LOS ANGELES, Jan. 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- RBB Bancorp (NASDAQ:RBB) and its subsidiaries, Royal Business Bank ("the Bank") and RBB Asset Management Company ("RAM"), collectively referred to herein as "the Company", announced financial results for the quarter ended December 31, 2017.

The Company reported net income of $4.9 million, or $0.29 diluted earnings per share, for the three months ended December 31, 2017, compared to net income of $6.6 million, or $0.42 diluted earnings per share, and $5.4 million, or $0.39 diluted earnings per share, for the three months ended September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively. Included in the fourth quarter 2017 results is a $2.4 million, or $0.14 per diluted share, write-down related to the reduction in the value of the Company's net deferred tax assets as a result of the decrease in the federal corporate tax rate.

"We had a milestone year in 2017, completing our initial public offering and generating the highest level of net income in the history of the Company," said Mr. Alan Thian, Chairman, President and CEO of RBB Bancorp. "We continued our positive momentum in the fourth quarter, generating strong loan growth, an improvement in our efficiency ratio, and pristine asset quality."

"In 2018, we plan to continue expanding our franchise through a combination of organic growth, acquisitions and de novo branch openings. In addition, we are investing in the business to diversify our revenue mix and provide additional catalysts for generating organic growth.  Our Wealth Management unit is up and running.  In addition we have hired a specialist to start our income property unit, mainly apartments, mobile home parks and student housing properties. We are also finalizing the hiring of a new SBA manager who will lead our business development efforts, as well as recruit new team members," concluded Mr. Thian.

Key Performance Ratios

Net income of $4.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2017 produced an annualized return on average equity of 7.31% and an annualized return on average assets of 1.18%. The efficiency ratio for the fourth quarter of 2017 was 31.8%, compared to 39.0% for the prior quarter. Adjusted annualized return on average assets and average tangible common equity for the fourth quarter of 2017 was 1.51% and 10.60%, respectively compared to 1.55% and 11.97% for the third quarter of 2017. (See adjusted earnings metrics table on the last page).

Net Interest Income and Net Interest Margin

Net interest income, before provision for loan losses, was $17.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2017, compared to $14.7 million for the third quarter of 2017.  The increase was primarily attributable to a $43.3 million increase in average earning assets, combined with a 71 basis point increase in the net interest margin.  Accretion of purchase discounts contributed $2.7 million to net interest income in the fourth quarter of 2017, compared to $0.6 million in the third quarter of 2017. The increase in accretion income was primarily attributable to the early payoff of one large acquired loan.

Compared to the fourth quarter of 2016, net interest income, before provision for loan losses, increased from $13.5 million. The increase was primarily attributable to a $187.8 million increase in average earning assets, partially resulting from the proceeds from the Company's July 2017 IPO, combined with a 64 basis point increase in the net interest margin.

Net interest margin was 4.62% for the fourth quarter of 2017, an increase from 3.91% in the third quarter of 2017. The increase was primarily attributable to a 67 basis point increase in the yield on earning assets (primarily due to a favorable shift in the mix of earning assets and to higher loan discount accretion income). Loan discount accretion contributed 71 basis points to the net interest margin in the fourth quarter of 2017, compared to 17 basis points in the third quarter of 2017.

Compared to the fourth quarter of 2016, net interest margin increased from 3.98%. The increase was primarily attributable to a 62 basis point increase in the yield on earning assets, primarily due to a favorable shift in the mix of earning assets.

Noninterest Income

Noninterest income was $3.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2017, unchanged from $3.8 million in the third quarter of 2017.  In the fourth quarter, gain on loan sales increased by $366,000, but was offset by a $163,000 net decrease in service charges and loan servicing fees and a $142,000 decrease in gain on OREO sale.

The Company sold $90.3 million in mortgage loans for a net gain of $2.0 million during the quarter ended December 31, 2017, compared to $43.4 million in mortgage loans for a net gain of $1.0 million during the quarter ended September 30, 2017. The Company originated $120.5 million in mortgage loans for the quarter ended December 31, 2017, compared with $118.6 million during the quarter ended September 30, 2017.

The Company sold $16.6 million in SBA loans for a net gain of $1.0 million during the fourth quarter of 2017, compared to $22.6 million in SBA loans for a net gain of $1.6 million during the third quarter of 2017.  SBA loan originations for the fourth quarter were $1.9 million, compared to $19.3 million for the third quarter of 2017. The decrease in SBA loan originations was attributable to the departure of certain SBA business development officers.

Compared to the fourth quarter of 2016, noninterest income increased from $2.7 million. The increase was primarily attributable to an additional $1.2 million in gains on loan sales.

Noninterest Expense

Noninterest expense for the fourth quarter of 2017 was $6.9 million, compared to $7.2 million for the third quarter of 2017.  The decrease was primarily attributable to a $215,000 reduction in legal and professional expenses.

Compared to the fourth quarter of 2016, noninterest expense increased from $5.5 million. The $1.4 million increase was primarily due to an increase in salaries and employee benefits of $979,000 and an increase in other expenses of $491,000, partially offset by decreases in data processing costs.

