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U. S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549

 


 

FORM 10-Q

 


 

x Quarterly Report Under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2005

 

For the transition period from              to             

 

COMMISSION FILE NUMBER 0-26551

 


 

INTEGRITY FINANCIAL CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 


 

NORTH CAROLINA   56-2137427

(State or Other Jurisdiction of

Incorporation or Organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

 

39 Second Street, N.W., Hickory, North Carolina   28601
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s Telephone number, including area code: (888) 894-2483

 


 

COMMON STOCK, $1.00 PAR VALUE

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the past 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  x    No  ¨

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Exchange Act Rule 12b-2).    Yes  x    No  ¨

 

Number of shares of Common Stock outstanding as of April 30, 2005: 4,740,644.

 

This report contains 16 pages.

 



Table of Contents
          Page No.

Part I.

  

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

    

Item 1 -

  

Financial Statements (Unaudited)

    
    

Consolidated Balance Sheets March 31, 2005 and December 31, 2004

   3
    

Consolidated Statements of Operations Three Months Ended March 31, 2005 and 2004

   4
    

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Three Months Ended March 31, 2005 and 2004

   5
    

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

   6

Item 2 -

  

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

   9

Item 3 -

  

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

   12

Item 4 -

  

Controls and Procedures

   13

Part II.

  

OTHER INFORMATION

    

Item 6 -

  

Exhibits

   14

 

 

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Table of Contents

Part I. Financial Information

Item 1 - Financial Statements

 

Integrity Financial Corporation and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Balance Sheets

 

    

March 31,

2005


   

December 31,

2004*


 
     (Unaudited)        

ASSETS

                

Cash and due from banks

   $ 10,674,550     $ 10,592,677  

Interest-earning deposits in banks

     17,487,325       8,744,304  

Investment securities available for sale

     84,299,142       86,852,913  

Investment securities held to maturity (fair value of $4,321,906 at March 31, 2005 and $4,272,984 at December 31, 2004)

     4,169,199       4,091,077  

Loans

     489,297,461       500,680,897  

Less allowance for loan losses

     (8,145,255 )     (10,416,195 )
    


 


Net loans

     481,152,206       490,264,702  

Factored accounts receivable

     3,157,820       2,875,583  

Stock in the Federal Home Loan Bank, at cost

     3,240,400       3,372,100  

Foreclosed assets

     2,131,353       1,999,839  

Bank premises and equipment

     19,975,616       20,160,839  

Bank owned life insurance

     9,670,209       9,600,060  

Goodwill

     17,237,789       17,237,789  

Other intangible assets

     2,077,750       2,157,545  

Other assets

     6,704,000       6,354,400  
    


 


Total assets

   $ 661,977,359     $ 664,303,828  
    


 


LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

                

Deposits:

                

Non-interest-bearing demand

   $ 47,416,447     $ 45,819,222  

Money market and NOW accounts

     184,415,438       179,176,171  

Savings

     13,190,559       12,352,454  

Time, $100,000 and over

     140,194,329       150,724,061  

Other time

     156,493,661       150,157,448  
    


 


Total deposits

     541,710,434       538,229,356  

Short-term borrowings

     25,338,112       32,451,860  

Long term debt

     28,891,274       28,897,315  

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

     1,864,846       1,972,021  
    


 


Total liabilities

     597,804,666       601,550,552  
    


 


Stockholder’ equity:

                

Preferred stock, no par value, 1,000,000 shares authorized; none issued

     —         —    

Common stock, $1 par value, 9,000,000 shares authorized, 4,939,142 and 4,892,904 shares issued and outstanding in 2005 and 2004, respectively

     4,939,142       4,892,904  

Additional paid-in capital

     60,053,480       59,708,936  

Treasury stock

     (3,892,948 )     (3,892,948 )

Retained earnings

     3,709,050       2,034,003  

Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)

     (636,031 )     10,381  
    


 


Total stockholders’ equity

     64,172,693       62,753,276  
    


 


Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

   $ 661,977,359     $ 664,303,828  
    


 



* Derived from audited consolidated financial statements.

