NewBridge Reports Increased Earnings for the Second Quarter

GREENSBORO, N.C., July 24, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NewBridge Bancorp (Nasdaq: NBBC ) today reported a sharp increase in earnings for the quarter ended June 30, 2013 over the quarter ended June 30, 2012. Net income available to common shareholders for the second quarter of 2013 totaled $10.9 million, compared to $192,000 reported in the second quarter of 2012. Earnings per diluted common share were $0.38, an increase from $0.01 per share a year ago. For the six-month period ended June 30, 2013, net income available to common shareholders totaled $14.9 million, compared to $1.0 million reported for the six-month period ended June 30, 2012. Earnings per diluted common share were $0.51, an increase of $0.45 from the $0.06 per share reported a year ago. The three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2013 benefitted from a $6.6 million income tax benefit associated with the reversal of a previously recorded valuation allowance against the Company's deferred tax asset.

"Our second quarter results show significantly improved earnings, enhanced asset quality, strong organic loan growth and the retirement of a substantial portion of the Company's TARP obligation," said Pressley A. Ridgill, President and Chief Executive Officer of NewBridge.

Second Quarter 2013 Highlights

• Net income for the quarter ended June 30, 2013 was $11.6 million, an increase of $10.7 million over second quarter ended June 30, 2012. Net income for six months was $16.4 million, an increase of $13.9 million from the prior year.

• Net interest income declined $913,000, or 5.6%, for the quarter and $2.0 million, or 6.2%, for the year.
   
• Provision for credit losses declined $1.3 million, or 56.1%, for the quarter and $3.8 million, or 65.3%, for the year.
   
• Noninterest income increased $3.8 million, or 378.3%, for the quarter and $5.6 million, or 140.1%, for the year.
   
• Noninterest expense increased $435,000, or 3.2%, for the quarter and $979,000, or 3.6%, for the year.

• Asset quality continued to improve.

• Nonperforming assets declined $8.4 million, or 31.3%, from December 31, 2012.
   
• Nonperforming assets to total assets declined to 1.06% from 1.56% at December 31, 2012.

• Core retained loans increased 10.6% on an annualized basis compared to December 31, 2012.

• Core retained loans increased $38.8 million for the quarter, or 13.8% annualized.
   
• Loan production offices in the Raleigh and Charlotte markets accounted for approximately 50% of the current year's loan growth.

• Net interest margin declined 19 basis points to 3.97% for the quarter compared to the same period a year ago. 

• Core deposits (excluding time deposits) for the first six months  increased $46.2 million, or 9.3% annualized.
   
• Deposit costs declined to 0.26% for the quarter, down 20 basis points compared to the same period a year ago.
   
• Loan yields declined 32 basis points to 4.67% for the quarter compared to the same period a year ago. 

• Capital levels remain high following the partial redemption of preferred shares and retirement of the warrant.

• Company redeemed $37.4 million of preferred stock, reducing future preferred dividends by 71.4%.
   
• Dilutive warrant issued to the Treasury under the TARP program was repurchased at a price of $7.8 million.
   
• Tier 1 risk-based capital was 12.22% at June 30, 2013.
   
• Leverage capital was 10.04% at June 30, 2013.
   
• Total capital was 13.50% at June 30, 2013.

• In June 2013, the Company announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire Security Savings Bank, SSB.

Net Interest Income

Net interest income shrank $913,000 to $15.4 million for the quarter ending June 30, 2013 compared to the quarter ending June 30, 2012. For the six-month period, net interest income declined $2.0 million to $30.5 million compared to the six-month period ended June 30, 2012. The reductions were due primarily to compression of the net interest margin, which declined 19 basis points to 3.97% for the three-month period and 21 basis points to 3.94% for the six-month period compared to the prior year. For the three-month period, liability costs fell 18 basis points; however, earning asset yields fell 37 basis points. The Bank's investment portfolio experienced the greatest decline. Investment yields were 3.21% for the 2013 second quarter, a reduction of 63 basis points compared to the same period a year ago, due to the sustained low interest rate environment. The net interest margin increased five basis points from 3.92% in the 2013 first quarter to 3.97% for the 2013 second quarter due to a higher yield on loans from improved asset quality and a reduced reliance on the lower yielding investment portfolio.

Noninterest Income

Noninterest income totaled $4.8 million during the second quarter, a $3.8 million improvement over the prior year's second quarter. In the most recent quarter, the Company had $70,000 of gains from sales of investment securities and $611,000 in gains from sales of other real estate owned ("OREO"), compared to a loss of $3.0 million a year ago. For the six-month period, the Company had noninterest income of $9.6 million, compared to $4.0 million a year ago. For the current year, sales of investment securities resulted in gains of $278,000, compared to no gain or loss a year ago, and gains on sales of OREO totaled $736,000, compared to a loss of $4.0 million a year ago. Retail banking revenue increased $228,000 for the three-month period and $399,000 for the year.

Noninterest Expense & Taxes

Noninterest expense totaled $14.2 million for the second quarter and $28.3 million for the six-month period. Compared to the prior year, noninterest expense increased $435,000, or 3.2%, for the quarter and $979,000, or 3.6%, year to date. The increases in expense were due primarily to growth in compensation expense related to the hiring of commercial lenders in the Raleigh and Charlotte markets and the addition of key lending personnel in the Triad market. In the 2013 second quarter, the Company reversed $8,371,000 of the valuation allowance previously established against its deferred tax asset as management determined it was more likely than not that the Company would be able to fully utilize the assets associated with previous net operating losses. A key factor in the decision was the Company's financial performance since the completion of the Company's asset disposition plan in 2012.

Balance Sheet

Total assets increased $18.0 million for the quarter and $21.4 million for the year to $1.73 billion at June 30, 2013. Loans held for investment increased 2.5% for the quarter but was offset by declines in investment securities and cash and cash equivalents. For the quarter, total deposits increased $12.5 million to $1.4 billion, while core deposits, excluding time deposits, increased $32.8 million, or 3.2%, and totaled 76.5% of total deposits at June 30, 2013. Tangible common equity decreased $1.7 million for the quarter but increased $58.7 million for the year. This change in equity was due primarily to $14.8 million of retained earnings and the addition of $56.3 million of common equity for the year from the conversion of preferred stock, which were partially offset by a $7.8 million reduction in equity from the repurchase of the TARP warrant and a $5.2 million decline in accumulated other comprehensive income.

Core Retained Loan Growth

For the first six months of 2013, core retained loans increased $58.2 million, an annualized growth rate of 10.6%. Likewise, for the trailing twelve months, core retained loans increased $109.5 million, a 10.4% growth rate. Total loans including classified loans increased $44.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2013. In 2012, the Company aggressively purged adversely classified loans (loans that were either problem loans or potential problem loans) while simultaneously investing in growing performing loans. Opening the Raleigh and Charlotte loan production offices and investing further in the Piedmont Triad were important strategic decisions that are beginning to result in increased earning assets. Approximately 50% of this year's loan growth has occurred in the new markets in Raleigh and Charlotte.

Asset Quality

In the second quarter of 2013, asset quality continued to improve. Nonperforming assets as a percentage of total assets declined to 1.06% from 1.56% at December 31, 2012. Nonperforming loans totaled $13.8 million and OREO was $4.5 million at June 30, 2013. The allowance for credit losses was $26.4 million at June 30, 2013, or 190.8% of nonperforming loans, compared to $26.6 million, or 124.7%, at December 31, 2012. Total classified assets, which includes nonperforming assets and other potential problem assets, totaled $38.4 million, or 20.6% of total Bank capital, at June 30, 2013. Classified assets totaled 30.5% of total Bank capital at December 31, 2012.

Outlook

We anticipate continued asset growth in the remainder of 2013. We also believe that the Company's prior three quarters are indicators of our future core earnings potential. For the remainder of 2013, the Company expects to have a more normalized tax expense. The low interest rate environment and intense competition for quality loans remain as our key challenges. Consequently, margin pressure is likely to continue. We intend to meet these challenges by growing the loan portfolio, remaining disciplined with our cost controls and continuing to maximize fee income opportunities. We will consider growth through acquisitions that are consistent with our disciplined strategic vision and present realistic opportunities for quality earnings enhancement. In June 2013, the Bank announced a definitive agreement to acquire Security Savings Bank, SSB, headquartered in Southport, North Carolina. This acquisition, which is subject to regulatory approval, will expand the Bank's coastal North Carolina presence with six offices in Brunswick County.  We anticipate the merger will be consummated in the third quarter.

Use of Non-GAAP Measures

Tangible common shareholders' equity percentages have become a focus of some investors. Because tangible common shareholders' equity is not formally defined by GAAP, this measure is considered to be a non-GAAP financial measure, and other entities may calculate it differently. Since analysts and banking regulators may assess our capital adequacy using tangible common shareholders' equity, management believes that it is useful to provide investors with the ability to assess the Company's capital adequacy on the same basis.

About NewBridge Bancorp

NewBridge Bancorp is the bank holding company for NewBridge Bank, a full service, state-chartered community bank headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina. The stock of NewBridge Bancorp trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "NBBC."

NewBridge Bank is the largest community bank headquartered in the 12-county Piedmont Triad Region of North Carolina and one of the largest community banks in the state. NewBridge Bank serves small to midsize businesses, professionals and consumers with a comprehensive array of financial services, including retail and commercial banking, private banking, wealth management and mortgage banking. NewBridge Bank has assets of approximately $1.7 billion with 30 branches throughout North Carolina.

Disclosures About Forward Looking Statements  

The discussions included in this document and its exhibits may contain forward looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially. For the purposes of these discussions, any statements that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward looking statements. Such statements are often characterized by the use of qualifying words such as "expects," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "plans," "projects," or other statements concerning opinions or judgments of NewBridge and its management about future events. The accuracy of such forward looking statements could be affected by factors including, but not limited to, the financial success or changing conditions or strategies of NewBridge's customers or vendors, fluctuations in interest rates, actions of government regulators, the availability of capital and personnel or general economic conditions. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by forward looking statements are discussed in NewBridge's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including without limitation its annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K. NewBridge undertakes no obligation to revise or update these statements following the date of this press release.

Ramsey Hamadi, SEVP and Chief Financial Officer 336-369-0900