PARK NATIONAL CORP quarterly report, Q2 FY2010

Park National Corporation — Q2 2010 Form 10-Q

Reporting period: Three and six months ended June 30, 2010; balance-sheet comparisons are to December 31, 2009. Figures below are unaudited. Dollar amounts are in millions unless otherwise stated.

Business context and key financial metrics

Park is an Ohio-based bank holding company operating The Park National Bank and Vision Bank, which serves Gulf Coast markets in Alabama and Florida.

MetricQ2 2010Q2 2009First half 2010First half 2009
Net interest income$68.7$68.0$136.1$136.2
Provision for loan losses$13.3$15.9$29.8$28.1
Net income$21.2$21.3$41.9$42.7
Net income available to common shareholders$19.7$19.9$39.0$39.8
Diluted EPS$1.30$1.42$2.60$2.85
Net interest margin, tax-equivalent4.29%4.21%4.25%4.24%
  • Revenue and operating trends: Q2 net interest income rose 1.1%, while first-half net interest income was essentially flat. First-half other income, excluding securities gains, fell 14.4% to $33.4 million, mainly reflecting lower mortgage loan fees and deposit service charges. Securities-sale gains were $11.8 million in the first half, versus $7.3 million a year earlier.
  • Expenses and credit costs: First-half noninterest expense declined 1.2% to $94.9 million. Lower salaries and FDIC insurance costs were partly offset by higher professional fees, largely related to Vision Bank’s troubled loans and foreclosed real estate.
  • Cash flow: First-half operating cash flow was $49.0 million, compared with $65.2 million in 2009. Cash and cash equivalents increased $42.5 million to $201.5 million; reported investing cash flow was $67.3 million, largely reflecting securities activity. Financing activities used $73.8 million.
  • Balance sheet and funding: Total assets were $7.09 billion, up 0.8% from year-end 2009. Loans were $4.66 billion, up $15.6 million; deposits were $5.17 billion, down $19.2 million. Cash and cash equivalents were $201.5 million. Short-term borrowings were $280.8 million, long-term debt $652.7 million, and subordinated debentures and notes $75.3 million. Stockholders’ equity was $749.9 million, or 10.6% of assets.
  • Capital and dividends: Park’s leverage, Tier 1 risk-based, and total risk-based capital ratios were 9.56%, 13.28%, and 15.75%, respectively; both bank subsidiaries met the stated “well capitalized” guidelines. Common dividends declared were $0.94 per share in Q2 and $1.88 for the first half.

Material changes versus prior periods

  • Net income declined 0.7% in Q2 and 1.8% in the first half. Diluted EPS fell 8.5% and 8.8%, respectively, in part because weighted-average common shares increased 8.0% in Q2 and 7.2% in the first half following share and warrant issuances.
  • Credit quality deteriorated: nonperforming loans rose to $255.1 million, or 5.48% of loans, from $248.5 million at year-end 2009 and $211.0 million a year earlier. Nonperforming assets were $301.6 million, or 4.25% of assets. The allowance was $120.7 million, equal to 2.59% of loans, versus 2.27% a year earlier.
  • Vision Bank remained the principal earnings and credit concern. It reported a first-half net loss of $14.2 million, compared with a $10.6 million loss in 2009; its nonperforming loans were $162.3 million, or 24.16% of its loans. Park’s Ohio-based operations reported first-half net income of $56.2 million, up 5.4%.
  • Other real estate owned increased to $46.5 million from $41.2 million at year-end. The filing reports $3.1 million of OREO devaluation adjustments in the first half.
  • Park raised $21.3 million net from warrant exercises during Q2. After quarter-end, further exercises produced approximately $6.3 million net proceeds.

Guidance, outlook, risks and unusual items

  • Management maintained 2010 guidance for net interest income of $265–$275 million, other income of approximately $68 million, and other expense of approximately $191 million. It expects second-half results for net interest income, other income, and expense to be similar to the first half; loan growth is expected to remain slow.
  • Management increased its 2010 loan-loss provision estimate to $55–$60 million, from earlier guidance of $45–$55 million. First-half provision of $29.8 million already exceeded the midpoint-year amount implied by the earlier range. Vision Bank’s provision estimate increased to $38–$40 million for 2010.
  • Management expects a federal effective tax rate of approximately 28%–29%. It does not expect additional securities sales in the second half. The filing states that the impact of Regulation E on overdraft-related income was not yet estimable.
  • Key risks include further deterioration in real estate values, borrower repayment capacity, and credit conditions in Ohio and the Gulf Coast; the Gulf of Mexico oil spill’s potential effect on borrowers; interest-rate and securities valuation changes; and regulatory changes, including implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act. Management expects OREO to continue increasing as it works through nonperforming loans.
  • Park contributed $36 million of capital to Vision Bank in the first half and agreed to maintain Vision Bank’s leverage ratio at 12% and total risk-based capital ratio at 16%. A $14.5 million loan that was past due at quarter-end was renewed after quarter-end; management expected this to reduce past-due loans in Q3.
  • Other notable items: an $86 million securities-purchase payable at June 30 settled in early July; the filing reports no material pending legal proceedings beyond routine matters. Park’s $100 million Treasury preferred stock carries a 5% dividend through February 2014, then resets to 9%, and restricts certain common dividends and repurchases.

Important facts for investors to verify

  • Whether Vision Bank’s credit quality, losses, and OREO stabilize, and whether its capital targets remain achievable without further parent-company support.
  • Whether the $55–$60 million full-year provision outlook remains sufficient given nonperforming assets, charge-offs, and economic conditions.
  • Whether management achieves its 2010 operating guidance, particularly as mortgage-related fees are lower and Regulation E may affect fee income.
  • How securities portfolio valuation, callable-note behavior, and interest-rate changes affect future margins and earnings.
  • The effects of the Gulf oil spill, Dodd-Frank implementation, and the Treasury preferred-stock dividend reset and restrictions on future capital allocation.