CORRESP 1 filename1.htm corresp
 

July 20, 2007
VIA EDGAR AND COURIER
Mr. Hugh West
Accounting Branch Chief
     Division of Corporation Finance
United States Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Mail Stop 4561
Washington, DC 20549
     
RE:
  Citizens First Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company”)
 
  Form 10-Q for the Fiscal Quarter Ended March 31, 2007
 
  File No. 000-32041
Dear Mr. West:
This letter is provided in connection with the review letter from your office dated June 29, 2007 regarding the filing referenced above.
Comment No. 1:
One of the responsibilities of the Company’s Asset/Liability Committee (ALCO) is to monitor the performance of the investment securities portfolio. ALCO has a subcommittee (Investment Subcommittee) which meets informally on a regular basis to discuss the market conditions, the effect on the returns of our investment portfolio when shocked for a rise or fall of interest rates on investments, the mix of investment securities and the overall performance of our investment portfolio. At the direction of ALCO in May 2007, the Investment Subcommittee reviewed various investment securities, which focused on the following securities that were sold on May 3, 2007:

 


 

                                             
                            Unrealized
                    Unrealized       Loss
            Book   Market   Gain   Realized   Position
            Value at   Value at   (Loss) at   (Loss)   Greater
    Type of       March   March   March 31,   on Sell   Than 12
Cusip   Security   Description   31, 2007   31, 2007   2007   Date   Months
446852DP7
  Obligations of state and political subdivisions   Huntington Woods MI
4% UTGO
    227,988       227,293       (695 )     (1,786 )   Yes
452488GZ6
  Obligations of state and political subdivisions   Imlay City MI Cmnty
Schs Dist
    199,386       201,334       1,948       (903 )   No (unrealized gain in March 2007)
44315NAN7
  Obligations of state and political subdivisions   Howell MI Water
Supply Sys Rev
    281,867       281,512       (355 )     (1,840 )   Yes
675740KZ6
  Obligations of state and political subdivisions   Octobrara PA Area
Sch Dist UTGO
    543,594       540,456       (3,138 )     (9,253 )   Yes
312664BL8
  Obligations of state and political subdivisions   Fayetteville AR
Hotel & Rstrnt
    494,879       488,425       (6,454 )     (12,696 )   Yes
 
            1,747,714       1,739,020       (8,694 )     (26,478 )    
The above investment securities were classified as Available for Sale under SFAS No. 115, Accounting for Certain Investments in Debt and Equity Securities, and were properly recorded and disclosed on the Balance Sheet at March 31, 2007.
As management continued to finalize the Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2007, it was determined that the loss was immaterial to the financial statements. However, our disclosure in the Non-Interest Income section of the Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operating Results for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2007 and 2006 was a result of our decision to provide forward looking information to the users of the quarterly filing.
As of March 31, 2007, management maintained that it had the ability and intent to hold these Obligations of State and Political Subdivision securities to allow for a full recovery in market value. Given the current interest rate environment, economic conditions and our analysis in May 2007 of the interest rate shock on these investments (see Attachment

 


 

A), the Investment Subcommittee recommended and ALCO approved to sell these investments in May 2007 and replace with, what management believes, is a stronger mix of investments securities in the current interest rate environment. The Company used the proceeds of the sale of the above to purchase two (2) Mortgage-backed securities with anticipated returns as described in Attachment A.
The Investment Subcommittee continues to monitor the mix of our investment securities and continues to report to ALCO the results of its evaluation. If the results yield favorable economic results in the current and expected interest rate environment to re-balance our portfolio to achieve a strong return, changes would be made to enhance the returns of our investment portfolio. It is our interpretation that the guidance of EITF 03-01 and SAB No. 5M does not preclude the Company from selling investments and as such, these investment securities are available for sale.
The Company will provide the disclosures required by paragraph 21a-b of EITF 03-1 in future quarterly filings if unrealized losses on our available-for-sale investment securities change materially from quarter to quarter.
The Company acknowledges that:
    the Company is responsible for the adequacy and accuracy of the disclosure in the filing;
 
    Staff comments or changes to disclosure in response to Staff comments do not foreclose the Commission from taking any action with respect to the filing; and
 
    the Company may not assert Staff comments as a defense in any proceeding initiated by the Commission or any person under the federal securities laws of the United States.
We would appreciate receiving any additional comments which the Staff may have at your earliest possible convenience. Please direct any further comments to the undersigned or Michael D. Luna at (810) 990-1550.
         
  Sincerely,  
     
  CITIZENS FIRST BANCORP, INC.
 
 
  /s/ Timothy D. Regan    
     
  Timothy D. Regan
Chief Financial Officer 
 
 
     
cc:
  Marshall J. Campbell, Citizens First Bancorp, Inc.
 
  Dr. Walid Demashkieh, Acting Audit Committee Chairman

 


 

ATTACHMENT A
Scenario Analysis — Combination
1 Year Horizon
                                                             
                Rates Down   Rates Down   Rates   Rates Up   Rates Up    
    SECURITY   %   SECTOR   200 Bps   100 Bps   Unchanged   100 Bps   200 Bps   Quantity
 
Bond 1
  FNA 06-M3 B   43.34%   Long Bullet-Sub     16.13 %     10.59 %     5.10 %     -0.88 %     -5.65 %     765,000.00  
Bond 2
  FHR 2628 GQ   56.66%   Intermediate Bullet-Sub     9.21 %     7.46 %     4.98 %     2.74 %     0.25 %     1,000,000.00  
                 
 
      100.00%   Combo Buy Returns     12.21 %     8.82 %     5.03 %     1.17 %     -2.31 %     1,765,000.00  
                 
                                                                         
                            Rates Down     Rates Down     Rates     Rates Up     Rates Up        
    SECURITY       %     SECTOR     200 Bps     100 Bps     Unchanged     100 Bps     200 Bps     Quantity  
 
Bond 1
    44315NAN7       15.86 %   Howell Mich Wtr Supply     5.94 %     5.82 %     5.66 %     3.12 %     0.56 %     280,000.00  
Bond 2
    446852DP7       12.75 %   Huntington Woods Mich     5.19 %     5.46 %     5.63 %     4.47 %     3.27 %     225,000.00  
Bond 3
    675740KZ6       31.73 %   Octorara Penn Sch Dist     9.83 %     8.90 %     4.58 %     -0.57 %     -4.91 %     560,000.00  
Bond 4
    312664BL8       28.33 %   Fayetteville Ark Hotel Rev     9.18 %     8.80 %     4.78 %     -0.05 %     -4.11 %     500,000.00  
Bond 5
    452488GZ6       11.33 %   Imlay City Mich Sch     9.31 %     7.46 %     5.50 %     0.86 %     -3.38 %     200,000.00  
                             
 
            100.00 %   Combo Sell Returns     8.38 %     7.78 %     5.05 %     0.97 %     -2.60 %     1,765,000.00  
                             
(PERFORMANCE GRAPH)
(PERFORMANCE TRUST LOGO)

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Scenario Analysis — Combination
3 Year Horizon
                                                           
                Rates Down     Rates Down     Rates     Rates Up     Rates Up      
    SECURITY   %   SECTOR   300 Bps     150 Bps     Unchanged     150 Bps     300 Bps     Quantity
 
Bond 1
  FNA 06-M3 B   43.34%   Long Bullet-Sub     8.90 %     7.05 %     5.26 %     3.33 %     1.48 %     765,000.00
Bond 2
  FHR 2628 GQ   56.66%   Intermediate Bullet-Sub     5.44 %     5.51 %     5.08 %     4.74 %     4.30 %     1,000,000.00
                 
 
      100.00%   Combo Buy Returns     6.94 %     6.18 %     5.16 %     4.13 %     3.08 %     1,765,000.00
                 
                                                                         
                            Rates Down     Rates Down     Rates     Rates Up     Rates Up        
    SECURITY       %     SECTOR     300 Bps     150 Bps     Unchanged     150 Bps     300 Bps     Quantity  
 
Bond 1
    44315NAN7       15.86 %   Howell Mich Wtr Supply     5.32 %     5.37 %     5.42 %     5.02 %     4.61 %     280,000.00  
Bond 2
    446852DP7       12.75 %   Huntington Woods Mich     3.82 %     4.46 %     5.24 %     5.33 %     5.36 %     225,000.00  
Bond 3
    675740KZ6       31.73 %   Octorara Penn Sch Dist     6.17 %     6.21 %     5.11 %     3.68 %     2.31 %     560,000.00  
Bond 4
    312664BL8       28.33 %   Fayetteville Ark Hotel Rev     5.93 %     5.97 %     5.12 %     3.86 %     2.65 %     500,000.00  
Bond 5
    452488GZ6       11.33 %   Imlay City Mich Sch     5.79 %     5.56 %     5.33 %     3.93 %     2.62 %     200,000.00  
                             
 
            100.00 %   Combo Sell Returns     5.62 %     5.71 %     5.20 %     4.18 %     3.20 %     1,765,000.00  
                               
(PERFORMANCE GRAPH)
(PERFORMANCE TRUST LOGO)

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