UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C.


FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

x

ANNUAL REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934.

 

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004.

 

or

o

TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the transition period from                          

Commission file number 0-21815


FIRST MARINER BANCORP

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Maryland

52-1834860

(State of incorporation)

(IRS Employer Identification Number)

3301 Boston Street, Baltimore, MD

21224

(Address of principal executive offices)

(zip code)

 

410-342-2600

(Telephone number)

Securities registered under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act: NONE

Securities registered under Section 12 (g) of the Exchange Act:

COMMON STOCK, par value $0.05 per share
(Title of Class)


Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act during the past 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such report, and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x  No ¨

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers in response to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained in this form, and no disclosure will be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Exchange Act Rule 12b-2) Yes x  Noo

The aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter was approximately $82.127 million. Shares of Common Stock owned by each executive officer and directors have been included as such persons are deemed to be affiliates

The number of shares of common stock outstanding as of March 1, 2005 is 5,824,927 shares.

Documents incorporated by reference:

Proxy Statement—Part III

 




FIRST MARINER BANCORP
Annual Report on Form 10-K
December 31, 2004
TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

Page

PART I

 

 

 

 

Item 1

 

Business

 

 

4

 

Item 2

 

Properties

 

 

15

 

Item 3

 

Legal Proceedings

 

 

18

 

Item 4

 

Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

 

 

18

 

Item 4A

 

Executive Officers of the Registrant

 

 

18

 

PART II

 

 

 

 

Item 5

 

Market for the Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

 

 

19

 

Item 6

 

Selected Financial Data

 

 

20

 

Item 7

 

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

 

 

20

 

Item 7A

 

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

 

 

44

 

Item 8

 

Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

 

 

45

 

Item 9

 

Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosures

 

 

78

 

Item 9A

 

Controls and Procedures

 

 

78

 

Item 9B

 

Other Information

 

 

78

 

PART III

 

 

 

 

Item 10

 

Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant

 

 

78

 

Item 11

 

Executive Compensation

 

 

79

 

Item 12

 

Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters

 

 

79

 

Item 13

 

Certain Relationships and Related Transactions

 

 

79

 

Item 14

 

Principal Accountant Fees and Services

 

 

79

 

PART IV

 

 

 

 

Item 15

 

Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

 

 

80

 

 




FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Part I and Part II of this Annual Report on Form 10-K may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Readers of this report should be aware of the speculative nature of “forward-looking statements.” Statements that are not historical in nature, including the words “anticipate,” “estimate,” “should,” “expect,” “believe,” “intend,” and similar expressions, are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about (among other things) the industry and the markets in which the Company operates; they are not guarantees of future performance. Whether actual results will conform to expectations and predictions is subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including risks and uncertainties discussed in this Form 10-K, general economic, market or business conditions; changes in interest rates, deposit flow, the cost of funds, and demand for loan products and financial services; changes in our competitive position or competitive actions by other companies; changes in the quality or composition of loan and investment portfolios; the ability to mange growth; changes in laws or regulations or policies of federal and state regulators and agencies; and other circumstances beyond the Company’s control. Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this document are qualified by these cautionary statements, and there can be no assurance that the actual results anticipated will be realized, or if substantially realized, will have the expected consequences on the Company’s business or operations. Except as required by applicable laws, we do not intend to publish updates or revisions of any forward-looking statements we make to reflect new information, future events or otherwise. For a discussion of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward looking statements, see “Risk Factors” filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this Form 10-K.




PART I

ITEM 1                   BUSINESS

General

First Mariner Bancorp (“First Mariner”, on a parent only basis, and “we”, “our” or “us”, on a consolidated basis) is a financial holding company whose business is conducted primarily through its wholly-owned operating subsidiaries, First Mariner Bank (the “Bank”), Finance Maryland LLC (“Finance Maryland”), and FM Appraisals, LLC (“FM Appraisals”). We were formed in 1995 and have grown to become the fourth largest publicly traded bank holding company headquartered in Maryland, with total assets in excess of $1.250 billion as of December 31, 2004. Our executive offices are located in the Canton area of Baltimore City at 3301 Boston Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21224 and our telephone number is (410) 342-2600. We maintain internet sites located at www.1stmarinerbank.com, www.1stmarinerbancorp.com, www.1stmarinermortgage.com, www.vamortgage.com and www.financemaryland.com.

The Bank is our largest operating subsidiary with assets exceeding $1.199 billion as of December 31, 2004. The bank was formed in 1995 through the merger of several small financial institutions. The Bank’s primary market area for it’s core banking operations, which consist of traditional commercial and consumer lending, as well as retail and commercial deposit operations, is central Maryland as well as portions of Maryland’s eastern shore. The Bank’s mortgage division, First Mariner Mortgage, primarily serves the same core market area as the Bank, while several sourcing units of First Mariner Mortgage operate on a regional and even national basis. In 2004, approximately 70% of First Mariner Mortgage’s loan production came from the Bank’s core market area. First Mariner Bank is an independent community bank, and its deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”). The bank is engaged in the general commercial banking business, with particular attention and emphasis on the needs of individuals and small to mid-sized businesses, and delivers a wide range of financial products and services that are offered by many larger competitors. Products and services include traditional deposit products, a variety of consumer and commercial loans, residential and commercial mortgage and construction loans, money transfer services, non-deposit investment products, and Internet banking and similar services. Most importantly, the Bank provides customers with access to local Bank officers who are empowered to act with flexibility to meet customers’ needs in an effort to foster and develop long-term loan and deposit relationships.

Finance Maryland was formed in July 2002, and engages in traditional consumer finance activities, making small direct cash loans to individuals, the purchase of installment loan sales contracts from local merchants and retail dealers of consumer goods, and loans to individuals via direct mail solicitations. Finance Maryland currently operates 13 branches in the State of Maryland and four branches in the state of Delaware, which operate under the trade name “Finance Delaware”. Finance Maryland had total assets of $34.5 million as of December 31, 2004.

FM Appraisals, which commenced operations in fourth quarter of 2003, is an appraisal management company that is headquartered in Baltimore City. FM Appraisals offers appraisal management services for residential real estate lenders, including the compliance oversight of sub-contracted appraisers, appraisal ordering and administration, and appraisal review services. FM Appraisals currently provides these services to First Mariner Mortgage, but will begin to market appraisal management services to outside lenders in 2005.

Since our formation in 1995, our business strategy has focused on development of an operational and retail distribution infrastructure to create a platform to support the generation of assets and deposits. At our inception we had 20 employees, four full service branches and two ATM’s in the Baltimore region, with total assets of $35.2 million, loans of $20.4 million, and deposits of $24.6 million. Since that time, we

4




have grown assets at an average compound annual growth rate of 45%. At December 31, 2004, we had over 700 employees, 24 full service bank branches, 14 mortgage loan offices, 17 consumer finance offices, and approximately 188 ATMS (51 owned by us and 137 available to our customers through third party agreements) with total assets of $1.251 billion, loans of $746.1 million and deposits of $825.4 million. We earned net income of $6.1 million for the year ending December 31, 2004.

We are not dependent on any single customer or small group of customers and we do not experience any material seasonal variations in its business. We do not conduct any foreign operations.

Our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to these reports are available, free of charge, in the investor relations section of our internet site as soon as reasonably practicable after we have filed them with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The information on the website listed above is not and should not be considered part of this annual report on Form 10-K and is not incorporated by reference in this document.

Our Business Strategy

Our initial strategy involved building a network of banking branches, mortgage loan offices, and ATMs to capture market share and build a community franchise for our stockholders, customers and employees. Having developed this infrastructure, we are now focused on growing assets and earnings by capitalizing on the broad network of Bank branches, mortgage offices, consumer finance offices and ATMs that we established during our infrastructure expansion phase.

To continue asset growth and profitability, our marketing strategy is targeted to:

·       Capitalize on our personal relationship approach that we believe differentiates us from our larger competitors;

·       Provide our customers with access to local executives who make key credit and other decisions;

·       Pursue commercial lending opportunities with small to mid-sized businesses that are underserved by our larger competitors;

·       Develop innovative financial products and services to generate additional sources of revenue;

·       Cross-sell our products and services to our existing customers to leverage relationships and enhance our profitability;

·       Review our branch performance to evaluate possible consolidations or relocations that may increase our efficiency; and

·       Adhere to rigorous credit standards to maintain the continued quality of our assets as we implement our growth strategy.

Financial Services We Provide

Commercial Banking.   Our commercial loan unit focuses on loan originations from small and mid-sized businesses (generally up to $20.0 million in annual sales) and such loans are usually accompanied by significant related deposits. Our commercial loan products include commercial mortgage loans for the purchase or refinance of commercial properties; residential and commercial real estate construction loans; working capital loans and lines of credit; demand, term and time loans; and equipment, inventory and accounts receivable financing. We also offer an array of cash management services and deposit products to our commercial customers. Computerized on-line banking is currently available to our commercial customers.

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Retail Banking.   Our retail banking activities emphasize consumer deposit and checking accounts. We offer an extensive range of services to meet the varied needs of our customers from young persons to senior citizens. In addition to traditional products and services, we offer contemporary products and services, such as debit cards, mutual funds, annuities, insurance products and Internet banking and electronic bill payment services. Our consumer loan products include home equity lines of credit, fixed rate second mortgages, new and used auto loans, new and used boat loans, overdraft protection and unsecured personal credit lines.

Mortgage Banking.   Our mortgage banking business is structured to provide a source of fee income largely from the process of originating residential mortgage loans for sale on the secondary market, as well as the origination of loans to be held in our loan portfolio. Mortgage banking products include Federal Housing Administration (“FHA”) and the federal Veterans Administration (“VA”) loans, conventional and nonconforming first and second mortgages, reverse mortgages, and construction and permanent financing. We intend to improve our competitive position in our markets by streamlining the mortgage underwriting process through the introduction of advanced technology, and development of new products to meet our customers’ needs.

Community Reinvestment Act.   We have a strong commitment to our responsibilities under the federal Community Reinvestment Act (the “CRA”) and actively search for opportunities to meet the development needs of all members of the communities we serve, including persons of low to moderate income in a manner consistent with safe and sound banking practices. We currently fulfill this commitment by participating in loan programs sponsored or guaranteed by the FHA, the VA, the federal Community Development Act, the Maryland Industrial Development Financing Authority, and the Settlement Expense Loan Program.

Consumer Finance.   We offer a wide variety of consumer finance products through Finance Maryland, which was formed in July 2002, and is currently focused on building market share by offering competitive products and services, delivered by experienced personnel who provide responsive service. Loan sizes are generally smaller than those originated by the Bank (approximately $2,300), and Finance Maryland currently serves approximately 15,000 customers in Maryland and Delaware.

Our Lending Activities

Loan Portfolio Composition.   At December 31, 2004, our loan portfolio totaled $746.1 million, representing approximately 59.7% of our total assets of $1.251 billion. Our loans are generally secured by residential and commercial real estate, and over 86% of our total loans as of December 31, 2004 were secured by real estate. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” for the year ended December 31, 2004 for more detailed information concerning the composition of our loan portfolio.

Commercial Loans.   We originate a variety of loans for business purposes. Less than one percent of all our commercial loans are unsecured. We make loans to provide working capital to businesses in the form of lines of credit, which may be secured by real estate, accounts receivable, inventory, equipment or other assets. The financial condition and cash flow of our commercial borrowers are closely monitored by the submission of corporate financial statements, personal financial statements and income tax returns. The frequency of submissions of required financial information depends on the size and complexity of the credit and the collateral that secures our loan. It is our general policy to obtain personal guarantees from the principals of our commercial loan borrowers.

Real Estate Development and Construction Loans.   We provide interim real estate acquisition development and construction loans to builders, developers, and persons who will ultimately occupy their single family dwellings. Our real estate development and construction loans provide interim financing on properties and are generally made for 80% or less of the appraised value of the property, taking into

6




consideration private mortgage insurance. Our real estate development and construction loan funds are disbursed periodically at pre-specified stages of completion. We carefully monitor these loans with on-site inspections and control of disbursements.

Loans we provide to individuals for the construction of their primary residences are typically secured by the property under construction, frequently include additional collateral (such as second mortgage on the borrower’s present home), and commonly have maturities of 9 to 12 months.

Loans provided by us to residential builders for the construction of residential homes require binding sales contracts on the property and the prospective buyers have been pre-qualified for permanent mortgage financing. Development loans are made only to developers with a proven track record. Generally, these loans are extended only when the borrower provides evidence that the lots under development will be sold to builders satisfactory to us.

We secure development and construction loans with the properties under development or construction and we typically obtain personal guarantees from the principals. Further, to assure that we do not place reliance solely in the value of the underlying property, we consider the financial condition and reputation of the borrower and any guarantors, the amount of the borrowers’ equity in the project, independent appraisals, costs estimates and pre-construction sale information.

See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” for the year ended December 31, 2004 for more detailed information concerning our real estate development and construction lending.

Residential Real Estate Mortgage Loans.   Our mortgage division originates adjustable and fixed-rate residential mortgage loans. Our mortgage loans are generally originated under terms, conditions and documentation acceptable to the secondary mortgage market. We will place some of these loans into our portfolio, although the vast majority are eventually sold to investors.

Commercial Real Estate Mortgage Loans.   We originate mortgage loans secured by commercial real estate. These loans are primarily secured by office buildings, retail buildings, warehouses and general purpose business space. Although terms may vary, our commercial mortgages generally have maturities of ten years or less.

We seek to reduce the risks associated with commercial mortgage lending by generally lending in our market area and obtaining periodic financial statements and tax returns from our borrowers. It is also our general policy to obtain personal guarantees from the principals of the borrowers and assignments of all leases related to the collateral.

Consumer Loans.   The Bank and Finance Maryland offer a variety of consumer loans. Consumer loans originated by the Bank are typically secured by residential real estate or personal property, including automobiles and boats. Our home equity loans (closed-end and lines of credit) are typically made up to 80% of the appraised value, less the amount of any existing prior liens on the property and generally have maximum terms of 10 years. We do offer home equity products with loan to value products of up to 100%, and mitigate our risk of loss on higher loan to value products with private mortgage insurance. The interest rates on our closed-end home equity loans are generally fixed, while interest rates on our home equity lines of credit are variable. Consumer finance products offered through Finance Maryland include loans for the purchase of consumer goods, direct cash lending, loans for seasonal purposes, and loans originated though direct mail solicitation. Loans made by Finance Maryland are generally for terms less than five years, carry a fixed rate of interest, and are generally secured by consumer goods, including automobiles.

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Our Credit Administration Process

Our lending activities are subject to written policies approved by our Board of Directors to ensure proper management of credit risk. We make loans that are subject to a well defined credit process that includes credit evaluation of borrowers, risk-rating of credits, establishment of lending limits and application of lending procedures, including the holding of adequate collateral and the maintenance of compensating balances, as well as procedures for on-going identification and management of credit deterioration. We conduct regular portfolio reviews to identify potential under-performing credits, estimate loss exposure, geographic and industry concentrations, and to ascertain compliance with our policies. For significant problem loans, we review and evaluate the financial strengths of our borrower and the guarantor, the related collateral and the effects of economic conditions.

Our loan approval policies provides for various levels of individual lending authority. The maximum lending authority granted to any one individual is $500,000. Our loan committee of the Board of Directors is authorized to approve loans up to our banking subsidiary’s legal lending limit, which currently approximates $13.3 million as of December 31, 2004. We have established an in-house limit of $3.0 million, which is reviewed periodically by the Board of Directors, and do have loans to a limited number of customers in excess of that amount.

We generally do not make loans to be held in our loan portfolio outside our market area unless the borrower has an established relationship with us and conducts its principal business operations within our market area. Consequently, we and our borrowers are affected by the economic conditions prevailing in our market area.

Finance Maryland’s lending activities are subject to written policies approved by our Board of Directors. These loans are subject to a well-defined credit process that includes a credit evaluation of the borrower and the adequacy of available collateral. Finance Maryland’s loan policy provides various levels of individual lending authority. Finance Maryland purchases installment sales contracts from dealers applying the same criteria. Dealers are subject to pre-approval due diligence and must have a proven track record with management.

Our Competition

We operate in a competitive environment, competing for deposits and loans with commercial banks, thrifts, mortgage companies, finance companies, Internet based financial companies and other financial entities. Our principal competitors include other community commercial banks and larger financial institutions with branches in our market area. Numerous mergers and consolidations involving banks in our market area have occurred recently, requiring us to compete with banks and finance companies with greater resources.

The primary factors we face in competing for deposits are interest rates, personalized service, the quality and range of financial services, convenience of office locations and office hours. Competition for deposits comes primarily from other commercial banks, savings associations, credit unions, money market funds and other investment alternatives. The primary factors in competing for loans are interest rates, loan origination fees, the quality and range of lending services, responsiveness, and personalized service. Competition for loans comes primarily from other commercial banks, savings associations, mortgage banking firms, credit unions, finance companies and other financial intermediaries. Many of the financial institutions operating in our market area offer certain services such as trust and international banking, which we do not offer, and have greater financial resources or have substantially higher lending limits.

To compete with other financial services providers, we principally rely upon local promotional activities, personal relationships established by our officers, directors and employees with our customers, and specialized services tailored to meet our customers’ needs. In those instances where we are unable to

8




accommodate a customers’ needs, we will arrange for those services to be provided by other financial institutions with which we have a relationship.

Current banking laws facilitate interstate branching and merger activity among banks. Since September 1995, certain bank holding companies are authorized to acquire banks throughout the United States. In addition, on and after June 1, 1997, certain banks are permitted to merge with banks organized under the laws of different states. These changes have resulted in an even greater degree of competition in the banking industry and we may be brought into competition with institutions with which we do not currently compete. As a result, intense competition in our market area may be expected to continue for the foreseeable future.

Supervision and Regulations

First Mariner and its subsidiaries are extensively regulated under federal and state law. Generally, these laws and regulations are intended to protect depositors and loan customers, not stockholders. The following is a summary description of certain provisions of certain laws that affect the regulation of financial holding companies, finance companies, and banks. The discussion is qualified in its entirety by reference to applicable laws and regulations. Changes in such laws and regulations may have a material effect on the business and prospects of First Mariner and its subsidiaries.

Federal Financial Holding Company Regulation and Structure.   First Mariner is a financial holding company within the meaning of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended, and as such, it is subject to regulation, supervision, and examination by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. First Mariner is required to file annual and quarterly reports with the Federal Reserve and to provide the Federal Reserve with such additional information as the Federal Reserve may require. The Federal Reserve may conduct examinations of First Mariner and its subsidiaries.

With certain limited exceptions, First Mariner is required to obtain prior approval from the Federal Reserve before acquiring direct or indirect ownership or control of more than 5% of any voting securities or substantially all of the assets of a bank or bank holding company, or before merging or consolidating with another bank holding company. In acting on applications for such approval, the Federal Reserve must consider various statutory factors, including among others, the effect of the proposed transaction on competition in the relevant geographical and product markets, each party’s financial condition and management resources and record of performance under the CRA. Additionally, with certain exceptions any person proposing to acquire control through direct or indirect ownership of 25% or more of any voting securities of First Mariner is required to give 60 days written notice of the acquisition to the Federal Reserve, which may prohibit the transaction, and to publish notice to the public.

With prior approval of the Federal Reserve, First Mariner may acquire more than 5% of the assets or outstanding shares of a company engaging in nonbank activities determined by the Federal Reserve to be closely related to the business of banking or of managing or controlling banks. Under current Federal Reserve regulations, such permissible nonbank activities include mortgage banking, equipment leasing, securities brokerage and consumer and commercial finance company operations.

First Mariner’s subsidiary bank is subject to certain quantitative and qualitative restrictions on extensions of credit to the financial holding company or its subsidiaries, investments in its securities, and the use of its securities as collateral for loans to any borrower. These regulations and restrictions may limit the ability to obtain funds from First Mariner’s subsidiary bank for its cash needs including funds for the payment of dividends, interest and operating expenses. Further, a financial holding company and its subsidiaries are prohibited from engaging in certain tie-in arrangements in connection with any extension of credit, lease or sale of property, or furnishing of services. For example, a bank may not generally require a customer to obtain other services from itself or its affiliates, and may not require that a customer promise not to obtain other services from a competitor as a condition to and extension of credit to the customer.

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The Federal Reserve has ended the anti-tying rules for financial holding companies and their non-banking subsidiaries. Such rules were retained for banks.

Under Federal Reserve policy, a bank holding company is expected to act as a source of financial strength to its subsidiary banks and to make capital injections into a troubled subsidiary bank, and the Federal Reserve may charge the financial holding company with engaging in unsafe and unsound practices for failure to commit resources to a subsidiary bank when required. A required capital injection may be called for at a time when the holding company does not have the resources to provide it. In addition, depository institutions insured by the FDIC can be held liable for any losses incurred by, or reasonably anticipated to be incurred by, the FDIC in connection with the default of, or assistance provided to, a commonly controlled FDIC-insured depository institution. Accordingly, in the event that any insured subsidiary of First Mariner causes a loss to the FDIC, other insured subsidiaries could be required to compensate the FDIC by reimbursing it for the estimated amount of such loss. Such cross guaranty liabilities generally are superior in priority to the obligations of the depository institution to its stockholders due solely to their status as stockholders and obligations to other affiliates.

State Bank Holding Company Regulation.   As a Maryland bank holding company, First Mariner is subject to various restrictions on its activities as set forth in Maryland law, in addition to those restrictions set forth in federal law. Under Maryland law, a bank holding company that desires to acquire a bank or bank holding company that has its principal place of business in Maryland must obtain approval from the Maryland Commissioner of Financial Regulation. Also, a bank holding company and its Maryland chartered bank or trust company cannot directly or indirectly acquire banking or nonbanking subsidiaries or affiliates until the bank or trust company receives the approval of the Maryland Commissioner.

Federal and State Bank Regulation.   First Mariner’s banking subsidiary is a Maryland chartered trust company, with all the powers of a commercial bank regulated and examined by the Maryland Commissioner and the FDIC. The FDIC has extensive enforcement authority over the institutions it regulates to prohibit or correct activities that violate law, regulation or written agreement with the FDIC. Enforcement powers also regulate activities that are deemed to constitute unsafe or unsound practices. Enforcement actions may include the appointment of a conservator or receiver, the issuance of a cease and desist order, the termination of deposit insurance, the imposition of civil money penalties on the institution, its directors, officers, employees and institution-affiliated parties, the issuance of directives to increase capital, the issuance of formal and informal agreements, the removal of or restrictions on directors, officers, employees and institution-affiliated parties, and the enforcement of any such mechanisms through restraining orders or other court actions.

In its lending activities, the maximum legal rate of interest, fees, and charges that a financial institution may charge on a particular loan depends on a variety of factors such as the type of borrower, the purpose of the loan, the amount of the loan and the date the loan is made. Other laws tie the maximum amount that may be loaned to any one customer and the related interest to a financial institution’s capital levels. The Bank is also subject to certain restrictions on extensions of credit to executive officers, directors, principal shareholders or any related interest of such persons which generally require that such credit extensions be made on substantially the same terms as are available to third persons dealing with the Bank and not involve more than the normal risk of repayment.

The CRA requires that, in connection with the examination of financial institutions within their jurisdictions, the FDIC evaluate the record of the financial institution in meeting the credit needs of their communities including low and moderate income neighborhoods, consistent with the safe and sound operation of those banks. These factors are also considered by all regulatory agencies in evaluating mergers, acquisitions and applications to open a branch or facility. As of the date of its most recent examination report, the Bank has a CRA rating of “Satisfactory.”

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Under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991 (“FDICIA”), each federal banking agency is required to prescribe, by regulation, noncapital safety and soundness standards for institutions under its authority. The federal banking agencies, including the FDIC, have adopted standards covering internal controls, information systems and internal audit systems, loan documentation, credit underwriting, interest rate exposure, asset growth, and compensation, fees and benefits. FDICIA also imposed new capital standards on insured depository institutions. Institutions that fail to meet those standards may be required by the agency to develop a plan acceptable to the agency, specifying the steps that the institution will take to meet the standards. Failure to submit or implement such a plan may subject the institution to regulatory sanctions. Management believes the Bank meets substantially all standards which have been adopted.

Before establishing new branch offices, the Bank must meet certain minimum capital stock and surplus requirements. With each new branch located outside the municipal area of the Bank’s principal banking office, these minimal levels increase by $120,000 to $900,000, based on the population size of the municipal area in which the branch will be located. Prior to establishment of the branch, the Bank must obtain Commissioner and FDIC approval. If establishment of the branch involves the purchase of a bank building or furnishings, the total investment in bank buildings and furnishings cannot exceed, with certain exceptions, 50% of the Bank’s unimpaired capital and surplus.

Financial Services Modernization

Effective in pertinent part on March 11, 2000, the federal Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (“GLBA”) revises the federal Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 and repeals the affiliation provisions of the federal Glass-Steagall Act of 1933, which, taken together, limited the securities, insurance, and other non-banking activities of any company that controls a FDIC insured financial institution. Under GLBA, bank holding companies can elect, subject to certain qualifications, to become a “financial holding company.” First Mariner made an election to become a financial holding company in 2002 and, as such, First Mariner may engage in activities that are in addition to the business of banking. The GLBA provides that a financial holding company may engage in a full range of financial activities, including insurance and securities sales and underwriting activities, real estate development, and, with certain exceptions, merchant banking activities, with new expedited notice procedures. GLBA also permits certain qualified national banks to form “financial subsidiaries,” which have broad authority to engage in all financial activities except insurance underwriting, insurance investments, real estate investment or development, and merchant banking, and expands the potential activities of subsidiaries of state banks, subject to applicable state law. The GLBA may increase the competition we encounter.

Deposit Insurance

As a FDIC member institution, deposits of the Bank are currently insured to a minimum of $100,000 per depositor through the Savings Association Insurance Fund (“SAIF”), administered by the FDIC. Insured financial institutions are members of either SAIF or the Bank Insurance Fund (“BIF”). SAIF members generally are savings and loan associations or savings banks, including banks and trust companies that have converted from a savings and loan association or savings bank to a commercial bank or trust company or bank and trust companies that have acquired SAIF deposits. The Bank is a converted federal savings bank; therefore, its deposits are insured through SAIF. Mergers or transfers of assets between SAIF and BIF members generally are permitted with the assuming or resulting depository institution making payments of SAIF assessments on the portion of liabilities attributable to the SAIF-insured institution.

The FDIC is required to establish the semi-annual assessments for BIF- and SAIF-insured depository institutions at a rate determined to be appropriate to maintain or increase the reserve ratio of the respective deposit insurance funds at or above 1.25% of estimated insured deposits or at such higher

11




percentage that the FDIC determines to be justified for that year by circumstances raising significant risk of substantial future losses to the fund. Assessments are made on a risk-based premium system with nine risk classifications based on certain capital and supervisory measures. Financial institutions with higher levels of capital and involving a low degree of supervisory concern are assessed lower premiums than financial institutions with lower levels of capital or involving a higher degree of supervisory concern.

