Carolina Financial Corporation Reports Results for the Fourth Quarter of 2019

CHARLESTON, S.C., Jan. 31, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Carolina Financial Corporation (the "Company") CARO today announced financial results for the fourth quarter of 2019.

Financial highlights at and for the three months ended December 31, 2019, include:

• Net income for Q4 2019 increased 6.8% to $16.5 million, or $0.74 per diluted share, from $15.4 million, or $0.68 per diluted share for Q4 2018.
  
  
• Operating earnings for Q4 2019, which exclude certain non-operating income and expenses, increased 6.8% to $18.1 million, or $0.81 per diluted share, from $16.9 million, or $0.75 per diluted share, for Q4 2018.
  
  
• Operating earnings for Q4 2019 have been adjusted to eliminate the following items:
  
  
  • Merger-related expenses of $2.3 million.
  • The fair value gain on interest rate swaps of approximately $873,000.
  • The loss on early extinguishment of debt of approximately $77,000.
    
    
• Performance ratios for Q4 2019 compared to Q4 2018:
  
  
  • Return on average assets was 1.66% compared to 1.67%.
  • Operating return on average assets was 1.82% compared to 1.83%.
  • Return on average tangible equity was 13.55% compared to 14.53%.
  • Operating return on average tangible equity was 14.86% compared to 15.92%.
    
    
• On December 31, 2019, the Company closed its acquisition of Carolina Trust BancShares, Inc. ("Carolina Trust"). The acquisition added $481.0 million of loans receivable, gross and $540.2 million of deposits.
  
  
• Loans receivable, gross grew $703.6 million since December 31, 2018. Excluding the impact of loans acquired from Carolina Trust, loans receivable, gross grew $222.6 million, or 8.8% since December 31, 2018.
  
  
• Total deposits increased $690.2 million since December 31, 2018. Excluding the impact of deposits acquired from Carolina Trust, deposits increased $150.0 million since December 31, 2018.
  
  
• On December 3, 2018, the Company announced that the Board of Directors had approved a plan to repurchase up to $25 million in shares of the Company's common stock through open market and privately negotiated transactions over the next three years. The Company began stock repurchases on December 4, 2018. During the fourth quarter of 2019, the Company repurchased approximately 9,000 shares at an average price of $34.77. Cumulatively since December 4, 2018, the Company repurchased approximately 390,000 shares at an average price of $32.01.
  
  
• On November 17, 2019, the Company announced the execution of an agreement and plan of merger with United Bankshares, Inc. ("United") UBSI, pursuant to which the Company will merge with and into United, with United as the surviving corporation of the merger. Pursuant to the merger agreement, each outstanding share of the Company's common stock will be converted into the right to receive 1.13 shares of United common stock, par value $2.50 per share, resulting in an aggregate transaction value of approximately $1.1 billion, based on closing price of a share of United's common stock as of that date. The transaction is subject to customary regulatory and shareholder approvals.

Financial Results

Carolina Financial Corporation

• The Company reported net income for Q4 2019 of $16.5 million, or $0.74 per diluted share, as compared to $15.4 million, or $0.68 per diluted share, for Q4 2018.
  
  
  • Accretion income from acquired loans was $1.6 million for Q4 2019. Included in net income for Q4 2018 was a recovery of interest income of $0.9 million related to a payoff of a purchased credit impaired loan. Excluding the recovery, accretion income from acquired loans was $1.9 million for Q4 2018.
    
    
• Operating earnings for Q4 2019, which exclude certain non-operating income and expenses, increased 6.8% to $18.1 million, or $0.81 per diluted share, from $16.9 million, or $0.75 per diluted share, for Q4 2018.
  
  
  • Included in net income for Q4 2019 were merger-related expenses of $2.3 million, a fair value gain on interest rate swaps of approximately $873,000 and a loss on early extinguishment of debt of approximately $77,000.
  • Included in net income for Q4 2018 was a fair value loss on interest rate swaps of $2.2 million and a gain on sale of securities of approximately $346,000.
    
    
• The Company reported net income for the year ended December 31, 2019 of $62.7 million or $2.80 per diluted share, as compared to $49.7 million, or $2.26 per diluted share, for the year ended December 31, 2018.
  