Income Taxes

On December 22, 2017, "H.R.1", formerly known as the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act", was signed into law. Among other items, H.R.1 reduces the federal corporate tax rate to 21% effective January 1, 2018.  As a result, RBB concluded that the reduction in the federal corporate tax rate required the revaluation of the Company's net deferred tax assets.  The Company's net deferred tax assets represents net operating loss carryforwards that will be used to reduce corporate taxes expected to be paid in the future as well as differences between the carrying amounts and tax bases of assets and liabilities carried on the Company's balance sheet.  The Company performed an analysis and determined that the value of the deferred tax assets had declined by $2.4 million.   To reflect the decline in the value of the deferred tax assets, the Company recorded additional tax expense of $2.4 million during the fourth quarter of 2017.

The effective tax rate for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2017 was 60.5% and 45.5%, respectively, compared with 41.9% and 41.4% for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2016, respectively.

As a result of the newly enacted tax legislation, the Company estimates that its effective tax rate for 2018 will be in the range of 29% and 31%. The estimated annual effective tax rate will vary depending upon tax-advantaged income, stock option exercises, and available tax credits.

Loan Portfolio

Loans held for investment, net of deferred fees and discounts, totaled $1.25 billion as of December 31, 2017, an increase of $52.6 million, or 17.4% annualized growth, from $1.2 billion at September 30, 2017, and an increase of $138.6 million, or 12.5%, from December 31, 2016.  The increase in loans held for investment from the end of the prior quarter was primarily attributable to growth in the commercial & industrial and residential real estate portfolios.

Mortgage loans held for sale were $125.8 million as of December 31, 2017, essentially unchanged from $125.7 million at September 30, 2017. 

Deposits

Deposits were at $1.34 billion at December 31, 2017, an increase of $19.0 million, or 5.7% annualized growth, from $1.32 billion at September 30, 2017, and an increase of $184.5 million, or 16.0%, from December 31, 2016. The increase in total deposits from the end of the prior quarter was attributable to growth in interest-bearing non-maturity deposits, partially offset by decreases in certificates of deposit.

Noninterest-bearing deposits decreased slightly to $285.7 million as of December 31, 2017, compared to $287.6 million at September 30, 2017 and $174.3 million at December 31, 2016. 

Asset Quality

Nonperforming assets totaled $2.9 million, or 0.17% of total assets at December 31, 2017, a decline from $4.2 million, or 0.26% of total assets, at September 30, 2017.  Nonperforming assets consist of Other Real Estate Owned (foreclosed properties), loans modified under troubled debt restructurings (TDRs), non-accrual loans, and loans past due 90 days or more and still accruing interest. Nonperforming assets exclude PCI loans acquired in prior acquisitions.

Loans held-for-investment 30 to 89 days past due increased to $2.9 million at December 31, 2017, up from $2.4 million at September 30, 2017.  One loan held-for-sale in the amount of $697,000 that was 30 to 89 days past due at December 31, 2017, was brought current in January.

Net charge-offs were 0.01% of average loans during the fourth quarter of 2017, consisting of $83,000 in gross charge-offs, and no loan loss recoveries.

The Company recorded provision for loan losses of $2.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2017, which was primarily attributable to the growth in total loans during the quarter.  During the fourth quarter a Tomato Bank loan was paid off, eliminating the associated credit discount and thus requiring an additional $1.0 million replenishment of our loan loss provision.

The allowance for loan losses totaled $13.8 million, or 1.10% of total loans, at December 31, 2017, compared with $11.4 million, or 0.95% of total loans, at September 30, 2017. 

Properties

Our headquarters office is located at 660 South Figueroa Street, Suite 1888, Los Angeles, California. It is in downtown Los Angeles at "Metro Center" and houses our risk management unit, including compliance and BSA groups, and our single-family residential mortgage group. The lease expires in June 2018. In October 2017, the Company signed a lease for a new headquarters office at 1055 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1220, Los Angeles, California, which we expect to occupy in June 2018.

Corporate Overview

RBB Bancorp is a $1.7 billion in assets bank holding company headquartered in Los Angeles, California. Its wholly-owned subsidiary, Royal Business Bank (the "Bank"), is a full service commercial bank which provides business banking services to the Chinese-American communities in Los Angeles County, Orange County, Ventura County and in Las Vegas, Nevada, including remote deposit, E-banking, mobile banking, commercial and investor real estate loans, business loans and lines of credit, commercial and industrial loans, SBA 7A and 504 loans, 1-4 single family residential loans, trade finance and a full range of depository accounts. The Bank has ten branches in Los Angeles County, located in downtown Los Angeles, San Gabriel, Torrance, Rowland Heights, Monterey Park, Silver Lake, Arcadia, Cerritos, Diamond Bar, and west Los Angeles, two branches in Ventura County, located in Oxnard and Westlake Village, and one branch in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Company's administrative and lending center is located at 123 E. Valley Blvd., San Gabriel, California 91176, and its finance and operations center is located at 7025 Orangethorpe Avenue, Buena Park, California 90621. RBB's website address is www.royalbusinessbankusa.com.

