ARLINGTON, Va. -- (Business Wire)

Virginia Commerce Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company”), (Nasdaq: VCBI), parent company of Virginia Commerce Bank (the “Bank”), today reported net income to common stockholders of $7.5 million, or $0.24 per diluted common share, for the second quarter of 2011, compared to net income to common stockholders of $4.3 million, or $0.15 per diluted common share, for the same period in 2010. Increases in non-interest income and lower loan loss provisions drove the year-over-year increase in earnings.

Peter A. Converse, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “We are certainly pleased with our earnings performance this quarter. Diluted earnings per common share doubled sequentially from $0.12 the prior quarter to $0.24. Net income to common stockholders experienced a year-over-year increase of 73.3%. Earnings were undoubtedly bolstered by a substantial decrease in loan loss provisioning. Nonetheless, the bottom line also benefited from non-interest income increasing more than 100% year-over-year and from ongoing cost containment efforts resulting in non-interest expense decreasing 1.8% from the same quarter last year.”

“The reserve release this quarter was deemed appropriate by management based on our quarterly analysis of loan loss reserve adequacy, our projection of near-term asset quality trends and the fact that recent charge-offs have been largely covered by specific reserves. That is not to imply that quarterly provisioning will remain at the second quarter level going forward. Rather, provisioning is more likely to range between the first and second quarter levels through the remainder of this year.”

Converse continued, “Sequential asset quality progress was essentially flat for the quarter, with a net decrease of $4.2 million in other real estate owned (“OREO”) mostly offset by a $4.1 million increase in non-accrual loans. Despite the lack of progress in reducing non-performing assets and loans 90+ days past due, it was encouraging that a shift of approximately $16 million in lingering impaired loans to non-accrual resulted in a net increase of only $4.1 million. Second quarter 2011 may represent the peak quarterly volume of remaining impaired loans migrating to non-accrual status. Regarding troubled debt restructurings, our continued aggressive efforts to reduce that category of impaired loans have resulted in a further quarterly reduction of $10.8 million.”

Converse concluded, “Earnings momentum is on the right track and should continue to benefit from our strong core operating earnings and more manageable credit costs. On the other hand, loan growth remains a challenge as run-off, particularly in ADC loans as planned and non-farm, non-residential loans, is still exceeding new loan volume. However, our pipeline is building, our loan officers are heavily involved in prospecting, and our focus on C&I lending is yielding positive growth. As a result, we expect a reversal of negative loan growth to emerge in the second half.”

SUMMARY REVIEW OF FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE

Net Income

For the three months ended June 30, 2011, the Company recorded net income of $8.8 million. After an effective dividend of $1.3 million to the U.S. Treasury on TARP preferred stock, the Company reported net income to common stockholders of $7.5 million, or $0.24 per diluted common share, compared to net income to common stockholders of $4.3 million, or $0.15 per diluted common share, in the second quarter of 2010. For the six months ended June 30, 2011, the Company reported net income to common stockholders of $11.1 million, or $0.36 per diluted common share, compared to net income to common stockholders of $7.5 million, or $0.26 per diluted common share, for the same period in 2010. Earnings improvement for both the three-and six-month periods ended June 30, 2011, were largely attributable to increases in non-interest income and lower provisions for loan losses.

Excluding taxes, loan loss provisions, losses on other real estate owned, impairment losses on securities, gain on sale of securities and bank owned life insurance death benefits received, the Company generated core operating earnings for the three months ended June 30, 2011, of $14.5 million, up $374 thousand, or 2.7%, as compared to $14.1 million for the same period in 2010. On a sequential basis, core operating earnings were up $890 thousand, or 6.6%.

Asset Quality and Provisions For Loan Losses

Provisions for loan losses were $1.4 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2011, compared to $4.2 million in the same period in 2010. Total net charge-offs for the quarter were $4.7 million compared to $7.0 million in the second quarter of the prior year. For the six months ended June 30, 2011, provisions for loan losses totaled $7.3 million compared to $8.4 million for the prior year period, with 2011 year-to-date net charge-offs amounting to $16.5 million compared to $11.2 million in the first half of 2010. The higher net charge-off amount in the first half of 2011 compared to 2010, is reflective of a continuing proactive effort to address marginal credit situations which were unable to survive in a prolonged economic recovery. The lower provisions for loan losses in 2011 compared to 2010, are reflective of charge-offs predominantly representing specific reserves and are indicative, management believes, of an improving overall quality of the loan portfolio.

