SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION






SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C.  20549


Form 8-K


Current Report

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Act of 1934


Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) July 18, 2006


AMERISERV FINANCIAL, Inc.

(exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


Pennsylvania        0-11204        25-1424278

(State or other     (commission    (I.R.S. Employer

jurisdiction        File Number)   Identification No.)

of Incorporation)


Main and Franklin Streets, Johnstown, Pa.  15901

(address or principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code: 814-533-5300


N/A

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)


Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to

simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under

any of the following provisions:


( ) Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities

Act (17 CFR 230.425)


( ) Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange

Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)


( ) Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the

Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))


( ) Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the

Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4c))
















Form 8-K


Item 2.02 Results of operation and financial condition.


AMERISERV FINANCIAL Inc. (the "Registrant") announced second quarter and fist six months results as of June 30, 2006.  For a more detailed description of the announcement see the press release attached as Exhibit #99.1.  


Exhibits

--------


Exhibit 99.1

Press release dated July 18, 2006, announcing the second quarter and first six months results as of June 30, 2006.



Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.



AMERISERV FINANCIAL, Inc.


By /s/Jeffrey A. Stopko

Jeffrey A. Stopko

Senior Vice President

& CFO


Date: July 18, 2006










Exhibit 99.1


AMERISERV FINANCIAL REPORTS INCREASED EARNINGS FOR THE SECOND QUARTER OF 2006     


JOHNSTOWN, PA – AmeriServ Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASRV) reported second quarter 2006 net income of $568,000 or $0.03 per diluted share.  This represented an increase of $198,000 or 53.5% over the second quarter 2005 net income of $370,000 or $0.02 per diluted share.  For the six month period ended June 30, 2006, the Company has now earned $1.1 million or $0.05 per diluted share.  This compares to net income of $1.2 million or $0.06 per diluted share for the first six months of 2005.  Note that for comparative purposes the 2005 results included a one-time income tax benefit of $475,000.  There was no such tax benefit in 2006.  The following table highlights the Company’s financial performance for both the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2006 and 2005:  

   

 

Second Quarter 2006

Second Quarter 2005

 

Six Months Ended

 June 30, 2006

Six Months Ended

 June 30, 2005

Income before taxes

$732,000

$427,000

 

$1,408,000

$829,000

Net income

$568,000

$370,000

 

$1,108,000

$1,203,000

Diluted earnings per share

            $ 0.03

           $ 0.02

 

                         $ 0.05

$ 0.06


At June 30, 2006, ASRV had total assets of $888 million and shareholders’ equity of $84 million or $3.80 per share.  The Company’s asset leverage ratio improved to 10.54% at June 30, 2006, compared to 9.92% at June 30, 2005.


 Allan R. Dennison, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented on the second quarter 2006 results, “AmeriServ’s improved financial performance in the second quarter of 2006 resulted from a combination of increased revenues and reduced non-interest expenses when compared to the second quarter of 2005. Average loans outstanding increased by $35 million or 6.7% and average deposits grew by $22 million or 3.0% in the second quarter of 2006 as a result of our focus on traditional community banking.  This growth combined with significant reductions in both investment securities and borrowings due to our successful balance sheet restructuring completed in the second half of 2005 caused our net interest income to increase by $200,000 and our net interest margin to improve by 53 basis points to 3.16%.  Finally, our Trust Company continued to be a strong contributor to the improved earnings as our revenue growth in that business line approximated 11% in the second quarter of 2006.”


The Company’s net interest income in the second quarter of 2006 increased by $200,000 from the prior year’s second quarter and for the first six months of 2006 increased by $197,000 when compared to the first six months of 2005.  This improvement reflects the benefits from an increased net interest margin which more than offset a reduced level of earning assets.  Specifically, for the first six months of 2006 the net interest margin increased by 49 basis points to 3.18% while the level of average earning assets declined by $132 million or 14.4%.  Both of these items reflect the deleverage of high cost debt from the Company’s balance sheet which has resulted in lower levels of both borrowed funds and investment securities.  The Company’s net interest margin also benefited from increased loans in the earning asset mix as total loans outstanding averaged $551 million in the first six months of 2006 a 6.2% increase from the same 2005 period. This loan growth was most evident in the commercial loan portfolio.  Total deposits averaged $726 million for the first six months of 2006, a 4.4% increase from the same 2005 period due primarily to increased deposits from the trust company’s operations.  This deposit growth also allowed the Company to further reduce FHLB borrowings as these wholesale borrowings averaged only 4.6% of total assets in the first six months of 2006 compared to 19.0% of total assets in the first six months of 2005. Overall, the Company has been able to generate increased net interest income from a smaller but stronger balance sheet despite the negative impact resulting from a flatter yield curve in 2006.