Conference Call

Management will hold a conference call at 10:00 a.m. PST/1:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday, January 23, 2018, to discuss the Company's fourth quarter 2017 financial results.

To listen to the conference call, please dial 1-833-659-7620, passcode 7797327. A replay of the call will be made available at 1-855-859-2056, passcode 7797327, approximately one hour after the conclusion of the call and will remain available through January 31, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. PST/8:00 p.m. EST.

The conference call will also be simultaneously webcast over the Internet; please visit our Royal Business Bank website at www.royalbusinessbankusa.com and click on the "Investors" tab to access the call from the site. Please access the website 15 minutes prior to the call to download any necessary audio software. This webcast will be recorded and available for replay on the Company's website approximately two hours after the conclusion of the conference call, and will be available on the website for approximately 12 months.

Disclosure

This press release contains certain non-GAAP financial disclosures for tangible common equity and tangible assets and adjusted earnings. The Company uses certain non-GAAP financial measures to provide meaningful supplemental information regarding the Company's operational performance and to enhance investors' overall understanding of such financial performance. Please refer to the tables at the end of this release for a presentation of performance ratios in accordance with GAAP and a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measures to the GAAP financial measures.

Safe Harbor

Certain matters set forth herein (including the exhibits hereto) constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including forward-looking statements relating to the Company's current business plans and expectations and our future financial position and operating results. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance and/or achievements to differ materially from those projected. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, local, regional, national and international economic and market conditions and events and the impact they may have on us, our customers and our assets and liabilities; our ability to attract deposits and other sources of funding or liquidity; supply and demand for real estate and periodic deterioration in real estate prices and/or values in California or other states where we lend, including both residential and commercial real estate; a prolonged slowdown or decline in real estate construction, sales or leasing activities; changes in the financial performance and/or condition of our borrowers, depositors or key vendors or counterparties; changes in our levels of delinquent loans, nonperforming assets, allowance for loan losses and charge-offs; the costs or effects of acquisitions or dispositions we may make, whether we are able to obtain any required governmental approvals in connection with any such acquisitions or dispositions, and/or our ability to realize the contemplated financial or business benefits associated with any such acquisitions or dispositions; the effect of changes in laws, regulations and applicable judicial decisions (including laws, regulations and judicial decisions concerning financial reforms, taxes, banking capital levels, consumer, commercial or secured lending, securities and securities trading and hedging, compliance, employment, executive compensation, insurance, vendor management and information security) with which we and our subsidiaries must comply or believe we should comply; changes in estimates of future reserve requirements and minimum capital requirements based upon the periodic review thereof under relevant regulatory and accounting requirements, including changes in the Basel Committee framework establishing capital standards for credit, operations and market risk; inflation, interest rate, securities market and monetary fluctuations; changes in government interest rates or monetary policies; changes in the amount and availability of deposit insurance; cyber-security threats, including loss of system functionality or theft or loss of Company or customer data or money; political instability; acts of war or terrorism, or natural disasters, such as earthquakes, drought, or the effects of pandemic diseases; the timely development and acceptance of new banking products and services and the perceived overall value of these products and services by our customers and potential customers; the Company's relationships with and reliance upon vendors with respect to the operation of certain of the Company's key internal and external systems and applications; changes in commercial or consumer spending, borrowing and savings preferences or behaviors; technological changes and the expanding use of technology in banking (including the adoption of mobile banking and funds transfer applications); the ability to retain and increase market share, retain and grow customers and control expenses; changes in the competitive and regulatory environment among financial and bank holding companies, banks and other financial service providers; volatility in the credit and equity markets and its effect on the general economy or local or regional business conditions; fluctuations in the price of the Company's common stock or other securities; and the resulting impact on the Company's ability to raise capital or make acquisitions, the effect of changes in accounting policies and practices, as may be adopted from time-to-time by our regulatory agencies, as well as by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, the Financial Accounting Standards Board and other accounting standard-setters; changes in our organization, management, compensation and benefit plans, and our ability to retain or expand our workforce, management team and/or our board of directors; the costs and effects of legal, compliance and regulatory actions, changes and developments, including the initiation and resolution of legal proceedings (such as securities, consumer or employee class action litigation), regulatory or other governmental inquiries or investigations, and/or the results of regulatory examinations or reviews; our ongoing relations with our various federal and state regulators, including the SEC, FDIC, FRB and California DBO; our success at managing the risks involved in the foregoing items and all other factors set forth in the Company's public reports, including its Annual Report as filed under Form S-1 for the year ended December 31, 2016, and particularly the discussion of risk factors within that document. The Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to update any forward-looking statements to reflect occurrences or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements except as required by law. Any statements about future operating results, such as those concerning accretion and dilution to the Company's earnings or shareholders, are for illustrative purposes only, are not forecasts, and actual results may differ.