BLACKSBURG, VA, FEBRUARY 23, 2017:
National Bankshares, Inc. (NASDAQ Capital Market:
NKSH) today announced its results of operations for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2016. The Company reported net income of $14.94 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2016, a decrease from the $15.83 million earned in 2015. The 2016 return on average assets and return on average equity were 1.24% and 8.30%, respectively. Basic earnings per share in 2016 were $2.15. National Bankshares, Inc. ended 2016 with total assets of $1.23 billion.
“In 2016 we celebrated National Bank’s 125
th year as a community bank, and we’re extremely thankful to the customers, shareholders, employees and directors, past and present, who have helped us reach this milestone,” said National Bankshares Chairman, President and CEO James G. Rakes. “The low interest rate environment in 2016 continued to reduce margins and earnings. Despite this challenge, we focused on what we can control. We steadily grew our loan and deposit base by seeking out quality credits and providing superior customer service, while investing in the people and technology that will best position us for future growth.”
“We were pleased to share a dividend of $1.16 per share with our stockholders in 2016, an increase over the $1.14 per share dividend awarded in 2015,” continued Rakes. “We feel very privileged to be a part of National Bank’s 125-year history, and we are dedicated to serving our customers, communities and shareholders for many years to come.”
National Bankshares, Inc., headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, is the parent company of The National Bank of Blacksburg, which does business as National Bank, and of National Bankshares Financial Services, Inc. National Bank is a community bank operating from 26 full service offices and one loan production office throughout Southwest Virginia. National Bankshares Financial Services, Inc. is an investment and insurance subsidiary in the same trade area. The Company’s stock is traded on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “NKSH.” Additional information is available at
www.nationalbankshares.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release may be “forward-looking statements.” Forward-looking statements are statements that include projections, predictions, expectations or beliefs about future events or results that are not statements of historical fact and that involve significant risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that its expectations with regard to forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions within the bounds of its existing knowledge of its business and operations, there can be no assurance that actual Company results will not differ materially from any future results implied by the forward-looking statements. Actual results may be materially different from past or anticipated results because of many factors, some of which may include changes in economic conditions, the interest rate environment, legislative and regulatory requirements, new products, competition, changes in the stock and bond markets and technology. The Company does not update any forward-looking statements that it may make.