First six months 2020 compared to first six months 2019
The Company reported net income available to common shareholders of $25.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2020, compared to $19.6 million for the same period last year. Operating net earnings decreased $1.9 million, or 8.5%, from $22.0 million at June 30, 2019 to $20.1 million at June 30, 2020. Provision for loan losses increased $12.8 million for the year-over-year comparison. Operating net earnings excludes merger-related costs of $ 2.4 million, net of tax, $7.0 million bargain purchase gain and a gain on the sale of land of $463 thousand, net of tax, for the year-to-date period ending June 30, 2020, and merger-related costs of $2.5 million, net of tax, and income of $174 thousand, net of tax, related to the Financial Assistance Award from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, for the year-to-date period ending June 30, 2019. Operating earnings per share were $1.00 on a fully diluted basis for six-month period ending June 30, 2020, compared to $1.33 for the same period in 2019, excluding the merger-related costs and income described above. See reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures provided below.
Net interest income increased to $73.2 million, or 26.5%, for the six months ended June 30, 2020, compared to $57.9 million for the same period in 2019. This increase was primarily due to interest earned on a high volume of loans. Average earning assets at June 30, 2020, increased $889.5 million, or 29.1%, and average interest-bearing liabilities increased $1.261 billion, or 53.8%, when compared to December 31, 2019.
Non-interest income for the six months ended June 30, 2019, was $22.2 million compared to $12.3 million for the same period in 2019, reflecting an increase of $9.9 million or 80.6%. Excluding the grants and gains mentioned above, non-interest income increased $2.5 million in year-over-year comparison. Mortgage income increased $1.7 million and interchange fee income increased $684 thousand in the year-over-year comparison.
The provision for loan losses was $14.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2020, compared with $1.9 million for the same period in 2019. The allowance for loan losses of $28.1 million at June 30, 2020 (approximately 0.88% of total loans) is considered by management to be adequate to cover losses inherent in the loan portfolio. Total valuation accounting adjustments totaled $11.5 million on acquired loans. See “Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses” in Item 2. – Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations for more information on this evaluation.
Non-interest expense was $51.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2020, an increase of $8.7 million or 20.4%, when compared with the same period in 2019. $5.8 million of the increase is related to the operations of FFB and SWG.
FINANCIAL CONDITION
The First represents the primary asset of the Company. The First reported total assets of $5.076 billion at June 30, 2020 compared to $3.935 billion at December 31, 2019, an increase of $1.1 billion. Loans increased $564.8 million to $3.162 billion, or 21.8%, during the first six months of 2020. Deposits at June 30, 2020 totaled $4.233 billion compared to $3.082 billion at December 31, 2019.
For the six months period ended June 30, 2020, The First reported net income of $29.3 million compared to $23.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2019. Merger charges, net of tax, equaled $2.4 million for the first six months of 2020 as compared to $2.5 million for the first six months of 2019.
CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) IMPACT
In March 2020, the World Health Organization recognized the novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (“COVID-19”) as a pandemic. The spread of COVID-19 has created a global public health crisis that has resulted in unprecedented uncertainty, volatility and disruption in financial markets and in governmental, commercial and consumer activity in the United States and globally. In response to the outbreak, federal and state authorities in the U.S. introduced various measures to try to limit or slow the spread of the virus, including travel restrictions, nonessential business closures, stay-at-home orders, and strict social distancing and shelter in place. These actions, together with responses to the pandemic by businesses and individuals, have resulted in rapid decreases in commercial and consumer activity, temporary closures of