Limits on Dividends and Other Payments

First Mariner’s current ability to pay dividends is largely dependent upon the receipt of dividends from its banking subsidiary. Both federal and state laws impose restrictions on the ability of the Bank to pay dividends. Federal law prohibits the payment of a dividend by an insured depository institution like the Bank if the depository institution is considered “undercapitalized” or if the payment of the dividend would make the institution “undercapitalized”. See “Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991” below. We do not anticipate that such provisions will be applied to the Bank. The Federal Reserve has issued a policy statement which provides that, as a general matter, insured banks and bank holding companies may pay dividends only out of prior operating earnings. For a Maryland chartered bank or trust company, dividends may be paid out of undivided profits or, with the prior approval of the Commissioner, from surplus in excess of 100% of required capital stock. If however, the surplus of a Maryland bank is less than 100% of its required capital stock, cash dividends may not be paid in excess of 90% of net earnings. In addition to these specific restrictions, bank regulatory agencies also have the ability to prohibit proposed dividends by a financial institution which would otherwise be permitted under applicable regulations if the regulatory body determines that such distribution would constitute an unsafe or unsound practice.

Capital Requirements

The Federal Reserve and FDIC have adopted certain risk-based capital guidelines to assist in the assessment of the capital adequacy of a banking organization’s operations for both transactions reported on the balance sheet as assets and transactions, such as letters of credit and recourse arrangements, which are recorded as off balance sheet items. Under these guidelines, nominal dollar amounts of assets and credit equivalent amounts of off balance sheet items are multiplied by one of several risk adjustment percentages, which range from 0% for assets with low credit risk, such as certain U.S. Treasury securities to 100% for assets with relatively high credit risk, such as business loans.

A banking organization’s risk-based capital ratio is obtained by dividing its qualifying capital by its total risk adjusted assets. The regulators measure risk-adjusted assets, which include off balance sheet items, against both total qualifying capital (the sum of Tier 1 capital and limited amounts of Tier 2 capital) and Tier 1 capital. “Tier 1”, or core capital includes common equity, perpetual preferred stock (excluding auction rate issues), trust preferred securities (limited to one-third of other Tier 1 components), and minority interest in equity accounts of consolidated subsidiaries (less goodwill and other intangibles), subject to certain exceptions. “Tier 2”, or supplementary capital, includes, among other things limited-life preferred stock, hybrid capital instruments, mandatory convertible securities and trust preferred securities, (above amounts not qualifying as Tier 1 capital) qualifying and subordinated debt, and the allowance for loan and lease losses, subject to certain limitations and less required deductions. The inclusion of elements of Tier 2 capital is subject to certain other requirements and limitations of the federal banking agencies. Banks and bank holding companies, subject to the risk-based capital guidelines are required to maintain a ratio of Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets of at least 4% and a ratio of total capital to risk-weighted assets of at least 8%. The appropriate regulatory authority may set higher capital requirements when particular circumstances warrant. In addition to risk-based capital banks and bank holding companies are required to maintain a minimum amount of Tier 1 capital to fourth quarter average assets, referred to as the leverage capital ratio, of at least 4%. First Mariner and The Bank maintained capital ratios that exceeded these minimum standards. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition

12




and Results of Operations”, for the year ended December 31, 2004 for more detailed information concerning capital adequacy.

Federal banking agencies have adopted regulations specifying that the agencies will include, in their evaluations of a Bank’s capital adequacy, an assessment of the Bank’s interest rate risk (“IRR”) exposure. The standards for measuring the adequacy and effectiveness of a banking organization’s interest rate risk management includes a measurement of board of director and senior management oversight, and a determination of whether a banking organization’s procedures for comprehensive risk management are appropriate to the circumstances of the specific banking organization. The Bank maintains IRR models that are used to measure and monitor IRR. Additionally, the regulatory agencies have been assessing IRR on an informal basis for several years.

Failure to meet applicable capital guidelines could subject a banking organization to a variety of enforcement actions, including limitations on its ability to pay dividends, the issuance by the applicable regulatory authority of a capital directive to increase capital and, in the case of depository institutions, the termination of deposit insurance by the FDIC, as well as the measures described under “Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991” below, as applicable to undercapitalized institutions. In addition, future changes in regulations or practices could further reduce the amount of capital recognized for purposes of capital adequacy. Such a change could affect the ability of the Bank to grow and could restrict the amount of profits, if any, available for the payment of dividends to First Mariner.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991

In December 1991, Congress enacted FDICIA, which substantially revised the bank regulatory and funding provisions of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and made significant revisions to several other federal banking statutes. FDICIA provides for, among other things, (i) publicly available annual financial condition and management reports for financial institutions, including audits by independent accountants, (ii) the establishment of uniform accounting standards by federal banking agencies, (iii) the establishment of a “prompt corrective action” system of regulatory supervision and intervention, based on capitalization levels with more scrutiny and restrictions placed on depository institutions with lower levels of capital, (iv) additional grounds for the appointment of a conservator or receiver, and (v) restrictions or prohibitions on accepting brokered deposits, except for institutions which significantly exceed minimum capital requirements. FDICIA also provides for increased funding of the FDIC insurance funds and the implementation of risked-based premiums.

A central feature of FDICIA is the requirement that the federal banking agencies take “prompt corrective action” with respect to depository institutions that do not meet minimum capital requirements. Pursuant to FDICIA, the federal bank regulatory authorities have adopted regulations setting forth a five tiered system for measuring the capital adequacy of the depository institutions that they supervise. Under these regulations, a depository institution is classified in one of the following capital categories: “well capitalized,” “adequately capitalized,” “undercapitalized,” “significantly undercapitalized,” and “critically undercapitalized.” An institution may be deemed by the regulators to be in a capitalization category that is lower than is indicated by its actual capital position if, among other things, it receives an unsatisfactory examination rating with respect to asset quality, management, earnings or liquidity.

FDICIA generally prohibits a depository institution from making any capital distribution (including payment of a cash dividend) or paying any management fees to its holding company if the depository institution would thereafter be undercapitalized. Undercapitalized depository institutions are subject to growth limitations and are required to submit capital restoration plans. If a depository institution fails to submit an acceptable plan, it is treated as if it is significantly undercapitalized. Significantly undercapitalized depository institutions may be subject to a number of other requirements and restrictions including orders to sell sufficient voting stock to become adequately capitalized, requirements to reduce

13




total assets and stop accepting deposits from correspondent banks. Critically undercapitalized institutions are subject to the appointment of a receiver or conservator, generally within 90 days of the date such institution is determined to be critically undercapitalized.

FDICIA provides the federal banking agencies with significantly expanded powers to take enforcement action against institutions that fail to comply with capital or other standards. Such action may include the termination of deposit insurance by the FDIC or the appointment of a receiver or conservator for the institution. FDICIA also limits the circumstances under which the FDIC is permitted to provide financial assistance to an insured institution before appointment of a conservator or receiver.

Interstate Banking Legislation

The Riegle-Neal Interstate Banking and Branching Efficiency Act of 1994 (“Riegle-Neal”) was enacted into law on September 29, 1994. Riegle-Neal authorized federal banking agencies to approve interstate bank merger transactions even if such transactions are prohibited by the laws of a state. An exception to such authorization arises if the home state of one of the banks that is a party to the merger transaction opted out of the merger provisions of Riegle-Neal by adopting a law after the date of the enactment of the Riegle-Neal and prior to June 1, 1997. These laws must apply equally to all out-of-state banks and expressly prohibit merger transactions involving out-of-state banks. Riegle-Neal also permits interstate branch acquisitions if the laws of the state where the branch is located permits interstate branch acquisitions. The interstate merger and branch acquisitions permitted by Riegle-Neal are subject to nationwide and statewide insured deposit limitations as described in Riegle-Neal.

Riegle-Neal also authorizes the federal banking agencies to approve de novo interstate branching by national and state banks in states which specifically allow for such branching. To our knowledge, only two states, Texas and Montana, have opted out of the Riegle-Neal provisions relating to interstate mergers, acquisitions of branches and establishment of de novo branches. We anticipate that Riegle-Neal may increase competition within our market area, although we cannot predict the timing or the extent of such increased competition.

Privacy Legislation

Current Federal banking rules limit the ability of banks and other financial institutions to disclose non-public financial information about customers to non-affiliated third parties. Under these rules, financial institutions must provide initial notices to customers about their privacy policies that provide a description of the conditions under which they may disclose non-public personal information to non-affiliated third parties and affiliates. Institutions must also provide annual notices to current customers that provide a reasonable method for customers to “opt out” of disclosures to non-affiliated parties. These policies affect how customer information is transmitted through diversified financial companies and conveyed to third parties. We have implemented our privacy policies in accordance with the law.

USA Patriot Act

The USA Patriot Act of 2001 significantly increased the anti-money laundering and financial transparency laws to require additional due diligence for financial institutions. The law set standards for verifying customer information at account opening and maintenance of records, and created rules to promote cooperation among financial institutions, regulators and law enforcement in identifying parities that may be involved in terrorism or money laundering. The law requires all reporting of financial businesses to report cash transactions in excess of $10,000 to the U.S. Treasury Department, and also requires reporting of suspicious customer activities.

14




Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 comprehensively revised the laws affecting corporate governance, accounting obligations and corporate reporting for companies, such as the Company, with equity or debt securities registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. In particular, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act established: 1) new requirements for audit committees, including independence, expertise, and responsibilities; 2) additional responsibilities regarding financial statements for the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the reporting company; 3) new standards for auditors and regulation of audits; 4) increased disclosure and reporting obligations for the reporting company and its directors and executive officers; and 5) new and increased civil and criminal penalties for violation of the securities laws.

ITEM 2                   PROPERTIES

We occupy executive offices located at 3301 Boston Street, Baltimore, Maryland. Currently, we lease approximately 58,000 square feet of space at this location. Annual rent for this space is approximately $1.1 million, of which $1.0 million is allocated for 55,000 square feet of office and $100,000 is allocated for 3,000 square feet of Bank branch space and drive-up banking and customer parking facilities. In October of 2004, the Company announced its agreement to purchase the headquarters location at 3301 Boston Street for a purchase price of $20 million. We expect to close on the purchase transaction on or about March 31, 2005.

We lease an operations facility at 1516 Baylis Street, Baltimore, Maryland. We occupy approximately 34,500 square feet of office space. Annual rent is approximately $405,000 for the office space.

15




We operate retail bank branches at the following locations:*

Annapolis(2)

 

Loch Raven(1)

161 A Jennifer Road

 

1641 East Joppa Road

Annapolis, MD 21401-7923

 

Baltimore, MD 21286-2300

Arbutus(2)

 

Lutherville/Timonium(2)

3720 Washington Blvd., Suite 100

 

1738 York Road

Baltimore, MD 21227-1656

 

Lutherville, MD 21093-5606

Bel Air(1)

 

Ocean City(2)

12 A Bel Air South Parkway

 

12505 Coastal Highway

Bel Air, MD 21015-3964

 

Ocean City, MD 21842-4781

Canton/Headquarters(2)

 

Owings Mills(2)

3301 Boston Street

 

60 Painters Mill Road

Baltimore, MD 21224-4974

 

Owings Mills, MD 21117-3604

Carroll Island(2)

 

Perry Hall(1)

176 Carroll Island Road

 

8843 Bel Air Road

Baltimore, MD 21220-2208

 

Perry Hall, MD 21236-2403

Cockeysville(1)

 

Pikesville(1)

9840 York Road

 

1013 Reisterstown Road

Cockeysville, MD 21030-4914

 

Baltimore, MD 21208-4207

Crofton(1)

 

Randallstown(1)

1049 MD Route 3

 

9833 Liberty Road

Gambrills, MD 21054-1722

 

Randallstown, MD 21133-2034

Downtown Baltimore(2)

 

Salisbury(2)

16 S. Calvert Street

 

309 E. Main Street, Suite 101

Baltimore, MD 21202-1305

 

Salisbury, MD 21801-4924

Dundalk(2)

 

Severna Park(2)

7860 Wise Avenue

 

366A Gov Ritchie Highway

Baltimore, MD 21222-3338

 

Severna Park, MD 21146-2911

Easton(2)

 

Towson(1)

8133 Elliott Road, Suite #1

 

115 East Joppa Road

Easton, MD 21601-7184

 

Baltimore, MD 21286-3113

Ellicott City(1)

 

White Marsh(1)

10065 Baltimore National Pike

 

10101 Philadelphia Road

Ellicott City, MD 21042-3611

 

Baltimore, MD 21237-3411

Glen Burnie(2)

 

Woodlawn(1)

7400 L. Gov. Ritchie Highway

 

7007 Security Boulevard

Glen Burnie, MD 21061-3110

 

Baltimore, MD 21244-2514


*                    For our branch hours and remote ATM locations, please refer to our website at www.1stmarinerbank.com.

(1)          Bank owns branch

(2)          Bank leases branch

For more information on our lease commitments and costs see Note 6 of the notes to the consolidated financial statements.

16




We operate mortgage offices at the following locations:

Annadale, VA(2)

 

Fairfax Wholesale(2)

7010 Little River Turnpike, Suite 140

 

3975 Fair Ridge Dr., Ste 300 North Tower

Annadale, VA 22003

 

Fairfax, VA 22033

Annapolis(2)

 

Loch Raven(1)

2086 Generals Highway, 2nd Floor

 

1641 East Joppa Road, 2nd Floor

Annapolis, MD 21401

 

Baltimore, MD 21286

Canton (VA Mortgage.Com)(2)

 

Prince Georges(2)

1511 A Highland Avenue

 

7905 Malcolm Road, Suite 101

Baltimore, MD 21224

 

Clinton, MD 20735

Canton/Headquarters(2)

 

Salisbury(2)

3301 Boston Street

 

309 E. Main Street, Suite 100

Baltimore, MD 21224

 

Salisbury, MD 21801

Crofton(1)

 

Waldorf(2)

1049 MD Route 3, 2nd floor

 

3200 Crain Highway, Suite 102

Gambrills, MD 21054

 

Waldorf, MD 20603-4841

Eldersburg(2)

 

White Marsh(1)

1912 Liberty Road, Bldg. 2

 

10101 Philadelphia Road

Eldersburg, MD 21784

 

White Marsh, MD 21162

Ellicott City(1)

 

Wilmington(2)

10065 Baltimore National Pike

 

3301 Lancaster Pike, Suite 5B

Ellicott City, MD 21042

 

Wilmington, DE 19805


(1)          Bank owns offices

(2)          Bank leases offices

We operate consumer finance offices at the following locations which are leased by Finance Maryland:

Bel Air

 

Randallstown

225 Briarhill Place, Suite I-1

 

3537 Brenbrook Drive

Bel Air, MD 21015

 

Randallstown, MD 21133

Dundalk

 

Salisbury

1770 Merritt Blvd.

 

319 B Civic Avenue

Baltimore, MD 21222

 

Salisbury, MD 21804

Easton

 

Woodlawn

8223-17 Elliott Road

 

6666 Security Blvd., Suite 16

Easton, MD 21601

 

Baltimore, MD 21207

Frederick

 

Canton/Headquarters/Central Approval

454 Prospect Blvd

 

3301 Boston Street

Frederick, MD 21702

 

Baltimore, MD 21224

Glen Burnie

 

Bear, Delaware

7400 Ritchie Highway, Suite E

 

1831 Pulaski Highway

Glen Burnie, MD 21061

 

Bear, DE 1970

17




 

Hagerstown

 

Dover, Delaware

1423 Dual Hwy

 

222 S. Dupont Hwy, Ste 101

Hagerstown, MD 21740

 

Dover, DE 19901

Laurel

 

Milford, Delaware

3421 Fort Meade Rd

 

975A Dupont Blvd

Laurel, MD 20707

 

Milford, DE 19963

North East

 

Seaford, Delaware

113 North East Plaza

 

1026 W. Stein Highway

North East, MD 21901

 

Seaford, DE 19973

Overlea

 

 

7682 Belair Road

 

 

Baltimore, MD 21236

 

 

 

Our bank branches range in total size from 2,000 to 4,000 square feet, mortgage offices generally range from 1,200 to 2,000 square feet and our Finance Maryland offices from 800 to 1,600 square feet. All of our locations are suitable and adequate to conduct business and support growth in customer and transaction volume.

ITEM 3                   LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

We are not a party to, nor is any of our property the subject of, any material pending legal proceedings incidental to our business other than those arising in the ordinary course of business. In the opinion of management no such proceeding will have a material adverse effect on our financial position or results of operations.

ITEM 4                   SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS

There was no submission of matters to a vote of securities holders during the fourth quarter of the year ended December 31, 2004.

ITEM 4A           EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT

Edwin F. Hale, Sr.(age 58) has been Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of First Mariner and of the Bank since 1995. Joseph A. Cicero (age 60) has been the President of First Mariner and Chief Operating Officer of the Bank since 1996. George H. Mantakos (age 62) has been Executive Vice President of First Mariner, and the President of the Bank since 1995. Mark A. Keidel (age 43) has been Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of First Mariner and the Bank since June 2000, and prior to that Mr. Keidel was Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Mason-Dixon Bancshares.

18




PART II

ITEM 5                   MARKET FOR THE REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDERS MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

Market for Common Stock

Our common stock trades on The Nasdaq National Market under the symbol “FMAR.” The table below sets forth for the periods indicated the low and high market prices of our common stock as reported on The Nasdaq National Market. These over-the-counter market quotations reflect inter-dealer prices and do not include retail mark-up, mark-down or commissions, and they may not necessarily represent actual transactions. We currently have approximately 3,000 stockholders, and we did not pay a cash dividend in 2003 or 2004.

 

 

Low

 

High

 

2004 Quarter ended:

 

 

 

 

 

Fourth quarter

 

$

16.80

 

$

17.91

 

Third quarter

 

15.51

 

17.20

 

Second quarter

 

15.65

 

19.75

 

First quarter

 

17.65

 

20.03

 

2003 Quarter ended:

 

 

 

 

 

Fourth quarter

 

$

15.00

 

$

20.17

 

Third quarter

 

12.70

 

17.70

 

Second quarter

 

12.26

 

13.90

 

First quarter

 

11.19

 

12.70

 

 

Equity Compensation Plan Information

The following table sets forth the securities authorized for issuance under the Company’s equity compensation plans as of December 31, 2004:

Plan category

 

 

 

(A)
Number of securities to be
issued upon exercise of
outstanding options,
warrants and rights

 

(B)
Weighted-average exercise
price of outstanding options,
warrants and rights

 

(C)
Number of securities
remaining available for future
issuance under equity
compensation plans
(excluding securities reflected
in column (A))

 

Equity compensation plans approved by security holders

 

 

738,239

 

 

 

$

10.05

 

 

 

565,954

 

 

Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

 

738,239

 

 

 

$

10.05

 

 

 

565,954

 

 

 

19




Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

The following table sets forth the Company’s purchases of its Common Stock for the most recent fiscal quarter:

 

 

Total
Number
of Shares
Purchased

 

Average
Price Paid
Per Share

 

Total Number
of Shares
Purchased
as Part of Plan

 

Maximum
Number of
Shares Yet
to Purchase

 

October 2004

 

 

5,000

 

 

 

17.14

 

 

 

34,150

 

 

 

265,850

 

 

November 2004

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

34,150

 

 

 

265,850

 

 

December 2004

 

 

3,525

 

 

 

17.29

 

 

 

37,675

 

 

 

262,325

 

 


(1)   On July 20, 2004, the Company annouced that its Board of Directors approved a share repurchase program of up to 300,000 shares (approximately 5%) of the Company’s outstanding common stock, which provides for open market or private purchases of stock over the next 24 months. During the three months ended December 31, 2004, the Company repurchased a total of 8,525 shares of our common stock at an approximate cost of $147,000.

ITEM 6                   SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

 

 

For the Year Ended December 31,

 

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

2002

 

2001

 

2000

 

 

 

(Dollars in thousands except for per share data)

 

Net Interest Income

 

$

42,441

 

$

34,411

 

$

30,988

 

$

25,874

 

$

21,020

 

Provision For Loan Losses

 

2,243

 

2,536

 

2,175

 

1,625

 

1,105

 

Noninterest Income

 

19,190

 

21,086

 

14,994

 

10,741

 

8,923

 

Noninterest Expense

 

50,926

 

45,883

 

37,973

 

31,296

 

27,798

 

Net Income

 

6,101

 

5,307

 

3,904

 

2,304

 

640

 

Dividends per Common Share

 

 

 

 

 

0.02

 

Net Income per Common Share—Basic

 

1.06

 

0.97

 

0.73

 

0.58

 

0.20

 

Net Income per Common Share—Diluted 

 

0.96

 

0.88

 

0.69

 

0.57

 

0.20

 

Total Assets

 

$

1,250,531

 

$

1,057,853

 

$

871,152

 

$

778,525

 

$

678,109

 

Loans Receivable, Net

 

736,566

 

601,155

 

526,777

 

463,141

 

425,657

 

Deposits

 

825,417

 

747,733

 

668,169

 

600,588

 

476,882

 

Long-term Borrowings and Repurchase Agreements

 

134,369

 

110,000

 

85,000

 

85,000

 

75,000

 

Stockholders’ Equity

 

64,314

 

58,434

 

51,126

 

44,008

 

27,849

 

Allowance For Loan Losses

 

9,580

 

8,692

 

7,188

 

5,524

 

4,341

 

Net Chargeoffs

 

1,355

 

1,032

 

511

 

442

 

86

 

Nonperforming Assets to Total Assets

 

0.38

%

0.48

%

0.40

%

0.56

%

1.00

%

Return On Average Assets

 

0.54

%

0.57

%

0.49

%

0.32

%

0.10

%

Return On Average Equity

 

10.11

%

9.76

%

8.20

%

6.98

%

2.85

%

Dividend Payout Ratio

 

 

 

 

 

10

%

Average Equity to Average Assets

 

5.36

%

5.83

%

5.99

%

4.65

%

3.45

%

Regulatory Capital Ratios:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leverage

 

7

%

8

%

8

%

8

%

6

%

Tier 1 Capital To Risk Weighted Assets

 

9

%

10

%

10

%

11

%

9

%

Total Capital To Risk Weighted Assets

 

14

%

15

%

13

%

13

%

12

%

 

ITEM 7                   MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

About First Mariner Bancorp

We are a financial holding company incorporated under the laws of Maryland and registered under the federal Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended. Our company was organized in 1994 and

20




changed its name to First Mariner Bancorp in May 1995. Since 1995, our strategy has involved building a network of banking branches, ATMs and other financial services outlets to capture market share and build a community franchise for stockholders, customers and employees. We are focusing on growing assets and earnings by capitalizing on the broad network of bank branches, mortgage offices, consumer finance offices, and ATMs established during our infrastructure expansion phase.

First Mariner Bank is our largest operating subsidiary of the Company with assets exceeding $1.199 billion as of December 31, 2004. The Bank was formed in 1995 through the merger of several small financial institutions. The Bank’s primary market area for its core banking operations, which consist of traditional commercial and consumer lending, as well as retail and commercial deposit operations, is central Maryland as well as portions of Maryland’s eastern shore. The Bank’s mortgage division, First Mariner Mortgage, primarily serves the same core market area as the Bank, while several sourcing units of First Mariner Mortgage operate on a regional and even national basis. In 2004, approximately 70% of First Mariner’s Mortgage’s loan production came from the core Bank’s market area. First Mariner Bank is an independent community bank, and its’ deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”). The Bank is engaged in the general commercial banking business, with particular attention and emphasis on the needs of individuals and small to mid-sized businesses, and delivers a wide range of financial products and services that are offered by many larger competitors. Products and services include traditional deposit products, a variety of consumer and commercial loans, residential and commercial mortgage and construction loans, wire transfer services, non-deposit investment products, and Internet banking and similar services. Most importantly, the Bank provides customers with access to local Bank officers who are empowered to act with flexibility to meet customers’ needs in an effort to foster and develop long-term loan and deposit relationships.

Finance Maryland was formed in July 2002, and engages in traditional consumer finance activities, making small direct cash loans to individuals, the purchase of installment loan sales contracts from local merchants and retail dealers of consumer goods, and loans to individuals via direct mail solicitations. Finance Maryland currently operates 13 branches in the State of Maryland and four branches in the state of Delaware, which operate under the trade name “Finance Delaware”. Finance Maryland had total assets of $34.5 million as of December 31, 2004.

FM Appraisals, which commenced operations in the fourth quarter of 2003, is an appraisal management company that is headquartered in Baltimore City. FM Appraisals offers appraisal management services for residential real estate lenders, including the compliance oversight of sub-contracted appraisers, appraisal ordering and administration, and appraisal review services. FM Appraisals currently provides these services to First Mariner Mortgage, but will begin to market appraisal management services to outside lenders in 2005.

Application of Critical Accounting Policies

Our consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and follow general practices within the banking and financial services industry. The application of these accounting principles requires our management to make estimates, judgments, and assumptions based upon information available at the time the financial statements are prepared, and affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and the accompanying notes.

The most significant accounting policies we apply are discussed in note 1 to the consolidated financial statements of this document. These policies provide details on how certain assets and liabilities are valued in the financial statements and how those values are derived. Management believes that based upon the estimates, judgments and assumptions used to determine the allowance for loan losses, that this accounting estimate requires the most subjective and unpredictable judgments, and as such could be subject to revision as new information is available.

21




The determination of the amount of the allowance for loan losses is considered by management as a critical accounting estimate, as it represents management’s estimate of probable loan losses, and loans outstanding comprise 59.7% of our total assets as of December 31, 2004. The estimates used in the determination of our allowance for loan losses include estimated losses on pools of homogeneous loans, losses estimated on specifically identified loans, and consideration of current economic trends and conditions, all of which may change significantly over time. Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements describes the methodology used in determining the allowance for loan losses and a detailed discussion of factors influencing possible changes in this critical accounting estimate is included in the Credit Risk Management and the Allowance for loan losses sections of Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

The following discussion compares our financial condition at December 31, 2004 to the financial condition at December 31, 2003 and results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002. This discussion should be read in conjunction with our accompanying financial statements and related notes as well as statistical information included in this report.

Performance Overview

We continued to achieve significant growth in loans and deposits while producing a record profit in 2004, leveraging our infrastructure to produce significant increases in revenue while maintaining the growth rate of our operating expenses. This resulted in higher levels of net income, earnings per share, and improved return on average equity.

We recorded net income of $6.101 million for 2004 compared to $5.307 million for 2003, an increase of 15.0% marking our highest net income for any year since First Mariner’s formation, and the fourth consecutive year of record profits. Diluted earnings per share were also the highest in our history, totaling $0.96 per share for 2004, an increase of 9.1% from $.88 per diluted share in 2003. The growth in net income and earnings per share resulted as our gross revenue (net interest income and noninterest income) increased $6.134 million or 11.1%, while our noninterest expenses, the provision for loan losses, and income tax expense increased by $5.340 million or 10.6%.

Our largest category of revenue, net interest income, grew $8.030 million or 23.3% due to growth in average earning assets of 21.1%. Noninterest income decreased $1.896 million or 9.0% due to lower levels of mortgage banking revenue of $2.041 million and lower gains on sales of securities of $931 thousand. We experienced higher fee income from all other major sources of noninterest income.

Our increase in total expenses resulted from higher noninterest expenses of $5.043 million and an increase in our income tax expense of $590,000. Our provision for loan losses decreased by $293,000. Noninterest expense growth was primarily the result of higher salaries and benefit costs, and increased occupancy and equipment expenses to support our growth as well as costs associated with our branch expansion and infrastructure development of Finance Maryland for the year. The increase in income tax expense reflects higher net income before taxes, and lower recognition of tax credits, as tax expense in 2003 reflected new tax credits awarded in 2003 for both 2002 and 2003. The decrease in our provision for loan losses reflects improved asset quality statistics, which resulted in a reduction in the allowance for loan losses to 1.28% of total loans as of December 31, 2004 from 1.43% as of December 31, 2003.

Return on average assets was 0.54% for 2004 compared to 0.57% for 2003 and 0.49% for 2002. Return on average equity for 2004 was 10.11% compared to 9.76% for 2003 and 8.20% for 2002. Average equity to average assets was 5.36% for 2004 compared to 5.83% for 2003 and 5.99% for 2002.

Our total assets increased by $192.678 million or 18.2%, reflecting significant increases in loans and investment securities, which were funded by increases in deposits and borrowed funds. Loans outstanding increased by $136.299 million or 22.3%, while our deposits grew by $77.684 million or 10.4%. Our growth

22




statistics for loans and deposits continue to compare favorably to industry averages, and reflect our continued expansion efforts, execution of our relationship banking strategy, and successful advertising campaigns. Since our inception in 1995, total assets, loans, and deposits have all increased at an average annual compound growth rate of 45%. Stockholders’ equity increased $5.880 million or 10.1% reflecting the retention of 2004’s earnings, shares sold and issued for the exercise of options and warrants and our employee stock purchase plan. These items were offset somewhat by the shares repurchased under our stock repurchase plan, and the reduction in other comprehensive income driven by the decline in the market value of securities classified as available for sale.

We continued to enjoy favorable asset quality in 2004. Our allowance for loan losses was increased to $9.580 million and totaled 204.1 % of nonperforming assets as of December 31, 2004, compared to 171.4% as of December 31, 2003. Our ratio of net chargeoffs to average total loans was 0.21% in 2004, compared to 0.19% in 2003. Our ratio of nonperforming assets to total assets decreased to 0.38% at December 31, 2004 from 0.48% at December 31, 2003.

Capital adequacy levels remained strong, exceeding the levels we are required to maintain for “well-capitalized” status as defined by Banking regulation. December 31, 2004 ratios for our capital leverage, Tier 1 capital to risk weighted assets, and total capital to risk weighted assets were 7.1%, 9.3%, and 14.1%, respectively, compared to 7.7%, 10.2%, and 15.0%, respectively, at December 31, 2003. Our regulatory capital levels declined as growth rates in total and risk-adjusted assets exceeded the growth rate of regulatory capital.

Net Interest Income/Margins

Our primary source of earnings is net interest income, which is the difference between the interest income we earn on interest-earning assets, such as loans and investment securities, and the interest expense we pay on interest-bearing sources of funds, such as deposits and borrowings. The level of net interest income we earn is determined mostly by the average balances (“volume”) and the rate spreads between our interest-earning assets and our funding sources.

Our net interest income increased to $42.441 million for 2004, a 23.3% increase from our net interest income of $34.411 million earned for 2003. The increase was attributable to growth in our average earning assets, which increased by $181.959 million or 21.1%. Our average loans and loans held for sale increased by 8.1% to $701.297 million and our average investments and other earning assets increased by 60.2% to $343.931 million. The increase we achieved in average loans reflects our expansion of commercial and real estate lending activities among middle market borrowers in the Baltimore Metropolitan area, the Bank’s continued emphasis on consumer lending, and consumer finance receivables generated by Finance Maryland. Our average earning asset growth was funded by an increase in our average deposits of $79.423 million or 11.1% and average borrowed funds of $106.256 or 65.6%. We increased average deposits due to the continued success of sales and marketing efforts in our retail banking and commercial banking divisions, and emphasis on core deposit growth. Our average borrowed funds increased primarily due to additional short-term borrowed funds to support substantial earning asset growth.

For 2004, our interest income increased to $65.270 million, which represents an increase of $9.645 million or 17.3% from $55.625 million we earned for 2003. Interest income on loans and loans held for sale grew by $4.038 million or 8.5%. Our average balances on loans and loans held for sale increased by $52.698 million or 8.1%, and our yields increased 2 basis points to 7.35%. The Federal Reserve shifted its monetary policy during 2004 and began to increase market interest rates, which began to stabilize the portion of our loans that are tied to the Prime rate. Additionally, increases in the mix of higher yielding loans improved overall yields. Interest income on our investment securities and other earning assets increased $5.607 million or 69.1% to $13.721million from $8.114 million. Our average balances on investments and other earning assets increased 60.2 % and our yields on these assets increased by 21 basis

23




points. Interest expense on our deposits totaled $12.808 million in 2004, a decrease of $571,000 or 4.3% from $13.379 million for 2003. Average interest bearing deposits increased 9.3%, and the average rates we paid on interest-bearing deposits declined 28 basis points. Interest expense on borrowed funds increased $2.186 million to $10.021 million for 2004, an increase of 27.9% from $7.835 million for 2003, as we increased the level of borrowed funds during 2004. Our average rate paid on borrowed funds decreased 110 basis points.

The key performance measure for our net interest income is the “net interest margin”, or net interest income divided by average earning assets. Our net interest margin is affected by our loan pricing, our mix of earning assets, and our distribution and pricing of deposits and borrowings. Our net interest margin was 4.06% for the year ended December 31, 2004 as compared to 3.99% for 2003. The yields we earned on average total earning assets decreased by 20 basis points, while the cost of interest bearing deposits and borrowings we paid decreased by 32 basis points.

24




Comparative Average Balances Yields and Rates

 

2004

 

2003

 

 

 

Average
Balance

 

Income/
Expense

 

Yield/
Rate

 

Average
Balance

 

Income/
Expense

 

Yield/
Rate

 

 

 

(Dollars in thousands)

 

Assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loans and loans held for sale
(net of unearned income)(1)

 

$

701,297

 

$

51,549

 

7.35

%

$

648,599

 

$

47,511

 

7.33

%

Mortgage-backed securities available for sale

 

195,504

 

8,563

 

4.38

%

75,920

 

3,646

 

4.80

%

Interest-bearing deposits

 

19,546

 

235

 

1.20

%

59,286

 

621

 

1.05

%

Treasury notes and U.S. government agency securities

 

82,461

 

2,085

 

2.53

%

34,204

 

934

 

2.73

%

Trust preferred securities

 

30,679

 

2,204

 

7.18

%

26,265

 

2,096

 

7.98

%

Restricted stock investments

 

7,507

 

267

 

3.56

%

3,750

 

141

 

3.76

%

Other earning assets

 

8,234

 

367

 

4.46

%

15,245

 

676

 

4.43

%

Total earning assets

 

1,045,228

 

65,270

 

6.24

%

863,269

 

55,625

 

6.44

%

Allowance for loan losses

 

(8,995

)

 

 

 

 

(8,016

)

 

 

 

 

Other assets

 

89,415

 

 

 

 

 

77,738

 

 

 

 

 

Total assets

 

$

1,125,648

 

 

 

 

 

$

932,991

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities and stockholders’ equity:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deposits:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Passbook/Savings

 

$

67,009

 

235

 

0.35

%

$

56,556

 

369

 

0.65

%

NOW/MMDA

 

214,290

 

1,532

 

0.71

%

208,755

 

1,824

 

0.87

%

Certificates

 

367,847

 

11,041

 

3.00

%

328,411

 

11,186

 

3.41

%

Total interest-bearing deposits

 

649,146

 

12,808

 

1.97

%

593,722

 

13,379

 

2.25

%

Other borrowed funds

 

268,249

 

10,021

 

3.74

%

161,993

 

7,835

 

4.84

%

Total interest-bearing liabilities

 

917,395

 

22,829

 

2.49

%

755,715

 

21,214

 

2.81

%

Noninterest-bearing demand deposits

 

143,706

 

 

 

 

 

119,707

 

 

 

 

 

Other liabilities

 

4,204

 

 

 

 

 

3,220

 

 

 

 

 

Stockholders’ equity

 

60,343

 

 

 

 

 

54,349

 

 

 

 

 

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

 

$

1,125,648

 

 

 

 

 

$

932,991

 

 

 

 

 

Interest rate spread
(Average yield less average rate)

 

 

 

 

 

3.75

%

 

 

 

 

3.63

%

Net interest income
(Interest income less interest
expense)

 

 

 

$

42,441

 

 

 

 

 

$

34,411

 

 

 

Net Interest Margin
(Net interest income/total earning assets)

 

 

 

 

 

4.06

%

 

 

 

 

3.99

%


(1)          Loans held for sale are included in calculation of average balances, income and yield. Loans on non-accrual status are included in the calculation of average balances. Interest income on loans includes amortized loan fees, net of costs, and late fees of $3,282, $2,935, and $2,382 for 2004, 2003, and 2002 respectively.

25




 

 

2002

 

 

 

Average
Balance

 

Income/
Expense

 

Yield/
Rate

 

Assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loans and loans held for sale
(net of unearned income)(1)

 

$

550,688

 

$

42,735

 

7.76

%

Mortgage-backed securities available for sale

 

96,649

 

5,262

 

5.44

%

Interest-bearing deposits

 

39,002

 

558

 

1.43

%

Treasury notes and U.S. government agency securities

 

15,615

 

709

 

4.54

%

Trust preferred securities

 

26,026

 

2,233

 

8.58

%

Restricted stock investments

 

3,868

 

206

 

5.33

%

Other earning assets

 

10,950

 

628

 

5.74

%

Total earning assets

 

742,798

 

52,331

 

7.05

%

Allowance for loan losses

 

(6,138

)

 

 

 

 

Other assets

 

57,896

 

 

 

 

 

Total assets

 

$

794,556

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities and stockholders’ equity:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deposits:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Passbook/Savings

 

$

44,202

 

424

 

0.96

%

NOW/MMDA

 

203,969

 

2,589

 

1.27

%

Certificates

 

265,305

 

11,235

 

4.23

%

Total interest-bearing deposits

 

513,476

 

14,248

 

2.77

%

Other borrowed funds

 

132,539

 

7,095

 

5.35

%

Total interest-bearing liabilities

 

646,015

 

21,343

 

3.30

%

Noninterest-bearing demand deposits

 

98,010

 

 

 

 

 

Other liabilities

 

2,948

 

 

 

 

 

Stockholders’ equity

 

47,583

 

 

 

 

 

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

 

$

794,556

 

 

 

 

 

Interest rate spread
(Average yield less average rate)

 

 

 

 

 

3.75

%

Net interest income
(Interest income less interest expense)

 

 

 

$

30,988

 

 

 

Net Interest Margin
(Net interest income/total earning assets)

 

 

 

 

 

4.17

%


(1)          Loans held for sale are included in calculation of average balances, income and yield. Loans on non-accrual status are included in the calculation of average balances. Interest income on loans includes amortized loan fees, net of costs, and late fees of $3,282, $2,935, and $2,382 for 2004, 2003, and 2002 respectively.

“Rate/Volume Analysis” below indicates the changes in our net interest income as a result of changes in volume and rates. Changes in interest income and interest expense that result from variances in both volume and rates has been allocated to rate and volume changes in proportion to the absolute dollar amounts of change in each. We maintain an asset and liability management policy designed to provide a proper balance between rate sensitive assets and rate sensitive liabilities to attempt to optimize interest margins and to provide adequate liquidity for our anticipated needs.

 

26




Rate/Volume Analysis

 

 

Year Ended December 31, 2004
Compared to
Year Ended December 31, 2003

 

 

 

Variance due to changes in

 

Net

 

 

 

Average

 

Average

 

Increase/

 

 

 

     Volume     

 

     Rate     

 

(Decrease)

 

 

 

(in thousands)

 

Interest Income:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loans and loans held for sale (net of unearned income)

 

 

$

3,873

 

 

 

$

165

 

 

 

$

4,038

 

 

Mortgage-backed securities available for sale

 

 

5,264

 

 

 

(347

)

 

 

4,917

 

 

Interest-bearing deposits

 

 

(467

)

 

 

81

 

 

 

(386

)

 

Treasury notes and U.S. government agency securities

 

 

1,225

 

 

 

(74

)

 

 

1,151

 

 

Trust preferred securities

 

 

330

 

 

 

(222

)

 

 

108

 

 

Other earning assets

 

 

(133

)

 

 

(50

)

 

 

(183

)

 

Total interest income

 

 

10,092

 

 

 

(447

)

 

 

9,645

 

 

Interest Expense:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Passbook

 

 

59

 

 

 

(193

)

 

 

(134

)

 

NOW/MMDA

 

 

47

 

 

 

(339

)

 

 

(292

)

 

Certificates

 

 

1,263

 

 

 

(1,408

)

 

 

(145

)

 

Other borrowed funds

 

 

4,270

 

 

 

(2,084

)

 

 

2,186

 

 

Total interest expense

 

 

5,639

 

 

 

(4,024

)

 

 

1,615

 

 

Change in net interest income

 

 

$

4,453

 

 

 

$

3,577

 

 

 

$

8,030

 

 

 

 

 

Year Ended December 31, 2003
Compared to
Year Ended December 31, 2002

 

 

 

Variance due to changes in

 

Net

 

 

 

Average

 

Average

 

Increase/

 

 

 

     Volume     

 

     Rate     

 

(Decrease)

 

 

 

(in thousands)

 

Interest Income:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loans and loans held for sale (net of unearned income)

 

 

$

7,274

 

 

 

$

(2,498

)

 

 

$

4,776

 

 

Mortgage-backed securities available for sale

 

 

(1,043

)

 

 

(573

)

 

 

(1,616

)

 

Interest-bearing deposits

 

 

238

 

 

 

(183

)

 

 

55

 

 

Treasury notes and U.S. government agency securities

 

 

592

 

 

 

(367

)

 

 

225

 

 

Trust preferred securities

 

 

20

 

 

 

(157

)

 

 

(137

)

 

Other earning assets

 

 

205

 

 

 

(214

)

 

 

(9

)

 

Total interest income

 

 

7,286

 

 

 

(3,992

)

 

 

3,294

 

 

Interest Expense:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Passbook

 

 

101

 

 

 

(156

)

 

 

(55

)

 

NOW/MMDA

 

 

59

 

 

 

(824

)

 

 

(765

)

 

Certificates

 

 

2,385

 

 

 

(2,434

)

 

 

(49

)

 

Other borrowed funds

 

 

1,467

 

 

 

(727

)

 

 

740

 

 

Total interest expense

 

 

4,012

 

 

 

(4,141

)

 

 

(129

)

 

Change in net interest income

 

 

$

3,274

 

 

 

$

149

 

 

 

$

3,423

 

 

 

Noninterest Income

We derive noninterest income principally from mortgage banking activities, service fees on our deposit accounts, ATM fees, commissions we earn on sales of insurance products and income from bank-owned life insurance. Our noninterest income for the year ended December 31, 2004 totaled

27




$19.190 million, as compared to $21.086 million for the year ended December 31, 2003, a decrease of $1.896 million or 9.0%.

Lower revenue from our mortgage banking activities, and a decline in gains on sales of securities were the primary cause of the decline in noninterest income. Gains on sales of loans decreased by $1.890 million or 36.1% compared to the year ended December 31, 2003. Total mortgage loans we sold into the secondary market decreased 26.7%, and pricing spreads on our loans sold decreased. The decrease in the volume of loans sold was impacted by the rise in mortgage rates during 2004 that significantly diminished the demand for refinancing. Our other mortgage banking fees decreased by $141,000 or 8.3%. Origination related income decreased by $378,000, while our mortgage servicing revenue increased $81,000, and income from reinsurance, appraisal and inspection activities increased by $156,000. The decline in our origination related income occurred primarily due to the decline in demand for mortgage refinances. The increase in appraisal revenue reflects the increased volume of FM Appraisals that began operation in fourth quarter 2003.

Service fees on our deposit accounts increased by $218,000 or 3.3% as we increased the number of demand deposit accounts by 1,255 or 4.1%. Pricing on most deposit service charges was unchanged during 2004 compared to 2003. Our ATM fees increased by $316,000 or 12.5%, due to increased transaction volume and higher transaction fee pricing for non-customers.

We realized net gains of $440,000 from the sale of investment securities in 2004, compared to net gains of $1.371 million for 2003. The level of gains on sales of securities for 2003 was high from a historical perspective, and was primarily attributable to realized gains of $740,000 on sales of securities to raise proceeds for the redemption of our trust preferred securities during 2003. Income from bank-owned life insurance grew by $335,000 due to purchases of new policies in late 2003 and early 2004. Crediting rates for life insurance contracts decreased slightly during 2004. Commissions earned on the sale of nondeposit investment products (primarily fixed annuities) decreased $213,000 due to lower rates offered by insurance carriers which reduced demand for these products. Commissions from the sale of other insurance products (primarily insurance products offered through Finance Maryland) increased $470,000 due to expansion of Finance Maryland’s locations.

 

 

Years Ended December 31,

 

 

 

2004
Amount

 

2003
Amount

 

2002
Amount

 

 

 

(Dollars in thousands)

 

Gain on sale of loans

 

$

3,349

 

$

5,239

 

$

3,622

 

Service fees on deposits

 

6,899

 

6,681

 

4,327

 

ATM Fees

 

2,836

 

2,520

 

2,109

 

Gain on sale of investment securities

 

440

 

1,371

 

497

 

Other mortgage banking fees

 

1,567

 

1,708

 

1,832

 

Income from bank owned life insurance

 

1,072

 

737

 

529

 

Commissions on sales of nondepeposit investment products

 

649

 

862

 

879

 

Commissions on sales of other insurance products

 

1,519

 

1,049

 

347

 

Other

 

859

 

919

 

852

 

Total noninterest income

 

$

19,190

 

$

21,086

 

$

14,994

 

 

Noninterest Expense

Our noninterest expense totaled $50.926 million for the year ended December 31, 2004, compared to $45.883 million for 2003, an increase of $5.043 million or 11.0%. Noninterest expenses for 2003 included non-recurring expenses related to the early payoff off trust preferred securities, consulting fees related to obtaining tax credits, and establishment of a charitable foundation which totaled $1.385 million. Excluding the nonrecurring expenses incurred in 2003, noninterest expense growth was $6.428 or 14.4%. Growth in

28




noninterest expenses in 2004 includes expense growth of Finance Maryland that totaled $2.039 million and the expenses associated with opening a new wholesale mortgage origination group of $544,000.

We paid higher salaries and benefits costs of $3.842 million or 16.9% compared to 2003, primarily due to staffing of Finance Maryland, new wholesale mortgage operations, additional staffing to support our loan and deposit growth, regular salary increases and higher benefit costs. Our occupancy costs for 2004 grew $630,000 or 11.2% compared to 2003, due to the additional Finance Maryland offices, one additional bank branch, and office space for wholesale mortgage. Our furniture, fixtures and equipment expenses increased for the year ended 2004 by $130,000 or 4.5% also due to the addition of consumer finance offices, the additional bank branch and mortgage space.

Our professional services decreased by $117,000 or 13.4% and totaled $756,000 for 2004 as a result of lower general legal expenses. Our advertising expenses increased by $262,000 or 22.0% and totaled $1.455 million, as we increased product advertising and marketing during the year. We experienced higher data processing expenses of $47,000 or 2.3%, due to the costs associated with account volume increases, offset somewhat by lower costs of check processing. Increased service and maintenance cost of $177,000 occurred due to an increase in our locations. Our postage expenses increased by $226,000, as a result of increased production of direct mail campaigns for mortgage lending and consumer finance. Our other non interest expenses not detailed in the table below increased $738,000 which includes increased loan origination related expenses of $536,000, as well as increases in our business development costs of $114,000.

Noninterest Expense

 

 

Years Ended December 31,

 

 

 

2004
Amount

 

2003
Amount

 

2002
Amount

 

 

 

(Dollars in thousands)

 

Salaries and employee benefits

 

$

26,523

 

$

22,681

 

$

19,761

 

Net occupancy

 

6,255

 

5,625

 

4,991

 

Furniture, fixtures and equipment

 

3,005

 

2,875

 

2,443

 

Professional services

 

756

 

873

 

1,254

 

Advertising

 

1,455

 

1,193

 

1,071

 

Data processing

 

2,079

 

2,032

 

1,746

 

Service and maintenance

 

1,485

 

1,308

 

1,043

 

Office supplies

 

697

 

691

 

550

 

ATM servicing expenses

 

1,112

 

922

 

831

 

Printing

 

712

 

795

 

459

 

Corporate insurance

 

378

 

297

 

234

 

OREO expense

 

(73

)

18

 

(131

)

FDIC premiums

 

115

 

109

 

186

 

Consulting fees

 

385

 

506

 

232

 

Marketing/promotion

 

722

 

825

 

625

 

Postage

 

982

 

756

 

393

 

Overnight delivery/courier

 

736

 

770

 

553

 

Security

 

310

 

294

 

222

 

Dues and memberships

 

341

 

248

 

187

 

Writeoff of unamortized trust preferred expenses

 

 

945

 

 

Loan collection expenses

 

332

 

239

 

153

 

Other

 

2,619

 

1,881

 

1,170

 

Total noninterest expense

 

$

50,926

 

$

45,883

 

$

37,973

 

 

29




Income Tax Expenses

We recorded tax expense of $2.361 million in 2004 for an effective tax rate of 27.9% compared to income tax expense of $1.771 million and an effective tax rate of 25.0% for 2003. Our effective rate increased principally due to lower utilization of income tax credits in 2004 ($200,000) compared to 2003 ($434,000). Tax credits in 2003 included $292,000 of prior period (2002) benefit.

In September of 2003, we announced that the Bank had earned significant state tax incentives through its participation in the One Maryland Economic Development and Job Creation Tax Credit programs. The tax incentives we earned total $5.5 million based upon a confirmation received from the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development. We will realize the benefits of the incentives in our reported earnings as the credits can be utilized, in accordance with accounting standards that govern the recognition of investment tax credits. The amount of the credit that we can utilize will be determined by the level of Maryland taxable income for the Bank only, and will be recognized as a reduction in our income tax expense. Any unused One Maryland credits can be carried forward and will expire in 2016. The Job Creation Tax Credit can be carried forward for five years. We expect the Bank to fully realize the full value of the credits before their expiration.

We have utilized all prior net operating loss carryforwards for federal income tax purposes at December 31, 2004. Our net operating loss carryforwards for state income tax purposes approximated $ 7.491 million and can be offset by the future state taxable income of First Mariner Bancorp only. Operating loss carry-forward tax benefits are in addition to the tax credits discussed above. Currently, we believe that it is more likely than not that the future operations of First Mariner Bancorp will not generate sufficient taxable income to realize the potential utilization of our net operating loss carryforward. Therefore, we have established a valuation allowance equal to the deferred tax asset associated with the net operating loss carryforward of $346,000 to reflect this uncertainty.

Financial Condition

At December 31, 2004, our total assets were $1,250.531 million as compared to $1,057.853 million at December 31, 2003, an increase of 18.2%. We continued to achieve growth through the development of our bank branching and mortgage loan office network, expansion of our commercial and retail business development efforts, our formation and expansion of Finance Maryland and successful development and marketing of our deposit and loan products.

Our total loans at December 31, 2004 were $746.146 million, as compared to $609.847 million on December 31, 2003, which represents an increase of $136.299 million or 22.3%. We achieved growth in every major segment of our loan portfolio, except commercial business loans. Loans held for sale increased by $20.900 million as we experienced greater origination activity in the later part of 2004 compared to 2003. Investment securities increased by $34.528 million as our growth in funding sources (deposits and borrowings) exceeded growth in our loans and we placed our excess funds in investment securities. Our interest-bearing deposits decreased by $14.423 million.

We increased total deposits by $77.684 million, an increase of 10.4% from $747.733 million at December 31, 2003. Our borrowings, repurchase agreements, and trust preferred offerings increased by $108.087 million, and increased the mix of our borrowed funds to 28.4% of total assets as of December 31, 2004, compared to 23.3% as of December 31, 2003.

Loan Portfolio

Our loan portfolio is expected to produce higher yields than investment securities and other interest-earning assets, the absolute volume and mix of loans and the volume and mix of loans as a percentage of total earning assets is an important determinant of our net interest margin.

30




The following table sets forth the composition of our loan portfolio.

 

 

At December 31,

 

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

2002

 

2001

 

2000

 

 

 

(in thousands)

 

Loans:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial Loans and Lines of Credit

 

$

60,496

 

$

65,934

 

$

56,760

 

$

64,157

 

$

70,726

 

Commercial/Residential Construction

 

63,847

 

51,225

 

31,878

 

34,411

 

34,832

 

Commercial Mortgages

 

315,676

 

244,316

 

202,994

 

144,836

 

101,601

 

Residential Construction—Consumer

 

135,841

 

119,973

 

135,189

 

125,954

 

82,318

 

Residential Mortgages

 

41,589

 

40,122

 

46,065

 

54,456

 

98,731

 

Consumer

 

128,697

 

88,277

 

61,079

 

44,851

 

41,790

 

Total Loans

 

$

746,146

 

$

609,847

 

$

533,965

 

$

468,665

 

$

429,998

 

 

The largest increase in our loan portfolio occurred in the commercial mortgage category, which increased by $71.360 million and commercial/residential construction loans increased by $12.622 million. Growth in these types of our commercial loans reflected successful marketing and sales efforts of the Bank’s commercial lending unit, a strong regional economy, as well as the continuation of a favorable interest rate environment. Our consumer loans increased by $40.420 million due to successful marketing campaigns, a favorable economic and interest rate environment, growth in consumer finance receivables generated by Finance Maryland, and successful cross-selling of home equity products to first mortgage customers. Residential construction loans to consumers increased $15.868 million as our origination activity in this product line also increased and demand for new construction remained high. Our residential real estate loans, which consist primarily of 3 and 5-year adjustable-rate mortgages, increased by $1.467 million.

During 2004, the Company identified certain loans previously classified as Commercial loans and reclassified them as either Construction loans or Commercial Real Estate loans to more closely categorize these loans with the loan purpose. Amounts presented for 2003 loan portfolio reflect $12.966 million reclassified out of the commercial loan category, mostly into the commercial real estate group.

