BLUEFIELD, Va., April 25, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — First Community Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:FCBC) (www.fcbinc.com) (the “Company”) today reported its unaudited results of operations and other financial information for the quarter ended March 31, 2017. The Company reported net income available to common shareholders of $6.20 million, or $0.36 per diluted common share for the quarter ended March 31, 2017, which represents a 5.88% increase in per share diluted earnings compared to the same quarter of 2016.

The Company also announced today that the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend to common shareholders of sixteen cents ($0.16) per common share, which represents an increase of 14.29% over the first quarter of 2016. The quarterly dividend is payable to common shareholders of record on May 5, 2017, and is expected to be paid on or about May 19, 2017. The current year marks the 32nd consecutive year of cash dividends paid to stockholders.

First Quarter 2017 Highlights

  • Income Statement
    • Net income available to common shareholders increased $118 thousand, or 1.94%, to $6.20 million compared to the same quarter of 2016.
    • Diluted earnings per share increased $0.02, or 5.88%, to $0.36 compared to the same quarter of 2016.
    • Core, non-GAAP diluted earnings per common share increased $0.03, or 9.09%, to $0.36 compared to the same quarter of 2016.
    • Net interest margin increased 16 basis points to 4.17%, and normalized net interest margin increased 21 basis points to 3.95% compared to the same quarter of 2016.
       
  • Balance Sheet
    • Book value per common share increased $0.23 to $20.18 compared to December 31, 2016.
    • On January 9, 2017, the Company redeemed all of its previously issued trust preferred securities totaling $15.46 million. The callable trust preferred securities bore an interest rate of three-month LIBOR plus 2.95% with a maturity date of October 8, 2033.
    • The Company and its subsidiary bank both significantly exceed regulatory “well capitalized” targets as of March 31, 2017.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Company prepares its financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”). This press release also refers to certain non-GAAP financial measures that the Company believes provide investors with important information, when used in conjunction with results presented in accordance with GAAP, regarding its operational performance. The Company’s non-GAAP financial measures presented in this release include core earnings, the efficiency ratio, tangible book value per common share, average tangible common equity, and normalized net interest margin. Management believes that core earnings provide the Company and investors a valuable tool to evaluate the Company’s financial results. Management believes that the efficiency ratio provides important information about the Company’s operating expense control and efficiency of operations. Management also believes this ratio focuses attention on the core operating performance of the Company over time and is highly useful in comparing period-to-period operating performance of core business operations. The efficiency ratio used by the Company may not be comparable to efficiency ratios reported by other financial institutions. The reconciliations of these measures to GAAP measures are provided within this news release.

About First Community Bancshares, Inc.

First Community Bancshares, Inc., a financial holding company headquartered in Bluefield, Virginia, provides banking products and services through its wholly owned subsidiary First Community Bank. First Community Bank operated 45 branch banking locations in Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee as of March 31, 2017. First Community Bank provides insurance services through First Community Insurance Services, which operated 6 in-branch locations in Virginia and West Virginia as of March 31, 2017, and offers wealth management and investment advice through its Trust Division and First Community Wealth Management, which collectively managed $906 million in combined assets as of March 31, 2017. The Company reported consolidated assets of $2.43 billion as of March 31, 2017. The Company’s common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the trading symbol, “FCBC”. Additional investor information is available on the Company’s website at www.fcbinc.com.

This news release may include forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations that involve risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may differ materially. These risks include: changes in business or other market conditions; the timely development, production and acceptance of new products and services; the challenge of managing asset/liability levels; the management of credit risk and interest rate risk; the difficulty of keeping expense growth at modest levels while increasing revenues; and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company’s Securities and Exchange Commission reports including, but not limited to, the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year end. Pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made.

Financial Performance

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (Unaudited)
                     
      Three Months Ended
      March 31,   December 31,   September 30, June 30,   March 31,
(Amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)   2017       2016       2016       2016       2016  
Interest income                          
  Interest and fees on loans $   21,827     $   21,956     $   21,952     $   22,237     $   21,573  
  Interest on securities     1,206         1,362         1,643         1,891         1,957  
  Interest on deposits in banks     159         98         26         9         20  
Total interest income     23,192         23,416         23,621         24,137         23,550  
Interest expense                
  Interest on deposits     1,166         1,145         1,133         1,087         1,114  
  Interest on borrowings     885         1,314         1,367         1,359         1,325  
Total interest expense     2,051         2,459         2,500         2,446         2,439  
Net interest income     21,141         20,957         21,121         21,691         21,111  
Provision for (recovery of) loan losses     492         500         (1,154 )       722         1,187  
Net interest income after                           
  provision (recovery)     20,649         20,457         22,275         20,969         19,924  
Total noninterest income      5,691         6,238         5,895         7,030         7,903  
Total noninterest expense     17,083         16,653         18,557         18,722         18,814  
Income before income taxes     9,257         10,042         9,613         9,277         9,013  
Income tax expense     3,055         3,638         3,230         3,022         2,929  
Net income      6,202         6,404         6,383         6,255         6,084  
Dividends on preferred stock     –         –         –         –         –  
Net income available to common shareholders $   6,202     $   6,404     $   6,383     $   6,255     $   6,084  
                               
