Except for one residential mortgage loan of $0.1 million at December 31, 2021, we had no loans where we had granted loan payment deferrals or other loan modifications, compared to $112.7 million, or 24% of total loans at June 30, 2020, the first quarterly period we began offering loan modifications to assist customers through the COVID-19 pandemic, and $32.3 million, or 7% of total loans, at December 31, 2020.
Noninterest income was $1.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2021, a 27% decrease compared to $1.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2020. The decrease in noninterest income was primarily due to a decrease in mortgage lending income of $0.4 million as refinance activity slowed in our primary market area.
Noninterest expense was $5.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2021 and 2020, reflecting a decrease of $0.3 million in various expenses related to the redevelopment of the Company’s headquarters in downtown Auburn. This decrease was offset by an increase in other noninterest expense of $0.3 million.
Income tax expense was $0.1 million for the fourth quarter of 2021, compared to $0.4 million during fourth quarter of 2020. The Company’s effective tax rate for the fourth quarter of 2021 was 4.74%, compared to 17.92% in the fourth quarter of 2020. This decrease was primarily due to an income tax benefit related to a New Markets Tax Credit investment funded in the fourth quarter of 2021. The Company’s effective income tax rate is principally impacted by tax-exempt earnings from the Company’s investments in municipal securities, bank-owned life insurance, and New Markets Tax Credits.
The Company paid cash dividends of $0.26 per share in the fourth quarter of 2021, an increase of 2% from the same period in 2020. The Company’s share repurchases of $1.6 million since December 31, 2020 resulted in 45,946 fewer outstanding common shares at December 31, 2021. At December 31, 2021, the Bank’s regulatory capital ratios were well above the minimum amounts required to be “well capitalized” under current regulatory standards.
About Auburn National Bancorporation, Inc.
Auburn National Bancorporation, Inc. (the “Company”) is the parent company of AuburnBank (the “Bank”), with total assets of approximately $1.1 billion. The Bank is an Alabama state-chartered bank that is a member of the Federal Reserve System, which has operated continuously since 1907. Both the Company and the Bank are headquartered in Auburn, Alabama. The Bank conducts its business in East Alabama, including Lee County and surrounding areas. The Bank operates eight full-service branches in Auburn, Opelika, Valley, and Notasulga, Alabama. The Bank also operates loan production offices in Auburn and Phenix City, Alabama. Additional information about the Company and the Bank may be found by visiting www.auburnbank.com.
Cautionary Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including, without limitation, statements about future financial and operating results, costs and revenues, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and related government, Federal Reserve monetary and regulatory actions, including the effects of economic stimulus and economic conditions generally and in our markets, loan demand, mortgage lending activity, changes in the mix of our earning assets (including those generating tax exempt income) and our deposit and wholesale liabilities, net interest margin, yields on earning assets, securities valuations and performance, effects of inflation, interest rates (generally and those applicable to our assets and liabilities), noninterest income, loan performance, loan deferrals and modifications, nonperforming assets, other real estate owned, provision for loan losses, charge-offs, other-than-temporary impairments, collateral values, credit quality, asset sales, insurance claims, and market trends, as well as statements with respect to our objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical facts. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.