FRANKLIN, N.C., Oct. 19, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Entegra Financial Corp. (the “Company”) (NASDAQ:ENFC), the holding company for Entegra Bank (the “Bank”), today announced earnings and related data for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017.

Highlights 

The following tables highlight the most important trends that the Company believes are relevant to understanding the performance of the Company.  As further detailed in Appendix A, core results (a non-GAAP measure) reflect adjustments for material items including investment gains and losses, investment impairment, and merger and acquisition expenses. 

 

    For the Three Months Ended September 30,
    (Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
    2017   2016   Change (%)
      GAAP     Core     GAAP     Core   GAAP   Core
Net income   $    2,471   $   2,562   $    1,800   $    1,605   37.3%   59.6%
Net interest income   $    10,323      N/A    $    8,897      N/A    16.0%   N/A
Net interest margin     3.30%      N/A      3.29%      N/A    0.3%   N/A
Return on average assets     0.71%     0.73%     0.60%     0.54%   18.3%   35.2%
Return on average equity      6.95%     7.72%     5.21%     4.75%   33.4%   62.5%
Efficiency ratio      66.62%     65.55%     71.53%     73.28%   -6.9%   -10.5%
Diluted earnings per share   $    0.38   $    0.39   $    0.28   $   0.25   35.7%   56.0%

    For the Nine Months Ended September 30,
    (Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
    2017   2016   Change (%)
      GAAP     Core     GAAP     Core   GAAP   Core
Net income   $    5,873   $   6,948   $    4,024   $    4,621   45.9%   50.4%
Net interest income   $    30,163      N/A    $    25,269      N/A    19.4%   N/A
Net interest margin     3.32%      N/A      3.28%      N/A    1.2%   N/A
Return on average assets     0.57%     0.67%     0.47%     0.54%   21.3%   24.1%
Return on average equity     5.66%     7.12%     3.97%     4.65%   42.6%   53.1%
Efficiency ratio      73.01%     68.92%     78.04%     74.20%   -6.4%   -7.1%
Diluted earnings per share   $    0.90   $    1.06   $    0.62   $    0.71   45.2%   49.3%

      As of September 30,     As of December 31,
      2017     2016
    (Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
Asset Quality:            
Non-performing loans   $    5,604   $    6,041
Real estate owned   $    2,437   $    4,226
Non-performing assets    $    8,041   $   10,267
Non-performing loans to total loans      0.69%     0.81%
Non-performing assets to total assets      0.57%     0.79%
Net charge-offs (9 and 12 months ended)    $   408   $    430
Allowance for loan losses to non-performing loans     179.46%     154.03%
Allowance for loan losses to total loans     1.23%     1.25%
             
Other Data:            
Book value per share   $    22.22   $    20.57
Tangible book value per share   $    20.75   $    20.10
Closing market price per share   $    24.95   $    20.60
Closing price-to-tangible book value ratio     120.24%     102.49%
             
             

Management Commentary

Roger D. Plemens, President and CEO of the Company reported, “The third quarter represents another successful quarter for the Company as we continue to improve our earnings and utilize our capital.  We are particularly pleased with the improvement in our efficiency ratio as we seek to be better and not simply larger.   As previously disclosed, we closed on our acquisition of Chattahoochee Bank of Georgia on October 1, 2017 and are excited about increasing our lending presence in northern Georgia and the impact that will have on our earnings.”

Net Interest Income

Net interest income increased $1.4 million, or 16.0%, to $10.3 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 compared to $8.9 million for the same period in 2016.   Net interest income increased $4.9 million, or 19.4%, to $30.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 compared to $25.3 million for the same period in 2016.   The increase in net interest income was primarily due to higher volumes in the loan and investment portfolios as well as an increase in the yields earned on cash and investments.  Net interest margin for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 improved slightly to 3.30% and 3.32%, respectively, compared to 3.29% and 3.28% for the same periods in 2016.

