|
(424
|
)
|
|||
Decrease
in accrued interest payable
|
(740
|
)
|
(485
|
)
|
|||
Increase
in unearned fees
|
78
|
32
|
|||||
Increase
in income taxes payable
|
2,021
|
797
|
|||||
Excess
tax benefits from stock-based payment arrangements
|
0
|
(2
|
)
|
||||
Stock-based
compensation expense
|
47
|
46
|
|||||
(Increase)
decrease in accounts payable and accrued liabilities
|
(1,541
|
)
|
318
|
||||
Gain
on sale of correspondent bank stock
|
0
|
(1,877
|
)
|
||||
Gain
on sale of other real estate owned
|
(12
|
)
|
(15
|
)
|
|||
Loss
on swap ineffectiveness
|
1
|
0
|
|||||
Increase
in surrender value of life insurance
|
(121
|
)
|
(133
|
)
|
|||
Loss
on limited partnership interest
|
101
|
110
|
|||||
Net
decrease in other assets
|
181
|
238
|
|||||
Net
cash provided by operating activities
|
4,148
|
3,081
|
|||||
Cash
Flows From Investing Activities:
|
|||||||
Net
increase in interest-bearing deposits with banks
|
(60
|
)
|
(57
|
)
|
|||
Purchases
of available-for-sale securities
|
(19,178
|
)
|
0
|
||||
Maturities
and calls of available-for-sale securities
|
12,371
|
1,035
|
|||||
Net
purchase of correspondent bank stock
|
(196
|
)
|
0
|
||||
Net
increase in loans
|
(4,035
|
)
|
(24,229
|
)
|
|||
Cash
and equivalents received in bank acquisition
|
6,373
|
0
|
|||||
Proceeds
from sale of correspondent bank stock
|
0
|
2,607
|
|||||
Proceeds
from sales of foreclosed assets
|
7
|
183
|
|||||
Proceeds
from sales of other real estate owned
|
12
|
15
|
|||||
Capital
expenditures for premises and equipment
|
(562
|
)
|
(452
|
)
|
|||
Net
cash used in investing activities
|
(5,268
|
)
|
(20,898
|
)
|
|||
Cash
Flows From Financing Activities:
|
|||||||
Net
(decrease) increase in demand deposit
|
|||||||
and
savings accounts
|
(32,306
|
)
|
743
|
||||
Net
increase (decrease) in certificates of deposit
|
15,917
|
(12
|
)
|
||||
Net
increase in federal funds purchased
|
0
|
7,000
|
|||||
Net
increase in FHLB borrowings
|
10,000
|
0
|
|||||
Director/Employee
stock options exercised
|
340
|
122
|
|||||
Excess
tax benefits from stock-based payment arrangements
|
0
|
2
|
|||||
Repurchase
and retirement of common stock
|
(2,522
|
)
|
(1
|
)
|
|||
Payment
of dividends on common stock
|
(1,420
|
)
|
(1,136
|
)
|
|||
Net
cash (used in) provided by financing activities
|
(9,991
|
)
|
6,718
|
||||
Net
decrease in cash and cash equivalents
|
(11,111
|
)
|
(11,099
|
)
|
|||
Cash
and cash equivalents at beginning of period
|
43,068
|
63,030
|
|||||
Cash
and cash equivalents at end of period
|
$
|
31,957
|
$
|
51,931
|
|||
See
notes to consolidated financial statements
|
5
United
Security Bancshares and Subsidiaries - Notes to Consolidated Financial
Statements - (Unaudited)
1.
Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting and Reporting
Policies
The
consolidated financial statements include the accounts of United Security
Bancshares, and its wholly owned subsidiary United Security Bank (the “Bank”)
and two bank subsidiaries, USB Investment Trust (the “REIT”) and United Security
Emerging Capital Fund (the “Fund”). United Security Bancshares Capital Trust I
(the “Trust”) was deconsolidated effective March 2004 pursuant to FIN46,
(collectively the “Company” or “USB”). Intercompany accounts and transactions
have been eliminated in consolidation.
On
February 16, 2007, the Company completed its merger with Legacy Bank, N.A.,
located in Campbell, California, with the acquisition of 100 percent of Legacy’s
outstanding common shares. At merger, Legacy Bank’s one branch was merged with
and into United Security Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. The
total value of the merger transaction was $21.5 million,
and the
shareholders of Legacy Bank received merger consideration consisting of 976,411
shares of common stock of the Company. The merger transaction was accounted
for
as a purchase transaction, and resulted in the purchase price being allocated
to
the assets acquired and liabilities assumed from Legacy Bank based on the fair
value of those assets and liabilities. The net of assets acquired and
liabilities assumed totaled approximately $8.6 million at the date of the
merger. Fair value of Legacy assets and liabilities acquired, and resultant
goodwill, has been preliminarily determined, and may be subject to minor
adjustments during the second quarter of 2007.
(See
Note 14 to the Company’s consolidated financial statements contained herein for
details of the merger).
These
unaudited financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles for interim financial information on a basis
consistent with the accounting policies reflected in the audited financial
statements of the Company included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2006. These interim financial statements do not include
all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting
principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management,
all
adjustments (consisting of a normal recurring nature) considered necessary
for a
fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the interim periods
presented are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected
for
any other interim period or for the year as a whole. Certain reclassifications
have been made to the 2006 financial statements to conform to the
classifications used in 2007. None of these reclassifications were
material.
New
Accounting Standards:
On
January 1, 2007, the Company adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB)
Interpretation 48 (FIN 48), Accounting
for Uncertainty in Income Taxes: an interpretation of FASB Statement No.
109.
FIN 48
clarifies SFAS No. 109, Accounting
for Income Taxes,
to
indicate a criterion that an individual tax position would have to meet for
some
or all of the income tax benefit to be recognized in a taxable entity’s
financial statements. Under the guidelines of the Interpretation, an entity
should recognize the financial statement benefit of a tax position if it
determines that it is more
likely than not that
the
position will be sustained on examination. The term “more likely than not” means
“a likelihood of more than 50 percent.” In assessing whether the
more-likely-than-not criterion is met, the entity should assume that the tax
position will be reviewed by the applicable taxing authority. The scope of
FIN
48 is broad and includes all
tax
positions accounted for in accordance with SFAS No. 109. Additionally, besides
business enterprises, FIN 48 applies to pass-through entities, and entities
whose tax liability is subject to 100 percent credit for dividends paid (such
as
real estate investment trusts). Cumulative effects of applying FIN 48 totaling
$1.3 million have been reported as an adjustment to retained earnings at the
beginning of the period in which the Interpretation was adopted (see
Note
11
to the Company’s consolidated financial statements).
In
February 2007, the FASB issued SFAS 159,
The
Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities, including
an
amendment of FASB Statement No. 115.
SFAS 159
allows entities to irrevocably elect fair value as the initial and subsequent
measurement attribute for certain financial assets and financial liabilities
that are not otherwise required to be measured at fair value, with changes
in
fair value recognized in earnings as they occur. SFAS 159 also requires entities
to report those financial assets and financial liabilities measured at fair
value in a manner that separates those reported fair values from the carrying
amounts of similar assets and liabilities measured using another measurement
attribute on the face of the statement of financial position. Lastly, SFAS
159
establishes presentation and disclosure requirements designed to improve
comparability between entities that elect different measurement attributes
for
similar assets and liabilities. SFAS 159 is effective for fiscal years beginning
after November 15, 2007, with early adoption permitted if an entity also early
adopts the provisions of SFAS 157. The Company has elected early adoption of
SFAS No. 159 effective January 1, 2007, and as a result, adjustments totaling
$845,000 have been reported as an adjustment to beginning retained earnings
as
of January 1, 2007 (see Note
12
to the Company’s consolidated financial statements). Concurrent with the early
adoption of SFAS No, 159, the Company adopted the provisions of SFAS No. 157,
Fair
Value Measurements.
6
In
September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS 157, Fair
Value Measurements. SFAS
No.
157 clarifies the definition of fair value, describes methods used to
appropriately measure fair value in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles and expands fair value disclosure requirements. This
statement applies whenever other accounting pronouncements require or permit
fair value measurements and is effective for fiscal years beginning after
November 15, 2007. The Company adopted the provisions of SFAS No. 157 effective
January 1, 2007, in conjunction with the adoption of SFAS No. 159 (see
Note
13
to the Company’s consolidated financial statements).
2.
Investment Securities Available for Sale
Following
is a comparison of the amortized cost and approximate fair value of securities
available for sale as of March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006:
Gross
|
Gross
|
Fair
Value
|
|||||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
Amortized
|
Unrealized
|
Unrealized
|
(Carrying
|
|||||||||
March
31, 2007:
|
Cost
|
Gains
|
Losses
|
Amount)
|
|||||||||
U.S.
Government agencies
|
$
|
83,359
|
$
|
119
|
($950
|
)
|
$
|
82,528
|
|||||
U.S.
Government agency
|
|||||||||||||
collateralized
mortgage obligations
|
16
|
0
|
(1
|
)
|
15
|
||||||||
Obligations
of state and
|
|||||||||||||
political
subdivisions
|
2,228
|
58
|
(2
|
)
|
2,284
|
||||||||
Other
investment securities
|
13,636
|
0
|
(437
|
)
|
13,199
|
||||||||
$
|
99,239
|
$
|
177
|
($1,390
|
)
|
$
|
98,026
|
||||||
December
31, 2006:
|
|||||||||||||
U.S.
Government agencies
|
$
|
69,746
|
$
|
51
|
($1,293
|
)
|
$
|
68,504
|
|||||
U.S.
Government agency
|
|||||||||||||
collateralized
mortgage obligations
|
17
|
0
|
(1
|
)
|
16
|
||||||||
Obligations
of state and
|
|||||||||||||
political
subdivisions
|
2,226
|
65
|
(1
|
)
|
2,290
|
||||||||
Other
investment securities
|
13,000
|
0
|
(444
|
)
|
12,556
|
||||||||
$
|
84,989
|
$
|
116
|
($1,739
|
)
|
$
|
83,366
|
Included
in other investment securities at March 31, 2007, is a short-term government
securities mutual fund totaling $7.7 million, a CRA-qualified mortgage fund
totaling $4.9 million, and a money-market mutual fund totaling $636,000.
Included in other investment securities at December 31, 2006, is a short-term
government securities mutual fund totaling $7.7 million, and a CRA-qualified
mortgage fund totaling $4.8 million. The short-term government securities mutual
fund invests in debt securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government,
its
agencies or instrumentalities, with a maximum duration equal to that of a 3-year
U.S. Treasury Note.
There
were no realized gains or losses on sales or calls of available-for-sale
securities during the three months ended March 31, 2007 or March 31, 2006.
Securities
that have been temporarily impaired less than 12 months at March 31, 2007 are
comprised of three U.S. government agency securities and one municipal agency
security with a total weighted average life of 7.7 years. As of March 31, 2007,
there were seventeen U.S. government agency securities, one collateralized
mortgage obligation, one municipal agency security, and one other investment
security with a total weighted average life of 2.3 years that have been
temporarily impaired for twelve months or more.
7
The
following summarizes temporarily impaired investment securities at March 31,
2007:
Less
than 12 Months
|
12
Months or More
|
Total
|
|||||||||||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
Fair
Value
|
Fair
Value
|
Fair
Value
|
||||||||||||||||
(Carrying
|
Unrealized
|
(Carrying
|
Unrealized
|
(Carrying
|
Unrealized
|
||||||||||||||
Securities
available for sale:
|
Amount)
|
Losses
|
Amount)
|
Losses
|
Amount)
|
Losses
|
|||||||||||||
U.S.
Government agencies
|
$
|
10,867
|
$
|
(12
|
)
|
$
|
54,729
|
$
|
(938
|
)
|
$
|
65,596
|
$
|
(950
|
)
|
||||
U.S.
Government agency
|
|||||||||||||||||||
collateralized
mortgage
|
|||||||||||||||||||
obligations
|
0
|
0
|
12
|
(1
|
)
|
12
|
(1
|
)
|
|||||||||||
Obligations
of state and
|
|||||||||||||||||||
political
subdivisions
|
84
|
(1
|
)
|
35
|
(1
|
)
|
119
|
(2
|
)
|
||||||||||
Other
investment securities
|
0
|
0
|
12,560
|
(437
|
)
|
12,560
|
(437
|
)
|
|||||||||||
Total
impaired securities
|
$
|
10,951
|
$
|
(13
|
)
|
$
|
67,336
|
$
|
(1,377
|
)
|
$
|
78,287
|
$
|
(1,390
|
)
|
Because
the decline in market value is attributable to changes in market rates of
interest rather than credit quality, and because the Company has the ability
and
intent to hold these investments until a recovery of fair value, which may
be at
maturity, the Company considers these investments to be temporarily impaired
at
March 31, 2007.
At
March
31, 2007 and December 31, 2007, available-for-sale securities with an amortized
cost of approximately $77.9 million and $70.9 million (fair value of $77.2
million and $69.7 million) were pledged as collateral for public funds, treasury
tax and loan balances, and repurchase agreements.
3.
Loans and Leases
Loans
include the following:
March
31,
|
%
of
|
December
31,
|
%
of
|
||||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
2007
|
Loans
|
2006
|
Loans
|
|||||||||
Commercial
and industrial
|
$
|
170,070
|
30.2
|
%
|
$
|
155,811
|
31.1
|
%
|
|||||
Real
estate - mortgage
|
142,345
|
25.3
|
%
|
113,613
|
22.7
|
%
|
|||||||
Real
estate - construction
|
180,576
|
32.2
|
%
|
168,378
|
33.7
|
%
|
|||||||
Agricultural
|
37,876
|
6.7
|
%
|
35,102
|
7.0
|
%
|
|||||||
Installment/other
|
20,624
|
3.7
|
%
|
16,712
|
3.3
|
%
|
|||||||
Lease
financing
|
10,822
|
1.9
|
%
|
10,952
|
2.2
|
%
|
|||||||
Total
Gross Loans
|
$
|
562,313
|
100.0
|
%
|
$
|
500,568
|
100.0
|
%
|
There
were no loans over 90 days past due and still accruing interest at March 31,
2007 or December 31, 2006. Nonaccrual loans totaled $16.0 million and $8.1
million at March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006, respectively.
An
analysis of changes in the allowance for credit losses is as
follows:
March
31,
|
December
31,
|
March
31,
|
||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
2007
|
2006
|
2006
|
|||||||
Balance,
beginning of year
|
$
|
8,365
|
$
|
7,748
|
$
|
7,748
|
||||
Provision
charged to operations
|
202
|
880
|
240
|
|||||||
Losses
charged to allowance
|
(152
|
)
|
(502
|
)
|
(75
|
)
|
||||
Recoveries
on loans previously charged off
|
19
|
239
|
45
|
|||||||
Reserve
acquired in merger
|
1,268
|
--
|
--
|
|||||||
Balance
at end-of-period
|
$
|
9,702
|
$
|
8,365
|
$
|
7,958
|
The
allowance for credit losses represents management's estimate of the risk
inherent in the loan portfolio based on the current economic conditions,
collateral values and economic prospects of the borrowers. The formula allowance
for unfunded loan commitments totaling $568,000 at March 31, 2007 is carried
in
other liabilities. Significant changes in these estimates might be required
in
the event of a downturn in the economy and/or the real estate markets in the
San
Joaquin Valley, and the greater Oakhurst and East Madera County areas.