As a result of continued sound asset quality, the Company was able to reverse a small portion of its allowance for loan losses into earnings in the second quarter of 2006.  This loan loss provision benefit amounted to $50,000 in the second quarter of 2006 which was lower than a similar negative loan loss provision of $275,000 reversed into earnings in the second quarter of 2005.  Non-performing assets have remained in a range of $3.3 to $4.6 million for the past six quarters and ended the second quarter of 2006 at $4.6 million or 0.81% of total loans.  Classified loans have declined from $20.2 million at December 31, 2005 to $17.7 million at June 30, 2006.  Net charge-offs in the first six months of 2006 amounted to $219,000 or 0.08% of total loans which was up from the net charge-offs of $138,000 or 0.05% of total loans in the same prior year period.  The allowance for loan losses provided 192% coverage of non-performing assets at June 30, 2006 compared to 212% coverage at December 31, 2005.  The allowance for loan losses as a percentage of total loans amounted to 1.55% at June 30, 2006 compared to 1.66% at December 31, 2005.        


The Company’s non-interest income in the second quarter of 2006 increased by $88,000 from the prior year’s second quarter and for the first six months of 2006 increased by $182,000 when compared to the first six months of 2005.  Strong growth in trust revenue was the main factor responsible for the total growth in non-interest income for both periods.  Trust fees increased by $165,000 or 11.0% for the quarterly period and by $334,000 or 11.2% for the six month period due to continued successful new business development efforts in both the union and traditional trust product lines.  Over the past year, the fair market value of trust assets has grown by 12.9% to $1.68 billion at June 30, 2006.  This positive item was partially offset by fewer gains realized on asset sales in 2006.  Specifically, there was a $63,000 quarterly decrease and a $112,000 decline for the six month period in gains realized on loan sales into the secondary market due to weaker residential mortgage loan production in 2006.  Additionally, the Company realized no gains on investment security sales in 2006 compared to $78,000 of investment security gains realized in 2005.      


As a result of the Company’s continued focus on reducing and containing non-interest expenses, total non-interest expense in the second quarter of 2006 decreased by $129,000 from the prior year’s second quarter and for the first six months of 2006 declined by $214,000 when compared to the first six months of 2005. Expense reductions were experienced in numerous categories including professional fees, other expenses, and salaries and benefits expense due to fewer employees.  This improved expense performance in the second quarter occurred despite the Company absorbing the final closure costs associated with its investment advisory subsidiary which approximated $100,000.  Also, the loss from discontinued operations declined from $139,000 in the first six months of 2005 to $0 in the first half of 2006 as the Company completed the exit from its mortgage servicing operation in 2005.  


The Company recorded an income tax expense of $164,000 in the 2006 second quarter and $300,000 for the first six months of 2006 which reflects an estimated effective tax rate of approximately 22%.  This is higher than the Company’s 2005 income tax expense as the prior year performance was favorably impacted by an income tax benefit.  Specifically in the first quarter of 2005, the Company lowered its income tax expense by $475,000 due to a reduction in reserves for prior year tax contingencies as a result of the successful conclusion of an IRS examination on several open tax years.


This news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including the risks detailed in the Company's Annual Report and Form 10-K to the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Actual results may differ materially.



Nasdaq NMS: ASRV

SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE DATA

July 18, 2006

(In thousands, except per share and ratio data)

(All quarterly and 2006 data unaudited)

2006

 

1QTR

2QTR

YEAR

  
   

TO DATE

  

PERFORMANCE DATA FOR THE PERIOD:

     

Net income  

$540

$568

$1,108

  
      

PERFORMANCE PERCENTAGES (annualized):

     

Return on average assets

0.25%

0.26%

0.26%

  

Return on average equity

2.59

2.71

2.65

  

Net interest margin

3.20

3.16

3.18

  

Net charge-offs as a percentage of average loans


0.09


0.07


0.08

  

Loan loss provision as a percentage of average loans


-


(0.04)


(0.02)

  

Efficiency ratio

92.68

92.08

92.38

  
      

PER COMMON SHARE:

     

Net income:

     

Basic

$0.02

$0.03

$0.05

  

Average number of common shares outstanding


22,119


22,143


22,131

  

Diluted

0.02

0.03

0.05

  

Average number of common shares outstanding


22,127


22,153


22,139

  
      




2005

 

1QTR

2QTR

YEAR

   

TO DATE

PERFORMANCE DATA FOR THE PERIOD:

   

