Loans
Loans held for investment decreased by $10.8 million, or 0.8%, to $1.3 billion as of March 31, 2021 as compared to the end of the linked quarter. Year-over-year loans grew $95.7 million, or 8.1%. Although $40.2 million in loans closed during the current quarter related to PPP Round 2, $48.0 million in loans were forgiven related to PPP Round 1, which resulted in a quarter-over-quarter reduction in loans. Growth in loans over the prior year quarter was primarily due to an increase in commercial loans for customers who participated in the PPP.
The yield earned on average loans held for investment was 4.81%, on a FTE basis, for the first quarter 2021, compared to 4.53% for the linked quarter and 5.01% for the prior year quarter.
As provided for by the CARES Act, the Company has offered payment modifications to borrowers. Disaster relief payment modifications granted to-date total $290.9 million. At March 31, 2021, $72.8 million, or 5.7% of total loans remained in some form of a modification, as compared to $86.7 million, or 6.7% of total loans at December 31, 2020. These loan modifications at March 31, 2021 include $28.1 million, or 38.5% on interest only, $39.6 million or 54.5% on full deferral, and $5.1 million or 7.0% with extended amortization. (See table below titled Total Remaining Loan Modifications under the CARES Act by NAICS Code.)
Asset Quality
Non-performing loans totaled $34.2 million at March 31, 2021, a decrease of $0.4 million from $34.6 million at the end of the linked quarter. Non-performing loans to total loans was 2.68% at March 31, 2021, and 2.69% and 0.68% at the end of the linked quarter and prior year quarter, respectively. The increase in non-performing loans as compared to the prior year quarter was primarily due to placing on non-accrual in the linked quarter several significant loans previously modified in accordance with the CARES Act passed by Congress in 2020.
At March 31, 2021, $5.1 million of the Company’s allowance for loan losses was allocated to impaired loans totaling $36.6 million, compared to $5.1 million of the Company's allowance for loan losses allocated to impaired loans totaling $37.3 million at the end of the linked quarter. At March 31, 2021 management determined that $12.6 million, or 34%, of total impaired loans required no reserve allocation compared to $11.9 million, or 32% of total impaired loans at the end of the linked quarter, primarily due to adequate collateral values.
In the first quarter 2021, the Company had net loan recovery of $248,000 compared to net loan charge-offs of $51,000 in the linked quarter, and $84,000 of net loan charge-offs in the prior year quarter. The Company recorded no provision for loan losses for the first quarter 2021 compared to $0.4 million for the linked quarter and $3.3 million for the prior year quarter. The large provision expense in the first quarter 2020 was in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The allowance for loan losses at March 31, 2021 was $18.4 million, or 1.44% of outstanding loans, and 53.6% of non-performing loans. At December 31, 2020, the allowance for loan losses was $18.1 million, or 1.41% of outstanding loans, and 52.4% of non-performing loans. At March 31, 2020, the allowance for loan losses was $15.7 million, or 1.33% of outstanding loans, and 194.7% of non-performing loans. The allowance for loan losses at March 31, 2021 represents management’s best estimate of probable losses inherent in the loan portfolio and is commensurate with risks in the loan portfolio as of that date.