Total non-performing assets and loans 90+ days past due declined from $91.6 million at June 30, 2010, to $74.7 million at June 30, 2011, and increased $1.2 million sequentially from $73.5 million at March 31, 2011. The sequential increase was primarily in loans 90+ days past due as non-performing assets remained mostly unchanged at $73.4 million. As of June 30, 2011, the allowance for loan losses represented 2.47% of total loans, down from 2.59% at March 31, 2011, with the allowance covering 88.6% of total non-performing loans.

Non-performing loans continue to be concentrated in residential and commercial construction and land development loans in outer sub-markets hardest hit by the residential downturn and commercial and consumer credits experiencing the after shocks in sub-contracting businesses and workforce employment. Overall, as of June 30, 2011, $34.0 million, or 57.8%, of non-performing loans represented acquisition, development and construction (“ADC”) loans, $14.3 million, or 24.4%, represented non-farm, non-residential loans, $5.0 million, or 8.5%, represented loans on one-to-four family residential properties, and $4.9 million, or 8.4%, represented commercial and industrial (“C&I”) loans. The company’s sequential improvement in non-performing loans was negatively impacted by placing three commercial real estate loans on non-accrual status, consisting of a $4.0 million loan on a retail center, a $2.6 million loan on an office building and a $500 thousand loan on an apartment building. Additionally, two related land development loans totaling $8.2 million were also moved to non-accrual status. Each of these credits represent previously identified impaired loans and have been evaluated in terms of collateral coverage and carrying values with specific reserves adjusted accordingly.

Included in the loan portfolio at June 30, 2011, are loans classified as troubled debt restructurings (“TDRs”) totaling $81.1 million, a sequential reduction of $10.8 million from $91.9 million at March 31, 2011. These are performing, accruing loans that represent relationships for which a modification to the contractual interest rate or repayment structure has been granted to address a financial hardship. Over 85% of TDRs were performing prior to modification. These loans make up 3.8% of the total loan portfolio and represent $27.7 million in ADC loans, $38.7 million in non-farm, non-residential real estate loans, $9.7 million in C&I loans and $5.0 million in one-to-four family residential loans. Reviewable TDRs are loans that have been restructured at or will return to a market rate of interest and can include a temporary interest rate modification, partial deferral of interest or principal or an extension of term. They can return to performing status upon six months of on-time payments following the return to a market rate of interest, but only in the fiscal year following the year of restructure. Permanent TDRs are loans that have been restructured and include a permanent interest rate reduction. They remain in a TDR status until the loan is paid off. The sequential reduction in TDRs was attributable to principal paydowns, the further restructure of a hotel loan, which resulted in a partial charge-off of $3 million, and the migration of two loans totaling $5.6 million to non-performing.

Net Interest Income

Net interest income of $26.8 million for the second quarter of 2011 was up $567 thousand, or 2.2%, over the same quarter last year, due primarily to lower interest expense attributable to changes in deposit mix and interest rate adjustments, which were partially offset by lower interest and dividend income. Interest expense decreased $2.1 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2011, from the same period in 2010 and decreased $4.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2011, compared to the first half of 2010. These reductions offset decreases in interest and fee income on loans of $1.5 million and $2.7 million, respectively, for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2011, as compared to the same periods in 2010. The decline in interest and fee income on loans is attributable to lower outstanding loan balances of $27.4 million for the three months and $54.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2011. Year-to-date net interest income of $53.0 million was up 3.8%, compared to $51.0 million in the same period of 2010. On a sequential basis, the margin was unchanged at 3.99%. The year-over-year increases in the net interest margin were driven by lower deposit costs due to significant reductions in the level of time deposits, and increased levels of demand deposits and lower rate interest-bearing transaction accounts. As a result, the average cost of interest-bearing deposits fell from 1.65% in the second quarter of 2010, to 1.36% in the second quarter of 2011, while the yield on interest-earning assets declined twenty basis points from 5.50% to 5.30%. Management anticipates the net interest margin will range between 3.70% and 3.90% over the next two quarters, but may come under some pressure later in the year if short-term interest rates begin to rise.

