Exhibit 99.1

 

LOGO

 

Contact:

 

D. Anthony Peay—(804) 632-2112

            Senior Vice President/ Chief Financial Officer

Distribute to:

 

Virginia State/Local Newslines, NY Times, AP, Reuters, S&P, Moody, Dow

Jones, Investor Relations Service

July 16, 2003

  4:00 p.m.             Traded: NASDAQ                 Symbol: UBSH

 

UNION BANKSHARES REPORTS 26% INCREASE IN 2nd QUARTER EARNINGS

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Bowling Green, Virginia)—Union Bankshares is pleased to report net income for the quarter ended June 30, 2003 of $4,336,000, an increase of 25.6 % from $3,453,000 a year ago. Earnings per share on a diluted basis increased by 26.6% to $.57 from $.45 for the same quarter in 2002. Return on average equity for the quarter was 15.60%, and return on average assets for the same period was 1.50 %, as compared to 14.80% and 1.38%, respectively, for the second quarter of 2002.

 

For the six months ended June 30, 2003, net income increased to $8.3 million from $6.5 million for the same period in 2002, an increase of 27.2%. Over this same period, earnings per share on a diluted basis increased 25.6% to $1.08 from $.86 for the same period in 2002. Return on average equity for the six months ended June 30, 2003 was 15.29%, while return on average assets for the same period was 1.47%, compared to 14.25% and 1.33% respectively, for the six months ended June 30, 2002.

 

For the second quarter net income for the mortgage banking segment increased to $917,000, an increase of $711,000 or 345.0% from $206,000 in the same quarter of 2002. For the quarter, net income for the community banking segment was $3.4 million, an increase of $172,000 or 5.3% over $3.2 million for the second quarter of 2002. For the six months ended June 30, 2003, net income for the community bank segment increased to $6.8 million from $6.0 million at June 30, 2002 , while the mortgage segment increased to $1.5 million from $529,000 for the same period in 2002.

 

For the Company, net interest income was up $684,000 or 6.8% from the second quarter of 2002. Average earning assets grew to $1.089 million compared to $937.1 million in the prior year quarter providing the Company with a higher earnings base compared to last year. This volume growth offset a net interest margin decrease of 40 basis points as the net interest margin (FTE) decreased to 4.20% in the second quarter of 2003, down from 4.60% in the same quarter of 2002, and down slightly from 4.26% in the first quarter of 2003.

 

Loans increased 17.7% or $118.6 million from the second quarter of 2002 and 10.4% or $74.0 million from the end of 2002. Loans for the second quarter compared to the first quarter of 2003 increased 5.2% or $38.7 million. Yields on loans (FTE) decreased from 7.58% during the second quarter of 2002 and from 7.07% in the first quarter 2003 to 6.81% for the second quarter of 2003. The cost of funds also declined, from 3.09% in the second quarter of 2002 and 2.80% for the first quarter of 2003 to 2.70% in the second quarter of 2003. Comparing first quarter to second quarter 2003 yields, loans declined by 26 basis points while deposits declined by only 10 basis points which led to the narrowing margin. Deposit levels were up17.8% from the second quarter of 2002 and 1.8% or $17.1 million from the first quarter of


2003. This reflects a slowing in deposit growth, with lower rates and an improving equity market pushing consumers to look for alternatives to earn more from their funds.

 

The provision for loan losses was down $537,000 from $1,569,000 a year earlier. This is reflective of general improvement in overall asset quality, despite an increase in non-accrual loans. At the end of June, two credits totaling $8.1 million were placed on non-accrual status. The Company is working with the borrower to protect its interest, but has allocated $550,000 in loan loss reserves to this relationship. This brought nonperforming assets to $10.5 million at June 30, 2003. Without these credits, nonperforming assets would have been $2.3 million, down from $2.9 million the prior year and $3.0 million the first quarter of 2003. The allowance for loan losses is up slightly at 1.30% of gross loans from 1.26% a year earlier.