Earnings per common share                          
  Basic $   0.36     $   0.38     $   0.37     $   0.36     $   0.34  
  Diluted     0.36         0.38         0.37         0.36         0.34  
Cash dividends per common share     0.16         0.16         0.16         0.14         0.14  
Weighted average shares outstanding                
  Basic     16,998,125         16,891,010         17,031,074         17,414,320         17,859,197  
  Diluted     17,072,174         17,043,869         17,083,526         17,462,845         17,892,531  
Performance ratios                
  Return on average assets   1.06 %     1.05 %     1.03 %     1.02 %     0.99 %
  Return on average common equity   7.35 %     7.49 %     7.58 %     7.47 %     7.15 %
  Return on average tangible common equity(1)   10.50 %     10.75 %     11.07 %     10.88 %     10.34 %
                                             
                                             
(1) A non-GAAP financial measure defined as average stockholders’ equity less average goodwill, other intangibles, and preferred stock liquidation preference
                     

 

RECONCILIATION OF GAAP NET INCOME TO CORE EARNINGS (Unaudited)  
                         
      Three Months Ended  
      March 31,   December 31,   September 30,   June 30,   March 31,  
        2017       2016       2016       2016       2016    
(Amounts in thousands, except per share data)                    
Net income, GAAP $   6,202     $   6,404     $   6,383     $   6,255     $   6,084    
Non-GAAP adjustments:                    
  Net gain on divestitures     –         (619 )       (3,065 )       –         –    
  Allowance reversal for sold loans     –         –         (1,354 )       –         –    
  Merger, acquisition, and divestiture expense     –         55         226         410         39    
  Net (gain) loss on sale of securities     –         (388 )       (25 )       79         (1 )  
  Net impairment losses     –         –         4,635         11         –    
  Other non-core items     (18 )       (48 )       (264 )       –         (240 )  
Total adjustments to core earnings     (18 )       (1,000 )       153         500         (202 )  
Tax effect      (7 )       (708 )       56         184         (74 )  
Core earnings, non-GAAP(1) $   6,191     $   6,112     $   6,480     $   6,571     $   5,956    
                         
Core diluted earnings per common share $   0.36     $   0.36     $   0.38     $   0.38     $   0.33    
Performance ratios                    
  Core return on average assets   1.06 %     1.01 %     1.05 %     1.07 %     0.97 %  
  Core return on average common equity   7.33 %     7.15 %     7.70 %     7.85 %     7.00 %  
  Core return on average tangible common equity(2)   10.48 %     10.26 %     11.24 %     11.43 %     10.12 %  
                                               
                                               
(1) Excludes gains, losses, and impairment losses on securities; goodwill and intangible impairment; taxes; and other non-recurring income and expense items from net income  
(2) A non-GAAP financial measure defined as average stockholders’ equity less average goodwill, other intangibles, and preferred stock liquidation preference  
                         


Net Interest Income and Margin

AVERAGE BALANCE SHEETS AND NET INTEREST INCOME ANALYSIS (Unaudited)  
                             
      Three Months Ended March 31,  
        2017       2016    
      Average        Average Yield/   Average        Average Yield/  
(Amounts in thousands) Balance   Interest(1)   Rate(1)   Balance   Interest(1)   Rate(1)  
Assets                        
Earning assets                        
  Loans(2) $   1,838,837   $   21,895   4.83 %   $   1,730,401   $   21,599   5.02 %  
  Securities available for sale     161,738       1,483   3.72 %       354,582       2,268   2.57 %  
  Securities held to maturity     47,112       152   1.31 %       72,512       194   1.08 %  
  Interest-bearing deposits     55,754       159   1.16 %       15,591       20   0.52 %  
Total earning assets     2,103,441       23,689   4.57 %       2,173,086       24,081   4.45 %  
Other assets      270,597               297,156          
Total assets $   2,374,038           $   2,470,242          
                             
Liabilities and stockholders’ equity                        
Interest-bearing deposits                        
  Demand deposits  $   381,050   $   102   0.11 %   $   342,524   $   57   0.07 %  
  Savings deposits      525,573       36   0.03 %       535,769       66   0.05 %  
  Time deposits     515,506       1,028   0.81 %       533,635       991   0.75 %  
Total interest-bearing deposits     1,422,129       1,166   0.33 %       1,411,928       1,114   0.32 %  
Borrowings                        
  Federal funds purchased     –       –           3,424       5   0.59 %  
  Retail repurchase agreements     66,947       11   0.07 %       77,993       13   0.07 %  
  Wholesale repurchase agreements     25,000       199   3.23 %       50,000       468   3.76 %  
  FHLB advances and other borrowings     66,618       675   4.11 %       108,013       839   3.12 %  
Total borrowings     158,565       885   2.26 %       239,430       1,325   2.23 %  
Total interest-bearing liabilities     1,580,694       2,051   0.53 %       1,651,358       2,439   0.59 %  
Noninterest-bearing demand deposits     425,540               448,849          
Other liabilities     25,477               27,784          
Total liabilities     2,031,711               2,127,991          
Stockholders’ equity     342,327               342,251          
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $   2,374,038           $   2,470,242          
Net interest income, FTE     $   21,638           $   21,642      
Net interest rate spread         4.04 %           3.86 %  
Net interest margin         4.17 %           4.01 %  
                             
                                           
(1) Fully taxable equivalent (“FTE”) basis based on the federal statutory rate of 35%  
(2) Nonaccrual loans are included in average balances; however, no related interest income is recorded during the period of nonaccrual.  
   

RECONCILIATION OF GAAP NET INTEREST MARGIN TO NON-GAAP NORMALIZED NET INTEREST MARGIN (Unaudited)        
                           
      Three Months Ended March 31,        
        2017       2016          
(Amounts in thousands) Interest(1)   Average Yield/
Rate
(1) 
  Interest(1)   Average Yield/
Rate
(1) 
       
Earning assets                      
Loans(2) $   21,895   4.83 %   $   21,599   5.02 %        
  Accretion income     1,784           2,252            
  Less: cash accretion income     650           805            
  Non-cash accretion income     1,134           1,447            
Loans, normalized(3)     20,761   4.58 %       20,152   4.68 %        
Other earning assets     1,794   2.75 %       2,482   2.26 %        
Total earning assets     22,555   4.35 %       22,634   4.18 %        
Total interest-bearing liabilities     2,051   0.53 %       2,439   0.59 %        
Net interest income, FTE(3) $   20,504       $   20,195            
Net interest rate spread, normalized(3)     3.82 %       3.60 %        
Net interest margin, normalized(3)     3.95 %       3.74 %        
                           
                           
(1)  FTE basis based on the federal statutory rate of 35%                      
(2)  Nonaccrual loans are included in average balances; however, no related interest income is recorded during the period of nonaccrual.
(3)  Normalized totals are non-GAAP financial measures that exclude non-cash loan interest accretion related to PCI loans.        
             


Noninterest Income and Expense

CONDENSED QUARTERLY STATEMENTS OF INCOME (Unaudited)  
                       
    Three Months Ended  
    March 31,   December 31,   September 30,   June 30,   March 31,  
(Amounts in thousands)   2017       2016       2016       2016       2016    
Noninterest income                    
  Wealth management $   790     $   681     $   653     $   810     $   684    
  Service charges on deposits     3,113         3,442         3,494         3,361         3,291    
  Other service charges and fees     2,078         2,014         2,024         2,054         2,010    
  Insurance commissions     373         59         1,592         1,600         2,191    
  Net impairment losses recognized in earnings       –         –         (4,635 )       (11 )       –    
  Net gain (loss) on sale of securities     –         388         25         (79 )       1    
  Net FDIC indemnification asset amortization     (1,332 )       (1,618 )       (1,369 )       (1,328 )       (1,159 )  
  Net gain on divestitures     –         619         3,065         –         –    
  Other operating income     669         653         1,046         623         885    
Total noninterest income      5,691         6,238         5,895         7,030         7,903    
Noninterest expense                    
  Salaries and employee benefits     8,884         9,411         9,828         10,198         10,475    
  Occupancy expense     1,248         1,158         1,249         1,359         1,531    
  Furniture and equipment expense     1,091         1,070         1,066         1,109         1,096    
  Amortization of intangibles     261         265         316         277         278    
  FDIC premiums and assessments     244         274         363         372         374    
  Merger, acquisition, and divestiture expense     –         55         226         410         39    
  Other operating expense     5,355         4,420         5,509         4,997         5,021    
Total noninterest expense     17,083         16,653         18,557         18,722         18,814    
                       

