This annual report contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions and may describe future plans, strategies and expectations of First Savings Financial Group, Inc. These forward-looking statements are generally identified by use of the words “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “project” or similar expressions. First Savings Financial Group’s ability to predict results or the actual effect of future plans or strategies is inherently uncertain. Factors which could have a material adverse effect on the operations of First Savings Financial Group and its subsidiary include, but are not limited to, changes in interest rates, national and regional economic conditions, legislative and regulatory changes, monetary and fiscal policies of the U.S. government, including policies of the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve Board, the quality and composition of the loan or investment portfolios, demand for loan products, deposit flows, competition, demand for financial services in First Savings Financial Group’s market area, changes in real estate market values in First Savings Financial Group’s market area, changes in relevant accounting principles and guidelines and inability of third party service providers to perform. Additional factors that may affect our results are discussed in Item 1A to this Annual Report on Form 10-K titled “Risk Factors” below.
These risks and uncertainties should be considered in evaluating forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Except as required by applicable law or regulation, First Savings Financial Group does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to release publicly the result of any revisions that may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of the statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.
Unless the context indicates otherwise, all references in this annual report to “First Savings Financial Group,” “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to First Savings Financial Group and its subsidiaries.
PART I
Item 1.
BUSINESS
General
First Savings Financial Group, Inc., an Indiana corporation, was incorporated in May 2008 to serve as the holding company for First Savings Bank, F.S.B. (the “Bank” or “First Savings Bank”), a federally-chartered savings bank. On October 6, 2008, in accordance with a Plan of Conversion adopted by its board of directors and approved by its members, the Bank converted from a mutual savings bank to a stock savings bank and became the wholly-owned subsidiary of First Savings Financial Group. In connection with the conversion, the Company issued an aggregate of 2,542,042 shares of common stock at an offering price of $10.00 per share. In addition, in connection with the conversion, First Savings Charitable Foundation was formed, to which the Company contributed 110,000 shares of common stock and $100,000 in cash. The Company’s common stock began trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market on October 7, 2008 under the symbol “FSFG”.
First Savings Financial Group’s principal business activity is the ownership of the outstanding common stock of First Savings Bank. First Savings Financial Group does not own or lease any property but instead uses the premises, equipment and other property of First Savings Bank with the payment of appropriate rental fees, as required by applicable law and regulations, under the terms of an expense allocation agreement. Accordingly, the information set forth in this annual report including the consolidated financial statements and related financial data contained herein, relates primarily to the Bank.
First Savings Bank operates as a community-oriented financial institution offering traditional financial services to consumers and businesses in its primary market area. We attract deposits from the general public and use those funds to originate primarily residential mortgage loans and, to a lesser but growing extent, commercial mortgage loans and commercial business loans. We also originate residential and commercial construction loans, multi-family loans, land and land development loans, and consumer loans. We conduct our lending and deposit activities primarily with individuals and small businesses in our primary market area.
On September 30, 2009, First Savings Bank acquired Community First Bank (“Community First”), an Indiana-chartered commercial bank. The acquisition expanded First Savings Bank’s presence into Harrison, Crawford and Washington Counties in Indiana.
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Our website address is www.fsbbank.net. Information on our website should not be considered a part of this annual report.
Market Area
We are located in South Central Indiana along the axis of Interstate 65 and Interstate 64, directly across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky. We consider Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Crawford and Washington counties, Indiana, in which all of our offices are located, and the surrounding areas to be our primary market area. The current top employment sectors in these counties are the private retail, service and manufacturing industries, which are likely to continue to be supported by the projected growth in population and median household income. These counties are well-served by barge transportation, rail service, and commercial and general aviation services, including the United Parcel Service’s major hub, which are located in our primary market area.
Competition
We face significant competition for the attraction of deposits and origination of loans. Our most direct competition for deposits has historically come from the several financial institutions operating in our primary market area and from other financial service companies such as securities and mortgage brokerage firms, credit unions and insurance companies. We also face competition for investors’ funds from money market funds, mutual funds and other corporate and government securities. At June 30, 2011, which is the most recent date for which data is available from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, we held approximately 12.33%, 1.26%, 17.88%, 79.78% and 8.25% of the FDIC-insured deposits in Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Crawford and Washington Counties, Indiana, respectively. This data does not reflect deposits held by credit unions with which we also compete. In addition, banks owned by large national and regional holding companies and other community-based banks also operate in our primary market area. Some of these institutions are larger than us and, therefore, may have greater resources.
