FNCB Bancorp, Inc. Announces Increased Second Quarter and Year-to-date 2018 Earnings

DUNMORE, Pa., July 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FNCB Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:FNCB), the parent company of Dunmore-based FNCB Bank (the “Bank”), reported net income of $2.412 million, or $0.14 per basic and diluted share, for the second quarter of 2018, an increase of $620 thousand, or 34.6%, compared to net income of $1.792 million, or $0.11 per basic and diluted share, for the same quarter of 2017. Net income for the six months ended June 30, 2018 increased $442 thousand, or 11.1%, to $4.431 million, or $0.26 per basic and diluted share, from $3.989 million, or $0.24 per basic and diluted share, for the comparable six-month period of 2017. Earnings for the second quarter and year-to-date periods were impacted favorably by improved net interest income and lower income tax expense. Partially offsetting these positive factors were increases in the provision for loan and lease losses and non-interest expense and lower non-interest income.

Annualized return on average assets was 0.79% and 0.75%, respectively, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018, compared to 0.65% and 0.71%, for the respective periods of 2017. Annualized return on average equity was 11.23% and 10.34%, respectively, for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2018, compared to 7.60% and 8.66%, respectively, for the comparable periods in 2017. Dividends declared and paid were $0.04 per share for the second quarter and $0.08 per share for the year-to-date period of 2018, which represented a 33.3% increase compared to $0.03 per share and $0.06 per share, respectively, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017. The dividend pay-out ratio for the six months ended June 30, 2018 was 30.3%, compared to 25.1% for the same period of 2017.

Second Quarter 2018 Performance Highlights:

• Tax-equivalent net interest income increased 13.9% and 12.6%, comparing the second quarter and year-to-date periods of 2018 and 2017, respectively;
• Tax-equivalent yield on earning assets for the second quarter of 2018 improved 30 basis points compared to the same quarter of 2017;
• Efficiency ratio for six months ended June 30, 2018 improves to 66.32% from 73.38% for same period of 2017;
• Year over year growth in total loans, net of net deferred costs and unearned income, of $127.3 million, or 17.5%;
• Closing stock price increased $1.08 per share, or 13.8%, year over year;
• FNCB Bancorp, Inc. added as a member of the Russell Microcap® Index effective June 25, 2018;
• Opened new state-of-the-art branch office located in Plains Township, Pennsylvania.

“We are very pleased with the strong demand for our loan products that we experienced in the second quarter of 2018,” stated Gerard A. Champi, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our expansion into the Lehigh Valley market area and additions to both retail and commercial lending staff has proved successful in generating solid, organic loan growth,” continued Mr. Champi. “The strong demand, coupled with higher earning-asset yields, translated into nearly 20% growth in year-to-date interest income year-over-year. For the second half of 2018, we will be focused on effectively managing our funding costs amid this very challenging rate environment,” concluded Mr. Champi.

Summary Results for the Three and Six Months Ended June 30, 2018

Tax-equivalent net interest income was $9.4 million for the second quarter of 2018, an increase of $1.1 million, or 13.9%, from $8.2 million for the same quarter of 2017. Similarly, tax-equivalent net interest income for the six months ended June 30, 2018 increased $2.0 million, or 12.6%, to $18.3 million compared to $16.3 million for the same six-month period of 2017. The improvement for both the quarter and year-to-date periods were largely due to growth in average earning assets and higher earning-asset yields, partially offset by higher funding costs. Average earning assets grew $123.7 million, or 12.1%, and $86.4 million, or 8.3%, comparing the quarter and year-to-date periods ended June 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Tax-equivalent earning-asset yields improved 30 basis points for the second quarter and 34 basis points for the six months ended June 30, 2018 over the same periods of 2017. For the three months ended June 30, 2018, the cost of funds increased 31 basis points to 0.84% from 0.53% for the same period of 2017. Similarly, the cost of funds increased 26 basis points to 0.76% from 0.50% comparing the year-to-date periods of 2018 and 2017. The tax-equivalent net interest margin remained stable at 3.26% for the quarterly periods ended June 30, 2018 and March 31, 2018. For purposes of presenting net interest income, earning-asset yields and net interest margin information on a tax-equivalent basis, tax-free interest income is adjusted using the statutory federal corporate income tax rate of 21.0% for 2018 and 34.0% for 2017.

Non-interest income totaled $1.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2018, compared to $2.0 million for the comparable period of 2017. For the six months ended June 30, 2018, non-interest income amounted to $3.0 million, a decrease of $0.5 million, or 15.2%, compared to $3.6 million for the same period of 2017. The decrease in non-interest revenue for the second quarter and year-to-date periods resulted primarily from a reduction in net gains realized on the sale of available-for-sale investment securities.

Non-interest expense was relatively stable, increasing by $26 thousand, or 0.4%, comparing for the three months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017. Comparing the six months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017, non-interest expense increased $330 thousand, or 2.4%.  The increase in non-interest expense resulted primarily from higher salaries and employee benefits expense related to staffing additions within FNCB Bank’s retail and commercial lending and credit administration units.

Asset Quality

Total non-performing loans increased $1.1 million to $3.5 million at June 30, 2018 from $2.4 million at March 31, 2018. However, year-over-year non-performing loans decreased $0.2 million from $3.7 million at June 30, 2017. The increase from March 31, 2018 was primarily attributable to one commercial relationship that was placed on non-accrual status. The ratio of non-performing loans to total loans was 0.41% at June 30, 2018, compared to 0.30% at March 31, 2018 and 0.50% at June 30, 2017. Despite the increase in non-performing loans from the previous quarter end, FNCB’s asset quality compared favorably to the peer average of 0.61% at March 31, 2018, the most recent data reported for bank holding companies having assets between $1.0 billion and $3.0 billion. The allowance for loan and lease losses as a percentage of gross loans was 1.11% at June 30, 2018, 1.18% at March 31, 2018 and 1.16% at June 30, 2017.

Financial Condition

Total assets increased $77.0 million, or 6.6%, to $1.239 billion at June 30, 2018 from $1.162 billion at December 31, 2017. The increase in total assets primarily reflected growth in loans, net of net deferred costs and unearned income, of $84.7 million, or 11.0%, to $855.4 million at June 30, 2018 from $770.6 million at December 31, 2017. Total deposits decreased $47.2 million, or 4.7%, to $955.2 million at June 30, 2018 from $1.002 billion at December 31, 2017. The decrease in deposits was primarily attributable to cyclical net outflows of public funds. The strong loan demand, coupled with the decrease in total deposits, resulted in greater reliance on wholesale funding. As a result, FHLB of Pittsburgh advances increased $129.3 million, or 287.5%, to $174.3 million at June 30, 2018 from $45.0 million at the end of 2017.

Total shareholders’ equity decreased $2.1 million, or 2.3%, to $87.1 million at June 30, 2018 from $89.2 million at December 31, 2017. The reduction in capital resulted primarily from a $5.3 million increase in accumulated other comprehensive loss related to depreciation in the fair value of available-for-sale debt securities, net of deferred taxes, and year-to-date dividends declared of $1.3 million. Partially offsetting these decreases was net income of $4.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2018. Despite the decrease in capital, FNCB remains well capitalized with total risk-based capital and Tier I leverage ratios of 11.31% and 7.69%, respectively, at June 30, 2018.   

Availability of Filings

Copies of FNCB’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on form 10-Q will be provided upon request from: Shareholder Relations, FNCB Bancorp, Inc., 102 East Drinker Street, Dunmore, PA 18512 or by calling (570) 348-6419. FNCB’s SEC filings including its Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q are also available free of charge on the Investor Relations page of the FNCB’s website, www.fncb.com, and on the SEC website at: http://www.sec.gov/edgar/searchedgar/companysearch.html

About FNCB Bancorp, Inc.:
FNCB Bancorp, Inc. is the bank holding company of FNCB Bank. Locally-based for over 100 years, FNCB Bank continues as Northeastern Pennsylvania’s premier community bank – offering a full suite of personal, small business and commercial banking solutions with industry-leading mobile, online and in-branch products and services. FNCB operates through 16 branch offices located in Lackawanna, Luzerne and Wayne Counties and a limited purpose office in Lehigh County, and remains dedicated to making our customers’ banking experience simply better. For more information about FNCB, visit www.fncb.com.

INVESTOR CONTACT:                                                                            
James M. Bone, Jr., CPA                        
Executive Vice President and                                                                
Chief Financial Officer                                           
FNCB Bank                                             
(570) 348-6419                                      
james.bone@fncb.com                                           

FNCB may from time to time make written or oral “forward-looking statements,” including statements contained in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), in its reports to shareholders, and in other communications, which are made in good faith by us pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

These forward-looking statements include statements with respect to FNCB’s beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, expectations, anticipations, estimates and intentions, that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, and are subject to change based on various factors (some of which are beyond our control).  The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.  The following factors, among others, could cause FNCB’s financial performance to differ materially from the plans, objectives, expectations, estimates and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements: the strength of the United States economy in general and the strength of the local economies in our markets; the effects of, and changes in trade, monetary, fiscal and tax policies and laws, including interest rate policies of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; inflation, interest rate, market and monetary fluctuations; the timely development of and acceptance of new products and services; the ability of FNCB to compete with other institutions for business; the composition and concentrations of FNCB’s lending risk and the adequacy of FNCB’s reserves to manage those risks; the valuation of FNCB’s investment securities; the ability of FNCB to pay dividends or repurchase common shares; the ability of FNCB to retain key personnel; the impact of any pending or threatened litigation against FNCB; the marketability of shares of FNCB stock and fluctuations in the value of FNCB’s share price; the effectiveness of FNCB’s system of internal controls; the ability of FNCB to attract additional capital investment; the impact of changes in financial services’ laws and regulations (including laws concerning capital adequacy, taxes, banking, securities and insurance); the impact of technological changes and security risks upon our information technology systems; changes in consumer spending and saving habits; the nature, extent, and timing of governmental actions and reforms, and the success of FNCB at managing the risks involved in the foregoing and other risks and uncertainties, including those detailed in FNCB’s filings with the SEC.

FNCB cautions that the foregoing list of important factors is not all inclusive.  Readers are also cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which reflect management’s analysis only as of the date of this report, even if subsequently made available by FNCB on its website or otherwise.  FNCB does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of FNCB to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this report.

Readers should carefully review the risk factors described in the Annual Report and other documents that FNCB periodically files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017.

[FNCB provides tabular information as follows]