Park National Corporation reports third quarter 2018 financial results

NEWARK, Ohio, Oct. 22, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Park National Corporation (Park) PRK today reported financial results for the third quarter and first nine months of 2018 (three and nine months ended September 30, 2018). Park's board of directors also declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.96 per common share, payable on December 10, 2018 to common shareholders of record as of November 16, 2018.

Park's net income for the third quarter of 2018 was $24.8 million, a 12.0 percent increase from $22.1 million for the third quarter of 2017. Third quarter 2018 net income per diluted common share was $1.56, compared to $1.44 in the third quarter of 2017. Increased net interest income, increased non-interest income, and a decreased loan loss provision helped contribute to Park's third quarter performance.

Park's net income for the first nine months of 2018 was $84.1 million, a 37.0 percent increase from $61.4 million for the same period in 2017. Net income per diluted common share was $5.41 for the first nine months of 2018, compared to $3.99 for the same period in 2017.

Park's community-banking subsidiary, The Park National Bank, reported net income of $27.9 million for the third quarter of 2018, a 31.0 percent increase from $21.3 million reported for the third quarter of 2017.The bank's net income was $83.4 million for the nine months ended 2018, compared to $62.9 million for the same period in 2017.

"Our bankers are doing excellent work growing relationships with current and prospective clients, as well as with new colleagues," said Park Chief Executive Officer David L. Trautman. "As we prepare to welcome Carolina Alliance Bank into our organization, it's an exciting time in community banking. Our bankers are listening to our clients and communities, and we're in a great position to respond with a blend of sophisticated resources and personalized service that clients have told us they want."

Charlotte-based NewDominion Bank joined Park on July 1, 2018. On September 13, 2018 Park announced a definitive agreement and plan of merger with CAB Financial Corporation CABF based in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2019.  

Headquartered in Newark, Ohio, Park National Corporation had $7.8 billion in total assets (as of September 30, 2018). The Park organization consists of 11 community bank divisions, a non-bank subsidiary and two specialty finance companies. Park's banking operations are conducted through Park subsidiary The Park National Bank and its divisions, which include Fairfield National Bank Division, Richland Bank Division, Century National Bank Division, First-Knox National Bank Division, United Bank, N.A. Division, Second National Bank Division, Security National Bank Division, Unity National Bank Division, The Park National Bank of Southwest Ohio & Northern Kentucky Division, and NewDominion Bank Division. The Park organization also includes Scope Leasing, Inc. (d.b.a. Scope Aircraft Finance), Guardian Financial Services Company (d.b.a. Guardian Finance Company) and SE Property Holdings, LLC.

Complete financial tables are listed below…

Media contact: Bethany Lewis, 740.349.0421, blewis@parknationalbank.com
Investor contact: Brady Burt, 740.322.6844, bburt@parknationalbank.com
Park National Corporation
50 N. Third Street, Newark, Ohio 43055
www.parknationalcorp.com

Important Information About the Merger

In connection with the proposed merger between Park and CAB Financial Corporation ("CABF"), Park will file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") a Registration Statement on Form S-4 that will include a Proxy Statement of CABF and a Prospectus of Park, as well as other relevant documents concerning the proposed transaction. SHAREHOLDERS OF CABF ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS REGARDING THE MERGER WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE DOCUMENTS, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT PARK, CABF AND THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION.

A free copy of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about Park and CABF, may be obtained at the SEC's Internet site (http://www.sec.gov). You will also be able to obtain these documents, free of charge, from Park at the "Investor Relations" section of Park's web site at www.parknationalcorp.com or from CABF at the "Investor Relations" section of CABF's website at www.carolinaalliancebank.com. Copies of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus can also be obtained, free of charge, by directing a request to Park National Corporation, 50 North Third Street, P.O. Box 3500, Newark, OH 43058-3500, Attention: Brady Burt, Telephone: (740) 322-6844 or to CAB Financial Corporation, PO Box 932, Spartanburg, SC 29306, Attention: Lamar Simpson, Telephone: (864) 208-2265.

This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. This communication is also not a solicitation of any vote in any jurisdiction pursuant to the proposed transactions or otherwise. No offer of securities or solicitation will be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The communication is not a substitute for the Registration Statement that will be filed with the SEC or the Proxy Statement/Prospectus that will be sent to CABF shareholders.

Proxy Solicitation

CABF and certain of its directors, executive officers and certain other persons may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from CABF's shareholders in favor of the approval of the Merger. Information about the directors and executive officers of CABF and their ownership of CABF common stock, as well as information regarding the interests of other persons who may be deemed participants in the transaction, may be obtained by reading the Proxy Statement/Prospectus regarding the proposed merger when it becomes available. Free copies of this document may be obtained as described above.

SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995

Park cautions that any forward-looking statements contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K or made by management of Park are provided to assist in the understanding of anticipated future financial performance. 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.  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, without limitation: Park's ability to execute our business plan successfully and within the expected timeframe; general economic and financial market conditions, specifically in the real estate markets and the credit markets, either nationally or in the states in which Park and our subsidiaries do business, may experience a slowing or reversal of the recent economic expansion in addition to continuing residual effects of recessionary conditions and an uneven spread of positive impacts of recovery on the economy and our counterparties, resulting in adverse impacts on the demand for loan, deposit and other financial services, delinquencies, defaults and counterparties' ability to meet credit and other obligations and the possible impairment of collectability of loans; changes in interest rates and prices may adversely impact prepayment penalty income, mortgage banking income, the value of securities, loans, deposits and other financial instruments and the interest rate sensitivity of our consolidated balance sheet as well as reduce interest margins and impact loan demand; changes in consumer spending, borrowing and saving habits, whether due to the tax reform legislation, changing business and economic conditions, legislative and regulatory initiatives, or other factors; changes in unemployment; changes in customers', suppliers', and other counterparties' performance and creditworthiness; the adequacy of our risk management program in the event of changes in the market, economic, operational, asset/liability repricing, liquidity, credit and interest rate risks associated with Park's business; disruption in the liquidity and other functioning of U.S. financial markets; our liquidity requirements could be adversely affected by changes to regulations governing bank and bank holding company capital and liquidity standards as well as by changes in our assets and liabilities; competitive factors among financial services organizations could increase significantly, including product and pricing pressures, changes to third-party relationships and our ability to attract, develop and retain qualified banking professionals; customers could pursue alternatives to bank deposits, causing us to lose a relatively inexpensive source of funding; uncertainty regarding the nature, timing, cost and effect of changes in banking regulations or other regulatory or legislative requirements affecting the respective businesses of Park and our subsidiaries, including major reform of the regulatory oversight structure of the financial services industry and changes in laws and regulations concerning taxes, pensions, bankruptcy, consumer protection, rent regulation and housing, financial accounting and reporting, environmental protection, insurance, bank products and services, bank capital and liquidity standards, fiduciary standards, securities and other aspects of the financial services industry, specifically the reforms provided for in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (the "Dodd-Frank Act") and the Basel III regulatory capital reforms, as well as regulations already adopted and which may be adopted in the future by the relevant regulatory agencies, including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Federal Reserve Board, to implement the Dodd-Frank Act's provisions, and the Basel III regulatory capital reforms; the effects of easing restrictions on participants in the financial services industry; the effect of changes in accounting policies and practices, as may be adopted by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the SEC, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and other regulatory agencies, and the accuracy of our assumptions and estimates used to prepare our financial statements; changes in law and policy accompanying the current presidential administration, including the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and uncertainty or speculation pending the enactment of such changes; uncertainties in Park's preliminary review of, and additional analysis of, the impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act; significant changes in the tax laws, which may adversely affect the fair values of net deferred tax assets and obligations of state and political subdivisions held in Park's investment securities portfolio; the impact of our ability to anticipate and respond to technological changes on our ability to respond to customer needs and meet competitive demands; operational issues stemming from and/or capital spending necessitated by the potential need to adapt to industry changes in information technology systems on which Park and our subsidiaries are highly dependent; the ability to secure confidential information and deliver products and services through the use of computer systems and telecommunications networks; a failure in or breach of our operational or security systems or infrastructure, or those of our third-party vendors and other service providers, resulting in failures or disruptions in customer account management, general ledger, deposit, loan, or other systems, including as a result of cyber attacks; the existence or exacerbation of general geopolitical instability and uncertainty; the effect of trade policies (including the impact of tariffs, a U.S. withdrawal from or significant renegotiation of trade agreements, trade wars and other changes in trade regulations), monetary and other fiscal policies (including the impact of money supply and interest rate policies to the Federal Reserve Board) and other governmental policies of the U.S. federal government; the impact on financial markets and the economy of any changes in the credit ratings of the U.S. Treasury obligations and other U.S. government - backed debt, as well as issues surrounding the levels of U.S., European and Asian government debt and concerns regarding the creditworthiness of certain sovereign governments, supranationals and financial institutions in Europe and Asia; the uncertainty surrounding the actions to be taken to implement the referendum by United Kingdom voters to exit the European Union; our litigation and regulatory compliance exposure, including the costs and effects of any adverse developments in legal proceedings or other claims and the costs and effects of unfavorable resolution of regulatory and other governmental examinations or other inquiries; continued availability of earnings and excess capital sufficient for the lawful and prudent declaration of dividends; fraud, scams and schemes of third parties; the impact of widespread natural and other disasters, pandemics, dislocations, civil unrest, terrorist activities or international hostilities on the economy and financial markets generally and on us or our counterparties specifically; the effect of healthcare laws in the U.S. and potential changes for such laws which may increase our healthcare and other costs and negatively impact our operations and financial results; Park's ability to integrate recent acquisitions (including NewDominion Bank) as well as any future acquisitions, which may be unsuccessful, or may be more difficult, time-consuming or costly than expected; the ability to obtain required governmental and shareholder approvals with respect to, and the ability to complete the proposed merger of Park and CAB Financial Corporation ("CAB") on the proposed terms and within the expected time frame; the risk that the businesses of Park and CAB will not be integrated successfully or such integration may be more difficult, time-consuming or costly than expected; expected revenue synergies and cost savings from the proposed merger of Park and CAB may not be fully realized or realized within the expected time frame; revenues following the proposed merger of Park and CAB may be lower than expected; customer and employee relationships and business operations may be disrupted by the proposed merger of Park and CAB; Park issued equity securities in the acquisition of NewDominion Bank and may issue equity securities in connection with future acquisitions, including the proposed merger of Park and CAB, which could cause ownership and economic dilution to Park's current shareholders; and other risk factors relating to the banking industry as detailed from time to time in Park's reports filed with the SEC including those described in "Item 1A. Risk Factors" of Part I of Park's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017. Park does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to publicly release the results 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 was made, or reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except to the extent required by law.