First Financial Bankshares Announces Fourth Quarter Earnings Results And 30th Year Of Consecutive Earnings Growth

ABILENE, Texas, Jan. 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- First Financial Bankshares, Inc. FFIN today reported earnings for the fourth quarter of 2016 of $26.67 million, up 5.85 percent compared with earnings of $25.19 million in the same quarter last year.  Basic earnings per share were $0.40 for the fourth quarter of 2016 compared with $0.38 in the same quarter a year ago.

All amounts for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2016, include the results of the asset purchase of 4Trust Mortgage, Inc. on May 31, 2015, and the acquisition of First Bank, N.A., Conroe, Texas, on July 31, 2015. As of the acquisition date, First Bank had total gross loans of $252.46 million and total deposits of $356.75 million.

Net interest income for the fourth quarter of 2016 was $56.54 million compared with $58.00 million in the same quarter of 2015. The net interest margin, on a taxable equivalent basis, was 4.01 percent for the fourth quarter of 2016 compared to 4.04 percent in the third quarter of 2016 and 4.16 percent in the fourth quarter of 2015. Included in interest income for the fourth quarter of 2016 was $500 thousand, or three basis points in net interest margin, related to discount accretion from fair value accounting related to the Conroe and Orange acquisitions.  

The provision for loan losses was $1.99 million in the fourth quarter of 2016 compared with $3.83 million in the third quarter of 2016 and $4.18 million in the fourth quarter of 2015. The continued provision for loan losses in 2016 reflects the continuing higher levels of nonperforming and classified assets, gross charge-offs, as well as the economic effects related to the oil and gas industry. Nonperforming assets as a percentage of loans and foreclosed assets totaled 0.86 percent at December 31, 2016, compared with 1.04 percent at September 30, 2016, and 0.89 percent at December 31, 2015.  Classified loans totaled $127.80 million at December 31, 2016, compared to $126.60 million at September 30, 2016, and $149.43 million at December 31, 2015.

At December 31, 2016, loans with oil and gas industry exposure totaled 2.32 percent of gross loans. These loans comprised $32.52 million of the classified loan totals and $4.09 million of the nonperforming loan totals. In addition, $105 thousand in net charge-offs was related to these oil and gas loans for the quarter ended December 31, 2016. At December 31, 2016, the Company's allowance for loan loss reserve specific to its total oil and gas loan portfolio totaled 6.28 percent of total oil and gas loans.

Noninterest income increased 12.66 percent in the fourth quarter of 2016 to $21.72 million compared with $19.28 million in the same quarter a year ago. Trust fees increased $228 thousand to $5.19 million in the fourth quarter of 2016 compared with $4.96 million in the same quarter last year, primarily due to continued growth in the fair value of Trust assets managed to $4.37 billion from $3.87 billion a year ago. ATM, interchange and credit card fees increased 13.08 percent to $6.39 million compared with $5.65 million in the same quarter last year due to continued growth in net new accounts and debit cards. Real estate mortgage fees increased 37.21 percent in the fourth quarter of 2016 to $4.24 million compared with $3.09 million in the same quarter a year ago.

Noninterest expense for the fourth quarter of 2016 totaled $41.99 million compared to $40.34 million in the fourth quarter of 2015. The Company's efficiency ratio in the fourth quarter of 2016 was 49.61 percent compared with 48.38 percent in the same quarter last year. The increase in noninterest expense in the fourth quarter of 2016 was primarily a result of increases in employee benefit costs, including a $498 thousand increase in medical insurance costs and a $327 thousand increase in pension plan expense when compared to the same quarter in 2015. Also included in noninterest expense for the fourth quarter of 2016 was $267 thousand, before income tax, resulting from the Company's partial settlement of its frozen defined benefit pension plan. The Company offered a similar settlement of its pension obligation to plan participants who are no longer employed by the Company in the fourth quarter on 2014.

The Company's effective income tax rate for the quarters ended December 31, 2016, September 30, 2016, and December 31, 2015, were 22.20 percent, 22.52 percent and 23.11 percent, respectively. The lower rate in the fourth quarter of 2016 is due to a $360 thousand income tax credit from the sale and partial donation of one of our branch buildings in Orange, Texas to a municipality. The Company will lease back the facility in 2017 while a new, state-of-the-art branch building is being constructed to better serve our customers.

For the year ended December 31, 2016, net income increased 4.38 percent to $104.77 million from $100.38 million in 2015, marking 2016 as the 30^th consecutive year of earnings increases for the Company. Basic earnings per share in 2016 rose to $1.59 from $1.55 in the previous year.

Net interest income increased 4.28 percent for the year to $226.84 million from $217.54 million a year ago. The provision for loan losses for 2016 totaled $10.21 million compared with $9.69 million in 2015. Noninterest income was $85.13 million in 2016 compared with $73.43 million in 2015. Noninterest expense rose to $165.83 million in 2016 compared with $149.46 million a year ago.

As of December 31, 2016, consolidated assets for the Company totaled $6.81 billion compared with $6.67 billion at December 31, 2015. Loans totaled $3.38 billion at year end compared with loans of $3.35 billion a year ago. Deposits totaled $5.48 billion at December 31, 2016, compared to $5.19 billion a year ago.  Shareholders' equity rose to $837.89 million at year end compared with $804.99 million at December 31, 2015. 

"We are pleased to report the 30^th consecutive year of increased earnings for the Company despite continued low interest rates, commodity prices, and oil and gas prices," said F. Scott Dueser, Chairman, President and CEO. "We continue to work diligently to grow loans and deposits, reduce expenses to improve our bottom line while continuing to look for acquisition opportunities to better utilize our strong capital position and increase our return to our shareholders."

About First Financial Bankshares

Headquartered in Abilene, Texas, First Financial Bankshares is a financial holding company that through its subsidiary, First Financial Bank, N.A., operates multiple banking regions with 69 locations in Texas including Abilene, Acton, Albany, Aledo, Alvarado, Beaumont, Boyd, Bridgeport, Brock, Burleson, Cisco, Cleburne, Clyde, Conroe, Cut and Shoot, Decatur, Eastland, Fort Worth, Glen Rose, Granbury, Grapevine, Hereford, Huntsville, Keller, Magnolia, Mauriceville, Merkel, Midlothian, Mineral Wells, Montgomery, Moran, New Waverly, Newton, Odessa, Orange, Port Arthur, Ranger, Rising  Star,  Roby,  San  Angelo,  Southlake,  Stephenville,  Sweetwater, Tomball, Trent,  Trophy Club, Vidor, Waxahachie, Weatherford, Willis, and Willow Park. The Company also operates First Financial Trust & Asset Management Company, N.A., with eight locations and First Technology Services, Inc., a technology operating company.

The Company is listed on The NASDAQ Global Select Market under the trading symbol FFIN.  For more information about First Financial Bankshares, please visit our website at http://www.ffin.com

Certain statements contained herein may be considered "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the belief of the Company's management, as well as assumptions made beyond information currently available to the Company's management, and may be, but not necessarily are, identified by such words as "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "target", "forecast" and "goal".  Because such "forward-looking statements" are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.  Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include competition from other financial institutions and financial holding companies; the effects of and changes in trade, monetary and fiscal policies and laws, including interest rate policies of the  Federal Reserve Board; changes in the demand for loans; fluctuations in value of collateral and loan reserves; inflation, interest rate, market and monetary fluctuations; changes in consumer spending, borrowing and savings habits; and acquisitions and integration of acquired businesses, and similar variables.   Other key risks are described in the Company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which may be obtained under "Investor Relations-Documents/Filings" on the Company's Web site or by writing or calling the Company at 325.627.7155. Except as otherwise stated in this news announcement, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements because of new information, future events or otherwise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-financial-bankshares-announces-fourth-quarter-earnings-results-and-30th-year-of-consecutive-earnings-growth-300397643.html

SOURCE First Financial Bankshares, Inc.