SCHEDULE 14A

(RULE 14a-101)

 

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT

 

SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(a) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

 

Filed by the Registrant x

 

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ¨

 

Check the appropriate box:

 

¨Preliminary Proxy Statement
¨Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
xDefinitive Proxy Statement
¨Definitive Additional Materials
¨Soliciting Material Pursuant to Rule 14a-12

 

THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

 

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

 

 

 

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement if other than the Registrant)

 

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

 

x No fee required.

 

¨ Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.

 

(1)Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:

 

(2)Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:

 

(3)Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (Set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):

 

(4)Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:

 

(5)Total fee paid:

 

¨ Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.

¨ Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.

 

(1)Amount Previously Paid:

 

(2)Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:

 

(3)Filing Party:

 

(4)Date Filed:

 

 

 

 

The First Bancshares, Inc.

Notice of Special Meeting of Shareholders

to be held on December 29, 2016

 

Dear Fellow Shareholder:

 

We cordially invite you to attend a Special Meeting (the “Special Meeting”) of Shareholders of The First Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company”), the holding company for The First, A National Banking Association. We hope that you can attend the meeting and look forward to seeing you there.

 

This letter serves as your official notice that the Company will hold the Special Meeting on Thursday, December 29, 2016, at 4:30 p.m. at the Company’s main office located at 6480 U.S. Highway 98 West, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39402. At the Special Meeting, you will be asked to consider and vote on the following matters:

 

1.Conversion of Convertible Preferred Stock. To approve, for purposes of NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635, the Company’s issuance of 3,563,380 shares of common stock upon the conversion of an equivalent number of Mandatorily Convertible Non-Cumulative Non-Voting Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series E, as contemplated by the Securities Purchase Agreements described in the accompanying proxy statement.
2.Adjournment of Special Meeting if Necessary or Appropriate. To approve the adjournment of the Special Meeting, if necessary or appropriate, to solicit additional proxies if there are insufficient votes at the time of the Special Meeting to adopt Proposal 1.

 

The Board of Directors unanimously recommends that you vote in favor of Proposals 1 and 2.

 

Pursuant to the Company’s bylaws, the only business permitted to be conducted at the Special Meeting are the matters set forth in this letter and notice of the meeting.

 

Shareholders owning shares of the Company’s common stock at the close of business on November 17, 2016, are the only persons entitled to attend and vote at the meeting. A complete list of these shareholders will be available at The First Bancshares, Inc.’s main office prior to and during the meeting.

 

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING INTERNET AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE SPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON DECEMBER 29, 2016

 

The Proxy Statement for the special meeting is available at www.edocumentview.com/FBMS

 

Please use this opportunity to take part in the affairs of your company by voting on the business to come before this meeting. Even if you plan to attend the meeting, the Company encourages you to complete and return the enclosed proxy to us as promptly as possible.

 

  By Order of the Board of Directors,
     
  M. Ray “Hoppy” Cole, Jr. E. Ricky Gibson
  President and CEO Chairman of the Board

 

Dated and Mailed on or about November 29, 2016, Hattiesburg, Mississippi

 

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The First Bancshares, Inc.

6480 U.S. Highway 98 West

Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39402

 

Proxy Statement for the Special Meeting of

Shareholders to be Held on December 29, 2016

 

INTRODUCTION

 

Date, Time, and Place of Meeting

 

A Special Meeting of Shareholders (the "Special Meeting") of The First Bancshares, Inc. (the "Company"),a Mississippi corporation and the holding company for The First, A National Banking Association (the “Bank”) will be held at the main office of the Company located at 6480 U.S. Highway 98 West, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39402, on Thursday, December 29, 2016, at 4:30 p.m., local time, or any adjournment(s) thereof, for the purpose of considering and voting upon the matters set out in the foregoing Notice of Special Meeting of Shareholders. This Proxy Statement is furnished to the shareholders of the Company in connection with the solicitation by the Board of Directors of proxies to be voted at the Meeting.

 

The mailing address of the principal executive office of the Company is Post Office Box 15549, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, 39404-5549.

 

The approximate date on which this Proxy Statement and form of proxy are first being sent or given to shareholders is November 29, 2016.

 

The matters to be considered and voted upon at the Special Meeting will be:

 

1. Conversion of Convertible Preferred Stock. To approve, for purposes of NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635, the issuance of 3,563,380 shares of common stock upon the conversion of an equivalent number of Mandatorily Convertible Non-Cumulative Non-Voting Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series E, as contemplated by the Securities Purchase Agreements described below.

 

2. Adjournment of Special Meeting if Necessary or Appropriate. To approve the adjournment of the Special Meeting, if necessary or appropriate, to solicit additional proxies from shareholders who have not submitted proxies at the time of the initially convened Special Meeting if there are insufficient votes at the time of the Special Meeting to adopt Proposal 1.

 

Record Date; Quorum; Voting Rights; Vote Required

 

The record date for determining holders of outstanding common stock of the Company entitled to notice of and to vote at the Special Meeting is November 17, 2016 (the "Record Date"). Only holders of the Company's common stock of record on the books of the Company at the close of business on the Record Date are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Special Meeting or at any adjournment or postponement thereof. As of the Record Date, there were 5,428,017 shares of the Company's common stock issued and outstanding, each of which is entitled to one vote on all matters. In order for the Special Meeting to be duly convened, a quorum must be present, and a quorum requires that the holders of a majority of the shares of common stock be present in person or by proxy at the meeting Approval of Proposals 1 and 2 requires the affirmative vote of a majority of votes cast at a duly convened meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes are counted only for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present at the Meeting.

 

In addition, Mississippi law does not provide dissenters’ or appraisal rights to our stockholders in connection with either of the proposals.

 

Proxies

 

Shares of common stock represented by properly executed proxies, unless previously revoked, will be voted at the Special Meeting in accordance with the directions therein. If no direction is specified, such shares will be voted in the discretion of the person named as the proxy holder with respect to any other business that may come before the Special Meeting. A proxy may be revoked by a shareholder at any time prior to its exercise by filing with the Secretary of the Company a written revocation or a duly executed proxy bearing a later date. A proxy shall also be revoked if the shareholder is present and elects to vote in person.

 

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PROPOSAL 1

 

APPROVAL OF THE ISSUANCE OF SHARES OF COMMON STOCK UPON THE CONVERSION OF THE COMPANY’S SERIES E NONVOTING CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCK INTO COMMON STOCK

 

Background and Reasons for Requesting Shareholder Approval

 

On October 12, 2016, the Company entered into Securities Purchase Agreements (each a “Security Purchase Agreement”) with a limited number of institutional and other accredited investors (the “Purchasers” and each, a “Purchaser”) pursuant to which the Company sold in a private placement (the “Private Placement”) 3,563,380 shares of newly authorized Series E Nonvoting Convertible Preferred Stock (“Series E Preferred Stock”) at a purchase price of $17.75 per share, for aggregate gross proceeds of $63,249,995. The terms of the Series E Preferred Stock provide for their mandatory conversion into an equivalent number of shares of the Company’s common stock upon approval of this proposal. The Company paid $3,162,499.75 in fees to its financial advisors who acted as placement agents in the private placement. The Private Placement transaction was completed on October 14, 2016. The material terms of the Series Preferred Stock are discussed below.

 

Because our common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, we are subject to NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(d), which requires shareholder approval prior to the issuance of securities in connection with a transaction, other than a public offering, involving the sale, issuance or potential issuance by a company of common stock (or securities convertible into or exercisable for common stock) equal to 20% or more of the then outstanding shares of common stock or 20% or more of the voting power before the issuance of such additional shares at a price that is less than the greater of book or market value of the stock.

 

Upon conversion of the Series E Preferred Stock, the Company will issue 3,563,380 shares of common stock, which is 65.6% of the Company’s 5,428,017 shares of common stock outstanding on October 11. The closing sales price of the Company’s common stock on October 11th, the day the Series E Preferred Stock offering was priced, was $18.29 per share on the NASDAQ Global Market.

 

The proposed conversion of the Series E Preferred Stock for shares of our common stock is subject to this NASDAQ rule because the shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the Series E Preferred Stock exceed 20% of both the voting power and number of shares of our common stock outstanding before the issuance, and the negotiated price per share of common stock on an as-converted basis was less than the book value and market value of our common stock at the time of issuance.

 

The Private Placement of the Series E Preferred Stock was exempt from Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) registration pursuant to Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Rule 506(b) of Regulation D promulgated thereunder.

 

The proceeds from the Private Placement will be used, in part, to fund the acquisition of Iberville Bank, Plaquemine, Louisiana (the “Iberville Bank Acquisition”). The Iberville Bank Acquisition is NOT part of Proposal 1 and the Company’s shareholders are NOT being asked to vote on the Iberville Bank Acquisition. Further, the results of the vote of the shareholders at the Special Meeting will not affect whether the Company completes the Iberville Bank Acquisition. Iberville Bank’s principal executive office is located at 23405 Eden Street, Plaquemine, LA 70764 and its phone number is (225) 687-2091. Iberville Bank is a community bank that specializes in deposit and lending services throughout southeast Louisiana.

  

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For a more detailed description of the Iberville Bank Acquisition, please see “Acquisition of Iberville Bank” set forth below. The most material terms of the Iberville Bank Acquisition follow:

 

Summary of Iberville Bank Acquisition

 
Parties:

The First Bancshares, Inc. (Buyer)

A. Wilbert’s Sons Lumber & Shingle Company (Seller)

Structure: Acquisition of 100% of the stock of Iberville Bank
Consideration: $31,100,000 in cash
Representations:

The Seller has made certain representations and warranties to Buyer, including:

·     Organization, Standing and Authority

·     Subsidiaries

·     Compliance with laws

·     Financial statements and condition

·     Taxes

·     Employee benefits

·     Environmental matters

·     Title to assets and loans

·     Community Reinvestment Act

·     Flood-affected loans

Covenants:

The Seller has agreed to certain actions prior to the closing of the Iberville Bank Acquisition, including:

o     Operating only in the ordinary course

o     Limited dividends or distributions

o     No changes to organizational documents

o     Limited capital expenditures and compensation increases

o     Prior approval for loans and investment purchases over certain thresholds

o     No incurrence of debt except in the ordinary course

o     No acquisitions or significant dispositions of assets

Additional Agreements:

The parties have agreed to certain additional terms, including:

·     Seller will seek shareholder and regulatory approval

·     Seller will not pursue alternative transactions and may only enter into unsolicited alternative transactions in limited circumstances

·     Buyer will indemnify directors and officers of Seller to the same extent as Seller currently

·     Seller will terminate certain employee benefit plans prior to the closing

·     Buyer will appoint one additional board member to the Bank’s board of directors

Conditions:

Each of the parties must satisfy certain obligations in order to consummate the Iberville Bank Acquisition, including:

·     Conditions to Buyer’s Obligations:

o     All representations, covenants, and additional agreements must be satisfied

o     No material adverse effect shall have happened

o     Seller will have delivered a certificate of Iberville Bank’s adjusted capital

·     Conditions to Seller’s Obligations:

o     All representations, covenants, and additional agreements must be satisfied

o     Buyer will have paid the purchase price to Seller

Termination:

The Iberville Bank Acquisition agreement may be terminated under certain circumstances, including:

o     If the acquisition is not completed by March 31, 2017

o     If the Seller’s board of directors changes its recommendation

o     If either party fails to perform any of its obligations that would give rise to a condition not being satisfied and such failure remains uncured

Miscellaneous: The Buyer and Seller have agreed to escrow approximately $2.5 million of the purchase price while the parties resolve certain loans that were affected by the 2016 flooding in the Baton Rouge, Louisiana area.

 

Consequences of Approval of Proposal 1

 

Shareholder approval of Proposal 1 will have the following consequences:

 

Conversion of Series E Preferred Stock into Common Stock at the Initial Conversion Price. Each share of Series E Preferred Stock will be automatically converted into one share of common stock on the third business day following shareholder approval.

 

Elimination of Dividend and Liquidation Preference of Holders of Series E Preferred Stock. All shares of Series E Preferred Stock will be cancelled upon conversion, resulting in the elimination of the dividend rights and liquidation preference existing in favor of the Series E Preferred Stock. For more information regarding such dividend rights and liquidation preferences, see “Series E Preferred Stock Terms and Provisions” in this proxy statement.

 

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Elimination of Separate Voting Rights of Holders of Series E Preferred Stock.. Holders of Series E Preferred Stock have approval rights for certain Company actions, and the conversion of Series E Preferred Stock into common stock will eliminate these separate voting rights. For more information regarding such voting, see “Series E Preferred Stock Terms and Provisions” in this proxy statement.

 

Market Effects. Despite the existence of certain restrictions on transfer relating to securities law, the issuance of shares of our common stock upon conversion of the Series E Preferred Stock may adversely affect the market price of our common stock. If significant quantities of our common stock issued upon conversion of the Series E Preferred Stock are sold (or if it is perceived by the market that they may be sold) after their registration into the public market, the trading price of our common stock could be materially adversely affected.

 

Dilution. We will issue, through the conversion of the Series E Preferred Stock, approximately 3,563,380 shares of common stock (in addition to the 5,428,017 shares of common stock currently outstanding). As a result, we expect there to be a dilutive effect on the earnings per share of our common stock. In addition, our existing shareholders will incur substantial dilution to their voting interests and will own a smaller percentage of our outstanding common stock.

 

Consequences of Failure to Approve Proposal 1

 

Series E Preferred Stock Will Remain Outstanding. Unless the shareholder approval is received or unless our shareholders approve a similar proposal at a subsequent meeting, the Series E Preferred Stock will remain outstanding in accordance with its terms, and incur the potential following effects.

 

Continued Dividend Payment and Potential Market Effects. We would expect that the shares of Series E Preferred Stock will remain outstanding for the foreseeable future and, beginning six months from the issuance of the Series E Preferred Stock, or approximately April 14, 2017, and for so long as such shares remain outstanding, we would be required to pay dividends on the Series E Preferred Stock, on a non-cumulative basis, at an annual rate of 6% of the liquidation value of the Series E Preferred Stock, which is $17.75.

 

Continued Separate Voting Rights of Holders of Series E Preferred Stock. Holders of Series E Preferred Stock have certain separate voting rights, and the holders of our common stock will be unable to take certain actions without approval by the holders of the Series E Preferred Stock. For more information regarding such voting, see “Series E Preferred Stock Terms and Provisions” in this proxy statement.

 

Additional Shareholder Meetings. Pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement, we would be required to call additional shareholder meetings every three months and recommend approval of Proposal 1 at each meeting to the shareholders, if necessary, until such approval is obtained. We will bear the costs of soliciting the approval of our shareholders in connection with these meetings.

 

Restriction on Payment of Dividends. If shareholder approval is not obtained, the shares of Series E Preferred Stock will remain outstanding and, beginning six months from the issuance of the Series E Preferred Stock, or approximately April 12, 2017, and for so long as such shares remain outstanding, if dividends payable on all outstanding shares of the Series E Preferred Stock have not been declared and paid, or declared and funds set aside therefor, we will not be permitted to declare or pay dividends with respect to, or redeem, purchase, or acquire any of our junior securities, or redeem, purchase or acquire any parity securities, subject to limited exceptions.

 

Participation in Dividends on Common Stock. So long as any shares of Series E Preferred Stock are outstanding, if we declare any dividends on our common stock or make any other distribution to our common shareholders, the holders of the Series E Preferred Stock will be entitled to participate in such distribution on an as-converted basis.

 

Liquidation Preference. For as long as the Series E Preferred Stock remains outstanding, it will retain a senior liquidation preference over shares of our common stock in connection with any liquidation of us and, accordingly, no payments will be made to holders of our common stock upon any liquidation of us unless the full liquidation preference on the Series E Preferred Stock is paid.

 

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Pro Forma Financial Information

 

To assist in your understanding of the impact of the Private Placement relating to Proposal No. 1, we are providing the following pro forma financial information. The following table sets forth our capitalization and regulatory capital ratios on a consolidated basis as of September 30, 2016 on:

 

(1) an actual basis; and

 

(2) an adjusted basis to give effect to the issuance of 3,563,380 shares of the Series E Preferred Stock in the offering on a (i) non-converted basis and (ii) converted basis.

 

The table should be read in conjunction with and is qualified in its entirety by our audited and unaudited financial statements and notes thereto incorporated by reference into this proxy. For more information, see “Incorporation by Reference of Information About the Company, Financial Statements and Related Information” below.

 

   As of September 30, 2016 (in thousands) 
       As Adjusted for the Offering 
   Actual   If the Preferred
Stock IS NOT
converted to
Common Stock
   If the Preferred
Stock IS
converted to
Common Stock
 
Stockholders' Equity:               
                
Common Stock - $1.00 par value per share; 20,000,000 shares authorized, 5,454,511 shares issued (including treasury shares held by our Company); 9,017,891 shares issued and outstanding as adjusted for this offering.  $5,455   $5,455   $9,018 
                
Preferred stock, no par value, $1,000 per share liquidation, 10,000,000 shares authorized; 17,123 issued and outstanding   17,123    17,123    17,123 
                
Preferred stock, $1.00 par value, $17.75 per share liquidation, 3,563,380 shares authorized; 3,563,380 issued and outstanding and related surplus     -    63,250    - 
                
Capital surplus   44,996    44,996    104,683 
                
Retained earnings   42,543    42,543    42,543 
                
Accumulated other comprehensive income, net   3,005    3,005    3,005 
                
Treasury stock, at cost, 26,494 shares   (464)   (464)   (464)
                
Total stockholders' equity  $112,658   $175,908   $175,908 
                
Consolidated Capital Ratios:               
                
Tangible common equity to tangible assets   6.39%   6.08%   10.89%
                
Tangible equity to tangible assets   7.8%   12.2%   12.2%
                
Tier 1 leverage   8.5%   13.1%   13.1%
                
Tier 1 risk based capital ratio   10.5%   16.2%   16.2%
                
Total risk based capital ratio   11.2%   16.9%   16.9%
                
Common equity Tier 1 capital ratio   7.8%   7.8%   13.6%

 

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Series E Preferred Stock Terms and Provisions

 

The following is a summary of the material terms and provisions of the preferences, limitations, voting powers and relative rights of the Series E Preferred Stock as contained in the Certificate of Designation for the Series E Preferred Stock which has been filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Mississippi. Shareholders are urged to carefully read the Certificate of Designation in its entirety. Although we believe this summary covers the material terms and provisions of the Series E Preferred Stock as contained in the Certificate of Designation, it may not contain all of the information that is important to you.

 

Authorized Shares, Par Value and Liquidation Preference. We have designated 3,563,380 shares as “Mandatorily Convertible Non-Cumulative Non-Voting Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series E,” each of which has a $1.00 par value and a liquidation preference of $17.75 per share.

 

Mandatory Conversion. The Series E Preferred Stock of each holder will convert into shares of common stock on the third business day following the approval by the holders of our common stock of the conversion of the Series E Preferred Stock into common stock as required by the applicable NASDAQ rules. Assuming shareholder approval of Proposal 1 at the Special Meeting, the number of shares of common stock into which each share of Series E Preferred Stock shall be converted will be determined on a one-to-one basis.

 

Dividends. If shareholder approval is not obtained, the shares of Series E Preferred Stock will remain outstanding and, beginning six months from the issuance of the Series E Preferred Stock, or approximately April 12, 2017, and for so long as such shares remain outstanding, we will be required to pay dividends on the Series E Preferred Stock, on a non-cumulative basis, at an annual rate of 6% of the liquidation value of the Series E Preferred Stock, which is $17.75. Dividends after the six month anniversary of issuance will be payable semi-annually in arrears on June 30 and December 31, beginning on June 30, 2017. If all dividends payable on the Series E Preferred Stock have not been declared and paid for an applicable dividend period, the Company shall not declare or pay any dividends on any stock which ranks junior to the Series E Preferred Stock, or redeem, purchase or acquire any stock which ranks pari passu or junior to the Series E Preferred Stock, subject to customary exceptions. If all dividends payable on the Series E Preferred Stock have not been paid in full, any dividend declared on stock which ranks pari passu to the Series E Preferred Stock shall be declared and paid pro rata with respect to the Series E Preferred Stock and such pari passu stock.

 

Participation in Dividends on Common Stock. So long as any shares of Series E Preferred Stock are outstanding, if we declare any dividends on our common stock or make any other distribution to our common shareholders, the holders of the Series E Preferred Stock will be entitled to participate in such distribution on an as-converted basis.

 

Ranking. The Series E Preferred Stock will rank senior to all of the Company’s common stock and pari passu to the Company’s outstanding Series CD Preferred Stock and will rank pari passu or senior to all future issuances of the Company’s preferred stock and junior to the Company’s outstanding Trust Preferred Securities.

 

Voting Rights. The holders of the Series E Preferred Stock will not have any voting rights other than as required by law, except that the approval of the holders of a majority of the Series E Preferred Stock, voting as a single class, will be required with respect to certain matters, including (A) charter amendments adversely affecting the rights, preferences or privileges of the Series E Preferred Stock, (B) the consummation of a reorganization event in connection with which the Series E Preferred Stock is not converted or otherwise treated as provided in the Certificate of Designation, or (C) the creation of any series of equal or senior equity securities.

 

Liquidation. In the event the Company voluntarily or involuntarily liquidates, dissolves or winds up, the holders of the Series E Preferred Stock shall be entitled to liquidating distributions equal to $17.75 per share plus any declared and unpaid dividends.

 

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Redemption. The Series E Preferred Stock shall be perpetual unless converted in accordance with the Certificate of Designation. The Series E Preferred Stock will not be redeemable at the option of the Company or any holder of Series E Preferred Stock at any time.

 

Preemptive Rights. Holders of the Series E Preferred Stock have no preemptive rights.

 

Fundamental Change. If the Company enters into a transaction constituting a consolidation or merger of the Company or similar transaction or any sale or other transfer of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (in each case pursuant to which its common stock will be converted into cash, securities or other property) or for certain reclassifications or exchanges of its common stock, then each share of Series E Preferred Stock will convert, effective on the day on which such share would automatically convert into common stock of the Company, into the securities, cash and other property receivable in the transaction by the holder of the number of shares of common stock into which such share of Series E Preferred Stock would then be convertible, assuming receipt of any applicable regulatory approval.

 

The Securities Purchase Agreements

 

The following is a summary of the material terms of the Securities Purchase Agreements.

 

Purchase and Sale of Stock. Pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreements, we issued and sold 3,563,380 shares of the Series E Preferred Stock, in the aggregate, to the Purchasers (defined therein).

 

Representations and Warranties. We made customary representations and warranties to the Purchasers relating to us, our business and our capital stock, including with respect to the shares of Series E Preferred Stock issued to the Purchasers pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreements. The representations and warranties in the Securities Purchase Agreements were made for purposes of the Securities Purchase Agreements and are subject to qualifications and limitations agreed to by the respective parties in connection with negotiating the terms of the Securities Purchase Agreements, including being qualified by confidential disclosures made for the purposes of allocating contractual risk. In addition, certain representations and warranties were made as of a specific date, may be subject to a contractual standard of materiality different from what might be viewed as material to shareholders, or may have been used for purposes of allocating risk between the respective parties rather than establishing matters as facts. The representations and warranties and other provisions of the Securities Purchase Agreements should not be read alone, but instead should only be read together with the information provided elsewhere in this document and in the documents incorporated by reference into this document, including the periodic and current reports and statements that we file with the SEC.

 

Agreement to Seek Shareholder Approval. We agreed to call the Special Meeting, as promptly as reasonably practicable but in no event later than December 31, 2016, and to recommend and seek shareholder approval of Proposal 1. In addition, we agreed to prepare and file this proxy statement with the SEC and to cause the proxy statement to be mailed to shareholders within specified timeframes. If such approval is not obtained at the Special Meeting, we have agreed to call additional meetings and recommend approval of Proposal 1 to the shareholders every three (3) months thereafter until such approval is obtained.

 

Transfer Restrictions. The Series E Preferred Stock issued in the Private Placement constitutes “restricted securities” under federal securities laws and is accordingly subject to significant restrictions on transfer. The Company committed, pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement into which it also entered with each Purchaser, to register both the Series E Preferred Stock and the Common Stock to be issued upon conversion of the Series E Preferred Stock, for resale under the Securities Act. See “The Registration Rights Agreement.”

 

Other Covenants. We also agreed to a number of customary covenants, including covenants with respect to the reservation and listing on NASDAQ of the common stock to be issued upon conversion of the Series E Preferred Stock.

 

Indemnity. We have agreed to customary indemnification provisions for the benefit of each Purchaser relating to certain losses suffered by each Purchaser arising from breaches of our representations, warranties and covenants in the Securities Purchase Agreements or relating to certain losses arising from actions, suits or claims relating to the Securities Purchase Agreements or the transactions contemplated thereby.

 

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Expenses. The Purchasers and the Company will be solely responsible for and bear all of their own expenses, including, without limitation, expenses of legal counsel, accountants and other advisors (including financial intermediaries and advisors), incurred at any time in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Securities Purchase Agreements.

 

The Registration Rights Agreement

 

On October 12, 2016, we also entered into a Registration Rights Agreement with the Purchasers pursuant to which we agreed to (i) file a registration statement with the SEC within 90 days of October 14, 2016, to register the Common Stock to be issued upon conversion of the Series E Preferred Stock, for resale under the Securities Act; (ii) use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective within 120 days of October 14, 2016 (or 150 days in the event of an SEC review), subject to specified exceptions; and (iii) continue to take certain steps to maintain effectiveness of the registration statement and facilitate certain other matters.

 

Failure to meet these deadlines and certain other events may result in the Company’s payment to the Purchasers of liquidated damages in the monthly amount of 0.5% of the purchase price. The Company will bear all expenses incident to performing its obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement regardless of whether any securities are sold pursuant to a relevant registration statement, including registration and filing fees, printing expenses, legal fees, and other incidental expenses. The Company is not responsible for any underwriting discounts, broker or similar fees or commissions, or legal fees, of any Purchaser. The Registration Rights Agreement also provides for customary reciprocal indemnification provisions relating to certain losses suffered by either party arising from any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact, or material omission, in any relevant registration statement or prospectus.

 

Acquisition of Iberville Bank

 

Background of the Iberville Bank Acquisition

 

In early June 2016, M. Ray (Hoppy) Cole, Jr., Vice Chairman, President and CEO of FBMS, and other FBMS representatives, including their financial adviser, received information with regard to a potential transaction with Iberville Bank from Iberville Bank’s parent company, A. Wilbert’s Sons Lumber and Shingle Company (“AWS”). FBMS management, legal advisors and financial analysts reviewed preliminary due diligence information provided by AWS and its legal and financial advisors.

 

FBMS subsequently submitted a preliminary LOI on June 28, 2016 which reflected a range of prices FBMS may be willing to pay based on the due diligence received to date. The offer was subject to satisfactory completion of FBMS’s due diligence and proposed an exclusivity period of 90 days, among other conditions. FBMS also inquired whether consideration in the form of stock for all of the common shares of Iberville Bank would be acceptable. AWS and Iberville Bank consulted with its legal adviser and financial adviser regarding the financial and legal terms of the LOI. AWS informed FBMS that they would only be willing to accept cash as consideration.

 

Over the next month, FBMS conducted its due diligence review of Iberville Bank. Iberville Bank also conducted a limited due diligence review of FBMS including an on-site visit by Iberville Bank management and its board of directors. Concurrent with the respective due diligence reviews, Iberville Bank and FBMS began negotiations of a definitive acquisition agreement. On July 27, 2016, AWS sent a draft of a stock purchase agreement (the “Agreement”) to FBMS’s legal counsel.

 

During the next month, FBMS’s management met with representatives of Iberville Bank both on-site and over the telephone and FBMS’s legal counsel and the FBMS financial adviser met with the Iberville Bank management team and legal and financial advisors (via telephone) to update the due diligence process and the status of negotiations related to the Agreement. Subsequently, FBMS asked for an extension of the LOI noting that the exclusivity period was set to expire soon. FBMS requested an extension to the LOI with a target announcement date of September 9, 2016. On August 10, 2016 and again on August 18, 2016, FBMS submitted a revised LOI requesting an extension of the exclusivity period and refining the terms of FBMS’s proposal. All other terms of the original LOI remained as agreed to in the original LOI executed on June 28, 2016. Iberville Bank’s board accepted the terms of the revised LOI on August 26, 2016.

 

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Over the next six weeks, FBMS, AWS, Iberville Bank and their advisers negotiated the terms of the Agreement and reviewed the related disclosure schedules. During this time period, both parties’ directors and management had various discussions, including with their counsel and financial advisors, regarding the status of the negotiations, Agreement issues, employee issues, and related matters. During the first week of September, following extensive flooding in the Baton Rouge, Louisiana area, FBMS indicated to Iberville Bank and its representatives that extensive, additional due diligence would be required in regards to potential loans that may have been affected by the flooding. Over the next several weeks, FBMS conducted flood-related due diligence.

 

The FBMS board met on October 7, 2016 and reviewed and discussed the terms of the proposed Agreement and approved the terms of the Agreement with AWS and Iberville Bank. At a special meeting on October 11, 2016, the AWS board met, along with its financial representative and AWS and Iberville Bank counsel, to review the terms of the proposed Agreement and related agreements. AWS and Iberville Bank’s legal counsel then reviewed the most recent draft of the proposed Agreement and related transaction documents.

 

On October 12, 2016, the Agreement was formally signed by FBMS and AWS. A joint press release was issued, announcing the execution of the Agreement and the terms of the Acquisition on October 14, 2016. The press release also included the announcement of an agreement by FBMS to acquire Gulf Coast Community Bank in an approximately $2.3 million all stock transaction and the private placement of approximately $63.3 million in FBMS capital stock.

 

Terms of the Iberville Bank Acquisition Agreement

 

On October 12, 2016, the Company and the Bank entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement (the “Iberville Bank Acquisition Agreement”) with A. Wilbert’s Sons Lumber and Shingle Company (the “Iberville Bank Parent”), the parent company of Iberville Bank (“Iberville Bank”), under which the Company has agreed to acquire 100% of the common stock of Iberville Bank for a purchase price of $31.1 million in cash (the “Iberville Bank Acquisition”).

 

The Company will pay the Iberville Bank Parent $31.1 million in cash (“purchase price”) for 100% of the stock of Iberville Bank; provided however, that $2.5 million of the purchase price will be subject to a mutually acceptable escrow agreement pursuant to which the parties have agreed to escrow such amount to cover potential losses on loans that were affected by recent flooding in certain of the Iberville Bank markets.

 

The Iberville Bank Acquisition Agreement contains customary representations and warranties by both the Company and the Iberville Bank Parent and each have agreed to customary covenants, including, among others, covenants relating to (1) the conduct of Iberville Bank’s businesses during the interim period between the execution of the Agreement and the completion of the Iberville Bank Acquisition; and (2) cooperation with respect to the filing of regulatory approval applications regarding the Iberville Bank Acquisition.

 

Completion of the Iberville Bank Acquisition is subject to certain customary conditions, including, among others (1) approval by two-thirds (2/3) of the Iberville Bank Parent shareholders, (2) the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the other party, and (3) performance in all material respects by the other party of its obligations under the Agreement. The Company’s shareholders will not vote on the transaction.

 

The Agreement contains certain termination rights for the Company and Iberville Bank Parent, as the case may be, applicable upon (1) March 31, 2017, if the Iberville Bank Acquisition has not been completed by that date, (2) final, non-appealable denial of required regulatory approvals or an injunction prohibiting the transactions contemplated by the Iberville Bank Acquisition Agreement, or (3) a breach by the other party that is not or cannot be cured within 45 days’ notice of such breach if such breach would result in a failure of the conditions to closing set forth in the Iberville Bank Acquisition Agreement.

 

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Under certain circumstances, the Iberville Bank Acquisition Agreement may be terminated in the event that the Iberville Bank Parent Board of Directors approves an alternative transaction. In the event of a termination due to approval of an alternative transaction, the Iberville Bank Parent will be required to pay the Company a termination fee of $1,088,500.

 

Regulatory Approvals Required for the Iberville Bank Acquisition

 

The Iberville Bank Acquisition is subject to the prior approval of, or waiver therefrom, of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (“OCC”) and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (“Federal Reserve”). On October 19, 2016, the Company filed an application with the OCC seeking its approval of the Iberville Bank Acquisition. The application with the OCC is still pending and the Company expects to receive a decision from the OCC during the fourth quarter of 2016. On November 10, 2016 the Company received a letter from the Federal Reserve acknowledging that the Iberville Bank Acquisition was exempt from the prior approval of the Federal Reserve.

 

Reasons for the Iberville Bank Acquisition

 

The Iberville Bank Acquisition will allow the Company to acquire an established franchise with deep ties to the local community and increase the Company’s presence in one of the Gulf South’s premier markets, ranking it in the top ten in deposit market share in the Baton Rouge, LA MSA. The Company believes the acquisition will allow it to leverage existing local infrastructure in the Baton Rouge, LA MSA while acquiring a low loan-to-deposit ratio and a low-cost deposit base with significant non-interest bearing deposits, which provides significant potential for loan growth. The Company further believes Iberville Bank has excellent credit quality due to their strong existing underwriting standards.

 

Board of Directors’ Recommendation and Required Vote

 

Approval of Proposal 1 requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of the Company’s common stock represented and voting at a duly convened Special Meeting. The directors and executive officers of the Company, owning or controlling the vote with respect to an aggregate of 638,373 voting shares, or approximately 11.76% of the Company’s outstanding common stock as of the Record Date, are expected to vote in favor of Proposal 1. The directors who purchased and are also holders of Series E Preferred Stock recognize that they have a personal interest in the approval of Proposal 1 (see “Interests of Certain Persons in the Share Conversion and Other Matters”).

 

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” PROPOSAL 1.

 

PROPOSAL 2

 

APPROVAL OF AN ADJOURNMENT OR POSTPONEMENT OF THE MEETING

 

If we fail to receive a sufficient number of votes to constitute a quorum to hold the Special Meeting or to approve Proposal 1 at the Special Meeting, we may propose to adjourn or postpone the Special Meeting, whether or not a quorum is present, for a period of not more than 45 days, to (i) constitute a quorum for purposes of the Special Meeting or (ii) solicit additional Proxies from shareholders who have not submitted proxies in favor of the approval of Proposal 1, as necessary. The only business that may be transacted at any reconvened meeting is business that could have been transacted at the meeting that was adjourned, for example, Proposal 1, unless further notice of the adjourned meeting has been given in compliance with the requirements for a special meeting that specifies the additional purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. During the reconvened meeting, votes that have previously been cast either in person or by proxy at the adjourned or postponed meeting will continue to be counted in the manner voted at the adjourned or postponed meeting.

 

We currently do not intend to propose adjourning or postponing the Special Meeting if there are sufficient votes represented at the Special Meeting to approve Proposal 1.

 

Board of Directors’ Recommendation and Required Vote

 

Approval of Proposal 2 requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of the Company’s common stock represented and voting at the Special Meeting, assuming that a quorum is present.

 

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THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” PROPOSAL 2.

 

INTERESTS OF DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

 

Certain of the Company’s directors and executive officers participated in the Private Placement and therefore have an interest in the outcome of the Proposals. The following directors purchased shares of Series E Preferred Stock in the private placement in the following amounts: David W. Bomboy, M.D., 14,085 shares; M. Ray (Hoppy) Cole, Jr., 2,000 Shares; E. Ricky Gibson, 3,775 shares; Charles R. Lightsey, 28,169 shares; Fred A. McMurry, 5,634 shares (1), Ted E. Parker, 9,859 shares; J. Douglas Seidenburg, 11,584 shares and 2,500(2) shares, and Andrew D. Stetelman, 5,634 shares.

 

(1)Shares held of record by Oak Grove Land Company, Inc. Fred A. McMurry is 33% owner of the company. Fred A. McMurry disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares held by Oak Grove Land Company, Inc. except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.
(2)Shares held of record by M.D. Outdoor, LLC. J. Douglas Seidenburg is a 50% owner of the company. J. Douglas Seidenburg disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares held by M.D. Outdoor, LLC, except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.

 

Assuming shareholder approval of Proposal 1 and the resulting issuance of common stock as described above, none of these individuals will have beneficial ownership in excess of five percent (5%) of the outstanding shares of the common stock.

 

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN

BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

 

The following table sets forth certain information regarding the beneficial ownership of common stock in the Company owned by the directors, nominees for director, and executive officers, as of October 21, 2016.

 

Name of  Amount and Nature   Unvested   Percent of 
Beneficial Owner  of Beneficial Ownership(1)   Restricted Stock(2)   Class(3) 
             
David W. Bomboy, M.D.   106,995    4,000    2.04%
                
M. Ray (Hoppy)  Cole, Jr.   33,539    29,597    1.16%
                
E. Ricky Gibson   84,744    8,500    1.72%
                
Charles R. Lightsey   47,987    4,000    0.96%
                
Fred A. McMurry   79,885    4,000    1.55%
                
Gregory H. Mitchell   5,001    4,000    0.17%
                
Ted E. Parker   66,813    4,000    1.30%
                
J. Douglas Seidenburg   78,656    4,000    1.52%
                
Andrew D. Stetelman   38,283    4,000    0.78%
                
Dee Dee Lowery   19,282    11,091    0.56%
                
Executive Officers, Directors, and Nominees as a group   561,185    77,188    11.76%

 

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(1)Includes shares for which the named person:
-has sole voting and investment power,
-has shared voting and investment power with a spouse, or
-holds in an IRA or other retirement plan program, unless otherwise indicated in these footnotes.
(2)Restricted Stock granted under The First Bancshares, Inc. 2007 Stock Incentive Plan
(3)Calculated based on 5,428,017 shares outstanding

 

 

 

Financial Statements

 

Our Audited Consolidated Financial Statements (including Notes thereto) at December 31, 2015 and 2014 and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2015, as included in our Annual Reports on Form 10-K for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, are attached to the proxy statement as Appendix A and thereby incorporated by reference herein. Our Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements (including Notes thereto) at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 and for the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016 and September 30, 2015, as included in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2016, are attached to this proxy statement as Appendix B and thereby incorporated by reference herein. See “Incorporation by Reference of Information About the Company, Financial Statements and Related Information” below.

 

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

 

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition at December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 and Results of Operations for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2015, as included in our Annual Reports on Form 10-K for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, is attached to this proxy statement as Appendix A and thereby incorporated by reference herein. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 and Results of Operations for the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016 and September 30, 2015, as included in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2016, is attached to this proxy statement as Appendix B and thereby incorporated by reference herein. See “Incorporation by Reference of Information About the Company, Financial Statements and Related Information” below.

 

Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

 

There have been no changes in or disagreements with our accountants required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 304 of Regulation S-K.

 

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

 

Information regarding our quantitative and qualitative disclosures about market risk is contained in the section entitled “Liquidity and Market Risk Management” in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations contained in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2016, which is attached hereto as Appendix C. See “Incorporation by Reference of Information About the Company, Financial Statements and Related Information” below.

 

T. E. Lott & Company

 

Representatives of T. E. Lott & Company, the Company’s accounting firm are expected to be present at the meeting to respond to appropriate questions, and those representatives will also have an opportunity to make a statement if they desire to do so.

 

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INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY, FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND RELATED INFORMATION

 

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this document important business and financial information about the Company from other documents we file with the SEC and that are being provided with this proxy statement. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this document. Sections of the following documents are incorporated herein by reference:

 

·Our Audited Consolidated Financial Statements (including Notes thereto), and independent auditor’s reports thereto, at December 31, 2015 and 2014 and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2015 on (i) on pages 30 through 74 of the Company's Annual Report to Shareholders for the year ended December 31, 2015 and (ii) pages 30 through 76 of the Company's Annual Report to Shareholders for the year ended December 31, 2014, which are included as Appendix A to this proxy statement;

 

·Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition at December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 and Results of Operations for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2015 on (i) on pages 6 through 28 of the Company's Annual Report to Shareholders for the year ended December 31, 2015 and (ii) on pages 6 through 28 of the Company's Annual Report to Shareholders for the year ended December 31, 2014, which are included as Appendix A to this proxy statement;

 

·Our Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements (including Notes thereto) at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 and for the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016 and September 30, 2015 on pages 2 through 28 (Item 1 of Part I) of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2016, which is included as Appendix B to this proxy statement;

 

·Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 and Results of Operations for the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016 and September 30, 2015 on pages 29 through 48 (Item 2 of Part I) of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2016, which is included as Appendix B to this proxy statement; and

 

·Information regarding our quantitative and qualitative disclosures about market risk is contained in the section entitled “Liquidity and Market Risk Management” in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations on page 49 of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2016, which is included as Appendix B to this proxy statement.

 

SOLICITATION OF PROXIES

 

The cost of soliciting proxies from shareholders will be borne by the Company. The initial solicitation will be by mail. Thereafter, proxies may be solicited by directors, officers and employees of the Company or the bank, by means of telephone, telegraph or personal contact, but without additional compensation therefore. The Company will reimburse brokers and other persons holding shares as nominees for their reasonable expenses in sending proxy soliciting material to the beneficial owners.

 

The accompanying Proxy is being solicited by the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS FOR THE 2017 ANNUAL MEETING

 

SEC Rule 14a-8. If you are a shareholder who would like us to include your proposal in our notice of the 2017 annual meeting and related proxy materials, you must follow SEC Rule 14a-8. In submitting your proposal, our Corporate Secretary must receive your proposal, in writing, at our principal executive offices, no later than December 16, 2016. If you do not follow Rule 14a-8, we will not consider your proposal for inclusion in next year's proxy statement.

 

Director Nomination Procedures. Under our Bylaws, a shareholder who wishes to nominate an individual for election to the Board of Directors directly at an annual meeting, or to propose any business to be considered at an annual meeting, must deliver advance notice of such nomination or business to the Company. The shareholder must be a shareholder as of the date the notice is delivered and at the time of the annual meeting and must be entitled to vote at the meeting. The notice must be in writing and contain the information specified in our Bylaws for a director nomination, and director nominees must satisfy the requirements specified in our Bylaws. If you would like to receive a printed copy of our Bylaws at no cost you may request these by contacting our Corporate Secretary in writing at The First Bancshares, Inc., 6480 US Highway 98 West, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39402 or by phone at 601-268-8998.

 

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Based on this year's annual meeting date, to be timely, the written notice must be delivered not earlier than February 25, 2017 (the 90th day prior to the first anniversary of this year's annual meeting) and not later than April 6, 2017 (the 50th day prior to the first anniversary of this year's annual meeting) to the Corporate Secretary at our principal executive offices by mail.

 

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

 

We are subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act, and we are required to file reports and proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy these reports, proxy statements and information at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC maintains a web site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding registrants, including Center Financial Corporation, that file electronically with the SEC. You may access the SEC’s web site at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of certain information filed by us with the SEC are also available on our website at www.thefirstbank.com.

 

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APPENDIX A

 

ANNUAL REPORTS ON FORM 10-K FOR THE FISCAL YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2015 AND 2014.

 

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THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.
2015 ANNUAL REPORT

 

SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

(Dollars In Thousands, Except Per Share Data)

 

   December 31, 
   2015   2014   2013   2012   2011 
Earnings:                         
Net interest income  $36,994   $33,398   $28,401   $22,194   $19,079 
Provision for loan losses   410    1,418    1,076    1,228    1,468 
                          
Noninterest income   7,588    7,803    7,083    6,324    4,598 
Noninterest expense   32,161    30,734    28,165    22,164    18,870 
Net income   8,799    6,614    4,639    4,049    2,871 
Net income applicable to common stockholders   8,456    6,251    4,215    3,624    2,529 
                          
Per  common share data:                         
Basic net income per share  $1.57   $1.20   $.98   $1.17   $.83 
                          
Diluted net income per share   1.55    1.19    .96    1.16    .82 
Per share data:                         
Basic net income per share  $1.64   $1.27   $1.07   $1.31   $.94 
Diluted net income per share   1.62    1.25    1.06    1.29    .93 
                          
Selected Year End Balances:                         
                          
Total assets  $1,145,131   $1,093,768   $940,890   $721,385   $681,413 
Securities   254,959    270,174    258,023    226,301    221,176 
Loans, net of allowance   769,742    700,540    577,574    408,970    383,418 
Deposits   916,695    892,775    779,971    596,627    573,394 
Stockholders’ equity   103,436    96,216    85,108    65,885    60,425 

  

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MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

Purpose

 

The purpose of management's discussion and analysis is to make the reader aware of the significant components, events, and changes in the consolidated financial condition and results of operations of the Company and The First during the year ended December 31, 2015, when compared to the years 2014 and 2013. The Company's consolidated financial statements and related notes should also be considered.

 

Critical Accounting Policies

 

In the preparation of the Company's consolidated financial statements, certain significant amounts are based upon judgment and estimates. The most critical of these is the accounting policy related to the allowance for loan losses. The allowance is based in large measure upon management's evaluation of borrowers' abilities to make loan payments, local and national economic conditions, and other subjective factors. If any of these factors were to deteriorate, management would update its estimates and judgments which may require additional loss provisions.

 

Companies are required to perform periodic reviews of individual securities in their investment portfolios to determine whether decline in the value of a security is other than temporary. A review of other-than-temporary impairment requires companies to make certain judgments regarding the materiality of the decline, its effect on the financial statements and the probability, extent and timing of a valuation recovery and the company’s intent and ability to hold the security. Pursuant to these requirements, Management assesses valuation declines to determine the extent to which such changes are attributable to fundamental factors specific to the issuer, such as financial condition, business prospects or other factors or market-related factors, such as interest rates. Declines in the fair value of securities below their cost that are deemed to be other-than-temporary are recorded in earnings as realized losses.

 

Goodwill is assessed for impairment both annually and when events or circumstances occur that make it more likely than not that impairment has occurred. As part of its testing, the Company first assesses qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If the Company determines the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount using these qualitative factors, the Company then compares the fair value of goodwill with its carrying amount, and then measures impaired loss by comparing the implied fair value of goodwill with the carrying amount of that goodwill. No impairment was indicated when the annual test was performed in 2015.

 

Overview

 

The First Bancshares, Inc. (the Company) was incorporated on June 23, 1995, and serves as a bank holding company for The First, A National Banking Association (“The First”), located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The First began operations on August 5, 1996, from its main office in the Oak Grove community, which is on the western side of Hattiesburg. The First has 30 locations in South Mississippi, South Alabama and Louisiana. See Note C of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for information regarding branch acquisitions. The Company and The First engage in a general commercial and retail banking business characterized by personalized service and local decision-making, emphasizing the banking needs of small to medium-sized businesses, professional concerns, and individuals.

 

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The Company’s primary source of revenue is interest income and fees, which it earns by lending and investing the funds which are held on deposit. Because loans generally earn higher rates of interest than investments, the Company seeks to employ as much of its deposit funds as possible in the form of loans to individuals, businesses, and other organizations. To ensure sufficient liquidity, the Company also maintains a portion of its deposits in cash, government securities, deposits with other financial institutions, and overnight loans of excess reserves (known as “Federal Funds Sold”) to correspondent banks. The revenue which the Company earns (prior to deducting its overhead expenses) is essentially a function of the amount of the Company’s loans and deposits, as well as the profit margin (“interest spread”) and fee income which can be generated on these amounts.

 

The Company increased from approximately $1.1 billion in total assets, and $892.8 million in deposits at December 31, 2014 to approximately $1.1 billion in total assets, and $916.7 million in deposits at December 31, 2015. Loans net of allowance for loan losses increased from $701.0 million at December 31, 2014 to approximately $769.7 million at December 31, 2015. The Company increased from $96.2 million in stockholders’ equity at December 31, 2014 to approximately $103.4 million at December 31, 2015. The First reported net income of $9,620,000 and $7,385,000 for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. For the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company reported consolidated net income applicable to common stockholders of $8,456,000 and $6,251,000, respectively. The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the “Selected Consolidated Financial Data” and the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements and the Notes thereto and the other financial data included elsewhere.

 

SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

(Dollars In Thousands, Except Per Share Data)

 

   December 31, 
   2015   2014   2013   2012   2011 
Earnings:                         
Net interest income  $36,994   $33,398   $28,401   $22,194   $19,079 
Provision for loan losses   410    1,418    1,076    1,228    1,468 
Noninterest income   7,588    7,803    7,083    6,324    4,598 
Noninterest expense   32,161    30,734    28,165    22,164    18,870 
Net income   8,799    6,614    4,639    4,049    2,871 
Net income applicable to common stockholders   8,456    6,251    4,215    3,624    2,529 
                          
Per common share data:                         
Basic net income per share  $1.57   $1.20   $.98   $1.17   $.83 
Diluted net income per share   1.55    1.19    .96    1.16    .82 
Per share data:                         
Basic net income per share  $1.64   $1.27   $1.07   $1.31   $.94 
Diluted net income per share   1.62    1.25    1.06    1.29    .93 
                          
Selected Year End Balances:                         
                          
Total assets  $1,145,131   $1,093,768   $940,890   $721,385   $681,413 
Securities   254,959    270,174    258,023    226,301    221,176 
Loans, net of allowance   769,742    700,540    577,574    408,970    383,418 
Deposits   916,695    892,775    779,971    596,627    573,394 
Stockholders’ equity   103,436    96,216    85,108    65,885    60,425 

 

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Results of Operations

 

The following is a summary of the results of operations by The First for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014.

 

   2015   2014 
   (In thousands) 
         
Interest income  $40,196   $36,365 
Interest expense   3,022    2,791 
Net interest income   37,174    33,574 
           
Provision for loan losses   410    1,418 
           
Net interest income after provision for loan losses   36,764    32,156 
           
Other income   7,589    7,439 
           
Other expense   31,032    29,477 
           
Income tax expense   3,701    2,733 
           
Net income  $9,620   $7,385 

 

21

 

 

The following reconciles the above table to the amounts reflected in the consolidated financial statements of the Company at December 31, 2015 and 2014:

 

   2015   2014 
   (In thousands) 
         
Net interest income:          
Net interest income of The First  $37,174   $33,574 
Intercompany eliminations   (180)   (176)
   $36,994   $33,398 
           
Net income applicable to common stockholders:          
Net income of  The First  $9,620   $7,385 
Net loss of the Company, excluding intercompany accounts   (1,164)   (1,134)
   $8,456   $6,251 

 

Consolidated Net Income

 

The Company reported consolidated net income applicable to common stockholders of $8,456,242 for the year ended December 31, 2015, compared to a consolidated net income of $6,250,743 for the year ended December 31, 2014. The increase in income was attributable to an increase in net interest income of $3.6 million or 10.8%, which was offset by an increase in other expenses of $1.4 million or 4.6%.

 

Consolidated Net Interest Income

 

The largest component of net income for the Company is net interest income, which is the difference between the income earned on assets and interest paid on deposits and borrowings used to support such assets. Net interest income is determined by the rates earned on the Company’s interest-earning assets and the rates paid on its interest-bearing liabilities, the relative amounts of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities, and the degree of mismatch and the maturity and repricing characteristics of its interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities.

 

Consolidated net interest income was approximately $36,994,000 for the year ended December 31, 2015, as compared to $33,398,000 for the year ended December 31, 2014. This increase was the direct result of increased loan volumes during 2015 as compared to 2014. Average interest-bearing liabilities for the year 2015 were $822,708,000 compared to $746,025,000 for the year 2014. At December 31, 2015, the net interest spread, the difference between the yield on earning assets and the rates paid on interest-bearing liabilities, was 3.55% compared to 3.50% at December 31, 2014. The net interest margin (which is net interest income divided by average earning assets) was 3.63% for the year 2015 compared to 3.58% for the year 2014. Rates paid on average interest-bearing liabilities decreased to .39% for the year 2015 compared to .40% for the year 2014. Interest earned on assets and interest accrued on liabilities is significantly influenced by market factors, specifically interest rates as set by Federal agencies. Average loans comprised 71.7% of average earning assets for the year 2015 compared to 67.8% for the year 2014.

 

22

 

 

Average Balances, Income and Expenses, and Rates. The following tables depict, for the periods indicated, certain information related to the average balance sheet and average yields on assets and average costs of liabilities. Such yields are derived by dividing income or expense by the average balance of the corresponding assets or liabilities. Average balances have been derived from daily averages.

 

Average Balances, Income and Expenses, and Rates

 

   Years Ended December 31, 
   2015   2014   2013 
   Average
Balance
   Income/
Expenses
   Yield/
Rate
   Average
Balance
   Income/
Expenses
   Yield/
Rate
   Average
Balance
   Income/
Expenses
   Yield/
Rate
 
   (Dollars in thousands) 
Assets                                             
Earning Assets                                             
Loans (1)(2)  $730,326   $34,242    4.69%  $632,049   $30,276    4.79%  $583,200   $25,736    4.41%
Securities   256,462    5,803    2.26%   271,247    5,957    2.20%   248,237    5,419    2.18%
Federal funds sold (3)   24,582    64    .26%   24,845    53    .21%   18,564    62    .33%
Other   7,585    93    1.23%   3,827    85    2.22%   7,404    101    1.36%
Total earning assets   1,018,955    40,202    3.94%   931,968    36,371    3.90%   857,405    31,318    3.65%
                                              
Cash and due from banks   31,378              30,657              25,447           
Premises and  equipment   33,797              33,252              30,816           
Other assets   44,375              40,428              33,314           
Allowance for loan losses   (6,313)             (5,983)             (5,240)          
Total assets  $1,122,192             $1,030,322             $941,742           
                                              
Liabilities                                             
Interest-bearing liabilities  $822,708   $3,208    .39%  $746,025   $2,973    .40%  $728,322   $2,917    .40%
Demand deposits (1)   196,284              184,037              115,909           
Other liabilities   4,594              11,990              12,430           
Stockholders’ equity   98,606              88,270              85,081           
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity  $1,122,192             $1,030,322             $941,742           
                                              
Net interest spread             3.55%             3.50%             3.25%
Net yield on interest-earning assets       $36,994    3.63%       $33,398    3.58%       $28,401    3.31%

 

 

(1)All loans and deposits were made to borrowers in the United States. Includes nonaccrual loans of $7,368, $6,056, and $3,181, respectively, during the periods presented. Loans include held for sale loans.
(2)Includes loan fees of $692, $717, and $525, respectively.
(3)Includes EBA-MNBB and Federal Reserve – New Orleans.