 

- 3 -


Table of Contents

Integrity Financial Corporation and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited)

 

    

Three Months Ended

March 31,


     2005

    2004

Interest income

              

Loans

   $ 8,188,069     $ 6,581,983

Investment securities taxable

     702,629       729,679

Investment securities nontaxable

     151,818       144,197

Other interest and dividends

     116,777       36,969
    


 

Total interest income

     9,159,293       7,492,828
    


 

Interest expense

              

Time deposits, $100,000 and over

     914,639       805,844

Other deposits

     1,823,057       1,542,666

Short term borrowings

     196,664       243,210

Long term borrowings

     528,762       279,381
    


 

Total interest expense

     3,463,122       2,871,101
    


 

Net interest income

     5,696,171       4,621,727

Provision for loan losses

     —         305,000
    


 

Net interest income after provision for loan losses

     5,696,171       4,316,727
    


 

Non-interest income

              

Service charges on deposit accounts

     588,916       594,962

Factoring operations

     108,612       136,150

Mortgage operations

     121,498       274,628

Security commissions

     90,041       193,540

Gain (loss) on sale on investment securities

     (10,201 )     134,678

Other

     119,166       276,717
    


 

Total non-interest income

     1,018,032       1,610,675
    


 

Non-interest expenses

              

Compensation and employee benefits

     2,211,307       2,369,403

Occupancy and equipment

     754,624       796,996

Professional fees

     238,068       68,651

Stationery, printing and supplies

     83,726       126,950

Advertising and business promotion

     61,053       88,247

Other

     817,091       855,096
    


 

Total non-interest expenses

     4,165,869       4,305,343
    


 

Income before taxes

     2,548,334       1,622,059

Income taxes

     873,287       503,608
    


 

Net income

   $ 1,675,047     $ 1,118,451
    


 

Net income per common share

              

Basic

   $ 0.34     $ 0.24
    


 

Diluted

   $ 0.33     $ 0.24
    


 

Dividends declared per common share

   $ 0.00     $ 0.08
    


 

 

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Table of Contents

Integrity Financial Corporation and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)

 

    

Three Months Ended

March 31,


 
     2005

    2004

 

Cash flows from operating activities

                

Net income

   $ 1,675,047     $ 1,118,451  

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

                

Depreciation and amortization

     434,629       457,800  

Amortization of intangibles

     79,795       79,794  

Provision for loan losses

     —         305,000  

Deferred compensation

     42,160       9,249  

Increase in cash surrender value of life insurance

     (70,149 )     (97,285 )

Net loss (gains) on sales of investment securities

     10,201       (134,678 )

Net loss on sales of fixed assets

     8,599       —    

Net loss on sales of other real estate owned

     5,550       102,474  

Change in assets and liabilities:

                

Increase in other assets

     61,685       (355,905 )

(Decrease) increase in other liabilities

     (149,335 )     581,186  
    


 


Net cash provided by operating activities

     2,098,182       2,066,086  
    


 


Cash flows from investing activities

                

Purchase of investment securities available for sale

     (3,350,200 )     (20,832,469 )

Redemption (purchase) of Federal Home Loan Bank stock

     131,700       (199,500 )

Proceeds from sales, maturities and calls of investment securities

     4,682,702       20,019,337  

Net decrease (increase) in loans

     8,804,847       (11,864,072 )

Net (increase) decrease in factored accounts receivable

     (282,237 )     101,043  

Purchases of premises and equipment

     (147,126 )     (513,185 )

Proceeds from sale of premises and equipment

     21,505       —    

Proceeds from sale of foreclosed real estate

     113,450       337,526  

(Purchase) of bank owned life insurance

     —         (47,831 )
    


 


Net cash used in investing activities

     9,974,641       (12,999,151 )
    


 


Cash flows from financing activities

                

Net increase in noninterest-bearing deposits

     1,597,225       3,609,691  

Net increase in interest-bearing deposits

     1,883,853       14,785,458  

Net increase (decrease) in securities sold under agreements to repurchase

     386,252       (240,209 )

Net decrease in federal funds purchased

     (1,000,000 )     (11,500,000 )

Net (decrease) increase in Federal Home Loan Bank advances

     (6,506,041 )     6,994,524  

Proceeds from issuance of common stock

     390,782       184,607  
    


 


Net cash provided by financing activities

     (3,247,929 )     13,834,071  
    


 


Net increase in cash and cash equivalents

     8,824,894       2,901,006  

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period

     19,336,981       16,328,118  
    


 


Cash and cash equivalents, end of period

   $ 28,161,875     $ 19,229,124  
    


 


 

 

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Table of Contents

Integrity Financial Corporation and Subsidiaries

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

 

NOTE A - BASIS OF PRESENTATION

 

In management’s opinion, the financial information, which is unaudited, reflects all adjustments (consisting solely of normal recurring adjustments) necessary for a fair presentation of the financial information as of and for the three month periods ended March 31, 2005 and 2004, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Integrity Financial Corporation, and its wholly-owned subsidiaries: Catawba Valley Bank, First Gaston Bank, Integrity Securities, Inc., and Community Mortgage Corporation, collectively referred to as the “Company”. All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated. Operating results for the three-month period ended March 31, 2005 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2005.

 

The organization and business of the Company, accounting policies followed by the Company and other information are contained in the notes to the consolidated financial statements filed as part of the Company’s 2004 annual report on Form 10-K. This quarterly report should be read in conjunction with such annual report.

 

NOTE B - NET INCOME PER SHARE

 

Basic and diluted net income per common share is computed based on the weighted average number of shares outstanding during each period after retroactively adjusting for stock dividends. Diluted net income per common share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue common stock were exercised or converted into common stock or resulted in the issuance of common stock that then shared in the net income of the Company.

 

Basic and diluted net income per common share have been computed based upon net income as presented in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations divided by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding or assumed to be outstanding as summarized below:

 

    

Three Months Ended

March 31,


     2005

   2004

Weighted average number of common shares used in computing basic net income per share

   4,940,355    4,590,737

Effect of dilutive stock options

   135,233    156,262
    
  

Weighted average number of common shares and dilutive potential common shares used in computing diluted net income per share

   5,075,588    4,746,999
    
  

 

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Table of Contents

Integrity Financial Corporation and Subsidiaries

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

 

NOTE C - COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

 

For the three months ended March 31, 2005 and 2004, total comprehensive income, consisting solely of net income and unrealized securities gains and losses, net of taxes, was $1,028,669 and $1,448,613, respectively.

 

NOTE D - STOCK COMPENSATION PLANS

 

Statement of Financial Accounting Statements (“SFAS”) No. 123, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation, encourages all entities to adopt a fair value based method of accounting for employee stock compensation plans, whereby compensation cost is measured at the grant date based on the value of the award and is recognized over the service period, which is usually the vesting period. However, it also allows an entity to continue to measure compensation cost for those plans using the intrinsic value based method of accounting prescribed by Accounting Principles Board (“APB”) Opinion No. 25, Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees, whereby compensation cost is the excess, if any, of the quoted market price of the stock at the grant date (or other measurement date) over the amount an employee must pay to acquire the stock. Stock options issued under the Company’s stock option plans have no intrinsic value at the grant date and, under APB Opinion No. 25, no compensation cost is recognized for them. The Company has elected to continue with the accounting methodology in APB Opinion No. 25. Presented below are the pro forma disclosures of net income and earnings per share and other disclosures as if the fair value based method of accounting had been applied.

 

 

    

Three Months Ended

March 31,


 
     2005

    2004

 

Net income as reported

   $ 1,675,047     $ 1,118,451  

Deduct: Total stock-based employee compensation expense determined under fair value method for all awards, net of related tax effects

     (15,073 )     (6,400 )
    


 


Net income pro forma

   $ 1,659,974     $ 1,112,051  
    


 


Basic net income per common share

                

As reported

   $ .34     $ .24  

Pro forma

     .34       .24  

Diluted net income per common share

                

As reported

     .33       .24  

Pro forma

     .33       .23  

 

 

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Table of Contents

Integrity Financial Corporation and Subsidiaries

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

 

NOTE E - GUARANTEES

 

The Company has issued guarantees under standby letters of credit which require the Company to fund the guarantee in part or in its entirety in the event the customer fails to perform under an obligating agreement. These standby letters of credit typically have terms ranging from 10 to 156 months.

