PITTSBURGH, Jan. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Fidelity Bancorp, Inc. (the "Company") the holding company for Fidelity Bank, PaSB of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Nasdaq: FSBI) today announced first quarter earnings for the three-month period ended December 31, 2008. Net income for the period was $1.7 million or $0.53 per share (diluted), as compared to net income of $861,000 or $0.28 per share (diluted) in the prior year quarter. Excluding the tax benefit in the amount of $491,000 recorded during the quarter ended December 31, 2008, net income would have been $1.2 million or $0.38 per share (diluted). Annualized return on assets was 0.91% and return on equity was 15.66% for the fiscal 2009 period, compared to 0.47% and 7.33%, respectively, for the same period in the prior year. Excluding the tax benefit of $491,000, annualized return on assets would have been 0.65% and return on equity would have been 11.10% for the 2009 fiscal period.

The Company's net interest income before provision for loan losses increased $873,000 or 23.0% to $4.7 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2008, compared to $3.8 million in the prior year period. The increase primarily reflects an increase in the interest rate spread. The Company's tax equivalent interest rate spread increased to 2.52% for the three months ending December 31, 2008 compared to 1.96% in the prior year.

The provision for loan losses increased to $555,000 for the quarter ended December 31, 2008, compared to $180,000 in the prior year quarter. The provision for loan losses is charged to operations to bring the total allowance for loan losses to a level that reflects management's best estimates of the losses inherent in the portfolio. An evaluation of the loan portfolio, current economic conditions and other factors is performed each month at the balance sheet date. Net charge-offs for the three-months ended December 31, 2008 were $394,000 compared to $65,000 in the prior year period. Charge-offs for the current fiscal period are primarily attributed to four commercial business loans totaling $187,000, one home equity loan totaling $146,000, and two residential real estate loans totaling $30,000. Non-performing assets and foreclosed real estate were 1.24% of total assets at December 31, 2008, and the allowance for loan losses was 39.7% of non-performing loans and 0.75% of gross loans at that date. Non-performing assets and foreclosed real estate were 1.23% of total assets at December 31, 2007, and the allowance for loan losses was 35.3% of non-performing loans and 0.67% of gross loans at that date.

Other income, excluding impairment charges on securities, decreased $51,000 or 5.7% to $850,000 for the quarter ended December 31, 2008, compared to $901,000 in the prior year. The decrease primarily relates to a decrease in other operating income of $72,000, partially offset by an increase in loan service charges and fees of $13,000 and gains on sales of loans of $18,000. Impairment charges on securities were $75,000 for the quarter ended December 31, 2008, compared to $322,000 in the prior year. The impairment charges for the current period relate to the Company's holdings of Freddie Mac preferred stock, whereas the impairment charges for the prior year period relate to the Company's holdings of the AMF Ultra Short Mortgage Fund.

Operating expenses increased $146,000 or 4.7% to $3.2 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2008, compared to $3.1 million in the prior year period. Changes within operating expenses include increases in compensation and benefits expense, service bureau expense, and other operating expenses of $55,000, $38,000, and $79,000, respectively. These increases were offset by decreases in depreciation and amortization and foreclosed real estate expense of $8,000 and $20,000, respectively.

For the three-months ended December 31, 2008, the provision for income taxes decreased $278,000 to a benefit of $25,000 compared to a provision of $253,000 for the same period last year. The tax provision for the current period was significantly impacted by the impairment charges during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2008. On October 3, 2008, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act was enacted which includes a provision permitting banks to recognize losses relating to FNMA and FHLMC preferred stock as an ordinary loss, thereby allowing the Company to recognize a tax benefit on the losses. Had the legislation been in effect as of September 30, 2008, and had the Company recognized the loss as an ordinary loss for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2008, the positive impact recorded would have been $491,000, or $0.16 per diluted share. Consequently, the Company recognized this additional tax benefit in the quarter ending December 31, 2008. Offsetting the tax benefit recorded during the period were increases to the provision attributed to higher pre-tax income and a higher effective tax rate due to anticipated higher earnings in 2009 and lower levels of tax-exempt income in the current year period.

