Comparison of Operating Results for the Three Months Ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
We recorded a net loss of $115,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2021, compared to net income of $412,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2020. This decrease was due to a $2.1 million decrease in
non-interest
income, which was partially offset by a $91,000 decrease in
non-interest
expense, a $251,000 increase in net interest income after provision for loan losses, and a $1.3 million decrease in income tax expense.
Interest and Dividend Income.
Interest and dividend income decreased by $557,000, or 14.1%, to $3.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021, from $3.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020. The decrease was due primarily to the declining interest rate environment brought on by the
COVID-19
pandemic. The average rate paid on loans declined to 3.53% for the three months ended September 30, 2021 compared to 4.37% for the three months ended September 30, 2020. As a result, interest income from loans decreased by $678,000, or 18.7%, to $2.9 million, from $3.6 million. Interest earned on loans was also impacted by a $66,000 decrease in PPP loan fees recognized as interest during the three months ended September 30, 2021. We recognized $31,000 PPP loan fees as interest during the three months ended September 30, 2021, compared to $97,000 of PPP loan fees recognized as interest during the three months ended September 30, 2020.
Interest expense decreased $338,000, or 49.2%, to $349,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2021, from $687,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2020, as rates on interest-bearing liabilities decreased 39 basis points due to the declining interest rate environment.
Net interest income decreased $219,000, or 6.7%, to $3.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021, from $3.3 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020. The rate for average interest-bearing liabilities decreased to 0.41% for the three months ended September 30, 2021, from 0.80% for the three months ended September 30, 2020. This 39 basis point decrease in the cost of funds came as the yield on interest-earning assets decreased by 80 basis points, to 2.62% for the three months ended September 30, 2021, from 3.42% for the three months ended September 30, 2020. Accordingly, our net interest rate spread decreased 41 basis points to 2.21% for the three months ended September 30, 2021, from 2.62% for the three months ended September 30, 2020. Our net interest margin also decreased to 2.37% from 2.82% over the same period.
Provision for Loan Losses.
Provision for loan losses decreased $470,000, or 94.0%, to $30,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2021, from $500,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2020. The allowance for loan losses was $2.8 million, or 0.84%, of total loans (and 0.86% excluding PPP loans), at September 30, 2021, compared to $2.7 million, or 0.82% of total loans (and 0.86% excluding PPP loans), at December 31, 2020. Nonaccrual loans constituted 0.40% of total gross loans (and 0.41% excluding PPP loans) at September 30, 2021, compared to 0.39% of gross loans at December 31, 2020 (and 0.41% excluding PPP loans). Net recoveries for the three months ended September 30, 2021 were $26,000 compared to net recoveries of $36,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2020.
Non-interest
income decreased $2.1 million, or 77.2%, to $628,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2021, from $2.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020. The decrease was due primarily to a $1.0 million decrease in net gains realized on the sale of securities and a $488,000 decrease in net gains on the sale of loans due to a reduction in mortgage activity and a lower level of loan sales. In addition, we recognized a $575,000 decrease in the market value of equity securities in our Rabbi trust accounts. Loan servicing fees decreased $48,000. Service charges and other fees increased $27,000, or 12.6% to $242,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2021, from $215,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2020. The increase in service charges and other fees was due to waived service charges during the three months ended September 30, 2020 as part of our initial response to the pandemic.
Non-interest
expense decreased $91,000, or 2.3%, to $3.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 from $3.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020. The decrease was due primarily to a $282,000 decrease in salaries and employee benefits during the three months ended September 30, 2021 resulting from decreases in discretionary incentive pay.
We recorded an income tax benefit of $57,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2021, compared to an income tax expense of $1.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020. The decrease in income tax expense was primarily due to a decrease in income before taxes and an increase to our deferred tax valuation allowance of $784,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2020, compared to none during the three months ended September 30, 2021.