First Financial Bankshares Announces Fourth Quarter Earnings Results And 28th Year Of Consecutive Earnings Growth

ABILENE, Texas, Jan. 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- First Financial Bankshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: FFIN) today reported earnings for the fourth quarter of 2014 of $22.59 million, up 6.35 percent compared with earnings of $21.24 million in the same quarter last year.  Basic earnings per share were $0.35 for the fourth quarter of 2014 compared with $0.33 in the same quarter a year ago. Included in noninterest expense in the fourth quarter of 2014 was $2.91 million, before income tax, resulting from the Company's partial settlement of its frozen defined benefit pension plan (see below for more details).

Net interest income for the fourth quarter of 2014 increased 7.26 percent to $50.08 million compared with $46.69 million in the same quarter of 2013. The net interest margin, on a taxable equivalent basis, was 4.08 percent compared to 4.18 percent in the third quarter of 2014 and 4.27 percent in the same quarter last year. Included in interest income for the fourth quarter of 2014 was $325 thousand, or three basis points in net interest margin, related to discount accretion from fair value accounting related to the Orange and Huntsville acquisitions.   

The provision for loan losses was $755 thousand in the fourth quarter of 2014 compared with $896 thousand in the third quarter of 2014 and $1.17 million in the fourth quarter of 2013. Nonperforming assets as a percentage of loans and foreclosed assets totaled 0.74 percent at December 31, 2014, compared with 0.83 percent at September 30, 2014, and 1.16 percent at December 31, 2013.  Classified loans totaled $72.98 million at December 31, 2014, compared to $81.39 million at September 30, 2014, and $84.24 million at December 31, 2013.

Noninterest income increased 7.80 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014 to $17.02 million compared with $15.79 million in the same quarter a year ago. Trust fees increased $436 thousand to $4.87 million in the fourth quarter of 2014 compared with $4.43 million in the same quarter last year, primarily due to continued growth in the fair value of Trust assets managed to $3.76 billion from $3.36 billion a year ago. ATM, interchange and credit card fees increased 15.80 percent to $5.14 million compared with $4.44 million in the same quarter last year due to a large growth in net new accounts and debit cards.

Noninterest expense for the fourth quarter of 2014 totaled $36.44 million compared to $33.10 million in the fourth quarter of 2013. During the fourth quarter of 2014, the Company offered settlement of its pension obligation to plan participants who no longer are employed by the Company. As a result of the partial settlement of the plan, the Company recognized $2.91 million, before income tax, in pension expense, a component of noninterest expense. The effect of this transaction was relatively neutral to shareholders' equity since the recorded pension obligation associated with plan participants who accepted the settlement closely approximated the amount offered to such plan participants and the amount recognized in pension expense had been previously recognized as unrealized losses in other comprehensive earnings. As a result, the Company paid $10.63 million out of pension plan assets, or approximately 43% of the total outstanding obligation balance, to plan participants and the number of participants was reduced by 335, or 44%. The Company's investment risk and administrative expense associated with the Company's pension plan should be significantly reduced going forward.

The Company's efficiency ratio in the fourth quarter of 2014 was 50.58 percent compared with 49.42 percent in the same quarter last year. The increase in the efficiency ratio in the fourth quarter of 2014 primarily resulted from the pension settlement described above.

For the year, net income increased 13.56 percent to $89.56 million from $78.87 million in 2013, marking 2014 as the 28^th consecutive year of earnings increases for the Company. Basic earnings per share in 2014 rose to $1.40 from $1.24 in the previous year.

Net interest income increased 12.81 percent for the year to $194.36 million from $172.28 million a year ago. The provision for loan losses for 2014 totaled $4.47 million compared with $3.75 million in 2013. Noninterest income was $66.62 million in 2014 compared with $62.05 million in 2013. Noninterest expense rose to $137.93 million in 2014 compared with $126.01 million a year ago.