Approximately 34.1% of our loans have adjustable rates as of December 31, 2004 compared to approximately 25.2% at December 31, 2003, including adjustable rate first mortgages indexed to U.S. Treasury obligations and variable home equity lines of credit tied to the Prime interest rate. Our variable rate loans adjust to the current interest rate environment, whereas fixed rates do not allow this flexibility. If interest rates were to increase in the future, our interest earned on the variable rate loans would improve, and if rates were to fall the interest we earn would decline, thus impacting our interest income. See our discussion under “Liquidity and Interest Rate Sensitivity” below. The following table sets forth the maturity distribution, classified according to sensitivity to changes in interest rate, for our loan portfolio at December 31, 2004. Some of our loans may be renewed or repaid prior to maturity. Therefore, the following table should not be used as a forecast of our future cash collections. The scheduled repayments shown are reported in the maturity category in which the payment is due.

31




Maturity Schedule of Selected Loans

 

 

Up to 1
Year

 

More Than
1 Year to
5 Years

 

5 Years to
10 Years

 

More Than
10 Years

 

Total

 

 

 

(in thousands)

 

Total Loans:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Residential Mortgages

 

$

7,949

 

$

2,772

 

$

3,980

 

 

$

26,888

 

 

$

41,589

 

Commercial/Res Construction

 

15,099

 

39,663

 

5,552

 

 

3,533

 

 

63,847

 

Residential Construction—Consumer

 

135,434

 

358

 

49

 

 

 

 

135,841

 

Commercial Mortgages

 

45,616

 

196,711

 

63,492

 

 

9,857

 

 

315,676

 

Commercial

 

28,811

 

24,622

 

5,610

 

 

1,453

 

 

60,496

 

Consumer

 

76,847

 

34,999

 

5,936

 

 

10,915

 

 

128,697

 

Total

 

$

309,756

 

$

299,125

 

$

84,619

 

 

$

52,646

 

 

$

746,146

 

Fixed Rate Loans:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Residential Mortgages

 

$

4,661

 

$

1,242

 

$

1,667

 

 

$

7,854

 

 

$

15,424

 

Commercial/Res Construction

 

3,808

 

21,876

 

 

 

 

 

25,684

 

Residential Construction—Consumer

 

135,434

 

358

 

49

 

 

 

 

135,841

 

Commercial Mortgages

 

40,244

 

165,089

 

18,975

 

 

1,278

 

 

225,586

 

Commercial

 

15,610

 

8,961

 

5,070

 

 

 

 

29,641

 

Consumer

 

7,715

 

34,999

 

5,936

 

 

10,915

 

 

59,565

 

Total—Fixed Rate

 

207,472

 

232,525

 

31,697

 

 

20,047

 

 

491,741

 

Variable Rate Loans:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Residential Mortgages

 

3,288

 

1,530

 

2,313

 

 

19,034

 

 

26,165

 

Commercial/Res Construction

 

11,291

 

17,787

 

5,552

 

 

3,533

 

 

38,163

 

Residential Construction—Consumer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial Mortgages

 

5,372

 

31,622

 

44,517

 

 

8,579

 

 

90,090

 

Commercial

 

13,201

 

15,661

 

540

 

 

1,453

 

 

30,855

 

Consumer

 

69,132

 

 

 

 

 

 

69,132

 

Total—Variable Rate

 

102,284

 

66,600

 

52,922

 

 

32,599

 

 

254,405

 

Total—Fixed And Variable

 

$

309,756

 

$

299,125

 

$

84,619

 

 

$

52,646

 

 

$

746,146

 

 

Credit Risk Management

We attempt to manage the risk characteristics of our loan portfolio through various control processes, such as credit evaluation of borrowers, establishment of lending limits and application of lending procedures, including the holding of adequate collateral and the maintenance of compensating balances. However, we seek to rely primarily on the cash flow of our borrowers as the principal source of repayment. Although credit policies are designed to minimize our risk, management recognizes that loan losses will occur and the amount of these losses will fluctuate depending on the risk characteristics of our loan portfolio as well as general and regional economic conditions.

Our allowance for loan losses represents a reserve for potential losses in the loan portfolio. We evaluate the adequacy of our allowance for loan losses continually based on a review of all significant loans, with a particular emphasis on non-accruing, past due and other loans that we believe require special attention.

For significant problem loans, our review consists of evaluation of the financial strengths of the borrower and the guarantor, the related collateral, and the effects of economic conditions. Reserves against the remaining loan portfolio are based on our analysis of historical loan loss ratios, loan chargeoffs, delinquency trends, previous collection experience, and the risk rating we place on each individual loan

32




along with an assessment of the effects of external economic conditions. “Allowance for Loan Losses Allocation,” which is set forth below, indicates the specific reserves we allocated by loan type and also the general reserves included in our allowance for loan losses.

Our provision for loan losses is a charge applied to earnings in the current period to maintain our allowance at a level we have determined to be adequate based upon factors noted above. We decreased the amount of our provision in 2004 due to improving asset quality trends that allowed us to decrease the ratio of our allowance for loan losses to our total loans to 1.28% as of December 31, 2004 from 1.43% as of December 31, 2003. Our provision for loan losses totaled $2.243 million for the year ended December 31, 2004, as compared to $2.536 million for the year ended December 31, 2003.

Our allowance for loan losses at December 31, 2004 totaled $9.580 million, as compared with the December 31, 2003 balance of $8.692 million, an increase of $888,000 or 10.2%. We recognized net charge-offs of $1.355 million and $1.032 million for 2004 and 2003, respectively. Our net charge-offs as a percentage of our average loans were 0.21% for 2004 compared to 0.19% in 2003. Our net charge-off levels for the Bank were $412,000 in 2004 compared to $516,000 in 2003, reflecting lower charge-offs associated with overdrawn commercial and retail checking accounts and residential mortgage loans. Finance Maryland net charge-offs totaled $943,000 (3.5% of average consumer finance loans) in 2004 compared to $516,000 (3.24% of average consumer finance loans).

33




The following table, “Allowance for Loan Losses” summarizes the activities in our allowance.

Allowance for Loan Losses

 

 

Years Ended December 31,

 

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

2002

 

2001

 

2000

 

 

 

(Dollars in thousands)

 

Allowance for loan losses, beginning of year

 

$

8,692

 

$

7,188

 

$

5,524

 

$

4,341

 

$

3,322

 

Loans charged off:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial

 

 

 

 

(347

)

(62

)

Commercial/Residential Construction

 

(4

)

 

(65

)

(50

)

 

Commercial Mortgages

 

 

 

 

 

 

Residential Construction—Consumer

 

(251

)

(244

)

(200

)

 

 

Residential Mortgages

 

 

(19

)

 

(5

)

(24

)

Consumer

 

(1,318

)

(1,003

)

(288

)

(116

)

(12

)

Total loans charged off

 

(1,573

)

(1,266

)

(553

)

(518

)

(98

)

Recoveries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial

 

 

17

 

 

69

 

 

Commercial/Residential Construction

 

 

65

 

 

 

 

Commercial Mortgages

 

 

 

 

 

 

Residential Construction—Consumer

 

11

 

 

 

 

 

Residential Mortgages

 

 

1

 

9

 

1

 

4

 

Consumer

 

207

 

151

 

33

 

6

 

8

 

Total recoveries

 

218

 

234

 

42

 

76

 

12

 

Net chargeoffs

 

(1,355

)

(1,032

)

(511

)

(442

)

(86

)

Provision for loan losses

 

2,243

 

2,536

 

2,175

 

1,625

 

1,105

 

Allowance for loan losses, end of year

 

$

9,580

 

$

8,692

 

$

7,188

 

$

5,524

 

$

4,341

 

Loans (net of premiums and discounts)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Period-end balance

 

$

746,146

 

$

609,847

 

$

533,965

 

$

468,665

 

$

429,998

 

Average balance during period

 

652,507

 

552,528

 

496,486

 

455,780

 

383,719

 

Allowance as percentage of period-end loan balance

 

1.28

%

1.43

%

1.35

%

1.18

%

1.01

%

Percent of average loans:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Provision for loan losses

 

0.34

%

0.46

%

0.44

%

0.36

%

0.29

%

Net chargeoffs

 

0.21

%

0.19

%

0.10

%

0.10

%

0.02

%

 

We deploy a systematic methodology for determining our allowance for loan losses that includes a quarterly review process and adjustment to our allowance. Our process includes updates on all loans that we have rated for risk. Our commercial loans are generally reviewed individually, while large groups of homogeneous loans are reviewed as pools. Our methodology incorporates a variety of risk considerations, both qualitative and quantitative. Quantitative factors include our historical loss experience by loan type, collateral values, financial condition of borrowers, and other factors. Qualitative factors include judgments concerning general economic conditions that may affect credit quality, credit concentrations, the pace of portfolio growth and delinquency levels. These qualitative factors are evaluated in connection with our unallocated portion of our allowance for loan losses. We periodically engage outside firms and experts to independently assess our methodology, and perform various loan review functions.

Our methodology employs management’s judgment as to the level of future losses on existing loans based on our internal review of the loan portfolio, including an analysis of the borrowers’ current financial position, the consideration of current and anticipated economic conditions and their potential effects on specific borrowers. In determining our ability to collect certain loans, we also consider the fair value of any

34




underlying collateral. However, our determination of the appropriate allowance level is based upon a number of assumptions we make about future events, which we believe are reasonable, but which may or may not prove valid. Thus, there can be no assurance that our charge-offs in future periods will not exceed our allowance for loan losses or that we will not need to make additional increases in our allowance for loan losses.

As a result of our ongoing review of the loan portfolio, we classify loans as nonaccrual even though the presence of collateral or the borrowers financial strength may be sufficient to provide for ultimate repayment. We recognize interest on non-accrual residential real estate loans only when it is received.

The unallocated allowance is based upon management’s evaluation of various conditions that are not directly measured in the determination of the formula and specific allowances. Such conditions include general economic and business conditions affecting key lending areas, credit quality trends (including trends in delinquencies and nonperforming loans expected to result from existing conditions), loan volumes and concentrations, specific industry conditions within portfolio categories, recent loss experience in particular loan categories, duration of the current business cycle, bank regulatory examination results, findings of internal loan examiners, and management’s judgment with respect to various other conditions including loan administration and management and the quality of risk identification systems. Executive management reviews these conditions quarterly.

The following table summarizes our allocation of allowance by loan type.

Allowance for Loan Losses Allocation (dollars in thousands)

 

 

December 31, 2004

 

December 31, 2003

 

December 31, 2002

 

 

 

Amount

 

Percent
of Total

 

Percent of
Loans to
Total Loans

 

Amount

 

Percent
of Total

 

Percent of
Loans to
Total Loans

 

Amount

 

Percent
of Total

 

Percent of
Loans to
Total Loans

 

Commercial Loans and Lines of Credit

 

 

$

1,819

 

 

 

19.0

%

 

 

8.1

%

 

 

$

978

 

 

 

11.3

%

 

 

10.8

%

 

 

$

826

 

 

 

11.5

%

 

 

10.6

%

 

Commercial/Residential Construction

 

 

508

 

 

 

5.3

%

 

 

8.6

%

 

 

303

 

 

 

3.5

%

 

 

8.4

%

 

 

254

 

 

 

3.5

%

 

 

6.0

%

 

Commercial Mortgages

 

 

2,804

 

 

 

29.3

%

 

 

42.3

%

 

 

2,481

 

 

 

28.5

%

 

 

40.0

%

 

 

1,632

 

 

 

22.7

%

 

 

38.0

%

 

Residential Construction—Consumer

 

 

1,523

 

 

 

15.9

%

 

 

18.2

%

 

 

1,853

 

 

 

21.3

%

 

 

19.7

%

 

 

2,128

 

 

 

29.6

%

 

 

25.3

%

 

Residential Mortgages

 

 

20

 

 

 

0.2

%

 

 

5.6

%

 

 

46

 

 

 

0.5

%

 

 

6.6

%

 

 

23

 

 

 

0.3

%

 

 

8.6

%

 

Consumer

 

 

1,653

 

 

 

17.2

%

 

 

17.2

%

 

 

1,139

 

 

 

13.1

%

 

 

14.5

%

 

 

640

 

 

 

8.9

%

 

 

11.5

%

 

Unallocated

 

 

1,253

 

 

 

13.1

%

 

 

 

 

 

1,892

 

 

 

21.8

%

 

 

 

 

 

1,685

 

 

 

23.5

%

 

 

 

 

Total

 

 

$

9,580

 

 

 

100.0

%

 

 

100.0

%

 

 

$

8,692

 

 

 

100.0

%

 

 

100.0

%

 

 

$

7,188

 

 

 

100.0

%

 

 

100.0

%

 

 

 

 

December 31, 2001

 

December 31, 2000

 

 

 

Amount

 

Percent
of Total

 

Percent of
Loans to
Total Loans

 

Amount

 

Percent
of Total

 

Percent of
Loans to
Total Loans

 

Commercial Loans and Lines of Credit

 

 

$

1,141

 

 

 

20.7

%

 

 

13.7

%

 

 

$

1,150

 

 

 

26.5

%

 

 

16.4

%

 

Commercial/Residential Construction

 

 

81

 

 

 

1.5

%

 

 

7.3

%

 

 

191

 

 

 

4.4

%

 

 

8.1

%

 

Commercial Mortgages

 

 

1,377

 

 

 

24.9

%

 

 

30.9

%

 

 

1,106

 

 

 

25.5

%

 

 

23.6

%

 

Residential Construction—Consumer

 

 

936

 

 

 

16.9

%

 

 

26.9

%

 

 

734

 

 

 

16.9

%

 

 

19.2

%

 

Residential Mortgages

 

 

99

 

 

 

1.8

%

 

 

11.6

%

 

 

107

 

 

 

2.5

%

 

 

23.0

%

 

Consumer

 

 

112

 

 

 

2.0

%

 

 

9.6

%

 

 

127

 

 

 

2.9

%

 

 

9.7

%

 

Unallocated

 

 

1,778

 

 

 

32.2

%

 

 

 

 

 

926

 

 

 

21.3

%

 

 

 

 

Total

 

 

$

5,524

 

 

 

100.0

%

 

 

100.0

%

 

 

$

4,341

 

 

 

100.0

%

 

 

100.0

%

 

 

Nonperforming Assets

 

 

December 31,

 

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

2002

 

2001

 

2000

 

 

 

(Dollars in thousands)

 

Loans on nonaccrual status

 

$

4,628

 

$

4,774

 

$

1,278

 

$

1,652

 

$

3,172

 

Real estate acquired by foreclosure

 

65

 

296

 

2,247

 

2,683

 

3,610

 

Total non-performing assets

 

$

4,693

 

$

5,070

 

$

3,525

 

$

4,335

 

$

6,782

 

Loans past-due 90 days or more and accruing

 

$

1,658

 

$

2,258

 

$

9,346

 

$

5,257

 

$

701

 

 

35




As of December 31, 2004, we had $4.628 million in nonaccrual loans, as compared with $4.774 million at December 31, 2003. We held other real estate owned of $65,000 at December 31, 2004, compared to $296,000 at December 31, 2003. Our nonperforming assets, the total of nonaccrual loans and other real estate owned, decreased to 0.38% of our total assets at December 31, 2004 from 0.48% of our total assets at December 31, 2003, reflecting the decrease in our total level of nonperforming assets.

Our allowance for loan losses represented 204.1% of nonperforming assets as of December 31, 2004 compared to 171.4% as of December 31, 2003. Our loans past-due 90 days or more and accruing decreased significantly, ending 2004 at $1.658 million, compared to $2.258 million at the end of 2003. We believe our allowance for loan losses is adequate.

See Note 1, “Loans Receivable”, of the Consolidated Financial Statements for information concerning our policy for placing loans on nonaccrual status.

Contractual Obligations and Commitments

First Mariner has certain obligations to make future payments under contract. At December 31, 2004, the aggregate contractual obligations and commitments are:

Contractual Obligations

 

 

Payments Due by Period

 

 

 

Total

 

Less than
One Year

 

1-3
Years

 

3-5
Years

 

After
5 Years

 

 

 

(in thousands)

 

Time Deposits and Certificates of Deposits $100,000 and Over

 

$

145,079

 

$

20,701

 

$

66,425

 

$

57,953

 

$

 

Borrowings and repurchase agreements

 

296,661

 

172,292

 

39,369

 

25,000

 

60,000

 

Annual Rental Commitments Under Non-Cancelable Leases

 

21,942

 

3,497

 

5,947

 

5,000

 

7,498

 

Commitment to Purchase Facilities

 

20,000

 

20,000

 

 

 

 

Total

 

$

483,682

 

$

216,490

 

$

111,741

 

$

87,953

 

$

67,498

 

 

Other Commitments

 

 

Amount of Commitment—Expiration by Period

 

 

 

Total

 

Less than
One Year

 

1-3
Years

 

3-5
Years

 

After
5 Years

 

 

 

(in thousands)

 

Commitments to Extend Credit

 

$

310,308

 

$

203,949

 

$

13,544

 

$

23,203

 

$

69,612

 

Standby Letters of Credit

 

5,437

 

5,437

 

 

 

 

Total

 

$315,745

 

$209,386

 

$

13,544

 

$

23,203

 

$

69,612

 

 

Capital Resources

Our stockholders’ equity totaled $64.314 million as of December 31, 2004 as compared to $58.434 million as of December 31, 2003, an increase of $5.880 million or 10.1%. The increase resulted from the net retention of our earnings of $6.101 million, and additional paid in capital of $1.690 million through the purchase of shares by our employee stock purchase plan and the exercise of stock options and warrants. These increases were reduced by the decline in accumulated other comprehensive income of $1.302 million, and the repurchase of common stock under the stock repurchase plan approved by the Board of Directors in 2004. The change in our accumulated other comprehensive income reflects the decrease in value of our available for sale securities of $1.027 million (net of taxes) and the realization of securities gains of $275,000 (net of taxes).

36




Our banking regulators have implemented strict capital guidelines directly related to the credit risk associated with an institution’s assets. All banks and financial holding companies are required to maintain capital levels based on their “risk adjusted” assets so that categories of assets with higher “deemed” credit risks will require more capital support than assets with lower risk. Additionally, capital must be maintained to support certain off-balance sheet instruments.

To date, we have provided for our capital requirements mainly through the funds we received from stock offerings and issuances of trust preferred securities. In the future, we may consider raising capital from time to time through an offering of common stock or other securities. As reflected in the table for “Capital Ratios”, we exceeded our capital adequacy requirements as of December 31, 2004 and 2003 and met the requirement for “well capitalized” under Federal Banking Regulation. We continually monitor our capital adequacy ratios to ensure that we exceed regulatory capital requirements.

In 2004 we issued trust preferred securities totaling $10.000 million which became eligible as total capital for regulatory purposes. In 2003, we issued $36.500 million in trust preferred securities and used a portion of these proceeds to redeem our June 1998 issuance of $21.450 million. The remaining amount of $15.050 million became eligible as total capital for regulatory purposes. See note 9 of the Consolidated Financial Statements for more information concerning our trust preferred securities.

Capital is classified as Tier 1 capital (common stockholders’ equity less certain intangible assets plus a portion of the trust preferred securities) and Total Capital (Tier 1 plus the allowed portion of the allowance for loan losses and the portion of trust preferred securities not included in Tier 1 capital). Minimum required levels must at least equal 4% for Tier 1 capital and 8% for Total Capital. In addition, institutions must maintain a minimum of 4% leverage capital ratio (Tier 1 capital to average total assets for the previous quarter).

Our capital position is presented in the following table:

Capital Ratios

 

 

 

 

Minimum
Requirements

 

To be Well
Capitalized Under

 

 

 

December 31,

 

for Capital

 

Prompt Corrective

 

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

2002

 

Adequacy Purposes

 

Action Provision

 

Total capital to risk weighted assets

 

14.1

%

15.0

%

13.3

%

 

8.0

%

 

 

10.0

%

 

Tier 1 capital to risk weighted assets

 

9.3

%

10.2

%

9.9

%

 

4.0

%

 

 

6.0

%

 

Tier 1 capital leverage ratio

 

7.1

%

7.7

%

7.8

%

 

4.0

%

 

 

5.0

%

 

 

Our banking subsidiary also maintains capital levels that qualify for “Well Capitalized” status under current regulatory guidelines. See note 14 to the consolidated financial statements for more detailed information on the Bank’s capital adequacy ratios.

Interest Rate Sensitivity and Liquidity

Interest rate sensitivity is an important factor in the management of the composition and maturity configurations of our earning assets and our funding sources. The primary objective of our asset/liability management is to ensure the steady growth of our primary earnings component, net interest income. Our net interest income can fluctuate with significant interest rate movements. We may attempt to structure the statement of financial condition so that repricing opportunities exist for both assets and liabilities in roughly equivalent amounts at approximately the same time intervals. However, imbalances in these repricing opportunities at any point in time may be appropriate to mitigate risks from fee income subject to interest rate risk such as mortgage banking activities.

37




The measurement of our interest rate sensitivity, or “gap,” is one of the techniques used in asset/liability management. Interest sensitive gap is the dollar difference between our assets and liabilities which are subject to interest rate pricing within a given time period, including both floating rate or adjustable rate instruments and instruments which are approaching maturity.

Our management and our board of directors oversee the asset/liability management function and meet periodically to monitor and manage the statement of financial condition, control interest rate exposure, and evaluate pricing strategies. We evaluate the asset mix of the statement of financial condition continually in terms of several variables: yield, credit quality, funding sources and liquidity. Our management of the liability mix of the statement of financial condition focuses on expanding our various funding sources and promotion of deposit products with desirable repricing or maturity characteristics.

In theory, we can diminish interest rate risk through maintaining a nominal level of interest rate sensitivity. In practice, this is made difficult by a number of factors including cyclical variation in loan demand, different impacts on our interest-sensitive assets and liabilities when interest rates change, and the availability of our funding sources. Accordingly, we strive to manage the interest rate sensitivity gap by adjusting the maturity of and establishing rates on the earning asset portfolio and certain interest-bearing liabilities commensurate with our expectations relative to market interest rates. Additionally, we may employ the use of off balance sheet instruments, such as interest rate swap or caps, to manage our exposure to interest rate movements. Generally, we attempt to maintain a balance between rate-sensitive assets and liabilities that is appropriate to minimize our overall interest rate risk, not just our net interest margin.

Our interest rate sensitivity position as of December 31, 2004 is presented in the following table, “Rate Sensitivity Analysis”. Our assets and liabilities are scheduled based on maturity or repricing data except for mortgage loans and mortgage backed securities that are based on prevailing prepayments assumptions and core deposits which are based on core deposit studies done for banks in the Mid-Atlantic region. The difference between our rate-sensitive assets and rate-sensitive liabilities or the interest rate sensitivity gap, is shown at the bottom of the table. As of December 31, 2004, our interest sensitive assets exceeded our interest sensitive liabilities within a one year period by $170.058 million or 13.6% of total assets. As of December 31, 2003, our interest rate sensitive assets exceeded our interest-sensitive liabilities by $135.449 million or 12.8% of total assets. The change in our interest rate sensitivity gap occurred due to growth in our earning assets repricing in one year or less, and increases in our funding sources repricing beyond one year.

While we monitor interest rate sensitivity reports, we primarily test our interest rate sensitivity through the deployment of simulation analysis. We use earnings simulation models to estimate what effect specific interest rate changes would have on our net interest income and net income. Simulation analysis provides us with a more rigorous and dynamic measure of interest sensitivity. Derivative financial instruments, such as interest rate caps, are included in the analysis. Changes in prepayments have been included where changes in behavior patterns are assumed to be significant to the simulation, particularly mortgage related assets. Call features on certain securities and borrowings are based on their call probability in view of the projected rate change, and pricing features such as interest rate floors are incorporated. Our fee income produced by mortgage banking operations may also be impacted by changes in rates. As long-term rates increase, the volume of fixed rate mortgage loans originated for sale in the secondary market may decline and reduce our revenues generated by this line of business. We employ the use of a statistical model to forecast the effects interest rate changes may have on our mortgage loan volume and revenue. We attempt to structure our asset and liability management strategies to mitigate the impact on net income by changes in market interest rates. However, there can be no assurance that we will be able to manage interest rate risk so as to avoid significant adverse effects on net interest income or net income. At December 31, 2004, in an assumed increase of 100 basis points over a one year period, our net interest income would decline by 1%, while our net income would decrease by 13%. If rates were to

38




decline by 100 basis points, our net interest income would increase by 2% and net our net income would increase by 18%. The difference in results between changes in our net interest income and our net income reflect the forecasted effects on changes in our mortgage banking revenue (net of variable costs) due to projected changes in interest rates, and does not include strategies we may implement to increase volume or reduce our semi-variable or fixed costs should rates increase and revenue decline.

Rate Sensitivity Analysis

 

 

As of December 31, 2004

 

 

 

180 Days
or Less

 

181 Days-
One Year

 

One-Five
Years

 

Five-Ten
Years

 

Longer Than
10 Years
or Non-
Sensitive

 

Total

 

 

 

(Dollars in thousands)

 

Interest-earning assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest-bearing deposits

 

$

5,682

 

$

 

$

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

5,682

 

Investment securities

 

33,176

 

29,070

 

189,218

 

43,256

 

 

28,245

 

 

322,965

 

Restricted stock investments

 

11,886

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11,886

 

Loans held for sale

 

79,955

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

79,955

 

Loans

 

404,026

 

84,985

 

217,568

 

16,919

 

 

22,648

 

 

746,146

 

Total interest-earnings assets

 

$

534,725

 

$

114,055

 

$

406,786

 

$

60,175

 

 

$

50,893

 

 

$

1,166,634

 

Interest-bearing liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Savings

 

$

2,189

 

$

5,020

 

$

27,030

 

$

34,403

 

 

$

 

 

68,642

 

NOW accounts

 

743

 

2,234

 

11,998

 

15,201

 

 

 

 

30,176

 

Money market accounts

 

136,499

 

5,598

 

30,219

 

20,076

 

 

 

 

192,392

 

Certificates of Deposit

 

36,549

 

34,480

 

302,638

 

 

 

 

 

373,667

 

Borrowings

 

255,410

 

 

39,500

 

60,000

 

 

 

 

354,910

 

Total interest-bearing liabilities

 

431,390

 

47,332

 

411,385

 

129,680

 

 

 

 

1,019,787

 

Interest rate sensitive gap

 

$

103,335

 

$

66,723

 

$

(4,599

)

$

(69,505

)

 

$

50,893

 

 

$

146,847

 

Cumulative interest rate gap

 

$

103,335

 

$

170,058

 

$

165,459

 

$

95,954

 

 

$

146,847

 

 

 

 

Ratio of rate sensitive assets to rate sensitive liabilities

 

124

%

241

%

99

%

46

%

 

%

 

 

 

 

Liquidity describes our ability to meet the financial obligations that arise out of the ordinary course of business. Liquidity is primarily needed to meet the borrowing and deposit withdrawal requirements of our customers and to fund current and planned expenditures. For the most part, our liquidity is derived from increased customer deposits, the maturity distribution of our investment portfolio, loan repayment and income from our earning assets. Our loan to deposit ratio was 90.4% and 81.6% for December 31, 2004 and 2003, respectively. Funds we received from new and existing depositors and borrowing in the wholesale and capital markets provided large source of liquidity for the years ended December 31, 2004 and December 31, 2003. We continue to primarily rely on core deposits from customers to provide stable and cost-effective sources of funding to support our loan growth. We also seek to augment such deposits with longer term and higher yielding certificates of deposit. Our CD’s of $100,000 or more are summarized by maturity in the table, “Maturity of Certificates of Deposit $100,000 or More”, below. To the extent that our deposits are not adequate to fund our customer loan demand, we may meet liquidity needs in the short-term funds market. We can obtain longer term funding through advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”). Our banking subsidiary maintains lines of credit with the FHLB of $250.106 million, under which we may borrow a remaining $27.023 million as of December 31, 2004 based

39




upon available assets to pledge. Other lines of credit available to the Bank totaled $135.000 million at year-end. Most of our borrowing facilities require the pledging of certain qualifying assets in order to access funding. As of December 31, 2004, our borrowing capacity totaled $37.023 million based upon qualifying assets that we have not pledged to support existing borrowings.