8
The
following table summarizes the Company’s investment in loans for which
impairment has been recognized for the periods presented:
(in
thousands)
|
March
31,
2007
|
December
31, 2006
|
March
31,
2006
|
|||||||
Total
impaired loans at period-end
|
$
|
15,919
|
$
|
8,893
|
$
|
7,542
|
||||
Impaired
loans which have specific allowance
|
12,664
|
5,638
|
5,518
|
|||||||
Total
specific allowance on impaired loans
|
5,001
|
4,117
|
3,866
|
|||||||
Total
impaired loans which as a result of write-downs or the fair value
of the
collateral, did not have a specific allowance
|
3,255
|
3,255
|
2,024
|
|||||||
(in
thousands)
|
YTD
- 3/31/07
|
YTD
- 12/31/06
|
YTD
- 3/31/06
|
|||||||
Average
recorded investment in impaired loans during period
|
$
|
9,000
|
$
|
10,088
|
$
|
12,643
|
||||
Income
recognized on impaired loans during period
|
0
|
65
|
12
|
4.
Deposits
Deposits
include the following:
(In
thousands)
|
March
31,
2007
|
December
31, 2006 |
|||||
Noninterest-bearing
deposits
|
$
|
148,199
|
$
|
159,002
|
|||
Interest-bearing
deposits:
|
|||||||
NOW
and money market accounts
|
193,946
|
184,384
|
|||||
Savings
accounts
|
58,130
|
31,933
|
|||||
Time
deposits:
|
|||||||
Under
$100,000
|
46,442
|
42,428
|
|||||
$100,000
and over
|
193,620
|
169,380
|
|||||
Total
interest-bearing deposits
|
492,138
|
428,125
|
|||||
Total
deposits
|
$
|
640,337
|
$
|
587,127
|
5.
Short-term Borrowings/Other Borrowings
At
March
31, 2007, the Company had collateralized and uncollateralized lines of credit
with the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and other correspondent banks
aggregating $280.7 million, as well as Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”) lines of
credit totaling $21.7 million. At March 31, 2007, the Company had an outstanding
balance of $10.0 million drawn against its FHLB line of credit. The $10.0
million FHLB advance is for a term of two years, at a fixed rate of 4.92%,
and a
maturity date of March 30, 2009.
The
Company had collateralized and uncollateralized lines of credit with the Federal
Reserve Bank of San Francisco and other correspondent banks aggregating $308.3
million, as well as Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”) lines of credit totaling
$28.0 million at December 31, 2006. At December 31, 2006, the Company had no
advances on its lines of credit.
These
lines of credit generally have interest rates tied to the Federal Funds rate
or
are indexed to short-term U.S. Treasury rates or LIBOR. FHLB advances are
collateralized by all of the Company’s stock in the FHLB and certain qualifying
mortgage loans. All lines of credit are on an “as available” basis and can be
revoked by the grantor at any time.
9
6.
Supplemental Cash Flow Disclosures
Three
Months Ended March 31,
|
|||||||
(In
thousands)
|
2007
|
2006
|
|||||
Cash
paid during the period for:
|
|||||||
Interest
|
$
|
5,226
|
$
|
3,224
|
|||
Income
Taxes
|
288
|
1,300
|
|||||
Noncash
investing activities:
|
|||||||
Loans
transferred to foreclosed property
|
0
|
$
|
0
|
||||
Dividends
declared not paid
|
$
|
1,527
|
1,251
|
||||
Supplemental
disclosures related to acquisitions:
|
|||||||
Deposits
|
$
|
69,600
|
|||||
Other
liabilities
|
286
|
||||||
Securities
available for sale
|
(7,414
|
)
|
|||||
Loans,
net of allowance for loan losses
|
(62,426
|
)
|
|||||
Premises
and equipment
|
(728
|
)
|
|||||
Intangibles
|
(11,085
|
)
|
|||||
Accrued
interest and other assets
|
(3,396
|
)
|
|||||
Stock
issued
|
21,536
|
||||||
Net
cash and equivalents acquired
|
$
|
6,373
|
7.
Net Income per Common Share
The
following table provides a reconciliation of the numerator and the denominator
of the basic EPS computation with the numerator and the denominator of the
diluted EPS computation:
Three
Months Ended March 31,
|
|||||||
(In
thousands except earnings per share data)
|
2007
|
|
2006
|
||||
Net
income available to common shareholders
|
$
|
3,603
|
$
|
3,864
|
|||
Weighted
average shares issued
|
11,947
|
11,370
|
|||||
Add:
dilutive effect of stock options
|
59
|
123
|
|||||
Weighted
average shares outstanding
|
|||||||
adjusted
for potential dilution
|
12,006
|
11,493
|
|||||
Basic
earnings per share
|
$
|
0.30
|
$
|
0.34
|
|||
Diluted
earnings per share
|
$
|
0.30
|
$
|
0.34
|
8.
Derivative Financial Instruments and Hedging
Activities
As
part
of its overall risk management, the Company pursues various asset and liability
management strategies, which may include obtaining derivative financial
instruments to mitigate the impact of interest fluctuations on the Company’s net
interest margin. During the second quarter of 2003, the Company entered into
an
interest rate swap agreement for the purpose of minimizing interest rate
fluctuations on its interest rate margin and equity.
Under
the
interest rate swap agreement, the Company receives a fixed rate and pays a
variable rate based on the Prime Rate (“Prime”). The swap qualifies as a cash
flow hedge under SFAS No. 133, “Accounting for Derivative Instruments and
Hedging Activities”, as amended, and is designated as a hedge of the variability
of cash flows the Company receives from certain variable-rate loans indexed
to
Prime. In accordance with SFAS No. 133, the swap agreement is measured at fair
value and reported as an asset or liability on the consolidated balance sheet.
The portion of the change in the fair value of the swap that is deemed effective
in hedging the cash flows of the designated assets is recorded in accumulated
other comprehensive income and reclassified into interest income when such
cash
flow occurs in the future. Any ineffectiveness resulting from the hedge is
recorded as a gain or loss in the consolidated statement of income as part
of
noninterest income.
The
amortizing hedge has a remaining notional value of $9.5 million at March 31,
2007, matures in September 2008, and has a duration of approximately 6 months.
As of March 31, 2007, the maximum length of time over which the Company is
hedging its exposure to the variability of future cash flows is approximately
1.5 years. As of March 31, 2007, the loss amounts in accumulated other
comprehensive income associated with these cash flows totaled $129,000 (net
of
tax benefit of $52,000). During the three months ended March 31, 2007, $120,000
was reclassified from other accumulated comprehensive income into expense,
and
is reflected as a reduction in interest income.
The
Company has performed a quarterly analysis of the effectiveness of the interest
rate swap agreement at March 31, 2007. As a result of a correlation analysis,
the Company has determined that the swap remains highly
effective in achieving offsetting cash flows attributable to the hedged risk
during the term of the hedge and, therefore, continues to qualify for hedge
accounting under the guidelines of SFAS No. 133. However,
during
the
second quarter of 2006, the Company determined that the underlying loans being
hedged were paying off faster than the notional value of the hedge instrument
was amortizing. This difference between the notional value of the hedge and
the
underlying hedged assets is considered an “overhedge” pursuant to SFAS No. 133
guidelines and may constitute ineffectiveness if the difference is other than
temporary. The Company determined during 2006 that the difference was other
than
temporary and, as a result, reclassified a net total of $75,000 of the pretax
hedge loss reported in other comprehensive income into earnings during 2006.
As
of March 31, 2007, the notional value of the hedge was still in excess of the
value of the underlying loans being hedged by approximately $3.5 million,
resulting in a pretax hedge loss related to swap ineffectiveness of
approximately $1,000 during the first quarter of 2006. Amounts recognized as
hedge ineffectiveness gains or losses are reflected in noninterest income.
10
9.
Common Stock Repurchase Plan
During
August 2001, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a plan to repurchase, as
conditions warrant, up to 280,000 shares (effectively 580,000 shares adjusted
for 2-for-1 stock split in May 2006) of the Company’s common stock on the open
market or in privately negotiated transactions. The duration of the program
is
open-ended and the timing of the purchases will depend on market conditions.
On
February 25, 2004, the Company announced another stock repurchase plan under
which the Board of Directors approved a plan to repurchase, as conditions
warrant, up to 276,500 shares (effectively 553,000 shares adjusted for 2-for-1
stock split in May 2006) of the Company's common stock on the open market or
in
privately negotiated transactions. As with the first plan, the duration of
the
new program is open-ended and the timing of purchases will depend on market
conditions. Concurrent with the approval of the new repurchase plan, the Board
terminated the 2001 repurchase plan. During
the year ended December 31, 2005, 13,081 shares (26,162 shares effected for
2006
2-for-1 stock split) were repurchased at a total cost of $377,000 and an average
price per share of $28.92 ($14.46 effected for 2006 2-for-1 stock split). During
the year ended December 31, 2006, 108,005 shares were repurchased at a total
cost of $2.4 million and an average price per share of $22.55.
During
the three months ended March 31, 2007, 117,403 shares were repurchased at a
total cost of $2.5 million and an average per share price of
$21.48.
10.
Stock Based Compensation
On
January 1, 2006 the Company adopted the disclosure provisions of Financial
Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Statement No. 123 R, “Accounting for
Share-Based Payments”. SFAS No. 123R requires all share-based payments to
employees, including grants of employee stock options, to be recognized in
the
financial statements based on the grant--date fair value of the award. The
fair
value is amortized over the requisite service period (generally the vesting
period). The Company previously accounted for stock-based awards to employees
under the intrinsic value provisions of APB 25 in which no compensation cost
was
required to be recognized for options granted that had an exercise price equal
to the market value of the underlying common stock on the date of the grant.
Included
in salaries and employee benefits for the three months ending March 31, 2007
and
2006 is $47,000 and $46,000 of share-based compensation, respectively. The
related tax benefit, recorded in the provision for income taxes was not material
to either quarter.
A
summary
of the Company’s options as of January 1, 2007 and changes during the three
months ending March 31, 2007 is presented below.
Weighted
|
Weighted
|
||||||||||||
Average
|
Average
|
||||||||||||
2005
|
Exercise
|
1995
|
Exercise
|
||||||||||
Plan
|
Price
|
Plan
|
Price
|
||||||||||
Options
outstanding January 1, 2007
|
171,500
|
$
|
17.05
|
126,000
|
$
|
7.25
|
|||||||
Granted
during the year
|
5,000
|
20.24
|
--
|
--
|
|||||||||
Exercised
during the year
|
0
|
--
|
(60,000
|
)
|
5.67
|
||||||||
Options
outstanding March 31, 2007
|
176,500
|
$
|
17.14
|
66,000
|
$
|
8.69
|
|||||||
Options
exercisable at March 31, 2007
|
42,400
|
$
|
16.70
|
54,000
|
$
|
7.92
|
As
of
March 31, 2007 and 2006, there was $341,000 and $402,000, respectively, of
total
unrecognized compensation expense related to non-vested stock options. This
cost
is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of approximately
1.5
years and 2.9 years, respectively. The Company received $340,000 and $122,500
in
cash proceeds on options exercised during the three months ended March 31,
2007
and 2006, respectively. No tax benefits were realized on stock options exercised
during the first quarter of 2007. Tax benefits realized on options exercised
during the three months ended March 31, 2006 totaled $7,000 and were not
considered material.
11
Period
Ended
|
Period
Ended
|
||||||
March
31,
2007
|
March
31,
2006
|
||||||
Weighted
average grant-date fair value of stock options granted
|
$
|
4.86
|
$
|
3.43
|
|||
Total
fair value of stock options vested
|
$
|
70,446
|
$
|
25,060
|
|||
Total
intrinsic value of stock options exercised
|
$
|
1,096,000
|
$
|
147,190
|
The
Company determines fair value at grant date using the Black-Scholes-Merton
pricing model that takes into account the stock price at the grant date, the
exercise price, the expected life of the option, the volatility of the
underlying stock and the expected dividend yield and the risk-free interest
rate
over the expected life of the option.
The
weighted average assumptions used in the pricing model are noted in the table
below. The expected term of options granted is derived using the simplified
method, which is based upon the average period between vesting term and
expiration term of the options. The risk free rate for periods within the
contractual life of the option is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in
effect at the time of the grant. Expected volatility is based on the historical
volatility of the Bank's stock over a period commensurate with the expected
term
of the options. The Company believes that historical volatility is indicative
of
expectations about its future volatility over the expected term of the
options.
For
options granted after January 1, 2006, and valued in accordance with FAS 123R,
the Company expenses the fair value of the option on a straight-line basis
over
the vesting period for each separately vesting portion of the award. The Company
estimates forfeitures and only recognizes expense for those shares expected
to
vest. Based upon historical evidence, the Company has determined that because
options are granted to a limited number of key employees rather than a broad
segment of the employee base, expected forfeitures, if any, are not
material.
Three
Months Ended
|
||
March
31, 2007
|
March
31, 2006
|
|
Risk
Free Interest Rate
|
4.53%
|
4.51%
|
Expected
Dividend Yield
|
2.47%
|
2.86%
|
Expected
Life in Years
|
6.50
Years
|
6.50
Years
|
Expected
Price Volatility
|
20.63%
|
17.85%
|
The
Black-Scholes-Merton option valuation model requires the input of highly
subjective assumptions, including the expected life of the stock based award
and
stock price volatility. The assumptions listed about represent management's
best
estimates, but these estimates involve inherent uncertainties and the
application of management judgment. As a result, if other assumptions had been
used, the Company's recorded stock-based compensation expense could have been
materially different from that previously reported by the Company. In addition,
the Company is required to estimate the expected forfeiture rate and only
recognize expense for those shares expected to vest. If the Company's actual
forfeiture rate is materially different from the estimate, the share-based
compensation expense could be materially different.
11.
Taxes - Adoption of FIN48
The
Company adopted the provisions of FASB Interpretation No. 48, “Accounting for
Uncertainty in Income Taxes” (FIN48), on January 1, 2007. FIN 48 clarifies SFAS
No. 109, “Accounting
for Income Taxes”,
to
indicate a criterion that an individual tax position would have to meet for
some
or all of the income tax benefit to be recognized in a taxable entity’s
financial statements. Under the guidelines of FIN48, an entity should recognize
the financial statement benefit of a tax position if it determines that it
is
more
likely than not that
the
position will be sustained on examination. The term, “more likely than not”,
means a likelihood of more than 50 percent.” In assessing whether the
more-likely-than-not criterion is met, the entity should assume that the tax
position will be reviewed by the applicable taxing authority and all available
information is known to the taxing authority.
12
The
Company and a subsidiary file income tax returns in the U.S federal
jurisdiction, and several states within the U.S. There are no filings in foreign
jurisdictions. The Company is not currently aware of any tax jurisdictions
where
the Company or any subsidiary is subject examination by federal, state, or
local
taxing authorities before 2001. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has not
examined the Company’s or any subsidiaries federal tax returns since before
2001, and the Company currently is not aware of any examination planned or
contemplated by the IRS. The California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) is currently
examining the Company’s 2004 state tax return, and it is anticipated that the
examination will be completed during the second half of 2007.
During
the second quarter of 2006, the FTB issued the Company a letter of proposed
adjustments to, and assessments for, (as a result of examination of the tax
years 2001 and 2002) certain tax benefits taken by the REIT during 2002. The
Company continues to review the information available from the FTB and its
financial advisors and believes that the Company's position has merit. The
Company will pursue its tax claims and defend its use of these entities and
transactions. The Company will continue to assert its administrative protest
and
appeal rights pending the outcome of litigation by another taxpayer presently
in
process on the REIT issue in the Los Angeles Superior Court (City National
v.
Franchise Tax Board).
The
Company has reviewed its REIT tax position as of January 1, 2007 (adoption
date)
and March 31, 2007 in light of the adoption of FIN48. The Bank, with guidance
from advisors believes that the case has merit with regard to points of law,
and
that the tax law at the time allowed for the deduction of the consent dividend.
