Business
United Bankshares, Inc. Announces Record Earnings for the Year 2020
WASHINGTON & CHARLESTON, W.Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- United Bankshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: UBSI) (“United”), today reported earnings for the fourth quarter and the

About this update from United Bankshares, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":" WASHINGTON & CHARLESTON, W.Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--\nUnited Bankshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: UBSI) (“United”), today reported earnings for the fourth quarter and the year of 2020. Earnings for the fourth quarter of 2020 were $92.4 million, or $0.71 per diluted share, as compared to earnings of $63.3 million, or $0.62 per diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2019. Earnings for the year of 2020 were a record $289.0 million as compared to earnings of $260.1 million for the year of 2019. Earnings per diluted share for the year of 2020 were $2.40 as compared to earnings per diluted share of $2.55 for the year of 2019.\n\nFourth quarter 2020 results produced annualized returns on average assets, average equity and average tangible equity of 1.41%, 8.51% and 14.72%, respectively compared to annualized returns on average assets, average equity and average tangible equity of 1.29%, 7.42% and 13.38%, respectively, for the fourth quarter of 2019. For the year of 2020, United’s returns on average assets, average equity and average tangible equity were 1.20%, 7.30% and 12.90%, respectively compared to returns on average assets, average equity and average tangible equity of 1.34%, 7.80% and 14.26%, respectively, for the year of 2019.\n\nThe record net income for the year of 2020, as compared to the year of 2019, was primarily due to higher income from mortgage banking activities, driven by an elevated volume of mortgage loan originations and sales in the secondary market, as well as the impact of the Carolina Financial Corporation (“Carolina Financial”) acquisition. Partially offsetting these increases in net income was higher provision for credit losses resulting from an adverse future macroeconomic forecast as a result of the coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic under the Current Expected Credit Loss (“CECL”) accounting standard and merger-related expenses related to the Carolina Financial acquisition.\n\n“During the many challenges of 2020, United delivered a strong performance for our shareholders, our team members, our customers and our communities,” stated Richard M. Adams, United’s Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. “For 2020, we earned a record $289 million, increased our dividend for the 47th consecutive year, successfully completed the largest acquisition in our company’s history with Carolina Financial, and maintained our f...