At September 30, 2014, the Company's allowance for loan losses amounted to $18.8 million or 1.49% of period-end loans outstanding. The allowance as a percentage of loans outstanding was 1.62% at December 31, 2013 and 1.76% at September 30, 2013. Net loan recoveries of $72 thousand were recorded in the third quarter of 2014 versus net loan recoveries of $491 thousand and $326 thousand in the second quarter of 2014 and the third quarter of 2013, respectively. As a percentage of average total loans outstanding, these net amounts represented, on an annualized basis, (0.02%) for the third quarter of 2014, (0.17%) for the second quarter of 2014 and (0.14%) for the third quarter of 2013.
The Company held no OREO at any of the reported periods.
Capital
Total stockholders' equity was $183 million at September 30, 2014 compared to $167 million at December 31, 2013 and $162 million at September 30, 2013. The increase in stockholders' equity versus December 31, 2013 was due to a combination of net income, net of dividends paid, recorded during the first nine months of 2014 coupled with a $5 million decrease in accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax. The decrease in accumulated other comprehensive loss at September 30, 2014 resulted primarily from the positive impact of a reduction in interest rates in 2014 on the value of the Company's available for sale investment portfolio. The increase in stockholders' equity versus September 30, 2013 reflects the Company's net income, net of dividends paid, during the past twelve months and the positive impact of a $7 million decrease in accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax, during the same period. The Company's return on average common stockholders' equity was 8.51% for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 versus 7.70% for the comparable 2013 period.
The Bank's Tier 1 leverage, Tier 1 risk-based and total risk-based capital ratios were 10.11%, 12.72% and 13.97%, respectively, at September 30, 2014. Each of these ratios exceeds the regulatory guidelines for a "well capitalized" institution, the highest regulatory capital category.
The Company's capital ratios exceeded all regulatory requirements at September 30, 2014. The Company's tangible common equity to tangible assets ratio (non-GAAP financial measure) was 10.07% at September 30, 2014 versus 9.68% at December 31, 2013 and 9.21% at September 30, 2013.
Corporate Information
Suffolk Bancorp is a one-bank holding company engaged in the commercial banking business through the Suffolk County National Bank, a full service commercial bank headquartered in Riverhead, New York and Suffolk Bancorp's wholly owned subsidiary. Organized in 1890, the Bank has 26 branch offices in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, New York. For more information about the Bank and its products and services, please visit www.scnb.com.
Non-GAAP Disclosure
This discussion includes non-GAAP financial measures of the Company's tangible common equity ("TCE") ratio, tangible common equity, tangible assets, core net income, core net interest income and core net interest margin. A non-GAAP financial measure is a numerical measure of historical or future financial performance, financial position or cash flows that excludes or includes amounts that are required to be disclosed in the most directly comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("U.S. GAAP"). The Company believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide both management and investors a more complete understanding of the underlying operational results and trends and the Company's marketplace performance. The presentation of this additional information is not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the numbers prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other financial institutions.