First Citizens Banc Corp Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2014 Earnings

SANDUSKY, Ohio, Jan. 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- First Citizens Banc Corp (NASDAQ: FCZA) PRNewswire ("First Citizens") reported net income attributable to common shares of $2.3 million, or $0.21 per share, diluted, for the fourth quarter of 2014, an increase of 117.7% compared with $1.0 million, or $0.09 per share, diluted, for the prior year period.  For the year ended December 31, 2014, First Citizens reported net income available to common shareholders of $7.7 million or $0.85 per share, diluted, an increase of 52.5% compared to $5.0 million, or $0.64 per share, diluted, in the same period of 2013.

"The 2014 year was a busy and successful one for First Citizens.  We repaid our preferred stock from the U.S. Treasury's Capital Purchase Program, closed four branches, announced the agreement for the acquisition of TCNB Financial in Dayton, reduced non-performing assets 26.4% and, during the same period, increased our loans by 6.2%.  We also added person to person payments, mobile deposit and several mortgage banking products.  Our shareholders enjoyed a total return of 61.1% on our stock during 2014," said James O. Miller, Chairman, President and CEO of First Citizens.  

Results of Operations:

Net interest income for the fourth quarter of 2014 increased $461 thousand, or 4.5%, from the prior year's fourth quarter and increased $1.9 million, or 4.7% for the year ended December 31, 2014, when compared to the same period of 2013.  Interest income increased $180 thousand, or 1.6%, for the fourth quarter and $1.1 million, or 2.4%, for the year ended December 31, 2014.  The increase in interest income was due primarily to an increase in average loans outstanding of $63.4 million, or 7.6% and $55.3 million, or 6.7% for the three- and twelve-month periods, respectively.  The increase in average loans was partially offset by decreased loan yield of 21 basis points and 16 basis points for the respective three- and twelve-month periods during 2013.  Interest expense decreased $281 thousand or 24.4% and $803 thousand, or 16.4% for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2014.  Net interest margin for the twelve months of 2014 and the twelve months of 2013 was 3.79%.  Mr. Miller continued, "We are pleased that we have enjoyed loan growth and a stable margin in spite of this interest rate environment. This was accomplished without jeopardizing our lending standards and our desire to encourage variable rate or limited fixed rate financing. Our asset duration continues to be less than two years."

For the year ended 2014, the provision for loan losses increased $400 thousand, or 36.4%, compared to the same period last year.  Net charge-offs totaled $3.8 million for year 2014 compared to $4.3 million for the same period in 2013.   

Noninterest income decreased $81 thousand, or 2.8%, compared to the prior year's fourth quarter but increased $1.8 million, or 15.0%, when 2014 is compared to the twelve months of 2013.  The increase in the twelve-month period was primarily due to an increase fee income related to income tax refund processing.  Tax refund processing fees were up $1.9 million, or 440.5% for the twelve months of 2014 compared to the same period a year ago, due to increased volume of returns processed.  Wealth management revenue increased $70 thousand, or 10.5%, for the three-month period ended December 31 compared to the same period in 2013 and increased $503 thousand, or 19.1%, for the twelve-month period ended December 31 compared to the same period in 2013.  The increase in wealth management revenue is due to both an increase in asset valuations as well as an increase in accounts.  These factors were offset by a $ 46.3 million decrease in assets related to First Citizens' resignation as trustee for out-of-area accounts inherited from a previous acquisition.  The out-of-area accounts were lower yielding accounts and the lost revenue was more than offset by increased revenue related to other assets under management.  At $463.6 million, assets under management decreased by less than 1.0% from the end of 2013, however, in-market assets increased $41.8 million or 9.9% from the end of 2013.    

Noninterest expense decreased $1.6 million, or 13.3%, when compared to the prior year's fourth quarter and $1.8 million, or 4.2%, when compared to the twelve months of 2013.  For the quarter and twelve-month period, the decrease in noninterest expense was primarily attributable to a $2.6 million decrease in pension expense for the fourth quarter and a decrease of $3.7 million for the twelve-month period.  The decrease for the quarter and for the year was due to a nonrecurring $2.3 million pension settlement entry in 2013, as well as to the effects of freezing the pension as of April 30, 2014.  While the plan still exists, no new participants will be added and no additional benefits will accrue going forward.  Marketing expense increased $201 thousand and $525 for the three- and twelve-month periods, respectively, due to re-branding expenses related to a planned change in the name of the bank subsidiary.

"For the year 2014 we were able to increase net interest income, increase noninterest income and keep our noninterest expenses stable," said James O. Miller, Chairman, President and CEO of First Citizens.  "This supports our belief that we can continue to grow the company without significant overhead increases." 

Balance Sheet

Total assets increased $47.1 million, or 4.0%, from December 31, 2013 to December 31, 2014 due primarily to an increase in loans of $53.6 million or 6.2%, during that period.   

Mr. Miller continued, "Loan growth for the 2014 year shows our continued effort to grow relationships with our customers.  We recently opened a loan production office on the east side of Cleveland.  This office is staffed with experienced commercial lenders with relationships.  With this loan production office and the addition of the Dayton, Ohio market, we are optimistic regarding loan growth for 2015."

Total deposits increased $26.4 million, or 2.8%, from December 31, 2013 to December 31, 2014.  Total shareholder's equity decreased $10.5 million, or 8.2%, from December 31, 2013 to December 31, 2014 as a result of the $23.2 million redemption  of Series A Preferred Stock, partially offset by retained earnings of $6.5 million and changes to Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income of $6.2 million.

Asset Quality

Nonperforming assets decreased $6.8 million, or 26.4%, from December 31, 2013 to December 31, 2014 due to the continuing workout of nonperforming loans with delinquent customers.  Total nonaccrual loans decreased $6.9 million, or 33.7%, from December 31, 2013 to December 31, 2014.  Mr. Miller continued, "We continue to focus on reducing our non-performing assets.  During the recession we made the decision to work with our customers which has kept our non-performing assets higher.  Many of these relationships have now been resolved or are in the process of being resolved." 

First Citizens Banc Corp is a $1.2 billion financial holding company headquartered in Sandusky, Ohio.  The Company's banking subsidiary, The Citizens Banking Company, operates 25 locations in Central and North Central Ohio.

First Citizens Banc Corp may be accessed at www.fcza.com.  The Company's common shares are traded on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol "FCZA."  The Company's depositary shares, each representing a 1/40^th ownership interest in a Series B Preferred Share, are traded on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol "FCZAP."

This press release may contain forward-looking statements regarding the financial performance, business prospects, growth and operating strategies of First Citizens. For these statements, First Citizens claims the protections of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements in this press release should be considered in conjunction with the other information available about First Citizens, including the information in the filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations or forecasts of future events and are not guarantees of future performance. The forward-looking statements are based on management's expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. We have tried, wherever possible, to identify such statements by using words such as "anticipate," "estimate," "project," "intend," "plan," "believe," "will" and similar expressions in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially include risk factors relating to the banking industry and the other factors detailed from time to time in First Citizens' reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those described in "Item 1A Risk Factors" of Part I of First Citizens's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013.  Undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. First Citizens does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to publicly release the result of any revisions that may be made to update any forward-looking statement to reflect the events or circumstances after the date on which the forward-looking statement is made, or reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except to the extent required by law.

SOURCE First Citizens Banc Corp

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