At December 31, 2004, we held short-term interest-bearing deposits totaling $5.682 million compared to $20.105 million at December 31, 2003. These deposits have immediate availability to meet our short-term funding needs. Also, our investment securities portfolio includes $201.610 million of mortgage-backed securities that provide significant cash flow each month. Our entire investment portfolio is classified as available for sale, is highly marketable, and available to meet our liquidity needs. Loans held for sale, which totaled $79.955 million at December 31, 2004 are committed to be sold into the secondary market and generally are funded within 60 days. Our residential real estate portfolio includes loans that are underwritten to secondary market criteria and provide us an additional source of liquidity. Additionally, our residential construction loan portfolio provides a source of liquidity as construction periods generally range from 9-12 months, and these loans are subsequently financed with permanent first mortgages and sold into the secondary market.

In the ordinary course of business, we make commitments to fund approved loans or make material commitments for capital expenditures such as new facilities or computer systems. As of December 31, 2004, we had outstanding loan commitments of $310.308 million and $20.000 million commitment for new facilities. At December 31, 2003 our unfunded loan commitments were $175.803 million and we had no commitments for material capital expenditures. We are not aware of any known trends, demands, commitments, or uncertainties that are reasonably likely to result in material changes in our liquidity.

Deposits

We use deposits as the primary source of funding of our loans. The following table describes the maturity of our Certificates of Deposit of $100,000 or more at the dates indicated.

Maturity of Certificates of Deposit $100,000 or More

 

 

December 31,

 

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

2002

 

 

 

(Dollars in thousands)

 

Under 3 months

 

$

3,636

 

$

7,223

 

$

8,070

 

3 to 6 months

 

5,411

 

6,310

 

5,062

 

6 to 12 months

 

11,654

 

8,856

 

23,653

 

Over 12 months

 

124,378

 

93,438

 

44,843

 

Total

 

$

145,079

 

$

115,827

 

$

81,628

 

 

We offer individuals and businesses a wide variety of accounts. These accounts include checking, savings, money market and CD’s and are obtained primarily from communities we serve. We have no brokered deposits. The following table details the average amount, the average rate paid and the percentage of each category to our total deposits for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002.

40




Average Deposit Composition and Cost

 

 

Year Ended December 31, 2004

 

 

 

Average
Balance

 

Average
Rate

 

Percent of
Total

 

 

 

(Dollars
in thousands)

 

 

 

 

 

NOW and money market savings deposits

 

 

$

214,290

 

 

 

0.71

%

 

 

27.0

%

 

Regular savings deposits

 

 

67,009

 

 

 

0.35

%

 

 

8.5

%

 

Certificates of Deposit

 

 

367,847

 

 

 

3.00

%

 

 

46.4

%

 

Total interest-bearing deposits

 

 

649,146

 

 

 

1.97

%

 

 

81.9

%

 

Noninterest-bearing demand deposits

 

 

143,706

 

 

 

 

 

 

18.1

%

 

Total deposits

 

 

$

792,852

 

 

 

1.62

%

 

 

100.0

%

 

 

 

 

Year Ended December 31, 2003

 

 

 

Average
Balance

 

Average
Rate

 

Percent of
Total

 

 

 

(Dollars
in thousands)

 

 

 

 

 

NOW and money market savings deposits

 

 

$

208,755

 

 

 

0.87

%

 

 

29.4

%

 

Regular savings deposits

 

 

56,556

 

 

 

0.65

%

 

 

7.8

%

 

Certificates of Deposit

 

 

328,411

 

 

 

3.41

%

 

 

46.0

%

 

Total interest-bearing deposits

 

 

593,722

 

 

 

2.25

%

 

 

83.2

%

 

Noninterest-bearing demand deposits

 

 

119,707

 

 

 

 

 

 

16.8

%

 

Total deposits

 

 

$

713,429

 

 

 

1.88

%

 

 

100.0

%

 

 

 

 

Year Ended December 31, 2002

 

 

 

Average
Balance

 

Average
Rate

 

Percent of
Total

 

 

 

(Dollars
in thousands)

 

 

 

 

 

NOW and money market savings deposits

 

 

$

203,969

 

 

 

1.27

%

 

 

33.4

%

 

Regular savings deposits

 

 

44,202

 

 

 

0.96

%

 

 

7.2

%

 

Certificates of Deposit

 

 

265,305

 

 

 

4.23

%

 

 

43.4

%

 

Total interest-bearing deposits

 

 

513,476

 

 

 

2.77

%

 

 

84.0

%

 

Noninterest-bearing demand deposits

 

 

98,010

 

 

 

 

 

 

16.0

%

 

Total deposits

 

 

$

611,486

 

 

 

2.33

%

 

 

100.0

%

 

 

Our total deposits as of December 31, 2004 were $825.417 million compared to $747.733 million as of December 31, 2003, an increase of $77.684 million or 10.4%. Rates paid on our deposits decreased significantly with the overall decrease in market interest rates that continued until the middle portion of 2004. On an average balance, all categories of our deposits increased, with the largest growth occurring in our certificates of deposit with maturities beyond one year and non-interest bearing demand deposits. NOW and money market savings deposits increased slightly. Our deposit growth reflects our growth strategy, which includes significant marketing and promotion, cross-selling, product development, and the development of our banking branch network.

41




Investment Securities

The following table presents the composition of our investment securities portfolio as of December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002:

 

 

December 31,

 

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

2002

 

 

 

(in thousands)

 

Investment securities—available for sale:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mortgage-backed securities

 

$

200,708

 

$

149,763

 

$

73,842

 

Trust preferred securities

 

31,507

 

22,987

 

26,399

 

U.S. Government agency notes

 

78,949

 

107,314

 

12,159

 

Obligations of state and municipal subdivisions

 

2,973

 

 

 

U.S. Treasury Securities

 

1,000

 

1,001

 

1,015

 

Equity securities

 

1,531

 

1,274

 

2,824

 

Foreign Government Bonds

 

1,400

 

1,250

 

850

 

Other bonds and annuities

 

4,897

 

4,848

 

10,721

 

Total investment securities—available-for-sale

 

$

322,965

 

$

288,437

 

$

127,810

 

 

Our investment portfolio at December 31, 2004, is comprised of highly marketable securities, with over 75% secured by the U.S. Government or U.S. Government agencies. The maturity structure of our investment portfolio is significantly influenced by the level of prepayment activity on mortgage-backed investments. At December 31, 2004, the average duration of our investment portfolio was 2.94 years, shorter than the average duration of 3.02 years at December 31, 2003. This reflects our decision to invest in shorter-term obligations to mitigate potential market value and earnings declines in rising rate environments. Our investments in trust preferred securities, corporate obligations and common stocks totaled $37.935 million as of December 31, 2004 compared to $29.109 million as of December 31, 2003. We continually monitor the credit risk associated with corporate investments, the risk is diversified, as the maximum exposure to any one corporate issuer is less than 1% of total investment securities.

See Note 4 of the Consolidated Financial Statements for information concerning the amortized cost and weighted average yield of available-for-sale securities.

Borrowings and Repurchase Agreements

Our borrowings consist of short-term promissory notes issued to certain qualified investors and advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta (“FHLB”). Our short-term promissory notes are in the form of commercial paper, which reprice daily and have maturities of 270 days or less. Our advances from FHLB may be in the form of short-term or long-term obligations. Short-term advances have maturities for one year or less and can be paid without penalty. Long-term borrowings through the FHLB have original maturities up to ten years and generally contain prepayment penalties.

Our total borrowings and repurchase agreements increased by $97.777 million or 49.2%, reflecting increased borrowing required as growth in earning assets in excess of growth in deposits. Additional borrowings were primarily in the form of short-term FHLB advances. We also experienced growth in our short-term promissory notes.

Our repurchase agreements may be short-term or long-term, are priced at origination and cannot be prepaid without penalty. Total repurchase agreements remained unchanged. See note 8 of the consolidated financial statements for more information concerning our borrowings and repurchase agreements.

42




Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We engage in financial instruments with off-balance sheet risk in the normal course of business in order to meet the financial needs of customers. These financial instruments include commitments to extend credit, and standby letters of credit. We apply the same credit policies in making commitments and conditional obligations for off-balance sheet instruments as we do for on-balance sheet credits. These obligations are reviewed quarterly as part of the determination of the allowance to determine the appropriate reserve for loss needed for off-balance sheet arrangements.

For a more detailed discussion of our off-balance sheet arrangements, refer to Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—“Interest Rate Sensitivity and Liquidity” and Note 5 of the consolidated financial statements.

Impact of Inflation and Changing Prices

Our consolidated financial statements and notes thereto presented elsewhere herein have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, which require the measurement of financial position and operating results in terms of historical dollars without considering the change in the relative purchasing power of money over time and due to inflation. The impact of inflation is reflected in the increased cost of our operations. Unlike most industrial companies, nearly all of our assets are monetary in nature. As a result, interest rates have a greater impact on our performance than do the effects of general levels of inflation. Interest rates do not necessarily move in the same direction or to the same extent as the price of goods and services.

Financial Review 2003/2002

For the year ended December 31, 2003, we recorded net income of $5.307 million or $0.88 per diluted share, an increase of 35.9% from net income of $3.904 million income or $0.69 per diluted share in 2002. Our gross revenue (net interest income and non interest income) increased $9.515 million while our non interest expenses, the provision for credit losses and income taxes increased by $8.112 million.

Our net interest income for 2003 increased $3.423 million or 11.0% from 2002, due to growth in average earning assets of 16.2% over the prior year. Our net interest margin decreased 18 basis points to 3.99% in 2003 compared to 4.17% in 2002. The decrease in our net interest margin resulted as our deposit and borrowing rates fell less than the decline in our yields on loans, investments and other earning assets.

Our provision for loan losses increased to $2.536 million in 2003 from $2.175 million in 2002. Our allowance for loan losses at December 31, 2003 represented 1.43% of loans outstanding, an increase from December 31, 2002 of 1.35% of loans outstanding. We recognized net chargeoffs of $1.032 million in 2003 compared to $511,000 in 2002, due to the introduction of a new customer overdraft product and increased net charge-offs from Finance Maryland.

Our total noninterest income increased 40.6% to $21.086 million, which included a significant increase in gains on sales of investment securities. Securities gains in 2003 totaled $1.371 million compared to $497,000 for 2002. Excluding gains on sales of securities, our noninterest income increased $5.218 million or 36.0%. The increase was mostly due to an increase in our gains on sales of mortgage loans that increased by $1.617 million or 44.6%, driven by higher levels of loans originated and sold into the secondary market during 2003. Our service fees on deposits increased $2.354 million or 54.4% as a result of increases in overdraft fee income from the new customer overdraft product, increased demand deposit account volume, and some pricing increases. ATM fees increased $411,000 due to higher volumes of ATM transactions and pricing increases for non-customers. Income from bank owned life insurance increased by  $208,000, and sales of other insurance products from Finance Maryland increased  $702,000.

43




We incurred noninterest expense growth of 20.8% to $45.883 million in 2003, which included non-recurring expenses of $1.385 million. Excluding nonrecurring items, noninterest expenses increased by $6.525 million or 17.2%. Our salaries and benefits increased 14.8% to $22.681 million primarily due to staffing of Finance Maryland, staffing increases to support our loan and deposit growth, regular salary increases and higher benefits costs. Our occupancy cost grew by 12.7% or $634,000. The increase was due to the addition of one branch, the additional Finance Maryland offices and retail mortgage space. Our advertising expense increased by $122,000 or 11.4% as we increased advertising and marketing during 2003. The increase in our other expenses is primarily due to higher printing, postage and office supplies, as well as increased loan origination and collection costs.

We recorded an income tax expense of $1.771 million in 2003, compared to $1.930 million recorded in 2002. Our effective income tax rate for 2003 was 25.0% compared to 33.1% for 2002. The decrease in our effective tax rate was primarily due to increased levels of tax-exempt income, including investment interest income exempt from state income taxes, and increased income from bank-owned life insurance that is tax exempt, and the utilization of $434,000 of Maryland state and federal income tax credits.

ITEM 7A           QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

See “Interest Rate Sensitivity and Liquidity” in Item 7 of this Form 10-K.

44




 

ITEM 8                   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Board of Directors and Stockholders
First Mariner Bancorp
Baltimore, Maryland

We have audited the accompanying consolidated statements of financial condition of First Mariner Bancorp and Subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2004 and 2003 and the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2004. These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of December 31, 2004 and 2003, and the results of their operations and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2004, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

/s/ Stegman & Company

Baltimore, Maryland

February 20, 2005

 

45




FIRST MARINER BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition

 

 

December 31,

 

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

 

 

(Dollars in thousands)

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and due from banks

 

$

29,765

 

$

26,574

 

Interest-bearing deposits

 

5,682

 

20,105

 

Available-for-sale securities, at fair value

 

322,965

 

288,437

 

Loans held for sale

 

79,955

 

59,055

 

Loans receivable

 

746,146

 

609,847

 

Allowance for loan losses

 

(9,580

)

(8,692

)

Loans, net

 

736,566

 

601,155

 

Other real estate owned

 

65

 

296

 

Restricted stock investments

 

11,886

 

7,265

 

Premises and equipment, net

 

17,445

 

18,001

 

Accrued interest receivable

 

6,417

 

4,955

 

Deferred income taxes

 

2,976

 

2,619

 

Bank-owned life insurance

 

26,338

 

15,266

 

Prepaid expenses and other assets

 

10,471

 

14,125

 

Total assets

 

$

1,250,531

 

$

1,057,853

 

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

Deposits:

 

 

 

 

 

Noninterest-bearing

 

$

160,538

 

$

132,979

 

Interest-bearing

 

664,879

 

614,754

 

Total deposits

 

825,417

 

747,733

 

Borrowings

 

271,661

 

173,884

 

Repurchase agreements

 

25,000

 

25,000

 

Junior subordinated deferrable interest debentures

 

58,249

 

47,939

 

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

 

5,890

 

4,863

 

Total liabilities

 

1,186,217

 

999,419

 

Stockholders’ equity:

 

 

 

 

 

Common stock, $.05 par value; 20,000,000 shares authorized; 5,826,011 and 5,693,637 shares issued and outstanding, respectively

 

291

 

285

 

Additional paid-in capital

 

51,792

 

50,717

 

Retained earnings

 

12,363

 

6,262

 

Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income

 

(132

)

1,170

 

Total stockholders’ equity

 

64,314

 

58,434

 

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

 

$

1,250,531

 

$

1,057,853

 

 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

46




FIRST MARINER BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
Consolidated Statements of Operations

 

 

For the Years Ended December 31,

 

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

2002

 

 

 

(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)

 

Interest income:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loans

 

$

51,549

 

$

47,511

 

$

42,735

 

Investment securities and other earning assets

 

13,721

 

8,114

 

9,596

 

Total interest income

 

65,270

 

55,625

 

52,331

 

Interest expense:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deposits

 

12,808

 

13,379

 

14,248

 

Borrowed funds and other

 

10,021

 

7,835

 

7,095

 

Total interest expense

 

22,829

 

21,214

 

21,343

 

Net interest income

 

42,441

 

34,411

 

30,988

 

Provision for loan losses

 

2,243

 

2,536

 

2,175

 

Net interest income after provision for loan losses

 

40,198

 

31,875

 

28,813

 

Noninterest income:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gain on sale of loans

 

3,349

 

5,239

 

3,622

 

Service fees on deposits

 

6,899

 

6,681

 

4,327

 

ATM Fees

 

2,836

 

2,520

 

2,109

 

Gain on sale of investment securities, net

 

440

 

1,371

 

497

 

Other mortgage banking fees

 

1,567

 

1,708

 

1,832

 

Income from bank-owned life insurance

 

1,072

 

737

 

529

 

Commissions on sales of nondeposit investment products

 

649

 

862

 

879

 

Commissions on sales of other insurance products

 

1,519

 

1,049

 

347

 

Other

 

859

 

919

 

852

 

Total noninterest income

 

19,190

 

21,086

 

14,994

 

Noninterest expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salaries and employee benefits

 

26,523

 

22,681

 

19,761

 

Net occupancy

 

6,255

 

5,625

 

4,991

 

Furniture, fixtures and equipment

 

3,005

 

2,875

 

2,443

 

Professional services

 

756

 

873

 

1,254

 

Advertising

 

1,455

 

1,193

 

1,071

 

Data processing

 

2,079

 

2,032

 

1,746

 

Other

 

10,853

 

10,604

 

6,707

 

Total noninterest expenses

 

50,926

 

45,883

 

37,973

 

Income before income taxes

 

8,462

 

7,078

 

5,834

 

Income tax expense

 

2,361

 

1,771

 

1,930

 

Net income

 

$

6,101

 

$

5,307

 

$

3,904

 

Net income per common share:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

$

1.06

 

$

0.97

 

$

0.73

 

Diluted

 

0.96

 

0.88

 

0.69

 

 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

47




FIRST MARINER BANCORP
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity

 

 

For the Years Ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002
(Dollars in thousands, except number of shares.)

 

 

 

Number of
Shares of
Common

 

Common

 

Additional
Paid-in

 

Retained
Earnings

 

Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive

 

Total
Stockholders’

 

 

 

Stock

 

Stock

 

Capital

 

(deficit)

 

(Loss) Income

 

Equity

 

Balance at January 1, 2002

 

5,367,270

 

 

$

268

 

 

$

47,692

 

$

(2,949

)

 

$

(1,003

)

 

 

$

44,008

 

 

Common stock issued, net of costs of issuance

 

27,316

 

 

2

 

 

247

 

 

 

 

 

 

249

 

 

Net income

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,904

 

 

 

 

 

3,904

 

 

Other comprehensive income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,965

 

 

 

2,965

 

 

Balance at December 31, 2002

 

5,394,586

 

 

270

 

 

47,939

 

955

 

 

1,962

 

 

 

51,126

 

 

Common stock issued, net of costs of issuance

 

299,051

 

 

15

 

 

2,778

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,793

 

 

Net income

 

 

 

 

 

 

5,307

 

 

 

 

 

5,307

 

 

Other comprehensive loss

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(792

)

 

 

(792

)

 

Balance at December 31, 2003

 

5,693,637

 

 

285

 

 

50,717

 

6,262

 

 

1,170

 

 

 

58,434

 

 

Common stock issued, net of costs of issuance

 

170,049

 

 

8

 

 

1,682

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,690

 

 

Common stock repurchased, net of costs

 

(37,675

)

 

(2

)

 

(607

)

 

 

 

 

 

(609

)

 

Net income

 

 

 

 

 

 

6,101

 

 

 

 

 

6,101

 

 

Other comprehensive loss

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(1,302

)

 

 

(1,302

)

 

Balance at December 31, 2004

 

5,826,011

 

 

$

291

 

 

$

51,792

 

$

12,363

 

 

$

(132

)

 

 

$

64,314

 

 

 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

48




FIRST MARINER BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

 

 

For The Years Ended December 31,

 

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

2002

 

 

 

(Dollars in thousands)

 

Cash Flows From Operating Activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income

 

$

6,101

 

$

5,307

 

$

3,904

 

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

3,323

 

3,099

 

3,023

 

Capitalizated interest

 

 

 

(15

)

Amortization of unearned loan fees and costs, net

 

(1,078

)

(850

)

(2,005

)

Amortization of premiums and discounts on loans

 

(914

)

(546

)

5

 

Amortization of premiums and discounts on mortgage-backed securities, net

 

563

 

462

 

708

 

Gain on sale of investment securities

 

(440

)

(1,371

)

(497

)

Gain on sale of loans

 

(3,349

)

(5,239

)

(3,622

)

Gain on other real estate owned

 

(62

)

(156

)

(310

)

Valuation allowance of other real estate owned

 

 

162

 

100

 

Deferred income taxes

 

390

 

(493

)

(794

)

Increase in accrued interest receivable

 

(1,462

)

(415

)

(403

)

Provision for loan losses

 

2,243

 

2,536

 

2,175

 

Origination of mortgage loans held-for-sale

 

(674,984

)

(873,863

)

(688,967

)

Proceeds from sales of mortgage loans held-for-sale

 

654,084

 

913,107

 

682,767

 

Increase in accrued expenses and other liabilities

 

1,027

 

241

 

1,128

 

Increase in cash surrender value of bank-owned life insurance

 

(1,072

)

(737

)

(529

)

Net decrease (increase) in prepaids and other assets

 

3,654

 

(10,260

)

433

 

Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities

 

(11,976

)

30,984

 

(2,899

)

Cash flows from investing activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loan disbursements, net of principal repayments

 

(132,424

)

(75,877

)

(63,961

)

Purchases of property and equipment

 

(2,767

)

(3,529

)

(6,021

)

(Purchases) sales of restricted stock investments

 

(4,621

)

(3,975

)

710

 

Activity in available for sale securities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sales

 

18,674

 

8,909

 

11,845

 

Maturities, prepayments and calls

 

153,175

 

138,567

 

64,857

 

Purchases

 

(208,549

)

(308,492

)

(80,233

)

Purchase of bank-owned life insurance

 

(10,000

)

 

(5,000

)

Construction disbursements-other real estate owned

 

 

(227

)

(232

)

Sales of other real estate owned

 

404

 

2,569

 

1,028

 

Net cash used in investing activities

 

(186,108

)

(242,055

)

(77,007

)

Cash flows from financing activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net increase in deposits

 

77,684

 

79,564

 

67,581

 

Net increase (decrease) in other borrowings

 

24,777

 

(2

)

6,200

 

Proceeds from trust preferred offering

 

10,310

 

37,639

 

10,300

 

Repayment of trust preferred offering

 

 

(22,050

)

 

Proceeds from advances from Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta

 

422,000

 

205,000

 

102,000

 

Repayment of advances from Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta

 

(349,000

)

(121,000

)

(102,000

)

Cost of repurchasing stock

 

(609

)

 

 

Proceeds from stock issuance, net

 

1,690

 

2,793

 

249

 

Net cash provided by financing activities

 

186,852

 

181,944

 

84,330

 

(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents

 

(11,232

)

(29,127

)

4,424

 

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

 

46,679

 

75,806

 

71,382

 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

 

$

35,447

 

$

46,679

 

$

75,806

 

Supplemental information:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest paid on deposits and borrowed funds

 

$

22,494

 

$

20,796

 

$

21,410

 

Real estate acquired in satisfaction of loans

 

115

 

400

 

150

 

Income taxes paid

 

2,064

 

2,970

 

2,828

 

 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

49




FIRST MARINER BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002

(1)   Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Organization, Basis of Presentation, and Use of Estimates

First Mariner Bancorp (“First Mariner”, on a parent only basis and “we”, “our”, or “us” on a consolidated basis) is a financial holding company incorporated under the laws of the State of Maryland. First Mariner is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, and was originally organized as “MarylandsBank Corp.” in May 1994. MarylandsBank Corp’s name was changed to “First Mariner Bancorp” in May 1995. First Mariner Bancorp owns 100% of common stock of First Mariner Bank (the “Bank”) and 100% of the interests in Finance Maryland, LLC (“Finance Maryland”), and FM Appraisal, LLC (“FM Appraisals”).

Most of our activities are with customers within the Central Maryland region. A portion of activities related to consumer finance operations and mortgage lending are more dispersed and cover parts of the mid-Atlantic region outside of the State of Maryland. Note 4 describes the types of securities that we invest in, and Note 5 discusses our lending activities. We do not have any concentrations to any one industry or customer.

Our consolidated financial statements include the accounts of First Mariner and its subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain reclassifications have been made to amounts previously reported to conform with classifications made in 2004.

The preparation of our financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change in the near term relate to the determination of the allowance for loan losses. In connection with these determinations, management evaluates historical trends and ratios and where appropriate obtains independent appraisals for significant properties and prepares fair value analyses. Actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents and Interest Bearing Deposits

We consider all highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents. For reporting purposes assets grouped in the Statement of Condition under the captions “Cash and Due from Banks” and “Interest-bearing deposits” are considered cash or cash equivalents. For financial statement purposes, these assets are carried at cost. Cash and due from banks and interest bearing deposits have overnight maturities and are generally in excess of amounts that would be recoverable under FDIC insurance.

Investment Securities

We designate securities into one of the three categories at the time of purchase. Debt securities that we have the positive intent and ability to hold to maturity are classified as held to maturity and recorded at amortized cost. Debt and equity securities are classified as trading securities if bought and held principally for the purpose of selling them in the near term. Trading securities are reported at estimated fair value, with unrealized gains and losses included in earnings. Debt securities not classified as held to maturity and

50




debt and equity securities not classified as trading securities are considered available for sale and are reported at estimated fair value, with unrealized gains and losses excluded from earnings and reported as a separate component of stockholders’ equity, net of tax effects, in accumulated other comprehensive income. As of December 31, 2004 and 2003, all of our investment securities were classified as available for sale.

If a decline in value of an individual security classified as held to maturity or available for sale is judged to be other than temporary, the cost basis of that security is reduced to its fair value and the amount of the write-down is reflected in our earnings. Estimated fair value is determined based on bid prices received from third party pricing services or bid quotations received from securities dealers. Gains or losses on the sales of investments are calculated using a specific identification basis and are determined on a trade-date basis. Premiums and discounts on investment and mortgage-backed securities are amortized over the term of the security using methods that approximate the interest method.

Loans Held for Sale

Loans originated for sale are carried at the lower of aggregate cost or market value. Market value is determined based on outstanding investor commitments or, in the absence of such commitments, based on current investor yield requirements. Gains and losses on loan sales are determined using the specific identification method.