Efficiency Ratio

EFFICIENCY RATIO CALCULATION (Unaudited)
                       
      Three Months Ended
      March 31,   December 31,   September 30,   June 30,   March 31,
        2017       2016       2016       2016       2016  
(Amounts in thousands)                  
Noninterest expense, GAAP $   17,083     $   16,653     $   18,557     $   18,722     $   18,814  
Non-GAAP adjustments                  
  Merger, acquisition, and divestiture expense     –         (55 )       (226 )       (410 )       (39 )
  OREO expense and net loss     (328 )       (184 )       (278 )       (247 )       (711 )
  Other non-core items     –         8         (168 )       (30 )       (174 )
Adjusted noninterest expense     16,755         16,422         17,885         18,035         17,890  
                       
Net interest income, GAAP     21,141         20,957         21,121         21,691         21,111  
Noninterest income, GAAP     5,691         6,238         5,895         7,030         7,903  
Non-GAAP adjustments                  
  Tax equivalency adjustment     497         520         509         521         531  
  Net impairment losses     –         –         4,635         11         –  
  Net (gain) loss on sale of securities     –         (388 )       (25 )       79         (1 )
  Net gain on divestitures     –         (619 )       (3,065 )       –         –  
  Other non-core items     (18 )       (40 )       (432 )       (30 )       (414 )
Adjusted net interest and noninterest income     27,311         26,668         28,638         29,302         29,130  
                       
Non-GAAP efficiency ratio(1)   61.35 %     61.58 %     62.45 %     61.55 %     61.41 %
GAAP efficiency ratio   63.67 %     61.24 %     68.69 %     65.19 %     64.84 %
                       
                                             
(1) A non-GAAP financial measure computed by dividing adjusted noninterest expense by the sum of tax equivalent net interest income and adjusted noninterest income
                       


Balance Sheet and Capital

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED QUARTERLY BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited)
                       
      March 31,   December 31,   September 30,   June 30,   March 31,
(Amounts in thousands, except per share data)   2017       2016       2016       2016       2016  
Assets                  
Total cash and cash equivalents $   152,851     $   76,307     $   65,929     $   44,301     $   39,587  
Securities available for sale      158,685         165,579         220,856         322,699         338,469  
Securities held to maturity      47,092         47,133         72,182         72,239         72,485  
Loans held for investment, net of unearned income                  
  Non-covered     1,784,371         1,795,954         1,774,547         1,733,398         1,685,891  
  Covered     51,412         56,994         61,837         68,585         76,538  
  Less allowance for loan losses     (18,458 )       (17,948 )       (19,633 )       (21,099 )       (20,467 )
Loans held for investment, net     1,817,325         1,835,000         1,816,751         1,780,884         1,741,962  
FDIC indemnification asset     9,931         12,173         14,332         16,431         18,787  
Premises and equipment, net     50,057         50,085         50,564         50,199         50,799  
Other real estate owned, non-covered     4,477         5,109         4,052         4,187         5,313  
Other real estate owned, covered     241         276         2,437         2,017         2,279  
Interest receivable     5,059         5,553         5,498         6,115         5,968  
Goodwill     95,779         95,779         101,776         100,486         100,486  
Other intangible assets     6,947         7,207         7,964         4,688         4,965  
Other assets     82,069         86,197         87,932         91,082         89,187  
Total assets $   2,430,513     $   2,386,398     $   2,450,273     $   2,495,328     $   2,470,287  
                       
Liabilities                  
Deposits                  
  Noninterest-bearing $   467,677     $   427,705     $   473,509     $   451,003     $   453,336  
  Interest-bearing     1,438,917         1,413,633         1,388,390         1,373,412         1,421,329  
Total deposits     1,906,594         1,841,338         1,861,899         1,824,415         1,874,665  
Federal funds purchased     –         –         –         42,000         18,000  
Securities sold under agreements to repurchase     90,653         98,005         118,532         113,392         134,661  
FHLB borrowings     65,000         65,000         90,000         140,000         65,000  
Other borrowings     244         15,708         15,707         15,756         15,756  
Interest, taxes, and other liabilities     24,618         27,290         26,599         25,553         24,576  
Total liabilities     2,087,109         2,047,341         2,112,737         2,161,116         2,132,658  
                       
