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8-K - 8-K - STEWARDSHIP FINANCIAL CORPform8k-140811_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 Reports

Earnings for Third Quarter of 2014

 

Midland Park, NJ – November 6, 2014 – Stewardship Financial Corporation (NASDAQ:SSFN), parent of Atlantic Stewardship Bank, reported net income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 of $552,000 and $1,784,000, respectively, compared to net income of $522,000 and $1,805,000 for the equivalent three and nine month periods in 2013. After dividends on preferred stock, net income available to common shareholders for the current three month period was $382,000, or $0.06 per diluted common share, compared to $352,000, or $0.06 per diluted common share, for the three months ended September 30, 2013. For the first nine months of 2014, net income available to common shareholders was $1,272,000, or $0.21 per diluted common share, compared to $1,342,000, or $0.23 per diluted common share, during the same period in 2013.

The Corporation reported net interest income of $5.3 million and $16.0 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, respectively, compared to $5.6 million and $17.1 million for the corresponding prior year periods.

For both the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, the Corporation recorded a $250,000 provision for loan losses. For the prior year three and nine month periods ended, the provision for loan losses totaled $900,000 and $3.4 million, respectively. Paul Van Ostenbridge, Stewardship Financial Corporation’s President and Chief Executive Officer stated, “Although no provision for loan losses was required for the first half of 2014 due to improved credit metrics of our portfolio, with growth in the loan portfolio, a current quarter provision for loan losses was appropriate.”

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Press Release - Midland Park NJ  
Stewardship Financial Corporation continued November 6, 2014

 

The components of noninterest income had a significant impact on the comparison of current year results with the prior year periods. Noninterest income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 was $764,000 and $2.0 million, respectively, compared to $1.0 million and $3.4 million for the same prior year periods. Reduced gains on sales of mortgage loans for both the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 are reflective of the impact from a reduction in refinance activity. The current nine month period includes a loss of $241,000 from the sale of nonperforming loans. Further affecting comparisons, the nine month period for 2013 included noninterest income of $537,000 as a result of a death benefit insurance payment received.

Noninterest expenses totaled $5.0 million and $15.2 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, relatively consistent with the $4.9 million and $14.9 million incurred for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, respectively.

In total, assets at September 30, 2014 were $672.5 million – reasonably consistent with total assets of $673.5 million at December 31, 2013. A $9.0 million net increase in gross loans receivable (after normal principal amortization and payoffs) was offset by an $8.4 million decrease in cash and securities. Van Ostenbridge noted, “Our loan growth was funded from cash and securities, reflecting an intentional shift in our assets to higher yielding loans.”

Nonperforming loans, in total, were $4.4 million, or 1.00% of total loans at September 30, 2014, down slightly from $4.9 million at June 30, 2014 and down significantly when compared to $10.2 million, or 2.34%, at December 31, 2013 and $15.3 million, or 3.48%, a year earlier. Total nonperforming assets, which includes other real estate owned, were just 0.97% of total assets at September 30, 2014 compared to 1.58% and 2.28% at December 31, 2013 and September 30, 2013, respectively.

 

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Press Release - Midland Park NJ  
Stewardship Financial Corporation continued November 6, 2014

 

Total deposits were $557.0 million at September 30, 2014, reflecting a $20.6 million decline when compared to deposits of $577.6 million at December 31, 2013. As with the shift in the asset base, the composition of deposits continues to show a shift from interest-bearing to noninterest-bearing deposits. During the first nine months of 2014 the Corporation’s noninterest-bearing deposit balances increased $6.8 million and comprised 25.2% of total deposits, up from 23.1% at December 31, 2013.

Other borrowings increased to $46.8 million at September 30, 2014 from $25.0 million at December 31, 2014. The increase in other borrowings is partially the result of the replacement of the maturity of $7.0 million of securities sold under agreements to repurchase. In general, other borrowings enable the Corporation to deal with temporary deposit outflows and can assist in managing against rising interest rates through the extension of liabilities.

Capital levels continue to significantly exceed the regulatory capital requirements for a “well capitalized” institution with a tier 1 leverage ratio of 9.37% (4% requirement) and total risk based capital ratio of 14.69% (8% requirement).

Stewardship stockholders of record as of November 3, 2014 will be paid a cash dividend of $0.02 per share on November 17, 2014. Commenting on the increase in the dividend Van Ostenbridge thanked shareholders, “for their patience while we navigated through a very difficult time for the banking industry.”

Van Ostenbridge concluded, “In order to achieve improved loan growth and increasing revenues, our current focus remains on originating loans with funding of such coming from reductions in cash and securities.”