 

The maximum amount of the Company’s guarantees under these standby letters of credit are as follows (in thousands):

 

     March 31,
2005


   December 31,
2004


Undisbursed standby letters of credit

   $ 926    $ 950

 

NOTE F – ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN LOSSES

 

A summary of the activity in the allowance for loan losses for the quarters ending:

 

    

March 31,

2005


   

December 31,

2004


   

March 31,

2004


 

Balance, beginning of the quarter

   $ 10,416,195     $ 10,537,332     $ 6,170,666  

Provision for loan losses

     —         1,337,000       305,000  

Loans charged off

     (2,510,991 )     (1,496,104 )     (433,497 )

Recoveries of loans charged off

     240,051       37,967       56,089  
    


 


 


Balance, end of quarter

   $ 8,415,255     $ 10,416,195     $ 6,098,258  
    


 


 


 

NOTE G – RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

 

In December 2004, the FASB issued SFAS No. 123(R), Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation (SFAS No. 123(R)). SFAS No. 123(R) establishes standards for the accounting for transactions in which an entity exchanges its equity instruments for goods or services. This Statement focuses primarily on accounting for transactions in which an entity obtains employee services in share-based payment transactions. SFAS No. 123(R) requires that the fair value of such equity instruments be recognized as an expense in the historical financial statements as services are performed. Prior to SFAS No. 123(R), only certain pro forma disclosures of fair value were required. The provisions of this Statement are effective for the first interim reporting period that begins after June 15, 2005. Accordingly, we will adopt SFAS No. 123(R) commencing with the quarter ending September 30, 2005. If we had included the cost of employee stock option compensation in our consolidated financial statements, our net income for the quarters ended March 31, 2005 and 2004 would have decreased by approximately $15,073 and $6,400, respectively. Accordingly, the adoption of SFAS No. 123(R) is expected not to have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents

Item 2 - Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

 

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q may contain certain forward-looking statements consisting of estimates with respect to the financial condition, results of operations and business of the Company that are subject to various factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from these estimates. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic conditions, changes in interest rates, deposit flows, loan demand, real estate values, and competition; changes in accounting principles, policies, or guidelines; changes in legislation or regulation; and other economic, competitive, governmental, regulatory, and technological factors affecting the Company’s operations, pricing, products and services.

 

Comparison of Financial Condition at March 31, 2005 and December 31, 2004

 

During the three months ended March 31, 2005, total assets decreased $2.3 million or .4% from $664.3 million to $662.0 million. This decrease in the Company’s assets resulted primarily from the decrease in our net loans outstanding of $9.1 million or 1.9% during the period. The majority of this decrease was offset by an increase in our liquid assets, consisting of cash and cash equivalents and investment securities, of $6.3 million. This growth in the Company’s liquid assets was funded by a $3.5 million or .6% increase in customer deposits during the period.

 

Cash and cash equivalents increased $8.8 million or 45.6% during the period. This increase resulted primarily from an increase in interest earning bank deposits of $8.7 million or 100%.

 

Investment securities decreased $2.5 million during the period. The decrease was caused by pay downs and maturities of $3.2 million and a $1.1 million decrease in market value due to rising interest rates. The Company sold $1.5 million in securities realizing a net loss on the sale of these securities of $10,201 and in turn purchased $3.4 million in new securities during the quarter.

 

Net loans receivable decreased $9.1 million or 1.9% from $490.3 million to $481.2 million during the period. The Company had net charge offs of approximately $2.3 million in the first quarter and continues to increase the quality of the loan portfolio. The allowance for loan losses was $8.1 million at March 31, 2005, which represented 1.66% of the loan portfolio.

 

Customer deposits continued to be our principal funding source during the first quarter of 2005. At March 31, 2005, deposits from our customers totaled $541.7 million, an increase of $3.5 million or .6% from $538.2 at December 31, 2004. Savings and demand deposit accounts increased by $7.7 million while time deposits decreased by $4.2 million during the period. Management is continuing to make a conscious effort to attract lower cost core deposits and reduce the dependency on higher cost time deposits.

