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8-K - 8-K - STEWARDSHIP FINANCIAL CORPform8k-140059_ssfn.htm

EXHIBIT 99.1

 

 

 

 

 

  For Immediate Release
     
  Contact: Claire M. Chadwick
    EVP and Chief Financial Officer
    630 Godwin Avenue
    Midland Park, NJ 07432
    201-444-7100

 

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

Stewardship Financial Corporation Announces

Second Quarter of 2014 Earnings

 

Midland Park, NJ – August 5, 2014 – Stewardship Financial Corporation (NASDAQ:SSFN), parent of Atlantic Stewardship Bank, announced net income for the three months ended June 30, 2014 of $726,000 as compared to net income of $461,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2013. For the six months ended June 30, 2014, the Corporation reported net income of $1.2 million compared to net income of $1.3 million for the corresponding six month period in 2013. After dividends on preferred stock, the net income available to the common shareholders was $890,000, or $0.15 per diluted common share, for the first six months of 2014 compared to $990,000, or $0.17 per diluted common share, for the comparable period of 2013.

For the first six months of 2014, the Corporation did not record a provision for loan losses compared to a provision of $850,000 and $2.5 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013, respectively. Paul Van Ostenbridge, Stewardship Financial Corporation’s President and Chief Executive Officer stated, “As with the prior quarter, no provision for loan losses was necessary for the six months ended June 30, 2014.”

Van Ostenbridge continued noting “Following our significant improvement in asset quality, the Corporation is demonstrating the ability to sustain our progress.” Nonperforming loans totaled $4.9 million, or 1.13% of total loans at June 30, 2014, down slightly from the $5.1 million three months earlier, but a significant improvement when compared to $10.2 million, or 2.34%, at December 31, 2013 and

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Press Release - Midland Park NJ  
Stewardship Financial Corporation continued  August 5, 2014

 

$14.7 million, or 3.33%, a year earlier. Total nonperforming assets, which includes other real estate owned, represented 0.91% of total assets at June 30, 2014 compared to 1.58% and 2.29% at December 31, 2013 and June 30, 2013, respectively.

Components of noninterest income also had a substantial impact on the comparison of current year results with the prior year periods. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2014, the Corporation reported noninterest income of $807,000 and $1.2 million, respectively, compared to $1.0 million and $2.5 million for the corresponding prior year periods. The current six month period includes a loss of $241,000 from the sale of nonperforming loans. Reduced gains on sales of mortgage loans for both the three and six months ended June 30, 2014 are reflective of the impact of rising mortgage rates and corresponding reduction in refinance activity. Further affecting comparisons, the six month period for 2013 included $537,000 as a result of a death benefit insurance payment received.

Net interest income was $5.4 million and $10.7 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2014, compared to $5.7 million and $11.5 million for the equivalent prior year periods. “The Corporation will continue to manage all expenses, however, the low interest rate environment in which all banks have been operating continues to negatively impact asset yields,” said Van Ostenbridge.

Total noninterest expenses were $5.1 million and $10.2 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2014, consistent with the $5.1 million and $10.1 million incurred for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013, respectively.

Total assets at June 30, 2014 were $671.5 million – relatively comparable to assets of $673.5 million at December 31, 2013. Likewise, the gross loans receivable balance was not significantly different from December 31, 2013, and was the result of new loan originations being offset by payoffs and normal principal amortization. Securities, in the aggregate, decreased by $4.3 million primarily due to normal pay downs and maturities during the six months ended June 30, 2014. During the current quarter, the Corporation reclassified $24.0 million of securities available for sale to securities held to maturity as the Corporation has the intent and ability to hold these securities until maturity.

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Press Release - Midland Park NJ  
Stewardship Financial Corporation continued August 5, 2014

 

Total deposits of $566.4 million at June 30, 2014 reflect a $11.2 million decline when compared to deposits of $577.6 million at December 31, 2013. The composition of deposits continues to show a shift from interest-bearing to noninterest-bearing. From December 31, 2013 to June 30, 2014 the Corporation’s noninterest-bearing deposit balances increased $10.1 million and comprised 25.4% of total deposits, up from 23.1% at December 31, 2013.

Capital levels remain strong with a tier 1 leverage ratio of 9.35% and total risk based capital ratio of 14.90%. Van Ostenbridge commented, “We continue to significantly exceed the regulatory capital requirements for a “well capitalized” institution of 4% and 8%, respectively.”

In concluding his remarks, Van Ostenbridge noted, “With the improvement in our asset quality coupled with the moderate, albeit slow, improvement in the economy, our attentions are focused on appropriately underwriting and originating loans and funding such with deposits.”

Stewardship Financial Corporation’s subsidiary, Atlantic Stewardship Bank, has 12 banking offices in Midland Park, Hawthorne (2), Montville, North Haledon, Pequannock, Ridgewood, Waldwick, Wayne (2), Westwood and Wyckoff, New Jersey. The Bank is known for tithing 10% of its pre-tax profits to Christian and local charities. To date, the Bank’s tithe donations total $8.1 million.

We invite you to visit our website at www.asbnow.com for additional information.

The information disclosed in this document contains certain “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and may be identified by the use of such words as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “should,” “plan,” “estimate,” and “potential.” Examples of forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, estimates with respect to the financial condition, results of operations and business of the Corporation that are subject to various factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from these estimates. These factors include: changes in general, economic and market conditions, legislative and regulatory conditions, or the development of an interest rate environment that adversely affects the Corporation’s interest rate spread or other income anticipated from operations and investments.

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Stewardship Financial Corporation

Selected Consolidated Financial Information

(dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

(unaudited)

 

   June 30,   March 31,   December 31,   June 30, 
   2014   2014   2013   2013 
                 
Selected Financial Condition Data:                    
     Cash and cash equivalents  $14,630   $27,176   $17,405   $14,322 
     Securities available for sale   144,459    171,692    168,411    181,676 
     Securities held to maturity   54,225    24,685    25,964    28,119 
     FHLB Stock   2,429    2,133    2,133    2,133 
     Loans receivable:                    
          Loans receivable, gross   433,198    423,471    434,009    442,006 
          Allowance for loan losses   (9,825)   (9,792)   (9,915)   (10,787)
          Other, net   40    105    168    134 
     Loans receivable, net   423,413    413,784    424,262    431,353 
                     
     Loans held for sale   259    186    2,800    2,054 
     Other assets   32,107    32,947    32,533    29,175 
     Total assets  $671,522   $672,603   $673,508   $688,832 
                     
                     
     Noninterest-bearing deposits  $143,711   $137,687   $133,565   $145,388 
     Interest-bearing deposits   422,669    437,729    444,026    447,311 
     Total deposits   566,380    575,416    577,591    592,699 
     Other borrowings   31,000    25,000    25,000    25,000 
     Securities sold under agreements to repurchase   7,601    7,601    7,300    7,344 
     Subordinated debentures   7,217    7,217    7,217    7,217 
     Other liabilities   2,329    2,209    2,621    2,280 
     Total liabilities   614,527    617,443    619,729    634,540 
     Shareholders' equity   56,995    55,160    53,779    54,292 
     Total liabilities and shareholders' equity  $671,522   $672,603   $673,508   $688,832 
                     
     Equity to assets   8.49%    8.20%    7.98%    7.88% 
                     
Asset Quality Data:                    
     Nonaccrual loans  $4,875   $5,073   $10,219   $14,716 
     Loans past due 90 days or more and accruing                
     Total nonperforming loans   4,875    5,073    10,219    14,716 
     Other real estate owned   1,225    1,789    451    1,072 
     Total nonperforming assets  $6,100   $6,862   $10,670   $15,788 
                     
                     
     Nonperforming loans to total loans   1.13%    1.20%    2.34%    3.33% 
     Nonperforming assets to total assets   0.91%    1.02%    1.58%    2.29% 
     Allowance for loan losses to nonperforming loans   201.54%    193.02%    97.03%    73.30% 
     Allowance for loan losses to total gross loans   2.27%    2.31%    2.28%    2.44% 

 

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Stewardship Financial Corporation

Selected Consolidated Financial Information

(dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

(unaudited)

 

   For the three months ended   For the six months ended 
   June 30,   June 30, 
   2014   2013   2014   2013 
Selected Operating Data:                    
Interest income  $6,186   $6,636   $12,331   $13,506 
Interest expense   810    958    1,649    1,962 
Net interest and dividend income   5,376    5,678    10,682    11,544 
Provision for loan losses       850        2,450 
Net interest and dividend income                    
after provision for loan losses   5,376    4,828    10,682    9,094 
Noninterest income:                    
Fees and service charges   504    492    925    948 
Bank owned life insurance   106    77    202    153 
Gain on calls and sales of securities               2 
Gain on sales of mortgage loans   2    298    14    460 
Loss on sales of loans           (241)    
Gain on sales of other real estate owned   54        54    126 
Gain on life insurance proceeds               537 
Other   141    128    252    243 
Total noninterest income   807    995    1,206    2,469 
Noninterest expenses:                    
Salaries and employee benefits   2,557    2,711    5,235    5,407 
Occupancy, net   520    503    1,075    1,020 
Equipment   175    199    363    383 
Data processing   435    332    822    660 
FDIC insurance premium   133    276    344    426 
Other   1,286    1,110    2,361    2,167 
Total noninterest expenses   5,106    5,131    10,200    10,063 
Income before income tax expense   1,077    692    1,688    1,500 
Income tax expense   351    231    456    217 
Net income   726    461    1,232    1,283 
Dividends on preferred stock   171    127    342    293 
Net income available to common stockholders  $555   $334   $890   $990 
                     
Weighted avg. no. of diluted common shares   5,999,897    5,934,549    5,978,511    5,932,774 
Diluted earnings per common share  $0.09   $0.06   $0.15   $0.17 
                     
Return on average common equity   5.41%    3.21%    4.43%    4.79% 
                     
Return on average assets   0.44%    0.27%    0.37%    0.38% 
                     
Yield on average interest-earning assets   4.03%    4.14%    3.98%    4.26% 
Cost of average interest-bearing liabilities   0.70%    0.78%    0.70%    0.80% 
Net interest rate spread   3.33%    3.36%    3.28%    3.46% 
                     
Net interest margin   3.51%    3.55%    3.45%    3.66% 

 

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