Community West Bancshares Earnings Grow 38% YOY to $1.6 Million in 2Q17 Highlighted by 21% Loan Growth YOY and 28% Non-Interest Bearing Deposit Growth YOY; Quarterly Common Stock Dividend Declared


GOLETA, Calif., July 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Community West Bancshares (Community West or the Company), (NASDAQ:CWBC), parent company of Community West Bank (Bank), today reported net income increased 14.7% to $1.6 million, or $0.18 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2017 (2Q17) compared to $1.4 million, or $0.16 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2017 (1Q17) and increased 38.3% compared to $1.1 million, or $0.13 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2016 (2Q16). 

In the first six months of 2017 net income increased 20.9% to $2.9 million, or $0.34 per diluted share, compared to $2.4 million, or $0.29 per diluted share, in the first six months of 2016.

“Although we have been focused on organically growing our franchise (opening in San Luis Obispo last November, Oxnard in January, and a loan production office in Paso Robles in June 2017) we’ve concurrently delivered improved operating results,” stated Martin E. Plourd, President and Chief Executive Officer.  “The strong year-over-year loan growth of 21% together with 28% non-interest-bearing deposits growth was a result of our expansion.  We remain focused on competing for business in our local markets and expanding our franchise throughout California’s Central Coast.  We also appreciate the continued support of our shareholders as we pursue these market share growth opportunities.”

Second Quarter 2017 Financial Highlights

  • Net income was $1.6 million, or $0.18 per diluted share. 
  • Net interest margin was 4.39%.
  • Net loans increased $24.1 million to $684.8 million at June 30, 2017, compared to $660.8 million three months earlier and increased $120.0 million compared to $564.8 million a year ago.
  • Non-interest-bearing deposits increased 28.2% to $107.0 million at June 30, 2017, compared to $83.5 million a year ago.
  • Book value per common share increased to $8.36 at June 30, 2017, compared to $7.81 a year ago. 
  • The Bank continues to be well-capitalized per banking regulations with its total risk-based capital ratio at 11.62% and Tier 1 leverage ratio at 9.23% at June 30, 2017.
  • Annualized return on average assets was 0.83%.
  • Annualized return on average common equity was 9.20%.

Income Statement

“Our net interest margin, although contracting slightly during the quarter, still remains above industry averages due to our higher loan yields,” said Susan C. Thompson, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.  Second quarter net interest margin was 4.39% compared to 4.45% in 1Q17 and 4.47% in 2Q16.  In the first six months of 2017, Community West’s net interest margin was 4.42% compared to 4.46% in the first six months of 2016.

Net interest income for 2Q17 was $8.0 million, a 3.4% increase compared to $7.8 million in the preceding quarter and a 16.5% increase compared to $6.9 million in 2Q16.

Non-interest income increased 8.7% to $697,000 in 2Q17, compared to $641,000 in 1Q17 and increased 20.8% compared to $577,000 in 2Q16, primarily due to increased loan volumes. 

Second quarter non-interest expenses totaled $6.0 million, compared to $5.9 million in 1Q17 and $5.5 million in 2Q16.  The increase is largely due to costs associated with the expansion of the Bank’s Northern region, and the addition of the Oxnard location in the Southern region. 

Balance Sheet

Total assets were $785.0 million at June 30, 2017, a 4.9% increase compared to three months earlier and a 22.2% increase compared to $642.6 million one year ago. 

“The loan portfolio continues to benefit from a strong regional economy and demand for our diverse lending products,” said Plourd.  “The commercial real estate loan portfolio and manufactured housing portfolio generated the most increases during the current quarter.”

Net loans increased 3.1% to $684.8 million at June 30, 2017, compared to $660.8 million at March 31, 2017, and increased 21.2% compared to $564.8 million a year ago.  Commercial real estate loans outstanding were up 53.0% from year ago levels to $317.8 million at June 30, 2017, and comprise 45.9% of the total loan portfolio.  Manufactured housing loans were up 11.0% from year ago levels to $209.1 million and represent 30.2% of total loans.  Commercial loans increased 4.7% from year ago levels to $111.7 million and represent 16.1% of the total loan portfolio and SBA loans decreased 15.8% from a year ago to $34.7 million and represent 5.0% of the total loan portfolio.

