Glen Burnie Bancorp Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2020 Results

GLEN BURNIE, Md., Feb. 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Glen Burnie Bancorp ("Bancorp") GLBZ, the bank holding company for The Bank of Glen Burnie ("Bank"), announced today a net income of $0.55 million, or $0.19 per basic and diluted common share for the three-month period ended December 31, 2020, as compared to net income of $0.54 million, or $0.19 per basic and diluted common share for the three-month period ended December 31, 2019.

Bancorp reported net income of $1.67 million, or $0.59 per basic and diluted common share for the year ended December 31, 2020, compared to $1.60 million, or $0.57 per basic and diluted common share for the same period in 2019. Net loans decreased by $30.4 million, or 10.75% during the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2020, compared to a decrease of $13.9 million, or 4.69% during the same period of 2019. On December 31, 2020, Bancorp had total assets of $419.5 million. Bancorp, the oldest independent commercial bank in Anne Arundel County, will pay its 114^th consecutive quarterly dividend on February 8, 2021.

"We are extremely proud of the way our employees, Board of Directors and leadership team responded to the uncertainty and challenges in 2020. Their commitment to serving our customers, along with their ability to improvise and be nimble, reflected in the performance of the Company. In a year with a multitude of headwinds that negatively impacted our industry, we continued to grow our asset base, increase earnings and improve the overall capitalization of the Company. We believe that we are well positioned to take advantage of new growth opportunities as our economy continues to heal from the effects of the pandemic," said John D. Long, President and Chief Executive Officer. "As we close the door on 2020, we recognize the challenges that lie ahead and acknowledge the need to focus on the fundamental drivers of value in our industry," commented Mr. Long. "Much was accomplished in 2020, including the successful navigation of the first round of the U.S. Small Business Administration ("SBA") Paycheck Protection Program ("PPP"), the implementation and utilization of new technologies to drive customer engagement, efficiency gains, and cost reductions. We will continue to execute on our strategic priorities including organic loan and deposit growth, prudent expense management, active engagement in SBA PPP lending and other programs for borrowers in need, and the deployment of capital through dividends.   Headquartered in the dynamic Northern Anne Arundel County market, we believe our Bank is well positioned with excellent asset quality and capital levels, and an experienced and seasoned executive team. We remain deeply committed to serving the financial needs of the community through the development of new loan and deposit products."

Highlights for the Quarter and Year ended December 31, 2020

Total interest income declined $0.8 million to $13.7 million for the twelve-month period ending December 31, 2020, compared to the same period in 2019. This was driven by a decrease in interest income on loans consistent with declines in the average balance and yields of this portfolio, and lower interest earned on overnight funds, mainly attributable to lower market rates. Beyond pricing pressure/competition and the absolute low level of rates, the current economic outlook and prospects of a sustained historic low interest rate environment will likely continue to place pressure on net interest margin. Exacerbating the above, the Company maintained significantly higher levels of excess balance sheet liquidity during 2020 as compared to 2019. Bancorp has strong liquidity and capital positions that provide ample capacity for future growth, along with the Bank's total regulatory capital to risk weighted assets of 13.63% on December 31, 2020, as compared to 13.21% for the same period of 2019.

Return on average assets for the three-month period ended December 31, 2020 was 0.52%, as compared to 0.55% for the three-month period ended December 31, 2019. Return on average equity for the three-month period ended December 31, 2020 was 5.78%, as compared to 6.00% for the three-month period ended December 31, 2019.   The higher average asset and average equity balances primarily drove the lower returns.

The book value per share of Bancorp's common stock was $13.05 on December 31, 2020, as compared to $12.62 per share on December 31, 2019.

On December 31, 2020, the Bank remained above all "well-capitalized" regulatory requirement levels. The Bank's tier 1 risk-based capital ratio was approximately 13.09% on December 31, 2020, as compared to 12.47% on December 31, 2019. Liquidity remained strong due to managed cash and cash equivalents, borrowing lines with the FHLB of Atlanta, the Federal Reserve and correspondent banks, and the size and composition of the bond portfolio.