 

Analysis of Changes in Net Interest Income. The following table presents the consolidated dollar amount of changes in interest income and interest expense attributable to changes in volume and to changes in rate. The combined effect in both volume and rate which cannot be separately identified has been allocated proportionately to the change due to volume and due to rate.

 

23

 

 

Analysis of Changes in Consolidated Net Interest Income

 

  

Year Ended December 31,

   Year Ended December 31, 
  

2015 versus 2014

Increase (decrease) due to

  

2014 versus 2013

Increase (decrease) due to

 
   Volume   Rate   Net   Volume   Rate   Net 
   (Dollars in thousands) 
Earning Assets                              
Loans  $3,826   $140   $3,966   $2,154   $2,386   $4,540 
Securities   (298)   144    (154)   502    36    538 
Federal funds sold   19    (8)   11    21    (30)   (9)
Other short-term investments   3    5    8    (49)   33    (16)
Total interest income   3,550    281    3,831    2,628    2,425    5,053 
Interest-Bearing Liabilities                              
Interest-bearing transaction accounts   204    66    270    88    (31)   57 
Money market accounts and savings   6    (24)   (18)   82    (57)   25 
Time deposits   (108)   50    (58)   59    62    121 
Borrowed funds   77    (36)   41    1,113    (1,260)   (147)
Total interest expense   179    56    235    1,342    (1,286)   56 
Net interest income  $3,371   $225   $3,596   $1,286   $3,711   $4,997 

 

Interest Sensitivity. The Company monitors and manages the pricing and maturity of its assets and liabilities in order to diminish the potential adverse impact that changes in interest rates could have on its net interest income. A monitoring technique employed by the Company is the measurement of the Company's interest sensitivity "gap," which is the positive or negative dollar difference between assets and liabilities that are subject to interest rate repricing within a given period of time. The Company also performs asset/liability modeling to assess the impact varying interest rates and balance sheet mix assumptions will have on net interest income. Interest rate sensitivity can be managed by repricing assets or liabilities, selling securities available-for-sale, replacing an asset or liability at maturity, or adjusting the interest rate during the life of an asset or liability. Managing the amount of assets and liabilities repricing in the same time interval helps to hedge the risk and minimize the impact on net interest income of rising or falling interest rates. The Company evaluates interest sensitivity risk and then formulates guidelines regarding asset generation and repricing, funding sources and pricing, and off-balance sheet commitments in order to decrease interest rate sensitivity risk.

 

24

 

 

The following tables illustrate the Company's consolidated interest rate sensitivity and consolidated cumulative gap position at December 31, 2013, 2014, and 2015.

 

   December 31, 2013 
  

Within

Three

Months

  

After Three

Through

Twelve

Months

  

Within

One

Year

  

Greater Than

One Year or

Nonsensitive

   Total 
   (Dollars in thousands) 
Assets                         
Earning Assets:                         
Loans  $89,314   $98,315   $187,629   $395,673   $583,302 
Securities (2)   10,114    16,006    26,120    231,903    258,023 
Funds sold and other   967    14,205    15,172    -    15,172 
Total earning assets  $100,395   $128,526   $228,921   $627,576   $856,497 
Liabilities                         
Interest-bearing liabilities:                         
Interest-bearing deposits:                         
NOW accounts (1)  $-   $240,513   $240,513   $-   $240,513 
Money market accounts   107,564    -    107,564    -    107,564 
Savings deposits (1)   -    55,113    55,113    -    55,113 
Time deposits   46,875    87,475    134,350    68,637    202,987 
Total interest-bearing deposits   154,439    383,101    537,540    68,637    606,177 
Borrowed funds (3)   37,000    4,000    41,000    11,000    52,000 
Total interest-bearing liabilities   191,439    387,101    578,540    79,637    658,177 
Interest-sensitivity gap per period  $(91,044)  $(258,575)  $(349,619)  $547,939   $198,320 
Cumulative gap at December 31, 2013  $(91,044)  $(349,619)  $(349,619)  $198,320   $198,320 
Ratio of cumulative gap to total earning assets at December 31, 2013   (10.6)%   (40.8)%   (40.8)%   23.2%     

 

   December 31, 2014 
  

Within

Three

Months

  

After Three

Through

Twelve

Months

  

Within

One

Year

  

Greater Than

One Year or

Nonsensitive

   Total 
   (Dollars in thousands) 
Assets                         
Earning Assets:                         
Loans  $99,183   $82,644   $181,827   $524,808   $706,635 
Securities (2)   14,266    14,880    29,146    241,028    270,174 
Funds sold and other   386    13,899    14,285    -    14,285 
Total earning assets  $113,835   $111,423   $225,258   $765,836   $991,094 
Liabilities                         
Interest-bearing liabilities:                         
Interest-bearing deposits:                         
NOW accounts (1)  $-   $301,721   $301,721   $-   $301,721 
Money market accounts   117,018    -    117,018    -    117,018 
Savings deposits (1)   -    66,615    66,615    -    66,615 
Time deposits   53,529    78,581    132,110    73,949    206,059 
Total interest-bearing deposits   170,547    446,917    617,464    73,949    691,413 
Borrowed funds (3)   40,004    40,464    80,468    8,982    89,450 
Total interest-bearing liabilities   210,551    487,381    697,932    82,931    780,863 
Interest-sensitivity gap per period  $(96,716)  $(375,958)  $(472,674)  $682,905   $210,231 
Cumulative gap at December 31, 2014  $(96,716)  $(472,674)  $(472,674)  $210,231   $210,231 
Ratio of cumulative gap to total earning assets at  December 31, 2014   (9.8)%   (47.7)%   (47.7)%   21.2%     

 

25

 

 

   December 31, 2015 
  

Within

Three

Months

  

After Three

Through

Twelve

Months

  

Within

One

Year

  

Greater Than

One Year or

Nonsensitive

   Total 
   (Dollars in thousands) 
Assets                         
Earning Assets:                         
Loans  $101,160   $76,996   $178,156   $598,333   $776,489 
Securities (2)   14,831    18,100    32,931    222,028    254,959 
Funds sold and other   321    17,303    17,624    -    17,624 
Total earning assets  $116,312   $112,399   $228,711   $820,361   $1,049,072 
Liabilities                         
Interest-bearing liabilities:                         
Interest-bearing deposits:                         
NOW accounts (1)  $-   $373,686   $373,686   $-   $373,686 
Money market accounts   105,434    -    105,434    -    105,434 
Savings deposits (1)   -    68,657    68,657    -    68,657 
Time deposits   37,222    83,549    120,771    58,702    179,473 
Total interest-bearing deposits   142,656    525,892    668,548    58,702    727,250 
Borrowed funds (3)   81,130    21,191    102,321    8,000    110,321 
Total interest-bearing liabilities   223,786    547,083    770,869    66,702    837,571 
Interest-sensitivity gap per period  $(107,474)  $(434,684)  $(542,158)  $753,659   $211,501 
Cumulative gap at December 31, 2015  $(107,474)  $(542,158)  $(542,158)  $211,501   $211,501 
Ratio of cumulative gap to total earning assets at  December 31, 2015   (10.2)%   (51.7)%   (51.7)%   20.2%     

 

 

 

 

(1)NOW and savings accounts are subject to immediate withdrawal and repricing. These deposits do not tend to immediately react to changes in interest rates and the Company believes these deposits are a stable and predictable funding source. Therefore, these deposits are included in the repricing period that management believes most closely matches the periods in which they are likely to reprice rather than the period in which the funds can be withdrawn contractually.
(2)Securities include mortgage backed and other installment paying obligations based upon stated maturity dates.
(3)Does not include subordinated debentures of $10,310,000

 

The Company generally would benefit from increasing market rates of interest when it has an asset-sensitive gap and generally from decreasing market rates of interest when it is liability sensitive. The Company currently is liability sensitive within the one-year time frame. However, the Company's gap analysis is not a precise indicator of its interest sensitivity position. The analysis presents only a static view of the timing of maturities and repricing opportunities, without taking into consideration that changes in interest rates do not affect all assets and liabilities equally. For example, rates paid on a substantial portion of core deposits may change contractually within a relatively short time frame, but those rates are viewed by management as significantly less interest-sensitive than market-based rates such as those paid on non-core deposits. Accordingly, management believes a liability sensitive-position within one year would not be as indicative of the Company’s true interest sensitivity as it would be for an organization which depends to a greater extent on purchased funds to support earning assets. Net interest income is also affected by other significant factors, including changes in the volume and mix of earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities.

 

Provision and Allowance for Loan Losses

 

The Company has developed policies and procedures for evaluating the overall quality of its credit portfolio and the timely identification of potential problem loans. Management’s judgment as to the adequacy of the allowance is based upon a number of assumptions about future events which it believes to be reasonable, but which may not prove to be accurate. Thus, there can be no assurance that charge-offs in future periods will not exceed the allowance for loan losses or that additional increases in the loan loss allowance will not be required.

 

26

 

 

The Company’s allowance consists of two parts. The first part is determined in accordance with authoritative guidance issued by the FASB regarding the allowance. The Company’s determination of this part of the allowance is based upon quantitative and qualitative factors. A loan loss history based upon the prior three years is utilized in determining the appropriate allowance. Historical loss factors are determined by criticized and uncriticized loans by loan type. These historical loss factors are applied to the loans by loan type to determine an indicated allowance. The loss factors of peer groups are considered in the determination of the allowance and are used to assist in the establishment of a long-term loss history for areas in which this data is unavailable and incorporated into the qualitative factors to be considered. The historical loss factors may also be modified based upon other qualitative factors including but not limited to local and national economic conditions, trends of delinquent loans, changes in lending policies and underwriting standards, concentrations, and management’s knowledge of the loan portfolio. These factors require judgment upon the part of management and are based upon state and national economic reports received from various institutions and agencies including the Federal Reserve Bank, United States Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, meetings with the Company’s loan officers and loan committees, and data and guidance received or obtained from the Company’s regulatory authorities.

 

The second part of the allowance is determined in accordance with guidance issued by the FASB regarding impaired loans. Impaired loans are determined based upon a review by internal loan review and senior loan officers. Impaired loans are loans for which the Bank does not expect to receive contractual interest and/or principal by the due date. A specific allowance is assigned to each loan determined to be impaired based upon the value of the loan’s underlying collateral. Appraisals are used by management to determine the value of the collateral.

 

The sum of the two parts constitutes management’s best estimate of an appropriate allowance for loan losses. When the estimated allowance is determined, it is presented to the Company’s audit committee for review and approval on a quarterly basis.

 

Our allowance for loan losses model is focused on establishing a loss history within the Bank and relying on specific impairment to determine credits that the Bank feels the ultimate repayment source will be liquidation of the subject collateral.  Our model takes into account many other factors as well such as local and national economic factors, portfolio trends, non performing asset, charge off, and delinquency trends as well as underwriting standards and the experience of branch management and lending staff.   These trends are measured in the following ways:

 

Local Trends: (Updated quarterly usually the month following quarter end)

Local Unemployment Rate
Insurance Issues (Windpool Areas)
Bankruptcy Rates (Increasing/Declining)
Local Commercial R/E Vacancy Rates
Established Market/New Market
Hurricane Threat

 

27

 

 

National Trends: (Updated quarterly usually the month following quarter end)

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
Home Sales
Consumer Price Index (CPI)
Interest Rate Environment (Increasing/Steady/Declining)
Single Family Construction Starts
Inflation Rate
Retail Sales

 

Portfolio Trends: (Updated monthly as the ALLL is calculated)

Second Mortgages
Single Pay Loans
Non-Recourse Loans
Limited Guaranty Loans
Loan to Value Exceptions
Secured by Non-Owner Occupied Property
Raw Land Loans
Unsecured Loans

 

Measurable Bank Trends: (Updated quarterly)

Delinquency Trends
Non-Accrual Trends
Net Charge Offs
Loan Volume Trends
Non-Performing Assets
Underwriting Standards/Lending Policies
Experience/Depth of Bank Lending Management

 

Our model takes into account many local and national economic factors as well as portfolio trends.  Local and national economic trends are measured quarterly, typically in the month following quarter end to facilitate the release of economic data from the reporting agencies.  These factors are allocated a basis point value ranging from -25 to +25 basis points and directly affect the amount reserved for each branch.  As of December 31, 2015, most economic indicators both local and national pointed to a weak economy thus most factors were assigned a positive basis point value. This increased the amount of the allowance that was indicated by historical loss factors.  Portfolio trends are measured monthly on a per branch basis to determine the percentage of loans in each branch that the Bank has determined as having more risk.  Portfolio risk is defined as areas in the Bank’s loan portfolio in which there is additional risk involved in the loan type or some other area in which the Bank has identified as having more risk.  Each area is tracked on bank-wide as well as on a branch-wide basis.  Branches are analyzed based on the gross percentage of concentrations of the Bank as a whole.  Portfolio risk is determined by analyzing concentrations in the areas outlined by determining the percentage of each branch’s total portfolio that is made up of the particular loan type and then comparing that concentration to the Bank as a whole. Branches with concentrations in these areas are graded on a scale from – 25 basis points to + 25 basis points. Second mortgages, single pay loans, loans secured by raw land, unsecured loans and loans secured by non owner occupied property are considered to be of higher risk than those of a secured and amortizing basis. LTV exceptions place the Bank at risk in the event of repossession or foreclosure. 

 

28

 

 

Measurable Bank Wide Trends are measured on a quarterly basis as well. This consists of data tracked on a bank wide basis in which we have identified areas of additional risk or the need for additional allocation to the allowance for loan loss.   Data is updated quarterly, each area is assigned a basis point value from -25 basis points to + 25 basis points based on how each area measures to the previous time period.  Net charge offs, loan volume trends and non performing assets have all trended upwards therefore increasing the need for increased funds reserved for loan losses.  Underwriting standards/ lending standards as well as experience/ depth of bank lending management is evaluated on a per branch level. 

 

Loans are reviewed for impairment when, in the Bank’s opinion, the ultimate source of repayment will be the liquidation of collateral through foreclosure or repossession.  Once identified updated collateral values are obtained on these loans and impairment worksheets are prepared to determine if impairment exists.  This method takes into account any expected expenses related to the disposal of the subject collateral.  Specific allowances for these loans are done on a per loan basis as each loan is reviewed for impairment.  Updated appraisals are ordered on real estate loans and updated valuations are ordered on non real estate loans to determine actual market value. 

 

At December 31, 2015, the consolidated allowance for loan losses amounted to approximately $6.7 million, or .87% of outstanding loans. Including valuation accounting adjustments on acquired loans, the total valuation plus ALLL was 1.11% of loans at December 31, 2015. At December 31, 2014, the allowance for loan losses amounted to approximately $6.1 million, which was .86% of outstanding loans. The Company’s provision for loan losses was $410,000 for the year ended December 31, 2015, compared to $1,418,000 for the year ended December 31, 2014.

 

A loan is considered impaired when, based on current information and events, it is probable that the Company will be unable to collect the scheduled payments of principal or interest when due according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement. Factors considered by management in determining impairment include payment status, collateral value, and the probability of collecting scheduled principal and interest payments when due. Loans that experience insignificant payment delays and payment shortfalls generally are not classified as impaired. Management determines the significance of payment delays and payment shortfalls on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration all of the circumstances surrounding the loan and the borrower, including the length of the delay, the reasons for the delay, the borrower’s prior payment record, and the amount of the shortfall in relation to the principal and interest owed. Impairment is measured on a loan by loan basis. Impaired loans not deemed collateral dependent are analyzed according to the ultimate repayment source, whether that is cash flow from the borrower, guarantor or some other source of repayment. Impaired loans are deemed collateral dependent if in the Bank’s opinion the ultimate source of repayment will be generated from the liquidation of collateral.

 

The Company discontinues accrual of interest on loans when management believes, after considering economic and business conditions and collection efforts, that a borrower’s financial condition is such that the collection of interest is doubtful. Generally, the Company will place a delinquent loan in nonaccrual status when the loan becomes 90 days or more past due. At the time a loan is placed in nonaccrual status, all interest which has been accrued on the loan but remains unpaid is reversed and deducted from earnings as a reduction of reported interest income. No additional interest is accrued on the loan balance until the collection of both principal and interest becomes reasonably certain.

 

29

 

 

The following tables illustrate the Company’s past due and nonaccrual loans at December 31, 2015 and 2014.

 

   December 31, 2015 
   (In thousands) 
   Past Due 30 to
89 Days
   Past Due 90 days or
more and still accruing
   Non-Accrual 
             
Real Estate-construction  $311   $-   $2,956 
Real Estate-mortgage   3,339    29    2,055 
Real Estate-nonfarm nonresidential   736    -    2,225 
Commercial   97    -    100 
Consumer   70    -    32 
Total  $4,553   $29   $7,368 

 

   December 31, 2014 
   (In thousands) 
   Past Due 30 to
89 Days
   Past Due 90 days or
more and still accruing
   Non-Accrual 
             
Real Estate-construction  $428   $-   $2,747 
Real Estate-mortgage   3,208    208    2,164 
Real Estate-nonfarm nonresidential   3,408    461    1,102 
Commercial   29    -    5 
Consumer   90    -    38 
Total  $7,163   $669   $6,056 

 

Total nonaccrual loans at December 31, 2015, amounted to $7.4 million which was an increase of $1.3 million from the December 31, 2014, amount of $6.1 million. Management believes these relationships were adequately reserved at December 31, 2015. Restructured loans not reported as past due or nonaccrual at December 31, 2015, amounted to $2.8 million.

 

A potential problem loan is one in which management has serious doubts about the borrower’s future performance under the terms of the loan contract. These loans are current as to principal and interest and, accordingly, they are not included in nonperforming asset categories. The level of potential problem loans is one factor used in the determination of the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses. At December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, The First had potential problem loans of $17,878,000 and $20,946,000, respectively.

 

30

 

 

Consolidated Allowance For Loan Losses

(In thousands)

 

   Years Ended December 31, 
   2015   2014   2013   2012   2011 
                     
Average loans outstanding  $730,326   $632,049   $583,200   $388,012   $354,295 
Loans outstanding at year end  $776,489   $706,635   $583,302   $413,697   $387,929 
                          
Total nonaccrual loans  $7,368   $6,056   $3,181   $3,401   $5,125 
                          
Beginning balance of allowance  $6,095   $5,728   $4,727   $4,511   $4,617 
Loans charged-off   (843)   (1,459)   (759)   (1,190)   (1,987)
Total loans charged-off   (843)   (1,459)   (759)   (1,190)   (1,987)
Total recoveries   1,085    408    684    178    413 
Net loans (charged-off) recoveries   242    (1,051)   (75)   (1,012)   (1,574)
Provision for loan losses   410    1,418    1,076    1,228    1,468 
Balance at year end  $6,747   $6,095   $5,728   $4,727   $4,511 
                          
Net charge-offs (recoveries) to average loans   (.03)%   .17%   .01%   .26%   .44%
Allowance as percent of total loans   .87%   .86%   .98%   1.14%   1.16%
Nonperforming loans as a percentage of total loans   .95%   .86%   .55%   .82%   1.32%
Allowance as a multiple of nonaccrual loans   .92X   1.0X   1.8X   1.4X   .88X

 

At December 31, 2015, the components of the allowance for loan losses consisted of the following:

 

   Allowance 
   (In thousands) 
Allocated:     
Impaired loans  $957 
Graded loans   5,790 
   $6,747 

 

Graded loans are those loans or pools of loans assigned a grade by internal loan review.

 

31

 

 

The following table represents the activity of the allowance for loan losses for the years 2015 and 2014.

 

Analysis of the Allowance for Loan Losses

 

   Years Ended December 31, 
   2015   2014 
   (Dollars in thousands) 
         
Balance at beginning of  year  $6,095   $5,728 
Charge-offs:          
Real Estate-construction   (162)   (47)
Real Estate-mortgage   (372)   (1,156)
Real Estate-nonfarm  nonresidential   (-)   (-)
Commercial   (183)   (89)
Consumer   (126)   (167)
Total   (843)   (1,459)
Recoveries:          
Real Estate-construction   63    96 
Real Estate-mortgage   827    212 
Real Estate-nonfarm  nonresidential   15    17 
Commercial   99    15 
Consumer   81    68 
Total   1,085    408 
Net (Charge-offs) Recoveries   242    (1,051)
Provision for Loan Losses   410    1,418 
Balance at end of year  $6,747   $6,095 

 

The following tables represent how the allowance for loan losses is allocated to a particular loan type as well as the percentage of the category to total loans at December 31, 2015 and 2014.

 

Allocation of the Allowance for Loan Losses

 

   December 31, 2015 
   (Dollars in thousands) 
   Amount  

% of loans

in each category

to total loans

 
         
Commercial Non Real Estate  $895    17.1%
Commercial Real Estate   3,018    58.4%
Consumer Real Estate   1,477    21.9%
Consumer   141    2.5%
Unallocated   1,216    0.1%
Total  $6,747    100%

 

   December 31, 2014 
   (Dollars in thousands) 
   Amount  

% of loans

in each category

to total loans

 
         
Commercial Non Real Estate  $713    15.3%
Commercial Real Estate   3,355    57.9%
Consumer Real Estate   1,852    24.2%
Consumer   175    2.6%
Unallocated   -    - 
Total  $6,095    100%

 

32

 

 

Noninterest Income and Expense

 

Noninterest Income. The Company’s primary source of noninterest income is service charges on deposit accounts. Other sources of noninterest income include bankcard fees, commissions on check sales, safe deposit box rent, wire transfer fees, official check fees and bank owned life insurance income.

 

Noninterest income decreased $215,000 or 2.8% during 2015 to $7,589,000 from $7,803,000 for the year ended December 31, 2014. The deposit activity fees were $5,014,000 for 2015 compared to $4,262,000 for 2014. Other service charges decreased by $392,000 or 20.2% from $1,938,000 for the year ended December 31, 2014, to $1,546,000 for the year ended December 31, 2015. Impairment losses on investment securities were $0 for 2015 and 2014.

 

Noninterest expense increased from $30.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2014, to $32.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2015. The Company experienced slight increases in most expense categories. The largest increase was in salaries and employee benefits, which increased by $1.1 million in 2015 as compared to 2014. These increases were due in part to a full year of the Bay Bank branches and the addition of the Mortgage Connection.

 

The following table sets forth the primary components of noninterest expense for the periods indicated:

 

Noninterest Expense

 

   Years ended December 31, 
   2015   2014   2013 
   (In thousands) 
             
Salaries and employee benefits  $18,537   $17,462   $14,855 
Occupancy   3,422    3,141    2,648 
Equipment   1,199    1,541    1,452 
Marketing and public relations   497    445    451 
Data processing   150    161    169 
Supplies and printing   300    498    455 
Telephone   631    616    731 
Correspondent services   104    83    74 
Deposit and other insurance   1,051    1,048    834 
Professional and consulting fees   1,332    1,618    2,433 
Postage   400    302    303 
ATM expense   763    689    639 
Other   3,775    3,130    3,121 
                
Total  $32,161   $30,734   $28,165 

 

Income Tax Expense

 

Income tax expense consists of two components. The first is the current tax expense which represents the expected income tax to be paid to taxing authorities. The Company also recognizes deferred tax for future income/deductible amounts resulting from differences in the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities.

 

33

 

 

Analysis of Financial Condition

 

Earning Assets

 

Loans. Loans typically provide higher yields than the other types of earning assets, and thus one of the Company's goals is for loans to be the largest category of the Company's earning assets. At December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, average loans accounted for 71.7% and 67.8% of average earning assets. Management attempts to control and counterbalance the inherent credit and liquidity risks associated with the higher loan yields without sacrificing asset quality to achieve its asset mix goals. Loans averaged $730.3 million during 2015, as compared to $632.0 million during 2014, and $583.2 million during 2013.

 

The following table shows the composition of the loan portfolio by category:

 

Composition of Loan Portfolio

 

   December 31, 
   2015   2014   2013 
   Amount  

Percent

Of Total

   Amount  

Percent

of Total

   Amount  

Percent

of Total

 
   (Dollars in thousands) 
Mortgage loans held for sale  $3,974    0.5%  $2,103    0.3%  $3,680    0.6%
Commercial, financial and agricultural   129,197    16.6%   106,109    15.0%   81,792    14.0%
Real Estate:                              
Mortgage-commercial   253,309    32.6%   238,602    33.8%   212,388    36.4%
Mortgage-residential   272,180    35.1%   256,406    36.3%   202,343    34.7%
Construction   99,161    12.8%   84,935    12.0%   67,287    11.5%
Lease Financing Receivable   2,650    0.3%                    
Consumer and other   16,018    2.1%   18,480    2.6%   15,812    2.8%
Total loans   776,489    100%   706,635    100%   583,302    100%
Allowance for loan losses   (6,747)        (6,095)        (5,728)     
Net loans  $769,742        $700,540        $577,574      

 

In the context of this discussion, a "real estate mortgage loan" is defined as any loan, other than loans for construction purposes, secured by real estate, regardless of the purpose of the loan. The Company follows the common practice of financial institutions in the Company’s market area of obtaining a security interest in real estate whenever possible, in addition to any other available collateral. This collateral is taken to reinforce the likelihood of the ultimate repayment of the loan and tends to increase the magnitude of the real estate loan portfolio component. Generally, the Company limits its loan-to-value ratio to 80%. Management attempts to maintain a conservative philosophy regarding its underwriting guidelines and believes it will reduce the risk elements of its loan portfolio through strategies that diversify the lending mix.

 

Loans held for sale consist of mortgage loans originated by the Bank and sold into the secondary market. Commitments from investors to purchase the loans are obtained upon origination.

 

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The following table sets forth the Company's commercial and construction real estate loans maturing within specified intervals at December 31, 2015.

 

Loan Maturity Schedule and Sensitivity to Changes in Interest Rates

 

   December 31, 2015 
Type 

One Year

or Less

  

Over One Year

Through

Five Years

  

Over Five

Years

   Total 
   (In thousands) 
                 
Commercial, financial and agricultural  $44,176   $63,078   $21,943   $129,197 
Real estate – construction   44,720    36,189    18,252    99,161 
   $88,896   $99,267   $40,195   $228,358 
                     
Loans maturing after one year with:                    
Fixed interest rates                 $115,777 
Floating interest rates                  23,685 
                  $139,462 

 

The information presented in the above table is based on the contractual maturities of the individual loans, including loans which may be subject to renewal at their contractual maturity. Renewal of such loans is subject to review and credit approval, as well as modification of terms upon their maturity.

 

Investment Securities. The investment securities portfolio is a significant component of the Company's total earning assets. Total securities averaged $256.5 million in 2015, as compared to $271.2 million in 2014 and $248.2 million in 2013. This represents 25.2%, 29.1%, and 29.0% of the average earning assets for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013, respectively. At December 31, 2015, investment securities were $255.0 million and represented 24.5% of earning assets. The Company attempts to maintain a portfolio of high quality, highly liquid investments with returns competitive with short-term U.S. Treasury or agency obligations. This objective is particularly important as the Company focuses on growing its loan portfolio. The Company primarily invests in securities of U.S. Government agencies, municipals, and corporate obligations with maturities up to five years.

 

The following table summarizes the carrying value of securities for the dates indicated.

 

Securities Portfolio

 

    December 31, 
    2015    2014    2013 
   (In thousands) 
Available-for-sale     
U. S. Government agencies and Mortgage-backed Securities  $118,536   $120,407   $108,148 
States and municipal subdivisions   97,889    104,582    108,079 
Corporate obligations   22,346    28,785    26,852 
Mutual finds   961    972    972 
Total available-for-sale   239,732    254,746    244,051 
Held-to-maturity               
U.S. Government agencies   1,092    2,193    2,438 
States and municipal subdivisions   6,000    6,000    6,000 
Total held-to-maturity   7,092    8,193    8,438 
Total  $246,824   $262,939   $252,489 
                

 

35

 

 

The following table shows, at carrying value, the scheduled maturities and average yields of securities held at December 31, 2015.

 

Investment Securities Maturity Distribution and Yields (1)

 

   December 31, 2015 
       After One But   After Five But     
(Dollars in thousands)  Within One Year   Within Five Years   Within Ten Years   After Ten Years 
   Amount   Yield   Amount   Yield   Amount   Yield   Amount   Yield 
Held-to-maturity:                                        
U.S. Government agencies (2)  $-    -   $-    -   $-    -   $-    - 
States and municipal subdivisions   -    -    -    -    6,000,000    .93%   -    - 
Total investment securities held-to-maturity  $-        $-        $6,000,000        $-      
Available-for-sale:                                        
U.S. Government agencies (3)  $7,034,600    .85%  $9,602,910    1.25%  $469,976    2.78%  $2,503,464    3.20%
States and municipal subdivisions   11,873,559    2.39%   33,931,040    3.07%   39,538,380    4.09%   12,546,352    4.70%
Corporate obligations and other   3,520,980    2.24%   16,291,456    1.91%   2,476,187    2.0%   1,018,402    2.00%
Total investment securities available-for-sale  $22,429,139        $59,825,406        $42,484,543        $16,068,218      

 

 

(1)Investments with a call feature are shown as of the contractual maturity date.
(2)Excludes mortgage-backed securities totaling $1.1 million with a yield of 2.63%.
(3)Excludes mortgage-backed securities totaling $98.9 million with a yield of 2.34% and mutual funds of $.9 million.

 

Short-Term Investments. Short-term investments, consisting of Federal Funds Sold, funds in due from banks and interest-bearing deposits with banks, averaged $24.6 million in 2015, $24.8 million in 2014, and $18.6 million in 2013. At December 31, 2015, and December 31, 2014, short-term investments totaled $321,000 and $386,000, respectively. These funds are a primary source of the Company's liquidity and are generally invested in an earning capacity on an overnight basis.

 

Deposits

 

Deposits. Average total deposits increased $109.8 million, or 14.3% in 2014. Average total deposits increased $75.2 million, or 8.6% in 2015. At December 31, 2015, total deposits were $916.7 million, compared to $892.8 million a year earlier, an increase of $23.9 million, or 2.7%.

 

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The following table sets forth the deposits of the Company by category for the period indicated.

 

Deposits

 

   December 31, 
(Dollars in thousands)  2015   2014   2013 
       Percent of       Percent of       Percent of 
   Amount   Deposits   Amount   Deposits   Amount   Deposits 
                         
Noninterest-bearing accounts  $189,445    20.6%  $201,362    22.6%  $173,793    22.3%
NOW accounts   373,686    40.8%   301,721    33.8%   240,514    30.8%
Money market accounts   105,434    11.5%   117,018    13.1%   107,564    13.8%
Savings accounts   68,657    7.5%   66,615    7.5%   55,113    7.1%
Time deposits less than $100,000   73,868    8.1%   85,365    9.6%   86,363    11.1%
Time deposits of $100,000 or over   105,605    11.5%   120,694    13.4%   116,624    14.9%
Total deposits  $916,695    100%  $892,775    100%  $779,971    100%

 

The Company’s loan-to-deposit ratio was 84.3% at December 31, 2015 and 78.9% at December 31, 2014. The loan-to-deposit ratio averaged 76.8% during 2015. Core deposits, which exclude time deposits of $100,000 or more, provide a relatively stable funding source for the Company's loan portfolio and other earning assets. The Company's core deposits were $811.1 million at December 31, 2015 and $772.1 million at December 31, 2014. Management anticipates that a stable base of deposits will be the Company's primary source of funding to meet both its short-term and long-term liquidity needs in the future. The Company has purchased brokered deposits from time to time to help fund loan growth. Brokered deposits and jumbo certificates of deposit generally carry a higher interest rate than traditional core deposits. Further, brokered deposit customers typically do not have loan or other relationships with the Company. The Company has adopted a policy not to permit brokered deposits to represent more than 10% of all of the Company’s deposits.

 

The maturity distribution of the Company's certificates of deposit of $100,000 or more at December 31, 2015, is shown in the following table. The Company did not have any other time deposits of $100,000 or more.

 

Maturities of Certificates of Deposit

of $100,000 or More

 

       After Three         
   Within Three   Through   After Twelve     
(In thousands)  Months   Twelve Months   Months   Total 
                     
December 31, 2015  $22,363   $48,497   $34,745   $105,605 

 

Borrowed Funds

 

Borrowed funds consist of advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas, federal funds purchased and reverse repurchase agreements. At December 31, 2015, advances from the FHLB totaled $100.0 million compared to $84.5 million at December 31, 2014. The advances are collateralized by a blanket lien on the first mortgage loans in the amount of the outstanding borrowings, FHLB capital stock, and amounts on deposit with the FHLB. There were $5.3 million and $0 federal funds purchased at December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively.

 

37

 

 

Reverse Repurchase Agreements consist of one $5,000,000 agreement. The agreement is secured by securities with a fair value of $5,501,503 at December 31, 2015 and $7,443,951 at December 31, 2014. The maturity date of the remaining agreement is September 26, 2017, with a rate of 3.81%.

 

Subordinated Debentures

 

In 2006, the Company issued subordinated debentures of $4,124,000 to The First Bancshares, Inc. Statutory Trust 2 (Trust 2). The Company is the sole owner of the equity of the Trust 2. The Trust 2 issued $4,000,000 of preferred securities to investors. The Company makes interest payments and will make principal payments on the debentures to the Trust 2. These payments will be the source of funds used to retire the preferred securities, which are redeemable at any time beginning in 2011 and thereafter, and mature in 2036. The Company entered into this arrangement to provide funding for expected growth.

 

In 2007, the Company issued subordinated debentures of $6,186,000 to The First Bancshares, Inc. Statutory Trust 3 (Trust 3). The Company is the sole owner of the equity of the Trust 3. The Trust 3 issued $6,000,000 of preferred securities to investors. The Company makes interest payments and will make principal payments on the debentures to the Trust 3. These payments will be the source of funds used to retire the preferred securities, which are redeemable at any time beginning in 2012 and thereafter, and mature in 2037. The Company entered into this arrangement to provide funding for expected growth.

 

Capital

 

Total stockholders’ equity as of December 31, 2015, was $103.4 million, an increase of $7.2 million or approximately 7.5%, compared with stockholders' equity of $96.2 million as of December 31, 2014.

 

The Federal Reserve Board and bank regulatory agencies require bank holding companies and financial institutions to maintain capital at adequate levels based on a percentage of assets and off-balance sheet exposures, adjusted for risk weights ranging from 0% to 600%. Under the risk-based standard, capital is classified into two tiers. Tier 1 capital consists of common stockholders' equity, excluding the unrealized gain (loss) on available-for-sale securities, minus certain intangible assets. Tier 2 capital consists of the general reserve for loan losses, subject to certain limitations. An institution’s total risk-based capital for purposes of its risk-based capital ratio consists of the sum of its Tier 1 and Tier 2 capital. The risk-based regulatory minimum requirements are 6% for Tier 1 and 8% for total risk-based capital.

 

Bank holding companies and banks are also required to maintain capital at a minimum level based on total assets, which is known as the leverage ratio. The minimum requirement for the leverage ratio is 4%. All but the highest rated institutions are required to maintain ratios 100 to 200 basis points above the minimum. The Company and The First exceeded their minimum regulatory capital ratios as of December 31, 2015 and 2014.

 

38

 

 

The Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation approved final capital rules in July 2013, that substantially amend the existing capital rules for banks. These new rules reflect, in part, certain standards initially adopted by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision in December 2010 (which standards are commonly referred to as “Basel III”) as well as requirements contemplated by the Dodd-Frank Act.

 

Under the new capital rules, the Company is required to meet certain minimum capital requirements that differ from past capital requirements. The rules implement a new capital ratio of common equity Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets. Common equity Tier 1 capital generally consists of retained earnings and common stock (subject to certain adjustments) as well as accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”), except to the extent that the Company exercised a one-time irrevocable option to exclude certain components of AOCI as of March 31, 2015. The Company will also be required to establish a “conservation buffer,” consisting of a common equity Tier 1 capital amount equal to 2.5% of risk-weighted assets to be phased in by 2019. An institution that does not meet the conservation buffer will be subject to restrictions on certain activities including payment of dividends, stock repurchases, and discretionary bonuses to executive officers.

 

The prompt corrective action rules are modified to include the common equity Tier 1 capital ratio and to increase the Tier 1 capital ratio requirements for the various thresholds. For example, the requirements for the Company to be considered well-capitalized under the rules will be a 5.0% leverage ratio, a 6.5% common equity Tier 1capital ratio, an 8.0% Tier 1 capital ratio, and a 10.0% total capital ratio. To be adequately capitalized, those ratios are 4.0%, 4.5%, 6.0%, and 8.0%, respectively.

 

The rules modify the manner in which certain capital elements are determined. The rules make changes to the methods of calculating the risk-weighting of certain assets, which in turn affects the calculation of the risk-weighted capital ratios. Higher risk weights are assigned to various categories of assets, including commercial real estate loans, credit facilities that finance the acquisition, development or construction of real property, certain exposures or credit that are 90 days past due or are nonaccrual, securitization exposures, and in certain cases mortgage servicing rights and deferred tax assets.

 

The Company was required to comply with the new capital rules on January 1, 2015, with a measurement date of March 31, 2015. The conservation buffer will be phased-in beginning in 2016, and will take full effect on January 1, 2019. Certain calculations under the rules will also have phase-in periods.

 

Analysis of Capital

 

   Adequately   Well   The Company   The First 
Capital Ratios  Capitalized   Capitalized   December 31,   December 31, 
           2015   2014   2015   2014 
                     
Leverage   4.0%   5.0%   8.7%   8.4%   8.6%   8.4%
Risk-based capital:                              
Common equity Tier 1   4.5%   6.5%   -    -    -    - 
Tier 1   6.0%   8.0%   11.1%   11.5%   11.0%   11.4%
Total   8.0%   10.0%   11.9%   12.3%   11.8%   12.2%
                               

 

39

 

 

Ratios

 

   2015   2014   2013 
Return on assets (net income applicable to common stockholders divided by average total assets)   .75%   .61%   .45%
                
Return on equity (net income applicable to common stockholders divided by average equity)   8.58%   7.1%   5.0%
                
Dividend payout ratio (dividends per share divided by net income per common share)   9.7%   12.6%   15.6%
                
Equity to asset ratio (average equity divided by average total assets)   8.8%   8.6%   9.0%

 

Liquidity Management

 

Liquidity management involves monitoring the Company's sources and uses of funds in order to meet its day-to-day cash flow requirements while maximizing profits. Liquidity represents the ability of a company to convert assets into cash or cash equivalents without significant loss and to raise additional funds by increasing liabilities. Liquidity management is made more complicated because different balance sheet components are subject to varying degrees of management control. For example, the timing of maturities of the investment portfolio is very predictable and subject to a high degree of control at the time investment decisions are made; however, net deposit inflows and outflows are far less predictable and are not subject to the same degree of control. Asset liquidity is provided by cash and assets which are readily marketable, which can be pledged, or which will mature in the near future. Liability liquidity is provided by access to core funding sources, principally the ability to generate customer deposits in the Company’s market area.

 

The Company's Federal Funds Sold position, which includes funds in due from banks and interest-bearing deposits with banks, is typically its primary source of liquidity, averaged $24.6 million during the year ended December 31, 2015 and totaled $17.6 million at December 31, 2015. Also, the Company has available advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank. Advances available are generally based upon the amount of qualified first mortgage loans which can be used for collateral. At December 31, 2015, advances available totaled approximately $342.9 million of which $100.0 million had been drawn, or used for letters of credit.

 

Management regularly reviews the liquidity position of the Company and has implemented internal policies which establish guidelines for sources of asset-based liquidity and limit the total amount of purchased funds used to support the balance sheet and funding from non-core sources.

 

40

 

 

Subprime Assets

 

The Bank does not engage in subprime lending activities targeted towards borrowers in high risk categories.

 

Accounting Matters

 

Information on new accounting matters is set forth in Footnote B to the Consolidated Financial Statements included at Item 8 in this report. This information is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Impact of Inflation

 

Unlike most industrial companies, the assets and liabilities of financial institutions such as the Company are primarily monetary in nature. Therefore, interest rates have a more significant effect on the Company's performance than do the effects of changes in the general rate of inflation and change in prices. In addition, interest rates do not necessarily move in the same direction or in the same magnitude as the prices of goods and services. As discussed previously, management seeks to manage the relationships between interest sensitive assets and liabilities in order to protect against wide interest rate fluctuations, including those resulting from inflation.

 

41

 

 

REPORT OF

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

 

Board of Directors and Stockholders

The First Bancshares, Inc.

Hattiesburg, Mississippi

 

 

We have audited The First Bancshares, Inc.’s (the Company) internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2015, based on criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. The Company's management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit.

 

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audit also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

 

42

 

Board of Directors and Stockholders

The First Bancshares, Inc.

Page 2

 

 

 

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

 

In our opinion, The First Bancshares, Inc., maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2015, based on criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.

 

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated financial statements of The First Bancshares, Inc., as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, and for each of the years in the two-year period ended December 31, 2015, and our report dated March 30, 2016, expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.

 

 

 

  /s/ T. E. Lott & Company

 

 

 

 

Columbus, Mississippi

October 11, 2016

 

43

 

 

   

REPORT OF

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

To the Board of Directors and Stockholders

The First Bancshares, Inc.

Hattiesburg, Mississippi

 

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of The First Bancshares, Inc., as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, and the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income (loss), changes in stockholders' equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the two-year period ended December 31, 2015. The management of The First Bancshares, Inc. is responsible for these financial statements. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.

 

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. Our audits included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of The First Bancshares, Inc., as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, and the consolidated results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the years in the two-year period ended December 31, 2015, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

  /s/ T. E. LOTT & COMPANY

 

Columbus, Mississippi

March 30, 2016

 

44

 

 

THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

DECEMBER 31, 2015 AND 2014

 

   2015   2014 
ASSETS          
           
Cash and due from banks  $23,634,536   $30,332,502 
Interest-bearing deposits with banks   17,303,381    13,899,287 
Federal funds sold   321,000    386,000 
Total cash and cash equivalents   41,258,917    44,617,789 
Held-to-maturity securities (fair value of  $8,547,832 in 2015 and $9,993,816 in 2014)   7,092,120    8,192,741 
Available-for-sale securities   239,732,426    254,746,446 
Other securities   8,134,850    7,234,350 
Total securities   254,959,396    270,173,537 
Loans held for sale   3,973,765    2,103,351 
Loans, net of allowance for loan losses of $6,747,103 in 2015 and $6,095,001 in 2014   765,768,073    698,436,345 
Interest receivable   3,953,338    3,659,006 
Premises and equipment   33,623,011    34,809,843 
Cash surrender value of life insurance   14,871,742    14,463, 207 
Goodwill   13,776,040    12,276,040 
Other real estate owned   3,082,694    4,654,604 
Other assets   9,863,743    8,573,997 
Total assets  $1,145,130,719   $1,093,767,719 
           
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY          
           
Deposits:          
Noninterest-bearing  $189,444,815   $201,362,468 
Interest-bearing   727,250,297    691,413,018 
Total deposits   916,695,112    892,775,486 
Interest payable   245,732    315,844 
Borrowed funds   110,321,245    89,450,067 
Subordinated debentures   10,310,000    10,310,000 
Other liabilities   4,122,540    4,700,738 
Total liabilities   1,041,694,629    997,552,135 
Stockholders’ Equity:          
Preferred stock, no par value, $1,000 per share liquidation, 10,000,000 shares authorized; 17,123 shares issued and outstanding in 2015 and 2014, respectively   17,123,000    17,123,000 
Common stock, par value $1 per share: 20,000,000 shares authorized; 5,403,159 shares issued and outstanding in 2015; 10,000,0000 shares authorized; 5,342,670 shares issued and outstanding in 2014.   5,403,159    5,342,670 
Additional paid-in capital   44,650,274    44,420,149 
Retained earnings   35,624,715    27,975,049 
Accumulated other comprehensive income   1,098,587    1,818,361 
Treasury stock, at cost   (463,645)   (463,645)
Total stockholders’ equity   103,436,090    96,215,584 
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity  $1.145,130,719   $1,093,767,719 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

 

45

 

 

THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2015 AND 2014

 

   2015   2014 
INTEREST INCOME          
Interest and fees on loans  $34,242,067   $30,276,477 
Interest and dividends on securities:          
Taxable interest and dividends   3,948,459    3,884,321 
Tax-exempt interest   1,854,213    2,071,782 
Interest on federal funds sold   63,841    52,945 
Interest on deposits in banks   93,276    85,257 
Total interest income   40,201,856    36,370,782 
           
INTEREST EXPENSE          
Interest on time deposits of $100,000 or more   762,119    782,441 
Interest on other deposits   1,800,122    1,586,897 
Interest on borrowed funds   645,207    603,469 
Total interest expense   3,207,448    2,972,807 
Net interest income   36,994,408    33,397,975 
Provision for loan losses   410,069    1,418,260 
Net interest income after provision for loan losses   36,584,339    31,979,715 
           
OTHER INCOME          
Service charges on deposit accounts   5,013,983    4,261,795 
Other service charges and fees   1,545,960    1,938,079 
Bank owned life insurance income   408,535    369,804 
Gain on sale of premises   133,339    110,734 
Gain on sale of securities   -    237,174 
Loss on sale of other real estate   (246,859)   (85,256)
Other   733,574    971,138 
Total other income   7,588,532    7,803,468 
           
OTHER EXPENSE          
Salaries   15,089,136    14,207,216 
Employee benefits   3,447,367    3,254,399 
Occupancy   3,422,116    3,140,738 
Furniture and equipment   1,198,930    1,540,796 
Supplies and printing   300,022    497,755 
Professional and consulting fees   1,331,928    1,617,828 
Marketing and public relations   496,638    445,451 
FDIC and OCC assessments   965,642    938,378 
ATM expense   763,248    688,766 
Telephone   631,261    616,160 
Other   4,514,834    3,786,121 
Total other expense   32,161,122    30,733,608 

 

46

 

 

THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2015 AND 2014

 

Continued:  2015   2014 
         
Income before income taxes   12,011,749    9,049,575 
Income taxes   3,213,047    2,435,879 
           
Net income   8,798,702    6,613,696 
Preferred dividends and stock accretion   342,460    362,953 
Net income applicable to common stockholders  $8,456,242   $6,250,743 
           
Net income per share:          
Basic  $1.64   $1.27 
Diluted   1.62    1.25 
Net income applicable to common stockholders:          
Basic  $1.57   $1.20 
Diluted   1.55    1.19 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

 

47

 

 

THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2015 AND 2014

 

   2015   2014 
         
Net income  $8,798,702   $6,613,696 
           
Other comprehensive income:          
Unrealized gains on securities:          
Unrealized holding gains (losses) arising during the period   (1,093,182)   4,804,818 
Less reclassification adjustment for gains included in net income   -    (237,173)
    (1,093,182)   4,567,645 
           
Unrealized holding gains on loans held for sale   2,753    83,826 
           
Income tax benefit (expense)   370,655    (1,584,266)
           
Other comprehensive income (loss)   (719,774)   3,067,205 
           
Comprehensive income  $8,078,928   $9,680,901 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

 

48

 

 

THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2015 AND 2014

 

   Common
Stock
   Preferred
Stock
   Stock
Warrants
   Additional
Paid-in
Capital
   Retained
Earnings
   Accum-
ulated
Other
Compre-
hensive
Income
(Loss)
   Treasury
Stock
   Total 
Balance, January 1, 2014  $5,122,941   $17,102,507   $283,738   $41,802,725   $22,508,918   $(1,248,844)  $(463,645)  $85,108,340 
                                         
Net income 2014   -    -    -    -    6,613,696    -    -    6,613,696 
Other comprehensive income   -    -    -    -    -    3,067,205    -    3,067,205 
Dividends on preferred stock   -    -    -    -    (342,460)   -    -    (342,460)
Cash dividend declared, $.15 per common share   -    -    -    -    (784,612)   -    -    (784,612)
Grant of restricted stock   67,627    -    -    (67,627)   -    -    -    - 
Compensation cost on restricted stock   -    -    -    617,779    -    -    -    617,779 
Preferred stock accretion   -    20,493    -    -    (20,493)   -    -    - 
Repurchase of restricted stock for payment of taxes   (5,981)   -    -    (79,551)   -    -    -    (85,532)
Issuance of 158,083 common shares for BCB Holding   158,083    -    -    1,863,085    -    -    -    2,021,168 
Balance, December 31, 2014  $5,342,670   $17,123,000   $283,738   $44,136,411   $27,975,049   $1,818,361   $(463,645)  $96,215,584 
                                         
Net income 2015   -    -    -    -    8,798,702    -    -    8,798,702 
Other comprehensive (loss)   -    -    -    -    -    (719,774)   -    (719,774)

 

49

 

 

THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2015 AND 2014

 

Continued:  Common
Stock
   Preferred
Stock
   Stock
Warrants
   Additional
Paid-in
Capital
   Retained
Earnings
   Accum-
ulated
Other
Compre-
hensive
Income
(Loss)
   Treasury
Stock
   Total 
                                 
Dividends on preferred stock   -    -    -    -    (342,460)   -    -    (342,460)
Cash dividend declared, $.15 per common share   -    -    -    -    (806,576)   -    -    (806,576)
Grant of restricted stock   69,327    -    -    (69,327)   -    -    -    - 
Compensation cost on restricted stock   -    -    -    721,124    -    -    -    721,124 
Repurchase of restricted stock for payment of taxes   (6,324)   -    -    (86,066)   -    -    -    (92,390)
Adjustment to consideration issued in BCB Holding acquisition   (2,514)   -    -    (33,196)   -    -    -    (35,710)
Repurchase warrants   -    -    (283,738)   (18,672)   -    -    -    (302,410)
Balance, December 31, 2015  $5,403,159   $17,123,000   $-   $44,650,274   $35,624,715   $1,098,587   $(463,645)  $103,436,090 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

 

50

 

 

THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2015 AND 2014

 

   2015   2014 
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES          
Net income  $8,798,702   $6,613,696 
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:          
Depreciation and amortization   2,296,985    2,182,630 
FHLB Stock dividends   (8,600)   (6,000)
Provision for loan losses   410,069    1,418,260 
Deferred income taxes   255,638    331,399 
Restricted stock expense   721,124    617,779 
Increase in cash value of life insurance   (408,535)   (369,804)
Amortization and accretion, net   921,853    900,913 
Gain on sale of land/bank premises   (133,339)   (110,734)
Gain on sale of securities   -    (237,174)
Loss on sale/writedown of other real estate   386,590    395,379 
Changes in:          
Loans held for sale   (1,867,661)   1,659,996 
Interest receivable   (294,332)   (152,307)
Other assets   135,620    2,643,956 
Interest payable   (70,112)   (109,218)
Other liabilities   (1,406,347)   (8,721,513)
Net cash provided by operating activities   9,737,655    7,057,258 
           
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES          
Purchases of available-for-sale securities   (29,571,287)   (38,459,683)
Purchases of other securities   (4,079,400)   (3,296,800)
Proceeds from maturities and calls of available-for-sale securities   42,569,677    42,723,486 
Proceeds from maturities and calls of held-to-maturity securities   1,099,898    246,980 
Proceeds from sales of securities available-for-sale   -    10,909,239 
Proceeds from redemption of other securities   3,187,500    2,514,485 
Increase in loans   (68,588,377)   (89,190,269)
Net additions to premises and equipment   (1,230,531)   (988,736)
Purchase of bank owned life insurance   -    (7,500,000)
Proceeds from sale of land/bank premises   949,516    76,375 
Cash received (paid) in excess of cash paid for acquisition   (843,895)   4,272,735 
Net cash used in investing activities   (56,506,899)   (78,692,188)
           
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES          
Increase in deposits   24,090,591    53,845,509 
Proceeds from borrowed funds   194,340,000    180,000,000 
Repayment of borrowed funds   (173,468,821)   (155,653,580)
Dividends paid on common stock   (778,428)   (763,143)
Dividends paid on preferred stock   (342,460)   (342,460)
Repurchase of shares issued in BCB acquisition   (35,710)   - 
Repurchase of warrants   (302,410)   - 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

 

51

 

 

THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2015 AND 2014

 

Continued:  2015   2014 
         
Repurchase of restricted stock for payment of taxes   (92,390)   (85,532)
Net cash provided by financing activities   43,410,372    77,000,794 
           
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents   (3,358,872)   5,365,864 
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year   44,617,789    39,251,925 
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year  $41,258,917   $44,617,789 
           
Supplemental disclosures:          
           
Cash paid during the year for:          
Interest  $3,448,525   $3,056,939 
Income taxes   4,152,050    275,075 
           
Non-cash activities:          
Transfers of loans to other real estate   1,050,342    2,208,010 
Issuance of restricted stock grants   69,327    67,627 
Loans originated to facilitate the sale of land   -    402,982 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

 

52

 

 

THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE A - NATURE OF BUSINESS

 

The First Bancshares, Inc. (the Company) is a bank holding company whose business is primarily conducted by its wholly-owned subsidiary, The First, A National Banking Association (the Bank). The Bank provides a full range of banking services in its primary market area of South Mississippi, South Alabama, and Louisiana. The Company is regulated by the Federal Reserve Bank. Its subsidiary bank is subject to the regulation of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC).

 

NOTE B - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

The Company and the Bank follow accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America including, where applicable, general practices within the banking industry.

 

1.Principles of Consolidation

 

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

 

2.Estimates

 

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change in the near term relate to the determination of the allowance for loan losses and the valuation of deferred tax assets.

 

3.Cash and Due From Banks

 

Included in cash and due from banks are legal reserve requirements which must be maintained on an average basis in the form of cash and balances due from the Federal Reserve. The reserve balance varies depending upon the types and amounts of deposits. At December 31, 2015, the required reserve balance on deposit with the Federal Reserve Bank was approximately $11,621,000.

