HAMPSTEAD, Md., April 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Farmers and Merchants Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company”), the parent of Farmers and Merchants Bank (the “Bank”), announced that net income for the three months ended March 31, 2021 was $2,029,575, or $0.67 per common share, both all-time quarterly records, compared to $843,307, or $0.28 per common share, for the same period in 2020. The primary driver of the significant increase in net income was the acquisition of Carroll Bancorp, Inc. and its subsidiary, Carroll Community Bank (collectively, “Carroll”), that was completed in the fourth quarter of 2020. Also, income from Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans added approximately $369,000 to net income.
The Company incurred significant one-time costs during 2020 in connection with the Company’s acquisition of Carroll. The table below provides a comparison of the Company’s results for the first quarter of 2021 versus the same period of the prior year with and without $179,824 of acquisition costs incurred during the first quarter of 2020.
| Three Months Ended | |||||||||
| March 31, 2021 | March 31, 2020 | ||||||||
| Excluding | |||||||||
| As Reported | As Reported | Acquisition Costs | |||||||
| Income before taxes | $ | 2,615,276 | $ | 996,223 | $ | 1,176,047 | |||
| Income taxes | 585,701 | 152,916 | 202,399 | ||||||
| Net income | $ | 2,029,575 | $ | 843,307 | $ | 973,648 | |||
| Earnings per share | $ | 0.67 | $ | 0.28 | $ | 0.33 | |||
| Return on average assets | 1.19 | % | 0.75 | % | 0.87 | % | |||
| Return on average equity | 15.37 | % | 6.72 | % | 7.76 | % | |||
Net interest income for the three months ended March 31, 2021 was $1,807,921 higher than for the same period in 2020 due to a $225.4 million increase in average interest earning assets to $655.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 as compared to $430.0 million for the same period in 2020, offset by a decline in the taxable equivalent net yield on interest earning assets to 3.43% for the three months ended March 31, 2021 from 3.54% for the three months ended March 31, 2020. The net yield declined because the yield on loans and investments decreased 50 basis points to 3.92% for the three months ended March 31, 2021 from 4.42% for the same period in 2020 as a result of the Federal Reserve rate cuts in March 2020. Our cost of deposits and borrowings decreased 50 basis points to 0.63% for the three months ended March 31, 2021 from 1.13% for the three months ended March 31, 2020. The provision for loan losses totaled $120,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2021, compared to $125,000 for the same period in 2020.
Noninterest income increased by $254,943 for the three months ended March 31, 2021 when compared to the same period in 2020 primarily as a result of a $194,010 increase in mortgage banking income, a $28,107 increase in bank owned life insurance revenue, and a $37,613 gain on sale of Carroll’s Westminster, Maryland branch office. Noninterest expense was $448,811 higher in the three months ended March 31, 2021 when compared to the same period in 2020 due primarily to additional personnel, locations and customers added with the acquisition of Carroll. Salaries and benefits increased $297,203, other expenses increased $228,138 and occupancy, furniture and equipment costs increased $103,294. The aforementioned acquisition costs decreased $179,824. Income taxes increased by $432,785 during the three months ended March 31, 2021 when compared to the same period in 2020 due to higher income before taxes.
Total assets increased to $696 million at March 31, 2021 from $677 million at December 31, 2020. Loans decreased slightly to $519 million at March 31, 2021 from $522 million at December 31, 2020. Investment in debt securities increased to $97 million at March 31, 2021 from $78 million at December 31, 2020. Deposits increased to $603 million at March 31, 2021 from $573 million at December 31, 2020. The book value of the Company’s common stock was $17.64 per share at March 31, 2021, compared to $17.18 per share at December 31, 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic appears to be winding down with immunizations occurring at a rapid pace. The Company has provided relief to our borrowers, as needed, including temporary deferral of payments. At the start of the pandemic in 2020, the Company modified loans totalling $109.2 million, or 30% of its loan portfolio. At March 31, 2021, $15.9 million, or 3% of the loan portfolio, have COVID-19 modifications. In addition, the Company has originated $59 million of PPP loans to customers, $38 million in 2020 and $21 million in 2021. The Company increased its loan loss reserve significantly in 2020 due to the pandemic, but has yet to incur any actual losses.
James R. Bosley, Jr., President and CEO, commented, “We are pleased that the Carroll acquisition is contributing significantly to net income, as planned, and along with income from PPP loans resulted in the best quarter in our 100+ year history. We will continue to provide for the health and safety of our employees and customers until the pandemic is safely over.”
About the Company
The Company is a financial holding company and the parent of the Bank. The Bank was chartered in Maryland in 1919 and has over 100 years of service to the community. The Bank serves the deposit and financing needs of both consumers and businesses in Carroll and Baltimore Counties along the Route 30, Route 795, Route 140, and Route 26 corridors. The main office is located in Upperco, Maryland, with seven additional branches in Owings Mills, Hampstead, Greenmount, Reisterstown, Westminster, and Eldersburg. Certain broker-dealers make a market in the common stock of Farmers and Merchants Bancshares, Inc., and trades are reported through the OTC Markets Group’s Pink Market under the symbol “FMFG”.
Forward-Looking Statements
The statements contained herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements (as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) based on management's current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on the Company. Such statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond the control of the Company. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Company will be the same as those anticipated by management. These statements are evidenced by terms such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “should,” “will,” “expect,” “believe,” “intend,” and similar expressions. Although these statements reflect management’s good faith beliefs and projections, they are not guarantees of future performance and they may not prove true. These projections involve risk and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those addressed in the forward-looking statements. For a discussion of these risks and uncertainties, see the section of the periodic reports filed by Farmers and Merchants Bancshares, Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission entitled “Risk Factors”.
| FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: | |
| Contact: | Mr. James R. Bosley, Jr. |
| President | |
| (410) 374-1510, ext.104 | |
Farmers and Merchants Bancshares, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Balance Sheets
| March 31, | December 31, | ||||
| 2021 | 2020 | ||||
| (Unaudited) | |||||
| Assets | |||||
| Cash and due from banks | $ | 41,378,357 | $ | 39,898,557 | |
| Federal funds sold and other interest-bearing deposits | 535,535 | 1,077,113 | |||
| Cash and cash equivalents | 41,913,892 | 40,975,670 | |||
| Certificates of deposit in other banks | 350,000 | 850,000 | |||
| Securities available for sale | 74,849,166 | 54,477,286 | |||
| Securities held to maturity | 21,945,447 | 23,078,519 | |||
| Equity security at fair value | 545,713 | 552,566 | |||
| Restricted stock, at cost | 675,400 | 900,500 | |||
| Mortgage loans held for sale | 1,682,700 | 1,673,350 | |||
| Loans, less allowance for loan losses of $3,423,088 and $3,296,538 | 519,239,304 | 521,690,514 | |||
| Premises and equipment | 6,343,681 | 7,736,556 | |||
| Accrued interest receivable | 1,883,128 | 2,057,491 | |||
| Deferred income taxes | 1,464,784 | 1,219,668 | |||
| Other real estate owned | 1,411,605 | 1,411,605 | |||
| Bank owned life insurance | 15,067,461 | 11,297,342 | |||
| Goodwill and other intangibles | 7,057,326 | 7,059,408 | |||
| Other assets | 1,952,747 | 2,336,607 | |||
| $ | 696,382,354 | $ | 677,317,082 | ||
| Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity | |||||
| Deposits | |||||
| Noninterest-bearing | $ | 121,925,868 | $ | 103,155,113 | |
| Interest-bearing | 481,315,407 | 470,246,434 | |||
| Total deposits | 603,241,275 | 573,401,547 | |||
| Securities sold under repurchase agreements | 12,648,269 | 24,753,972 | |||
| Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta advances | 5,000,000 | 5,000,000 | |||
| Long-term debt | 16,974,687 | 16,973,280 | |||
| Accrued interest payable | 357,961 | 409,622 | |||
| Other liabilities | 5,046,750 | 5,049,178 | |||
| 643,268,942 | 625,587,599 | ||||
| Stockholders' equity | |||||
| Common stock, par value $.01 per share, | |||||
| authorized 5,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding | |||||
| 3,011,255 shares in 2021 and 2020 | 30,113 | 30,113 | |||
| Additional paid-in capital | 28,294,139 | 28,294,139 | |||
| Retained earnings | 24,728,529 | 22,698,954 | |||
| Accumulated other comprehensive income | 60,631 | 706,277 | |||
| 53,113,412 | 51,729,483 | ||||
| $ | 696,382,354 | $ | 677,317,082 | ||
Farmers and Merchants Bancshares, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Income
(Unaudited)
| Three Months Ended March 31, | ||||||
| 2021 | 2020 | |||||
| Interest income | ||||||
| Loans, including fees | $ | 5,984,657 | $ | 4,322,654 | ||
| Investment securities - taxable | 211,224 | 210,506 | ||||
| Investment securities - tax exempt | 160,574 | 144,084 | ||||
| Federal funds sold and other interest earning assets | 14,137 | 32,792 | ||||
| Total interest income | 6,370,592 | 4,710,036 | ||||
| Interest expense | ||||||
| Deposits | 595,520 | 906,199 | ||||
| Securities sold under repurchase agreements | 13,511 | 38,194 | ||||
| Federal Home Loan Bank advances and other borrowings | 188,106 | 109 | ||||
| Total interest expense | 797,137 | 944,502 | ||||
| Net interest income | 5,573,455 | 3,765,534 | ||||
| Provision for loan losses | 120,000 | 125,000 | ||||
| Net interest income after provision for loan losses | 5,453,455 | 3,640,534 | ||||
| Noninterest income | ||||||
| Service charges on deposit accounts | 159,191 | 158,555 | ||||
| Mortgage banking income | 256,267 | 62,257 | ||||
| Bank owned life insurance income | 70,119 | 42,012 | ||||
| Unrealized gain (loss) on equity security | (100 | ) | 8,510 | |||
| Gain on sale of former branch office | 37,613 | - | ||||
| Other fees and commissions | 33,855 | 30,668 | ||||
| Total noninterest income | 556,945 | 302,002 | ||||
| Noninterest expense | ||||||
| Salaries | 1,626,338 | 1,354,919 | ||||
| Employee benefits | 472,888 | 447,104 | ||||
| Occupancy | 250,212 | 183,152 | ||||
| Furniture and equipment | 196,683 | 160,449 | ||||
| Acquisition | - | 179,824 | ||||
| Other | 849,003 | 620,865 | ||||
| Total noninterest expense | 3,395,124 | 2,946,313 | ||||
| Income before income taxes | 2,615,276 | 996,223 | ||||
| Income taxes | 585,701 | 152,916 | ||||
| Net income | $ | 2,029,575 | $ | 843,307 | ||
| Earnings per share - basic and diluted | $ | 0.67 | $ | 0.28 | ||