Balance Sheet Review

Total assets were $419.5 million on December 31, 2020, an increase of $34.6 million or 8.99%, from $384.9 million on December 31, 2019.   Investment securities were $114.0 million on December 31, 2020, an increase of $42.5 million or 59.44%, from $71.5 million on December 31, 2019.   Loans, net of deferred fees and costs, were $253.8 million on December 31, 2020, a decrease of $30.9 million or 10.85%, from $284.7 million on December 31, 2019. Net loans on December 31, 2020 include $9.9 million of loans funded under the SBA PPP. These PPP loans directly benefitted the businesses and employees in our local communities. The Company funded 133 PPP loans totaling approximately $17.4 million in the second quarter of 2020.   Unearned fees net of origination costs totaled $600,000 and are being accreted based on the estimated life of the loans. The SBA began forgiving PPP loans in October 2020 at which point recognition of fee income was accelerated.

Total deposits were $349.6 million on December 31, 2020, an increase of $28.2 million or 8.77%, from $321.4 million on December 31, 2019. Noninterest-bearing deposits were $132.6 million on December 31, 2020, an increase of $25.4 million or 23.69%, from $107.2 million on December 31, 2019. The increase was due to new deposit accounts for PPP loans and core deposit growth driven primarily by government stimulus programs. Interest-bearing deposits were $217.0 million on December 31, 2020, an increase of $2.7 million or 1.26%, from $214.3 million on December 31, 2019. Total borrowings were $29.9 million on December 31, 2020, an increase of $4.9 million or 19.60%, from $25.0 million on December 31, 2019.   The Company participated in the Paycheck Protection Program Liquidity Facility ("PPPLF") established by the Federal Reserve. On December 31, 2020, the Company borrowed $9.9 million under the PPPLF with a fixed rate of 0.35% and pledged PPP loans as collateral to secure the borrowings.

Stockholders' equity was $37.1 million on December 31, 2020, an increase of $1.4 million or 3.92%, from $35.7 million on December 31, 2019.   The increase in accumulated other comprehensive gain associated with net unrealized losses on the available for sale bond portfolio and an increase in retained earnings and stock issuances under the dividend reinvestment program, offset by an increase in unrealized losses on interest rate swap contracts and cash dividends drove an overall increase in stockholders' equity.

Nonperforming assets, which consist of nonaccrual loans, troubled debt restructurings, accruing loans past due 90 days or more, and other real estate owned ("OREO"), represented 1.22% of total assets on December 31, 2020, as compared to 1.26% for the same period of 2019. The increase in total asset balance and nonaccrual loans, offset by lower OREO drove the 0.04% decrease in nonperforming assets as percentage of total assets from December 31, 2019 to December 31, 2020.

Review of Financial Results

For the three-month periods ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

Net income for the three-month period ended December 31, 2020 was $545,000, as compared to net income of $539,000 for the three-month period ended December 31, 2019, an increase of $6,000 or 1.11%.

Net interest income for the three-month period ended December 31, 2020 totaled $3.2 million, a decrease of $9,000 from the three-month period ended December 31, 2019 due to lower interest income of $155,000, coupled with lower interest expense of $146,000.   The decrease in net interest income was due primarily to declining loan balances and the impact of the low-rate environment on cash held in interest-bearing deposits in other financial institutions, offset by reductions in the costs of interest-bearing deposits and higher average security balances. Loans, net of deferred fees and costs, including $9.9 million of PPP loans, decreased by $30.9 million or 10.85% to $253.8 million as of December 31, 2020, as compared to $284.7 million for the same period of 2019. PPP loans carry a fixed interest rate of 1.0% with a two-year contractual maturity.

Net interest margin for the three-month period ended December 31, 2020 was 3.19%, as compared to 3.42% for the same period of 2019. Lower average yields and higher average balances on interest-earning assets combined with higher average interest-bearing funds and lower cost of funds were the primary drivers of year-over-year results. The average balance on interest-earning assets increased $26.4 million while the yield decreased 0.41% from 3.92% to 3.51%, when comparing the three-month periods ending December 31, 2019 and 2020. The average balance on interest-bearing funds increased $6.8 million and the cost of funds decreased 0.20%, when comparing the three-month periods ending December 31, 2019 and 2020. The decrease in interest expense is related to a reduction in higher rate time deposits. As these time deposits matured, they renewed at lower market rates or they exited the Company and were replaced by lower cost checking, savings, and money market accounts.

The average balance of interest-bearing deposits in other financial institutions and investment securities increased $49.9 million from $82.4 million to $132.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2020, as compared to the same period of 2019 while the yield decreased from 2.10% to 1.46% during that same time period. Much of the decrease in yields for the three-month period can be attributed to an overall lower interest rate environment and a significant increase in investment securities available for sale during this low interest rate period.   Average loan balances decreased $23.4 million to $263.0 million for the three-month period ended December 31, 2020, as compared to $286.4 million for the same period of 2019 while the yield increased from 4.44% to 4.54% during that same time period.

The provision for loan losses for the three-month period ended December 31, 2020 was negative $427,000, as compared to a negative $180,000 for the same period of 2019. Our loan loss provisioning methodology is significantly tied to projected unemployment rates which were higher during the fourth quarter of 2020 as compared to the same period of 2019. The decrease for the three-month period ended December 31, 2020 as compared to the same period in 2019 was driven by decreases in qualitative factors driven by macro-economic conditions, a decrease in the size of the loan portfolio, and the overall credit-quality of the loan portfolio. No provision for loan losses on PPP loans was recognized as the SBA guarantees 100% of loans funded under the program. The Company continues to gather the latest information available to perform and update its loan loss reserve analysis. As more information becomes available, including the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company will update the loan loss reserve analysis. The Company maintains the allowance for loan losses at a level believed to be adequate for known and inherent risks in the portfolio. The methodology incorporates a variety of risk considerations, both quantitative and qualitative, in establishing an allowance for loan losses that management believes is appropriate at each reporting date. As a result, the allowance for loan losses was $1.48 million on December 31, 2020, representing 0.58% of total loans, as compared to $2.07 million, or 0.73% of total loans on December 31, 2019.  

Noninterest income for the three-month period ended December 31, 2020 was $269,000, as compared to $339,000 for the three-month period ended December 31, 2019, a decrease of $70,000 or 20.65%. The decrease primarily resulted from lower ATM interchange fees associated with the cancellation of the Renaissance Festival due to COVID-19.

For the three-month period ended December 31, 2020, noninterest expense was $3.16 million, as compared to $3.02 million for the three-month period ended December 31, 2019, an increase of $140,000 or 4.64%. The primary contributors to the $140,000 increase, when compared to the three-month period ended December 31, 2019 were increases in salary and employee benefits costs, data processing and item processing services, and FDIC insurance costs, offset by decreases in occupancy and equipment expenses including investments in technology and infrastructure improvements and legal, accounting and other professional fees.

For the twelve-month periods ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

Net income for the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2020 was $1,668,000, as compared to net income of $1,599,000 for the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2019, an increase of $69,000 or 4.32%.

Net interest income for the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2020 totaled $12.2 million, a decrease of $433,000 from $12.6 million for the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2019 due to lower interest income of $845,000, coupled with lower interest expense of $412,000. The decrease in yields and cost of funds for the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2020 compared to the same period in 2019 is primarily attributable to the five rate cuts by the Federal Reserve from August 2019 through March 2020 with the March 15^th movement lowering the federal funds rate 150-basis points and the targeted range to 0% - 0.25%. The decrease in net interest income was due primarily to declining loan balances and the impact of the low-rate environment on cash held in interest-bearing deposits in other financial institutions, offset by reductions in the costs of interest-bearing deposits and higher average security balances.   Loans, net of deferred fees and costs, including $9.9 million of PPP loans, decreased by $30.9 million or 10.85% to $253.8 million as of December 31, 2020, as compared to $284.7 million for the same period of 2019. PPP loans carry a fixed interest rate of 1.0% with a two-year contractual maturity.

Net interest margin for the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2020 was 3.18%, as compared to 3.39% for the same period of 2019. Lower average yields and higher average balances on interest-earning assets combined with lower average interest-bearing funds and cost of funds were the primary drivers of year-over-year results. The average balance on interest-earning assets increased $11.4 million while the yield decreased 0.34% from 3.91% to 3.57%, when comparing the twelve-month periods ending December 31, 2019 and 2020. The average balance on interest-bearing funds decreased $5.7 million and the cost of funds decreased 0.13%, when comparing the twelve-month periods ending December 31, 2019 and 2020. The decrease in interest expense is related to a reduction in higher rate time deposit balances and FHLB advances. As time deposits matured, they renewed at lower market rates or they exited the Company and were replaced by lower cost checking, savings, and money market accounts.

The average balance of interest-bearing deposits in financial institutions and investment securities increased $26.4 million from $79.2 million to $105.6 million for the twelve-month period ending December 31, 2020, as compared to the same period of 2019 while the yield decreased from 2.23% to 1.61% during that same time period. Much of the decrease in yields for the twelve-month period can be attributed to an overall lower interest rate environment and a significant increase in investment securities available for sale during this low interest rate period.

Average loan balances decreased $15.0 million to $277.1 million for the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2020, as compared to $292.1 million for the same period of 2019 while the yield decreased from 4.36% to 4.32% during that same time period. The decrease in loan yields is primarily attributable to the runoff of higher yielding loans and origination of lower yielding loans in the current low interest rate environment, rate cuts by the Federal Reserve from August 2019 through March 2020 and the origination of $17.4 million of SBA PPP loans with rates of 1.00%.

The provision for loan losses for the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2020 was negative $689,000, as compared to negative $115,000 for the same period of 2019. The decrease for the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2020 as compared to the same period in 2019 was driven by decreases in qualitative factors driven by macro-economic conditions, a decrease in the size of the loan portfolio, and the overall credit-quality of the loan portfolio. No provision for loan losses on PPP loans was recognized as the SBA guarantees 100% of loans funded under the program.

Noninterest income for the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2020 was $1.01 million, as compared to $1.30 million for the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2019, a decrease of $283,000 or 21.77% driven by lower ATM interchange fees related to the COVID-19 related cancellation of the Renaissance Festival.

For the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2020, noninterest expense was $11.70 million, as compared to $11.95 million for the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2019, a decrease of $250,000 or 2.09%. The primary contributors to the $250,000 decrease, when compared to the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2019 were decreases in salary and employee benefits costs, occupancy and equipment expenses including investments in technology and infrastructure improvements, legal, accounting and other professional fees and other expenses, primarily litigation settlement costs and write downs on OREO, offset by increases in data processing and item processing services and FDIC costs.

Glen Burnie Bancorp Information

Glen Burnie Bancorp is a bank holding company headquartered in Glen Burnie, Maryland. Founded in 1949, The Bank of Glen Burnie® is a locally owned community bank with 8 branch offices serving Anne Arundel County. The Bank is engaged in the commercial and retail banking business including the acceptance of demand and time deposits, and the origination of loans to individuals, associations, partnerships and corporations. The Bank's real estate financing consists of residential first and second mortgage loans, home equity lines of credit and commercial mortgage loans. The Bank also originates automobile loans through arrangements with local automobile dealers. Additional information is available at www.thebankofglenburnie.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

The statements contained herein that are not historical financial information, may be deemed to constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, which could cause the company's actual results in the future to differ materially from its historical results and those presently anticipated or projected. These statements are evidenced by terms such as "anticipate," "estimate," "should," "expect," "believe," "intend," and similar expressions. Although these statements reflect management's good faith beliefs and projections, they are not guarantees of future performance and they may not prove true. For a more complete discussion of these and other risk factors, please see the company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

For further information contact:

Jeffrey D. Harris, Chief Financial Officer
410-768-8883
jdharris@bogb.net
106 Padfield Blvd
Glen Burnie, MD 21061