However, the Bank, with the concurrence of advisors, cannot conclude that it
is
“more than likely” (as defined in FIN48) that the Bank will prevail in its case
with the FTB. As a result of the implementation of FIN48, the Company recognized
approximately a $1.3 million increase in the liability for unrecognized tax
benefits (included in other liabilities), which was accounted for as a reduction
to the January 1, 2007 balance of retained earnings. The adjustment provided
at
adoption included penalties proposed by the FTB of $181,000 and interest
totaling $210,000. During the quarter ended March 31, 2007, the Company recorded
an additional $21,000 in interest liability pursuant to the provisions of FIN48.
The Company had approximately $413,000 accrued for the payment of interest
and
penalties at March 31, 2007. Subsequent to the initial adoption of FIN48, it
is
the Company’s policy to recognize interest expense related to unrecognized tax
benefits, and penalties, as a component tax expense. A reconciliation of the
beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits is as
follows:
Balance
at January 1, 2007
|
$
|
1,298,470
|
||
Additions
for tax provisions of prior years
|
21,475
|
|||
Balance
at March 31, 2007
|
$
|
1,319,945
|
12.
Fair Market Value - Adoption of SFAS No. 159
Effective
January 1, 2007, the Company elected early adoption of SFAS No.159,
“The
Fair
Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities, including an
amendment of FASB Statement No. 115”.
The
Company also adopted the provisions of SFAS No. 157, “Fair
Value Measurements”,
effective January 1, 2007, in conjunction with the adoption of SFAS No. 159.
SFAS No. 159 generally permits the measurement of selected eligible financial
instruments at fair value at specified election dates. Upon adoption of SFAS
No.
159, the Company elected the fair value measurement option for all the Company’s
pre-existing junior subordinated debentures with a carrying cost of $15.5
million, prior to the adoption of SFAS No. 159.
The
Company believes its adoption of SFAS No. 159 will have a positive impact on
its
ability to better manage the balance sheet and interest rate risks associated
with this liability while potentially benefiting the net interest margin, net
interest income, net income and earnings per common share in future periods.
Specifically, the Company believes the election of fair value accounting for
the
junior subordinated debentures better reflects the true economic value of the
debt instrument on the balance sheet. The Company’s junior subordinated
debentures were issued in 2001 when the Trust Preferred Securities market was
new and less liquid than today. As a result, subordinated debentures are
available in the market at narrower spreads and lower issuing costs. With a
higher-than-market spread to LIBOR, and remaining capitalized issuance costs
of
more than $400,000 on the balance sheet, the Company’s cost-basis of the
subordinated debentures recorded on the balance does not properly reflect the
true opportunity costs to the Company.
The
initial fair value measurement at adoption resulted in a $1,053,000
cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings at
January 1, 2007. The adjustment resulted in an increase of $1,053,000 in the
reported balance of the junior subordinated debentures, an increase in deferred
tax assets of $443,000 and the corresponding reduction in retained earnings
of
$610,000. Under SFAS No. 159, this one-time charge to shareholders’ equity was
not recognized in earnings. In addition to the fair value adjustment of the
junior subordinated debentures recorded effective January 1, 2007, the Company
also removed the remaining $405,000 in unamortized issuance costs of the debt
instrument. The remaining issuance costs were removed in accordance with SFAS
159 effective January 1, 2007, with corresponding charges of $170,000 to
deferred taxes and $235,000 to retained earnings.
13
As
a
requirement of electing early adoption of SFAS 159, the Company also adopted
SFAS 157, “Fair Value Measurement” effective January 1, 2007. The Company
utilized the guidelines of SFAS No. 157 to perform the fair value analysis
on
the junior subordinated debentures. In its analysis, the Company used a
net-present-value approach based upon observable market rates of interest,
over
a term that considers the most advantageous market for the liability, and the
most reasonable behavior of market participants. The following paragraphs
provide information on the fair value determination for the junior subordinated
debentures.
The
Company holds junior subordinated debentures (liability) issued to capital
trusts commonly known as "Trust Preferred securities.” The debt instrument was
issued on July 25, 2001 in the amount of $15,000,000 with a thirty-year
maturity, interest benchmarked at the 6-month-LIBOR rate (re-priced in January
and July each year) plus 3.75%. The Company holds a right to redeem the
debentures at its option. The prepayment provisions of the instrument allow
repayment after five years (July 25, 2006) with a prepayment penalty of 7.69%.
Subsequent year prepayment penalties are as follows; 6.15% in 2007, 4.61% in
2008, 3.08 in 2009, 1.54% in 2010 and no penalty after July 25, 2011. The debt
instrument carries a higher interest rate than similar debt instruments issued
in the current market. Typical interest rates currently range from 3-month-LIBOR
plus 0.75%, to 3-month-LIBOR plus +2.0%, depending on the credit risk of the
borrower. Companies with credit risk similar to the Company may expect a rate
of
3-month-LIBOR + 1.55% to 1.65%.
SFAS
157
requires the fair value of the liability be determined based on the assumptions
that market participant’s use in pricing the liability. In developing those
assumptions, the Company identified characteristics that distinguish market
participants generally, and considered factors specific to (a) the liability,
(b) the principal (or most advantageous) market for the liability, and (c)
market participants with whom the reporting entity would transact in that
market. The Company’s junior subordinated debentures include an option for the
Company to prepay the principal with a pre-payment premium. The next opportunity
for prepayment is July 25, 2007. An active market quote to determine pricing
is
not appropriate in this case because the instrument can, and likely would be,
settled principal to principal. The contractual terms include an option to
prepay the principal at a premium. The option to prepay is owned by the Company.
These factors meet the definition of the most advantageous market and are the
more precise method for determining a hypothetical exit price from a measurement
date.
The
Company determined that using present value of the future cash flows is an
acceptable method of valuation, and the most appropriate in this case. The
Company utilized discount rates in the present value analysis that were
observable in the marketplace for borrowers with similar credit risk as the
Company. At 1/1/07 and 3/31/07, junior subordinated debentures were offered
at
3-month LIBOR rates + 1.65% and 1.55% respectively. The periods used for
measurement end on July 25, 2007, the date the Company intends to redeem the
debentures. Contractually, the Company may prepay the principal on July 25,
2007
along with a prepayment penalty of 6.15% of the principal, or $922,500. The
cash
flows used for the net-present-value analysis included periodic interest
payments, as well as the payment of principal and the $922,500 pre-payment
premium at the redemption date of July 25, 2007, all discounted at a market
rate
of interest, taking into account credit risk factors for the
Company.
The
following table summarizes the effects of the adoption of SFAS No. 159 at both
adoption date and March 31, 2007 (in 000’s) on the Company’s junior subordinated
debentures. Changes in fair value (FV) for periods subsequent to adoption are
recorded in current earnings. The activity and net change in fair value was
not
significant for the quarter ended March 31, 2007.
Balance
of junior subordinated debentures at December 31, 2006
|
$
|
15,464
|
||
Adjustments
upon adoption:
|
||||
Combine
accrued interest 1/1/07
|
613
|
|||
Total
carrying value 1/1/07
|
16,077
|
|||
FV
adjustment upon adoption of SFAS No. 159
|
1,053
|
|||
Total
FV of junior subordinated debentures at adoption - January 1,
2007
|
$
|
17,130
|
||
|
||||
Total
FMV of junior subordinated debentures at March 31, 2007
|
$
|
16,712
|
14
13.
Fair Value Measurements- Adoption of SFAS No. 157
Effective
January 1, 2007, the Company adopted SFAS 157, “Fair
Value Measurements”, concurrent with its early adoption of SFAS No. 159.
SFAS
No.
157 clarifies the definition of fair value, describes methods used to
appropriately measure fair value in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles and expands fair value disclosure requirements. This
statement applies whenever other accounting pronouncements require or permit
fair value measurements.
The
fair
value hierarchy under SFAS No. 157 prioritizes the inputs to valuation
techniques used to measure fair value into three broad levels (Level 1, Level
2,
and Level 3). Level 1 inputs are unadjusted quoted prices in active markets
(as
defined) for identical assets or liabilities that the reporting entity has
the
ability to access at the measurement date. Level 2 inputs are inputs other
than
quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or
liability, either directly or indirectly. Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs
for the asset or liability, and reflect the reporting entity’s own assumptions
about the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset
or
liability (including assumptions about risk).
The
Company performs fair value measurements on certain assets and liabilities
as
the result of the application of accounting guidelines and pronouncements that
were relevant prior to the adoption of SFAS No. 157. Some fair value
measurements, such as for available-for-sale securities and interest rate swaps
are preformed on a recurring basis, while others, such as impairment of goodwill
and other intangibles, are performed on a nonrecurring basis.
The
following tables summarize the Company’s assets and liabilities that were
measured at fair value on a recurring basis during the period (in
000’s):
Quoted
Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets
|
Significant
Other Observable Inputs
|
Significant
Unobservable Inputs
|
|||||||||||
Description
of Assets
|
March
31, 2007
|
(Level
1)
|
(Level
2)
|
(Level
3)
|
|||||||||
AFS
Securities
|
$
|
98,026
|
$
|
98,026
|
|||||||||
Interest
Rate Swap
|
(205
|
)
|
($205
|
)
|
|||||||||
Impaired
Loans
|
10,918
|
9,515
|
$
|
1,403
|
|||||||||
Total
|
$
|
108,739
|
$
|
98,026
|
$
|
9,310
|
$
|
1,403
|
Quoted
Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets
|
Significant
Other Observable Inputs
|
Significant
Unobservable Inputs
|
|||||||||||
Description
of Liabilities
|
March
31, 2007
|
(Level
1)
|
(Level
2)
|
(Level
3)
|
|||||||||
Junior
subordinated debt
|
16,712
|
16,712
|
|||||||||||
Total
|
16,712
|
0
|
16,712
|
0
|
Available
for sale securities are valued based upon open-market quotes obtained from
reputable third-party brokers. Market pricing is based upon specific CUSIP
identification for each individual security. Changes in fair market value are
recorded in other comprehensive income as the securities are available for
sale.
The
fair
value of interest rate swap contracts is based on the discounted net present
value of the swap using third party dealer quotes. Changes in fair market value
are recorded in other comprehensive income, and changes resulting from
ineffectiveness are recorded in current earnings.
Fair
value measurements for impaired loans are performed pursuant to SFAS No. 114,
and are based upon either collateral values supported by appraisals, or
discounted cash-flow assumptions. The Company has a portfolio of impaired leases
for which it uses a discounted cash flow valuation, based upon management’s
estimation of the probability of collection and the potential amount that may
ultimately be collected. The change in fair value of impaired assets that were
valued based upon level three inputs was approximately $118,000 for the quarter
ended March 31, 2007. This loss is not recorded directly as an adjustment to
current earnings or comprehensive income, but rather as an adjustment component
in determining the overall adequacy of the loan loss reserve. Such adjustments
to the estimated fair value of impaired loans may result in increases or
decreases to the provision for credit losses recorded in current earnings.
15
Upon
adoption of SFAS No. 159 on January 1, 2007, the Company elected the fair value
measurement option for all the Company’s pre-existing junior subordinated
debentures. The fair value of the debentures was determined based upon
discounted cash flows utilizing observable market rates and credit
characteristics for similar instruments. In its analysis, the Company used
characteristics that distinguish market participants generally, and considered
factors specific to (a) the liability, (b) the principal (or most advantageous)
market for the liability, and (c) market participants with whom the reporting
entity would transact in that market. The adjustment for fair value at adoption
was recorded as a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of
retained earnings at January 1, 2007. Fair value adjustments subsequent to
adoption are recorded in current earnings (see Note 12 to the financial
statements included herein in the Company’s 10-Q for March 31, 2007).
The
following tables summarize the Company’s assets and liabilities that were
measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis during the period (in
000’s):
Quoted
Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets
|
Significant
Other Observable Inputs
|
Significant
Unobservable Inputs
|
|||||||||||
Description
of Assets
|
March
31, 2007
|
(Level
1)
|
(Level
2)
|
(Level
3)
|
|||||||||
Business
combination:
|
|||||||||||||
Securities
- AFS
|
7,414
|
7,414
|
|||||||||||
Loans,
net allowance for losses
|
62,426
|
62,426
|
|||||||||||
Premises
and Equipment
|
729
|
729
|
|||||||||||
Deferred
tax assets (NOL)
|
2,135
|
2,135
|
|||||||||||
Goodwill
|
7,870
|
7,870
|
|||||||||||
Other
assets
|
7,633
|
7,633
|
|||||||||||
Total
assets
|
88,207
|
7,414
|
2,135
|
78,658
|
(in
000's)
|
Quoted
Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets
|
Significant
Other Observable Inputs
|
Significant
Unobservable Inputs
|
||||||||||
Description
of Liabilities
|
March
31, 2007
|
(Level
1)
|
(Level
2)
|
(Level
3)
|
|||||||||
Business
combination:
|
|||||||||||||
Deposits
(net CDI)
|
66,385
|
66,385
|
|||||||||||
Other
liabilities
|
286
|
286
|
|||||||||||
Total
liabilities
|
66,671
|
0
|
0
|
66,671
|
The
Company completed its merger with Legacy Bank in February 2007 (see Note 14
to
the financial statements included herein in the Company’s 10-Q for March 31,
2007). The merger transaction was accounted for using the purchase accounting
method, and resulted in the purchase price being allocated to the assets
acquired and liabilities assumed from Legacy Bank based on the fair value of
those assets and liabilities. The allocations of purchase price based upon
the
fair market value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed is preliminary,
but
management does not believe that adjustments, if any, will be material. The
fair
value measurements for Legacy’s loan portfolio included certain market rate
assumptions on segmented portions of the loan portfolio with similar credit
characteristics, and credit risk assumptions specific to the individual loans
within that portfolio. Available-for sale securities were valued based upon
open-market quotes obtained from reputable third-party brokers. Deferred tax
assets consist of a net operating loss carry-forward (NOL), the amount of which
was obtained from Legacy Bank’s tax returns. The ultimate utilization of the NOL
is based upon management’s assumptions about the future earnings of the Company.
Legacy’s deposits were valued based upon anticipated net present cash flows
related to Legacy’s deposit base, and resulted in a core deposit intangible
(CDI) adjustment of $3.2 million carried as an asset on the Company’s balance
sheet. Assumptions used to determine the CDI included anticipated costs of,
and
revenues generated by, those deposits, as well as the estimated life of the
deposit base. Other assets and liabilities generally consist of short-term
items
including cash, overnight investments, and accrued interest receivable or
payable, and as such, it was determined that carrying value approximated fair
value.
16
The
following tables provide a reconciliation of assets and liabilities at fair
value using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) on both a recurring
(impaired loans) and nonrecurring (business combination) basis during the period
(in 000’s):
Reconciliation
of Assets:
|
Impaired
Loans
|
Business
Combination
|
Total
|
|||||||
Beginning
balance
|
$
|
1,521
|
$
|
0
|
$
|
1,521
|
||||
Total
gains or (losses) included in earnings (or changes in net
assets)
|
(203
|
)
|
9,910
|
9,707
|
||||||
Transfers
in and/or out of Level 3
|
85
|
68,748
|
68,833
|
|||||||
Ending
balance
|
$
|
1,403
|
$
|
78,658
|
$
|
80,061
|
||||
The
amount of total gains or (losses) for the period included in earnings
(or
changes in net assets) attributable to the change in unrealized gains
or
losses relating to assets still held at the reporting date
|
($203
|
)
|
$
|
9,910
|
$
|
9,707
|
Reconciliation
of Liabilities:
|
Business
Combination
|
|||
Beginning
balance
|
$
|
0
|
||
Total
(gains) or losses included in earnings (or changes in net
assets)
|
(3,215
|
)
|
||
Transfers
in and/or out of Level 3
|
69,600
|
|||
Ending
balance
|
$
|
66,385
|
||
The
amount of total gains or (losses) for the period included in earnings
(or
changes in net assets) attributable to the change in unrealized gains
or
losses relating to assets still held at the reporting date
|
($3,215
|
)
|
The
amounts shown as gains or losses in the above tables for the business
combination represent fair value adjustments at merger date and are recorded
as
changes in net assets rather than gains or losses reflected in current earnings.