Provision for Loan Losses

The provision for loan losses was $0.5 million and $1.2 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, compared to a $0.1 million provision for loan losses for the same periods in 2016. The Company continues to experience modest levels of net charge-offs and non-performing loans.

Noninterest Income

Noninterest income decreased $0.1 million to $2.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 compared to $2.1 million for the same period in 2016. The slight decline was primarily related to reduced mortgage banking income and gains on sales of investments, partially offset by increases in gains on sale of SBA loans, service charges on deposit accounts, interchange fees, and bank-owned life insurance (BOLI).

Noninterest income decreased $1.0 million, or 16.8%, to $5.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 compared to $6.0 million for the same period in 2016. The decline was primarily related to other than temporary impairment of $0.7 million realized on one investment security as well as decreases in gains from the sale of SBA loans and investments, partially offset by increases in trading securities gains, interchange fees, and BOLI.

Noninterest Expense

Noninterest expense increased $0.4 million, or 4.8%, to $8.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 compared to $7.8 million for the same period in 2016.  Noninterest expense increased $1.3 million, or 5.1%, to $25.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 compared to $24.4 million for the same period in 2016.  The three and nine month increases were primarily related to increased compensation and employee benefits and net occupancy expenses as the 2017 period included the full impact of the Oldtown Bank acquisition and the partial impact of the branches acquired from Stearns Bank.

Income Taxes

Income tax expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 was $1.1 million and $2.5 million, respectively, compared to $1.2 million and $2.8 million for the comparable periods in the prior year.  The Company’s effective tax rates of 31.3% and 29.6% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively, improved from 40.4% and 40.6% from the same respective periods in 2016  primarily as the result of increased tax-exempt income related to municipal bond investments and BOLI income.

Balance Sheet

Total assets increased $126.9 million, or an annualized rate of 13.1%, to $1.42 billion at September 30, 2017 from $1.29 billion at December 31, 2016 as the Company continued to leverage its capital with earning assets.

Loans receivable increased $72.7 million, or an annualized rate of 13.0%, to $817.0 million at September 30, 2017 from $744.4 million at December 31, 2016.  Loan growth continues to be primarily concentrated in commercial real estate and commercial and industrial loans. 

Core deposits increased $112.0 million, or 20.7%, to $652.8 million at September 30, 2017 from $540.8 million at December 31, 2016, including $79.6 million of core deposits assumed in the Stearns Bank branch acquisition.  Certificates of deposits increased $62.8 million to $352.0 million at September 30, 2017 from $289.2 million at December 31, 2016, primarily as the result of certificates of deposit assumed from Stearns Bank. Core deposits remained unchanged at 65% of the Company’s deposit portfolio at September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016.

Total equity increased $10.5 million, or 7.9%, to $143.5 million at September 30, 2017 compared to $133.1 million at December 31, 2016. This increase was primarily attributable to $5.9 million of net income, $0.7 million of stock-based compensation expense, and a $4.2 million improvement in the market value of investment securities, partially offset by $0.3 million of share repurchases.  Tangible book value per share, a non-GAAP measure, increased $0.65 from $20.10 at December 31, 2016 to $20.75 at September 30, 2017 as a result of operating results for the period, partially offset by $1.01 per share dilution from the Stearns Bank branch acquisition.

Asset Quality

Non-performing assets decreased $2.2 million to $8.0 million at September 30, 2017 from $10.3 million at December 31, 2016 primarily as a result of the liquidation of several large real estate owned balances during the period.   Net loan charge-offs continue to remain modest totaling $0.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Statements included in this press release include non-GAAP financial measures and should be read along with the accompanying tables in Appendix A, which provide a reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP financial measures. This press release and the accompanying tables discuss financial measures, such as core noninterest expense, core net income, core diluted earnings per share, core return on average assets, core return on tangible average equity, core efficiency ratio, and tangible book value per share, which are non-GAAP measures. We believe that such non-GAAP measures are useful because they enhance the ability of investors and management to evaluate and compare the Company’s operating results from period to period in a meaningful manner. Non-GAAP measures should not be considered as an alternative to any measure of performance as promulgated under GAAP. Investors should consider the Company’s performance and financial condition as reported under GAAP and all other relevant information when assessing the performance or financial condition of the Company. Non-GAAP measures have limitations as analytical tools, and investors should not consider them in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of the Company’s results or financial condition as reported under GAAP.

