Provision for Credit Losses:
Juniata recorded a provision for credit losses of $232,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2024 compared to a provision for credit losses of $121,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2023. For the 2024 period, this increase was due primarily to an updated loss driver analysis for the allowance for credit losses calculation and not a result of deteriorated asset quality, which remained strong.
Management regularly reviews the adequacy of the allowance for credit losses and makes assessments as to specific loan impairment, charge-off expectations, general economic conditions in the Bank’s market area, specific loan quality and other factors. See the earlier discussion in the Financial Condition section explaining the information used to determine the provision.
Non-interest Income:
Non-interest income was $1.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024, an increase of 11.1%, compared to $1.3 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023. Most significantly impacting non-interest income in the comparative three month periods were increases of $117,000 in customer service fees and $84,000 in the change in value of equity securities. Partially offsetting these increases in the comparative three month periods was a decrease of $35,000 in fees derived from loan activity primarily due to decreases in title insurance commissions and the derivative credit adjustment.
As a percentage of average assets, annualized non-interest income was 0.67% for the three months ended September 30, 2024 compared to 0.62% for the three months ended September 30, 2023.
Non-interest Expense:
Non-interest expense was $5.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024, compared to $4.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023, an increase of 7.2%. Most significantly impacting non-interest expense in the comparative three month periods was an increase of $126,000 in employee benefits expense, due primarily to an increase in medical claims expenses, as well as an increase of $86,000 in both equipment expenses and professional fees. Also contributing to the increase in non-interest expense during the 2024 period was a $67,000 increase in taxes, other than income, due to recording a $62,000 Pennsylvania Shares Tax refund in the 2023 period. These increases were partially offset by a decrease of $47,000 in the provision for unfunded commitments recorded in other non-interest expense during the three months ended September 30, 2024 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2023.
As a percentage of average assets, annualized non-interest expense was 2.38% for the three months ended September 30, 2024 compared to 2.26% for the three months ended September 30, 2023.
Provision for Income Taxes:
An income tax provision of $270,000 was recorded during the three months ended September 30, 2024 compared to an income tax provision of $310,000 recorded during the three months ended September 30, 2023. The decrease between three month periods was mainly due to more taxable income recorded in the 2023 period. Juniata qualifies for a federal tax credit for an investment in a low-income housing partnerships. The tax credit was $82,000 for both the three months ended September 30, 2024 and September 30, 2023.
For the three months ended September 30, 2024, the tax credit lowered the effective tax rate from 18.5% to 14.2% compared to the same period in 2023, when the tax credit lowered the effective tax rate from 18.7% to 14.8%.