The $9.9 million reflected in the reconciliation of assets for the business
combination includes fair value adjustments of $23,000 for available-for-sale
securities, $(118,000) for net loans, $2.1 million for deferred tax assets,
and
$7.9 million for goodwill. The $3.2 million reflected in the reconciliation
of
liabilities for the business combination is comprised solely of the core deposit
intangible valuation on Legacy’s deposit base.
14.
Business Combination
On
February 16, 2007, the Company acquired 100 percent of the outstanding common
shares of Legacy Bank, N.A., located in Campbell, California. At merger, Legacy
Bank’s one branch was merged with and into United Security Bank, a wholly owned
subsidiary of the Company. The purchase of Legacy Bank provided the Company
with
an opportunity to expand its market area into Santa Clara County and to serve
a
loyal and growing small business niche and individual client base build by
Legacy.
The
aggregate purchase price for Legacy was $21.7 million, which included $171,000
in direct acquisition costs related to the merger. At the date of merger, Legacy
Bank had 1,674,373 shares of common stock outstanding. Based upon an exchange
rate of approximately .58 shares of the Company’s stock for each share of Legacy
stock, Legacy shareholders received 976,411 shares of the Company’s common
stock, amounting to consideration of approximately $12.86 per Legacy common
share.
Legacy’s
results of the operations have been included in the Company’s results beginning
February 17, 2007.
17
The
following summarizes the purchase and the resultant allocation to
fair-market-value adjustments and goodwill:
Purchase
Price:
|
||||
Total
value of the Company's common stock exchanged
|
$
|
21,536
|
||
Direct
acquisition costs
|
177
|
|||
Total
purchase price
|
21,713
|
|||
Allocation
of Purchase Price:
|
||||
Legacy's
shareholder equity
|
8,588
|
|||
Estimated
adjustments to reflect assets acquired
and
liabilities assumed at fair value:
|
||||
Investments
|
23
|
|||
Loans
|
(118
|
)
|
||
Deferred
tax asset (NOL)
|
2,135
|
|||
Core
Deposit Intangible
|
3,215
|
|||
Estimated
fair value of net assets acquired
|
13,843
|
|||
Goodwill
resulting from acquisition
|
$
|
7,870
|
The
following condensed balance sheet summarizes the amount assigned for each major
asset and liability category of Legacy at the merger date:
Assets:
|
||||
Cash
|
$
|
3,173
|
||
Federal
Funds Purchased
|
3,200
|
|||
Securities
available for sale
|
7,414
|
|||
Loans,
net of allowance for loan losses
|
62,426
|
|||
Premises
and equipment
|
729
|
|||
Deferred
tax assets (NOL)
|
2,135
|
|||
Core
deposit intangibles
|
3,215
|
|||
Goodwill
|
7,870
|
|||
Accrued
interest and other assets
|
1,260
|
|||
Total
Assets
|
$
|
91,422
|
||
Liabilities:
|
||||
Deposits:
|
||||
Non-interest
bearing
|
$
|
17,262
|
||
Interest-bearing
|
52,338
|
|||
Total
deposits
|
$
|
69,600
|
||
Accrued
interest payable and other liabilities
|
286
|
|||
Total
liabilities
|
$
|
69,886
|
||
Net
assets
|
$
|
21,536
|
The
merger transaction was accounted for using the purchase accounting method,
and
resulted in the purchase price being allocated to the assets acquired and
liabilities assumed from Legacy Bank based on the fair value of those assets
and
liabilities. The allocations of purchase price based upon the fair market value
of assets acquired and liabilities assumed is preliminary, but management does
not believe that adjustments, if any, will be material. The Company is currently
reviewing the core deposit intangible allocation in relation to certain
promotional savings deposits which may prove to be more volatile that originally
anticipated. While management believes the Company will be able to fully utilize
the net operating loss carry-forward (NOL) obtained in the Legacy merger, the
2007 portion of Legacy’s NOL has not been finalized, which may result in minor
adjustments to the deferred tax asset carried on the Company’s balance sheet.
The Company has utilized a fair value approach for Legacy’s loan portfolio which
includes certain market rate assumptions on segmented portions of the loan
portfolio with similar credit characteristics, and credit risk assumptions
specific to the individual loans within that portfolio. The Company is currently
reviewing whether additional fair market analysis is required under the
guidelines of newly-adopted SFAS No. 157, “Fair
Value Measurements”. Any
changes in the fair-market-value assumptions used for purchase allocation
purposes will be reflected as an adjustment to goodwill.
Core
deposit intangibles totaling $3.2 million will be amortized for book purposes
over an estimated life of approximately 7 years using the yield method. Core
deposit intangibles will be reviewed for impairment on an annual
basis.
Goodwill
totaling $7.9 million will not be amortized for book purposes under current
accounting guidelines. Because the merger was a purchase of assets, goodwill
is
tax deductible over a statutory term of 15 years.
18
Item
2 - Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results
of
Operations
Overview
Certain
matters discussed or incorporated by reference in this Quarterly Report of
Form
10-Q are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties
that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in
the
forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not
limited to, those described in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations. Such risks and uncertainties include,
but
are not limited to, the following factors: i) competitive pressures in the
banking industry and changes in the regulatory environment; ii) exposure to
changes in the interest rate environment and the resulting impact on the
Company’s interest rate sensitive assets and liabilities; iii) decline in the
health of the economy nationally or regionally which could reduce the demand
for
loans or reduce the value of real estate collateral securing most of the
Company’s loans; iv) credit quality deterioration that could cause an increase
in the provision for loan losses; v) Asset/Liability matching risks and
liquidity risks; volatility and devaluation in the securities markets, and
vi)
expected cost savings from recent acquisitions are not realized. Therefore,
the
information set forth therein should be carefully considered when evaluating
the
business prospects of the Company. For additional information concerning risks
and uncertainties related to the Company and its operations, please refer to
the
Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2006.
On
February 16, 2007, the Company completed its merger of Legacy Bank, N.A. with
and into United Security Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. Legacy
Bank which began operations in 2003 operated one banking office in Campbell,
California serving small business and retail banking clients. With its small
business and retail banking focus, Legacy Bank provides a unique opportunity
for
United Security Bank to serve a loyal and growing small business niche and
individual client base in the San Jose area. Upon completion of the merger,
Legacy Bank's branch office began operating as a branch office of United
Security Bank. As of February 16, 2007 Legacy Bank had net assets of
approximately of $8.6 million, including net loans of approximately $63 million
and deposits of approximately $70 million.
In
the
merger, the Company issued 976,411 shares of its stock in a tax free exchange
for all of the Legacy Bank common shares. The total value of the transaction
was
approximately $21.7 million. The
merger transaction was accounted for using the purchase accounting method,
and
resulted in the purchase price being allocated to the assets acquired and
liabilities assumed from Legacy based on the fair value of those assets and
liabilities.
Fair-market-value adjustments and intangible assets totaled approximately $12.9
million, including $7.9 million in goodwill. The
allocations of purchase price based upon the fair market value of assets
acquired and liabilities assumed is preliminary, but management does not believe
that adjustments, if any, will be material
(see
Note 14 to the Company’s consolidated financial statements).
The
Company currently has eleven banking branches, which provide financial services
in Fresno, Madera, Kern, and Santa Clara counties.
Trends
Affecting Results of Operations and Financial
Position
The
following table summarizes the quarterly and year-to-date averages of the
components of interest-bearing assets as a percentage of total interest-bearing
assets, and the components of interest-bearing liabilities as a percentage
of
total interest-bearing liabilities:
YTD
Average
|
YTD
Average
|
YTD
Average
|
||||||||
3/31/07
|
12/31/06
|
3/31/06
|
||||||||
Loans
and Leases
|
83.11
|
%
|
80.26
|
%
|
75.87
|
%
|
||||
Investment
securities available for sale
|
14.56
|
%
|
15.65
|
%
|
16.91
|
%
|
||||
Interest-bearing
deposits in other banks
|
1.24
|
%
|
1.33
|
%
|
1.37
|
%
|
||||
Federal
funds sold
|
1.09
|
%
|
2.76
|
%
|
5.85
|
%
|
||||
Total
earning assets
|
100.00
|
%
|
100.00
|
%
|
100.00
|
%
|
||||
NOW
accounts
|
9.62
|
%
|
11.21
|
%
|
12.35
|
%
|
||||
Money
market accounts
|
29.24
|
%
|
31.56
|
%
|
30.64
|
%
|
||||
Savings
accounts
|
9.29
|
%
|
8.02
|
%
|
8.52
|
%
|
||||
Time
deposits
|
47.04
|
%
|
44.72
|
%
|
44.73
|
%
|
||||
Other
borrowings
|
1.37
|
%
|
0.96
|
%
|
0.02
|
%
|
||||
Subordinated
debentures
|
3.44
|
%
|
3.53
|
%
|
3.74
|
%
|
||||
Total
interest-bearing liabilities
|
100.00
|
%
|
100.00
|
%
|
100.00
|
%
|
19
The
Company’s overall operations are impacted by a number of factors, including not
only interest rates and margin spreads, which impact results of operations,
but
also the composition of the Company’s balance sheet. One of the primary
strategic goals of the Company is to maintain a mix of assets that will generate
a reasonable rate of return without undue risk, and to finance those assets
with
a low-cost and stable source of funds. Liquidity and capital resources must
also
be considered in the planning process to mitigate risk and allow for
growth.
The
Company continues its business development and expansion efforts throughout
a
dynamic and growing market area, and as a result, realized substantial increases
in both loan and deposit volumes during the three months ended March 31, 2007.
Resulting primarily from the Legacy Bank merger completed during February 2007,
the Company experienced increases of $82.7 million in loans, while other
interest earning assets, including investment securities and federal funds
sold,
declined during the period, as loan growth exceeded deposit growth during the
period. The Company experienced growth in all loan categories except lease
financing, with growth being strongest in commercial and industrial loans,
commercial real estate loans real estate, and construction loans. Deposit growth
totaled $53.2 million during the three months ended March 31, 2007, and as
with
loan growth, deposit increases were primarily the result of the merger with
Legacy Bank. Deposit growth occurred in all categories except
noninterest-bearing deposits, which actually declined $10.8 million during
the
quarter ended March 31, 2007. Depositors continue to be attracted to money
market accounts and time deposits over $100,000, as they seek higher yields.
With
increases in market rates of interest slowing during early 2006, and remaining
level since mid-2006, the Company has realized moderate increases in net
interest margins throughout 2006, which have begun to stabilize during 2007.
The
Company anticipates stable interest rates in the near future, with possible
rate
declines during the later part of 2007. The Company’s net interest margin was
6.20% for the three months ended March 31, 2007, as compared to 5.67% for the
year ended December 31, 2006, and 5.66% for the three months ended March 31,
2006. With approximately 60% of the loan portfolio in floating rate instruments
at March 31, 2007, the effects of market rates continue to be realized almost
immediately on loan yields. Loans yielded 10.04% during the three months ended
March 31, 2007, as compared to 9.13% for the year ended December 31, 2006,
and
8.84% for the three months ended March 31, 2006. Loan yield was enhanced during
the first quarter of 2007, as a nonperforming loan was paid off during the
quarter, providing an additional $1.1 million in previously unrecognized
interest income, and an enhancement to loan yield of approximately 82 basis
points. The Company continues to experience pricing pressures on deposits,
especially money market accounts and time deposits, as lagging deposit rates
have played catch-up since early 2006. The Company’s average cost of funds was
3.80% for the three months ended March 31, 2007 as compared to 3.24% for the
year ended December 31, 2006, and 2.69% for the three months ended March 31,
2006.
Noninterest
income continues to be driven by customer service fees, which totaled $1.1
million for the three months ended March 31, 2007, representing on increase
of
$100,000 or 9.65% over the $1.0 million in customer service fees reported for
the three months ended March 31, 2006. Total noninterest income actually
declined by $1.6 million between the three-month periods ended March 31, 2006
and March 31, 2007, primarily as the result of a nonrecurring
$1.9 million gain on the sale of an investment in correspondent bank stock
recognized during the first quarter of 2006. Other noninterest income increased
approximately $149,000 as the result of a number of items including increases
in
rental and OREO income experienced during the first quarter of
2007.
Noninterest
expense increased a moderate $652,000 or 14.3% between the three-month periods
ended March 31, 2006 and March 31, 2007. Increases were experienced in salaries
and employee benefits, occupancy expense, professional fees, and other general
business expenses, as the Company continues to grow and seek qualified staff
as
part of its strategic plan. As part of noninterest expense, OREO expense
actually declined by $212,000 or 83.5% between the three-month periods ended
March 31, 2006 and March 31, 2007 as costs associated with an OREO property
the
Company was in the process of liquidating during 2006, were not again incurred
during 2007.
The
Company has maintained a strong balance sheet, with sustained loan growth and
sound deposit growth. With the Legacy merger completed during February 2007,
total assets have grown more than $85.5 million between December 31, 2006 and
March 31, 2007, while net loans have grown $60.1 million, and deposits have
grown $53.2 million during the quarter ended March 31, 2007. With increased
loan
growth, average loans comprised approximately 83% of overall average earning
assets during the quarter ended March 31, 2007. In total, average core deposits,
including NOW accounts, money market accounts, and savings accounts, continue
to
comprise a high percentage of total interest-bearing liabilities for the quarter
ended March 31, 2007, although time deposits as a percentage of average deposits
for the period have increased as the Company has sought brokered deposits to
fund continued loan demand. To further fund loan demand, the Company utilized
its FHLB credit line during the first quarter of 2007, borrowing $10.0 million
for a term of two years at a fixed rate of 4.92%.
20
The
Company continues to emphasize relationship banking and core deposit growth,
and
has focused greater attention on its market area of Fresno, Madera, and Kern
Counties, as well as its new market area of Campbell, in Santa Clara County.
The
San Joaquin Valley and other California markets continue to benefit from
construction lending and commercial loan demand from small and medium size
businesses, although commercial and residential real estate markets began to
soften somewhat during the later part of 2006. On average, loans have increased
nearly $104.4 million between the three-month periods ended March 31, 2006
and
March 31, 2007, and end-of-period loans have increased more than $120.2 million
between March 31, 2006 and March 31, 2007. Growth continues primarily in
commercial and industrial loans, commercial real estate loans, and construction
loans. In the future, the Company will continue to maintain an emphasis on
its
core lending strengths of commercial
real estate and construction lending, as well as small business financing,
while
expanding opportunities in agricultural, installment, and other loan categories
when possible.
The
Company was affected by several new accounting pronouncements during the first
quarter of 2007. On January 1, 2007, the Company adopted Financial Accounting
Standards Board (FASB) Interpretation 48 (FIN 48), “Accounting
for Uncertainty in Income Taxes: an interpretation of FASB Statement No.
109”.
