EX-99.1 2 pr.htm PRESS RELEASE pr.htm
 


Exhibit 99.1
 
 
 
 
GS Financial Corp. Announces Fourth Quarter and Year End Results
 
Metairie, Louisiana - February 22, 2010 - GS Financial Corp. (NASDAQ Global Market: GSLA) (the “Company”), the holding company for Guaranty Savings Bank (“Guaranty”), reported a net loss for the quarter ended December 31, 2009 of $99,000, or ($0.08) per share diluted, compared with a net loss of $170,000, or ($0.13) per share diluted, for the same period in 2008. Net income for 2009 was $886,000 up from a net loss of $6,000 for 2008. Earnings per share for the year ended December 31, 2008 are not meaningful compared to $0.70 per share diluted for 2009.
 
President Stephen E. Wessel commented, “We are pleased to report a profitable year in 2009 due in large part to a substantial improvement in net interest income and an increase in noninterest income.  We were also able to grow core deposits as a cost effective funding source that afforded us the opportunity to reduce our FHLB advances by more than $11 million dollars. Unfortunately, our financial results also reflect an increase in our provision for loan losses, higher FDIC insurance costs, and elevated credit costs including more than $400,000 of impairment losses on other real estate owned. However, we remain very well capitalized, and we are focused on improving our credit quality and executing our strategic plan".
 
Highlights of the year ended December 31, 2009 include:
 
·  
Total assets at December 31, 2009 were $271.6 million, up approximately $49.7 million, or 22.4%, from December 31, 2008.
 
·  
Average loans increased by $36.9 million, or 26.0%, during 2009 from $141.9 million at December 31, 2008 to $178.8 million at December 31, 2009, with the majority of the growth in both residential and commercial real estate mortgage loans.
 
·  
Deposits increased during 2009 by $61.4 million, or 43.8%, from $140.1 million at December 31, 2008 to $201.5 million at December 31, 2009. This includes $6.8 million, or 85.9%, of growth in noninterest-bearing deposits.
 
·  
Federal Home Loan Bank advances decreased by $11.5 million, or 22.1%, from $52.0 million at December 31, 2008 to $40.5 million at December 31, 2009.
 
·  
The ratio of average loans to average deposits decreased from 104.88% at December 31, 2008 to 97.37% at December 31, 2009, and the ratio of interest-earning assets to interest-bearing liabilities decreased from 117.05% to 113.13% when comparing those same periods.
 
Net interest income for the quarter ended December 31, 2009 was $2.2 million, which represents an increase of $458,000, or 26.3%, from $1.7 million for the same period in 2008. Net interest income for 2009 was $8.1 million, an increase of $1.4 million, or 21.0%, from $6.7 million for 2008. The increases in net interest income when comparing the quarterly and annual periods ended December 31, 2009 to the same periods in the prior year were primarily due to a significant increase in the average balance of loans and a decrease in the overall cost of interest-bearing deposits which were partially offset by a decrease in the yield on investments, including overnight funds, and an increase in the average balance of interest-bearing deposits.
 

 
The net interest margin was 3.43% for the fourth quarter of 2009, up 10 basis points from 3.33% for the fourth quarter of 2008. The increase in net interest margin during the fourth quarter was primarily due to a 28 basis point increase in the average interest rate spread which was positively impacted by an 85 basis point reduction in the overall cost of interest-bearing liabilities. The net interest margin for the year ended December 31, 2009 was 3.26%, down 11 basis points from 3.37% for the prior year. The decrease in the net interest margin from 2008 to 2009 was attributable to a 67 basis point decrease in the average yield on interest-earnings assets that was substantially offset by a 61 basis point decrease in the average cost of interest-bearing liabilities.
 
Non-performing assets increased $4.2 million, or 169.1%, from $2.5 million at December 31, 2008 to $6.7 million at December 31, 2009. The increase in non-performing assets is primarily due to a loan relationship with a commercial borrower consisting of five loans aggregating $1.5 million that are secured by owner occupied, nonresidential real estate located in New Orleans, Louisiana, that are currently in the process of foreclosure and a $2.0 million increase in other real estate owned during 2009. Other real estate owned as of December 31, 2009 includes two properties that were previously under renovation totaling $945,000. These properties were obtained through foreclosure proceedings completed in December 2009 and are secured by residential real estate located in uptown New Orleans, Louisiana, and non-residential real estate located in Algiers, Louisiana. In addition, other real estate owned includes a $950,000 multifamily dwelling that was previously under renovation which is located in the historic district of the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana. The foreclosure proceedings for this property were completed in April 2009, and the Company has been marketing it for sale since May 2009. The Company recognized impairment losses on other real estate owned of $375,000 and $436,000, respectively, for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2009. No impairment losses were recognized on other real estate owned in 2008.
 
A provision for loan losses of $300,000 was recorded during the fourth quarter of 2009 based on the Company’s assessment of its credit risk while considering the overall increase in the level of loan delinquencies and adversely classified loans. The Company recorded a total of $500,000 in additional loan loss provisions during 2009. There was no addition to the allowance for loan losses in 2008. As of December 31, 2009, the Company’s allowance for losses was $2.4 million or 57.2% of non-performing loans compared to $2.7 million or 135.2% of non-performing loans at December 31, 2008. The Company believes that the allowance for loan losses recorded as of December 31, 2009 is sufficient to cover the potential losses in its loan portfolio.
 
Noninterest income for the fourth quarter of 2009 was $231,000, up from a loss of $637,000 for the fourth quarter of 2008. For the annual period ended December 31 2009, noninterest income was $1.3 million as compared to a loss of $994,000 for the same period in 2008. The significant increase in noninterest income was due to strong sales of residential loans in the secondary market during 2009 and the recognition of a non-cash impairment charge of $1.3 million (pre-tax) and $845,000 (after-tax) related to the Company’s investment in mutual funds that hold mortgage-backed securities in 2008.
 

 
Noninterest expense for the fourth quarter of 2009 was $2.2 million, up approximately $808,000, or 60.1%, from $1.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2008. Noninterest expense for the year ended December 31, 2009 was $7.5 million, which represents an increase of $1.9 million, or 32.7%, from $5.7 million in the prior year. Noninterest expense for 2009 was negatively impacted by an increase in deposit insurance premiums, including a special assessment, which totaled $75,000 and $322,000 for the three months and year ended December 31, 2009, compared to $25,000 and $45,000 for the respective prior year periods. In addition, there were increases in mortgage originator commissions attributable to the increased volume of loan sales and legal expenses associated with an agreement we entered into with certain shareholders.
 
FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION
 
Statements contained in this news release which are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors. Factors which could result in material variations include, but are not limited to, changes in interest rates which could affect net interest margins and net interest income, competitive factors which could affect net interest income and noninterest income, changes in demand for loans, deposits and other financial services in the Company's market area; changes in asset quality, general economic conditions as well as other factors discussed in documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date on which such statements were made.
 

 
 
GS Financial Corp.
 
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition
 
             
   
December 31, 2009
   
December 31, 2008
 
($ in thousands)
 
(Unaudited)
   
(Audited)
 
ASSETS
           
        Cash & Amounts Due from Depository Institutions
  $ 7,158     $ 2,313  
        Interest-Bearing Deposits in Other Banks
    9,293       569  
        Federal Funds Sold
    3,284       323  
        Securities Available-for-Sale, at Fair Value
    50,455       47,617  
        Loans, Net
    185,500       158,523  
        Accrued Interest Receivable
    1,518       1,612  
        Other Real Estate
    2,489       461  
        Premises & Equipment, Net
    5,934       5,756  
        Stock in Federal Home Loan Bank, at Cost
    2,354       2,300  
        Real Estate Held-for-Investment, Net
    427       436  
        Other Assets
    3,192       1,960  
                Total Assets
  $ 271,604     $ 221,870  
                 
LIABILITIES
               
        Deposits
               
                Interest-Bearing Deposits
  $ 186,681     $ 132,145  
                Noninterest-Bearing Deposits
    14,812       7,970  
                Total Deposits
    201,493       140,115  
        Advance Payments by Borrowers for Taxes and Insurance
    249       167  
        FHLB Advances
    40,512       52,002  
        Other Liabilities
    1,329       2,028  
                Total Liabilities
    243,583       194,312  
                 
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
               
        Common Stock - $.01 Par Value
  $ 34     $ 34  
        Additional Paid-in Capital
    34,550       34,546  
        Unearned RRP Trust Stock
    (132 )     (143 )
        Treasury Stock
    (32,449 )     (32,062 )
        Retained Earnings
    25,780       25,404  
        Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
    238       (221 )
                Total Stockholders' Equity
    28,021       27,558  
                Total Liabilities & Stockholders' Equity
  $ 271,604     $ 221,870  
                 
Selected Asset Quality Data
               
        Total Non-Performing Assets
  $ 6,653     $ 2,472  
        Non-Performing Assets to Total Assets
    2.45 %     1.11 %
 
 

 
 
GS Financial Corp.
 
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income
 
(Unaudited)
 
                         
   
For the Three Months Ended
   
For the Year Ended
 
   
December 31,
   
December 31,
 
($ in thousands, except per share data)
 
2009
   
2008
   
2009
   
2008
 
Interest and Dividend Income
  $ 3,561     $ 3,206     $ 14,159     $ 12,426  
Interest Expense
    1,360       1,463       6,084       5,751  
                                 
Net Interest Income
    2,201       1,743       8,075       6,675  
Provision for Loan Losses
    300       -       500       -  
                                 
Net Interest Income after Provision for Loan Losses
    1,901       1,743       7,575       6,675  
                                 
Noninterest Income (Loss)
    231       (637 )     1,330       (994 )
Noninterest Expense
    2,152       1,344       7,529       5,673  
                                 
(Loss) Income Before Income Tax Expense
    (20 )     (238 )     1,376       8  
                                 
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)
    79       (68 )     490       14  
Net (Loss) Income
  $ (99 )   $ (170 )   $ 886     $ (6 )
(Loss) Earnings Per Share - Basic
  $ (0.08 )   $ (0.13 )   $ 0.70       n/m  
(Loss) Earnings Per Share - Diluted
  $ (0.08 )   $ (0.13 )   $ 0.70       n/m  
                                 
Selected Operating Data
                               
        Weighted Average Shares Outstanding
    1,251,516       1,278,466       1,263,021       1,278,292  
        Return on Average Assets1
    -0.15 %     -0.31 %     0.34 %     n/m  
        Return on Average Stockholders' Equity1
    -1.39 %     -2.48 %     3.13 %     -0.02 %
        Net Interest Margin1
    3.43 %     3.33 %     3.26 %     3.37 %
        Average Loans to Average Deposits
    94.70 %     110.59 %     97.37 %     104.88 %
        Interest-Earning Assets to
                               
           Interest-Bearing Liabilities
    112.89 %     116.12 %     113.13 %     117.05 %
        Efficiency Ratio
    88.52 %     121.52 %     80.06 %     99.86 %
        Noninterest Expense/Average Assets1
    3.18 %     2.44 %     2.89 %     2.73 %
                1Annualized
                               
 
 
 
 
 
 
Contact: GS Financial Corp.
  Stephen F. Theriot, Chief Financial Officer
  (504) 883-5528