 

Noninterest income for the second quarter increased $2.4 million or 62.1% from a year ago and reflected a $1.9 million or 91.4% increase in gains on sales of loans. Service charges on deposit accounts showed an increase of $223,000 or 22.0% for the same period, reflecting the 28.1% increase in noninterest bearing deposit accounts and the impact of a new overdraft protection product introduced during the quarter.

 

Noninterest expense for the second quarter 2003 increased by $1.6 million or 18.7% from a year ago while assets grew by 16.3%. A significant portion of the growth in expenses was related to increased commissions ($771,000) on mortgage loan sales and to expenses associated with both the Thornburg branch which opened in August 2002, the loan production offices in Manassas and Richmond, the Newport News relocated branch opening and new product advertisements. The Company continues to focus on expense controls to create greater operating efficiencies as it grows.

 

“We are pleased with the overall performance of the Company for the first six months of 2003, said President G. William Beale Clearly, our mortgage segment has produced tremendous results and favorably impacted the Corporation’s profitability. The near term prospects for the mortgage sector appear good. We do expect net income in the mortgage sector to lessen when interest rates rise.

 

The community banking sector has continued to perform well. I see three factors contributing to slowing of net income growth in this segment of our business. Competition for loan assets, driven by excess liquidity in banks, has become fierce. The result is lower top line yields. Second, is the Company’s balance sheet structure. Our balance sheet is currently asset sensitive and prepared for improved performance in a rising rate environment. Declines in short term rates over the last three quarters have adversely impacted our margin, our largest driver of revenue. Finally, we have invested in people and additional locations to take advantage of fallout from recent mergers in our market and build our Company for long term growth.

 

During the quarter, our Richmond loan production office, which had been operating out of our Atlee loan center since opening in January, moved to its permanent location at the intersection of Parham and Three Chopt in Richmond’s West End. Rick Ocheltree and Jim Tyler form a strong nucleus for that operation which has closed over $15 million in loans to date and built a strong pipeline with loan demand in that market. Our Manassas LPO has exceeded $20 million in production and its pipeline is also strong.

 

The large bank consolidations continue to provide us with growth opportunities. We have submitted an application for a Union Bank & Trust Company branch adjacent to the Richmond LPO and, subject to regulatory approval, expect to open that location in December 2003. Union also has plans for two additional branches in the Richmond market: on Rt 360 and on Pole Green Road, both in


Mechanicsville. In addition, Rappahannock National Bank will open its new main office in August 2003.”

 

At June 30, 2003 total assets were $1.188 billion, up 16.3% from $1.022 billion at June 30, 2002. Deposits increased to $958.1 million, up $144.4 million or 17.8% over $813.7 million at the end of the second quarter 2002 while loans totaled $788.8 million, up $118.6 million or 17.7% over second quarter 2002 levels. Securities declined to $255.5 million at June 30, 2003 compared to $260.4 million a year earlier. The Company’s capital position remains strong with an equity-to- assets ratio of 9.6 %.

 

Union Bankshares is one of the largest community banking organizations based in Virginia, providing full service banking to the Central, Rappahannock, Williamsburg and Northern Neck regions of Virginia through its bank subsidiaries, Union Bank & Trust (19 locations in the counties of Caroline, Hanover, King George, King William, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Westmoreland and the City of Fredericksburg), Northern Neck State Bank (9 locations in the counties of Richmond, Westmoreland, Essex, Northumberland and Lancaster), Rappahannock National Bank in Washington, Virginia and Bank of Williamsburg in Williamsburg and Newport News. Union Bank & Trust also operates loan production offices in Manassas and Richmond, Virginia. The new Richmond LPO is located at Parham and Three Chopt Roads, close to the Regency Square shopping mall. In addition, Union Investment Services, Inc. provides full brokerage services and Mortgage Capital Investors provides a full line of mortgage products.

 

This press release may contain “forward-looking statements,” within the meaning of federal securities laws, that involve significant risks and uncertainties. Statements herein are based on certain assumptions and analyses by the Company and are factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Actual results could differ materially from those contained in or implied by such statements for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to: changes in interest rates; changes in accounting principles, policies, or guidelines; significant changes in economic conditions; significant changes in regulatory requirements; and significant changes in securities markets. Consequently, all forward-looking statements made herein are qualified by these cautionary statements and the cautionary language in the Company’s most recent Form 10-K report and other documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Union Bankshares Corporation does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made.