As of December 31, 2014, consolidated assets for the Company totaled $5.85 billion compared with $5.22 billion a year ago. Loans totaled $2.94 billion at year end compared with loans of $2.69 billion a year ago. Total deposits grew 14.88 percent to $4.75 billion at December 31, 2014, compared to $4.14 billion a year ago.  Shareholders' equity rose to $681.54 million as of December 31, 2014, compared with $587.65 million in the prior year. 

"We are extremely pleased to report the 28^th consecutive year of increased earnings for the Company," said F. Scott Dueser, Chairman, President and CEO. "We are also pleased to report the Company's significant growth in loans and deposits in 2014, growing our balance sheet $626 million, all from organic growth. We owe this success to the tireless efforts of our personnel and the tremendous support of our directors and our customers. Going forward, we will continue to search for additional opportunities to maximize our efficiencies and increase shareholder value."

"We also realize the recent volatility in the stock market due to oil and gas prices is at the forefront of the minds of our shareholders. We are painted with the same broad brush as all Texas banks from an oil and gas standpoint, but we have limited direct exposure. In fact, loans directly tied to the oil and gas industry only account for approximately three percent (3%) of the Company's loan portfolio at December 31, 2014. We believe we can continue to achieve earnings growth despite the current situation surrounding the oil and gas industry as we believe that our markets are more diversified, and therefore resilient, than during prior periods of significant declines in oil and gas prices," added F. Scott Dueser, Chairman, President and CEO.

On April 22, 2014, the Company's Board of Directors declared a two-for-one stock split in the form of a 100 percent stock dividend, which was effective June 2, 2014.  All share and per share amounts in this earnings release have been restated to reflect this stock split.

All amounts for the quarters and years ended on December 31, 2014 and 2013 include the results of the Company's acquisition of Orange Savings Bank, SSB, Orange, Texas, which was effective on May 31, 2013. As of the acquisition date, Orange had total loans of $293.29 million and total deposits of $385.95 million.

About First Financial Bankshares

Headquartered in Abilene, Texas, First Financial Bankshares is a financial holding company that operates 12 banking regions with 62 locations in Texas including Abilene, Acton, Albany, Aledo, Alvarado, Beaumont, Boyd, Bridgeport, Brock, Burleson, Cisco, Cleburne, Clyde, Decatur, Eastland, Fort Worth, Glen Rose, Granbury, Grapevine, Hereford, Huntsville, Keller, Mauriceville, Merkel, Midlothian, Mineral Wells, Moran, New Waverly, Newton, Odessa, Orange, Port Arthur, Ranger, Rising Star, Roby, San Angelo, Southlake, Stephenville, Sweetwater, Trent, Trophy Club, Vidor, Waxahachie, Weatherford and Willow Park. The Company also operates First Financial Trust & Asset Management Company, N.A., with eight locations and First Technology Services, Inc., a technology operating company.

The Company is listed on The NASDAQ Global Select Market under the trading symbol FFIN.  For more information about First Financial Bankshares, please visit our website at http://www.ffin.com.

Certain statements contained herein may be considered "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  These statements are based upon the belief of the Company's management, as well as assumptions made beyond information currently available to the Company's management, and may be, but not necessarily are, identified by such words as "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "target", "forecast" and "goal".  Because such "forward-looking statements" are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.  Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include competition from other financial institutions and financial holding companies; the effects of and changes in trade, monetary and fiscal policies and laws, including interest rate policies of the  Federal Reserve Board; changes in the demand for loans; fluctuations in value of collateral and loan reserves; inflation, interest rate, market and monetary fluctuations; changes in consumer spending, borrowing and savings habits; and acquisitions and integration of acquired businesses, and similar variables.  Other key risks are described in the Company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which may be obtained under "Investor Relations-Documents/Filings" on the Company's Web site or by writing or calling the Company at 325.627.7155.  Except as otherwise stated in this news announcement, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements because of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE First Financial Bankshares, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.ffin.com