National Commerce Corporation Announces Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year End 2017 Earnings

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Jan. 24, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- National Commerce Corporation (Nasdaq:NCOM) (the “Company” or “NCC”), the parent company of National Bank of Commerce, today reported fourth quarter 2017 net income to common shareholders of $1.0 million, compared to $4.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2016. 

The 2017 results include a write-down of the Company’s deferred tax asset (“DTA”) due to the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, increasing income tax expense for the fourth quarter and the year by $6.2 million.  Diluted net earnings per share were $0.07 in the fourth quarter of 2017, compared to $0.46 in the third quarter of 2017 and $0.44 in the fourth quarter of 2016.  The DTA write-down reduced fourth quarter 2017 diluted net earnings per share by approximately $0.41. 

For the year ended December 31, 2017, NCC earned $20.0 million, or $1.41 in diluted net earnings per share, compared to $17.9 million, or $1.61 per diluted share, for the year ended December 31, 2016.   The DTA write-down reduced 2017 diluted net earnings per share by approximately $0.44. 

NCC’s 2017 fourth quarter and full year 2017 results include $815 thousand and $1.7 million, respectively, in after-tax merger- and conversion-related expenses, reducing diluted net earnings per share by approximately $0.05 and $0.12 for the 2017 fourth quarter and full year, respectively.

“We are pleased to report another good year of profitability, growth and strong asset quality,” said Richard Murray, IV, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company.  “Like many companies, our fourth quarter earnings were impacted by the need to write down our deferred tax asset to reflect the December enactment of the federal tax bill, but we were pleased with our overall operating performance.  We are also encouraged about the positive impact that the tax bill is expected to have on our profitability in 2018.”

“With the January 1, 2018 closing of our acquisition of FirstAtlantic Financial Holdings, Inc., we added some great bankers operating in an excellent market,” continued Murray.  “We are excited about our future with Mitch Hunt and the FirstAtlantic family.  As always, I remind myself and all of our team that our future success is dependent upon our continued focus on the Company’s core values of asset quality, risk management, growth, candor, and accountability, while maintaining an appropriate sense of humility.”

Several important measures from the 2017 fourth quarter and full year are as follows:

• Net Interest Margin (taxable equivalent) of 4.63% for the fourth quarter of 2017 and 4.44% for the year ended December 31, 2017.  The fourth quarter 2017 margin increased 0.05% compared to 4.58% reported for the third quarter of 2017, and increased 0.64% compared to 3.99% reported for the fourth quarter of 2016.  For the year ended December 31, 2017, the margin increased by 0.29% compared to the year ended December 31, 2016.
   
• Return on Average Assets (“ROAA”) of 0.15% for the fourth quarter of 2017, compared to 1.05% for the fourth quarter of 2016.  For the year, ROAA was 0.81%, compared to 1.00% in 2016.  The 2017 ROAA figures were negatively impacted by the DTA write-down.
   
• Return on Average Equity (“ROAE”) of 0.99% for the fourth quarter of 2017, compared to 8.33% for the fourth quarter of 2016.  For the year, ROAE was 5.65%, compared to 7.89% in 2016.  The 2017 ROAE figures were negatively impacted by the DTA write-down.
   
• Return on Average Tangible Common Equity (“ROATCE”) of 1.41% for the fourth quarter of 2017 and 8.10% for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to 10.78% for the fourth quarter of 2016 and 10.32% for the year ended December 31, 2016.  The 2017 ROATCE figures were negatively impacted by the DTA write-down.
   
• Fourth quarter and full year 2017 loan growth (excluding mortgage loans held-for-sale) of $81.7 million and $652.6 million, respectively; non-acquired loans grew $106.1 million during the fourth quarter of 2017 and $379.2 million during the year ended December 31, 2017.  Factored receivables declined $0.4 million during the fourth quarter of 2017 and increased $34.8 million during the year ended December 31, 2017.  The full year loan growth figures for 2017 include loans acquired in the Company’s acquisitions of Private Bancshares, Inc. and Patriot Bank.  
   
• Increase in deposits of $188.5 million during the 2017 fourth quarter and $618.1 million during the year ended December 31, 2017.  The full year deposit growth figures for 2017 include deposits acquired in the Company’s acquisitions of Private Bancshares, Inc. and Patriot Bank.
   
• For the fourth quarter of 2017, mortgage production volume totaled $121.0 million, compared to $76.0 million for the fourth quarter of 2016.  For the year ended December 31, 2017, mortgage production volume totaled $507.6 million, compared to $322.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2016.  The 2017 mortgage production volume benefitted from the addition of the PrivatePlus Mortgage division added in the Private Bancshares, Inc. acquisition.
   
• For the fourth quarter of 2017, purchased volume in the factoring division totaled $267.2 million, compared to $187.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2016.   For the year ended December 31, 2017, purchase volume totaled $1.03 billion, compared to $705.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2016.
   
• Decrease in non-acquired non-performing assets to $0.8 million at December 31, 2017, from $1.9 million at September 30, 2017.
   
• Annualized net charge-offs of 0.14% of average loans outstanding for the fourth quarter of 2017 and 0.05% for the year ended December 31, 2017.
   
• Provision for loan losses of $1.5 million for the fourth quarter of 2017, compared to $0.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2016.  Provision for loan losses for the year ended December 31, 2017 totaled $3.9 million, compared to $3.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2016.
   
