First Community Corporation Announces Third Quarter Results and Cash Dividend

Highlights for Third Quarter of 2022

• Net income of $3.951 million, an increase of 26.2% on a linked quarter basis.
• Diluted EPS of $0.52 per common share for the quarter and $1.39 year-to-date through September 30, 2022.
• Total loans increased during the third quarter by $33.9 million, an annualized growth rate of 14.7%.
• Cost of deposits were unchanged on a linked quarter basis at 0.09% for the third quarter of 2022.
• Margin expansion of 0.36% during the third quarter with net interest margin on a tax equivalent basis of 3.29%.
• Investment advisory line of business revenue of $1.053 million
• Strong credit quality metrics with non-performing assets (NPAs) ratio of 0.36%, past due ratio of 0.04% and net loan recovery excluding overdrafts of $88 thousand during the third quarter, with a year-to-date net recovery of $349 thousand.
• Cash dividend of $0.13 per common share, which is the 83^rd consecutive quarter of cash dividends paid to common shareholders.
• Regulatory approval received for full-service office in Rock Hill, South Carolina

LEXINGTON, S.C., Oct. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, First Community Corporation (NASDAQ:FCCO), the holding company for First Community Bank, reported net income for the third quarter of 2022 of $3.951 million as compared to $3.130 million in the second quarter of 2022 and $4.748 million in the third quarter of 2021.  Diluted earnings per common share were $0.52 for the third quarter of 2022 as compared to $0.41 for the second quarter of 2022 and $0.63 for the third quarter of 2021.  As a note, during the third quarter of 2021, the bank recognized $1.561 million in non-recurring PPP related fee income compared to $729 in the third quarter of 2022.

Year-to-date through September 30, 2022 net income was $10.570 million compared to $11.546 million during the first nine months of 2021.  Diluted earnings per share for the first nine months of 2022 were $1.39, compared to $1.53 during the same time period in 2021.  As a note, during the first nine months of 2021, the bank recognized $2.714 million in non-recurring PPP related fee income compared to $45 thousand in the first nine months of 2022.

Cash Dividend and Capital

The Board of Directors approved a cash dividend for the third quarter of 2022.  The company will pay a $0.13 per share dividend to holders of the company's common stock.  This dividend is payable November 15, 2022 to shareholders of record as of November 1, 2022.  Mike Crapps, First Community President and CEO, commented, "Our entire board is pleased that our performance enables the company to continue its cash dividend for the 83^rd  consecutive quarter." 

As previously announced, the Company's Board of Directors has approved a share repurchase plan that provides for the repurchase of up to 375,000 shares of its common stock, which represents approximately 5% of the Company's 7,572,517 shares outstanding on September 30, 2022.  Under the repurchase plan, the Company may repurchase shares from time to time.  No shares have been repurchased under this plan. 

Each of the regulatory capital ratios for the bank exceed the well capitalized minimum levels currently required by regulatory statute.  At September 30, 2022, the bank's regulatory capital ratios (Leverage, Tier I Risk Based and Total Risk Based) were 8.53%, 13.42%, and 14.49%, respectively.  This compares to the same ratios as of September 30, 2021 of 8.56%, 13.58%, and 14.74%, respectively. As of September 30, 2022, the bank's Common Equity Tier I ratio was 13.42% compared to 13.58% at September 30, 2021.   Further, the company's Tangible Common Equity to Tangible Assets (TCE) ratio was 6.03% as of September 30, 2022 compared to 8.00% as of September 30, 2021.  It should be noted that while the TCE ratio declined during the third quarter by 9 basis points from 6.12% as of June 30, 2022 to this level of 6.03%, excluding the Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss (AOCL), the ratio increased in the quarter from 7.59% as of June 30, 2022 to 7.90% as of September 30, 2022.

Further, while the Tangible Book Value (TBV) per share declined during the quarter from $13.50 per share as of June 30, 2022 to $13.03 per share as of September 30, 2022, excluding AOCL, TBV per share increased in the quarter from $17.00 per share as of June 30, 2022 to $17.43 per share as of September 30, 2022.  

Asset Quality

Asset quality metrics remained strong as of September 30, 2022.  The non-performing assets ratio for the third quarter was 0.36% of total assets and a total past due ratio of 0.04%.  Net loan recoveries excluding overdrafts for the quarter were $88 thousand and the year-to-date through September 30, 2022 net recovery was $349 thousand.  The ratio of classified loans plus OREO now stands at 4.9% of total bank regulatory risk-based capital as of September 30, 2022. 

Balance Sheet                   

Total loans increased during the third quarter by $33.9 million which is an annualized growth rate of 14.7%.  Commercial loan production was $70.5 million during the third quarter of 2022.  First Community Bank President Ted Nissen noted, "The strong loan growth that we have experienced in 2022 continued through the third quarter.  Year-to-date through September 30, 2022, we have experienced $86.5 million in loan growth which is a 13.4% annualized growth rate." 