 

4.Securities

 

Investments in securities are accounted for as follows:

 

Available-for-Sale Securities

 

Securities classified as available-for-sale are those securities that are intended to be held for an indefinite period of time, but not necessarily to maturity. Any decision to sell a security classified as available-for-sale would be based on various factors, including movements in interest rates, liquidity needs, security risk assessments, changes in the mix of assets and liabilities and other similar factors. These securities are carried at their estimated fair value, and the net unrealized gain or loss is reported net of tax, as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in stockholders' equity, until realized. Premiums and discounts are recognized in interest income using the interest method. Gains and losses on the sale of available-for-sale securities are determined using the adjusted cost of the specific security sold.

 

53

 

 

Securities to be Held-to-Maturity

 

Securities classified as held-to-maturity are those securities for which there is a positive intent and ability to hold to maturity. These securities are carried at cost adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts, computed by the interest method.

 

Trading Account Securities

 

Trading account securities are those securities which are held for the purpose of selling them at a profit. There were no trading account securities on hand at December 31, 2015 and 2014.

 

Other Securities

 

Other securities are carried at cost and are restricted in marketability. Other securities consist of investments in the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB), Federal Reserve Bank and First National Bankers’ Bankshares, Inc. Management reviews for impairment based on the ultimate recoverability of the cost basis.

 

Other-than-Temporary Impairment

 

Management evaluates investment securities for other-than-temporary impairment on a quarterly basis. A decline in the fair value of available-for-sale and held-to-maturity securities below cost that is deemed other-than-temporary is charged to earnings for a decline in value deemed to be credit related and a new cost basis for the security is established. The decline in value attributed to non-credit related factors is recognized in other comprehensive income.

 

5.Loans held for sale

 

The Bank originates fixed rate single family, residential first mortgage loans on a presold basis. The Bank issues a rate lock commitment to a customer and concurrently “locks in” with a secondary market investor under a best efforts delivery mechanism. Such loans are sold without the servicing retained by the Bank. The terms of the loan are dictated by the secondary investors and are transferred within several weeks of the Bank initially funding the loan. The Bank recognizes certain origination fees and service release fees upon the sale, which are included in other income on loans in the consolidated statements of income. Between the initial funding of the loans by the Bank and the subsequent purchase by the investor, the Bank carries the loans held for sale at the lower of cost or fair value in the aggregate as determined by the outstanding commitments from investors.

 

6.Loans

 

Loans are carried at the principal amount outstanding, net of the allowance for loan losses. Interest income on loans is recognized based on the principal balance outstanding and the stated rate of the loan. Loan origination fees and certain direct origination costs are deferred and recognized as an adjustment of the related loan yield using the interest method.

 

A loan is considered impaired, in accordance with the impairment accounting guidance of Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Section 310-10-35, Receivables, Subsequent Measurement, when—based upon current events and information—it is probable that the scheduled payments of principal and interest will not be collected in accordance with the contractual terms of the loan agreement. Factors considered by management in determining impairment include payment status, collateral values, and the probability of collecting scheduled payments of principal and interest when due. Generally, impairment is measured on a loan by loan basis using the fair value of the supporting collateral.

 

54

 

 

Loans are generally placed on a nonaccrual status when principal or interest is past due ninety days or when specifically determined to be impaired. When a loan is placed on nonaccrual status, interest accrued but not received is generally reversed against interest income. If collectibility is in doubt, cash receipts on nonaccrual loans are used to reduce principal rather than recorded in interest income. Past due status is determined based upon contractual terms.

 

7.Allowance for Loan Losses

 

For financial reporting purposes, the provision for loan losses charged to operations is based upon management's estimation of the amount necessary to maintain the allowance at an adequate level. Allowances for any impaired loans are generally determined based on collateral values. Loans are charged against the allowance for loan losses when management believes the collectibility of the principal is unlikely.

 

Management evaluates the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses on a regular basis. These evaluations are based upon a periodic review of the collectibility considering historical experience, the nature and value of the loan portfolio, underlying collateral values, internal and independent loan reviews, and prevailing economic conditions. In addition, the OCC, as a part of the regulatory examination process, reviews the loan portfolio and the allowance for loan losses and may require changes in the allowance based upon information available at the time of the examination. The allowance consists of two components: allocated and unallocated. The components represent an estimation performed pursuant to either ASC Topic 450, Contingencies, or ASC Subtopic 310-10, Receivables. The allocated component of the allowance reflects expected losses resulting from an analysis developed through specific credit allocations for individual loans, including any impaired loans, and historical loan loss history. The analysis is performed quarterly and loss factors are updated regularly.

 

The unallocated portion of the allowance reflects management’s estimate of probable inherent but undetected losses within the portfolio due to uncertainties in economic conditions, changes in collateral values, unfavorable information about a borrower’s financial condition, and other risk factors that have not yet manifested themselves. In addition, the unallocated allowance includes a component that explicitly accounts for the inherent imprecision in the loan loss analysis.

 

8.Premises and Equipment

 

Premises and equipment are stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation. The depreciation policy is to provide for depreciation over the estimated useful lives of the assets using the straight-line method. Repairs and maintenance expenditures are charged to operating expenses; major expenditures for renewals and betterments are capitalized and depreciated over their estimated useful lives. Upon retirement, sale, or other disposition of property and equipment, the cost and accumulated depreciation are eliminated from the accounts, and any gains or losses are included in operations.

 

9.Other Real Estate

 

Other real estate, carried in other assets in the consolidated balance sheets, consists of properties acquired through foreclosure and, as held for sale property, is recorded at the lower of the outstanding loan balance or current appraisal less estimated costs to sell. Any write-down to fair value required at the time of foreclosure is charged to the allowance for loan losses. Subsequent gains or losses on other real estate are reported in other operating income or expenses. At December 31, 2015 and 2014, other real estate totaled $3,082,694 and $4,654,604, respectively.

 

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10.Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

 

Goodwill totaled $13,776,040 and $12,276,040 for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

 

Goodwill totaling $1,500,000 acquired during the year ended December 31, 2015, was a result of the acquisition of The Mortgage Connection. Footnote C to these consolidated financial statements provides additional information on the acquisition during 2015.

 

The Company performed the required annual impairment tests of goodwill as of December 1, 2015. The Company’s annual impairment test did not indicate impairment as of the testing date, and subsequent to that date, management is not aware of any events or changes in circumstances since the impairment test that would indicate that goodwill might be impaired.

 

The Company’s acquisition method recognized intangible assets, which are subject to amortization, and included in other assets in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets, include core deposit intangibles, amortized on a straight-line basis, over a 10 year average life. The definite-lived intangible assets had the following carrying values at December 31, 2015 and 2014.

 

   2015   2014 
   Gross       Net   Gross       Net 
   Carrying   Accumulated   Carrying   Carrying   Accumulated   Carrying 
   Amount   Amortization   Amount   Amount   Amortization   Amount 
(Dollars in thousands)                        
                               
Core deposit intangibles  $4,000   $(1,885)  $2,115   $4,000   $(1,486)  $2,514 

 

The related amortization expense of business combination related intangible assets is as follows:

 

(dollars in thousands)    
   Amount 
Aggregate amortization expense for the year ended December 31:     
      
2014  $387 
2015   399 
      
Estimated amortization expense for the year ending December 31:     
      
2016  $383 
2017   331 
2018   331 
2019   331 
2020   331 
Thereafter   408 
   $2,115 

 

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11.Other Assets and Cash Surrender Value

 

Financing costs related to the issuance of junior subordinated debentures are being amortized over the life of the instruments and are included in other assets. The Company invests in bank owned life insurance (BOLI). BOLI involves the purchasing of life insurance by the Company on a chosen group of employees. The Company is the owner of the policies and, accordingly, the cash surrender value of the policies is reported as an asset, and increases in cash surrender values are reported as income.

 

12.Stock Options

 

The Company accounts for stock based compensation in accordance with ASC Topic 718, Compensation - Stock Compensation. Compensation cost is recognized for all stock options granted based on the weighted average fair value stock price at the grant date.

 

13.Income Taxes

 

Income taxes are provided for the tax effects of the transactions reported in the financial statements and consist of taxes currently payable plus deferred taxes related primarily to differences between the bases of assets and liabilities as measured by income tax laws and their bases as reported in the financial statements. The deferred tax assets and liabilities represent the future tax consequences of those differences, which will either be taxable or deductible when the assets and liabilities are recovered or settled.

 

The Company and its subsidiary file consolidated income tax returns. The subsidiary provides for income taxes on a separate return basis and remits to the Company amounts determined to be payable.

 

ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes, provides guidance on financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken, or expected to be taken, in tax returns. ASC Topic 740 requires an evaluation of tax positions to determine if the tax positions will more likely than not be sustainable upon examination by the appropriate taxing authority. The Company at December 31, 2015 and 2014, had no uncertain tax positions that qualify for either recognition or disclosure in the financial statements.

 

14.Advertising Costs

 

Advertising costs are expensed in the period in which they are incurred. Advertising expense for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, was $437,085 and $394,363, respectively.

 

15.Statements of Cash Flows

 

For purposes of reporting cash flows, cash and cash equivalents include cash, amounts due from banks, interest-bearing deposits with banks and federal funds sold. Generally, federal funds are sold for a one to seven day period.

 

16.Off-Balance Sheet Financial Instruments

 

In the ordinary course of business, the subsidiary bank enters into off-balance sheet financial instruments consisting of commitments to extend credit, credit card lines and standby letters of credit. Such financial instruments are recorded in the financial statements when they are exercised.

 

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17.Earnings Applicable to Common Stockholders

 

Per share amounts are presented in accordance with ASC Topic 260, Earnings Per Share. Under ASC Topic 260, two per share amounts are considered and presented, if applicable. Basic per share data is calculated based on the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the reporting period. Diluted per share data includes any dilution from potential common stock, such as outstanding stock options.

 

The following table discloses the reconciliation of the numerators and denominators of the basic and diluted computations applicable to common stockholders:

 

   For the Year Ended
December 31, 2015
   For the Year Ended
December 31, 2014
 
   Net
Income
(Numerator)
   Shares
(Denominator)
   Per Share
Amount
   Net
Income
(Numerator)
   Shares
(Denominator)
   Per Share
Amount
 
                         
Basic per common Share  $8,456,242    5,371,111   $1.57   $6,250,743    5,227,768   $1.20 
                               
Effect of dilutive shares:                              
 Restricted Stock        70,939              42,901      
   $8,456,242    5,442,050   $1.55   $6,250,743    5,270,669   $1.19 

 

The diluted per share amounts were computed by applying the treasury stock method.

 

18.Reclassifications

 

Certain reclassifications have been made to the 2014 financial statements to conform with the classifications used in 2015. These reclassifications did not impact the Company's consolidated financial condition or results of operations.

 

19.Accounting Pronouncements

 

In January 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-01, Investments—Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323), “Accounting for Investments in Qualified Affordable Housing Projects,” which permits reporting entities to make an accounting policy election to account for their investments in qualified affordable housing projects using the proportional amortization method if certain conditions are met. Under the proportional amortization method, an entity amortizes the initial cost of the investment in proportion to the tax credits and other tax benefits received and recognizes the net investment performance in the income statement as a component of income tax expense (benefit). For those investments in qualified affordable housing projects not accounted for using the proportional method, the investment should be accounted for as an equity method investment or a cost method investment. The decision to apply the proportional amortization method of accounting is an accounting policy decision that should be applied consistently to all qualifying affordable housing project investments rather than a decision to be applied to individual investments. This amendment should be applied retrospectively to all periods presented. A reporting entity that uses the effective yield method to account for its investments in qualified affordable housing projects before the date of adoption may continue to apply the effective yield method for those preexisting investments. ASU 2014-01 is effective for fiscal years beginning on or after December 15, 2014, and interim periods within those annual periods. The Company adopted this standard, which had no material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

 

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In January 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-04, Receivables – Troubled Debt Restructurings by Creditors (Subtopic 310-40), “Reclassification of Residential Real Estate Collateralized Consumer Mortgage Loans Upon Foreclosure,” which will eliminate diversity in practice regarding the timing of derecognition for residential mortgage loans when a creditor is considered to have received physical possession of residential real estate property collateralizing a consumer mortgage loan. Under ASU 2014-04, physical possession of residential real estate property is achieved when either the creditor obtains legal title to the residential real estate property upon completion of a foreclosure or the borrower conveys all interest in the residential real estate property through completion of a deed in lieu or foreclosure in order to satisfy the loan. Once physical possession has been achieved, the loan is derecognized and the property recorded within other assets at the lower of cost or fair value (less estimated costs to sell). In addition, the guidance requires both interim and annual disclosure of both the amount of foreclosed residential real estate property held by the creditor and the recorded investment in consumer mortgage loans collateralized by residential real estate property that are in the process of foreclosure. The additional disclosure requirements are effective for annual reporting periods beginning on or after December 15, 2014, and interim periods within those annual periods with retrospective disclosure necessary for all comparative periods presented. The adoption of this standard did not have any impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

 

In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-14, Troubled Debt Restructurings by Creditors (Subtopic 310-40), “Classification of Certain Government-Guaranteed Mortgage Loans upon Foreclosure,” which will eliminate diversity in practice relating to how creditors classify government-guaranteed mortgage loans, including Federal Housing Administration (FHA) or the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) guaranteed loans, upon foreclosure. Under ASU 2014-14 a mortgage must be derecognized and a separate other receivable recognized upon foreclosure when the loan possesses a non-separable government guarantee that the creditor has both the intent and ability to exercise and for which any amount of the claim determined on the basis of the fair value of the real estate is fixed. Other receivables recognized under this guidance are to be measured based on the amount of the principal and interest expected to be recovered from the guarantor. ASU 2014-14 allows for a modified retrospective or prospective adoption in conjunction with ASU 2014-04 and is effective for annual reporting periods beginning on or after December 15, 2014, and interim periods within those annual periods with early adoption permitted. The Company has adopted this accounting standard; however, ASU 2014-14 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

 

In February 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2015-02 “Consolidation (Topic 810) – Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis.” ASU 2015-02 includes amendments that are intended to improve targeted areas of consolidation for legal entities including reducing the number of consolidation models from four to two and simplifying the FASB Accounting Standards Codification. ASU 2015-02 is effective for annual and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2015. The amendments may be applied retrospectively in previously issued financial statements for one or more years with a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the first year restated. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period. The Company is assessing the impact of ASU 2015-02 on its accounting and disclosures.

 

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NOTE C – BUSINESS COMBINATION

 

The Company accounts for its acquisitions using the acquisition method. Acquisition accounting requires the total purchase price to be allocated to the estimated fair values of assets acquired and liabilities assumed, including certain intangible assets that must be recognized. Typically, this allocation results in the purchase price exceeding the fair value of net assets acquired, which is recorded as goodwill. Core deposit intangibles are a measure of the value of checking, money market and savings deposits acquired in business combinations accounted for under the acquisition method. Core deposit intangibles and other identified intangibles with finite useful lives are amortized using the straight line method over their estimated useful lives of up to ten years. Loans that the Company acquires in connection with acquisitions are recorded at fair value with no carryover of the related allowance for credit losses. Fair value of the loans involves estimating the amount and timing of principal and interest cash flows expected to be collected on the loans and discounting those cash flows at a market rate of interest. The excess or deficit of cash flows expected at acquisition over the estimated fair value is referred to as the accretable discount or amortizable premium and is recognized into interest income over the remaining life of the loan.

 

The Mortgage Connection

 

On December 14, 2015, the Company completed the acquisition of The Mortgage Connection, a Mississippi corporation, which included two loan production offices located in Madison and Brandon, Mississippi.

 

In connection with the acquisition, the Company recorded $1.5 million of goodwill.

 

The amounts of the acquired identifiable assets and liabilities as of the acquisition date were as follows (dollars in thousands):

 

Purchase price:     
Cash  $844 
Payable   800 
Total purchase price   1,644 
Identifiable assets:     
Intangible   100 
Personal property   44 
Total assets   144 
Liabilities and equity:     
Net assets acquired  $144 
Goodwill resulting from acquisition  $1,500 

 

Expenses associated with the acquisition were $13,000 for the three and twelve month periods ended December 31, 2015, respectively. These costs included charges for legal and consulting expenses.

 

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BCB Holding Company, Inc.

 

On March 3, 2014, the Company entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Agreement”) with BCB Holding Company, Inc., an Alabama corporation (“BCB”) and parent of Bay Bank, Mobile, Alabama. The Agreement provides that, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Agreement, BCB will merge with and into the Company (the “Merger”) and Bay Bank will merge with and into The First, A National Banking Association (“Bank Merger”). Subject to the terms and conditions of the Agreement, which has been approved by the Boards of Directors of the Company and BCB, each outstanding share of BCB common stock, other than shares held by the Company or BCB, or, shares with respect to which the holders thereof have perfected dissenters’ rights, received (i) for the BCB common stock that was outstanding prior to August 1, 2013, $3.60 per share and one non-transferable contingent value right (“CVR”) of the CVR Consideration, and (ii) for the BCB common stock that was issued on August 1, 2013, $2.25 per share in cash. Each CVR is eligible to receive a cash payment equal to up to $0.40, with the exact amount based on the resolution of certain identified BCB loans over a three-year period following the closing of the transaction. Payout of the CVR will be overseen by a special committee of the Company’s Board of Directors. The total consideration to be paid in connection with the acquisition will range between approximately $6.2 million and $6.6 million depending upon the payout of the CVR. An estimated liability of $174,000 has been accrued for the CVR and a payment of $8,000 was made during the second quarter of 2015 leaving an accrual of $166,000.

 

As of the closing on July 1, 2014, the Company and BCB entered into an agreement and plan of merger pursuant to which BCB’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Bay Bank, was merged with and into the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, the Bank.

 

In connection with the acquisition, the Company recorded $1.7 million of goodwill and $.2 million of core deposit intangible. The core deposit intangible is being expensed over 10 years.

 

The Company acquired the $40.1 million loan portfolio at a fair value discount of $1.7 million. The discount represents expected credit losses, adjusted for market interest rates and liquidity adjustments.

 

The amounts of the acquired identifiable assets and liabilities as of the acquisition date were as follows

(dollars in thousands):

 

Purchase price:     
Cash and fair value of common stock  $6,300 
Total purchase price   6,300 
Identifiable assets:     
Cash and due from banks   8,307 
Investments   23,423 
Loans and leases   38,393 
Other Real Estate   571 
Core deposit intangible   225 
Personal and real property   3,670 
Deferred tax asset   2,502 
Other assets   305 
Total assets   77,396 
Liabilities and equity:     
Deposits   59,321 
Borrowed funds   13,104 
Other liabilities   326 
Total liabilities   72,751 
Net assets acquired   4,645 
Goodwill resulting from acquisition  $1,655 

 

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The outstanding principal balance and the carrying amount of these loans included in the consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2015, are as follows (dollars in thousands):

 

Outstanding principal balance  $26,639 
Carrying amount   25,332 

 

Loans acquired with deteriorated credit quality are detailed in Note E – Loans.

 

Expenses associated with the acquisition were $29,000 and $508,000 for the three and twelve month periods ended December 31, 2014, respectively. These costs included system conversion and integrating operations charges as well as legal and consulting expenses, which have been expensed as incurred.

 

NOTE D – SECURITIES

 

A summary of the amortized cost and estimated fair value of available-for-sale securities and held-to- maturity securities at December 31, 2015 and 2014, follows:

 

   December 31, 2015 
   Amortized
Cost
   Gross
Unrealized
Gains
   Gross
Unrealized
Losses
   Estimated
Fair
Value
 
Available-for-sale securities:                    
Obligations of U.S. Government agencies  $19,479,107   $144,408   $12,565   $19,610,950 
Tax-exempt and taxable obligations of states and municipal subdivisions   95,631,123    2,361,599    103,391    97,889,331 
Mortgage-backed securities   98,222,658    1,127,562    425,100    98,925,120 
Corporate obligations   23,494,670    62,408    1,210,996    22,346,082 
Other   1,255,483    -    294,540    960,943 
   $238,083,041   $3,695,977   $2,046,592   $239,732,426 
Held-to-maturity securities:                    
Mortgage-backed securities  $1,092,120   $15,712   $-   $1,107,832 
Taxable obligations of states and municipal subdivisions   6,000,000    1,440,000    -    7,440,000 
   $7,092,120   $1,455,712   $-   $8,547,832 

 

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   December 31, 2014 
   Amortized
Cost
   Gross
Unrealized
Gains
   Gross
Unrealized
Losses
   Estimated
Fair
Value
 
Available-for-sale securities:                    
Obligations of U.S. Government agencies  $27,225,335   $199,851   $53,550   $27,371,636 
Tax-exempt and taxable obligations of states and municipal subdivisions   101,873,361    2,896,657    187,598    104,582,420 
Mortgage-backed securities   91,697,199    1,579,218    240,805    93,035,612 
Corporate obligations   29,952,502    140,556    1,307,782    28,785,276 
Other   1,255,483    -    283,981    971,502 
   $252,003,880   $4,816,282   $2,073,716   $254,746,446 
Held-to-maturity securities:                    
Mortgage-backed securities  $2,192,741   $20,875   $-   $2,213,616 
Taxable obligations of states and municipal subdivisions   6,000,000    1,780,200    -    7,780,200 
   $8,192,741   $1,801,075   $-   $9,993,816 

 

The scheduled maturities of securities at December 31, 2015, were as follows:

 

   Available-for-Sale   Held-to-Maturity 
   Amortized
Cost
   Estimated
Fair
Value
   Amortized
Cost
   Estimated
Fair
Value
 
                 
Due less than one year  $22,350,096   $22,429,139   $-   $- 
Due after one year through five years   59,279,860    59,825,406    -    - 
Due after five years through ten years   41,007,663    42,484,543    6,000,000    7,440,000 
Due after ten years   17,222,764    16,068,218    -    - 
Mortgage-backed securities   98,222,658    98,925,120    1,092,120    1,107,832 
   $238,083,041   $239,732,426   $7,092,120   $8,547,832 

 

Actual maturities can differ from contractual maturities because the obligations may be called or prepaid with or without penalties.

 

No gain or loss was realized from the sale of available-for-sale securities in 2015 and a gain of $237,173 was realized in 2014. No other-than-temporary impairment losses were recognized for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014.

 

Securities with a carrying value of $215,726,751 and $191,534,036 at December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, were pledged to secure public deposits, repurchase agreements, and for other purposes as required or permitted by law.

 

The details concerning securities classified as available-for-sale with unrealized losses as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, were as follows:

 

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   2015 
   Losses < 12 Months   Losses 12 Months or >   Total 
   Fair
Value
   Gross
Unrealized
Losses
   Fair
Value
   Gross
Unrealized
Losses
   Fair
Value
   Gross
Unrealized
Losses
 
Obligations of U.S. government agencies  $4,975,580   $12,565   $-   $-   $4,975,580   $12,565 
Tax-exempt and taxable obligations of states and municipal subdivisions   12,762,528    50,055    3,049,129    53,336    15,811,657    103,391 
Mortgage-backed securities   36,024,587    370,514    2,507,036    54,586    38,531,623    425,100 
Corporate obligations   8,531,765    28,627    3,144,333    1,182,369    11,676,098    1,210,996 
Other   -    -    960,943    294,540    960,943    294,540 
   $62,294,460   $461,761   $9,661,441   $1,584,831   $71,955,901   $2,046,592 

 

   2014 
   Losses < 12 Months   Losses 12 Months or >   Total 
   Fair
Value
   Gross
Unrealized
Losses
   Fair
Value
   Gross
Unrealized
Losses
   Fair
Value
   Gross
Unrealized
Losses
 
Obligations of U.S. government agencies  $5,510,325   $16,481   $3,451,215   $37,069   $8,961,540   $53,550 
Tax-exempt and taxable obligations of states and municipal subdivisions   9,191,726    28,694    10,667,122    158,904    19,858,848    187,598 
Mortgage-backed securities   156,589    5,207    19,319,269    235,598    19,475,858    240,805 
Corporate obligations   6,910,425    32,096    6,580,925    1,275,686    13,491,350    1,307,782 
Other   -    -    971,502    283,981    971,502    283,981 
   $21,769,065   $82,478   $40,990,033   $1,991,238   $62,759,098   $2,073,716 

 

Approximately 18% of the number of securities in the investment portfolio at December 31, 2015, reflected an unrealized loss. Management is of the opinion the Company has the ability to hold these securities until such time as the value recovers or the securities mature. Management also believes the deterioration in value is attributable to changes in market interest rates and lack of liquidity in the credit markets. We have determined that these securities are not other-than-temporarily impaired based upon anticipated cash flows.

 

NOTE E - LOANS

 

Loans typically provide higher yields than the other types of earning assets, and thus one of the Company's goals is for loans to be the largest category of the Company's earning assets. At December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively, loans accounted for 74.0% and 71.3% of earning assets. The Company controls and mitigates the inherent credit and liquidity risks through the composition of its loan portfolio.

 

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The following table shows the composition of the loan portfolio by category:

 

   December 31, 2015   December 31, 2014 
   Amount   Percent
of
Total
   Amount  

Percent
of
Total

 
   (Dollars in thousands) 
Mortgage loans held for sale  $3,974    0.5%  $2,103    0.3%
Commercial, financial and agricultural   129,197    16.6    106,109    15.0 
Real Estate:                    
Mortgage-commercial   253,309    32.6    238,602    33.8 9 
Mortgage-residential   272,180    35.1    256,406    36.3 
Construction   99,161    12.8    84,935    12.0 
Lease financing receivable   2,650    0.3    -    - 
Consumer and other   16,018    2.1    18,480    2.6 
Total loans   776,489    100%   706,635    100%
Allowance for loan losses   (6,747)        (6,095)     
Net loans  $769,742        $700,540      

 

In the context of this discussion, a "real estate mortgage loan" is defined as any loan, other than a loan for construction purposes, secured by real estate, regardless of the purpose of the loan. The Company follows the common practice of financial institutions in the Company’s market area of obtaining a security interest in real estate whenever possible, in addition to any other available collateral. This collateral is taken to reinforce the likelihood of the ultimate repayment of the loan and tends to increase the magnitude of the real estate loan portfolio component. Generally, the Company limits its loan-to-value ratio to 80%. Management attempts to maintain a conservative philosophy regarding its underwriting guidelines and believes it will reduce the risk elements of its loan portfolio through strategies that diversify the lending mix.

 

Loans held for sale consist of mortgage loans originated by the Bank and sold into the secondary market. Commitments from investors to purchase the loans are obtained upon origination.

 

Activity in the allowance for loan losses for December 31, 2015 and 2014 was as follows:

 

(In thousands)

 

   2015   2014 
         
Balance at beginning of period  $6,095   $5,728 
Loans charged-off:          
Real Estate   (534)   (1,203)
Installment and Other   (126)   (167)
Commercial, Financial and Agriculture   (183)   (89)
Total   (843)   (1,459)
Recoveries on loans previously charged-off:          
Real Estate   905    325 
Installment and Other   81    68 
Commercial, Financial and Agriculture   99    15 
Total   1,085    408 
Net (Charge-offs) Recoveries   242    (1,051)
Provision for Loan Losses   410    1,418 
Balance at end of period  $6,747   $6,095 

 

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The following tables represent how the allowance for loan losses is allocated to a particular loan type as well as the percentage of the category to total loans at December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014.

 

Allocation of the Allowance for Loan Losses

 

   December 31, 2015 
   (Dollars in thousands) 
   Amount   % of loans
in each
category
to total loans
 
         
Commercial Non Real Estate  $895    17.1%
Commercial Real Estate   3,018    58.4 
Consumer Real Estate   1,477    21.9 
Consumer   141    2.5 
Unallocated   1,216    .1 
Total  $6,747    100%

 

   December 31, 2014 
   (Dollars in thousands) 
   Amount  

% of loans

in each
category
to total loans

 
         
Commercial Non Real Estate  $713    15.3%
Commercial Real Estate   3,355    57.9 
Consumer Real Estate   1,852    24.2 
Consumer   175    2.6 
Unallocated   -    - 
Total  $6,095    100%

 

The following table represents the Company’s impaired loans at December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014. This table includes performing troubled debt restructurings.

 

   December 31,   December 31, 
   2015   2014 
   (In thousands) 
Impaired Loans:          
Impaired loans without a valuation allowance  $6,020   $4,702 
Impaired loans with a valuation allowance   4,107    4,858 
Total impaired loans  $10,127   $9,560 
Allowance for loan losses on impaired loans at period end   957    968 
Total nonaccrual loans   7,368    6,056 
           
Past due 90 days or more and still accruing   29    669 
Average investment in impaired loans   9,652    7,077 

 

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The following table is a summary of interest recognized and cash-basis interest earned on impaired loans for the years ended December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014:

 

   2015   2014 
         
Interest income recognized during impairment   -    129 
Cash-basis interest income recognized   211    256 

 

The gross interest income that would have been recorded in the period that ended if the nonaccrual loans had been current in accordance with their original terms and had been outstanding throughout the period or since origination, if held for part of the twelve months for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, was $116,000 and $92,000, respectively. The Company had no loan commitments to borrowers in non-accrual status at December 31, 2015 and 2014.

 

The following tables provide the ending balances in the Company's loans (excluding mortgage loans held for sale) and allowance for loan losses, broken down by portfolio segment as of December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014. The tables also provide additional detail as to the amount of our loans and allowance that correspond to individual versus collective impairment evaluation. The impairment evaluation corresponds to the Company's systematic methodology for estimating its Allowance for Loan Losses.

 

December 31, 2015

 

       Installment   Commercial,     
   Real Estate   and
Other
   Financial and Agriculture   Total 
   (In thousands) 
Loans                    
Individually evaluated  $9,782   $39   $306   $10,127 
Collectively evaluated   610,996    19,591    131,801    762,388 
Total  $620,778   $19,630   $132,107   $772,515 
                     
Allowance for Loan Losses                    
Individually evaluated  $882   $25   $50   $957 
Collectively evaluated   3,613    1,332    845    5,790 
Total  $4,495   $1,357   $895   $6,747 

 

December 31, 2014

 

       Installment   Commercial,     
   Real Estate   And
Other
   Financial and Agriculture   Total 
   (In thousands) 
Loans                    
Individually evaluated  $9,282   $38   $240   $9,560 
Collectively evaluated   568,952    18,610    107,410    694,972 
Total  $578,234   $18,648   $107,650   $704,532 
                     
Allowance for Loan Losses                    
Individually evaluated  $922   $29   $17   $968 
Collectively evaluated   4,285    146    696    5,127 
Total  $5,207   $175   $713   $6,095 

 

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The following tables provide additional detail of impaired loans broken out according to class as of December 31, 2015 and 2014. The recorded investment included in the following table represents customer balances net of any partial charge-offs recognized on the loans, net of any deferred fees and costs. As nearly all of our impaired loans at December 31, 2015 are on nonaccrual status, recorded investment excludes any insignificant amount of accrued interest receivable on loans 90-days or more past due and still accruing. The unpaid balance represents the recorded balance prior to any partial charge-offs.

 

December 31, 2015

 

               Average   Interest 
               Recorded   Income 
   Recorded   Unpaid   Related   Investment   Recognized 
   Investment   Balance   Allowance   YTD   YTD 
   (In thousands) 
Impaired loans with no related allowance:                         
Commercial installment  $-   $-   $-   $2   $- 
Commercial real estate   5,790    5,828    -    5,099    50 
Consumer real estate   223    223    -    205    - 
Consumer installment   7    7    -    8    - 
Total  $6,020   $6,058   $-   $5,314   $50 
                          
Impaired loans with a related allowance:                         
Commercial installment  $306   $306   $50   $264   $14 
Commercial real estate   2,927    2,927    444    2,891    132 
Consumer real estate   842    842    438    1,152    15 
Consumer installment   32    32    25    31    - 
Total  $4,107   $4,107   $957   $4,338   $161 
                          
Total Impaired Loans:                         
Commercial installment  $306   $306   $50   $266   $14 
Commercial real estate   8,717    8,755    444    7,990    182 
Consumer real estate   1,065    1,065    438    1,357    15 
Consumer installment   39    39    25    39    - 
Total Impaired Loans  $10,127   $10,165   $957   $9,652   $211 

 

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December 31, 2014

 

               Average   Interest 
               Recorded   Income 
   Recorded   Unpaid   Related   Investment   Recognized 
   Investment   Balance   Allowance   YTD   YTD 
   (In thousands) 
Impaired loans with no related allowance:                         
Commercial installment  $-   $-   $-   $50   $- 
Commercial real estate   4,665    4,665    -    2,654    142 
Consumer real estate   27    27    -    179    - 
Consumer installment   10    10    -    11    - 
Total  $4,702   $4,702   $-   $2,894   $142 
                          
Impaired loans with a related allowance:                         
Commercial installment  $240   $240   $18   $189   $20 
Commercial real estate   2,558    2,558    315    2,415    59 
Consumer real estate   2,032    2,032    607    1,546    33 
Consumer installment   28    28    28    33    2 
Total  $4,858   $4,858   $968   $4,183   $114 
                          
Total Impaired Loans:                         
Commercial installment  $240   $240   $18   $239   $20 
Commercial real estate   7,223    7,223    315    5,069    201 
Consumer real estate   2,059    2,059    607    1,725    33 
Consumer installment   38    38    28    44    2 
Total Impaired Loans  $9,560   $9,560   $968   $7,077   $256 
                          

 

Loans acquired with deteriorated credit quality are those purchased in the BCB Holding Company, Inc. acquisition (See Note C -Business Combination for further information). These loans were recorded at estimated fair value at the acquisition date with no carryover of the related allowance for loan losses. The acquired loans were segregated as of the acquisition date between those considered to be performing (acquired non-impaired loans) and those with evidence of credit deterioration (acquired impaired loans). Acquired loans are considered impaired if there is evidence of credit deterioration and if it is probable, at acquisition, all contractually required payments will not be collected.

 

The following table presents information regarding the contractually required payments receivable, cash flows expected to be collected and the estimated fair value of loans acquired in the BCB acquisition as of July 1, 2014, the closing date of the transaction:

 

69

 

 

   July 1, 2014 
   (In thousands) 
   Commercial,
financial and
agricultural
   Mortgage-
Commercial
   Mortgage-
Residential
   Commercial
and other
   Total 
Contractually required payments  $1,519   $29,648   $7,933   $976   $40,076 
Cash flows expected to be collected   1,570    37,869    9,697    1,032    50,168 
Fair value of loans acquired   1,513    28,875    7,048    957    38,393 

  

Total outstanding acquired impaired loans were $3,039,840 as of December 31, 2015. The outstanding balance of these loans is the undiscounted sum of all amounts, including amounts deemed principal, interest, fees, penalties, and other under the loans, owed at the reporting date, whether or not currently due and whether or not any such amounts have been charged off.

 

Changes in the carrying amount and accretable yield for acquired impaired loans were as follows for the year ended December 31, 2015 (in thousands):

 

   Accretable
Yield
   Carrying
Amount of
Loans
 
Balance at beginning of period  $1,417   $2,063 
Accretion   (198)   198 
Payments received, net   -    (440)
Balance at end of period  $1,219   $1,821 

 

The following tables provide additional detail of troubled debt restructurings during the twelve months ended December 31, 2015 and 2014.

 

   December 31, 2015 
   Outstanding
Recorded
   Outstanding
Recorded
       Interest 
   Investment
Pre-Modification
   Investment
Post-Modification
   Number of
Loans
   Income
Recognized
 
   (in thousands except number of loans) 
                 
Commercial installment  $-   $-    -   $- 
Commercial real estate   499    492    2    10 
Consumer real estate   45    40    1    - 
Consumer installment   -    -    -    - 
Total  $544   $532    3   $10 

 

   December 31, 2014 
   Outstanding
Recorded
   Outstanding
Recorded
       Interest 
   Investment
Pre-Modification
   Investment
Post-Modification
   Number of
Loans
   Income
Recognized
 
   (in thousands except number of loans) 
                 
Commercial installment  $239   $176    1   $15 
Commercial real estate   1,345    1,342    7    26 
Consumer real estate   94    94    1    1 
Consumer installment   -    -    -    - 
Total  $1,678   $1,612    9   $42 

 

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The TDRs presented above did increase the allowance for loan losses but resulted in -0- charge-offs for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

 

The balance of troubled debt restructurings at December 31, 2015 and 2014, was $6.9 million and $6.8 million, respectively, calculated for regulatory reporting purpose. As of December 31, 2015, the Company had no additional amount committed on any loan classified as troubled debt restructuring.

 

All loans were performing as agreed with modified terms.

 

During the twelve month period ending December 31, 2015 and 2014, the terms of 3 and 9 loans, respectively, were modified as TDRs. The modifications included one of the following or a combination of the following: maturity date extensions, interest only payments, amortizations were extended beyond what would be available on similar type loans, and payment waiver. No interest rate concessions were given on these nor were any of these loans written down.

 

   December 31, 2015 
   Current
Loans
  

Past Due

30-89

  

Past Due 90

days and still

accruing

   Non-Accrual   Total 
                     
Commercial installment  $206,237   $-   $-   $50,221   $256,458 
Commercial real estate   1,823,217    -    -    2,933,287    4,756,504 
Consumer real estate   721,110    -    -    1,134,816    1,855,926 
Consumer installment   7,894    -    -    29,435    37,329 
Total  $2,758,458   $-   $-   $4,147,759   $6,906,217 
Allowance for loan losses  $106,028   $-   $-   $197,338   $303,366 

 

   December 31, 2014 
   Current
Loans
  

Past Due

30-89

  

Past Due 90

days and still

accruing

   Non-Accrual   Total 
                          
Commercial installment  $233,340   $-   $-   $-   $233,340 
Commercial real estate   1,684,755    -    -    2,729,170    4,413,925 
Consumer real estate   952,162    622,302    -    448,796    2,023,260 
Consumer installment   9,983    -    -    103,109    113,092 
Total  $2,880,240   $622,302   $-   $3,281,075   $6,783,617 
Allowance for loan losses  $120,220   $11,206   $102,657   $-   $234,083 

 

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The following tables summarize by class our loans classified as past due in excess of 30 days or more in addition to those loans classified as non-accrual:

 

   December 31, 2015 
   (In thousands) 
  

Past Due

30 to 89
Days

   Past Due
90 Days or
More and
Still Accruing
   Non-Accrual  

Total

Past Due and

Non-Accrual

  

Total

Loans

 
                          
Real Estate-construction  $311   $-   $2,956   $3,267   $99,161 
Real Estate-mortgage   3,339    29    2,055    5,423    272,180 
Real Estate-nonfarm nonresidential   736    -    2,225    2,961    253,309 
Commercial   97    -    100    197    129,197 
Lease financing receivable   -    -    -    -    2,650 
Consumer   70    -    32    102    16,018 
Total  $4,553   $29   $7,368   $11,950   $772,515 

 

   December 31, 2014 
   (In thousands) 
  

Past Due

30 to 89

Days

  

Past Due 90
Days or More
and Still

Accruing

   Non-Accrual  

Total

Past Due and

Non-Accrual

  

Total

Loans

 
                          
Real Estate-construction  $428   $-   $2,747   $3,175   $84,935 
Real Estate-mortgage   3,208    208    2,164    5,580    256,406 
Real Estate- nonfarm nonresidential   3,408    461    1,102    4,971    238,602 
Commercial   29    -    5    34    106,109 
Consumer   90    -    38    128    18,480 
Total  $7,163   $669   $6,056   $13,888   $704,532 

 

The Company categorizes loans into risk categories based on relevant information about the ability of borrowers to service their debt, such as: current financial information, historical payment experience, credit documentation, public information, and current economic trends, among other factors. The Company uses the following definitions for risk ratings, which are consistent with the definitions used in supervisory guidance:

 

Special Mention.    Loans classified as special mention have a potential weakness that deserves management's close attention. If left uncorrected, these potential weaknesses may result in deterioration of the repayment prospects for the loan or of the Company’s credit position at some future date.

 

Substandard.    Loans classified as substandard are inadequately protected by the current net worth and paying capacity of the obligor or of the collateral pledged, if any. Loans so classified have a well-defined weakness or weaknesses that jeopardize the liquidation of the debt. They are characterized by the distinct possibility that the Company will sustain some loss if the deficiencies are not corrected.

 

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Doubtful.    Loans classified as doubtful have all the weaknesses inherent in those classified as substandard, with the added characteristic that the weaknesses make collection or liquidation in full, on the basis of currently existing facts, conditions, and values, highly questionable and improbable.

 

Loans not meeting the criteria above that are analyzed individually as part of the above described process are considered to be pass rated loans.

 

As of December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, and based on the most recent analysis performed, the risk category of loans by class of loans (excluding mortgage loans held for sale) was as follows:

 

(In thousands)

 

December 31, 2015

  

               Commercial,     
   Real Estate
Commercial
   Real Estate
Mortgage
   Installment and
Other
   Financial and
Agriculture
   Total 
                          
Pass  $434,638   $167,394   $19,556   $132,101   $753,689 
Special Mention   681    153    -    168    1,002 
Substandard   16,655    1,453    75    178    18,361 
Doubtful   -    327    -    -    327 
Subtotal   451,974    169,327    19,631    132,447    773,379 
Less:                         
Unearned Discount   448    76    -    340    864 
Loans, net of unearned discount  $451,526   $169,251   $19,631   $132,107   $772,515 

 

December 31, 2014

 

               Commercial,     
   Real Estate
Commercial
   Real Estate
Mortgage
   Installment and
Other
   Financial and
Agriculture
   Total 
                          
Pass  $388,569   $167,827   $18,558   $107,126   $682,080 
Special Mention   4,756    191    -    498    5,445 
Substandard   14,727    2,567    90    63    17,447 
Doubtful   -    -    -    -    - 
Subtotal   408,052    170,585    18,648    107,687    704,972 
Less:                         
Unearned Discount   320    82    -    38    440 
Loans, net of unearned discount  $407,732   $170,503   $18,648   $107,649   $704,532 

  

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NOTE F - PREMISES AND EQUIPMENT

 

Premises and equipment are stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation and amortization as follows:

 

   2015   2014 
Premises:          
Land  $10,352,314   $10,565,633 
Buildings and improvements   26,164,412    25,872,002 
Equipment   10,927,780    11,663,195 
Construction in progress   76,920    188,146 
    47,521,426    48,288,976 
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization   13,898,415    13,479,133 
   $33,623,011   $34,809,843 

 

The amounts charged to operating expense for depreciation were $1,645,081 and $1,552,297 in 2015 and 2014, respectively.

 

NOTE G - DEPOSITS

 

The aggregate amount of time deposits in denominations of $100,000 or more as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, was $105,605,438 and $120,693,807, respectively.

 

At December 31, 2015, the scheduled maturities of time deposits included in interest-bearing deposits were as follows (in thousands):

 

Year  Amount 
     
2016  $120,771 
2017   25,924 
2018   12,154 
2019   8,408 
2020   12,216 
Thereafter   - 
   $179,473 

 

NOTE H - BORROWED FUNDS

 

Borrowed funds consisted of the following:

 

   December 31, 
   2015   2014 
         
Reverse Repurchase Agreement  $5,000,000   $5,000,000 
Fed Funds purchased   5,340,000    - 
FHLB advances   99,981,245    84,450,067 
   $110,321,245   $89,450,067 

 

Advances from the FHLB have maturity dates ranging from January 2016 through June 2019. Interest is payable monthly at rates ranging from .31% to 5.47%. Advances due to the FHLB are collateralized by a blanket lien on first mortgage loans in the amount of the outstanding borrowings, FHLB capital stock, and amounts on deposit with the FHLB. At December 31, 2015, FHLB advances available and unused totaled $242,945,692.

 

74

 

 

Future annual principal repayment requirements on the borrowings from the FHLB at December 31, 2015, were as follows:

 

Year  Amount 
     
2016  $91,981,245 
2017   5,000,000 
2018   - 
2019   3,000,000 
Total  $99,981,245 

 

Reverse Repurchase Agreements consist of one $5,000,000 agreement. The agreement is secured by securities with a fair value of $5,501,503 at December 31, 2015 and $7,443,951 at December 31, 2014. The maturity date of the remaining agreement is September 26, 2017, with a rate of 3.81%.

 

NOTE I – LEASE OBLIGATIONS

 

The Company is committed under several long-term operating leases which provide for minimum lease payments. Certain leases contain options for renewal. Total rental expense under these operating leases amounted to $530,000 and $421,000 as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

 

The Company is also committed under two long-term capital lease agreements. One capital lease agreement had an outstanding balance of $1,018,000 and $1,154,000 at December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively (included in other liabilities). This lease has a remaining term of 6 years at December 31, 2015. Assets related to the capital lease are included in premises and equipment and the cost consists of $2.6 million less accumulated depreciation of approximately $1,127,913 and $866,313 at December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The second capital lease agreement had an outstanding balance of $309,000 at December 31, 2015. This lease has a remaining term of 4 years at December 31, 2015. Assets related to the capital lease are included in premises and equipment and the cost consists of $0.3 million less accumulated depreciation of approximately $1,000 at December 31, 2015.

 

Minimum future lease payments for the operating and capital leases at December 31, 2015, were as follows:

 

   Operating     
   Leases   Capital Leases 
   (In thousands) 
         
2016   503    252 
2017   214    275 
2018   141    275 
2019   141    275 
2020   130    191 
Thereafter   556    175 
           
Total Minimum Lease Payments  $1,685   $1,443 
           
Less: Amount representing interest        (116)
           
Present value of minimum lease payments       $1,327 

 

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NOTE J - REGULATORY MATTERS

 

The Company and its subsidiary bank are subject to regulatory capital requirements administered by federal banking agencies. Failure to meet minimum capital requirements can initiate certain mandatory and possibly additional discretionary actions by regulators that, if undertaken, could have a direct material effect on the Company’s financial statements. Under capital adequacy guidelines and the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action, the Company and its subsidiary bank must meet specific capital guidelines that involve quantitative measures of assets, liabilities, and certain off-balance sheet items as calculated under regulatory accounting practices. Capital amounts and classifications are also subject to qualitative judgment by regulators about components, risk weightings, and other related factors.

 

To ensure capital adequacy, quantitative measures have been established by regulators, and these require the Company and its subsidiary bank to maintain minimum amounts and ratios (set forth in the table below) of total and Tier I capital (as defined) to risk-weighted assets (as defined), Tier I capital to adjusted total assets (leverage) and common equity Tier 1. Management believes, as of December 31, 2015, that the Company and its subsidiary bank exceeded all capital adequacy requirements.

 

In 2013, the Federal Reserve voted to adopt final capital rules implementing Basel III requirements for U.S. Banking organizations. Under the final rule, minimum requirements increased for both the quantity and quality of capital held by banking organizations. The final rule includes a new minimum ratio of common equity Tier 1 capital (Tier 1 Common) to risk-weighted assets and a Tier 1 Common capital conservation buffer of 2.5% of risk-weighted assets that will apply to all supervised financial institutions. The rule also raises the minimum ratio of Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets and includes a minimum leverage ratio of 4% for all banking organizations. These new minimum capital ratios are effective on January 1, 2015, and will be fully phased in on January 1, 2019.

 

At December 31, 2015 and 2014, the subsidiary bank was categorized by regulators as well-capitalized under the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action. Under Basel III requirements, a financial institution is considered to be well-capitalized if it has a total risk-based capital ratio of 10% or more, has a Tier I risk-based capital ratio of 8% or more, has a common equity Tier 1 of 6.5%, and has a Tier I leverage capital ratio of 5% or more. There are no conditions or anticipated events that, in the opinion of management, would change the categorization. The actual capital amounts and ratios at December 31, 2015 and 2014, are presented in the following table. No amount was deducted from capital for interest-rate risk exposure.

 

   Company   Subsidiary 
   (Consolidated)   The First 
   Amount   Ratio   Amount   Ratio 
December 31, 2015                    
Total risk-based  $103,403    11.9%  $102,911    11.8%
Common equity Tier 1   70,587    8.1%   96,164    11.0%
Tier I risk-based   96,656    11.1%   96,164    11.0%
Tier I leverage   96,656    8.7%   96,164    8.6%
December 31, 2014                    
Total risk-based  $95,419    12.3%  $94,888    12.2%
Tier I risk-based   89,324    11.5%   88,793    11.4%
Tier I leverage   89,324    8.4%   88,793    8.4%

 

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The minimum amounts of capital and ratios as established by banking regulators at December 31, 2015 and 2014, were as follows:

 

   Company   Subsidiary 
   (Consolidated)   The First 
   Amount   Ratio   Amount   Ratio 
December 31, 2015                    
Total risk-based  $69,753    8.0%  $69,698    8.0%
Common equity Tier 1   39,236    4.5%   39,205    4.5%
Tier I risk-based   52,315    6.0%   52,274    6.0%
Tier I leverage   44,661    4.0%   44,625    4.0%
                     
December 31, 2014                    
Total risk-based  $62,272    8.0%  $62,208    8.0%
Tier I risk-based   31,136    4.0%   31,104    4.0%
Tier I leverage   42,363    4.0%   42,325    4.0%

 

The Company’s dividends, if any, are expected to be made from dividends received from its subsidiary bank. The OCC limits dividends of a national bank in any calendar year to the net profits of that year combined with the retained net profits for the two preceding years.

 

NOTE K - INCOME TAXES

 

The components of income tax expense are as follows:

 

   Years Ended December 31, 
   2015   2014 
Current:          
Federal  $2,484,372   $1,757,098 
State   473,037    347,382 
Deferred   255,638    331,399 
   $3,213,047   $2,435,879 

 

The Company's income tax expense differs from the amounts computed by applying the federal income tax statutory rates to income before income taxes. A reconciliation of the differences is as follows:

 

   Years Ended December 31, 
   2015   2014 
   Amount   %   Amount   % 
                 
Income taxes at statutory rate  $4,083,995    34%  $3,076,856    34%
Tax-exempt income   (831,141)   (7)%   (863,204)   (10)%
Nondeductible expenses   161,176    1%   238,638    3%
State income tax, net of federal tax effect   307,951    3%   215,803    2%
Tax credits   (295,800)   (2)%   (337,716)   (4)%
Other, net   (213,134)   (2)%   105,502    2%
   $3,213,047    27%  $2,435,879    27%

 

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The components of deferred income taxes included in the consolidated financial statements were as follows:

 

   December 31, 
   2015   2014 
Deferred tax assets:          
Allowance for loan losses  $2,516,669   $2,273,435 
Net operating loss carryover   2,426,903    2,615,552 
Other real estate   275,530    357,873 
Other   1,194,345    1,200,419 
    6,413,447    6,447,279 
Deferred tax liabilities:          
Securities accretion   (112,050)   (124,942)
Premises and equipment   (554,103)   (443,080)
Unrealized gain on available-for-sale securities   (560,791)   (932,473)
Core deposit intangible   (149,109)   (238,562)
Goodwill   (929,316)   (716,188)
    (2,305,369)   (2,455,245)
Net deferred tax asset, included in other assets  $4,108,078   $3,992,034 

 

With the acquisition of Wiggins in 2006, Baldwin in 2013, and Bay in 2014, the Company assumed federal tax net operating loss carryovers. These net operating losses are available to the Company through the years 2023, 2033, and 2034, respectively.

 

The Company follows the guidance of ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes, which prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. ASC Topic 740 also provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure and transition. As of December 31, 2015, the Company had no uncertain tax positions that it believes should be recognized in the financial statements. The tax years still subject to examination by taxing authorities are years subsequent to 2011.

 

NOTE L - EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

 

The Company and its subsidiary bank provide a deferred compensation arrangement (401(k) plan) whereby employees contribute a percentage of their compensation. For employee contributions of six percent or less, the Company and its subsidiary bank provide a 50% matching contribution. Contributions totaled $287,055 in 2015 and $255,716 in 2014.

 

The Company sponsors an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) for employees who have completed one year of service for the Company and attained age 21. Employees become fully vested after five years of service. Contributions to the plan are at the discretion of the Board of Directors. At December 31, 2015, the ESOP held 5,902 shares of Company common stock and had no debt obligation. All shares held by the plan were considered outstanding for net income per share purposes. Total ESOP expense was $25,506 for 2015 and $26,267 for 2014.

 

During 2014, the Company established a Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (“SERP”) for three active key executives. Pursuant to the SERP, these officers are entitled to receive 180 equal monthly payments commencing at the later of obtaining age 65 or separation from service. The costs of such benefits, assuming a retirement date at age 65, will be accrued by the Company at such retirement date. During 2015, the Company accrued $88,992 for future benefits payable under the SERP. The SERP is an unfunded plan and is considered a general contractual obligation of the Company.

 

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NOTE M - STOCK PLANS

 

In 2007, the Company adopted the 2007 Stock Incentive Plan.  The 2007 Plan provided for the issuance of up to 315,000 shares of Company Common Stock, $1.00 par value per share.  In 2015, the Company adopted an amendment to the 2007 Stock Incentive Plan which provided for the issuance of an additional 300,000 shares of Company Common Stock, $1.00 par value per share, for a total of 615,000 shares. Shares issued under the 2007 Plan may consist in whole or in part of authorized but unissued shares or treasury shares.  During the year ended December 31, 2014, 69,627 nonvested restricted stock awards were granted under the Plan. During the year ended December 31, 2015, 69,327 nonvested restricted stock awards were granted under the Plan and no stock awards were forfeited due to separation. During 2015, 6,324 shares were repurchased for payment of taxes. The weighted average grant-date fair value for these shares was $14.06 per share. Compensation costs in the amount of $721,124 was recognized for the year ended December 31, 2015 and $617,779 for the year ended December 31, 2014. Shares of restricted stock granted to employees under this stock plan are subject to restrictions as to the vesting period. The restricted stock award becomes 100% vested on the earliest of 1) the three or five year vesting period provided the Grantee has not incurred a termination of employment prior to that date, 2) the Grantee’s retirement, or 3) the Grantee’s death. During this period, the holder is entitled to full voting rights and dividends, which are held until vested. As of December 31, 2015, there was approximately $1,266,000 of unrecognized compensation cost related to this Plan. The cost is expected to be recognized over the remaining term of the vesting period (approximately 4 years).