Our competition for loans comes primarily from financial institutions in our primary market area and from other financial service providers, such as mortgage companies, mortgage brokers and credit unions. Competition for loans also comes from non-depository financial service companies entering the mortgage market, such as insurance companies, securities companies and specialty and captive finance companies.
We expect competition to increase in the future as a result of legislative, regulatory and technological changes and the continuing trend of consolidation in the financial services industry. Technological advances, for example, have lowered barriers to entry, allowing banks to expand their geographic reach by providing services over the Internet, and made it possible for non-depository institutions to offer products and services that traditionally have been provided by banks. Changes in federal law now permit affiliation among banks, securities firms and insurance companies, which promotes a competitive environment in the financial services industry. Competition for deposits and the origination of loans could limit our growth in the future.
Lending Activities
The Bank is in the process of transforming the composition of its balance sheet from that of a traditional thrift institution to that of a commercial bank. We intend to continue to emphasize residential lending, primarily secured by owner-occupied properties, but also to continue concentrating on ways to expand our consumer/retail banking capabilities and our commercial banking services with a focus on serving small businesses and emphasizing relationship banking in our primary market area. This transformation is enhanced by the Community First acquisition and by an expanded commercial lending staff dedicated to growing commercial real estate and commercial business loans.
The largest segment of our loan portfolio is real estate mortgage loans, primarily one- to four-family residential loans, including non-owner occupied residential loans that were predominately originated before 2005, and, to a lesser but growing extent, multi-family real estate, commercial real estate and commercial business loans. We also originate residential and commercial construction loans, land and land development loans, and consumer loans. We generally originate loans for investment purposes, although, depending on the interest rate environment and our asset/liability management goals, we may sell into the secondary market the 25-year and 30-year fixed-rate residential mortgage loans that we originate. We do not offer, and have not offered, Alt-A, sub-prime or no-documentation loans and acquired no such loans in the acquisition of Community First.
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One- to Four-Family Residential Loans. Our origination of residential mortgage loans enables borrowers to purchase or refinance existing homes located in Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Crawford and Washington Counties, Indiana, and the surrounding areas. A significant portion of the residential mortgage loans that we had originated before 2005 are secured by non-owner occupied properties. Loans secured by non-owner occupied properties generally carry a greater risk of loss than loans secured by owner-occupied properties, and our non-performing loan balances have increased in recent periods primarily because of delinquencies in our non-owner occupied residential loan portfolio. See “Item 1A. Risk Factors – Risks Related to Our Business – Our concentration in non-owner occupied real estate loans may expose us to increased credit risk” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Risk Management – Analysis of Nonperforming and Classified Assets.” Since 2005, when we hired a new President and Chief Executive Officer, we have de-emphasized non-owner occupied residential mortgage lending and have focused, and intend to continue to focus, our residential mortgage lending primarily on originating residential mortgage loans secured by owner-occupied properties.
Our residential lending policies and procedures conform to the secondary market guidelines. We generally offer a mix of adjustable-rate mortgage loans and fixed-rate mortgage loans with terms of 10 to 30 years. Borrower demand for adjustable-rate loans compared to fixed-rate loans is a function of the level of interest rates, the expectations of changes in the level of interest rates, and the difference between the interest rates and loan fees offered for fixed-rate mortgage loans as compared to an initially discounted interest rate and loan fees for multi-year adjustable-rate mortgages. The relative amount of fixed-rate mortgage loans and adjustable-rate mortgage loans that can be originated at any time is largely determined by the demand for each in a competitive environment. The loan fees, interest rates and other provisions of mortgage loans are determined by us based on our own pricing criteria and competitive market conditions.
Interest rates and payments on our adjustable-rate mortgage loans generally adjust annually after an initial fixed period that typically ranges from one to five years. Interest rates and payments on our adjustable-rate loans generally are adjusted to a rate typically equal to a margin above the one year U.S. Treasury index. The maximum amount by which the interest rate may be increased or decreased is generally one percentage point per adjustment period and the lifetime interest rate cap is generally six percentage points over the initial interest rate of the loan. However, a portion of the adjustable-rate mortgage loan portfolio has a maximum amount by which the interest rate may be increased or decreased of two percentage points per adjustment period and a lifetime interest rate cap generally of six percentage points over the initial interest rate of the loan.