Deposits increased 4.7% to $670.3 million at June 30, 2017, compared to $640.1 million at March 31, 2017, and increased 18.6% compared to $565.2 million a year earlier.  Core deposits, defined as non-interest-bearing checking, interest-bearing checking, money market accounts, savings accounts and retail certificates of deposit totaled $463.6 million at June 30, 2017 and comprise 69.1% of total deposits, compared to $419.1 million, or 73.9% of total deposits, a year ago. 

Stockholders’ equity was $68.2 million at June 30, 2017, compared to $66.6 million at March 31, 2017, and $63.2 million a year ago.  Book value per common share improved to $8.36 at June 30, 2017, compared to $8.22 at March 31, 2017, and $7.81 a year ago. 

Credit Quality

“Due to another quarter of robust loan growth, we recorded a provision for loan losses for the fifth consecutive quarter,” said Plourd.  The loan loss provision was $120,000 in 2Q17, compared to $144,000 in 1Q17, and $61,000 in 2Q16.  Net loan recoveries were $88,000 in 2Q17 compared to $177,000 in 1Q17 and $148,000 in 2Q16.

The allowance for loan losses was $8.0 million at June 30, 2017, or 1.27% of total loans held for investment, compared to 1.28% at March 31, 2017, and 1.37% a year ago.  Net nonaccrual loans decreased 13.6% to $2.0 million, or 0.29% of total loans at June 30, 2017, compared to $2.3 million, or 0.34% of total loans, three months earlier, and decreased 50.2% compared to $4.0 million, or 0.70% of total loans, a year ago.

Of the $2.0 million in net nonaccrual loans, $560,000 were manufactured housing loans, $527,000 were commercial loans, $263,000 were home equity loans, $203,000 were SBA 504 1st loans, $183,000 were single family real estate loans, $144,000 were commercial real estate loans and $108,000 were SBA 7A loans.

Other assets acquired through foreclosure totaled $362,000 at June 30, 2017, compared to $145,000 three months earlier and $129,000 a year earlier.   

Cash Dividend Declared

The Company’s Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.04 per common share, payable August 31, 2017 to common shareholders of record on August 14, 2017.  The current annualized yield, based on the closing price of CWBC shares of $10.10 on June 30, 2017, was 1.6%.

Stock Repurchase Program
On August 31, 2015, the Company announced that the Board of Directors authorized a common stock repurchase program of up to $3.0 million.  As of June 30, 2017, 187,569 shares (none in 2Q17) had been cumulatively repurchased (last repurchase was in 3Q16) at an average price of $7.25 per share.

Company Overview

Community West Bancshares is a financial services company with headquarters in Goleta, California. The Company is the holding company for Community West Bank, the largest publicly traded community bank serving California’s Central Coast area of Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.  Community West Bank has seven full-service California branch banking offices, in Goleta, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Ventura, Westlake Village, San Luis Obispo and Oxnard and a loan production office in Paso Robles. The principal business activities of the Company are Relationship business banking, Manufactured Housing lending and Government Guaranteed lending.

Industry Accolades

In April 2017, Community West was awarded a “Super Premier” rating by The Findley Reports, the highest ranking for a community bank.  For 50 years, The Findley Reports has been recognizing the financial performance of banking institutions in California and the Western United States.  In making their selections, The Findley Reports focuses on these four ratios: growth, return on beginning equity, net operating income as a percentage of average assets, and loan losses as a percentage of gross loans.

In September 2016, Community West was named to Sandler O’Neill and Partners Bank and Thrift Sm-All Stars – Class of 2016.  This award recognized Community West as one of the top 27 best performing small capitalization institutions from a list of publicly traded banks and thrifts in the U.S. with market capitalizations less than $2.5 billion.  In making their selections, Sandler focused on growth, profitability, credit quality and capital strength.

Safe Harbor Disclosure

This release contains forward-looking statements that reflect management's current views of future events and operations.  These forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to the Company as of the date of this release.  It is important to note that these forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the ability of the Company to implement its strategy and expand its lending operations.


 

COMMUNITY WEST BANCSHARES           
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENTS           
(unaudited)           
(in 000's, except per share data)           
            
  Three Months Ended Six Months Ended 
  June 30, March 31, June 30, June 30, June 30, 
   2017  2017  2016   2017  2016  
            
Interest income           
Loans, including fees $  8,788 $  8,442 $  7,414  $  17,230 $  14,589  
Investment securities and other    278    261    260     539    529  
Total interest income    9,066    8,703    7,674     17,769    15,118  
Interest expense           
Deposits    941    858    704     1,799    1,355  
Other borrowings and convertible debt    89    71    73     160    145  
Total interest expense    1,030    929    777     1,959    1,500  
Net interest income    8,036    7,774    6,897     15,810    13,618  
Provision (credit) for loan losses    120    144    61     264    (186) 
Net interest income after provision for loan losses    7,916    7,630    6,836     15,546    13,804  
Non-interest income           
Other loan fees    342    303    282     645    557  
Document processing fees    151    133    136     284    251  
Service charges    112    96    102     208    192  
Other    92    109    57     201    156  
Total non-interest income    697    641    577     1,338    1,156  
Non-interest expenses           
Salaries and employee benefits     3,796    3,931    3,494     7,727    6,946  
Occupancy, net    686    645    581     1,331    1,067  
Professional services    299    179    278     478    457  
Advertising and marketing    195    156    212     351    293  
Depreciation     188    163    175     351    324  
FDIC assessment    179    110    99     289    196  
Data processing    165    168    169     333    340  
Stock-based compensation    87    84    84     171    164  
Loan servicing and collection    55    106    (89)    161    90  
Other     357    381    503     738    965  
Total non-interest expenses    6,007    5,923    5,506     11,930    10,842  
Income before provision for income taxes    2,606    2,348    1,907     4,954    4,118  
Provision for income taxes    1,050    992    782     2,042    1,710  
Net income $  1,556 $  1,356 $  1,125  $  2,912 $  2,408  
Earnings per share:           
Basic $  0.19 $  0.17 $  0.14  $  0.36 $  0.30  
Diluted $  0.18 $  0.16 $  0.13  $  0.34 $  0.29  
            

 

COMMUNITY WEST BANCSHARES         
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS         
(unaudited)         
(in 000's, except per share data)         
          
  June 30, March 31, June 30, December 31, 
   2017   2017   2016   2016  
          
Cash and cash equivalents $  1,919  $  1,811  $  2,665  $  2,401  
Time and interest-earning deposits in other financial institutions    36,085     28,366     24,604     31,715  
Investment securities    39,326     35,389     30,782     31,683  
Loans:         
Commercial    111,655     103,581     106,650     105,290  
Commercial real estate    317,793     303,795     207,664     272,142  
SBA    34,670     37,036     41,176     36,488  
Manufactured housing    209,119     202,332     188,315     194,222  
Single family real estate    10,161     11,728     17,203     12,750  
HELOC    9,974     10,462     10,803     10,292  
Other    (542)    (388)    43     (365) 
Total loans    692,830     668,546     571,854     630,819  
          
Loans, net         
Held for sale    60,933     59,811     60,086     61,416  
Held for investment    631,897     608,735     511,768     569,403  
Less: Allowance for loan losses    (7,994)    (7,785)    (7,028)    (7,464) 
Net held for investment    623,903     600,950     504,740     561,939  
NET LOANS    684,836     660,761     564,826     623,355  
          
Other assets    22,806     21,973     19,747     21,418  
          
TOTAL ASSETS $  784,972  $  748,300  $  642,624  $  710,572  
          
Deposits         
Non-interest-bearing demand $  107,049  $  102,553  $  83,524  $  100,372  
Interest-bearing demand    262,475     262,008     250,036     253,023  
Savings    14,011     14,072     14,173     14,007  
Certificates of deposit ($250,000 or more)    82,156     80,293     74,622     77,509  
Other certificates of deposit    204,589     181,204     142,829     167,325  
Total deposits    670,280     640,130     565,184     612,236  
Other borrowings    41,800     37,000     10,500     29,000  
Other liabilities    4,676     4,603     3,702     4,000  
  TOTAL LIABILITIES    716,756     681,733     579,386     645,236  
          