 

NOTE N - SUBORDINATED DEBENTURES

 

On June 30, 2006, the Company issued $4,124,000 of floating rate junior subordinated deferrable interest debentures to The First Bancshares Statutory Trust 2 in which the Company owns all of the common equity. The debentures are the sole asset of the Trust. The Trust issued $4,000,000 of Trust Preferred Securities (TPSs) to investors. The Company’s obligations under the debentures and related documents, taken together, constitute a full and unconditional guarantee by the Company of the Trust’s obligations under the preferred securities. The preferred securities were redeemable by the Company at its option. The preferred securities must be redeemed upon maturity of the debentures in 2036. Interest on the preferred securities is the three month London Interbank Offer Rate (LIBOR) plus 1.65% and is payable quarterly. The terms of the subordinated debentures are identical to those of the preferred securities. On July 27, 2007, the Company issued $6,186,000 of floating rate junior subordinated deferrable interest debentures to The First Bancshares Statutory Trust 3 in which the Company owns all of the common equity. The debentures are the sole asset of Trust 3. The Trust issued $6,000,000 of Trust Preferred Securities (TPSs) to investors. The Company’s obligations under the debentures and related documents, taken together, constitute a full and unconditional guarantee by the Company of the Trust’s obligations under the preferred securities. The preferred securities are redeemable by the Company at its option. The preferred securities must be redeemed upon maturity of the debentures in 2037. Interest on the preferred securities is the three month LIBOR plus 1.40% and is payable quarterly. The terms of the subordinated debentures are identical to those of the preferred securities. In accordance with the provisions of ASC Topic 810, Consolidation, the trusts are not included in the consolidated financial statements.

 

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NOTE O - TREASURY STOCK

 

Shares held in treasury totaled 26,494 at December 31, 2015, and 2014.

 

NOTE P - RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

 

In the normal course of business, the Bank makes loans to its directors and executive officers and to companies in which they have a significant ownership interest. In the opinion of management, these loans are made on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and collateral, as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with other parties, are consistent with sound banking practices, and are within applicable regulatory and lending limitations. Such loans amounted to approximately $7,957,000 and $8,442,000 at December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The activity in loans to current directors, executive officers, and their affiliates during the year ended December 31, 2015, is summarized as follows (in thousands):

 

Loans outstanding at beginning of year  $8,442 
New loans   362 
Repayments   (847)
Loans outstanding at end of year  $7,957 

 

NOTE Q - COMMITMENTS, CONTINGENCIES, AND CONCENTRATIONS OF CREDIT RISK

 

In the normal course of business, there are outstanding various commitments and contingent liabilities, such as guaranties, commitments to extend credit, etc., which are not reflected in the accompanying financial statements. The subsidiary bank had outstanding letters of credit of $1,135,000 and $986,000

at December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, and had made loan commitments of approximately $144,086,000 and $128,086,000 at December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

 

Commitments to extend credit and letters of credit include some exposure to credit loss in the event of nonperformance of the customer. Commitments to extend credit are agreements to lend to a customer as long as there is no violation of any condition established in the contract. Standby letters of credit are conditional commitments issued by the Bank to guarantee the performance of a customer to a third party. The credit policies and procedures for such commitments are the same as those used for lending activities. Because these instruments have fixed maturity dates and because a number expire without being drawn upon, they generally do not present any significant liquidity risk. No significant losses on commitments were incurred during the two years ended December 31, 2015, nor are any significant losses as a result of these transactions anticipated.

 

The primary market area served by the Bank is Forrest, Lamar, Jones, Pearl River, Jackson, Hancock, Stone, and Harrison Counties within South Mississippi, as well as Washington Parish, St. Tammany Parish and East Baton Rouge Parish in Louisiana and Baldwin and Mobile Counties in South Alabama. Management closely monitors its credit concentrations and attempts to diversify the portfolio within its primary market area. As of December 31, 2015, management does not consider there to be any significant credit concentrations within the loan portfolio. Although the Bank’s loan portfolio, as well as existing commitments, reflects the diversity of its primary market area, a substantial portion of a borrower's ability to repay a loan is dependent upon the economic stability of the area.

 

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NOTE R - FAIR VALUES OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

 

The Company follows the guidance of ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, that establishes a framework for measuring fair value and expands disclosures about fair value measurements.

 

The guidance defines the fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. It also establishes a fair value hierarchy which requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value.

 

In accordance with the guidance, the Company groups its financial assets and financial liabilities measured at fair value in three levels, based on the markets in which the assets and liabilities are traded and the reliability of the assumptions used to determine fair value. These levels are:

 

  Level 1: Valuations for assets and liabilities traded in active exchange markets, such as the New York Stock Exchange.  Valuations are obtained from readily available pricing sources for market transactions involving identical assets or liabilities.
     
  Level 2: Valuations for assets and liabilities traded in less active dealer or broker markets. Valuations are obtained from third party pricing services for identical or comparable assets or liabilities which use observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets and liabilities.
     
  Level 3: Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities.

 

Following is a description of the valuation methodologies used for instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis and recognized in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

 

Available-for-Sale Securities

 

The fair value of available-for-sale securities is determined by various valuation methodologies. Where quoted market prices are available in an active market, securities are classified within Level 1. Level 1 securities include mutual funds. If quoted market prices are not available, then fair values are estimated by using pricing models or quoted prices of securities with similar characteristics. Level 2 securities include U.S. Treasury securities, obligations of U.S. government corporations and agencies, obligations of states and political subdivisions, mortgage-backed securities and collateralized mortgage obligations. In certain cases where Level 1 or Level 2 inputs are not available, securities are classified within Level 3 of the hierarchy.

 

The following table presents the Company’s available-for-sale securities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis and the level within the hierarchy in which the fair value measurements fell as of December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 (in thousands):

  

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       Fair Value Measurements Using 
       Quoted Prices in
Active Markets
For
Identical Assets
   Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
   Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
 
   Fair Value   (Level 1)   (Level 2)   (Level 3) 
                 
December 31, 2015                
                 
Obligations of U.S. Government agencies  $19,611   $-   $19,611   $- 
Municipal securities   97,889    -    97,889    - 
Mortgage-backed securities   98,925    -    98,925    - 
Corporate obligations   22,346    -    19,789    2,557 
Other   961    961    -    - 
Total  $239,732   $961   $236,214   $2,557 

 

       Fair Value Measurements Using 
       Quoted Prices in
Active Markets
For
Identical Assets
   Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
   Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
 
   Fair Value   (Level 1)   (Level 2)   (Level 3) 
                 
December 31, 2014                
                 
Obligations of U.S. Government agencies  $27,372   $-   $27,372   $- 
Municipal securities   104,582    -    104,582    - 
Mortgage-backed securities   93,036    -    93,036    - 
Corporate obligations   28,784    -    25,983    2,801 
Other   972    972    -    - 
Total  $254,746   $972   $250,973   $2,801 

 

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The following is a reconciliation of activity for assets measured at fair value based on significant unobservable (non-market) information.

 

(In thousands)  Bank-Issued Trust
Trust Preferred
Securities
 
   2015   2014 
Balance of recurring Level 3 assets at January 1  $2,801   $2,798 
Transfers into Level 3   -    - 
Transfers out of Level 3   -    - 
Unrealized income (loss) included in comprehensive income   (244)   3 
Balance of recurring Level 3 assets at December 31  $2,557   $2,801 

 

The following table presents quantitative information about recurring Level 3 fair value measurements (in thousands):

 

Trust Preferred
Securities
  Fair Value   Valuation Technique  Significant
Unobservable Inputs
  Range of Inputs
              
December 31, 2015  $2,557   Discounted cash flow  Discount rate  1.08% - 2.77%
December 31, 2014  $2,801   Discounted cash flow  Discount rate  .79% - 2.49%

 

Following is a description of the valuation methodologies used for assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis and recognized in the accompanying balance sheets, as well as the general classification of such assets and liabilities pursuant to the valuation hierarchy.

 

Impaired Loans

 

Loans for which it is probable that the Company will not collect all principal and interest due according to contractual terms are measured for impairment. Allowable methods for estimating fair value include using the fair value of the collateral for collateral dependent loans or, where a loan is determined not to be collateral dependent, using the discounted cash flow method.

 

If the impaired loan is identified as collateral dependent, then the fair value method of measuring the amount of impairment is utilized. This method requires obtaining a current independent appraisal of the collateral and applying a discount factor to the value. If the impaired loan is determined not to be collateral dependent, then the discounted cash flow method is used. This method requires the impaired loan to be recorded at the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate. The effective interest rate of a loan is the contractual interest rate adjusted for any net deferred loan fees or costs, premiums or discounts existing at origination or acquisition of the loan. Impaired loans are classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.

 

Other Real Estate Owned

 

Other real estate owned consists of properties obtained through foreclosure. The adjustment at the time of foreclosure is recorded through the allowance for loan losses. Fair value of other real estate owned is based on current independent appraisals. Due to the subjective nature of establishing the fair value when the asset is acquired, the actual fair value of the other real estate owned or foreclosed asset could differ from the original estimate. If it is determined the fair value declines subsequent to foreclosure, a valuation allowance is recorded through other income. Operating costs associated with the assets after acquisition are also recorded as non-interest expense. Gains and losses on the disposition of other real estate owned and foreclosed assets are netted and posted to other income. Other real estate owned measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis at December 31, 2015, amounted to $3,083,000. Other real estate owned is classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.

 

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The following table presents the fair value measurement of assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis and the level within the fair value hierarchy in which the fair value measurements fell at December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 (in thousands).

 

       Fair Value Measurements Using 
       Quoted Prices in
Active Markets
For
Identical Assets
   Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
   Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
 
   Fair Value   (Level 1)   (Level 2)   (Level 3) 
                 
December 31, 2015                
                 
Impaired loans  $10,127   $-   $10,127   $- 
Other real estate owned   3,083    -    3,083    - 
                     
December 31, 2014                    
                     
Impaired loans  $9,560   $-   $9,560   $- 
Other real estate owned   4,655    -    4,655    - 

 

The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate the fair value of each class of financial instrument for which it is practicable to estimate that value:

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents – For such short-term instruments, the carrying amount is a reasonable estimate of fair value.

 

Investment in securities available-for-sale and held-to-maturity – The fair value measurement for securities available-for-sale was discussed earlier. The same measurement approach was used for securities held-to-maturity and other securities.

 

Loans – The fair value of loans is estimated by discounting the future cash flows using the current rates at which similar loans would be made to borrowers with similar credit ratings and for the same remaining maturities.

 

Bank-owned Life Insurance – The fair value of bank-owned life insurance approximates the carrying amount, because upon liquidation of these investments, the Company would receive the cash surrender value which equals the carrying amount.

 

Deposits – The fair values of demand deposits are, as required by ASC Topic 825, equal to the carrying value of such deposits. Demand deposits include noninterest-bearing demand deposits, savings accounts, NOW accounts, and money market demand accounts. The fair value of variable rate term deposits, those repricing within six months or less, approximates the carrying value of these deposits. Discounted cash flows have been used to value fixed rate term deposits and variable rate term deposits repricing after six months. The discount rate used is based on interest rates currently being offered on comparable deposits as to amount and term.

 

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Short-Term Borrowings – The carrying value of any federal funds purchased and other short-term borrowings approximates their fair values.

 

FHLB and Other Borrowings – The fair value of the fixed rate borrowings are estimated using discounted cash flows, based on current incremental borrowing rates for similar types of borrowing arrangements. The carrying amount of any variable rate borrowing approximates its fair value.

 

Subordinated Debentures – The subordinated debentures bear interest at a variable rate and the carrying value approximates the fair value.

 

Off-Balance Sheet Instruments – Fair values of off-balance sheet financial instruments are based on fees charged to enter into similar agreements. However, commitments to extend credit do not represent a significant value until such commitments are funded or closed. Management has determined that these instruments do not have a distinguishable fair value and no fair value has been assigned.

 

As of December 31, 2015          Fair Value Measurements 
   Carrying
Amount
   Estimated
Fair Value
   Quoted
Prices
(Level 1)
   Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)
   Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
 
                     
Financial Instruments:                         
Assets:                         
Cash and cash equivalents  $41,259   $41,259   $41,259   $-   $- 
Securities available-for-sale   239,732    239,732    961    236,214    2,557 
Securities held-to-maturity   7,092    8,548    -    8,548    - 
Other securities   8,135    8,135    -    8,135    - 
Loans, net   769,742    784,113    -    -    784,113 
Bank-owned life insurance   14,872    14,872    -    14,872    - 
                          
Liabilities:                         
Noninterest-bearing deposits  $189,445   $189,445   $-   $189,445   $- 
Interest-bearing deposits   727,250    726,441    -    726,441    - 
Subordinated debentures   10,310    10,310    -    -    10,310 
FHLB and other borrowings   110,321    110,321    -    110,321    - 

 

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As of December 31, 2014          Fair Value Measurements 
   Carrying
Amount
   Estimated
Fair Value
   Quoted
Prices
(Level 1)
   Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)
   Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
 
                     
Financial Instruments:                         
Assets:                         
Cash and cash equivalents  $44,618   $44,618   $44,618   $-   $- 
Securities available-for-sale   254,746    254,746    972    250,973    2,801 
Securities held-to-maturity   8,193    9,994    -    9,994    - 
Other securities   7,234    7,234    -    7,234    - 
Loans, net   700,540    715,849    -    -    715,849 
Bank-owned life insurance   14,463    14,463    -    14,463    - 
                          
Liabilities:                         
Noninterest-bearing deposits  $201,362   $201,362   $-   $201,362   $- 
Interest-bearing deposits   691,413    691,036    -    691,036    - 
Subordinated debentures   10,310    10,310    -    -    10,310 
FHLB and other borrowings   89,450    89,450    -    89,450    - 

 

NOTE S - SENIOR PREFERRED STOCK

 

Pursuant to the terms of the letter agreement between the Company and the United States Department of the Treasury (“Treasury”), the Company issued 17,123 CDCI Preferred Shares.

 

The Letter Agreement contains limitations on the payment of dividends on the common stock to no more than 100% of the aggregate per share dividend and distributions for the immediate prior fiscal year (dividends of $0.15 per share were declared and paid 2011 through 2015) and on the Company’s ability to repurchase its common stock in the event of a non-payment of our dividend, and continues to subject the Company to certain of the executive compensation limitations included in the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA), as previously disclosed by the Company. The CDCI Preferred Shares entitle the holder to an annual dividend of 2% for 8 years of the liquidation value of the shares, payable quarterly in arrears.

 

On Wednesday, May 13, 2015, The First Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company”) entered into a Letter Agreement, including Schedule A thereto (the “Letter Agreement”), with the United States Department of the Treasury (“Treasury”), pursuant to which the Company redeemed the Warrant to purchase up to 54,705 shares of the Company’s common stock, no par value per share (the “Common Stock”) issued to Treasury on February 6, 2009 under the Capital Purchase Program. In connection with this redemption, on May 13, 2015, the Company paid Treasury an aggregate redemption price of $302,410.

 

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NOTE T - PARENT COMPANY FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

The balance sheets, statements of income and cash flows for The First Bancshares, Inc. (parent company only) follow.

 

Condensed Balance Sheets

 

   December 31, 
   2015   2014 
Assets:          
Cash and cash equivalents  $213,621   $63,707 
Investment in subsidiary bank   112,943,885    105,685,727 
Investments in statutory trusts   310,000    310,000 
Other   686,409    808,132 
   $114,153,915   $106,867,566 
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity:          
Subordinated debentures  $10,310,000   $10,310,000 
Other   407,825    341,982 
Stockholders’ equity   103,436,090    96,215,584 
   $114,153,915   $106,867,566 

 

Condensed Statements of Income

 

   Years Ended December 31, 
   2015   2014 
Income:          
Interest and dividends  $5,573   $5,453 
Dividend income   1,650,000    5,109,668 
Other   -    364,719 
    1,655,573    5,479,840 
Expenses:          
Interest on borrowed funds   185,351    181,330 
Legal   295,637    504,130 
Other   833,502    752,027 
    1,314,490    1,437,487 
           
Income before income taxes and equity in undistributed income of subsidiary   341,083    4,042,353 
Income tax benefit   487,853    296,388 
Income before equity in undistributed income of subsidiary   828,936    4,338,741 
Equity in undistributed income of subsidiary   7,969,766    2,274,955 
           
Net income  $8,798,702   $6,613,696 

 

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Condensed Statements of Cash Flows

 

   Years Ended December 31, 
   2015   2014 
Cash flows from operating activities:          
Net income  $8,798,702   $6,613,696 
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used in operating activities:          
Equity in undistributed income of subsidiary   (7,969,766)   (2,274,955)
Restricted stock expense   721,124    617,779 
Gain on sale of assets   -    (364,719)
Other, net   151,251    689,740 
Net cash provided by operating activities   1,701,311    5,281,541 
           
Cash flows from investing activities:          
Investment in subsidiary bank   -    - 
Outlays for acquisition   (35,709)   (4,034,668)
Net cash used in investing activities   (35,709)   (4,034,668)
           
Cash flows from financing activities:          
Dividends paid on common stock   (778,428)   (763,488)
Dividends paid on preferred stock   (342,460)   (342,460)
Repurchase of restricted stock for payment of taxes   (92,390)   (85,532)
Repurchase of warrants   (302,410)   - 
Net cash used in financing activities   (1,515,688)   (1,191,480)
           
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents   149,914    55,393 
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year   63,707    8,314 
           
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year  $213,621   $63,707 

 

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NOTE U - SUMMARY OF QUARTERLY RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS (UNAUDITED)

 

   Three Months Ended 
   March 31   June 30   Sept. 30   Dec. 31 
   (In thousands, except per share amounts) 
                 
2015                    
Total interest income  $9,683   $10,022   $10,080   $10,417 
Total interest expense   804    806    793    804 
Net interest income   8,879    9,216    9,287    9,613 
Provision for loan losses   150    -    250    10 
Net interest income after provision for loan losses   8,729    9,216    9,037    9,603 
Total non-interest income   1,850    1,854    1,982    1,903 
Total non-interest expense   7,818    8,092    7,977    8,275 
Income tax expense   732    793    815    873 
Net income   2,029    2,185    2,227    2,358 
Preferred dividends   85    86    86    85 
                     
Net income applicable to common stockholders  $1,944   $2,099   $2,141   $2,273 
Per common share:                    
Net income, basic  $.36   $.39   $.40   $.42 
Net income, diluted   .36    .39    .39    .42 
Cash dividends declared   .0375    .0375    .0375    .0375 
                     
2014                    
Total interest income  $8,447   $8,574   $9,688   $9,662 
Total interest expense   623    726    833    791 
Net interest income   7,824    7,848    8,855    8,871 
Provision for loan losses   358    277    631    152 
Net interest income after provision for loan losses   7,466    7,571    8,224    8,719 
Total non-interest income   1,672    2,055    2,021    2,055 
Total non-interest expense   7,227    7,384    8,071    8,051 
Income tax expense   484    629    641    682 
Net income   1,427    1,613    1,533    2,041 
Preferred dividends and stock accretion   106    86    85    86 
Net income applicable to common Stockholders  $1,321   $1,527   $1,448   $1,955 
Per common share:                    
Net income, basic  $.26   $.30   $.27   $.37 
Net income, diluted   .25    .29    .27    .36 
Cash dividends declared   .0375    .0375    .0375    .0375 

 

89

 

 

THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

2014 ANNUAL REPORT

 

 
 

  

SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

(Dollars In Thousands, Except Per Share Data)

 

   December 31, 
   2014   2013   2012   2011   2010 
Earnings:                         
Net interest income  $33,398   $28,401   $22,194   $19,079   $16,334 
Provision for loan losses   1,418    1,076    1,228    1,468    983 
                          
Noninterest income   7,803    7,083    6,324    4,598    3,895 
Noninterest expense   30,734    28,165    22,164    18,870    15,843 
Net income   6,614    4,639    4,049    2,871    2,549 
Net income applicable to common stockholders   6,251    4,215    3,624    2,529    2,233 
                          
Per  common share data:                         
Basic net income per share  $1.20   $.98   $1.17   $.83   $.74 
                          
Diluted net income per share   1.19    .96    1.16    .82    .74 
Per share data:                         
Basic net income per share  $1.27   $1.07   $1.31   $.94   $.84 
Diluted net income per share   1.25    1.06    1.29    .93    .84 
                          
Selected Year End Balances:                         
                          
Total assets  $1,093,768   $940,890   $721,385   $681,413   $503,045 
Securities   270,174    258,023    226,301    221,176    107,136 
Loans, net of allowance   700,540    577,574    408,970    383,418    327,956 
Deposits   892,775    779,971    596,627    573,394    396,479 
Stockholders’ equity   96,216    85,108    65,885    60,425    57,098 

 

5
 

 

MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

Purpose

 

The purpose of management's discussion and analysis is to make the reader aware of the significant components, events, and changes in the consolidated financial condition and results of operations of the Company and The First during the year ended December 31, 2014, when compared to the years 2013 and 2012. The Company's consolidated financial statements and related notes should also be considered.

 

Critical Accounting Policies

 

In the preparation of the Company's consolidated financial statements, certain significant amounts are based upon judgment and estimates. The most critical of these is the accounting policy related to the allowance for loan losses. The allowance is based in large measure upon management's evaluation of borrowers' abilities to make loan payments, local and national economic conditions, and other subjective factors. If any of these factors were to deteriorate, management would update its estimates and judgments which may require additional loss provisions.

 

Companies are required to perform periodic reviews of individual securities in their investment portfolios to determine whether decline in the value of a security is other than temporary. A review of other-than-temporary impairment requires companies to make certain judgments regarding the materiality of the decline, its effect on the financial statements and the probability, extent and timing of a valuation recovery and the company’s intent and ability to hold the security. Pursuant to these requirements, Management assesses valuation declines to determine the extent to which such changes are attributable to fundamental factors specific to the issuer, such as financial condition, business prospects or other factors or market-related factors, such as interest rates. Declines in the fair value of securities below their cost that are deemed to be other-than-temporary are recorded in earnings as realized losses.

 

Goodwill is assessed for impairment both annually and when events or circumstances occur that make it more likely than not that impairment has occurred. As part of its testing, the Company first assesses qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If the Company determines the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount using these qualitative factors, the Company then compares the fair value of goodwill with its carrying amount, and then measures impaired loss by comparing the implied fair value of goodwill with the carrying amount of that goodwill. No impairment was indicated when the annual test was performed in 2014.

 

Overview

 

The First Bancshares, Inc. (the Company) was incorporated on June 23, 1995, and serves as a bank holding company for The First, A National Banking Association (“The First”), located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The First began operations on August 5, 1996, from its main office in the Oak Grove community, which is on the western side of Hattiesburg. The First has 31 locations in South Mississippi, South Alabama and Louisiana. See Note C of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for information regarding branch acquisitions. The Company and The First engage in a general commercial and retail banking business characterized by personalized service and local decision-making, emphasizing the banking needs of small to medium-sized businesses, professional concerns, and individuals.

 

6
 

 

The Company’s primary source of revenue is interest income and fees, which it earns by lending and investing the funds which are held on deposit. Because loans generally earn higher rates of interest than investments, the Company seeks to employ as much of its deposit funds as possible in the form of loans to individuals, businesses, and other organizations. To ensure sufficient liquidity, the Company also maintains a portion of its deposits in cash, government securities, deposits with other financial institutions, and overnight loans of excess reserves (known as “Federal Funds Sold”) to correspondent banks. The revenue which the Company earns (prior to deducting its overhead expenses) is essentially a function of the amount of the Company’s loans and deposits, as well as the profit margin (“interest spread”) and fee income which can be generated on these amounts.

 

The Company increased from approximately $940.9 million in total assets, and $780.0 million in deposits at December 31, 2013 to approximately $1.1 billion in total assets, and $892.8 million in deposits at December 31, 2014. Loans net of allowance for loan losses increased from $577.6 million at December 31, 2013 to approximately $701.0 at December 31, 2014. The Company increased from $85.1 million in stockholders’ equity at December 31, 2013 to approximately $96.2 million at December 31, 2014. The First reported net income of $7,385,000 and $5,895,000 for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. For the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, the Company reported consolidated net income applicable to common stockholders of $6,251,000 and $4,215,000, respectively. The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the “Selected Consolidated Financial Data” and the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements and the Notes thereto and the other financial data included elsewhere.

 

SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

(Dollars In Thousands, Except Per Share Data)

 

   December 31, 
   2014   2013   2012   2011   2010 
Earnings:                         
Net interest income  $33,398   $28,401   $22,194   $19,079   $16,334 
Provision for loan losses   1,418    1,076    1,228    1,468    983 
Noninterest income   7,803    7,083    6,324    4,598    3,895 
Noninterest expense   30,734    28,165    22,164    18,870    15,843 
Net income   6,614    4,639    4,049    2,871    2,549 
Net income applicable to common stockholders   6,251    4,215    3,624    2,529    2,233 
                          
Per common share data:                         
Basic net income per share  $1.20   $.98   $1.17   $.83   $.74 
Diluted net income per share   1.19    .96    1.16    .82    .74 
Per share data:                         
Basic net income per share  $1.27   $1.07   $1.31   $.94   $.84 
Diluted net income per share   1.25    1.06    1.29    .93    .84 
                          
Selected Year End Balances:                         
                          
Total assets  $1,093,768   $940,890   $721,385   $681,413   $503,045 
Securities   270,174    258,023    226,301    221,176    107,136 
Loans, net of allowance   700,540    577,574    408,970    383,418    327,956 
Deposits   892,775    779,971    596,627    573,394    396,479 
Stockholders’ equity   96,216    85,108    65,885    60,425    57,098 

 

7
 

 

Results of Operations

 

The following is a summary of the results of operations by The First for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013.

 

   2014   2013 
   (In thousands) 
         
Interest income  $36,365   $31,312 
Interest expense   2,791    2,731 
Net interest income   33,574    28,581 
           
Provision for loan losses   1,418    1,076 
           
Net interest income after provision for loan losses   32,156    27,505 
           
Other income   7,439    7,083 
           
Other expense   29,477    26,578 
           
Income tax expense   2,733    2,115 
           
Net income  $7,385   $5,895 

 

8
 

 

The following reconciles the above table to the amounts reflected in the consolidated financial statements of the Company at December 31, 2014 and 2013:

 

   2014   2013 
   (In thousands) 
         
Net interest income:          
Net interest income of The First  $33,574   $28,581 
Intercompany eliminations   (176)   (180)
   $33,398   $28,401 
           
Net income applicable to common stockholders:          
Net income of  The First  $7,385   $5,895 
Net loss of the Company, excluding intercompany accounts   (1,134)   (1,680)
   $6,251   $4,215 

 

Consolidated Net Income

 

The Company reported consolidated net income applicable to common stockholders of $6,250,743 for the year ended December 31, 2014, compared to a consolidated net income of $4,215,067 for the year ended December 31, 2013. The increase in income was attributable to an increase in net interest income of $5.0 million or 17.6%, and an increase of $.7 million or 10.2% in other income which were offset by an increase in other expenses of $2.6 million or 9.1%.

 

Consolidated Net Interest Income

 

The largest component of net income for the Company is net interest income, which is the difference between the income earned on assets and interest paid on deposits and borrowings used to support such assets. Net interest income is determined by the rates earned on the Company’s interest-earning assets and the rates paid on its interest-bearing liabilities, the relative amounts of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities, and the degree of mismatch and the maturity and repricing characteristics of its interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities.

 

Consolidated net interest income was approximately $33,398,000 for the year ended December 31, 2014, as compared to $28,401,000 for the year ended December 31, 2013. This increase was the direct result of increased loan volumes during 2014 as compared to 2013. Average interest-bearing liabilities for the year 2014 were $746,025,000 compared to $728,322,000 for the year 2013. At December 31, 2014, the net interest spread, the difference between the yield on earning assets and the rates paid on interest-bearing liabilities, was 3.50% compared to 3.25% at December 31, 2013. The net interest margin (which is net interest income divided by average earning assets) was 3.58% for the year 2014 compared to 3.31% for the year 2013. Rates paid on average interest-bearing liabilities remained constant at ..40% for the year 2013 and for the year 2014. Interest earned on assets and interest accrued on liabilities is significantly influenced by market factors, specifically interest rates as set by Federal agencies. Average loans comprised 67.8% of average earning assets for the year 2014 compared to 68.0% for the year 2013.

 

9
 

 

Average Balances, Income and Expenses, and Rates. The following tables depict, for the periods indicated, certain information related to the average balance sheet and average yields on assets and average costs of liabilities. Such yields are derived by dividing income or expense by the average balance of the corresponding assets or liabilities. Average balances have been derived from daily averages.

 

Average Balances, Income and Expenses, and Rates

 

   Years Ended December 31, 
   2014   2013   2012 
   Average
Balance
   Income/
Expenses
   Yield/
Rate
   Average
Balance
   Income/
Expenses
   Yield/
Rate
   Average
Balance
   Income/
Expenses
   Yield/
Rate
 
Assets  (Dollars in thousands) 
Earning Assets                                             
Loans (1)(2)  $632,049   $30,276    4.79%  $583,200   $25,736    4.41%  $388,012   $21,412    5.52%
Securities   271,247    5,957    2.20%   248,237    5,419    2.18%   235,833    4,785    2.03%
Federal funds sold (3)   24,845    53    .21%   18,564    62    .33%   19,670    51    .26%
Other   3,827    85    2.22%   7,404    101    1.36%   4,845    83    1.71%
Total earning assets   931,968    36,371    3.90%   857,405    31,318    3.65%   648,360    26,331    4.06%
                                              
Cash and due from banks   30,657              25,447              16,699           
Premises and  equipment   33,252              30,816              22,633           
Other assets   40,428              33,314              32,337           
Allowance for loan losses   (5,983)             (5,240)             (4,457)          
Total assets  $1,030,322             $941,742             $715,572           
                                              
Liabilities                                             
Interest-bearing liabilities  $746,025   $2,973    .40%  $728,322   $2,917    .40%  $534,998   $4,137    .77%
Demand deposits (1)   184,037              115,909              107,392           
Other liabilities   11,990              12,430              10,036           
Stockholders’ equity   88,270              85,081              63,146           
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity  $1,030,322             $941,742             $715,572           
                                              
Net interest spread             3.50%             3.25%             3.29%
Net yield on interest-earning assets       $33,398    3.58%       $28,401    3.31%       $22,194    3.42%

 

_________________

(1)All loans and deposits were made to borrowers in the United States. Includes nonaccrual loans of $6,056, $3,181, and $3,589, respectively, during the periods presented. Loans include held for sale loans.
(2)Includes loan fees of $717, $525, and $430 respectively.
(3)Includes EBA-MNBB and Federal Reserve – New Orleans.

 

Analysis of Changes in Net Interest Income. The following table presents the consolidated dollar amount of changes in interest income and interest expense attributable to changes in volume and to changes in rate. The combined effect in both volume and rate which cannot be separately identified has been allocated proportionately to the change due to volume and due to rate.

 

10
 

 

Analysis of Changes in Consolidated Net Interest Income

 

   Year Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31, 
   2014 versus 2013
Increase (decrease) due to
   2013 versus 2012
Increase (decrease) due to
 
   Volume   Rate   Net   Volume   Rate   Net 
   (Dollars in thousands) 
Earning Assets                              
Loans  $2,154   $2,386   $4,540   $10,774   $(6,450)  $4,324 
Securities   502    36    538    270    374    644 
Federal funds sold   21    (30)   (9)   (3)   13    10 
Other short-term investments   (49)   33    (16)   35    (26)   9 
Total interest income   2,628    2,425    5,053    11,076    (6,089)   4,987 
Interest-Bearing Liabilities                              
Interest-bearing transaction accounts   88    (31)   57    460    (748)   (288)
Money market accounts   73    (70)   3    123    (154)   (31)
Savings deposits   9    13    22    3    (10)   (7)
Time deposits   59    62    121    172    (886)   (714)
Borrowed funds   1,113    (1,260)   (147)   97    (277)   (180)
Total interest expense   1,342    (1,286)   56    855    (2,075)   (1,220)
Net interest income  $1,286   $3,711   $4,997   $10,221   $(4,014)  $6,207 

 

Interest Sensitivity. The Company monitors and manages the pricing and maturity of its assets and liabilities in order to diminish the potential adverse impact that changes in interest rates could have on its net interest income. A monitoring technique employed by the Company is the measurement of the Company's interest sensitivity "gap," which is the positive or negative dollar difference between assets and liabilities that are subject to interest rate repricing within a given period of time. The Company also performs asset/liability modeling to assess the impact varying interest rates and balance sheet mix assumptions will have on net interest income. Interest rate sensitivity can be managed by repricing assets or liabilities, selling securities available-for-sale, replacing an asset or liability at maturity, or adjusting the interest rate during the life of an asset or liability. Managing the amount of assets and liabilities repricing in the same time interval helps to hedge the risk and minimize the impact on net interest income of rising or falling interest rates. The Company evaluates interest sensitivity risk and then formulates guidelines regarding asset generation and repricing, funding sources and pricing, and off-balance sheet commitments in order to decrease interest rate sensitivity risk.

 

11
 

 

The following tables illustrate the Company's consolidated interest rate sensitivity and consolidated cumulative gap position at December 31, 2012, 2013, and 2014.

 

   December 31, 2012 
   Within
Three
Months
   After Three
Through
Twelve
Months
   Within
One
Year
   Greater Than
One Year or
Nonsensitive
   Total 
   (Dollars in thousands) 
Assets                         
Earning Assets:                         
Loans  $72,670   $78,168   $150,838   $262,859   $413,697 
Securities (2)   11,185    15,504    26,689    199,612    226,301 
Funds sold and other   1,064    9,588    10,652    -    10,652 
Total earning assets  $84,919   $103,260   $188,179   $462,471   $650,650 
Liabilities                         
Interest-bearing liabilities:                         
Interest-bearing deposits:                         
NOW accounts (1)  $-   $230,588   $230,588   $-   $230,588 
Money market accounts   47,325    -    47,325    -    47,325 
Savings deposits (1)   -    48,153    48,153    -    48,153 
Time deposits   32,624    70,883    103,507    57,429    160,936 
Total interest-bearing deposits   79,949    349,624    429,573    57,429    487,002 
Borrowed funds (3)   20,000    1,771    21,771    15,000    36,771 
Total interest-bearing liabilities   99,949    351,395    451,344    72,429    523,773 
Interest-sensitivity gap per period  $(15,030)  $(248,135)  $(263,165)  $390,042   $126,877 
Cumulative gap at December 31, 2012  $(15,030)  $(263,165)  $(263,165)  $126,877   $126,877 
Ratio of cumulative gap to total earning assets at December 31, 2012   (2.3)%   (40.4)%   (40.4)%   19.5%     

 

   December 31, 2013 
   Within
Three
Months
   After Three
Through
Twelve
Months
   Within
One
Year
   Greater Than
One Year or
Nonsensitive
   Total 
   (Dollars in thousands) 
Assets                         
Earning Assets:                         
Loans  $89,314   $98,315   $187,629   $395,673   $583,302 
Securities (2)   10,114    16,006    26,120    231,903    258,023 
Funds sold and other   967    14,205    15,172    -    15,172 
Total earning assets  $100,395   $128,526   $228,921   $627,576   $856,497 
Liabilities                         
Interest-bearing liabilities:                         
Interest-bearing deposits:                         
NOW accounts (1)  $-   $240,513   $240,513   $-   $240,513 
Money market accounts   107,564    -    107,564    -    107,564 
Savings deposits (1)   -    55,113    55,113    -    55,113 
Time deposits   46,875    87,475    134,350    68,637    202,987 
Total interest-bearing deposits   154,439    383,101    537,540    68,637    606,177 
Borrowed funds (3)   37,000    4,000    41,000    11,000    52,000 
Total interest-bearing liabilities   191,439    387,101    578,540    79,637    658,177 
Interest-sensitivity gap per period  $(91,044)  $(258,575)  $(349,619)  $547,939   $198,320 
Cumulative gap at December 31, 2013  $(91,044)  $(349,619)  $(349,619)  $198,320   $198,320 
Ratio of cumulative gap to total earning assets at December 31, 2013   (10.6)%   (40.8)%   (40.8)%   23.2%     

 

12
 

 

   December 31, 2014 
   Within
Three
Months
   After Three
Through
Twelve
Months
   Within
One
Year
   Greater Than
One Year or
Nonsensitive
   Total 
   (Dollars in thousands) 
Assets                         
Earning Assets:                         
Loans  $99,183   $82,644   $181,827   $524,808   $706,635 
Securities (2)   14,266    14,880    29,146    241,028    270,174 
Funds sold and other   386    13,899    14,285    -    14,285 
Total earning assets  $113,835   $111,423   $225,258   $765,836   $991,094 
Liabilities                         
Interest-bearing liabilities:                         
Interest-bearing deposits:                         
NOW accounts (1)  $-   $215,107   $215,107   $86,614   $301,721 
Money market accounts   117,018    -    117,018    -    117,018 
Savings deposits (1)   -    66,615    66,615    -    66,615 
Time deposits   53,529    78,581    132,110    73,949    206,059 
Total interest-bearing deposits   170,547    360,303    530,850    160,563    691,413 
Borrowed funds (3)   40,004    40,464    80,468    8,982    89,450 
Total interest-bearing liabilities   210,551    400,767    611,318    169,545    780,863 
Interest-sensitivity gap per period  $(96,716)  $(289,344)  $(386,060)  $596,291   $210,231 
Cumulative gap at December 31, 2014  $(96,716)  $(386,060)  $(386,060)  $210,231   $210,231 
Ratio of cumulative gap to total earning assets at  December 31, 2014   (9.8)%   (38.9)%   (38.9)%   21.2%     

 

______________

 

(1)NOW and savings accounts are subject to immediate withdrawal and repricing. These deposits do not tend to immediately react to changes in interest rates and the Company believes these deposits are a stable and predictable funding source. Therefore, these deposits are included in the repricing period that management believes most closely matches the periods in which they are likely to reprice rather than the period in which the funds can be withdrawn contractually.
(2)Securities include mortgage backed and other installment paying obligations based upon stated maturity dates.
(3)Does not include subordinated debentures of $10,310,000.

 

The Company generally would benefit from increasing market rates of interest when it has an asset-sensitive gap and generally from decreasing market rates of interest when it is liability sensitive. The Company currently is liability sensitive within the one-year time frame. However, the Company's gap analysis is not a precise indicator of its interest sensitivity position. The analysis presents only a static view of the timing of maturities and repricing opportunities, without taking into consideration that changes in interest rates do not affect all assets and liabilities equally. For example, rates paid on a substantial portion of core deposits may change contractually within a relatively short time frame, but those rates are viewed by management as significantly less interest-sensitive than market-based rates such as those paid on non-core deposits. Accordingly, management believes a liability sensitive-position within one year would not be as indicative of the Company’s true interest sensitivity as it would be for an organization which depends to a greater extent on purchased funds to support earning assets. Net interest income is also affected by other significant factors, including changes in the volume and mix of earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities.

 

Provision and Allowance for Loan Losses

 

The Company has developed policies and procedures for evaluating the overall quality of its credit portfolio and the timely identification of potential problem loans. Management’s judgment as to the adequacy of the allowance is based upon a number of assumptions about future events which it believes to be reasonable, but which may not prove to be accurate. Thus, there can be no assurance that charge-offs in future periods will not exceed the allowance for loan losses or that additional increases in the loan loss allowance will not be required.

 

13
 

 

The Company’s allowance consists of two parts. The first part is determined in accordance with authoritative guidance issued by the FASB regarding the allowance. The Company’s determination of this part of the allowance is based upon quantitative and qualitative factors. A loan loss history based upon the prior three years is utilized in determining the appropriate allowance. Historical loss factors are determined by criticized and uncriticized loans by loan type. These historical loss factors are applied to the loans by loan type to determine an indicated allowance. The loss factors of peer groups are considered in the determination of the allowance and are used to assist in the establishment of a long-term loss history for areas in which this data is unavailable and incorporated into the qualitative factors to be considered. The historical loss factors may also be modified based upon other qualitative factors including but not limited to local and national economic conditions, trends of delinquent loans, changes in lending policies and underwriting standards, concentrations, and management’s knowledge of the loan portfolio. These factors require judgment upon the part of management and are based upon state and national economic reports received from various institutions and agencies including the Federal Reserve Bank, United States Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, meetings with the Company’s loan officers and loan committees, and data and guidance received or obtained from the Company’s regulatory authorities.

 

The second part of the allowance is determined in accordance with guidance issued by the FASB regarding impaired loans. Impaired loans are determined based upon a review by internal loan review and senior loan officers. Impaired loans are loans for which the Bank does not expect to receive contractual interest and/or principal by the due date. A specific allowance is assigned to each loan determined to be impaired based upon the value of the loan’s underlying collateral. Appraisals are used by management to determine the value of the collateral.

 

The sum of the two parts constitutes management’s best estimate of an appropriate allowance for loan losses. When the estimated allowance is determined, it is presented to the Company’s audit committee for review and approval on a quarterly basis.

 

Our allowance for loan losses model is focused on establishing a loss history within the Bank and relying on specific impairment to determine credits that the Bank feels the ultimate repayment source will be liquidation of the subject collateral.  Our model takes into account many other factors as well such as local and national economic factors, portfolio trends, non performing asset, charge off, and delinquency trends as well as underwriting standards and the experience of branch management and lending staff.   These trends are measured in the following ways:

 

Local Trends: (Updated quarterly usually the month following quarter end)

Local Unemployment Rate

Insurance Issues (Windpool Areas)

Bankruptcy Rates (Increasing/Declining)

Local Commercial R/E Vacancy Rates

Established Market/New Market

Hurricane Threat

 

14
 

 

National Trends: (Updated quarterly usually the month following quarter end)

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

Home Sales

Consumer Price Index (CPI)

Interest Rate Environment (Increasing/Steady/Declining)

Single Family Construction Starts

Inflation Rate

Retail Sales

 

Portfolio Trends: (Updated monthly as the ALLL is calculated)

Second Mortgages

Single Pay Loans

Non-Recourse Loans

Limited Guaranty Loans

Loan to Value Exceptions

Secured by Non-Owner Occupied Property

Raw Land Loans

Unsecured Loans

 

Measurable Bank Trends: (Updated quarterly)

Delinquency Trends

Non-Accrual Trends

Net Charge Offs

Loan Volume Trends

Non-Performing Assets

Underwriting Standards/Lending Policies

Experience/Depth of Bank Lending

Management

 

Our model takes into account many local and national economic factors as well as portfolio trends.  Local and national economic trends are measured quarterly, typically in the month following quarter end to facilitate the release of economic data from the reporting agencies.  These factors are allocated a basis point value ranging from -25 to +25 basis points and directly affect the amount reserved for each branch.  As of December 31, 2014, most economic indicators both local and national pointed to a weak economy thus most factors were assigned a positive basis point value. This increased the amount of the allowance that was indicated by historical loss factors.  Portfolio trends are measured monthly on a per branch basis to determine the percentage of loans in each branch that the Bank has determined as having more risk.  Portfolio risk is defined as areas in the Bank’s loan portfolio in which there is additional risk involved in the loan type or some other area in which the Bank has identified as having more risk.  Each area is tracked on bank-wide as well as on a branch-wide basis.  Branches are analyzed based on the gross percentage of concentrations of the Bank as a whole.  Portfolio risk is determined by analyzing concentrations in the areas outlined by determining the percentage of each branch’s total portfolio that is made up of the particular loan type and then comparing that concentration to the Bank as a whole. Branches with concentrations in these areas are graded on a scale from – 25 basis points to + 25 basis points. Second mortgages, single pay loans, loans secured by raw land, unsecured loans and loans secured by non owner occupied property are considered to be of higher risk than those of a secured and amortizing basis. LTV exceptions place the Bank at risk in the event of repossession or foreclosure. 

 

15
 

 

Measurable Bank Wide Trends are measured on a quarterly basis as well. This consists of data tracked on a bank wide basis in which we have identified areas of additional risk or the need for additional allocation to the allowance for loan loss.   Data is updated quarterly, each area is assigned a basis point value from -25 basis points to + 25 basis points based on how each area measures to the previous time period.  Net charge offs, loan volume trends and non performing assets have all trended upwards therefore increasing the need for increased funds reserved for loan losses.  Underwriting standards/ lending standards as well as experience/ depth of bank lending management is evaluated on a per branch level. 

 

Loans are reviewed for impairment when, in the Bank’s opinion, the ultimate source of repayment will be the liquidation of collateral through foreclosure or repossession.  Once identified updated collateral values are obtained on these loans and impairment worksheets are prepared to determine if impairment exists.  This method takes into account any expected expenses related to the disposal of the subject collateral.  Specific allowances for these loans are done on a per loan basis as each loan is reviewed for impairment.  Updated appraisals are ordered on real estate loans and updated valuations are ordered on non real estate loans to determine actual market value. 

 

At December 31, 2014, the consolidated allowance for loan losses amounted to approximately $6.1 million, or .86% of outstanding loans or 1.01% of loans excluding those booked at fair value due to business combination. At December 31, 2013, the allowance for loan losses amounted to approximately $5.7 million, which was .98% of outstanding loans. The Company’s provision for loan losses was $1,418,000 for the year ended December 31, 2014, compared to $1,076,000 for the year ended December 31, 2013.

 

A loan is considered impaired when, based on current information and events, it is probable that the Company will be unable to collect the scheduled payments of principal or interest when due according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement. Factors considered by management in determining impairment include payment status, collateral value, and the probability of collecting scheduled principal and interest payments when due. Loans that experience insignificant payment delays and payment shortfalls generally are not classified as impaired. Management determines the significance of payment delays and payment shortfalls on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration all of the circumstances surrounding the loan and the borrower, including the length of the delay, the reasons for the delay, the borrower’s prior payment record, and the amount of the shortfall in relation to the principal and interest owed. Impairment is measured on a loan by loan basis. Impaired loans not deemed collateral dependent are analyzed according to the ultimate repayment source, whether that is cash flow from the borrower, guarantor or some other source of repayment. Impaired loans are deemed collateral dependent if in the Bank’s opinion the ultimate source of repayment will be generated from the liquidation of collateral.

 

16
 

 

The Company discontinues accrual of interest on loans when management believes, after considering economic and business conditions and collection efforts, that a borrower’s financial condition is such that the collection of interest is doubtful. Generally, the Company will place a delinquent loan in nonaccrual status when the loan becomes 90 days or more past due. At the time a loan is placed in nonaccrual status, all interest which has been accrued on the loan but remains unpaid is reversed and deducted from earnings as a reduction of reported interest income. No additional interest is accrued on the loan balance until the collection of both principal and interest becomes reasonably certain.

 

The following tables illustrate the Company’s past due and nonaccrual loans at December 31, 2014 and 2013.

 

   December 31, 2014 
   (In thousands) 
   Past Due 30 to
89 Days
   Past Due 90 days or
more and still accruing
   Non-Accrual 
             
Real Estate-construction  $428   $-   $2,747 
Real Estate-mortgage   3,208    208    2,164 
Real Estate-nonfarm nonresidential   3,408    461    1,102 
Commercial   29    -    5 
Consumer   90    -    38 
Total  $7,163   $669   $6,056 

 

   December 31, 2013 
   (In thousands) 
   Past Due 30 to
89 Days
   Past Due 90 days or
more and still accruing
   Non-Accrual 
             
Real Estate-construction  $478   $-   $212 
Real Estate-mortgage   4,696    143    2,453 
Real Estate-nonfarm nonresidential   252    -    507 
Commercial   12    -    9 
Consumer   115    16    - 
Total  $5,553   $159   $3,181 

 

Total nonaccrual loans at December 31, 2014, amounted to $6.1 million which was an increase of $2.9 million from the December 31, 2013, amount of $3.2 million. Management believes these relationships were adequately reserved at December 31, 2014. Restructured loans not reported as past due or nonaccrual at December 31, 2014, amounted to $2.9 million.

 

 

A potential problem loan is one in which management has serious doubts about the borrower’s future performance under the terms of the loan contract. These loans are current as to principal and interest and, accordingly, they are not included in nonperforming asset categories. The level of potential problem loans is one factor used in the determination of the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses. At December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, The First had potential problem loans of $20,946,000 and $17,070,000, respectively. This represents an increase of $3,876,000 of which $3,480,000 are acquired loans from Bay Bank.

 

17
 

 

Consolidated Allowance For Loan Losses

(In thousands)

 

   Years Ended December 31, 
   2014   2013   2012   2011   2010 
                     
Average loans outstanding  $632,049   $583,200   $388,012   $354,295   $328,950 
Loans outstanding at year end  $706,635   $583,302   $413,697   $387,929   $332,573 
                          
Total nonaccrual loans  $6,056   $3,181   $3,401   $5,125   $4,212 
                          
Beginning balance of allowance  $5,728   $4,727   $4,511   $4,617   $4,762 
Loans charged-off   (1,459)   (759)   (1,190)   (1,987)   (1,370)
Total loans charged-off   (1,459)   (759)   (1,190)   (1,987)   (1,370)
Total recoveries   408    684    178    413    242 
Net loans charged-off   (1,051)   (75)   (1,012)   (1,574)   (1,128)
Acquisition   -    -    -    -    - 
Provision for loan losses   1,418    1,076    1,228    1,468    983 
Balance at year end  $6,095   $5,728   $4,727   $4,511   $4,617 
                          
Net charge-offs to average loans   .17%   .01%   .26%   .44%   .34%
Allowance as percent of total loans   .86%   .98%   1.14%   1.16%   1.39%
Nonperforming loans as a percentage of total loans   .86%   .55%   .82%   1.32%   1.27%
Allowance as a multiple of nonaccrual loans   1.0X   1.8X   1.4X   .88X   1.1X

 

At December 31, 2014, the components of the allowance for loan losses consisted of the following:

 

   Allowance 
   (In thousands) 
Allocated:    
Impaired loans  $968 
Graded loans   5,127 
   $6,095 

 

Graded loans are those loans or pools of loans assigned a grade by internal loan review.

 

18
 

 

The following table represents the activity of the allowance for loan losses for the years 2014 and 2013.

 

Analysis of the Allowance for Loan Losses
 
   Years Ended December 31, 
   2014   2013 
   (Dollars in thousands) 
         
Balance at beginning of  year  $5,728   $4,727 
Charge-offs:          
Real Estate-construction   (47)   (305)
Real Estate-mortgage   (1,156)   (152)
Real Estate-nonfarm  nonresidential   (-)   (-)
Commercial   (89)   (105)
Consumer   (167)   (197)
Total   (1,459)   (759)
Recoveries:          
Real Estate-construction   96    133 
Real Estate-mortgage   212    393 
Real Estate-nonfarm  nonresidential   17    74 
Commercial   15    18 
Consumer   68    66 
Total   408    684 
Net Charge-offs   (1,051)   (75)
Provision for Loan Losses   1,418    1,076 
Balance at end of year  $6,095   $5,728 

 

The following tables represent how the allowance for loan losses is allocated to a particular loan type as well as the percentage of the category to total loans at December 31, 2014 and 2013.

 

Allocation of the Allowance for Loan Losses
 
   December 31, 2014 
   (Dollars in thousands) 
   Amount   % of loans
in each category
to total loans
 
         
Commercial Non Real Estate  $713    15.3%
Commercial Real Estate   3,355    57.9%
Consumer Real Estate   1,852    24.2%
Consumer   175    2.6%
Unallocated   -    - 
        Total  $6,095    100%

 

   December 31, 2013 
   (Dollars in thousands) 
   Amount   % of loans
in each category
to total loans
 
         
Commercial Non Real Estate  $582    14.0%
Commercial Real Estate   3,384    57.2%
Consumer Real Estate   1,427    25.4%
Consumer   173    3.4%
Unallocated   162    - 
Total  $5,728    100%

 

19
 

 

Noninterest Income and Expense

 

Noninterest Income. The Company’s primary source of noninterest income is service charges on deposit accounts. Other sources of noninterest income include bankcard fees, commissions on check sales, safe deposit box rent, wire transfer fees, official check fees and bank owned life insurance income.

 

Noninterest income increased $720,000 or 10.2% during 2014 to $7,803,000 from $7,083,000 for the year ended December 31, 2013. The deposit activity fees were $4,262,000 for 2014 compared to $3,979,000 for 2013. Other service charges decreased by $24,000 or 1.1% from $2,187,000 for the year ended December 31, 2013, to $2,163,000 for the year ended December 31, 2014. Impairment losses on investment securities were $0 for 2014 and 2013.

 

Noninterest expense increased from $28.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2013, to $30.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2014. The Company experienced slight increases in most expense categories. The largest increase was in salaries and employee benefits, which increased by $2.6 million in 2014 as compared to 2013. These increases were due in part to the addition of the Bay Bank branches and staff and a full year of the Baldwin branches.

 

The following table sets forth the primary components of noninterest expense for the periods indicated:

 

Noninterest Expense

 

   Years ended December 31, 
   2014   2013   2012 
   (In thousands) 
             
Salaries and employee benefits  $17,462   $14,855   $12,001 
Occupancy   2,805    2,351    1,797 
Equipment   1,721    1,568    1,435 
Marketing and public relations   445    451    329 
Data processing   161    169    85 
Supplies and printing   498    455    425 
Telephone   616    731    533 
Correspondent services   83    74    96 
Deposit and other insurance   1,048    834    734 
Professional and consulting fees   1,618    2,433    747 
Postage   302    303    252 
ATM fees   623    575    434 
Other   3,352    3,366    3,296 
                
Total  $30,734   $28,165   $22,164 

 

Income Tax Expense

 

Income tax expense consists of two components. The first is the current tax expense which represents the expected income tax to be paid to taxing authorities. The Company also recognizes deferred tax for future income/deductible amounts resulting from differences in the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities.

 

20
 

 

Analysis of Financial Condition

 

Earning Assets

 

Loans. Loans typically provide higher yields than the other types of earning assets, and thus one of the Company's goals is for loans to be the largest category of the Company's earning assets. At December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively, average loans accounted for 67.8% and 68.0% of average earning assets. Management attempts to control and counterbalance the inherent credit and liquidity risks associated with the higher loan yields without sacrificing asset quality to achieve its asset mix goals. Loans averaged $632.0 million during 2014, as compared to $583.2 million during 2013, and $388.0 million during 2012.