About Entegra Financial Corp. and Entegra Bank

Entegra Financial Corp. is the holding company of Entegra Bank. The Company’s shares began trading on the NASDAQ Global Market on October 1, 2014 under the symbol “ENFC”.

Entegra Bank now operates a total of 18 branches located throughout the Western North Carolina counties of Cherokee, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Polk and Transylvania, the Upstate South Carolina counties of Anderson, Greenville, and Spartanburg and the Northern Georgia counties of Pickens and Hall. The Bank also operates loan production offices in Asheville, NC, Clemson, SC, and Duluth, GA. For further information, visit the Entegra’s website www.entegrabank.com.

Disclosures About Forward-Looking Statements

The discussions included in this document and its exhibits may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially. For the purposes of these discussions, any statements that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be “forward-looking statements.” Such statements are often characterized by the use of qualifying words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “plans,” “projects,” or other statements concerning opinions or judgments of the Company and its management about future events. The accuracy of such forward looking statements could be affected by factors including, but not limited to: the Company’s ability to implement aspects of its growth strategy; the financial success or changing conditions or strategies of the Company’s customers or vendors; fluctuations in interest rates; actions of government regulators; the availability of capital and personnel; and general economic conditions. These forward looking statements express management’s current expectations, plans or forecasts of future events, results and condition, including financial and other estimates. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by forward looking statements are discussed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including without limitation its annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update these statements following the date of this press release.

 
ENTEGRA FINANCIAL CORP. AND SUBSIDIARY
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (UNAUDITED)
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
     
    Three Months Ended September 30,
      2017     2016
Interest income   $    12,254   $    10,444
Interest expense       1,931       1,547
             
Net interest income       10,323       8,897
             
Provision for loan losses       520       100
             
Net interest income after provision for loan losses       9,803       8,797
             
Servicing income, net       59       72
Mortgage banking       207       387
Gain on sale of SBA loans       290       124
Gain (loss) on sale of investments       (24)       407
Trading securities gains       138       93
Service charges on deposit accounts       436       370
Interchange fees       484       385
Bank owned life insurance       208       110
Other       215       118
Total noninterest income       2,013       2,066
             
Compensation and employee benefits       4,937       4,471
Net occupancy       974       929
Federal deposit insurance       140       108
Professional and advisory       292       208
Data processsing       390       406
Marketing and advertising       253       309
Net cost of  (income from ) operation of real estate owned       (121)       167
Merger-related expenses       116       107
Other       1,237       1,137
Total noninterest expense       8,218       7,842
             
Income before taxes       3,598       3,021
             
Income tax expense        1,127       1,221
             
Net income   $    2,471   $    1,800
             
Earnings per common share:            
Basic   $    0.38   $  0.28
Diluted    $    0.38   $   0.28
             
Weighted average common shares outstanding:            
Basic       6,458,679       6,466,375
Diluted       6,548,530       6,484,226
             

 

 
ENTEGRA FINANCIAL CORP. AND SUBSIDIARY
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (UNAUDITED)
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
     
    Nine Months Ended September 30,
      2017     2016
Interest income   $    35,621   $    29,694
Interest expense       5,458       4,425
             
Net interest income       30,163       25,269
             
Provision for loan losses       1,160       100
             
Net interest income after provision for loan losses       29,003       25,169
             
Servicing income, net       312       263
Mortgage banking       771       747
Gain on sale of SBA loans       436       742
Gain on sale of investments       19       1,105
Trading securities gains       445       271
Other than temporary impairment on available-for-sale securities       (700)       – 
Service charges on deposit accounts       1,239       1,151
Interchange fees       1,374       1,109
Bank owned life insurance       603       311
Other       527       341
Total noninterest income       5,026       6,040
             
Compensation and employee benefits       14,859       12,738
Net occupancy       2,851       2,580
Federal deposit insurance       379       468
Professional and advisory       929       713
Data processsing       1,215       1,157
Marketing and advertising       727       811
Net cost of operation of real estate owned       94       663
Merger-related expenses       972       2,023
Other       3,666       3,281
Total noninterest expense       25,692       24,434
             
Income before taxes       8,337       6,775
             
Income tax expense        2,464       2,751
             
Net income   $   5,873   $    4,024
             
Earnings per common share:            
Basic   $    0.91   $    0.62
Diluted   $    0.90   $    0.62
             
Weighted average common shares outstanding:            
Basic       6,460,015       6,483,535
Diluted       6,542,261       6,500,198
             

 
ENTEGRA FINANCIAL CORP. AND SUBSIDIARY
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Dollars in thousands)
             
       September 30, 2017       December 31, 2016 
       (Unaudited)       (Audited) 
Assets            
             
Cash and cash equivalents   $   94,498   $    43,294
Investments – trading       5,840       5,211
Investments – available for sale       401,226       398,291
Other investments       12,633       15,261
Loans held for sale       3,818       4,584
Loans receivable       817,034       744,361
Allowance for loan losses       (10,057)       (9,305)
Real estate owned       2,437       4,226
Fixed assets, net       20,888       20,209
Bank owned life insurance       31,950       31,347
Net deferred tax asset       14,478       18,985
Goodwill       7,144       2,065
Core deposit intangibles, net       2,371       979
Other assets       15,573       13,369
             
Total assets   $    1,419,833   $    1,292,877
             
Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity            
             
Liabilities            
Deposits   $    1,004,839   $    830,013
Federal Home Loan Bank advances       233,500       298,500
Junior subordinated notes       14,433       14,433
Post employment benefits       10,145       10,211
Other liabilities       13,391       6,652
Total liabilities   $    1,276,308   $    1,159,809
             
Total shareholders’ equity       143,525       133,068
             
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity   $    1,419,833   $    1,292,877
             

 
APPENDIX A – RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP MEASURES (UNAUDITED)
         
    Three Months Ended September 30,   Nine Months Ended September 30,
      2017     2016     2017     2016
    (Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
                         
Core Noninterest Expense                        
Noninterest expense (GAAP)   $    8,218   $    7,842   $    25,692   $    24,434
Merger-related expenses       (116)       (107)       (972)       (2,023)
Core noninterest expense (Non-GAAP)   $    8,102   $    7,735   $    24,720   $    22,411
                         
Core Net Income                        
Net income (GAAP)   $    2,471   $    1,800   $    5,873   $   4,024
Loss (gain) on sale of investments       16       (265)       (12)       (718)
Other than temporary impairment of investment securities available for sale       –       –       455       –
Merger-related expenses       76       70       632       1,315
Core net income (Non-GAAP)   $    2,562   $   1,605   $    6,948   $    4,621
                         
Core Diluted Earnings Per Share                        
Diluted earnings per share (GAAP)   $    0.38        0.28        0.90        0.62
Gain on sale of investments       –        (0.04)       –        (0.11)
Other than temporary impairment of investment securities available for sale       –        –        0.06       – 
Merger-related expenses       0.01       0.01       0.10       0.20
Core diluted earnings per share (Non-GAAP)   $    0.39   $    0.25   $   1.06   $    0.71
                         
Core Return on Average Assets                        
Return on Average Assets (GAAP)     0.71%     0.60%     0.57%     0.47%
Gain on sale of investments       –      -0.09%       –        – 
Other than temporary impairment of investment securities available for sale       –        –      0.04%       – 
Merger-related expenses     0.02%     0.03%     0.06%     0.16%
Core Return on Average Assets (Non-GAAP)     0.73%     0.54%     0.67%     0.63%
                         
Core Return on Tangible Average Equity                        
Return on Average Equity (GAAP)     6.95%     5.21%     5.66%     3.97%
Loss (gain) on sale of investments     0.04%     -0.77%     -0.01%     -0.71%
Other than temporary impairment of investment securities available for sale       –        –      0.43%       – 
Merger-related expenses     0.21%     0.20%     0.61%     1.30%
Effect of goodwill and intangibles     0.52%     0.10%     0.43%     0.09%
Core Return on Average Tangible Equity (Non-GAAP)     7.72%     4.75%     7.12%     4.65%
                         
Core Efficiency Ratio                        
Efficiency ratio (GAAP)     66.62%     71.53%     73.01%     78.04%
Gain (loss) on sale of investments     -0.19%     2.72%     0.05%     2.62%
Other than temporary impairment of investment securities available for sale       –        –      -1.38%       – 
Merger-related expenses     -0.88%     -0.97%     -2.76%     -6.46%
Core Efficiency Ratio (Non-GAAP)     65.55%     73.28%     68.92%     74.20%
                         
                         
    As Of            
      September 30, 2017     December 31, 2016            
    (Dollars in thousands, except share data)          
Tangible Book Value Per Share                        
Book Value (GAAP)   $    143,525   $    133,068            
Goodwill and intangibles       (9,516)       (3,044)            
Book Value (Tangible)   $    134,009   $    130,024            
Outstanding shares       6,458,679       6,467,550            
Tangible Book Value Per Share   $    20.75   $    20.10            
                         

APPENDIX B – TAX EQUIVALENT NET INTEREST MARGIN ANALYSIS (UNAUDITED)
 
    For theThree Months Ended September 30,
    2017   2016
      Average Outstanding Balance     Interest   Yield/ Rate     Average Outstanding Balance     Interest   Yield/ Rate
    (Dollars in thousands)
Interest-earning assets:                                
Loans, including loans held for sale   $   788,021   $   9,175   4.62%   $   714,665   $  8,424   4.68%
Loans, tax exempt (1)       16,607       151   3.60%       16,232       152   3.72%
Investments – taxable       295,516       1,787   2.42%       248,171       1,294   2.09%
Investment tax exempt (1)       124,016       1,257   4.05%       71,323       664   3.73%
Interest earning deposits       63,262       216   1.35%       46,582       62   0.53%
Other investments, at cost       11,822       161   5.40%       10,415       132   5.03%
                                 
Total interest-earning assets       1,299,244       12,747   3.89%       1,107,388      10,728   3.84%
                                 
Noninterest-earning assets       100,731                 86,098          
                                 
Total assets   $  1,399,975             $  1,193,486          
                                 
Interest-bearing liabilities:                                
Savings accounts   $    49,146   $    14   0.11%   $    37,847   $    12   0.13%
Time deposits       358,327       796   0.88%       304,406       745   0.97%
Money market accounts       260,804       248   0.38%       238,923       217   0.36%
Interest bearing transaction accounts       174,945       56   0.13%       115,372       33   0.11%
Total interest bearing deposits       843,222       1,114   0.52%       696,548       1,007   0.57%
                                 
FHLB advances       223,826       641   1.14%       193,826       371   0.76%
Junior subordinated debentures       14,433       140   3.85%       14,433       140   3.85%
Other borrowings       3,652       36   3.91%       2,680       29   4.29%
                                 
Total interest-bearing liabilities       1,085,133       1,931   0.71%       907,487       1,547   0.68%
                                 
Noninterest-bearing deposits       157,870                 133,268          
                                 
Other non interest bearing liabilities       14,667                 14,627          
                                 
Total liabilities       1,257,670                 1,055,382          
Total equity       142,305                 138,104          
                                 
