Ohana Pacific announces dividend as income jumps

Ohana Pacific Bank capped off its fourth straight profitable year by declaring another special dividend.

The state’s smallest bank, which opened in June 2006, said Monday its net income jumped 35.6 percent in the fourth quarter to $293,000 from $216,000 in the year-earlier period amid strong growth in loans and deposits.

For the year, Ohana Pacific’s earnings rose 2.5 percent to $1.1 million from $1 million.

Ohana Pacific, which has now achieved 17 profitable quarters in a row after five years of losses, declared a dividend of 10 cents a share, payable March 10 to shareholders of record as of Jan. 27. The bank paid its first-ever dividend — also 10 cents a share — last March.

"There’s no plan for a quarterly cash dividend, but a special cash dividend will be considered on an annual basis based on the earnings," Ohana Pacific President and Chief Executive Officer James Hong said. "Given the steady performance of the bank, we are hopeful that we can continue to pay out dividends in the future."

Hong said Ohana Pacific’s loan portfolio showed strong growth with "excellent" loan quality. Loans rose 8.5 percent to $81.7 million in the fourth quarter from $75.3 million in the year-earlier period.

"The delinquency and classified loans (those in danger of default) are at historically low rates and compare very favorably with our peer group," Hong said. "Our focus in 2015 will be commercial real estate loans with increasing activities in residential mortgages and home equity lines of credit. Small-business loans will have more emphasis in 2015 as the economy continues to pick up and we reach out more in the community."

Ohana Pacific’s deposits neared the $100 million threshold last quarter as they rose 6.3 percent to $95.8 million from $90.1 million. Total assets gained 6.2 percent to $111.2 million from $104.7 million.

The bank’s net interest income — its spread between loan rates and deposit rates — increased 9 percent in the quarter to $947,000 from $869,000. For the year, its net interest margin declined to 3.26 percent from 3.47 percent.

Ohana Pacific’s noninterest income, which includes service charges and fees, dropped 9.5 percent in the quarter to $76,000 from $84,000.

The bank’s thinly traded shares, which exchange hands on the over-the-counter market under the ticker OHPB, last traded at $5.75 a share on Dec. 29.

Ohana Pacific announced its earnings before the stock market opened.