EX-99.1 2 ex99-1.htm EXHIBIT 99.1 ex99-1.htm
 
 
CONTACTS

Gary L. Nalbandian
Mark A. Zody
Chairman/President
Chief Financial Officer
(717) 412-6301
 
PENNSYLVANIA COMMERCE BANCORP
 
REPORTS RECORD QUARTERLY NET INCOME AND EPS;
 
 LOANS INCREASE 15%
 

April 16, 2008 – Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania Commerce Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ Global Select Market Symbol: COBH), parent company of Commerce Bank/Harrisburg, N.A., reported record loans, revenues, net income and earnings per share for the first quarter of 2008, announced Gary L. Nalbandian, Chairman.

        First Quarter 2008 Financial Highlights
       
%
 
      03/31/08
 
03/31/07
 
Change
Total assets
$  1.96
Billion
$  1.90
Billion
3 %
           
Total deposits
$  1.58
Billion
$  1.56
Billion
1 %
           
Total loans (net)
$  1.20
Billion
$  1.05
Billion
15 %
           
Total revenues
$  24.6
Million
$  18.4
Million
34 %
           
Net income
$    3.2
Million
$    1.1
Million
188 %
           
Diluted net income per share
$  0.49
 
$  0.17
 
188 %
     


1


Chairman’s Statement

In commenting on the Company’s financial results, Chairman Nalbandian noted the following highlights:

Ø  
Net income was $3.2 million, up $2.1 million, or 188%, over the first quarter one year ago.  This represents an all-time high for quarterly net income.

Ø  
Diluted net income per share was $0.49 for the quarter, up $0.32, or 188%, over the first quarter of 2007.  This also represents an all-time high for the Company.

Ø  
Total revenues grew 34% for the first quarter of 2008 over the first quarter one year ago.

Ø  
Net interest income for the quarter increased 40% over the same period in 2007.

Ø  
The Company’s net interest margin for the first quarter improved 47 basis points over the previous quarter and 103 basis points over the same quarter one year ago to 4.07%.

Ø  
Deposit charges and service fees grew  26% for the first quarter over the same period one year ago.

Ø  
Stockholders’ equity increased $5.4 million, or 5%, to $110.3 million.

Ø  
Return on average stockholders’ equity improved to 11.39% for the quarter vs. 4.39% for the first quarter of 2007.

Ø  
Total assets reached $1.96 billion.

Ø  
Net loans grew $156.8 million, or 15%, over the first quarter one year ago.

Ø  
Asset quality remains strong with net charge-offs for the quarter of only 0.01% and a non-performing loan coverage ratio of 309%.

Income Statement

   
Three months ended
March 31,
 
(dollars in thousands, except per share data)
 
2008
   
2007
   
%
Change
 
Total revenues
  $ 24,576     $ 18,398       34 %
Total expenses
    18,901       16,490       15 %
Net income
    3,206       1,112       188 %
Diluted net income per share
  $ 0.49     $ 0.17       188 %

Total revenues (net interest income plus non-interest income) for the first quarter increased $6.2 million to $24.6 million, up 34% over the first quarter of 2007.

Net income totaled $3.2 million for the first quarter of 2008, a $2.3 million increase over net income of $1.1 million for the first quarter of 2007. Net income per fully diluted share for the first quarter of 2008 was $0.49, a 188% increase over the $0.17 recorded for the same period a year ago.
 
 
2


 
Net Interest Income and Net Interest Margin

Net interest income for the first quarter of 2008 totaled $18.6 million, an increase of $5.4 million, or 40%, over the $13.2 million recorded a year ago.  This increase was a result of continued strong loan growth combined with significant improvement in the Company’s net interest margin.

The net interest margin for the first quarter of 2008 was 4.07%, up 47 basis points on a linked-quarter basis and 103 basis points over the 3.04% figure recorded in the first quarter of 2007. The improvement in net interest margin is the result of a marked reduction in the Company’s deposit and total cost of funds.

Net interest income, on a tax equivalent basis, totaled $18.9 million in the first quarter of 2008, an increase of $5.5 million, or 41%, over the first quarter one year ago. Net interest margin on a fully-taxable equivalent basis was 4.15%.

Net Interest Income and Rate/Volume Analysis

As shown below, the increase in net interest income on a tax equivalent basis was due to volume increases in the Company’s earning assets, as well as noticeable improvement in the net interest margin.

