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8-K - FORM 8-K - Bank of the Carolinas CORPd8k.htm

Exhibit 99.1

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Bank of the Carolinas Corporation Reports

Fourth Quarter and Year End Financial Results

MOCKSVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, February 2, 2011 - Bank of the Carolinas Corporation (Nasdaq: BCAR) today reported financial results for the three- and twelve-month periods ended December 31, 2010.

For the three-month period ended December 31, 2010, the Company reported a net loss of $2.3 million as compared to a net loss of $1.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2009. After payment of dividends on preferred stock, the net loss available to common shareholders for the three months ended December 31, 2010 was $2.5 million, or $0.65 per common share, compared to a net loss of $2.0 million, or $0.51 per common share, for the fourth quarter of 2009.

For the year ended December 31, 2010, the Company reported a net loss of $2.7 million, as compared to a net loss of $3.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2009. The net loss available to common shareholders for the year ended December 31, 2010 was $3.6 million, or $0.92 per common share, compared to a net loss of $3.8 million, or $0.97 per common share, for the year ended December 31, 2009.

Fourth quarter and year end results were negatively impacted by the provision for loan losses and valuation provisions and costs related to foreclosed real estate. Those combined costs totaled $4.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2010, an increase of 35.0% over the same quarter in 2009. For the full year period of 2010, credit related costs totaled $8.3 million, or an 11.1% increase over the previous year. Excluding these credit related costs, the Company had improved operating results in 2010 due to both an increased net interest margin and reductions in noninterest expenses. The Company’s year-to-date net interest margin increased to 3.26% in 2010 as compared to 2.56% in 2009. Noninterest expense, excluding the costs related to foreclosed real estate, was reduced by 23.9% in the fourth quarter of 2010 versus the fourth quarter of 2009 and for the year end period was reduced 7.0% in 2010 versus 2009.

As of December 31, 2010, the Company’s nonperforming assets totaled $33.0 million and amounted to 6.17% of total assets as compared to total nonperforming assets of $17.5 million, or 2.86% of total assets, as of December 31, 2009. The allowance for loan losses was 1.87% of total loans as of December 31, 2010, and net charge-offs for the year end period represented 2.08% of average loans outstanding.

Total assets at December 31, 2010 amounted to $535.0 million, a decrease of 12.4% when compared to $610.4 million as of December 31, 2009. The decrease in assets was part of a strategic decision by the Company to improve its net interest margin and capital ratios. Loans totaled $366.2 million at December 31, 2010, a decline of 6.4% from a year earlier, and deposits fell 15.7% over the prior year to $416.2 million.

The Company continues to be well capitalized, exceeding all regulatory capital requirements, with a Tier 1 leverage ratio of 7.79% and a total capital to risk-weighted assets ratio of 11.51% as of December 31, 2010.


Bank of the Carolinas Corporation is the holding company for Bank of the Carolinas, a North Carolina chartered bank headquartered in Mocksville, NC with offices in Advance, Asheboro, Cleveland, Concord, Harrisburg, King, Landis, Lexington and Winston-Salem. The common stock of the Company is traded on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol “BCAR”.

For further information contact:

Eric E. Rhodes

Chief Financial Officer

Bank of the Carolinas

(336) 998-1799 x 220

 

 

DISCLOSURES ABOUT FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements in this press release relating to plans, strategies, economic performance and trends, projections of results of specific activities or investments, expectations or beliefs about future events or results, and other statements that are not descriptions of historical facts, may be forward-looking statements as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking information is inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors which include, but are not limited to, factors discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and in other documents we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Copies of those reports are available directly through the SEC’s Internet website at www.sec.gov. Forward-looking statements may be identified by terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “feels,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “forecasts,” “potential” or “continue,” or similar terms or the negative of these terms, or other statements concerning opinions or judgments of our management about future events. Factors that could influence the accuracy of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to (a) pressures on our earnings, capital and liquidity resulting from current and future conditions in the credit and capital markets, (b) continued or unexpected increases in nonperforming loans and credit losses in our loan portfolio, (c) continued adverse conditions in the economy and in the real estate market in our banking markets (particularly those conditions that affect our loan portfolio, the abilities of our borrowers to repay their loans, and the values of collateral that secures our loans), (d) the financial success or changing strategies of our customers, (e) actions of government regulators, or change in laws, regulations or accounting standards, that adversely affect our business, (f) changes in the interest rate environment and the level of market interest rates that reduce our net interest margins and/or the values of loans we make and securities we hold, (g) changes in competitive pressures among depository and other financial institutions or in our ability to compete effectively against other financial institutions in our banking markets, and (h) other developments or changes in our business that we do not expect. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements included in this press release are reasonable, they represent our management’s judgments only as of the date they are made, and we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. As a result, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements attributable to us are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements in this paragraph. We have no obligation, and do not intend, to update these forward-looking statements.