Total assets were $741.3 million at December 31, 2008, an increase of $14.1 million or 1.9% compared to September 30, 2008, and an increase of $16.5 million or 2.3% compared to December 31, 2007. Net loans outstanding increased $12.3 million or 2.7% to $473.1 million at December 31, 2008 as compared to September 30, 2008, and increased$9.3 million or 2.0% as compared to December 31, 2007. Deposits decreased $5.2 million or 1.2% to $411.2 million at December 31, 2008 as compared to September 30, 2008, and decreased $10.1 million or 2.4% as compared to December 31, 2007. Short-term borrowings increased $12.5 million to $44.7 million at December 31, 2008 as compared to September 30, 2008, and increased $10.7 million as compared to December 31, 2007. Long-term debt was relatively unchanged at $118.7 million at December 31, 2008 as compared to September 30, 2008, and increased $14.7 million as compared to December 31, 2007. Stockholders' equity was $46.7 million at December 31, 2008, compared to $42.2 million at September 30, 2008 and $46.9 million at December 31, 2007. On December 12, 2008, the Company sold $7 million in preferred stock to the U.S. Department of Treasury as a participant in the federal government's TARP Capital Purchase Program. In connection with the investment, the Company also issued a warrant to the Treasury, which permits the Treasury to purchase up to 121,387 shares of its common stock at an exercise price of $8.65 per share. The Treasury Department's TARP Capital Purchase Program is a voluntary program for healthy U.S. financial institutions designed to encourage these institutions to build capital to increase the flow of financing to U.S. businesses and consumers and to support the U.S. economy.

QUARTERLY DIVIDEND

The Board of Directors of Fidelity Bancorp, Inc. yesterday declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.14 per share on the Company's common stock. The dividend is payable February 27, 2009 to stockholders of record February 13, 2009. This represents the 82nd uninterrupted quarterly cash dividend paid to stockholders.

The Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission are available on-line through the Company's Internet website at www.fidelitybancorp-pa.com.

Fidelity Bancorp, Inc. is the holding company for Fidelity Bank, a Pennsylvania-chartered, FDIC-insured savings bank conducting business through thirteen offices in Allegheny and Butler counties.

Statements contained in this news release which are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors, which include, but are not limited to, factors discussed in documents filed by Fidelity Bancorp, Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time.



    Mr. Richard G. Spencer
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    (412) 367-3300
    E-mail: rspencer@fidelitybank-pa.com



    Fidelity Bancorp, Inc. and Subsidiaries
    Income Statements for the Three Months Ended
    December 31, 2008 and 2007 - Unaudited
    (In thousands, except per share data)

                                      Three Months Ended
                                      ------------------
                                          December 31,
                                          ------------

                                  2008                   2007
                                  ----                   ----

    Interest income:
       Loans                    $7,074                 $7,329
       Mortgage-backed
        securities               1,137                    940
       Investment
        securities               1,567                  1,923
       Deposits with
        other institutions           2                      5
                                     -                      -
          Total interest
           income                9,780                 10,197
                                 -----                 ------

    Interest expense:
       Savings deposits          2,351                  3,379
       Borrowed funds            2,650                  2,880
       SWAP's                       25                      -
       Subordinated debt            80                    137
                                    --                    ---
          Total interest
           expense               5,106                  6,396
                                 -----                  -----

    Net interest income before
     provision for loan losses   4,674                  3,801
    Provision for loan losses      555                    180
                                   ---                    ---
    Net interest income after
     provision for loan losses   4,119                  3,621
                                 -----                  -----
    Other income:
       Loan service charges
        and fees                   127                    114
       Impairment charge on
        securities                 (75)                  (322)
       Gain on sale of loans        30                     12
       Deposit service charges
        and fees                   388                    398
       Other operating income      305                    377
                                   ---                    ---
          Total other income       775                    579
                                   ---                    ---

