ATLANTA, Oct. 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atlantic Capital Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACBI) announced net income from continuing operations for the quarter ended September 30, 2020 of $8.6 million, or $0.40 per diluted share, compared to $8.2 million, or $0.33 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2019 and $1.8 million, or $0.09 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2020.

“We reported another quarter of solid operating results and strong year over year growth in pre-provision, pre-tax net revenue, while continuing to strengthen our fortress balance sheet with the issuance of $75 million in subordinated debt. With confidence in our credit quality, capital strength and earnings outlook, we also resumed our share repurchase program,” remarked Douglas Williams, President and Chief Executive Officer.

Third Quarter Highlights⁽¹⁾

• Capital ratios remained strong, with a tangible common equity to tangible assets ratio of 11.0% and a total risk-based capital ratio of 16.9%.
• Tangible book value per share increased to $15.11 from $14.72 at June 30, 2020 and from $14.09 at December 31, 2019.
• Average deposits from continuing operations increased $62.3 million, or 10.3% annualized, compared to the second quarter of 2020 and increased $522.6 million, or 26.8%, compared to the third quarter of 2019.
• Cost of deposits decreased to 0.19% from 0.22% in the second quarter of 2020.
• Annualized net charge-offs to average loans totaled 0.06% for the third quarter of 2020 and 0.13% for the full year 2020.
• Non-performing assets to total assets were 0.20% at September 30, 2020 compared to 0.24% at June 30, 2020.
• We repurchased 401,000 shares in the third quarter of 2020 totaling $4.6 million.
• We issued $75 million in subordinated notes in the third quarter of 2020, and called the existing $50 million of subordinated notes on September 30, 2020.

Income Statement

Taxable equivalent net interest income from continuing operations totaled $22.1 million for the third quarter of 2020, an increase of $2.0 million, or 9.8%, from the third quarter of 2019, and an increase of $78,000, or 1.4% annualized, from the second quarter of 2020. The third quarter of 2020 included $1.6 million in Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan income compared to $696,000 in the second quarter of 2020. The third quarter of 2020 also included a $521,000 increase in interest expense due to the $75 million subordinated debt issuance.

Taxable equivalent net interest margin from continuing operations was 3.14% in the third quarter of 2020, compared to 3.52% in the third quarter of 2019 and 3.23% in the second quarter of 2020. The linked quarter decrease was primarily the result of the additional interest expense due to the subordinated debt issuance along with a decrease in loan yields, partially offset by a decrease in the cost of interest bearing deposits. The taxable equivalent net interest margin, excluding PPP loans, in the third quarter of 2020 was 3.18% compared to 3.35% in the second quarter of 2020.

The yield on loans from continuing operations in the third quarter of 2020 was 3.82%, a decrease of 136 basis points from the third quarter of 2019 and a decrease of 5 basis points from the second quarter of 2020. Excluding the PPP loans, the third quarter of 2020 loan yield was 3.95% compared to 4.09% in the second quarter of 2020.

The cost of deposits from continuing operations in the third quarter of 2020 was 0.19%, a decrease of 87 basis points from the third quarter of 2019 and a decrease of 3 basis points from the second quarter of 2020. The cost of interest bearing deposits from continuing operations decreased 130 basis points to 0.28% from the third quarter of 2019, and decreased 5 basis points from the second quarter of 2020.

The provision for credit losses for continuing operations was $28,000 in the third quarter of 2020 compared to $413,000 in the third quarter of 2019 and $8.9 million in the second quarter of 2020. The third quarter of 2020 provision for credit losses included a $636,000 provision for loan losses offset by a $609,000 decrease in the reserve for unfunded commitments.

Noninterest income from continuing operations totaled $2.5 million in the third quarter of 2020 compared to $2.8 million in the third quarter of 2019 and $2.3 million in the second quarter of 2020. Service charge income in the third quarter of 2020 totaled $1.2 million, an increase of $292,000 compared to the third quarter of 2019, and an increase of $136,000 from the second quarter of 2020. The increase in service charge income was primarily due to an increase in ACH volumes in our payments business. The third quarter of 2020 also included a loss of $145,000 on the sale of other assets, primarily due to the sale of an OREO property.

Noninterest expense from continuing operations totaled $13.7 million in the third quarter of 2020, compared to $12.7 million in the third quarter of 2019 and $12.9 million in the second quarter of 2020. The linked quarter increase in expenses was primarily driven by an increase in our accruals for incentive compensation and a decrease in loan production salary cost deferrals. In addition, other noninterest expense increased primarily due to $470,000 in losses on customer accounts.

The year-to-date 2020 effective tax rate from continuing operations was 16.8% compared to 21.3% for the full year of 2019, and was impacted by lower pretax earnings as well as increased non-taxable securities income from municipal bonds.

⁽¹⁾ Commentary is on a fully taxable-equivalent basis unless otherwise noted. Consistent with SEC guidance in Industry Guide 3 that contemplates the calculation of tax-exempt income on a tax equivalent basis, net interest income and net interest margin are provided on a fully taxable-equivalent basis, which generally assumes a 21% marginal tax rate. We provide detailed reconciliations in the Non-GAAP Performance and Financial Measures Reconciliation table on page 13.

Balance Sheet

Total loans held for investment were $2.19 billion at September 30, 2020, an increase of $352.4 million, or 19.2%, from September 30, 2019 and an increase of $3.3 million from June 30, 2020. PPP loans totaled $231.8 million at September 30, 2020, a decrease of $2.2 million compared to June 30, 2020, due to early payoffs during the third quarter. Consumer loans increased $41.8 million from June 30, 2020 to $154.9 million at September 30, 2020, due to the growth in a partnership with a fintech firm that offers CD-secured loans to its customers.

The allowance for credit losses was 1.59% of total loans held for investment at September 30, 2020, compared to 1.61% at June 30, 2020. Excluding the impact of PPP loans, the allowance for credit losses at June 30, 2020 was 1.78%. Annualized net charge-offs were 0.06% for the third quarter of 2020 and 0.13% for the first nine months of 2020. Non-performing assets totaled $6.0 million, or 0.20% of total assets, as of September 30, 2020, compared to $7.0 million, or 0.24% of total assets, as of June 30, 2020.

Total average deposits from continuing operations were $2.47 billion for the third quarter of 2020, an increase of $522.6 million, or 26.8%, from the third quarter of 2019 and an increase of $62.3 million, or 10.3% annualized, from the second quarter of 2020. Noninterest bearing deposits were 34.6% of total average deposits in the third quarter of 2020, compared to 32.7% in the third quarter of 2019 and 33.8% in the second quarter of 2020.

Tangible common equity to tangible assets was 11.0% at September 30, 2020, unchanged from June 30, 2020. The estimated total risk based capital ratio increased to 16.9% at September 30, 2020 from 14.8% at June 30, 2020 due to the issuance of $75 million in subordinated debt.

About Atlantic Capital Bancshares

Atlantic Capital Bancshares, Inc. is a $2.9 billion publicly traded bank holding company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Atlantic Capital offers commercial and not-for-profit banking services, specialty corporate financial services, private banking services and commercial real estate finance solutions to privately held companies and individuals in the Atlanta area, as well as payments and other specialized financial services for select clients nationally.