Farmers Capital Bank Corporation Announces First Quarter Earnings

FRANKFORT, Ky., April 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Farmers Capital Bank Corporation (NASDAQ:FFKT) (the "Company") reported net income per share of $.59 for the three months ended March 31, 2008, an increase of $.01 or 1.7% compared to $.58 for the same three-month period a year earlier. Net income was $4.4 million for the current three months, a decrease of $234 thousand or 5.1% compared to $4.6 million reported for the three months ended March 31, 2007. Although net income decreased in the three-month comparison, per share net income increased as a result of the fewer number of shares currently outstanding. The Company purchased 559 thousand shares through a modified Dutch Auction tender offer in the third quarter of 2007.

The change in net income for the current three months was influenced primarily by three factors -- a positive impact from net interest income and noninterest income offset by a negative impact from the provision for loan losses. Net interest income for the current period was $14.8 million, an increase of $660 thousand or 4.7% compared to $14.1 million for the same period a year earlier. The increase in net interest income was the result of the $200 million balance sheet leverage transaction entered into during the fourth quarter of 2007 which netted $910 thousand in the first three months of 2008. Total interest income increased $2.6 million or 9.6% while total interest expense increased $2.0 million or 14.8%.

The provision for loan losses totaled $1.1 million for the first quarter of 2008, an increase of $1.6 million compared to the same period last year due to a negative provision recognized in the first quarter of 2007. Net charge-offs remain relatively low even though nonperforming loans are increasing. Net charge-offs were $763 thousand, or .06% of total loans, compared to $219 thousand or .02% a year ago. Nonperforming loans have increased $8.9 million from year-end 2007 and total $29.9 million at March 31, 2008. The increase in nonperforming loans was driven by continuing weaknesses and credit deterioration in real estate development lending. The allowance for loan losses as a percent of net loans was 1.13%, up from 1.10% at year-end 2007.

Noninterest income was $6.4 million during the current three-month period, an increase of $720 thousand or 12.7% compared to $5.7 million a year earlier. The increase in noninterest income was driven by higher allotment processing fees and investment securities gains. The $208 thousand increase in allotment processing fees was impacted mainly by the acquisition of the Military Allotment operation of PNC Bank, National Association during the first quarter of 2007. Securities gains were $366 thousand for the current quarter with none a year ago. Included in securities gains for the current quarter is $207 thousand attributed to the mandatory redemption of part of the VISA, Inc. Class B common stock received in connection with the Visa IPO during the first quarter of 2008.

Total noninterest expenses were $14.4 million, up less than 1% compared to the same period a year ago. The effective income tax rate was 22.7% for the current three months compared to 22.1% a year earlier.

Farmers Capital Bank Corporation is a financial holding company headquartered in Frankfort, Kentucky. The Company operates 36 banking locations in 23 communities throughout Central and Northern Kentucky, a leasing company, a data processing company, and an insurance company. Its stock is publicly traded on the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC exchange in the Global Select Market tier under the symbol: FFKT.

Consolidated Financial Highlights(1)
(In thousands except per share data)
Three Months Ended
March 31,
2008 2007

Interest income $30,035 $ 27,402
Interest expense 15,280 13,307
Net interest income 14,755 14,095
Provision for loan losses 1,102 (496)
Net interest income after provision
for loan losses 13,653 14,591
Noninterest income 6,387 5,667
Noninterest expenses 14,380 14,338
Income before income tax expense 5,660 5,920
Income tax expense 1,284 1,310
Net income $4,376 $4,610

Per common share:
Basic and diluted net income $.59 $.58
Cash dividend declared .33 .33

Weighted average shares outstanding -- basic 7,374 7,893
Weighted average shares outstanding -- diluted 7,374 7,908

March 31, March 31,
2008 2007

Cash and cash equivalents $159,882 $204,236
Investment securities 559,629 339,050
Loans, net of allowance of $14,555 (2008)
and $11,284 (2007) 1,275,821 1,211,259
Other assets 163,045 160,209
Total assets $2,158,377 $1,914,754

Deposits $1,541,112 $1,470,755
Federal funds purchased
and other short-term borrowings 86,016 153,322
Other borrowings 325,117 87,794
Other liabilities 31,984 22,336
Total liabilities 1,984,229 1,734,207

Shareholders' equity 174,148 180,547
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $2,158,377 $1,914,754

Consolidated Financial Highlights-continued

March 31, March 31,
2008 2007

End of period book value per share (1) $23.69 $22.90
End of period share value 23.99 29.38
End of period dividend yield(2) 5.50% 4.49%

Averages for the three months ended March 31, 2008 2007
Assets $2,136,653 $1,844,351
Deposits 1,520,542 1,452,354
Loans, net of unearned interest 1,295,913 1,199,064
Shareholders' equity 171,234 178,116

Return on average assets .82% 1.01%
Return on average equity 10.28% 10.50%

(1) Represents total equity divided by the number of shares outstanding at
the end of the period.
(2) Represents current annualized dividend declared divided by the end of
period share value.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Farmers Capital Bank Corporation

CONTACT: Doug Carpenter of Farmers Capital Bank Corporation,
+1-502-227-1668

Web site: http://www.farmerscapital.com/

2008-04-22 18:34:48 0342621 PRNEWSWIRE