Non-Interest Income

For the three months ended June 30, 2011, the Company recognized $2.3 million in non-interest income, a 107.4% increase compared to non-interest income of $1.1 million for the three months ended June 30, 2010. The Company recognized non-interest income of $3.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2011, compared to non-interest income of $1.7 million for the same period in 2010. Non-deposit investment services commissions for the second quarter 2011 increased $282 thousand, or 111.5%, over the year ago period. Fees and net gains on loans held-for-sale were up for the second quarter 2011 on a year-over-year basis by $51 thousand, or 10.6%. Non-interest income for the second quarter also included a bank-owned life insurance death benefit of $361 thousand and a reduction of $668 thousand in impairment losses on securities year-over-year. For the six months ended June 30, 2011, non-interest income included an impairment loss on securities of $732 thousand, which was partially offset by a gain on sale of securities of $503 thousand as well as a bank owned life insurance death benefit, while non-interest income for the six months ended June 30, 2010, included a $1.5 million impairment loss on securities. Management is carefully monitoring its holdings of the securities which caused the impairment losses and at this time can not be assured that there will not be additional losses in the future.

Non-Interest Expense

Non-interest expense decreased $268 thousand, or 1.8%, from $14.8 million in the second quarter of 2010 to $14.5 million in the second quarter of 2011, and was down $525 thousand, or 1.8%, from $29.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2011, to $29.0 million year-to-date June 30, 2011. Compared to the first quarter of 2011, non-interest expense was up $70 thousand. The year-over-year decrease was due primarily to the lower loss on other real estate owned , although salaries and employee benefits expense increased year-over-year for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2011. As a result of a minimal increase in overhead and higher levels of non-interest income, the efficiency ratio improved from 52.6% in the second quarter of 2010 to 50.0% in the second quarter of 2011.

Investment Securities

Investment securities increased $131.8 million, or 34.8%, year-over-year to $511.1 million at June 30, 2011, and were up $94.0 million sequentially from March 31, 2011. U.S. Government agency securities, including mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs) comprised a majority of the increases. The portfolio contains four pooled trust preferred securities with an amortized cost basis of $9.6 million for which the Bank performs a quarterly analysis for other than temporary impairment due to significantly depressed current market quotes. The analysis includes stress tests on the underlying collateral and cash flow estimates based on the current and projected future levels of deferrals and defaults within each pool. Since the first quarter of 2009, the Bank has recorded an aggregate impairment loss of $4.2 million on three of the four pools, including a $732 thousand impairment during the first quarter of 2011. The increase of $99 million in investment securities during the first six months is primarily attributable to the run-off of $55 million in loan balances and additional capital of $19 million. The funds from these sources were placed in mortgage-backed pass-through securities with short average lives to provide yield and liquidity to the Bank. Management does not expect additional significant growth in the investment portfolio and is looking to its efforts to stimulate loan activity to absorb the cash flows generated by the investments made in the first half of the year.

Loans

Loans, net of allowance for loan losses, decreased $93.0 million, or 4.2%, from $2.19 billion at June 30, 2010, to $2.09 billion at June 30, 2011. ADC loans fell by $49.6 million, or 13.1%, non-farm, non-residential real estate loans decreased $37.4 million, or 3.3%, and one-to-four family residential loans decreased $32.4 million, or 7.7%, while C&I loans increased $15.2 million, or 7.0%. Sequentially, net loans were down $27.4 million, or 1.3%, resulting from declines of $16.7 million in ADC loans, $10.9 million in non-form, non-residential loans, $4.9 million in one-to-four family residential loans and $4.1 million in multi-family residential loans, offset by a $6.2 million increase in C&I loans. Year-over-year and sequential loan production has been negatively impacted by a lower demand for credit in both the business and consumer sectors as cautious borrowers await clearer economic signs, runoff in both commercial and residential mortgage loans due to aggressive interest rate competition and a strategic decision to restrict ADC lending and focus on deposit generation and non-credit products. Lending efforts are being directed toward building greater market share in commercial lending, especially in sectors forecast for growth, such as government contract lending, professional practices and associations and select service industries, with strategic hiring, marketing campaigns and calling efforts.

