NOTE 14 - Stockholders’ Equity

Stockholders’ Equity

On November 2, 2007, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a stock repurchase plan. Under this program, the Company is authorized to repurchase up to $15 million in value of its outstanding shares of common stock. This authority may be exercised from time to time and in such amounts as market conditions warrant. Any shares purchased under this plan are returned to the status of authorized but unissued shares of common stock. The repurchases may be made on the open market, in block trades or otherwise. The program may be suspended or discontinued at any time. The repurchases are funded using the Company’s working capital.

During the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company purchased 231 shares of its common stock in the open market at an average cost of $18.52 per share. The Company purchased 33,546 shares of its common stock at an average cost of $17.91 per share during the year ended December 31, 2012. The Company purchased 400,475 shares of its common stock at an average cost of $11.74 per share during the year ended December 31, 2011. At December 31, 2013, the Company had $5.1 million remaining in its stock repurchase plan authorized by the Board of Directors.

In addition to the repurchases described above, pursuant to the Company’s 2003 Equity Compensation Plan (as amended, the “2003 Plan”), participants may have shares withheld to cover income taxes. There were 53,757, 111,769 and 144,291 shares repurchased to cover income tax withholding pursuant to the 2003 Plan during the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively, at average per-share costs of $21.65, $14.21 and $12.12, respectively.

Regulatory Capital Requirements

Through its issuance of FDIC-insured certificates of deposit, MBB serves as the Company’s primary funding source. Over time, MBB may offer other products and services to the Company’s customer base. MBB operates as a Utah state-chartered, Federal Reserve member commercial bank, insured by the FDIC. As a state-chartered Federal Reserve member bank, MBB is supervised by both the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and the Utah Department of Financial Institutions.

MBB is subject to capital adequacy guidelines issued by the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (the "FFIEC"). These risk-based capital and leverage guidelines make regulatory capital requirements more sensitive to differences in risk profiles among banking organizations and consider off-balance sheet exposures in determining capital adequacy. The FFIEC and/or the U.S. Congress may determine to increase capital requirements in the future due to the current economic environment. Under the rules and regulations of the FFIEC, at least half of a bank's total capital is required to be "Tier 1 Capital" as defined in the regulations, comprised of common equity, retained earnings and a limited amount of non-cumulative perpetual preferred stock. The remaining capital, "Tier 2 Capital," as defined in the regulations, may consist of other preferred stock, a limited amount of term subordinated debt or a limited amount of the reserve for possible credit losses. The FFIEC has also adopted minimum leverage ratios for banks, which are calculated by dividing Tier 1 Capital by total quarterly average assets. Recognizing that the risk-based capital standards principally address credit risk rather than interest rate, liquidity, operational or other risks, many banks are expected to maintain capital in excess of the minimum standards. The Company plans to provide the necessary capital to maintain MBB at “well-capitalized” status as defined by banking regulations. MBB’s Tier 1 Capital balance at December 31, 2013 was $95.5 million, which met all capital requirements to which MBB is subject and qualified MBB for “well-capitalized” status. Bank holding companies are required to comply with the Federal Reserve Board’s risk-based capital guidelines that require a minimum ratio of total capital to risk-weighted assets of 8%. At least half of the total capital is required to be Tier 1 Capital. In addition to the risk-based capital guidelines, the Federal Reserve Board has adopted a minimum leverage capital ratio under which a bank holding company must maintain a ratio of Tier 1 Capital to average total consolidated assets of at least 3% in the case of a bank holding company which has the highest regulatory examination rating and is not contemplating significant growth or expansion. All other bank holding companies are expected to maintain a leverage capital ratio of at least 4%. At December 31, 2013, Marlin Business Services Corp. also exceeded its regulatory capital requirements and was considered “well-capitalized” as defined by federal banking regulations.

The following table sets forth the Tier 1 leverage ratio, Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio and total risk-based capital ratio for Marlin Business Services Corp. and MBB at December 31, 2013.

⁽¹⁾ MBB is required to maintain “well-capitalized” status and must also maintain a total risk-based capital ratio greater than 15% pursuant to an agreement entered into by and among MBB, the Company, Marlin Leasing Corporation and the FDIC in conjunction with the opening of MBB (the “FDIC Agreement”).

Prompt Corrective Action. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991 (“FDICIA”) requires the federal regulators to take prompt corrective action against any undercapitalized institution. Five capital categories have been established under federal banking regulations: well-capitalized, adequately capitalized, undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized and critically undercapitalized. Well-capitalized institutions significantly exceed the required minimum level for each relevant capital measure. Adequately capitalized institutions include depository institutions that meet but do not significantly exceed the required minimum level for each relevant capital measure. Undercapitalized institutions consist of those that fail to meet the required minimum level for one or more relevant capital measures. Significantly undercapitalized characterizes depository institutions with capital levels significantly below the minimum requirements for any relevant capital measure. Critically undercapitalized refers to depository institutions with minimal capital and at serious risk for government seizure.

Under certain circumstances, a well-capitalized, adequately capitalized or undercapitalized institution may be treated as if the institution were in the next lower capital category. A depository institution is generally prohibited from making capital distributions, including paying dividends, or paying management fees to a holding company if the institution would thereafter be undercapitalized. Institutions that are adequately capitalized but not well-capitalized cannot accept, renew or roll over brokered deposits except with a waiver from the FDIC and are subject to restrictions on the interest rates that can be paid on such deposits. Undercapitalized institutions may not accept, renew or roll over brokered deposits.

The federal bank regulatory agencies are permitted or, in certain cases, required to take certain actions with respect to institutions falling within one of the three undercapitalized categories. Depending on the level of an institution’s capital, the agency’s corrective powers include, among other things:

• prohibiting the payment of principal and interest on subordinated debt;

• prohibiting the holding company from making distributions without prior regulatory approval;

• placing limits on asset growth and restrictions on activities;

• placing additional restrictions on transactions with affiliates;

• restricting the interest rate the institution may pay on deposits;

• prohibiting the institution from accepting deposits from correspondent banks; and

• in the most severe cases, appointing a conservator or receiver for the institution.

A banking institution that is undercapitalized is required to submit a capital restoration plan, and such a plan will not be accepted unless, among other things, the banking institution’s holding company guarantees the plan up to a certain specified amount. Any such guarantee from a depository institution’s holding company is entitled to a priority of payment in bankruptcy.

Pursuant to the FDIC Agreement entered into in conjunction with the opening of MBB, MBB must keep its total risk-based capital ratio above 15%. MBB’s total risk-based capital ratio of 17.63% at December 31, 2013 exceeded the threshold for “well capitalized” status under the applicable laws and regulations, and also exceeded the 15% minimum total risk-based capital ratio required in the FDIC Agreement.

Dividends. The Federal Reserve Board has issued policy statements requiring insured banks and bank holding companies to have an established assessment process for maintaining capital commensurate with their overall risk profile. Such assessment process may affect the ability of the organizations to pay dividends. Although generally organizations may pay dividends only out of current operating earnings, dividends may be paid if the distribution is prudent relative to the organization’s financial position and risk profile, after consideration of current and prospective economic conditions.

As previously disclosed in the Company’s Form 8-K filed on September 4, 2013, in addition to the Company’s regular quarterly dividend, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a special cash dividend of $2.00 per share on September 4, 2013. The special dividend was paid on September 26, 2013 to shareholders of record on the close of business on September 16, 2013, which resulted in a dividend payment of approximately $26.0 million