Total liabilities and equity   $  1,399,975             $  1,193,486          
                                 
                                 
Tax-equivalent net interest income         $    10,816             $  9,181    
                                 
                                 
Net interest-earning assets (2)   $    214,111             $    199,901          
                                 
Average interest-earning assets to interest-bearing liabilities     1.20%               1.22%          
                                 
Tax-equivalent net interest rate spread (3)               3.19%               3.17%
Tax-equivalent net interest margin (4)               3.30%               3.29%
                                 
(1) Tax exempt loans and investments are calculated giving effect to a 35% federal tax rate.
(2) Net interest-earning assets represents total interest-earning assets less total interest-bearing liabilities.
(3) Tax-equivalent net interest rate spread represents the difference between the tax equivalent yield on average interest-earning assets and the cost of average interest-bearing liabilities.
(4) Tax-equivalent net interest margin represents tax equivalent net interest income divided by average total interest-earning assets.
                                 

    For the Nine Months Ended September 30,
    2017   2016
      Average Outstanding Balance     Interest   Yield/ Rate     Average Outstanding Balance     Interest   Yield/ Rate
    (Dollars in thousands)
Interest-earning assets:                                
Loans, including loans held for sale   $    765,810   $    26,686   4.66%   $    683,879   $    23,885   4.65%
Loans, tax exempt (1)       15,906       438   3.69%       12,855       372   3.86%
Investments – taxable       301,823       5,367   2.37%       256,299       4,174   2.17%
Investment tax exempt (1)       118,008       3,609   4.08%       47,264       1,355   3.82%
Interest earning deposits       58,067       459   1.06%       39,546       152   0.51%
Other investments, at cost       12,491       478   5.12%       9,514       359   5.03%
                                 
Total interest-earning assets       1,272,105       37,038   3.89%       1,049,357       30,297   3.85%
                                 
Noninterest-earning assets       100,321                 83,071          
                                 
Total assets   $  1,372,426             $    1,132,428          
                                 
Interest-bearing liabilities:                                
Savings accounts   $    46,835   $    39   0.11%   $    37,077   $    38   0.14%
Time deposits       349,381       2,335   0.89%       296,816       2,268   1.02%
Money market accounts       255,013       704   0.37%       221,956       548   0.33%
Interest bearing transaction accounts       159,377       149   0.12%       110,732       127   0.15%
Total interest bearing deposits       810,606       3,227   0.53%       666,581       2,981   0.60%
                                 
FHLB advances       240,551       1,713   0.95%       174,723       965   0.74%
Junior subordinated debentures       14,433       418   3.87%       14,433       394   3.64%
Other borrowings       3,165       100   4.22%       2,490       85   4.55%
                                 
Total interest-bearing liabilities       1,068,755       5,458   0.68%       858,227       4,425   0.69%
                                 
Noninterest-bearing deposits       151,174                 125,120          
                                 
Other non interest bearing liabilities       14,204                 13,839          
                                 
Total liabilities       1,234,133                 997,186          
Total equity       138,293                 135,242          
                                 
Total liabilities and equity   $  1,372,426             $    1,132,428          
                                 
                                 
Tax-equivalent net interest income         $   31,580             $    25,872    
                                 
                                 
Net interest-earning assets (2)   $    203,350             $   191,130          
                                 
Average interest-earning assets to interest-bearing liabilities     119.03%               122.27%          
                                 
Tax-equivalent net interest rate spread (3)               3.21%               3.16%
Tax-equivalent net interest margin (4)               3.32%               3.28%
                                 
(1) Tax exempt loans and investments are calculated giving effect to a 35% federal tax rate.
(2) Net interest-earning assets represents total interest-earning assets less total interest-bearing liabilities.
(3) Tax-equivalent net interest rate spread represents the difference between the tax equivalent yield on average interest-earning assets and the cost of average interest-bearing liabilities.
(4) Tax-equivalent net interest margin represents tax equivalent net interest income divided by average total interest-earning assets.

Contact: 

Roger D. Plemens
President and Chief Executive Officer
(828) 524-7000