…..PROVISION FOR LOAN LOSSES..... The Company did not record a provision for loan losses in the second quarter of 2019 as compared to a $50,000 provision expense recorded in the second quarter of 2018. The zero provision for the second quarter of 2019 reflects our overall excellent asset quality and reduced levels of criticized loans and net charge-offs. The Company experienced net loan charge-offs of $5,000, which equates to 0.00% of total loans, in the 2019 second quarter compared to net loan charge-offs of $461,000, or 0.21% of total loans, in the second quarter of 2018. Overall, the Company continued to maintain outstanding asset quality as its nonperforming assets totaled $1.7 million, or only 0.19% of total loans, at June 30, 2019. In summary, the allowance for loan losses provided 482% coverage of non-performing assets, and was 0.91% of total loans, at June 30, 2019, compared to 629% coverage of non-performing assets, and 1.00% of total loans, at December 31, 2018.
.....NON-INTEREST INCOME..... Non-interest income for the second quarter of 2019 totaled $3.7 million and decreased $24,000, or 0.7%, from the second quarter 2018 performance. Factors contributing to this lower level of non-interest income for the quarter included:
•
a $40,000 decrease in revenue from deposit service charges due to a reduced level of overdraft fee income as the bank is no longer charging a fee on overdrafts that result from signature based point of sale debit card transactions;
•
The Company recognized a $30,000 investment security sale gain in the second quarter of 2019 after no security sale activity occurred in the second quarter of 2018. The 2019 gain resulted from the sale of one corporate security due to its significant price appreciation because of the falling long term national interest rates;
•
a $28,000 reduction in wealth management fees primarily due to a lower level of revenue from our Financial Services division because of fewer life insurance related sales in 2019, and;
•
a $25,000 increase in other income due to a higher level of letter of credit fee income because of the increased loan production.
.....NON-INTEREST EXPENSE..... Non-interest expense for the second quarter of 2019 totaled $10.5 million and increased by $164,000, or only 1.6%, from the prior year’s second quarter. Factors contributing to the higher level of non-interest expense for the quarter included:
•
a $130,000 increase in salaries & benefits expense due to annual merit increases, four additional employees hired at our new financial banking center in Hagerstown, Maryland and higher health care costs. These increased expenses more than offset reduced levels of pension expense and incentive compensation;
•
a $80,000 increase in other expenses due to higher website costs and additional telecommunications expense, and;
•
a $75,000 decrease in FDIC insurance cost due to a reduction to our deposit insurance assessment.
.....INCOME TAX EXPENSE..... The Company recorded an income tax expense of $470,000, or an effective tax rate of 20.8%, in the second quarter of 2019. This compares to an income tax expense of $453,000, or an effective tax rate of 20.6%, for the second quarter of 2018.
SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2019 VS. SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2018
.....PERFORMANCE OVERVIEW.....The following table summarizes some of the Company’s key performance indicators (in thousands, except per share and ratios).
| | | Six months ended June 30, 2019 | | | Six months ended June 30, 2018 | |
Net income | | | | $ | 3,670 | | | | | $ | 3,511 | | |
Diluted earnings per share | | | | | 0.21 | | | | | | 0.19 | | |
Return on average assets (annualized) | | | | | 0.63% | | | | | | 0.61% | | |
Return on average equity (annualized) | | | | | 7.53% | | | | | | 7.42% | | |