• Ending tangible book value per share of $19.05.
   
• Ending book value per share of $27.05.

The Company will host a live audio webcast conference call beginning at 8:30 a.m. Central Time on January 25, 2018 to discuss earnings and operating results for the 2017 fourth quarter and full year.  Investors may call in (toll free) by dialing (844) 296-8205 (conference ID 5036417).  A replay of the conference call will be available until January 27, 2018 and can be accessed by dialing (855) 859-2056.

Investors who plan to participate in the live webcast of the conference call should access the webcast by visiting www.nationalbankofcommerce.com, and then clicking on the “Investor Relations” link under the “Learn More” tab located on that webpage.  A replay of the webcast will be available on the website for one year.  A copy of the news release will also be available at the same location.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Some of the financial measures presented in this press release and included in the accompanying unaudited financial statements are not measures prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”).  These non-GAAP financial measures include tangible common equity, average tangible common equity, return on average tangible common equity, tangible book value per share, efficiency ratio and operating efficiency ratio.  The Company’s management uses these non-GAAP financial measures in its analysis of the Company’s performance.

• “Tangible common equity” is defined as total shareholders’ equity less goodwill, other intangible assets and minority interest not included in intangible assets.
  
  
• “Average tangible common equity” is defined as the average of tangible common equity for the applicable period.
  
  
• “Return on average tangible common equity,” or ROATCE, is defined as net income available to common shareholders divided by average tangible common equity.
  
  
• “Tangible book value per share” is defined as tangible common equity divided by total common shares outstanding.  This measure is important to investors interested in changes from period to period in book value per share, exclusive of changes in intangible assets.

The Company’s management believes that these measures, each of which utilizes the concept of tangible common equity rather than total common equity, provide useful information to management and investors because they eliminate the impact of goodwill and other intangible assets created in an acquisition.  These measures are commonly used by investors when assessing financial institutions.

• “Efficiency ratio” is defined as noninterest expense divided by operating revenue (which is equal to net interest income plus noninterest income), excluding one-time gains and losses on sales of securities.  This measure is important to investors looking for a measure of efficiency in productivity based on the amount of revenue generated for each dollar spent.
  
  
• “Operating efficiency ratio” is defined as noninterest expense divided by operating revenue, excluding one-time gains and losses on sales of securities and one-time gains and expenses related to merger and acquisition activities.  This measure is important to investors looking for a measure of efficiency in productivity based on the amount of revenue generated for each dollar spent.

The Company’s management believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information to management and investors that is supplementary to the Company’s financial condition, results of operations and cash flows computed in accordance with GAAP; however, the Company acknowledges that the non-GAAP financial measures have a number of limitations.  As such, the Company cautions readers that these disclosures should not be viewed as a substitute for results determined in accordance with GAAP, and that these disclosures are not necessarily comparable to non-GAAP financial measures that other companies use.  These non-GAAP financial measures exclude various items detailed in the attached “Non-GAAP Reconciliation.”

About National Commerce Corporation

National Commerce Corporation (Nasdaq:NCOM), a Delaware corporation, is a financial holding company headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama.  Substantially all of the operations of National Commerce Corporation are conducted through the company’s wholly owned subsidiary, National Bank of Commerce.  National Bank of Commerce currently operates seven full-service banking offices in Alabama, twenty-one full-service banking offices in central and northeast Florida (including under the trade names United Legacy Bank, Reunion Bank of Florida, Patriot Bank and FirstAtlantic Bank) and two full-service banking offices in Atlanta, Georgia (including under the trade names Private Bank of Buckhead, Private Bank of Decatur and PrivatePlus Mortgage).  National Bank of Commerce provides a broad array of financial services for commercial and consumer customers.

Additionally, National Bank of Commerce owns a majority stake in Corporate Billing, LLC, a transaction-based finance company headquartered in Decatur, Alabama that provides factoring, invoicing, collection and accounts receivable management services to transportation companies and automotive parts and service providers throughout the United States and parts of Canada.

National Commerce Corporation files periodic reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).  Copies of its filings may be obtained through the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or at www.nationalbankofcommerce.com.  More information about National Commerce Corporation and National Bank of Commerce may be obtained at www.nationalbankofcommerce.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact constitute forward-looking statements for which NCC claims the protection of the safe harbor provisions contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Act”), notwithstanding that such statements are not specifically identified as such.  In addition, certain statements may be contained in NCC’s future filings with the SEC, in press releases and in oral and written statements made by NCC or with NCC’s approval that are not statements of historical fact and that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Act.  Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (i) projections of revenues, expenses, income or loss, earnings or loss per share, the payment or nonpayment of dividends, capital structure and other financial items; (ii) statements of NCC’s plans, objectives and expectations or those of its management or Board of Directors, including those relating to products or services; (iii) statements of future economic performance; and (iv) statements of assumptions underlying such statements.  Words such as “believes,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “targeted,” “continue,” “remain,” “will,” “should,” “may” and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements.  Forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including those risks and uncertainties described under the heading “Risk Factors” in NCC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and described in any subsequent reports that NCC has filed with the SEC.  Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements, and these statements should not be relied upon as predictions of future events.  NCC undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.  In that respect, NCC cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made.