Bank of the Carolinas Corporation

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(In Thousands Except Share Data)

 

     December 31,  
     2010     2009  
     (Unaudited)     *  

Assets:

    

Cash and due from banks, noninterest-bearing

   $ 4,303      $ 3,524   

Temporary investments

     15,592        33,835   

Investment securities

     110,373        140,004   

Loans

     366,153        391,265   

Less, allowance for loan losses

     (6,863     (8,167
                

Total loans, net

     359,290        383,098   

Premises and equipment, net

     13,106        14,010   

Other real estate owned

     8,314        8,233   

Bank owned life insurance

     10,371        10,010   

Other assets

     13,621        17,673   
                

Total Assets

   $ 534,970      $ 610,387   
                

Liabilities:

    

Noninterest bearing demand deposits

   $ 33,730      $ 36,418   

Interest-checking deposits

     34,004        34,614   

Savings and money market deposits

     114,923        235,541   

Time deposits

     233,512        187,344   
                

Total deposits

     416,169        493,917   

Securities sold under repurchase agreements

     45,603        46,682   

Federal Home Loan Bank advances

     22,000        15,000   

Subordinated debt

     7,855        7,855   

Other liabilities

     1,639        1,941   
                

Total Liabilities

     493,266        565,395   
                

Shareholders’ Equity:

    

Preferred stock, no par value

     13,179        13,179   

Discount on preferred stock

     (991     (1,245

Common stock, $5 par value per share

     19,486        19,486   

Additional paid-in capital

     12,988        12,978   

Retained earnings (loss)

     (3,268     300   

Accumulated other comprehensive income

     310        294   
                

Total Shareholders’ Equity

     41,704        44,992   
                

Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity

   $ 534,970      $ 610,387   
                

Preferred shares authorized

     3,000,000        3,000,000   

Preferred shares issued and outstanding

     13,179        13,179   

Common shares authorized

     15,000,000        15,000,000   

Common shares issued and outstanding

     3,897,174        3,897,174   

Book value per common share

   $ 7.32      $ 8.16   
                

 

* Derived from audited financial statements


Bank of the Carolinas Corporation

Consolidated Statements of Income

(In Thousands Except Share Data)

 

     Three months ended
December 31,
    Year ended
December 31,
 
     2010     2009     2010     2009  
     (Unaudited)     *     (Unaudited)     *  

Interest income

        

Interest and fees on loans

   $ 4,914      $ 5,781      $ 20,723      $ 23,685   

Interest on securities

     711        1,321        3,318        5,860   

Other interest income

     8        20        53        76   
                                

Total interest income

     5,633        7,122        24,094        29,621   
                                

Interest expense

        

Interest on deposits

     1,197        2,025        5,036        11,868   

Interest on borrowed funds

     627        723        2,624        3,087   
                                

Total interest expense

     1,824        2,748        7,660        14,955   
                                

Net interest income

     3,809        4,374        16,434        14,666   

Provision for loan losses

     3,581        3,081        6,441        5,547   
                                

Net interest income after provision for loan losses

     228        1,293        9,993        9,119   
                                

Noninterest income

        

Customer service fees

     342        316        1,303        1,335   

Increase in value of banked owned life insurance

     91        93        361        365   

Gains (loss) on sale of investment securities

     (24     189        344        1,530   

Other income

     24        36        29        67   
                                

Total noninterest income

     433        634        2,037        3,297   
                                

Noninterest expense

        

Salaries and benefits

     1,559        2,081        6,959        7,040   

Occupancy and equipment

     573        574        2,238        2,221   

FDIC insurance assessments

     258        573        975        1,505   

Data processing expense

     214        257        821        1,042   

Valuation provisions and net operating costs associated with foreclosed real estate

