PROVISION FOR LOAN LOSSES The provision for loan losses decreased from $550,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2005, to $430,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2006 primarily due to a reduction in individually significant special mention, substandard and impaired loans that carry increased risk allocations and the sale of the credit card portfolio, when computing the allowance for loan loss. Several of the special mention, substandard and impaired loans were either paid off or there was a significant improvement in the Company’s collateral position at June 30, 2006. The allowance for loan losses as a percentage of loans was 1.19% at June 30, 2006 as compared to 1.30% at June 30, 2005. Loans delinquent 90 days or more were $1.3 million or .12% of total loans at June 30, 2006, compared to $3.8 million or .41% of total loans at June 30, 2005 and $2.6 million or .28% of total loans at September 30, 2005. The allowance for loan losses was 973% of loans delinquent more than 90 days at June 30, 2006, compared to 314% at June 30, 2005 and 445% at September 30, 2005. Net charge-offs for the three months ended June 30, 2006 were $88,000 compared to $464,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2005. Management believes the level of the allowance for loan losses at June 30, 2006 is adequate considering the composition of the loan portfolio, the portfolio’s loss experience, delinquency trends, current regional and local economic conditions and other factors at that date. OTHER INCOME For the three months ended June 30, 2006, other income was $4.7 million compared to $3.1 million for the three months ended June 30, 2005. Fees and service charges from deposit accounts increased $834,000 or 51.8% to $2.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2006, compared to $1.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2005. The majority of this increase is due to fee income from increased number of personal and business checking accounts. The number of checking accounts increased 24% from June 30, 2005 to June 30, 2006. During the quarter ended June 30, 2006, the Company securitized mortgage loans into mortgaged backed securities (“MBS”), and then sold MBS and sold loans aggregating $16.4 million, compared to $17.5 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2005. Included in the $16.4 million of MBS and loans sold were proceeds of $3.6 million related to the sale of the credit card portfolio. Gain on sale of loans and loans receivable held for sale was $674,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2006, compared to $215,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2005. The gain on sale of loans and loans receivable held for sale for the quarter ended June 30, 2006 included a gain on the sale of the Company’s credit card portfolio totaling $507,000. Margins on sales of conforming mortgage loans declined in fiscal 2006 due to rising interest rates. Losses on sales of securities available for sale, net of gains, were $444,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2006, compared to $127,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2005. Income from Federal Home Loan Bank Stock dividends increased from $183,000 to $264,000 due to increased dividends resulting from higher interest rates. In addition, income from ATM and debit card transactions increased 45.5% to $608,000 during the third quarter of fiscal 2006, primarily due to increased personal checking accounts. In addition, other income increased approximately $206,000 to $359,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2006 over the quarter ended June 30, 2005, primarily due to the recovery of certain litigation costs from the Company’s insurance carrier of $143,000. GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES General and administrative expenses were $8.4 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2005 compared to $10.6 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2006. Salaries and employee benefits were $4.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2005, as compared to $5.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2006, an increase of 23.6%. Increased compensation is due to the increased number of Associates in (i) the Company’s expanded hours call center, (ii) four new branches opened since September 30, 2005 and, (iii) residential and business banking. In the latter part of fiscal 2005, the Company began preparations to increase lending production in mortgage originations. The Company has hired leadership and support staff as well as additional mortgage lending officers. As a result of these plans, the Company has increased the average number of support staff by approximately eight and residential lending officers by approximately nine for the nine month period ended June 30, 2006 as compared to the comparable prior year period. Increased lending volumes from these lending personnel have been slow to materialize and are not expected to increase until the fourth quarter of fiscal 2006 and the first quarter of fiscal 2007. Over the past year, the Company also added several Associates in a Banking Group that is focused on growing small to medium sized business banking relationships. As a result of new branches, equipment purchased to improve Customer convenience and increased checking activity, net occupancy, furniture and fixtures and data processing expenses increased by $528,000, and depreciation increased $189,000, when comparing the two periods. Marketing expenses were $463,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2005, compared to $545,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2006. Other expenses were $1.1 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2005 compared to $1.2 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2006. INCOME TAXES Income taxes were $2.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2006 compared to $2.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2005. The effective income tax rate as a percentage of pretax income was 35.0% and 34.4% for the quarters ended June 30, 2006 and 2005, respectively. The effective income tax rate differs from the statutory rate primarily due to income generated by bank-owned life insurance, municipal securities that are exempt from federal and certain state taxes. The Company’s effective income tax rates take into consideration certain assumptions and estimates made by management. No assurance can be given that either the tax returns submitted by management or the income tax reported on the consolidated financial statements will not be adjusted by either adverse rulings by the U.S. Tax court, changes in the tax code, or assessments made by the Internal Revenue Service. |