VALDOSTA, Ga., July 26, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- PAB Bankshares, Inc. (Nasdaq:PABK) and President and CEO M. Burke Welsh, Jr. today announced the Company's financial results for the second quarter of 2006. The Company's net income for the quarter ended June 30, 2006 was $3.6 million, or $0.37 per diluted share, a 15% increase compared to the $3.1 million, or $0.32 per diluted share, reported for the same period in 2005. The results for the second quarter also represent an 8% increase over the $3.3 million, or $0.34 per diluted share, reported for the first quarter of 2006. "I'm proud to announce another quarter of solid performance for the Company. We posted record earnings, improved our asset quality levels through the liquidation of our largest problem asset, and continued our operational expansion in the Atlanta and Jacksonville markets during the second quarter," stated Welsh.
The net earnings for the quarter produced a return on average equity ("ROE") of 15.93% and a return on average assets ("ROA") of 1.36%, compared to a 14.89% ROE and a 1.37% ROA for the same period in 2005. The Company's net interest margin was 4.61% for the second quarter of 2006, a 12 basis point improvement compared to the 4.49% net interest margin in the second quarter of 2005. The improvement in the net interest margin is the combined result of a 15% increase in the Company's average earning assets and a two basis point widening in the spread between the average yields earned on those earning assets and the average rates paid on the deposits and other borrowings used to fund those earning assets.
For the six months ended June 30, 2006, the Company reported net income of $6.9 million, or $0.71 per diluted share, a 23% increase compared to $5.6 million, or $0.58 per diluted share, reported for the same period in 2005. The net income for the first six months of 2006 resulted in a 15.51% ROE and a 1.33% ROA, both an improvement compared to a 13.55% ROE and a 1.25% ROA for the same period in 2005. The Company's net interest margin for the first six months of 2006 was 4.59%, a 24 basis point improvement compared to the 4.35% net interest margin for the same period in 2005.
At June 30, 2006, the Company reported total assets of $1.06 billion, total loans of $803.0 million, and total deposits of $856.8 million representing increases of 13.5%, 11.6% and 17.9%, respectively, since June 30, 2005. After a 4.9% increase in total deposits during the first quarter of 2006, the Company reported a nominal 0.2% increase in deposit growth for the second quarter of 2006. "The intense competition for deposits in most of our markets has resulted in a very favorable environment for depositors who shop for the highest rates. We have made the decision to not chase after those deposits with pricing that is irrational to us," stated Welsh. "We will choose where we will compete for deposits in our markets when it makes sense for us and our shareholders. We have the ability to utilize wholesale funding alternatives if we need the liquidity." With minimal growth in deposits during the quarter, the Company reported total asset growth of less than 0.1%. Total loans increased $38.9 million, or 5.1%, during the quarter on continued demand for residential and commercial construction and development lending. The Company utilized its excess liquidity that had been invested in overnight Fed Funds to fund the loan growth this quarter.
Branch Expansion
"Although our asset and deposit growth slowed during the quarter, we are excited about our expansion plans and the momentum that we have built in our existing markets," stated Welsh. The Company reported on the current status of the branch expansion goals of its operating subsidiary, The Park Avenue Bank.
In May, the Bank began construction on a new 3,600 square foot bank branch along Epps Bridge Road in Oconee County, outside of Athens, Georgia. The Bank has operated a loan production office in the Athens market since October 2003. Mark Papanicolaou is the Bank's Athens Market President. Mr. Papanicolaou, who previously served as the Northeast Georgia Market President for SouthTrust, has been with the Bank since February 2005. The construction of the Athens branch is expected to be completed by October 2006.
In June, the Bank entered into a five-year agreement to lease approximately 3,000 square feet of office space for a branch, subject to regulatory approval, at Sutton Place along the Butler Boulevard commercial corridor in Jacksonville, Florida. Ross McWilliams, who previously served as the Market President for Bank of America's North Florida Home Builder Division, recently joined the Bank to serve as the Bank's Jacksonville Market President. The build-out of the leased space for the Jacksonville branch is expected to be completed by October 2006. The Bank has signed a nonbinding letter of intent and is in the process of conducting due diligence on a second potential branch site in the Jacksonville market. The Bank is also in the initial stages of discussion on a third potential branch site in the Jacksonville market.
The Bank has identified a location and is currently in negotiations for a lease for a branch office in Snellville, a growing suburb in Gwinnett County east of Atlanta, to compliment the Bank's Snellville loan production office. The Bank expects to have this branch open by November 2006. Greg Russell, who joined the Bank in December 2005 from Synovus subsidiary Bank of North Georgia, is the Bank's Gwinnett Market President.
With the addition of these three branches, the Bank would have a total of twenty branch offices and three loan production offices in operation by the end of 2006. The Bank plans to open three or four additional offices within its geographic footprint by the end of 2008.
Asset Quality
At June 30, 2006, the Company reported total nonperforming assets of $1.4 million, or 0.13% of total assets, a $6.6 million decrease compared to total nonperforming assets of $8.0 million, or 0.75% of total assets, as of March 31, 2006. During the quarter, the Company foreclosed on a commercial real estate loan relationship with an outstanding balance of $7.1 million at March 31, 2006. The Company charged-off $274,000 and sold three of the four properties foreclosed upon during the quarter associated with this relationship. The remaining parcel, which was included in other real estate owned on the Company's balance sheet with a value of $765,000 at quarter end, is being marketed for sale.
The Company reported $283,000 in net charge-offs for the second quarter of 2006. For the six months ended June 30, 2006, the Company reported net charge-offs of $176,000, resulting in an annualized net loss to average total loans ratio of 0.05%. The allowance for loan losses represented 1.36% of total loans at June 30, 2006, an 11 basis point decrease from the 1.47% level reported at December 31, 2005. "The decrease is a reflection of the Company's improved asset quality and loan growth during the period. Given our concentrations in construction and development lending, we realize that our risk profile could be negatively impacted by changes in market conditions. We will continue to maintain an allowance for loan losses that we believe to be adequate to protect the Company," noted Welsh.
Conference Call
The Company will host a conference call and webcast to allow the public the opportunity to listen to management discuss the Company's quarterly results at 11:00 AM EST on Tuesday, August 1, 2006. Members of the news media, investors and the general public are invited to access the live webcast of the conference call via the Company's website at www.pabbankshares.com. A link to the webcast is posted on the "Corporate Profile" page in the "Investor Relations" section of the Company's website. Participants may also access the live conference call by dialing (toll free) 877-407-8033 or (international) 201-689-8033. Shortly following the call and at any time for 60 days thereafter, listeners may access an archived version of the webcast at the "Investor Relations" section of the Company's website.
About PAB
The Company's sole operating subsidiary is The Park Avenue Bank. Both the Company and the Bank are headquartered in Valdosta, Georgia. The Bank is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2006. In 1956, the Bank was established by Mr. James L. Dewar, Sr. in a small office at the corner of Park Avenue and Ashley Street in Valdosta. Currently, the Bank operates 17 branch offices and five loan production offices in 15 counties in Georgia and Florida. Additional information on the Bank's locations and the products and services offered by the Bank is available on the Internet at www.parkavebank.com. On November 1, 2005, the Company's common stock began trading on the NASDAQ National Market under the symbol PABK. The Company's common stock had previously traded on the American Stock Exchange under the symbol PAB since July 9, 1996. More information on the Company is available on the Internet at www.pabbankshares.com.
Note to Investors
Certain matters set forth in this news release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including, without limitation, statements regarding our outlook on earnings, stock performance, asset quality, projected growth, and branch expansion, and are based upon management's beliefs as well as assumptions made based on data currently available to management. When words like "anticipate", "believe", "intend", "plan", "expect", "estimate", "could", "should", "will" and similar expressions are used, you should consider them as identifying forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and a variety of factors could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from the anticipated or expected results expressed in these forward-looking statements. The following list, which is not intended to be an all-encompassing list of risks and uncertainties affecting the Company, summarizes several factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or expected in these forward-looking statements: (1) competitive pressures among depository and other financial institutions may increase significantly; (2) changes in the interest rate environment may reduce margins or the volumes or values of loans made by The Park Avenue Bank; (3) general economic conditions (both generally and in our markets) may be less favorable than expected, resulting in, among other things, a deterioration in credit quality and/or a reduction in demand for credit; (4) legislative or regulatory changes, including changes in accounting standards and compliance requirements, may adversely affect the businesses in which we are engaged; (5) competitors may have greater financial resources and develop products that enable such competitors to compete more successfully than we can; (6) our ability to attract and retain key personnel can be affected by the increased competition for experienced employees in the banking industry; (7) adverse changes may occur in the bond and equity markets; (8) war or terrorist activities may cause further deterioration in the economy or cause instability in credit markets; (9) restrictions or conditions imposed by our regulators on our operations may make it more difficult for us to achieve our goals; (10) economic, governmental or other factors may prevent the projected population, residential and commercial growth in the markets in which we operate; and (11) the risk factors discussed from time to time in the Company's Periodic Reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The Company undertakes no obligation to revise these statements following the date of this press release.