FIN 48
clarifies SFAS No. 109, “Accounting
for Income Taxes”,
to
indicate a criterion that an individual tax position would have to meet for
some
or all of the income tax benefit to be recognized in a taxable entity’s
financial statements. As a result of FIN48, the Company recognized a tax
liability of approximately $1.3 million related to the consent dividend
deduction taken by the REIT during 2002 (see Note 11 to the Company’s financial
statements for the quarter ended March 31, 2007). Under the guidelines of FIN48,
the liability was recorded as an adjustment to beginning retained earnings,
rather than through the income statement. The Company also chose to early-adopt
SFAS No. 159, “The
Fair
Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities, including an
amendment of FASB Statement No. 115”,
effective
January 1, 2007. The Company was required to concurrently adopt the provisions
of SFAS No. 157, “Fair
Value Measurements”, which
prescribes methods for fair-market valuation. With the adoption of SFAS No.
159,
the Company elected to fair-market value its junior subordinated debt. Pursuant
to the guidelines of SFAS No. 159, the company recorded a fair-market value
adjustment of $1.1 million effective January 1, 2007, reflected as a reduction
of beginning retained earnings (see
Note
12 to the Company’s financial statements for the quarter ended March 31,
2007).
The
Company continually evaluates its strategic business plan as economic and market
factors change in its market area. Growth and increasing market share will
be of
primary importance during the remainder of 2007 and beyond. The Company is
excited about its recent merger with Legacy Bank located in Campbell,
California. This new acquisition brings additional opportunities in a dynamic
new market, and will
enable the Company to expand its ability to serve Legacy’s current clients and
increase lending capabilities in the market area of Santa Clara
County.
The
Company will continue to develop new business in its Convention Center Branch
opened in Downtown Fresno during April 2004, as well in the two Kern County
branches acquired during April 2004 as the result of the merger with Taft
National Bank. During the third quarter of 2005, the Company relocated its
East
Shaw branch, as well as the Construction and Consumer Loan Departments, located
in Fresno, to a new location in north Fresno, which has enhanced its business
presence in that rapidly growing area. During the fourth quarter of 2006, the
Company relocated its administrative headquarters to downtown Fresno, thus
increasing its presence there. Market rates of interest will continue be an
important factor in the Company’s ongoing strategic planning process, as it is
predicted that we are near the end of an interest rate cycle, with the potential
of falling interest rates during 2007.
Results
of Operations
For
the
three months ended March 31, 2007, the Company reported net income of $3.6
million or $0.30 per share ($0.30 diluted) as compared to $3.9 million or $0.34
per share ($0.34 diluted) for the three months ended March 31, 2006. The
Company’s return on average assets was 2.05% for the three-month-period ended
March 31, 2007 as compared to 2.47% for the three-month-period ended March
31,
2006. The Bank’s return on average equity was 19.57% for the three months ended
March 31, 2007 as compared to 25.75% for the same three-month period of 2006.
Net
Interest Income
Net
interest income before provision for credit losses totaled $9.7 million for
the
three months ended March 31, 2007, representing an increase of $1.9 million
or
24.6% when compared to the $7.8 million reported for the same three months
of
the previous year. The increase in net interest income between 2006 and 2007
is
primarily the result of increased volumes in, and yields on, interest-earning
assets, which more than offset increases in the Company’s cost of
interest-bearing liabilities.
The
Bank's net interest margin, as shown in Table 1, increased to 6.20% at March
31,
2007 from 5.66% at March 31, 2006, an increase of 54 basis points (100 basis
points = 1%) between the two periods. Average market rates of interest increased
between the three-month periods ended March 31, 2006 and 2007. The prime rate
averaged 8.25% for the three months ended March 31, 2007 as compared to 7.43%
for the comparative three months of 2006.
21
Table
1. Distribution of Average Assets, Liabilities and Shareholders’
Equity:
Interest
rates and Interest Differentials
Three
Months Ended March 31, 2007 and 2006
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||||||||||
(dollars
in thousands)
|
Average
|
Yield/
|
Average
|
Yield/
|
|||||||||||||||
Balance
|
Interest
|
Rate
|
Balance
|
Interest
|
Rate
|
||||||||||||||
Assets:
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Interest-earning
assets:
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Loans
and leases (1)
|
$
|
529,133
|
$
|
13,100
|
10.04
|
%
|
$
|
424,752
|
$
|
9,254
|
8.84
|
%
|
|||||||
Investment
Securities - taxable
|
90,431
|
933
|
4.18
|
%
|
92,471
|
840
|
3.68
|
%
|
|||||||||||
Investment
Securities - nontaxable (2)
|
2,242
|
27
|
4.88
|
%
|
2,226
|
27
|
4.92
|
%
|
|||||||||||
Interest-bearing
deposits in other banks
|
7,919
|
80
|
4.10
|
%
|
7,681
|
81
|
4.28
|
%
|
|||||||||||
Federal
funds sold and reverse repos
|
6,913
|
96
|
5.36
|
%
|
32,762
|
350
|
4.33
|
%
|
|||||||||||
Total
interest-earning assets
|
636,638
|
$
|
14,236
|
9.07
|
%
|
559,892
|
$
|
10,552
|
7.64
|
%
|
|||||||||
Allowance
for credit losses
|
(9,065
|
)
|
(7,917
|
)
|
|||||||||||||||
Noninterest-bearing
assets:
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Cash
and due from banks
|
25,089
|
27,362
|
|||||||||||||||||
Premises
and equipment, net
|
15,737
|
11,195
|
|||||||||||||||||
Accrued
interest receivable
|
4,038
|
3,171
|
|||||||||||||||||
Other
real estate owned
|
1,919
|
4,356
|
|||||||||||||||||
Other
assets
|
38,116
|
35,854
|
|||||||||||||||||
Total
average assets
|
$
|
712,472
|
$
|
633,913
|
|||||||||||||||
Liabilities
and Shareholders' Equity:
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Interest-bearing
liabilities:
|
|||||||||||||||||||
NOW
accounts
|
$
|
46,251
|
$
|
66
|
0.58
|
%
|
$
|
51,041
|
$
|
75
|
0.60
|
%
|
|||||||
Money
market accounts
|
140,566
|
1,065
|
3.07
|
%
|
126,639
|
658
|
2.11
|
%
|
|||||||||||
Savings
accounts
|
44,649
|
198
|
1.80
|
%
|
35,212
|
45
|
0.52
|
%
|
|||||||||||
Time
deposits
|
226,111
|
2,728
|
4.89
|
%
|
184,916
|
1,668
|
3.66
|
%
|
|||||||||||
Other
borrowings
|
6,571
|
94
|
5.80
|
%
|
78
|
1
|
5.20
|
%
|
|||||||||||
Junior
subordinated debentures
|
16,517
|
352
|
8.64
|
%
|
15,464
|
292
|
7.66
|
%
|
|||||||||||
Total
interest-bearing liabilities
|
480,665
|
$
|
4,503
|
3.80
|
%
|
413,350
|
$
|
2,739
|
2.69
|
%
|
|||||||||
Noninterest-bearing
liabilities:
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Noninterest-bearing
checking
|
147,812
|
151,664
|
|||||||||||||||||
Accrued
interest payable
|
2,273
|
1,813
|
|||||||||||||||||
Other
liabilities
|
7,059
|
6,225
|
|||||||||||||||||
Total
Liabilities
|
637,809
|
573,052
|
|||||||||||||||||
Total
shareholders' equity
|
74,663
|
60,861
|
|||||||||||||||||
Total
average liabilities and
|
|||||||||||||||||||
shareholders'
equity
|
$
|
712,472
|
$
|
633,913
|
|||||||||||||||
Interest
income as a percentage
|
|||||||||||||||||||
of
average earning assets
|
9.07
|
%
|
7.64
|
%
|
|||||||||||||||
Interest
expense as a percentage
|
|||||||||||||||||||
of
average earning assets
|
2.87
|
%
|
1.98
|
%
|
|||||||||||||||
Net
interest margin
|
6.20
|
%
|
5.66
|
%
|
(1) |
Loan
amounts include nonaccrual loans, but the related interest income
has been
included only if collected for the period prior to the loan being
placed
on a nonaccrual basis. Loan interest income includes loan fees of
approximately $817,000 and $842,000 for the three months ended March
31,
2007 and 2006, respectively.
|
(2) |
Applicable
nontaxable securities yields have not been calculated on a tax-equivalent
basis because they are not material to the Company’s results of
operations.
|
Both
the
Company's net interest income and net interest margin are affected by changes
in
the amount and mix of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities,
referred to as "volume change." Both are also affected by changes in yields
on
interest-earning assets and rates paid on interest-bearing liabilities, referred
to as "rate change". The following table sets forth the changes in interest
income and interest expense for each major category of interest-earning asset
and interest-bearing liability, and the amount of change attributable to volume
and rate changes for the periods indicated.
22
Table
2. Rate and Volume Analysis
Increase
(decrease) in the three months ended
|
||||||||||
March
31, 2007 compared to March 31, 2006
|
||||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
Total
|
Rate
|
Volume
|
|||||||
Increase
(decrease) in interest income:
|
||||||||||
Loans
and leases
|
$
|
3,846
|
$
|
1,372
|
$
|
2,474
|
||||
Investment
securities available for sale
|
93
|
112
|
(19
|
)
|
||||||
Interest-bearing
deposits in other banks
|
(1
|
)
|
(3
|
)
|
2
|
|||||
Federal
funds sold and securities purchased
|
||||||||||
under
agreements to resell
|
(254
|
)
|
82
|
(336
|
)
|
|||||
Total
interest income
|
3,684
|
1,563
|
2,121
|
|||||||
Increase
(decrease) in interest expense:
|
||||||||||
Interest-bearing
demand accounts
|
398
|
359
|
39
|
|||||||
Savings
accounts
|
153
|
138
|
15
|
|||||||
Time
deposits
|
1,060
|
639
|
421
|
|||||||
Other
borrowings
|
93
|
0
|
93
|
|||||||
Subordinated
debentures
|
60
|
39
|
21
|
|||||||
Total
interest expense
|
1,764
|
1,175
|
589
|
|||||||
Increase
(decrease) in net interest income
|
$
|
1,920
|
$
|
388
|
$
|
1,532
|
For
the
three months ended March 31, 2007, total interest income increased approximately
$3.7 million or 34.9% as compared to the three-month period ended March 31,
2006. Earning asset volumes increased exclusively in loans, while volumes
decreased moderately in investment securities and federal funds
sold.
For
the
three months ended March 31, 2007, total interest expense increased
approximately $1.8 million or 64.4% as compared to the three-month period ended
March 31, 2006. Between those two periods, average interest-bearing liabilities
increased by $67.3 million, while the average rates paid on those liabilities
increased by 111 basis points.
Provisions
for credit losses are determined on the basis of management's periodic credit
review of the loan portfolio, consideration of past loan loss experience,
current and future economic conditions, and other pertinent factors. Such
factors consider the allowance for credit losses to be adequate when it covers
estimated losses inherent in the loan portfolio. Based on the condition of
the
loan portfolio, management believes the allowance is sufficient to cover risk
elements in the loan portfolio. For the three months ending March 31, 2007,
the
provision to the allowance for credit losses amounted to $202,000 as compared
to
$240,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2006. The amount provided to
the
allowance for credit losses during the first three months brought the allowance
to 1.73% of net outstanding loan balances at March 31, 2007, as compared to
1.67% of net outstanding loan balances at December 31, 2006, and 1.80% at March
31, 2006. The allowance as a percentage of net outstanding loans increased
during the three months of 2007 as the result of an increase in the overall
level of nonperforming assets during the period.
Noninterest
Income
Table
3. Changes in Noninterest Income
The
following table sets forth the amount and percentage changes in the categories
presented for the three months ended March 31, 2007 as compared to the three
months ended March 31, 2006:
(In
thousands)
|
2007
|
2006
|
Amount
of Change
|
Percent
Change
|
|||||||||
Customer
service fees
|
$
|
1,136
|
$
|
1,036
|
$
|
100
|
9.65
|
%
|
|||||
Gain
on sale of OREO
|
12
|
15
|
(3
|
)
|
-20.00
|
%
|
|||||||
Loss
on swap ineffectiveness
|
(1
|
)
|
0
|
(1
|
)
|
--
|
|||||||
Gain
on sale of investment
|
0
|
1,877
|
(1877
|
)
|
-100.00
|
%
|
|||||||
Shared
appreciation income
|
6
|
0
|
6
|
--
|
|||||||||
Other
|
428
|
279
|
149
|
53.41
|
%
|
||||||||
Total
noninterest income
|
$
|
1,581
|
$
|
3,207
|
$
|
(1,626
|
)
|
-50.70
|
%
|
23
Noninterest
income for the three months ended March 31, 2007 decreased $1.6 million or
50.7%
when compared to the same period last year. Decreases
in total noninterest income experienced during 2007 were the result of a $1.8
million gain on the sale of an investment in correspondent bank during the
first
quarter of 2006, which not again experienced during 2007. Customer
service fees increased $100,000 or 9.65% between the two three-month periods
presented, which is attributable primarily to increases in ATM income. Increases
in other noninterest income of $149,000 or 53.4%
between the three-month periods ended March 2006 and 2007, were the result
of
a number of items including increases in rental and OREO income experienced
during the first quarter of 2007.
Noninterest
Expense
The
following table sets forth the amount and percentage changes in the categories
presented for the three months ended March 31, 2007 as compared to the three
months ended March 31, 2006:
Table
4. Changes in Noninterest Expense
(In
thousands)
|
2007
|
2006
|
Amount
of Change
|
Percent
Change
|
|||||||||
Salaries
and employee benefits
|
$
|
2,687
|
$
|
2,436
|
$
|
251
|
10.30
|
%
|
|||||
Occupancy
expense
|
823
|
589
|
234
|
39.73
|
%
|
||||||||
Data
processing
|
137
|
132
|
5
|
3.79
|
%
|
||||||||
Professional
fees
|
443
|
213
|
220
|
103.29
|
%
|
||||||||
Directors
fees
|
56
|
54
|
2
|
3.70
|
%
|
||||||||
Amortization
of intangibles
|
184
|
134
|
50
|
37.31
|
%
|
||||||||
Correspondent
bank service charges
|
76
|
49
|
27
|
55.10
|
%
|
||||||||
Loss
on California tax credit partnership
|
101
|
110
|
(9
|
)
|
-8.18
|
%
|
|||||||
OREO
expense
|
42
|
254
|
(212
|
)
|
-83.46
|
%
|
|||||||
Other
|
661
|
577
|
84
|
14.56
|
%
|
||||||||
Total
expense
|
$
|
5,200
|
$
|
4,548
|
$
|
652
|
14.34
|
%
|
Increases
in noninterest expense between the three months ended March 31, 2006 and 2007
are associated primarily with normal continued growth of the Company, including
additional staffing costs, and costs associated with the new branch operations
in Campbell, California, resulting from the merger with Legacy Bank. Decreases
in OREO expense were the result of additional expenses, including disposal
and
clean-up costs, incurred during 2006 on a single OREO property, which was in
the
process of liquidation.
Pursuant
to the adoption of SFAS No. 123R during the first quarter of 2006, the Company
recognized stock-based compensation expense of $47,000 and $46,000 for the
quarters ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively. This expense is included
in noninterest expense under salaries and employee benefits. The Company expects
stock-based compensation expense to be about $48,000 per quarter during the
remainder of 2007. Under the current pool of stock options, stock-based
compensation expense will decline to approximately $30,000 per quarter during
2008, then to $17,000 per quarter for 2009, and decline after that through
2011.
If new stock options are issued, or existing options fail to vest due, for
example, to forfeiture, actual stock-based compensation expense in future
periods will change.