    Operating expenses:
       Compensation and
        benefits                 1,927                  1,872
       Office occupancy and
        equipment                  236                    233
       Depreciation and
        amortization               122                    130
       Loss on sales of
        foreclosed real estate       5                      5
       Foreclosed real estate
        expense                      1                     21
       Intangible amortization       7                      8
       Service bureau expense      106                     68
       Other operating expenses    828                    749
                                   ---                    ---
          Total operating
           expenses              3,232                  3,086
                                 -----                  -----

    Income before income tax
     provision                   1,662                  1,114
    Income tax
     provision                     (25)                   253
                                   ---                    ---
    Net income                  $1,687                   $861
                                ======                   ====

    Basic earnings per share     $0.56                  $0.29
                                 =====                  =====
    Diluted earnings per
     share                       $0.53                  $0.28
                                 =====                  =====



    Balance Sheets - Unaudited
    (In thousands, except share data)

                           December 31,  September 30,   December 31,
                                  2008           2008           2007
                           -----------   ------------    -----------

    Assets:
       Cash and due from
        depository
        institutions            $6,163         $6,701         $8,098
       Interest-earning
        demand deposits          1,473          4,071            332
       Securities
        available-for-sale     143,515        146,680        153,743
       Securities
        held-to-maturity        79,177         75,404         68,983
       Loans receivable,
        net                    473,107        460,786        463,839
       Loans held-for-sale         443            225            216
       Foreclosed real
        estate, net                157            170             25
       Federal Home Loan
        Bank stock, at cost     10,034          7,943          7,466
       Accrued interest
        receivable               3,392          3,512          3,688
       Office premises and
        equipment                7,037          6,949          5,634
       Other assets             16,810         14,769         12,819
                                ------         ------         ------
          Total assets        $741,308       $727,210       $724,843
                              ========       ========       ========

    Liabilities and
     Stockholders' Equity:
    Liabilities:
       Deposits               $411,244       $416,414       $421,350
       Short-term
        borrowings              44,729         32,258         34,041
       Subordinated notes
        payable                  7,732          7,732          7,732
       Securities sold
        under agreement to
        repurchase             103,762        104,003        104,588
       Advance payments by
        borrowers for taxes
        and insurance            2,989          1,483          3,071
       Long-term debt          118,736        118,800        103,988
       Other liabilities         5,408          4,365          3,125
                                 -----          -----          -----
          Total
           liabilities         694,600        685,055        677,895
                               -------        -------        -------

    Stockholders' equity:
       Preferred stock, $.01
        par value per share,
        5,000,000 shares
        authorized, 7,000
        shares issued            6,640              -              -
       Common stock, $.01
        par value per share,
        10,000,000 shares
        authorized, 3,658,714,
        3,647,854, and
        3,629,846 shares issued     36             36             36
       Treasury stock,
        619,129, 619,129,
        and 619,129 shares     (10,382)       (10,382)       (10,382)
       Additional paid-in
        capital                 46,289         45,931         45,673
       Retained earnings        13,011         12,268         13,557
       Accumulated other
        comprehensive loss,
        net of tax              (8,886)        (5,698)        (1,936)
                                ------         ------         ------
          Total stockholders'
           equity               46,708         42,155         46,948
                                ------         ------         ------

          Total liabilities
           and stockholders'
           equity             $741,308       $727,210       $724,843
                              ========       ========       ========




    Other Data:

                                     At or For the Three Month Period Ended

                                                  December 31,
                                                  ------------

                                            2008               2007
                                            ----               ----

    Annualized return on average assets     0.91%              0.47%
    Annualized return on average equity    15.66%              7.33%
    Equity to assets                        6.30%              5.80%
    Interest rate spread (tax equivalent)   2.52%              1.96%
    Net interest margin (tax equivalent)    2.75%              2.27%
    Non-interest expense to average assets  1.75%              1.69%
    Loan loss allowance to net loans        0.76%              0.67%
    Non-performing loans and foreclosed
     real estate to total assets at
     end-of-period                          1.24%              1.23%



SOURCE Fidelity Bancorp, Inc.