| ● | Total deposit balances were $1.01 billion at March 31, 2021, increasing $78.6 million, or 8.5%, from $929.4 million at December 31, 2020. |
| ● | Our efficiency ratio improved, falling to 66.15% for the first quarter of 2021 from 73.87% for the same quarter of 2020. |
President and Chief Executive Officer Michael J. Quinn said, "We are pleased with our first quarter results for 2021. Results were positively affected by lower loan loss provisions and increased net interest income for the quarter. The lower provisions were due to both improved loan performance as we get past the pandemic and lower loan balances. We look forward to rebuilding our loan pipelines to get back to loan growth in the second half of the year. We continue to focus on the Bank’s growth and supporting our communities as both pandemic conditions and the economy improve over the course of the coming year.”
Income Statement Analysis
Net income for the three months ended March 31, 2021 increased $2.2 million, or 208.9%, to $3.3 million, or $0.31 per basic and diluted share, compared to net income of $1.1 million, or $0.10 per basic and diluted share, for the three months ended March 31, 2020.
Net interest income increased $1.5 million, or 17.6%, to $9.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021, from $8.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020. The increase was primarily driven by higher interest-earning asset balances and the favorable impact of lower costs for deposits and borrowings, which were partially offset by lower yields on interest-earning assets primarily as a result of the addition of the lower-yielding PPP loan balances. Our net interest margin increased 3 basis points to 3.65% for the three months ended March 31, 2021 from 3.62% for the same period in 2020 as efforts to reduce interest expense were realized.
The provision for loan losses decreased by $1.3 million from $1.2 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2020 resulting in a credit of $69,000 for the current quarter. The provision for the first quarter of 2020 increased as a result of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic conditions. The credit for the first quarter of 2021 was primarily attributable to a decline in loan balances, exclusive of PPP loans, a reduction in specific allocations to the allowance for loan losses and a general improvement in the economic conditions.
Net charge-offs for the quarter ended March 31, 2021 totaled $303,000 compared to $535,000 for the respective period in 2020, as charge-offs fell and recoveries improved period over period.
Non-interest income totaled $2.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021, an increase of $681,000, or 43.7%, from the comparable period in the prior year. The increase was primarily due to an increase in the net gain on the sale of loans, which increased $594,000, or 127.7%, and proceeds from life insurance of $195,000. These gains were partially offset by a $95,000 decrease in investment advisory income and a $43,000 decrease in service charges on deposit accounts. The Bank sold $24.7 million of loans in the first quarter of 2021 compared to $16.1 million of loans in the first quarter of 2020.
For the first quarter of 2021, non-interest expense totaled $8.0 million, an increase of $654,000, or 9.0%, over the comparable 2020 period. The increase was primarily due to an increase in salaries and benefits of $440,000, or 10.6%, as the Company hired new employees for its new branches. Occupancy expenses also increased $104,000, or 12.2%, as a result of the additional rent, depreciation, and other expenses related to the branch expansion. The addition of branches was also primarily responsible for increased professional fees of $86,000, increased data processing costs of $41,000 and increased other expenses of $49,000.