Professional Bancorp Reports First Quarter Results


SANTA MONICA, Calif., May 1, 2000 (PRIMEZONE) -- Professional Bancorp, Inc. (AMEX:MDB), the holding company for First Professional Bank, N.A., today reported net income of $11,000, on total interest income of $5,044,000 for the first quarter ended March 31, 2000, compared with net income of $336,000, or $0.17 per share, on total interest income of $4,321,000 for the comparable period a year ago.

Gene Gaines, chairman and chief executive officer, said, "We are very proud of our first quarter results, as they reverse the losses of the fourth quarter of 1999. Equally important, our performance for the quarter provides evidence that our new management team's strategy to return the company to a solid and profitable footing is the correct course."

He noted that net interest income of $4,035,000 for the quarter represents a record sum. "It is particularly noteworthy that net interest income for the quarter was up 16 percent over the same period a year ago, while non-interest expense increased only 2 percent," Gaines said.

He also pointed out that, "Pre-tax core earnings prior to the loan loss provision were $1,104,000 for the quarter, compared with $694,000 for the same period last year -- representing an increase of 59 percent." He noted that due to the bank's continued concern over its concentration of large loans and classified credits, it was prudent to add $1,093,000 to the loan loss reserve, resulting in net income of $11,000.

Gaines indicated that the company continues to be in active discussions with potential strategic partners. Professional Bancorp, Inc., based in Santa Monica, California, is a holding company whose subsidiary, First Professional Bank NA, is a commercial bank that provides a variety of financial services and products to the health care community.

Certain information set forth in this press release may constitute "forward looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. The Company's actual results may differ significantly from the results discussed in such forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to, economic conditions, competition in the geographic and business areas in which the Company conducts operations, fluctuations in interest rates, credit quality, year 2000 data systems compliance, and government regulations. For additional information concerning these factors, see "Item 1. Business - Factors That May Affect Results" contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10K for the year ended December 31, 1999.


 
             Professional Bancorp, Inc. and Subsidiary
                    Consolidated Balance Sheets
                      Selected Financial Data
                           in thousands
                            (unaudited)
 
                                          March 31,    December 31,
                                            2000         1999
 Cash and cash equivalents              $    66,113   $    43,419
 Securities available-for-sale               45,949        45,525
 Securities held-to-maturity                 17,519        18,200
 Loans:
    Commercial                              119,115       124,403
    Real estate secured commercial           28,358        27,538
    Equity lines of credit                    3,614         4,330
    Other lines of credit                     2,920         4,689
    Installment                               1,502         1,608
    Lease financing                              --            --
      Gross loans                           155,509       162,568
    Allowance for loan losses                (6,984)        (5,873)
    Deferred loan fees, net                    (186)          (211)
      Net Loans                             148,339        156,484
 
 Other assets                                 9,851         9,862
      Total assets                      $   287,771   $   273,490
 
 Deposits:
    Demand, noninterest-bearing         $   115,129   $   109,560
    Demand, interest-bearing                 15,787        16,033 
    Savings and money market                 94,044        84,783
    Time deposits                            45,583        45,651 
 Total deposits                             270,543       256,027
 
 Convertible notes                              679           679
 Accrued interest payable and
 other liabilities                            1,865         1,916
   Total liabilities                        273,087       258,622
 
 Shareholders' equity                        17,541        17,530
 Unrealized loss on securities
  available-for-sale, net of taxes           (2,857)       (2,662)
 Total shareholders' equity                  14,684        14,868
   Total liabilities and
    shareholders' equity                $   287,771   $   273,490
 
 
            Professional Bancorp, Inc. and Subsidiary
              Consolidated Statements of Operations
                in thousands (except share data)
                         (Unaudited)
  
                                          March 31,     March 31,
                                            2000          1999
 
 Total interest income                 $     5,044   $     4,321
 Total interest expense                      1,009           849
 Net interest income                         4,035         3,472
 
 Provision for loan losses                   1,093           125
 Net interest income after provision 
   for loan losses                           2,942         3,347
 
 Other operating income                        437           516
 
 Other operating expenses                    3,368         3,294
 
 Earnings (loss) before taxes                   11           569
 Provision for income 
  taxes expense (benefit)                        0           233
 
 Net earnings (loss)                   $        11   $       336
 
 Earnings per share:
   Basic                               $      0.00   $      0.17
   Diluted                             $      0.00   $      0.16
 
 
                                          March 31,   December 31,
                                            2000          1999
 
 Other Financial Information:
 
 Total nonperforming assets            $     9,884   $     8,412
 
 Allowance for loan losses as
  a percent of nonperforming loans           70.66%        69.82%
 Nonperforming loans to gross loans           6.36%         5.17%
   
 Capital Ratios - Bank only
   Leverage                                   4.85%         4.81%
   Tier 1 risk based                          8.55%         8.18%
   Total risk based                           9.83%         9.46%
 
CONTACT:  Gene Gaines
          Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
          First Professional Bank
          (310) 458-1521
 
          Gary S. Maier/ Steven D. Stern 
          Pondel/Wilkinson Group
          (310) 207-9300


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