FHLB stock. The FHLB repurchased $833,000 of its stock during 2017, reducing the balance 61.8% from $1.3 million to $514,000.
Deposits. Deposits decreased $1.7 million, or 0.9%, to $182.9 million at December 31, 2017 from $184.6 million at December 31, 2016. Noninterest-bearing checking accounts increased $9.6 million, or 75.5%, to $22.3 million as of December 31, 2017 compared to $12.7 million as of December 31, 2016. Interest-bearing checking accounts decreased $3.9 million, or 49.3%, to $4.0 million at December 31, 2017 from $7.9 million at December 31, 2016. Additionally, money market accounts decreased $4.0 million, or 6.9%, to $54.5 million at December 31, 2017, compared to $58.5 million at December 31, 2016, while savings accounts increased $4.4 million to $14.0 million at December 31, 2017, compared to $9.6 million at December 31, 2016. Most of these changes related to restructuring our deposit account portfolio and consolidating account offerings. Certificates of deposit decreased $7.7 million, or 9.1% from $84.5 million as of December 31, 2016 to $76.8 million as of December 31, 2017. Health savings accounts remained consistent at $11.3 million and $11.4 million for the two period ends.
Borrowings. Borrowings, consisting entirely of FHLB advances, totaled $12.8 million at December 31, 2017 compared to $21.3 million at December 31, 2016. The aggregate cost of outstanding advances from the FHLB was 1.69% at December 31, 2017, compared to the Bank’s cost of deposits of 0.73% at that date.
Other liabilities. Other liabilities decreased $323,000, or 20.5%, to $1.3 million at December 31, 2017 from $1.6 million at December 31, 2016.
Total Equity. Total equity increased $25.5 million, or 75.0%, to $59.5 million at December 31, 2017 from $34.0 million at December 31, 2016. The increase resulted primarily from net proceeds from the common stock issued in 2017.
Comparison of Operating Results for the Years Ended December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016
General. We had a net loss of $186,000 for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to net income of $171,000 for the year ended December 31, 2016, a decrease of $357,000, or 208.8%. The decrease in net income was the net effect of an increase in noninterest expense of $596,000, or 8.2%, and an increase in income taxes of $420,000, or 269.2%, offset in part by a decrease of $425,000 in our provision for loan loss in 2017 compared to 2016, resulting in an increase of $634,000, or 9.9%, in net interest income after provision for loan losses.
Interest and dividend income. Interest and dividend income increased $130,000, or 1.5%, to $9.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2017 from $8.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. The increase was primarily attributable to a $76,000 increase in interest on loans, as well as a $79,000 increase in interest on fed funds sold, due to an increase in the average balance of fed funds sold of $7.0 million year to year.
Interest Expense. Interest expense decreased $79,000, or 4.8%, to $1.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, from $1.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. Interest expense on borrowings, consisting entirely of FHLB advances, decreased $28,000, or 10.4%, to $240,000 for the year ended December 31, 2017 from $268,000 for the year ended December 31, 2016, as the average balance of borrowings decreased $5.3 million to $17.9 million for 2017 from $23.1 million for 2016, although the cost of borrowings increased 18 basis points to 1.34% for 2017 from 1.16% for 2016. Interest expense on interest-bearing deposits decreased $51,000, or 3.7%, year to year. The average cost of our interest-bearing deposits increased two basis points to 0.80% from 0.78%, while the average balance of interest-bearing deposits decreased by $9.9 million, or 5.7%, during the same period.
Net Interest Income. Net interest income increased $209,000, or 2.9%, to $7.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2017 from $7.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. Average net interest-earning assets increased $18.7 million to $43.9 million for 2017 from $25.2 million for 2016. The increase was due primarily to the increase in the rates of loans and the movement of deposits from interest-earning to noninterest-bearing accounts. Our net interest rate spread decreased to 3.13% for the year ended December 31, 2017 from 3.16% for the year ended December 31, 2016, and our net interest margin increased to 3.29% for 2017 from 3.25% for 2016.