 

The liquidity provided by the increased level of our customer deposits also enabled the Company to reduce our short-term borrowings and long-term debt during the period by $7.1 million, to $54.2 million at March 31, 2005. Federal funds purchased, a form of short-term borrowings, decreased by $1.0 million while Federal Home Loan Bank advances decreased by $6.5 million for the period.

 

At March 31, 2005, total stockholders’ equity was $64.2 million, an increase of $1.4 million from December 31, 2004. Net income of $1.7 million was the primary factor for the increase. Also during the period, the Company collected $391,000 from the exercise of stock options, while unrealized gains on our investment securities, net of tax, decreased $646,000 to ($636,000).

 

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Table of Contents

Comparison of Results of Operations for the

Three Months Ended March 31, 2005 and 2004

 

Net Income. Net Income for the quarter ended March 31, 2005 was $1.7 million or $.34 per basic share, as compared with net income of $1.1 million or $.24 per basic share for the three months ended March 31, 2004, an increase of $557,000 or $.10 per basic share.

 

Net Interest Income. Like most financial institutions, the primary component of earnings for our banks, Catawba Valley Bank and First Gaston Bank, is net interest income. Net interest income is the difference between interest income, principally from loan and investment securities portfolios, and interest expense, principally on customer deposits and borrowings. Changes in net interest income result from changes in volume, spread and margin. For this purpose, volume refers to the average dollar level of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities, spread refers to the difference between the average yield on interest-earnings assets and the average cost of interest-bearing liabilities and margin refers to net interest income divided by average interest-earnings assets. Margin is influenced by the level and relative mix of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities, as well as by levels of noninterest-bearing liabilities and capital.

 

Net interest income for the quarter ended March 31, 2005 was $5.7 million as compared with $4.6 million during the quarter ended March 31, 2004, an increase of $1.1 million. This increase resulted from the increased levels of interest earning assets during the current period coupled with higher interest rates as the Banks’ Prime Rate rose. With approximately 60 percent of its loan portfolio being adjustable, the yield on interest earning assets increased 86 basis points, from 5.20% at March 31, 2004, to 6.06% at March 31, 2005. The Company has been able to attract lower paying deposits resulting in the yield on interest earning liabilities increasing 24 basis points, from 2.27% at March 31, 2004 to 2.51% for the same period in 2005. The Company’s net interest margin increased from 3.14% for the quarter ended March 31, 2004 to 3.77% for the quarter ended March 31, 2005.

 

Provision for Loan Losses. Our allowance for loan losses is established through charges to earnings in the form of a provision for loan losses. We increase our allowance for loan losses by provisions charged to operations and by recoveries of amounts previously charged off, and we reduce our allowance by loans charged off. We evaluate the adequacy of the allowance at least quarterly. In evaluating the adequacy of the allowance, we consider the growth, composition and industry diversification of the portfolio, historical loan loss experience, current delinquency levels, adverse situations that may affect a borrower’s ability to repay, estimated value of any underlying collateral, prevailing economic conditions and other relevant factors derived from our history of operations.

 

We follow a loan review program designed to evaluate the credit risk in our loan portfolio. Through this loan review process, we maintain an internally classified watch list that helps management assess the overall quality of the loan portfolio and the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses. In establishing the appropriate classification for specific assets, management considers, among other factors, the estimated value of the underlying collateral, the borrower’s ability to repay, the borrower’s payment history and the current delinquent status. As a result of this process, certain loans are categorized as substandard, doubtful or loss and reserves are allocated based on management’s judgment and historical experience. Testing by our internal auditors and by other independent third parties contracted with to perform reviews of our loans helps to validate this process. In addition, regulatory agencies, as an integral part of their examination process, periodically review our allowance for loan losses and may require us to make adjustments based upon information available to them at the time of their examination.

 

No provision for loan losses was made during the first quarter in 2005 compared to $305,000 for the quarter ended March 31, 2004. Net loan charge-offs increased to $2.3 million or .46%

 

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Table of Contents

of average loans outstanding for the quarter ended March 31, 2005, compared to $377,000 or .08% of average loans outstanding for the same period in 2004. These loans had been identified during the Company’s fourth quarter loan review and were fully reserved for. During the quarter ended March 31, 2005, our total non-performing loans decreased from $4.2 million at December 31, 2004 to $4.0 million.

