WOOSTER, Ohio, July 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wayne Savings Bancshares, Inc. (OTCQX: WAYN), (the “Company”), the holding company parent of Wayne Savings Community Bank, reported net income (unaudited) of $1,572,000 or $0.59 per common share for the quarter ended June 30, 2019, an increase of $368,000 or 31%, compared to $1,204,000 or $0.45 per common share for the quarter ended June 30, 2018. The increase in net income was due to an increase in net interest income and a decrease in non-interest expense partially offset with an increase in provision for federal income taxes.  The return on average equity and return on average assets for the second quarter of 2019 was 13.31% and 1.30%, respectively, compared to 11.40% and 1.05%, respectively, for the same period in 2018.

President and CEO James R. VanSickle commented, “We are delighted to report yet another quarter of record earnings for our shareholders.  Wayne Savings has been able to maintain the growth in commercial loans and improve operational efficiencies during the first half of 2019.  Our team of experienced bankers is committed to promoting meaningful growth in our communities.” 

Second Quarter 2019 Business Highlights

• Net interest income was $4.1 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2019, an increase of $187,000, or 4.8%, compared to the quarter ended June 30, 2018.  The net interest margin decreased from 3.60% for the quarter ended June 30, 2018, to 3.56% for the comparable period of 2019.   The net interest margin decrease was the result of an increase of 28 basis points in the average cost of interest-bearing liabilities partially offset with an increase of 24 basis points in the average yield on interest-earning assets.
   
• Provision for loan losses was $136,000 in the second quarter of 2019 compared to $218,000 for the period ending June 30, 2018.  This decrease in provision for loan losses expense was mainly due to additional specific reserves required during the June 30, 2018 quarter on loans evaluated for impairment.
  
  
• Noninterest expense totaled $2.7 million for the three-month period ended June 30, 2019, a decrease of $154,000, or 5.4%, compared to the three months ended June 30, 2018, primarily due to reduced advertising and marketing expense, lower stockholder expense and reduced depreciation expense.  The Company’s efficiency ratio improved from June 2018 of 63.2% to 56.7% as of June 30, 2019. 
  
  
• On June 28, 2019, the Company announced another dividend increase to $0.19 per share, payable July 31, 2019, to stockholders of record as of July 17, 2019.  This represents a 73% increase over the June 2018 dividend of $0.11 per share. 

The Company reported net income (unaudited) of $3.1 million or $1.17 per common share for the six months ended June 30, 2019, an increase of $970,000 or 44.7%, compared to $2.2 million or $0.81 per common share for the same period ended June 30, 2018. The increase in net income was due to an increase in net interest income, reduced provision for loan losses, an increase in non-interest income, a decrease in noninterest expenses partially offset with an increase in federal income tax expense.  The return on average equity and return on average assets for the six months ended June 30, 2019, was 13.53% and 1.31%, respectively, compared to 10.32% and 0.96%, respectively, for the same period in 2018.

2019Year-to-Date Business Highlights

• Net interest income was $8.1 million for the six-month period ended June 30, 2019, an increase of $458,000, or 6.0%, compared to the same period in 2018 as the six-month average net loan balances increased $31.0 million from the June 30, 2018 period.  Net interest margin for the six months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, remained constant at 3.56% as the average cost of interest-bearing liabilities and the average yield on interest-earning assets both increased 27 basis points.
  
  
• Net loan balances increased from $377.9 million at December 31, 2018, to $392.0 million, an increase of 3.7%, despite selling $6.4 million in mortgage loans through June 30, 2019, compared to $6.8 million during the 2018 year to date period.
  
  
• Provision for loan losses was $220,000 for the six-month period ending June 30, 2019, compared to $338,000 for the prior year.  This reduction was to related specific reserve requirements remaining relatively unchanged during 2019 as compared to the required increase in 2018. 
  
  
• Noninterest expense totaled $5.3 million for the six-month period ended June 30, 2019, a decrease of $547,000, or 9.4%, compared to the June 30, 2018 six-month period.  This decrease was primarily due to reduced stockholder expenses related to the proxy contest which was not repeated in 2019 and reduced advertising and marketing.  The Company’s efficiency ratio improved from 66.4% for the six-month period ended June 2018 to 56.4% for the same period in 2019. 

June 30, 2019 Financial Condition

At June 30, 2019, the Company had total assets of $488.9 million, an increase of $16.1 million, from total assets at December 31, 2018. The growth in total assets includes a $14.1 million increase in net loans compared to December 31, 2018, primarily due to an increase in commercial loans.  The asset growth was primarily funded with an increase in deposits of $18.5 million.

The allowance for loan losses increased from $3.4 million at December 31, 2018, to $3.6 million at June 30, 2019.  The allowance for loan losses and the related provision for loan losses is based on management’s judgment and evaluation of the loan portfolio.  Management believes the current allowance for loan losses is adequate, however, changing economic and other conditions may require future adjustments to the allowance for loan losses.

Total nonperforming loans increased from $1.8 million at December 31, 2018, to $2.0 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2019.  Past due loan balances of 30 days and more increased from $1.6 million at December 31, 2018, to $1.8 million at June 30, 2019.

Established in 1899, Wayne Savings Community Bank, the wholly owned subsidiary of Wayne Savings Bancshares, Inc., has eleven full-service banking locations in the communities of Wooster, Ashland, Millersburg, Rittman, Lodi, North Canton, and Creston, Ohio. The Bank also has a loan production office in Poland Ohio. Additional information about Wayne Savings Community Bank is available at www.waynesavings.com.

Forward-Looking-Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements that are not historical facts and that are intended to be “forward-looking statements” as that term is defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  These forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements about the Company’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements contained in this release that are not historical facts and pertain to the Company’s future operating results.  When used in this release, the words “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates” and similar expressions are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements.  Actual results may differ materially from the results discussed in these forward-looking statements, because such statements are inherently subject to significant assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond the Company’s control.  These include but are not limited to: the possibility of adverse economic developments that may, among other things, increase default and delinquency risks in the Company’s loan portfolios; shifts in interest rates; shifts in the rate of inflation; shifts in the demand for the Company’s loan and other products; unforeseen increases in costs and expenses; lower-than-expected revenue or cost savings in connection with acquisitions; changes in accounting policies; changes in the monetary and fiscal policies of the federal government; and changes in laws, regulations and the competitive environment.  Unless legally required, the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact Information:
Myron Swartzentruber
Senior Vice President Chief Financial Officer
(330) 264-5767