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Stewardship Financial Corporation Reports Earnings for Third Quarter of 2015


/EINPresswire.com/ -- MIDLAND PARK, NJ--(Marketwired - November 05, 2015) - Stewardship Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: SSFN), parent company of Atlantic Stewardship Bank, reported net income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, of $1.0 million and $3.1 million, respectively, compared to net income of $552,000 and $1.8 million for the equivalent three and nine month periods in 2014. After dividends on preferred stock, net income available to common shareholders for the current three month period was $886,000, or $0.15 per share, compared to $382,000, or $0.06 per share, for the three months ended September 30, 2014. For the first nine months of 2015, net income available to common shareholders was $2,683,000, or $0.44 per share, compared to $1,272,000, or $0.21 per share, during the same period in 2014.

"We are pleased to continue to report improving results. The stabilization of our asset quality and steady loan growth remain our focus and have contributed to our progress," said Paul Van Ostenbridge, President and Chief Executive Officer of Stewardship Financial Corporation,

Balance Sheet / Financial Condition

Total assets at September 30, 2015 were $707.6 million - an increase when compared to with total assets of $693.6 million at December 31, 2014. For the first nine months of 2015, a $40.8 million net increase in gross loans receivable was the result of new loan originations, partially offset by normal principal amortization and payoffs. On an annualized basis, such loan growth equates to 11.4%. Partially offsetting the loan growth was the previously reported sale of approximately $27.8 million of available for sale securities with higher price volatility. Such sales were conducted to provide a portion of the funding for the loan growth, reflecting an intentional shift to higher yielding assets.

Total deposits were $585.9 million at September 30, 2015, reflecting a $29.4 million increase when compared to deposits of $556.5 million at December 31, 2014. "The focus on loan growth naturally warrants a continued focus on deposit growth," noted Van Ostenbridge. As a result of an increase in deposits, other borrowings decreased $17.2 million to $49.5 million at September 30, 2015.

The increase in subordinated debentures and subordinated notes reflects the previously announced completion of a $16.6 million issuance of fixed rate subordinated notes on August 28, 2015. The subordinated notes have a maturity date of August 28, 2025 and bear interest at the rate of 6.75% per annum. Using the net proceeds of the subordinated note issuance, on September 1, 2015, the Corporation repurchased the $15.0 million of preferred stock, thus ending the Corporation's participation in the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Small Business Lending Fund program ("SBLF").

While tier 1 capital was impacted by the replacement of preferred stock with subordinated debt, which is considered tier 2 capital, regulatory capital levels, at September 30, 2015, continue to exceed the capital requirements for a "well capitalized" institution. The Corporation's tier 1 leverage ratio was 7.66% (4% requirement) and total risk based capital ratio was 14.48% (8% requirement).

Operating Results

For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, the Corporation reported net interest income of $5.4 million and $16.3 million, respectively, compared to $5.3 million and $16.0 million for the corresponding prior year periods. The net interest margin for the current three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 was 3.21% and 3.34%, respectively, compared to 3.36% and 3.42% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, respectively. The recent decline in net interest rate margin partially reflects the impact of the $16.6 million of subordinated notes previously discussed. While the cost of the subordinated notes adds to interest expense, on an after tax basis, such increase is approximately offset by the dividends that would have accrued at a rate of 4.56% on the preferred stock resulting in an overall neutral effect on net income available to common shareholders. Furthermore, beginning on March 1, 2016, and for all dividend periods thereafter, the dividend rate on the preferred stock would have been increased and fixed at 9%, making the issuance of the subordinated notes a positive impact to net income available to common shareholders in the future.

Noninterest income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 was $838,000 and $2.6 million, respectively, compared to $764,000 and $2.0 million for the same prior year periods. For the current year periods, fees and service charges reflect increases of $31,000 and $142,000 when compared to 2014. In addition, as a result of the Corporation returning to selling the majority of residential loan production, gains on sales of mortgage loans increased over the prior year three and nine month periods. For the nine months ended September 30 2015, noninterest income included gains of $152,000 from the sale of available for sale securities and $53,000 from the sale of other real estate owned. The prior year nine month period included a loss of $241,000 from the sale of nonperforming loans.

Noninterest expenses totaled $5.1 million and $15.3 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, relatively consistent with the $5.0 million and $15.2 million incurred for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, respectively.

Asset Quality

Van Ostenbridge stated, "The credit metrics of our assets have improved and stabilized." For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, results continue to be positively impacted by the Corporation recording negative provisions for loan losses of $400,000 and $1.1 million, respectively. For the prior year, the Corporation recorded a $250,000 provision for loan losses for both the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014. Nonperforming loans were $2.6 million, or 0.50% of total loans at September 30, 2015 compared to $3.6 million, or 0.76%, at December 31, 2014. Total nonperforming assets of $3.2 million, which includes other real estate owned, represented 0.45% of total assets at September 30, 2015 compared to 0.71% at December 31, 2014.

About Stewardship Financial Corporation

Stewardship Financial Corporation's subsidiary, the Atlantic Stewardship Bank, has 12 banking offices in Midland Park, Hawthorne (2), Montville, North Haledon, Pequannock, Ridgewood, Waldwick, Wayne (2), Westwood and Wyckoff, New Jersey. The bank is known for tithing 10% of its pre-tax profits to Christian and local charities. To date, the Bank's tithe donations total $8.2 million.

We invite you to visit our website at www.asbnow.com for additional information.

The information disclosed in this document contains certain "forward looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and may be identified by the use of such words as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "should," "plan," "estimate," and "potential." Examples of forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, estimates with respect to the financial condition, results of operations and business of the Corporation that are subject to various factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from these estimates. These factors include: changes in general, economic and market conditions, legislative and regulatory conditions, or the development of an interest rate environment that adversely affects the Corporation's interest rate spread or other income anticipated from operations and investments.

                                                                            
                     Stewardship Financial Corporation                      
                Selected Consolidated Financial Information                 
              (dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)              
                                (unaudited)                                 
                                                                            
                     September                 March   December   September 
                           30,   June 30,        31,        31,         30, 
                          2015       2015       2015       2014        2014 
                     ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
                                                                            
Selected Financial                                                          
 Condition Data:                                                            
  Cash and cash                                                             
   equivalents       $  16,025   $ 19,782   $ 21,035   $ 10,086   $  10,850 
  Securities                                                                
   available for                                                            
   sale                 86,994     90,850     94,553    124,918     138,255 
  Securities held to                                                        
   maturity             60,252     58,363     55,811     55,097      54,234 
  FHLB Stock             3,035      2,833      3,026      3,777       2,882 
  Loans receivable:                                                         
    Loans                                                                   
     receivable,                                                            
     gross             518,168    507,105    490,087    477,320     443,006 
    Allowance for                                                           
     loan losses        (8,805)    (9,299)    (9,600)    (9,602)    (10,094)
    Other, net             (93)      (132)        (7)       (19)        (17)
                     ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
  Loans receivable,                                                         
   net                 509,270    497,674    480,480    467,699     432,895 
                                                                            
  Loans held for                                                            
   sale                  1,570      1,416        798          -         364 
  Other assets          30,503     30,273     30,114     31,974      33,072 
                     ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
  Total assets       $ 707,649   $701,191   $685,817   $693,551   $ 672,552 
                     =========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
                                                                            
                                                                            
  Noninterest-                                                              
   bearing deposits  $ 151,078   $153,546   $141,406   $136,721   $ 140,345 
  Interest-bearing                                                          
   deposits            434,790    432,453    424,916    419,755     416,666 
                     ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
  Total deposits       585,868    585,999    566,322    556,476     557,011 
  Other borrowings      49,500     45,000     50,000     66,700      46,800 
  Securities sold                                                           
   under agreements                                                         
   to repurchase             -          -          -          -         100 
  Subordinated                                                              
   debentures           23,176      7,217      7,217      7,217       7,217 
  Other liabilities      2,087      2,123      2,166      4,189       4,166 
                     ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
  Total liabilities    660,631    640,339    625,705    634,582     615,294 
  Shareholders'                                                             
   equity               47,018     60,852     60,112     58,969      57,258 
                     ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
  Total liabilities                                                         
   and shareholders'                                                        
   equity            $ 707,649   $701,191   $685,817   $693,551   $ 672,552 
                     =========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
                                                                            
  Gross loans to                                                            
   deposits              88.44%     86.54%     86.54%     85.78%      79.53%
                                                                            
  Equity to assets        6.64%      8.68%      8.77%      8.50%       8.51%
                                                                            
Asset Quality Data:                                                         
  Nonaccrual loans   $   2,574   $  2,539   $  2,798   $  3,628   $   4,434 
  Loans past due 90                                                         
   days or more and                                                         
   accruing                  -          -          -          -           - 
                     ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
  Total                                                                     
   nonperforming                                                            
   loans                 2,574      2,539      2,798      3,628       4,434 
  Other real estate                                                         
   owned                   587        219        320      1,308       2,090 
                     ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
  Total                                                                     
   nonperforming                                                            
   assets            $   3,161   $  2,758   $  3,118   $  4,936   $   6,524 
                     =========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
                                                                            
                                                                            
  Nonperforming                                                             
   loans to total                                                           
   loans                  0.50%      0.50%      0.57%      0.76%       1.00%
  Nonperforming                                                             
   assets to total                                                          
   assets                 0.45%      0.39%      0.45%      0.71%       0.97%
  Allowance for loan                                                        
   losses to                                                                
   nonperforming                                                            
   loans                342.07%    366.25%    343.10%    264.66%     227.65%
  Allowance for loan                                                        
   losses to total                                                          
   gross loans            1.70%      1.83%      1.96%      2.01%       2.28%
                                                                            
                                                                            
                     Stewardship Financial Corporation                      
                Selected Consolidated Financial Information                 
              (dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)              
                                (unaudited)                                 
                                                                            
                                 For the three months   For the nine months 
                                         ended                 ended        
                                   September 30,         September 30,      
                                 --------------------- ---------------------
                                      2015       2014       2015       2014 
                                 ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Selected Operating Data:                                                    
 Interest income                 $   6,412  $   6,069  $  18,966  $  18,400 
 Interest expense                      993        791      2,628      2,440 
                                 ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
  Net interest and dividend                                                 
   income                            5,419      5,278     16,338     15,960 
 Provision for loan losses            (400)       250     (1,100)       250 
                                 ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
 Net interest and dividend                                                  
  income                                                                    
  after provision for loan                                                  
   losses                            5,819      5,028     17,438     15,710 
 Noninterest income:                                                        
  Fees and service charges             541        510      1,577      1,435 
  Bank owned life insurance            103        100        300        302 
  Gain on calls and sales of                                                
   securities                            -          -        152          - 
  Gain on sales of mortgage                                                 
   loans                                52         32        117         46 
  Loss on sales of loans                 -          -          -       (241)
  Gain on sales of other real                                               
   estate owned                          -          -         53         54 
  Other                                142        122        439        374 
                                 ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
  Total noninterest income             838        764      2,638      1,970 
 Noninterest expenses:                                                      
  Salaries and employee benefits     2,785      2,624      8,181      7,859 
  Occupancy, net                       427        439      1,317      1,514 
  Equipment                            175        167        496        530 
  Data processing                      468        433      1,380      1,255 
  FDIC insurance premium                87        133        317        477 
  Other                              1,183      1,193      3,588      3,554 
                                 ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
  Total noninterest expenses         5,125      4,989     15,279     15,189 
                                 ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Income before income tax expense     1,532        803      4,797      2,491 
Income tax expense                     532        251      1,658        707 
                                 ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Net income                           1,000        552      3,139      1,784 
Dividends on preferred stock           114        170        456        512 
                                 ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Net income available to common                                              
 shareholders                    $     886  $     382  $   2,683  $   1,272 
                                 ========== ========== ========== ==========
                                                                            
Weighted avg. no. of diluted      6,091,62   6,026,84   6,074,76   5,994,80 
 common shares                           7          8          3          0 
Diluted earnings per common                                                 
 share                           $    0.15  $    0.06  $    0.44  $    0.21 
                                                                            
Return on average common equity       7.58%      3.58%      7.88%      4.14%
                                                                            
Return on average assets              0.56%      0.33%      0.60%      0.36%
                                                                            
Yield on average interest-                                                  
 earning assets                       3.80%      3.85%      3.87%      3.94%
Cost of average interest-bearing                                            
 liabilities                          0.79%      0.68%      0.72%      0.69%
                                 ----------  --------- ---------- ----------
Net interest rate spread              3.01%      3.17%      3.15%      3.25%
                                 ==========  ========= ========== ==========
                                                                            
Net interest margin                   3.21%      3.36%      3.34%      3.42%
                                                                            
                                                                            
                     Stewardship Financial Corporation                      
                Selected Consolidated Financial Information                 
              (dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)              
                                (unaudited)                                 
                                                                            
                                 For the three months ended                 
                 -----------------------------------------------------------
                  September                            December   September 
                        30,    June 30,   March 31,         31,         30, 
                       2015        2015        2015        2014        2014 
                 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Selected                                                                    
 Operating Data:                                                            
 Interest income $    6,412  $    6,360  $    6,194  $    6,534  $    6,069 
 Interest                                                                   
  expense               993         842         793         767         791 
                 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
  Net interest                                                              
   and dividend                                                             
   income             5,419       5,518       5,401       5,767       5,278 
 Provision for                                                              
  loan losses          (400)       (600)       (100)       (300)        250 
                 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
 Net interest                                                               
  and dividend                                                              
  income                                                                    
  after                                                                     
   provision for                                                            
   loan losses        5,819       6,118       5,501       6,067       5,028 
 Noninterest                                                                
  income:                                                                   
  Fees and                                                                  
   service                                                                  
   charges              541         557         479         568         510 
  Bank owned                                                                
   life                                                                     
   insurance            103         101          96         103         100 
  Gain on calls                                                             
   and sales of                                                             
   securities             -           -         152         165           - 
  Gain on sales                                                             
   of mortgage                                                              
   loans                 52          55          10          26          32 
  Loss on sales                                                             
   of loans               -           -           -           -           - 
  Gain on sales                                                             
   of other real                                                            
   estate owned           -           -          53           9           - 
  Other                 142         169         128         119         122 
                 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
  Total                                                                     
   noninterest                                                              
   income               838         882         918         990         764 
 Noninterest                                                                
  expenses:                                                                 
  Salaries and                                                              
   employee                                                                 
   benefits           2,785       2,688       2,708       2,738       2,624 
  Occupancy, net        427         423         467         420         439 
  Equipment             175         165         156         157         167 
  Data                                                                      
   processing           468         459         453         447         433 
  FDIC insurance                                                            
   premium               87         117         113         103         133 
  Other               1,183       1,253       1,152       1,179       1,193 
                 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
  Total                                                                     
   noninterest                                                              
   expenses           5,125       5,105       5,049       5,044       4,989 
                 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Income before                                                               
 income tax                                                                 
 expense              1,532       1,895       1,370       2,013         803 
Income tax                                                                  
 expense                532         673         453         712         251 
                 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Net income            1,000       1,222         917       1,301         552 
Dividends on                                                                
 preferred stock        114         171         171         171         170 
                 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Net income                                                                  
 available to                                                               
 common                                                                     
 shareholders    $      886  $    1,051  $      746  $    1,130  $      382 
                 =========== =========== =========== =========== ===========
                                                                            
Weighted avg.                                                               
 no. of diluted                                                             
 common shares    6,091,627   6,086,474   6,045,683   6,030,561   6,026,848 
Diluted earnings                                                            
 per common                                                                 
 share           $     0.15  $     0.17  $     0.12  $     0.19  $     0.06 
                                                                            
Return on                                                                   
 average common                                                             
 equity                7.58%       9.25%       6.77%      10.41%       3.58%
                                                                            
Return on                                                                   
 average assets        0.56%       0.71%       0.54%       0.75%       0.33%
                                                                            
Yield on average                                                            
 interest-                                                                  
 earning assets        3.80%       3.91%       3.90%       4.04%       3.85%
Cost of average                                                             
 interest-                                                                  
 bearing                                                                    
 liabilities           0.79%       0.70%       0.67%       0.64%       0.68%
                 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Net interest                                                                
 rate spread           3.01%       3.21%       3.23%       3.40%       3.17%
                 =========== =========== =========== =========== ===========
                                                                            
Net interest                                                                
 margin                3.21%       3.40%       3.41%       3.57%       3.36%

Contact:
Claire M. Chadwick
EVP and Chief Financial Officer
630 Godwin Avenue
Midland Park, NJ 07432
P: (201) 444-7100


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