Loans Receivable

Our loans receivable are stated at their principal balance outstanding net of related deferred fees and costs. Interest income on our loans is accrued at the contractual rate based on the principal outstanding. We place loans in nonaccrual status when they are contractually past due 90 days as to either principal or interest, unless the loan is well secured and in the process of collection or earlier when, in the opinion of management, the collection of principal and interest is in doubt. A loan remains in nonaccrual status until the loan is current as to payment of both principal and interest and the borrower demonstrates the ability to pay and remain current. Loans are charged-off when a loan or a portion thereof is considered uncollectible.

We identify impaired loans and measure impairment (i) at the present value of expected cash flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate; (ii) at the observable market price, or (iii) at the fair value of the collateral if the loan is collateral dependent. If our measure of the impaired loan is less than the recorded investment in the loan, we recognize an impairment loss through a valuation allowance and corresponding charge to provision for loan losses. We do not apply these provisions to larger groups of smaller-balance homogeneous loans such as consumer installment and residential first and second mortgage loans. We evaluate these loans collectively for impairment.

We determine a loan to be impaired when, based on current information and events, it is probable that we will be unable to collect all amounts due according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement. We do not consider a loan impaired during a period of delay in payment if we expect to collect all amounts due, including interest past-due. Generally we consider a period of delay in payment to include delinquency up to 90 days.

When the ultimate collectibility of an impaired loan’s principal is in doubt, wholly or partially, all cash receipts are applied to principal. Once the recorded principal balance has been reduced to zero, future cash receipts are applied to interest income, to the extent any interest has been foregone, and then they are recorded as recoveries of any amounts previously charged off. When this doubt no longer exists, cash receipts are applied under the contractual terms of the loan agreements. Origination and commitment fees and direct origination costs on loans held for investment generally are deferred and amortized to income over the contractual lives of the related loans using the interest method. Under certain circumstances,

51




commitment fees are recognized over the commitment period or upon expiration of the commitment. Fees to extend loans three months or less are recognized in income upon receipt. Unamortized loan fees are recognized in income when the related loans are sold or prepaid.

Rate Lock Commitments

The Company enters into commitments to originate residential mortgage loans whereby the interest rate on the loan is determined prior to funding (i.e., rate lock commitments). Such rate lock commitments on mortgage loans to be sold in the secondary market are considered to be derivatives. The period of time between issuance of a loan commitment and closing and sale of the loan generally range from 15 to 90 days. The Company protects itself from changes in interest rates through the use of best efforts forward delivery commitments, whereby the Company commits to sell a loan at the time the borrower commits to an interest rate with the intent that the buyer has assumed interest rate risk on the loan. As a result, the Company is not exposed to losses nor will it realize gains related to its rate lock commitments due to changes in interest rates.

The market values of rate lock commitments and best efforts contracts are not readily ascertainable with precision because rate lock commitments and best efforts contracts are not actively traded. Because of the high correlation between the rate lock commitments and best efforts contracts, no gain or loss occurs on the rate lock commitments.

Allowance for Loan Losses

Our allowance for loan losses represents an amount that, in management’s judgment, will be adequate to absorb probable losses on existing loans that may become uncollectible. The allowance for loan losses consists of an allocated component and an unallocated component. The components of the allowance for loan losses represent an estimation done pursuant to either Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 5, Accounting for Contingencies, or SFAS No. 114, Accounting by Creditors for Impairment of a Loan. The adequacy of the allowance for loan losses is determined through careful and continuous review and evaluation of the loan portfolio and involves the balancing of factors as outlined below to establish a prudent level. Loans deemed uncollectible are charged against, while recoveries are credited to, the allowance. Management adjusts the level of the allowance through the provision for loan losses, which is recorded as a current period operating expense. Our methodology for assessing the appropriateness of the allowance consists of several key elements, which include the formula allowance, specific allowance and the unallocated allowance.

The formula allowance is calculated by applying loss factors to corresponding categories of outstanding homogenous loans. Loss factors are based on our historical loss experience, or for newer classes of loans, management’s estimate of probable losses. The use of these loss factors is intended to reduce the difference between estimated losses inherent in the portfolio and observed losses.

Specific allowances are established in cases where management has identified significant conditions or circumstances related to a loan that leads management to believe the probability that a loss may be incurred in an amount different from the amount determined by formula allowance calculation. Management assigns a grade to each loan in this category based on an evaluation of each individual loan. Loss factors are set by management to reflect its assessment of the relative level of risk inherent in each grade.

The unallocated allowance is based upon management’s evaluation of various conditions that are not directly measured in the determination of the formula and specific allowances. Such conditions include general economic and business conditions affecting key lending areas, credit quality trends (including trends in delinquencies and nonperforming loans expected to result from existing conditions), loan volumes and concentrations, specific industry conditions within portfolio categories, recent loss experience

52




in particular loan categories, duration of the current business cycle, bank regulatory examination results, findings of internal loan examiners, and management’s judgment with respect to various other conditions including loan administration and management and the quality of risk identification systems. Executive management and the Board of Directors review these conditions quarterly.

Management believes that the allowance for loan losses is adequate. However, the determination of the allowance requires significant judgment, and estimates of probable losses inherent in the loan portfolio can vary significantly from the amounts actually observed. While management uses available information to recognize probable losses, future additions to the allowance may be necessary based on changes in the loans comprising the loan portfolio and changes in the financial condition of borrowers which may result from changes in economic conditions. In addition, various regulatory agencies, as an integral part of their examination process, periodically review the Bank’s and Finance Maryland’s loan portfolio and allowance for loan losses. Such review may result in recognition of additions to the allowance based on their judgments of information available to them at the time of their examination.

Foreclosed assets

We record foreclosed real estate assets at the lower of cost or estimated fair value on their acquisition dates and at the lower of such initial amount or estimated fair value less selling costs thereafter. Subsequent write-downs are included in our noninterest expenses, along with operating income net of related expenses of such properties and gains or losses realized upon disposition.

Restricted Stock Investments

The Bank, as a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank System, is required to maintain an investment in capital stock of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta (“FHLB”) in varying amounts based on balances of outstanding home loans and on amounts borrowed from the FHLB. Because no ready market exists for this stock and it has no quoted market value, the Bank’s investment in this stock is carried at cost.

The Bank, maintains an investment in capital stock of several bankers banks. Because no ready market exists for this stock and it has no quoted market value, the Bank’s investment in these stocks are carried at cost.

Premises and Equipment

Our premises and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation and amortization are accumulated using straight-line and accelerated methods over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Additions and betterments are capitalized and charges for repairs and maintenance are expensed when incurred. The cost and accumulated depreciation or amortization is eliminated from the accounts when an asset is sold or retired and the resultant gain or loss is credited or charged to income. Premises and equipment have estimated useful lives ranging from 3 to 39 years. We capitalize the cost of imputed interest we incur for significant real estate construction and development and charge the amount of capitalized interest to depreciation expense on a straight-line basis over the useful life of the asset. Capitalized interest is computed and capitalized based on the average invested amount in the development project over the construction period at the rate of the company’s incremental borrowing cost for the construction period.

Bank Owned Life Insurance

Bank owned life insurance is carried at the aggregate cash surrender value of life insurance policies owned where the Company or its subsidiaries are named beneficiaries. Increases in cash surrender value derived from crediting rates for underlying insurance policies is credited to noninterest income.

53




Other Intangible Assets

Other intangible assets are included in other assets and represent organization costs related to the formation of our subsidiaries. Organization expenses are amortized over a period of five years.

Transfers of Financial Assets

Transfers of financial assets are accounted for as sales, when control over the assets has been surrendered. Control over transferred assets is deemed to be surrendered when (1) the assets have been isolated from the Company, (2) the transferee obtains the right (free of conditions that constrain it from taking advantage of that right) to pledge or exchange the transferred assets, and (3) the Company does not maintain effective control over the transferred assets through an agreement to repurchase them before their maturity.

Comprehensive Income

Comprehensive income includes all changes in stockholders’ equity during a period, except those relating to investments by and distributions to stockholders. Our comprehensive income consists of net earnings and unrealized gains and losses on securities available-for-sale and is presented in Note 17. Accumulated other comprehensive income is displayed as a separate component of stockholders’ equity.

Income Taxes

Deferred income taxes are recognized for the tax consequences of temporary differences between financial statement carrying amounts and the tax bases of assets and liabilities. Deferred income taxes are provided on income and expense items when they are reported for financial statement purposes in periods different from the periods in which these items are recognized in the income tax returns. Deferred tax assets are recognized only to the extent that it is more likely than not that such amounts will be realized based upon consideration of available evidence, including tax planning strategies and other factors.

Statements of Cash Flows

We consider all highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents. For reporting purposes assets grouped in the Statement of Condition under the captions “Cash and Due from Banks” and “Interest-bearing deposits” are considered cash or cash equivalents.

Net Income Per Share

Our basic income per share is computed by dividing net income available to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the year. Diluted income per share is computed after adjusting the denominator of the basic income per share computation for the effect of all dilutive potential common shares outstanding during the period. The dilutive effects of options, warrants and their equivalents are computed under the “treasury stock” method, and are provided in Note 13.

Stock-Based Compensation

We apply the intrinsic value method to account for stock-based employee compensation plans. Under this method, compensation cost is recognized for awards of shares of common stock to employees only if the quoted market price of the stock at the grant date (or other measurement date, if later) is greater than the amount the employee must pay to acquire the stock.

The option price is equal to the market price of the common stock at the date of grant for all of our options granted in 2004, 2003 and 2002 and, accordingly, we do not record compensation expense related to options granted. If we had applied the fair value-based method to recognize compensation cost for the

54




options granted, our net income and net income per share would have been changed to the following pro forma amounts for the years ended December 31:

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

2002

 

 

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

Net income-as reported

 

$

6,101

 

$

5,307

 

$

3,904

 

Deduct: Total stock-based employee compensation determined under fair value based method for all awards, net of related income tax effects

 

(567

)

(526

)

(335

)

Proforma net income

 

$

5,534

 

$

4,781

 

$

3,569

 

Earnings per share:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic—as reported

 

$

1.06

 

$

0.97

 

$

0.73

 

Basic—proforma

 

0.96

 

0.88

 

0.66

 

Diluted—as reported

 

0.96

 

0.88

 

0.69

 

Diluted—proforma

 

0.87

 

0.80

 

0.63

 

 

The weighted average fair values of our option grants during 2004, 2003 and 2002 were $6.90, $5.50 and $7.03, respectively, on the dates of grants. The fair values of our options granted were calculated using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following weighted average assumptions:

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

2002

 

Dividend yield

 

0.00

%

0.00

%

0.00

%

Expected volatility

 

14.15

%

26.21

%

48.22

%

Risk-free interest rate

 

4.19

%

4.09

%

4.98

%

Expected lives

 

10 Years

 

10 Years

 

10 Years

 

 

Loan Servicing

We amortize the cost of excess servicing receivables in proportion to, and over the period of, estimated net servicing revenue. We assess possible impairment of mortgage servicing receivables based on the fair value of those rights. Fair values are estimated using discounted cash flows based on a current market interest rate. The amount of the impairment recognized is the amount by which the capitalized excess servicing receivables exceed their fair value.

When participating interests in loans sold have an average contractual interest rate, adjusted for normal servicing fees, that differs from the agreed yield to the purchaser, gains or losses are recognized equal to the present value of such differential over the estimated remaining life of such loans. The resulting “excess servicing receivable” or “deferred servicing revenue” is amortized over the estimated life using a method approximating the interest method.

Quoted market prices are not available for the excess servicing receivables. Thus, the excess servicing receivables and the amortization thereon are periodically evaluated in relation to estimated future servicing revenue, taking into consideration changes in interest rates, current repayment rates, and expected future cash flows. We evaluate the carrying value of the excess servicing receivables by estimating the future servicing income of the excess servicing receivables based on management’s best estimate of remaining loan lives and discounted at the original discount rate.

Advertising

We expense our advertising costs as incurred, except payments for major sponsorships which are amortized over an estimated life not to exceed one year. Advertising expenses were $1.455 million, $1.193 million and $1.071 million for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002, respectively.

55




Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In January 2005, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued SFAS No. 123R, “Share-Based Payment (Revised 2004)”, which establishes standards for accounting for transactions in which an entity (i) exchanges its equity instruments for goods and services, or (ii) incurs liabilities in exchange for goods and services that are based on an entity’s equity instruments or that may be settled by the issuance of equity instruments. SFAS 123R eliminates the ability to account for stock based compensation using Accounting Principles Board (“APB”) No. 25 and requires that such transactions be recognized as compensation cost in the income statement based on their fair values on the date of the grant. SFAS 123R is effective on July 1, 2005. The Company will transition to fair value-based compensation using a modified version of the prospective application, which means the fair value-based method prescribed under SFAS 123R will apply to new awards, modification of previous awards, repurchases and cancellations after July 1, 2005. Additionally, compensation cost for awards for which requisite service has not been rendered (non-vested options and stock grants) that are outstanding as of July 1, 2005 must be recognized as the remaining requisite service is rendered during the period of and/or the periods after the adoption of SFAS 123R. The determination of compensation cost for awards granted prior to July 1, 2005 will be based on the same methods and on the same fair values previously determined for the pro forma disclosures required for companies that did not previously adopt the fair value accounting method for stock-based compensation. Based on the stock-based compensation awards outstanding as of February 28, 2005, for which requisite service is not expected to be fully rendered by July, 1, 2005, the Company expects to record an additional pre-tax quarterly compensation expense of approximately $149,000 beginning in the third quarter of 2005 as a result of adopting SFAS 123R. Future levels of compensation expense related to stock-based compensation may be impacted by new awards, or modifications, repurchases, or cancellations of existing awards both before and after the adoption of this standard.

In December 2004, the FASB issued SFAS No. 153, “Exchanges of Nonmonetary Assets”, an amendment of APB No. 29, “Accounting for Nonmonetery Transactions”. This statement amends the principle that exchanges of nonmonetary assets should be measured based on the fair value of the assets exchanged and more broadly provides for exceptions regarding exchanges occurring in fiscal periods beginning after June 15, 2005. The adoption of this standard is not expected to have a material impact on our financial condition, results of operations, or liquidity.

In March of 2004, the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF) released Issue 03-01, “Meaning of Other Than Temporary Impairment”, which addressed other-than-tempory impairment for certain debt and equity investments. The recognition and measurement requirements of Issue 03-01, and other disclosure requirements not already implemented, were effective for periods after June 15, 2004. In September 2004, the FASB staff issued FASB Staff Position (“FSP”) EITF 03-1-1, which delayed the effective date for certain measurement and recognition guidance during the period of delay until a final concensus is reached. We do not anticipate the issuance of the final rules will have a material impact on our financial condition, results of operations, or liquidity.

In April 2003, the FASB issued SFAS No. 149, “Amendment of Statement 133 on Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities” (“SFAS No. 149”). The changes in SFAS No. 149 improve financial reporting by requiring that contracts with comparable characteristics be accounted for similarly. In particular, SFAS No. 149 clarifies the definitions of derivatives, clarifies when a derivative contains a financing component, and amends certain other accounting pronouncements. SFAS No. 149 is generally effective for contracts entered into or modified after June 30, 2003, and for hedging relationships designated after June 30, 2003. The adoption of SFAS No. 149 did not have a material impact on our financial condition or results of operations.

56




In May 2003, the FASB issued SFAS No. 150, “Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Characteristics of both Liabilities and Equity” (“SFAS No. 150”). This statement requires that an issuer classify financial instruments that are within its scope as a liability. Many of those instruments were previously classified as equity. Most of the guidance included in SFAS No.150 is effective for financial instruments entered into after May 31, 2003, and otherwise effective beginning the first interim periods beginning after June 15, 2003. The adoption of SFAS No. 150 did not have a material impact on our financial condition or operating results.

In December 2003, the FASB released Interpretation No. 46R, “Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities” (“FIN 46R”), which revised a previous interpretation in January 2003 (“FIN 46”). FIN 46R requires companies that have issued trust preferred securities through statutory trusts, to deconsolidate their investment in those trusts. FIN 46 requires deconsolidation and re-characterization of the underlying consolidated debt obligation from the trust preferred securities obligation to the junior subordinated debenture obligation that exists between a company and its statutory trusts. The adoption of FIN 46 and 46R did not have a material impact on our statement of financial condition or operating results.

(3)   Restrictions on Cash and Due From Banks

The Bank is required by the Federal Reserve System to maintain certain cash reserve balances based principally on deposit liabilities. At December 31, 2004 and 2003, the required reserve balances were $1.000 million and $250,000 respectively.

(4)   Available-for-sale securities

The composition of our available-for-sale securities is as follows at December 31:

 

 

2004

 

 

 

Amortized
Cost

 

Unrealized
Gains

 

Unrealized
Losses

 

Estimated
Fair Value

 

 

 

(in thousands)

 

Available-for-sale securities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mortgage-backed securities

 

$

201,610

 

 

$

1,026

 

 

 

$

1,928

 

 

$

200,708

 

Trust preferred securities

 

30,783

 

 

1,109

 

 

 

385

 

 

31,507

 

Equity securities

 

1,136

 

 

399

 

 

 

4

 

 

1,531

 

U.S. Treasury Securities

 

1,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,000

 

Obligations of state and municipal subdivisions

 

2,942

 

 

31

 

 

 

 

 

2,973

 

U.S. Government Agency Notes

 

79,413

 

 

 

 

 

464

 

 

78,949

 

Foreign Government Bonds

 

1,400

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,400

 

Other bonds and annuities

 

4,897

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4,897

 

 

 

$323,181

 

 

$

2,565

 

 

 

$

2,781

 

 

$

322,965

 

 

 

 

2003

 

 

 

Amortized
Cost

 

Unrealized
Gains

 

Unrealized
Losses

 

Estimated
Fair Value

 

 

 

(in thousands)

 

Available-for-sale securities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mortgage-backed securities

 

$

149,128

 

 

$

1,627

 

 

 

$

992

 

 

$

149,763

 

Trust preferred securities

 

22,228

 

 

1,190

 

 

 

431

 

 

22,987

 

Equity securities

 

967

 

 

318

 

 

 

11

 

 

1,274

 

U.S. Treasury Securities

 

1,000

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

1,001

 

U.S. Government Agency Notes

 

107,182

 

 

200

 

 

 

68

 

 

107,314

 

Foreign Government Bonds

 

1,250

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,250

 

Other bonds and annuities

 

4,848

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4,848

 

 

 

$

286,603

 

 

$

3,336

 

 

 

$

1,502

 

 

$

288,437

 

 

57




The following table presents the amortized cost and weighted-average yield of securities at December 31, 2004 by maturity:

 

 

Within
1 Year

 

1 to 5 Years

 

5 to 10 Years

 

After 10
Years

 

Total

 

Weighted
Average
Yield

 

 

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

Available-for-sale securities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mortgage-backed securities

 

$

 

 

$

4,752

 

 

 

$

58,836

 

 

$

138,022

 

$

201,610

 

 

4.48

%

 

Trust preferred securities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

30,783

 

30,783

 

 

7.13

%

 

Equity securities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,136

 

1,136

 

 

1.13

%

 

U.S. Treasury Securities

 

1,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,000

 

 

1.19

%

 

Obligations of state and municipal subdivisions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,942

 

2,942

 

 

6.82

%

 

U.S. Government Agency Notes

 

10,000

 

 

69,413

 

 

 

 

 

 

79,413

 

 

2.44

%

 

Foreign Government Bonds

 

250

 

 

1,150

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,400

 

 

5.10

%

 

Other bonds and annuities

 

 

 

4,897

 

 

 

 

 

 

4,897

 

 

3.81

%

 

Amortized Cost

 

$

11,250

 

 

$

80,212

 

 

 

$

58,836

 

 

$

172,883

 

$

323,181

 

 

4.22

%

 

Weighted average yield 

 

1.44

%

 

2.76

%

 

 

4.06

%

 

5.14

%

4.22

%

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted yields are based on amortized cost. Yields on tax-exempt securities are calculated on a tax equivalent basis using the marginal Federal income tax rate of 34%. Mortgage-backed securities are assigned to maturity categories based on their final maturity. Equity securities are included in other securities in the after 10 years category. Stated maturities on our securities holdings may differ from contractual maturities as issuers have the right to call or prepay certain obligations without penalty.

The following table shows the level of our gross unrealized losses and associated fair value by type and maturity:

 

 

December 31, 2004

 

 

 

Less than 12 months

 

12 months or more

 

Total

 

 

 

Fair
Value

 

Unrealized
Losses

 

Fair
Value

 

Unrealized
Losses

 

Fair
Value

 

Unrealized
Losses

 

 

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

Available-for-sale securities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mortgage-backed securities

 

$

124,095

 

 

$

1,275

 

 

$

22,078

 

 

$

653

 

 

$

146,173

 

 

$

1,928

 

 

Trust preferred securities

 

6,003

 

 

159

 

 

3,968

 

 

226

 

 

9,971

 

 

385

 

 

Equity securities

 

84

 

 

4

 

 

 

 

 

 

84

 

 

4

 

 

U.S. Government Agency Notes

 

68,950

 

 

464

 

 

 

 

 

 

68,950

 

 

464

 

 

Total

 

$

199,132

 

 

$

1,902

 

 

$

26,046

 

 

$

879

 

 

$

225,178

 

 

$

2,781

 

 

 

Gross unrealized losses totaled $2.781 million as of December 31, 2004 and equaled 1.22% of the amortized cost of securities with unrealized losses as of this date. A total of eighteen securities were in an unrealized loss position as of December 31, 2004, with the largest single unrealized loss in any one security totaling $202,000. Eight securities were in an unrealized loss position for twelve months or more.

All of our temporarily impaired securities with the exception of trust preferred securities are defined as impaired due to declines in fair values resulting from increases in interest rates compared to the time they were purchased. None of these securities have exhibited a decline in value due to changes in credit risk. Furthermore, we have the ability to hold these securities to maturity and do not expect to realize losses on any of these holdings. As such, management does not consider the impairments to be other than temporary.

58




Trust preferred securities considered temporarily impaired are issues of other banks and bank holding companies we currently hold in our portfolio. There are eight issues that are considered impaired, two of which have been impaired for the last twelve months or more. We believe the factors that have contributed to the decline in values for these securities are changes in the market that have limited the demand for these securities and reduced their liquidity. New trust preferred offerings have been created which pool issuers, diversify risk, and offer other flexible terms for investors. The popularity for these new issues has resulted in diminished demand for older, single issuer instruments with institutional investors. While some of these issuers have reported weaker financial performance since their acquisition, the majority of these issuers continue to possess more than acceptable credit risk in management’s opinion. Management closely monitors these securities for changes in credit risk, and we have the ability to hold these securities to their maturity. Management does not consider the impairment of these securities to be other than temporary.

At December 31, 2004, there were no securities of a single issuer, other than U.S. Government securities or U.S. sponsored agencies securities, which exceeded 10% of stockholders’ equity.

During 2004, 2003 and 2002, we recognized gross gains on sale of securities of $440,000, $1,371,000 and $497,000, respectively. There were no losses for any of the years shown.

At December 31, 2004, we held available for sale securities with an aggregate carrying value (fair value) of approximately $266.153 million that we have pledged as collateral for borrowings under repurchase agreements.

(5)   Loans Receivable and Allowance for Loan Losses

Approximately 80% of our loans receivable are to customers located in the State of Maryland. Loans are extended only after evaluation by management of customers’ creditworthiness and other relevant factors on a case-by-case basis. We generally do not lend more than 90% of the appraised value of a property and require private mortgage insurance on residential mortgages with loan-to-value ratios in excess of 80%. In addition, we generally obtain personal guarantees of repayment from our borrowers and/or others for construction, commercial and multi-family residential loans and disburse the proceeds of construction and similar loans only as work progresses on the related projects.

We generally consider our residential lending to involve less risk than other forms of lending, although our payment experience on these loans is dependent to some extent on economic and market conditions in our primary lending area. Commercial and construction loan repayments are generally dependent on the operations of the related properties or the financial condition of its borrower or guarantor. Accordingly, repayment of such loans can be more susceptible to adverse conditions in the real estate market and the regional economy.

59




Loans receivable are summarized as follows at December 31:

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

 

 

(in thousands)

 

Loans secured by first mortgages on real estate:

 

 

 

 

 

Residential

 

$

41,558

 

$

40,231

 

Commercial

 

316,363

 

245,380

 

Consumer residential construction

 

135,820

 

119,834

 

Construction, net of undisbursed principal

 

64,542

 

51,748

 

 

 

558,283

 

457,193

 

Commercial

 

60,854

 

66,097

 

Loans secured by second mortgages on real estate

 

79,771

 

50,906

 

Consumer loans

 

47,389

 

35,818

 

Loans secured by deposits and other

 

1,068

 

1,160

 

Total loans

 

747,365

 

611,174

 

Unamortized loan (discounts) premiums

 

(273

)

(306

)

Unearned loan fees, net

 

(946

)

(1,021

)

 

 

$746,146

 

$

609,847

 

 

During 2004, the Company identified certain loans previously identified as commercial loans and reclassified them as either construction loans or commercial real estate loans to more closely categorize these loans with the loan purpose. Amounts presented for the 2003 loan portfolio reflect $12.966 million reclassified out of commercial loans mostly into the commercial real rstate group.

Included in consumer loan totals in the above table are overdrawn commercial and retail checking accounts totaling $753,000 and $741,000 as of December 31, 2004 and 2003, respectively. Included in unearned loan fees and costs in the above table is unearned income on installment loans of $612,000 and $189,000 as of December 31, 2004 and 2003, respectively.

Our loans on nonaccrual status totaled $4.628 million, $4.774 million and $1.278 million at December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002, respectively. The interest income which would have been recorded in 2004, 2003 and 2002 under the original terms of loans in nonaccrual status was approximately $440,000, $360,000 and $113,000, respectively. The actual interest income recorded on these loans in 2004, 2003 and 2002 was approximately $272,000, $217,000 and $3,000, respectively. Loans past due 90 days or more and still accruing totaled $1.658 million, $2.258 million, and $9.346 million as of December 31, 2004, 2003, and 2002, respectively.

Loans we consider impaired at December 31, 2004 totaled $3.474 million compared to $3.027 million at December 31, 2003. The valuation allowance for impaired loans was approximately $1.434 million at December 31, 2004 and $454,000 at December 31, 2003. The average recorded investment in our impaired loans was approximately $1.601 million, $644,000 and $163,000 for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002, respectively, and no income has been accrued or collected on these loans while they have been classified as impaired.

Changes in the allowance for losses on loans are summarized as follows:

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

2002

 

 

 

(in thousands)

 

Balance at beginning of year

 

$

8,692

 

$

7,188

 

$

5,524

 

Provisions for loan losses

 

2,243

 

2,536

 

2,175

 

Charge-offs

 

(1,573

)

(1,266

)

(553

)

Recoveries

 

218

 

234

 

42

 

Balance at end of year

 

$

9,580

 

$

8,692

 

$

7,188

 

 

60




 

Commitments to extend credit are agreements to lend to customers, provided that terms and conditions established in the related contracts are met. At December 31, 2004 and 2003, we had commitments to originate first mortgage loans on real estate of approximately $85.8 million and $57.6 million, respectively, most of which were committed for sale in the secondary market.

