Home BancShares, Inc. Announces a 22.0% Increase in Third Quarter Earnings

CONWAY, Ark., Oct. 20, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Home BancShares, Inc. HOMB, parent company of Centennial Bank, today announced a record quarterly profit of $43.6 million, or $0.31 diluted earnings per share for the third quarter of 2016 compared to $35.7 million or $0.26 diluted earnings per share (split adjusted) for the same quarter in 2015.  Excluding the $3.8 million of FDIC loss share buy-out expense, diluted earnings per share for the third quarter of 2016 was $0.33 per share.  The Company increased its third quarter earnings by $7.9 million or 22.0% for the three months ended September 30, 2016 compared to the same period of the previous year.  The Company also announced $90.1 million in quarterly organic loan growth during the third quarter of 2016, a core efficiency ratio of 36.51% and a quarterly return on assets excluding FDIC loss share buy-out of 1.90%. 

"We are pleased with the earnings performance this quarter, excluding expenses incurred to buy-out the FDIC loss share portfolio," said John Allison, Chairman.  "For the quarter, the Company reported outstanding results for diluted earnings per share excluding the FDIC loss share buy-out of $0.33 per share.  We continue to see growth in loans and earnings and are committed to finding more efficient ways to provide exceptional service to our customers."

"The third quarter of 2016 marked the twenty-second consecutive quarter we have successively reported the most profitable quarter in the Company's history," said Randy Sims, Home BancShares, Inc. Chief Executive Officer. "During the third quarter of 2016, we again improved our core efficiency ratio, reaching 36.51%.  Our Company continues to search for opportunities to not only maximize our efficiencies but also increase earnings for the benefit of the shareholders."

"Our financial results and organic loan growth for the quarter just ended are giving us momentum to continue to seek additional growth opportunities in attractive markets," added Tracy French, Centennial Bank President and Chief Executive Officer.  "We will remain diligent in our commitment to both generate and retain a substantial amount of capital each quarter so we are consistently in a position to support organic growth that will also produce additional earnings and increase shareholder value." 

Operating Highlights

Each quarter we perform credit impairment tests on the loans acquired in our acquisitions.  During our third quarter 2016 impairment testing, several pools were determined to have a material projected credit improvement. This projected credit improvement offset by the expected decline in accretion income from the maturing of acquired loan portfolios, resulted in a net improvement of recognized accretion income when compared to the second quarter of 2016.  Consequently, yields on loans and net interest margin for the quarter just ended are slightly increased when compared to the second quarter of 2016.

Net interest margin, on a fully taxable equivalent basis, was 4.86% for the quarter just ended compared to 5.03% for the same quarter in 2015 and compared to 4.83% for the second quarter of 2016.  Accretion yield on purchased loans increased approximately $920,000 from $11.0 million for the second quarter of 2016 to $11.9 million for third quarter of 2016.  The net interest margin, excluding accretion yield on purchased loans increased slightly from the second quarter of 2016 to the third quarter of 2016 at 4.24% and 4.25%, respectively.

During the third quarter of 2016, the Company recorded a provision for loan loss of $5.5 million compared to $7.1 million in the third quarter of 2015.  The $5.5 million of provision for loan loss is a reflection of the organic loan growth and net charge-offs for the third quarter of 2016.

The Company reported $22.0 million of non-interest income for the third quarter of 2016, compared to $16.5 million for the third quarter of 2015.  The most important components of the third quarter non-interest income were $7.5 million from other service charges and fees, $6.5 million from service charges on deposits accounts, $3.9 million from mortgage lending income and $1.6 million from other income.

Non-interest expense for the third quarter of 2016 was $51.0 million compared to $44.6 million for the third quarter of 2015.  This increase is primarily associated with the establishment of the Centennial Commercial Finance Group ("Centennial CFG") in New York City during the second quarter of 2015, the acquisition of FBBI during the fourth quarter of 2015 and $3.8 million FDIC loss-share buy-out expense recognized during the third quarter of 2016.  For the third quarter of 2016, our core efficiency ratio was 36.51% which is improved from the 39.30% reported for third quarter of 2015.

Financial Condition

Total loans receivable were $7.11 billion at September 30, 2016 compared to $6.64 billion at December 31, 2015.  Total deposits were $6.84 billion at September 30, 2016 compared to $6.44 billion at December 31, 2015.  Total assets were $9.76 billion at September 30, 2016 compared to $9.29 billion at December 31, 2015.

From December 31, 2015 to September 30, 2016, the Company produced approximately $470.7 million of organic loan growth, of which $222.7 million is associated with loan originations in the legacy footprint with the remaining $248.0 million being associated with Centennial CFG.  Centennial CFG had loans of $963.8 million at September 30, 2016.

From June 30, 2016 to September 30, 2016, the Company produced approximately $90.1 million of organic loan growth, of which $17.6 million is associated with loan originations in the legacy footprint with the remaining $72.5 million being associated with Centennial CFG.

Non-performing loans at September 30, 2016 are $25.1 million, $33.9 million, $1.1 million and zero in the Arkansas, Florida, Alabama and Centennial CFG markets, respectively, for a total of $60.1 million.  Non-performing loans as a percent of total loans were 0.84% as of September 30, 2016 compared to 0.96% as of December 31, 2015.  Non-performing assets at September 30, 2016 are $38.1 million, $37.3 million, $1.7 million and zero in the Arkansas, Florida and Alabama and Centennial CFG markets, respectively, for a total of $77.1 million.  Non-performing assets as a percent of total assets were 0.79% as of September 30, 2016 compared to 0.89% as of December 31, 2015.

The Company's allowance for loan losses was $76.4 million at September 30, 2016, or 1.07% of total loans, compared to $69.2 million, or 1.04% of total loans, at December 31, 2015.  As of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, the allowance for loan losses plus discount for credit losses on loans acquired to total loans plus discount for credit losses on loans acquired was 2.55% and 3.22%, respectively.  This decrease is primarily the result of organic loan growth in 2016 plus projected credit improvement from previous periods on the acquired impaired loans and write-downs on purchased credit impaired loans.  As of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, the Company's allowance for loan losses was 127% and 109% of its total non-performing loans, respectively.

Stockholders' equity was $1.30 billion at September 30, 2016 compared to $1.20 billion at December 31, 2015, an increase of $96.3 million.  Book value per common share was $9.22 at September 30, 2016 compared to $8.55 (split adjusted) at December 31, 2015.  Tangible book value per common share was $6.40 at September 30, 2016 compared to $5.71 (split adjusted) at December 31, 2015 for an annualized increase of 16.1%. 

Branches

In an effort to achieve efficiencies primarily from our acquisitions, during the third quarter the Company added deposit operations to its loan production office in New York City and opened one branch location in Davie, Florida.  During the fourth quarter of 2016, the Company has plans to close one Arkansas location.  The Company currently has 77 branches in Arkansas, 59 branches in Florida, 6 branches in Alabama and one branch in New York City.

Conference Call

Management will conduct a conference call to review this information at 1:00 p.m. CT (2:00 ET) on Thursday, October 20, 2016.  We encourage all participants to pre-register for the conference call using the following link: http://dpregister.com/10092972.  Callers who pre-register will be given dial-in instructions and a unique PIN to gain immediate access to the live call.  Participants may pre-register now, or at any time prior to the call, and will immediately receive simple instructions via email.  The Home BancShares conference call will also be automatically scheduled as an event in your Outlook calendar.

Those without internet access or unable to pre-register may dial in and listen to the live call by calling 1-877-508-9586 and asking for the Home BancShares conference call.  A replay of the call will be available by calling 1-877-344-7529, Passcode: 10092972, which will be available until October 27, 2016 at 10:59 p.m. CT (11:59 ET).  Internet access to the call will be available live or in recorded version on the Company's website at www.homebancshares.com under "Investor Relations" for 12 months.

General

This release contains forward-looking statements regarding the Company's plans, expectations, goals and outlook for the future. Statements in this press release that are not historical facts should be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements of this type speak only as of the date of this news release. By nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risk and uncertainties. Various factors, including, but not limited to, economic conditions, credit quality, interest rates, loan demand, the ability to successfully integrate new acquisitions and changes in the assumptions used in making the forward-looking statements, could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Additional information on factors that might affect Home BancShares, Inc.'s financial results is included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on February 26, 2016.

Home BancShares, Inc. is a bank holding company, headquartered in Conway, Arkansas. Its wholly-owned subsidiary, Centennial Bank, provides a broad range of commercial and retail banking plus related financial services to businesses, real estate developers, investors, individuals and municipalities. Centennial Bank has branch locations in Arkansas, Florida, South Alabama and New York City. The Company's common stock is traded through the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "HOMB."