(dollars in thousands)
 
Net Interest Income
 
March 31
2008 vs. 2007
 
Volume
Increase
   
Rate
Change
   
Total
Increase
   
%
Increase
 
Quarter
  $ 1,550     $ 3,943     $ 5,493       41 %
                                 

Non-interest Income

Non-interest income for the first quarter of 2008 totaled $6.0 million, up $823,000, or 16%, over $5.2 million a year ago.  The growth in non-interest income for the quarter was reflected in increased deposit charges and service fees as depicted below:

   
Three months ended
March 31,
 
(dollars in thousands)
 
2008
   
2007
   
% Change
 
Deposit charges and service fees
  $ 5,676     $ 4,502       26 %
Other income
    317       497       (36 )
   Subtotal
    5,993       4,999       20  
Net investment securities gains
    -       171       (100 )
Total noninterest income
  $ 5,993     $ 5,170       16 %

Non-interest Expenses

Non-interest expenses for the first quarter of 2008 were $18.9 million, up 15%, over $16.5 million one year ago.  The increases in non-interest expenses for the quarter were widespread across several categories, as shown in the following table:
 
 
3


 
   
Three months ended
March 31,
 
(dollars in thousands)
 
2008
   
2007
   
% Change
 
Salaries and employee benefits
  $ 8,881     $ 8,398       6 %
Occupancy
    2,074       1,835       13  
Furniture and equipment
    1,052       955       10  
Advertising and marketing
    837       786       6  
Data Processing
    1,705       1,475       16  
Postage and supplies
    532       539       (1 )
Regulatory assessments
    1,138       187       509  
Telephone
    596       564       6  
Other expenses
    2,086       1,751       19  
Total noninterest expenses
  $ 18,901     $ 16,490       15 %

The increase in regulatory assessment expenses was due primarily to FDIC insurance expense incurred in the first quarter of 2008 which was offset during the same period one year ago by one-time credits.  Also adding to this increase were consulting and legal costs associated with regulatory matters which were significantly higher during the first quarter of 2008 as opposed to the same period last year.

Balance Sheet

   
March 31,
       
(dollars in thousands)
 
2008
   
2007
   
%
 Change
 
Total assets
  $ 1,957,843     $ 1,898,572       3 %
                         
Total loans (net)
    1,203,231       1,046,445       15 %
                         
Total deposits
    1,580,099       1,560,361       1 %


Lending

Total gross loans increased $158.4 million, or 15%, to $1.21 billion from $1.06 billion one year ago, with the growth represented across all loan categories. The composition of the Company’s loan portfolio is as follows:

(dollars in thousands)
 
03/31/08
   
% of
Total
   
03/31/07
   
% of
Total
   
$
 Increase
   
%
Increase
 
Commercial
  $ 377,149      
31%
    $ 322,957      
31%
    $ 54,192      
17%
 
Owner occupied
    174,477      
14    
      124,120      
12   
      50,357      
41   
 
Total commercial
    551,626      
45   
      447,077      
43   
      104,549      
23   
 
Consumer/residential
    309,873      
26   
      286,746      
27   
      23,127      
8  
 
Commercial real estate
    353,359      
29   
      322,614      
30   
      30,745      
10    
 
Gross loans
  $ 1,214,858      
100%
    $ 1,056,437      
100%
    $ 158,421      
15%
 
 
 
 
4


 
Asset Quality

The Company’s asset quality ratios are highlighted below:

         
Quarter Ended
       
   
March 31,
2008
   
December 31,
2007
   
March 31,
2007
 
Non-performing assets/total assets
    0.22 %     0.17 %     0.20 %
Net loan charge-offs/average total loans
    0.01 %     0.02 %     0.02 %
Loan loss reserve/gross loans
    0.96 %     0.93 %     0.95 %
Non-performing loan coverage
    309 %     366 %     280 %
Non-performing assets/capital and reserves
    4 %     3 %     3 %

Non-performing assets and loans past due 90 days at March 31, 2008 totaled $4.3 million, or 0.22%, of total assets, as compared to $3.4 million, or 0.17% of total assets, at December 31, 2007 and $3.9 million, or 0.20%, of total assets one year ago.

Core Deposits

Core deposit growth by type of account is as follows:

   
March 31,
             
(dollars in thousands)
 
2008
   
2007
   
%
Change
   
1st Qtr 2008
Cost of
Funds
 
Demand noninterest-bearing
  $ 295,340     $ 287,129       3 %     0.00 %
Demand interest-bearing
    693,514       676,253       3       1.91  
Savings
    368,557       384,546       (4 )     1.38  
   Subtotal
    1,357,411       1,347,928       1       1.38  
Time
    188,164       194,504       (3 )     3.99  
Total core deposits
  $ 1,545,575     $ 1,542,432       0 %     1.67 %

Core deposit growth by type of customer is as follows:

   
March 31,
   
% of
   
March 31,
   
% of
   
%
 
(dollars in thousands)
 
2008
   
Total
   
2007
   
Total
   
Change
 
Consumer
  $ 642,235      
42%
    $ 641,350      
42%
     
0%
 
Commercial
    560,568      
36    
      511,202      
33   
     
10
 
Government
    342,772      
22   
      389,880      
25   
     
(12)
 
Total
  $ 1,545,575      
100%
    $ 1,542,432      
100%
     
0%
 

 
5


 
Investments

At March 31, 2008, the Company’s investment portfolio totaled $555.6 million. Detailed below is information regarding the composition and characteristics of the Company’s investment portfolio at March 31, 2008.

Product Description
 
Available
for Sale
   
Held
to Maturity
   
Total
 
(in thousands)
                 
Mortgage-backed securities:
                 
   Federal government agencies pass through certificates
  $ 70,168     $ 79,139     $ 149,307  
   Collateralized mortgage obligations (AAA rated)
    290,823       33,606       324,429  
U.S. Government agencies/other
    4,958       76,910       81,868  
Total
  $ 365,949     $ 189,655     $ 555,604  
Duration (in years)
    3.9       3.4       3.7  
Average life (in years)
    5.0       4.3       4.7  
Quarterly average yield
    5.05 %     5.33 %     5.15 %

At March 31, 2008, the after tax depreciation of the Company’s available for sale portfolio was $9.6 million.

Capital

Stockholders’ equity at March 31, 2008 totaled $110 million, an increase of $5.4 million, or 5%, over stockholders’ equity of $105 million at March 31, 2007.  Return on average stockholders’ equity (ROE) for the three months ended March 31, 2008 and 2007 are shown below:

Return on Equity
Three Months Ended
March 31,
  2008
2007
  11.39%
4.39%


The Company’s capital ratios at March 31, 2008 were as follows:

   
Commerce
   
Regulatory Guidelines “Well Capitalized”
 
Leverage Ratio
    7.59 %     5.00 %
Tier 1
    9.99       6.00  
Total Capital
    10.77       10.00  

Stockholder Returns

   
As of March 31, 2008
 
   
        Commerce
 
    NASDAQ
    Bank Index
 
    S & P Index
1 Year
    (6 )%     (20 )%     (5 )%
5 Years
    9 %     6 %     11 %
10 Years
    10 %     4 %     4 %
 

 
6


FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND OTHER INFORMATION

The Company may, from time to time, make written or oral “forward-looking statements”, including statements contained in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including the annual report on Form 10-K and the exhibits thereto), in its reports to stockholders and in other communications by the Company, which are made in good faith by the Company pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

These forward-looking statements include statements with respect to the Company’s beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, expectations, anticipations, estimates and intentions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties and are subject to change based on various factors (some of which are beyond the Company’s control).  The words “may”, “could”, “should”, “would”, “believe”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend”, “plan” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.  The following factors, among others discussed in the Company’s Form 10-K, could cause the Company’s financial performance to differ materially from that expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements:
 
the strength of the United States economy in general and the strength of the local economies in which the Company conducts operations;
   
the effects of, and changes in, trade, monetary and fiscal policies, including interest rate policies of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System;
   
inflation;
   
interest rate, market and monetary fluctuations;
   
the timely development of competitive new products and services by the Company and the acceptance of such products and services by customers;
   
the willingness of customers to substitute competitors’ products and services for the Company’s products and services and vice versa;
   
the impact of changes in financial services’ laws and regulations (including laws concerning taxes, banking, securities and insurance);
   
the impact of the rapid growth of the Company;
   
the Company’s dependence on Commerce Bancorp, Inc. to provide various services to the Company;
   
changes in the Company’s allowance for loan losses;
   
effect of terrorists attacks and threats of actual war;
   
unanticipated regulatory or judicial proceedings;
   
changes in consumer spending and saving habits;
   
and the success of the Company at managing the risks involved in the foregoing.
 
Because such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of important factors is not exclusive.  The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company. For information on subsequent events refer to the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

 
 7