We recorded a $150,000 provision for loan losses for the three months ended December 31, 2022 compared to no provision for the three-month period ended December 31, 2021. Higher balances in residential and construction loans were the reason for the provision for the three months ended December 31, 2022. The Bank continues to have a low level of delinquent and non-accrual loans in the portfolio, as well as no charge-offs.
Non-interest income decreased by $1.0 million, or 79.8%, to $256,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2022 from $1.3 million for the three months ended December 31, 2021. Gain on sale of loans decreased $139,000 as the Bank decided to portfolio loans rather than sell loans and bank-owned life insurance decreased $860,000, or 82.4%, due to the collections of $1.8 million in death proceeds in the three months ended December 31, 2021.
For the three months ended December 31, 2022, non-interest expense decreased $167,000, or 4.5%, over the comparable 2021 period. Salaries and employee benefits decreased $22,000, or 1.0%, due to a lower employee count. Data processing expense decreased $46,000, or 17.8%, due to lower costs. Professional fees decreased $52,000, or 37.5%, due to lower legal expense. The increase in advertising expense of $28,000, or 28.7%, was due to additional promotions for branch locations and new promotions on deposit and loan products.
Income tax expense increased $328,000, or 81.1%, to $730,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2022 from $404,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2021. The increase was due to $1.0 million of higher taxable income. The effective tax rate for the three months ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 were 27.78% and 16.59%, respectively. For the three-month period ended December 31, 2021 there was $860,000 of additional proceeds from bank owned life insurance which resulted in a lower effective tax rate.
Comparison of Operating Results for the Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021
Net income decreased by $643,000, or 8.6%, to $6.9 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2022 from $7.5 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2021. The decrease was due to a decrease in non-interest income of $3.4 million, an increase in provision for loan losses of $513,000, and an increase of $739,000 in income taxes offset by an increase in net interest income of $3.8 million and a decrease in non-interest expense of $179,000. Excluding the one-time bargain purchase gain of $2.0 million that occurred in 2021 in connection with the Gibraltar Bank acquisition and the $392,000 merger-related expenses, net income would have increased $916,000 for the twelve months ended December 31, 2022 as compared to 2021.1
Interest income on cash and cash equivalents decreased $34,000, or 22.5%, to $117,000 for the twelve months ended December 31, 2022 from $151,000 for the twelve months ended December 31, 2021 due to a $74.8 million decrease in the average balance of cash and cash equivalents to $25.0 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2022 from $99.8 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2021, reflecting the use of excess liquidity to fund loan originations and purchase investment securities. This was offset by a 32 basis point increase in the average yield on cash and cash equivalents from 0.15% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2021 to 0.47% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2022 due to the higher interest rate environment.
Interest income on loans increased $3.6 million, or 15.8%, to $26.3 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2022 compared to $22.7 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2021 due primarily to a $55.3 million increase in the average balance of loans to $638.7 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2022 from $583.4 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2021 and due to a 22 basis point increase in the average yield on loans from 3.89% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2021 to 4.11% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2022.
[1] | This number represents a non-GAAP financial measure. Please see “Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP” contained at the end of this release. |