CVB Financial Corp. Reaches New Milestones


Jan 15, 2003
ONTARIO, Calif., Jan 15, 2003

CVB Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:CVBF), parent company of Citizens Business Bank, today announced record earnings of $49.7 million for the year ended Dec. 31, 2002.

This represents an increase of $9.7 million, or 24.2%, when compared with earnings of $40 million for the year ended Dec. 31, 2001.

Diluted earnings per share were $1.11 for 2002. This is up $0.21, or 23.3%, from the $0.90 posted for 2001. All per share amounts have been restated to reflect the 5-for-4 stock split declared on Dec. 18, 2002. Earnings for the year produced a return on beginning equity of 22.5%, a return on average equity of 20.5% and a return on average assets of 1.8%.

During the year, the company restructured a portion of the investment portfolio to align it with the current interest rate environment. This involved the sale of $261.2 million in securities. The sale of these securities resulted in a gain of $4.9 million before taxes, and a gain of $3.2 million after taxes.

If the company had not realized this gain on the sale of securities, net income would have been $46.5 million. This would represent an increase in net income of $6.5 million, or 16.27%, over the $40 million for 2001. The comparable net income per diluted share would be $1.04. This would be an increase of $0.14, or 15.56%, over the net income per diluted share of $0.90 for 2001.

These earnings results would have produced a return on beginning equity of 21.1%, a return on average equity of 19.4% and a return on average assets of 1.71%. The related efficiency ratio would have been 47.86%.

Earnings for the fourth quarter ending Dec. 31, 2002 were $12.6 million. This represents an increase of $1.8 million, or 16.4%, over the earnings of $10.8 million reported for the fourth quarter of 2001. This was the 43rd consecutive quarter of record earnings.

Diluted earnings per share for the fourth quarter of 2002 were $0.28. This is up $0.03, or 12%, from the $0.25 posted for the fourth quarter of 2001. All per share amounts have been restated to reflect the 5-for-4 stock split. Earnings for the fourth quarter produced a return on beginning equity of 23.1%, a return on average equity of 19.5% and a return on average assets of 1.8%

Deposits reached a record high of $2.3 billion at Dec. 31, 2002. This was up $433 million, or 23.1%, when compared with the $1.9 billion in deposits reported at Dec. 31, 2001. Demand deposits were $958.7 million, or 41.5% of the total deposits. This represents an increase of $192.3 million, or 25.1%, when compared with $766.3 million for last year.

Gross loans and leases were $1.4 billion at Dec. 31, 2002. This represents an increase of $258.5 million, or 21.8%, when compared with gross loans and leases of $1.2 billion on Dec. 31, 2001. Total assets reached a record high of $3.1 billion. This was up $607.6 million, or 24.2%, over total assets of $2.5 billion at the end of 2001.

CVB Financial Corp. reported non-performing loans and non-performing assets of $824,000 as of Dec. 31, 2002. This represents a ratio of non-performing assets to total assets of 0.03%. The allowance for loan and lease losses was $21.7 million as of Dec. 31, 2002.

This represents 1.5% of gross loans and leases, and compares with 1.72% on Dec. 31, 2001. Non-performing loans and leases were 3.8% of the allowance for loan and lease losses.

Linn Wiley, president and chief executive officer for CVB Financial Corp. and Citizens Business Bank, stated: "We are pleased to have achieved these new milestones in our growth and financial performance. Total assets exceeded $3.1 billion and earnings hit $49.7 million for the first time in our history.

"This reflects the commitment by everyone in our organization to provide superior performance for our customers, our communities and our shareholders."

The board of directors of CVB Financial Corp. declared a 5-for-4 stock split on Dec. 18, 2002. In addition, the board of directors declared a $0.12 cash dividend. The cash dividend will be paid on a post 5-for-4 stock split basis. This cash dividend represents the 53rd consecutive quarterly cash dividend paid by the company.

CVB Financial Corp. is the parent for Citizens Business Bank. Citizens Business Bank operates 32 Business Financial Centers in the Inland Empire, Los Angeles County, Orange County, and the Central Valley areas of California. Shares of CVB Financial Corp. common stock are listed on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol of CVBF.

