Colony Bankcorp Reports Second Quarter 2022 Results

Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend of $0.1075 Per Share

Colony Bankcorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: CBAN) (“Colony” or the “Company”) today reported financial results for the second quarter of 2022. Financial highlights are shown below.

Financial Highlights:

• Net income decreased to $3.4 million, or $0.19 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2022, compared to $5.3 million, or $0.34 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2022, and $4.0 million, $0.42 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2021.
• Operating net income of $5.2 million, or $0.30 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2022 as compared to $5.4 million, or $0.37 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2022, and $4.5 million, or $0.49 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2021 (see Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures).
• The Company made significant progress in its hiring initiatives, including hiring several new commercial bankers and promoting a new Chief Financial Officer.
• $1.1 million in provision for loan losses was recorded in second quarter of 2022, compared to $50,000 recorded in first quarter of 2022, and no provision recorded in second quarter of 2021.
• Non-recurring charges of $1.35 million related to previously announced efficiency efforts were incurred during the second quarter of 2022.
• Due to the unusual interest rate environment, the company experienced accelerated amortization on purchased callable FHLB advances totaling $751,000 and a valuation decline of its SBSL servicing asset of $316,000.
• Total loans, excluding loans held for sale and loans that originated under the Paycheck Protection Program (the “PPP”), totaled $1.5 billion at June 30, 2022, an increase of $99.0 million, or 7.3% from the prior quarter.
• Mortgage production was $113.7 million, and mortgage sales totaled $82.3 million in the second quarter of 2022.
• Small Business Specialty Lending (“SBSL”) closed $21.0 million in Small Business Administration (“SBA”) loans and sold $18.4 million in SBA loans in the second quarter of 2022.

The Company also announced that on July 21, 2022, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.1075 per share, to be paid on its common stock on August 20, 2022, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on August 6, 2022. The Company had 17,581,212 shares of its common stock outstanding as of July 20, 2022.

Commenting on the announcement, Heath Fountain, President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “While there were several moving parts during the quarter, we continue to position Colony for strong financial performance. In the quarter, we completed a $40 million subordinated debt offering, hired commercial bankers in the Atlanta, Birmingham and Huntsville markets, and grew loans, excluding loans held for sale, by almost $100 million, or nearly 30% annualized. Atypical expenses during the quarter totaled approximately $2.3 million, primarily for the previously announced charge for the efficiency project, and $751,000 of accelerated amortization of purchased FHLB borrowings called during the quarter. While asset quality metrics are strong and improving, we recorded higher provision expense than anticipated due to loan growth being meaningfully higher than projected.”

“Finally, we do expect to show continued strong asset generation for the next few quarters. The current loan pipelines remain very strong, and we continue to recruit seasoned banking professionals throughout our footprint.”

Balance Sheet

• Total assets were $2.7 billion at June 30, 2022, a slight increase of $41.6 million from March 31, 2022.
• Total loans, including loans held for sale, were at $1.49 billion at June 30, 2022, an increase of $113.1 million from the quarter ended March 31, 2022.
• Total deposits were $2.3 billion and $2.4 billion at June 30, 2022 and March 31, 2022, respectively, with a slight decrease of $19.3 million.
• Total borrowings at June 30, 2022 totaled $152.1 million, an increase of $92.1 million or, 153.3%, compared to March 31, 2022 related to the subordinated debt issued in May 2022 and federal funds purchased outstanding at June 30, 2022.

Capital

• Colony continues to maintain a strong capital position, with ratios that exceed regulatory minimums required to be considered as “well-capitalized.”
• Preliminary tier one leverage ratio, tier one capital ratio, total risk-based capital ratio and common equity tier one capital ratio were 10.74%, 15.80%, 16.55%, and 12.39%, respectively, at June 30, 2022.

Second Quarter and June 30, 2022 Year to Date Results of Operations

• Net interest income, on a tax-equivalent basis, for the second quarter of 2022 totaled $19.3 million, compared to $15.2 million for the second quarter of 2021. Net interest income, on a tax-equivalent basis, for the six months ended June 30, 2022 totaled $38.6 million, compared to $29.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2021. The increase during the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2022 compared to the same period in 2021 is primarily attributable to interest income related to loans acquired in the acquisition of SouthCrest Financial Group, Inc. (“SouthCrest”) in August of 2021.
• Net interest margin decreased 53 basis points from the second quarter of 2021, but increased two basis point from the first quarter of 2022. Net interest margin for the six months ended June 30, 2022 decreased 42 basis points from the six months ended June 30, 2021, but increased one point from the first quarter 2022. Two borrowings from the acquisition of SouthCrest were called and the remaining mark of approximately $750,000 was recognized in interest expense this quarter.
• Noninterest income totaled $10.1 million for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022, an increase of $2.3 million, or 29.8%, compared to the same period in 2021. The increase was primarily attributable to SBSL loan sales, SouthCrest and insurance company acquisitions, growth in interchange fee income and service charges on deposits offset by a decrease in mortgage fee income. Noninterest income totaled $19.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2022, an increase of $2.9 million, or 17.45%, compared to the same period in 2021. The increase was primarily attributable to SBSL loan sales, SouthCrest and insurance company acquisitions, growth in interchange fee income and service charges on deposits offset by a decrease in mortgage fee income.
• Noninterest expense totaled $24.5 million for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022, compared to $17.5 million for the same period in 2021. Noninterest expense totaled $46.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2022, compared to $33.2 million for the same period in 2021. The increases were primarily related to increase in salaries, information technology, and communications related to the acquisition of SouthCrest in August of 2021.

