Ames National Corp. - 10-Q quarterly report FY

[Mark One]

For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2006

Commission File Number 0-32637

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

(Former Name, Former Address and Former Fiscal Year, if Changed Since Last Report)

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Ames National Corporation is a bank holding company established in 1975 that owns and operates five bank subsidiaries in central Iowa. The following discussion is provided for the consolidated operations of the Company and its Banks, First National Bank, Ames, Iowa (First National), State Bank & Trust Co. (State Bank), Boone Bank & Trust Co. (Boone Bank), Randall-Story State Bank (Randall-Story Bank) and United Bank & Trust NA (United Bank). The purpose of this discussion is to focus on significant factors affecting the Company's financial condition and results of operations.

The Company does not engage in any material business activities apart from its ownership of the Banks. Products and services offered by the Banks are for commercial and consumer purposes including loans, deposits and trust services. The Banks also offer investment services through a third-party broker dealer. The Company employs eleven individuals to assist with financial reporting, human resources, audit, compliance, marketing, technology systems and the coordination of management activities, in addition to 171 full-time equivalent individuals employed by the Banks.

The Company’s primary competitive strategy is to utilize seasoned and competent Bank management and local decision making authority to provide customers with faster response times and more flexibility in the products and services offered. This strategy is viewed as providing an opportunity to increase revenues through creating a competitive advantage over other financial institutions. The Company also strives to remain operationally efficient to provide better profitability while enabling the Company to offer more competitive loan and deposit rates.

The principal sources of Company revenues and cashflow are: (i) interest and fees earned on loans made by the Banks; (ii) securities gains and dividends on equity investments held by the Company and the Banks; (iii) service charges on deposit accounts maintained at the Banks; (iv) interest on fixed income investments held by the Banks; and (v) fees on trust services provided by those Banks exercising trust powers. The Company’s principal expenses are: (i) interest expense on deposit accounts and other borrowings; (ii) salaries and employee benefits; (iii) data processing costs associated with maintaining the Bank’s loan and deposit functions; and (iv) occupancy expenses for maintaining the Banks’ facilities. The largest component contributing to the Company’s net income is net interest income, which is the difference between interest earned on earning assets (primarily loans and investments) and interest paid on interest bearing liabilities (primarily deposits and other borrowings). One of management’s principal functions is to manage the spread between interest earned on earning assets and interest paid on interest bearing liabilities in an effort to maximize net interest income while maintaining an appropriate level of interest rate risk.

The Company earned net income of $2,912,000, or $0.31 per share for the three months ended March 31, 2006, compared to net income of $3,014,000, or $0.32 per share, for the three months ended March 31, 2005, a decrease of 3%. Net interest income for the first quarter decreased $744,000, or 11%, from one year ago as the expense for attracting and retaining deposits rose more quickly than interest income on earning assets. Offsetting the decrease in net interest income was higher non-interest income. Non-interest income increased $617,000, or 48%, primarily as the result of a $471,000 gain on the foreclosure of a commercial real estate property where the fair market value determined by an independent appraisal exceeded the loan carrying amount. A higher level of net securities gains on the Company’s equity portfolio and improved trust department income also contributed to the higher level of non-interest income.

The following management discussion and analysis will provide a summary review of important items relating to:

Management has identified certain challenges that may negatively impact the Company’s revenues in the future and is attempting to position the Company to best respond to those challenges.

 

Certain key performance indicators for the Company and the industry are presented in the following chart. The industry figures are compiled by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and are derived from 8,832 commercial banks and savings institutions insured by the FDIC. Management reviews these indicators on a quarterly basis for purposes of comparing the Company’s performance from quarter to quarter against the industry as a whole.

Selected Indicators for the Company and the Industry

Key performances indicators include:

This ratio is calculated by dividing net income by average assets. It is used to measure how effectively the assets of the Company are being utilized in generating income. The Company's annualized return on average assets was 1.43% and 1.45%, respectively, for the three month periods ending March 31, 2006 and 2005. Although the Company’s return on assets ratio compares favorably to that of the industry, the ratio declined slightly in 2006 from the previous year as the result of lower net interest income.

The net interest margin for the three months ended March 31, 2006 was 3.34% compared to 3.69% for the three months ended March 31, 2005. The ratio is calculated by dividing net interest income by average earning assets. Earning assets are primarily made up of loans and investments that earn interest. This ratio is used to measure how well the Company is able to maintain interest rates on earning assets above those of interest-bearing liabilities, which is the interest expense paid on deposits and other borrowings. The Company’s net interest margin declined 35 basis points when compared to March 31, 2005 and is 15 basis points below the industry average for 2005. Management expects the rising interest rate environment and the competitive nature of the Company’s market environment to put downward pressure on the Company’s margin for the remainder of 2006.

This ratio is calculated by dividing noninterest expense by net interest income and noninterest income. The ratio is a measure of the Company’s ability to manage noninterest expenses. The Company’s efficiency ratio compares favorably to the industry’s average and was 50.30% and 48.38% for the three months ended March 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively.

The average capital ratio is calculated by dividing average total equity capital by average total assets. It measures the level of average assets that are funded by shareholders’ equity. Given an equal level of risk in the financial condition of two companies, the higher the capital ratio, generally the more financially sound the company. The Company’s capital ratio is significantly higher than the industry average. The capital ratio improved slightly for the latest quarter compared to December 31, 2005 year end ratio as the result of a lower level of average assets for the quarter ended March 31, 2006.

Industry Results

The FDIC Quarterly Banking Profile reported the following results for the fourth quarter of 2005:

Challenged by a flattening yield curve and softening loan demand, FDIC-insured institutions managed to post their fourth-best earnings quarter ever in the fourth quarter of 2005. Net income of the 8,832 insured banks and thrifts was $1.7 billion (5.4%) higher than in the fourth quarter of 2004, thanks primarily to a $3.2-billion (4.0%) increase in net interest income. Noninterest income made a modest $373 million (0.7%) pretax contribution to the improvement in earnings. Against these positive factors, expenses for loan-loss provisions were $893 million (11.6%) higher, and gains on sales of securities and other assets were $624 million (56.4%) lower. Noninterest expenses registered a small increase, rising by $824 million (1.0%) from a year earlier. The average return on assets (ROA) in the fourth quarter was 1.22%, the lowest quarterly level since the fourth quarter of 2002. The average ROA in the fourth quarter of 2004 was 1.25%. Almost half of all insured institutions (49.7%) reported a fourth-quarter ROA of one percent or better, slightly above the 48.0% of institutions that achieved that benchmark in the fourth quarter of 2004. At the other end of the performance spectrum, the share of unprofitable institutions declined slightly to 9.4%, from 9.5% a year earlier. More than half of all institutions reported higher quarterly earnings (58.6%), and higher quarterly ROAs (51.2%) than a year ago.

The average net interest margin in the fourth quarter was 3.49%, down slightly from 3.50% in the third quarter, and matching the fourteen-year low level reached in the second quarter. The average margin in the fourth quarter of 2004 was 3.63%. A combination of rising short-term interest rates and relatively stable longer-term rates has caused the spread between these rates to diminish considerably throughout 2005. For insured banks and thrifts, which have traditionally lent "long" and borrowed "short," the narrowing of this spread has put downward pressure on the relative profitability of their lending and deposit-taking. The effect has been less pronounced at smaller institutions during 2005. They obtain most of their funding from smaller denomination "core" deposits, which tend to reprice upward more slowly when short-term interest rates rise. Large institutions fund a larger share of their assets with short-term nondeposit liabilities, which reprice more quickly when rates rise. A majority of institutions (54.9%) reported higher net interest margins for the full year in 2005 than they reported for 2004, but most of the improvements occurred prior to the fourth quarter, and they were concentrated among smaller institutions. The 4.0% increase in net interest income between the fourth quarter of 2004 and the fourth quarter of 2005 was made possible by 7.9% growth in interest-earning assets during that period which outweighed the negative effect of the narrower average margin.

The following highlights a comparative discussion of the major components of net income and their impact for the three month periods ended March 31, 2006 and 2005:

Critical Accounting Policies

The discussion contained in this Item 2 and other disclosures included within this report are based, in part, on the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements. These statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The financial information contained in these statements is, for the most part, based on the financial effects of transactions and events that have already occurred. However, the preparation of these statements requires management to make certain estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses.

The Company’s significant accounting policies are described in the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” contained in the Company’s 10-K. Based on its consideration of accounting policies that involve the most complex and subjective estimates and judgments, management has identified its most critical accounting policy to be that related to the allowance for loan losses.

The allowance for loan losses is established through a provision for loan losses that is treated as an expense and charged against earnings. Loans are charged against the allowance for loan losses when management believes that collectibility of the principal is unlikely. The Company has policies and procedures for evaluating the overall credit quality of its loan portfolio, including timely identification of potential problem loans. On a quarterly basis, management reviews the appropriate level for the allowance for loan losses incorporating a variety of risk considerations, both quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative factors include the Company’s historical loss experience, delinquency and charge-off trends, collateral values, known information about individual loans and other factors. Qualitative factors include the general economic environment in the Company’s market area. To the extent actual results differ from forecasts and management’s judgment, the allowance for loan losses may be greater or lesser than future charge-offs.

 

AVERAGE BALANCES AND INTEREST RATES

 

Net Interest Income

For the three months ended March 31, 2006 and 2005, the Company's net interest margin adjusted for tax exempt income was 3.34% and 3.69%, respectively. Net interest income, prior to the adjustment for tax-exempt income, for the three months ended March 31, 2006 and March 31, 2005 totaled $5,851,000 and $6,595,000, respectively.

For the quarter ended March 31, 2006, net interest income decreased $744,000 or 11% when compared to the same period in 2005. Interest income increased $686,000 or 7% over that same time frame. The increase in interest income was primarily attributable to improved loan yields and higher loan volume.

Interest expense increased $1,430,000 or 43% for the quarter ended March 31, 2006 when compared to the same period in 2005. The higher interest expense for the quarter is attributable to a higher volume and rate on total deposits as market interest rates increased from one year ago.

Provision for Loan Losses

The Company’s provision for loan losses for the three months ended March 31, 2006 was $30,000 compared to $54,000 during the same period last year.

Non-interest Income and Expense

Non-interest income increased $617,000, or 48% during the quarter ended March 31, 2006 compared to the same period in 2005 primarily as the result of a $471,000 gain on the foreclosure of a commercial real estate property where the fair market value determined by an independent appraisal exceeded the loan carrying amount. A higher level of net securities gains on the Company’s equity portfolio and improved trust department income also contributed to the higher level of non-interest income.

Non-interest expense increased $87,000 or 2% for the first quarter of 2006 compared to the same period in 2005. The increase is primarily attributable to normal increases in salary and employee benefits.

Income Taxes

The provision for income taxes for March 31, 2006 and March 31, 2005 was $907,000 and $995,000, respectively. This amount represents an effective tax rate of 24% for the three months ended March 31, 2006 versus 25% for the same quarter in 2005. The Company's marginal federal tax rate is currently 35%. The difference between the Company's effective and marginal tax rate is primarily related to investments made in tax exempt securities.

 

As of March 31, 2006, total assets were $834,946,000, a $15,562,000 increase compared to December 31, 2005. Asset growth was funded by an increase in deposits that created a higher volume of federal funds sold resulting from temporary public fund deposit balances associated with the collection of property taxes.

Investment Portfolio

The investment portfolio totaled $334,787,000 as of March 31, 2006, slightly higher than the December 31, 2005 balance of $333,510,000 with the government agency and municipal bond portfolios accounting for the most of the increase.

Loan Portfolio

Loan demand has been light during the quarter as net loans totaled $439,200,000 as of March 31, 2006 compared to $440,318,000 as of December 31, 2005.

Deposits

Deposits totaled $697,397,000 as of March 31, 2006, an increase of $29,055,000 from December 31, 2005. Much of the increase is related to public fund deposits included in the interest bearing checking (NOW) and savings and money market accounts.

Other Borrowed Funds

Other borrowed funds as of March 31, 2006 totaled $21,058,000 consisting primarily of securities sold under agreements to repurchase (repurchase agreements). Other borrowings as of December 31, 2005 totaled $37,521,000. The lower level of other borrowed funds can be attributed to a temporary increase in public fund deposits.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

The Company is party to financial instruments with off-balance-sheet risk in the normal course of business. These financial instruments include commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit. These instruments involve, to varying degrees, elements of credit risk in excess of the amount recognized in the balance sheet. No material changes in the Company’s off-balance sheet arrangements have occurred since December 31, 2005.

The Company’s credit risk is centered in the loan portfolio, which on March 31, 2006 totaled $439,200,000 compared to $440,318,000 as of December 31, 2005. Net loans comprise 53% of total assets as of March 31, 2006. The object in managing loan portfolio risk is to reduce the risk of loss resulting from a customer’s failure to perform according to the terms of a transaction and to quantify and manage credit risk on a portfolio basis. The Company’s level of problem loans consisting of non-accrual loans and loans past due 90 days or more as a percentage of total loans of 0.23% is below that of the Company’s peer group of 399 bank holding companies with assets of $500 million to $1 billion as of December 31, 2005 of 0.46%.

Impaired loans totaled $1,017,000 as of March 31, 2006 compared to $689,000 as of December 31, 2005. A loan is considered impaired when, based on current information and events, it is probable that the Company will be unable to collect the scheduled payments of principal or interest when due according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement. Impaired loans include loans accounted for on a non-accrual basis, accruing loans which are contractually past due 90 days or more as to principal or interest payments, and any restructured loans. As of March 31, 2006, non-accrual loans totaled $731,000, loans past due 90 days still accruing totaled $286,000 and there were no restructured loans outstanding. Other real estate owned as of March 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005 totaled $2,115,000 and $1,742,000, respectively.

The allowance for loan losses as a percentage of outstanding loans as of March 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005 was 1.52% and 1.51%, respectively. The allowance for loan and lease losses totaled $6,782,000 and $6,765,000 as of March 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005, respectively. Net charge-offs for the most recent quarter end and the three month period ended March 31, 2005 each totaled $13,000.

The allowance for loan losses is management’s best estimate of probable losses inherent in the loan portfolio as of the balance sheet date. Factors considered in establishing an appropriate allowance include: an assessment of the financial condition of the borrower, a realistic determination of value and adequacy of underlying collateral, the condition of the local economy and the condition of the specific industry of the borrower, an analysis of the levels and trends of loan categories and a review of delinquent and classified loans.

Liquidity management is the process by which the Company, through its Banks’ Asset and Liability Committees (ALCO), ensures that adequate liquid funds are available to meet its financial commitments on a timely basis, at a reasonable cost and within acceptable risk tolerances. These commitments include funding credit obligations to borrowers, funding of mortgage originations pending delivery to the secondary market, withdrawals by depositors, maintaining adequate collateral for pledging for public funds, trust deposits and borrowings, paying dividends to shareholders, payment of operating expenses, funding capital expenditures and maintaining deposit reserve requirements.

 

Liquidity is derived primarily from core deposit growth and retention; principal and interest payments on loans; principal and interest payments, sale, maturity and prepayment of investment securities; net cash provided from operations; and access to other funding sources. Other funding sources include federal funds purchased lines, Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) advances and other capital market sources.

 

The liquidity and capital resources discussion will cover the follows topics:

Review of the Company’s Current Liquidity Sources

Liquid assets of cash on hand, balances due from other banks, federal funds sold and interest-bearing deposits in financial institutions for March 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005 totaled $38,492,000 and $24,376,000, respectively. Higher levels of liquidity are primarily the result of large temporary public fund deposits being held as federal fund sold.

Other sources of liquidity available to the Banks as of March 31, 2006 include outstanding lines of credit with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines, Iowa of $43,000,000 and federal funds borrowing capacity at correspondent banks of $86,500,000 with no current outstanding federal fund balances. The Company had securities sold under agreements to repurchase totaling $21,038,000 and did not have any outstanding FHLB advances as of March 31, 2006.

Total investments as of March 31, 2006 were $334,787,000 compared to $333,510,000 as of year-end 2005. These investments provide the Company with a significant amount of liquidity since all of the investments are classified as available for sale as of March 31, 2006.

The investment portfolio serves an important role in the overall context of balance sheet management in terms of balancing capital utilization and liquidity. The decision to purchase or sell securities is based upon the current assessment of economic and financial conditions, including the interest rate environment, liquidity and credit considerations. The portfolio’s scheduled maturities represent a significant source of liquidity.

Review of Statements of Cash Flows

Operating cash flows for March 31, 2006 and 2005 totaled $5,745,000 and $1,929,000, respectively. The primary variance in operating cash flows for the first three months of 2006 compared to the same period one year ago relates to higher level of accrued interest payable in 2006 and the increase in other assets associated with corporate bonds that had been sold but not settled as of March 31, 2005 lowering operating cash flows for last year’s first quarter.

Net cash provided by financing activities for March 31, 2006 and 2005 totaled $10,237,000 and $25,963,000, respectively. A higher level of deposits is the largest source of financing cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2006 and 2005. As of March 31, 2006, the Company did not have any external debt financing, off balance sheet financing arrangements, or derivative instruments linked to its stock.

Company Only Cash Flows

The Company’s liquidity on an unconsolidated basis is heavily dependent upon dividends paid to the Company by the Banks. The Company requires adequate liquidity to pay its expenses and pay stockholder dividends. For the quarter ended March 31, 2006, dividends paid by the Banks to the Company amounted to $2,183,000 compared to $2,146,000 for the same period in 2005. In 2005, dividends paid by the Banks to the Company amounted to $8,634,000 through December 31, 2005 compared to $8,384,000 for the year ended December 31, 2004. Various federal and state statutory provisions limit the amounts of dividends banking subsidiaries are permitted to pay to their holding companies without regulatory approval. Federal Reserve policy further limits the circumstances under which bank holding companies may declare dividends. For example, a bank holding company should not continue its existing rate of cash dividends on its common stock unless its net income is sufficient to fully fund each dividend and its prospective rate of earnings retention appears consistent with its capital needs, asset quality and overall financial condition. In addition, the Federal Reserve and the FDIC have issued policy statements, which provide that insured banks and bank holding companies should generally pay dividends only out of current operating earnings. Federal and state banking regulators may also restrict the payment of dividends by order.

The Company has unconsolidated interest bearing deposits and marketable investment securities totaling $33,903,000 that are presently available to provide additional liquidity to the Banks.

Review of Commitments for Capital Expenditures, Cash Flow Uncertainties and Known Trends in Liquidity and Cash Flows Needs

Capital Resources

The Company’s total stockholders’ equity decreased to $108,889,000 as of March 31, 2006, from $109,227,000 at December 31, 2005. The decrease in equity is attributable to a decline in capital accounts relating to lower net unrealized gains on the market value of the Company and Banks’ investment portfolios. At March 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005, stockholders’ equity as a percentage of total assets was 13.04% and 13.33%, respectively. The capital levels of the Company currently exceed applicable regulatory guidelines as of March 31, 2006.

The discussion in the foregoing Management Discussion and Analysis and elsewhere in this Report contains forward-looking statements about the Company, its business and its prospects. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They often include use of the words “believe”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “plan”, “estimate” or words of similar meaning, or future or conditional verbs such as “will”, “would”, “should”, “could” or “may”. Forward-looking statements, by their nature, are subject to risks and uncertainties. A number of factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control, could cause actual conditions, events or results to differ significantly from those described in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties with respect to the Company include, but are not limited to, those related to the economic conditions, particularly in the areas in which the Company and the Banks operate, competitive products and pricing, fiscal and monetary policies of the U.S. government, changes in governmental regulations affecting financial institutions (including regulatory fees and capital requirements), changes in prevailing interest rates, credit risk management and asset/liability management, the financial and securities markets and the availability of and costs associated with sources of liquidity.

These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in any forward-looking statement. The Company operates in a continually changing business environment and new facts emerge from time to time. It cannot predict such factors nor can it assess the impact, if any, of such factors on its financial position or its results of operations. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results. The Company disclaims any responsibility to update any forward-looking statement provided in this document.

The Company's market risk is comprised primarily of interest rate risk arising from its core banking activities of lending and deposit taking. Interest rate risk results from the changes in market interest rates which may adversely affect the Company's net interest income. Management continually develops and applies strategies to mitigate this risk. Management does not believe that the Company's primary market risk exposure and how it has been managed to-date in 2006 changed significantly when compared to 2005.

Changes in Internal Controls

There was no change in the Company's internal control over financial reporting identified in connection with the evaluation required by Rule 13a-15(d) of the Exchange Act that occurred during the Company's last fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company's internal control over financial reporting.

 

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

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