Income
Taxes
On
December 31, 2003 the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) announced certain
tax
transactions related to real estate investment trusts (REITs) and regulated
investment companies (RICs) will be disallowed pursuant to Senate Bill 614
and
Assembly Bill 1601, which were signed into law in the 4th quarter of 2003.
As a
result, the Company reversed related net state tax benefits recorded in the
first three quarters of 2003 and has taken no related tax benefits since that
time. The Company continues to review the information available from the FTB
and
its financial advisors and believes that the Company's position has merit.
The
Company will pursue its tax claims and defend its use of these entities and
transactions. At this time, the Company cannot predict the ultimate outcome.
24
During
the first quarter of 2005, the FTB notified the Company of its intent to audit
the REIT for the tax years ended December 2001 and 2002. The Company has
retained legal counsel to represent it in the tax audit, and counsel has
provided the FTB with documentation supporting the Company's position. The
FTB
concluded its audit during January 2006. During April 2006, the FTB issued
a
Notice of Proposed Assessment to the Company, which included proposed tax and
penalty assessments related to the tax benefits taken for the REIT during 2002.
The Company still believes the case has merit based upon the fact that the
FTB
is ignoring certain facts of law in the case. The issuance of the Notice of
Proposed Assessment by the FTB will not end the administrative processing of
the
REIT issue because the Company has asserted its administrative protest and
appeal rights pending the outcome of litigation by another taxpayer presently
in
process on the REIT issue in the Los Angeles Superior Court (City National
v.
Franchise Tax Board). The case is ongoing and may take several years to
complete.
On
January 1, 2007 the Company adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB)
Interpretation 48 (FIN 48), “Accounting
for Uncertainty in Income Taxes: an interpretation of FASB Statement No.
109”.
FIN 48
clarifies SFAS No. 109, “Accounting
for Income Taxes”,
to
indicate a criterion that an individual tax position would have to meet for
some
or all of the income tax benefit to be recognized in a taxable entity’s
financial statements. Under the guidelines of FIN48, an entity should recognize
the financial statement benefit of a tax position if it determines that it
is
more
likely than not that
the
position will be sustained on examination. The term “more likely than not” means
a likelihood of more than 50 percent.” In assessing whether the
more-likely-than-not criterion is met, the entity should assume that the tax
position will be reviewed by the applicable taxing authority.
The
Company has reviewed its REIT tax position as of January 1, 2007 (adoption
date)
and March 31, 2007 in light of the adoption of FIN48. The Bank, with guidance
from experts believes that the case has merit with regard to points of law,
and
that the tax law at the time allowed for the deduction of the consent dividend.
However, the Bank, with the concurrence of experts, cannot conclude that it
is
“more than likely” (as defined in FIN48) that the Bank will prevail in its case
with the FTB. As a result of this determination, effective January 1, 2007
the
Company recorded an adjustment of $1,299,000 to beginning retained earnings
upon
adoption of FIN48 to recognize the potential tax liability under the guidelines
of the interpretation. The adjustment includes amounts for assessed taxes,
penalties, and interest. During the quarter ended March 31, 2007, the Company
increased the unrecognized tax liability by an additional $21,000 in interest
for the quarter, bringing the total recorded tax liability under FIN48 to
$1,320,000 at March 31, 2007. It is the Company’s policy to recognize interest
and penalties under FIN48 as a component of income tax expense. The interest
amount for the quarter ended March 31, 2007 was not material.
Financial
Condition
Total
assets increased $85.5 million or 12.61% to a balance of $763.8 million at
March
31, 2007, from the balance of $678.3 million at December 31, 2006, and increased
$123.9 million or 74.5% from the balance of $639.9 million at March 31, 2006.
Total deposits of $640.3 million at March 31, 2007 increased $53.2 million
or
9.06% from the balance reported at December 31, 2006, and increased $93.1
million from the balance of $547.2 million reported at March 31, 2006. Between
December 31, 2006 and March 31, 2007, loan growth totaled $61.7 million, while
securities increased by $14.6 million or 17.59%, and other short-term
investments decreased $7.0 million as these funds were utilized to fund loan
growth.
Earning
assets averaged approximately $636.6 million during the three months ended
March
31, 2007, as compared to $559.9 million for the same three-month period of
2006.
Average interest-bearing liabilities increased to $480.7 million for the three
months ended March 31, 2007, as compared to $413.4 million for the comparative
three-month period of 2006.
Loans
and Leases
The
Company's primary business is that of acquiring deposits and making loans,
with
the loan portfolio representing the largest and most important component of
its
earning assets. Loans totaled $562.3 million at March 31, 2007, an increase
of
$61.7 million or 12.3% when compared to the balance of $500.6 million at
December 31, 2006, and an increase of $120.2 million or 27.2% when compared
to
the balance of $442.1 million reported at March 31, 2006. Loans on average
increased 24.6% between the three-month periods ended March 31, 2006 and March
31, 2007, with loans averaging $529.1 million for the three months ended March
31, 2007, as compared to $424.8 million for the same three-month period of
2006.
During
the first three months of 2007, increases were experienced in all loan
categories except lease financing, with the strongest growth in the Company’s
core lending categories of commercial and industrial loans, commercial real
estate, and construction loans. The following table sets forth the amounts
of
loans outstanding by category at March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006, the
category percentages as of those dates, and the net change between the two
periods presented.
25
Table
5. Loans
March
31, 2007
|
December
31, 2006
|
||||||||||||||||||
Dollar
|
%
of
|
Dollar
|
%
of
|
Net%
|
|||||||||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
Amount
|
Loans
|
Amount
|
Loans
|
Change
|
Change
|
|||||||||||||
Commercial
and industrial
|
$
|
170,070
|
30.2
|
%
|
$
|
155,811
|
31.1
|
%
|
$
|
14,259
|
9.15
|
%
|
|||||||
Real
estate - mortgage
|
142,345
|
25.3
|
%
|
113,613
|
22.7
|
%
|
28,732
|
25.29
|
%
|
||||||||||
Real
estate - construction
|
180,576
|
32.2
|
%
|
168,378
|
33.7
|
%
|
12,198
|
7.24
|
%
|
||||||||||
Agricultural
|
37,876
|
6.7
|
%
|
35,102
|
7.0
|
%
|
2,774
|
7.90
|
%
|
||||||||||
Installment/other
|
20,624
|
3.7
|
%
|
16,712
|
3.3
|
%
|
3,912
|
23.41
|
%
|
||||||||||
Lease
financing
|
10,822
|
1.9
|
%
|
10,952
|
2.2
|
%
|
(130
|
)
|
-1.19
|
%
|
|||||||||
Total
Gross Loans
|
$
|
562,313
|
100.0
|
%
|
$
|
500,568
|
100.0
|
%
|
$
|
61,745
|
13.52
|
%
|
The
overall average yield on the loan portfolio was 10.04% for the three months
ended March 31, 2007 as compared to 8.84% for the three months ended March
31,
2006, and increased between the two periods primarily as the result of an
increase in market rates of interest which positively impacted loan yields.
The
loan yield realized during the first quarter of 2007 was enhanced to some degree
as the result of a nonperforming loan that was paid off during the quarter,
providing an additional $1.1 million in previously unrecognized interest income,
and an increase in loan yield for the quarter of approximately 0.82%. At March
31, 2007, 60.0% of the Company's loan portfolio consisted of floating rate
instruments, as compared to 59.5% of the portfolio at December 31, 2006, with
the majority of those tied to the prime rate.
Loans
acquired in the acquisition of Legacy Bank totaled approximately $63.9 million
at the date of merger (February 16, 2007). Exclusive of the loans acquired
from
Legacy Bank during the first quarter, loan balances attributable to the
Company’s previously existing loan portfolio actually declined during the
quarter ended March 31, 2007. The following table shows the net change
experienced during the quarter ended March 31, 2007, removing the effect of
the
loans acquired in the Legacy Bank merger.
March
31, 2007
|
Net
Change
|
||||||||||||
Total
Loans
|
Legacy
Loans
|
Loans
without
|
Quarter
Ended
|
||||||||||
March
31, 2007
|
at
merger
|
Legacy
Loans
|
March
31, 2007 (1)
|
||||||||||
Commercial
and industrial
|
$
|
170,070
|
$
|
31,735
|
$
|
138,335
|
($17,476
|
)
|
|||||
Real
estate - mortgage
|
142,345
|
14,417
|
127,928
|
14,315
|
|||||||||
Real
estate - construction
|
180,576
|
12,817
|
167,759
|
(619
|
)
|
||||||||
Agricultural
|
37,876
|
0
|
37,876
|
2,774
|
|||||||||
Installment/other
|
20,624
|
4,957
|
15,667
|
(1,045
|
)
|
||||||||
Lease
financing
|
10,822
|
0
|
10,822
|
(130
|
)
|
||||||||
Total
Loans
|
$
|
562,313
|
$
|
63,926
|
$
|
498,387
|
($2,181
|
)
|
(1)
Net
change in loans between December 31, 2006 and March 31, 2007, excluding balance
of loans acquired from Legacy Bank at merger date (2/16/07).
Deposits
Total
deposits increased during the period to a balance of $640.3 million at March
31,
2007 representing an increase of $53.2 million or 9.06% from the balance of
$587.1 million reported at December 31, 2006, and an increase of $93.1 million
or 17.02% from the balance reported at March 31, 2006. During the first three
months of 2007, increases were experienced in all deposit categories except
noninterest-bearing checking accounts.
The
following table sets forth the amounts of deposits outstanding by category
at
March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006, and the net change between the two periods
presented.
26
Table
6. Deposits
March
31,
|
December
31,
|
Net
|
Percentage
|
||||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
2007
|
2006
|
Change
|
Change
|
|||||||||
Noninterest
bearing deposits
|
$
|
148,199
|
$
|
159,002
|
($10,803
|
)
|
-6.79
|
%
|
|||||
Interest
bearing deposits:
|
|||||||||||||
NOW
and money market accounts
|
193,946
|
184,384
|
9,562
|
5.19
|
%
|
||||||||
Savings
accounts
|
58,130
|
31,933
|
26,197
|
82.04
|
%
|
||||||||
Time
deposits:
|
|||||||||||||
Under
$100,000
|
46,442
|
42,428
|
4,014
|
9.46
|
%
|
||||||||
$100,000
and over
|
193,620
|
169,380
|
24,240
|
14.31
|
%
|
||||||||
Total
interest bearing deposits
|
492,138
|
428,125
|
64,013
|
14.95
|
%
|
||||||||
Total
deposits
|
$
|
640,337
|
$
|
587,127
|
$
|
53,210
|
9.06
|
%
|
The
Company's deposit base consists of two major components represented by
noninterest-bearing (demand) deposits and interest-bearing deposits.
Interest-bearing deposits consist of time certificates, NOW and money market
accounts and savings deposits. Total interest-bearing deposits increased $64.0
million or 14.95% between December 31, 2006 and March 31, 2007, while
noninterest-bearing deposits decreased $10.8 million or 6.79% between the same
two periods presented. Core deposits, consisting of all deposits other than
time
deposits of $100,000 or more, and brokered deposits, continue to provide the
foundation for the Company's principal sources of funding and liquidity. These
core deposits amounted to 69.5% and 70.9% of the total deposit portfolio at
March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006, respectively.
On
a
year-to-date average (refer to Table 1), the Company experienced an increase
of
$55.9 million or 10.18% in total deposits between the three-month periods ended
March 31, 2006 and March 31, 2007. Between these two periods, average
interest-bearing deposits increased $59.8 million or 15.03%, while total
noninterest-bearing checking decreased $3.9 million or 2.54% on a year-to-date
average basis.
Deposit
balances acquired in the acquisition of Legacy Bank totaled approximately $69.6
million at the date of merger (February 16, 2007). Exclusive of the deposits
acquired from Legacy Bank during the first quarter, deposit balances
attributable to the Company’s previously existing deposit base declined
approximately $16.4 million during the quarter ended March 31, 2007. The
following table shows the net change experienced during the quarter ended March
31, 2007, removing the effect of the deposit balances acquired in the Legacy
Bank merger.
Legacy
|
March
31, 2007
|
Net
Change
|
|||||||||||
Total
Deposits
|
Deposits
|
Deposits
|
Quarter
Ended
|
||||||||||
March
31, 2007
|
at
merger
|
without
Legacy
|
3/31/07
(1)
|
||||||||||
Noninterest
bearing deposits
|
$
|
148,199
|
$
|
17,970
|
$
|
130,229
|
($28,773
|
)
|
|||||
Interest
bearing deposits:
|
|||||||||||||
NOW
and money market accounts
|
193,946
|
10,541
|
183,405
|
(979
|
)
|
||||||||
Savings
accounts
|
58,130
|
28,752
|
29,378
|
(2,555
|
)
|
||||||||
Time
deposits:
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|||||||||
Under
$100,000
|
46,442
|
2,860
|
43,582
|
1,154
|
|||||||||
$100,000
and over
|
193,620
|
9,477
|
184,143
|
14,763
|
|||||||||
Total
interest bearing deposits
|
492,138
|
51,630
|
440,508
|
12,383
|
|||||||||
Total
deposits
|
$
|
640,337
|
$
|
69,600
|
$
|
570,737
|
($16,390
|
)
|
(1)
Net
change between December 31, 2006 and March 31, 2007 in deposit balances,
excluding deposits acquired from Legacy Bank at merger date
(2/16/07).
Short-Term
Borrowings
The
Company had collateralized and uncollateralized lines of credit aggregating
$280.7 million, as well as FHLB lines of credit totaling $21.7 million at March
31, 2007. These lines of credit generally have interest rates tied to the
Federal Funds rate or are indexed to short-term U.S. Treasury rates or LIBOR.
All lines of credit are on an “as available” basis and can be revoked by the
grantor at any time. At March 31, 2007, the Company had $10 million borrowed
against its FHLB line of credit. The $10 million in FHLB borrowings is for
a
term of two years at a fixed rate of 4.92% and a maturity date of March 30,
2009. The Company had collateralized and uncollateralized lines of credit
aggregating $308.3 million, as well as FHLB lines of credit totaling $28.0
million at December 31, 2006.
27
Asset
Quality and Allowance for Credit Losses
Lending
money is the Company's principal business activity, and ensuring appropriate
evaluation, diversification, and control of credit risks is a primary management
responsibility. Implicit in lending activities is the fact that losses will
be
experienced and that the amount of such losses will vary from time to time,
depending on the risk characteristics of the loan portfolio as affected by
local
economic conditions and the financial experience of borrowers.
The
allowance for credit losses is maintained at a level deemed appropriate by
management to provide for known and inherent risks in existing loans and
commitments to extend credit. The adequacy of the allowance for credit losses
is
based upon management's continuing assessment of various factors affecting
the
collectibility of loans and commitments to extend credit; including current
economic conditions, past credit experience, collateral, and concentrations
of
credit. There is no precise method of predicting specific losses or amounts
which may ultimately be charged off on particular segments of the loan
portfolio. The conclusion that a loan may become uncollectible, either in part
or in whole is judgmental and subject to economic, environmental, and other
conditions which cannot be predicted with certainty. When determining the
adequacy of the allowance for credit losses, the Company follows, in accordance
with GAAP, the guidelines set forth in the Revised Interagency Policy Statement
on the Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses (“Statement”) issued by banking
regulators during December 2006. The Statement is a revision of the previous
guidance released in July 2001, and outlines characteristics that should be
used
in segmentation of the loan portfolio for purposes of the analysis including
risk classification, past due status, type of loan, industry or collateral.