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Press Release - Midland Park NJ  
Stewardship Financial Corporation continued November 6, 2014

 

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)

 

   September 30,   June 30,   December 31,   September 30, 
   2014   2014   2013   2013 
                 
Selected Financial Condition Data:                    
     Cash and cash equivalents  $10,850   $14,630   $17,405   $15,400 
     Securities available for sale   138,255    144,459    168,411    183,411 
     Securities held to maturity   54,234    54,225    25,964    26,161 
     FHLB Stock   2,882    2,429    2,133    2,813 
     Loans receivable:                    
          Loans receivable, gross   443,006    433,198    434,009    439,339 
          Allowance for loan losses   (10,094)   (9,825)   (9,915)   (10,704)
          Other, net   (17)   40    168    164 
     Loans receivable, net   432,895    423,413    424,262    428,799 
                     
     Loans held for sale   364    259    2,800    910 
     Other assets   33,072    32,107    32,533    31,734 
     Total assets  $672,552   $671,522   $673,508   $689,228 
                     
                     
     Noninterest-bearing deposits  $140,345   $143,711   $133,565   $139,918 
     Interest-bearing deposits   416,666    422,669    444,026    437,238 
     Total deposits   557,011    566,380    577,591    577,156 
     Other borrowings   46,800    31,000    25,000    40,100 
     Securities sold under agreements to repurchase   100    7,601    7,300    8,044 
     Subordinated debentures   7,217    7,217    7,217    7,217 
     Other liabilities   4,166    2,329    2,621    2,433 
     Total liabilities   615,294    614,527    619,729    634,950 
     Shareholders' equity   57,258    56,995    53,779    54,278 
     Total liabilities and shareholders' equity  $672,552   $671,522   $673,508   $689,228 
                     
     Equity to assets   8.51%    8.49%    7.98%    7.88% 
                     
Asset Quality Data:                    
     Nonaccrual loans  $4,434   $4,875   $10,219   $15,269 
     Loans past due 90 days or more and accruing                
     Total nonperforming loans   4,434    4,875    10,219    15,269 
     Other real estate owned   2,090    1,225    451    470 
     Total nonperforming assets  $6,524   $6,100   $10,670   $15,739 
                     
                     
     Nonperforming loans to total loans   1.00%    1.13%    2.34%    3.48% 
     Nonperforming assets to total assets   0.97%    0.91%    1.58%    2.28% 
     Allowance for loan losses to nonperforming loans   227.65%    201.54%    97.03%    70.10% 
     Allowance for loan losses to total gross loans   2.28%    2.27%    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 nine months ended 
   September 30,   September 30, 
   2014   2013   2014   2013 
Selected Operating Data:                    
Interest income  $6,069   $6,536   $18,400   $20,042 
Interest expense   791    940    2,440    2,902 
Net interest and dividend income   5,278    5,596    15,960    17,140 
Provision for loan losses   250    900    250    3,350 
Net interest and dividend income                    
after provision for loan losses   5,028    4,696    15,710    13,790 
Noninterest income:                    
Fees and service charges   510    459    1,435    1,407 
Bank owned life insurance   100    98    302    251 
Gain on calls and sales of securities               2 
Gain on sales of mortgage loans   32    150    46    610 
Loss on sales of loans           (241)    
Gain on sales of other real estate owned       156    54    282 
Gain on life insurance proceeds               537 
Other   122    108    374    351 
Total noninterest income   764    971    1,970    3,440 
Noninterest expenses:                    
Salaries and employee benefits   2,624    2,570    7,859    7,977 
Occupancy, net   439    518    1,514    1,538 
Equipment   167    197    530    580 
Data processing   433    327    1,255    987 
FDIC insurance premium   133    220    477    646 
Other   1,193    1,042    3,554    3,209 
Total noninterest expenses   4,989    4,874    15,189    14,937 
   Income before income tax expense   803    793    2,491    2,293 
   Income tax expense   251    271    707    488 
   Net income   552    522    1,784    1,805 
   Dividends on preferred stock   170    170    512    463 
   Net income available to common stockholders  $382   $352   $1,272   $1,342 
                     
   Weighted avg. no. of diluted common shares   6,026,848    5,939,958    5,994,800    5,935,195 
   Diluted earnings per common share  $0.06   $0.06   $0.21   $0.23 
                     
   Return on average common equity   3.58%    3.59%    4.14%    4.40% 
                     
   Return on average assets   0.33%    0.30%    0.36%    0.35% 
                     
   Yield on average interest-earning assets   3.85%    4.07%    3.94%    4.20% 
   Cost of average interest-bearing liabilities   0.68%    0.76%    0.69%    0.79% 
   Net interest rate spread   3.17%    3.31%    3.25%    3.41% 
                     
   Net interest margin   3.36%    3.49%    3.42%    3.60% 

 

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