The Company’s efficiency ratio, the ratio of non-interest expense to revenues, was 61.36%, 59.64%, and 49.17% for the quarters ended December 31, 2023, September 30, 2023, and December 31, 2022, respectively. For the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company’s efficiency ratio was 59.82% and 57.01%, respectively.
Balance Sheet:
Total assets of $1.99 billion as of December 31, 2023, represented an increase of $2.0 million, or 0%, compared to $1.98 billion at September 30, 2023 and a decrease of $56.3 million, or 3%, compared to $2.04 billion at December 31, 2022. Compared to the same period in the prior year, total assets decreased primarily due to conservative new loan production during 2023 and decreased liquidity as a result of a reduction in total deposits, partially offset by an increase in short-term borrowings.
Total gross loans decreased by $13.6 million, or 1%, to $1.56 billion at December 31, 2023, from $1.57 billion at September 30, 2023 and decreased by $33.9 million, or 2%, compared to $1.59 billion at December 31, 2022. During the fourth quarter of 2023, the reduction in gross loans was primarily the result of commercial loans decreasing by $16.6 million, or 1%, partially offset by an increase in construction and land loans of $4.2 million, or 10%. Compared to the same period in the prior year, the reduction in gross loans was primarily the result of construction and land loans decreasing by $19.5 million, or 31%, due to the completion of a large construction project.
Total deposits decreased by $81.8 million, or 5%, to $1.63 billion at December 31, 2023 from $1.71 billion at September 30, 2023, and decreased by $166.5 million, or 9%, from $1.79 billion at December 31, 2022. The decrease in total deposits from the end of the third quarter of 2023 was primarily due to a decrease in demand deposits of $31.2 million, or 4%, a decrease in money market and savings accounts of $41.1 million, of 6%, and a decrease in time deposits of $9.5 million, or 3%. Noninterest-bearing deposits, primarily commercial business operating accounts, represented 40.4% of total deposits at December 31, 2023, compared to 40.2% at September 30, 2023 and 45.3% at December 31, 2022.
At December 31, 2023, the Company had $75.0 million in outstanding borrowings, excluding junior subordinated debt securities, compared to no outstanding borrowings at September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022.
Asset Quality:
The provision for credit losses on loans decreased to $87,000 for the fourth quarter of 2023 compared to $121,000 for the third quarter of 2023, and $1.1 million for the fourth quarter of 2022. The Company had loan recoveries of $20,000 during the fourth quarter of 2023, loan charge-offs of $156,000 and recoveries of $234,000 during the third quarter of 2023, and loan charge-offs of $650,000 and no recoveries during the fourth quarter of 2022.
Non-performing assets (“NPAs”) to total assets were 0.19% at December 31, 2023, 0.06% at September 30, 2023 and 0.06% at December 31, 2022, with non-performing loans of $3.8 million, $1.2 million and $1.3 million, respectively, on those dates. The increase in non-performing loans during the fourth quarter of 2023 was due to one loan relationship within our commercial portfolio. The borrower is currently in the process of liquidating its assets and the Company does not anticipate a loss associated with this loan as of December 31, 2023.
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