Access National Corp (ANCX) SEC Filing 10-K Annual report for the fiscal year ending Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Exhibit 99.1

Access National Declares Dividend, Reports Fourth Quarter Earnings

RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--January 21, 2015--

According to CEO Michael Clarke, “We take great satisfaction in reporting on the exceptional results achieved during the fourth quarter and all of 2014. During these periods, we also celebrated the milestones of our 15^th anniversary on December 1 and surpassed the $1 billion asset threshold during the third quarter. We are very grateful to our clients who recognize the tremendous value delivered by our professional staff.” He continued, “The fourth quarter of 2014 represented our 58^th consecutive quarterly profit over our 60 quarter history. Our profitability this quarter enabled the Board of Directors to declare a cash dividend of $0.14 per share for holders of record as of February 05, 2015 and payable on February 25, 2015. The cash dividend is in addition to a $0.35 special cash dividend declared in December 2014 and is consistent with our objective of a routine dividend payout equal to 40%-50% of core earnings.”

Fourth quarter 2014 pretax earnings rose by $452 thousand or 9.1% when compared to fourth quarter pretax earnings 2013. This increase was due mainly to an increase in the mortgage segment pretax income of $491 thousand which was driven by a 37% or $30.8 million increase in mortgage loan originations when comparing fourth quarter 2014 to the same period in 2013. Pretax earnings for the year 2014 were $21.5 million, up $1.1 million or 5.2% from $20.4 million for the year 2013. Year over year, the banking segment pretax earnings increased $1.6 million or 9.0%, the mortgage segment pretax earnings increased by $164 thousand or 3.4% due to a $3.25 million nonrecurring pretax reserve release as reported in the third quarter of 2014, and the wealth management segment pretax loss decreased $401 thousand or 53.4%. Offsetting these increases was an increase in the other segments pretax loss of $1.1 million or 104% due mainly to a $707 thousand nonrecurring pretax impairment recorded in third quarter 2014.

Net interest margin for the year 2014 decreased from 3.85% to 3.80% when compared to 2013. On a linked quarter basis, the margin increased to 3.83% for the three months ended December 31, 2014 compared to 3.78% for the three months ended September 30, 2014.

On a consolidated basis, the Corporation reported annualized return on average assets of 1.39% and 1.45% for the three and twelve month periods ended December 31, 2014, respectively. Meanwhile, the annualized return on average equity was 13.98% and 14.47% for the three and twelve month periods ended December 31, 2014, respectively.

Total assets at December 31, 2014 amounted to $1.05 billion compared to $847.2 million at December 31, 2013, an overall increase of $205.7 million. An increase in loans held for investment of $89.3 million, a $30.9 million increase in interest-bearing balances, a $46.6 million growth in investment securities, a growth in loans held for sale of $20.7 million, and a $17.6 million increase in other assets due mainly to a $15 million BOLI purchase accounted for the majority of this increase. The fourth quarter of 2014 reflected loan growth in all categories of the loans held for investment portfolio with the exception of consumer loans. For the year, the portfolio of loans held for investment grew 13.0% or $89.5 million.

Total deposits at December 31, 2014 increased $182.5 million from December 31, 2013 due mainly to increases in Certificate of Deposit Account Registry Service (CDARS) deposits totaling $100.6 million, demand deposits of $63.0 million, and interest-bearing demand deposits of $30.9 million. Management continues to focus on expanding business banking relationships as evidenced by the 33.2% annual growth in demand deposits.

Non-performing assets (NPAs) decreased 36.0% to $1.6 million at December 31, 2014 from $2.5 million at December 31, 2013, representing 0.15% and 0.30% of total assets, respectively. The Bank did not have other real estate owned at December 31, 2014 while Access Real Estate, LLC had other real estate owned with a carrying value of $500 thousand. The allowance for loan losses was $13.4 million and $13.1 million or 1.73% and 1.91% of total loans held for investment as of December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively.