SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
The following data should be read in conjunction with the unaudited consolidated financial statements and management’s discussion and analysis that follows:
|
|
As of or for the three months ended March 31,
|
|
|
|
2021
|
|
|
2020
|
|
SIGNIFICANT RATIOS (Unaudited)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income to:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average assets (a)
|
|
|
1.66
|
%
|
|
|
0.49
|
%
|
Average tangible shareholders’ equity (non-GAAP) (a)
|
|
|
19.94
|
%
|
|
|
6.40
|
%
|
Net interest margin (non-GAAP) (a)
|
|
|
3.85
|
%
|
|
|
3.60
|
%
|
Efficiency ratio (non-GAAP) (a)
|
|
|
62.51
|
%
|
|
|
81.30
|
%
|
Average shareholders’ equity to average assets
|
|
|
11.25
|
%
|
|
|
10.98
|
%
|
Loans to deposits (end of period) (b)
|
|
|
71.62
|
%
|
|
|
81.86
|
%
|
Allowance for loan losses to loans (end of period)
|
|
|
1.62
|
%
|
|
|
0.82
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Book value per share
|
|
$
|
34.18
|
|
|
$
|
30.11
|
|
(a)
|
Some of the financial measures included in this table are not measures of financial performance recognized by U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, or GAAP. These non-GAAP financial measures include tangible book value, return on average tangible equity, net interest margin (tax-equivalent), and the efficiency ratio. Management uses these non-GAAP financial measures in its analysis of its performance, and believes financial analysts and investors frequently use these measures, and other similar measures, to evaluate capital adequacy. Reconciliations of non-GAAP disclosures used in this table to the comparable GAAP measures are provided in the accompanying table. Management, as well as regulators, financial analysts and other investors may use these measures in conjunction with more traditional bank capital ratios to compare the capital adequacy of banking organizations with significant amounts of goodwill or other intangible assets, which typically stem from the use of the purchase accounting method of accounting for mergers and acquisitions.
These non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for total shareholders’ equity, total assets, book value per share, return on average assets, return on average equity, or any other measure calculated in accordance with GAAP. Moreover, the manner in which we calculate these non-GAAP financial measures may differ from that of other companies reporting measures with similar names.
|
|
|
(b)
|
Includes loans held for sale
|
Reconciliation of common shareholders' equity to tangible common equity
|
|
March 31, 2021
|
|
|
March 31, 2020
|
|
Shareholders' equity
|
|
$
|
112,071
|
|
|
$
|
98,482
|
|
Less goodwill and other intangibles
|
|
|
29,224
|
|
|
|
29,372
|
|
Tangible common equity
|
|
$
|
82,847
|
|
|
$
|
69,110
|
|
Average shareholders' equity
|
|
$
|
111,839
|
|
|
$
|
97,336
|
|
Less average goodwill and other intangibles
|
|
|
29,236
|
|
|
|
29,386
|
|
Average tangible common equity
|
|
$
|
82,603
|
|
|
$
|
67,950
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return on Average Tangible Equity
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income, annualized ( a )
|
|
$
|
16,468
|
|
|
$
|
4,352
|
|
Average tangible common equity (b)
|
|
$
|
82,603
|
|
|
$
|
67,950
|
|
Return on average tangible common equity (a)/(b)
|
|
|
19.94
|
%
|
|
|
6.40
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Interest Margin, Tax- Equivalent
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net interest income, annualized
|
|
$
|
34,620
|
|
|
$
|
28,496
|
|
Tax-equivalent adjustment
|
|
|
684
|
|
|
|
560
|
|
Tax-equivalent net interest income, annualized (c)
|
|
$
|
35,304
|
|
|
$
|
29,056
|
|
Average earning assets (d)
|
|
$
|
916,214
|
|
|
$
|
806,106
|
|
Net interest margin, tax equivalent (c)/(d)
|
|
|
3.85
|
%
|
|
|
3.60
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Efficiency Ratio, Tax-Equivalent
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-interest expense, annualized (e)
|
|
$
|
36,424
|
|
|
$
|
32,840
|
|
Tax-equivalent net interest income, annualized
|
|
|
35,304
|
|
|
|
29,056
|
|
Non-interest income, annualized
|
|
|
22,964
|
|
|
|
11,336
|
|
Total revenue (f)
|
|
$
|
58,268
|
|
|
$
|
40,392
|
|
Efficiency ratio (e)/(f)
|
|
|
62.51
|
%
|
|
|
81.30
|
%
|
Introduction
United Bancshares, Inc. (the “Corporation”), an Ohio corporation, is a bank holding company registered under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended, and is subject to regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve Board”). The Corporation was incorporated and organized in 1985. The executive offices of the Corporation are located at 105 Progressive Drive, Columbus Grove, Ohio 45830. The Corporation is a one-bank holding company, as that term is defined by the Federal Reserve Board.
