ANNAPOLIS, Md., Jan. 28, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Severn Bancorp, Inc., (Nasdaq: SVBI) ("Company") parent company of Severn Savings Bank, FSB ("Severn"), reported net income of $1,550,000 or $.10 per share for the fourth quarter of 2014, a 45% increase compared to net income of $1,068,000 or $.05 per share for the third quarter of 2014. Earnings for the fourth quarter of 2014 are also significantly higher than the reported fourth quarter 2013 net loss of $5,472,000 or ($0.58) per share. Fourth quarter earnings in 2013 were impacted by the loss on the sale of certain non-performing loans during the year. For the year ended December 31, 2014 the Company reported net income of $2,909,000 or $.06 per share versus a loss of $25,165,000 or ($2.64) per share for the year ended December 31, 2013. Earnings per share is calculated using net income available for common shareholders, which is net income less preferred stock dividends and discount amortization.

Severn Bancorp, Inc. saw results trending in the right direction for the fourth quarter, with a slight increase in net interest margin and a continued decrease in non-performing assets. The Company also saw a sizeable decrease in its quarterly efficiency ratio from 80.40% to 72.96%. Severn experienced an increase in its loan portfolio due to vigorous lending activity. Results also included a quarterly improvement in Return on Average Assets (ROAA) and Return on Average Equity (ROAE). Alan J. Hyatt, President and Chief Executive Officer commented, "We continue to make progress in key areas. Initiatives we have been working on for many months are producing results."

Mr. Hyatt added, "We are gaining traction with the local small to mid-size business community who wants to work with a local bank. We offer a combination of knowledgeable staff, a wide array of products and unrivaled personal service. Banking may not always be at the top of everyone's list, but we do our part to make the experience pleasurable for our customers. People appreciate someone going that extra mile for them. "

About Severn Savings Bank: Founded in 1946, Severn is a full-service community bank offering a wide array of personal and commercial banking products as well as residential and commercial mortgage lending. It has assets of approximately $780 million and four branches located in Annapolis, Edgewater and Glen Burnie, Maryland. The bank specializes in exceptional customer service and holds itself and its employees to a high standard of community contribution. Severn is on the Web at www.severnbank.com.

Forward Looking Statements
In addition to the historical information contained herein, this press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that may be affected by various factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained herein include, but are not limited to, those with respect to management's determination of the amount of loan loss reserve and statements about the economy. The words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "will," "would," "could," "should," "guidance," "potential," "continue," "project," "forecast," "confident," and similar expressions are typically used to identify forward-looking statements. Severn's operations and actual results could differ significantly from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Some of the factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, changes in the economy and interest rates both in the nation and in Severn's general market area, federal and state regulation, competition and other factors detailed from time to time in Severn's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), including "Item 1A. Risk Factors" contained in Severn's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013.



                                                                                                                                                                                                   Severn Bancorp, Inc.

                                                                                                                                                                                                 Selected Financial Data

                                                                                                                                                                                      (dollars in thousands, except per share data)

                                                                                                                                                                                                       (Unaudited)


                                                                                                                                                                                                    For the Three Months Ended

                                                                                                                                                                                                           December 31,                  September 30,            June 30,             March 31,              December 31,

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   2014                     2014                 2014                   2014                2013
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   ----                     ----                 ----                   ----                ----


    Summary Operating Results:

                              Interest income                                                                                                                                    $8,086                                           $8,000                   $7,808               $7,922                 $7,983

                              Interest expense                                                                                                                                    2,236                                            2,153                    2,130                2,115                  2,204
                                                                                                                                                                                -----                                            -----                    -----                -----                  -----

                              Net interest income                                                                                                                                 5,850                                            5,847                    5,678                5,807                  5,779

                              Provision for loan losses                                                                                                                             400                                              250                     (19)                 200                  3,700
                                                                                                                                                                                  ---                                              ---                      ---                  ---                    ---

                              Net interest income (loss) after provision

                                                                          for loan losses                                                                                                                                         5,450                    5,597                5,697                  5,607               2,079

                              Non-interest income                                                                                                                                 1,495                                            1,245                      962                  976                  1,011

                              Non-interest expense                                                                                                                                5,394                                            5,754                    7,235                5,706                  8,562
                                                                                                                                                                                -----                                            -----                    -----                -----                  -----

                              Income (loss) before income tax provision                                                                                                           1,551                                            1,088                    (576)                 877                (5,472)

                              Income tax provision                                                                                                                                    1                                               20                        -                  10                      -
                                                                                                                                                                                  ---                                              ---                      ---                 ---                    ---

                              Net income (loss)                                                                                                                                  $1,550                                           $1,068                   $(576)                $867               $(5,472)
                                                                                                                                                                                 ------                                           ------                    -----                 ----                -------


    Per Share Data:

                              Basic earnings (loss) per share                                                                                                                     $0.10                                            $0.05                  $(0.12)               $0.03                $(0.58)

                              Diluted earnings (loss) per share                                                                                                                   $0.09                                            $0.05                  $(0.12)               $0.03                $(0.58)

                              Common stock dividends per share                                                                                                $                       -                       $                       -      $                -    $              -      $              -

                              Average basic shares outstanding                                                                                                               10,067,379                                       10,067,379               10,067,379           10,066,679             10,066,679

                              Average diluted shares outstanding                                                                                                             10,905,866                                       10,101,445               10,067,379           10,103,153             10,066,679


    Performance Ratios:

                              Return on average assets                                                                                                                            0.20%                                           0.14%                  -0.07%               0.11%                -0.66%

                              Return on average equity                                                                                                                            1.88%                                           1.30%                  -0.71%               1.06%                -6.31%

                              Net interest margin                                                                                                                                 3.32%                                           3.29%                   3.19%               3.23%                 3.15%

                              Efficiency ratio*                                                                                                                                  72.96%                                          80.40%                 109.32%              84.90%                88.16%


                                                                        *  The efficiency ratio is general and administrative expenses as a percentage of net interest income plus non-
                                                                           interest income


                                                                                                                                                                                                              As of

                                                                                                                                                                                                           December 31,                  September 30,            June 30,             March 31,              December 31,

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   2014                     2014                 2014                   2014                2013
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   ----                     ----                 ----                   ----                ----


    Balance Sheet Data:

                              Total assets                                                                                                                                     $776,681                                         $769,313                 $788,653             $793,433               $799,603

                              Total loans receivable                                                                                                                            643,317                                          629,342                  616,956              614,986                614,552

                              Allowance for loan losses                                                                                                                         (9,435)                                         (9,282)                (10,828)            (11,225)              (11,739)
                                                                                                                                                                              -------                                           ------                   ------              -------                -------

                              Net loans                                                                                                                                         633,882                                          620,060                  606,128              603,761                602,813

                              Deposits                                                                                                                                          543,814                                          537,743                  555,780              562,964                571,249

                              Borrowings                                                                                                                                        115,000                                          115,000                  115,000              115,000                115,000

                              Stockholders' equity                                                                                                                               83,810                                           82,739                   82,150               83,202                 82,769

                              Bank's Tier 1 core capital to total assets                                                                                                          13.8%                                           13.7%                   13.2%               13.2%                 12.9%

                              Book value per share                                                                                                                                $5.68                                            $5.57                    $5.51                $5.62                  $5.57


    Asset Quality Data:

                              Non-accrual loans                                                                                                                                 $12,845                                          $10,798                  $13,401              $12,567                $11,035

                              Foreclosed real estate                                                                                                                              1,947                                            5,024                    5,689                5,561                  8,972
                                                                                                                                                                                -----                                            -----                    -----                -----                  -----

                              Total non-performing assets                                                                                                                        14,792                                           15,822                   19,090               18,128                 20,007

                              Total non-accrual loans to net loans                                                                                                                 2.0%                                            1.7%                    2.2%                2.1%                  1.8%

                              Total non-accrual loans to total assets                                                                                                              1.7%                                            1.4%                    1.7%                1.6%                  1.4%

                              Allowance for loan losses                                                                                                                           9,435                                            9,282                   10,828               11,225                 11,739

                              Allowance for loan losses to total loans                                                                                                             1.5%                                            1.5%                    1.8%                1.8%                  1.9%

                              Allowance for loan losses to total

                              non-accrual loans                                                                                                                                   73.5%                                           86.0%                   80.8%               89.3%                106.4%

                              Total non-performing assets to total assets                                                                                                          1.9%                                            2.1%                    2.4%                2.3%                  2.5%

                               Non-accrual troubled debt restructurings
                               (included above)                                                                                                                                   2,641                                            1,853                    1,868                2,018                  1,679

                              Performing troubled debt restructurings                                                                                                            27,724                                           28,828                   30,146               34,021                 35,239

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SOURCE Severn Bancorp Inc.