 

Our allowance for loan losses decreased from $10.4 million at December 31, 2004 to $8.1 million at March 31, 2005, a decrease of $2.3 million. The allowance expressed as a percentage of total loans decreased from 2.08% at December 31, 2004 to 1.66% at March 31, 2005. This decrease in the level of the allowance relative to total loans resulted primarily from charge offs of loans previously reserved. Management expects the allowance as a percentage of total loans to continue to decrease to a comparable peer level, as the Company enhances our collection efforts and improves the quality of its loan portfolio.

 

The following is a summary of the principal balances of loans on nonaccrual status and loans past due ninety days or more and our asset quality ratios:

 

    

March 31,

2005


   December 31,
2004


Loans contractually past due 90 days or more and/or on nonaccrual status:

             

Nonaccrual loans

   $ 3,794,182    $ 3,278,867

Past due loans 90 days or more and still accruing

     178,208      954,375
    

  

     $ 3,972,390    $ 4,233,242
    

  

 

     March 31,
2005


    December 31,
2004


    March 31,
2004


 

Nonperforming loans to period-end loans

   0.81 %   0.85 %   0.78 %

Allowance for loan losses to period-end loans

   1.66 %   2.08 %   1.29 %

Nonperforming assets to total assets

   1.23 %   1.29 %   1.09 %

 

Non-interest income. Non-interest income was $1.0 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2005, a decrease of $593,000 from March 31, 2004. Service charges on deposit accounts decreased from $595,000 during the 2004 period to $589,000, a decrease of $6,000, while income from our mortgage operations decreased $153,000 or 56%, from $275,000 during the 2004 period to $121,000 for the first quarter of 2005. This decrease in the income from our mortgage operations resulted from the decline in the level of refinancing due to an increase in interest rates between the two periods. The Company also sold several investment securities during the quarter ended March 31, 2005. Realized losses from the sale of investment securities was $10,000 for the period ending March 31, 2005 compared to a gain of $135,000 for the period ending March 31, 2004. Income from factoring operations decreased 20% from $136,000 for the quarter ended March 31, 2004 to $109,000 for the comparable period in 2005. Other non-interest income decreased from $277,000 to $119,000 for the quarters ended March 31, 2004 and 2005, respectively due to the reclassification of loan fee income to interest income.

 

Non-interest expense. Non-interest expense decreased 3.2% or $140,000 from $4.3 million for the period ended March 31, 2004 to $4.2 million for the comparable period in 2005. The Company had some attrition in upper management in the third and fourth quarters of 2004 resulting in compensation and employee benefits, one of the major components of non-interest expense to decrease $158,000 or 6.7% from $2.4 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2004 to $2.2 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2005. This decrease was offset by an increase

 

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in professional fees. The $169,000 increase in professional fees was due to additional fees paid to the accounting firm for work performed to review our compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and an increase in attorney fees.

 

Provision for Income taxes. The Company’s effective tax rate (income taxes as a percentage of income before income taxes) was 34.3% for the period ended March 31, 2005 as compared to 31.1% for the period ended March 31, 2004. This increase in the effective tax rate resulted because of the significant increase in income before income taxes, which consisted principally of income subject to full taxation, caused nontaxable income to represent a smaller component of income before income taxes.

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

Maintaining adequate liquidity while managing interest rate risk is the primary goal of the Company’s asset and liability management strategy. Liquidity is the ability to fund the needs of the Company’s borrowers and depositors, pay operating expenses, and meet regulatory liquidity requirements. Maturing investments, loan and mortgage-backed securities principal repayments, deposit growth and borrowings are presently the main sources of the Company’s liquidity. The Company’s primary uses of liquidity are to fund loans and to make investments.

 

As of March 31, 2005, liquid assets, consisting of cash and cash equivalents and investment securities available for sale were approximately $116.6 million, which represents 17.6% of total assets and 19.6% of total deposits and borrowings. Supplementing this liquidity, the Company, through its bank subsidiaries, had $80.6 million of credit available from the Federal Home Loan Bank and available lines of credit from correspondent banks totaling $25.5 million. At March 31, 2005, undisbursed line of credit balances totaled $111.6 million. Management believes that the combined aggregate liquidity position of the Company is sufficient to meet the funding requirements of loan demand and deposit maturities and withdrawals in the near term.