The Union Bank Company (the “Bank”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Corporation, is a full service community bank offering a full range of commercial and consumer banking services. The Bank is an Ohio state-chartered bank, which serves Allen, Delaware, Franklin, Hancock, Huron, Marion, Paulding, Putnam, Sandusky, Van Wert and Wood counties in Ohio, with office locations in Bowling Green, Columbus Grove, Delaware, Delphos, Findlay, Gahanna, Gibsonburg, Kalida, Leipsic, Lima, Marion, Ottawa, Paulding, Pemberville, Plymouth, Westerville and Worthington, Ohio.
Deposit services include checking accounts, savings and money market accounts; certificates of deposit and individual retirement accounts. Additional supportive services include online banking, bill pay, mobile banking, Zelle payment service, ATM’s and safe deposit box rentals. Treasury management and remote deposit capture products are also available to commercial deposit customers. Deposits of Union Bank are insured up to applicable limits by the Deposit Insurance Fund, which is administered by the FDIC.
Loan products offered include commercial and residential real estate loans, agricultural loans, commercial and industrial loans, home equity loans, various types of consumer loans and small business administration loans. Union Bank’s residential loan activities consist primarily of loans for purchasing or refinancing personal residences. The majority of these loans are sold to the secondary market.
Wealth management services are offered by Union Bank through an arrangement with LPL Financial LLC, a registered broker/dealer. Licensed representatives offer a full range of investment services and products, including financial needs analysis, mutual funds, securities trading, annuities and life insurance.
Union Bank has two subsidiaries: UBC Investments, Inc. (“UBC”), an entity formed to hold its securities portfolio, and UBC Property, Inc. (“UBC Property”), an entity formed to hold and manage certain property that is acquired in lieu of foreclosure.
When or if used in the Corporation’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings or other public or shareholder communications, or in oral statements made with the approval of an authorized executive officer, the words or phrases: “anticipate,” “would be,” “will allow,” “intends to,” “will likely result,” “are expected to,” “will continue,” “is anticipated,” “is estimated,” “is projected,” or similar expressions are intended to identify “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any such statements are subject to the risks and uncertainties that include but are not limited to: changes in regional and national economic conditions, changes in policies by regulatory agencies, fluctuations in interest rates, demand for loans in the Corporation’s market area, credit and other risks associated with lending and investing activities and competition. All or some of these factors could cause actual results to differ materially from historical earnings and those presently anticipated or projected.
The Corporation cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any such forward looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Corporation does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to update any forward looking statements to reflect occurrences or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements.
The Corporation is registered as a Securities Exchange Act of 1934 reporting company.
The following discussion and analysis of the consolidated financial statements of the Corporation is presented to provide insight into management’s assessment of the financial results.
Recent Developments
The progression of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States began to have an adverse impact on the local and national economy during the latter part of the first quarter of 2020 and will likely have a complex and potentially adverse impact on the economy, the banking industry and our Corporation in future fiscal periods, all subject to a high degree of uncertainty.
Our primary banking market area is Northwestern and Central Ohio. In Ohio, the Governor ordered individuals to stay at home and non-essential businesses to cease all activities, in each case subject to limited exceptions. This order went into effect on March 15, 2020, and was effective through May 1, 2020. In response to this order, the Bank continued to serve its customers through its drive-up windows at various branch locations and through online and mobile banking and many of the Corporation's employees continue to work remotely.
Like most states, Ohio experienced a dramatic and sudden increase in unemployment levels as a result of the curtailment of business activities in mid-March 2020, with unemployment rising from an average of 4.1% in January 2020 to an average of 17.6 % in April 2020, before gradually dropping back down to 4.7% in March 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. While unemployment rates have returned to lower levels in recent months, it is very possible a repeat of the high unemployment rates could be experienced especially if there is another shutdown similar to what was experienced in March and April of 2020. While many of the public health and economic effects of COVID-19 have been concentrated in the largest U.S. cities, there has been a recent rise in COVID-19 cases in many rural areas throughout the Country including some of the Corporation's market area. It is still not possible to fully determine what effects this will have within the smaller cities and communities where many of our banking operations are focused.