Key Financial Data


  

For the three

months ended


   

For the six

months ended


 
     June 30,

    June 30,

 
     2003

    2002

    2003

    2002

 

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

                                

Interest income

   $ 16,751     $ 16,119     $ 33,277     $ 31,986  

Interest expense

     6,020       6,072       12,084       12,307  
    


 


 


 


Net interest income

     10,731       10,047       21,193       19,679  

Provision for loan losses

     645       739       1,032       1,569  
    


 


 


 


Net interest income after provision for loan losses

     10,086       9,308       20,161       18,110  

Noninterest income

     6,211       3,832       10,887       7,660  

Noninterest expenses

     10,264       8,649       19,544       17,298  
    


 


 


 


Income before income taxes

     6,033       4,491       11,504       8,472  

Income tax expense

     1,697       1,038       3,224       1,961  
    


 


 


 


Net income

     4,336       3,453       8,280       6,511  
    


 


 


 


Interest earned on loans (Fully Tax Equivalent)

   $ 13,535     $ 12,578     $ 26,719     $ 24,875  

Interest earned on securities (FTE)

     3,850       4,203       7,786       8,407  

Interest earned on earning assets (FTE)

     17,417       16,827       34,604       33,394  

Net interest income (FTE)

     11,399       10,755       22,526       21,087  

Net income (FTE)

     5,074       4,230       9,749       8,056  

Interest expense on certificate of deposits

     4,424       4,177       8,848       8,568  

Interest expense on interest bearing deposits

     5,036       5,034       10,122       10,249  

Core deposit intangible amortization

     143       148       289       296  
                       —            

Net income—community banking segment

   $ 3,419     $ 3,247     $ 6,816     $ 5,982  

Net income—mortgage banking segment

     917       206       1,464       529  

KEY PERFORMANCE RATIOS

                                

Return on average assets (ROA)

     1.50 %     1.38 %     1.47 %     1.33 %

Return on average equity (ROE)

     15.60 %     14.80 %     15.29 %     14.25 %

Efficiency ratio

     60.58 %     62.31 %     60.92 %     63.27 %

Efficiency ratio (excluding mortgage segment)

     59.02 %     57.93 %     58.72 %     59.28 %

Net interest margin (FTE)

     4.20 %     4.60 %     4.23 %     4.59 %

Yield on earning assets (FTE)

     6.42 %     6.90 %     6.50 %     6.97 %

Cost of interest bearing liabilities

     2.70 %     2.71 %     2.75 %     2.79 %

PER SHARE DATA

                                

Net income per share—basic

   $ 0.57     $ 0.46     $ 1.09     $ 0.86  

Net income per share—diluted

     0.57       0.45       1.08       0.86  

Cash EPS

     0.58       0.47       1.11       0.89  

Cash dividends paid (semi-annual payment)

     0.29       0.25       0.29       0.25  

Book value per share

     15.04       12.93       15.04       12.93  

Tangible book value per share

                     14.24       12.05  

FINANCIAL CONDITION

                                

Assets

                   $ 1,188,017     $ 1,021,755  

Loans, net of unearned income

                     788,792       670,160  

Earning assets

                     1,114,190       955,399  

Goodwill

                     864       864  

Other intangibles

                     5,211       5,797  

Deposits

                     958,107       813,672  

Stockholders’ equity

                     114,382       97,757  


Averages

                                

Assets

   $ 1,155,668     $ 1,000,720     $ 1,138,479     $ 988,874  

Loans, net of unearned income

     760,843       652,687       744,500       632,563  

Loans held for sale

     49,122       15,079       42,976       21,019  

Securities

     262,491       258,978       264,915       258,157  

Earning assets

     1,088,608       937,073       1,073,837       926,002  

Deposits

     936,508       801,841       921,546       791,686  

Certificates of deposit

     482,085       408,166       475,794       407,833  

Interest bearing deposits

     799,337       689,869       790,508       683,260  

Borrowings

     94,838       100,645       96,093       100,229  

Interest bearing liabilities

     894,175       790,514       886,601       783,489  

Stockholders’ equity

     111,497       93,597       109,178       92,113  

ASSET QUALITY

                                