Deposits

For the twelve months ended June 30, 2011, deposits decreased $60.3 million, or 2.6%, to $2.25 billion, with demand deposits increasing $38.6 million, or 15.2%, savings and interest-bearing demand deposits decreasing by $13.0 million, or 1.1%, and time deposits falling $86.0 million, or 9.9%. Sequentially, deposits decreased slightly from $2.3 billion at March 31, 2011. While opportunities for balance sheet growth have been limited in recent periods, the Company has focused on improving deposit mix. Demand deposit growth has been the top priority, with the year-over-year increase in demand deposits primarily due to the successful efforts of the Company’s team of eight business development officers, who are focused on acquisition and retention of commercial operating funds, treasury management services and other related cross-sales. In other deposit categories, strategic pricing and customer preference for liquidity has resulted in a desired reduction in time deposits. At June 30, 2011, the Bank had no brokered certificates of deposit, down from $60.1 million at June 30, 2010.

Capital Levels and Stockholders’ Equity

On March 31, 2011, the Company issued 426,000 shares of its common stock at a price of $5.87 per share in a registered direct placement with a Company director for total gross proceeds of approximately $2.5 million. In addition, the Company issued to the investor warrants exercisable for shares of common stock, which, if fully exercised, would provide an additional $4.8 million in gross proceeds to the Company. The warrants each have an exercise price of $5.62 per share. The Series A warrants, exercisable for a total of 426,000 shares of common stock, are exercisable for a period of seven months following the closing date. The Series B warrants, also exercisable for a total of 426,000 shares of common stock, are exercisable for a period of twelve months following the closing date.

On September 29, 2010, the Company issued 1,904,766 shares of its common stock at a price of $5.25 per share in a registered direct placement with several institutional investors for total gross proceeds of $10.0 million. In addition, the Company issued to the investors warrants exercisable for shares of common stock. The warrants each have an exercise price of $6.00 per share, which represents a 14.3% premium to the offering price of the shares of common stock sold in the registered direct placement. The Series A warrants were exercisable through April 30, 2011, and 130,851 were exercised as of that date. The outstanding Series B warrants are exercisable for a total of 952,383 shares of common stock through September 29, 2011.

Stockholders’ equity increased $36.8 million, or 16.0%, from $230.3 million at June 30, 2010, to $267.1 million at June 30, 2011, with approximately $11.8 million in net proceeds from the above referenced stock issuances, net income to common stockholders of $20.1 million over the twelve-month period, a $1.3 million increase in other comprehensive income related to the investment securities portfolio, and $3.6 million in proceeds and tax benefits related to the exercise of options by the Company’s directors and officers and stock option expense credits. As a result of these changes, the Company’s Tier 1 capital ratio increased from 12.13% at June 30, 2010, to 14.35% at June 30, 2011, and its total qualifying capital ratio increased from 13.38% to 15.60%. The Bank’s ratios increased by similar levels. Sequentially, the Company’s Tier 1 and total qualifying capital ratios are each up 39 basis points, and its tangible common equity ratio is up 44 basis points from March 31, 2011, to 7.18% as of June 30, 2011.

CONFERENCE CALL

The Company will host a teleconference call for the financial community on July 20, 2011, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time to discuss the second quarter 2011 financial results. The public is invited to listen to this conference call by dialing 866-219-5829 at least 10 minutes prior to the call.

A replay of the conference call will be available from 2:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on July 20, 2011, until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on July 27, 2011. The public is invited to listen to this conference call replay by dialing 888-266-2081 and entering access code 1541125.

ABOUT VIRGINIA COMMERCE BANCORP, INC.