Federal, state and local governments and regulatory authorities have enacted and issued a range of policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the following:
●
|
The Federal Reserve decreased the range for the Federal Funds Target Rate by 0.50% on March 3, 2020, and by another 1.0% on March 16, 2020, reaching a current range of 0.0 – 0.25%.
|
●
|
On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, which established a $2.0 trillion economic stimulus package, including cash payments to individuals, supplemental unemployment insurance benefits and a $349 billion loan program administered through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), referred to as the Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP program. Under the PPP program, small businesses, sole proprietorships, independent contractors and self-employed individuals could apply for loans from existing SBA lenders and other approved regulated lenders who enrolled in the program, subject to limitations and eligibility criteria. The Bank participated as a lender in the PPP program, originating $125.7 million in loans to over 1,600 borrowers during 2020. In addition, the CARES Act provided financial institutions the option to suspend certain requirements under U.S. GAAP related to TDRs for a limited period of time to account for the effects of COVID-19.
|
●
|
On April 7, 2020, federal banking regulators issued a revised Interagency Statement on Loan Modifications and Reporting for Financial Institutions, which, among other things, encouraged financial institutions to work prudently with borrowers who are or may be unable to meet their contractual payment obligations because of the effects of COVID-19, and stated that institutions generally do not need to categorize COVID-19-related modifications as TDRs and that the agencies will not direct supervised institutions to automatically categorize all COVID-19 related loan modifications as TDRs.
|
●
|
On April 9, 2020, the Federal Reserve announced additional measures aimed at supporting small and midsized business, as well as state and local governments impacted by COVID-19. The Federal Reserve announced the Main Street Business Lending Program, which establishes two new loan facilities intended to facilitate lending to small and midsized businesses: (1) the Main Street New Loan Facility, or MSNLF, and (2) the Main Street Expanded Loan Facility, or MSELF. MSNLF loans are unsecured term loans originated on or after April 8, 2020, while MSELF loans are provided as upsized tranches of existing loans originated before April 8, 2020. The program is designed for businesses with up to 10,000 employees or $2.5 billion in 2019 revenues. To obtain a loan, borrowers must confirm that they are seeking financial support because of COVID-19 and that they will not use proceeds from the loan to pay off debt. The Federal Reserve also stated that it would provide additional funding to banks offering PPP loans to struggling small businesses. Lenders participating in the PPP can exclude loans financed by the facility from their leverage ratio. In addition, the Federal Reserve created a Municipal Liquidity Facility to support state and local governments with up to $500 billion in lending, with the Treasury Department backing $35 billion for the facility using funds appropriated by the CARES Act. The facility makes short-term financing available to cities with a population of more than one million or counties with a population of greater than two million. The Federal Reserve expanded both the size and scope of its Primary and Secondary Market Corporate Credit Facilities to support up to $750 billion in credit to corporate debt issuers.
|
●
|
On December 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law the 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which represents the latest round of COVID-19 relief, authorizing more than $900 billion in economic aid to small businesses and consumers—the second largest stimulus in history, behind only the CARES (Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security) Act that Congress enacted in March. The bill also includes appropriations provisions to keep the government funded through September 30, 2021, as well as a host of miscellaneous items. The aspects of the legislation most applicable to the banking industry include the following:
|
●
|
An additional $284.6 billion in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding for loans to small businesses, including for borrowers who have previously received a PPP loan.
|
●
|
A one-page simplified forgiveness process for PPP loans $150,000 and under.
|
●
|
Clarification to various CARES Act provisions, the tax treatment of PPP expenses, lender responsibilities for agent fees, and lender “hold harmless” protections under the PPP and other laws.
|
●
|
A further delay in Troubled Debt Restructuring (TDR) accounting until 60 days after the termination of the national emergency, or January 1, 2022.
|
●
|
A further optional delay in Current Expected Credit Loss (CECL) accounting until January 1, 2022.
|
●
|
A new round of Economic Impact Payments (EIPs) for consumers, with aggressive distribution timelines and new exemptions from garnishments.
|
●
|
Significant added support for Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs).
|
●
|
Funding for agricultural support programs and for renter assistance programs.
|
●
|
Termination of existing Federal Reserve emergency lending authority under the CARES Act, while preserving the Fed’s general 13(3) emergency authority existing prior to that Act.
|
We believe the COVID-19 pandemic and the specific developments referred to above could have a significant adverse impact on our business in the near future. In particular, we anticipate that a significant portion of the Bank’s borrowers in the retail, restaurants, and hospitality industries may endure significant economic distress, causing them to draw on their existing lines of credit, adversely affecting their ability and willingness to repay existing indebtedness, and adversely impacting the value of collateral. These developments, together with general economic conditions may also impact our commercial real estate portfolio, particularly with respect to real estate with exposure to these industries, our consumer loan business and loan portfolio, and the value of certain collateral securing our loans. We anticipate that our financial condition, capital levels and results of operations could be adversely affected going forward. The low interest rate environment since the second quarter of 2020 has enabled the Corporation to originate a record number of mortgage loans resulting in higher than normal gain on sale of loans through March 31, 2021. The Corporation's results have also been bolstered by the aforementioned PPP loan origination activity, which includes amortization of loan origination fees into interest income.
We have taken numerous steps in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the following:
|
●
|
We offered 90 day payment deferrals and interest only payment options for consumer, small business, and commercial customers. We also offered payment extensions of up to 90 days for mortgage customers. As of March 31, 2021, we have modified or extended 140 loans, approximating $52.0 million through these programs.
|
|
●
|
We formed a Business Continuity Planning COVID-19 Response team which meets regularly to manage the Corporation’s response to the pandemic and the effect on our business. In addition, cross functional task force teams met as needed to address specific issues such as employee and client communications, facilities and branch services, and to discuss the effect on our business.
|
|
●
|
We participated in the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program. In the first round of PPP loans, we originated $125.7 million in loans to over 1,600 borrowers. We commenced participating in the second round of PPP loans beginning January 19, 2021 and have originated $53.1 million in loans to over 1,300 borrowers as of April 14, 2021.
|
|
●
|
In response to the outbreak and business disruption, first and foremost, we have prioritized the safety, health and well-being of our employees, customers, and communities. We have implemented a work from home policy, we have implemented protective measures for customers who choose branch access and we continue to serve customers through our drive-up locations and digital platforms.
|
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Overview of the Income Statement
For the quarter ended March 31, 2021, the Corporation reported net income of $4,117,000, or $1.26 basic earnings per share. This compares to the first quarter of 2020 net income of $1,088,000, or $0.33 basic earnings per share. The increase in operating results for the first quarter of 2021 as compared to the same period in 2020 was primarily attributable to an increase in net interest income of $1,531,000, an increase in non-interest income of $2,907,000, and a decrease in the provision for loan losses of $250,000, offset by an increase in non-interest expenses of $896,000, and an increase in the provision for income taxes of $763,000. The increase in net interest income resulted from Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, including fees of $870,000 as well as a decrease in deposit interest expense of $1,273,000 resulting from lower rates on deposits and a decrease of $51.0 million in borrowings year over year.
Net Interest Income
Net interest income is the amount by which income from interest-earning assets exceeds interest incurred on interest-bearing liabilities. Interest-earning assets consist principally of loans and investment securities while interest-bearing liabilities include interest-bearing deposit accounts and borrowed funds. Net interest income remains the primary source of revenue for the Corporation. Changes in market interest rates, as well as changes in the mix and volume of interest-bearing assets and interest-bearing liabilities impact net interest income. Net interest income was $8,655,000 for the first quarter of 2021, compared to $7,124,000 for the same period of 2020, an increase of $1.5 million (21.5%).
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Reserve decreased the targeted federal funds rate by a total of 150 basis points (1.5%) in March 2020. This decrease impacts the comparability of net interest income between the first quarter of 2020 and 2021.
The increase in net interest income for the quarter ended March 31, 2021 was due to an increase in interest income of $258,000 and a $1,273,000 decrease in interest expense. Interest income increased despite declining portfolio rates for the quarter ended March 31, 2021 due to recognizing loan fee income of $870,000 generated through PPP loan originations. The remaining $3.4 million of fees received from the SBA have been deferred and are being amortized into interest income over the life of the loans. The bulk of the income resulting from PPP loans is from the SBA fees payable in connection with the origination of the loans, and not from interest to be paid on such loans from the borrower, as management expects most of its PPP loan portfolio to be forgiven. The average loan balance was $652.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 compared to $585.2 million for the same period of 2020. The yield on average earning assets was 4.28% for the three months ended March 31, 2021 compared to 4.66% for the same period of 2020.
The decline in interest expense is due to the prepayment of $50.0 million of Federal Home Loan Bank advances in the second, third, and fourth quarters of 2020 as well as a declining cost of funds. The decrease in interest rates by the Federal Reserve resulted in a decrease in the cost of average interest bearing liabilities to 0.49% for the three months ended March 31, 2021 compared to 1.25% for the same period of 2020. This decrease more than offset the $71.6 million increase in average interest bearing deposits for the period ended March 31, 2021 compared to the period ended March 31, 2020.
