Carver Bancorp, Inc. Reports Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2014 Results

NEW YORK, Nov. 4, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Carver Bancorp, Inc. (the "Company") (Nasdaq:CARV), the holding company for Carver Federal Savings Bank ("Carver" or the "Bank"), today announced financial results for its second fiscal quarter of 2014 ended September 30, 2013.

The Company reported net income of $342 thousand or basic and diluted earnings per share of $0.09 for the second quarter of its fiscal year ending March 31, 2014, compared to a net loss of $136 thousand or a loss per share of $0.04, for the prior year period. For the six months ended September 30, 2013, the Company reported net income of $753 thousand or basic and diluted earnings per share of $0.20, compared to a net loss of $499 thousand or a loss per share of $0.14 for the comparative prior year period.

Deborah C. Wright, Carver Bancorp Chairman and CEO said, "We are pleased to report our fourth consecutive quarter of positive earnings results. Our loan performance continued to improve, with non-performing assets declining 10% from the prior quarter and 58% year-over-year, and delinquencies declining 29% over the prior quarter to their lowest level since the economic downturn began. Our net interest margin increased to 3.43%, as we saw growth in our loan portfolio for the first time in four years and our funding costs remained steady. While margins may be uneven over the next few quarters given interest rate volatility, our disciplined approach to lending and improving loan pipeline should positively impact our balance sheet. Our capital ratios continue to strengthen, with our Tier I leverage ratio increasing to 10.53% compared to 10.43% for the first quarter."

Ms. Wright added: "We continue to see success in our innovative Carver Community Cash program, which now includes four self-service kiosks that offer on-site check cashing and bill payment service near shopping and residential complexes for consumers who do not have an account with Carver. For the first six months of fiscal 2014, Carver Community Cash added approximately 4,100 new enrollments, 40% of whom opened an account or expanded their banking relationship with Carver. Over the longer term, our expectation is that this initiative will expand our franchise, while diversifying our customer base and sources of fee income."

Statement of Operations Highlights

Second Quarter Results

The Company reported net income for the three months ended September 30, 2013 of $342 thousand compared to a net loss of $136 thousand in the prior year period. Primary drivers of improvement in net income over the prior year period loss was a negative provision in the current quarter versus higher non-interest expense partially offset by one-time New Market Tax Credit ("NMTC") fee income in the prior year period.

Net Interest Income

Interest income decreased $175 thousand, or 2.9%, to $5.9 million compared to $6.1 million for the prior year quarter, primarily attributable to a $42.5 million, or 10.3%, decrease in average loans. Although the average yield on loans increased 37 basis points to 5.67% from 5.30%, following a reduction in non-performing loans, a decrease in average loans reduced total interest income. The average yield on mortgage-backed securities fell 13 basis points to 1.96% from 2.09% as securities added to the portfolio carried lower yields than securities sold or paid down.

Interest expense decreased $276 thousand, or 22.0%, to $977 thousand compared to $1.3 million in the prior year quarter, following restructuring of certain long-term borrowings in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, and lower rates paid on money market accounts and certificates of deposits. The average rate on interest-bearing liabilities decreased 22 basis points to 0.79% for the quarter ended September 30, 2013.

Provision for Loan Losses

The Company recorded a $505 thousand negative provision for loan losses compared to a $560 thousand provision for the prior year quarter. Net charge-offs of $413 thousand were recognized compared to $2.8 million in the prior year period. Charge-offs in both periods were primarily related to impaired loans and loans moved to held-for-sale ("HFS").

Non-interest Income

Non-interest income decreased $857 thousand, or 35.2%, to $1.6 million in the second quarter, compared to $2.4 million for the prior year quarter. The decrease was due to $625 thousand in NMTC fees in the prior year period, and losses on sales of real estate owned and lower of cost or market adjustments on loans HFS in the current period.

Non-interest Expense

Non-interest expense decreased $291 thousand to $6.6 million, compared to $6.9 million in the prior year quarter. Non-interest expense was lower in all categories with largest decreases in data processing, as we consolidate vendor contracts, and net equipment expenses.

Income Taxes

The income tax expense was $16 thousand for the second quarter compared to $36 thousand in the prior year period.

Six Month Results

The Company reported net income of $753 thousand for the six months ended September 30, 2013, compared to a net loss of $499 thousand for the prior year period. This improvement was primarily driven by lower non-interest expenses over the prior year period.

Net Interest Income

Interest income decreased $757 thousand, or 6.2%, to $11.5 million for the six month period, compared to $12.3 million for the prior year period, primarily attributed to a $53.5 million, or 12.7%, decrease in average loans. The average yield on loans increased 27 basis points to 5.52% from 5.25%, which was directly related to a reduction in non-performing loans. The decline in average loan balances did, however, decrease total interest income on loans. The average yield on mortgage-backed securities declined 22 basis points to 1.89% from 2.11% during the prior year period, as higher yielding securities were sold or paid down, and replaced with lower yielding securities.

Interest expense decreased $586 thousand, or 22.8%, to $2.0 million, compared to $2.6 million for the prior year period, due to lower rates paid on money market accounts and certificates of deposits and restructuring of certain long-term borrowings in the first quarter. The average yield on interest-bearing liabilities decreased 21 basis points to 0.82% for the six months ended September 30, 2013.

Provision for Loan Losses

The Company recorded a $326 thousand provision for loan losses for the six month period, compared to $784 thousand for the prior year period. For the six months ended September 30, 2013, net charge-offs of $1.9 million were recognized compared to $4.2 million in the prior year period. Charge-offs in both periods were primarily related to impaired loans and loans that moved to HFS.

Non-interest Income

Non-interest income increased $332 thousand, or 9.8%, to $3.7 million for the six month period, compared to $3.4 million for the prior year period. The increase is attributable to gains on sale of securities and increases in the Bank's depository and loan fees, partially offset by NMTC fees in the prior year period.

Non-interest Expense

Non-interest expense decreased $1.6 million, or 12.2%, to $11.9 million, compared to $13.5 million in the prior year period. The decrease is attributed to lower expenses in most categories including a reduction of $705 thousand in reserves for losses associated with the repurchase of mortgage loans sold by the Bank to Fannie Mae and lower employee compensation expenses of $410 thousand following staff reductions.

Income Taxes

The income tax expense was $88 thousand for the six month period compared to $196 thousand in the prior year period.

Financial Condition Highlights

At September 30, 2013, total assets decreased $3.5 million, or 0.5%, to $634.8 million, compared to $638.3 million at March 31, 2013. The overall change was due to a decrease of $25.5 million in the investment portfolio, offset by increases in the loan portfolio, net of the allowance for loan losses, of $30.5 million.

Total investment securities decreased $25.5 million, or 20.3%, to $99.6 million at September 30, 2013, compared to $125.1 million at March 31, 2013. This change reflects a decrease of $28.8 million in available-for-sale securities, as the Company sold its lowest yielding securities to fund loan growth.

Net loans receivable increased $28.9 million, or 7.8%, to $399.0 million at September 30, 2013, compared to $370.1 million at March 31, 2013. The majority of the increase resulted from loan purchases, originations, refinancings and advances of $100.1 million, offset by $61.8 million of principal repayments and loan payoffs across all loan classifications. An additional $7.9 million in loans were transferred from held-for-investment to HFS and $1.3 million represented principal charge-offs associated with the move in loans to HFS.

HFS loans decreased $5.3 million, or 40.1%, to $7.9 million as the Company continued to take aggressive steps to resolve troubled loans. For the first six months of Fiscal 2014, $7.9 million in loans, net of charge-offs, were transferred into the HFS portfolio from the held-for-investment portfolio. This increase was offset by $13.0 million in sales and paydowns.

Total liabilities increased $1.5 million, or 0.3%, to $583.1 million at September 30, 2013, compared to $581.5 million at March 31, 2013, due to an increase in borrowings of $19.0 million, offset by reductions in deposits of $16.3 million.

Deposits decreased $16.3 million, or 3.3%, to $479.5 million at September 30, 2013, compared to $495.7 million at March 31, 2013, due primarily to decreases in certificates of deposit as the low interest rate environment led depositors to seek alternative investment opportunities for maturing deposits.

Advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York ("FHLB-NY") and other borrowed money increased $19.0 million, or 24.9%, to $95.4 million at September 30, 2013, compared to $76.4 million at March 31, 2013, as the Company increased short-term borrowings during the six month period.

Total equity decreased $5.0 million, or 8.8%, to $51.8 million at September 30, 2013, compared to $56.7 million at March 31, 2013. The majority of the decrease was due to $5.9 million in unrealized losses on investments caused by the spike in interest rates during the six month period.

Asset Quality

At September 30, 2013, non-performing assets totaled $27.0 million, or 4.2% of total assets, compared to $46.1 million or 7.2% of total assets at March 31, 2013, and $63.9 million or 10.0% of total assets at September 30, 2012. Non-performing assets at September 30, 2013 were comprised of $10.0 million of loans 90 days or more past due and non-accruing, $4.6 million of loans classified as a troubled debt restructuring, $3.6 million of loans that were either performing or less than 90 days past due that have been classified as impaired, $1.0 million of Real Estate Owned, and $7.9 million of loans classified as HFS.

The allowance for loan losses was $9.4 million at September 30, 2013, which represents a ratio of the allowance for loan losses to non-performing loans of 51.8% compared to 35.9% at March 31, 2013. The ratio of the allowance for loan losses to total loans was 2.4% at September 30, 2013, a decrease from 3.0% at March 31, 2013.

About Carver Bancorp, Inc.

Carver Bancorp, Inc. is the holding company for Carver Federal Savings Bank, a federally chartered stock savings bank, founded in 1948 to serve African-American communities whose residents, businesses, and institutions had limited access to mainstream financial services. Carver, the largest African- and Caribbean-American run bank in the United States, operates ten full-service branches in the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens. For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.carverbank.com.

Certain statements in this press release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may differ materially from those included in these statements due to a variety of factors, risks and uncertainties. More information about these factors, risks and uncertainties is contained in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.