Citizens Holding Company Reports Earnings

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 27, 2012-- Citizens Holding Company (NASDAQ:CIZN) announced today results of operations for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2011.

Net income for the three months ended December 31, 2011 was $1.786 million, or $0.37 per share-basic and diluted, up from $1.710 million, or $0.35 per share-basic and diluted for the same quarter in 2010. Net interest income for the fourth quarter of 2011, after the provision for loan losses for the quarter, was $6.751 million, approximately 2.0% higher than the same period in 2010, due mainly to a decrease in the provision for loan losses. The provision for loan losses for the three months ended December 31, 2011 was $408 thousand compared to $739 thousand for the same period in 2010. The net interest margin decreased to 3.98 % in the fourth quarter of 2011 from 4.06% in the same period in 2010 primarily because the decrease in yields on earning assets was more than the decline in rates paid on interest bearing deposits.

Non-interest income decreased in the fourth quarter of 2011 by $24 thousand, or 1.3%, while non-interest expenses increased $721 thousand, or 11.8%, compared to the same period in 2010. The increase in non-interest expense was due to normal increases in operating expenses.

Net income for the twelve months ended December 31, 2011 increased 0.8% to $7.218 million, or $1.49 per share-basic and diluted, from $7.163 million, or $1.48 per share-basic and diluted, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2010. Net interest income for the twelve months ended December 31, 2011, after the provision for loan losses, increased 1.4% to $27.337 million from $26.956 million for the same period in 2010. Net interest margin increased to 4.20% in 2011 from 4.04% in 2010. The provision for loan losses for the twelve months ended December 31, 2011 was $2.995 million compared to the provision of $2.456 million in 2010. The increase in the provision in the twelve-month period reflects management's assessment of inherent losses in the loan portfolio including the impact caused by current local and national economic conditions.

Non-interest income increased by $33 thousand, or 0.4%, and non-interest expense increased by $1.124 million, or 4.5%, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2011 when compared to December 31, 2010. Non-interest expense increased mainly due to an increase in salaries and benefits in the amount of $277 thousand, an increase of $504 thousand in occupancy expense and an increase of $343 thousand in other operating expenses.

Total assets as of December 31, 2011 increased to $853.945 million, up $35.712 million, or 4.4%, when compared to December 31, 2010. Deposits increased by $34.908 million, or 6.5%, and loans, net of unearned income decreased by $32.614 million, or 7.7%, when compared to December 31, 2010. The decrease in loans, net of unearned, was due to declining loan demand. Non-performing assets increased by $1.467 million to $16.420 million at December 31, 2011 compared to December 31, 2010, because of an increase in non-accrual loans and other real estate offset by a decrease in loans 90 days or more past due and still accruing interest.

During 2011, the Company paid dividends totaling $0.88 per share. This represents an increase of 3.5% over the dividends paid in 2010.

Citizens Holding Company (the "Company") is a one-bank holding company and the parent company of The Citizens Bank of Philadelphia (the "Bank"), both headquartered in Philadelphia, Mississippi. The Bank currently has twenty-two banking locations in ten counties in Central and South Mississippi and has a Loan Production Office in Biloxi, Mississippi. In addition to full service commercial banking, the Bank offers mortgage loans, title insurance services through its subsidiary, Title Services, LLC, and a full range of Internet banking services including online banking, mobile banking, bill pay and cash management services for businesses. Internet services are available at the Bank's web site, .Citizens Holding Company stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Market and is traded under the symbol CIZN. The Company's transfer agent is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company. Information about Citizens Holding Company may be obtained by accessing its corporate website at .

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this release regarding the Company's financial position, results of operations, business strategies, plans, objectives and expectations for future operations, are forward looking statements. The Company can give no assurances that the assumptions upon which such forward-looking statements are based will prove to have been correct. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. The Company does not undertake a duty to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. The risks and uncertainties that may affect the operation, performance, development and results of the Company's and the Bank's business include, but are not limited to, the following: (a) the risk of adverse changes in business conditions in the banking industry generally and in the specific markets in which the Company operates; (b) changes in the legislative and regulatory environment that negatively impact the Company and Bank through increased operating expenses; (c) increased competition from other financial institutions; (d) the impact of technological advances; (e) expectations about the movement of interest rates, including actions that may be taken by the Federal Reserve Board in response to changing economic conditions; (f) changes in asset quality and loan demand; (g) expectations about overall economic strength and the performance of the economics in the Company's market area; and (h) other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Should one or more of these risks materialize, or should any such underlying assumptions prove to be significantly different, actual results may vary significantly from those anticipated, estimated, projected or expected.

Citizens Holding Company Financial Highlights (amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)
		Three Months							Twelve Months
		Ending December 31,							Ending December 31,
		2011				2010			2011				2010
Interest income and fees		$	8,762			$	9,349		$	36,974			$	38,138
Interest expense			1,603				1,994			6,642				8,726
Net interest income			7,159				7,355			30,332				29,412
Provision for loan losses			408				739			2,995				2,456
Net interest income after
provision for loan losses			6,751				6,616			27,337				26,956
Non-interest income			1,892				2,300			7,442				7,409
Non-interest expense			6,895				6,558			26,244				25,120
Net income before taxes			1,748				2,358			8,535				9,245
Income taxes			(38	)			648			1,317				2,082
Net income		$	1,786			$	1,710		$	7,218			$	7,163
Earnings per share - basic		$	0.37			$	0.35		$	1.49			$	1.48
Earnings per share - diluted		$	0.37			$	0.35		$	1.49			$	1.48
Average shares outstanding-basic			4,843,911				4,838,411			4,842,353				4,835,603
Average shares outstanding-diluted			4,851,478				4,851,520			4,848,809				4,852,705
									As of				As of
									December 31,				December 31,
									2011				2010
Balance Sheet Data:
Total assets									$	853,945			$	818,233
Total earning assets										760,744				741,383
Loans, net of unearned income										389,262				421,876
Allowance for loan losses										6,681				6,379
Total deposits										572,338				537,430
Long-term borrowings										68,677				84,760
Shareholders' equity										86,079				76,295
Book value per share									$	17.77			$	15.77
Dividends paid per share									$	0.88			$	0.85
Average Balance Sheet Data:
Total assets									$	829,177			$	839,212
Total earning assets										753,042				762,993
Loans, net of unearned income										407,748				437,563
Total deposits										543,711				556,798
Long-term borrowings										82,576				86,378
Shareholders' equity										82,254				78,776
Non-performing assets:
Non-accrual loans										11,299				10,932
Loans 90+ days past due and accruing										252				953
Other real estate owned										4,869				3,068
Net charge-offs as a percentage of
average net loans										0.66	%			0.37	%
Performance Ratios:
Return on average assets										0.87	%			0.85	%
Return on average equity										8.78	%			9.09	%
Net interest margin (tax equivalent)										4.20	%			4.04	%

Source: Citizens Holding Company

Citizens Holding Company, Philadelphia
Robert T. Smith, 601-656-4692
[e-mail]