     768        140        1,829        1,899   

Other

     866        1,072        3,526        3,807   
                                

Total noninterest expenses

     4,238        4,697        16,348        17,514   
                                

Income (loss) before income taxes

     (3,577     (2,770     (4,318     (5,098

Provision for income taxes

     (1,263     (992     (1,663     (1,968
                                

Net income (loss)

   $ (2,314   $ (1,778   $ (2,655   $ (3,130

Dividends and accretion on preferred stock

     (231     (226     (914     (637
                                

Net income (loss) available to common shareholders

   $ (2,545   $ (2,004   $ (3,569   $ (3,767
                                

Loss per common share:

        

Basic

   $ (0.65   $ (0.51   $ (0.92   $ (0.97

Diluted

   $ (0.65   $ (0.51   $ (0.92   $ (0.97

Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding:

        

Basic

     3,897,174        3,897,174        3,897,174        3,894,314   

Diluted

     3,897,174        3,897,174        3,897,174        3,894,314   

 

* Derived from audited financial statements


Bank of the Carolinas Corporation

Other Financial Data

(Dollars in thousands except per share amounts)

 

     As of or for  the
year ended December 31,
 
     2010     2009     Change*  

Average balance sheet data

      

Average loans

   $ 373,156      $ 401,511        (7.06 )% 

Average earning assets

     504,582        573,018        (11.94

Average total assets

     553,639        624,508        (11.35

Average common shareholders’ equity

     32,494        35,625        (8.79

Average total shareholders’ equity

     45,673        44,976        1.55   

Period-end balance sheet data:

      

Total loans

   $ 366,153      $ 391,265        (6.42 )% 

Allowance for loan losses

     (6,863     (8,167     (15.97

Total assets

     534,970        610,387        (12.36

Total deposits

     416,169        493,917        (15.74

Total common shareholders’ equity

     28,525        31,813        (10.34

Total shareholders’ equity

     41,704        44,992        (7.31

Asset quality indicators

      

Net loan charge-offs

   $ 7,745      $ 3,688        110.04

Total nonperforming loans

     24,690        9,224        167.67   

Total nonperforming assets

     33,004        17,457        89.06   

Asset quality ratios

      

Net-chargeoffs (recoveries) to average loans **

     2.08 %      0.92     116 BP 

Nonperforming loans to total loans

     6.74        2.36        439   

Nonperforming assets to total assets

     6.17        2.86        331   

Nonperforming assets to loan-related assets

     8.81        4.37        444   

Allowance for loan losses to total loans

     1.87        2.09        (21

Financial ratios

      

Return on average assets **

     (0.48 )%      (0.50 )%      2 BP 

Return on average common shareholders’ equity **

     (10.98     (10.57     (41

Net interest margin **

     3.26        2.56        70   

Per share amounts available to common shareholders

      

Basic earnings (loss) per common share

   $ (0.92   $ (0.97     5.15

Diluted earnings (loss) per common share

     (0.92     (0.97     5.15   

Book value per common share

     7.32        8.16        (10.34

 

* bps denotes basis points.
** ratio annualized.


Bank of the Carolinas Corporation

Other Financial Data (continued)

 

(Dollars in thousands except per share amounts)

 

     As of or for the  
     three months ended December 31  
     2010     2009     Change*  

Average balance sheet data

      

Average loans

   $ 366,658      $ 391,574        (6.36 )% 

Average earning assets

     484,401        592,150        (18.20

Average total assets

     535,968        641,095        (16.40

Average common shareholders’ equity

     32,494        34,672        (6.28

Average total shareholders’ equity

     45,673        47,851        (4.55

Asset quality indicators

      

Net loan charge-offs

   $ 3,061      $ 1,110        175.64

Asset quality ratios

      

Net-chargeoffs (recoveries) to average loans **

     3.31 %      1.13     218  BP 

Financial ratios

      

Return on average assets **

     (1.71 )%      (1.10 )%      (61 )BP 

Return on average common shareholders’ equity **

     (31.07     (22.93     (814

Net interest margin **

     3.12        2.93        19   

Per share amounts available to common shareholders

      

Basic earnings (loss) per common share

   $ (0.65   $ (0.51     (27.45 )% 

Diluted earnings (loss) per common share

     (0.65     (0.51     (27.45

Book value per common share

     7.32        8.16        (10.34

 

* bps denotes basis points.
** ratio annualized.