Asset Quality

• Nonperforming assets totaled $5.2 million and $6.5 million at June 30, 2022 and March 31, 2022, respectively, a decrease of $1.2 million.
• Other real estate owned and repossessed assets totaled approximately $293,000 at June 30, 2022, and March 31, 2022.
• Net loans charged-off were $58,000, or 0.02% of average loans for the second quarter of 2022, compared to net charge-offs of $41,000 or 0.01% for the first quarter of 2022.
• The loan loss reserve was $14.0 million, or 0.96% of total loans, at June 30, 2022, compared to $12.9 million, or 0.95% of total loans, at March 31, 2022.

As noted above and in the Selected Financial Information table, overall asset quality remains strong.

Earnings call information

The Company will host an earnings conference call at 5:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday, July 21, 2022, to discuss the recent results and answer appropriate questions. The conference call can be accessed by dialing 1-844-200-6205 (or 1-929-526-1599 for international participants). The conference call access code is 981866. A replay of the call will be available until Friday, July 29, 2022. To listen to the replay, dial 1-866-813-9403 and enter the access code 213634.

About Colony Bankcorp

Colony Bankcorp, Inc. is the bank holding company for Colony Bank. Founded in 1975 and headquartered in Fitzgerald, Georgia, Colony operates 41 locations throughout Georgia. At Colony Bank, we offer a wide range of banking services including personal banking, business banking, mortgage solutions, government guaranteed lending solutions, and more. We have expanded our services to also include consumer insurance products, such as automotive, homeowners, and other insurance needs for our community. Colony’s common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol “CBAN.” For more information, please visit www.colony.bank. You can also follow the Company on social media.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of, and subject to the protections of, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. In addition, certain statements may be contained in the Company’s future filings with the SEC, in press releases, and in oral and written statements made by or with the approval of the Company that are not statements of historical fact and constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of, and subject to the protections of, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (i) projections and/or expectations of revenues, income or loss, earnings or loss per share, the payment or nonpayment of dividends, capital structure and other financial items; (ii) statement of plans and objectives of Colony Bankcorp, Inc. or its management or Board of Directors, including those relating to products or services; (iii) statements of future economic performance; (iv) statements regarding growth strategy, capital management, liquidity and funding, and future profitability; (v) statements regarding the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and related variants on the Company’s business and financial results and conditions; and (vi) statements of assumptions underlying such statements. Words such as “believes,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “targeted” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements.

Prospective investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Factors that might cause such differences include, but are not limited to: the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related variants on the Company’s assets, business, cash flows, financial condition, liquidity, prospects and results of operations; the Company’s ability to implement its various strategic and growth initiatives; competitive pressures among financial institutions increasing significantly; economic conditions, either nationally or locally, in areas in which the Company conducts operations being less favorable than expected; changes in the prices, values and sales volumes of residential and commercial real estate; interest rate risk; legislation or regulatory changes which adversely affect the ability of the consolidated Company to conduct business combinations or new operations; adverse results from current or future litigation, regulatory examinations or other legal and/or regulatory actions, including as a result of the Company’s participation in and execution of government programs related to the COVID-19 pandemic and related variants; higher inflation and its impacts; the effects of war or other conflicts including the impacts related to or resulting from Russia’s military action in Ukraine; risks related to the Company’s recently completed acquisitions, including that the anticipated benefits from the recently completed acquisitions are not realized in the time frame anticipated or at all as a result of changes in general economic and market conditions or other unexpected factors or events; the risks associated with the Company’s pursuit of future acquisitions; and general competitive, economic, political and market conditions or other unexpected factors or events. These and other factors, risks and uncertainties could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from the future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Many of these factors are beyond the Company’s ability to control or predict.

Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which such statements are made. These forward-looking statements are based upon information presently known to the Company’s management and are inherently subjective, uncertain and subject to change due to any number of risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, the risks and other factors set forth in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, under the captions “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors,” and in the Company’s quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

Explanation of Certain Unaudited Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The measures entitled operating net income, adjusted earnings per diluted share, tangible book value per common share, tangible equity to tangible assets, operating efficiency ratio and pre-provision net revenue are not measures recognized under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and therefore are considered non-GAAP financial measures. The most comparable GAAP measures are net income, diluted earnings per share, book value per common share, total equity to total assets, and efficiency ratio, respectively. Operating net income and operating efficiency ratio both exclude acquisition-related expenses. Acquisition-related expenses include fees associated with current period acquisitions and ongoing amortization of intangibles related to prior acquisitions. Adjusted earnings per diluted share includes the adjustments to operating net income. Tangible book value per common share and tangible equity to tangible assets exclude goodwill and other intangibles.

Management uses these non-GAAP financial measures in its analysis of the Company's performance and believes these presentations provide useful supplemental information, and a clearer understanding of the Company's performance, and if not provided would be requested by the investor community. The Company believes the non-GAAP measures enhance investors' understanding of the Company's business and performance. These measures are also useful in understanding performance trends and facilitate comparisons with the performance of other financial institutions. The limitations associated with operating measures are the risk that persons might disagree as to the appropriateness of items comprising these measures and that different companies might calculate these measures differently.

These disclosures should not be considered an alternative to GAAP. The computations of operating net income, adjusted earnings per diluted share, tangible book value per common share, tangible equity to tangible assets, and operating efficiency ratio and the reconciliation of these measures to net income, diluted earnings per share, book value per common share, total equity to total assets, and efficiency ratio, are set forth in the table below.