SPRINGFIELD, Mo., April 22, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Guaranty Federal Bancshares, Inc., (Nasdaq:GFED), the holding company (the "Company") for Guaranty Bank, today announces the following results for its quarter ended March 31, 2009.
First Quarter 2009 Financial Results
* Total assets increased $78.4 million, or 12%, from December 31,
2008
* Total investments increased $81.1 million, or 122%, from December
31, 2008
* Total deposits increased $83.5 million , or 19%, from December 31,
2008
* Equity to assets increased to 7.17% as compared to 5.52% at
December 31, 2008
* Book value per common share increased to $14.65 as compared to
$14.28 at December 31, 2008
The Company announces that earnings for the first quarter ended March 31, 2009 were ($592,000). After preferred dividends, diluted earnings per share was ($.30), an increase from the ($1.45) per diluted share during the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2008. This was a decrease from the $.23 per diluted share, or $617,000, the Company earned during the first quarter of the prior year.
There were several key issues that contributed to the decline in net income and earnings per share over the prior year quarter:
* The decline in the Company's net interest margin negatively
impacted earnings during the first quarter due to several factors.
First, the Federal Reserve's interest rate cuts beginning in the
fourth quarter of 2007 and continuing throughout 2008 dramatically
impacted the Company's yield on loans which are tied to the prime
rate. Generally, rate cuts affect the yields on floating rate
loans immediately, but the Company experiences a lagging decline in
its cost of funding due to the current "asset-sensitive" structure
of the balance sheet. Secondly, the Company has experienced an
increase in non-performing assets since the prior year quarter end
that has increased the amount of assets that are non-income
generating. Third, the Company executed a very successful deposit
generating campaign to significantly increase liquidity during this
turbulent economic and regulatory environment. This success in
deposit growth has increased the Bank's cost of funds in the near
term.
* The Company increased its provision for loan losses by $160,000
during the quarter (as compared to the prior year quarter) to
compensate for increased reserves on specific credits and concerns
over the local and national economy.
* Non-interest expense increased due to the increased personnel costs
incurred from hiring several key associates throughout 2008. Also,
for fiscal year 2009, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation has
significantly increased its assessments of insurance premiums on
all insured institutions. For the quarter, these assessment
premiums increased $212,031, or 339%, over the prior year quarter.
"Our Board of Directors and senior management have adopted very conservative and prudent policies in regards to our capital, liquidity and allowance for loan losses as we continue to face the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression," said President and Chief Executive Officer Shaun A. Burke. "The provisions we have made to the reserve over the past several quarters reflect our philosophy and our caution regarding the uncertainty surrounding the current economic operating environment and trends. At quarter end our allowance was 2.93% of loans outstanding, a level significantly higher than our peer group."
"Our ability to grow and enhance our franchise is predicated on strong capital and core liquidity. During the quarter we significantly improved these two extremely important balance sheet components. Participating in the Treasury's Capital Purchase Program substantially improved our already 'well-capitalized' position and will provide a foundation to weather the current economic downturn and build a stronger company in the future. Our directives to improve core liquidity resulted in a strong 19% increase in deposits since year end. Although these initiatives have a short term impact on earnings, we are confident that they are prudent given the current environment. We are well-positioned to benefit when the economy recovers and remain committed to serving our clients and communities and building a solid company for the future," commented Burke.
On January 30, 2009, as part of the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Troubled Asset Relief Program's Capital Purchase Program, the Company entered into an Agreement with the United States Department of the Treasury pursuant to which the Company sold to the Treasury 17,000 shares of Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A and issued a ten-year warrant to purchase 459,459 shares of the Company's common stock for $5.55 per share for a total purchase price of $17.0 million in cash. The Series A Preferred Stock qualifies as Tier 1 capital and will be entitled to cumulative preferred dividends at a rate of 5% per year for the first five years, payable quarterly, and 9% thereafter. The Series A Preferred Stock has a liquidation preference of $1,000 per share, plus accrued and unpaid dividends.
About Guaranty Federal Bancshares, Inc.
Guaranty Federal Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq:GFED) has a subsidiary corporation offering full banking services. The principal subsidiary, Guaranty Bank, is headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, and has nine full-service branches in Greene and Christian Counties and Loan Production Offices in Wright, Webster and Howell Counties. In addition, Guaranty Bank is a member of the TransFund ATM network which provides its customers surcharge free access to over 100 area ATMs and over 1,000 ATMs nationwide. For more information visit the Guaranty Bank website: www.gbankmo.com.
The discussion set forth above may contain forward-looking comments. Such comments are based upon the information currently available to management of the Company and management's perception thereof as of the date of this release. When used in this release, words such as "anticipates," "estimates," "believes," "expects," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results of the Company's operations could materially differ from those forward-looking comments. The differences could be caused by a number of factors or combination of factors including, but not limited to: changes in demand for banking services; changes in portfolio composition; changes in management strategy; increased competition from both bank and non-bank companies; changes in the general level of interest rates; the effect of regulatory or government legislative changes; technology changes; fluctuation in inflation; and other factors set forth in reports and other documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time.
Financial Highlights:
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Quarter ended
Operating Data: 31-Mar-09 31-Mar-08
--------------- --------- ---------
Total interest income $ 8,323 $ 9,231
Total interest expense 5,308 5,201
Provision for loan losses 980 820
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Net interest income after
provision for loan losses 2,035 3,210
Noninterest income 809 882
Noninterest expense 3,744 3,102
--------- ---------
Income (loss) before income tax (900) 990
Provision (credit) for income tax (308) 373
--------- ---------
Net income (loss) (592) 617
Preferred stock dividends and
discount accretion 188 --
--------- ---------
Net income (loss) available for
common shareholders $ (780) $ 617
========= =========
Net income (loss) per common
share-basic ($0.30) $0.24
========= =========
Net income (loss) per common
share-diluted ($0.30) $0.23
========= =========
Annualized return on average assets -0.32% 0.42%
Annualized return on average equity -4.77% 5.71%
Net interest margin 1.67% 2.84%
At At
Financial Condition Data: 31-Mar-09 31-Dec-08
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Cash and cash equivalents $ 32,379 $ 15,097
Investments 147,134 66,062
Loans, net of allowance for loan losses
3/31/2009 - $16,233; 12/31/2008 - $16,728 537,505 558,327
Other assets 37,042 36,184
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Total assets $ 754,060 $ 675,670
========= =========
Deposits $ 530,536 $ 447,079
FHLB advances 111,436 132,436
Subordinated debentures 15,465 15,465
Securities sold under agreements to repurchase 39,750 39,750
Other liabilities 2,829 3,627
--------- ---------
Total liabilities 700,016 638,357
--------- ---------
Stockholder's equity 54,044 37,313
--------- ---------
Total liabilities and stockholder equity $ 754,060 $ 675,670
========= =========
Equity to assets ratio 7.17% 5.52%
========= =========
Book value per common share $14.65 $14.28
========= =========
Non performing assets $ 28,770 $ 26,349
========= =========
CONTACT: Guaranty Federal Bancshares, Inc.
Shaun A. Burke, President & CEO
417-520-4333
1341 W. Battlefield
Springfield, MO 65807
www.gbankmo.com
