Farmers and Merchants Bancshares, Inc. Reports Earnings of $6,075,845 or $2.00 Per Common Share for the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2022


HAMPSTEAD, Md., Oct. 20, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Farmers and Merchants Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company”), the parent of Farmers and Merchants Bank (the “Bank”), announced that net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 was $6,075,845, or $2.00 per common share (basic and diluted), compared to $6,184,341, or $2.05 per common share (basic and diluted), for the same period in 2021. The Company’s return on average equity during the nine months ended September 30, 2022 was 15.53% compared to 15.17% for the same period in 2021. The Company’s return on average assets during the nine months ended September 30, 2022 was 1.14% compared to 1.18% for the same period in 2021. Income from Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans added approximately $181,000 to net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 compared to $679,000 for the same period in 2021.

Net income for the three months ended September 30, 2022 was $1,974,310, or $0.65 per common share (basic and diluted), compared to $2,122,547, or $0.70 per common share, for the third quarter of 2021.

Net interest income for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 was $720,061 higher than for the same period in 2021 due to a $24.9 million increase in average interest earning assets to $682.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 as compared to $657.7 million for the same period in 2021, and an increase in the taxable equivalent net yield on average net interest earning assets to 3.51% for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 from 3.50% for the nine months ended September 30, 2021. The taxable equivalent yield on total average interest-earning assets decreased 13 basis points to 3.81% for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 from 3.94% for the same period in 2021. This decrease was offset by a 17 basis point decrease in the cost of deposits and borrowings to 0.39% for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 from 0.56% for the same period in 2021. There was a $95,000 provision for loan losses for the nine months ended September 30, 2022, compared to $430,000 for the same period in 2021.

Noninterest income decreased by $362,546 for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 when compared to the same period in 2021 primarily as a result of a $508,575 decrease in mortgage banking revenue reflecting a decline in refinances due to rising interest rates, offset by a $151,206 increase in the gain on sale of SBA loans. Noninterest expense was $783,490 higher in the nine months ended September 30, 2022 when compared to the same period in 2021 due primarily to a $357,718 increase in salaries and benefits and a $428,200 increase in other expenses. The increase in salaries and benefits was due to normal annual salary increases as well as the hiring of several new employees. The increase in other expenses was due primarily to third party fees related to the hiring of new employees. Income taxes increased by $17,521 during the nine months ended September 30, 2022 when compared to the same period in 2021 due to a decrease in the amount of nontaxable income included in pretax income year-over-year. The effective tax rate increased to 22.65% during the nine months ended September 30, 2022 compared to 22.17% during the same period last year.

Total assets were $717 million at both September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021. Loans increased to $505 million at September 30, 2022 from $482 million at December 31, 2021 despite a $9 million decrease in PPP loans. Investments in debt securities decreased to $149 million at September 30, 2022 from $171 million at December 31, 2021 due primarily to a $24 million increase in the unrealized loss on available for sale (“AFS”) securities. Deposits increased to $639 million at September 30, 2022 from $626 million at December 31, 2021. Despite the Company’s strong earnings, the book value of the Company’s common stock decreased to $15.01 per share at September 30, 2022, compared to $18.64 per share at December 31, 2021 due to the decline in the market value of the Company’s AFS investment portfolio as a result of the significant rise in interest rates over the last nine months. Changes in the market value of the AFS investment portfolio, net of income taxes, are reflected in the Company’s equity but are not included in the income statement. Because the Company has the intent and ability to hold the investments to maturity, no actual losses in the AFS investment portfolio are anticipated and the declines in market value are considered temporary. The decline in the market value of the AFS investment portfolio did not have an impact on regulatory capital because the Bank elected many years ago to not include in the calculation of regulatory capital changes in the market value of the AFS investment portfolio regardless of whether they are positive or negative.

James R. Bosley, Jr., CEO, commented “Year to date net income has been very strong and well above our budget, however, increasing rates on deposits may negatively impact fourth quarter earnings. We are pleased with our loan portfolio annualized growth rate of 6.4% - it is exceeding our expectations for 2022 and should have a positive impact on earnings in 2023 and beyond.”

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”.

Farmers and Merchants Bancshares, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Unaudited)

 September 30,December 31,
  2022   2021 
   
Assets     
   
Cash and due from banks$14,495,448  $25,258,932 
Federal funds sold and other interest-bearing deposits 1,536,296   1,203,174 
Cash and cash equivalents 16,031,744   26,462,106 
Certificates of deposit in other banks 100,000   350,000 
Securities available for sale, at fair value 128,614,033   149,237,916 
Securities held to maturity, at cost 20,537,254   21,851,975 
Equity security, at fair value 486,237   543,605 
Restricted stock, at cost 695,000   675,400 
Mortgage loans held for sale 370,000   126,500 
Loans, less allowance for loan losses of $3,747,178 and $3,650,268 505,395,375   482,011,334 
Premises and equipment, net 6,316,605   6,259,421 
Accrued interest receivable 1,600,382   1,609,063 
Deferred income taxes, net 8,347,805   2,177,450 
Other real estate owned, net 1,242,365   1,242,365 
Bank owned life insurance 14,535,898   11,556,163 
Goodwill and other intangibles, net 7,044,834   7,051,080 
Other assets 5,662,828   5,522,877 
 $716,980,360  $716,677,255 
   
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity       
   
Deposits  
Noninterest-bearing$131,269,680  $124,175,615 
Interest-bearing 507,700,154   502,239,055 
Total deposits 638,969,834   626,414,670 
Securities sold under repurchase agreements 5,422,642   5,414,026 
Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta advances 5,000,000   5,000,000 
Long-term debt, net of issuance costs 15,566,458   16,978,905 
Accrued interest payable 260,266   295,910 
Other liabilities 5,918,252   5,952,286 
  671,137,452   660,055,797 
Stockholders' equity  
Common stock, par value $.01 per share,  
authorized 5,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding  
3,053,487 in 2022 and 3,037,137 shares in 2021 30,535   30,372 
Additional paid-in capital 29,197,340   28,857,422 
Retained earnings 34,263,001   29,128,600 
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (17,647,968)  (1,394,936)
  45,842,908   56,621,458 
 $716,980,360  $716,677,255 
 
 

Farmers and Merchants Bancshares, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Income
(Unaudited)

 Three Months Ended September 30,Nine Months Ended September 30,
  2022  2021  2022  2021 
     
Interest income    
Loans, including fees$5,606,913 $6,059,709 $16,660,625 $17,828,026 
Investment securities - taxable 783,606  426,886  2,170,154  967,841 
Investment securities - tax exempt 140,185  149,375  430,495  462,361 
Federal funds sold and other interest earning assets 55,361  18,298  89,663  47,743 
Total interest income 6,586,065  6,654,268  19,350,937  19,305,971 
     
Interest expense    
Deposits 313,556  460,377  971,320  1,589,334 
Securities sold under repurchase agreements 2,874  9,647  8,558  38,130 
Federal Home Loan Bank advances and long-term debt 177,883  192,255  543,033  570,542 
Total interest expense 494,313  662,279  1,522,911  2,198,006 
Net interest income 6,091,752  5,991,989  17,828,026  17,107,965 
     
Provision for loan losses 95,000  330,000  95,000  430,000 
     
Net interest income after provision for loan losses 5,996,752  5,661,989  17,733,026  16,677,965 
     
Noninterest income    
Service charges on deposit accounts 201,251  187,141  574,444  522,815 
Mortgage banking income 8,155  207,471  195,829  704,404 
Bank owned life insurance income 70,479  49,116  179,735  174,602 
Fair value adjustment of equity security (17,611) (2,056) (62,524) (10,214)
Gain on call of debt security -  621  -  9,190 
Gain on sale of SBA loans -  6,917  158,123  6,917 
Other fees and commissions 75,211  82,768  229,326  229,765 
Total noninterest income 337,485  531,978  1,274,933  1,637,479 
     
Noninterest expense    
Salaries 1,987,991  1,895,780  5,656,643  5,366,854 
Employee benefits 418,422  388,879  1,367,829  1,299,900 
Occupancy 229,273  241,557  670,938  737,087 
Furniture and equipment 203,075  198,190  642,283  578,562 
Other 945,930  740,722  2,815,182  2,386,982 
Total noninterest expense 3,784,691  3,465,128  11,152,875  10,369,385 
     
Income before income taxes 2,549,546  2,728,839  7,855,084  7,946,059 
Income taxes 575,236  606,292  1,779,239  1,761,718 
Net income$1,974,310 $2,122,547 $6,075,845 $6,184,341 
     
Earnings per common share - basic and diluted$0.65 $0.70 $2.00 $2.05 


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Contact:Mr. James R. Bosley, Jr.
 Chief Executive Officer
 (410) 374-1510, ext.104