PAB BANKSHARES, INC. SELECTED QUARTERLY FINANCIAL DATA (Dollars in thousands except per share and other data) Period Ended -------------------------------------------------------- 06/30/06 03/31/06 12/31/05 09/30/05 06/30/05 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Summary of Operations: Interest income $ 19,306 $ 17,848 $ 16,940 $ 15,783 $ 14,180 Interest expense 8,006 6,956 6,367 5,556 4,580 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Net interest income 11,300 10,892 10,573 10,227 9,600 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Provision for loan losses -- -- 300 275 153 Other income 1,557 1,040 1,437 1,570 1,458 Other expense 7,182 6,756 6,526 6,259 6,228 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Income before income tax expense 5,675 5,176 5,184 5,263 4,677 Income tax expense 2,083 1,865 1,856 1,744 1,549 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Net income $ 3,592 $ 3,311 $ 3,328 $ 3,519 $ 3,128 ===================================================================== Net interest income on a tax- equivalent basis $ 11,422 $ 10,975 $ 10,648 $ 10,284 $ 9,648 Per Share Ratios: Net income - basic $ 0.38 $ 0.35 $ 0.35 $ 0.37 $ 0.33 Net income - diluted 0.37 0.34 0.34 0.36 0.32 Dividends declared for period 0.135 0.125 0.125 0.120 0.120 Dividend payout ratio 35.70% 35.91% 35.56% 32.52% 36.57% Book value at end of period $ 9.36 $ 9.35 $ 9.19 $ 9.15 $ 8.87 Common Share Data: Outstanding at period end 9,498,026 9,512,767 9,469,017 9,534,408 9,528,508 Weighted average out- standing during period 9,511,395 9,484,570 9,502,842 9,530,712 9,526,343 Diluted weighted average out- standing during period 9,722,097 9,712,633 9,707,068 9,709,819 9,671,945 Selected Average Balances: Total assets $1,055,955 $1,035,348 $1,007,109 $ 974,747 $ 918,643 Earning assets 994,173 975,699 948,882 916,001 861,462 Loans 787,332 761,900 741,600 722,410 693,433 Deposits 851,937 834,062 803,978 764,068 712,193 Stockholders' equity 90,433 89,030 87,842 86,596 84,245 Selected Period End Balances: Total assets $1,060,046 $1,059,167 $1,017,326 $ 991,111 $ 933,747 Earning assets 994,386 998,323 957,918 932,491 872,380 Loans 803,035 764,090 752,938 731,545 719,634 Allowance for loan losses 10,903 11,186 11,079 10,768 10,460 Deposits 856,778 855,224 815,681 787,664 726,921 Stockholders' equity 88,917 88,974 87,001 87,208 84,560 Tier 1 regulatory capital 96,398 94,686 92,267 91,410 88,969 Performance Ratios: Return on average assets 1.36% 1.30% 1.31% 1.43% 1.37% Return on average stock- holders' equity 15.93% 15.08% 15.03% 16.12% 14.89% Net interest margin 4.61% 4.56% 4.45% 4.45% 4.49% Efficiency ratio (excluding the following items) 55.37% 54.29% 53.70% 52.80% 55.97% Securities gains (losses) included in other income $ (1) $ (430) $ (10) -- (1) Other gains (losses) in- cluded in other income 8 2 (57) (1) (19) Selected Asset Quality Factors: Nonaccrual loans $ 412 $ 7,760 $ 7,856 $ 7,446 $ 7,534 Loans 90 days or more past due and still accruing 23 17 2 20 9 Other impaired loans (troubled- debt restruc- turings) -- -- -- -- -- Other real estate and repossessions 976 212 42 38 2 Asset Quality Ratios: Net charge-offs to average loans (annualized YTD) 0.05% -0.06% -0.12% -0.16% -0.23% Nonperforming loans to total loans 0.05% 1.02% 1.04% 1.02% 1.05% Nonperforming assets to total assets 0.13% 0.75% 0.78% 0.76% 0.81% Allowance for loan losses to total loans 1.36% 1.46% 1.47% 1.47% 1.45% Allowance for loan losses to nonperforming loans 2510.11% 143.82% 140.98% 144.22% 138.66% Other Selected Ratios and