EX-99 2 earnrel.htm To:








To:

All Media

Date:

July 20, 2004




Arrow Announces Second Quarter Results


Arrow Financial Corporation announced operating results for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2004.  Net income for the six month periods of 2004 and 2003 each equaled $9.6 million representing diluted earnings per share of $.95 for both periods.  Diluted earnings per share for the second quarter of 2004 and 2003 were each $.47 with net income equaling $4.7 million and $4.8 million, respectively.  Cash dividends paid to shareholders in the first six months of 2004 totaled $.45 and represented a 9.8% increase over the amount paid last year.


Thomas L. Hoy, President and CEO stated, "Despite the challenging effects of the continued low interest rate environment, our earnings again reflected strong performance as measured by key operating ratios. For the six month period ended June 30, 2004, return on average equity was 17.62%, return on average assets was 1.39% and net loan losses were .09% of average loans outstanding.  We believe these ratio results will compare very favorably to those of our peer group."


Mr. Hoy also stated, "The factors that had the most influence on the three and six month earnings comparisons were the change in the net interest margin and the level of gains from securities transactions, which, in turn, were both largely driven by the interest rate environment.  Net interest margin was 3.86% in the second quarter of 2004 as compared with 4.09% for the same quarter last year.  This reflected lower reinvestment yields on both earning asset cash flows and overall asset growth occurring between the periods.  Net interest margin for the preceding three quarters (first quarter of 2004, fourth and third quarters of 2003), was 3.97%, 3.95% and 3.90%, respectively.  In each of the first two quarters of 2003, we completed partial restructurings of the investment portfolio.  A similar program also occurred in the first quarter of 2004.  These programs resulted in higher yields on the reinvested proceeds and significant gains from the sale transactions.  The gains amounted to $509 thousand for the first two quarters of 2003 and $210 thousand for the first quarter of 2004.  On an after tax basis, the difference was $180 thousand which represents diluted earnings per share of $.02.


Total assets at June 30, 2004 were $1.380 billion, or 4.8% above $1.317 billion reported one year earlier.  Loans outstanding rose 2.0% to $866 million compared to $849 million at June 30, 2003.  Growth in residential mortgage outstanding balances and small business loans were largely offset by erosion in our indirect loan portfolio, the result of auto manufacturers' subsidized financing programs."

#










Mr. Hoy added, "Credit quality remains very high.  Nonperforming loans were $2.5 million at June 30, 2004 compared to $2.0 million at June 30, 2003 and $2.5 million at December 31, 2003.  At June 30, 2004, nonperforming loans represented .29% of period-end loans.  Our allowance for loan losses was $12.0 million at June 30, 2004 and equaled 1.38% of period-end loans, up from 1.36% one year earlier. Net loan losses were only .09% (annualized) of average loans outstanding for the six month period ending June 30, 2004 as compared with .12% for the comparable six month period in 2003."


Mr. Hoy further added, "The North Country Funds (NCEGX and NCBDX), which are now rated by Morningstar®, reached a collective market value of $132 million at June 30, 2004, which was 33.3% higher than the $99 million market value one year earlier.  Our subsidiary, North Country Investment Advisors, Inc., is the exclusive investment advisor to The North Country Funds.  The market value of assets under trust administration and investment management (including The North Country Funds) at quarter-end was $783 million, up 20.2% from the $652 million market value at June 30, 2003.  Income derived from these services totaled $2.116 million for the six months ended June 30, 2004, up 17.9% from the $1.794 million recognized in the comparable 2003 period."


Arrow Financial Corporation is a multi-bank holding company headquartered in Glens Falls, NY with 27 banking locations in northeastern New York.  Arrow is the parent of Glens Falls National Bank and Trust Company and Saratoga National Bank and Trust Company.


The information contained in this News Release may contain statements that are not historical in nature but rather are based on management's beliefs, assumptions, expectations, estimates and projections about the future.  These statements are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and involve a degree of uncertainty and attendant risk.  In the case of all forward-looking statements, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what the statements predict or forecast. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.  This News Release should be read in conjunction with the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003.