Virginia Commerce Bancorp, Inc. is the parent bank holding company for Virginia Commerce Bank, a Virginia state chartered bank that commenced operations in May 1988. The Bank pursues a traditional community banking strategy, offering a full range of business and consumer banking services through twenty-eight branch offices, one residential mortgage office and one wealth management services office, principally to individuals and small-to-medium size businesses in Northern Virginia and the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. area.

NON-GAAP PRESENTATIONS

The Company prepares its financial statements under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, or “GAAP”. However, this press release also refers to certain non-GAAP financial measures that we believe, when considered together with GAAP financial measures, provide investors with important information regarding our operational performance. An analysis of any non-GAAP financial measure should be used in conjunction with results presented in accordance with GAAP.

Core operating earnings is a non-GAAP financial measure that reflects net income excluding taxes, loan loss provisions, losses on other real estate owned, impairment losses on securities, gain on sale of securities and death benefits received from bank-owned life insurance. These excluded items are difficult to predict and we believe that core operating earnings provides the Company and investors with a valuable measure of the Company’s operational performance and a valuable tool to evaluate the Company’s financial results. Calculation of core operating earnings for the three months ended June 30, 2011, June 30, 2010, and March 31, 2011, is as follows:

The adjusted efficiency ratio is a non-GAAP financial measure that is computed by dividing non-interest expense, by the sum of net interest income on a tax equivalent basis and non-interest income before impairment losses on securities, gain on sale of securities and death benefits received from bank-owned life insurance. We believe that this measure provides investors with important information about our operating efficiency. Comparison of our adjusted efficiency ratio with those of other companies may not be possible because other companies may calculate the adjusted efficiency ratio differently. Calculation of the adjusted efficiency ratio for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2011 and June 30, 2010 is as follows:

(1) Tax Equivalent Income of $29,071 for the three months ended June 30, 2011 and $57,347 for the six months ended June 30, 2011. Tax Equivalent Income of $28,140 for the three months ended June 30, 2010 and $54,745 for the six months ended June 30, 2010.

The tangible common equity ratio is a non-GAAP financial measure representing the ratio of tangible common equity to tangible assets. Tangible common equity and tangible assets are non-GAAP financial measures derived from GAAP-based amounts. We calculate tangible common equity for the Company by excluding the balance of intangible assets and outstanding preferred stock issued to the U.S. Treasury from total stockholders’ equity. We calculate tangible assets by excluding the balance of intangible assets from total assets. We had no intangible assets for the periods presented. We believe that this is consistent with the treatment by bank regulatory agencies, which exclude intangible assets from the calculation of regulatory capital ratios. Accordingly, we believe that these non-GAAP financial measures provide information that is important to investors and that is useful in understanding our capital position and ratios. However, these non-GAAP financial measures are supplemental and are not substitutes for an analysis based on a GAAP measure. As other companies may use different calculations for non-GAAP measures, our presentation may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures reported by other companies. Calculation of the Company’s tangible common equity ratio as of June 30, 2011 and 2010, March 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010 is as follows:

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements of goals, intentions, and expectations as to future trends, plans, events or results of Company operations and policies, including but not limited to our outlook on earnings, including our future net interest margin, and statements regarding asset quality, our loan and investment security portfolios, projected growth, capital position, our plans regarding and expected future levels of our non-performing assets, business opportunities in our markets, and general economic conditions.When we use words such as “may”, “will”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “expects”, “plans”, “estimates”, “potential”, “continue”, “should”, and similar words or phrases, you should consider them as identifying forward-looking statements.These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance.These statements are based upon current and anticipated economic conditions, nationally and in the Company’s market, interest rates and interest rate policy, expected yields on loans and investment securities, competitive factors, and other conditions which by their nature, are not susceptible to accurate forecast, and are subject to significant uncertainty. Because of these uncertainties and the assumptions on which this release and the forward-looking statements are based, actual future operations and results may differ materially from those indicated herein. Readers are cautioned against placing undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. The Company’s past results are not necessarily indicative of future performance. For additional information regarding factors that could affect the Company's operations and results, see the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, and other reports filed with and furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission.