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8-K - FORM 8-K - FIRST BANKS, INCfbi8k072911.htm



Exhibit 99

FIRST BANKS, INC.
ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

NEWS RELEASE

Contacts:
Terrance M. McCarthy
Lisa K. Vansickle
 
President and
Executive Vice President and
 
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Financial Officer
 
First Banks, Inc.
First Banks, Inc.
 
(314) 854-4600
(314) 854-4600
 
Traded:
NYSE
Symbol:
FBSPrA – (First Preferred Capital Trust IV, an affiliated trust of First Banks, Inc.)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

First Banks, Inc. Announces Second Quarter 2011 Results
 
St. Louis, Missouri, July 29, 2011.  First Banks, Inc. (the “Company”), the holding company of First Bank, today announced a net loss of $17.0 million for the three months ended June 30, 2011 as compared to a net loss of $64.9 million for the three months ended June 30, 2010. For the six months ended June 30, 2011, the Company recorded a net loss of $23.2 million as compared to a net loss of $92.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2010. The net loss for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 includes a provision for loan losses of $23.0 million and $33.0 million, respectively, as compared to $83.0 million and $125.0 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010, respectively.
 
Terrance M. McCarthy, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, said, “We continued to experience significant improvement in our asset quality trends during the second quarter of 2011. Our nonperforming assets declined an additional $76.6 million, or 15.1%, to $432.0 million during the second quarter of 2011 and have now declined $386.0 million, or 47.2%, from a high of $818.0 million at December 31, 2009. As a result of this improvement and other factors, our provision for loan losses of $23.0 million for the quarter and $33.0 million for the first six months of 2011 represents significant improvement over our provision levels in 2010. In addition to our improving asset quality, First Bank’s regulatory capital and liquidity ratios also continue to significantly improve, placing First Bank in a position of increasing strength as the economy emerges from the economic downturn. Throughout the remainder of 2011, we will remain focused on continuing to improve our asset quality trends and improving our core earnings performance through various measures intended to enhance our net interest income and noninterest income and reduce our expenses.”
 
Key Points for the Quarter:
 
 
·
Maintained First Bank’s regulatory capital ratios at “well capitalized” levels, reflecting continued improvement in each of the regulatory capital ratios during the year, including an increase in First Bank’s Total Capital Ratio to 14.29% at June 30, 2011 from 13.78% at March 31, 2011 and 12.95% at December 31, 2010. Regulatory capital ratios for First Bank and First Banks, Inc. are summarized in the table below:
 
     
June 30,
 
March 31,
 
June 30,
 
     
2011
 
2011
 
2010 (1)
 
 
First Bank:
               
 
Total Capital Ratio                                                              
   
14.29
%
 
13.78
%
 
12.11
%
 
 
Tier 1 Ratio                                                              
   
13.01
   
12.49
   
10.82
   
 
Leverage Ratio                                                              
   
7.96
   
7.89
   
7.65
   
                         
 
First Banks, Inc.:
                     
 
Total Capital Ratio                                                              
   
3.38
   
4.29
   
9.46
   
 
Tier 1 Ratio                                                              
   
1.69
   
2.14
   
4.73
   
 
Leverage Ratio                                                              
   
1.03
   
1.35
   
3.34
   
_________________
 
(1)
First Banks, Inc.’s regulatory capital ratios at June 30, 2011 and March 31, 2011 reflect the implementation of new Federal Reserve rules that became effective on March 31, 2011. First Banks, Inc.’s total capital, tier 1 and leverage ratios at June 30, 2010 would have been 7.24%, 3.97% and 2.80%, respectively, under the new rules if implemented as of June 30, 2010.

 
 

 

 
 
·
Significantly reduced the provision for loan losses and net charge-offs for the second quarter of 2011 as compared to the second quarter of 2010. The Company also reduced its overall level of nonperforming assets by $76.6 million, or 15.1%, as compared to March 31, 2011 and $107.5 million, or 19.9%, as compared to December 31, 2010. In addition, the Company reduced its overall level of potential problem loans by $58.4 million, or 16.2%, as compared to March 31, 2011 and $70.0 million, or, 18.8%, as compared to December 31, 2010. Certain asset quality results as of or for the quarterly periods are summarized in the following table:

     
June 30,
   
March 31,
   
June 30,
 
     
2011
   
2011
   
2010
 
                     
 
Provision for loan losses
 
$
23,000
     
10,000
     
83,000
 
 
Nonaccrual loans
   
305,803
     
382,006
     
491,596
 
 
Performing troubled debt restructurings
   
90,506
     
89,712
     
63,880
 
 
Other real estate and repossessed assets
   
126,244
     
126,625
     
188,228
 
 
Potential problem loans
   
303,123
     
361,522
     
432,544
 
 
Net loan charge-offs
   
45,787
     
27,060
     
91,031
 
                           
 
Allowance for loan losses as a percent of loans, net of unearned discount
   
4.32
%
   
4.44
     
4.33
 

 
·
Reduced the overall level of construction loans to $332.4 million at June 30, 2011 as compared to $439.5 million, $490.8 million and $764.3 million at March 31, 2011, December 31, 2010 and June 30, 2010, respectively. Construction loans decreased $158.4 million, or 32.3%, as compared to December 31, 2010.
 
 
·
Reduced the overall level of other real estate and repossessed assets during the quarter to $126.2 million at June 30, 2011, as compared to $126.6 million at March 31, 2011, $140.7 million at December 31, 2010 and $188.2 million at June 30, 2010. Other real estate and repossessed assets have decreased $14.4 million, or 10.3%, as compared to December 31, 2010.
 
 
·
Maintained a high level of cash and cash equivalents at $628.8 million and increased unpledged investment securities to $1.96 billion, resulting in total available liquidity of $2.59 billion at June 30, 2011 as compared to $2.44 billion at March 31, 2011, $2.22 billion at December 31, 2010 and $2.10 billion at June 30, 2010.
 
 
·
Completed the sale of $37.5 million of loans and $92.2 million of deposits associated with the Company’s remaining three branches in its Northern Illinois region on May 13, 2011, resulting in a gain on sale of $425,000, including the write-off of goodwill and intangible assets of $1.6 million.
 
 
·
Completed the sale of $667,000 of loans and $10.4 million of deposits associated with the Company’s Edwardsville, Illinois branch on April 29, 2011, resulting in a gain on sale of $263,000, including the write-off of goodwill and intangible assets of $500,000.
 
Mr. McCarthy continued, “We remain encouraged by the continued improvement in our asset quality, liquidity and capital ratios at First Bank, all of which should assist in improving our profitability in future quarters. Throughout the remainder of 2011, we are focused on continued improvement in asset quality, which would be expected to reduce our high expense levels associated with nonperforming assets and our provision for loan losses as compared to previous quarters; improving our net interest income and margin by further deploying our higher level of cash and cash equivalents into our investment securities portfolio and specific loan growth initiatives; and reducing our noninterest expenses through continued asset quality improvement and other profit improvement initiatives.”
 
Net Interest Income:
 
 
·
The net interest margin was 2.83% for the second quarter of 2011, in comparison to 2.90% for the first quarter of 2011 and 3.06% for the second quarter of 2010. The net interest margin continues to be negatively impacted by a high average balance of short-term investments, which was $771.1 million, $861.1 million and $1.24 billion for the second quarter of 2011, first quarter of 2011 and the second quarter of 2010, respectively. These short-term investments are currently yielding 25 basis points. During this time period, the Company deemed it appropriate to maintain significant on-balance sheet liquidity in light of uncertain economic conditions in many of the Company’s markets.
 

