Athens Bancshares Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Quarter Ended March 31, 2015

ATHENS, Tenn., April 30, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Athens Bancshares Corporation AFCB (the "Company"), the holding company for Athens Federal Community Bank (the "Bank"), today announced its financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2015. The Company's net income for the three months ended March 31, 2015 was $592,000 or $0.33 per diluted share, compared to net income of $660,000 or $0.37 per diluted share for the same period in 2014. 

Results of Operations – Three Months Ended March 31, 2015 and 2014

Net interest income after provision for loan losses increased $2,000 or 0.09%, to $2.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2015 compared to $2.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014. Interest income increased $14,000 when comparing the two periods as the average balance of interest earning assets increased from $277.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014 to $282.1 million for the comparable period in 2015, which more than offset a decrease in the average yield on interest earning assets from 4.95% for the three months ended March 31, 2014 to 4.88% for the comparable period in 2015. Interest expense decreased $69,000 when comparing the two periods as the average cost of interest bearing liabilities decreased from 0.82% for the three months ended March 31, 2014 to 0.70% for the comparable period in 2015. The average balance of interest-bearing liabilities increased from $232.4 million to $233.1 million when comparing the same two periods. The provision for loan losses increased $81,000, from $26,000 for the quarter ended March 31, 2014 to $107,000 for the quarter ended March 31, 2015. 

Non-interest income increased $83,000 when comparing the two periods. The increase was primarily due to increases in income related to the sale of mortgage loans on the secondary market, income from Valley Title Services, LLC and consumer and commercial loan servicing and origination, partially offset by decreases in investment sales commissions, non-sufficient funds charges on deposit accounts and other deposit-related fees.

Non-interest expense increased $211,000 when comparing the two periods. The increase was primarily due to increases in other operating expenses, salary expense and data processing expenses. The increase in other operating expense was primarily due to write-down in the value of foreclosed property and expenses related to foreclosed property. Salary expense increased due to normal cost of living salary adjustments effective in January 2015, as well as increases in the costs of employee health insurance benefits. Data processing costs increased due to the addition of products purchased on the core operating system. These increases were partially offset by a reduction in occupancy and equipment expense.  

Income tax expense for the three months ended March 31, 2015 was $278,000 compared to $336,000 for the same period in 2014 primarily as a result of lower pre-tax income in the 2015 period.

Total assets increased $7.3 million to $309.7 million at March 31, 2015, compared to $302.4 million at December 31, 2014. The Bank was considered well-capitalized under applicable federal regulatory capital guidelines at March 31, 2015.

This release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements are not historical facts; rather, they are statements based on the Company's current expectations regarding its business strategies and their intended results and its future performance. Forward-looking statements are preceded by terms such as "expects", "believes", "anticipates", "intends" and similar expressions.

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Numerous risks and uncertainties could cause or contribute to the Company's actual results, performance and achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause or contribute to these differences include, without limitation, general economic conditions, including changes in market interest rates and changes in monetary and fiscal policies of the federal government; legislative and regulatory changes; and other factors disclosed periodically in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Because of the risks and uncertainties inherent in forward-looking statements, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on them, whether included in this report or made elsewhere from time to time by the Company or on its behalf. Except as may be required by applicable law or regulation, the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.