HispanicBusiness

REDDING, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 02/06/13 -- North Valley Bancorp (NASDAQ: NOVB), a bank holding company with $902 million in assets, today reported results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2012. North Valley Bancorp (the "Company") is the parent company for North Valley Bank (the "Bank").

The Company reported net income of $545,000, or $0.08 per diluted share, for the quarter ended December 31, 2012 compared to net income of $809,000, or $0.12 per diluted share, for the quarter ended December 31, 2011. The Company reported net income for the year ended December 31, 2012 of $6,290,000, or $0.92 per diluted share, compared to net income of $3,047,000, or $0.45 per diluted share for the year ended December 31, 2011.

Michael J. Cushman, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "2012 was a year of many successes and positions us well for 2013. We had positive loan growth, improved the mix of our deposits, reduced nonperforming assets, and had a good year of profitability, among other achievements. Our team continues to work hard in a challenging environment, and the results are positive. I want to thank them, our customers, and our shareholders for their continued support of our Company."

The Company did not record a provision for loan losses in the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2012 or the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2011. The Company recorded provisions for loan losses of $2,100,000 for the year ended December 31, 2012 compared to provisions for loan losses of $2,650,000 for the year ended December 31, 2011. The allowance for loan losses at December 31, 2012 was $10,458,000 or 2.12% of total loans, compared to $12,656,000, or 2.77% of total loans at December 31, 2011.

At December 31, 2012, total assets were $902,343,000, a decrease of $2,623,000, or 0.3% from $904,966,000 at December 31, 2011. Total loans were $492,211,000 at December 31, 2012, an increase of $35,996,000, or 7.9%, compared to $456,215,000 at December 31, 2011. The loan to deposit ratio at December 31, 2012 was 64.0% as compared to 59.5% at December 31, 2011. Total deposits increased $2,341,000, or 0.3%, to $768,580,000 at December 31, 2012 compared to $766,239,000 at December 31, 2011. Available-for-sale investment securities decreased $26,390,000 to $285,815,000 at December 31, 2012 from $312,205,000 at December 31, 2011, as proceeds and paydowns from the investment portfolio were used to fund loan growth.

At December 31, 2012, the Company's Total Risk-based Capital was $113,028,000, and its capital ratios were: Total Risk-based Capital ratio - 18.3%; Tier 1 risk-based Capital ratio - 17.0%; and Tier 1 Leverage ratio - 11.8%. At December 31, 2012, the Bank's Total Risk-based Capital was $112,938,000, and its capital ratios were: Total Risk-based Capital ratio - 18.3%; Tier 1 risk-based Capital ratio - 17.0%; and Tier 1 Leverage ratio - 11.8%.

Credit Quality

Nonperforming loans (defined as nonaccrual loans and loans 90 days or more past due and still accruing interest) decreased $12,576,000, or 68.3%, to $5,835,000 at December 31, 2012 from $18,411,000 at December 31, 2011. Nonperforming loans as a percentage of total loans were 1.19% at December 31, 2012, compared to 4.04% at December 31, 2011.