DALLAS, Jan. 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Comerica California Economic Activity Index declined 4.9% annualized in the three months through October. The Index has turned lower after robust increases in the first half of the year, but was still up 5.7% from a year-ago in October.

Four of the nine components that constitute the Index rose in October. Employment rose by 59,800, but continuing claims for unemployment insurance rose, too, for the fourth consecutive month, after falling in the first half of the year. California's unemployment rate, which fell nearly 2 percentage points in the first seven months of the year, rose in October. The unemployment rate is likely to rise further in the coming months, as key sectors like tech face strong headwinds. Electricity consumption by California's industrial sector declined another 0.9% in October after falling 3.0% in the third quarter.

Housing starts fell 13.0% in October. House prices fell for the fifth consecutive month and were down 7.2% from May. Housing affordability is a longstanding problem in California and has gotten worse as first home prices and then interest rates surged post-pandemic. Declines in house prices and weak residential investment are likely in 2023. The travel industry lost momentum as it entered the fourth quarter. The seasonally-adjusted hotel occupancy rate fell 2.4 percentage points in October following a 3.6 percentage point decline in the third quarter. Seasonally adjusted air passenger traffic was down 7.1% in October after an 8.7% contraction in the third quarter.

California's economy is expected to soften in the coming months, as it faces several headwinds from a weakening housing sector, high interest rates and inflation, and slowing consumer spending. On top of these issues that weigh on state economies across the U.S., the tech slowdown is an additional negative for the Golden State.

The Comerica California Economic Activity Index is a monthly composite indicator of state economic activity. The Index provides a wholistic advance view of the state of California's economy, using economic data that are available about one quarter earlier than real GDP is released. The index is comprised of nine components: Nonfarm payroll employment, continuing claims for unemployment insurance, housing starts, house prices, industrial electricity sales, foreign trade, enplanements, hotel occupancy, and state revenues. All data are seasonally adjusted with nominal values converted to constant dollar values as appropriate. To filter out month-to-month volatility in the index components, the index is calculated from the three-month moving averages of its components. Values for a minority of components are projected from the prior months' release due to the timing of data releases.

Comerica Bank is a subsidiary of Comerica Incorporated (NYSE: CMA), a financial services company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and strategically aligned by three business segments: The Commercial Bank, The Retail Bank and Wealth Management. Comerica focuses on relationships, and helping people and businesses be successful. In addition to Texas, Comerica Bank locations can be found in Michigan, California, Florida and Arizona. Additionally, Comerica has select businesses operating in Canada and Mexico. Comerica reported total assets of $85.4 billion as of Dec. 31, 2022.

To subscribe to our publications or for questions, contact us at ComericaEcon@comerica.com. Archives are available at www.comerica.com/insights.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comerica-banks-california-index-declined-sharply-in-october-301735271.html

SOURCE Comerica Bank

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Jan. 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Virginia National Bankshares Corporation (NASDAQ: VABK) (the "Company") today reported record quarterly net income of $7.1 million, or $1.32 per diluted share, for the quarter ended December 31, 2022, which represents a 35% increase over net income of $5.2 million, or $0.98 per diluted share, recognized for the quarter ended December 31, 2021.  For the twelve months ended December 31, 2022, record net income of $23.4 million, or $4.38 per diluted share, was recognized, compared to $10.1 million, or $2.14 per diluted share, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2021.  Note that pre-tax merger and merger-related expenses of $7.4 million were incurred in the year-to-date period ended December 31, 2021, in connection with the April 1, 2021 mergers of Fauquier Bankshares, Inc. ("Fauquier") and The Fauquier Bank ("TFB") with and into the Company and Virginia National Bank (the "Bank"), respectively. 

"We are proud to post record results for the fourth quarter and calendar year of 2022," commented President and Chief Executive Officer, Glenn W. Rust. "Our earn back period for the 2021 merger with Fauquier was less than two years and we continue to reap the benefits of an effectively managed overhead cost structure. We posted a return on average assets of 1.30% for 2022 and we continue to maintain a strong credit discipline."

