Westbury Bancorp Announces Results for the Quarter and Year Ended September 30, 2014

WEST BEND, Wis., Nov. 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Westbury Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBB), the holding company (the "Company") for Westbury Bank (the "Bank"), today announced net income of $227,000 for the fourth quarter ended September 30, 2014, compared to net income of $69,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2014, and net income of $217,000 for the fourth quarter ended September 30, 2013.  The net loss for the year ended September 30, 2014 was $1.4 million compared to net income of $938,000 for the year ended September 30, 2013.

Ray Lipman, Chairman, President and CEO said, "Our performance for the most recent quarter and year reflect our ongoing efforts to grow commercial and residential loans and related deposits.  We have also continued to reduce non-performing assets and operating expenses, and increase service fee income.  We believe that our efforts will yield continuing improvement in earnings in the future as we maintain our focus on growth in loans and non-interest income, while holding the line on operating expenses."

Highlights for the quarter include:

• During the three months ended September 30, 2014, our net loan portfolio grew by $36.1 million, or 37.9% annualized growth, compared to $24.1 million, or 26.7% annualized growth for the three months ended June 30, 2014. The portfolio growth consisted primarily of commercial business and commercial real estate loans.  This growth resulted in an increase in interest income of $320,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2014 compared to the three months ended June 30, 2014 and $230,000 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2013.
• Our net interest margin was 3.55% for the three months ended September 30, 2014 compared to 3.41% for the three months ended June 30, 2014.  The yield on interest-earning assets increased by 15 basis points, primarily due to the loan growth experienced during the quarter, while the cost of funds increased by 1 basis point.
• We continue to add local, experienced, well-known bankers to our team of experienced commercial lenders which has resulted in new loan and deposit business for the Bank.
• Our non-performing assets have been reduced to $3.8 million, or 0.67% of total assets, at September 30, 2014, compared to $5.0 million, or 0.90% of assets, at June 30, 2014 and $5.5 million, or 1.01% of assets, at March 31, 2014. 
• Our classified assets have been reduced to $6.5 million, or 1.14% of total assets, at September 30, 2014, compared to $10.3 million, or 1.86% of total assets, at June 30, 2014 and $10.7 million, or 1.96% of total assets, at March 31, 2014.
• Annualized net charge-offs remained low at 0.17% for the three months ended September 30, 2014, compared to net recoveries of 0.16% for the three months ended June 30, 2014, and net charge-offs of 0.05% for the three months ended March 31, 2014, 0.79% for the three months ended December 31, 2013 and 0.44% for the three months ended September 30, 2013.
• Recurring operating expenses increased slightly to $5.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2014 from $5.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2014.  This was the result of a $201,000 increase in salaries and employee benefits expense related to the implementation of our equity incentive plan at the end of June.  Without this new expense, recurring operating expense decreased by $42,000 quarter over quarter.  Compared to the three months ended March 31, 2014, recurring operating expenses decreased by $329,000 in the fourth quarter as we began to experience cost savings related to the branches we closed earlier this year and a reduction in FDIC insurance premiums.
• In August 2014, the Company completed a program to repurchase 250,000 shares of its stock and announced a program to repurchase up to an additional 250,000 shares of its stock.  Through September 30, 2014, we purchased 21,296 shares under the second program at an average price of $15.13 per share.  In total, under the two repurchase programs, we have repurchased 271,296 shares at an average price of $15.12 per share through September 30, 2014.  We believe our common stock is an attractive value at current trading prices and that the deployment of a portion of the Company's capital into this investment is warranted.

Highlights for the year include:

• During the year ended September 30, 2014, our net loan portfolio grew by $74.1 million, or 21.6%, consisting primarily of multifamily and commercial real estate loans.
• Our net interest margin was 3.47% for the year ended September 30, 2014 compared to 3.71% for the year ended September 30, 2013.  While the net interest margin for the year was lower than 2013, our progress in growing the loan portfolio, which primarily occurred during the second half of the year, has our net interest margin trending higher than the average for the year reflects.
• Our non-performing assets have been reduced to $3.8 million, or 0.67% of total assets, at September 30, 2014, compared to $10.4 million, or 1.92% of assets, at September 30, 2013.  Classified assets have decreased to $6.5 million, or 1.14% of assets, at September 30, 2014, compared to $11.6 million, or 2.13% of assets, at September 30, 2013.  Net charge-offs were 0.20% for the year ended September 30, 2014, compared to 1.05% for the year ended September 30, 2013.  These improvements allowed us to reduce our loan loss provisions to $550,000 for the year ended September 30, 2014 compared to $1.4 million for the year ended September 30, 2013.
• Deposits increased $14.0 million, or 3.16%, for the year to $454.9 million at September 30, 2014 from $441.0 million at September 30, 2013.  The growth in deposits was evenly split between transactions accounts, which grew $7.3 million, and certificates of deposit, which grew $6.7 million.  Transaction accounts as a percentage decreased slightly to 78.8% at September 30, 2014 from 79.7% at September 30, 2013. Our cost of funds improved to 0.36% for the year ended September 30, 2014 from 0.46% for the year ended September 30, 2013.
• The net loss for the year ended September 30, 2014 was attributable to valuation adjustments on, and costs related to the closing of, three branch offices which we decided to close during the quarter ended March 31, 2014 and to the subsequent sale of related real estate held for sale.  The financial impact of these closings was a loss, net of income taxes, of $1.8 million.  We believe that the closing and consolidation of these branches will result in reduced operating expenses in the future.

About Westbury Bancorp, Inc.

Westbury Bancorp, Inc. became the holding company for Westbury Bank as a result of the completion on April 9, 2013 of the conversion of WBSB Bancorp, MHC, the former mutual holding company of the Bank.  The Company's common shares are traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol "WBB".

Westbury Bank is an independent community bank with over $555 million in assets.  It is the largest bank, and only publicly traded bank, headquartered in Washington County.  Westbury Bank serves communities in Washington and Waukesha Counties through its nine full service offices providing deposit and loan services to individuals, professionals and businesses throughout its markets.

Forward-Looking Information

Information contained in this press release, other than historical information, may be considered forward-looking in nature as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is subject to various risk, uncertainties, and assumptions. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should the underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those anticipated, estimated or expected. Among the key factors that may have a direct bearing on the Company's operating results, performance or financial condition are competition and the demand for the Company's products and services, and other factors as set forth in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement to conform the statement to actual results or changes in the Company's expectations. Certain tabular presentations may not reconcile because of rounding.

WEBSITE:  www.westburybankwi.com

SOURCE Westbury Bancorp, Inc.

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