At December 31, 2004 and 2003, we also had commitments to loan funds under unused home equity lines of credit aggregating approximately $57.541 million and $41.299 million, respectively, and unused commercial lines of credit, retail checking line of credit, as well as unfunded construction commitments aggregating approximately $166.958 million and $130.463 million, respectively. Such commitments generally carry a fixed rate of interest, while home equity lines of credit are generally variable.

Commitments for first mortgage loans generally expire within 60 days and are normally funded with loan principal repayments, excess liquidity and deposits. Since certain commitments may expire without being drawn upon, the total commitment amounts do not necessarily represent our future cash requirements.

Substantially all outstanding commitments at December 31, 2004 and 2003 are for loans to be secured by real estate with appraised values in excess of the commitment amounts. Our exposure to credit loss under these contracts in the event of non-performance by the other parties is represented by the commitment amounts, assuming the collateral has no value.

During the ordinary course of business, we make loans to our directors and their affiliates and several of our policy making officers on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and collateral, as those prevailing for comparable transactions with other customers. Loans outstanding and included in our statement of financial condition to our directors, their affiliates, and our policy making officers totaled $1.882 million and $2.352 million at December 31, 2004, and 2003, respectively. During 2004, new loans and advances of existing loans totaled $80,000 and repayments totaled $550,000; in 2003, $323,000 of new loans and advances of existing loans were made and repayments totaled $1.015 million. Unused loan commitments to directors and policy making officers totaled $776,000 as of December 31, 2004 and $245,000 as of December 31, 2003. Letters of credit issued on behalf of directors and policy making officers totaled $763,000 for December 31, 2004 compared to $400,000 at December 31, 2003.

From time to time, we retain servicing on certain loans we sell into the secondary market. At December 31, 2004, 2003, and 2002 our servicing portfolio totaled $2.997 million, $3.533 million, and $10.491 million, respectively. Servicing loans for others generally consists of collecting mortgage payments, disbursing payments to investors and foreclosure processing. Loan servicing income is recorded upon receipt and includes servicing fees from investors and certain charges collected from borrowers, such as late payment fees. Our mortgage servicing rights had a carrying value of $0, $1,000 and $107,000, as of December 31, 2004, 2003, and 2002, respectively. Estimated fair values of these servicing rights approximate carrying value. Amortization expense and impairment of servicing rights was $1,000, $106,000, and $152,000 for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003, and 2002 respectively.

61




(6)   Property and Equipment

We own property and equipment as follows at December 31:

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

 

 

(in thousands)

 

Land

 

$

2,300

 

$

1,823

 

Buildings and improvements

 

6,952

 

6,936

 

Leasehold improvements

 

5,176

 

4,778

 

Furniture, fixtures and equipment

 

17,817

 

15,966

 

Total at cost

 

32,245

 

29,503

 

Less accumulated depreciation and amortization

 

14,800

 

11,502

 

Total premises and equipment

 

$17,445

 

$

18,001

 

 

Our rent expense for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002 was approximately $3.576 million, $3.284 million and $2.615 million, respectively. Our rent expense for 2002 included $100,000 for termination of existing leases.

Depreciation expense for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002 was $3.323 million, $3.099 million and $3.023 million, respectively.

We occupy space leased from various companies, of which the Chairman and CEO of First Mariner is the owner. In 2004, these companies were paid approximately $1.6 million for office, branch, and storage space. The terms of the leases vary with the majority expiring in 2013. Management believes that such terms are at least as favorable as those that could be obtained from a third party.

Our minimum lease payments due for each of the next five years are as follows:

 

 

(in thousands)

 

2005

 

 

$

3,497

 

 

2006

 

 

3,086

 

 

2007

 

 

2,861

 

 

2008

 

 

2,621

 

 

2009

 

 

2,379

 

 

Thereafter

 

 

7,498

 

 

 

 

 

$

21,942

 

 

 

In October 2004, we entered into an agreement to purchase our headquarters building located at 3301 Boston Street in Baltimore, Maryland from a limited liability company wholly owned by our Chairman and CEO. The purchase is expected to close on or about March 31, 2005. Upon successful completion of the closing, the rental commitments disclosed in the above table will be reduced by approximately $825,000 in 2005, and $1.111 million per year through October of 2013.

62




(7)   Deposits

Deposits are summarized as follows (dollars in thousands) at December 31:

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

 

 

Amount

 

Weighted
Average
Effective
Rate

 

Amount

 

Weighted
Average
Effective
Rate

 

Noncertificate:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Passbook and other savings

 

$

68,642

 

 

0.35

%

 

$

61,110

 

 

0.60

%

 

Interest bearing demand deposits

 

30,176

 

 

0.34

%

 

59,815

 

 

0.53

%

 

Money market accounts

 

192,394

 

 

0.84

%

 

152,529

 

 

1.01

%

 

Non-interest bearing demand

 

160,538

 

 

 

 

 

132,979

 

 

 

 

 

Total noncertificate deposits

 

451,750

 

 

 

 

 

406,433

 

 

 

 

 

Certificates:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Original maturities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Under 12 months

 

3,015

 

 

1.48

%

 

4,055

 

 

1.47

%

 

12 to 60 months

 

337,216

 

 

2.97

%

 

308,828

 

 

3.42

%

 

IRA and KEOGH

 

33,436

 

 

3.48

%

 

28,417

 

 

3.81

%

 

Total certificates of deposit

 

373,667

 

 

 

 

 

341,300

 

 

 

 

 

Total deposits

 

$

825,417

 

 

 

 

 

$

747,733

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amount

 

% of
Total

 

Amount

 

% of
Total

 

Scheduled certificate maturities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Under 6 months

 

$

36,549

 

 

9.78

%

 

$

42,379

 

 

12.42

%

 

6 months to 12 months

 

34,480

 

 

9.23

%

 

42,225

 

 

12.37

%

 

12 months to 24 months

 

110,773

 

 

29.64

%

 

80,254

 

 

23.51

%

 

24 months to 36 months

 

60,077

 

 

16.08

%

 

42,394

 

 

12.42

%

 

36 months to 48 months

 

101,550

 

 

27.18

%

 

39,894

 

 

11.69

%

 

Over 48 months

 

30,238

 

 

8.09

%

 

94,154

 

 

27.59

%

 

 

 

$373,667

 

 

100.00

%

 

$

341,300

 

 

100.00

%

 

 

The Bank offers certain certificate products that provide customers a “one-time” withdrawal option that the customer may exercise at any time without penalty. As of December 31, 2004, certificates that permitted early withdrawal totaled $138.994 million.

Certificates of deposit of $100,000 or more totaled approximately $145.079 million and $161.154 million at December 31, 2004 and 2003, respectively.

(8)   Borrowings and Repurchase Agreements

Our borrowings consist of short-term and long-term advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank at Atlanta (FHLB), short-term promissory notes, long-term repurchase agreements with callable options, and a long-term line of credit. The FHLB advances are available under a specific collateral pledge and security agreement, which currently allows us to borrow up to 25% of our the bank’s total assets and requires that we maintain collateral for all of our borrowings in the form of specific first mortgage loans or commercial mortgages with outstanding principal equal to 133% of the advances, overnight investments equal to 100% of advances or securities equal to 103% of advances. Long-term FHLB advances totaled $85.000 million at year-end and are fixed-rate instruments with various call provisions. Short-term advances totaled $132.000 million at December 31, 2004 and are in the form of overnight borrowings with rates changing daily. Long-term repurchase agreements totaled $25.000 million at December 31, 2004, are fixed-rate obligations and

63




require the company to pledge Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”) securities or cash. The long-term line of credit is maintained with a commercial bank, and permits Finance Maryland to borrow up to $25.000 million at a variable rate of interest. The line of credit is secured by eligible receivables of Finance Maryland and is also guaranteed by First Mariner Bancorp. Other covenants relating to the line of credit require Finance Maryland to maintain predetermined levels of operating performance, credit quality and equity levels, as well as other usual and customary requirements.

Certain information regarding our borrowings and repurchase agreements are as follows:

 

 

December 31,

 

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

2002

 

 

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

Amount outstanding at year-end:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FHLB short-term advances

 

$

132,000

 

$

59,000

 

$

 

Short-term promissory notes

 

30,292

 

29,884

 

29,824

 

Short-term repurchase agreements

 

 

 

 

FHLB long-term advances

 

85,000

 

85,000

 

60,000

 

Long-term repurchase agreements

 

25,000

 

25,000

 

25,000

 

Long-term line of credit

 

24,369

 

 

 

Weighted average interest rate at year-end:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FHLB short-term advances

 

2.44

%

1.12

%

 

Short-term promissory notes

 

0.61

%

0.75

%

1.00

%

Short-term repurchase agreements

 

 

 

 

FHLB long-term advances

 

4.84

%

4.84

%

5.99

%

Long-term repurchase agreements

 

5.06

%

5.06

%

5.06

%

Long-term line of credit

 

5.62

%

 

 

Maximum outstanding at any month-end:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FHLB short-term advances

 

$

132,000

 

$

59,000

 

$

 

Short-term promissory notes

 

41,058

 

43,981

 

41,790

 

Short-term repurchase agreements

 

 

 

4,257

 

FHLB long-term advances

 

85,000

 

85,000

 

60,000

 

Long-term repurchase agreements

 

25,000

 

25,000

 

25,000

 

Long-term line of credit

 

24,369

 

 

 

Average outstanding:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FHLB short-term advances

 

$

62,060

 

$

8,452

 

$

2,409

 

Short-term promissory notes

 

30,821

 

25,647

 

21,543

 

Short-term repurchase agreements

 

 

 

723

 

FHLB long-term advances

 

85,000

 

61,507

 

60,000

 

Long-term repurchase agreements

 

25,000

 

25,000

 

25,000

 

Long-term line of credit

 

16,360

 

 

 

Weighted average interest rate during the year:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FHLB short-term advances

 

1.78

%

1.22

%

1.82

%

Short-term promissory notes

 

0.51

%

0.63

%

0.99

%

Short-term repurchase agreements

 

 

 

3.30

%

FHLB long-term advances

 

4.93

%

5.99

%

5.99

%

Long-term repurchase agreements

 

5.17

%

5.13

%

5.06

%

Long-term line of credit

 

5.24

%

 

 

 

Repayments on long-term FHLB advances and long-term repurchase agreements are as follows: 2005—$10.000 million; 2006—$15.000 million; 2007—$24.369 million, 2008—$25.000 million; thereafter—$60.000 million. Long term borrowings totaling $85.000 million are subject to call provisions.

64




We have pledged securities with a carrying value (fair value) of $266.153 million and loans with a carrying value of $120.699 million as collateral for short-term and long-term FHLB advances as well as the long-term line of credit.

(9)   Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures

The following table shows the subordinated debt issued by First Mariner Bancorp and the related Trust Preferred Securities issued at December 31, 2004.

Trust

 

 

 

Subordinated
Debt issued
To Trust

 

Security Title

 

Trust
Preferred
Securities
Issued by
Trust

 

Date of
Original Issue

 

Optional
Redemption Date

 

Stated
Maturity

 

MCT II

 

 

$

10,300,000

 

 

Floating rate Trust Preferred Securities

 

$

10,000,000

 

December 11, 2002

 

December 11, 2007

 

December 11, 2032

 

MCT III

 

 

$

14,949,000

 

 

5-year Fixed Trust Preferred Securities

 

$

14,500,000

 

June 18, 2003

 

July 7, 2008

 

July 7, 2033

 

MCT IV

 

 

$

12,380,000

 

 

Floating rate Trust Preferred Securities

 

$

12,000,000

 

August 19, 2003

 

August 18, 2008

 

August 18, 2033

 

MCT V

 

 

$

10,310,000

 

 

Floating rate Trust Preferred Securities

 

$

10,000,000

 

September 25, 2003

 

October 8, 2008

 

October 8, 2033

 

MCT VI

 

 

$

10,310,000

 

 

Floating rate Trust Preferred Securities

 

$

10,000,000

 

October 21, 2004

 

January 7, 2010

 

January 7, 2035

 

Total

 

 

$

58,249,000

 

 

 

 

$

56,500,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have issued subordinated debt to Mariner Capital Trusts (“MCT”), including MCT II, MCT III, MCT IV, MCT V and MCT VI (the “Trusts”). The Trusts are Delaware business trusts for which all the common securities are owned by First Mariner and which were formed for the purpose of issuing Trust Preferred Securities. In accordance with the provisions of FIN46, we have deconsolidated the Trusts, and their financial position and results of operations are not included in our consolidated financial position and results of operations. The terms of the subordinated debt issued to the Trusts and the Trust Preferred Securities issued by the Trusts are identical.

The Trust Preferred Securities are mandatorily redeemable, in whole or in part, upon repayment of their underlying subordinated debt at their respective maturities or their earlier redemption. The subordinated debt is redeemable prior to maturity at our option on or after its optional redemption dates.

The Floating Rate Trust Securities, issued by MCT II accrue interest at a variable rate of interest equal to the 3-month LIBOR rate plus 335 basis points. The Trust Securities, issued by MCT III accrue interest at a fixed rate of interest, initially at 5.66% on the outstanding securities. The interest rate will reset July 7, 2008 to a floating rate equal to 3-month LIBOR rate plus 325 basis points. The Floating Rate Trust Securities, issued by MCT IV accrue interest at a variable rate of interest equal to the 3-month LIBOR rate plus 305 basis points. The Floating Rate Trust Securities, issued by MCT V accrue interest at a variable rate of interest equal to the 3-month LIBOR rate plus 315 basis points. The Floating Rate Trust Securities, issued by MCT VI accrue interest at a variable rate of interest equal to the 3-month LIBOR rate plus 205 basis points.

The interest expense (including amortization of the cost of issuance) on Trust Preferred Securities was $2.426 million in 2004 and $2.549 million in 2003.

The junior subordinated deferrable interest debentures are the sole assets of the Trusts. First Mariner has fully and unconditionally guaranteed all of the obligations of the Trusts.

Under applicable regulatory guidelines, a portion of the Trust Preferred Securities will qualify as Tier I capital, and the remaining portion will qualify as Tier II capital. Under applicable regulatory guidelines, $21.482 million of the outstanding Trust Preferred Securities qualify as Tier I capital and $35.018 million of the Trust Preferred Securities qualify as Tier II capital at December 31, 2004.

65




(10)   Employee Benefit Plans

(a)   Profit Sharing Plan

We established a defined contribution plan in 1997, covering our employees meeting certain age and service eligibility requirements. The Plan provides for cash deferrals qualifying under Section 401(k). We make matching contributions to the plan which totaled $392,000, $378,000 and $304,000 in 2004, 2003, and 2002, respectively.

(b)   Stock Options

We have stock option award arrangements, which provide for the granting of options to acquire common stock to our directors and key employees. Option prices are equal to or greater than the estimated fair market value of the common stock at the date of the grant. Options issued prior to 1996 are exercisable immediately after the date of grant. Beginning in 1996, options granted have a three-year vesting schedule with the first year vested upon issuance. All of our options expire ten years after the date of grant.

Information with respect to stock options is as follows for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002:

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

2002

 

 

 

Number of 
Shares

 

Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price

 

Number of 
Shares

 

Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price

 

Number of 
Shares

 

Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price

 

Outstanding at beginning of year

 

 

701,888

 

 

 

$

9.48

 

 

 

514,538

 

 

 

$

8.58

 

 

 

373,170

 

 

 

$

7.74

 

 

Granted

 

 

51,350

 

 

 

18.32

 

 

 

193,850

 

 

 

11.85

 

 

 

146,200

 

 

 

10.65

 

 

Exercised

 

 

(12,165

)

 

 

10.66

 

 

 

(6,500

)

 

 

9.01

 

 

 

(3,498

)

 

 

5.58

 

 

Forfeited/Cancelled

 

 

(2,834

)

 

 

16.41

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(1,334

)

 

 

7.89

 

 

Outstanding at end of year

 

 

738,239

 

 

 

$

10.05

 

 

 

701,888

 

 

 

$

9.48

 

 

 

514,538

 

 

 

$

8.58

 

 

 

66




Options outstanding are summarized as follows at December 31, 2004:

Options Outstanding

 

 

 

Exercise Price ($)

 

 

 

Shares

 

Weighted Average
Remaining
Contractual Life
(Years)

 

Options
Exercisable
Shares

 

$  4.00

 

1,400

 

 

6.0

 

 

 

1,400

 

 

    5.50

 

95,818

 

 

6.2

 

 

 

95,818

 

 

    5.63

 

41,750

 

 

5.2

 

 

 

41,750

 

 

    6.25

 

3,000

 

 

5.4

 

 

 

3,000

 

 

    6.45

 

700

 

 

6.5

 

 

 

700

 

 

    7.10

 

5,500

 

 

6.4

 

 

 

5,500

 

 

    7.40

 

550

 

 

6.8

 

 

 

550

 

 

    8.69

 

10,000

 

 

4.9

 

 

 

10,000

 

 

    9.09

 

183,920

 

 

1.9

 

 

 

183,920

 

 

    9.16

 

1,150

 

 

7.0

 

 

 

1,150

 

 

    9.86

 

1,850

 

 

7.8

 

 

 

1,850

 

 

  10.45

 

120,500

 

 

7.2

 

 

 

120,500

 

 

  10.50

 

3,000

 

 

4.6

 

 

 

3,000

 

 

  10.70

 

850

 

 

7.3

 

 

 

850

 

 

  11.68

 

176,001

 

 

8.2

 

 

 

117,334

 

 

  11.75

 

14,750

 

 

4.2

 

 

 

14,750

 

 

  11.95

 

1,100

 

 

8.2

 

 

 

733

 

 

  12.03

 

6,000

 

 

7.4

 

 

 

6,000

 

 

  12.10

 

9,500

 

 

7.4

 

 

 

9,500

 

 

  13.00

 

1,100

 

 

8.2

 

 

 

733

 

 

  13.52

 

7,500

 

 

8.4

 

 

 

5,000

 

 

  16.86

 

1,000

 

 

9.5

 

 

 

333

 

 

  16.95

 

2,950

 

 

8.8

 

 

 

1,967

 

 

  18.20

 

10,050

 

 

9.4

 

 

 

3,350

 

 

  18.38

 

38,300

 

 

9.1

 

 

 

12,767

 

 

 

 

738,239

 

 

 

 

 

 

642,455

 

 

 

(c)   Warrants

We had outstanding warrants of 482,682 and 619,699 to acquire shares of our common stock at $9.09 per share exercisable at December 31, 2004, and 2003, respectively. All remaining warrants expire in May and August of 2005.

(d)   Stock Purchase

We initiated stock purchase plans for employees in 2000 and 2003 whereby the employees can purchase our stock through payroll deductions. We generally provide a discount of up to 10% of the purchase price.

67




(11)   Income Taxes

Our income tax expense consists of the following for the years ended December 31:

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

2002

 

 

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

Current

 

$

2,751

 

$

1,278

 

$

1,136

 

Deferred

 

(390

)

493

 

794

 

Income tax expense

 

$

2,361

 

$

1,771

 

$

1,930

 

 

Income tax expense (benefit) are reconciled to the amount computed by applying the federal corporate tax rate of 34% to income before taxes as follows for the years ended December 31:

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

2002

 

 

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

Income tax expense at federal corporate rate

 

$

2,877

 

$

2,406

 

$

1,984

 

Change in valuation allowance

 

(10

)

34

 

103

 

Bank-owned life insurance

 

(365

)

(250

)

(180

)

State income taxes

 

21

 

(350

)

 

Federal income tax credits

 

(166

)

(84

)

 

Other

 

4

 

15

 

23

 

 

 

$

2,361

 

$

1,771

 

$

1,930

 

 

The tax effects of temporary differences between the financial reporting basis and income tax basis of assets and liabilities relate to the following at December 31:

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

 

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

Deferred tax assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Allowance for losses on loans

 

 

$

3,700

 

 

 

$

3,395

 

 

Amortization of intangible assets

 

 

138

 

 

 

116

 

 

State net operating loss carryforward

 

 

346

 

 

 

356

 

 

Other

 

 

95

 

 

 

89

 

 

Total gross deferred tax assets

 

 

4,279

 

 

 

3,956

 

 

Less valuation allowance

 

 

(346

)

 

 

(356

)

 

Net deferred tax assets

 

 

3,933

 

 

 

3,600

 

 

Deferred tax liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation

 

 

1,041

 

 

 

306

 

 

Gain on sales of loans

 

 

 

 

 

12

 

 

Total gross deferred tax liabilities

 

 

1,041

 

 

 

318

 

 

Attributable to operations

 

 

2,892

 

 

 

3,282

 

 

Unrealized gain (loss) on investments charged to other comprehensive income

 

 

84

 

 

 

(663

)

 

Deferred income taxes

 

 

$

2,976

 

 

 

$

2,619

 

 

 

First Mariner has net operating loss carryforwards for state income tax purposes of approximately $7.491 million that are available to offset future state taxable income of First Mariner Bancorp only. The loss carryforwards will begin to expire in 2019. Management anticipates that it is more likely than not that the future operations of First Mariner Bancorp will not generate sufficient taxable income to realize the deferred tax asset in the amount of $346,000 relating to this state net operating loss.

68




The Bank has earned significant state tax incentives through its participation in the One Maryland Economic Development and Job Creation Tax Credit programs. The tax incentives total $5.5 million based upon a confirmation received from the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development. We will realize the benefits of the incentives in our reported earnings as the credits can be utilized, in accordance with accounting standards that govern the recognition of investment tax credits. The amount of the credit that we can utilize will be determined by the level of Maryland taxable income for the Bank only, and will be recognized as a reduction in our income tax expense. Any unused One Maryland credits can be carried forward and will expire in 2016. The Job Creation Tax Credit can be carried forward for five years. The total tax credits not utilized as of December 31, 2004 is $5.0 million. We expect the Bank to fully realize the full value of the credits before their expiration.

The Bank has invested in a partnership that owns and manages seven affordable housing projects in the mid-Atlantic area. Through its interest in the partnership, the Bank receives tax incentives in the form of Federal tax credits that can be used to offset current Federal income taxes. Tax credits associated with the limited partnership (assuming the 5% limited partnership interest currently owned by the Bank) is projected to total $1.599 million and will be available to the limited partners from January 2003 through December 2012. The annual tax credits anticipated to be available approximate $168,000. The Bank invested $1.5 million to obtain its 5% interest in the partnership in July of 2003, and recognized $166,000 in tax credits in 2004 and $84,000 in 2003.

(12)   Other Expenses

The following summarizes our other noninterest expenses for the years ended December 31:

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

2002

 

 

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

Service and maintenance

 

$

1,485

 

$

1,308

 

$

1,043

 

Office supplies

 

697

 

691

 

550

 

ATM servicing expenses

 

1,112

 

922

 

831

 

Printing

 

712

 

795

 

459

 

Corporate insurance

 

378

 

297

 

234

 

OREO expense

 

(73

)

18

 

(131

)

FDIC Premiums

 

115

 

109

 

186

 

Consulting fees

 

385

 

506

 

232

 

Marketing/promotion

 

722

 

825

 

625

 

Postage

 

982

 

756

 

393

 

Overnight delivery/courier

 

736

 

770

 

553

 

Security

 

310

 

294

 

222

 

Dues and memberships

 

341

 

248

 

187

 

Writeoff of Unamortized Trust Preferred expenses

 

 

945

 

 

Loan collection expenses

 

332

 

239

 

153

 

Other

 

2,619

 

1,881

 

1,170

 

 

 

$

10,853

 

$

10,604

 

$

6,707

 

 

(13)   Dividends and Earnings Per Share

As a depository institution whose deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Bank may not pay dividends or distribute any of its capital assets while it remains in default on any assessment due the FDIC. The Bank currently is not in default under any of its obligations to the FDIC. As a commercial bank under the Maryland Financial Institution Law, the Bank may declare cash dividends from undivided profits or, with the prior approval of the Commissioner of Financial Regulation,

69




out of surplus in excess of 100% of its required capital stock, after providing for due or accrued expenses, losses, interest and taxes.

First Mariner and the Bank, in declaring and paying dividends, are also limited insofar as minimum capital requirements mandated by regulatory authorities. First Mariner and the Bank comply with such capital requirements.

Our current ability to pay dividends to stockholders is largely dependent upon the receipt of dividends from our banking subsidiary. Both federal and state laws impose restrictions on the ability of the Bank to pay dividends. The FRB has issued a policy, which provides that, as a general matter, insured banks and bank holding companies may pay dividends only out of prior operating earnings. For a Maryland state-chartered bank or trust company, dividends may be paid out of undivided profits or, with the prior approval of the Commissioner, from surplus in excess of 100% of required capital stock. Cash dividends may not be paid in excess of 90% of net earnings.

Information relating to the calculations of our earnings per common share is summarized as follows for the years ended December 31:

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

2002

 

 

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

Net income—basic and diluted

 

$

6,101

 

$

5,307

 

$

3,904

 

Weighted-average shares outstanding—basic

 

5,759,310

 

5,450,704

 

5,377,998

 

Dilutive securities-options and warrants

 

591,962

 

554,842

 

250,275

 

Adjusted weighted-average shares outstanding—dilutive

 

6,351,272

 

6,005,546

 

5,628,273

 

 

(14)   Regulatory Matters

Various regulatory capital requirements administered by the federal banking agencies apply to us as well as our banking subsidiary. Failure to meet minimum capital requirements can initiate certain mandatory and possibly additional discretionary actions by regulators that, if undertaken, could have a direct material effect on our financial statements. Under capital adequacy guidelines and the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action, the Bank must meet specific capital guidelines that involve quantitative measures of assets, liabilities, and certain off-balance sheet items as calculated under regulatory accounting practices. The Bank’s capital amounts and classification are also subject to qualitative judgments by the regulators about components, risk weightings, and other factors.

Quantitative measures established by regulation to ensure capital adequacy require the Bank to maintain minimum amounts and ratios of total and Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets, and of Tier 1 capital to average assets. Management believes, as of December 31, 2004, that the Bank meets all capital adequacy requirements to which it is subject. As of December 31, 2004, the Bank was “well capitalized” under the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action. There are no conditions or events that management believes would change the Bank’s category.