CVB FINANCIAL CORP.
 CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
 (unaudited)
 dollars in thousands
                                        Dec. 31
                                     2002        2001
 Assets:
 Federal funds sold and
  reverse repos                $   40,000  $   20,000
 Investment Securities
  available-for-sale            1,452,499   1,181,503
 Loans and lease finance
  receivables                   1,446,009   1,187,540
    Less allowance for credit
     losses                       (21,666)    (20,469)
    Net loans and lease
     finance receivables        1,424,343   1,167,071
          Total earning assets  2,916,842   2,368,574
 Cash and due from banks          124,973      82,651
 Premises and equipment, net       29,413      29,921
 Goodwill and intangibles          14,049       6,482
 Other assets                      36,420      26,474
      TOTAL                    $3,121,697  $2,514,102
 Liabilities and Stockholders'
  Equity
 Liabilities:
    Deposits:
        Demand
         Deposits (noninterest-
         bearing)              $  958,671  $  766,329
        Investment Checking       195,419     170,047
        Savings/MMDA              589,280     504,214
        Time Deposits             566,595     436,369
           Total Deposits       2,309,964   1,876,959
   Other borrowings               468,000     375,000
   Other liabilities               82,867      41,395
           Total Liabilities    2,860,831   2,293,354
 Stockholders' equity:
    Stockholders' equity          235,210     206,779
    Accumulated other
     comprehensive income
       (loss), net of tax          25,656      13,969
                                  260,866     220,748
      TOTAL                    $3,121,697  $2,514,102
 CVB FINANCIAL CORP.
 CONSOLIDATED AVERAGE BALANCE SHEET
 (unaudited)
 dollars in thousands
                          Three months ended       Twelve months ended
                               Dec. 31                   Dec. 31
                            2002        2001         2002         2001
Assets:
Federal funds sold and
  reverse repos       $   28,666  $   38,288   $   31,877   $   16,016
 Investment securities
  available-for-sale   1,343,589   1,151,798    1,279,216    1,100,536
 Loans and lease
  finance receivables  1,353,391   1,100,727    1,247,384    1,067,621
    Less allowance for
     credit losses       (22,479)    (21,173)     (22,173)     (20,541)
    Net loans and lease
     finance
     receivables       1,330,912   1,079,554    1,225,211    1,047,080
     Total earning
      assets           2,703,167   2,269,640    2,536,304    2,163,632
 Cash and due from
  banks                  117,044     106,836      112,535       98,421
 Premises and equipment,
  net                     28,772      29,693       29,387       28,198
 Other real estate owned,
  net                          0           0            0          173
 Goodwill and intangibles  9,143       6,612       10,256        6,937
 Other assets             31,423      21,092       36,017       28,572
      TOTAL           $2,889,549  $2,433,873   $2,724,499   $2,325,933
Liabilities and Stockholders'
Equity
 Liabilities:
  Deposits:
   Noninterest-
    bearing           $  872,327  $  710,154   $  807,505   $  655,518
   Interest-bearing    1,354,709   1,118,272    1,253,790    1,031,462
    Total Deposits     2,227,036   1,828,426    2,061,295    1,686,980
   Other borrowings      364,574     349,605      384,928      401,370
   Other liabilities      35,661      28,717       34,987       28,589
    Total Liabilities  2,627,271   2,206,748    2,481,210    2,116,939
 Stockholders' equity:
  Stockholders' equity   233,374     205,462      224,652      196,125
    Accumulated other
     comprehensive income
       (loss), net of tax 28,904      21,663       18,637       12,869
                         262,278     227,125      243,289      208,994
      TOTAL           $2,889,549  $2,433,873   $2,724,499   $2,325,933
                 CVB FINANCIAL CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                  CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS
                              (unaudited)
             dollar amounts in thousands, except per share
                         For the Three Months    For the Twelve Months
                             Ended Dec. 31,          Ended Dec. 31,
                          2002           2001     2002            2001
Interest Income:
 Loans, including fees $24,014        $21,375 $ 90,351        $ 90,002
 Investment
  securities:
   Taxable              11,488         12,108   47,097          49,295
   Tax-advantaged        4,145          4,228   16,273          16,114
    Total investment
     income             15,633         16,336   63,370          65,409
  Federal funds sold       124            224      602             466
    Total interest
     income             39,771         37,935  154,323         155,877
 Interest Expense:
  Deposits               4,925          6,641   21,470          31,843
   Borrowings            4,418          4,378   18,969          20,963
    Total interest
