First Us Bancshares Inc (FUSB) SEC Filing 10-Q Quarterly report for the period ending Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Exhibit 99.1

FIRST US BANCSHARES, INC.

ANNOUNCES FIRST QUARTER 2020 RESULTS

BIRMINGHAM, AL (May 4, 2020) – First US Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq: FUSB) (the “Company”), the parent company of First US Bank (the “Bank”), today reported net income of $0.8 million, or $0.13 per diluted share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2020, compared to $1.2 million, or $0.18 per diluted share, for both of the quarters ended December 31, 2019 and March 31, 2019.

“Our management team and employees are very focused right now on serving our customers during the global pandemic,” stated James F. House, President and CEO of the Company. “I am proud of their tireless efforts.  Due to the resiliency of our people, as well as the strength and stability of our balance sheet, I believe that we are well positioned to handle the challenges that we see ahead,” continued Mr. House.

First Quarter 2020 Highlights

Transfer of Indirect Loans – Effective January 1, 2020, the Company transferred a total of $45.5 million of its indirect loan portfolio from the Bank’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Acceptance Loan Company (“ALC”), to the Bank. The loans transferred include indirect sales lending relationships originated through prominent national or regional retailers that are managed by the Company on a centralized basis. The Company currently operates this lending in 11 states located in the southeastern United States. Management believes that the movement of this portfolio under the Bank’s brand will afford greater opportunity for growth and diversification of the portfolio over time.    

Net Interest Margin – Net interest margin was 4.97% for the first quarter of 2020, compared to 5.12% for the fourth quarter of 2019 and 5.17% for the first quarter of 2019. The reduction in net interest margin during the first quarter of 2020 resulted from the prevailing interest rate environment during the quarter, including the 150-basis point reduction in the federal funds rate in March that had an immediate impact on interest earned on the Company’s interest-bearing cash holdings. In response to the changing environment, during the quarter, management reduced rates paid on the majority of its deposit products. These efforts reduced total costs on interest-bearing liabilities during the quarter; however, interest-bearing assets repriced faster than interest-bearing liabilities. Should the interest rate environment hold in the near term, the Company expects to further reduce interest costs as interest-bearing liabilities continue to reprice.  

Asset Quality – Non-performing assets, including loans in non-accrual status and other real estate owned (OREO), were $4.7 million as of March 31, 2020 and $4.8 million as of December 31, 2019. As a percentage of total assets, non-performing assets totaled 0.60% as of March 31, 2020, compared to 0.61% as of December 31, 2019.  

Loan Loss Reserves and Provisioning – The provision for loan and lease losses was $0.6 million during the first quarter of 2020, compared to $0.7 million during the fourth quarter of 2019 and $0.4 million during the first quarter of 2019.  Due to changing economic conditions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company increased qualitative factors associated with macroeconomic conditions in its calculation of the allowance for loan and lease losses as of March 31, 2020.  The allowance as a percentage of total loans was 1.09% as of March 31, 2020, compared to 1.05% as of December 31, 2019 and 0.97% as of March 31, 2019.  Excluding acquired loans, which continue to be recorded net of  purchase discounts that management believes are adequate to absorb losses inherent in the portfolio, the allowance as a percentage of total loans was 1.31% as of March 31, 2020, compared to 1.29% as of December 31, 2019 and 1.34% as of March 31, 2019. Due to its classification as a smaller reporting company, the Company was not required to and did not adopt the Current Expected Credit Loss (CECL) model during the first quarter of 2020. Management believes that the allowance for loan and lease losses as of March 31, 2020, which was calculated under an incurred loss model, was sufficient to absorb losses in the Company’s loan portfolio based on circumstances existing as of the balance sheet date. However, the economic environment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to contain a significant level of uncertainty, and accordingly, management will continue to closely monitor the impact of changing economic circumstances on the Company’s loan portfolio.

Non-interest Income – Non-interest income totaled $1.3 million during the first quarter of 2020, compared to $1.4 million during the fourth quarter of 2019 and $1.3 million during the first quarter of 2019.

Non-interest Expense – Non-interest expense totaled $8.5 million during the first quarter of 2020, compared to $8.3 million during the fourth quarter of 2019 and $8.5 million during the first quarter of 2019.