70




Our regulatory capital amounts (dollars in thousands) and ratios as of December 31, 2004 and 2003, were as follows:

 

 

Actual

 

 

 

Minimum
Requirements
For Capital
Adequacy
Purposes

 

To Be Well
Capitalized
Under Prompt
Corrective
Action Provision

 

 

 

Amount

 

Ratio

 

Amount

 

Ratio

 

Amount

 

Ratio

 

As of December 31, 2004

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total capital (to risk weighted assets):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consolidated

 

$

130,526

 

14.1

%

74,098

 

 

8.0

%

 

92,623

 

10.0

%

The Bank

 

88,713

 

10.2

%

69,801

 

 

8.0

%

 

87,252

 

10.0

%

Tier 1 capital (to risk weighted assets):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consolidated

 

85,928

 

9.3

%

37,049

 

 

4.0

%

 

55,574

 

6.0

%

The Bank

 

75,812

 

8.7

%

34,901

 

 

4.0

%

 

52,351

 

6.0

%

Tier 1 capital (to average fourth quarter assets):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consolidated

 

85,928

 

7.1

%

48,123

 

 

4.0

%

 

60,153

 

5.0

%

The Bank

 

75,812

 

6.5

%

46,411

 

 

4.0

%

 

58,014

 

5.0

%

As of December 31, 2003

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total capital (to risk weighted assets):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consolidated

 

$

112,456

 

15.0

%

59,858

 

 

8.0

%

 

74,823

 

10.0

%

The Bank

 

77,174

 

10.7

%

57,682

 

 

8.0

%

 

72,103

 

10.0

%

Tier 1 capital (to risk weighted assets):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consolidated

 

76,352

 

10.2

%

29,929

 

 

4.0

%

 

44,894

 

6.0

%

The Bank

 

69,586

 

9.7

%

28,841

 

 

4.0

%

 

43,262

 

6.0

%

Tier 1 capital (to average fourth quarter assets):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consolidated

 

76,352

 

7.7

%

39,806

 

 

4.0

%

 

49,758

 

5.0

%

The Bank

 

69,586

 

7.2

%

38,886

 

 

4.0

%

 

48,608

 

5.0

%

 

The FDIC, through the Savings Association Insurance Fund (SAIF), insures deposits of accountholders up to $100,000. The Bank pays an annual premium to provide for this insurance. The Bank is a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank System and is required to maintain an investment in the stock of the FHLB equal to at least 1% of the unpaid principal balances of residential mortgage loans, 0.3% of total assets or 5% of outstanding advances from the Bank, whichever is greater. Purchases and sales of stock are made directly with the Bank at par value.

(15)   Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair value estimates, methods, and assumptions are set forth below for our financial instruments as of December 31, 2004 and 2003.

71




The carrying value and estimated fair value of financial instruments is summarized as follows:

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

 

 

Carrying
Value

 

Estimated
Fair Value

 

Carrying
Value

 

Estimated
Fair Value

 

 

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

Assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and interest-bearing deposits

 

$

35,447

 

$

35,447

 

$

46,679

 

$

46,679

 

Investment securities

 

322,965

 

322,965

 

288,437

 

288,437

 

Loans receivable

 

746,146

 

753,843

 

609,847

 

630,221

 

Loans held for sale

 

79,955

 

79,955

 

59,055

 

59,055

 

Restricted stock investments

 

11,886

 

11,886

 

7,265

 

7,265

 

Liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deposits

 

825,417

 

826,823

 

747,733

 

764,551

 

Borrowings

 

271,661

 

288,177

 

173,884

 

193,007

 

Repurchase agreements

 

25,000

 

25,197

 

25,000

 

27,862

 

Junior subordinated deferrable interest debentures

 

58,249

 

58,578

 

47,939

 

48,501

 

 

Cash and Interest-Bearing Deposits

The carrying amount for cash and interest-bearing deposits approximates fair value due to the short maturity of these instruments.

Investment Securities

The fair value of investment securities is based on bid prices received from an external pricing service or bid quotations received from securities dealers.

Loans Receivable

Loans were segmented into portfolios with similar financial characteristics. Loans were also segmented by type such as residential, multifamily and nonresidential, construction and land, second mortgage loans, commercial, and consumer. Each loan category was further segmented by fixed and adjustable rate interest terms and performing and nonperforming categories. The fair value of each loan category was calculated by discounting anticipated cash flows based on weighted-average contractual maturity, weighted-average coupon, and discount rate.

The fair value for nonperforming loans was determined by reducing the carrying value of nonperforming loans by our historical loss percentage for each specific loan category.

Loans Held for Sale

The fair value of loans held for sale is based on commitments to sell loans classified as held for sale in the secondary market.

Restricted Stock Investments

The carrying value of restricted stock investments is a reasonable estimate of fair value as these investments do not have a readily available market and can only be sold back to the issuer at its par value of $100 per share.

72




Deposits

The fair value of deposits with no stated maturity, such as noninterest bearing deposits, interest bearing Now accounts, money market and statement savings accounts, is deemed to be equal to the carrying amounts. The fair value of certificates of deposit is based on the discounted value of contractual cash flows. The discount rate for certificates of deposit was estimated using the rate currently offered for deposits of similar remaining maturities.

Borrowings, Repurchase Agreements and Junior Subordinated Notes

Borrowings, repurchase agreements and junior subordinated notes were segmented into categories with similar financial characteristics. Carrying values were discounted using a cash flow approach based on market rates as of December 31, 2004.

Off-Balance Sheet Financial Instruments

Our adjustable rate commitments to extend credit move with market rates and are not subject to interest rate risk. The rates and terms of our fixed rate commitments to extend credit are competitive with others in the various markets in which we operate. It is impractical to assign fair values to these instruments.

The disclosure of fair value amounts does not include the fair values of any intangibles, including core deposit intangibles. Core deposit intangibles represent the value attributable to total deposits based on an expected duration of customer relationships.

Limitations

Fair value estimates are made at a specific point in time, based on relevant market information and information about financial instruments. These estimates do not reflect any premium or discount that could result from offering for sale at one time our total holdings of a particular financial instrument. Because no market exists for a significant portion of our financial instruments, fair value estimates are based on judgments regarding future expected loss experience, current economic conditions, risk characteristics of various financial instruments and other factors. These estimates are subjective in nature and involve uncertainties and matters of significant judgment and therefore cannot be determined with precision. Changes in assumptions could significantly affect estimates.

(16)   Segment Information

We operate in three business segments—commercial and consumer banking, mortgage banking and consumer finance. Commercial and consumer banking is conducted through the Bank and involves delivering a broad range of financial products and services, including lending and deposit taking to individuals and commercial enterprises. Consumer and commercial banking also include our treasury function and an allocation for corporate overhead and administration. Mortgage banking is conducted through First Mariner Mortgage, a division of the Bank, and involves originating residential single-family mortgages for sale in the secondary market and to the Bank. Consumer finance is conducted through Finance Maryland, and involves making small direct consumer loans and the purchase of retail installment sales contracts.

73




The following table presents certain information regarding our business segments:

For the year ended December 31, 2004

 

 

Commercial and
Consumer Banking

 

Consumer
Finance

 

Mortgage
Banking

 

Total

 

 

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

Interest income

 

 

$

55,089

 

 

$

7,718

 

$

2,463

 

$

65,270

 

Interest expense

 

 

20,663

 

 

1,076

 

1,090

 

22,829

 

Net interest income

 

 

34,426

 

 

6,642

 

1,373

 

42,441

 

Provision for loan losses

 

 

725

 

 

1,518

 

 

2,243

 

Net interest income after provision for loan losses 

 

 

33,701

 

 

5,124

 

1,373

 

40,198

 

Noninterest income

 

 

12,883

 

 

1,668

 

4,639

 

19,190

 

Noninterest expense

 

 

36,294

 

 

5,770

 

8,862

 

50,926

 

Net intersegment income

 

 

(582

)

 

 

582

 

 

Income before income taxes

 

 

$

9,708

 

 

$

1,022

 

$

(2,268

)

$

8,462

 

Total assets

 

 

$

1,136,054

 

 

$

34,522

 

$

79,955

 

$

1,250,531

 

 

For the year ended December 31, 2003

 

 

Commercial and
Consumer Banking

 

Consumer
Finance

 

Mortgage
Banking

 

Total

 

 

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

Interest income

 

 

$

46,186

 

 

$

4,582

 

$

4,857

 

$

55,625

 

Interest expense

 

 

17,866

 

 

696

 

2,652

 

21,214

 

Net interest income

 

 

28,320

 

 

3,886

 

2,205

 

34,411

 

Provision for loan losses

 

 

1,400

 

 

1,136

 

 

2,536

 

Net interest income after provision for loan losses 

 

 

26,920

 

 

2,750

 

2,205

 

31,875

 

Noninterest income

 

 

13,024

 

 

1,145

 

6,917

 

21,086

 

Noninterest expense

 

 

35,066

 

 

3,731

 

7,086

 

45,883

 

Net intersegment income

 

 

6

 

 

 

(6

)

 

Income before income taxes

 

 

$

4,884

 

 

$

164

 

$

2,030

 

$

7,078

 

Total assets

 

 

$

975,615

 

 

$

23,183

 

$

59,055

 

$

1,057,853

 

 

For the year ended December 31, 2002

 

 

Commercial and
Consumer Banking

 

Consumer
Finance

 

Mortgage
Banking

 

Total

 

 

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

Interest income

 

 

$

48,459

 

 

$

742

 

$

3,130

 

$

52,331

 

Interest expense

 

 

20,051

 

 

137

 

1,155

 

21,343

 

Net interest income

 

 

28,408

 

 

605

 

1,975

 

30,988

 

Provision for loan losses

 

 

1,495

 

 

680

 

 

2,175

 

Net interest income after provision for loan losses 

 

 

26,913

 

 

(75

)

1,975

 

28,813

 

Noninterest income

 

 

8,901

 

 

494

 

5,599

 

14,994

 

Noninterest expense

 

 

31,014

 

 

1,309

 

5,650

 

37,973

 

Net intersegment income

 

 

13

 

 

 

(13

)

 

Income before income taxes

 

 

$

4,813

 

 

$

(890

)

$

1,911

 

$

5,834

 

Total assets

 

 

$

767,603

 

 

$

10,451

 

$

93,098

 

$

871,152

 

 

74




(17)   Comprehensive Income

Components of our comprehensive income are as follows for the years ended December 31:

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

2002

 

 

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

Net income

 

$

6,101

 

$

5,307

 

$

3,904

 

Other comprehensive income items:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unrealized holding (losses) gains arising during the period (net of tax (benefit) expense of $(582), $19, and $1,673, respectively)

 

(1,027

)

49

 

3,270

 

Less: reclassification adjustment for gains (net of taxes of $165, $529, and $192, respectively) included in net income

 

275

 

841

 

305

 

Total other comprehensive (loss) income

 

(1,302

)

(792

)

2,965

 

Total comprehensive income

 

$

4,799

 

$

4,515

 

$

6,869

 

 

(18)   Quarterly Results of Operations

The following is a summary of unaudited quarterly results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2004 and 2003:

 

 

Three months ended

 

 

 

December 31,
2004

 

September 30,
2004

 

June 30,
2004

 

March 31,
2004

 

 

 

(dollars in thousands, except per share data)

 

Interest income

 

 

$

17,566

 

 

 

$

16,865

 

 

$

15,698

 

 

$

15,141

 

 

Interest expense

 

 

6,337

 

 

 

5,801

 

 

5,471

 

 

5,220

 

 

Net interest income

 

 

11,229

 

 

 

11,064

 

 

10,227

 

 

9,921

 

 

Provision for loan losses

 

 

762

 

 

 

692

 

 

489

 

 

300

 

 

Other operating income

 

 

5,073

 

 

 

4,623

 

 

4,673

 

 

4,381

 

 

Gain on sale of securities

 

 

 

 

 

100

 

 

 

 

340

 

 

Operating expenses

 

 

13,004

 

 

 

12,874

 

 

12,519

 

 

12,529

 

 

Income before taxes

 

 

2,536

 

 

 

2,221

 

 

1,892

 

 

1,813

 

 

Income tax expense

 

 

690

 

 

 

646

 

 

519

 

 

506

 

 

Net income

 

 

$

1,846

 

 

 

$

1,575

 

 

$

1,373

 

 

$

1,307

 

 

Net income per common share (Basic)

 

 

$

0.32

 

 

 

$

0.27

 

 

$

0.24

 

 

$

0.23

 

 

Net income per common share (Diluted)

 

 

0.28

 

 

 

0.25

 

 

0.22

 

 

0.21

 

 

 

 

 

Three months ended

 

 

 

December 31,
2003

 

September 30,
2003

 

June 30,
2003

 

March 31,
2003

 

 

 

(dollars in thousands, except per share data)

 

Interest income

 

 

$

14,520

 

 

 

$

14,160

 

 

$

13,768

 

 

$

13,177

 

 

Interest expense

 

 

5,192

 

 

 

5,661

 

 

5,324

 

 

5,037

 

 

Net interest income

 

 

9,328

 

 

 

8,499

 

 

8,444

 

 

8,140

 

 

Provision for loan losses

 

 

429

 

 

 

655

 

 

902

 

 

550

 

 

Other operating income

 

 

4,186

 

 

 

5,773

 

 

5,081

 

 

4,675

 

 

Gain on sale of securities

 

 

441

 

 

 

741

 

 

143

 

 

46

 

 

Operating expenses

 

 

11,577

 

 

 

12,869

 

 

10,813

 

 

10,624

 

 

Income before taxes

 

 

1,949

 

 

 

1,489

 

 

1,953

 

 

1,687

 

 

Income tax expense

 

 

527

 

 

 

87

 

 

625

 

 

532

 

 

Net income

 

 

$

1,422

 

 

 

$

1,402

 

 

$

1,328

 

 

$

1,155

 

 

Net income per common share (Basic)

 

 

$

0.25

 

 

 

$

0.26

 

 

$

0.25

 

 

$

0.21

 

 

Net income per common share (Diluted)

 

 

0.22

 

 

 

0.23

 

 

0.23

 

 

0.20

 

 

 

75




(19)   Financial Information of Parent Company

The following is financial information of First Mariner Bancorp (parent company only):

Statements of Financial Condition as of December 31,

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

 

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

Assets:

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and interest bearing deposits

 

$

16,525

 

$

6,577

 

Subordinated notes

 

5,000

 

 

Loans receivable

 

11,331

 

21,618

 

Available-for-sale securities

 

1,531

 

1,273

 

Investment in subsidiaries

 

84,485

 

77,077

 

Bank-owned life insurance

 

2,578

 

 

Other assets

 

1,464

 

1,246

 

Total assets

 

$

122,914

 

$

107,791

 

Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity:

 

 

 

 

 

Other liabilities

 

$

351

 

$

1,418

 

Junior subordinated debentures

 

58,249

 

47,939

 

Stockholders’ equity

 

64,314

 

58,434

 

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

 

$

122,914

 

$

107,791

 

 

Statements of income for the years ended December 31,

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

2002

 

 

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

Income:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest income on investments and interest bearing deposits

 

$

150

 

$

189

 

$

193

 

Interest on subordinated note

 

274

 

 

 

Interest income on loans

 

470

 

736

 

148

 

Gain on sale of securities

 

 

1,124

 

103

 

Other income

 

741

 

642

 

525

 

Total income

 

1,635

 

2,691

 

969

 

Expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest expense

 

2,426

 

2,631

 

1,884

 

Professional expenses

 

248

 

204

 

188

 

Other expenses

 

304

 

1,279

 

233

 

Total expenses

 

2,978

 

4,114

 

2,305

 

Loss before income tax benefit

 

(1,343

)

(1,423

)

(1,336

)

Income tax benefit

 

(489

)

(507

)

(473

)

Loss before equity in undistributed net income of the subsidiaries

 

(854

)

(916

)

(863

)

Equity in undistributed net income in subsidiaries

 

6,955

 

6,223

 

4,767

 

Net income

 

$

6,101

 

$

5,307

 

$

3,904

 

 

76




Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31,

 

 

2004

 

2003

 

2002

 

 

 

(in thousands)

 

Cash flows from operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loss before undistributed net income of subsidiaries

 

$

(854

)

$

(916

)

$

(863

)

(Gain) on sale of securities

 

 

(1,124

)

(103

)

(Increase) decrease in other assets

 

(251

)

(559

)

(306

)

Income from bank owned life insurance

 

(78

)

 

 

Increase (decrease) in other liabilities

 

(1,067

)

523

 

308

 

Net cash used in operating activities

 

(2,250

)

(2,076

)

(964

)

Cash flows from investing activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Investment in subsidiaries

 

(1,810

)

(4,430

)

(4,320

)

Loans (disbursements) repayments, net

 

10,287

 

(11,968

)

(7,000

)

Purchase of subordinated notes

 

(5,000

)

 

 

Purchase of available for sale securities

 

(170

)

(256

)

(460

)

Sale of available for sale securities

 

 

2,711

 

407

 

Purchase of Bank-owned life insurance

 

(2,500

)

 

 

Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities

 

807

 

(13,943

)

(11,373

)

Cash flows from financing activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proceeds from stock issuance, net

 

1,690

 

2,793

 

249

 

Repurchase of bank stock

 

(609

)

 

 

Repayment of junior subordinated deferrable interest debentures

 

 

(22,050

)

 

Proceeds from issuance of junior subordinated deferrable interest debentures

 

10,310

 

37,639

 

10,300

 

Net cash provided by financing activities

 

11,391

 

18,382

 

10,549

 

Net increase (decrease) in cash and interest bearing deposits

 

9,948

 

2,363

 

(1,788

)

Cash and short-term investments at beginning of year

 

6,577

 

4,214

 

6,002

 

Cash and short-term investments at end of year

 

$

16,525

 

$

6,577

 

$

4,214

 

 

77




 

ITEM 9                   CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES

None.

ITEM 9A           CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Senior management maintains disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in our exchange act reports is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods provided in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. In designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, senior management has recognized that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives, and therefore has been required to apply its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures.

In accordance with Rule 13a-15(b) of the Exchange Act, as of the end of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004, we carried out an evaluation under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as defined in rule 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act. Based on that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective.

Management has elected not to file at this time “Management’s annual report on internal control over financial reporting” required by Item 308(a) of Regulation S-K (“Management’s Report”), and the related “Attestation report of the registered public accounting firm”, required by Item 308(b) of Regulation S-K (“Attestation Report”) as permitted by paragraph (b) of the conditions of the Order Under Section 36 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 granting an exemption from specified provisions of Exchange Act Rules 13a-1 and 15d-1 (Release No. 34-50754, November 30, 2004) (the “Order”). The Company intends to file the Management’s Report and the Attestation Report within the 45-day period permitted by the Order.

During the quarter ended December 31, 2004, there have been no changes in our internal controls over financial reporting that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, these controls.

ITEM 9B   OTHER INFORMATION

None.

PART III

ITEM 10            DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT

Certain information relating to our directors and executive officers and our Section 16(a) beneficial ownership reporting compliance is incorporated by reference herein from our proxy statement in connection with our Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on May 3, 2005, which proxy statement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 120 days after the close of our fiscal year.

The information called for by Item 10 with respect to executive officers is set forth above in Part I, Item 4A under the caption “Executive Officers of the Registrant.”

78




 

Code of Ethics

We have a Code of Conduct and Ethics that applies to our employees, officers and directors, including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer. A copy of this Code of Conduct and Ethics is available on our website at www.1stmarinerbancorp.com (investor relations section), or a written copy can be obtained by request. We intend to disclose any changes in or waivers from our code by posting such information on our website. We also have adopted an Executive Code of Conduct and Ethics Policy that addresses (i) trading prohibitions during “blackout period”; (ii) prohibitions against insider trading; (iii) corporate opportunities; and (iv) loans to insiders policy.

ITEM 11            EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Certain information relating to our directors’ and executive officers’ compensation, our Compensation Committee’s report on executive compensation, and our stock performance is incorporated by reference herein from our definitive proxy statement in connection with our Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on May 3, 2005, which proxy statement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 120 days after the close of our fiscal year.

ITEM 12            SECURITIES OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

Certain information required by this item is set forth in the following sections of our Definitive Proxy Statement in connection with our 2005 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on May 3, 2005, which proxy statement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 120 days after the close of our fiscal year: “Certain Beneficial Ownership” and “Nominees for Director and Directors Continuing in Office”.

For information regarding the Company’s equity compensation plans, please refer to the table captioned “Equity Compensation Plans” in Item 5 of this Form 10-K.

ITEM 13            CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

Certain information relating to certain relationships and related transactions is incorporated by reference herein from our definitive proxy statement in connection with our Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on May 3, 2005, which proxy statement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 120 days after the close of our fiscal year.

ITEM 14            PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANTS FEES AND SERVICES

Information regarding fees paid to our independent accountants, Stegman & Company, is incorporated by reference herein from our definitive proxy statement in connection with our Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on May 3, 2005, which proxy statement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 120 days after the close of our fiscal year.

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PART IV

ITEM 15            EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES

a.

(1), (2) Financial Statements

 

 

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

45

 

Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition as of
December 31, 2004 and 2003

 

46

 

Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended
December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002

 

47

 

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002

 

48

 

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended
December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002

 

49

 

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for the years ended
December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002

 

50

 

(a)(3) Exhibits Required to be filed by Item 601 of Regulation S-K.

 

See Exhibit Index following Signatures

b.

Exhibits required by Item 601 of Regulation S-K

 

See the Exhibit Index following the Signatures

 

80




 

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

FIRST MARINER BANCORP

Date: March 16, 2005

By:

/s/ EDWIN F. HALE SR.

 

 

Edwin F. Hale Sr.

 

 

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following person on behalf of the registrant in their capacities as indicated on the 16th day of March 2005.

/s/ EDWIN F. HALE SR.

 

/s/ MARK A. KEIDEL

Edwin F. Hale Sr., Chief Executive Officer and

 

Mark A. Keidel, Chief Financial Officer

Director

 

 

/s/ JOSEPH A. CICERO

 

/s/ GEORGE H. MANTAKOS

Joseph A. Cicero, President and Director

 

George H. Mantakos, Executive Vice President

 

 

and Director

/s/ BARRY B. BONDROFF

 

/s/ BRUCE H. HOFFMAN

Barry B. Bondroff, Director

 

Bruce H. Hoffman, Director

/s/ JOHN BROWN III

 

/s/ JOHN J. OLIVER

John Brown III, Director

 

John J. Oliver, Director

/s/ THOMAS L. BROMWELL

 

/s/ PATRICIA SCHMOKE

Thomas L. Bromwell, Director

 

Patricia Schmoke, Director

/s/ EDITH B. BROWN

 

/s/ HANAN Y. SIBEL

Edith B. Brown, Director

 

Hanan Y. Sibel, Director

/s/ STEPHEN A. BURCH

 

/s/ LEONARD STOLER

Stephen A. Burch, Director

 

Leonard Stoler, Director

/s/ ROSE M. CERNAK

 

/s/ HECTOR TORRES

Rose M. Cernak, Director

 

Hector Torres, Director

/s/ HOWARD FRIEDMAN

 

/s/ MICHAEL R. WATSON

Howard Friedman, Director

 

Michael R. Watson, Director

 

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EXHIBIT INDEX

       3.1

 

Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of First Mariner Bancorp (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form SB-2, as amended, file no. 333-16011 (the “1996 Registration Statement”))

       3.2

 

Amended and Restated Bylaws of First Mariner Bancorp (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 of First Mariner’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2002)

    10.1

 

1996 Stock Option Plan of First Mariner Bancorp (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Registration Statement)

    10.2

 

Employment Agreement dated May 1, 1995 between First Mariner Bancorp and First Mariner Bank and George H. Mantakos (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of the 1996 Registration Statement)

    10.3

 

Lease Agreement dated March 1, 1996 between First Mariner Bank and Mars Super Markets, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 of the 1996 Registration Statement)

    10.4

 

Lease Agreement dated November 1, 1997 between Edwin F. Hale, Sr. and First Mariner Bank (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 of Pre-Effective Amendment Number 1 to Form S-1, file no. 333-53789-01)

    10.5

 

1998 Stock Option Plan of First Mariner Bancorp (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 of Pre-Effective Amendment Number 1 to Form S-1, file no. 333- 53789-01)

    10.6

 

Employee Stock Purchase Plan of First Mariner Bancorp (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6 of Pre-Effective Amendment Number 1 to Form S-1, file no. 333-53789-01)

    10.7

 

Lease Agreement dated as of June 1, 1998 between Building #2, L.L.C. and First Mariner Bank (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.7 of Pre-Effective Amendment Number 1 to Form S-1, file no. 333-53789-01)

    10.8

 

Lease Agreement dated June 18, 2002 between Hale Properties, LLC and First Mariner Bank (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.8 to First Mariner’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2002.)

    10.9

 

First Mariner Bancorp 2002 Stock Option Plan (Incorporated by reference to Attachment A to First Mariner’s Definitive Proxy Statement filed on April 5, 2002)

    10.10

 

Lease Agreement dated as of March 1, 2003 between Building No. 2 LLC and First Mariner Bank (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.10 to the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2003.)

    10.11

 

Lease Agreement dated March 1, 2003 between Canton Crossing LLC and First Mariner Bank (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.11 to the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2003.)

    10.12

 

Change of Control Agreement dated April 2, 2003 between First Mariner Bancorp and Edwin F. Hale, Sr. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.12 to the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2003.)

    10.13

 

Change of Control Agreement dated April 2, 2003 between First Mariner Bancorp and Joseph A. Cicero (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.13 to the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2003.)

    10.14

 

Change of Control Agreement dated April 2, 2003 between First Mariner Bancorp and George H. Mantakos (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.14 to the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2003.)

    10.15

 

Change of Control Agreement dated April 2, 2003 between First Mariner Bancorp and Mark A. Keidel (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.15 to the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2003.)

    10.16

 

Change of Control Agreement dated April 2, 2003 between First Mariner Bancorp and Dennis E. Finnegan (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.16 to the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2003.)

82




 

    10.17

 

Change of Control Agreement dated April 2, 2003 between First Mariner Bancorp and Brett J. Carter (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.17 to the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2003.)

    10.18

 

Lease Agreement dated June 2, 2003 between Canton Crossing LLC and First Mariner Bank (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.17 to the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2003)

    10.19

 

First Mariner Bancorp 2004 Long-Term Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Appendix B to First Mariner’s Definitive Proxy Statement filed on April 1, 2004)

    10.20

 

First Mariner Bancorp 2003 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (incorporated by reference to Appendix C to First Mariner’s Definitive Proxy Statement filed on April 1, 2004)

    10.21

 

Purchase and Sale Agreement dated October 20, 2004 among First Mariner Bancorp, Canton Crossing LLC and Hale Canton, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Report on Form 8-K filed on October 22, 2004)

    10.22

 

Form of Non-Qualified Stock Option Agreement under the 2004 Long Term Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Report on Form 8-K filed on January 31, 2005)

    10.23

 

Form of Incentive Stock Option Award Agreement under the 2004 Long-Term Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrant’s Report on Form 8-K filed on January 31, 2005)

    21

 

Subsidiaries of Registrant filed herewith

    23.1

 

Consent of Stegman & Company filed herewith

    31.1

 

Certifications of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) and Rule 15d-14(a), promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, filed herewith

    31.2

 

Certifications of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) and Rule 15d-14(a), promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, filed herewith

    32.1

 

Certifications of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 as adopted pursuant to section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, furnished herewith.

    32.2

 

Certifications of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 as adopted pursuant to section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, furnished herewith.

    99.1

 

Risk Factors filed herewith

 

83