NEWTON, NC / ACCESSWIRE / April 26, 2024 / Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEBK) (the "Company"), the parent company of Peoples Bank (the "Bank"), reported first quarter 2024 results with highlights as follows:

First quarter 2024 highlights:

• Net earnings were $3.9 million or $0.74 per share and $0.72 per diluted share for the three months ended March 31, 2024, compared to $3.2 million or $0.58 per share and 0.56 per diluted share for the same period one year ago.
• Cash dividends were $0.35 per share during the three months ended March 31, 2024, compared to $0.34 per share for the prior year period.
• Total loans were $1.1 billion at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023.
• Non-performing assets were $4.0 million or 0.24% of total assets at March 31, 2024, compared to $3.9 million or 0.24% of total assets at December 31, 2023.
• Total deposits were $1.5 billion at March 31, 2024, compared to $1.4 billion at December 31, 2023.
• Core deposits, a non-GAAP measure, were $1.3 billion or 89.75% of total deposits at March 31, 2024, compared to $1.2 billion or 89.30% of total deposits at December 31, 2023.
• Net interest margin was 3.33% for the three months ended March 31, 2024, compared to 3.77% for the three months ended March 31, 2023.

Net earnings were $3.9 million or $0.74 per share and $0.72 per diluted share for the three months ended March 31, 2024, compared to $3.2 million or $0.58 per share and $0.56 per diluted share for the prior year period. Lance A. Sellers, President and Chief Executive Officer, attributed the increase in first quarter net earnings to an increase in non-interest income and a decrease in the provision for credit losses, which were partially offset by a decrease in net interest income and an increase in non-interest expense, compared to the prior year period, as discussed below.

Net interest income was $13.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024, compared to $14.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023. The decrease in net interest income is due to a $4.0 million increase in interest expense, partially offset by a $3.0 million increase in interest income. The increase in interest income reflects a $2.3 million increase in interest income and fees on loans, a $524,000 increase in interest income on balances due from banks and a $230,000 increase in interest income on investment securities. The increase in interest income and fees on loans is primarily due to an increase in total loans and rate increases by the Federal Reserve from February 2023 through July 2023. The increase in interest income on balances due from banks is also due to an increase in balances outstanding and rate increases by the Federal Reserve. The increase in interest income on investment securities is primarily due to higher yields on securities purchased during the three months ended March 31, 2024. The increase in interest expense is primarily due to an increase in time deposits and an increase in rates paid on interest-bearing liabilities. Net interest income after the provision for credit losses was $13.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024, compared to $14.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023. The provision for credit losses for the three months ended March 31, 2024 was $91,000, compared to $224,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2023. The decrease in the provision for credit losses is primarily attributable to a reduction in reserves on unfunded loan commitments, which was partially offset by reserves on loans individually evaluated at March 31, 2024.

Non-interest income was $6.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024, compared to $3.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023. The increase in non-interest income is primarily attributable to a $2.5 million net loss on the sales of securities during the three months ended March 31, 2023, and no losses in the three months ended March 31, 2024.

Non-interest expense was $14.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024, compared to $13.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023. The increase in non-interest expense is primarily attributable to a $480,000 increase in salaries and employee benefits expense primarily due to an increase in insurance expense and a $254,000 increase in appraisal management fee expense due to an increase in appraisal volume.

Income tax expense was $787,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2024, compared to $851,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2023. The effective tax rate was 16.62% for the three months ended March 31, 2024, compared to 21.15% for the three months ended March 31, 2023. The decrease in the effective tax rate is primarily due to a $322,000 interest receivable booked during the three months ended March 31, 2024 on a deposit for taxes paid prior to a recent settlement with the North Carolina Department of Revenue ("NCDOR") to withdraw the disallowance of certain tax credits previously purchased by the Bank.

Total assets were $1.7 billion as of March 31, 2024, compared to $1.6 billion as of December 31, 2023. Available for sale securities were $394.7 million as of March 31, 2024, compared to $391.9 million as of December 31, 2023. Total loans were $1.1 billion as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023.

Non-performing assets were $4.0 million or 0.24% of total assets at March 31, 2024, compared to $3.9 million or 0.24% at December 31, 2023. Non-performing assets include $3.4 million in commercial and residential mortgage loans and $553,000 in other loans at March 31, 2024, compared to $3.4 million in commercial and residential mortgage loans and $464,000 in other loans at December 31, 2023.

The allowance for credit losses on loans was $10.9 million or 0.98% of total loans at March 31, 2024, compared to $11.0 million or 1.01% at December 31, 2023. The allowance for credit losses on unfunded commitments was $1.7 million at March 31, 2024, compared to $1.8 million at December 31, 2023. Management believes the current level of the allowance for credit losses is adequate; however, there is no assurance that additional adjustments to the allowance will not be required because of changes in economic conditions, regulatory requirements or other factors.

Deposits were $1.5 billion as of March 31, 2024, compared to $1.4 billion as of December 31, 2023. Core deposits, a non-GAAP measure, which include noninterest-bearing demand deposits, NOW, MMDA, savings and non-brokered certificates of deposit of denominations of $250,000 or less, were $1.3 billion at March 31, 2024, compared to $1.2 billion at December 31, 2023. Management believes it is useful to calculate and present core deposits because of the positive impact this low cost funding source provides to the Bank's overall cost of funds and profitability. Certificates of deposit in amounts of more than $250,000 totaled $148.8 million at March 31, 2024, compared to $148.9 million December 31, 2023.

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase were $59.2 million at March 31, 2023, compared to $86.7 million at December 31, 2023. The decrease in securities sold under agreements to repurchase is primarily due to customers transferring funds from securities sold under agreements to repurchase to deposits via the IntraFi network's Insured Cash Sweep ("ICS") during the three months ended March 31, 2024. Junior subordinated debentures were $15.5 million at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023. Shareholders' equity was $121.1 million, or 7.25% of total assets, at March 31, 2024, compared to $121.0 million, or 7.40% of total assets, at December 31, 2023.

Peoples Bank operates 17 banking offices in North Carolina, with offices in Catawba, Alexander, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Iredell and Wake Counties. The Bank also operates loan production offices in Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan and Forsyth Counties. The Company's common stock is publicly traded and is listed on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol "PEBK."

Statements made in this earnings release, other than those concerning historical information, should be considered forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and are based on the beliefs and assumptions of management and on the information available to management at the time that this release was prepared. These statements can be identified by the use of words like "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," and "believe," variations of these words and other similar expressions. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, (1) competition in the markets served by the Bank, (2) changes in the interest rate environment, (3) general national, regional or local economic conditions may be less favorable than expected, resulting in, among other things, a deterioration in credit quality and the possible impairment of collectibility of loans, (4) legislative or regulatory changes, including changes in accounting standards, (5) significant changes in the federal and state legal and regulatory environment and tax laws, (6) the impact of changes in monetary and fiscal policies, laws, rules and regulations and (7) other risks and factors identified in the Company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to those described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
March 31, 2024, December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2023
(Dollars in thousands)

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
For the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023
(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
For the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023
(Dollars in thousands)

At March 31, 2024, including non-accrual loans, there were two relationships exceeding $1.0 million in the Watch risk grade, which totaled $4.6 million. There were no relationships exceeding $1.0 million in the Substandard risk grade. At December 31, 2023, including non-accrual loans, there were two relationships exceeding $1.0 million in the Watch risk grade, which totaled $4.9 million. There were no relationships exceeding $1.0 million in the Substandard risk grade.

(1) This amount reflects the tax benefit that the Company receives related to its tax-exempt loans and securities, which carry interest rates lower than similar taxable investments due to their tax-exempt status. This amount has been computed using an effective tax rate of 22.98% and is reduced by the related nondeductible portion of interest expense.

(2) For the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 and the year ended December 31, 2023.

SOURCE: Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc.