Category: Institutions

AmeriServ Financial, Inc. (Nasdaq: ASRV) reported third quarter 2008 net income of $1,149,000 or $0.05 per diluted share. This represents an increase of $275,000 or 31.5% over the third quarter 2007 net income of $874,000 or $0.04 per diluted share. For the nine month period ended September 30, 2008, the Company earned $3,894,000 or $0.18 per diluted share. This also represents an increase of $1,784,000 or over 84.5% when compared to net income of $2,110,000 or $0.10 per diluted share for the first nine months of 2007. The following table highlights the Company's financial performance for the both the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2008 and 2007:

                           Third      Third      Nine Months      Nine Months
                          Quarter    Quarter  Ended September  Ended September
                            2008       2007       30, 2008         30, 2007

    Net income          $1,149,000   $874,000    $3,894,000       $2,110,000
    Diluted earnings
     per share              $ 0.05     $ 0.04        $ 0.18            $0.10

Allan R. Dennison, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented on the 2008 financial results, "Our conservatively positioned balance sheet has allowed AmeriServ Financial to post improved financial performance during a historic period of turmoil and crisis within the financial markets. Our Company has no direct exposure to subprime mortgages, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac preferred stock, or credit exposure to any of the large financial firms that have recently failed or been taken over. The Bank's loyal deposit base has provided us with ample liquidity to grow our loan portfolio during the third quarter of 2008 when many banks have restricted lending due to the credit crunch. We enter the fourth quarter of 2008 with an improved net interest margin, stable asset quality, and strong capital levels which provide us with greater financial flexibility during this period of economic uncertainty."

The Company's net interest income in the third quarter of 2008 increased by $1.2 million from the prior year's third quarter and for the first nine months of 2008 increased by $2.9 million or 16.4% when compared to the first nine months of 2007. The Company's net interest margin is also up sharply by 59 and 49 basis points, respectively for the quarter and nine month periods ended September 30, 2008. The Company's balance sheet positioning allowed it to benefit from the significant Federal Reserve reductions in short-term interest rates and the return to a more traditional positively sloped yield curve. As a result of these changes, the Company's interest expense on deposits and borrowings declined at a faster rate than the interest income on loans and investment securities. Additionally, an improved earning asset mix with fewer investment securities and more loans outstanding also contributed to the increased net interest income and margin in 2008. For the first nine months of 2008, total loans have increased by $28 million or 4.4%. Overall, net interest income has now increased for seven consecutive quarters and the Company believes its balance sheet is well positioned for further reductions in short-term interest rates recently announced by the Federal Reserve.

The Company recorded a $775,000 provision for loan losses in the third quarter of 2008 and a $2.3 million provision for the nine month period ended September 30, 2008 compared to a $150,000 loan loss provision for the same periods in 2007. When determining the provision for loan losses, the Company considers a number of factors some of which include periodic credit reviews, delinquency and charge-off trends, concentrations of credit, loan volume trends and broader local and national economic trends. The higher loan provision in 2008 was caused by the Company's decision to strengthen its allowance for loan losses due to the downgrade of the rating classification of several specific performing commercial loans and uncertainties in the local and national economies. Overall net charge-offs are down modestly in 2008 when compared to 2007. Specifically, for the nine month period ended September 30, 2008, net charge-offs have amounted to $875,000 or 0.18% of total loans compared to net charge-offs of $1.1 million or 0.25% of total loans for the same nine month period in 2007. Non-performing assets increased by $673,000 since the second quarter of 2008 but are still lower than the year-end 2007 level. Non-performing assets totaled $4.4 million or 0.66% of total loans at September 30, 2008 compared to $5.3 million or 0.83% of total loans at December 31, 2007. Overall, the allowance for loan losses provided 198% coverage of non-performing assets and was 1.31% of total loans at September 30, 2008 compared to 137% of non-performing assets and 1.14% of total loans at December 31, 2007. Note also that the Company has no direct exposure to sub-prime mortgage loans in either the loan or investment portfolios.

The Company's non-interest income in the third quarter of 2008 decreased by $255,000 from the prior year's third quarter but for the first nine months of 2008 increased by $2.1 million when compared to the first nine months of 2007. Increased revenue from bank owned life insurance due to the payment of death claims favorably impacted the 2007 third quarter performance and the second quarter 2008 results. Overall for the nine month period, income from bank owned life insurance is $1.4 million greater in 2008 than 2007. The remainder of the increase in non-interest income was driven by increases in several other non-interest revenue categories. Deposit service charges increased by $100,000 for the 2008 quarterly period and $420,000 or 22.2% for the nine month period due to increased overdraft fees and greater service charge revenue that resulted from a realignment of the bank's checking accounts to include more fee based products. The Company also recorded an increase on gains realized on residential mortgage loan sales into the secondary market that amounted to $22,000 for the third quarter of 2008 and $128,000 for the nine month period ended September 30, 2008. This increase reflects improved residential mortgage production from the Company's primary market as this has been an area of emphasis in the Company's strategic plan. Trust fees were up modestly by $14,000 for the 2008 quarterly period and by $148,000 or 2.9% for the nine month period due to continued successful new business development efforts which has helped mitigate the declines in the market value of assets due to reduced equity values. The decline in equity values was also responsible for the approximate $90,000 drop in investment advisory fees in 2008. Finally, the Company took advantage of the positively sloped yield curve to position the investment portfolio for better future earnings by selling some of the lower yielding securities in the portfolio and replacing them with higher yielding securities with a modestly longer duration. The Company realized a net security loss of $117,000 in 2008 from this strategy.

Total non-interest expense in the third quarter of 2008 was essentially flat with the prior year's third quarter and for the first nine months of 2008 increased by $620,000 or 2.4% when compared to the first nine months of 2007. The higher 2008 expenses were due to a $802,000 increase in other expenses, a $274,000 increase in professional fees, and a $91,000 charge on the prepayment of $6 million of Federal Home Loan Bank Advances. Note that the increase in other expenses was due to higher advertising and business development expenses in 2008 and the non-recurrence of a favorable $400,000 recovery on a previous mortgage loan securitization that was realized in the second quarter of 2007. The increased professional fees resulted primarily from higher legal and other professional fees in the trust company. The $91,000 FHLB debt prepayment charge resulted from the Company's decision to retire some higher cost advances and replace them with lower cost current market rate advances in order to reduce ongoing interest expense. These negative items were partially offset by expense decreases recorded in salaries and employee benefits and equipment expense as a result of the Company's continuing focus on containing and reducing non-interest expenses. For the first nine months of 2008, salaries and employee benefits costs are down by $228,000 or 1.6% due to on average a reduction of 19 full-time equivalent employees and reduced medical insurance premiums. The $329,000 reduction in equipment expense resulted from the benefits achieved on the migration to a new core data processing operating system and mainframe processor.

ASRV had total assets of $911 million and shareholders' equity of $93.7 million or a book value of $4.29 per share at September 30, 2008. The Company built its capital and maintained a strong asset leverage ratio of 10.37% at quarter-end. During the first quarter of 2008, the Company repurchased 354,500 shares of its common stock at an average price of $3.11 in conjunction with the terms of the Company's stock buyback program that was announced on January 22, 2008. The Company did not repurchase any additional shares during the second or third quarter.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including the risks detailed in the Company's Annual Report and Form 10-K to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially.


                                 NASDAQ: ASRV
                   SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE DATA
                               October 13, 2008
               (In thousands, except per share and ratio data)
                   (All quarterly and 2008 data unaudited)

                                                     2008
                                            1QTR    2QTR    3QTR      YEAR
                                                                   TO DATE
    PERFORMANCE DATA FOR THE PERIOD:
    Net income                              $1,229  $1,516  $1,149  $3,894

    PERFORMANCE PERCENTAGES (annualized):
    Return on average assets                 0.55%   0.71%   0.52%   0.59%
    Return on average equity                  5.43    6.64    4.93    5.66
    Net interest margin                       3.32    3.58    3.59    3.49
    Net charge-offs as a percentage of
     average loans                            0.06    0.46    0.04    0.18
    Loan loss provision as a percentage
     of average loans                         0.10    0.89    0.48    0.49
    Efficiency ratio                         82.87   73.20   79.72   78.33

    PER COMMON SHARE:
    Net income:
    Basic                                    $0.06   $0.07   $0.05   $0.18
    Average number of common shares
     outstanding                            22,060  21,847  21,855  21,921
    Diluted                                   0.06    0.07    0.05    0.18
    Average number of common shares
     outstanding                            22,062  21,848  21,856  21,922


                                                     2007
                                            1QTR    2QTR    3QTR      YEAR
                                                                   TO DATE
    PERFORMANCE DATA FOR THE PERIOD:
    Net income                                $428    $808    $874  $2,110

    PERFORMANCE PERCENTAGES (annualized):
    Return on average assets                 0.20%   0.37%   0.39%   0.32%
    Return on average equity                  2.05    3.79    4.00    3.30
    Net interest margin                       2.97    3.01    3.00    3.00
    Net charge-offs as a percentage of
     average loans                            0.06    0.07    0.61    0.25
    Loan loss provision as a percentage
     of average loans                          -       -      0.10    0.03
    Efficiency ratio                         94.16   88.52   87.15   89.84

    PER COMMON SHARE:
    Net income:
    Basic                                    $0.02   $0.04   $0.04   $0.10
    Average number of common shares
     outstanding                            22,159  22,164  22,175  22,166
    Diluted                                   0.02    0.04    0.04    0.10
    Average number of common shares
     outstanding                            22,166  22,171  22,177  22,170



                          AMERISERV FINANCIAL, INC.
        (In thousands, except per share, statistical, and ratio data)
                   (All quarterly and 2008 data unaudited)

                                      2008
                                  1QTR        2QTR        3QTR
    PERFORMANCE DATA AT PERIOD
     END:
    Assets                       $902,349    $877,230    $911,306
    Investment securities         151,967     148,819     148,777
    Loans                         632,934     623,798     663,996
    Allowance for loan losses       7,309       7,963       8,677
    Goodwill and core deposit
     intangibles                   14,254      14,038      13,821
    Deposits                      682,459     722,913     688,998
    FHLB borrowings               106,579      40,214     106,897
    Stockholders' equity           91,558      92,248      93,671
    Non-performing assets           3,050       3,717       4,390
    Asset leverage ratio            9.78%      10.47%      10.37%
    PER COMMON SHARE:
    Book value (A)                  $4.19       $4.22       $4.29
    Market value                     2.79        2.98        2.51
    Market price to book value     66.62%      70.59%      58.57%
    Trust assets - fair
     market value (B)           1,838,029   1,813,231   1,678,698

    STATISTICAL DATA AT PERIOD
     END:
    Full-time equivalent
     employees                        350         353         352
    Branch locations                   19          18          18
    Common shares outstanding  21,842,691  21,850,773  21,859,409


                                                  2007
                                  1QTR        2QTR        3QTR        4QTR
    PERFORMANCE DATA AT PERIOD
     END:
    Assets                       $891,559    $876,160    $897,940    $904,878
    Investment securities         185,338     174,508     170,765     163,474
    Loans                         603,834     604,639     629,564     636,155
    Allowance for loan losses       8,010       7,911       7,119       7,252
    Goodwill and core deposit
     intangibles                   15,119      14,903      14,687      14,470
    Deposits                      768,947     762,902     763,771     710,439
    FHLB borrowings                15,170       4,258      23,482      82,115
    Stockholders' equity           85,693      86,226      88,517      90,294
    Non-performing assets           2,706       2,825       2,463       5,280
    Asset leverage ratio           10.23%      10.36%      10.44%       9.74%
    PER COMMON SHARE:
    Book value                      $3.87       $3.89       $3.99       $4.07
    Market value                     4.79        4.40        3.33        2.77
    Market price to book value    123.88%     113.12%      83.44%      68.07%
    Trust assets - fair
     market value (B)           1,828,475   1,872,366   1,846,240   1,883,307

    STATISTICAL DATA AT PERIOD
     END:
    Full-time equivalent
     employees                        375         376         358         351
    Branch locations                   21          21          20          19
    Common shares outstanding  22,161,445  22,167,235  22,180,650  22,188,997


    Note:
    (A)  Other comprehensive income had a negative impact of $0.16 on book
         value per share at September 30, 2008.
    (B)  Not recognized on the balance sheet



                          AMERISERV FINANCIAL, INC.
                       CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME
                                (In thousands)
                   (All quarterly and 2008 data unaudited)

                                                        2008
                                           1QTR     2QTR     3QTR    YEAR
                                                                     TO DATE
    INTEREST INCOME

    Interest and fees on loans           $10,462   $9,862  $10,015  $30,339
    Total investment portfolio             1,820    1,588    1,717    5,125
    Total Interest Income                 12,282   11,450   11,732   35,464

    INTEREST EXPENSE
    Deposits                               4,499    3,861    3,774   12,134
    All borrowings                         1,048      623      727    2,398
    Total Interest Expense                 5,547    4,484    4,501   14,532

    NET INTEREST INCOME                    6,735    6,966    7,231   20,932
    Provision for loan losses                150    1,375      775    2,300

    NET INTEREST INCOME AFTER PROVISION
    FOR LOAN LOSSES                        6,585    5,591    6,456   18,632

    NON-INTEREST INCOME
    Trust fees                             1,790    1,737    1,691    5,218
    Net realized losses on investment
     securities available for sale           -       (137)      20     (117)
    Net realized gains on loans held for
     sale                                     89      121      138      348
    Service charges on deposit accounts      734      807      771    2,312
    Investment advisory fees                 226      218      185      629
    Bank owned life insurance                249    1,923      260    2,432
    Other income                             750      674      702    2,126
    Total Non-Interest Income              3,838    5,343    3,767   12,948

    NON-INTEREST EXPENSE
    Salaries and employee benefits         4,830    4,812    4,758   14,400
    Net occupancy expense                    661      653      586    1,900
    Equipment expense                        431      414      402    1,247
    Professional fees                        769      910      922    2,601
    FHLB prepayment penalty                  -         91      -         91
    FDIC deposit insurance expense            22       20       30       72
    Amortization of core deposit
     intangibles                             216      216      217      649
    Other expenses                         1,850    1,909    1,869    5,628
    Total Non-Interest Expense             8,779    9,025    8,784   26,588

    PRETAX INCOME                          1,644    1,909    1,439    4,992
    Income tax expense                       415      393      290    1,098
    NET INCOME                            $1,229   $1,516   $1,149   $3,894


                                                        2007
                                           1QTR     2QTR     3QTR    YEAR
                                                                     TO DATE
    INTEREST INCOME

    Interest and fees on loans           $10,061  $10,303  $10,591  $30,955
    Total investment portfolio             2,114    2,005    1,863    5,982
    Total Interest Income                 12,175   12,308   12,454   36,937

    INTEREST EXPENSE
    Deposits                               5,699    5,931    5,994   17,624
    All borrowings                           521      364      438    1,323
    Total Interest Expense                 6,220    6,295    6,432   18,947

    NET INTEREST INCOME                    5,955    6,013    6,022   17,990
    Provision for loan losses                -        -        150      150

    NET INTEREST INCOME AFTER PROVISION
    FOR LOAN LOSSES                        5,955    6,013    5,872   17,840

    NON-INTEREST INCOME
    Trust fees                             1,704    1,689    1,677    5,070
    Net realized gains on loans held
     for sale                                 25       79      116      220
    Service charges on deposit accounts      585      636      671    1,892
    Investment advisory fees                 102      329      275      706
    Bank owned life insurance                258      265      479    1,002
    Other income                             559      594      804    1,957
    Total Non-Interest Income              3,233    3,592    4,022   10,847

    NON-INTEREST EXPENSE
    Salaries and employee benefits         4,885    4,930    4,813   14,628
    Net occupancy expense                    664      615      618    1,897
    Equipment expense                        546      564      466    1,576
    Professional fees                        695      818      814    2,327
    FDIC deposit insurance expense            22       22       22       66
    Amortization of core deposit
     intangibles                             216      216      216      648
    Other expenses                         1,645    1,357    1,824    4,826
    Total Non-Interest Expense             8,673    8,522    8,773   25,968

    PRETAX INCOME                            515    1,083    1,121    2,719
    Income tax expense                        87      275      247      609
    NET INCOME                              $428     $808     $874   $2,110




                          AMERISERV FINANCIAL, INC.
                          AVERAGE BALANCE SHEET DATA
                                (In thousands)
                   (All quarterly and 2008 data unaudited)

    Note:  2007 data appears before 2008.

                                         2007                2008
                                                  NINE                NINE
                                         3QTR     MONTHS     3QTR     MONTHS

    Interest earning assets:
    Loans and loans held for sale,
     net of unearned income            $612,424  $601,592  $634,807  $628,928
    Deposits with banks                     616       525       399       403
    Federal funds                         2,249     3,009        32       152
    Total investment securities         176,474   187,398   160,459   161,264
    Total interest earning assets       791,763   792,524   795,697   790,747

    Non-interest earning assets:
    Cash and due from banks              18,673    17,734    16,574    17,188
    Premises and equipment                8,607     8,722     9,593     9,193
    Other assets                         71,506    69,550    71,647    72,402
    Allowance for loan losses            (7,808)   (7,947)   (8,088)   (7,582)

    Total assets                        882,741   880,583   885,423   881,948

    Interest bearing liabilities:
    Interest bearing deposits:
    Interest bearing demand              55,151    56,559    65,704    65,169
    Savings                              71,503    73,112    71,520    70,388
    Money market                        173,844   182,215   108,181    92,907
    Other time                          353,331   344,153   341,455   359,255
    Total interest bearing deposits     653,829   656,039   586,860   587,719
    Borrowings:
    Federal funds purchased,
     securities sold under
     agreements to repurchase,
     and other short-term
     borrowings                           6,760     8,441    60,635    57,818
    Advanced from Federal Home Loan
     Bank                                 5,499     3,607    10,258    11,266
    Guaranteed junior subordinated
     deferrable interest debentures      13,085    13,085    13,085    13,085
    Total interest bearing
     liabilities                        679,173   681,172   670,838   669,888

    Non-interest bearing liabilities:
    Demand deposits                     106,055   104,336   111,136   110,366
    Other liabilities                    10,768     9,477    10,763     9,836
    Stockholders' equity                 86,745    85,598    92,686    91,858
    Total liabilities and
     stockholders' equity              $882,741  $880,583  $885,423  $881,948

SOURCE AmeriServ Financial, Inc.