#




Arrow Financial Corporation

Consolidated Financial Information

($ in thousands, except per share amounts)

Unaudited

 

Three Months

Six Months

 

Ended June 30,

Ended June 30,

 

2004

2003

2004

2003

Income Statement

    

Interest and Dividend Income

$17,062

$17,711

$34,364

$35,806

Interest Expense

         4,951

         5,512

         9,949

    11,138

  Net Interest Income

12,111

12,199

24,415

24,668

Provision for Loan Losses

                 254

                405

                539

                 810

  Net Interest Income After Provision for Loan Losses

    11,857

    11,794

    23,876

    23,858

Net Gain on Securities Transactions

---

141

210

509

Net Gain on Sales of Loans

26

343

112

371

Recovery Related to Former Vermont Operations

---

---

77

---

Net Gains on the Sales of Other Real Estate Owned

---

---

---

 12

Income From Fiduciary Activities

1,060

927

2,116

1,794

Fees for Other Services to Customers

1,910

1,708

3,595

3,325

Other Operating Income

                139

                137

                249

                 276

  Total Other Income

         3,135

        3,256

         6,359

         6,287

Salaries and Employee Benefits

4,778

4,676

9,583

9,426

Occupancy Expenses of Premises, Net

699

628

1,394

1,267

Furniture and Equipment Expense

695

746

1,389

1,417

Amortization of Intangible Assets

9

9

18

18

Foreclosed Property Expense

---

---

---

2

Other Operating Expense

         1,992

         2,004

          3,915

         3,948

  Total Other Expense

         8,173

         8,063

     16,299

    16,078

Income Before Taxes

6,819

6,987

13,936

14,067

Provision for Income Taxes

         2,121

         2,232

         4,373

         4,506

  Net Income

$    4,698

$    4,755

$    9,563

$    9,561

     

Share and Per Share Data 1

    

Period End Shares Outstanding

9,825

9,874

9,825

9,874

Basic Average Shares Outstanding

9,828

9,881

9,825

9,888

Diluted Average Shares Outstanding

10,057

10,112

10,056

10,105

Basic Earnings Per Share

$  0.48

$  0.48

$  0.97

$  0.97

Diluted Earnings Per Share

0.47

0.47

0.95

0.95

Cash Dividends

0.23

0.21

0.45

0.41

Book Value

11.02

10.60

11.02

10.60

Tangible Book Value 2

10.05

9.62

10.05

9.62

     

Key Earnings Ratios

    

Return on Average Assets

1.35%

1.46%

1.39%

1.48%

Return on Average Equity

17.27

18.37

17.62

18.74

Net Interest Margin 3

3.86

4.09

3.92

4.19

     

1 Share and Per Share amounts have been restated for the September 2003 five-for-four stock split.

2 Tangible Book Value excludes from total equity intangible assets, primarily goodwill associated with branch purchases.

3 Net Interest Margin includes a tax equivalent upward adjustment of 20 basis points in 2004 and 18 basis points in 2003 for the three month periods

       and an upward adjustment of 20 basis points in 2004 and 18 basis points in 2003 for the six month periods.

 



#




Arrow Financial Corporation

Consolidated Financial Information

($ in thousands)

Unaudited

 

June 30, 2004

 

June 30, 2003

 


Period

End

Second

Quarter

Average

Year-to-

Date

Average

 


Period

End

Second

Quarter

Average

Year-to-

Date

Average

Balance Sheet

       

Cash and Due From Banks

$          28,641

$          35,209

$          34,642

 

$          30,598

$          31,264

$          31,123

Federal Funds Sold

---

18,516

13,634

 

---

5,544

7,750

Securities Available-for-Sale

343,374

344,991

342,160

 

314,966

319,018

319,186

Securities Held-to-Maturity

108,047

105,736

105,969

 

95,048

79,290

77,254

Loans

866,127

859,902

858,195

 

848,778

849,570

837,541

Allowance for Loan Losses

            (11,984)

            (11,933)

            (11,898)

 

            (11,518)

            (11,452)

            (11,382)

  Net Loans

          854,143

          847,969

          846,297

 

          837,260

          838,118

          826,159

Premises and Equipment, Net

14,561

14,395

14,284

 

13,902

13,784

13,762

Goodwill and Intangible Assets, Net

9,476

9,481

9,475

 

9,697

9,701

9,706

Other Assets

               21,897

               20,381

              21,254

 

               15,687

               14,107

              14,146

    Total Assets

$1,380,139

$1,396,678

$1,387,715

 

$1,317,158

$1,310,826

$1,299,086

Demand Deposits

$      167,768

$      160,184

$      156,373

 

$      142,421

$      136,487

$      134,975

Nonmaturity Interest-Bearing Deposits

634,195

661,812

655,802

 

574,286

576,929

582,188

Time Deposits of $100,000 or More

64,177

65,411

66,161

 

80,610

84,588

75,254

Other Time Deposits

         171,527

          176,405

         178,805

 

         195,173

          197,068

         197,887

  Total Deposits

   1,037,667

    1,063,812

   1,057,141

 

         992,490

          995,072

         990,304

Short-Term Borrowings

47,467

42,696

40,166

 

47,201

39,951

39,287

Federal Home Loan Bank Advances

157,500

150,220

150,110

 

150,000

151,209

146,409

Other Long-Term Debt

15,000

15,000

15,000

 

5,000

5,000

5,000

Other Liabilities

              14,265

              15,534

               16,151

 

              17,778

              15,751

               15,188

  Total Liabilities

   1,271,899

   1,287,262

   1,278,568

 

   1,212,469

   1,206,983

   1,196,188

Common Stock

13,086

13,086

13,086

 

10,469

10,469

10,469

Surplus

114,088

113,939

113,809

 

115,627

115,433

115,329

Undivided Profits

29,454

28,212

27,012

 

19,144

17,873

16,571

Unallocated ESOP Shares

(1,502)

(1,502)

(1,503)

 

(1,822)

(1,822)

(1,822)

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income

(2,026)

247

1,137

 

2,406

2,877

2,897

Treasury Stock

            (44,860)

            (44,566)

            (44,394)

 

            (41,135)

            (40,987)

            (40,546)

  Total Shareholders’ Equity

          108,240

          109,416

          109,147

 

          104,689

          103,843

          102,898

    Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity

$1,380,139

$1,396,678

$1,387,715

 

$1,317,158

$1,310,826

$1,299,086

        

Assets Under Trust Administration

  and Investment Management

 $783,248

   

$651,570

  
        

Capital Ratios

       

  Leverage Ratio

8.40%

   

7.52%

  

  Tier 1 Risk-Based Capital Ratio

13.35

   

11.54

  

  Total Risk-Based Capital Ratio

14.60

   

12.79

  

#





Arrow Financial Corporation

Consolidated Financial Information

($ in thousands)

Unaudited

 

June 30,

 

2004

2003

Loan Portfolio

  

Commercial, Financial and Agricultural

$  81,324

$  87,653

Real Estate – Commercial

126,840

105,422

Real Estate – Residential

340,667

306,456

Real Estate – Construction

8,684

10,594

Indirect Consumer Loans

298,177

324,132

Other Loans to Individuals

          10,435

    14,521

  Total Loans

$866,127

$848,778

   

Allowance for Loan Losses, Second Quarter

  

Allowance for Loan Losses, Beginning of Period

$11,923

$11,388

   

Loans Charged-off

(272)

(368)

Recoveries of Loans Previously Charged-off

                      79

                    93

  Net Loans Charged-off

              (193)

             (275)

   

Provision for Loan Losses

                 254

                 405

  Allowance for Loan Losses, End of Period

$11,984

$11,518

   

Allowance for Loan Losses, First Six Months

  

Allowance for Loan Losses, Beginning of Period

$11,842

$11,193

   

Loans Charged-off

(531)

(656)

Recoveries of Loans Previously Charged-off

                134

               171

  Net Loans Charged-off

              (397)

            (485)

   

Provision for Loan Losses

                 539

                810

  Allowance for Loan Losses, End of Period

$11,984

$11,518

   

Nonperforming Assets

  

Nonaccrual Loans

$2,113

$1,684

Loans Past Due 90 or More Days and Accruing

430

307

Restructured Loans

                 ---

                  ---

  Total Nonperforming Loans

2,543

1,991

Repossessed Assets

207

198

Other Real Estate Owned

                  ---

                  ---

  Total Nonperforming Assets

$2,750

$2,189

   

Key Asset Quality Ratios

  

Net Loans Charged-off to Average Loans, Second Quarter Annualized

0.09%

0.13%

Net Loans Charged-off to Average Loans, First Six Months Annualized

0.09

0.12

Provision for Loan Losses to Average Loans, Second Quarter Annualized

0.12

0.19

Provision for Loan Losses to Average Loans, First Six Months Annualized

0.13

0.20

Allowance for Loan Losses to Period-End Loans

1.38

1.36

Allowance for Loan Losses to Nonperforming Loans

471.22

578.50

Nonperforming Loans to Period-End Loans

0.29

0.23

Nonperforming Assets to Period-End Assets

0.20

0.17


#