Stockholders’ equity                  
Common stock     21,382         21,382         21,382         21,382         21,382  
Additional paid-in capital     228,176         228,142         227,884         227,791         227,725  
Retained earnings     173,860         170,377         166,689         163,030         159,223  
Treasury stock, at cost     (78,533 )       (78,833 )       (78,789 )       (74,974 )       (64,968 )
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income     (1,481 )       (2,011 )       370         (3,017 )       (5,733 )
Total stockholders’ equity     343,404         339,057         337,536         334,212         337,629  
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $   2,430,513     $   2,386,398     $   2,450,273     $   2,495,328     $   2,470,287  
                       
Shares outstanding at period-end     17,013,185         16,994,208         16,988,972         17,155,322         17,631,011  
Book value per common share(1) $   20.18     $   19.95     $   19.87     $   19.48     $   19.15  
Tangible book value per common share(2)     14.15         13.89         13.41         13.35         13.17  
                       
                                             
(1) Stockholders’ equity divided by as-converted common shares outstanding
(2) A non-GAAP financial measure defined as stockholders’ equity less goodwill and other intangibles, divided by as-converted common shares outstanding
 


Asset Quality

SELECTED CREDIT QUALITY INFORMATION (Unaudited)
                       
      March 31,   December 31,   September 30,   June 30,   March 31,
(Amounts in thousands)   2017       2016       2016       2016       2016  
Allowance for Loan Losses                   
Beginning balance $   17,948     $   19,633     $   21,099     $   20,467     $   20,233  
Provision for (recovery of) loan losses charged                  
  to operations     492         500         (1,154 )       722         1,187  
(Recovery of) provision for loan losses recorded                  
  through the FDIC indemnification asset     –         –         –         (10 )       9  
Charge-offs     (357 )       (2,485 )       (772 )       (691 )       (1,228 )
Recoveries     375         300         460         611         266  
Net recoveries (charge-offs)     18         (2,185 )       (312 )       (80 )       (962 )
Ending balance $   18,458     $   17,948     $   19,633     $   21,099     $   20,467  
                       
Nonperforming Assets                  
Non-covered nonperforming assets                  
Nonaccrual loans  $   18,537     $   15,854     $   17,487     $   16,626     $   16,196  
Accruing loans past due 90 days or more     20         –         62         64         243  
Troubled debt restructurings (“TDRs”)(1)     –         114         115         115         158  
Total non-covered nonperforming loans     18,557         15,968         17,664         16,805         16,597  
OREO     4,477         5,109         4,052         4,187         5,313  
Total non-covered nonperforming assets $   23,034     $   21,077     $   21,716     $   20,992     $   21,910  
                       
Covered nonperforming assets                  
Nonaccrual loans  $   918     $   608     $   688     $   680     $   1,955  
Total covered nonperforming loans     918         608         688         680         1,955  
OREO     241         276         2,437         2,017         2,279  
Total covered nonperforming assets $   1,159     $   884     $   3,125     $   2,697     $   4,234  
                       
Additional Information                  
Performing TDRs(2) $   8,593     $   12,838     $   13,336     $   13,562     $   13,474  
Total TDRs(3)     8,593         12,952         13,451         13,677         13,632  
                       
Non-covered ratios                  
Nonperforming loans to total loans   1.04 %     0.89 %     1.00 %     0.97 %     0.98 %
Nonperforming assets to total assets   0.97 %     0.90 %     0.91 %     0.87 %     0.92 %
Non-PCI allowance to nonperforming loans   99.40 %     112.32 %     111.08 %     125.48 %     123.17 %
Non-PCI allowance to total loans   1.03 %     1.00 %     1.11 %     1.22 %     1.21 %
Annualized net charge-offs to average loans   0.00 %     0.49 %     0.07 %     0.02 %     0.23 %
                       
Total ratios                  
Nonperforming loans to total loans   1.06 %     0.89 %     1.00 %     0.97 %     1.05 %
Nonperforming assets to total assets   1.00 %     0.92 %     1.01 %     0.95 %     1.06 %
Allowance for loan losses to nonperforming loans     94.78 %     108.28 %     106.98 %     120.67 %     110.32 %
Allowance for loan losses to total loans   1.01 %     0.97 %     1.07 %     1.17 %     1.16 %
Annualized net charge-offs to average loans   0.00 %     0.47 %     0.07 %     0.02 %     0.22 %
                       
                                             
(1) Accruing TDRs restructured within the past six months or nonperforming
(2) Accruing TDRs with six months or more of satisfactory payment performance
(3) Accruing total TDRs  
     
CONTACT: FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
David D. Brown
(276) 326-9000