GASTONIA, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AB&T Financial Corporation (OTC Pink: ABTO), the parent company of Alliance Bank & Trust Company, today reported its fourth quarter and year-end 2017 results. For the quarter ended December 31, 2017, net income available to common shareholders was $480,000 or $0.015 per basic and diluted share, compared to net income available to common shareholders of $81,000 or $0.003 per basic and diluted share for the quarter ended December 31, 2016. This $399,000 increase in earnings was largely attributable to a $353,000 negative provision for income taxes to recapture net operating loss carryforwards related to prior years. Additionally, non-interest expenses decreased by approximately $53,000 for the quarter ended December 31, 2017 as compared to the quarter ended December 31, 2016.
Earnings for the twelve months ended December 31, 2017 increased by $423,000 to $839,000 compared to net income available to common shareholders of $416,000 for the calendar year 2016. Fully diluted and basic earnings per share for the twelve months ended December 31, 2017 were $0.027 and $0.026 respectively, compared to $0.013 for the same period in 2016.
Total assets at December 31, 2017 were $142.5 million, a decrease of $1.0 million or 0.7% over the $143.5 million at December 31, 2016. Loans totaled $100.9 million at December 31, 2017 compared to $106.9 million at December 31, 2016, a decrease of $6.0 million. Investment securities available for sale increased $6.7 million to $21.2 million at December 31, 2017. Total deposits increased to $128.1 million on December 31, 2017, from $117.4 million as of December 31, 2016. Demand deposit accounts increased from $38.0 million to $44.2 million at December 31, 2017, an increase of $6.2 million or 16.3% as compared to December 31, 2016. Advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank of $12.5 million as of December 31, 2016 have been fully repaid as of December 31, 2017.
Non-performing assets decreased to $2.2 million at December 31, 2017 from $2.9 million at December 31, 2016. This decrease was driven primarily by principal pay-downs on non-accrual loans. In addition, other real estate owned of $35,000 as of December 31, 2016 has been reduced to zero at December 31, 2017.
Dan Boyd, President and CEO, commented, “We are pleased with our sustained levels of earnings as the Bank has now reported eight consecutive quarters of profitability. This continued improvement in earnings is partly attributable to a strategic shift in replacing wholesale funding sources with growth in core deposits. Additionally, our continued reduction in nonperforming assets and related ancillary expenses associated with these assets has contributed to our enhanced earnings. Our team looks forward to continuing this positive momentum as we enter 2018.”
Alliance Bank & Trust Company, which opened in Gastonia, North Carolina in 2004, operates four North Carolina banking offices, in Gastonia (2), Kings Mountain and Shelby.
AB&T Financial Corporation is the parent company of Alliance Bank & Trust Company, which operates 4 community-oriented branches in Gaston and Cleveland Counties in North Carolina that offer a full array of banking services. Additional information on Alliance Bank & Trust’s locations and the products and services offered are available at http://www.alliancebanknc.com/.
Information in this news release contains forward-looking statements. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including without limitation as a result of the effects of future economic conditions, governmental fiscal and monetary policies, legislative and regulatory changes, the risks of changes in interest rates, and the effects of competition. AB&T Financial Corporation does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements in this news release.