Fourth Quarter 2022 Highlights

• Return on average assets ("ROAA") for the three months ended December 31, 2022 increased to 1.65% compared to 1.06% realized in the same period in the prior year.
• Return on average equity ("ROAE") for the three months ended December 31, 2022 improved to 22.23% compared to 12.86% realized in same period in the prior year.
• The efficiency ratio on a fully tax equivalent basis ("FTE") (a non-GAAP financial measure)¹ was 51.7% for the three months ended December 31, 2022, an improvement over 57.7% for the same period in the prior year.
• The Company did not incur any merger or merger-related expenses in 2022, compared to $7.4 million incurred during 2021.
• The Company is realizing significant savings in salaries and employee benefits, data processing and professional fees associated with the merger. Full-time equivalent employee headcount was 215 as of April 1, 2021, the effective date of the merger, and is down to 157 as of December 31, 2022. In addition, the Company closed two branches in the fourth quarter of 2022, reducing future operating costs.
• During the fourth quarter of 2022, the Company sold its interest in Sturman Wealth Advisors, resulting in a gain on sale of the line of business of $404 thousand. All goodwill and unamortized intangible assets associated with the 2016 purchase of this business line have been eliminated from the Company's balance sheet.

Loans and Asset Quality

• Credit performance remains strong with nonperforming assets as a percentage of total assets of 0.08% as of December 31, 2022, compared to 0.10% as of December 31, 2021.   Nonperforming assets have been reduced to $1.4 million as of December 31, 2022, compared to $1.9 million as of December 31, 2021, and the Company currently holds no other real estate owned.
• Four loans to three borrowers are in non-accrual status, totaling $673 thousand, as of December 31, 2022, compared to $495 thousand as of December 31, 2021.  Loans acquired from TFB ("acquired loans")  that otherwise would be in non-accrual status are not included in this figure, as they earn interest through the yield accretion.
• Loans 90 days or more past due and still accruing interest amounted to $705 thousand as of December 31, 2022, compared to $800 thousand as of December 31, 2021.  The portfolio includes three non-insured student loans that are 90 days or more past due and still accruing interest, amounting to $59 thousand.  Acquired loans that are greater than 90 days past due and still accruing interest are included in this figure, net of their fair value mark.
• The period-end allowance for loan losses ("ALLL") as a percentage of total loans was 0.59% as of December 31, 2022 and 0.56% as of December 31, 2021.  The fair value mark that was allocated to the acquired loans was $21.3 million as of April 1, 2021 with a remaining balance of $15.9 million as of December 31, 2022.  The ALLL as a percentage of gross loans, excluding the impact of the acquired loans and fair value mark (a non-GAAP financial measure)¹, would have been 0.90% as of December 31, 2022 and 0.95% as of December 31, 2021.  The total of the ALLL and the fair value mark as a percentage of gross loans (a non-GAAP financial measure)¹ amounted to 2.29% as of December 31, 2022 and 2.30% as of December 31, 2021.
• A provision for loan losses of $136 thousand was recognized during the three months ended December 31, 2022, compared to $537 thousand recognized in the three months ended December 31, 2021. 
• Gross loans outstanding at December 31, 2022 totaled $936.4 million, a decrease of $124.8 million, or 12%, compared to December 31, 2021.  Loans originated and funded during 2022 were offset by: 1) paydowns of legacy organic loans due mainly to business sales, property sales and participation fluctuations, 2) workouts and paydowns of loans, the majority of which originated from legacy Fauquier, and 3) the forgiveness of Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program loans.

Net Interest Income

• Net interest income for the three months ended December 31, 2022 of $15.4 million increased $3.0 million, or 24%, compared to the three months ended December 31, 2021, due primarily to the increase in average balances of securities, positively impacting net interest income through rate and volume, offset by the reduction in average balances of loans.
• The fair value accretion on acquired loans positively impacted net interest income by 21 basis points ("bps") during the current quarter.
• The overall cost of funds, including noninterest deposits, of 23 bps incurred in the three months ended December 31, 2022 increased 8 bps from 22 bps in the same period in the prior year. Overall, the cost of interest-bearing deposits increased period over period, from a cost of 30 bps to 32 bps. Average balances in noninterest-bearing deposits remained relatively flat period over period.
• Low-cost deposits, which include noninterest checking accounts and interest-bearing checking, savings and money market accounts, remained in excess of 91% of total deposits at December 31, 2022 and 2021.

Noninterest Income

Noninterest income for the three months ended December 31, 2022 decreased $100 thousand, or 3%, compared to the three months ended December 31, 2021, primarily due to the decline in wealth management fees, due to an anticipated reduction in the number of accounts served by the Trust & Estate segment and the decline in performance fees collected by Masonry Capital Management.  In the fourth quarter of 2022, the Company received a $267 thousand recovery of unearned premiums related to the loss of insurance on the student loan portfolio, bringing the total recovered life-to-date to over $1 million.  The Company also closed on the sale of Sturman Wealth Advisors, as noted above, in the current period.

Noninterest Expense

Noninterest expense for the three months ended December 31, 2022 increased $592 thousand, or 7%, compared to the three months ended December 31, 2021, due to combination of several variances, including an increase in losses due to fraud and an impairment charge on an asset held for sale, offset by reduced plastics expense as a result of changing vendors and lower salaries and employee benefits as a result of efficiencies gained from the merger.  In addition, the fourth quarter of 2021 noninterest expense included a favorable adjustment to merger and merger-related expenses after receiving a refund from a third-party vendor for system implementation credits and adjusting merger-related accrued bonuses.     

Book Value

Book value per share was $25.05 as of December 31, 2022 and $30.50 as of December 31, 2021, and tangible book value per share (a non-GAAP financial measure)¹ was $22.36 as of December 31, 2022 compared to $27.36 as of December 31, 2021.  These values declined due to the increase in unrealized losses on the investment portfolio period over period. 

Income Taxes

The effective tax rate for the twelve months ended December 31, 2022 amounted to 17.9% compared to 15.5% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2021, which are both lower than the statutory rate due to the recognition of low-income housing tax credits and the effect of tax-exempt income from municipal bonds and bank owned life insurance policies.  The 2021 effective tax rate was also impacted by the non-deductibility of certain merger-related expenses for tax purposes.

Dividends

Cash dividends of $1.6 million, or $0.30 per share, were declared during the current quarter, and $6.4 million, or $1.20 per share, were declared during the current year.

¹ See "Reconciliation of Certain Non-GAAP Financial Measures" at the end of this release.

About Virginia National Bankshares Corporation

Virginia National Bankshares Corporation, headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia, is the bank holding company for Virginia National Bank. The Bank has nine banking offices throughout Fauquier and Prince William counties, three banking offices in Charlottesville and Albemarle County, and banking offices in Winchester and Richmond, Virginia.  The Bank offers a full range of banking and related financial services to meet the needs of individuals, businesses and charitable organizations, including the fiduciary services of VNB Trust and Estate Services. Investment management services are offered through Masonry Capital Management, LLC, a registered investment adviser and wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company.

The Company's common stock trades on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol "VABK."  Additional information on the Company is also available at www.vnbcorp.com.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The accounting and reporting policies of the Company conform to U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") and prevailing practices in the banking industry. However, management uses certain non-GAAP measures to supplement the evaluation of the Company's performance. Management believes presentations of these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful supplemental information that is essential to a proper understanding of the operating results of the Company's core businesses. These non-GAAP disclosures should not be viewed as a substitute for operating results determined in accordance with GAAP, nor are they necessarily comparable to non-GAAP performance measures that may be presented by other companies. Reconciliations of GAAP to non-GAAP measures are included at the end of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements; Other Information

Certain statements in this release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, without limitation, statements with respect to the Company's operations, performance, future strategy and goals, and are often characterized by use of qualified words such as "expect," "believe," "estimate," "project," "anticipate," "intend," "will," "should," or words of similar meaning or other statements concerning the opinions or judgement of the Company and its management about future events. While Company management believes such statements to be reasonable, future events and predictions are subject to circumstances that are not within the control of the Company and its management.  Actual results may differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including, without limitation, the effects of and changes in: general economic and market conditions, including the effects of declines in real estate values, an increase in unemployment levels and general economic contraction as a result of COVID-19 or other pandemics; fluctuations in interest rates, deposits, loan demand, and asset quality; assumptions that underlie the Company's allowance for loan losses; the potential adverse effects of unusual and infrequently occurring events, such as weather-related disasters, terrorist acts or public health events (e.g., COVID-19 or other pandemics), and of governmental and societal responses thereto; the performance of vendors or other parties with which the Company does business; competition; technology; changes in laws, regulations and guidance; changes in accounting principles or guidelines; performance of assets under management; expected revenue synergies and cost savings from the recently completed merger with Fauquier may not be fully realized or realized within the expected timeframe; the businesses of the Company and Fauquier may not be integrated successfully or such integration may be more difficult, time-consuming or costly than expected; revenues following the merger may be lower than expected; customer and employee relationships and business operations may be disrupted by the merger; and other factors impacting financial services businesses.  Many of these factors and additional risks and uncertainties are described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 and other reports filed from time to time by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These statements speak only as of the date made, and the Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements to reflect changes or events that may occur after this release.

*  Derived from audited consolidated financial statements