  
  • Accretion income from acquired loans was $7.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to $9.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. Provision for loan losses during the year ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 was $2.6 million and $2.1 million, respectively.
    
    
• Operating earnings for the year ended December 31, 2019, which exclude certain non-operating income and expenses, increased to $67.6 million, or $3.02 per diluted share compared to $62.8 million, or $2.86 per diluted share, for the same period of 2018.
  
  
  • Included in net income for the year ended December 31, 2019 was a fair value loss on interest rate swaps of $3.7 million, a temporary impairment of mortgage servicing rights of $3.1 million, a gain on sale of securities of $3.9 million, a loss on early extinguishment of debt of approximately $178,000 and merger-related expenses of $2.8 million.
  • Included in net income for the year ended December 31, 2018 was a fair value loss on interest rate swaps of approximately $340,000, a loss on sale of securities of $1.9 million and merger-related expenses of $15.2 million.
    
    
• The Company's net interest margin-tax equivalent (NIM) decreased to 3.94% for Q4 2019 compared to 4.23% for Q4 2018. Q4 2019 net interest income included accretion income from acquired loans of $1.6 million (18 bps to NIM) and early payoff fees of approximately $282,000 (3 bps to NIM). Q4 2018 accretion income included a recovery of interest income of approximately $0.9 million (11 bps to NIM), accretion income from acquired loans of $1.9 million (22 bps to NIM) and early payoff fees of approximately $414,000 (6 bps to NIM).
  
  
  • Excluding accretion income from acquired loans and early payoff fees, Q4 2019 net interest margin was 3.73% compared to 3.84% in Q4 2018.
    
    
• The Company reported book value per common share of $30.14 and $25.83 as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Tangible book value per common share was $22.00 and $19.36 as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.
  
  
• At December 31, 2019, the Company's regulatory capital ratios exceeded the minimum levels currently required. Stockholders' equity totaled $743.4 million as of December 31, 2019 compared to $575.3 million at December 31, 2018. Tangible equity to tangible assets at December 31, 2019 was 12.04% compared to 11.83% at December 31, 2018.
  
  
• During Q4 2019, the Company repurchased approximately 9,000 shares at an average price of $34.77.

Banking Segment

• Banking segment net income increased 3.1% to $15.9 million for Q4 2019 compared to $15.4 million for Q4 2018. Accretion income from acquired loans was $1.6 million for Q4 2019. Included in net income for Q4 2018 was a recovery of interest income of $0.9 million related to a payoff of a purchased credit impaired loan. Excluding the recovery, accretion income from acquired loans was $1.9 million for Q4 2018.
  
  
• Banking segment net income increased 27.7% to $63.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to $49.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. Accretion income from acquired loans was $7.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to $9.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. Provision for loan losses during the year ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 was $2.6 million and $2.1 million, respectively.
  
  
• Banking segment operating earnings increased 3.5% to $17.5 million for Q4 2019 compared to $16.9 million for Q4 2018.
  
  
• Banking segment operating earnings increased 4.9% to $65.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to $62.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2018.
  
  
• Provision for loan losses during Q4 2019 was $580,000. Provision for loan losses during Q4 2018 was $750,000. The provision for loan losses was primarily driven by the organic loan growth.
  
  
• Non-performing assets were 0.59% and 0.35% of total assets at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The increase in the NPA ratio was primarily due to two fully collateralized lending relationships.
  
  
• Loans receivable, gross grew $703.6 million since December 31, 2018. Excluding the impact of loans acquired from Carolina Trust, loans receivable, gross grew $222.6 million, or 8.8% since December 31, 2018.
  
  
• Total deposits increased $690.2 million since December 31, 2018. Excluding the impact of deposits acquired from Carolina Trust, deposits increased $150.0 million since December 31, 2018.

Wholesale Mortgage Banking

• Net income for the wholesale mortgage banking segment was approximately $949,000 for Q4 2019 compared to net income of approximately $599,000 for Q4 2018. Net income was $1.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to $2.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2018.
  
  
  • Included in net income for the year ended December 31, 2019 was a temporary impairment of mortgage servicing rights (MSR) of $3.1 million. The Company does not hedge the mortgage servicing rights positions and the impact of falling long-term interest rates increased prepayment speed assumptions driving down the value of the MSR asset. Excluding the impact of the temporary impairment of mortgage servicing rights, operating earnings were $4.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2019.
    
    
• Net margin was 2.03% for the three months ended December 31, 2019 compared to 1.84% for the three months ended December 31, 2018. Originations for Q4 2019 and Q4 2018 were $237.6 million and $168.0 million, respectively.
  
  
• Net margin was 2.04% for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to 1.74% for the year ended December 31, 2018. Originations for the year ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 were $800.0 million and $744.2 million, respectively.

Dividend Declared

On January 30, 2020, the Company declared a $0.10 dividend per common share, payable on April 6, 2020 to stockholders of record on March 16, 2020. 

About Carolina Financial Corporation

Carolina Financial Corporation CARO is the holding company of CresCom Bank, which also owns and operates Atlanta-based Crescent Mortgage Company.  As of December 31, 2019, Carolina Financial Corporation had approximately $4.7 billion in total assets and Crescent Mortgage Company was approved to originate loans in 48 states partnering with community banks, credit unions and mortgage brokers.

Addendum to News Release – Use of Certain Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains financial information determined by methods other than in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"). Such statements should be read along with the accompanying tables, which provide a reconciliation of non-GAAP measures to GAAP measures. This news release and the accompanying tables discuss financial measures, including but not limited to, core deposits, tangible book value, operating earnings and net income related to segments of the Company, which are non-GAAP measures. We believe that such non-GAAP measures are useful because they enhance the ability of investors and management to evaluate and compare the Company's operating results from period to period in a meaningful manner. Non-GAAP measures should not be considered as an alternative to any measure of performance as promulgated under GAAP. Investors should consider the Company's performance and financial condition as reported under GAAP and all other relevant information when assessing the performance or financial condition of the company. Non-GAAP measures have limitations as analytical tools, and investors should not consider them in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of the Company's results or financial condition as reported under GAAP.

Please refer to the Non-GAAP reconciliation tables later in this release for additional information.  

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this news release contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, such as statements relating to future plans and expectations, and are thus prospective.  Such forward-looking statements include but are not limited to statements with respect to our plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical facts, and other statements identified by words such as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," "intends," "plans," "targets," and "projects," as well as similar expressions.  Such statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.  Although we believe that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements are reasonable, any of the assumptions could prove to be inaccurate.  Therefore, we can give no assurance that the results contemplated in the forward-looking statements will be realized.  The inclusion of this forward-looking information should not be construed as a representation by the Company or any person that the future events, plans, or expectations contemplated by the Company will occur or be achieved.

The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements: (1) competitive pressures among depository and other financial institutions may increase significantly and have an effect on pricing, spending, third-party relationships and revenues; (2) the strength of the United States economy in general and the strength of the local economies in which we conduct operations may be different than expected resulting in, among other things, a deterioration in the credit quality or a reduced demand for credit, including the resultant effect on the Company's loan portfolio and allowance for loan losses; (3) the rate of delinquencies and amounts of charge-offs, the level of allowance for loan loss, the rates of loan growth, or adverse changes in asset quality in our loan portfolio, which may result in increased credit risk-related losses and expenses; (4) the risk that the preliminary financial information reported herein and our current preliminary analysis will be different when our review is finalized; (5) changes in the U.S. legal and regulatory framework including, but not limited to, the Dodd-Frank Act and regulations adopted thereunder; (6) adverse conditions in the stock market, the public debt market and other capital markets (including changes in interest rate conditions) could have a negative impact on the Company; (7) the business related to acquisitions may not be integrated successfully or such integration may take longer to accomplish than expected; (8) the expected cost savings and any revenue synergies from acquisitions may not be fully realized within expected timeframes; (9) disruption from acquisitions may make it more difficult to maintain relationships with clients, associates, or suppliers; and (10) the impact of hurricanes and other natural disasters on our loan portfolio and the economic prospects of our coastal markets.  Additional factors that could cause our results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in our reports (such as our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K) filed with the SEC and available at the SEC's Internet site (http://www.sec.gov).  All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning the Company or any person acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above. We do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made.