Net interest margin is calculated by dividing net interest income (adjusted to reflect tax-exempt interest income on a taxable equivalent basis) by average interest-earning assets. The resulting percentage serves as a measurement for the Corporation in comparing its results with those of past periods as well as those of peer institutions. For the three months ended March 31, 2021 the net interest margin (on a taxable equivalent basis) was 3.85% compared with 3.60% for the same period in 2020. Loans and leases comprised 68.5% of interest-earning assets at March 31, 2021 compared to 72.6% of interest-earning assets at March 31, 2020. Interest-bearing deposits comprised 97.2% of average interest-bearing liabilities for the three months ended March 31, 2021, compared to 89.4% for the same period in 2020.
As a result of the recent reductions in the target federal funds interest rate, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related future loan charge-offs and increases in non-accrual loans which we believe may occur, we expect that our net interest income and net interest margin will decrease in future periods. These decreases will be offset to some degree through recognition of deferred loan fees received from the SBA for PPP loan financing, but we cannot determine at this time what the scope of such losses or offsets might be. The SBA loan fees are deferred and being recognized as an adjustment to interest income over the life of the loans. The timing of such will be impacted by the timing and level of loan forgiveness granted by the SBA.
Provision for Loan and Lease Losses
The Corporation’s provision for loan and lease losses is determined based upon management’s calculation of the allowance for loan and lease losses and is reflective of management’s assessment of the quality of the portfolio and overall management of the inherent credit risk of the loan and lease portfolio. Changes in the provision for loan and lease losses are dependent, among other things, on loan and lease delinquencies, collateral position, portfolio risks and general economic conditions in the Corporation’s lending markets. In assessing the adequacy of the allowance, management considers the size and quality of the loan portfolio measured against prevailing economic conditions, regulatory guidelines, and historical loan loss experience. However, there is no assurance that loan credit losses will not exceed the allowance, and any growth in the loan portfolio and the uncertainty of the general economy may require additional provisions in future periods.
A provision for loan and lease losses of $300,000 was recognized during the quarter ended March 31, 2021 compared to a provision of $550,000 during the quarter ended March 31, 2020. The allowance for loan and lease losses at March 31, 2020 was 1.62% of total loans compared to 0.82% of total loans at March 31, 2020.
There is a possibility that the provision for loan losses could further increase in future periods based on the significant potential for the credit quality of our loan portfolio to decline and loan defaults to increase as a result of economic conditions created by the COVID-19 pandemic. See “Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses” under Financial Condition for further discussion relating to the provision for loan and lease losses.
Non-Interest Income
The Corporation’s non-interest income is largely generated from activities related to the origination, servicing and gain on sales of fixed rate mortgage loans; customer deposit account fees; earnings on life insurance policies; income arising from sales of investment products to customers; and occasional security sale transactions. Income related to customer deposit accounts and life insurance policies provides a relatively steady flow of income while the other sources are more volume or transaction related and consequently can vary from quarter to quarter.
For the quarter ended March 31, 2021, non-interest income was $5,741,000, compared to $2,834,000 for the first quarter of 2020, a $2,907,000 (102.6%) increase, which was attributable to increases in gain on sales of loans of $1,993,000 (77.2%), and other non-interest income of $919,000 (366.1%), offset by a loss on securities of $5,000.
The increase in gain on sale of loans was attributable to increased loan origination and sales activities within the residential mortgage operations along with an increase in the average gain on sale per loan. Loan sales for the first quarter of 2021 were 460 loans closed totaling $117.6 million compared to 268 loans closed totaling $63.1 million for the first quarter of 2020, resulting in gains on sale of loans of $4,576,000 for the quarter ended March 31, 2021 compared to $2,583,000 for the quarter ended March 31, 2020. The average loan sale gain approximated $9,900 per loan during the first three months of 2021 compared to approximately $9,600 for the same period of 2020. Much of the increases year over year are attributable to the extremely low mortgage rate interest environment created by the Federal Reserve's lowering of Federal funds target rates in March 2020. As a consequence, this level of mortgage banking activity or profitability is not likely sustainable in the long-term. We also anticipate that our non-interest income may be adversely affected in future periods as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Increased unemployment and recessionary concerns may adversely affect mortgage originations and mortgage banking revenue in future periods.