     expense             9,343         11,019   40,439          52,806
   Net interest income
    before provision for
    credit losses       30,428         26,916  113,884         103,071
 Provision for credit
  losses                     0              0        0           1,750
  Net interest income
   after provision for
   credit losses        30,428         26,916  113,884         101,321
 Other Operating Income:
  Service charges on
   deposit accounts      3,818          3,551   14,154          12,954
  Wealth Management
   services                872            930    3,764           3,841
  Gain(Loss) on sale
   of securities           (43)             0    4,897              60
  Gain on sale of
   other real estate
   owned                     0              0        0             126
  Other                  1,746          1,031    6,203           5,211
   Total other operating
    income               6,393          5,512   29,018          22,192
 Other operating
  expenses:
   Salaries and
    employee benefits    9,204          8,481   35,970          32,625
    Occupancy            1,608          1,377    6,339           5,658
    Equipment            1,781          1,421    6,212           5,321
    Professional
     services            1,073            948    4,084           3,972
    Goodwill
     Amortization          297            215      578             920
    Other                3,379          3,223   12,873          11,659
     Total other
      operating
      expenses          17,342         15,665   66,056          60,155
 Earnings before income
  taxes                 19,479         16,763   76,846          63,358
 Income taxes            6,887          5,949   27,101          23,300
     Net earnings      $12,592        $10,814 $ 49,745        $ 40,058
 Basic earnings per
  common share         $  0.30        $  0.25 $   1.14        $   0.92
 Diluted earnings per
  common share         $  0.28        $  0.25 $   1.11        $   0.90
 Cash dividends per
  common share         $  0.12        $  0.13 $   0.54        $   0.56
   All per share information has been retroactively adjusted to
reflect the 5-for-4 stock split declared on Dec. 18, 2002.
                        Three months ended         Twelve months ended
                              Dec. 31                    Dec. 31
                         2002         2001          2002         2001
  Interest income
   - (Tax
   Effective)(te)      41,512       39,711       161,158      162,645
  Interest
   Expense              9,343       11,019        40,439       52,806
  Net Interest
   income - (te)       32,169       28,692       120,719      109,839
  Gain(Loss) on
   sale of
   securities             (43)          (0)        4,897           60
  Gain on sale of
   OREO                     0            0             0          126
  Return on
   average assets        1.77%        1.80%         1.83%        1.72%
  Return on
   average equity       19.47%       19.31%        20.45%       19.17%
  Efficiency
   ratio                47.10%       48.31%        46.22%       48.02%
  Net interest
   margin (te)           4.79%        5.08%         4.72%        5.03%
  Weighted
   average shares
   outstanding
      Diluted      44,539,495   44,416,180    44,577,971   44,268,758
      Basic        43,524,118   43,471,770    43,623,365   43,422,153
  Dividend payout
   ratio                33.08%       33.45%        39.71%       38.90%
  Number of
   shares
   outstanding -
   EOP             43,533,129   43,477,793
  Book value per
   share                 5.99         5.08
                              Dec. 31
                         2002         2001
   Non-performing
   Assets (dollar
   amount in
   thousands):
  Non-accrual
   loans                 $190       $1,574
  Loans past due
   90 days or
   more
    and still
     accruing
     interest             634            4
  Restructured
   loans                    0            0
  Other real
   estate owned
   (OREO), net              0            0
  Total non-
   performing
   assets                $824       $1,578
  Percentage of
   non-performing
   assets
    to total
     loans
     outstanding
     and OREO            0.06%        0.13%
  Percentage of
   non-performing
    assets to
     total assets        0.03%        0.06%
  Non-performing
   loans to
  allowance for
   loan losses           3.80%        7.71%
  Net loan losses
   to Average
   loans                 0.09%        0.04%
  Allowance for
   Credit Losses
   at Beginning
   of Period:
      Citizens
       Business
       Bank       $    20,469  $    19,152
      Acquisition
       of Western
       Security
       Bank             2,325
      Total Loans
       Charged-
       Off             (2,409)      (1,048)
      Total Loans
       Recovered        1,281          615
  Net Loans
   Charged-Off         (1,128)        (433)
  Provision
   Charged to
   Operating
   Expense                  0        1,750
  Allowance for
   Credit Losses
   at End of
   period              21,666       20,469
CVB Financial Corp., Ontario
D. Linn Wiley, 909/980-4030