It
also outlines factors to consider when adjusting the loss factors for various
segments of the loan portfolio, and updates previous guidance that describes
the
responsibilities of the board of directors, management, and bank examiners
regarding the allowance for credit losses. Securities and Exchange Commission
Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 102 was released during July 2001, and represents
the SEC staff’s view relating to methodologies and supporting documentation for
the Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses that should be observed by all public
companies in complying with the federal securities laws and the Commission’s
interpretations. It is also generally consistent with the guidance published
by
the banking regulators. The Company segments the loan and lease portfolio into
eleven (11) segments, primarily by loan class and type, that have homogeneity
and commonality of purpose and terms for analysis under SFAS No. 5. Those loans,
which are determined to be impaired under SFAS No. 114, are not subject to
the
general reserve analysis under SFAS No. 5, and evaluated individually for
specific impairment.
The
Company’s methodology for assessing the adequacy of the allowance for credit
losses consists of several key elements, which include:
-
the
formula allowance,
-
specific allowances for problem graded loans (“classified loans”)
-
and the
unallocated allowance
In
addition, the allowance analysis also incorporates the results of measuring
impaired loans as provided in:
-
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 114, “Accounting by
Creditors for Impairment of a Loan” and
-
SFAS
118, “Accounting by Creditors for Impairment of a Loan - Income Recognition and
Disclosures.”
The
formula allowance is calculated by applying loss factors to outstanding loans
and certain unfunded loan commitments. Loss factors are based on the Company’s
historical loss experience and on the internal risk grade of those loans and,
may be adjusted for significant factors that, in management's judgment, affect
the collectibility of the portfolio as of the evaluation date. Management
determines the loss factors for problem graded loans (substandard, doubtful,
and
loss), special mention loans, and pass graded loans, based on a loss migration
model. The migration analysis incorporates loan losses over the past twelve
quarters (three years) and loss factors are adjusted to recognize and quantify
the loss exposure from changes in market conditions and trends in the Company’s
loan portfolio. For purposes of this analysis, loans are grouped by internal
risk classifications, which are “pass”, “special mention”, “substandard”,
“doubtful”, and “loss”. Certain loans are homogenous in nature and are therefore
pooled by risk grade. These homogenous loans include consumer installment and
home equity loans. Special mention loans are currently performing but are
potentially weak, as the borrower has begun to exhibit deteriorating trends,
which if not corrected, could jeopardize repayment of the loan and result in
further downgrade. Substandard loans have well-defined weaknesses which, if
not
corrected, could jeopardize the full satisfaction of the debt. A loan classified
as “doubtful” has critical weaknesses that make full collection of the
obligation improbable. Classified loans, as defined by the Company, include
loans categorized as substandard, doubtful, and loss.
28
Specific
allowances are established based on management’s periodic evaluation of loss
exposure inherent in classified loans, impaired loans, and other loans in which
management believes there is a probability that a loss has been incurred in
excess of the amount determined by the application of the formula
allowance.
The
unallocated portion of the allowance is based upon management’s evaluation of
various conditions that are not directly measured in the determination of the
formula and specific allowances. The conditions may include, but are not limited
to, general economic and business conditions affecting the key lending areas
of
the Company, credit quality trends, collateral values, loan volumes and
concentrations, and other business conditions.
The
Company’s methodology includes features that are intended to reduce the
difference between estimated and actual losses. The specific allowance portion
of the analysis is designed to be self-correcting by taking into account the
current loan loss experience based on that portion of the portfolio. By
analyzing the probable estimated losses inherent in the loan portfolio on a
quarterly basis, management is able to adjust specific and inherent loss
estimates using the most recent information available. In performing the
periodic migration analysis, management believes that historical loss factors
used in the computation of the formula allowance need to be adjusted to reflect
current changes in market conditions and trends in the Company’s loan portfolio.
There are a number of other factors which are reviewed when determining
adjustments in the historical loss factors. They include 1) trends in delinquent
and nonaccrual loans, 2) trends in loan volume and terms, 3) effects of changes
in lending policies, 4) concentrations of credit, 5) competition, 6) national
and local economic trends and conditions, 7) experience of lending staff, 8)
loan review and Board of Directors oversight, 9) high balance loan
concentrations, and 10) other business conditions. During the first three months
of 2007, there were no changes in estimation methods or assumptions that
affected the methodology for assessing the adequacy of the allowance for credit
losses.
Management
and the Company’s lending officers evaluate the loss exposure of classified and
impaired loans on a weekly/monthly basis and through discussions and officer
meetings as conditions change. The Company’s Loan Committee meets weekly and
serves as a forum to discuss specific problem assets that pose significant
concerns to the Company, and to keep the Board of Directors informed through
committee minutes. All special mention and classified loans are reported
quarterly on Criticized Asset Reports which are reviewed by senior management.
With this information, the migration analysis and the impaired loan analysis
are
performed on a quarterly basis and adjustments are made to the allowance as
deemed necessary.
Impaired
loans are calculated under SFAS No. 114, and are measured based on the present
value of the expected future cash flows discounted at the loan's effective
interest rate or the fair value of the collateral if the loan is collateral
dependent. The amount of impaired loans is not directly comparable to the amount
of nonperforming loans disclosed later in this section. The primary differences
between impaired loans and nonperforming loans are: i) all loan categories
are
considered in determining nonperforming loans while impaired loan recognition
is
limited to commercial and industrial loans, commercial and residential real
estate loans, construction loans, and agricultural loans, and ii) impaired
loan
recognition considers not only loans 90 days or more past due, restructured
loans and nonaccrual loans but also may include problem loans other than
delinquent loans.
The
Company considers a loan to be impaired when, based upon current information
and
events, it believes it is probable the Company will be unable to collect all
amounts due according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement. Impaired
loans include nonaccrual loans, restructured debt, and performing loans in
which
full payment of principal or interest is not expected. Management bases the
measurement of these impaired loans on the fair value of the loan's collateral
or the expected cash flows on the loans discounted at the loan's stated interest
rates. Cash receipts on impaired loans not performing to contractual terms
and
that are on nonaccrual status are used to reduce principal balances. Impairment
losses are included in the allowance for credit losses through a charge to
the
provision, if applicable.
At
March
31, 2007 and 2006, the Company's recorded investment in loans for which
impairment has been recognized totaled $15.9 million and $7.5 million,
respectively. Included in total impaired loans at March 31, 2007, are $12.7
million of impaired loans for which the related specific allowance is $5.0
million, as well as $3.2 million of impaired loans that as a result of
write-downs or the fair value of the collateral, did not have a specific
allowance. Total impaired loans at March 31, 2006 included $5.5 million of
impaired loans for which the related specific allowance is $3.9 million, as
well
as $2.0 million of impaired loans that, as a result of write-downs or the fair
value of the collateral, did not have a specific allowance. The average recorded
investment in impaired loans was $9.0 million during the first three months
of
2007 and $15.2 million during the three months of 2006. In most cases, the
Bank
uses the cash basis method of income recognition for impaired loans. In the
case
of certain troubled debt restructuring, for which the loan is performing under
the current contractual terms, income is recognized under the accrual method.
For the three months ended March 31, 2007, the Company recognized no income
on
such loans. For the year ended December 31, 2006 and the three months ended
March 31, 2006, the Company recognized $65,000 and $12,000, respectively, in
income on such loans.
29
The
Company focuses on competition and other economic conditions within its market
area, which may ultimately affect the risk assessment of the portfolio. The
Company continues to experience increased competition from major banks, local
independents and non-bank institutions creating pressure on loan pricing. With
interest rates remaining level during the second half of 2006, indications
are
that rates may begin to decline sometime during the later part of 2007. Both
business and consumer spending have improved during the past several years,
with
GDP currently ranging between 3.5% and 4.0%. It is difficult to determine how
long the Federal Reserve will continue to adjust interest rates in an effort
to
influence the economy, however with the 125 basis point increase in the prime
rate during the second half of 2004, an additional 200 basis point increase
during 2005, and then four 25 basis point increases during 2006, it is predicted
that we are near the end of an interest rate cycle. It is likely that the
business environment in California will continue to be influenced by these
domestic as well as global events. The local market has improved economically
during the past several years while the rest of the state and the nation have
experienced slowed economic growth. The local area residential housing markets
continue to perform, which should bode well for sustained growth in the
Company’s market areas of Fresno and Madera, Kern, and Santa Clara Counties,
although there is some indication of slowing commercial and residential real
estate markets in at least some of these areas. Local unemployment rates in
the
San Joaquin Valley remain high primarily as a result of the areas’ agricultural
dynamics, however unemployment rates have improved during the past several
years. It is difficult to predict what impact this will have on the local
economy. The Company believes that the Central San Joaquin Valley will continue
to grow and diversify as property and housing costs remain reasonable relative
to other areas of the state, although this growth may begin to slow as higher
interest rates dampen economic expansion. Management recognizes increased risk
of loss due to the Company's exposure from local and worldwide economic
conditions, as well as potentially volatile real estate markets, and takes
these
factors into consideration when analyzing the adequacy of the allowance for
credit losses.
The
following table provides a summary of the Company's allowance for possible
credit losses, provisions made to that allowance, and charge-off and recovery
activity affecting the allowance for the periods indicated.
Table
7. Allowance for Credit Losses - Summary of Activity
(unaudited)
March
31,
|
March
31,
|
||||||
(In
thousands)
|
2007
|
2006
|
|||||
Total
loans outstanding at end of period before
|
|||||||
deducting
allowances for credit losses
|
$
|
561,005
|
$
|
499,570
|
|||
Average
net loans outstanding during period
|
529,133
|
424,752
|
|||||
Balance
of allowance at beginning of period
|
8,365
|
7,748
|
|||||
Loans
charged off:
|
|||||||
Real
estate
|
0
|
0
|
|||||
Commercial
and industrial
|
(66
|
)
|
(2
|
)
|
|||
Lease
financing
|
0
|
(69
|
)
|
||||
Installment
and other
|
(86
|
)
|
(4
|
)
|
|||
Total
loans charged off
|
(152
|
)
|
(75
|
)
|
|||
Recoveries
of loans previously charged off:
|
|||||||
Real
estate
|
0
|
0
|
|||||
Commercial
and industrial
|
6
|
34
|
|||||
Lease
financing
|
0
|
1
|
|||||
Installment
and other
|
13
|
10
|
|||||
Total
loan recoveries
|
19
|
45
|
|||||
Net
loans charged off
|
(133
|
)
|
(30
|
)
|
|||
Provision
charged to operating expense
|
202
|
240
|
|||||
Reserve
acquired in business combination
|
1,268
|
0
|
|||||
Balance
of allowance for credit losses
|
|||||||
at
end of period
|
$
|
9,702
|
$
|
7,958
|
|||
Net
loan charge-offs to total average loans (annualized)
|
0.10
|
%
|
0.03
|
%
|
|||
Net
loan charge-offs to loans at end of period (annualized)
|
0.10
|
%
|
0.02
|
%
|
|||
Allowance
for credit losses to total loans at end of period
|
1.71
|
%
|
1.59
|
%
|
|||
Net
loan charge-offs to allowance for credit losses
(annualized)
|
5.56
|
%
|
1.53
|
%
|
|||
Net
loan charge-offs to provision for credit losses
(annualized)
|
65.84
|
%
|
12.50
|
%
|
30
At
March
31, 2007 and 2006, $568,000 and $542,000, respectively, of the formula allowance
is allocated to unfunded loan commitments and is, therefore, carried separately
in other liabilities. Management believes that the 1.73% credit loss allowance
at March 31, 2007 is adequate to absorb known and inherent risks in the loan
portfolio. No assurance can be given, however, that the economic conditions
which may adversely affect the Company's service areas or other circumstances
will not be reflected in increased losses in the loan portfolio.
It
is the
Company's policy to discontinue the accrual of interest income on loans for
which reasonable doubt exists with respect to the timely collectibility of
interest or principal due to the ability of the borrower to comply with the
terms of the loan agreement. Such loans are placed on nonaccrual status whenever
the payment of principal or interest is 90 days past due or earlier when the
conditions warrant, and interest collected is thereafter credited to principal
to the extent necessary to eliminate doubt as to the collectibility of the
net
carrying amount of the loan. Management may grant exceptions to this policy
if
the loans are well secured and in the process of collection.
Table
8. Nonperforming Assets
March
31,
|
December
31,
|
||||||
(In
thousands)
|
2007
|
2006
|
|||||
Nonaccrual
Loans
|
$
|
15,973
|
$
|
8,138
|
|||
Restructured
Loans
|
88
|
4,906
|
|||||
Total
nonperforming loans
|
16,061
|
13,044
|
|||||
Other
real estate owned
|
1,919
|
1,919
|
|||||
Total
nonperforming assets
|
$
|
17,980
|
$
|
14,963
|
|||
Loans
past due 90 days or more, still accruing
|
$
|
0
|
$
|
0
|
|||
Nonperforming
loans to total gross loans
|
2.86
|
%
|
2.61
|
%
|
|||
Nonperforming
assets to total gross loans
|
3.20
|
%
|
2.99
|
%
|
Nonaccrual
loans have increased between December 31, 2006 and March 31, 2007 as the result
of the transfer of two lending relationships to nonaccrual status during the
first quarter of 2007, one of those relationships totaling more than $6.0
million. The $6.0 million land development loan is a shared appreciation credit,
and as such, the Company has agreed to receive interest on the loan as lots
are
sold rather than monthly, and the borrower has agreed to share in the profits
of
the project. Interest is accrued and recognized in income on an ongoing basis.
Shared appreciation profit is currently established at $22,000 per lot. Upon
moving the credit to nonaccrual status during the first quarter of 2007, the
Company did not reverse the accrued interest amount of $865,000 from income,
based upon the current appraised value of the property and the additional values
estimated of the 177 completed lots (see “Asset Quality and Allowance for Credit
Losses” section of Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and Results of Operations included in the Company’s December 31, 2006 10-K). .
At this time, the Company believes that based upon such values, it will collect
all principal and interest due on the loan.
A
$4.9
million loan classified as restructured at December 31, 2006, paid off during
the first quarter of 2007, resulting in the recognition of approximately $1.1
million in previously unrecognized interest income during the period. The
proceeds from the pay-off were not received until the first week of April 2007,
and as a result the $5.9 million pay-off was recorded in other assets as a
receivable at March 31, 2007, with a corresponding reduction in loans
outstanding at period-end.
The
Company purchased a schedule of payments collateralized by Surety Bonds and
lease payments in September 2001 that have a current balance owing of $5.4
million plus interest. The leases have been nonperforming since June 2002
(see
“Asset Quality and Allowance for Credit Losses” section of Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
contained in the Company’s 2006 Annual Report on Form 10-K).
The
impaired lease portfolio is on non-accrual status and has a specific allowance
allocation of $4.2 million and $4.0 million allocated at March 31, 2007 and
December 31, 2006, and a net carrying value of $1.2 million and $1.4 million
at
March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006, respectively. The specific allowance
was
determined based on an estimate of expected future cash flows.
The
Company believes that under generally accepted accounting principles a total
loss of principal is not probable, and the specific allowance of $4.2 million
calculated for the impaired lease portfolio at March 31, 2007 under SFAS No.
114
is in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
31
Loans
past due more than 30 days are receiving increased management attention and
are
monitored for increased risk. The Company continues to move past due loans
to
nonaccrual status in its ongoing effort to recognize loan problems at an earlier
point in time when they may be dealt with more effectively. As impaired loans,
nonaccrual and restructured loans are reviewed for specific reserve allocations
and the allowance for credit losses is adjusted accordingly.
Except
for the loans included in the above table, or those otherwise included in the
impaired loan totals, there were no loans at March 31, 2007 where the known
credit problems of a borrower caused the Company to have serious doubts as
to
the ability of such borrower to comply with the present loan repayment terms
and
which would result in such loan being included as a nonaccrual, past due or
restructured loan at some future date.
Liquidity
and Asset/Liability Management
The
primary function of asset/liability management is to provide adequate liquidity
and maintain an appropriate balance between interest-sensitive assets and
interest-sensitive liabilities.
Liquidity
management may be described as the ability to maintain sufficient cash flows
to
fulfill financial obligations, including loan funding commitments and customer
deposit withdrawals, without straining the Company’s equity structure. To
maintain an adequate liquidity position, the Company relies on, in addition
to
cash and cash equivalents, cash inflows from deposits and short-term borrowings,
repayments of principal on loans and investments, and interest income received.
The Company's principal cash outflows are for loan origination, purchases of
investment securities, depositor withdrawals and payment of operating
expenses.
The
Company continues to emphasize liability management as part of its overall
asset/liability strategy. Through the discretionary acquisition of short term
borrowings, the Company has been able to provide liquidity to fund asset growth
while, at the same time, better utilizing its capital resources, and better
controlling interest rate risk. The borrowings are generally short-term and
more
closely match the repricing characteristics of floating rate loans, which
comprise approximately 60.0% of the Company’s loan portfolio at March 31, 2007.
This does not preclude the Company from selling assets such as investment
securities to fund liquidity needs but, with favorable borrowing rates, the
Company has maintained a positive yield spread between borrowed liabilities
and
the assets which those liabilities fund. If, at some time, rate spreads become
unfavorable, the Company has the ability to utilize an asset management approach
and, either control asset growth or, fund further growth with maturities or
sales of investment securities.
The
Company's liquid asset base which generally consists of cash and due from banks,
federal funds sold, securities purchased under agreements to resell (“reverse
repos”) and investment securities, is maintained at a level deemed sufficient to
provide the cash outlay necessary to fund loan growth as well as any customer
deposit runoff that may occur. Within this framework is the objective of
maximizing the yield on earning assets. This is generally achieved by
maintaining a high percentage of earning assets in loans, which historically
have represented the Company's highest yielding asset. At March 31, 2007, the
Bank had 72.2% of total assets in the loan portfolio and a loan to deposit
ratio
of 87.6%. Liquid assets at March 31, 2007 include cash and cash equivalents
totaling $32.0 million as compared to $43.1 million at December 31, 2006. Other
sources of liquidity include collateralized and uncollateralized lines of credit
from other banks, the Federal Home Loan Bank, and from the Federal Reserve
Bank
totaling $302.4 million at March 31, 2007.
The
liquidity of the parent company, United Security Bancshares, is primarily
dependent on the payment of cash dividends by its subsidiary, United Security
Bank, subject to limitations imposed by the Financial Code of the State of
California. During the three months ended March 31, 2007, dividends paid by
the
Bank to the parent company totaled $4.3 million dollars.
Regulatory
Matters
Capital
Adequacy
The
Board
of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (“Board of Governors”) has adopted
regulations requiring insured institutions to maintain a minimum leverage ratio
of Tier 1 capital (the sum of common stockholders' equity, noncumulative
perpetual preferred stock and minority interests in consolidated subsidiaries,
minus intangible assets, identified losses and investments in certain
subsidiaries, plus unrealized losses or minus unrealized gains on available
for
sale securities) to total assets. Institutions which have received the highest
composite regulatory rating and which are not experiencing or anticipating
significant growth are required to maintain a minimum leverage capital ratio
of
3% Tier 1 capital to total assets. All other institutions are required to
maintain a minimum leverage capital ratio of at least 100 to 200 basis points
above the 3% minimum requirement.
32
The
Board
of Governors has also adopted a statement of policy, supplementing its leverage
capital ratio requirements, which provides definitions of qualifying total
capital (consisting of Tier 1 capital and Tier 2 supplementary capital,
including the allowance for loan losses up to a maximum of 1.25% of
risk-weighted assets) and sets forth minimum risk-based capital ratios of
capital to risk-weighted assets. Insured institutions are required to maintain
a
ratio of qualifying total capital to risk weighted assets of 8%, at least
one-half (4%) of which must be in the form of Tier 1 capital.
The
following table sets forth the Company’s and the Bank's actual capital positions
at March 31, 2007 and the minimum capital requirements for both under the
regulatory guidelines discussed above:
Table
9. Capital Ratios
Company
|
Bank
|
|||||||||
Actual
|
Actual
|
Minimum
|
||||||||
Capital
Ratios
|
Capital
Ratios
|
Capital
Ratios
|
||||||||
Total
risk-based capital ratio
|
13.68
|
%
|
13.42
|
%
|
10.00
|
%
|
||||
Tier
1 capital to risk-weighted assets
|
12.48
|
%
|
12.22
|
%
|
6.00
|
%
|
||||
Leverage
ratio
|
12.45
|
%
|
12.17
|
%
|
5.00
|
%
|
As
is
indicated by the above table, the Company and the Bank exceeded all applicable
regulatory capital guidelines at March 31, 2007. Management believes that,
under
the current regulations, both will continue to meet their minimum capital
requirements in the foreseeable future.
Dividends
The
primary source of funds with which dividends will be paid to shareholders is
from cash dividends received by the Company from the Bank. During the first
three months of 2007, the Company has received $4.3 million in cash dividends
from the Bank, from which the Company paid $1.4 million in dividends to
shareholders.
Reserve
Balances
The
Bank
is required to maintain average reserve balances with the Federal Reserve Bank.
At March 31, 2007 the Bank's qualifying balance with the Federal Reserve was
approximately $25,000 consisting of balances held with the Federal
Reserve.
Item
3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market
Risk
Interest
Rate Sensitivity and Market Risk
There
have been no material changes in the Company’s quantitative and qualitative
disclosures about market risk as of March 31, 2007 from those presented in
the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2006.
As
part
of its overall risk management, the Company pursues various asset and liability
management strategies, which may include obtaining derivative financial
instruments to mitigate the impact of interest fluctuations on the Company’s net
interest margin. During the second quarter of 2003, the Company entered into
an
interest rate swap agreement with the purpose of minimizing interest rate
fluctuations on its interest rate margin and equity.
Under
the
interest rate swap agreement, the Company receives a fixed rate and pays a
variable rate based on a spread from the Prime Rate (“Prime”). The swap
qualifies as a cash flow hedge under SFAS No. 133, “Accounting for Derivative
Instruments and Hedging Activities”, as amended, and is designated as a hedge of
the variability of cash flows the Company receives from certain variable-rate
loans indexed to Prime. In accordance with SFAS No. 133, the swap agreement
is
measured at fair value and reported as an asset or liability on the consolidated
balance sheet. The portion of the change in the fair value of the swap that
is
deemed effective in hedging the cash flows of the designated assets are recorded
in accumulated other comprehensive income and reclassified into interest income
when such cash flow occurs in the future. Any ineffectiveness resulting from
the
hedge is recorded as a gain or loss in the consolidated statement of income
as
part of noninterest income. The amortizing hedge has a remaining notional value
of $9.5 million at March 31, 2007, matures in September 2008, and has a duration
of approximately 6 months. As of March 31, 2007, the maximum length of time
over
which the Company is hedging its exposure to the variability of future cash
flows is approximately 1.5 years. As of March 31, 2007, the loss amounts in
accumulated other comprehensive income associated with these cash flows totaled
$129,000 (net of tax benefit of $52,000). During the three months ended March
31, 2007, $120,000 was reclassified from other accumulated other comprehensive
income into expense, and is reflected as a reduction in interest
income.
33
The
Company performs a quarterly analysis of the interest rate swap agreement.
At
September 30, 2006, the Company determined that the swap remains highly
effective in achieving offsetting cash flows attributable to the hedged risk
during the term of the hedge, and therefore continues to qualify for hedge
accounting under the guidelines of SFAS No. 133. However,
during
the
second quarter of 2006, the Company determined that the underlying loans being
hedged were paying off faster than the notional value of the hedge instrument
was amortizing. This difference between the notional value of the hedge and
the
underlying hedged assets is considered an “overhedge” pursuant to SFAS No. 133
guidelines and may constitute ineffectiveness if the difference is other than
temporary. The Company determined during 2006 that the difference was other
than
temporary and, as a result, reclassified a net total of $75,000 of the pretax
hedge loss reported in other comprehensive income into earnings during 2006.
As
of March 31, 2007, the notional value of the hedge is still in excess of the
value of the underlying loans by approximately $3.5 million, resulting in a
pretax hedge loss related to swap ineffectiveness of approximately $1,000 during
the first quarter of 2006. Amounts recognized as hedge ineffectiveness gains
or
losses are reflected in noninterest income.
The
Board
of Directors has adopted an interest rate risk policy which establishes maximum
decreases in net interest income of 12% and 15% in the event of a 100 BP and
200
BP increase or decrease in market interest rates over a twelve month period.
Based on the information and assumptions utilized in the simulation model at
March 31, 2007, the resultant projected impact on net interest income falls
within policy limits set by the Board of Directors for all rate scenarios run.
The
Company's interest rate risk policy establishes maximum decreases in the
Company's market value of equity of 12% and 15% in the event of an immediate
and
sustained 100 BP and 200 BP increase or decrease in market interest rates.
As
shown in the table below, the percentage changes in the net market value of
the
Company's equity are within policy limits for both rising and falling rate
scenarios.
The
following sets forth the analysis of the Company's market value risk inherent
in
its interest-sensitive financial instruments as they relate to the entire
balance sheet at March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006 ($ in thousands). Fair
value estimates are subjective in nature and involve uncertainties and
significant judgment and, therefore, cannot be determined with absolute
precision. Assumptions have been made as to the appropriate discount rates,
prepayment speeds, expected cash flows and other variables. Changes in these
assumptions significantly affect the estimates and as such, the obtained fair
value may not be indicative of the value negotiated in the actual sale or
liquidation of such financial instruments, nor comparable to that reported
by
other financial institutions. In addition, fair value estimates are based on
existing financial instruments without attempting to estimate future
business.
March
31, 2007
|
December
31, 2006
|
||||||||||||||||||
Change
in
|
Estimated
MV
|
Change
in MV
|
Change
in MV
|
Estimated
MV
|
Change
in MV
|
Change
in MV
|
|||||||||||||
Rates
|
of
Equity
|
of
Equity $
|
of
Equity $
|
Of
Equity
|
of
Equity $
|
of
Equity %
|
|||||||||||||
+
200 BP
|
$
|
110,965
|
$
|
1,638
|
1.50
|
%
|
$
|
90,317
|
$
|
912
|
1.02
|
%
|
|||||||
+
100 BP
|
110,991
|
1,664
|
1.52
|
%
|
90,524
|
1,118
|
1.25
|
%
|
|||||||||||
0
BP
|
109,327
|
0
|
0.00
|
%
|
89,406
|
0
|
0.00
|
%
|
|||||||||||
-
100 BP
|
106,133
|
(3,194
|
)
|
-2.92
|
%
|
87,291
|
(2,115
|
)
|
-2.37
|
%
|
|||||||||
-
200 BP
|
101,388
|
(7,938
|
)
|
-7.26
|
%
|
84,278
|
(5,128
|
)
|
-5.74
|
%
|
|||||||||
Item
4. Controls and Procedures
a)
As of
the end of the period covered by this report, the Company carried out an
evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of the Company’s
management, including the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial
Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company’s
disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in the Securities and Exchange
Act Rule 13(a)-15(e). Based on that evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer
and
the Chief Financial Officer concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and
procedures are effective on a timely manner to alert them to material
information relating to the Company which is required to be included in the
Company’s periodic Securities and Exchange Commission filings.
34
(b)
Changes in Internal Controls over Financial Reporting: During the quarter ended
March 31, 2007, the Company did not make any significant changes in, nor take
any corrective actions regarding, its internal controls over financial reporting
or other factors that could significantly affect these controls.
The
Company does not expect that its disclosure controls and procedures and internal
control over financial reporting will prevent all error and fraud. A
control procedure, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only
reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control procedure
are met. Because of the inherent limitations in all control procedures, no
evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues
and instances of fraud, if any, within the Company have been detected.
These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in
decision-making can be faulty, and that breakdowns in controls or procedures
can
occur because of simple error or mistake. Additionally, controls can be
circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or
more
people, or by management override of the control. The design of any
control procedure is based in part upon certain assumptions about the likelihood
of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed
in
achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions; over time,
controls become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or the degree
of
compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. Because of the
inherent limitations in a cost-effective control procedure, misstatements due
to
error or fraud may occur and not be detected.
35
PART
II. Other Information
Item
1.
Not
applicable
Item
1A.
There
have been no material changes in the Company’s risk factors during the first
quarter of 2007.
Item
2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of
Proceeds
Purchases
of Equity Securities by Affiliates and Associated Purchasers
Total
Number of
|
Maximum
Number
|
||||||||||||
Weighted
|
Shares
Purchased
|
of
Shares That May
|
|||||||||||
Total
Number
|
Average
|
as
Part of Publicly
|
Yet
be Purchased
|
||||||||||
Of
Shares
|
Price
Paid
|
Announced
Plan
|
Under
the Plans
|
||||||||||
Period
|
Purchased
|
Per
Share
|
or
Program
|
Or
Programs
|
|||||||||
01/01/07
to 01/31/07
|
2,404
|
$
|
22.79
|
2,404
|
239,989
|
||||||||
02/01/07
to 02/28/07
|
71,994
|
$
|
21.77
|
71,994
|
167,995
|
||||||||
03/01/07
to 03/31/07
|
43,005
|
$
|
20.94
|
43,005
|
124,990
|
||||||||
Total
first quarter 2007
|
117,403
|
$
|
21.48
|
117,403
|
On
August
30, 2001 the Company announced that its Board of Directors approved a plan
to
repurchase, as conditions warrant, up to 280,000 shares (560,000 shares adjusted
for May 2006 stock split) of the Company's common stock on the open market
or in
privately negotiated transactions. The duration of the program was open-ended
and the timing of purchases was dependent on market conditions. A total of
215,423 shares (430,846 shares adjusted for May 2006 stock split) had been
repurchased under that plan as of December 31, 2003, at a total cost of $3.7
million.
Then,
on
February 25, 2004 the Company announced another stock repurchase plan under
which the Board of Directors approved a plan to repurchase, as conditions
warrant, up to 276,500 shares (553,000 shares adjusted for May 2006 stock split)
of the Company's common stock on the open market or in privately negotiated
transactions. As with the first plan, the duration of the new program is
open-ended and the timing of purchases will depend on market conditions.
Concurrent
with the approval of the new repurchase plan, the Board terminated the 2001
repurchase plan and canceled the remaining 64,577 shares (129,154 shares
adjusted for May 2006 stock split) yet to be purchased under the earlier plan.
Item
3.
Not
applicable
Item
4. Not
applicable
Item
5.
Not
applicable
Item
6.
Exhibits:
(a) |
Exhibits:
|
11
Computation of Earnings per Share*
31.1
Certification of the Chief Executive Officer of United Security Bancshares
pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
31.2
Certification of the Chief Financial Officer of United Security Bancshares
pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
32.1
Certification of the Chief Executive Officer of United Security Bancshares
pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
32.2
Certification of the Chief Financial Officer of United Security Bancshares
pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
*
Data
required by Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 128, Earnings
per Share,
is
provided in note 6 to the consolidated financial statements in this
report.
36
Signatures
Pursuant
to the requirements 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.
United Security Bancshares | ||
|
|
|
Date: May 9, 2007 | /S/ Dennis R. Woods | |
Dennis R. Woods
President and
Chief Executive Officer
|
||
/S/ Kenneth L. Donahue | ||
Kenneth L. Donahue
Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial
Officer
|
37