 

Certificates of deposit represented 54.8% of the Company’s total deposits at March 31, 2005. The Company’s growth strategy will include efforts focused on increasing the relative volume of transaction deposit accounts. Certificates of deposit of $100,000 or more represented 25.9% of the Company’s total deposits at March 31, 2005. These deposits are generally considered rate sensitive, but management believes many of them are relationship-oriented. While the Company will need to pay competitive rates to retain these deposits at maturity, there are other subjective factors that will determine the Company’s continued retention of those deposits.

 

Banks and bank holding companies, as regulated institutions, must meet required levels of capital. The FDIC, the primary regulator of Catawba Valley Bank and First Gaston Bank, and the Federal Reserve Board, the primary regulator of Company, have adopted minimum capital regulations or guidelines that categorize components and the level of risk associated with various types of assets. Financial institutions are expected to maintain a level of capital commensurate with the risk profile assigned to its assets in accordance with these guidelines.

 

At March 31, 2005, the most recent notification from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation categorized both Catawba Valley Bank and First Gaston Bank as well-capitalized under the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action. Since this notification, management has determined that Catawba Valley Bank is adequately capitalized, but is no longer well capitalized. There are no conditions or events since the most recent notification that management believes have changed First Gaston Bank’s capital category.

 

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk.

 

The Company’s primary market risk is interest rate risk. Interest rate risk is the result of differing maturities or repricing intervals of interest earning assets and interest bearing liabilities

 

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and the fact that rates on these financial instruments do not change uniformly. These conditions may impact the earnings generated by the Company’s interest earning assets or the cost of its interest bearing liabilities, thus directly impacting the Company’s overall earnings. The Company’s management actively monitors and manages interest rate risk. One way this is accomplished is through the development of and adherence to the Company’s asset/liability policy. This policy sets forth management’s strategy for matching the risk characteristics of the Company’s interest earning assets and liabilities so as to mitigate the effect of changes in the rate environment. The Company’s market risk profile has not changed significantly since December 31, 2004.

 

Item 4. Controls and Procedures

 

As of the end of the period covered by this Report, the Company’s management carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures pursuant to Rule 13a-15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”). Based upon that evaluation, the Company’s management, including its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures are not effective in timely alerting them to material information relating to the Company (including its consolidated subsidiaries) required to be included in the Company’s Exchange Act filings.

 

The Company identified a material weakness in internal control over financial reporting relating to the Company’s process of establishing the allowance for loan losses and the related provision that existed during 2004. As of the end of the period covered by this report, the Company has not fully remediated the material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting relating to the allowance for loans losses, however, the Company has taken the following remedial actions;

 

    Strengthened the Loan Committee of the Board of Directors and the Officer Loan Committee;

 

    Begun a process of expanded loan administration and credit review functions in order to match the level of review to the size and complexity of the Company’s lending function;

 

    Completed internal audits of loan and credit administration during the first four months of 2005;

 

    Begun the process of hiring one or more Commercial Risk Officers with credit administration oversight responsibility at the holding company level in order to support the Company’s subsidiary banks and the Company’s centralized credit administration function.

 

Other than the changes identified above, there have been no changes to the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred since the beginning of the Company’s first quarter of 2005 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

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Part II. OTHER INFORMATION

 

Item 1. Legal Proceedings

 

None

 

Item 2. Changes in Securities and Use of Proceeds

 

None

 

Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities

 

None

 

Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

 

None

 

Item 5. Other Information

 

None

 

Item 6. Exhibits

 

Exhibits.

   
31.1   Certification of Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to Section 302 of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
31.2   Certification of Principal Financial Officer Pursuant to Section 302 of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
32   Certification Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

 

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SIGNATURES

 

In accordance with the requirements of the Exchange Act, the registrant caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

    INTEGRITY FINANCIAL CORPORATION
Date: May 10, 2005   By:  

/s/ W. Alex Hall, Jr.


        W. Alex Hall, Jr.
        President and Chief Executive Officer
Date: May 10, 2005   By:  

/s/ Susan B. Mikels


        Susan B. Mikels
        Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer)

 

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