Beginning balance Allowance for loan loss

   $ 9,592     $ 7,827     $ 9,179     $ 7,336  

plus provision for loan loss

     645       739       1,032       1,569  

less charge offs

     (227 )     (272 )     (453 )     (702 )

plus recoveries

     242       140       494       231  
    


 


 


 


Allowance for loan losses

     10,252       8,434       10,252       8,434  

Allowance as % of total loans

     1.30 %     1.26 %     1.30 %     1.26 %

Nonaccrual loans

                   $ 8,791     $ 636  

Foreclosed properties & real estate investments

                     464       1,087  
                    


 


Total nonperforming assets

                     9,255       1,723  

Loans past due 90 days and accruing interest

                     1,219       1,175  
                    


 


Total nonperforming assets plus 90 days

                     10,474       2,898  

Nonperforming assets to loans plus foreclosed properties

                     1.16 %     0.26 %

OTHER DATA

                                

Market value per share at period-end

                   $ 28.16     $ 26.43  

Price to book value ratio

                     1.87       2.04  

Price to earnings ratio

                     13.04       15.37  

Weighted average shares outstanding, basic

     7,600,395       7,552,222       7,594,980       7,544,071  

Weighted average shares outstanding, diluted

     7,667,993       7,623,790       7,659,651       7,602,925  

Shares repurchased

     —         —         1,000       —    

Average price of repurchased shares

     —         —         24.07       —    

Mortgage loan originations

     158,893,970       74,955,961       272,706,304       158,088,976  

% of originations that are refinances

     54.6 %     26.2 %     56.5 %     32.8 %

End of period full time equivalent employees

                     467       449  

Number of full service branches

                     31       30  

Number of Bank subsidiaries

                     4       4  

Number of ATMs

                     31       28  


UNION BANKSHARES CORPORATION

Comparative Balance Sheets


                 Change

 
(Dollars in thousands)    6/30/2003

    6/30/2002

    $

    %

 

ASSETS

                              

Cash and due from banks

   $ 28,966     $ 25,160     $ 3,806     15.13 %

Interest-bearing deposits in other banks

     1,773       1,276       497     38.95 %

Money market investments

     199       98       101     n/m  

Federal funds sold

     7,150       4,067       3,083     n/m  
    


 


 


 

Total cash and cash equivalents

     38,088       30,601       7,487     24.47 %
    


 


 


 

Securities available for sale, at fair value

     255,525       260,375       (4,850 )   -1.86 %

Investment securities, at amortized cost

     —         —         —       n/m  
    


 


 


 

Total securities

     255,525       260,375       (4,850 )   -1.86 %
    


 


 


 

Loans held for sale

     60,751       19,423       41,328     212.78 %

Loans, net of unearned income

     788,792       670,160       118,632     17.70 %

Less allowance for loan losses

     (10,252 )     (8,434 )     (1,818 )   21.56 %
    


 


 


 

Net loans

     778,540       661,726       116,814     17.65 %
    


 


 


 

Bank premises and equipment, net

     24,766       19,848       4,918     24.78 %

Other real estate owned

     464       1,087       (623 )   -57.31 %

Other assets

     29,883       28,695       1,188     4.14 %
    


 


 


 

Total assets

   $ 1,188,017     $ 1,021,755     $ 166,262     16.27 %
    


 


 


 

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

                              

Noninterest bearing demand deposits

   $ 152,443     $ 119,054     $ 33,389     28.05 %

Interest-bearing deposits:

                              

NOW accounts

     136,018       121,547       14,471     11.91 %

Money market accounts

     94,558       84,050       10,508     12.50 %

Savings accounts

     89,172       78,114       11,058     14.16 %

Time deposits of $100,000 and over

     162,400       131,578       30,822     23.42 %

Other time deposits

     323,516       279,329       44,187     15.82 %
    


 