Other non-interest income was $1,170,000 for the quarter ended March 31, 2021 compared to $251,000 for the comparable period in 2020, an increase of $919,000. The increase in other non-interest income was primarily related to a $583,000 increase in the fair value of mortgage servicing rights, and fluctuations in income from the Corporation’s loan hedging program of $284,000. The increase in the fair value of mortgage servicing rights resulted from a decrease in prepayment speeds.
Non-Interest Expenses
For the quarter ended March 31, 2021 non-interest expenses were $9,106,000, compared to $8,210,000 for the first quarter of 2020, an $896,000 (10.9%) increase. The significant quarter-over-quarter increases included salaries and benefits expense of $384,000 (8.0%), loan fees of $181,000 (57.6%), equipment service expense of $123,000 (73.3%), depreciation expense of $64,000 (26.8%), and examination and auditing expense of $56,000 (41.2%).
Maintaining acceptable levels of non-interest expenses and operating efficiency are key performance indicators for the Corporation in its strategic initiatives. The financial services industry uses the efficiency ratio (total non-interest expense as a percentage of the aggregate of fully-tax equivalent net interest income and non-interest income) as a key indicator of performance. For the quarter ended March 31, 2021, the Corporation’s efficiency ratio was 62.51%, compared to 81.30% for the same period of 2020. A lower efficiency ratio generally indicates that a bank is spending less to generate every dollar of income.
Provision for Income Taxes
The provision for income taxes for the quarter ended March 31, 2021 was $873,000 (effective rate of 17.5%), compared to $110,000 (effective rate of 9.2%) for the comparable 2020 period. The increase in the effective tax rate was largely due to tax-exempt securities comprising only 12.4% of pre-tax income for the three month period ended March 31, 2021 compared to 41.6% for the comparable period in 2020.
FINANCIAL CONDITION
Overview of Balance Sheet
Total assets amounted to $1.0 billion at March 31, 2021, compared to $978.5 million at December 31, 2020, an increase of $48.4 million (4.9%). The increase in total assets was primarily the result of increases of $40.9 million (71.6%) in cash and cash equivalents, $5.9 million (3.0%) in securities available-for-sale, and $2.0 million in net loans. Deposits during this same period increased $50.2 million (6.0%). Deposit balances have been positively impacted by the Corporation’s participation in the Paycheck Protection Loan Program.
Shareholders’ equity increased from $111.6 million at December 31, 2020 to $112.1 million at March 31, 2021. This increase was primarily the result of net income during the quarter ended March 31, 2021 of $4,117,000, offset by a decrease in unrealized securities gains, net of tax of $3,265,000, and dividends paid of $525,000. The decrease in unrealized securities gains during the quarter ended March 31, 2021 was attributable to increasing long term treasury yields. Net unrealized gains and losses on securities are reported as accumulated other comprehensive income in the consolidated balance sheets.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents totaled $97.9 million at March 31, 2021 and $57.0 million at December 31, 2020, including interest-bearing deposits in other banks of $87.3 million at March 31, 2021 and $46.6 million at December 31, 2020. Management believes the current level of cash and cash equivalents is sufficient to meet the Corporation’s present liquidity and performance needs especially considering the availability of other funding sources, as described below. Total cash and cash equivalents fluctuate on a daily basis due to transactions in process and corresponding liquidity sources and uses. Management believes the Corporation’s liquidity needs in the near term will be satisfied by the current level of cash and cash equivalents, readily available access to traditional and non-traditional funding sources, and the portions of the investment and loan portfolios that will mature within one year. These sources of funds should enable the Corporation to meet cash obligations and off-balance sheet commitments as they come due. In addition, the Corporation has access to various sources of additional borrowings by virtue of long-term assets that can be used as collateral for such borrowings.
Securities
Management monitors the earnings performance and liquidity of the securities portfolio on a regular basis through Asset/Liability Committee (ALCO) meetings. As a result, all securities, except FHLB stock, have been designated as available-for-sale and may be sold if needed for liquidity, asset-liability management or other reasons. Such securities are reported at fair value, with any net unrealized gains or losses reported as a separate component of shareholders’ equity, net of related incomes taxes.
The amortized cost and fair value of available-for-sale securities as of March 31, 2021 totaled $195.3 million and $200.4 million, respectively, resulting in net unrealized gain before tax of $5.2 million and a corresponding after-tax increase in shareholders’ equity of $4.1 million.
