Comparison of Operating Results for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2024 and 2023
General. Net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2024 was $619,000, a decrease of $709,000, or 787.2%, compared to net income of $90,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2023. The decrease in income was primarily due to a $1.0 million increase in noninterest expense that was partially offset by an increase in noninterest income of $241,000 While we continue to see incremental increases in our pre-provision net interest income as a result of the addition of higher yielding investment securities, we are still in the process of building out the balance sheet and adding organic interest earning assets funded with organic deposits.
Interest Income. Interest income increased $2.0 million, or 154.0%, to $3.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024, compared to $1.3 million for the three months ended March, 31, 2023. This increase was attributable to a $1.6 million, or 451.5%, increase in interest on investment securities and a $529,000, or 74.2%, 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 March 31, 2024, increased by $20.3 million, or 24.7%, from the average balance for the three months ended March 31, 2023, while the average yield on loans increased by 137 basis points to 4.85% for the three months ended March 31, 2024, from 3.48% for the three months ended March 31, 2023. 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 $86.3 million, or 199.1%, to $129.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024, from $43.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023, while the average yield on investment securities increased by 273 basis points to 5.96% for the three months ended March 31, 2024, from 3.23% for the three months ended March 31, 2023. This increase in yields resulted from the effects of management’s purchasing of higher yielding securities beginning in March 2023.
The average balance of interest-bearing deposits and other, comprised of overnight deposits, stock in the Federal Home Loan Bank and Federal Reserve Bank and Bank Owned Life Insurance, decreased $4.2 million, or -18.8%, for the three months ended March 31, 2024, and the average yield decreased 118 basis points to 3.15% for the three months ended March 31, 2024, from 4.33% for the three months ended March 31, 2023.
Interest Expense. Total interest expense increased $1.8 million, or 1101.9%, to $1.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024, from $161,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2023. The increase was due to an increase of 262 basis points in the average cost of deposits to 3.22% for the three months ended March 31, 2024, from 0.60% for the three months ended March 31, 2023, 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 $531,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2024, 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 March 31, 2023. 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 $241,000, or 21.0%, to $1.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024, compared to $1.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023, while net interest margin decreased 89 basis points to 2.21% for the three months ended March 31, 2024, from 3.10% for the three months ended March 31, 2023.
Provision for Credit 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 credit losses of $84,000 on loans and off balance sheet credit exposures was required for the three months ended March 31, 2024. No provision was required for the three months ended March 31, 2023. The allowance for credit losses was $601,000 and $223,000 at March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively, and represented 0.56% of total loans at March 31, 2024, and 0.28% of total loans at March 31, 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 and substandard loans were $588,000 at March 31, 2024, compared to $263,000 at March 31, 2023. Total loans past due greater than 30 days were $1.8 million and $1.4 million at those respective dates. As a percentage of nonperforming and substandard loans, the allowance for credit losses was 102.2% at March 31, 2024, compared to 84.8% at March 31, 2023.
The allowance for credit losses reflects the estimate management believes to be appropriate to cover lifetime probable losses which were inherent in the loan portfolio at March 31, 2024 and 2023. While management believes the estimates and assumptions used in the