 

The following table shows the composition of the loan portfolio by category:

 

Composition of Loan Portfolio

 

   December 31, 
   2014   2013   2012 
   Amount   Percent
Of Total
   Amount   Percent
of Total
   Amount   Percent
of Total
 
   (Dollars in thousands) 
Mortgage loans held for sale  $2,103    0.3%  $3,680    0.6%  $5,585    1.4%
Commercial, financial and agricultural   106,109    15.0%   81,792    14.0%   53,234    12.9%
Real Estate:                              
Mortgage-commercial   238,602    33.8%   212,388    36.4%   142,046    34.3%
Mortgage-residential   256,406    36.3%   202,343    34.7%   140,703    34.0%
Construction   84,935    12.0%   67,287    11.5%   57,529    13.9%
Consumer and other   18,480    2.6%   15,812    2.8%   14,600    3.5%
Total loans   706,635    100%   583,302    100%   413,697    100%
Allowance for loan losses   (6,095)        (5,728)        (4,727)     
Net loans  $700,540        $577,574        $408,970      

 

In the context of this discussion, a "real estate mortgage loan" is defined as any loan, other than loans for construction purposes, secured by real estate, regardless of the purpose of the loan. The Company follows the common practice of financial institutions in the Company’s market area of obtaining a security interest in real estate whenever possible, in addition to any other available collateral. This collateral is taken to reinforce the likelihood of the ultimate repayment of the loan and tends to increase the magnitude of the real estate loan portfolio component. Generally, the Company limits its loan-to-value ratio to 80%. Management attempts to maintain a conservative philosophy regarding its underwriting guidelines and believes it will reduce the risk elements of its loan portfolio through strategies that diversify the lending mix.

 

Loans held for sale consist of mortgage loans originated by the Bank and sold into the secondary market. Commitments from investors to purchase the loans are obtained upon origination.

 

21
 

 

The following table sets forth the Company's commercial and construction real estate loans maturing within specified intervals at December 31, 2014.

 

Loan Maturity Schedule and Sensitivity to Changes in Interest Rates

 

   December 31, 2014 
Type  One Year
or Less
   Over One Year
Through
Five Years
   Over Five
Years
   Total 
   (In thousands) 
                 
Commercial, financial and agricultural  $47,491   $50,706   $7,912   $106,109 
Real estate – construction   49.932    30,942    4,061    84,935 
   $97,423   $81,648   $11,973   $191,044 
                     
Loans maturing after one year with:                    
Fixed interest rates                 $72,492 
Floating interest rates                  21,129 
                  $93,621 

 

The information presented in the above table is based on the contractual maturities of the individual loans, including loans which may be subject to renewal at their contractual maturity. Renewal of such loans is subject to review and credit approval, as well as modification of terms upon their maturity.

 

Investment Securities. The investment securities portfolio is a significant component of the Company's total earning assets. Total securities averaged $271.2 million in 2014, as compared to $248.2 million in 2013 and $235.8 million in 2012. This represents 29.1%, 29.0%, and 36.4% of the average earning assets for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013, and 2012, respectively. At December 31, 2014, investment securities were $270.2 million and represented 27.3% of earning assets. The Company attempts to maintain a portfolio of high quality, highly liquid investments with returns competitive with short-term U.S. Treasury or agency obligations. This objective is particularly important as the Company focuses on growing its loan portfolio. The Company primarily invests in securities of U.S. Government agencies, municipals, and corporate obligations with maturities up to five years.

 

The following table summarizes the carrying value of securities for the dates indicated.

 

Securities Portfolio

 

   December 31, 
   2014   2013   2012 
   (In thousands) 
Available-for-sale               
U. S. Government agencies and Mortgage-backed Securities  $120,407   $108,148   $98,326 
States and municipal subdivisions   104,582    108,079    98,910 
Corporate obligations   28,785    26,852    16,187 
Mutual finds   972    972    970 
Total available-for-sale   254,746    244,051    214,393 
Held-to-maturity               
U.S. Government agencies   2,193    2,438    2,470 
States and municipal subdivisions   6,000    6,000    6,000 
Total held-to-maturity   8,193    8,438    8,470 
Total  $262,939   $252,489   $222,863 

 

22
 

 

The following table shows, at carrying value, the scheduled maturities and average yields of securities held at December 31, 2014.

 

Investment Securities Maturity Distribution and Yields (1)

 

   December 31, 2014 
       After One But   After Five But     
(Dollars in thousands)  Within One Year   Within Five Years   Within Ten Years   After Ten Years 
   Amount   Yield   Amount   Yield   Amount   Yield   Amount   Yield 
Held-to-maturity:                                        
U.S. Government agencies (2)  $-    -   $-    -   $-    -   $-    - 
States and municipal subdivisions   -    -    -    -    -    -    6,000    .93%
Total investment securities held-to-maturity  $-        $-        $-        $6,000      
Available-for-sale:                                        
U.S. Government agencies (3)  $4,367    .71%  $19,788    1.06%  $3,217    2.77%  $-    - 
States and municipal subdivisions   10,094    2.86%   41,678    2.93%   33,146    4.05%   19,665    4.87%
Corporate obligations and other   4,543    1.67%   19,115    2.01%   3,914    1.59%   2,184    1.82%
Total investment securities available-for-sale  $19,004        $80,581        $40,277        $21,849      

_______________

(1)Investments with a call feature are shown as of the contractual maturity date.
(2)Excludes mortgage-backed securities totaling $2.2 million with a yield of 2.63%.
(3)Excludes mortgage-backed securities totaling $93.0 million with a yield of 2.34% and mutual funds of $1.0 million.

 

Short-Term Investments. Short-term investments, consisting of Federal Funds Sold, funds in due from banks and interest-bearing deposits with banks, averaged $24.8 million in 2014, $18.6 million in 2013, and $19.7 million in 2012. At December 31, 2014, and December 31, 2013, short-term investments totaled $386,000 and $967,000, respectively. These funds are a primary source of the Company's liquidity and are generally invested in an earning capacity on an overnight basis.

 

Deposits

 

Deposits. Average total deposits increased $160.0 million, or 26.6% in 2013. Average total deposits increased $109.8 million, or 14.3% in 2014. At December 31, 2014, total deposits were $892.8 million, compared to $780.0 million a year earlier, an increase of $112.8 million, or 14.5%.

 

23
 

 

The following table sets forth the deposits of the Company by category for the period indicated.

 

   Deposits 
     
   December 31, 
(Dollars in thousands)  2014   2013   2012 
       Percent
of
       Percent
of
       Percent
of
 
   Amount   Deposits   Amount   Deposits   Amount   Deposits 
                         
Noninterest-bearing accounts  $201,362    22.6%  $173,793    22.3%  $109,624    18.4%
NOW accounts   301,721    33.8%   240,514    30.8%   230,589    38.6%
Money market accounts   117,018    13.1%   107,564    13.8%   47,325    7.9%
Savings accounts   66,615    7.5%   55,113    7.1%   48,153    8.1%
Time deposits less than $100,000   85,365    9.6%   86,363    11.1%   69,115    11.6%
Time deposits of $100,000 or over   120,694    13.4%   116,624    14.9%   91,821    15.4%
Total deposits  $892,775    100%  $779,971    100%  $596,627    100%

 

The Company’s loan-to-deposit ratio was 78.9% at December 31, 2014 and 74.3% at December 31, 2013. The loan-to-deposit ratio averaged 71.1% during 2014. Core deposits, which exclude time deposits of $100,000 or more, provide a relatively stable funding source for the Company's loan portfolio and other earning assets. The Company's core deposits were $772.1 million at December 31, 2014 and $663.3 million at December 31, 2013. Management anticipates that a stable base of deposits will be the Company's primary source of funding to meet both its short-term and long-term liquidity needs in the future. The Company has purchased brokered deposits from time to time to help fund loan growth. Brokered deposits and jumbo certificates of deposit generally carry a higher interest rate than traditional core deposits. Further, brokered deposit customers typically do not have loan or other relationships with the Company. The Company has adopted a policy not to permit brokered deposits to represent more than 10% of all of the Company’s deposits.

 

The maturity distribution of the Company's certificates of deposit of $100,000 or more at December 31, 2014, is shown in the following table. The Company did not have any other time deposits of $100,000 or more.

 

Maturities of Certificates of Deposit

of $100,000 or More

 

       After Three         
   Within Three   Through   After Twelve     
(In thousands)  Months   Twelve Months   Months   Total 
                 
December 31, 2014  $36,356   $43,516   $40,822   $120,694 

 

Borrowed Funds

 

Borrowed funds consist of advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas, federal funds purchased and reverse repurchase agreements. At December 31, 2014, advances from the FHLB totaled $84.5 million compared to $47.0 million at December 31, 2013. The advances are collateralized by a blanket lien on the first mortgage loans in the amount of the outstanding borrowings, FHLB capital stock, and amounts on deposit with the FHLB. There were no federal funds purchased at December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013.

 

24
 

 

Reverse Repurchase Agreements consist of one $5,000,000 agreement. The agreement is secured by securities with a fair value of $7,443,951 at December 31, 2014 and $6,530,592 at December 31, 2013. The maturity date of the remaining agreement is September 26, 2017, with a rate of 3.81%.

 

Subordinated Debentures

 

In 2006, the Company issued subordinated debentures of $4,124,000 to The First Bancshares, Inc. Statutory Trust 2 (Trust 2). The Company is the sole owner of the equity of the Trust 2. The Trust 2 issued $4,000,000 of preferred securities to investors. The Company makes interest payments and will make principal payments on the debentures to the Trust 2. These payments will be the source of funds used to retire the preferred securities, which are redeemable at any time beginning in 2011 and thereafter, and mature in 2036. The Company entered into this arrangement to provide funding for expected growth.

 

In 2007, the Company issued subordinated debentures of $6,186,000 to The First Bancshares, Inc. Statutory Trust 3 (Trust 3). The Company is the sole owner of the equity of the Trust 3. The Trust 3 issued $6,000,000 of preferred securities to investors. The Company makes interest payments and will make principal payments on the debentures to the Trust 3. These payments will be the source of funds used to retire the preferred securities, which are redeemable at any time beginning in 2012 and thereafter, and mature in 2037. The Company entered into this arrangement to provide funding for expected growth.

 

Capital

 

Total stockholders’ equity as of December 31, 2014, was $96.2 million, an increase of $11.1 million or approximately 13.1%, compared with stockholders' equity of $85.1 million as of December 31, 2013.

 

The Federal Reserve Board and bank regulatory agencies require bank holding companies and financial institutions to maintain capital at adequate levels based on a percentage of assets and off-balance sheet exposures, adjusted for risk weights ranging from 0% to 100%. Under the risk-based standard, capital is classified into two tiers. Tier 1 capital consists of common stockholders' equity, excluding the unrealized gain (loss) on available-for-sale securities, minus certain intangible assets. Tier 2 capital consists of the general reserve for loan losses, subject to certain limitations. An institution’s total risk-based capital for purposes of its risk-based capital ratio consists of the sum of its Tier 1 and Tier 2 capital. The risk-based regulatory minimum requirements are 4% for Tier 1 and 8% for total risk-based capital.

 

Bank holding companies and banks are also required to maintain capital at a minimum level based on total assets, which is known as the leverage ratio. The minimum requirement for the leverage ratio is 4%. All but the highest rated institutions are required to maintain ratios 100 to 200 basis points above the minimum. The Company and The First exceeded their minimum regulatory capital ratios as of December 31, 2014 and 2013.

 

25
 

 

The Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation approved final capital rules in July 2013, that substantially amend the existing capital rules for banks. These new rules reflect, in part, certain standards initially adopted by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision in December 2010 (which standards are commonly referred to as “Basel III”) as well as requirements contemplated by the Dodd-Frank Act.

 

Under the new capital rules, the Company will be required to meet certain minimum capital requirements that differ from current capital requirements. The rules implement a new capital ratio of common equity Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets. Common equity Tier 1 capital generally consists of retained earnings and common stock (subject to certain adjustments) as well as accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”), except to the extent that the Company exercises a one-time irrevocable option to exclude certain components of AOCI as of March 31, 2015. The Company will also be required to establish a “conservation buffer,” consisting of a common equity Tier 1 capital amount equal to 2.5% of risk-weighted assets to be phased in by 2019. An institution that does not meet the conservation buffer will be subject to restrictions on certain activities including payment of dividends, stock repurchases, and discretionary bonuses to executive officers.

 

The prompt corrective action rules are modified to include the common equity Tier 1 capital ratio and to increase the Tier 1 capital ratio requirements for the various thresholds. For example, the requirements for the Company to be considered well-capitalized under the rules will be a 5.0% leverage ratio, a 6.5% common equity Tier 1capital ratio, an 8.0% Tier 1 capital ratio, and a 10.0% total capital ratio. To be adequately capitalized, those ratios are 4.0%, 4.5%, 6.0%, and 8.0%, respectively.

 

The rules modify the manner in which certain capital elements are determined. The rules make changes to the methods of calculating the risk-weighting of certain assets, which in turn affects the calculation of the risk-weighted capital ratios. Higher risk weights are assigned to various categories of assets, including commercial real estate loans, credit facilities that finance the acquisition, development or construction of real property, certain exposures or credit that are 90 days past due or are nonaccrual, securitization exposures, and in certain cases mortgage servicing rights and deferred tax assets.

 

The Company is required to comply with the new capital rules on January 1, 2015, with a measurement date of March 31, 2015. The conservation buffer will be phased-in beginning in 2016, and will take full effect on January 1, 2019. Certain calculations under the rules will also have phase-in periods.

 

Analysis of Capital

 

   Adequately   Well   The Company   The First 
Capital Ratios  Capitalized   Capitalized   December 31,   December 31, 
           2014   2013   2014   2013 
                     
Leverage   4.0%   5.0%   8.4%   9.0%   8.4%   8.9%
Risk-based capital:                              
Tier 1   4.0%   6.0%   11.5%   12.5%   11.4%   12.4%
Total   8.0%   10.0%   12.3%   13.4%   12.2%   13.3%

 

26
 

 

Ratios

 

   2014   2013   2012 
Return on assets (net income applicable to common stockholders divided by average total assets)   .61%   .45%   .51%
                
Return on equity (net income applicable to common stockholders divided by average equity)   7.1%   5.0%   5.7%
                
Dividend payout ratio (dividends per share divided by net income per common share)   12.6%   15.6%   12.9%
                
Equity to asset ratio (average equity divided  by average total assets)   8.6%   9.0%   8.8%

 

Liquidity Management

 

Liquidity management involves monitoring the Company's sources and uses of funds in order to meet its day-to-day cash flow requirements while maximizing profits. Liquidity represents the ability of a company to convert assets into cash or cash equivalents without significant loss and to raise additional funds by increasing liabilities. Liquidity management is made more complicated because different balance sheet components are subject to varying degrees of management control. For example, the timing of maturities of the investment portfolio is very predictable and subject to a high degree of control at the time investment decisions are made; however, net deposit inflows and outflows are far less predictable and are not subject to the same degree of control. Asset liquidity is provided by cash and assets which are readily marketable, which can be pledged, or which will mature in the near future. Liability liquidity is provided by access to core funding sources, principally the ability to generate customer deposits in the Company’s market area.

 

The Company's Federal Funds Sold position, which includes funds in due from banks and interest-bearing deposits with banks, is typically its primary source of liquidity, averaged $24.8 million during the year ended December 31, 2014 and totaled $14.3 million at December 31, 2014. Also, the Company has available advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank. Advances available are generally based upon the amount of qualified first mortgage loans which can be used for collateral. At December 31, 2014, advances available totaled approximately $228.4 million of which $84.5 million had been drawn, or used for letters of credit.

 

Management regularly reviews the liquidity position of the Company and has implemented internal policies which establish guidelines for sources of asset-based liquidity and limit the total amount of purchased funds used to support the balance sheet and funding from non-core sources.

 

EESA also increased FDIC deposit insurance on most accounts from $100,000 to $250,000.  However, with the passage of the Dodd-Frank Act, this increase in the basic coverage limit has been made permanent.

 

27
 

 

Subprime Assets

 

The Bank does not engage in subprime lending activities targeted towards borrowers in high risk categories.

 

Accounting Matters

 

Information on new accounting matters is set forth in Footnote B to the Consolidated Financial Statements included at Item 8 in this report. This information is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Impact of Inflation

 

Unlike most industrial companies, the assets and liabilities of financial institutions such as the Company are primarily monetary in nature. Therefore, interest rates have a more significant effect on the Company's performance than do the effects of changes in the general rate of inflation and change in prices. In addition, interest rates do not necessarily move in the same direction or in the same magnitude as the prices of goods and services. As discussed previously, management seeks to manage the relationships between interest sensitive assets and liabilities in order to protect against wide interest rate fluctuations, including those resulting from inflation.

 

28
 

 

 

REPORT OF

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

To the Board of Directors and Stockholders

The First Bancshares, Inc.

Hattiesburg, Mississippi

 

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of The First Bancshares, Inc., as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, and the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income (loss), changes in stockholders' equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the two-year period ended December 31, 2014. The management of The First Bancshares, Inc. is responsible for these financial statements. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.

 

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. Our audits included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of The First Bancshares, Inc., as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, and the consolidated results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the years in the two-year period ended December 31, 2014, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

  /s/ T. E. LOTT & COMPANY

 

Columbus, Mississippi

March 31, 2015

 

29
 

 

THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

DECEMBER 31, 2014 AND 2013

 

   2014   2013 
ASSETS          
Cash and due from banks  $30,332,502   $24,079,590 
Interest-bearing deposits with banks   13,899,287    14,205,335 
Federal funds sold   386,000    967,000 
Total cash and cash equivalents   44,617,789    39,251,925 
Held-to-maturity securities (fair value of  $9,993,816 in 2014 and $9,624,427 in 2013)   8,192,741    8,438,435 
Available-for-sale securities   254,746,446    244,050,671 
Other securities   7,234,350    5,533,850 
Total securities   270,173,537    258,022,956 
Loans held for sale   2,103,351    3,679,521 
Loans, net of allowance for loan losses of $6,095,001 in 2014 and $5,727,800 in 2013   698,436,345    573,894,868 
Interest receivable   3,659,006    3,291,887 
Premises and equipment   34,809,843    32,071,741 
Cash surrender value of life insurance   14,463, 207    6,593,403 
Goodwill   12,276,040    10,620,814 
Other assets   13,228,601    13,462,960 
Total assets  $1,093,767,719   $940,890,075 
           
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY          
           
Deposits:          
Noninterest-bearing  $201,362,468   $173,793,894 
Interest-bearing   691,413,018    606,177,141 
Total deposits   892,775,486    779,971,035 
Interest payable   315,844    399,976 
Borrowed funds   89,450,067    52,000,000 
Subordinated debentures   10,310,000    10,310,000 
Other liabilities   4,700,738    13,100,724 
Total liabilities   997,552,135    855,781,735 
Stockholders’ Equity:          
Preferred stock, no par value, $1,000 per share liquidation, 10,000,000 shares authorized; 17,123 shares issued and outstanding in 2014 and 2013, respectively   17,123,000    17,102,507 
Common stock, par value $1 per share: 10,000,000 shares authorized; 5,342,670 and 5,122,941 shares issued and outstanding  in 2014 and 2013, respectively   5,342,670    5,122,941 
Additional paid-in capital   44,420,149    42,086,463 
Retained earnings   27,975,049    22,508,918 
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)   1,818,361    (1,248,844)
Treasury stock, at cost   (463,645)   (463,645)
Total stockholders’ equity   96,215,584    85,108,340 
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity  $1,093,767,719   $940,890,075 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

 

30
 

 

THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2014 AND 2013

 

   2014   2013 
INTEREST INCOME          
Interest and fees on loans  $30,276,477   $25,736,169 
Interest and dividends on securities:          
Taxable interest and dividends   3,884,321    3,279,367 
Tax-exempt interest   2,071,782    2,140,084 
Interest on federal funds sold   52,945    62,244 
Interest on deposits in banks   85,257    100,169 
Total interest income   36,370,782    31,318,033 
           
INTEREST EXPENSE          
Interest on time deposits of $100,000 or more   520,373    698,580 
Interest on other deposits   1,848,965    1,601,024 
Interest on borrowed funds   603,469    617,654 
Total interest expense   2,972,807    2,917,258 
Net interest income   33,397,975    28,400,775 
Provision for loan losses   1,418,260    1,075,983 
Net interest income after provision for loan losses   31,979,715    27,324,792 
           
OTHER INCOME          
Service charges on deposit accounts   4,261,795    3,979,159 
Other service charges and fees   2,162,958    2,187,229 
Bank owned life insurance income   369,804    152,294 
Loss on sale of other real estate   (85,256)   (76,532)
Other   1,094,167    841,147 
Total other income   7,803,468    7,083,297 
           
OTHER EXPENSE          
Salaries   14,207,216    12,216,098 
Employee benefits   3,254,399    2,638,558 
Occupancy   2,805,157    2,351,009 
Furniture and equipment   1,721,170    1,568,113 
Supplies and printing   497,755    455,443 
Professional and consulting fees   1,617,828    2,433,111 
Marketing and public relations   445,451    451,018 
FDIC and OCC assessments   938,378    766,503 
Other   5,246,254    5,285,148 
Total other expense   30,733,608    28,165,001 

 

31
 

 

THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2014 AND 2013

 

Continued:  2014   2013 
         
Income before income taxes   9,049,575    6,243,088 
Income taxes   2,435,879    1,603,593 
           
Net income   6,613,696    4,639,495 
Preferred dividends and stock accretion   362,953    424,428 
Net income applicable to common stockholders  $6,250,743   $4,215,067 
           
Net income per share:          
Basic  $1.27   $1.07 
Diluted   1.25    1.06 
Net income applicable to common stockholders:          
Basic  $1.20   $.98 
Diluted   1.19    .96 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

 

32
 

 

THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2014 AND 2013

 

   2014   2013 
         
Net income  $6,613,696   $4,639,495 
           
Other comprehensive income:          
Unrealized gains on securities:          
Unrealized holding gains (losses) arising during the period   4,804,818    (5,676,942)
Less reclassification adjustment for gains included in net income   (237,173)   - 
    4,567,645    (5,676,942)
           
Unrealized holding losses on loans held for sale   (83,826)   (55,967)
           
Income tax benefit (expense)   (1,416,614)   1,951,037 
           
Other comprehensive income (loss)   3,067,205    (3,781,872)
           
Comprehensive income  $9,680,901   $857,623 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

 

33
 

 

THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2014 AND 2013

 

   Common
Stock
   Preferred
Stock
   Stock
Warrants
   Additional
Paid-in
Capital
   Retained
Earnings
   Accum-
ulated
Other
Compre-
hensive
Income (Loss)
   Treasury
Stock
   Total 
Balance, January 1, 2013  $3,133,596   $17,020,539   $283,738   $23,427,037   $19,951,173   $2,533,028   $(463,645)  $65,885,466 
                                         
Net income 2013   -    -    -    -    4,639,495    -    -    4,639,495 
Other comprehensive income (loss)   -    -    -    -    -    (3,781,872)   -    (3,781,872)
Dividends on preferred stock   -    -    -    -    (342,460)   -    -    (342,460)
Cash dividend declared, $.15 per common share   -    -    -    -    (615,781)   -    -    (615,781)
Grant of restricted stock   39,913    -    -    (39,913)   -    -    -    - 
Compensation cost on restricted stock   -    -    -    391,777    -    -    -    391,777 
Preferred stock accretion   -    81,968    -    -    (81,968)   -    -    - 
Repurchase of restricted stock for payment of taxes   (1,788)   -    -    (24,961)   -    -    -    (26,749)
Issuance of 1,951,220 common shares   1,951,220    -    -    18,048,785    (1,041,541)   -    -    18,958,464 
Balance, December 31, 2013  $5,122,941   $17,102,507   $283,738   $41,802,725   $22,508,918   $(1,248,844)  $(463,645)  $85,108,340 
                                         
Net income 2014   -    -    -    -    6,613,696    -    -    6,613,696 
Other comprehensive income   -    -    -    -    -    3,067,205    -    3,067,205 

 

34
 

 

THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2014 AND 2013

 

Continued:  Common
Stock
   Preferred
Stock
   Stock
Warrants
   Additional
Paid-in
Capital
   Retained
Earnings
   Accum-
ulated
Other
Compre-
hensive
Income (Loss)
   Treasury
Stock
   Total 
                                 
Dividends on preferred stock   -    -    -    -    (342,460)   -    -    (342,460)
Cash dividend declared, $.15 per common share   -    -    -    -    (784,612)   -    -    (784,612)
Grant of restricted stock   67,627    -    -    (67,627)   -    -    -    - 
Compensation cost on restricted stock   -    -    -    617,779    -    -    -    617,779 
Preferred stock accretion   -    20,493    -    -    (20,493)   -    -    - 
Repurchase of restricted stock for payment of taxes   (5,981)   -    -    (79,551)   -    -    -    (85,532)
Issuance of 158,083 common shares for BCB Holding   158,083    -    -    1,863,085    -    -    -    1,863,085 
Balance, December 31, 2014  $5,342,670   $17,123,000   $283,738   $44,136,411   $27,975,049   $1,818,361   $(463,645)  $96,215,584 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

 

35
 

 

THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2014 AND 2013

 

   2014   2013 
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES          
Net income  $6,613,696   $4,639,495 
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:          
Depreciation and amortization   2,182,630    1,915,398 
FHLB Stock dividends   (6,000)   (4,100)
Provision for loan losses   1,418,260    1,075,983 
Deferred income taxes   331,399    1,707,403 
Restricted stock expense   617,779    391,777 
Increase in cash value of life insurance   (369,804)   (152,294)
Amortization and accretion, net   900,913    (107,170)
Gain on sale of land   (110,734)   - 
Writedown of bank property   -    193,073 
Gain on sale of securities   (237,174)   - 
Loss on sale/writedown of other real estate   395,379    350,023 
Changes in:          
Loans held for sale   1,659,996    2,671,885 
Interest receivable   (152,307)   (54,600)
Other assets   2,643,956    4,412,575 
Interest payable   (109,218)   (153,065)
Other liabilities   (8,721,513)   1,108,980 
Net cash provided by operating activities   7,057,258    17,995,363 
           
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES          
Purchases of available-for-sale securities   (38,459,683)   (83,415,975)
Purchases of other securities   (3,296,800)   (2,780,100)
Proceeds from maturities and calls of available-for-sale securities   42,723,486    52,237,989 
Proceeds from maturities and calls of held-to-maturity securities   246,980    - 
Proceeds from sales of securities available-for-sale   10,909,239    - 
Proceeds from redemption of other securities   2,514,485    788,200 
Increase in loans   (89,190,269)   (50,100,144)
Net additions to premises and equipment   (988,736)   (746,724)
Purchase of bank owned life insurance   (7,500,000)   - 
Proceeds from sale of land   76,375    - 
Cash received in excess of cash paid for acquisition   4,272,735    43,150,000 
Net cash used in investing activities   (78,692,188)   (40,866,754)
           
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES          
Increase (decrease) in deposits   53,845,509    (1,971,438)
Proceeds from borrowed funds   180,000,000    47,000,000 
Repayment of borrowed funds   (155,653,580)   (31,770,773)
Dividends paid on common stock   (763,143)   (600,452)
Dividends paid on preferred stock   (342,460)   (342,460)

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

 

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THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2014 AND 2013

 

Continued:  2014   2013 
         
Repurchase of restricted stock for payment of taxes   (85,532)   (26,749)
Issuance of 1,951,220 common shares, net   -    18,958,464 
Net cash  provided by financing activities   77,000,794    31,246,592 
           
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents   5,365,864    8,375,201 
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year   39,251,925    30,876,724 
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year  $44,617,789   $39,251,925 
           
Supplemental disclosures:          
           
Cash paid during the year for:          
Interest  $3,056,939   $2,729,323 
Income taxes   275,075    980,490 
           
Non-cash activities:          
Transfers of loans to other real estate   2,208,010    2,136,687 
Issuance of restricted stock grants   67,627    39,913 
Loans originated to facilitate the sale of land   402,982    - 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

 

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THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE A - NATURE OF BUSINESS

 

The First Bancshares, Inc. (the Company) is a bank holding company whose business is primarily conducted by its wholly-owned subsidiary, The First, A National Banking Association (the Bank). The Bank provides a full range of banking services in its primary market area of South Mississippi, South Alabama, and Louisiana. The Company is regulated by the Federal Reserve Bank. Its subsidiary bank is subject to the regulation of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC).

 

NOTE B - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

The Company and the Bank follow accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America including, where applicable, general practices within the banking industry.

 

1.Principles of Consolidation

 

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

 

2.Estimates

 

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change in the near term relate to the determination of the allowance for loan losses and the valuation of deferred tax assets.

 

3.Cash and Due From Banks

 

Included in cash and due from banks are legal reserve requirements which must be maintained on an average basis in the form of cash and balances due from the Federal Reserve. The reserve balance varies depending upon the types and amounts of deposits. At December 31, 2014, the required reserve balance on deposit with the Federal Reserve Bank was approximately $4,610,000.

 

4.Securities

 

Investments in securities are accounted for as follows:

 

Available-for-Sale Securities

 

Securities classified as available-for-sale are those securities that are intended to be held for an indefinite period of time, but not necessarily to maturity. Any decision to sell a security classified as available-for-sale would be based on various factors, including movements in interest rates, liquidity needs, security risk assessments, changes in the mix of assets and liabilities and other similar factors. These securities are carried at their estimated fair value, and the net unrealized gain or loss is reported net of tax, as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in stockholders' equity, until realized. Premiums and discounts are recognized in interest income using the interest method. Gains and losses on the sale of available-for-sale securities are determined using the adjusted cost of the specific security sold.

 

38
 

 

Securities to be Held-to-Maturity

 

Securities classified as held-to-maturity are those securities for which there is a positive intent and ability to hold to maturity. These securities are carried at cost adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts, computed by the interest method.

 

Trading Account Securities

 

Trading account securities are those securities which are held for the purpose of selling them at a profit. There were no trading account securities on hand at December 31, 2014 and 2013.

 

Other Securities

 

Other securities are carried at cost and are restricted in marketability. Other securities consist of investments in the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB), Federal Reserve Bank and First National Bankers’ Bankshares, Inc. Management reviews for impairment based on the ultimate recoverability of the cost basis.

 

Other-than-Temporary Impairment

 

Management evaluates investment securities for other-than-temporary impairment on a quarterly basis. A decline in the fair value of available-for-sale and held-to-maturity securities below cost that is deemed other-than-temporary is charged to earnings for a decline in value deemed to be credit related and a new cost basis for the security is established. The decline in value attributed to non-credit related factors is recognized in other comprehensive income.

 

5.Loans held for sale

 

The Bank originates fixed rate single family, residential first mortgage loans on a presold basis. The Bank issues a rate lock commitment to a customer and concurrently “locks in” with a secondary market investor under a best efforts delivery mechanism. Such loans are sold without the servicing retained by the Bank. The terms of the loan are dictated by the secondary investors and are transferred within several weeks of the Bank initially funding the loan. The Bank recognizes certain origination fees and service release fees upon the sale, which are included in other income on loans in the consolidated statements of income. Between the initial funding of the loans by the Bank and the subsequent purchase by the investor, the Bank carries the loans held for sale at the lower of cost or fair value in the aggregate as determined by the outstanding commitments from investors.

 

6.Loans

 

Loans are carried at the principal amount outstanding, net of the allowance for loan losses. Interest income on loans is recognized based on the principal balance outstanding and the stated rate of the loan. Loan origination fees and certain direct origination costs are deferred and recognized as an adjustment of the related loan yield using the interest method.

 

A loan is considered impaired, in accordance with the impairment accounting guidance of Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Section 310-10-35, Receivables, Subsequent Measurement, when--based upon current events and information--it is probable that the scheduled payments of principal and interest will not be collected in accordance with the contractual terms of the loan agreement. Factors considered by management in determining impairment include payment status, collateral values, and the probability of collecting scheduled payments of principal and interest when due. Generally, impairment is measured on a loan by loan basis using the fair value of the supporting collateral.

 

39
 

 

Loans are generally placed on a nonaccrual status when principal or interest is past due ninety days or when specifically determined to be impaired. When a loan is placed on nonaccrual status, interest accrued but not received is generally reversed against interest income. If collectibility is in doubt, cash receipts on nonaccrual loans are used to reduce principal rather than recorded in interest income. Past due status is determined based upon contractual terms.

 

7.Allowance for Loan Losses

 

For financial reporting purposes, the provision for loan losses charged to operations is based upon management's estimation of the amount necessary to maintain the allowance at an adequate level. Allowances for any impaired loans are generally determined based on collateral values. Loans are charged against the allowance for loan losses when management believes the collectibility of the principal is unlikely.

 

Management evaluates the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses on a regular basis. These evaluations are based upon a periodic review of the collectibility considering historical experience, the nature and value of the loan portfolio, underlying collateral values, internal and independent loan reviews, and prevailing economic conditions. In addition, the OCC, as a part of the regulatory examination process, reviews the loan portfolio and the allowance for loan losses and may require changes in the allowance based upon information available at the time of the examination. The allowance consists of two components: allocated and unallocated. The components represent an estimation performed pursuant to either ASC Topic 450, Contingencies, or ASC Subtopic 310-10, Receivables. The allocated component of the allowance reflects expected losses resulting from an analysis developed through specific credit allocations for individual loans, including any impaired loans, and historical loan loss history. The analysis is performed quarterly and loss factors are updated regularly.

 

The unallocated portion of the allowance reflects management’s estimate of probable inherent but undetected losses within the portfolio due to uncertainties in economic conditions, changes in collateral values, unfavorable information about a borrower’s financial condition, and other risk factors that have not yet manifested themselves. In addition, the unallocated allowance includes a component that explicitly accounts for the inherent imprecision in the loan loss analysis.

 

8.Premises and Equipment

 

Premises and equipment are stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation. The depreciation policy is to provide for depreciation over the estimated useful lives of the assets using the straight-line method. Repairs and maintenance expenditures are charged to operating expenses; major expenditures for renewals and betterments are capitalized and depreciated over their estimated useful lives. Upon retirement, sale, or other disposition of property and equipment, the cost and accumulated depreciation are eliminated from the accounts, and any gains or losses are included in operations.

 

9.Other Real Estate

 

Other real estate, carried in other assets in the consolidated balance sheets, consists of properties acquired through foreclosure and, as held for sale property, is recorded at the lower of the outstanding loan balance or current appraisal less estimated costs to sell. Any write-down to fair value required at the time of foreclosure is charged to the allowance for loan losses. Subsequent gains or losses on other real estate are reported in other operating income or expenses. At December 31, 2014 and 2013, other real estate totaled $4,654,604 and $4,470,249, respectively.

 

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10.Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

 

Goodwill totaled $12,276,040 and $10,620,814 for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

 

Goodwill totaling $1,655,225 acquired during the year ended December 31, 2014, was a result of the acquisition of Bay Bank. Footnote C to these consolidated financial statements provides additional information on the acquisition during 2014.

 

The Company performed the required annual impairment tests of goodwill as of December 1, 2014. The Company’s annual impairment test did not indicate impairment as of the testing date, and subsequent to that date, management is not aware of any events or changes in circumstances since the impairment test that would indicate that goodwill might be impaired.

 

The Company’s acquisition method recognized intangible assets, which are subject to amortization, and included in other assets in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets, include core deposit intangibles, amortized on a straight-line basis, over a 10 year average life. The definite-lived intangible assets had the following carrying values at December 31, 2014 and 2013.

 

   2014   2013 
   Gross       Net   Gross       Net 
   Carrying   Accumulated   Carrying   Carrying   Accumulated   Carrying 
   Amount   Amortization   Amount   Amount   Amortization   Amount 
(Dollars in thousands)                        
                               
Core deposit intangibles  $4,000   $(1,486)  $2,514   $3,775   $(1,098)  $2,677 

 

During 2014, the Company recorded $225,000 in core deposit intangible assets related to the deposits acquired in the Bay Bank acquisition.

 

The related amortization expense of business combination related intangible assets is as follows:

 

(dollars in thousands)    
   Amount 
Aggregate amortization expense for the year ended December 31:     
      
2013  $355 
2014   387 

 

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Estimated amortization expense for the year ending December 31:     
      
2015  $400 
2016   383 
2017   331 
2018   331 
2019   331 
Thereafter   738 
   $2,514 

 

11.Other Assets and Cash Surrender Value

 

Financing costs related to the issuance of junior subordinated debentures are being amortized over the life of the instruments and are included in other assets. The Company invests in bank owned life insurance (BOLI). BOLI involves the purchasing of life insurance by the Company on a chosen group of employees. The Company is the owner of the policies and, accordingly, the cash surrender value of the policies is reported as an asset, and increases in cash surrender values are reported as income.

 

12.Stock Options

 

The Company accounts for stock based compensation in accordance with ASC Topic 718, Compensation - Stock Compensation. Compensation cost is recognized for all stock options granted based on the weighted average fair value stock price at the grant date.

 

13.Income Taxes

 

Income taxes are provided for the tax effects of the transactions reported in the financial statements and consist of taxes currently payable plus deferred taxes related primarily to differences between the bases of assets and liabilities as measured by income tax laws and their bases as reported in the financial statements. The deferred tax assets and liabilities represent the future tax consequences of those differences, which will either be taxable or deductible when the assets and liabilities are recovered or settled.

 

The Company and its subsidiary file consolidated income tax returns. The subsidiary provides for income taxes on a separate return basis and remits to the Company amounts determined to be payable.

 

ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes, provides guidance on financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken, or expected to be taken, in tax returns. ASC Topic 740 requires an evaluation of tax positions to determine if the tax positions will more likely than not be sustainable upon examination by the appropriate taxing authority. The Company at December 31, 2014 and 2013, had no uncertain tax positions that qualify for either recognition or disclosure in the financial statements.

 

14.Advertising Costs

 

Advertising costs are expensed in the period in which they are incurred. Advertising expense for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, was $394,363 and $419,873, respectively.

 

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15.Statements of Cash Flows

 

For purposes of reporting cash flows, cash and cash equivalents include cash, amounts due from banks, interest-bearing deposits with banks and federal funds sold. Generally, federal funds are sold for a one to seven day period.

 

16.Off-Balance Sheet Financial Instruments

 

In the ordinary course of business, the subsidiary bank enters into off-balance sheet financial instruments consisting of commitments to extend credit, credit card lines and standby letters of credit. Such financial instruments are recorded in the financial statements when they are exercised.

 

17.Earnings Applicable to Common Stockholders

 

Per share amounts are presented in accordance with ASC Topic 260, Earnings Per Share. Under ASC Topic 260, two per share amounts are considered and presented, if applicable. Basic per share data is calculated based on the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the reporting period. Diluted per share data includes any dilution from potential common stock, such as outstanding stock options.

 

The following table discloses the reconciliation of the numerators and denominators of the basic and diluted computations applicable to common stockholders:

 

   For the Year Ended   For the Year Ended 
   December 31, 2014   December 31, 2013 
   Net
Income
(Numerator)
   Shares
(Denominator)
   Per Share
Amount
   Net
Income
(Numerator)
   Shares
(Denominator)
   Per Share
Amount
 
                         
Basic per common Share  $6,250,743    5,227,768   $1.20   $4,215,067    4,319,485   $.98 
                               
Effect of dilutive shares:                              
                               
Restricted Stock        42,901              53,445      
   $6,250,743    5,270,669   $1.19   $4,215,067    4,372,930   $.96 

 

The diluted per share amounts were computed by applying the treasury stock method.

 

18.Reclassifications

 

Certain reclassifications have been made to the 2013 financial statements to conform with the classi-fications used in 2014. These reclassifications did not impact the Company's consolidated financial condition or results of operations.

 

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19.Accounting Pronouncements

 

In January 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-01, Investments—Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323), “Accounting for Investments in Qualified Affordable Housing Projects,” which permits reporting entities to make an accounting policy election to account for their investments in qualified affordable housing projects using the proportional amortization method if certain conditions are met. Under the proportional amortization method, an entity amortizes the initial cost of the investment in proportion to the tax credits and other tax benefits received and recognizes the net investment performance in the income statement as a component of income tax expense (benefit). For those investments in qualified affordable housing projects not accounted for using the proportional method, the investment should be accounted for as an equity method investment or a cost method investment. The decision to apply the proportional amortization method of accounting is an accounting policy decision that should be applied consistently to all qualifying affordable housing project investments rather than a decision to be applied to individual investments. This amendment should be applied retrospectively to all periods presented. A reporting entity that uses the effective yield method to account for its investments in qualified affordable housing projects before the date of adoption may continue to apply the effective yield method for those preexisting investments. ASU 2014-01 is effective for fiscal years beginning on or after December 15, 2014, and interim periods within those annual periods. The Company is evaluating the possible effects of this guidance on its financial statements.

 

In January 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-04, Receivables – Troubled Debt Restructurings by Creditors (Subtopic 310-40), “Reclassification of Residential Real Estate Collateralized Consumer Mortgage Loans Upon Foreclosure,” which will eliminate diversity in practice regarding the timing of derecognition for residential mortgage loans when a creditor is considered to have received physical possession of residential real estate property collateralizing a consumer mortgage loan. Under ASU 2014-04, physical possession of residential real estate property is achieved when either the creditor obtains legal title to the residential real estate property upon completion of a foreclosure or the borrower conveys all interest in the residential real estate property through completion of a deed in lieu or foreclosure in order to satisfy the loan. Once physical possession has been achieved, the loan is derecognized and the property recorded within other assets at the lower of cost or fair value (less estimated costs to sell). In addition, the guidance requires both interim and annual disclosure of both the amount of foreclosed residential real estate property held by the creditor and the recorded investment in consumer mortgage loans collateralized by residential real estate property that are in the process of foreclosure. The additional disclosure requirements are effective for annual reporting periods beginning on or after December 15, 2014, and interim periods within those annual periods with retrospective disclosure necessary for all comparative periods presented. The adoption of this standard will result in additional disclosures but is not expected to have any impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

 

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), which supersedes nearly all existing revenue recognition guidance under U.S. GAAP. The core principle of the ASU is to recognize revenues when promised goods or services are transferred to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which an entity expects to be entitled for those goods or services. The ASU defines a five step process to achieve this core principle and, in doing so, more judgment and estimates may be required within the revenue recognition process than are required under existing U.S. GAAP. The new accounting guidance, which does not apply to financial instruments, is effective on a retrospective basis beginning on January 1, 2017, and early adoption is prohibited. The Company does not expect the new guidance to have a material impact on its consolidated financial position or results of operation.

 

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In June 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-11, Transfers and Servicing (Topic 860), “Repurchase-to-Maturity Transactions, Repurchase Financings, and Disclosures.” The FASB issued ASU 2014-11 to change the accounting for repurchase-to-maturity transactions and linked repurchase financials to secured borrowing accounting, which is consistent with the accounting for other repurchase agreements. The amendments also require two new disclosures. The first disclosure requires an entity to disclose information on transfers accounted for as sales in transactions that are economically similar to repurchase agreements. The second disclosure provides increased transparency about the types of collateral pledged in repurchase agreements and similar transactions accounted for as secured borrowings. The new guidance is effective beginning on January 1, 2015. The Company does not expect this guidance to have a material impact on its consolidated financial position.

 

In June 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-12, Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718), “Accounting for Share-Based Payments When the Terms of an Award Provide That a Performance Target Could Be Achieved after the Requisite Service Period.” The new guidance requires that a performance target that affects vesting and that could be achieved after the requisite service period be treated as a performance condition. ASU 2014-12 is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2015, with early adoption permitted. The Company's current accounting treatment of performance conditions for employees who are or become retirement eligible prior to the achievement of the performance target is consistent with ASU 2014-12, and as such does not expect the new guidance to have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial condition and results of operations. The Company expects to prospectively adopt ASU 2014-12 in the first quarter 2015.

 

In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-14, Troubled Debt Restructurings by Creditors (Subtopic 310-40), “Classification of Certain Government-Guaranteed Mortgage Loans upon Foreclosure,” which will eliminate diversity in practice relating to how creditors classify government-guaranteed mortgage loans, including Federal Housing Administration (FHA) or the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) guaranteed loans, upon foreclosure. Under ASU 2014-14 a mortgage must be derecognized and a separate other receivable recognized upon foreclosure when the loan possesses a non-separable government guarantee that the creditor has both the intent and ability to exercise and for which any amount of the claim determined on the basis of the fair value of the real estate is fixed. Other receivables recognized under this guidance are to be measured based on the amount of the principal and interest expected to be recovered from the guarantor. ASU 2014-14 allows for a modified retrospective or prospective adoption in conjunction with ASU 2014-04 and is effective for annual reporting periods beginning on or after December 15, 2014, and interim periods within those annual periods with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating which method will be employed and the final impact of the Standard; however, ASU 2014-14 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

 

In January 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-01, Income Statement – Extraordinary and Unusual Items (Subtopic 225-20), “Simplifying Income Statement Presentation by Eliminating the Concept of Extraordinary Items.” Presentation and disclosure requirement for items that are unusual in nature or infrequently occurring will be retained. ASU 2015-01 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015. The guidance may be applied prospectively or on a retrospective basis. Early adoption is permitted. Entities that elect prospective application will be required, at transition, to disclose both the nature and amount of an item included in income from continuing operations after adoption that relates to an adjustment of an item previously separately classified and presented as an extraordinary item before adoption, if applicable. The Company does not currently report any extraordinary items on its income statement; therefore adoption of this guidance will not have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

 

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NOTE C – BUSINESS COMBINATION

 

The Company accounts for its acquisitions using the acquisition method. Acquisition accounting requires the total purchase price to be allocated to the estimated fair values of assets acquired and liabilities assumed, including certain intangible assets that must be recognized. Typically, this allocation results in the purchase price exceeding the fair value of net assets acquired, which is recorded as goodwill. Core deposit intangibles are a measure of the value of checking, money market and savings deposits acquired in business combinations accounted for under the acquisition method. Core deposit intangibles and other identified intangibles with finite useful lives are amortized using the straight line method over their estimated useful lives of up to ten years. Loans that the Company acquires in connection with acquisitions are recorded at fair value with no carryover of the related allowance for credit losses. Fair value of the loans involves estimating the amount and timing of principal and interest cash flows expected to be collected on the loans and discounting those cash flows at a market rate of interest. The excess or deficit of cash flows expected at acquisition over the estimated fair value is referred to as the accretable discount or amortizable premium and is recognized into interest income over the remaining life of the loan.

 

First National Bank of Baldwin County

 

On April 30, 2013, the Company completed the acquisition of all of the outstanding shares of First National Bank of Baldwin County, a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Baldwin Bancshares, Inc., an Alabama corporation, which included five (5) branches and (1) loan production office located on the Alabama Iberville Bank in Baldwin County, Alabama.

 

In connection with the acquisition, the Company recorded $1.3 million of goodwill and $.7 million of core deposit intangible. The core deposit intangible will be expensed over 10 years. The Company acquired the $124.2 million loan portfolio at a fair value discount of $.5 million which included a credit mark of $.9 million. The discount represents expected credit losses, adjustments to market interest rates and liquidity adjustments.

 

The amounts of the acquired identifiable assets and liabilities as of the acquisition date were as follows (dollars in thousands):

 

Purchase price:     
Cash  $3,300 
Total purchase price   3,300 
Identifiable assets:     
Cash and due from banks   46,450 
Investments   2,508 
Loans and leases   124,165 
Other Real Estate   87 
Core deposit intangible   680 
Personal and real property   10,655 
Deferred tax asset   2,969 
Other assets   1,034 
Total assets   188,548 
Liabilities and equity:     
Deposits   185,771 
Other liabilities   736 
Total liabilities   186,507 
Net assets acquired  $2,041 
Goodwill resulting from acquisition  $1,259 

 

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The outstanding principal balance and the carrying amount of these loans included in the consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2014, are as follows (dollars in thousands):

 

Outstanding principal balance  $87,453 
Carrying amount   87,245 

 

All loans obtained in the acquisition reflect no specific evidence of credit deterioration and very low probability that the Company would be unable to collect all contractually required principal and interest payments.

 

Expenses associated with the acquisition were $30,000 and $1,439,000 for the three and twelve month periods ended December 31, 2013, respectively. These costs included system conversion and integrating operations charges as well as legal and consulting expenses, which have been expensed as incurred.

 

BCB Holding Company, Inc.

 

On March 3, 2014, the Company entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Agreement”) with BCB Holding Company, Inc., an Alabama corporation (“BCB”) and parent of Bay Bank, Mobile, Alabama. The Agreement provides that, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Agreement, BCB will merge with and into the Company (the “Merger”) and Bay Bank will merge with and into The First, A National Banking Association (“Bank Merger”). Subject to the terms and conditions of the Agreement, which has been approved by the Boards of Directors of the Company and BCB, each outstanding share of BCB common stock, other than shares held by the Company or BCB, or, shares with respect to which the holders thereof have perfected dissenters’ rights, will receive (i) for the BCB common stock that was outstanding prior to August 1, 2013, $3.60 per share which may be received in cash or the Company common stock provided that at least 30% of the aggregate consideration paid to such shareholders is in the Company common stock and one non-transferable contingent value right (“CVR”) of the CVR Consideration, and (ii) for the BCB common stock that was issued on August 1, 2013, $2.25 per share in cash. Each CVR is eligible to receive a cash payment equal to up to $0.40, with the exact amount based on the resolution of certain identified BCB loans over a three-year period following the closing of the transaction. Payout of the CVR will be overseen by a special committee of the Company’s Board of Directors. The Company redeemed in full a note payable by BCB to Alostar Bank, as well as the preferred stock issued under the U.S. Treasury’s Capital Purchase Program. The total consideration to be paid in connection with the acquisition will range between approximately $6.2 million and $6.6 million depending upon the payout of the CVR, as well as the price of the Company common stock on the closing of the transaction, which is subject to a cap and a collar regarding its price. An estimated liability of $174,000 has been accrued for the CVR and reflected in the financials at December 31, 2014.

 

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As of the closing on July 1, 2014, the Company and BCB entered into an agreement and plan of merger pursuant to which BCB’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Bay Bank, was merged with and into the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, the Bank.

 

In connection with the acquisition, the Company recorded $1.7 million of goodwill and $.2 million of core deposit intangible. The core deposit intangible will be expensed over 10 years.

 

The Company acquired the $40.1 million loan portfolio at a fair value discount of $1.7 million. The discount represents expected credit losses, adjusted to market interest rates and liquidity adjustments.

 

The amounts of the acquired identifiable assets and liabilities as of the acquisition date were as follows

(dollars in thousands):

 

Purchase price:     
Cash and fair value of common stock  $6,300 
Total purchase price   6,300 
Identifiable assets:     
Cash and due from banks   8,307 
Investments   23,423 
Loans and leases   38,393 
Other Real Estate   571 
Core deposit intangible   225 
Personal and real property   3,670 
Deferred tax asset   2,502 
Other assets   305 
Total assets   77,396 
Liabilities and equity:     
Deposits   59,321 
Borrowed funds   13,104 
Other liabilities   326 
Total liabilities   72,751 
Net assets acquired   4,645 
Goodwill resulting from acquisition  $1,655 

 

The outstanding principal balance and the carrying amount of these loans included in the consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2014, are as follows (dollars in thousands):

 

Outstanding principal balance  $36,671 
Carrying amount   35,149 

 

Loans acquired with deteriorated credit quality are detailed in Note E – Loans.

 

The amount of the revenue and earnings included in the Company’s consolidated income statement for the year ended December 31, 2014, reflect only amounts from the acquisition date of July 1, 2014, through December 31, 2014.

 

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The following pro forma financial information presents the combined results of operations as if the acquisition had been effective January 1, 2013. These results include the impact of amortizing certain purchase accounting adjustments such as tangible assets, compensation expenses and the impact of the acquisition on income tax expense. There were no material nonrecurring pro forma adjustments directly attributable to the acquisition included within the following pro forma financial information. The pro forma financial information does not necessarily reflect the results of operations that would have occurred had the combination constituted a single entity during such periods. Growth opportunities are expected to be achieved in various amounts at various times during the years subsequent to the acquisition and not ratably over, or at the beginning or end of such periods. No adjustments have been reflected in the following pro forma financial information for anticipated growth opportunities.

 

   Year Ended December 31, 
(In thousands)  2014   2013 
   (Unaudited) 
         
Interest income  $37,572   $33,720 
Net income   7,177    5,765 

 

Expenses associated with the acquisition were $29,000 and $508,000 for the three and twelve month periods ended December 31, 2014, respectively. These costs included system conversion and integrating operations charges as well as legal and consulting expenses, which have been expensed as incurred.

 

NOTE D – SECURITIES

 

A summary of the amortized cost and estimated fair value of available-for-sale securities and held-to-maturity securities at December 31, 2014 and 2013, follows:

 

   December 31, 2014 
   Amortized
Cost
   Gross
Unrealized
Gains
   Gross
Unrealized
Losses
   Estimated
Fair
Value
 
Available-for-sale securities:                    
Obligations of U.S. Government agencies  $27,225,335   $199,851   $53,550   $27,371,636 
Tax-exempt and taxable obligations of states and municipal subdivisions   101,873,361    2,896,657    187,598    104,582,420 
Mortgage-backed securities   91,697,199    1,579,218    240,805    93,035,612 
Corporate obligations   29,952,502    140,556    1,307,782    28,785,276 
Other   1,255,483    -    283,981    971,502 
   $252,003,880   $4,816,282   $2,073,716   $254,746,446 
Held-to-maturity securities:                    
Mortgage-backed securities  $2,192,741   $20,875   $-   $2,213,616 
Taxable obligations of states and municipal subdivisions   6,000,000    1,780,200    -    7,780,200 
   $8,192,741   $1,801,075   $-   $9,993,816 

 

49
 

 

   December 31, 2013 
   Amortized
Cost
   Gross
Unrealized
Gains
   Gross
Unrealized
Losses
   Estimated
Fair
Value
 
Available-for-sale securities:                    
Obligations of U.S. Government agencies  $29,963,634   $122,764   $124,491   $29,961,907 
Tax-exempt and taxable obligations of states and municipal subdivisions   107,676,085    1,937,586    1,535,036    108,078,635 
Mortgage-backed securities   78,770,400    810,370    1,394,067    78,186,703 
Corporate obligations   28,210,148    223,776    1,582,001    26,851,923 
Other   1,255,483    -    283,980    971,503 
   $245,875,750   $3,094,496   $4,919,575   $244,050,671 
Held-to-maturity securities:                    
Mortgage-backed securities  $2,438,435   $-   $74,008   $2,364,427 
Taxable obligations of states and municipal subdivisions   6,000,000    1,260,000    -    7,260,000 
   $8,438,435   $1,260,000   $74,008   $9,624,427 

 

The scheduled maturities of securities at December 31, 2014, were as follows:

 

   Available-for-Sale   Held-to-Maturity 
   Amortized
Cost
   Estimated
Fair
Value
   Amortized
Cost
   Estimated
Fair
Value
 
                 
Due less than one year  $18,914,378   $19,004,315   $-   $- 
Due after one year through five years   79,825,867    80,580,533    -    - 
Due after five years through ten years   39,340,584    40,277,184    -    - 
Due after ten years   22,225,850    21,848,802    6,000,000    7,780,200 
Mortgage-backed securities   91,697,200    93,035,612    2,192,741    2,213,616 
   $252,003,879   $254,746,446   $8,192,741   $9,993,816 

 

Actual maturities can differ from contractual maturities because the obligations may be called or prepaid with or without penalties.

