(2) | Net interest-earning assets represent total interest-earning assets less total interest-bearing liabilities. |
(3) | Net interest margin represents net interest income divided by average total interest-earning assets. |
Comparison of Operating Results for the Three Months Ended September 30, 2023 and 2022
General. Net loss for the three months ended September 30, 2023 was $439,000, a decrease of $594,000, or -383.5%, compared to net income of $155,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2022. The increase in net loss was primarily due to a $740,000 increase in noninterest expenses, which included certain one-time expenses as noted in the noninterest expense section below and was partially offset by a $150,000 decrease in federal income tax expense.
Interest Income. Interest income increased $1.1 million, or 103.8%, to $2.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023, compared to $1.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2022. This increase was attributable to a $852,000, or 438.5%, increase in interest on investment securities and a $203,000, or 29.5%, increase in interest on loans, and is reflective of management’s strategy to continue to add higher yielding interest earnings assets to the balance sheet.
The average balance of loans during the three months ended September 30, 2023, increased by $4.5 million, or 5.5%, from the average balance for the three months ended September 30, 2022, while the average yield on loans increased by 76 basis points to 4.1% for the three months ended September 30, 2023, from 3.34% for the three months ended September 30, 2022. The increase in average yield reflects the increases in market interest rates impacting the loan portfolio, as well as the addition of several higher yielding loans as the Company continues to add commercial loans to the portfolio.
The average balance of investment securities increased $52.4 million, or 155.4%, to $86.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023, from $33.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2022, while the average yield on investment securities increased by 256 basis points to 4.86% for the three months ended September 30, 2023, from 2.3% for the three months ended September 30, 2022. This increase in yields resulted from the effects of management’s purchasing of higher yielding securities beginning in March 2023.
The average balance of other interest-bearing deposits, comprised of overnight deposits and stock in the Federal Home Loan Bank and Federal Reserve Bank, decreased $15.7 million, or 52.3%, for the three months ended September 30, 2023, and the average yield increased 219 basis points to 4.05% for the three months ended September 30, 2023, from 1.86% for the three months ended September 30, 2022 reflecting the rise in the interest rate environment.
Interest Expense. Total interest expense increased $925,000, or 1299.1%, to $996,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2023, from $71,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2022. The increase was due to an increase of 190 basis points in the average cost of deposits to 2.17% for the three months ended September 30, 2023, from 0.27% for the three months ended September 30, 2022, reflecting how management has had to increase the offered rates to be competitive in efforts to maintain and grow deposits. The increase in interest expense also includes $293,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2023, related to advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank and the Federal Reserve Bank under the Bank Term Funding Program. There was no interest expense for advances for the three months ended September 30, 2022. The advances have been part of a strategic initiative to fund higher yielding assets to help offset net interest margin compression experienced throughout the industry as a result of higher interest rates
Net Interest Income. Net interest income increased $134,000, or 14.2%, to $1.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023, compared to $950,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2022, while net interest margin decreased 28 basis points to 2.32% for the three months ended September 30, 2023, from 2.60% for the three months ended September 30, 2022.
Provision for Loan Losses. Based on an analysis of the factors described in “Critical Accounting Policies and Use of Critical Accounting Estimates – Allowance for Credit Losses,” management concluded that a provision for loan losses of $129,000 was required for the three months ended September 30, 2023. No provision was required for the three months ended September 30, 2022. The allowance for credit losses was $439,000 and $223,000 at September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively and represented 0.47% of total loans at September 30, 2023, and 0.28% of total loans at September 30, 2022. The determination over the adequacy of the allowance for credit losses was due primarily to new methodology from the adoption of ASC326.
Total nonperforming loans were $414,000 at September 30, 2023, compared to $278,000 at September 30, 2022. Total loans past due greater than 30 days were $841,000 and $175,000 at those respective dates. As a percentage of nonperforming loans, the allowance for credit losses was 191.5% at September 30, 2023, compared to 80.1% at September 30, 2022.