Non- financial Data: Average loans to average earning assets 79.19% 78.09% 78.16% 78.87% 80.49% Average loans to average deposits 92.42% 91.35% 92.24% 94.55% 97.37% Average stock- holders' equity to average assets 8.56% 8.60% 8.72% 8.88% 9.17% Full-time equivalent employees 314 305 300 293 291 Bank branch offices 17 17 17 17 17 Bank loan production offices 5 4 4 3 3 Bank ATMs 20 20 20 18 18 PAB BANKSHARES, INC. SELECTED YEAR-TO-DATE FINANCIAL DATA (Dollars in thousands except per share and other data) Period Ended -------------------------------------------------------- 06/30/06 03/31/06 12/31/05 09/30/05 06/30/05 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Summary of Operations: Interest income $ 37,154 $ 17,848 $ 59,371 $ 42,431 $ 26,647 Interest expense 14,962 6,956 20,398 14,031 8,475 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Net interest income 22,192 10,892 38,973 28,400 18,172 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Provision for loan losses -- -- 1,189 889 614 Other income 2,598 1,040 5,813 4,375 2,805 Other expense 13,938 6,756 24,778 18,252 11,993 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Income before income tax expense 10,852 5,176 18,819 13,634 8,370 Income tax expense 3,948 1,865 6,366 4,510 2,766 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Net income $ 6,904 $ 3,311 $ 12,453 $ 9,124 $ 5,604 ===================================================================== Net interest income on a tax- equivalent basis $ 22,397 $ 10,975 $ 39,195 $ 28,547 $ 18,263 Per Share Ratios: Net income - basic $ 0.73 $ 0.35 $ 1.31 $ 0.96 $ 0.59 Net income - diluted 0.71 0.34 1.28 0.94 0.58 Dividends declared for the period 0.260 0.125 0.475 0.350 0.230 Dividend pay- out ratio 35.80% 35.91% 36.29% 36.55% 39.09% Common Share Data: Weighted average out- standing during period 9,498,057 9,484,570 9,514,775 9,518,797 9,512,741 Diluted weighted average out- standing during period 9,719,638 9,712,633 9,686,894 9,679,974 9,660,612 Selected Average Balances: Total assets $1,045,708 $1,035,348 $ 948,457 $ 928,587 $ 905,124 Earning assets 984,994 975,699 890,336 870,607 847,534 Loans 774,686 761,900 706,052 694,072 679,668 Deposits 843,049 834,062 741,409 720,324 698,089 Stockholders' equity 89,735 89,030 85,431 84,514 83,456 Performance Ratios: Return on average assets 1.33% 1.30% 1.31% 1.31% 1.25% Return on average stockholders' equity 15.51% 15.08% 14.58% 14.43% 13.55% Net interest margin 4.59% 4.56% 4.40% 4.38% 4.35% Efficiency ratio (ex- cluding the following items): 54.84% 54.29% 54.94% 55.40% 56.86% Securities gains (losses) included in other income $ (430) $ (430) $ (11) (1) (1) Other gains (losses) included in other income 10 2 (79) (23) (22) Other Selected Ratios: Average loans to average earning assets 78.65% 78.09% 79.30% 79.72% 80.19% Average loans to average deposits 91.89% 91.35% 95.23% 96.36% 97.36% Average stock- holders' equity to average assets 8.58% 8.60% 9.01% 9.10% 9.22% PAB BANKSHARES, INC. LOAN AND DEPOSIT PORTFOLIO BY MARKET As of June 30, 2006 South North Georgia Georgia Florida Market Market Market Treasury Total --------------------------------------------------- (Dollars in Thousands) Loans Commercial and financial $ 32,899 $ 19,859 $ 352 $ 75 $ 53,185 Agricultural (including loans secured by farmland) 40,888 5,565 1,301 -- 47,754 Real estate - Construction 61,908 197,468 44,951 60 304,387 Real estate - commercial 86,489 133,229 24,701 7,547 251,966 Real estate - residential 96,225 24,787 4,083 1,925 127,020 Installment loans to individuals and others 17,024 1,368 129 1,445 19,966 --------------------------------------------------- 335,433 382,276 75,517 11,052 804,278 Deferred loan fees and unearned interest, net (23) (743) (489) 12 (1,243) --------------------------------------------------- Total loans 335,410 381,533 75,028 11,064 803,035 Allowance for loan losses (4,422) (4,781) (985) (715) (10,903) --------------------------------------------------- Net Loans $330,988 $376,752 $ 74,043 $10,349 $792,132 =================================================== Percent of Total 41.78% 47.56% 9.35% 1.31% 100.00% =================================================== Deposits Noninterest- bearing demand $ 73,570 $ 13,273 $ 3,624 $ 4,991 $ 95,458 Interest-bearing demand and savings 227,284 57,581 29,787 840 315,492 Time 247,792 60,620 100,585 36,831 445,828 --------------------------------------------------- Total Deposits $548,646 $131,474 $133,996 $42,662 $856,778 =================================================== Percent of Total 64.04% 15.34% 15.64% 4.98% 100.00% =================================================== PAB BANKSHARES, INC. LOAN PORTFOLIO SUMMARY The amount of loans outstanding at the indicated dates is presented in the following table according to type of loan: Period Ended ------------------------------------------------- 06/30/06 03/31/06 12/31/05 09/30/05 06/30/05 -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- (Dollars In Thousands) Commercial and financial $ 53,185 $ 47,164 $ 50,860 $ 55,536 $ 60,127 Agricultural (including loans secured by farmland) 47,754 53,368 55,830 45,759 32,475 Real estate - construction 304,387 290,863 268,629 257,522 228,539 Real estate - commercial 251,966 229,236 231,601 206,910 227,079 Real estate - residential 127,020 123,903 127,326 145,395 151,033 Installment loans to individuals and other loans 19,966 20,836 20,380 22,239 22,663 -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- 804,278 765,370 754,626 733,361 721,916 Deferred loan fees and unearned interest, net (1,243) (1,279) (1,688) (1,816) (2,282) -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- Total loans 803,035 764,091 752,938 731,545 719,634 Allowance for loan losses (10,903) (11,186) (11,079) (10,768) (10,460) -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- Net loans $792,132 $752,905 $741,859 $720,777 $709,174 ======== ======== ======== ======== ======== The percentage of loans outstanding at the indicated dates is presented in the following table according to type of loan: Period Ended ------------------------------------------------- 06/30/06 03/31/06 12/31/05 09/30/05 06/30/05 -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- Commercial and financial 6.62% 6.17% 6.75% 7.59% 8.36% Agricultural (including loans secured by farmland) 5.95% 6.98% 7.41% 6.26% 4.51% Real estate - construction 37.89% 38.07% 35.68% 35.20% 31.76% Real estate - commercial 31.38% 30.00% 30.76% 28.28% 31.55% Real estate - residential 15.82% 16.22% 16.91% 19.88% 20.99% Installment loans to individuals and other loans 2.49% 2.73% 2.71% 3.04% 3.15% -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- 100.15% 100.17% 100.22% 100.25% 100.32% Deferred loan fees and unearned interest, net -0.15% -0.17% -0.22% -0.25% -0.32% -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- Total loans 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% Allowance for loan losses -1.36% -1.46% -1.47% -1.47% -1.45% -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- Net loans 98.64% 98.54% 98.53% 98.53% 98.55% ======== ======== ======== ======== ========