United Community Bancorp Reports Second Quarter Results

LAWRENCEBURG, Ind., Feb. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- United Community Bancorp (the "Company") (Nasdaq: UCBA), the holding company for United Community Bank (the "Bank"), today reported net income of $531,000, or $0.07 per diluted share, for the quarter ended December 31, 2011, compared to net income of $579,000, or $0.08 per diluted share, for the quarter ended December 31, 2010.  Net income for the six months ended December 31, 2011 was $1.0 million, or $0.13 per diluted share, compared to $850,000, or $0.11 per diluted share, for the six months ended December 31, 2010.    

For the three months ended December 31, 2011:

Net interest income remained flat at $3.6 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2011 as compared to the quarter ended December 31, 2010.   A decrease of $333,000 in interest income was offset by a $376,000 decrease in interest expense.  The decrease in interest income was primarily the result of a $17.6 million decrease in average outstanding loans combined with a decrease in the average rate earned on loans from 5.74% to 5.60%.  The decrease in interest expense was primarily the result of a $27.2 million decrease in average deposits combined with a decrease in the average interest rate paid on deposits from 1.28% to 1.01%.  Changes in interest rates are reflective of decreases in overall market rates.  

The provision for loan losses was $977,000 for the quarter ended December 31, 2011, compared to $737,000 for the same quarter in the prior year. Management evaluates the Bank's allowance for loan loss for adequacy on at least a quarterly basis.  As part of this evaluation, management considers the amounts and types of loans, concentrations, the value of underlying collateral, current economic conditions, historical charge-offs, and other relevant information, such as the size of the overall portfolio and the financial condition of the borrowers.  Nonperforming loans increased $0.3 million, from $15.2 million at September 30, 2011 to $15.5 million at December 31, 2011, compared to an increase in nonperforming loans from $18.7 million at September 30, 2010 to $23.5 million at December 31, 2010.  

Other income increased $232,000, or 23.8%, from $973,000 in the prior year quarter to $1.2 million in the current year quarter.  The increase was primarily due to a $327,000 increase in gain on sale of investments offset by a $85,000 decrease in gain on the sale of loans. The increase in gain on sale of investments was the result of the sale of 19 securities totaling $26.0 million in the current year quarter, with no sales in the prior year quarter.  The Company has implemented a strategy where it will sell a portion of its securities to recognize gains and reinvest the proceeds in securities with similar interest rates and terms without significantly affecting the interest rate risk to the Company. The decrease in the gain on sale of loans was the result of fewer loan sales to Freddie Mac in the current year quarter when compared to the same quarter in the prior year. The decrease in loan sales was the result of interest rates remaining relatively unchanged over the last year, leading to a decrease in refinances.

Other expense decreased $63,000, or 2.0%, to $3.1 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2011, from $3.2 million in the prior year quarter.  The decrease was primarily the result of a $103,000 decrease in deposit insurance premiums as a result of the aforementioned decrease in average deposits in the current year quarter from the prior year quarter.  

For the six months ended December 31, 2011:

Net interest income increased $183,000, or 2.62%, to $7.2 million for the six months ended December 31, 2011 as compared to $7.0 million for the six months ended December 31, 2010.  A decrease of $859,000 in interest expense was partially offset by a $676,000 decrease in interest income.  The decrease in interest expense was primarily the result of a $23.0 million decrease in average deposits combined with a decrease in the average interest rate paid on deposits from 1.39% to 1.06%.  The decrease in interest income was primarily the result of a $20.0 million decrease in average outstanding loans combined with a decrease in the average rate earned on loans from 5.69% to 5.53%.  Changes in interest rates are reflective of decreases in overall market rates.  

The provision for loan losses was $1.9 million for the six months ended December 31, 2011, compared to $1.5 million for the same period in the prior year. Nonperforming loans decreased $5.1 million, from $20.6 million at June 30, 2011 to $15.5 million at December 31, 2011, compared to an increase in nonperforming loans from $10.6 million at June 30, 2010 to $23.5 million at December 31, 2010.  The decrease in nonperforming loans in the current year period was primarily the result of troubled debt restructurings that were placed on accrual (performing) status after performing in accordance with their restructured terms for at least six consecutive months, partially offset by additional nonperforming loans in the current year period.

Other income increased $363,000, or 18.4%, from $2.0 million in the prior year period to $2.3 million in the current year period.  The increase was primarily due to a $519,000 increase in gain on sale of investments offset by a $229,000 decrease in gain on the sale of loans. The increase in gain on sale of investments was the result of the sale of 30 securities totaling $51.6 million in the current year period, compared to the sale of only two securities totaling $4.0 million in the prior year period.  The decrease in the gain on sale of loans was the result of fewer loan sales to Freddie Mac in the current year period when compared to the same period in the prior year.

Other expense decreased $165,000, or 2.6%, to $6.3 million for the six months ended December 31, 2011, from $6.5 million in the prior year period.  The decrease was primarily the result of a $194,000 decrease in deposit insurance premiums as a result of the aforementioned decrease in average deposits.  

Total assets were $466.8 million at December 31, 2011, compared to $472.7 million at June 30, 2011.  Total assets decreased $5.9 million, or 1.2%, as a result of a $14.5 decrease in cash partially offset by increases in investment securities of $2.5 million, Federal Home Loan Bank ("FHLB") stock of $4.1 million and bank owned life insurance ("BOLI") of $2.3 million.  The increase in investment securities was primarily due to purchases of mortgage-backed securities offset by sales of other available for sale securities. The increase in FHLB stock was attributable to the Bank's desire to increase its borrowing capacity.  BOLI was increased to offset and recover existing benefit expenses.  The decrease in cash is the result of funding the increases in these other assets in addition to a $5.6 million decrease in deposits.  

Total liabilities were $412.0 million at December 31, 2011, compared to $418.4 million at June 30, 2011.  The decrease was primarily the result of a $9.4 million decrease in municipal deposits partially offset by a $3.8 million increase in deposits other than municipal deposits.   The decrease in municipal deposits was due to the normal cyclical cash flow needs of the municipalities.

Total stockholders' equity was $54.8 million at December 31, 2011, compared to $54.3 million at June 30, 2011.  The increase was primarily the result of net income of $1.0 million, partially offset by dividends paid of $665,000.  At December 31, 2011, the Bank was considered "well-capitalized" under applicable regulatory requirements.

United Community Bancorp is the holding company of United Community Bank, headquartered in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.  The Bank currently operates nine offices in Dearborn and Ripley Counties, Indiana.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements, which can be identified by the use of words such as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates" or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements and all other statements that are not historic facts are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic conditions, changes in the interest rate environment, legislative or regulatory changes that may adversely affect our business, changes in accounting policies and practices, changes in competition and demand for financial services, adverse changes in the securities markets, changes in deposit flows and changes in the quality or composition of the Company's loan or investment portfolios. Additionally, other risks and uncertainties may be described in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K, or its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, which are available through the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Should one or more of these risks materialize, actual results may vary from those anticipated, estimated or projected. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Except as may be required by applicable law or regulation, the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

SOURCE United Community Bancorp