 

$237,173 in gain was realized from the sale of available-for-sale securities in 2014 and no gain or loss in 2013. No other-than-temporary impairment losses were recognized for the years ended 2014 and 2013.

 

Securities with a carrying value of $191,534,036 and $197,611,193 at December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively, were pledged to secure public deposits, repurchase agreements, and for other purposes as required or permitted by law.

 

The details concerning securities classified as available-for-sale with unrealized losses as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, were as follows:

 

50
 

 

   2014 
   Losses < 12 Months   Losses 12 Months or >   Total 
   Fair
Value
   Gross
Unrealized
Losses
   Fair
Value
   Gross
Unrealized
Losses
   Fair
Value
   Gross
Unrealized
Losses
 
Obligations of U.S. government agencies  $5,510,325   $16,481   $3,451,215   $37,069   $8,961,540   $53,550 
Tax-exempt and tax- able obligations of states and municipal subdivisions   9,191,726    28,694    10,667,122    158,904    19,858,848    187,598 
Mortgage-backed securities   156,589    5,207    19,319,269    235,598    19,475,858    240,805 
Corporate obligations   6,910,425    32,096    6,580,925    1,275,686    13,491,350    1,307,782 
Other   -    -    971,502    283,981    971,502    283,981 
   $21,769,065   $82,478   $40,990,033   $1,991,238   $62,759,098   $2,073,716 

 

   2013 
   Losses < 12 Months   Losses 12 Months or >   Total 
   Fair
Value
   Gross
Unrealized
Losses
   Fair
Value
   Gross
Unrealized
Losses
   Fair
Value
   Gross
Unrealized
Losses
 
Obligations of U.S. government agencies  $6,898,945   $124,491   $-   $-   $6,898,945   $124,491 
Tax-exempt and tax- able obligations of states and municipal subdivisions   37,725,915    1,523,780    1,297,792    11,256    39,023,707    1,535,036 
Mortgage-backed securities   39,540,663    1,394,067    -    -    39,540,663    1,394,067 
Corporate obligations   10,814,405    174,210    3,386,225    1,407,791    14,200,630    1,582,001 
Other   -    -    971,503    283,980    971,503    283,980 
   $94,979,928   $3,216,548   $5,655,520   $1,703,027   $100,635,448   $4,919,575 

 

Approximately 22% of the number of securities in the investment portfolio at December 31, 2014, reflected an unrealized loss. Management is of the opinion the Company has the ability to hold these securities until such time as the value recovers or the securities mature. Management also believes the deterioration in value is attributable to changes in market interest rates and lack of liquidity in the credit markets. We have determined that these securities are not other-than-temporarily impaired based upon anticipated cash flows.

 

NOTE E - LOANS

 

Loans typically provide higher yields than the other types of earning assets, and thus one of the Company's goals is for loans to be the largest category of the Company's earning assets. At December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively, loans accounted for 71.3% and 68.1% of earning assets. The Company controls and mitigates the inherent credit and liquidity risks through the composition of its loan portfolio.

 

51
 

 

The following table shows the composition of the loan portfolio by category:

 

   December 31,  2014   December 31, 2013 
   Amount  

Percent of

Total

   Amount  

Percent of

Total

 
   (Dollars in thousands) 
Mortgage loans held for sale  $2,103    0.3%  $3,680    0.6%
Commercial, financial and agricultural   106,109    15.0    81,792    14.0 
Real Estate:                    
Mortgage-commercial   238,602    33.8    212,388    36.4 
Mortgage-residential   256,406    36.3    202,343    34.7 
Construction   84,935    12.0    67,287    11.5 
Consumer and other   18,480    2.6    15,812    2.8 
Total loans   706,635    100%   583,302    100%
Allowance for loan losses   (6,095)        (5,728)     
Net loans  $700,540        $577,574      

 

In the context of this discussion, a "real estate mortgage loan" is defined as any loan, other than a loan for construction purposes, secured by real estate, regardless of the purpose of the loan. The Company follows the common practice of financial institutions in the Company’s market area of obtaining a security interest in real estate whenever possible, in addition to any other available collateral. This collateral is taken to reinforce the likelihood of the ultimate repayment of the loan and tends to increase the magnitude of the real estate loan portfolio component. Generally, the Company limits its loan-to-value ratio to 80%. Management attempts to maintain a conservative philosophy regarding its underwriting guidelines and believes it will reduce the risk elements of its loan portfolio through strategies that diversify the lending mix.

 

Loans held for sale consist of mortgage loans originated by the Bank and sold into the secondary market. Commitments from investors to purchase the loans are obtained upon origination.

 

Activity in the allowance for loan losses for December 31, 2014 and 2013 was as follows:

 

(In thousands)

 

   2014   2013 
         
Balance at beginning of period  $5,728   $4,727 
Loans charged-off:          
Real Estate   (1,203)   (457)
Installment and Other   (167)   (197)
Commercial, Financial and Agriculture   (89)   (105)
Total   (1,459)   (759)
Recoveries on loans previously charged-off:          
Real Estate   325    600 
Installment and Other   68    66 
Commercial, Financial and Agriculture   15    18 
Total   408    684 
Net Charge-offs   (1,051)   (75)
Provision for Loan Losses   1,418    1,076 
Balance at end of period  $6,095   $5,728 

 

52
 

 

The following tables represent how the allowance for loan losses is allocated to a particular loan type as well as the percentage of the category to total loans at December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013.

 

Allocation of the Allowance for Loan Losses

 

   December 31, 2014 
   (Dollars in thousands) 
   Amount   % of loans
in each
 category
to total loans
 
         
Commercial Non Real Estate  $713    15.3%
Commercial Real Estate   3,355    57.9 
Consumer Real Estate   1,852    24.2 
Consumer   175    2.6 
Unallocated   -    - 
Total  $6,095    100%

 

   December 31, 2013 
   (Dollars in thousands) 
   Amount   % of loans
in each
 category
to total loans
 
         
Commercial Non Real Estate  $582    14.0%
Commercial Real Estate   3,384    57.2 
Consumer Real Estate   1,427    25.4 
Consumer   173    3.4 
Unallocated   162    - 
Total  $5,728    100%

 

The following table represents the Company’s impaired loans at December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013. This table includes performing troubled debt restructurings.

 

   December 31,   December 31, 
   2014   2013 
   (In thousands) 
Impaired Loans:          
Impaired loans without a valuation allowance  $4,702   $759 
Impaired loans with a valuation allowance   4,858    4,071 
Total impaired loans  $9,560   $4,830 
Allowance for loan losses on impaired loans at period end   968    849 
Total nonaccrual loans   6,056    3,181 
           
Past due 90 days or more and still accruing   669    159 
Average investment in impaired loans   7,077    4,007 

 

53
 

 

 

The following table is a summary of interest recognized and cash-basis interest earned on impaired loans for the years ended December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013:

 

   2014   2013 
         
Interest income recognized during impairment   129    - 
Cash-basis interest income recognized   256    148 

 

The gross interest income that would have been recorded in the period that ended if the nonaccrual loans had been current in accordance with their original terms and had been outstanding throughout the period or since origination, if held for part of the twelve months for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, was $92,000 and $43,000, respectively. The Company had no loan commitments to borrowers in non-accrual status at December 31, 2014 and 2013.

 

The following tables provide the ending balances in the Company's loans (excluding mortgage loans held for sale) and allowance for loan losses, broken down by portfolio segment as of December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013. The tables also provide additional detail as to the amount of our loans and allowance that correspond to individual versus collective impairment evaluation. The impairment evaluation corresponds to the Company's systematic methodology for estimating its Allowance for Loan Losses.

 

December 31, 2014

 

       Installment   Commercial,     
   Real Estate   and
Other
   Financial and
Agriculture
   Total 
   (In thousands) 
Loans                    
Individually evaluated  $9,282   $38   $240   $9,560 
Collectively evaluated   568,952    18,610    107,410    694,972 
Total  $578,234   $18,648   $107,650   $704,532 
                     
Allowance for Loan Losses                    
Individually evaluated  $922   $29   $17   $968 
Collectively evaluated   4,285    146    696    5,127 
Total  $5,207   $175   $713   $6,095 

 

54
 

 

December 31, 2013

 

       Installment   Commercial,     
   Real Estate   And
Other
   Financial and
Agriculture
   Total 
   (In thousands) 
Loans                    
Individually evaluated  $4,709   $39   $82   $4,830 
Collectively evaluated   473,832    19,725    81,236    574,793 
Total  $478,541   $19,764   $81,318   $579,623 
                     
Allowance for Loan Losses                    
Individually evaluated  $804   $35   $10   $849 
Collectively evaluated   4,007    300    572    4,879 
Total  $4,811   $335   $582   $5,728 

 

The following tables provide additional detail of impaired loans broken out according to class as of December 31, 2014 and 2013. The recorded investment included in the following table represents customer balances net of any partial charge-offs recognized on the loans, net of any deferred fees and costs. As nearly all of our impaired loans at December 31, 2014 are on nonaccrual status, recorded investment excludes any insignificant amount of accrued interest receivable on loans 90-days or more past due and still accruing. The unpaid balance represents the recorded balance prior to any partial charge-offs.

 

December 31,  2014                
               Average   Interest 
               Recorded   Income 
   Recorded   Unpaid   Related   Investment   Recognized 
   Investment   Balance   Allowance   YTD   YTD 
   (In thousands) 
Impaired loans with no related allowance:                         
Commercial installment  $-   $-   $-   $50   $- 
Commercial real estate   4,665    4,665    -    2,654    142 
Consumer real estate   27    27    -    179    - 
Consumer installment   10    10    -    11    - 
Total  $4,702   $4,702   $-   $2,894   $142 
                          
Impaired loans with a related allowance:                         
Commercial installment  $240   $240   $18   $189   $20 
Commercial real estate   2,558    2,558    315    2,415    59 
Consumer real estate   2,032    2,032    607    1,546    33 
Consumer installment   28    28    28    33    2 
Total  $4,858   $4,858   $968   $4,183   $114 
                          
Total Impaired Loans:                         
Commercial installment  $240   $240   $18   $239   $20 
Commercial real estate   7,223    7,223    315    5,069    201 
Consumer real estate   2,059    2,059    607    1,725    33 
Consumer installment   38    38    28    44    2 
Total Impaired Loans  $9,560   $9,560   $968   $7,077   $256 

 

55
 

 

December 31, 2013                    
                     
               Average   Interest 
               Recorded   Income 
   Recorded   Unpaid   Related   Investment   Recognized 
   Investment   Balance   Allowance   YTD   YTD 
   (In thousands) 
Impaired loans with no related allowance:                         
Commercial installment  $3   $3   $-   $45   $- 
Commercial real estate   353    353    -    1,035    8 
Consumer real estate   341    399    -    262    9 
Consumer installment   4    4    -    5    - 
Total  $701   $759   $-   $1,347   $17 
                          
Impaired loans with a related allowance:                         
Commercial installment  $79   $79   $10   $42   $6 
Commercial real estate   2,685    2,685    400    2,147    100 
Consumer real estate   1,202    1,272    404    1,019    21 
Consumer installment   35    35    35    36    4 
Total  $4,001   $4,071   $849   $3,244   $131 
                          
Total Impaired Loans:                         
Commercial installment  $82   $82   $10   $87   $6 
Commercial real estate   3,038    3,038    400    3,182    108 
Consumer real estate   1,543    1,671    404    1,281    30 
Consumer installment   39    39    35    41    4 
Total Impaired Loans  $4,702   $4,830   $849   $4,591   $148 

 

Loans acquired with deteriorated credit quality are those purchased in the BCB Holding Company, Inc. acquisition (See Note C -Business Combination for further information). These loans were recorded at estimated fair value at the acquisition date with no carryover of the related allowance for loan losses. The acquired loans were segregated as of the acquisition date between those considered to be performing (acquired non-impaired loans) and those with evidence of credit deterioration (acquired impaired loans). Acquired loans are considered impaired if there is evidence of credit deterioration and if it is probable, at acquisition, all contractually required payments will not be collected.

 

56
 

 

The following table presents information regarding the contractually required payments receivable, cash flows expected to be collected and the estimated fair value of loans acquired in the BCB acquisition as of July 1, 2014, the closing date of the transaction: 

 

   December 31, 2014 
   (In thousands) 
   Commercial,
financial and
agricultural
   Mortgage-
Commercial
   Mortgage-
Residential
   Commercial
and other
   Total 
Contractually required payments  $1,519   $29,648   $7,933   $976   $40,076 
Cash flows expected to be collected   1,570    37,869    9,697    1,032    50,168 
Fair value of loans acquired   1,513    28,875    7,048    957    38,393 

 

Total outstanding acquired impaired loans were $3,480,190 as of December 31, 2014. The outstanding balance of these loans is the undiscounted sum of all amounts, including amounts deemed principal, interest, fees, penalties, and other under the loans, owed at the reporting date, whether or not currently due and whether or not any such amounts have been charged off.

 

Changes in the carrying amount and accretable yield for acquired impaired loans were as follows for the year ended December 31, 2014: (in thousands)

 

   Accretable
Yield
   Carrying
Amount of
Loans
 
Balance at beginning of period  $-   $- 
Additions due to BCB acquisition on July 1, 2014   1,603    2,325 
Accretion   (186)   186 
Payments received, net   -    (448)
Balance at end of period  $1,417   $2,063 

 

The following tables provide additional detail of troubled debt restructurings during the twelve months ended December 31, 2014 and 2013.

 

   December 31, 2014 
   Outstanding
Recorded
   Outstanding
Recorded
       Interest 
   Investment
Pre-Modification
   Investment 
Post-Modification
   Number of
Loans
   Income
Recognized
 
   (in thousands except number of loans) 
                 
Commercial installment  $239   $176    1   $15 
Commercial real estate   1,345    1,342    7    26 
Consumer real estate   94    94    1    1 
Consumer installment   -    -    -    - 
Total  $1,678   $1,612    9   $42 

 

57
 

 

   December 31, 2013 
   Outstanding
Recorded
   Outstanding 
Recorded
       Interest 
   Investment
Pre-Modification
   Investment 
Post-Modification
   Number of
Loans
   Income 
Recognized
 
   (in thousands except number of loans) 
                 
Commercial installment  $-   $-    -   $- 
Commercial real estate   858    858    3    53 
Consumer real estate   66    65    1    2 
Consumer installment   -    -    -    - 
Total  $924   $923    4   $55 

 

The TDRs presented above did increase the allowance for loan losses but resulted in -0- charge-offs for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

 

The balance of troubled debt restructurings at December 31, 2014 and 2013, was $6.8 million and 2.2 million, respectively, calculated for regulatory reporting purpose. As of December 31, 2014, the Company had no additional amount committed on any loan classified as troubled debt restructuring.

 

All loans were performing as agreed with modified terms.

 

During the twelve month period ending December 31, 2014 and 2013, the terms of 9 and 4 loans, respectively, were modified as TDRs. The modifications included one of the following or a combination of the following: maturity date extensions, interest only payments, amortizations were extended beyond what would be available on similar type loans, and payment waiver. No interest rate concessions were given on these nor were any of these loans written down.

 

   December 31, 2014 
   Current
Loans
   Past Due
30-89
   Past Due 90 
days and still
accruing
   Non-Accrual   Total 
Commercial installment  $233,340   $-   $-   $-   $233,340 
Commercial real estate   1,684,755    -    -    2,729,170    4,413,925 
Consumer real estate   952,162    622,302    -    448,796    2,023,260 
Consumer installment   9,983    -    -    103,109    113,092 
Total  $2,880,240   $622,302   $-   $3,281,075   $6,783,617 
Allowance for loan losses  $120,220   $11,206   $102,657   $-   $234,083 

 

58
 

 

   December 31, 2013 
   Current 
Loans
   Past Due
30-89
   Past Due 90 
days and still
accruing
   Non-Accrual   Total 
                     
Commercial installment  $72,783   $-   $-   $-   $72,783 
Commercial real estate   406,931    -    -    -    406,931 
Consumer real estate   1,071,918    58,462    -    422,142    1,552,522 
Consumer installment   4,198    35,051    -    135,083    174,332 
Total  $1,555,830   $93,513   $-   $557,225   $2,206,568 
Allowance for loan losses  $62,084   $43,254   $-   $78,466   $183,804 

 

The following tables summarize by class our loans classified as past due in excess of 30 days or more in addition to those loans classified as non-accrual:

 

   December 31, 2014 
   (In thousands) 
   Past Due
30 to 89 
 Days
   Past Due 
90 Days or
More and
Still Accruing
   Non-Accrual   Total
Past Due and
Non-Accrual
   Total
Loans
 
                     
Real Estate-construction  $428   $-   $2,747   $3,175   $84,935 
Real Estate-mortgage   3,208    208    2,164    5,580    256,406 
Real Estate-nonfarm  nonresidential   3,408    461    1,102    4,971    238,602 
Commercial   29    -    5    34    106,109 
Consumer   90    -    38    128    18,480 
Total  $7,163   $669   $6,056   $13,888   $704,532 

 

   December 31, 2013 
   (In thousands) 
   Past Due
30 to 89
Days
   Past Due 90
Days or More
and Still
Accruing
   Non-Accrual   Total
Past Due and
Non-Accrual
   Total
Loans
 
                     
Real Estate-construction  $478   $-   $212   $690   $67,287 
Real Estate-mortgage   4,696    143    2,453    7,292    202,343 
Real Estate- nonfarm nonresidential   252    -    507    759    212,388 
Commercial   12    -    9    21    81,792 
Consumer   115    16    -    131    15,813 
Total  $5,553   $159   $3,181   $8,893   $579,623 

 

59
 

 

The Company categorizes loans into risk categories based on relevant information about the ability of borrowers to service their debt, such as: current financial information, historical payment experience, credit documentation, public information, and current economic trends, among other factors. The Company uses the following definitions for risk ratings, which are consistent with the definitions used in supervisory guidance:

 

Special Mention.    Loans classified as special mention have a potential weakness that deserves management's close attention. If left uncorrected, these potential weaknesses may result in deterioration of the repayment prospects for the loan or of the Company’s credit position at some future date.

 

Substandard.    Loans classified as substandard are inadequately protected by the current net worth and paying capacity of the obligor or of the collateral pledged, if any. Loans so classified have a well-defined weakness or weaknesses that jeopardize the liquidation of the debt. They are characterized by the distinct possibility that the Company will sustain some loss if the deficiencies are not corrected.

 

Doubtful.    Loans classified as doubtful have all the weaknesses inherent in those classified as substandard, with the added characteristic that the weaknesses make collection or liquidation in full, on the basis of currently existing facts, conditions, and values, highly questionable and improbable.

 

Loans not meeting the criteria above that are analyzed individually as part of the above described process are considered to be pass rated loans.

 

As of December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, and based on the most recent analysis performed, the risk category of loans by class of loans (excluding mortgage loans held for sale) was as follows:

 

(In thousands)

December 31, 2014

 

               Commercial,     
  

Real Estate

Commercial

  

Real Estate

Mortgage

  

Installment and

Other

  

Financial and

Agriculture

   Total 
Pass  $388,569   $167,827   $18,558   $107,126   $682,080 
Special Mention   4,756    191    -    498    5,445 
Substandard   14,727    2,567    90    63    17,447 
Doubtful   -    -    -    -    - 
Subtotal   408,052    170,585    18,648    107,687    704,972 
Less:                         
Unearned Discount   320    82    -    38    440 
Loans, net of  unearned discount  $407,732   $170,503   $18,648   $107,649   $704,532 

 

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December 31, 2013

 

               Commercial,     
   Real Estate
Commercial
   Real Estate
Mortgage
   Installment and 
Other
   Financial and
Agriculture
   Total 
Pass  $316,573   $145,787   $19,725   $80,087   $562,172 
Special Mention   4,084    32    -    1,033    5,149 
Substandard   10,972    1,426    39    225    12,662 
Doubtful   -    -    -    -    - 
Subtotal   331,629    147,245    19,764    81,345    579,983 
Less:                         
Unearned Discount   236    97    -    27    360 
Loans, net of  unearned discount  $331,393   $147,148   $19,764   $81,318   $579,623 

 

NOTE F - PREMISES AND EQUIPMENT

 

Premises and equipment are stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation and amortization as follows:

 

   2014   2013 
Premises:          
Land  $10,565,633   $9,891,750 
Buildings and improvements   25,872,002    22,966,215 
Equipment   11,663,195    9,558,090 
Construction in progress   188,146    32,985 
    48,288,976    42,449,040 
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization   13,479,133    10,377,299 
   $34,809,843   $32,071,741 

 

The amounts charged to operating expense for depreciation were $1,552,297 and $1,379,748 in 2014 and 2013, respectively.

 

NOTE G - DEPOSITS

 

The aggregate amount of time deposits in denominations of $100,000 or more as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, was $120,693,807 and $116,623,516, respectively.

 

At December 31, 2014, the scheduled maturities of time deposits included in interest-bearing deposits were as follows (in thousands):

 

Year  Amount 
     
2015  $132,109 
2016   39,029 
2017   18,071 
2018   7,878 
2019   8,972 
Thereafter   - 
   $206,059 

 

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NOTE H - BORROWED FUNDS

 

Borrowed funds consisted of the following:

 

   December 31, 
   2014   2013 
         
Reverse Repurchase Agreement  $5,000,000   $5,000,000 
FHLB advances   84,450,067    47,000,000 
   $89,450,067   $52,000,000 

 

Advances from the FHLB have maturity dates ranging from January 2015 through June 2019. Interest is payable monthly at rates ranging from 0.16% to 5.47%. Advances due to the FHLB are collateralized by a blanket lien on first mortgage loans in the amount of the outstanding borrowings, FHLB capital stock, and amounts on deposit with the FHLB. At December 31, 2014, FHLB advances available and unused totaled $143,885,000.

 

Future annual principal repayment requirements on the borrowings from the FHLB at December 31, 2014, were as follows:

 

Year  Amount 
     
2015  $80,468,000 
2016   982,067 
2017   - 
2018   - 
2019   3,000,000 
Total  $84,450,067 

 

Reverse Repurchase Agreements consist of one $5,000,000 agreement. The agreement is secured by securities with a fair value of $7,443,951 at December 31, 2014 and $6,530,592 at December 31, 2013. The maturity date of the remaining agreement is September 26, 2017, with a rate of 3.81%.

 

NOTE I – LEASE OBLIGATIONS

 

The Company is committed under several long-term operating leases which provide for minimum lease payments. Certain leases contain options for renewal. Total rental expense under these operating leases amounted to $421,000 and $249,000 as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

 

The Company is also committed under one long-term capital lease agreement. The capital lease agreement had an outstanding balance of $1,154,000 and $1,286,000 at December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively (included in other liabilities). This lease has a remaining term of 7 years at December 31, 2014. Assets related to the capital lease are included in premises and equipment and the cost consists of $2.6 million less accumulated depreciation of approximately $866,313 and $605,712 at December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

 

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Minimum future lease payments for the operating and capital leases at December 31, 2014, were as follows:

 

   Operating     
   Leases   Capital Lease 
   (In thousands) 
         
2015  $481   $166 
2016   473    168 
2017   214    191 
2018   141    191 
2019   141    191 
Thereafter   687    364 
           
Total Minimum Lease Payments  $2,137   $1,271 
           
Less:  Amount representing interest        (117)
           
Present value of minimum lease payments       $1,154 

 

NOTE J - REGULATORY MATTERS

 

The Company and its subsidiary bank are subject to regulatory capital requirements administered by federal banking agencies. Failure to meet minimum capital requirements can initiate certain mandatory and possibly additional discretionary actions by regulators that, if undertaken, could have a direct material effect on the Company’s financial statements. Under capital adequacy guidelines and the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action, the Company and its subsidiary bank must meet specific capital guidelines that involve quantitative measures of assets, liabilities, and certain off-balance sheet items as calculated under regulatory accounting practices. Capital amounts and classifications are also subject to qualitative judgment by regulators about components, risk weightings, and other related factors.

 

To ensure capital adequacy, quantitative measures have been established by regulators, and these require the Company and its subsidiary bank to maintain minimum amounts and ratios (set forth in the table below) of total and Tier I capital (as defined) to risk-weighted assets (as defined), and of Tier I capital to adjusted total assets (leverage). Management believes, as of December 31, 2014, that the Company and its subsidiary bank exceeded all capital adequacy requirements.

 

At December 31, 2014 and 2013, the subsidiary bank was categorized by regulators as well-capitalized under the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action. A financial institution is considered to be well-capitalized if it has a total risk-based capital ratio of 10% or more, has a Tier I risk-based capital ratio of 6% or more, and has a Tier I leverage capital ratio of 5% or more. There are no conditions or anticipated events that, in the opinion of management, would change the categorization. The actual capital amounts and ratios at December 31, 2014 and 2013, are presented in the following table. No amount was deducted from capital for interest-rate risk exposure.

 

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In 2013, the Federal Reserve voted to adopt final capital rules implementing Basel III requirements for U.S. Banking organizations. Under the final rule, minimum requirements will increase for both the quantity and quality of capital held by banking organizations. The final rule includes a new minimum ratio of common equity Tier 1 capital (Tier 1 Common) to risk-weighted assets and a Tier 1 Common capital conservation buffer of 2.5% of risk-weighted assets that will apply to all supervised financial institutions. The rule also raises the minimum ratio of Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets and includes a minimum leverage ratio of 4% for all banking organizations. These new minimum capital ratios are effective on January 1, 2015, and will be fully phased in on January 1, 2019.

 

   Company   Subsidiary 
   (Consolidated)   The First 
   Amount   Ratio   Amount   Ratio 
December 31, 2014                    
Total risk-based  $95,419    12.3%  $94,888    12.2%
Tier I risk-based   89,324    11.5%   88,793    11.4%
Tier I leverage   89,324    8.4%   88,793    8.4%
                     
December 31, 2013                    
Total risk-based  $88,503    13.4%  $87,707    13.3%
Tier I risk-based   82,755    12.5%   81,979    12.4%
Tier I leverage   82,755    9.0%   81,979    8.9%

 

The minimum amounts of capital and ratios as established by banking regulators at December 31, 2014 and 2013, were as follows:

 

   Company   Subsidiary 
   (Consolidated)   The First 
   Amount   Ratio   Amount   Ratio 
December 31, 2014                    
Total risk-based  $62,272    8.0%  $62,208    8.0%
Tier I risk-based   31,136    4.0%   31,104    4.0%
Tier I leverage   42,363    4.0%   42,325    4.0%
                     
December 31, 2013                    
Total risk-based  $53,029    8.0%  $52,935    8.0%
Tier I risk-based   26,514    4.0%   26,467    4.0%
Tier I leverage   37,002    4.0%   36,956    4.0%

 

The Company’s dividends, if any, are expected to be made from dividends received from its subsidiary bank. The OCC limits dividends of a national bank in any calendar year to the net profits of that year combined with the retained net profits for the two preceding years.

 

NOTE K - INCOME TAXES

 

The components of income tax expense are as follows:

 

   Years Ended December 31, 
   2014   2013 
Current:          
Federal (benefit)  $1,757,098   $(88,073)
State (benefit)   347,382    (15,737)
Deferred   331,399    1,707,403 
   $2,435,879   $1,603,593 

 

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The Company's income tax expense differs from the amounts computed by applying the federal income tax statutory rates to income before income taxes. A reconciliation of the differences is as follows:

 

   Years Ended December 31, 
   2014   2013 
   Amount   %   Amount   % 
                 
Income taxes at statutory rate  $3,076,856    34%  $2,122,650    34%
Tax-exempt income   (863,204)   (10)%   (797,167)   (13)%
Nondeductible expenses   238,638    3%   326,871    5%
State income tax, net of federal tax effect   215,803    2%   (10,386)   - 
Tax credits   (337,716)   (4)%   -    - 
Other, net   105,502    2%   (38,375)   - 
   $2,435,879    27%  $1,603,593    26%

 

The components of deferred income taxes included in the consolidated financial statements were as follows:

 

   December 31, 
   2014   2013 
Deferred tax assets:          
Allowance for loan losses  $2,273,435   $1,980,194 
Net operating loss carryover   2,615,552    1,313,501 
Unrealized loss on available-for-sale securities   -    620,527 
Other real estate   357,873    445,448 
Other   1,200,419    668,313 
    6,447,279    5,027,983 
Deferred tax liabilities:          
Securities accretion   (124,942)   (97,917)
Premises and equipment   (443,080)   (684,787)
Unrealized gain on available-for-sale securities   (932,473)   - 
Core deposit intangible   (238,562)   (239,364)
Goodwill   (716,188)   (498,612)
    (2,455,245)   (1,520,680)
Net deferred tax asset, included in other assets  $3,992,034   $3,507,303 

 

With the acquisition of Wiggins in 2006, Baldwin in 2013, and Bay in 2014, the Company assumed federal tax net operating loss carryovers. These net operating losses are available to the Company through the years 2023, 2033, and 2034, respectively.

 

The Company follows the guidance of ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes, which prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. ASC Topic 740 also provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure and transition. As of December 31, 2014, the Company had no uncertain tax positions that it believes should be recognized in the financial statements. The tax years still subject to examination by taxing authorities are years subsequent to 2010.

 

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NOTE L - EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

 

The Company and its subsidiary bank provide a deferred compensation arrangement (401(k) plan) whereby employees contribute a percentage of their compensation. For employee contributions of six percent or less, the Company and its subsidiary bank provide a 50% matching contribution. Contributions totaled $255,716 in 2014 and $248,355 in 2013.

 

The Company sponsors an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) for employees who have completed one year of service for the Company and attained age 21. Employees become fully vested after five years of service. Contributions to the plan are at the discretion of the Board of Directors. At December 31, 2014, the ESOP held 5,969 shares of Company common stock and had no debt obligation. All shares held by the plan were considered outstanding for net income per share purposes. Total ESOP expense was $26,267 for 2014 and $22,785 for 2013.

 

During 2014, the Company established a Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (“SERP”) for three active key executives. Pursuant to the SERP, these officers are entitled to receive 180 equal monthly payments commencing at the later of obtaining age 65 or separation from service. The costs of such benefits, assuming a retirement date at age 65, will be accrued by the Company at such retirement date. During 2014, the Company accrued $57,000 for future benefits payable under the SERP. The SERP is an unfunded plan and is considered a general contractual obligation of the Company.

 

NOTE M - STOCK PLANS

 

In 2007, the Company adopted the 2007 Stock Incentive Plan.  The 2007 Plan provides for the issuance of up to 315,000 shares of Company Common Stock, $1.00 par value per share.  Shares issued under the 2007 Plan may consist in whole or in part of authorized but unissued shares or treasury shares.  Through the year ended December 31, 2009, no shares were issued under this Plan. During the year ended December 31, 2013, 52,653 nonvested restricted stock awards were granted under the Plan. During the year ended December 31, 2014, 69,627 nonvested restricted stock awards were granted under the Plan and 2,000 stock awards were forfeited due to separation. During 2014, 5,981 shares were repurchased for payment of taxes. The weighted average grant-date fair value for these shares was $14.27 per share. Compensation costs in the amount of $617,779 was recognized for the year ended December 31, 2014 and $391,777 for the year ended December 31, 2013. Shares of restricted stock granted to employees under this stock plan are subject to restrictions as to the vesting period. The restricted stock award becomes 100% vested on the earliest of 1) the three or five year vesting period provided the Grantee has not incurred a termination of employment prior to that date, 2) the Grantee’s retirement, or 3) the Grantee’s death. During this period, the holder is entitled to full voting rights and dividends, which are held until vested. As of December 31, 2014, there was approximately $1,012,000 of unrecognized compensation cost related to this Plan. The cost is expected to be recognized over the remaining term of the vesting period (approximately 2 years).

 

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NOTE N - SUBORDINATED DEBENTURES

 

On June 30, 2006, the Company issued $4,124,000 of floating rate junior subordinated deferrable interest debentures to The First Bancshares Statutory Trust 2 in which the Company owns all of the common equity. The debentures are the sole asset of the Trust. The Trust issued $4,000,000 of Trust Preferred Securities (TPSs) to investors. The Company’s obligations under the debentures and related documents, taken together, constitute a full and unconditional guarantee by the Company of the Trust’s obligations under the preferred securities. The preferred securities were redeemable by the Company at its option. The preferred securities must be redeemed upon maturity of the debentures in 2036. Interest on the preferred securities is the three month London Interbank Offer Rate (LIBOR) plus 1.65% and is payable quarterly. The terms of the subordinated debentures are identical to those of the preferred securities. On July 27, 2007, the Company issued $6,186,000 of floating rate junior subordinated deferrable interest debentures to The First Bancshares Statutory Trust 3 in which the Company owns all of the common equity. The debentures are the sole asset of Trust 3. The Trust issued $6,000,000 of Trust Preferred Securities (TPSs) to investors. The Company’s obligations under the debentures and related documents, taken together, constitute a full and unconditional guarantee by the Company of the Trust’s obligations under the preferred securities. The preferred securities are redeemable by the Company at its option. The preferred securities must be redeemed upon maturity of the debentures in 2037. Interest on the preferred securities is the three month LIBOR plus 1.40% and is payable quarterly. The terms of the subordinated debentures are identical to those of the preferred securities. In accordance with the provisions of ASC Topic 810, Consolidation, the trusts are not included in the consolidated financial statements.

 

NOTE O - TREASURY STOCK

 

Shares held in treasury totaled 26,494 at December 31, 2014, and 2013.

 

NOTE P - RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

 

In the normal course of business, the Bank makes loans to its directors and executive officers and to companies in which they have a significant ownership interest. In the opinion of management, these loans are made on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and collateral, as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with other parties, are consistent with sound banking practices, and are within applicable regulatory and lending limitations. Such loans amounted to approximately $8,442,000 and $8,977,000 at December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The activity in loans to current directors, executive officers, and their affiliates during the year ended December 31, 2014, is summarized as follows (in thousands):

 

Loans outstanding at beginning of year  $8,977 
New loans   908 
Repayments   (1,443)
Loans outstanding at end of year  $8,442 

 

NOTE Q - COMMITMENTS, CONTINGENCIES, AND CONCENTRATIONS OF CREDIT RISK

 

In the normal course of business, there are outstanding various commitments and contingent liabilities, such as guaranties, commitments to extend credit, etc., which are not reflected in the accompanying financial statements. The subsidiary bank had outstanding letters of credit of $986,000 and $675,000 at December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and had made loan commitments of approximately $128,086,000 and $113,372,000 at December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

 

67
 

 

Commitments to extend credit and letters of credit include some exposure to credit loss in the event of nonperformance of the customer. Commitments to extend credit are agreements to lend to a customer as long as there is no violation of any condition established in the contract. Standby letters of credit are conditional commitments issued by the Bank to guarantee the performance of a customer to a third party. The credit policies and procedures for such commitments are the same as those used for lending activities. Because these instruments have fixed maturity dates and because a number expire without being drawn upon, they generally do not present any significant liquidity risk. No significant losses on commitments were incurred during the two years ended December 31, 2014, nor are any significant losses as a result of these transactions anticipated.

 

The primary market area served by the Bank is Forrest, Lamar, Jones, Pearl River, Jackson, Hancock, Stone, and Harrison Counties within South Mississippi, as well as Washington Parish, St. Tammany Parish and East Baton Rouge Parish in Louisiana and Baldwin and Mobile Counties in South Alabama. Management closely monitors its credit concentrations and attempts to diversify the portfolio within its primary market area. As of December 31, 2014, management does not consider there to be any significant credit concentrations within the loan portfolio. Although the Bank’s loan portfolio, as well as existing commitments, reflects the diversity of its primary market area, a substantial portion of a borrower's ability to repay a loan is dependent upon the economic stability of the area.

 

NOTE R - FAIR VALUES OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

 

The Company follows the guidance of ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, that establishes a framework for measuring fair value and expands disclosures about fair value measurements.

The guidance defines the fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. It also establishes a fair value hierarchy which requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value.

In accordance with the guidance, the Company groups its financial assets and financial liabilities measured at fair value in three levels, based on the markets in which the assets and liabilities are traded and the reliability of the assumptions used to determine fair value. These levels are:

 

  Level 1: Valuations for assets and liabilities traded in active exchange markets, such as the New York Stock Exchange.  Valuations are obtained from readily available pricing sources for market transactions involving identical assets or liabilities.
     
  Level 2: Valuations for assets and liabilities traded in less active dealer or broker markets. Valuations are obtained from third party pricing services for identical or comparable assets or liabilities which use observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets and liabilities.
     
  Level 3: Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities.

 

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Following is a description of the valuation methodologies used for instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis and recognized in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

 

Available-for-Sale Securities

 

The fair value of available-for-sale securities is determined by various valuation methodologies. Where quoted market prices are available in an active market, securities are classified within Level 1. Level 1 securities include mutual funds. If quoted market prices are not available, then fair values are estimated by using pricing models or quoted prices of securities with similar characteristics. Level 2 securities include U.S. Treasury securities, obligations of U.S. government corporations and agencies, obligations of states and political subdivisions, mortgage-backed securities and collateralized mortgage obligations. In certain cases where Level 1 or Level 2 inputs are not available, securities are classified within Level 3 of the hierarchy.

 

The following table presents the Company’s available-for-sale securities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis and the level within the hierarchy in which the fair value measurements fell as of December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 (in thousands):

 

       Fair Value Measurements Using 
       Quoted Prices in
Active Markets
For
Identical Assets
   Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
   Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
 
   Fair Value   (Level 1)   (Level 2)   (Level 3) 
                 
December 31, 2014                
                 
Obligations of U.S. Government agencies  $27,372   $-   $27,372   $- 
Municipal securities   104,582    -    104,582    - 
Mortgage-backed securities   93,036    -    93,036    - 
Corporate obligations   28,784    -    25,983    2,801 
Other   972    972    -    - 
Total  $254,746   $972   $250,973   $2,801 

 

       Fair Value Measurements Using 
       Quoted Prices in
Active Markets
For
Identical Assets
   Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
   Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
 
   Fair Value   (Level 1)   (Level 2)   (Level 3) 
                 
December 31, 2013                
                 
Obligations of U.S. Government agencies  $29,962   $-   $29,962   $- 
Municipal securities   108,078    -    108,078    - 
Mortgage-backed securities   78,187    -    78,187    - 
Corporate obligations   26,852    -    24,054    2,798 
Other   972    972    -    - 
Total  $244,051   $972   $240,281   $2,798 

 

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The following is a reconciliation of activity for assets measured at fair value based on significant unobservable (non-market) information.

 

(In thousands)  Bank-Issued Trust
Trust Preferred
Securities
 
   2014   2013 
Balance of recurring Level 3 assets at January 1  $2,798   $2,668 
Transfers into Level 3   -    - 
Transfers out of Level 3   -    - 
Unrealized income included in comprehensive income   3    130 
Balance of recurring Level 3 assets at December 31  $2,801   $2,798 

 

The following table presents quantitative information about recurring Level 3 fair value measurements (in thousands):

 

Trust Preferred
Securities
  Fair Value   Valuation Technique  Significant
Unobservable Inputs
  Range of Inputs
December 31, 2014  $2,801   Discounted cash flow  Discount rate  .79% - 2.49%
December 31, 2013  $2,798   Discounted cash flow  Discount rate  .79% - 2.49%

 

Following is a description of the valuation methodologies used for assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis and recognized in the accompanying balance sheets, as well as the general classification of such assets and liabilities pursuant to the valuation hierarchy.

 

Impaired Loans

 

Loans for which it is probable that the Company will not collect all principal and interest due according to contractual terms are measured for impairment. Allowable methods for estimating fair value include using the fair value of the collateral for collateral dependent loans or, where a loan is determined not to be collateral dependent, using the discounted cash flow method.

 

If the impaired loan is identified as collateral dependent, then the fair value method of measuring the amount of impairment is utilized. This method requires obtaining a current independent appraisal of the collateral and applying a discount factor to the value. If the impaired loan is determined not to be collateral dependent, then the discounted cash flow method is used. This method requires the impaired loan to be recorded at the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate. The effective interest rate of a loan is the contractual interest rate adjusted for any net deferred loan fees or costs, premiums or discounts existing at origination or acquisition of the loan. Impaired loans are classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.

 

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Other Real Estate Owned

 

Other real estate owned consists of properties obtained through foreclosure. The adjustment at the time of foreclosure is recorded through the allowance for loan losses. Fair value of other real estate owned is based on current independent appraisals. Due to the subjective nature of establishing the fair value when the asset is acquired, the actual fair value of the other real estate owned or foreclosed asset could differ from the original estimate. If it is determined the fair value declines subsequent to foreclosure, a valuation allowance is recorded through other income. Operating costs associated with the assets after acquisition are also recorded as non-interest expense. Gains and losses on the disposition of other real estate owned and foreclosed assets are netted and posted to other income. Other real estate owned measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis at December 31, 2014, amounted to $4.7 million. Other real estate owned is classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.

 

The following table presents the fair value measurement of assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis and the level within the fair value hierarchy in which the fair value measurements fell at December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 (in thousands).

 

       Fair Value Measurements Using 
       Quoted Prices in
Active Markets
For
Identical Assets
   Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
   Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
 
   Fair Value   (Level 1)   (Level 2)   (Level 3) 
                 
December 31, 2014                
                 
Impaired loans  $9,560   $-   $9,560   $- 
Other real estate owned   4,655    -    4,655    - 
                     
December 31, 2013                    
                     
Impaired loans  $4,830   $-   $4,830   $- 
Other real estate owned   4,470    -    4,470    - 

 

The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate the fair value of each class of financial instrument for which it is practicable to estimate that value:

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents – For such short-term instruments, the carrying amount is a reasonable estimate of fair value.

 

Investment in securities available-for-sale and held-to-maturity – The fair value measurement for securities available-for-sale was discussed earlier. The same measurement approach was used for securities held-to-maturity and other securities.

 

71
 

 

Loans – The fair value of loans is estimated by discounting the future cash flows using the current rates at which similar loans would be made to borrowers with similar credit ratings and for the same remaining maturities.

 

Bank-owned Life Insurance – The fair value of bank-owned life insurance approximates the carrying amount, because upon liquidation of these investments, the Company would receive the cash surrender value which equals the carrying amount.

 

Deposits – The fair values of demand deposits are, as required by ASC Topic 825, equal to the carrying value of such deposits. Demand deposits include noninterest-bearing demand deposits, savings accounts, NOW accounts, and money market demand accounts. The fair value of variable rate term deposits, those repricing within six months or less, approximates the carrying value of these deposits. Discounted cash flows have been used to value fixed rate term deposits and variable rate term deposits repricing after six months. The discount rate used is based on interest rates currently being offered on comparable deposits as to amount and term.

 

Short-Term Borrowings – The carrying value of any federal funds purchased and other short-term borrowings approximates their fair values.

 

FHLB and Other Borrowings – The fair value of the fixed rate borrowings are estimated using discounted cash flows, based on current incremental borrowing rates for similar types of borrowing arrangements. The carrying amount of any variable rate borrowing approximates its fair value.

 

Subordinated Debentures – The subordinated debentures bear interest at a variable rate and the carrying value approximates the fair value.

 

Off-Balance Sheet Instruments – Fair values of off-balance sheet financial instruments are based on fees charged to enter into similar agreements. However, commitments to extend credit do not represent a significant value until such commitments are funded or closed. Management has determined that these instruments do not have a distinguishable fair value and no fair value has been assigned.

 

As of December 31, 2014          Fair Value Measurements 
   Carrying
Amount
   Estimated
Fair Value
   Quoted
Prices 
(Level 1)
   Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)
   Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
 
                     
Financial Instruments:                         
Assets:                         
Cash and cash equivalents  $44,618   $44,618   $44,618   $-   $- 
Securities available-for-sale   254,746    254,746    972    250,973    2,801 
Securities held-to-maturity   8,193    9,994    -    9,994    - 
Other securities   7,234    7,234    -    7,234    - 
Loans, net   700,540    715,849    -    -    715,849 
Bank-owned life insurance   14,463    14,463    -    14,463    - 
                          
Liabilities:                         
Noninterest-bearing deposits  $201,362   $201,362   $-   $201,362   $- 
Interest-bearing deposits   691,413    691,036    -    691,036    - 
Subordinated debentures   10,310    10,310    -    -    10,310 
FHLB and other borrowings   89,450    89,450    -    89,450    - 

 

72
 

 

As of December 31, 2013          Fair Value Measurements 
   Carrying
Amount
   Estimated
Fair Value
   Quoted
Prices 
(Level 1)
   Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)
   Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
 
                     
Financial Instruments:                         
Assets:                         
Cash and cash equivalents  $39,252   $39,252   $39,252   $-   $- 
Securities available-for-sale   244,051    244,051    972    240,281    2,798 
Securities held-to-maturity   8,438    9,624    -    9,624    - 
Other securities   5,534    5,534    -    5,534    - 
Loans, net   577,574    590,866    -    -    590,866 
Bank-owned life insurance   6,593    6,593    -    6,593    - 
                          
Liabilities:                         
Noninterest-bearing deposits  $144,624   $144,624   $-   $144,624   $- 
Interest-bearing deposits   635,347    634,907    -    634,907    - 
Subordinated debentures   10,310    10,310    -    -    10,310 
FHLB and other borrowings   52,000    52,000    -    52,000    - 

 

NOTE S - SENIOR PREFERRED STOCK

 

Pursuant to the terms of the letter agreement between the Company and the United States Department of the Treasury (“Treasury”), the Company issued 17,123 CDCI Preferred Shares.

 

The Letter Agreement contains limitations on the payment of dividends on the common stock to no more than 100% of the aggregate per share dividend and distributions for the immediate prior fiscal year (dividends of $0.15 per share were declared and paid 2011 through 2014) and on the Company’s ability to repurchase its common stock in the event of a non-payment of our dividend, and continues to subject the Company to certain of the executive compensation limitations included in the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA), as previously disclosed by the Company. The CDCI Preferred Shares entitle the holder to an annual dividend of 2% for 8 years of the liquidation value of the shares, payable quarterly in arrears.

 

73
 

 

NOTE T - PARENT COMPANY FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

The balance sheets, statements of income and cash flows for The First Bancshares, Inc. (parent company only) follow.

 

Condensed Balance Sheets

 

   December 31, 
   2014   2013 
Assets:          
Cash and cash equivalents  $63,707   $8,314 
Investment in subsidiary bank   105,685,727    94,311,642 
Investments in statutory trusts   310,000    310,000 
Other securities   -    100,000 
Premises and equipment   -    368,623 
Other   808,132    511,742 
   $106,867,566   $95,610,321 
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity:          
Subordinated debentures  $10,310,000   $10,310,000 
Other   341,982    191,981 
Stockholders’ equity   96,215,584    85,108,340 
   $106,867,566   $95,610,321 

 

Condensed Statements of Income

 

   Years Ended December 31, 
   2014   2013 
Income:          
Interest and dividends  $5,453   $5,610 
Dividend income   5,109,668    3,100,000 
Other   364,719    - 
    5,479,840    3,105,610 
Expenses:          
Interest on borrowed funds   181,330    186,581 
Legal   504,130    773,163 
Other   752,027    810,323 
    1,437,487    1,770,067 
           
Income before income taxes and equity in undistributed income of subsidiary   4,042,353    1,335,543 
Income tax benefit   296,388    511,743 
Income before equity in undistributed income of subsidiary   4,338,741    1,847,286 
Equity in undistributed income of subsidiary   2,274,955    2,792,209 
           
Net income  $6,613,696   $4,639,495 

 

74
 

 

Condensed Statements of Cash Flows

 

   Years Ended December 31, 
   2014   2013 
Cash flows from operating activities:          
Net income  $6,613,696   $4,639,495 
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used in operating activities:          
Equity in undistributed income of subsidiary   (2,274,955)   (2,792,209)
Restricted stock expense   617,779    391,777 
Gain on sale of assets   (364,719)   - 
Other, net   689,740    181,923 
Net cash provided by operating activities   5,281,541    2,420,986 
           
Cash flows from investing activities:          
Investment in subsidiary bank   -    (20,450,000)
Outlays for acquisition   (4,034,668)   - 
Net cash used in investing activities   (4,034,668)   (20,450,000)
           
Cash flows from financing activities:          
Dividends paid on common stock   (763,488)   (600,452)
Dividends paid on preferred stock   (342,460)   (342,460)
Repurchase of restricted stock for payment of taxes   (85,532)   (26,749)
Issuance of 1,951,220 common shares, net   -    18,958,464 
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities   (1,191,480)   17,988,803 
           
Net  increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents   55,393    (40,211)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year   8,314    48,525 
           
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year  $63,707   $8,314 

 

75
 

 

NOTE U - SUMMARY OF QUARTERLY RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS (UNAUDITED)

 

   Three Months Ended 
   March 31   June 30   Sept. 30   Dec. 31 
   (In thousands, except per share amounts) 
                 
2014                    
Total interest income  $8,447   $8,574   $9,688   $9,662 
Total interest expense   623    726    833    791 
Net interest income   7,824    7,848    8,855    8,871 
Provision for loan losses   358    277    631    152 
Net interest income after provision for loan losses   7,466    7,571    8,224    8,719 
Total non-interest income   1,672    2,055    2,021    2,055 
Total non-interest expense   7,227    7,384    8,071    8,051 
Income tax expense   484    629    641    682 
Net income   1,427    1,613    1,533    2,041 
Preferred dividends and stock accretion
   106    86    85    86 
                     
Net income applicable to common stockholders  $1,321   $1,527   $1,448   $1,955 
Per common share:                    
Net income, basic  $.26   $.30   $.27   $.37 
Net income, diluted   .25    .29    .27    .36 
Cash dividends declared   .0375    .0375    .0375    .0375 
                     
2013                    
Total interest income  $6,650   $7,609   $8,648   $8,411 
Total interest expense   759    823    690    645 
Net interest income   5,891    6,786    7,958    7,766 
Provision for loan losses   311    349    360    59 
Net interest income after provision for loan losses   5,580    6,437    7,598    7,707 
Total non-interest income   1,930    1,890    1,592    1,671 
Total non-interest expense   5,979    7,245    7,630    7,308 
Income tax expense   306    270    456    572 
Net income   1,225    812    1,104    1,498 
Preferred dividends and stock accretion   106    106    106    106 
Net income applicable to common Stockholders  $1,119   $706   $998   $1,392 
Per common share:                    
Net income, basic  $.36   $.18   $.20   $.27 
Net income, diluted   .35    .18    .19    .27 
Cash dividends declared   .0375    .0375    .0375    .0375 

 

76

 

 

 

APPENDIX B

 

Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2016

 

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

 

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 10-Q

 

QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 (d) OF THE SECURITIES

EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

FOR THE QUARTERLY PERIOD ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

Commission file number: 000-22507

 

THE FIRST BANCshARES, INC.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Mississippi   64-0862173
(State of Incorporation)   (IRS Employer Identification No)

 

6480 U.S. Highway 98 West, Suite A, Hattiesburg, Mississippi    39402
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

 

(601) 268-8998

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

Not Applicable

(Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)

 

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports) and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

 

Yes þ No ¨

 

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).

Yes þ No ¨

 

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company.

 

Large accelerated filer ¨ Accelerated filer þ
Non-accelerated filer ¨ Smaller Reporting Company ¨

(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)

 

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

Yes ¨ No þ

 

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date.

 

Common stock, $1.00 par value, 5,454,511 shares outstanding as of September 30, 2016

 

 

 

 

PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

ITEM NO. 1- FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

($ In Thousands)

 

   (Unaudited)   (Audited) 
   September 30,   December 31, 
   2016   2015 
ASSETS          
           
Cash and due from banks  $47,945   $23,635 
Interest-bearing deposits with banks   19,774    17,303 
Federal funds sold   2,395    321 
           
Total cash and cash equivalents   70,114    41,259 
           
Securities held-to-maturity, at amortized cost   6,000    7,092 
Securities available-for-sale, at fair value   236,168    239,732 
Other securities   9,516    8,135 
           
Total securities   251,684    254,959 
           
Loans held for sale   9,437    3,974 
Loans   854,366    772,515 
Allowance for loan losses   (7,481)   (6,747)
           
Loans, net   856,322    769,742 
           
Premises and equipment   33,427    33,623 
Interest receivable   4,014    3,953 
Cash surrender value of life insurance   21,106    14,872 
Goodwill   13,776    13,776 
Other real estate owned   4,670    3,083 
Other assets   11,525    9,864 
           
TOTAL ASSETS  $1,266,638   $1,145,131 
           
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY          
           
LIABILITIES:          
Deposits:          
Noninterest-bearing  $196,786   $189,445 
Interest-bearing   875,003    727,250 
           
TOTAL DEPOSITS   1,071,789    916,695 
           
Interest payable   275    246 
Borrowed funds   68,000    110,321 
Subordinated debentures   10,310    10,310 
Other liabilities   3,606    4,123 
           
TOTAL LIABILITIES   1,153,980    1,041,695 
           
STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY:          
Preferred stock, no par value, $1,000 per share liquidation, 10,000,000 shares authorized; 17,123 issued and outstanding at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively   17,123    17,123 
Common stock, par value $1 per share, 20,000,000 shares authorized and 5,454,511 shares issued at September 30,2016; and 5,403,159 shares issued at December 31, 2015, respectively   5,455    5,403 
Additional paid-in capital   44,996    44,650 
Retained earnings   42,543    35,625 
Accumulated other comprehensive income   3,005    1,099 
Treasury stock, at cost, 26,494 shares at September 30, 2016 and at December 31, 2015   (464)   (464)
           
TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY   112,658    103,436 
           
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY  $1,266,638   $1,145,131 

 

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

 

 

 

 

THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

($ In Thousands, except earnings and dividends per share)

 

   (Unaudited)   (Unaudited) 
   Three Months Ended   Nine Months Ended 
   September 30,   September 30, 
   2016   2015   2016   2015 
                 
INTEREST INCOME:                    
Interest and fees on loans  $9,798   $8,629   $28,146   $25,309 
Interest and dividends on securities:                    
Taxable interest and dividends   982    1,001    3,110    3,022 
Tax exempt interest   464    437    1,398    1,402 
Interest on federal funds sold   25    13    82    52 
                     
TOTAL INTEREST INCOME   11,269    10,080    32,736    29,785 
                     
INTEREST EXPENSE:                    
Interest on deposits   962    646    2,476    1,936 
Interest on borrowed funds   240    147    663    467 
                     
TOTAL INTEREST EXPENSE   1,202    793    3,139    2,403 
                     
NET INTEREST INCOME   10,067    9,287    29,597    27,382 
                     
PROVISION FOR LOAN LOSSES   143    250    538    400 
                     
NET INTEREST INCOME AFTER PROVISION FOR LOAN LOSSES                    
                     
LOSSES   9,924    9,037    29,059    26,982 
                     
OTHER INCOME:                    
Service charges on deposit accounts   1,273    1,348    3,839    3,690 
Other service charges and fees   1,826    634    4,703    1,996 
                     
 TOTAL OTHER INCOME   3,099    1,982    8,542    5,686 
                     
OTHER EXPENSES:                    
Salaries and employee benefits   5,645    4,628    16,194    13,867 
Occupancy and equipment   1,209    1,137    3,392    3,383 
Other   2,562    2,212    7,144    6,637 
                     
TOTAL OTHER EXPENSES   9,416    7,977    26,730    23,887 
                     
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES   3,607    3,042    10,871    8,781 
                     
INCOME TAXES   1,049    815    3,060    2,340 
                     
NET INCOME   2,558    2,227    7,811    6,441 
                     
PREFERRED STOCK ACCRETION AND DIVIDENDS   86    86    257    257 
                     
NET INCOME APPLICABLE TO COMMON STOCKHOLDERS  $2,472   $2,141   $7,554   $6,184 
                     
NET INCOME APPLICABLE TO COMMON                    
                     
STOCKHOLDERS:                    
BASIC  $.46   $.40   $1.39   $1.15 
DILUTED   .45    .39    1.38    1.14 
DIVIDENDS PER SHARE – COMMON   .0375    .0375    .1125    .1125 

 

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

 

 

 

 

THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

($ In Thousands)

 

   (Unaudited)   (Unaudited) 
   Three Months
Ended
   Nine Months
Ended
 
   September 30,   September 30, 
   2016   2015   2016   2015 
                 
Net income per consolidated statements of income  $2,558   $2,227   $7,811   $6,441 
                     
Other Comprehensive Income:                    
Unrealized holding gains (losses) arising during period on available-for- sale securities   189    1,579    3,016    (431)
Less reclassified adjustment for gains included in net income   (129)   -    (129)   - 
                     
Unrealized holding gains (losses) arising during period on available-for- sale securities   60    1,579    2,887    (431)
Unrealized holding gains (losses) on loans held for sale   (85)   45    1    6 
Income tax benefit(expense)   13    (554)   (982)   144 
Other comprehensive income (loss)   (12)   1,070    1,906    (281)
Comprehensive Income  $2,546   $3,297   $9,717   $6,160 

 

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

 

 

 

 

THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

($ In Thousands, unaudited)

 

   Common
Stock
   Preferred
Stock
   Stock
Warrants
   Additional
Paid-in
Capital
   Retained
Earnings
   Accumulated
Other
Compre-
hensive
Income(Loss)
   Treasury
Stock
   Total 
                                 
Balance, January 1, 2015  $5,343   $17,123   $284   $44,137   $27,975   $1,818   $(464)  $96,216 
Net income   -    -    -    -    6,441    -    -    6,441 
Other compre- hensive income   -    -    -    -    -    (281)   -    (281)
Dividends on preferred stock   -    -    -    -    (257)   -    -    (257)
Dividends on common stock, $0.1125 per share   -    -    -    -    (605)   -    -    (605)
Repurchase of restricted stock for payment of taxes   (6)   -    -    (86)   -    -    -    (92)
Restricted stock grant   69    -    -    (69)   -    -    -    - 
Compensation expense   -    -    -    539    -    -    -    539 
Reversal of 2,514 common shares for BCB Holdings   (3)   -    -    (33)   -    -    -    (36)
Repurchase warrants   -    -    (284)   (19)   -    -    -    (303)
Balance, Sept. 30, 2015  $5,403   $17,123   $-   $44,469   $33,554   $1,537   $(464)  $101,622 
                                         
Balance, January 1, 2016  $5,403   $17,123   $-   $44,650   $35,625   $1,099   $(464)  $103,436 
Net income   -    -    -    -    7,811    -    -    7,811 
Other compre- hensive income   -    -    -    -    -    1,906    -    1,906 
Dividends on preferred stock   -    -    -    -    (257)   -    -    (257)
Dividends on common stock, $0.0375 per share   -    -    -    -    (611)   -    -    (611)
Issuance of preferred shares   -    -    -    -    (25)   -    -    (25)
Repurchase of restricted stock for payment of taxes   (9)   -    -    (167)   -    -    -    (176)
Restricted stock grant   61    -    -    (61)   -    -    -    - 
Compensation expense   -    -    -    574    -    -    -    574 
Balance, Sept. 30, 2016  $5,455   $17,123   $-   $44,996   $42,543   $3,005   $(464)  $112,658 

  

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

 

 

 

 

THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

($ In Thousands)

 

   (Unaudited) 
   Nine Months
Ended
 
   September 30, 
   2016   2015 
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:          
NET INCOME  $7,811   $6,441 
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: Gain on sale of securities   (129)   - 
Depreciation, amortization and accretion   2,520    2,416 
Provision for loan losses   538    400 
Loss on sale/writedown of ORE   111    142 
Gain on sale of bank premises   -    (119)
Restricted stock expense   573    539 
Increase in cash value of life insurance   (384)   (308)
Federal Home Loan Bank stock dividends   (27)   (7)
Changes in:          
Interest receivable   (61)   (150)
Loans held for sale, net   (5,462)   1,051 
Interest payable   29    (84)
Other, net   (2,882)   (2,884)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES   2,637    7,437 
           
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:          
Maturities, calls and paydowns of available- for-sale and held-to-maturity securities   37,141    35,135 
Purchases of available-for-sale securities   (30,294)   (20,329)
Net (purchases)/sales of other securities   (1,433)   993 
Net increase in loans   (84,019)   (42,179)
Proceeds from sale of bank premises   -    949 
Net increase in premises and equipment   (1,055)   (860)
Purchase of bank-owned life insurance   (5,850)   - 
NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES   (85,510)   (26,291)
           
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:          
Increase in deposits   155,094    71,205 
Net decrease in borrowed funds   (42,321)   (30,464)
Dividends paid on common stock   (587)   (584)
Dividends paid on preferred stock   (257)   (257)
Repurchase of restricted stock for payment of taxes   (176)   (92)
Issuance of preferred shares   (25)   - 
Repurchase of shares issued in BCB acquisition   -    (36)
Repurchase of warrants   -    (303)
           
NET CASH PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES   111,728    39,469 
           
NET INCREASE IN CASH   28,855    20,615 
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD   41,259    44,618 
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD  $70,114   $65,233 
           
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES:          
           
CASH PAYMENTS FOR INTEREST   3,110    2,627 
CASH PAYMENTS FOR INCOME TAXES   4,277    3,675 
LOANS TRANSFERRED TO OTHER REAL ESTATE   2,498    506 
ISSUANCE OF RESTRICTED STOCK GRANTS   61    69 

 

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

 

 

 

 

THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

September 30, 2016

 

NOTE 1 — BASIS OF PRESENTATION

 

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial statements and with the instructions to Form 10-Q of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. However, in the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2016. For further information, please refer to the consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto included in the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015.

 

NOTE 2 — SUMMARY OF ORGANIZATION

 

The First Bancshares, Inc., Hattiesburg, Mississippi (the "Company"), was incorporated June 23, 1995, under the laws of the State of Mississippi for the purpose of operating as a bank holding company. The Company’s primary asset is its interest in its wholly-owned subsidiary, The First, A National Banking Association (the “Bank”).

 

At September 30, 2016, the Company had approximately $1.3 billion in assets, $856.3 million in net loans, $1.1 billion in deposits, and $112.7 million in stockholders' equity. For the nine months ended September 30, 2016, the Company reported net income of $7.8 million ($7.6 million applicable to common stockholders).

 

In the first, second, and third quarters of 2016, the Company declared and paid a dividend of $.0375 per common share.

 

NOTE 3 — RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

 

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, “Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments." Current GAAP is unclear or does not include specific guidance on how to classify certain transactions in the statement of cash flows. This ASU is intended to reduce diversity in practice in how eight particular transactions are classified in the statement of cash flows. ASU No. 2016-15 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted, provided that all of the amendments are adopted in the same period. Entities will be required to apply the guidance retrospectively. If it is impracticable to apply the guidance retrospectively for an issue, the amendments related to that issue would be applied prospectively. As this guidance only affects the classification within the statement of cash flows, ASU No. 2016-15 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

 

 

 

In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments” (ASU 2016-13). ASU 2016-13 requires a new impairment model known as the current expected credit loss (“CECL”) which significantly changes the way impairment of financial instruments is recognized by requiring immediate recognition of estimated credit losses expected to occur over the remaining life of financial instruments. The main provisions of ASU 2016-13 include (1) replacing the “incurred loss” approach under current GAAP with an “expected loss” model for instruments measured at amortized cost, (2) requiring entities to record an allowance for credit losses related to available-for-sale debt securities rather than a direct write-down of the carrying amount of the investments, as is required by the other-than-temporary-impairment model under current GAAP, and (3) a simplified accounting model for purchased credit-impaired debt securities and loans. ASU 2016-13 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, although early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently assessing the impact of the adoption of ASU 2016-13.

 

In March 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) NO. 2016-09 “Compensation (Topic 718) – Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting.” ASU 2016-09 requires all income tax effects of awards to be recognized in the income statement when the awards vest or are settled. It also allows an employer to repurchase more of an employee’s shares than it can today for tax withholding purposes without triggering liability accounting and to make a policy election for forfeitures as they occur. The guidance is effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those years. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is assessing the impact of ASU 2016-09 on its accounting and disclosures.

 

In February 2016 the FASB issued ASU NO. 2016-02 “Leases (Topic 842).” ASU 2016-02 establishes a right of use model that requires a lessee to record a right of use asset and a lease liability for all leases with terms longer than 12 months. Leases will be classified as either finance or operating with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the income statement. For lessors, the guidance modifies the classification criteria and the accounting for sales-type and direct financing leases. A lease will be treated as sale if it transfers all of the risks and rewards, as well as control of the underlying asset, to the lessee. If risks and rewards are conveyed without the transfer of control, the lease is treated as a financing. If the lessor doesn’t convey risks and rewards or control, an operating lease results. The amendments are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years for public business entities. Entities are required to use a modified retrospective approach for leases that exist or are entered into after the beginning of the earliest comparative period in the financial statements, with certain practical expedients available. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is assessing the impact of ASU 2016-02 on its accounting and disclosures.

 

 

 

 

NOTE 4 – BUSINESS COMBINATION

 

The Mortgage Connection

 

On December 14, 2015, the Company completed the acquisition of The Mortgage Connection, a Mississippi corporation, which included two loan production offices located in Madison and Brandon, Mississippi.

 

In connection with the acquisition, the Company recorded $1.5 million of goodwill.

 

The amounts of the acquired identifiable assets and liabilities as of the acquisition date were as follows (dollars in thousands):

 

Purchase price:     
Cash  $844 
Payable   800 
Total purchase price   1,644 
Identifiable assets:     
Intangible   100 
Personal property   44 
      
Total assets   144 
Liabilities and equity   - 
Net assets acquired   144 
Goodwill resulting from acquisition  $1,500 

 

NOTE 5 – PREFERRED STOCK AND WARRANT

 

Pursuant to the terms of the letter agreement between the Company and the United States Department of the Treasury (“Treasury”), the Company issued 17,123 CDCI Preferred Shares.

 

The Letter Agreement contains limitations on the payment of dividends on the common stock to no more than 100% of the aggregate per share dividend and distributions for the immediate prior fiscal year (dividends of $0.15 per share were declared and paid in 2011-2015) and on the Company’s ability to repurchase its common stock in the event of a non-payment of our dividend, and continues to subject the Company to certain of the executive compensation limitations included in the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA), as previously disclosed by the Company. The CDCI Preferred Shares entitle the holder to an annual dividend of 2% for 8 years of the liquidation value of the shares, payable quarterly in arrears.

 

Pursuant to the terms of the letter agreement between the Company and the United States Department of the Treasury, the Company redeemed the warrant to purchase up to 54,705 shares of the Company’s common stock. In connection with this redemption, on May 13, 2015, the Company paid Treasury an aggregate redemption price of $302,410.

 

NOTE 6 — EARNINGS APPLICABLE TO COMMON STOCKHOLDERS

 

Basic per share data is calculated based on the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the reporting period. Diluted per share data includes any dilution from potential common stock outstanding, such as stock options.

 

   For the Three Months Ended 
   September 30, 2016 
   Net Income   Shares   Per 
   (Numerator)   (Denominator)   Share Data 
             
Basic per share  $2,472,000    5,429,349   $0.46 
                
Effect of dilutive shares:               
Restricted stock grants        50,218      
                
Diluted per share  $2,472,000    5,479,567   $0.45 

 

 

 

 

   For the Nine Months Ended 
   September 30, 2016 
   Net Income   Shares   Per 
   (Numerator)   (Denominator)   Share Data 
             
Basic per share  $7,554,000    5,425,567   $1.39 
                
Effect of dilutive shares:               
Restricted stock grants        50,218      
                
Diluted per share  $7,554,000    5,475,785   $1.38 

 

   For the Three Months Ended 
   September 30, 2015 
   Net Income   Shares   Per 
   (Numerator)   (Denominator)   Share Data 
             
Basic per share  $2,141,000    5,374,790   $0.40 
                
Effect of dilutive shares:               
Restricted stock grants        67,190      
                
Diluted per share  $2,141,000    5,441,980   $0.39 

 

   For the Nine Months Ended 
   September 30, 2015 
   Net Income   Shares   Per 
   (Numerator)   (Denominator)   Share Data 
             
Basic per share  $6,184,000    5,369,260   $1.15 
                
Effect of dilutive shares:               
Restricted stock grants        67,190      
                
Diluted per share  $6,184,000    5,436,450   $1.14 

 

The Company granted 61,247 shares of restricted stock in the first quarter of 2016 and -0- shares during the second and third quarters of 2016.

 

NOTE 7 – COMPREHNSIVE INCOME

 

As presented in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income, comprehensive income includes net income and other comprehensive income. The Company’s sources of other comprehensive income are unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale investment securities and loans held for sale. Gains or losses on investment securities that were realized and reflected in net income of the current period, which had previously been included in other comprehensive income as unrealized holding gains or losses in the period in which they arose, are considered to be reclassification adjustments that are excluded from other comprehensive income in the current period.

 

 

 

 

NOTE 8 – FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS WITH OFF-BALANCE-SHEET RISK

 

The Company is a party to financial instruments with off-balance-sheet risk in the normal course of business to meet the financing needs of its customers. At September 30, 2016, and December 31, 2015, these financial instruments consisted of the following:

 

($ In Thousands)  September 30, 2016   December 31, 2015 
Commitments to extend credit  $194,321   $144,086 
Standby letters of credit  $1,964   $1,135 

 

NOTE 9 – FAIR VALUE DISCLOSURES AND REPORTING, THE FAIR VALUE OPTION AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

 

·FASB’s standards on financial instruments, and on fair value measurements and disclosures, require all entities to disclose in their financial statement footnotes the estimated fair values of financial instruments for which it is practicable to estimate fair values. In addition to disclosure requirements, FASB’s standard on investments requires that our debt securities which are classified as available for sale and our equity securities that have readily determinable fair values be measured and reported at fair value in our statement of financial position. Certain impaired loans are also reported at fair value, as explained in greater detail below, and foreclosed assets are carried at the lower of cost or fair value. FASB’s standard on financial instruments permits companies to report certain other financial assets and liabilities at fair value, but we have not elected the fair value option for any of those financial instruments.

 

·Fair value measurement and disclosure standards also establish a framework for measuring fair values. Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability, in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. Further, the standards establish a fair value hierarchy that encourages an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and limit the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair values. The standards describe three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair values:

 

·Level 1: Quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets that the entity has the ability to access as of the measurement date.

 

·Level 2: Significant observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices in markets that are not active, and other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data.

 

 

 

 

·Level 3: Significant unobservable inputs that reflect a company’s own assumptions about the factors that market participants would likely consider in pricing an asset or liability.

 

Fair value estimates are made at a specific point in time based on relevant market data and information about the financial instruments. The estimates do not reflect any premium or discount that could result from offering the Company’s entire holdings of a particular financial instrument for sale at one time, nor do they attempt to estimate the value of anticipated future business related to the instruments. In addition, the tax ramifications related to realized gains and losses could have a significant effect on fair value estimates but have not been considered in those estimates. Because no active market exists for a significant portion of our financial instruments, fair value disclosures are based on judgments regarding current economic conditions, risk characteristics of various financial instruments and other factors. The estimates are subjective and involve uncertainties and matters of significant judgment, and therefore cannot be determined with precision. Changes in assumptions could significantly alter the fair values presented. The following methods and assumptions were used by the Company to estimate its financial instrument fair values disclosed at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015:

 

·Cash and cash equivalents and fed funds sold: The carrying amount is estimated to be fair value.

 

·Securities (available-for-sale and held-to-maturity): Fair values are determined by obtaining quoted prices on nationally recognized securities exchanges or by matrix pricing, which is a mathematical technique used widely in the industry to value debt securities by relying on their relationship to other benchmark quoted securities when quoted prices for specific securities are not readily available.

 

·Loans and leases: For variable-rate loans and leases that re-price frequently with no significant change in credit risk or interest rate spread, fair values are based on carrying values. Fair values for other loans and leases are estimated by discounting projected cash flows at interest rates being offered at each reporting date for loans and leases with similar terms, to borrowers of comparable creditworthiness. The carrying amount of accrued interest receivable approximates its fair value.

 

·Loans held for sale: Since loans designated by the Company as available-for-sale are typically sold shortly after making the decision to sell them, realized gains or losses are usually recognized within the same period and fluctuations in fair values are not relevant for reporting purposes. If available-for-sale loans are on our books for an extended period of time, the fair value of those loans is determined using quoted secondary-market prices.

 

·Collateral-dependent impaired loans: Collateral-dependent impaired loans are carried at fair value when it is probable that the Company will be unable to collect all amounts due according to the contractual terms of the original loan agreement and the loan has been written down to the fair value of its underlying collateral, net of expected disposition costs where applicable.

 

·Bank-owned life insurance: Fair values are based on net cash surrender policy values at each reporting date.

 

·Other securities: Certain investments for which no secondary market exists are carried at cost and the carrying amount for those investments typically approximates their estimated fair value, unless an impairment analysis indicates the need for adjustments.

 

 

 

 

·Deposits (noninterest-bearing and interest-bearing): Fair values for non-maturity deposits are equal to the amount payable on demand at the reporting date, which is the carrying amount. Fair values for fixed-rate certificates of deposit are estimated using a cash flow analysis, discounted at interest rates being offered at each reporting date by the Bank for certificates with similar remaining maturities. The carrying amount of accrued interest payable approximates its fair value.

 

·FHLB and other borrowings: Current carrying amounts are used as an approximation of fair values for federal funds purchased, overnight advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”), borrowings under repurchase agreements, and other short-term borrowings maturing within ninety days of the reporting dates. Fair values of other short-term borrowings are estimated by discounting projected cash flows at the Company’s current incremental borrowing rates for similar types of borrowing arrangements.

 

·Long-term borrowings: Fair values are estimated using projected cash flows discounted at the Company’s current incremental borrowing rates for similar types of borrowing arrangements.

 

·Subordinated debentures: Fair values are determined based on the current market value for like instruments of a similar maturity and structure.

 

·Off-Balance Sheet Instruments – Fair values of off-balance sheet financial instruments are based on fees charged to enter into similar agreements. However, commitments to extend credit do not represent a significant value until such commitments are funded or closed. Management has determined that these instruments do not have a distinguishable fair value and no fair value has been assigned.

 

·Estimated fair values for the Company’s financial instruments are as follows, as of the dates noted:

 

As of September 30, 2016
($ In Thousands)

 

      Fair Value Measurements 
   Carrying
Amount
   Estimated
Fair
Value
   Quoted
Prices
(Level 1)
   Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)
   Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
 
                     
Financial Instruments:                         
Assets:                         
Cash and cash equivalents  $70,114   $70,114   $70,114   $-   $- 
Securities available-for- sale   236,168    236,168    945    232,813    2,410 
Securities held- to-maturity   6,000    7,824    -    7,824    - 
Other securities   9,516    9,516    -    9,516    - 
Loans, net   856,322    879,361    -    -    879,361 
Bank-owned life insurance   21,106    21,106    -    21,106    - 
                          
Liabilities:                         
Noninterest- bearing deposits  $196,786   $196,786   $-   $196,786   $- 
Interest-bearing deposits   875,003    874,872   $-    874,872    - 
Subordinated debentures   10,310    10,310    -    -    10,310 
FHLB and other borrowings   68,000    68,000    -    68,000    - 

 

 

 

 

As of December 31, 2015
($ In Thousands)

 

       Fair Value Measurements 
   Carrying
Amount
   Estimated
Fair
Value
   Quoted
Prices
(Level 1)
   Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)
   Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
 
                     
Financial Instruments:                         
Assets:                         
Cash and cash equivalents  $41,259   $41,259   $41,259   $-   $- 
Securities available-for- sale   239,732    239,732    961    236,214    2,557 
Securities held- to-maturity   7,092    8,548    -    8,548    - 
Other securities   8,135    8,135    -    8,135    - 
Loans, net   769,742    784,113    -    -    784,113 
Bank-owned life insurance   14,872    14,872    -    14,872    - 
                          
Liabilities:                         
Noninterest- bearing deposits  $189,445   $189,445   $-   $189,445   $- 
Interest-bearing deposits   727,250    726,441    -    726,441    - 
Subordinated debentures   10,310    10,310    -    -    10,310 
FHLB and other borrowings   110,321    110,321    -    110,321    - 

 

·Where quoted prices are available in an active market, securities are classified within Level 1 of the valuation hierarchy. Level 1 securities would include highly liquid government bonds, mortgage products and exchange traded equities. If quoted market prices are not available, then fair values are estimated by using pricing models, quoted prices of securities with similar characteristics, or discounted cash flow. Level 2 securities would include U. S. agency securities, mortgage-backed securities, obligations of states and political subdivisions and certain corporate, asset-backed and other securities. In certain cases where there is limited activity or less transparency around inputs to the valuation, securities are classified within Level 3 of the valuation hierarchy.

 

Assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis are summarized below:

 

September 30, 2016

($ In Thousands)

 

   Fair Value Measurements Using 
       Quoted Prices
in
Active
Markets
For
Identical
Assets
   Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
   Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
 
   Fair Value   (Level 1)   (Level 2)   (Level 3) 
                 
Obligations of U. S. Government Agencies  $9,109   $-   $9,109   $- 
Municipal securities   97,870    -    97,870    - 
Mortgage-backed securities   108,752    -    108,752    - 
Corporate obligations   19,492    -    17,082    2,410 
Other   945    945    -    - 
Total  $236,168   $945   $232,813   $2,410 

 

 

 

 

December 31, 2015

($ In Thousands)

 

   Fair Value Measurements Using 
       Quoted Prices
 in
Active
Markets
For
Identical
Assets
   Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
   Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
 
   Fair Value   (Level 1)   (Level 2)   (Level 3) 
                 
Obligations of U. S. Government Agencies  $19,611   $-   $19,611   $- 
Municipal securities   97,889    -    97,889    - 
Mortgage-backed securities   98,925    -    98,925    - 
Corporate obligations   22,346    -    19,789    2,557 
Other   961    961    -    - 
Total  $239,732   $961   $236,214   $2,557 

 

The following is a reconciliation of activity for assets measured at fair value based on significant unobservable (non-market) information.

 

($ In Thousands)

 

   Bank-Issued
Trust
 
   Preferred 
   Securities 
   2016   2015 
Balance, January 1  $2,557   $2,801 
Transfers into Level 3   -    - 
Transfers out of Level 3   -    - 
Other-than-temporary impairment loss included in earnings (loss)   -    - 
Unrealized loss included in comprehensive income   (147)   (244)
Balance at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015  $2,410   $2,557 

 

The following table presents quantitative information about recurring Level 3 fair value measurements (in thousands):

 

Trust Preferred
Securities
  Fair
 Value
   Valuation
 Technique
  Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
  Range of
Inputs
 
September 30, 2016  $2,410   Discounted cash flow  Probability of default   1.41% - 3.30% 
December 31, 2015  $2,557   Discounted cash flow  Probability of default   1.08% - 2.77% 

 

Following is a description of the valuation methodologies used for assets measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis and recognized in the accompanying balance sheets, as well as the general classification of such assets pursuant to the valuation hierarchy.

 

 

 

 

Impaired Loans

 

Loans for which it is probable that the Company will not collect all principal and interest due according to contractual terms are measured for impairment. Allowable methods for estimating fair value include using the fair value of the collateral for collateral dependent loans or, where a loan is determined not to be collateral dependent, using the discounted cash flow method.

 

If the impaired loan is identified as collateral dependent, then the fair value method of measuring the amount of impairment is utilized. This method requires obtaining a current independent appraisal of the collateral and applying a discount factor to the value. If the impaired loan is determined not to be collateral dependent, then the discounted cash flow method is used. This method requires the impaired loan to be recorded at the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate. The effective interest rate of a loan is the contractual interest rate adjusted for any net deferred loan fees or costs, or premium or discount existing at origination or acquisition of the loan. Impaired loans are classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.

 

Other Real Estate Owned

 

Other real estate owned acquired through loan foreclosure is initially recorded at fair value less estimated costs to sell, establishing a new cost basis. The adjustment at the time of foreclosure is recorded through the allowance for loan losses. Due to the subjective nature of establishing the fair value, the actual fair value of the other real estate owned or foreclosed asset could differ from the original estimate. If it is determined the fair value declines subsequent to foreclosure, a valuation allowance is recorded through non-interest expense. Operating costs associated with the assets are also recorded as non-interest expense. Gains and losses on the disposition of other real estate owned and foreclosed assets are netted and posted to other non-interest expense. Other real estate owned measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis at September 30, 2016, amounted to $4.7 million. Other real estate owned is classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.

 

The following table presents the fair value measurement of assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis and the level within the fair value hierarchy in which the fair value measurements fell at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015.

 

($ In Thousands)

 

September 30, 2016

 

       Fair Value Measurements Using 
       Quoted
Prices in
Active
Markets
For
Identical
Assets
   Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
   Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
 
   Fair Value   (Level 1)   (Level 2)   (Level 3) 
                 
Impaired loans  $8,702   $-   $8,702   $- 
Other real estate owned   4,670    -    4,670    - 

 

 

 

 

December 31, 2015

 

       Fair Value Measurements Using 
       Quoted
Prices in
Active
Markets
For
Identical
Assets
   Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
   Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
 
   Fair Value   (Level 1)   (Level 2)   (Level 3) 
                 
Impaired loans  $10,127   $-   $10,127   $- 
Other real estate owned   3,083    -    3,083    - 

 

NOTE 10 - SECURITIES

 

The following disclosure of the estimated fair value of financial instruments is made in accordance with authoritative guidance. The estimated fair value amounts have been determined using available market information and appropriate valuation methodologies. However, considerable judgment is necessarily required to interpret market data to develop the estimates of fair value. Accordingly, the estimates presented herein are not necessarily indicative of the amounts that could be realized in a current market exchange. The use of different market assumptions and/or estimation methodologies may have a material effect on the estimated fair value amounts.

 

A summary of the amortized cost and estimated fair value of available-for-sale securities and held-to-maturity securities at September 30, 2016, follows:

 

($ In Thousands)

 

   September 30, 2016 
   Amortized
Cost
   Gross
Unrealized
Gains
   Gross
Unrealized
Losses
   Estimated
Fair
Value
 
Available-for-sale securities:                    
Obligations of U.S.                    
Government agencies  $9,040   $69   $-   $9,109 
Tax-exempt and taxable obligations of states and municipal subdivisions   94,559    3,534    223    97,870 
Mortgage-backed securities   106,174    2,593    15    108,752 
Corporate obligations   20,604    144    1,256    19,492 
Other   1,255    -    310    945 
   $231,632   $6,340   $1,804   $236,168 
Held-to-maturity securities:                    
Taxable obligations of states and municipal subdivisions   6,000    1,824    -    7,824 
   $6,000   $1,824   $-   $7,824 

 

 

 

 

   December 31, 2015 
   Amortized
Cost
   Gross
Unrealized
Gains
   Gross
Unrealized
Losses
   Estimated
Fair
Value
 
Available-for-sale securities:                    
Obligations of U.S.                    
Government agencies  $19,479   $144   $13   $19,610 
Tax-exempt and taxable obligations of states and municipal subdivisions   95,631    2,362    103    97,890 
Mortgage-backed securities   98,223    1,127    425    98,925 
Corporate obligations   23,495    62    1,211    22,346 
Other   1,255    -    294    961 
   $238,083   $3,695   $2,046   $239,732 
Held-to-maturity securities:                    
Mortgage-backed Securities  $1,092   $15   $-   $1,107 
Taxable obligations of states and municipal subdivisions   6,000    1,440    -    7,440 
   $7,092   $1,455   $-   $8,547 

 

NOTE 11 – LOANS

 

Loans typically provide higher yields than the other types of earning assets, and, thus, one of the Company's goals is for loans to be the largest category of the Company's earning assets. For the quarters ended September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, average loans accounted for 75.2% and 73.3% of average earning assets, respectively. The Company controls and mitigates the inherent credit and liquidity risks through the composition of its loan portfolio.

 

The following tables summarize by class our loans classified as past due in excess of 30 days or more in addition to those loans classified as non-accrual:

 

   September 30, 2016 
   ($ In thousands) 
   Past Due
30 to 89
Days
   Past Due
90 Days
or More
and Still
Accruing
   Non-
Accrual
   Total
Past Due
and
Non-
Accrual
   Total
Loans
 
                     
Real Estate-construction  $518   $-   $2,788   $3,306   $104,644 
Real Estate-mortgage   1,220    259    1,969    3,448    296,587 
Real Estate-non farm non-residential   269    161    934    1,364    307,963 
Commercial   -    -    72    72    121,963 
Lease Financing Rec.   -    -    -    -    2,211 
Obligations of states and subdivisions   -    -    -    -    6,861 
Consumer   55    -    36    91    14,137 
Total  $2,062   $420   $5,799   $8,281   $854,366 

 

 

 

 

   December 31, 2015 
   ($ In Thousands) 
   Past Due
30 to 89
Days
   Past Due
 90 Days
or More
and
Still
Accruing
   Non-
Accrual
   Total
Past Due
and
Non-
Accrual
   Total
Loans
 
                     
Real Estate-construction  $311   $-   $2,956   $3,267   $99,161 
Real Estate-mortgage   3,339    29    2,055    5,423    272,180 
Real Estate-non farm non residential   736    -    2,225    2,961    253,309 
Commercial   97    -    100    197    129,197 
Lease Financing Rec.   -    -    -    -    2,650 
Obligations of states and subdivisions   -    -    -    -    969 
Consumer   70    -    32    102    15,049 
Total  $4,553   $29   $7,368   $11,950   $772,515 

 

Loans acquired with deteriorated credit quality are those purchased in the BCB Holding Company, Inc. acquisition. These loans were recorded at estimated fair value at the acquisition date with no carryover of the related allowance for loan losses. The acquired loans were segregated as of the acquisition date between those considered to be performing (acquired non-impaired loans) and those with evidence of credit deterioration (acquired impaired loans). Acquired loans are considered impaired if there is evidence of credit deterioration and if it is probable, at acquisition, all contractually required payments will not be collected.

 

The following table presents information regarding the contractually required payments receivable, cash flows expected to be collected and the estimated fair value of loans acquired in the BCB acquisition as of July 1, 2014, the closing date of the transaction: 

 

   ($ In Thousands) 
   Commercial,
financial
and
agricultural
   Mortgage-
Commercial
   Mortgage-
Residential
   Commercial
and other
   Total 
Contractually required payments  $1,519   $29,648   $7,933   $976   $40,076 
Cash flows expected to be collected   1,570    37,869    9,697    1,032    50,168 
Fair value of loans acquired   1,513    28,875    7,048    957    38,393 

 

 

 

 

Total outstanding acquired impaired loans were $2,601,027 as of September 30, 2016 and $3,039,840 as of December 31, 2015. The outstanding balance of these loans is the undiscounted sum of all amounts, including amounts deemed principal, interest, fees, penalties, and other under the loans, owed at the reporting date, whether or not currently due and whether or not any such amounts have been charged off.

 

Changes in the carrying amount and accretable yield for acquired impaired loans were as follows at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015: ($ In Thousands)

  

($ In Thousands)  September 30, 2016   December 31, 2015 
   Accretable
Yield
   Carrying
Amount of
Loans
   Accretable
Yield
   Carrying
Amount of
Loans
 
Balance at beginning of period  $1,219   $1,821   $1,417   $2,063 
Accretion   (130)   130    (198)   198 
Payments received, net   -    (440)   -    (440)
Balance at end of period  $1,089   $1,511   $1,219   $1,821 

 

The following tables provide additional detail of impaired loans broken out according to class as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015. The recorded investment included in the following tables represent customer balances net of any partial charge-offs recognized on the loans, net of any deferred fees and costs. As nearly all of our impaired loans at September 30, 2016 are on nonaccrual status, recorded investment excludes any insignificant amount of accrued interest receivable on loans 90-days or more past due and still accruing. The unpaid balance represents the recorded balance prior to any partial charge-offs.

 

September 30, 2016

($ In Thousands)              Average   Interest 
               Recorded   Income 
   Recorded   Unpaid   Related   Investment   Recognized 
   Investment   Balance   Allowance   YTD   YTD 
   ($ In thousands) 
Impaired loans with no related allowance:                         
Commercial installment  $-   $-   $-   $-   $- 
Commercial real estate   4,581    4,620    -    4,879    20 
Consumer real estate   353    352    -    281    1 
Consumer installment   15    15    -    8    - 
Total  $4,949   $4,987   $-   $5,168   $21 
                          
Impaired loans with a related allowance:                         
Commercial installment  $227   $227   $58   $267   $7 
Commercial real estate   2,819    2,819    413    2,858    86 
Consumer real estate   679    679    417    778    11 
Consumer installment   28    28    22    33    - 
Total  $3,753   $3,753   $910   $3,936   $104 
                          
Total Impaired Loans:                         
Commercial installment  $227   $227   $58   $267   $7 
Commercial real estate   7,400    7,439    413    7,737    106 
Consumer real estate   1,032    1,031    417    1,059    12 
Consumer installment   43    43    22    41    - 
Total Impaired Loans  $8,702   $8,740   $910   $9,104   $125 

 

As of September 30, 2016, the Company had $1.4 million of foreclosed residential real estate property obtained by physical possession and $.4 million of consumer mortgage loans secured by residential real estate properties for which foreclosure proceedings are in process according to local jurisdictions.

 

 

 

 

December 31, 2015

($ In Thousands)              Average   Interest 
               Recorded   Income 
   Recorded   Unpaid   Related   Investment   Recognized 
   Investment   Balance   Allowance   YTD   YTD 
   ($ In thousands) 
Impaired loans with  no related allowance:                         
Commercial installment  $-   $-   $-   $2   $- 
Commercial real estate   5,790    5,828    -    5,099    50 
Consumer real estate   223    223    -    205    - 
Consumer installment   7    7    -    8    - 
Total  $6,020   $6,058   $-   $5,314   $50 
                          
Impaired loans with  a related allowance:                         
Commercial installment  $306   $306   $50   $264   $14 
Commercial real estate   2,927    2,927    444    2,891    132 
Consumer real estate   842    842    438    1,152    15 
Consumer installment   32    32    25    31    - 
Total  $4,107   $4,107   $957   $4,338   $161 
                          
Total Impaired Loans:                         
Commercial installment  $306   $306   $50   $266   $14 
Commercial real estate   8,717    8,755    444    7,990    182 
Consumer real estate   1,065    1,065    438    1,357    15 
Consumer installment   39    39    25    39    - 
Total Impaired Loans  $10,127   $10,165   $957   $9,652   $211 

 

 

 

 

The following table represents the Company’s impaired loans at September 30, 2016, and December 31, 2015.

 

   Sept. 30,   December 31, 
   2016   2015 
   ($ In Thousands) 
Impaired Loans:          
Impaired loans without a valuation allowance  $4,949   $6,020 
Impaired loans with a valuation allowance   3,753    4,107 
Total impaired loans  $8,702   $10,127 
Allowance for loan losses on impaired loans at period end   910    957 
           
Total nonaccrual loans   5,799    7,368 
           
Past due 90 days or more and still accruing   420    29 
Average investment in impaired loans   9,104    9,652 

 

The following table is a summary of interest recognized and cash-basis interest earned on impaired loans:

 

($ In Thousands)  Three Months
Ended
Sept. 30, 2016
   Nine Months
Ended
Sept. 30, 2016
 
Interest income recognized during impairment  $-   $- 
Cash-basis interest income  recognized   47    125 

 

The gross interest income that would have been recorded in the period that ended if the nonaccrual loans had been current in accordance with their original terms and had been outstanding throughout the period or since origination, if held for part of the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2016 was $99,000 and $297,000, respectively, and $123,000 and $322,000, respectively, for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2015. The Company had no loan commitments to borrowers in non-accrual status at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015.

 

 

 

 

The following tables provide detail of troubled debt restructurings (TDRs) at September 30, 2016.

 

For the Three Months Ending September 30, 2016

($ In Thousands) 

       Outstanding         
   Outstanding   Recorded         
   Recorded   Investment       Interest 
   Investment   Post-   Number of   Income 
   Pre-Modification   Modification   Loans   Recognized 
         
Commercial installment  $-   $-    -   $- 
Commercial real estate   -    -    -    - 
Consumer real estate   -    -    -    - 
Consumer installment   -    -    -    - 
Total  $-   $-    -   $- 

 

For the Nine Months Ending September 30, 2016

($ In Thousands

       Outstanding         
   Outstanding   Recorded         
   Recorded   Investment       Interest 
   Investment   Post-   Number of   Income 
   Pre-Modification   Modification   Loans   Recognized 
         
Commercial installment  $-   $-    -   $- 
Commercial real estate   296    276    1    10 
Consumer real estate   -    -    -    - 
Consumer installment   -    -    -    - 
Total  $296   $276    1   $10 

 

There were no TDRs modified during the three month period ended September 30, 2016.

 

The balance of troubled debt restructurings (TDRs)was $6.7 million at September 30, 2016 and $6.9 million at December 31, 2015, respectively, calculated for regulatory reporting purposes. There was $243,000 allocated in specific reserves established with respect to these loans as of September 30, 2016. As of September 30, 2016, the company had no additional amount committed on any loan classified as troubled debt restructuring.

 

 

 

 

The following tables set forth the amounts and past due status for the Bank TDRs at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015:

 

($ In Thousands)

 

   September 30, 2016 
   Current
Loans
   Past Due 
30-89
   Past Due
90 days
and still
accruing
   Non-
accrual
   Total 
                          
Commercial installment  $155   $-   $-   $50   $205 
Commercial real estate   2,494    -    -    3,607    6,101 
Consumer real estate   247    -    -    126    373 
Consumer installment   7    -    -    25    32 
Total  $2,903   $-   $-   $3,808   $6,711 
Allowance for loan losses  $115   $-   $-   $128   $243 

 

($ In Thousands)

 

   December 31, 2015 
   Current
Loans
   Past Due 
30-89
  

Past Due

90 days
and still
accruing

   Non-
accrual
   Total 
                          
Commercial installment  $206   $-   $-   $50   $256 
Commercial real estate   1,823    -    -    2,934    4,757 
Consumer real estate   721    -    -    1,135    1,856 
Consumer installment   8    -    -    29    37 
Total  $2,758   $-   $-   $4,148   $6,906 
Allowance for loan losses  $106   $-   $-   $197   $303 

 

Internal Risk Ratings

 

The Company categorizes loans into risk categories based on relevant information about the ability of borrowers to service their debt, such as: current financial information, historical payment experience, credit documentation, public information, and current economic trends, among other factors. The Company uses the following definitions for risk ratings, which are consistent with the definitions used in supervisory guidance:

 

Special Mention.    Loans classified as special mention have a potential weakness that deserves management's close attention. If left uncorrected, these potential weaknesses may result in deterioration of the repayment prospects for the loan or of the Company’s credit position at some future date.

 

 

 

 

Substandard.    Loans classified as substandard are inadequately protected by the current net worth and paying capacity of the obligor or of the collateral pledged, if any. Loans so classified have a well-defined weakness or weaknesses that jeopardize the liquidation of the debt. They are characterized by the distinct possibility that the institution will sustain some loss if the deficiencies are not corrected.

 

Doubtful.    Loans classified as doubtful have all the weaknesses inherent in those classified as substandard, with the added characteristic that the weaknesses make collection or liquidation in full, on the basis of currently existing facts, conditions, and values, highly questionable and improbable.

 

Loans not meeting the criteria above that are analyzed individually as part of the above described process are considered to be pass rated loans.

 

As of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, and based on the most recent analysis performed, the risk categories of loans by class of loans (excluding mortgage loans held for sale) were as follows:

 

September 30, 2016

($ In Thousands)

 

               Commercial,     
  

Real Estate

Commercial

  

Real
Estate

Mortgage

  

Installment
and

Other

  

Financial
and

Agriculture

   Total 
                     
Pass  $509,503   $174,547   $26,114   $126,799   $836,963 
Special Mention   915    241    -    650    1,806 
Substandard   14,263    1,517    85    111    15,976 
Doubtful   -    318    -    41    359 
Subtotal   524,681    176,623    26,199    127,601    855,104 
Less:                         
Unearned discount   379    63    -    296    738 
Loans, net of unearned discount  $524,302   $176,560   $26,199   $127,305   $854,366 

 

 

 

 

December 31, 2015

($ In Thousands)

 

               Commercial,     
   Real Estate
Commercial
   Real
Estate
Mortgage
   Installment
and
Other
   Financial
and
Agriculture
   Total 
                     
Pass  $434,638   $167,394   $19,556   $132,101   $753,689 
Special Mention   681    153    -    168    1,002 
Substandard   16,655    1,453    75    178    18,361 
Doubtful   -    327    -    -    327 
Subtotal   451,974    169,327    19,631    132,447    773,379 
Less:                         
Unearned discount   448    76    -    340    864 
Loans, net of unearned discount  $451,526   $169,251   $19,631   $132,107   $772,515 

 

Activity in the allowance for loan losses for the period was as follows:

 

($ In Thousands)

 

   Three Months   Nine Months 
   Ended   Ended 
   Sept. 30,
2016
   Sept. 30,
2016
 
         
Balance at beginning of period  $7,259   $6,747 
Loans charged-off:          
Real Estate   (130)   (286)
Installment and Other   (26)   (55)
Commercial, Financial and Agriculture   -    (6)
Total   (156)   (347)
Recoveries on loans previously charged-off:          
Real Estate   217    408 
Installment and Other   15    52 
Commercial, Financial and Agriculture   3    83 
Total   235    543 
Net recoveries   79    196 
Provision for Loan Losses   143    538 
Balance at end of period  $7,481   $7,481 

 

 

 

 

The following tables represent how the allowance for loan losses is allocated to a particular loan type, as well as the percentage of the category to total loans at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015.

 

Allocation of the Allowance for Loan Losses

 

   September 30, 2016 
   ($ In Thousands) 
   Amount   % of loans
in each category
to total loans
 
         
Commercial Non Real Estate  $920    14.9%
Commercial Real Estate   3,364    61.4 
Consumer Real Estate   1,475    20.6 
Consumer   133    3.0 
Unallocated   1,589    0.1 
Total  $7,481    100%

 

   December 31, 2015 
   ($ In Thousands) 
   Amount   % of loans
in each category
to total loans
 
         
Commercial Non Real Estate  $895    17.1%
Commercial Real Estate   3,018    58.4 
Consumer Real Estate   1,477    21.9 
Consumer   141    2.5 
Unallocated   1,216    0.1 
Total  $6,747    100%

 

The following tables provide the ending balances in the Company's loans (excluding mortgage loans held for sale) and allowance for loan losses, broken down by portfolio segment as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015. The tables also provide additional detail as to the amount of our loans and allowance that correspond to individual versus collective impairment evaluation. The impairment evaluation corresponds to the Company's systematic methodology for estimating its Allowance for Loan Losses.

 

September 30, 2016

 

           Commercial,     
       Installment   Financial     
   Real
Estate
   and
Other
   and 
Agriculture
   Total 
   ($ In Thousands) 
Loans                    
Individually evaluated  $8,432   $43   $227   $8,702 
Collectively evaluated   700,286    14,437    130,941    845,664 
Total  $708,718   $14,480   $131,168   $854,366 
                     
Allowance for Loan Losses                    
Individually evaluated  $830   $22   $58   $910 
Collectively evaluated   4,009    1,700    862    6,571 
Total  $4,839   $1,722   $920   $7,481 

 

 

 

 

December 31, 2015

 

           Commercial,     
       Installment   Financial     
   Real
Estate
   and
Other
   and
Agriculture
   Total 
   (In thousands) 
Loans                    
Individually evaluated  $9,782   $39   $306   $10,127 
Collectively evaluated   610,996    19,591    131,801    762,388 
Total  $620,778   $19,630   $132,107   $772,515 
                     
Allowance for Loan Losses                    
Individually evaluated  $882   $25   $50   $957 
Collectively evaluated   3,613    1,332    845    5,790 
Total  $4,495   $1,357   $895   $6,747 

 

NOTE 12 – SUBSEQUENT EVENTS/OTHER

 

Subsequent events have been evaluated by management through the date the financial statements were issued. The Company has experienced recoveries on a previously charged-off loan of $941,000. In 2015, $722,000 was recovered and a third and final installment of $219,000 is expected during 2016.

 

The First Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company”), which is the holding company of The First, A National Banking Association, (“The First”), entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement (the “Iberville Bank Acquisition Agreement”) with A. Wilbert’s Sons Lumber and Shingle Company (the “Iberville Bank Parent”), the parent company of Iberville Bank (“Iberville Bank”), dated October 12, 2016, under which the Company has agreed to acquire 100% of the common stock of Iberville Bank for a purchase price of $31.1 million in cash (the “Iberville Bank Acquisition”).

 

Separately, the Company and The First entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “GCCB Merger Agreement,” and together with the Iberville Bank Acquisition Agreement, the “Bank Transaction Agreements”), dated October 12, 2016, pursuant to which it has agreed to acquire Iberville Bank Community Bank (“GCCB”), Pensacola, Florida, in an all-stock transaction (the “GCCB Merger,” and together with the Iberville Bank Acquisition, the “Bank Transactions”). The purchase price for the GCCB Merger of $2.3 million is based on a price of $0.50 per share of GCCB stock and will be paid in the form of Company common stock issued to GCCB shareholders with the number of Company shares issued based on a 30-day average of the Company’s common stock price as of five business days prior to closing.

 

On October 12, 2016 the Company entered into Securities Purchase Agreements with a limited number of institutional and other accredited investors, including certain directors of the Company (collectively the “Purchasers”) to privately place a total of 3,563,380 shares of mandatorily convertible non-cumulative, non-voting, perpetual Preferred Stock, Series E, $1.00 par value (the “Series E Preferred Stock”) at a price of $17.75 per share, for aggregate gross proceeds of $63.25 million (the “Private Offering”).

 

NOTE 13 – RECLASSIFICATION

 

Certain amounts in the 2015 financial statements have been reclassified for comparative purposes to conform to the current period financial statement presentation.

 

 

 

 

PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

ITEM NO. 2

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATION

 

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This Form 10-Q contains statements regarding the projected performance of The First Bancshares, Inc. and its subsidiary. These statements constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. Actual results may differ materially from the projections provided in this release since such projections involve significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Factors that might cause such differences include, but are not limited to: competitive pressures among financial institutions increasing significantly; economic conditions, either nationally or locally, in areas in which the Company conducts operations being less favorable than expected; and legislation or regulatory changes which adversely affect the ability of the combined Company to conduct business combinations or new operations. The Company disclaims any obligation to update such factors or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements included herein to reflect future events or developments. Further information on The First Bancshares, Inc. is available in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, available at the SEC’s website, http://www.sec.gov.

 

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

The Company’s financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. The financial information and disclosures contained within those statements are significantly impacted by Management’s estimates and judgments, which are based on historical experience and incorporate various assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under current circumstances. Actual results may differ from those estimates under divergent conditions.

 

Critical accounting policies are those that involve the most complex and subjective decisions and assessments, and have the greatest potential impact on the Company’s stated results of operations. In Management’s opinion, the Company’s critical accounting policies deal with the following areas: the establishment of the allowance for loan and lease losses, as explained in detail in Note 11 to the consolidated financial statements and in the “Provision for Loan and Lease Losses” and “Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses” sections of this discussion and analysis; the valuation of impaired loans and foreclosed assets, as discussed in Note 11 to the consolidated financial statements; income taxes and deferred tax assets and liabilities, especially with regard to the ability of the Company to recover deferred tax assets as discussed in the “Provision for Income Taxes” and “Other Assets” sections of this discussion and analysis; and goodwill and other intangible assets, which are evaluated annually for impairment and for which we have determined that no impairment exists, as discussed in the “Other Assets” section of this discussion and analysis. Critical accounting areas are evaluated on an ongoing basis to ensure that the Company’s financial statements incorporate our most recent expectations with regard to those areas.

 

 

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL CONDITION

 

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS SUMMARY

 

Third quarter 2016 compared to Third quarter 2015

 

The Company had a consolidated net income of $2,558,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2016, compared with consolidated net income of $2,227,000 for the same period last year.

 

Net interest income increased to $10.1 million from $9.3 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016, or an increase of 8.4% as compared to the same period in 2015. Quarterly average earning assets at September 30, 2016, increased $108.3 million, or 10.8% and quarterly average interest-bearing liabilities also increased $109.4 million or 13.4% when compared to September 30, 2015.

 

Noninterest income for the three months ended September 30, 2016, was $3,099,000 compared to $1,982,000 for the same period in 2015, reflecting an increase of $1,117,000 or 56.4%. This increase consisted mainly of increased mortgage income of $1,058,000 resulting from the acquisition of The Mortgage Connection, LLC in December 2015.

 

The provision for loan losses was $143,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2016 compared with $250,000 for the same period in 2015. The allowance for loan losses of $7.5 million at September 30, 2016 (approximately .87% of total loans and 1.06% of loans including valuation accounting adjustments on acquired loans) is considered by management to be adequate to cover losses inherent in the loan portfolio. The level of this allowance is dependent upon a number of factors, including the total amount of past due loans, general economic conditions, and management’s assessment of potential losses. This evaluation is inherently subjective as it requires estimates that are susceptible to significant change. Ultimately, losses may vary from current estimates and future additions to the allowance may be necessary.

 

Thus, there can be no assurance that charge-offs in future periods will not exceed the allowance for loan losses or that additional increases in the loan loss allowance will not be required. Management evaluates the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses quarterly and makes provisions for loan losses based on this evaluation.

 

Noninterest expense increased by $1,439,000 or 18.0% for the three months ended September 30, 2016, when compared with the same period in 2015. The largest increase was related to salaries and benefits of $1,017,000 of which $600,000 can be attributed to acquisition of The Mortgage Connection, LLC, as well as additional salaries and benefits related to the banking team in Mobile and the lender in Madison.

 

First Nine Months of 2016 compared to First Nine Months of 2015

 

The Company had a consolidated net income of $7,811,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, compared with consolidated net income of $6,441,000 for the same period last year.

 

Net interest income increased to $29.6 million from $27.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, or an increase of 8.1% as compared to the same period in 2015. Average earning assets at September 30, 2016, increased $77.6 million, or 7.6% and average interest-bearing liabilities also increased $86.7 million or 10.5% when compared to December 31, 2015.

 

Noninterest income for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, was $8,542,000 compared to $5,686,000 for the same period in 2015, reflecting an increase of $2,856,000 or 50.2%. This increase consists of $2,196,000 of increased mortgage income and increased service charges of $149,000 and a one-time gain on the conversion of our debit card provider of $260,000.