Stockholders' equity    68,216     66,567     63,238     65,336  
          
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY         
 $  784,972  $  748,300  $  642,624  $  710,572  
          
Shares outstanding    8,160     8,103     8,098     8,096  
          
Book value per common share $  8.36  $  8.22  $  7.81  $  8.07  
          

 

ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION         
(Dollars in thousands except per share amounts)(Unaudited)         
 Three Months Ended Three Months Ended Three Months Ended Six Months Ended 
PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND RATIOSJun. 30, 2017 Mar. 31, 2017 Jun. 30, 2016 Jun. 30, 2017Jun. 30, 2016 
Return on average common equity  9.20%  8.28%  7.15%  8.75% 7.69% 
Return on average assets  0.83%  0.76%  0.72%  0.80% 0.78% 
Efficiency ratio 68.79%  70.39%  73.67%  69.57% 73.39% 
Net interest margin 4.39%  4.45%  4.47%  4.42% 4.46% 
          
 Three Months Ended Three Months Ended Three Months Ended Six Months Ended 
AVERAGE BALANCESJun. 30, 2017 Mar. 31, 2017 Jun. 30, 2016 Jun. 30, 2017Jun. 30, 2016 
Average assets$  747,790  $  721,630  $  631,318  $  734,782 $  624,808  
Average earning assets   735,041     708,751     620,125     721,969    613,999  
Average total loans   672,677     650,784     558,841     661,791    551,198  
Average deposits   646,316     626,876     553,943     636,650    547,241  
Average common equity   67,820     66,381     63,277     67,105    62,958  
          
EQUITY ANALYSISJun. 30, 2017 Mar. 31, 2017 Jun. 30, 2016    
Total common equity$  68,216  $  66,567  $  63,238     
Common stock outstanding   8,160     8,103     8,098     
          
Book value per common share$  8.36  $  8.22  $  7.81     
          
ASSET QUALITYJun. 30, 2017 Mar. 31, 2017 Jun. 30, 2016    
Nonaccrual loans, net$  1,988  $  2,302  $  3,988     
Nonaccrual loans, net/total loans 0.29%  0.34%  0.70%    
Other assets acquired through foreclosure, net$  362  $  145  $  129     
          
Nonaccrual loans plus other assets acquired through foreclosure, net$  2,350  $  2,447  $  4,117     
Nonaccrual loans plus other assets acquired through foreclosure, net/total assets 0.30%  0.33%  0.64%    
Net loan (recoveries)/charge-offs in the quarter$  (88) $  (177) $  (148)    
Net (recoveries)/charge-offs in the quarter/total loans  (0.01%)  (0.03%)  (0.03%)    
          
Allowance for loan losses$  7,994  $  7,785  $  7,028     
Plus: Reserve for undisbursed loan commitments   99     113     89     
Total allowance for credit losses$  8,093  $  7,898  $  7,117     
Allowance for loan losses/total loans held for investment 1.27%  1.28%  1.37%    
Allowance for loan losses/nonaccrual loans, net 402.11%  338.18%  176.23%    
          
Community West Bank *         
Tier 1 leverage ratio 9.23%  9.41%  10.53%    
Tier 1 capital ratio 10.39%  10.38%  12.28%    
Total capital ratio 11.62%  11.60%  13.53%    
          
INTEREST SPREAD ANALYSISJun. 30, 2017 Mar. 31, 2017 Jun. 30, 2016    
Yield on total loans 5.24%  5.26%  5.34%    
Yield on investments 2.31%  2.48%  2.57%    
Yield on interest earning deposits 0.83%  0.74%  0.46%    
Yield on earning assets 4.95%  4.98%  4.98%    
          
Cost of interest-bearing deposits 0.69%  0.66%  0.59%    
Cost of total deposits 0.58%  0.56%  0.51%    
Cost of borrowings 1.22%  1.20%  2.80%    
Cost of interest-bearing liabilities 0.72%  0.68%  0.64%    
          
* Capital ratios are preliminary until the Call Report is filed.         

 


            

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