Net income

$833

$370

$1,203

    

PERFORMANCE PERCENTAGES (annualized):

   

Return on average assets

0.34%

0.15%

0.24%

Return on average equity

3.95

1.75

2.85

Net interest margin

2.75

2.63

2.69

Net charge-offs as a percentage of average loans

0.05

0.06

0.05

Loan loss provision as a percentage of average loans


-


(0.21)


(0.11)

Efficiency ratio

94.42

96.81

95.60

    

PER COMMON SHARE:

   

Net income:

   

Basic

$0.04

$0.02

$0.06

Average number of common shares outstanding


19,721


19,726


19,724

Diluted

0.04

0.02

0.06

Average number of common shares outstanding


19,760


19,765


19,762

    


AMERISERV FINANCIAL, INC.

(In thousands, except per share, statistical, and ratio data)

(All quarterly and 2006 data unaudited)


2006

 

1QTR

2QTR

    

PERFORMANCE DATA AT PERIOD END

      

Assets

$876,393

$887,608

    

Investment securities

223,658

210,230

    

Loans

548,466

573,884

    

Allowance for loan losses

9,026

8,874

    

Goodwill and core deposit intangibles


12,031


11,815

    

Deposits

727,987

740,979

    

FHLB borrowings

45,223

43,031

    

Stockholders’ equity

84,336

84,231

    

Trust assets– fair market value(B)

1,669,525

1,679,634

    

Non-performing assets

4,193

4,625

    

Asset leverage ratio

10.36%

10.54%

    

PER COMMON SHARE:

      

Book value (A)

$3.81

$3.80

    

Market value

5.00

4.91

    

Market price to book value

131.26%

129.09%

    
       

STATISTICAL DATA AT PERIOD END:

      

Full-time equivalent employees

375

367

    

Branch locations

22

22

    

Common shares outstanding

22,140,172

22,145,639

    


2005

 

1QTR

2QTR

3QTR

4QTR

PERFORMANCE DATA AT PERIOD END

    

Assets

$996,450

$996,786

$901,194

$880,176

Investment securities

381,124

385,398

253,082

231,924

Loans

527,344

522,437

544,900

550,602

Allowance for loan losses

9,856

9,480

9,435

9,143

Goodwill and core deposit intangibles

12,896

12,680

12,464

12,247

Deposits

725,369

691,740

698,297

712,655

FHLB borrowings

160,388

191,904

90,437

64,171

Stockholders’ equity

83,720

86,267

85,022

84,474

Trust assets– fair market value(B)

1,465,028

1,487,496

1,600,968

1,606,978

Non-performing assets

3,819

3,334

3,323

4,316

Asset leverage ratio

9.77%

9.92%

9.90%

10.24%

PER COMMON SHARE:

    

Book value

$4.24

$4.37

$3.85

$3.82

Market value

5.61

5.35

4.35

4.38

Market price to book value

132.35%

122.36%

113.07%

114.65%

     

STATISTICAL DATA AT PERIOD END:

    

Full-time equivalent employees

394

383

384

378

Branch locations

22

22

22

22

Common shares outstanding

19,722,884

19,729,678

22,105,786

22,112,273


    NOTES:

        (A) Other comprehensive income had a negative impact of $0.25 on book value per share at June 30, 2006.

        (B)  Not recognized on the balance sheet.

    

AMERISERV FINANCIAL, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME

(In thousands)

(All quarterly and 2006 data unaudited)

2006

   

YEAR

   

INTEREST INCOME

1QTR

2QTR

TO DATE

   

Interest and fees on loans

$8,900

$9,155

$18,055

   

Total investment portfolio

2,279

2,259

4,538

   

Total Interest Income

11,179

11,414

22,593

   
       

INTEREST EXPENSE

      

Deposits

4,026

4,563

8,589

   

All borrowings

861

660

1,521

   

Total Interest Expense

4,887

5,223

10,110

   
       

NET INTEREST INCOME

6,292

6,191

12,483

   

Provision for loan losses

-

(50)

(50)

   

NET INTEREST INCOME AFTER PROVISION FOR LOAN LOSSES


6,292


6,241


12,533

   
       

NON-INTEREST INCOME

      

Trust fees

1,641

1,671

3,312

   

Net realized gains on investment securities available for sale


-


-


-

   

Net realized gains on loans held for sale


23


20


43

   

Service charges on deposit accounts

627

651

1,278

   

Bank owned life insurance

256

260

516

   

Other income

695

666

1,361

   

Total Non-interest Income

3,242

3,268

6,510

   
       

NON-INTEREST EXPENSE

      