Total deposits were $1.436 billion at September 30, 2022 compared to $1.469 billion at June 30, 2022.  Pure deposits, which are defined as total deposits less certificates of deposits, were $1.326 billion at September 30, 2022 compared to $1.349 billion at June 30, 2022.  Securities sold under agreements to repurchase, which are related to customer cash management accounts or business sweep accounts, were $73.7 million at September 30, 2022, compared to $71.8 million at June 30, 2021.  Costs of deposits were unchanged on a linked quarter basis at 0.09% in the third quarter of 2022.  Cost of funds increased slightly on a linked quarter basis to 0.14% in the third quarter of 2022 from 0.12% in the second quarter of the year.  Mr. Crapps commented, "A strength of our bank has been and continues to be our low-cost deposit base.  We have been able to continue to manage our cost of deposits and costs of funds in the rapidly rising rate environment.  During the third quarter, we did experience a slight contraction in our deposit base."   

Revenue

Net Interest Income/Net Interest Margin

Net interest income increased $1.743 million or 15.8% to $12.794 million for the third quarter of 2022 compared to second quarter net interest income of $11.051 million.  Year-over-year, net interest income increased $338 thousand or 2.7% from $12.456 million in the third quarter of 2021.  In the third quarter of 2021, the Company recognized PPP fee income of $1.561 million.  Third quarter net interest margin, on a tax equivalent basis, was 3.29% compared to net interest margin of 2.93% in the second quarter of the year.  Margin expansion was primarily due to higher yields in the loan and investment portfolios and the lag in the increase in interest rates paid on interest bearing deposit accounts. In addition, interest income on variable rate collateralized mortgage obligations, primarily consisting of GNMA home equity conversion mortgages improved $449 thousand on a linked quarter basis from ($202) thousand in the second quarter of 2022 to $247 thousand in the third quarter of the year.  There was an improvement and stabilization in prepayments and an increase in the coupons on these bonds due to higher market interest rates. 

Non-Interest Income

Total non-interest income, excluding other non-recurring income, was $2.673 million in the third quarter of 2022 compared to $3.004 million in the second quarter of the year and $3.517 million in the third quarter of 2021.   This decrease is primarily attributable to lower production and revenue in the bank's mortgage line of business.

Gain on sale revenues in the mortgage line of business were $290 thousand in the third quarter of 2022 compared to $481 thousand in the second quarter of the year and $1.147 million in the third quarter of 2021.  Revenues in the investment advisory line of business were $1.053 million in the third quarter of 2022, compared to $1.195 million in the second quarter of 2022 and $1.040 million in the third quarter of 2021.  Assets under management (AUM) were $529.5 million at September 30, 2022 compared to $524.3 million at June 30, 2022 and $650.9 million at December 31, 2021. Mr. Crapps commented, "Revenue in the mortgage line of business has been impacted by the headwinds of rising mortgage rates and low housing inventory.  To help offset this impact, our bank began to market an Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) loan product to provide borrowers with an alternative to fixed rate mortgage loans in the second quarter.  As these loans are being held on our balance sheet, the result is additive to loan growth but results in less gain-on-sale fee revenue.  During the third quarter, we have also increased focus on construction lending where demand has remained more constant.  Although still strong, revenue in our financial planning and investment advisory line of business and related AUM have been affected by the stock market performance in the first nine months of the year."

Non-Interest Expense

Non-interest expense was $10.417 million in the third quarter of 2022, up $229 thousand over the second quarter of 2022.  Other expense was $307 thousand higher in the third quarter of the year due to higher legal, professional, recruiting and consulting fees.  Salaries and Benefits expense was $198 thousand higher due to expenses related to the acquisition of additional mortgage lenders in the third quarter, increased compensation levels for banking office employees implemented at the beginning of the third quarter and lower vacancy rates during the quarter.  Marketing and Public Relations expenses were down $283 thousand in the third quarter due to a planned lighter media schedule during the summer months. 

Other

During the third quarter of 2022, the Company received regulatory approval to open a full service banking office in Rock Hill, South Carolina.  Earlier this year, the Company entered this market with the launch of a Loan Production Office.  The full-service office is scheduled to open on October 20, 2022. 

About First Community Corporation

First Community Corporation stock trades on The NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol "FCCO" and is the holding company for First Community Bank, a local community bank based in the Midlands of South Carolina.  First Community Bank is a full-service commercial bank offering deposit and loan products and services, residential mortgage lending and financial planning/investment advisory services for businesses and consumers.  First Community serves customers in the Midlands, Aiken, Upstate and Piedmont Regions of South Carolina as well as Augusta, Georgia.  For more information, visit www.firstcommunitysc.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release and certain statements by our management may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, such as statements relating to future plans, goals, projections and expectations, and are thus prospective. Forward looking statements can be identified by words such as "anticipate", "expects", "intends", "believes", "may", "likely", "will", "plans" or other statements that indicate future periods.  Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.  Such risks, uncertainties and other factors, include, among others, the following: (1) competitive pressures among depository and other financial institutions may increase significantly and have an effect on pricing, spending, third-party relationships and revenues; (2) the strength of the United States economy in general and the strength of the local economies in which we conduct operations may be different than expected including, but not limited to, due to the negative impacts and disruptions resulting from the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, on the economies and communities we serve, which has had and may continue to have an adverse impact on our business, operations, and performance, and could continue to have a negative impact on our credit portfolio, share price, borrowers, and on the economy as a whole both domestically and globally; (3) the rate of delinquencies and amounts of charge-offs, the level of allowance for loan loss, the rates of loan growth, or adverse changes in asset quality in our loan portfolio, which may result in increased credit risk-related losses and expenses; (4) changes in legislation, regulation, policies or administrative practices, whether by judicial, governmental, or legislative action, (5) adverse conditions in the stock market, the public debt markets and other capital markets (including changes in interest rate conditions) could continue to have a negative impact on the company; (6) technology and cybersecurity risks, including potential business disruptions, reputational risks, and financial losses, associated with potential attacks on or failures by our computer systems and computer systems of our vendors and other third parties; and (7) risks, uncertainties and other factors disclosed in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC, or in any of our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC since the end of the fiscal year covered by our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, which are available at the SEC's Internet site (http://www.sec.gov).

Although we believe that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements are reasonable, any of the assumptions could prove to be inaccurate. We can give no assurance that the results contemplated in the forward-looking statements will be realized. The inclusion of this forward-looking information should not be construed as a representation by our company or any person that the future events, plans, or expectations contemplated by our company will be achieved. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

 

 

 

The tables below provide a reconciliation of non‑GAAP measures to GAAP for the periods indicated: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Certain financial information presented above is determined by methods other than in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"). These non-GAAP financial measures include "Tangible book value per common share," "Tangible common shareholders' equity to tangible assets," "Tangible book value per common share excluding accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)," "Tangible common shareholders' equity to tangible assets excluding accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)," "Return on average tangible common equity," "Pre-tax, pre-provision earnings," "Net interest margin excluding PPP Loans," "Net interest margin on a tax-equivalent basis excluding PPP Loans," "Non-PPP Loans and Related Credit Facilities," and "Non-PPP Loans."

• "Tangible book value per common share" is defined as total equity reduced by recorded intangible assets divided by total common shares outstanding.
• "Tangible common shareholders' equity to tangible assets" is defined as total common equity reduced by recorded intangible assets divided by total assets reduced by recorded intangible assets.
• "Tangible book value per common share excluding accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)" is defined as total equity reduced by recorded intangible assets and accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) divided by total common shares outstanding.
• "Tangible common shareholders' equity to tangible assets excluding accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)" is defined as total common equity reduced by recorded intangible assets and accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) divided by total assets reduced by recorded intangible assets and other comprehensive income (loss).
• "Return on average tangible common equity" is defined as net income on an annualized basis divided by average total equity reduced by average recorded intangible assets. 
• "Pre-tax, pre-provision earnings" is defined as net interest income plus non-interest income, reduced by non-interest expense.
• "Net interest margin excluding PPP Loans" is defined as annualized net interest income less annualized interest income on PPP Loans divided by average earning assets less the average balance of PPP Loans. 
• "Net interest margin on a tax-equivalent basis excluding PPP Loans" is defined as annualized net interest income on a tax-equivalent basis less annualized interest income on PPP Loans divided by average earning assets less the average balance of PPP Loans. 
• "Non-PPP Loans and Related Credit Facilities" is defined as Total Loans less PPP Related Credit Facilities and PPP Loans.
• "Non-PPP Loans" is defined as Total Loans less PPP Loans.
• "Non-PPP Loans and Related Credit Facilities Growth - Dollars" is calculated by taking the difference between two time periods compared for Total Loans less PPP Loans and PPP Related Credit Facilities.  "Non-PPP Loans and Related Credit Facilities – Annualized Growth Rate" is calculated by (i) dividing "Non-PPP Loans and Related Credit Facilities Loan Growth - Dollars" by the number of days between the two time periods compared (ii) times the number of days in the year (iii) divided by the prior time period Non-PPP Loans and Related Credit Facilities balance. 
• "Non-PPP Loans Growth - Dollars" is calculated by taking the difference between two time periods compared for Total Loans less PPP Loans.  "Non-PPP Loans – Annualized Growth Rate" is calculated by (i) dividing "Non-PPP Loans Loan Growth - Dollars" by the number of days between the two time periods compared (ii) times the number of days in the year (iii) divided by the prior time period Non-PPP Loans balance. 

Our management believes that these non-GAAP measures are useful because they enhance the ability of investors and management to evaluate and compare our operating results from period-to-period in a meaningful manner. Non-GAAP measures have limitations as analytical tools, and investors should not consider them in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of the company's results as reported under GAAP.

 

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SOURCE First Community Corporation