 


 

Total interest-bearing deposits

     805,664       694,618       111,046     15.99 %
    


 


 


 

Total deposits

     958,107       813,672       144,435     17.75 %
    


 


 


 

Customer repurchase agreements

     37,393       37,590       (197 )   -0.52 %

Federal funds

     —         —         —       n/m  

Other short-term borrowings

     —         —         —       n/m  

Long-term borrowings

     61,764       62,275       (511 )   -0.82 %
    


 


 


 

Total borrowings

     99,157       99,865       (708 )   -0.71 %

Other liabilities

     16,371       10,461       5,910     56.50 %
    


 


 


 

Total liabilities

     1,073,635       923,998       149,637     16.19 %
    


 


 


 

Stockholders' equity

                              

Common stock

     15,211       15,119       92     0.61 %

Surplus

     1,795       1,011       784     77.55 %

Retained earnings

     88,077       76,046       12,031     15.82 %

Unrealized gain (loss) on securities available for sale, net of deferred taxes

     9,299       5,581       3,718     66.62 %
    


 


 


 

Total stockholders' equity

     114,382       97,757       16,625     17.01 %
    


 


 


 

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

   $ 1,188,017     $ 1,021,755     $ 166,262     16.27 %
    


 


 


 

 


Union Bankshares Corporation

Comparative Income Statements


This Quarter vs. Same Quarter Last Year

 

     Three Months Ended

    Change

 
(in thousands)    6/30/2003

   6/30/2002

    $

    %

 

Interest income:

                             

Interest and fees on loans

   $ 13,456    $ 12,472     $ 984     7.9 %

Interest on Federal funds sold

     21      37       (16 )   -43.2 %

Interest on interest bearing deposits with other banks

     8      4       4     100.0 %

Interest on money market investments

     4      6       (2 )   -33.3 %

Interest on investments:

                             

Taxable

     2,123      2,432       (309 )   -12.7 %

Tax exempt

     1,139      1,168       (29 )   -2.5 %
    

  


 


 

Total interest income

     16,751      16,119       632     3.9 %
    

  


 


 

Interest expense:

                             

Interest on deposits

     5,035      5,034       1     0.0 %

Interest on Federal funds

     7      2       5     250.0 %

Interest on short-term borrowings

     66      114       (48 )   -42.1 %

Interest on long-term borrowings

     912      922       (10 )   -1.1 %
    

  


 


 

Total interest expense

     6,020      6,072       (52 )   -0.9 %
    

  


 


 

Net interest income

     10,731      10,047       684     6.8 %

Provision for loan losses

     645      739       (94 )   -12.7 %

Net interest income after provision for loan losses

     10,086      9,308       778     8.4 %
    

  


 


 

Noninterest income:

                             

Service charges on deposit accounts

     1,238      1,015       223     22.0 %

Other service charges and fees

     667      650       17     2.6 %

Gains (losses) on securities transactions, net

     1      (162 )     163     -100.6 %

Gain on sales of loans

     3,963      2,071       1,892     91.4 %

Gains (losses) on other real estate owned and bank premises, net

     10      67       (57 )   -85.1 %

Other operating income

     332      191       141     73.8 %
    

  


 


 

Total noninterest income

     6,211      3,832       2,379     62.1 %
    

  


 


 

Noninterest expenses:

                             

Salaries and benefits

     6,495      5,082       1,413     27.8 %

Occupancy expenses

     635      554       81     14.6 %

Furniture and equipment expenses

     601      653       (52 )   -8.0 %

Other operating expenses

     2,533      2,360       173     7.3 %
    

  


 


 

Total noninterest expenses

     10,264      8,649       1,615     18.7 %
    

  


 


 

Income before income taxes

     6,033      4,491       1,542     34.3 %

Income tax expense

     1,697      1,038       659     63.5 %
    

  


 


 

Net income

   $ 4,336    $ 3,453     $ 883     25.6 %