Salaries and employee benefits

4,815

4,612

9,427

   

Net occupancy expense

655

591

1,246

   

Equipment expense

639

631

1,270

   

Professional fees

795

859

1,654

   

FDIC deposit insurance expense

73

74

147

   

Amortization of core deposit intangibles

216

216

432

   

Other expenses

1,665

1,794

3,459

   

Total Non-interest Expense

8,858

8,777

17,635

   
       

INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES

676

732

1,408

   

Provision for income taxes

136

164

300

   

NET INCOME  

$540

$568

$1,108

   
       





2005

   

YEAR

 

INTEREST INCOME

1QTR

2QTR

TO DATE

 

Interest and fees on loans

$7,954

$8,105

$16,059

 

Total investment portfolio

3,737

3,607

7,344

 

Total Interest Income

11,691

11,712

23,403

 
     

INTEREST EXPENSE

    

Deposits

2,845

3,188

6,033

 

All borrowings

2,551

2,533

5,084

 

Total Interest Expense

5,396

5,721

11,117

 
     

NET INTEREST INCOME

6,295

5,991

12,286

 

Provision for loan losses

-

(275)

(275)

 

NET INTEREST INCOME AFTER PROVISION FOR LOAN LOSSES


6,295


6,266


12,561

 
     

NON-INTEREST INCOME

    

Trust fees

1,472

1,506

2,978

 

Net realized gains on investment securities available for sale


78


-


78

 

Net realized gains on loans held for sale


72


83


155

 

Service charges on deposit accounts

584

704

1,288

 

Bank owned life insurance

250

254

504

 

Other income

692

633

1,325

 

Total Non-interest Income

3,148

3,180

6,328

 
     

NON-INTEREST EXPENSE

    

Salaries and employee benefits

4,751

4,680

9,431

 

Net occupancy expense

668

592

1,260

 

Equipment expense

639

622

1,261

 

Professional fees

823

938

1,761

 

FDIC deposit insurance expense

71

69

140

 

Amortization of core deposit intangibles


216


216


432

 

Other expenses

1,775

1,789

3,564

 

Total Non-interest Expense

8,943

8,906

17,849

 
     

INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES

500

540

1,040

 

Provision (benefit) for income taxes

(398)

96

(302)

 

INCOME FROM CONTINUING

OPERATIONS


898


444


1,342

 

LOSS FROM DISCONTINUED

OPERATIONS


(65)


(74)


(139)

 

NET INCOME

$833

$370

$1,203

 
     



AMERISERV FINANCIAL, INC.

Nasdaq NMS: ASRV

Average Balance Sheet Data (In thousands)

(All quarterly and 2006 data unaudited)


    Note:  2005 data appears before 2006.


2005

2006

  

SIX

 

SIX

 

2QTR

MONTHS

2QTR

MONTHS

Interest earning assets:

    

Loans and loans held for sale, net of unearned income


$518,735


$519,060


$553,476


$551,225

Deposits with banks

524

922

645

726

Total investment securities

391,072

393,483

224,812

229,649

     

Total interest earning assets

910,331

913,465

778,933

781,600

     

Non-interest earning assets:

    

Cash and due from banks

20,290

21,216

18,549

18,889

Premises and equipment

9,523

9,603

8,307

8,462

Assets of discontinued operations

1,718

1,775

-

-

Other assets

61,513

62,343

69,191

69,512

Allowance for loan losses

(9,841)

(9,854)

(8,957)

(9,013)

     

Total assets

$993,534

$998,548

$866,023

$869,450

     

Interest bearing liabilities:

    

Interest bearing deposits:

    

Interest bearing demand

$54,089

$53,923

$57,630

$56,717

Savings

99,410

99,509

85,886

86,022

Money market

163,391

154,142

169,819

172,776

Other time

288,499

282,791

313,381

304,948

Total interest bearing deposits

605,389

590,365

626,716

620,463

Borrowings:

    

Federal funds purchased, securities sold under agreements to repurchase, and other short-term borrowings



68,212



88,666



28,570



38,623

Advanced from Federal Home Loan Bank

101,011

101,017

972

977

Guaranteed junior subordinated deferrable interest debentures


20,285


20,285


13,085


13,085

Total interest bearing liabilities

794,897

800,333

669,343

673,148

     

Non-interest bearing liabilities:

    

Demand deposits

106,234

105,538

106,512

105,758

Liabilities of discontinued operations

612

624

-

-

Other liabilities

6,959

6,829

6,156

6,347

Stockholders’ equity

84,832

85,224

84,012

84,197

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

$993,534

$998,548

$866,023

$869,450