 
 

 

 
 
·
The average yield on loans was 4.87% for the second quarter of 2011, in comparison to 4.95% for the first quarter of 2011 and 5.16% for the second quarter of 2010. Loan yields continue to be adversely impacted by the level of nonaccrual loans as a percentage of total loans and the low prime and LIBOR interest rates.
 
 
·
The average yield on investment securities was 2.28% for the second quarter of 2011, in comparison to 2.22% for the first quarter of 2011 and 2.93% for the second quarter of 2010.
 
 
·
The average cost of interest-bearing deposits was 0.72% for the second quarter of 2011, in comparison to 0.81% for the first quarter of 2011 and 1.14% for the second quarter of 2010, and reflects the continued re-pricing of certificates of deposit to current market interest rates upon maturity.
 
Provision for Loan Losses:
 
 
·
The provision for loan losses was $23.0 million for the second quarter of 2011, in comparison to $10.0 million for the first quarter of 2011 and $83.0 million for the second quarter of 2010. The decrease in the provision for loan losses for the second quarter of 2011, as compared to the second quarter of 2010, was primarily attributable to the decrease in the overall level of nonaccrual loans and potential problem loans, lower net charge-offs and less severe asset quality migration, partially due to a declining balance of construction and non-owner occupied commercial real estate loans.
 
 
·
Net loan charge-offs were $45.8 million for the second quarter of 2011, compared to $27.1 million for the first quarter of 2011 and $91.0 million for the second quarter of 2010.
 
 
·
Nonaccrual loans decreased $76.2 million during the second quarter of 2011 to $305.8 million at June 30, 2011 compared to $382.0 million at March 31, 2011, $398.9 million at December 31, 2010 and $491.6 million at June 30, 2010, representing a 37.8% decrease in nonaccrual loans year-over-year. The reductions in nonaccrual loans are reflective of continued progress regarding the implementation of the Company’s initiatives included in its Asset Quality Improvement Plan, such as sales and other actions designed to decrease the overall balance of nonaccrual and other potential problem loans and assets.
 
Noninterest Income:
 
 
·
Noninterest income was $15.7 million for the second quarter of 2011, in comparison to $14.3 million for the first quarter of 2011 and $26.4 million for the second quarter of 2010.
 
 
·
Noninterest income for the second quarter of 2011 includes a gain on the sale of three branches in the Company’s Northern Illinois Region of $425,000 and a gain on the sale of the Company’s Edwardsville, Illinois branch of $263,000. Noninterest income for the second quarter of 2010 includes a gain on the sale of the Company’s Texas region of $5.0 million.
 
Noninterest Expense:
 
 
·
Noninterest expense decreased to $57.5 million for the second quarter of 2011 compared to $59.2 million for the first quarter of 2011 and $70.9 million for the second quarter of 2010. The decrease in noninterest expense as compared to the second quarter of 2010 is reflective of the implementation of certain measures throughout the last six months of 2010 and first six months of 2011 intended to improve efficiency in conjunction with the restructuring of the Company to a smaller footprint.
 
 
·
Write-downs and expenses on other real estate properties and repossessed assets were $5.5 million, $4.9 million and $9.6 million for the second quarter of 2011, the first quarter of 2011 and the second quarter of 2010, respectively. These expenses, in addition to loan related expenses such as legal and other collection related fees, remain at significantly higher-than-historical levels and will continue to negatively impact the Company’s core earnings until asset quality returns to more normalized levels.
 

 
 

 

 
Cash and Cash Equivalents:
 
 
·
Cash and cash equivalents were $628.8 million at June 30, 2011 compared to $955.3 million at March 31, 2011, $996.6 million at December 31, 2010 and $1.47 billion at June 30, 2010. The decrease in cash and cash equivalents of $326.5 million during the second quarter of 2011 resulted from the Company increasing its investment securities portfolio by $436.4 million and experiencing a decrease in deposit balances of $276.9 million. These cash outflows were partially offset by substantial loan payoffs during the second quarter of 2011.
 
 
·
Cash, cash equivalents and unpledged securities were $2.59 billion and comprised 37.4% of total assets at June 30, 2011, compared to $2.44 billion and 33.9% of total assets at March 31, 2011, $2.22 billion and 30.1% of total assets at December 31, 2010, and $2.10 billion and 24.8% of total assets at June 30, 2010.
 
Investment Securities:
 
 
·
Investment securities increased to $2.20 billion at June 30, 2011 from $1.76 billion at March 31, 2011, $1.49 billion at December 31, 2010 and $995.5 million at June 30, 2010. The Company is utilizing a portion of its higher level of cash and cash equivalents to fund gradual and planned increases in its investment securities portfolio.
 
Loans:
 
 
·
Loans, net of unearned discount, decreased to $3.73 billion at June 30, 2011 from $4.14 billion at March 31, 2011, $4.53 billion at December 31, 2010 and $5.58 billion at June 30, 2010. The reduction in loan balances for the second quarter of 2011 reflects the sale of $37.5 million of loans associated with the Company’s three remaining Northern Illinois branches, in addition to a substantial level of expected customer payments and other activity such as foreclosures and charge-offs.
 
 
·
In addition to the decrease in construction loans previously mentioned, non-owner occupied commercial real estate loans decreased to $623.6 million at June 30, 2011 from $707.9 million at March 31, 2011, $807.5 million at December 31, 2010 and $950.7 million at June 30, 2010, reflecting the Company’s initiatives to reduce its overall risk exposure to these types of lending relationships.
 
 
·
The Company’s loan-to-deposit ratio was 61.46% at June 30, 2011, as compared to 65.21% at March 31, 2011, 68.94% at December 31, 2010 and 79.72% at June 30, 2010.
 
Total Assets:
 
 
·
Total assets decreased to $6.92 billion at June 30, 2011 from $7.21 billion at March 31, 2011, $7.38 billion at December 31, 2010 and $8.48 billion at June 30, 2010. The reduction in total assets during the second quarter of 2011 is reflective of decreases in the loan portfolio, other real estate and cash and cash equivalents, partially offset by an increase in the investment securities portfolio.
 
Deposits:
 
 
·
Deposits were $6.08 billion at June 30, 2011, in comparison to $6.35 billion at March 31, 2011, $6.58 billion at December 31, 2010 and $7.01 billion at June 30, 2010. The decrease in deposits of $276.9 million during the second quarter of 2011 was primarily attributable to the sale of $92.2 million and $10.4 million of deposits associated with the Company’s Northern Illinois and Edwardsville, Illinois branch sales, respectively, and is also reflective of the Company’s efforts to exit unprofitable certificate of deposit and money market relationships and reduce deposit costs.
 
Other Borrowings:
 
 
·
Other borrowings were $51.2 million at June 30, 2011, in comparison to $39.4 million at March 31, 2011, $31.8 million at December 31, 2010 and $577.8 million at June 30, 2010. Other borrowings at June 30, 2011 were comprised solely of daily repurchase agreements utilized by customers as an alternative deposit product.
 

 
 

 

 
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
 
(dollars expressed in thousands, except per share data)
 
(UNAUDITED)
 
SELECTED OPERATING DATA

   
Three Months Ended
   
Six Months Ended
 
   
June 30,
   
March 31,
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
 
   
2011
   
2011
   
2010
   
2011
   
2010
 
                               
Interest income
 
$
59,385
     
62,875
     
85,133
     
122,260
     
176,964
 
Interest expense
   
12,506
     
13,952
     
22,641
     
26,458
     
50,538
 
Net interest income
   
46,879
     
48,923
     
62,492
     
95,802
     
126,426
 
Provision for loan losses
   
23,000
     
10,000
     
83,000
     
33,000
     
125,000
 
Net interest income (loss)  after provision for loan losses
   
23,879
     
38,923
     
(20,508
)
   
62,802
     
1,426
 
Noninterest income
   
15,728
     
14,287
     
26,445
     
30,015
     
53,428
 
Noninterest expense
   
57,511
     
59,241
     
70,864
     
116,752
     
147,682
 
Loss before provision for income taxes
   
(17,904
)
   
(6,031
)
   
(64,927
)
   
(23,935
)
   
(92,828
)
Provision for income taxes
   
72
     
52
     
48
     
124
     
153
 
Net loss
   
(17,976
)
   
(6,083
)
   
(64,975
)
   
(24,059
)
   
(92,981
)
Less: net (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interest in subsidiaries
   
(927
)
   
65
     
(27
)
   
(862
)
   
(464
)
Net loss attributable to First Banks, Inc.
 
$
(17,049
)
   
(6,148
)
   
(64,948
)
   
(23,197
)
   
(92,517
)
                                         
Basic and diluted loss per common share
 
$
(945.00
)
   
(481.41
)
   
(2,958.79
)
   
(1,426.41
)
   
(4,335.04
)

SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

   
June 30,
   
December 31,
   
June 30,
 
   
2011
   
2010
   
2010
 
                   
Total assets
 
$
6,919,276
     
7,378,128
     
8,475,695
 
Cash and cash equivalents
   
628,756
     
996,630
     
1,466,807
 
Investment securities
   
2,196,408
     
1,494,337
     
995,487
 
Loans, net of unearned discount
   
3,734,603
     
4,533,343
     
5,584,687
 
Allowance for loan losses
   
161,186
     
201,033
     
241,969
 
Goodwill and other intangible assets
   
127,455
     
131,112
     
142,454
 
Deposits
   
6,076,145
     
6,575,860
     
7,005,183
 
Other borrowings
   
51,247
     
31,761
     
577,831
 
Subordinated debentures
   
354,019
     
353,981
     
353,943
 
Stockholders’ equity
   
309,319
     
307,295
     
434,056
 
Nonperforming assets
   
432,047
     
539,573
     
679,824
 

SELECTED FINANCIAL RATIOS

   
Three Months Ended
   
Six Months Ended
   
   
June 30,
   
March 31,
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
   
   
2011
   
2011
   
2010
   
2011
   
2010
   
                                 
Net interest margin
   
2.83
%
   
2.90
%
   
3.06
%
   
2.87
%
   
2.90
%
 
Yield on loans
   
4.87
     
4.95
     
5.16
     
4.92
     
5.14
   
Cost of interest-bearing deposits
   
0.72
     
0.81
     
1.14
     
0.76
     
1.20
   
Loan-to-deposit ratio
   
61.46
     
65.21
     
79.72
     
61.46
     
79.72
   

About First Banks, Inc.
The Company had assets of $6.92 billion at June 30, 2011 and currently operates 149 branch banking offices in California, Florida, Illinois and Missouri. Through its subsidiary bank, First Bank, the Company offers a broad range of financial products and services to consumers, businesses and other institutions. Visit the Company on the web at www.firstbanks.com.

# # #




 
 

 

 
Financial Disclosures
The financial disclosures presented in this press release reflect numeric disclosures prior to the categorical reclassifications for Discontinued Operations. The Discontinued Operations reclassifications and related disclosures may be found in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K as of and for the year ended December 31, 2010, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and available at the SEC’s internet site (http://www.sec.gov), and such disclosures will also be presented in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q as of and for the period ended June 30, 2011 upon filing with the SEC in August 2011.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the Company’s plans, objectives, estimates or projections with respect to our future financial condition, expected or anticipated revenues with respect to our results of operations and our business, expected improvement in our net interest income and margin, expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical facts. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the Company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties which may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in the forward-looking statements. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements: increased competition and its effect on pricing, spending, third-party relationships and revenues; changes in interest rates and overall economic conditions; and the risk of new and changing regulation. Additional factors which may cause the Company’s results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements may be found in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as filed with the SEC and available at the SEC’s internet site. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of the press release, and the Company does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements.