ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., Jan. 24, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ConnectOne Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq:CNOB) (the "Company" or "ConnectOne"), parent company of ConnectOne Bank (the "Bank"), today reported net income of $18.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2018 compared with $19.9 million for the third quarter of 2018 and $10.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2017. Diluted earnings per share were $0.58 for the fourth quarter of 2018 compared with $0.61 earned in the third quarter of 2018 and $0.33 earned in the fourth quarter of 2017. Full-year 2018 income increased 39.6% to $60.4 million, compared with $43.2 million for the full-year 2017. Diluted earnings per share for the full-year 2018 was $1.86, compared with $1.34 for the full-year 2017.

Adjusted net income amounted to $19.2 million, or $0.59 earnings per share, for the fourth quarter of 2018; $18.5 million, or $0.57 earnings per share, for the third quarter of 2018; and $16.3 million, or $0.51 earnings per share, for the fourth quarter of 2017. Adjusted net income for the fourth quarter of 2018 excludes $0.7 million in after-tax merger-related expenses and $0.2 million benefit resulting from ASU 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting. Adjustments to prior periods primarily related to adjustments to deferred tax valuations due to changes in tax legislation. See supplemental tables for a reconciliation of GAAP earnings to adjusted earnings.

Frank Sorrentino, ConnectOne's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer stated, "We are extremely pleased with our fourth quarter and year-end results, highlighted by continued solid deposit and loan growth, and continued strong growth in tangible book value per share. We also continue to be one of the most efficient banks in the country with our efficiency ratio remaining in the low 40 percent range. For the quarter, adjusted return on assets and adjusted return on tangible common equity reached new highs at 1.45% and 16.69%, respectively. Despite a tighter operating environment, period-end loans grew on a sequential basis in excess of 7% annualized including commercial loans which grew 18% annualized, while average total deposits increased by more than 11% annualized including noninterest-bearing demand growth in excess of 7% annualized. Deposit growth continues to keep pace with loan growth, reflecting a stable loan to deposit ratio of approximately 111% over the course of 2018. We have also made substantial headway in diversifying our loan mix. The Bank's commercial real estate loan concentration as a percentage of regulatory capital declined significantly to 480% at December 31, 2018 from 568% at year-end 2017. With regard to the previously announced acquisition of Greater Hudson Bank, the deal closed on January 2, 2019 and we are on track to meet all financial metrics disclosed when the transaction was announced in July 2018. We are excited about serving our new clients and the lower Hudson Valley region."

Operating Results

Fully taxable equivalent net interest income for the fourth quarter of 2018 was $40.7 million, an increase of $0.2 million, or 0.6%, from the third quarter of 2018, resulting primarily from an increase in total interest-earning assets of 1.7%, partially offset by a contraction in the net interest margin of 3 basis-points to 3.27% from 3.30%. Included in net interest income were purchase accounting adjustments of $0.1 million during the fourth quarter of 2018 and $0.2 million during the third quarter of 2018. Excluding these purchase accounting adjustments, the adjusted net interest margin was 3.25% in the fourth quarter of 2018, contracting by 4 basis-points from the third quarter of 2018 adjusted net interest margin of 3.29%. The decrease in the adjusted net interest margin was primarily attributable to increases in deposit funding costs, partially offset by a higher yield earned on loans, an improved asset-mix and growth in noninterest-bearing deposits.

Fully taxable equivalent net interest income for the fourth quarter of 2018 decreased by $0.1 million, or 0.2%, from the fourth quarter of 2017, resulting from contraction in the net interest margin of 24 basis-points to 3.27% from 3.51%, partially offset by an increase in total average interest-earning assets, primarily loans, of 7.3%. Included in net interest income were purchase accounting adjustments of $0.1 million during the fourth quarter of 2018 and $1.0 million during the fourth quarter of 2017. Excluding these purchase accounting adjustments, the adjusted net interest margin was 3.25% in the fourth quarter of 2018, contracting by 17 basis-points from the fourth quarter of 2017 adjusted net interest margin of 3.42%. The decrease in the adjusted net interest margin was primarily attributable to a long-term subordinated debt issuance, a change in the taxable equivalent adjustment and increased deposit rates, partially offset by higher rates earned on loans.

Noninterest income totaled $1.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2018, $1.4 million in the third quarter of 2018 and $2.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2017. Noninterest income consists of income on bank owned life insurance, net gains on sales of loans held-for-sale and deposit service fees, loan fees, and other income. Last year's fourth quarter included a $0.5 million gain on sale of non-relationship, multifamily loans.

Noninterest expenses totaled $18.3 million for both the fourth quarter of 2018 and third quarter of 2018 and $16.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2017. Noninterest expenses increased by $1.7 million from the prior year quarter due primarily to increases in salaries and employee benefits ($0.6 million) and professional and consulting ($0.5 million), both due to increased levels of business and staff resulting from organic growth, and merger-related expenses ($0.9 million), offset by a decrease in a valuation allowance adjustment of taxi medallion loans held-for-sale ($0.3 million).

Income tax expense was $3.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2018, $2.1 million for the third quarter of 2018 and $12.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2017. Included in income tax expense were benefits of $0.2 million and $0.3 million for the fourth quarter 2018 and third quarter 2018, respectively, resulting from ASU 2016-09. Also included in the third quarter of 2018 income tax expense was a benefit of $1.4 million resulting from Federal and NJ deferred tax asset ("DTA") adjustments. Income tax expense for the fourth quarter of 2017 included an estimated $5.6 million DTA valuation charge related to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Excluding these income tax expense adjustments, the Company's effective tax rate declined to 17% for both the fourth quarter of 2018 and third quarter of 2018 from 31% for the fourth quarter 2017, largely resulting from a decline in the statutory federal income tax rate. The effective tax rate utilized to accrue income tax expense in 2019 is anticipated to increase due to recent NJ corporate tax legislation. At this time, such rate has yet to be determined.

Asset Quality

The provision for loan losses was $1.1 million in both the fourth and third quarters of 2018, and $2.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2017. The decrease from the prior year quarter was primarily the result of slower loan growth.

Nonperforming assets, which includes nonaccrual loans and other real estate owned, were $51.9 million at December 31, 2018, $53.0 million at September 30, 2018 and $66.2 million at December 31, 2017. Included in nonperforming assets were taxi medallion loans totaling $28.0 million at December 31, 2018, $28.5 million at September 30, 2018 and $46.8 million at December 31, 2017. Nonperforming assets (including taxi medallion loans) as a percentage of total assets were 0.95% at December 31, 2018, 0.99% at September 30, 2018 and 1.29% at December 31, 2017. Excluding the taxi medallion loans, nonaccrual loans were $23.8 million at December 31, 2018, $24.5 million at September 30, 2018 and $18.8 million at December 31, 2017, representing a ratio of nonaccrual loans (excluding taxi medallion loans) to loans receivable of 0.53%, 0.55% and 0.46%, respectively. The annualized net loan charge-off (recovery) ratio was 0.08% for the fourth quarter of 2018, (0.01)% for the third quarter of 2018 and 0.01% for the fourth quarter of 2017. The allowance for loan losses represented 0.77%, 0.78%, and 0.76% of loans receivable as of December 31, 2018, September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively. The allowance for loan losses as a percentage of nonaccrual loans, excluding taxi medallion loans, was 146.8% as of December 31, 2018, 141.6% as of September 30, 2018 and 168.4% as of December 31, 2017.

Selected Balance Sheet Items

At December 31, 2018, the Company's total assets were $5.5 billion, an increase of $354 million from December 31, 2017, largely the result of an increase in total loans (loan originations less pay-downs and pay-offs) of $345 million. The Company's stockholders' equity was $614 million at December 31, 2018, an increase of $48 million from December 31, 2017. The increase in stockholders' equity was primarily attributable to increases in retained earnings of $51 million, partially offset by increases in accumulated other comprehensive losses of $5 million. As of December 31, 2018, the Company's tangible common equity ratio and tangible book value per share were 8.77% and $14.42, respectively. Tangible book value per share increased $0.55, or 4.0%, from the sequential quarter, and by $1.41, or 10.8%, from year end 2017. As of December 31, 2017, the tangible common equity ratio and tangible book value per share were 8.41% and $13.01, respectively. Total goodwill and other intangible assets were approximately $148 million as of December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In addition to the results presented in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP"), ConnectOne routinely supplements its evaluation with an analysis of certain non-GAAP/adjusted financial measures including an adjusted net income available to common shareholders. ConnectOne believes these non-GAAP financial measures, in addition to the related GAAP measures, provide meaningful information to investors in understanding our operating performance and trends. These non-GAAP measures have inherent limitations and are not required to be uniformly applied and are not audited. They should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for an analysis of results reported under GAAP. These non-GAAP measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies.

Reconciliations of non-GAAP/adjusted financial measures disclosed in this earnings release to the comparable GAAP measures are provided in the accompanying tables.

Fourth Quarter 2018 Results Conference Call

Management will also host a conference call and audio webcast at 10:00 a.m. ET on January 24, 2019 to review the Company's financial performance and operating results. The conference call dial-in number is 856-344-9316, access code 5122542. Please dial in at least five minutes before the start of the call to register. An audio webcast of the conference call will be available to the public, on a listen-only basis, via the "Investor Relations" link on the Company's website https://www.ConnectOneBank.com or at http://ir.connectonebank.com.

A replay of the conference call will be available beginning at approximately 1:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, January 24, 2019 and ending on Thursday, January 31, 2019 by dialing 719-457-0820, access code 5122542. An online archive of the webcast will be available following the completion of the conference call at https://www.ConnectOneBank.com or at http://ir.connectonebank.com.

About ConnectOne Bancorp, Inc.

ConnectOne Bancorp, Inc., through its subsidiary, ConnectOne Bank offers a full suite of both commercial and consumer banking and lending products and services through its 29 banking offices located in New York and New Jersey. ConnectOne Bancorp, Inc. is traded on the Nasdaq Global Market under the trading symbol "CNOB," and information about ConnectOne may be found at https://www.ConnectOneBank.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements which are based on certain assumptions and describe future plans, strategies and expectations of the Company. These forward-looking statements are generally identified by use of the words "believe," "expect," "intend," "anticipate," "estimate," "project," or similar expressions. The Company's ability to predict results or the actual effect of future plans or strategies is inherently uncertain. Factors which could have a material adverse effect on the operations of the Company and its subsidiaries include, but are not limited to, those factors set forth in Item 1A - Risk Factors of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and changes in interest rates, general economic conditions, legislative/regulatory changes, monetary and fiscal policies of the U.S. Government, including policies of the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve Board, the quality or composition of the loan or investment portfolios, demand for loan products, deposit flows, competition, demand for financial services in the Company's market area and accounting principles and guidelines. These risks and uncertainties should be considered in evaluating forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. The Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to publicly release the result of any revisions which may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.

Investor Contact:

William S. Burns

Executive VP & CFO

201.816.4474; bburns@cnob.com

Media Contact:

Thomas Walter, MWWPR

202.600.4532; twalter@mww.com

Source: ConnectOne Bancorp, Inc.