 

 

 

 

The provision for loan losses was $538,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, compared with $400,000 for the same period in 2015. The allowance for loan losses of $7.5 million at September 30, 2016 (approximately .87% of total loans and 1.06% of loans including valuation accounting adjustments on acquired loans) is considered by management to be adequate to cover losses inherent in the loan portfolio. The level of this allowance is dependent upon a number of factors, including the total amount of past due loans, general economic conditions, and management’s assessment of potential losses. This evaluation is inherently subjective as it requires estimates that are susceptible to significant change. Ultimately, losses may vary from current estimates and future additions to the allowance may be necessary.

 

Thus, there can be no assurance that charge-offs in future periods will not exceed the allowance for loan losses or that additional increases in the loan loss allowance will not be required. Management evaluates the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses quarterly and makes provisions for loan losses based on this evaluation.

 

Noninterest expense increased by $2.8 million or 11.9% for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, when compared with the same period in 2015. $2.3 million of the increase can be attributed to the salaries and benefits of The Mortgage Connection, LLC that was acquired in the fourth quarter of 2015 and the addition of the team in Mobile and the lender in Madison as well as the executive for Treasury Management.

 

FINANCIAL CONDITION

 

The First represents the primary asset of the Company. The First reported total assets of $1.3 billion at September 30, 2016, compared to $1.1 billion at December 31, 2015, an increase of $.2 billion. Loans increased $81.0 million, or 10.5%, during the first nine months of 2016. Deposits at September 30, 2016, totaled $1.1 billion compared to $916.7 million at December 31, 2015. For the nine month period ended September 30, 2016, The First reported net income of $8.7 million compared to $6.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2015.

 

NONPERFORMING ASSETS AND RISK ELEMENTS

 

Diversification within the loan portfolio is an important means of reducing inherent lending risks. At September 30, 2016, The First had no concentrations of ten percent or more of total loans in any single industry or any geographical area outside its immediate market areas.

 

At September 30, 2016, The First had loans past due as follows:

 

   ($ In Thousands) 
Past due 30 through 89 days  $2,062 
Past due 90 days or more and still accruing   420 

 

The accrual of interest is discontinued on loans which become ninety days past due (principal and/or interest), unless the loans are adequately secured and in the process of collection. Nonaccrual loans totaled $5.8 million at September 30, 2016, a decrease of $1.6 million from December 31, 2015. Any other real estate owned is carried at fair value, determined by an appraisal, less estimated costs to sell. Other real estate owned totaled $4.7 million at September 30, 2016. A loan is classified as a restructured loan when the following two conditions are present: First, the borrower is experiencing financial difficulty and second, the creditor grants a concession it would not otherwise consider but for the borrower’s financial difficulties. At September 30, 2016, the Bank had $6.7 million in loans that were modified as troubled debt restructurings, of which $2.9 million were performing as agreed with modified terms.

 

 

 

 

EARNINGS PERFORMANCE

 

The Company earns income from two primary sources. The first is net interest income, which is interest income generated by earning assets less interest expense on deposits and other borrowed money. The second is non-interest income, which primarily consists of customer service charges and fees as well as mortgage income but also comes from non-customer sources such as bank-owned life insurance. The majority of the Company’s non-interest expense is comprised of operating costs that facilitate offering a full range of banking services to our customers.

 

Net interest income AND NET INTEREST MARGIN

 

Net interest income increased by $780,000, or 8.4%, for the third quarter of 2016 relative to the third quarter of 2015, and by $2.2 million, or 8.1%, for the first nine months of 2016 compared to the first nine months of 2015. The level of net interest income we recognize in any given period depends on a combination of factors including the average volume and yield for interest-earning assets, the average volume and cost of interest-bearing liabilities, and the mix of products which comprise the Company’s earning assets, deposits, and other interest-bearing liabilities. Net interest income is also impacted by the reversal of interest for loans placed on non-accrual status during the reporting period, and the recovery of interest on loans that had been on non-accrual and were paid off, sold or returned to accrual status.

 

The following tables depict, for the periods indicated, certain information related to the average balance sheet and average yields on assets and average costs of liabilities. Such yields are derived by dividing income or expense by the average balance of the corresponding assets or liabilities. Average balances have been derived from daily averages.

 

Average Balances, Tax Equivalent Interest and Yields/Rates

 

   Three Months Ended   Three Months Ended 
   September 30, 2016   September 30, 2015 
       Tax           Tax     
   Avg.   Equivalent   Yield/   Avg.   Equivalent   Yield/ 
($ In Thousands)  Balance   interest   Rate   Balance   interest   Rate 
                         
Earning Assets:                              
Taxable securities  $177,154   $965    2.18%  $172,478   $976    2.26%
Tax exempt securities   77,073    704    3.65%   74,807    662    3.54%
Total investment securities   254,227    1,669    2.63%   247,285    1,638    2.65%
Fed funds sold   10,356    25    0.97%   5,502    13    .95%
Other   11,961    16    0.54%   20,613    25    0.49%
Loans   836,931    9,798    4.68%   731,818    8,629    4.72%
Total earning assets   1,113,475    11,508    4.13%   1,005,218    10,305    4.10%
Other assets   119,559              104,726           
Total assets  $1,233,034             $1,109,944           
Interest-bearing liabilities:                              
Deposits  $850,442   $962    0.45%  $759,939   $646    0.34%
Repo   5,000    49    3.92%   5,000    48    3.84%
Fed funds purchased   1,926    5    1.04%   661    2    1.21%
FHLB   55,337    106    0.77%   37,716    50    0.53%
Subordinated debentures   10,310    80    3.10%   10,310    47    1.82%
Total interest- bearing liabilities   923,015    1,202    0.52%   813,626    793    0.39%
Other liabilities   198,889              197,150           
Stockholders' equity   111,130              99,168           
Total liabilities and  stockholders’ equity  $1,233,034             $1,109,944           
Net interest income (TE)       $10,306    3.61%       $9,512    3.71%
                               
Net interest margin             3.70%             3.79%

 

 

 

 

Average Balances, Tax Equivalent Interest and Yields/Rates

 

   Nine Months Ended   Twelve Months Ended 
   September 30, 2016   December 31, 2015 
       Tax           Tax     
   Avg.   Equivalent   Yield/   Avg.   Equivalent   Yield/ 
($ In Thousands)  Balance   Interest   Rate   Balance   Interest   Rate 
                         
Earning Assets:                              
Taxable securities  $184,313   $3,055    2.21%  $178,151   $3,949    2.22%
Tax-exempt securities   77,385    2,118    3.65%   78,311    2,810    3.59%
Total investment securities   261,698    5,173    2.64%   256,462    6,759    2.64%
Federal funds sold   2,377    82    4.60%   24,582    64    0.26%
Other   23,626    56    0.32%   7,585    93    1.23%
Loans   808,821    28,146    4.64%   730,326    34,242    4.69%
Total earning assets  $1,096,522   $33,457    4.07%  $1,018,955   $41,158    4.04%
                               
Other   116,252              103,237           
Total assets  $1,212,774             $1,122,192           
Interest-bearing liabilities:                              
Deposits  $824,065   $2,476    0.40%  $752,716   $2,563    0.34%
Repo   5,000    145    3.87%   5,000    194    3.88%
Fed funds purchased   1,867    15    1.07%   698    11    1.58%
FHLB   68,170    342    0.67%   53,984    256    0.47%
Subordinated  Debentures   10,310    162    2.10%   10,310    185    1.79%
Total interest- bearing liabilities   909,412    3,140    0.46%   822,708    3,209    0.39%
Other liabilities   196,289              200,878           
Stockholders' equity   107,073              98,606           
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity  $1,212,774             $1,122,192           
Net interest income (TE)       $30,317    3.61%       $37,949    3.65%
                               
Net interest margin             3.69%             3.72%

 

 

 

 

Interest Rate Sensitivity – September 30, 2016

 

   Net Interest
Income@ Risk
   Market Value of Equity 
Change in
Interest
Rates
  % Change
from Base
   Policy Limit   % Change
from Base
   Policy Limit 
                 
Up 400 bps   12.7%   -20%   44.1%   -40.00%
Up 300 bps   9.6%   -15%   35.8%   -30.00%
Up 200 bps   6.4%   -10%   25.9%   -20.00%
Up 100 bps   3.0%   -5%   14.1%   -10.00%
Down 100 bps   2.9%   -5%   3.9%   -10.00%
Down 200 bps   4.6%   -10%   0.8%   -20.00%

 

 

 

 

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

 

Liquidity is adequate with cash and cash equivalents of $70.1 million as of September 30, 2016. In addition, loans and investment securities repricing or maturing within one year or less is approximately $242 million at September 30, 2016. Approximately $194.3 million in loan commitments could fund within the next three months and other commitments, primarily standby letters of credit, totaled $2.0 million at September 30, 2016.

 

There are no known trends or any known commitments or uncertainties that will result in The First’s liquidity increasing or decreasing in a significant way.

 

Total consolidated equity capital at September 30, 2016, was $112.7 million, or approximately 8.9% of total assets. The Company currently has adequate capital positions to meet the minimum capital requirements for all regulatory agencies. The Company’s capital ratios as of September 30, 2016, were as follows:

 

Tier 1 leverage   8.53%
Tier 1 risk-based   10.47%
Total risk-based   11.23%
Common equity Tier 1   7.81%

 

On June 30, 2006, The Company issued $4,124,000 of floating rate junior subordinated deferrable interest debentures to The First Bancshares Statutory Trust 2 in which the Company owns all of the common equity. The debentures are the sole asset of the Trust. The Trust issued $4,000,000 of Trust Preferred Securities (TPSs) to investors. The Company’s obligations under the debentures and related documents, taken together, constitute a full and unconditional guarantee by the Company of the Trust’s obligations under the preferred securities. The preferred securities are redeemable by the Company at its option. The preferred securities must be redeemed upon maturity of the debentures in 2036. Interest on the preferred securities is the three month London Interbank Offer Rate (LIBOR) plus 1.65% and is payable quarterly. The terms of the subordinated debentures are identical to those of the preferred securities. On July 27, 2007, The Company issued $6,186,000 of floating rate junior subordinated deferrable interest debentures to The First Bancshares Statutory Trust 3 in which the Company owns all of the common equity. The debentures are the sole asset of Trust 3. The Trust issued $6,000,000 of Trust Preferred Securities (TPSs) to investors. The Company’s obligations under the debentures and related documents, taken together, constitute a full and unconditional guarantee by the Company of the Trust’s obligations under the preferred securities. The preferred securities are redeemable by the Company at its option. The preferred securities must be redeemed upon maturity of the debentures in 2037. Interest on the preferred securities is the three month LIBOR plus 1.40% and is payable quarterly. The terms of the subordinated debentures are identical to those of the preferred securities. In accordance with the authoritative guidance, the trusts are not included in the consolidated financial statements.

 

PROVISION FOR LOAN AND LEASE LOSSES

 

The Company has developed policies and procedures for evaluating the overall quality of its credit portfolio and the timely identification of potential problem loans. Management’s judgment as to the adequacy of the allowance is based upon a number of assumptions which it believes to be reasonable, but which may not prove to be accurate, particularly given the Company’s growth and the economy. Thus, there can be no assurance that charge-offs in future periods will not exceed the allowance for loan losses or that additional increases in the loan loss allowance will not be required.

 

 

 

 

The Company’s allowance consists of two parts. The first part is determined in accordance with authoritative guidance regarding contingencies. The Company’s determination of this part of the allowance is based upon quantitative and qualitative factors. A loan loss history based upon more than 72 months of loss history is utilized in determining the appropriate allowance. Historical loss factors are determined by risk rated loans by loan type. These historical loss factors are applied to the loans by loan type to determine an indicated allowance. The loss factors of peer groups are considered in the determination of the allowance and are used to assist in the establishment of a long-term loss history for areas in which this data is unavailable and incorporated into the qualitative factors to be considered. The historical loss factors may also be modified based upon other qualitative factors including but not limited to local and national economic conditions, trends of delinquent loans, changes in lending policies and underwriting standards, concentrations, and management’s knowledge of the loan portfolio. These factors require judgment upon the part of management and are based upon state and national economic reports received from various institutions and agencies including the Federal Reserve Bank, United States Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, meetings with the Company’s loan officers and loan committee, and data and guidance received or obtained from the Company’s regulatory authorities.

 

The second part of the allowance is determined in accordance with authoritative guidance regarding loan impairment. Impaired loans are determined based upon a review by internal loan review and senior management.

 

The sum of the two parts constitutes management’s best estimate of an appropriate allowance for loan losses. When the estimated allowance is determined, it is presented to the Company’s audit committee for review and approval on a quarterly basis.

 

A loan is considered impaired when, based on current information and events, it is probable that the Company will be unable to collect the scheduled payments of principal or interest when due according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement. Factors considered by management in determining impairment include payment status, collateral value, and the probability of collecting scheduled principal and interest payments when due. Loans that experience insignificant payment delays and payment shortfalls generally are not classified as impaired. Management determines the significance of payment delays and payment shortfalls on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration all of the circumstances surrounding the loan and the borrower, including the length of the delay, the reasons for the delay, the borrower’s prior payment record, and the amount of the shortfall in relation to the principal and interest owed.

 

Impairment is measured on a loan by loan basis, and a specific allowance is assigned to each loan determined to be impaired. Impaired loans not deemed collateral dependent are analyzed according to the ultimate repayment source, whether that is cash flow from the borrower, guarantor or some other source of repayment. Impaired loans are deemed collateral dependent if, in the Company’s opinion, the ultimate source of repayment will be generated from the liquidation of collateral.

 

The Company discontinues accrual of interest on loans when management believes, after considering economic and business conditions and collection efforts, that a borrower’s financial condition is such that the collection of interest is doubtful. Generally, the Company will place a delinquent loan in nonaccrual status when the loan becomes 90 days or more past due. At the time a loan is placed in nonaccrual status, all interest which has been accrued on the loan but remains unpaid is reversed and deducted from earnings as a reduction of reported interest income. No additional interest is accrued on the loan balance until the collection of both principal and interest becomes reasonably certain.

 

 

 

 

NON-INTEREST INCOME AND NON-INTEREST EXPENSE

 

The following table provides details on the Company’s non-interest income and non-interest expense for the three-month and nine month periods ended September 30, 2016 and 2015:

 

($ In Thousands)

  Three Months Ended       Nine Months Ended     
EARNINGS STATEMENT  9/30/16   % of
Total
   9/30/15   % of
Total
   9/30/16   % of
Total
   9/30/15   % of
Total
 
Non-interest  income:                                        
Service charges on deposit accounts  $606    19.6%  $737    37.2%  $1,847    21.6%  $1,896    33.3%
Mortgage income   1,399    45.1%   341    17.2%   3,228    37.8%   1,032    18.2%
Interchange fee income   666    21.5%   611    30.8%   1,991    23.3%   1,794    31.6%
Gain (loss) on securities, net   -    -    -    -    129    1.5%   -    - 
Gain on sale of  premises and equipment   -    -    -    -    -    -    110    1.9%
Other charges and  fees   428    13.8%   293    14.8%   1,347    15.8%   854    15.0%
Total non-interest income  $3,099    100%  $1,982    100%  $8,542    100%  $5,686    100%
                                         
Non-interest expense:                                        
Salaries and employee benefits  $5,645    60.0%  $4,628    58.0%  $16,194    60.5%  $13,867    58.1%
Occupancy expense   1,209    12.8%   1,136    14.2%   3,392    12.7%   3,382    14.1%
FDIC premiums   254    2.7%   241    3.0%   755    2.8%   723    3.0%
Marketing   76    .8%   64    .8%   280    1.1%   287    1.2%
Amortization of core deposit intangibles   100    1.1%   100    1.3%   294    1.1%   300    1.3%
Other professional services   461    4.9%   318    4.0%   1,013    3.8%   955    4.0%
Other non-interest expense   1,671    17.7%   1,490    18.7%   4,802    18.0%   4,373    18.3%
Total non-interest expense  $9,416    100%  $7,977    100%  $26,730    100%  $23,887    100%

 

Noninterest income increased $1.1 million in quarterly comparison mainly consisting of increases in mortgage income of $1.0 million. Third quarter 2016 noninterest expenses increased $1.4 million, or 18.0% as compared to third quarter 2015. The largest increase in noninterest expenses was related to salaries and benefits of $1.0 million of which $0.6 million can be attributed to acquisition of The Mortgage Connection, LLC in December 2015 as well as additional salaries and benefits related to the banking teams in Mobile and Madison along with Treasury Management personnel.

 

Noninterest income increased $2.9 million in year-over-year comparison mainly consisting of increases in mortgage income of $2.2 million. Noninterest expenses increased $2.8 million in year-over-year comparison consisting of increases in salaries and benefits of $2.3 million relating to the acquisition of The Mortgage Connection, LLC as well as salaries and benefits related to the lending teams in Madison and Mobile along with the executive for Treasury Management.

 

 

 

 

PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES

 

The Company sets aside a provision for income taxes on a monthly basis. The amount of that provision is determined by first applying the Company’s statutory income tax rates to estimated taxable income, which is pre-tax book income adjusted for permanent differences, and then subtracting available tax credits if applicable. Permanent differences include but are not limited to tax-exempt interest income, BOLI income, and certain book expenses that are not allowed as tax deductions.

 

The Company’s provision for income taxes was $3.1 million as of September 30, 2016 relative to $2.3 million as of September 30, 2015. The higher tax provisioning for the first nine months comparison is the result of an increase in pre-tax income.

 

BALANCE SHEET ANALYSIS

EARNING ASSETS

 

The Company’s interest-earning assets are comprised of investments and loans, and the composition, growth characteristics, and credit quality of both are significant determinants of the Company’s financial condition. Investments are analyzed in the section immediately below, while the loan and lease portfolio and other factors affecting earning assets are discussed in the sections following investments.

 

INVESTMENTS

 

The Company’s investments can at any given time consist of debt securities and marketable equity securities (together, the “investment portfolio”), investments in the time deposits of other banks, surplus interest-earning balances in our Federal Reserve Bank (“FRB”) account, and overnight fed funds sold. Surplus FRB balances and fed funds sold to correspondent banks represent the temporary investment of excess liquidity. The Company’s investments serve several purposes: 1) they provide liquidity to even out cash flows from the loan and deposit activities of customers; 2) they provide a source of pledged assets for securing public deposits, bankruptcy deposits and certain borrowed funds which require collateral; 3) they constitute a large base of assets with maturity and interest rate characteristics that can be changed more readily than the loan portfolio, to better match changes in the deposit base and other funding sources of the Company; 4) they are another interest-earning option for surplus funds when loan demand is light; and 5) they can provide partially tax exempt income. Total securities excluding other securities totaled $242.2 million, or 19.1% of total assets at September 30, 2016, compared to $246.8 million, or 21.6% of total assets at December 31, 2015.

 

We had $2.4 million of fed funds sold at September 30, 2016 and $0.3 million of fed funds sold at December 31, 2015; and interest-bearing balances at other banks increased to $19.8 million at September 30, 2016 from $17.3 million at December 31, 2015 primarily due to an increase in our Federal Reserve Bank account. The Company’s investment portfolio remained steady with a total fair value of $244.0 million at September 30, 2016, reflecting a decrease of $4.3 million, or 1.7%, for the first nine months of 2016. The Company carries investments at their fair market values. The Company holds a small amount of “held-to-maturity” investments with a fair market value of $7.8 million at September 30, 2016 as compared to $8.5 million at December 31, 2015. All other investment securities are classified as “available for sale” to allow maximum flexibility with regard to interest rate risk and liquidity management.

 

Refer to table shown in NOTE 10 - SECURITIES for information on the Company’s amortized cost and fair market value of its investment portfolio by investment type.

 

 

 

 

LOAN AND LEASE PORTFOLIO

 

The Company’s loans and leases, gross of the associated allowance for losses and deferred fees and origination costs, and including loans held for sale, totaled $863.8 million at September 30, 2016, an increase of $87.3 million, or 11.2%, since December 31, 2015. With an increase of $84.5 million in the Real Estate category, the real estate-commercial portfolio had the largest area of growth of $54.7 million. At September 30, 2016, the company had direct energy related loans of $19.4 million, representing 2.3% of the total loan portfolio. A majority of the outstanding are secured by marine assets that operate in the Gulf of Mexico, which are under term contracts to major operators tied primarily to oil and gas production.

 

A distribution of the Company’s loans showing the balance and percentage of loans by type is presented for the noted periods in the table below. The balances shown are before deferred or unamortized loan origination, extension, or commitment fees, and deferred origination costs.

 

The following table shows the composition of the loan portfolio by category:

 

Composition of Loan Portfolio

 

   Sept. 30, 2016   December 31, 2015 
   Amount   Percent
of
Total
   Amount  

Percent
of
Total

 
   ($ In Thousands) 
Mortgage loans held for sale  $9,437    1.1%  $3,974    0.5%
Commercial, financial and agricultural   121,963    14.1    129,197    16.6 
Real Estate:                  
Mortgage-commercial   307,963    35.7    253,309    32.6 
Mortgage-residential   296,587    34.3    272,180    35.1 
Construction   104,644    12.1    99,161    12.8 
Lease financing receivable   2,211    0.3    2,650    0.3 
Obligations of states and subdivisions   6,861    0.8    969    0.1 
Consumer and other   14,137    1.6    15,049    2.0 
Total loans   863,803    100%   776,489    100%
Allowance for loan losses   (7,481)        (6,747)     
Net loans  $856,322        $769,742      

 

In the context of this discussion, a "real estate mortgage loan" is defined as any loan, other than a loan for construction purposes, secured by real estate, regardless of the purpose of the loan. The Company follows the common practice of financial institutions in the Company’s market area of obtaining a security interest in real estate whenever possible, in addition to any other available collateral. This collateral is taken to reinforce the likelihood of the ultimate repayment of the loan and tends to increase the magnitude of the real estate loan portfolio component. Generally, the Company limits its loan-to-value ratio to 80%. Management attempts to maintain a conservative philosophy regarding its underwriting guidelines and believes it will reduce the risk elements of its loan portfolio through strategies that diversify the lending mix.

 

Loans held for sale consist of mortgage loans originated by the Bank and sold into the secondary market. Commitments from investors to purchase the loans are obtained upon origination.

 

NONPERFORMING ASSETS

 

Nonperforming assets are comprised of loans for which the Company is no longer accruing interest, and foreclosed assets including mobile homes and OREO. If the Company grants a concession to a borrower in financial difficulty, the loan falls into the category of a troubled debt restructuring (“TDR”). TDRs may be classified as either nonperforming or performing loans depending on their accrual status. The following table presents comparative data for the Company’s nonperforming assets and performing TDRs as of the dates noted:

 

 

 

 

Nonperforming assets totaled $10.5 million at September 30, 2016, remaining constant compared to $10.5 million at December 31, 2015. The ALLL/total loans ratio was .87% at September 30, 2016 and .87% at December 31, 2015. Including valuation accounting adjustments on acquired loans, the total valuation plus ALLL was 1.06% of loans at September 30, 2016. The ratio of annualized net charge-offs (recoveries) to total loans was (0.04)% for the quarter ended September 30, 2016 compared to (0.04)% for the quarter ended September 30, 2015. As noted in our first quarter 2015 10-Q, the Company had been notified that a recovery of $941,000 was more likely than not expected during 2015. We received the first installment during the second quarter of 2015 which totaled $481,000 and the second installment during the third quarter of 2015 which totaled $241,000. The remaining balance of $219,000 is expected to be received in 2016.

 

Nonperforming Assets and Performing Troubled Debt Restructurings

($ In Thousands)

 

NON-ACCRUAL LOANS 

   09/30/16   12/31/15   09/30/15 
Real Estate:               
1-4 family residential construction  $-   $-   $578 
Other construction/land   2,788    2,956    2,665 
1-4 family residential revolving/open-end   317    327    331 
1-4 family residential closed-end   1,652    1,728    1,811 
Nonfarm, nonresidential, owner-occupied   598    1,853    2,043 
Nonfarm, nonresidential, other nonfarm nonresidential   336    372    382 
TOTAL REAL ESTATE   5,691    7,236    7,810 
Commercial and industrial   72    100    106 
Loans to individuals - other   36    32    33 
TOTAL NON-ACCRUAL LOANS   5,799    7,368    7,949 
Other real estate owned   4,670    3,083    4,104 
TOTAL NON-PERFORMING ASSETS  $10,469   $10,451   $12,053 
Performing TDRs  $2,903   $2,758   $2,883 
                
Total non-performing assets as a % of total loans & leases net of unearned income   1.21%   1.35%   1.61%
Total non-accrual loans as a % of total loans & leases net of unearned income   0.67%   0.95%   1.06%

 

ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN AND LEASE LOSSES

 

The allowance for loan and lease losses, a contra-asset, is established through a provision for loan and lease losses. It is maintained at a level that is considered adequate to absorb probable incurred losses inherent in the remaining loan portfolio. Specifically identifiable and quantifiable losses are immediately charged off against the allowance; recoveries are generally recorded only when sufficient cash payments are received subsequent to the charge off.

 

 

 

 

The table that follows summarizes the activity in the allowance for loan and lease losses for the noted periods:

 

Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses

($ In Thousands)

 

   3 months
ended
   3 months
ended
   9 months
ended
   9 months
ended
   For the
Year
Ended
 
   9/30/16    9/30/15    9/30/16    9/30/15    12/31/15 
Balances:                         
Average gross loans & leases outstanding during period:  $836,931   $731,818   $808,821   $721,325   $730,326 
Gross Loans & leases outstanding at end of period   863,803    747,646    863,803    747,646    776,489 
                          
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses:                         
Balance at beginning of period   7,259    6,419    6,747    6,095    6,095 
Provision charged to expense   143    250    538    400    410 
Charge-offs:                         
Real Estate-                         
1-4 family residential construction   -    -    -    -    74 
Other construction/land   -    50    67    50    88 
1-4 family revolving, open-ended   -    8    -    8    8 
1-4 family closed-end   130    -    219    349    364 
Nonfarm, nonresidential, owner-occupied   -    -    -    -    - 
Total Real Estate   130    58    286    407    534 
Commercial and industrial   -    183    6    183    183 
Credit cards   -    -    1    -    - 
Automobile loans   20    5    29    24    31 
Loans to individuals - other   -    -    -    -    - 
All other loans   6    19    25    63    95 
Total   156    265    347    677    843 
                          
Recoveries:                         
Real Estate-                         
1-4 family residential construction   -    -    -    -    - 
Other construction/land   108    21    191    40    63 
1-4 family revolving, open-ended   3    4    17    8    9 
1-4 family closed-end   105    267    194    790    818 
Nonfarm, nonresidential, owner-occupied   1    4    6    11    15 
Total Real Estate   217    296    408    849    905 
Commercial and industrial   3    2    83    11    99 
Credit cards   1    1    1    2    2 
Automobile loans   -    -    1    -    1 
Loans to individuals - other   5    12    10    13    14 
All other loans   9    19    40    41    64 
Total   235    330    543    916    1,085 
Net loan charge offs (recoveries)   (79)   (65)   (196)   (239)   (242)
Balance at end of period  $7,481   $6,734   $7,481   $6,734   $6,747 
                          
RATIOS                         
                          
Net Charge-offs (recoveries) to  average Loans & Leases(annualized)   (0.04)%   (0.04)%   (0.03)%   (0.04)%   (0.03)%
Allowance for Loan Losses to  gross Loans & Leases at end of period   0.87%   0.90%   0.87%   0.90%   0.87%
Net Loan Charge-offs (recoveries) to   provision for loan losses   (55.24)%   (26.0)%   (36.43)%   (59.75)%   (59.02)%

 

 

 

 

OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENTS

 

The Company maintains commitments to extend credit in the normal course of business, as long as there are no violations of conditions established in the outstanding contractual arrangements. Unused commitments to extend credit totaled $194.3 million at September 30, 2016 and $144.1 million at December 31, 2015, although it is not likely that all of those commitments will ultimately be drawn down. Unused commitments represented approximately 22.5% of gross loans outstanding at September 30, 2016 and 18.5% at December 31, 2015, with the increase due in part to higher commitments in commercial and industrial loans. The Company also had undrawn letters of credit issued to customers totaling $2.0 million at September 30, 2016 and $1.1 million at December 31, 2015. The effect on the Company’s revenues, expenses, cash flows and liquidity from the unused portion of the commitments to provide credit cannot be reasonably predicted because there is no guarantee that the lines of credit will ever be used. However, the “Liquidity” section in this Form 10-Q outlines resources available to draw upon should we be required to fund a significant portion of unused commitments. For more information regarding the Company’s off-balance sheet arrangements, see NOTE 8 to the financial statements located elsewhere herein.

 

In addition to unused commitments to provide credit, the Company is utilizing a $84 million letter of credit issued by the Federal Home Loan Bank on the Company’s behalf as security for certain deposits as of September 30, 2016. That letter of credit is backed by loans which are pledged to the FHLB by the Company.

 

OTHER ASSETS

 

The Company’s balance of non-interest earning cash and due from banks was $48.0 million at September 30, 2016 and $23.6 million at December 31, 2015. The balance of cash and due from banks depends on the timing of collection of outstanding cash items (checks), the level of cash maintained on hand at our branches, and our reserve requirement among other things, and is subject to significant fluctuation in the normal course of business. While cash flows are normally predictable within limits, those limits are fairly broad and the Company manages its short-term cash position through the utilization of overnight loans to and borrowings from correspondent banks, including the Federal Reserve Bank and the Federal Home Loan Bank. Should a large “short” overnight position persist for any length of time, the Company typically raises money through focused retail deposit gathering efforts or by adding brokered time deposits. If a “long” position is prevalent, the Company will let brokered deposits or other wholesale borrowings roll off as they mature, or might invest excess liquidity in higher-yielding, longer-term bonds.

 

 

 

 

The Company’s net premises and equipment at September 30, 2016 was $33.4 million and $33.6 million at December 31, 2015; the result being a decrease of $196,000, or 0.6% for the first nine months of 2016. In the second quarter of 2016, the Company purchased $5.9 million in life insurance, thereby creating a balance of $21.1 million at September 30, 2016. Bank-owned life insurance is also discussed above in the “Non-Interest Income and Non-Interest Expense” section. Goodwill did not change during the period, ending the first nine months of 2016 with a balance of $13.8 million, but other intangible assets, namely the Company’s core deposit intangible, decreased by $294,000 due to amortization. The Company’s goodwill and other intangible assets are evaluated annually for potential impairment, and pursuant to that analysis Management has determined that no impairment exists as of September 30, 2016.

 

Other real estate increased $1.6 million, or 51.5% during the first nine months of 2016. Total equity securities increased $1.4 million due primarily to an increase in FHLB stock.

 

DEPOSITS AND INTEREST BEARING LIABILITIES

DEPOSITS

 

Deposits are another key balance sheet component impacting the Company’s net interest margin and other profitability metrics. Deposits provide liquidity to fund growth in earning assets, and the Company’s net interest margin is improved to the extent that growth in deposits is concentrated in less volatile and typically less costly non-maturity deposits such as demand deposit accounts, NOW accounts, savings accounts, and money market demand accounts. Information concerning average balances and rates paid by deposit type for the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 is included in the Average Balances and Rates tables appearing above, in the section titled “Net Interest Income and Net Interest Margin.” A distribution of the Company’s deposits showing the balance and percentage of total deposits by type is presented for the noted periods in the following table.

 

Deposit Distribution

($ In Thousands)  Sept. 30, 2016   December 31, 2015 
Non-interest bearing demand deposits  $196,786   $189,445 
NOW accounts and Other   465,404    373,687 
Money Market / Savings   187,228    174,090 
Time Deposits of less than $100,000   78,785    73,865 
Time Deposits of $100,000 or more   143,586    105,608 
Total deposits  $1,071,789   $916,695 
           
Percentage of Total Deposits          
Non-interest bearing demand deposits   18.4%   20.7%
NOW accounts and other   43.4%   40.8%
Money Market / Savings   17.5%   19.0%
Time Deposits of less than $100,000   7.4%   8.0%
Time Deposits of $100,000 or more   13.3%   11.5%
Total   100.00%   100.00%

 

 

 

 

OTHER INTEREST-BEARING LIABILITIES

 

The Company’s non-deposit borrowings may, at any given time, include fed funds purchased from correspondent banks, borrowings from the Federal Home Loan Bank, advances from the Federal Reserve Bank, securities sold under agreement to repurchase, and/or junior subordinated debentures. The Company uses short-term FHLB advances and fed funds purchased on uncommitted lines to support liquidity needs created by seasonal deposit flows, to temporarily satisfy funding needs from increased loan demand, and for other short-term purposes. The FHLB line is committed, but the amount of available credit depends on the level of pledged collateral.

 

Total non-deposit interest-bearing liabilities decreased by $42.3 million, or 35.1%, in the first nine months of 2016, due to a reduction in notes payable to the Federal Home Loan Bank and fed funds purchased. We had no overnight fed funds purchased at September 30, 2016, relative to $5.3 million in fed funds purchased at December 31, 2015. Repurchase agreements remained unchanged for both periods at $5 million. The Company had junior subordinated debentures totaling $10.3 million at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, in the form of long-term borrowings from trust subsidiaries formed specifically to issue trust preferred securities.

 

OTHER NON-INTEREST BEARING LIABILITIES

 

Other liabilities are principally comprised of accrued interest payable and other accrued but unpaid expenses. Other liabilities declined by $517,000, or 12.5%, during the first nine months of 2016, due to the reduction in other accrued but unpaid expenses.

 

liquidity and market RisK MANAGEMENT

 

LIQUIDITY

 

Liquidity management refers to the Company’s ability to maintain cash flows that are adequate to fund operations and meet other obligations and commitments in a timely and cost-effective manner. Detailed cash flow projections are reviewed by Management on a monthly basis, with various scenarios applied to assess our ability to meet liquidity needs under adverse conditions. Liquidity ratios are also calculated and reviewed on a regular basis. While those ratios are merely indicators and are not measures of actual liquidity, they are closely monitored and we are focused on maintaining adequate liquidity resources to draw upon should unexpected needs arise.

 

The Company, on occasion, experiences cash needs as the result of loan growth, deposit outflows, asset purchases or liability repayments. To meet short-term needs, the Company can borrow overnight funds from other financial institutions, draw advances via Federal Home Loan Bank lines of credit, or solicit brokered deposits if deposits are not immediately obtainable from local sources. The net availability on lines of credit from the FHLB totaled $240.6 million at September 30, 2016. Furthermore, funds can be obtained by drawing down the Company’s correspondent bank deposit accounts, or by liquidating unpledged investments or other readily saleable assets. In addition, the Company can raise immediate cash for temporary needs by selling under agreement to repurchase those investments in its portfolio which are not pledged as collateral. As of September 30, 2016, the market value of unpledged debt securities plus pledged securities in excess of current pledging requirements comprised $98.6 million of the Company’s investment balances, compared to $66 million at December 31, 2015. The increase in unpledged debt from September 2016 compared to December 2015 is primarily due to an increase in letters of credit utilized for pledging purposes. Other forms of balance sheet liquidity include but are not necessarily limited to any outstanding fed funds sold and vault cash. The Company has a higher level of actual balance sheet liquidity than might otherwise be the case, since we utilize a letter of credit from the FHLB rather than investment securities for certain pledging requirements. That letter of credit, which is backed by loans that are pledged to the FHLB by the Company, totaled $84.0 million at September 30, 2016. Management is of the opinion that available investments and other potentially liquid assets, along with the standby funding sources it has arranged, are more than sufficient to meet the Company’s current and anticipated short-term liquidity needs.

 

 

 

 

The Company’s liquidity ratio as of September 30, 2016 was 14.46%, as compared to internal policy guidelines of 10% minimum. Other liquidity ratios reviewed include the following along with policy guidelines:

 

   Sept. 30, 2016   Policy
Maximum
    
Loans to Deposits (including FHLB advances)   74.69%   90.00%  In Policy
Net Non-core Funding Dependency Ratio   9.91%   20.00%  In Policy
Fed Funds Purchased / Total Assets   0.39%   10.00%  In Policy
FHLB Advances / Total Assets   5.06%   20.00%  In Policy
FRB Advances / Total Assets   0.00%   10.00%  In Policy
Pledged Securities to Total Securities   68.73%   90.00%  In Policy

 

Continued growth in core deposits and relatively high levels of potentially liquid investments have had a positive impact on our liquidity position in recent periods, but no assurance can be provided that our liquidity will continue at current robust levels.

 

The holding company’s primary uses of funds are ordinary operating expenses and stockholder dividends, and its primary source of funds is dividends from the Bank since the holding company does not conduct regular banking operations. Management anticipates that the Bank will have sufficient earnings to provide dividends to the holding company to meet its funding requirements for the foreseeable future. Both the holding company and the Bank are subject to legal and regulatory limitations on dividend payments, as outlined in Item 5(c) Dividends in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 which was filed with the SEC.

 

INTEREST RATE RISK MANAGEMENT

 

Market risk arises from changes in interest rates, exchange rates, commodity prices and equity prices. The Company does not engage in the trading of financial instruments, nor does it have exposure to currency exchange rates. Our market risk exposure is primarily that of interest rate risk, and we have established policies and procedures to monitor and limit our earnings and balance sheet exposure to changes in interest rates. The principal objective of interest rate risk management is to manage the financial components of the Company’s balance sheet in a manner that will optimize the risk/reward equation for earnings and capital under a variety of interest rate scenarios.

 

To identify areas of potential exposure to interest rate changes, we utilize commercially available modeling software to perform earnings simulations and calculate the Company’s market value of portfolio equity under varying interest rate scenarios every month. The model imports relevant information for the Company’s financial instruments and incorporates Management’s assumptions on pricing, duration, and optionality for anticipated new volumes. Various rate scenarios consisting of key rate and yield curve projections are then applied in order to calculate the expected effect of a given interest rate change on interest income, interest expense, and the value of the Company’s financial instruments. The rate projections can be shocked (an immediate and parallel change in all base rates, up or down), ramped (an incremental increase or decrease in rates over a specified time period), economic (based on current trends and econometric models) or stable (unchanged from current actual levels).

 

 

 

 

We use seven standard interest rate scenarios in conducting our 12-month net interest income simulations: “static,” upward shocks of 100, 200, 300 and 400 basis points, and downward shocks of 100, and 200 basis points. Pursuant to policy guidelines, we typically attempt to limit the projected decline in net interest income relative to the stable rate scenario to no more than 5% for a 100 basis point (bp) interest rate shock, 10% for a 200 bp shock, 15% for a 300 bp shock, and 20% for a 400 bp shock. As of September 30, 2016 the Company had the following estimated net interest income sensitivity profile, without factoring in any potential negative impact on spreads resulting from competitive pressures or credit quality deterioration:

 

September 30, 2016  Net Interest Income at Risk 
($ In Thousands)  -200 bp   -100 bp   STATIC   +100 bp   +200 bp   +300 bp   +400 bp 
Net Interest Income   35,804    36,395    37,348    37,801    38,398    38,933    39,422 
Dollar Change   -1,544    -953    -    453    1,050    1,585    2,074 
NII @ Risk - Sensitivity Y1   -4.13%   -2.55%   -    1.21%   2.81%   4.25%   5.55%

 

If there were an immediate and sustained downward adjustment of 200 basis points in interest rates, all else being equal, net interest income over the next twelve months would likely be around $1.5 million lower than in a stable interest rate scenario, for a negative variance of 4.13%. The unfavorable variance increases if rates were to drop below 200 basis points, due to the fact that certain deposit rates are already relatively low (on NOW accounts and savings accounts, for example), and will hit a natural floor of close to zero while non-floored variable-rate loan yields continue to drop. This effect is exacerbated by accelerated prepayments on fixed-rate loans and mortgage-backed securities when rates decline, although rate floors on some of our variable-rate loans partially offset other negative pressures. While we view further interest rate reductions as highly unlikely, the potential percentage drop in net interest income exceeds our internal policy guidelines in declining interest rate scenarios and we will continue to monitor our interest rate risk profile and take corrective action as deemed appropriate.

 

Net interest income would likely improve by $1.0 million, or 2.81%, if interest rates were to increase by 200 basis points relative to a stable interest rate scenario, with the favorable variance expanding the higher interest rates rise. The initial increase in rising rate scenarios will be limited to some extent by the fact that some of our variable-rate loans are currently at rate floors, resulting in a re-pricing lag while base rates are increasing to floored levels, but the Company still appears well-positioned to benefit from a material upward shift in the yield curve.

 

The Company’s one year cumulative GAP ratio is approximately 178.94%, which means that there are more assets repricing than liabilities within the first year. The Company is “asset-sensitive.” These results are based on cash flows from assumptions of assets and liabilities that reprice (maturities, likely calls, prepayments, etc.) Typically, the net interest income of asset-sensitive companies should improve with rising rates and decrease with declining rates.

 

 

 

 

In addition to the net interest income simulations shown above, we run stress scenarios modeling the possibility of no balance sheet growth, the potential runoff of “surge” core deposits which flowed into the Company in the most recent economic cycle, and potential unfavorable movement in deposit rates relative to yields on earning assets. Even though net interest income will naturally be lower with no balance sheet growth, the rate-driven variances projected for net interest income in a static growth environment are similar to the changes noted above for our standard projections. When a greater level of non-maturity deposit runoff is assumed or unfavorable deposit rate changes are factored into the model, projected net interest income in declining rate and flat rate scenarios does not change materially relative to standard growth projections. However, the benefit we would otherwise experience in rising rate scenarios is minimized and net interest income remains relatively flat.

 

The economic value (or “fair value”) of financial instruments on the Company’s balance sheet will also vary under the interest rate scenarios previously discussed. The difference between the projected fair value of the Company’s financial assets and the fair value of its financial liabilities is referred to as the economic value of equity (“EVE”), and changes in EVE under different interest rate scenarios are effectively a gauge of the Company’s longer-term exposure to interest rate risk. Fair values for financial instruments are estimated by discounting projected cash flows (principal and interest) at projected replacement interest rates for each account type, while the fair value of non-financial accounts is assumed to equal their book value for all rate scenarios. An economic value simulation is a static measure utilizing balance sheet accounts at a given point in time, and the measurement can change substantially over time as the characteristics of the Company’s balance sheet evolve and interest rate and yield curve assumptions are updated.

 

The change in economic value under different interest rate scenarios depends on the characteristics of each class of financial instrument, including stated interest rates or spreads relative to current or projected market-level interest rates or spreads, the likelihood of principal prepayments, whether contractual interest rates are fixed or floating, and the average remaining time to maturity. As a general rule, fixed-rate financial assets become more valuable in declining rate scenarios and less valuable in rising rate scenarios, while fixed-rate financial liabilities gain in value as interest rates rise and lose value as interest rates decline. The longer the duration of the financial instrument, the greater the impact a rate change will have on its value. In our economic value simulations, estimated prepayments are factored in for financial instruments with stated maturity dates, and decay rates for non-maturity deposits are projected based on historical patterns and Management’s best estimates. The table below shows estimated changes in the Company’s EVE as of September 30, 2016, under different interest rate scenarios relative to a base case of current interest rates:

 

   Balance Sheet Shock 
($ In Thousands)  -200 bp   -100 bp   STATIC
(Base)
   +100 bp   +200 bp   +300 bp   +400 bp 
Market Value of Equity   255,467    243,463    253,332    288,957    318,948    343,996    365,035 
Change in EVE from base   2,135    -9,869         35,625    65,616    90,664    111,703 
% Change   0.84%   -3.90%        14.06%   25.90%   35.79%   44.09%
Policy Limits   -20.00%   -10.00%        -10.00%   -20.00%   -30.00%   -40.00%

 

The table shows that our EVE will generally deteriorate in declining rate scenarios, but should benefit from a parallel shift upward in the yield curve. As noted previously, however, Management is of the opinion that the potential for a significant rate decline is low. We also run stress scenarios for EVE to simulate the possibility of higher loan prepayment rates, unfavorable changes in deposit rates, and higher deposit decay rates. Model results are highly sensitive to changes in assumed decay rates for non-maturity deposits, in particular.

 

 

 

 

CAPITAL RESOURCES

 

At September 30, 2016 the Company had total stockholders’ equity of $112.7 million, comprised of $5.5 million in common stock, $17.1 million in preferred stock, less than one half a million in treasury stock, $45.0 million in surplus, $42.5 million in undivided profits, $3.0 million in accumulated comprehensive income for available for sale securities. Total stockholders’ equity at the end of 2015 was $103.4 million. The increase of $9.2 million, or 8.9%, in stockholders’ equity during the first nine months of 2016 is comprised of capital added via net earnings of $7.8 million, $1.9 million increase in accumulated comprehensive income for available for sale securities, offset by $.9 million in cash dividends paid.

 

The Company uses a variety of measures to evaluate its capital adequacy, including risk-based capital and leverage ratios that are calculated separately for the Company and the Bank. Management reviews these capital measurements on a quarterly basis and takes appropriate action to help ensure that they meet or surpass established internal and external guidelines. As permitted by the regulators for financial institutions that are not deemed to be “advanced approaches” institutions, the Company has elected to opt out of the Basel III requirement to include accumulated other comprehensive income in risk-based capital. The following table sets forth the Company’s and the Bank’s regulatory capital ratios as of the dates indicated.

 

Regulatory Capital Ratios

The First, ANBA

 

   September 30,
2016
   December 31,
 2015
   Minimum
Required to be
Well
Capitalized
 
Common Equity Tier 1 Capital Ratio   10.43%   11.04%   6.50%
Tier 1 Capital Ratio   10.43%   11.04%   8.00%
Total Capital Ratio   11.18%   11.81%   10.00%
Tier 1 Leverage Ratio   8.49%   8.62%   5.00%

 

Regulatory Capital Ratios

The First Bancshares, Inc.

 

   September 30,
2016
   December 31,
2015
   Minimum
Required to be
Well
Capitalized
 
Common Equity Tier 1 Capital Ratio*   7.81%   8.10%   6.50%
Tier 1 Capital Ratio**   10.47%   11.09%   8.00%
Total Capital Ratio   11.23%   11.86%   10.00%
Tier 1 Leverage Ratio   8.53%   8.66%   5.00%

 

* The numerator does not include Preferred Stock and Trust Preferred.

** The numerator includes Preferred Stock and Trust Preferred.

 

Regulatory capital ratios slightly decreased from December 31, 2015 to September 30, 2016 as asset growth outpaced capital formation. Our capital ratios remain very strong relative to the median for peer financial institutions, and at September 30, 2016 were well above the threshold for the Company and the Bank to be classified as “well capitalized,” the highest rating of the categories defined under the Bank Holding Company Act and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991. We do not foresee any circumstances that would cause the Company or the Bank to be less than well capitalized, although no assurance can be given that this will not occur.

 

 

 

 

PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

ITEM NO. 3

QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

 

The information concerning quantitative and qualitative disclosures about market risk is included in Part I, Item 2 above. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Liquidity and Market Risk Management.”

 

PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

ITEM NO. 4

CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

 

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

 

As of September 30, 2016, (the “Evaluation Date”), we carried out an evaluation, under the supervision of and with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures, as such term is defined under Rule 13a-15(e) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Based on this evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective to ensure that information we are required to disclose in reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in SEC rules and forms.

 

Changes in Internal Controls

 

There have been no changes, significant or otherwise, in our internal controls over financial reporting that occurred during the quarter ended September 30, 2016, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

 

PART II – OTHER INFORMATION

 

ITEM 1: LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

 

The Company is involved in various legal proceedings in the normal course of business. In the opinion of Management, any liability resulting from such proceedings would not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition or results of operation.

 

ITEM 1A: RISK FACTORS

 

There are no material changes in the Company’s risk factors since December 31, 2015. For additional information on risk factors, refer to Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” of the Annual Report on Form 10-K of The First Bancshares, Inc., filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 30, 2016.

 

ITEM 2: UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS

 

Not applicable

 

ITEM 3: DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES

 

Not applicable

 

 

 

 

ITEM 4: (REMOVED AND RESERVED)

 

Item 5: Other Information

 

Not applicable

 

ITEM 6: EXHIBITS -

 

(a) Exhibits

 

Exhibit No.   Description
3.1  

Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of The First Bancshares, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on July 28, 2016.

 

3.2    Amended and Restated Bylaws of The First Bancshares, Inc. effective as of March 17, 2016 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on March 18, 2016.
     
4.1   Form of Certificate of Common Stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Registration Statement No. 333-137198 on Form S-1 filed on 9/8/2006.
     
31.1    Certification of principal executive officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
     
31.2   Certification of principal financial officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
     
32.1  

Certification of principal executive officer pursuant to 18 U. S. C.

Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes- Oxley Act of 2002.

     
32.2  

Certification of principal financial officer pursuant to 18 U. S. C.

Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley

Act of 2002.

 

 

       
  101.INS   XBRL Instance Document
       
  101.SCH   XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema
       
  101.CAL   XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase
       
  101.DEF   XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase
       
  101.LAB   XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase
       
  101.PRE   XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase

 

 

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

 

    THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.
    (Registrant)
     
    /s/ M. RAY (HOPPY)COLE, JR.
November 9, 2016   M. Ray (Hoppy) Cole, Jr.
(Date)   Chief Executive Officer

 

   

/s/ DEE DEE LOWERY 

November 9, 2016   Dee Dee Lowery, Executive
(Date)   Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 31.1

 

Certificate pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) or 15d-14(a) of Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as adopted pursuant to section 302 of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002-Chief Executive Officer

 

I, M. Ray (Hoppy) Cole, Jr., certify that:

 

1.I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of The First Bancshares, Inc.

 

2.Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

 

3.Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

 

4.The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

 

(a)Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

 

(b)Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

 

(c)Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

 

(d)Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant's most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant's fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant's internal control over financial reporting; and

 

5.The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

 

(a)All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

  

(b)Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

 

Date: November 9, 2016   /s/ M. Ray (Hoppy)Cole, Jr.
       
      M. Ray (Hoppy) Cole, Jr.
      Chief Executive Officer

 

A signed original of this written statement required by Section 906, or other document authenticating, acknowledging or otherwise adopting the signature that appears in typed form within the electronic version of this written statement required by Section 906, has been provided to The First Bancshares, Inc., and will be retained by The First Bancshares, Inc., and furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 31.2

 

Certificate pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) or 15d-14(a) of Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as adopted pursuant to section 302 of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002-Principal Accounting and Financial Officer

 

I, DeeDee Lowery, certify that:

 

1.I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of The First Bancshares, Inc.;

 

2.Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

 

3.Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

 

4.The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e))and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

 

(a)Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

 

(b)Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

 

(c)Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

 

(d)Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant's most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant's fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant's internal control over financial reporting; and

 

5.The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

 

(a)All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

 

(b)Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

 

Date: November 9, 2016   /s/ Dee Dee Lowery
       
      Dee Dee Lowery, Executive Vice
      President and Chief Financial Officer

 

A signed original of this written statement required by Section 906, or other document authenticating, acknowledging or otherwise adopting the signature that appears in typed form within the electronic version of this written statement required by Section 906, has been provided to The First Bancshares, Inc., and will be retained by The First Bancshares, Inc., and furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 32.1

 

Certification pursuant to 18 U.S.C., Section 1350

as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

 

In connection with the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of The First Bancshares, Inc. (the "Company") for the period ended September 30, 2016, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the "Report"), I, M. Ray (Hoppy) Cole, Jr., the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:

 

1)       the Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and

 

2)       the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

 

    /s/ M. Ray (Hoppy) Cole, Jr.
  Name: M. Ray (Hoppy) Cole, Jr.
  Title: Chief Executive Officer
  Date: November 9, 2016

 

A signed original of this written statement required by Section 906, or other document authenticating, acknowledging or otherwise adopting the signature that appears in typed form within the electronic version of this written statement required by Section 906, has been provided to The First Bancshares, Inc., and will be retained by The First Bancshares, Inc., and furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.

 

This certification shall not be deemed filed by the Company for purposes of § 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 32.2

 

Certification pursuant to 18 U.S.C., Section 1350

as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

 

In connection with the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of The First Bancshares, Inc. (the "Company") for the period ended September 30, 2016, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the "Report"), I, Dee Dee Lowery, the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:

 

1)       the Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and

 

2)       the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

  

    /s/ Dee Dee Lowery
  Name: Dee Dee Lowery
  Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
  Date: November 9, 2016

 

A signed original of this written statement required by Section 906, or other document authenticating, acknowledging or otherwise adopting the signature that appears in typed form within the electronic version of this written statement required by Section 906, has been provided to The First Bancshares, Inc., and will be retained by The First Bancshares, Inc., and furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.

 

This certification shall not be deemed filed by the Company for purposes of § 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

 

 

 

PROXY SOLICITED FOR SPECIAL MEETING

OF SHAREHOLDERS OF THE FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

TO BE HELD ON DECEMBER 29, 2016

 

THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

 

The undersigned hereby appoints M. Ray “Hoppy” Cole, Jr. as Proxy with the power to appoint his substitute and hereby authorizes him to represent the undersigned, and to vote upon all matters described in the Proxy Statement furnished herewith, subject to any directions indicated herein, with full power to vote all shares of common stock of The First Bancshares, Inc. held of record by the undersigned on November 17, 2016, at the Special Meeting of Shareholders to be held on December 29, 2016 or any adjournment(s) thereof.

 

IF NO DIRECTIONS ARE GIVEN, THE PROXIES WILL VOTE FOR EACH NOMINEE LISTED BELOW AND AT THE DISCRETION OF THE PERSON NAMED ABOVE IN CONNECTION WITH ANY OTHER BUSINESS PROPERLY COMING BEFORE THE MEETING.

 

The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR Proposals 1 and 2

 

PROPOSAL 1: To approve the issuance of shares of common stock upon the conversion of the Company’s Series E Non-Voting Convertible Preferred Stock into common stock. 

  ¨ FOR ¨ AGAINST ¨ ABSTAIN  

 

PROPOSAL 2: To approve the adjournment of the Special Meeting, if necessary or appropriate, to solicit additional proxies if there are insufficient votes at the time of the Special Meeting to adopt Proposal 1. 

  ¨ FOR ¨ AGAINST ¨ ABSTAIN  

  

Signature:    
     
Signature:    

 

Dated:__________________________, 2016

 

Votes must be indicated by an (x) in Black or Blue Ink.

PLEASE MARK, SIGN, DATE AND RETURN THE PROXY PROMPTLY USING THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE.