the actions of an activist shareholder. These activist related costs amounted to $1.5 million for the nine months of 2024 compared to activist costs of $2.0 million for the nine months of 2023. Favorably impacting net income for this segment was an increased level of interest income from investment securities by $512,000 as the higher interest rates and a portfolio restructuring in late 2023 resulted in an improved overall total securities yield.
…..BALANCE SHEET…..The Company’s total consolidated assets were $1.4 billion at September 30, 2024, which increased by $15.5 million, or 1.1%, from the December 31, 2023 asset level. This change was related, primarily, to increased levels of cash and cash equivalents, total loans, leases, other real estate owned (OREO) and repossessed assets and other assets. Specifically, total loans increased by $2.0 million, or 0.2%, as so far in 2024, new loan originations have only slightly exceeded payoff activity. The marginal growth in loans along with an increase in total deposits led to an $8.1 million, or 57.7%, increase in cash and cash equivalents. The $953,000, or 31.5%, increase in the right-of-use asset for operating and financing leases resulted from the execution of two new leases for office locations and one new lease for equipment during 2024. OREO and repossessed assets increased $1.8 million due primarily to the foreclosure of a non-owner occupied commercial real estate loan secured by an office property during the second quarter of 2024. Finally, other assets increased $2.7 million, or 7.3%, due to an increase in the positive balance of the accrued pension liability which was partially offset by a decrease in the market values for the interest rate swaps.
Total deposits increased by $31.0 million, or 2.7%, in the first nine months of 2024. We believe this demonstrates customer confidence and the strength and loyalty of our core deposit base. As of September 30, 2024, the 25 largest depositors represented 25.3% of total deposits, which is an increase from December 31, 2023, when it was 22.4%. As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the estimated amount of uninsured deposits was $420.9 million and $384.5 million, respectively. The estimate of uninsured deposits was done at the single account level and does not take into account total customer balances in the Bank. It should be noted that approximately 50% of these uninsured deposits relate to public funds from municipalities, government entities, and school districts which by law are required to be collateralized by investment securities or FHLB letters of credit to protect these depositor funds. Total short-term and FHLB borrowings were reduced by $19.2 million, or 22.5%, since year-end 2023 as a decrease in short-term borrowings more than offset an increase in FHLB term advances. Specifically, short-term borrowings decreased by $29.2 million, or 71.3%. Given the high cost of overnight borrowed funds, management has been effectively controlling the usage of this funding source. In addition, the inversion in the yield curve has caused FHLB term advances to have rates that are lower than the cost of overnight borrowed funds. Therefore, management increased usage of FHLB term advances in the first nine months of 2024 leading to an increase of $10.0 million, or 22.4%.
The Company’s total shareholders’ equity increased by $5.9 million, or 5.8%, during the first nine months of 2024. The increase in capital is the result of the Company’s earnings performance during the first nine months of 2024 more than offsetting our common stock dividend payments to shareholders. In addition, the pension adjustment and improved market value of the available for sale investment securities portfolio had a positive impact on accumulated other comprehensive loss. Partially offsetting these positive items was the execution of a Stock Repurchase Agreement pursuant to which the Company repurchased, at current market price, 628,003 shares of common stock from Driver Opportunity Partners, in connection with a settlement agreement, reducing capital by $1.5 million.
The Company continues to be considered well capitalized for regulatory purposes with a total capital ratio of 12.87%, and a common equity tier 1 capital ratio of 9.33% at September 30, 2024. See the discussion of the Basel III capital requirements under the Capital Resources section below. As of September 30, 2024, the Company’s book value per common share was $6.55 and its tangible book value per common share was $5.72(1). When compared to December 31, 2023, book value per common share increased by $0.59, or 9.9%, and tangible book value per common share increased by $0.56 per common share, or 10.9%. The improvement in the Company’s book value and tangible book value per share during 2024 was largely due to the favorable adjustment for both the unrealized loss on available for sale securities and the Company’s defined benefit pension plan as well as the accretive repurchase of 628,003 shares of our common stock from the activist shareholder. The tangible common equity to tangible assets ratio was 6.79%(1) at September 30, 2024 and increased by 35-basis points when compared to December 31, 2023.
(1) Non-GAAP financial information, see “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” later in this MD&A.