Asset Quality and Loan Loss Provisioning
The Company recorded provision for loan losses of $537,000 during the three months ended June 30, 2019 as compared to benefits from the reversal of provisions of $1,600,000 for the trailing quarter as well as $638,000 in the same quarter of the prior year. The need for a provision for loan losses during the quarter ended June 30, 2019 was driven by loan growth of $69,356,000 and a slight increase in total nonperforming loans of $1,020,000 but partially offset by net recoveries of $267,000 and a decline in past due loans of $2,181,000. For the six month ended June 30, 2019 the Company recorded a benefit from the reversal of loan losses of $1,063,000. While year to date loan growth in 2019 totaled $81,673,000, nonperforming loans decreased by $6,909,000, past due loans decreased by $2,788,000 and net recoveries were $1,349,000 during the same period.
Provision for Income Taxes
The Company’s effective tax rate was 24.4% for the quarter ended June 30, 2019 as compared to 27.8% for the same quarter in the prior year. During the second quarter of 2019 the Company received a $696,000 non-taxable death benefit from life insurance proceeds. In addition, the ratio of non-deductible expenses to pre-tax income declined in the year over year comparable second quarter periods.
Non-interest Income
The following table presents the key components of noninterest income for the periods indicated:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Three months ended | | | | | | | |
(dollars in thousands) | | June 30, 2019 | | | March 31, 2019 | | | $ Change | | | % Change | |
ATM and interchange fees | | $ | 5,404 | | | $ | 4,581 | | | $ | 823 | | | | 18.0 | % |
Service charges on deposit accounts | | | 4,182 | | | | 3,880 | | | | 302 | | | | 7.8 | % |
Other service fees | | | 619 | | | | 771 | | | | (152 | ) | | | (19.7 | %) |
Mortgage banking service fees | | | 475 | | | | 483 | | | | (8 | ) | | | (1.7 | %) |
Change in value of mortgage servicing rights | | | (552 | ) | | | (645 | ) | | | 93 | | | | (14.4 | %) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | |
Total service charges and fees | | | 10,128 | | | | 9,070 | | | | 1,058 | | | | 11.7 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | |
Increase in cash value of life insurance | | | 746 | | | | 775 | | | | (29 | ) | | | (3.7 | %) |
Asset management and commission income | | | 739 | | | | 642 | | | | 97 | | | | 15.1 | % |
Gain on sale of loans | | | 575 | | | | 412 | | | | 163 | | | | 39.6 | % |
Lease brokerage income | | | 239 | | | | 220 | | | | 19 | | | | 8.6 | % |
Sale of customer checks | | | 135 | | | | 140 | | | | (5 | ) | | | (3.6 | %) |
Gain on sale of foreclosed assets | | | 197 | | | | 99 | | | | 98 | | | | 99.0 | % |
Gain (loss) on marketable equity securities | | | 42 | | | | 36 | | | | 6 | | | | 16.7 | % |
Loss on disposal of fixed assets | | | (42 | ) | | | (38 | ) | | | (4 | ) | | | 10.5 | % |
Other | | | 819 | | | | 508 | | | | 311 | | | | 61.2 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | |
Total other noninterest income | | | 3,450 | | | | 2,794 | | | | 656 | | | | 23.5 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | |
Total noninterest income | | $ | 13,578 | | | $ | 11,864 | | | $ | 1,714 | | | | 14.4 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Noninterest income increased $1,714,000 (14.4%) to $13,578,000 during the three months ended June 30, 2019 compared to the trailing quarter March 31, 2019. The increase in noninterest income was due primarily to a $823,000 (18.0%) increase in ATM and interchange fees which was the result of increased usage. Other noninterest income includes $696,000 and $32,000 in death benefit insurance proceeds during the second and first quarters of 2019, respectively. The declining interest rate environment provided a $163,000 benefit associated with loan sale gains in the second quarter of 2019 as compared to the trailing quarter. However, the fair value of the mortgage servicing asset continued to decrease during the second quarter due to changes in the assumptions utilized in determining the fair value. Specifically, further increases in prepayment speeds resulting from decreases in the 15 and 30 year mortgage rates continued to be the largest contributors to the decline in fair value of the mortgage servicing asset.