Loans and Leases
The Corporation’s primary lending areas are Northwestern, West Central, and Central Ohio. Gross loans and leases totaled $636.4 million at March 31, 2021, compared to $634.1 million at December 31, 2020, an increase of $2.3 million (0.4%). As compared to December 31, 2020, commercial loans increased $17.6 million due to PPP loan originations, commercial and multi-family real estate loans decreased $9.0 million, residential 1-4 family real estate loans decreased $5.9 million and consumer loans decreased $642,000. Loans originated through the PPP program are included in the Commercial segment and had an outstanding balance of $93.8 million as of March 31, 2021 and $76.8 million at December 31, 2020. Excluding the impact of PPP loan originations, loans and leases decreased $14.7 million at March 31, 2021 as compared to December 31, 2020.
There are also unrecognized financial instruments at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 which relate to commitments to extend credit and letters of credit. The contract amount of such financial instruments approximated $190.0 million at March 31, 2021 and $156.4 million at December 31, 2020.
Excluding PPP loans, loan demand has been relatively soft in the majority of 2020 and the first three months of 2021. Demand may decline further for the remainder of 2021 as a result of COVID-19. Resulting uncertainties in economic conditions in our market areas may lead to reductions in the growth of our commercial and industrial loan, commercial real estate loan, residential real estate loan and consumer loan portfolios. PPP loan balances will likely decrease significantly over the next six months to a year as the forgiveness process continues. We are also anticipating that we could see increased line of credit utilization and a reduction in our unused commitments.
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses
The following table presents a summary of activity in the allowance for loan and lease losses for the three month periods ended March 31, 2021 and 2020:
|
|
(in thousands)
|
|
|
|
Three months ended March 31,
|
|
|
|
2021
|
|
|
2020
|
|
Balance, beginning of period
|
|
$
|
9,994
|
|
|
$
|
4,131
|
|
Provision for loan and lease losses
|
|
|
300
|
|
|
|
550
|
|
Charge offs
|
|
|
(2
|
)
|
|
|
(9
|
)
|
Recoveries
|
|
|
9
|
|
|
|
15
|
|
Net recoveries
|
|
|
7
|
|
|
|
6
|
|
Balance, end of period
|
|
$
|
10,301
|
|
|
$
|
4,687
|
|
The allowance for loan and lease losses as a percentage of gross loans and leases was 1.62% at March 31, 2021, 1.58% at December 31, 2020, and 0.82% at March 31, 2020. Excluding PPP loans and the related allocation of allowance, the allowance for loan losses as a percentage of gross loans and leases was 1.90% at March 31, 2021. Based on current economic indicators, the Corporation increased the economic factors within the allowance for loan losses evaluation.
Regular provisions are made in amounts sufficient to maintain the balance in the allowance for loan and lease losses at a level considered by management to be adequate for losses within the portfolio. Even though management uses all available information to assess possible loan and lease losses, future additions or reductions to the allowance may be required as changes occur in economic conditions and specific borrower circumstances. The regulatory agencies that periodically review the Corporation’s allowance for loan and lease losses may also require additions to the allowance or the charge-off of specific loans and leases based upon the information available to them at the time of their examinations.
Loans and leases on non-accrual status amounted to $764,000 at March 31, 2021 and $950,000 at December 31, 2020. Non-accrual loans and leases as a percentage of outstanding loans amounted to 0.12% at March 31, 2021 and 0.15% at December 31, 2020.
The Corporation considers a loan or lease to be impaired when it becomes probable that the Corporation will be unable to collect under the contractual terms of the loan or lease, as the case may be, based on current information and events. The Corporation had impaired loans totaling $1.6 million with $222,000 of specific reserves at March 31, 2021 and impaired loans of $1.7 million with $255,000 of specific reserves as of December 31, 2020. The Corporation had $1.3 million of impaired loans without specific reserves at both March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020.
The Corporation had other potential problem credits, consisting of loans graded substandard or special mention, as well as loans over 90 days past due, loans on non-accrual, and TDR loans, amounting to $18.3 million at March 31, 2021 and $19.4 million at December 31, 2020. The Corporation’s credit administration department continues to closely monitor these credits. As of March 31, 2021 the Corporation has also modified or extended 140 loans, approximating $52.0 million in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As indicated above, the CARES Act and guidance issued by the Federal Bank Regulatory agencies provides relief from classifying COVID-19 related loan modifications as TDR loans.
The Corporation provides pooled reserves for potential problem loans and leases using loss rates calculated considering historic net loan charge-off experience, as well as other environmental and qualitative factors. The Corporation experienced $2,000 of loan charge-offs during the first three months of 2021 compared to $9,000 during the first three months of 2020 with the charge-offs coming from the consumer loan portfolios. The Corporation also provides pooled general reserves for the remaining portion of its loan portfolio not considered to be problem or potential problem loans. These general reserves are also calculated considering, among other things, the historic net charge-off experience for the related loan type.
Funding Sources
The Corporation considers a number of alternatives, including but not limited to, deposits, as well as short-term and long-term borrowings when evaluating funding sources. Deposits, including customer deposits, brokered certificates of deposit, and public funds deposits continue to be the most significant source of funds for the Corporation, totaling $888.6 million, or 97.1% of the Corporation’s outstanding funding sources at March 31, 2021, compared to $838.4 million at December 31, 2020. The significant increase in deposits during the three month period is somewhat attributable to customer deposits from PPP loan proceeds.
Non-interest bearing deposits comprised 21.1% of total deposits at
March 31, 2021 and 22.2% at
December 31, 2020. We expect that deposit levels may decrease in future periods if the conditions in our market areas become distressed relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to traditional deposits, the Corporation maintains both short-term and long-term borrowing arrangements. Other borrowings consisted of $7,500,000 and $7,750,000 of term borrowings from the United Bankers’ Bank (UBB) at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively. The Corporation also has outstanding junior subordinated deferrable interest debentures of $12,950,000 and $12,942,000 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively. Management plans to maintain access to various borrowing alternatives as an appropriate funding source.
Regulatory Capital
The Corporation and Bank met all regulatory capital requirements as of March 31, 2021, and the Bank is considered “well capitalized” under regulatory and industry standards of risk-based capital.
Cash Flow from Operations
As part of the Bank's hedging program, loans held for sale are accumulated into larger blocks before being sold. Depending on the timing of the sales of these blocks, there could be a positive or negative impact to net income and cash flow from operations. As of March 31, 2021, loans held for sale amounted to $17,873,000 compared to $18,427,000 as of December 31, 2020 resulting in a positive impact to cash flow from operations for the three month period ended March 31, 2021 of $554,000. There was a negative impact on cash flow from operations for the three month period ended March 31, 2020 of $4,312,000 from an increase in loans held for sale. Excluding these changes in loans held for sale, cash flow from operations for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020 would have been a positive $2,973,000 and $2,838,000, respectively.
Liquidity and Interest Rate Sensitivity
The objective of the Corporation’s asset/liability management function is to maintain consistent growth in net interest income through management of the Corporation’s balance sheet liquidity and interest rate exposure based on changes in economic conditions, interest rate levels, and customer preferences.
The Corporation manages interest rate risk to minimize the impact of fluctuating interest rates on earnings. The Corporation uses simulation techniques that attempt to measure the volatility of changes in the level of interest rates, basic banking interest rate spreads, the shape of the yield curve, and the impact of changing product growth patterns. The primary method of measuring the sensitivity of earnings of changing market interest rates is to simulate expected cash flows using varying assumed interest rates while also adjusting the timing and magnitude of non-contractual deposit re-pricing to more accurately reflect anticipated pricing behavior. These simulations include adjustments for the lag in prime loan re-pricing and the spread and volume elasticity of interest-bearing deposit accounts, regular savings and money market deposit accounts.
The principal function of interest rate risk management is to maintain an appropriate relationship between those assets and liabilities that are sensitive to changing market interest rates. The Corporation closely monitors the sensitivity of its assets and liabilities on an ongoing basis and projects the effect of various interest rate changes on its net interest margin. Interest sensitive assets and liabilities are defined as those assets or liabilities that mature or re-price within a designated time frame.
Management believes the Corporation’s current mix of assets and liabilities provides a reasonable level of risk related to significant fluctuations in net interest income and the resulting volatility of the Corporation’s earning base. The Corporation’s management reviews interest rate risk in relation to its effect on net interest income, net interest margin, and the volatility of the earnings base of the Corporation.
Effects of Inflation on Financial Statements
All of the Corporation’s assets relate to commercial banking operations and are generally monetary in nature. Therefore, they are not impacted by inflation to the same degree as companies in capital-intensive industries in a replacement cost environment. During a period of rising prices, a net monetary asset position results in loss of purchasing power and conversely a net monetary liability position results in an increase in purchasing power. In the commercial banking industry, monetary assets typically exceed monetary liabilities. The Corporation has not experienced a significant level of inflation or deflation during the three month period ended March 31, 2021. Management continues to closely monitor interest rate sensitivity trends through the Corporation's asset liability management program and in calculating the allowance for loan and lease losses.