Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
General
Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations at March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021 and for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2021 is intended to assist in understanding the financial condition and results of operations of Bogota Financial Corp. The information contained in this section should be read in conjunction with the unaudited financial statements and the notes thereto appearing in Part I, Item 1, of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This report contains forward-looking statements, which can be identified by the use of words such as “estimate,” “project,” “believe,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “seek,” “expect” and words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to:
•statements of our goals, intentions and expectations;
•statements regarding our business plans, prospects, growth and operating strategies;
•statements regarding the quality of our loan and investment portfolios; and
•estimates of our risks and future costs and benefits.
These forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs and expectations of our management and are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control. In addition, these forward-looking statements are subject to assumptions with respect to future business strategies and decisions that are subject to change. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements:
•general economic conditions, either nationally or in our market area, that are worse than expected;
•changes in the level and direction of loan delinquencies, charge-offs and non-performing and classified loans and changes in estimates of the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses;
•our ability to access cost-effective funding;
•fluctuations in real estate values and both residential and commercial real estate market conditions;
•demand for loans and deposits in our market area;
•our ability to continue to implement our business strategies;
•competition among depository and other financial institutions;
•inflation and changes in market interest rates that reduce our margins and yields, reduce the fair value of financial instruments or reduce our volume of loan originations, or increase the level of defaults, losses and prepayments on loans we have made and make whether held in portfolio or sold in the secondary market;
•adverse changes in the securities markets;
•changes in laws or government regulations or policies affecting financial institutions, including changes in regulatory fees and capital requirements;
•our ability to manage market risk, credit risk and operational risk;
27
•our ability to enter new markets successfully and capitalize on growth opportunities;
•our ability to successfully integrate into our operations any assets, liabilities or systems we may acquire, as well as new management personnel or customers, and our ability to realize related revenue synergies and cost savings within expected time frames and any goodwill charges related thereto;
•changes in consumer spending, borrowing and savings habits;
•changes in accounting policies and practices, as may be adopted by the bank regulatory agencies, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the Securities and Exchange Commission or the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board;
•our ability to retain key employees;
•risks as it relates to cyber security against our information technology and those of our third-party providers and vendors.
•our compensation expense associated with equity allocated or awarded to our employees; and
•changes in the financial condition, results of operations or future prospects of issuers of securities that we own.
Given its ongoing and dynamic nature, it is difficult to predict the continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business. The extent of such impact will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain, including if the coronavirus can be controlled and abated. As the result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the related adverse local and national economic consequences, we could be subject to any of the following risks, any of which could have a material, adverse effect on our business, financial condition, liquidity, and results of operations:
•demand for our products and services may decline, making it difficult to grow assets and income;
•if the economy worsens, loan delinquencies, problem assets, and foreclosures may increase, resulting in increased charges and reduced income;
•collateral for loans, especially real estate, may decline in value, which could cause loan losses to increase;
•our allowance for loan losses may be increased if borrowers experience financial difficulties beyond forbearance periods, which will adversely affect our net income;
•the net worth and liquidity of loan guarantors may decline, impairing their ability to honor commitments to us;
•our cyber security risks are increased as the result of an increase in the number of employees working remotely;
•we rely on third party vendors for certain services and the unavailability of a critical service due to the COVID-19 pandemic could have an adverse effect on us; and
•Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation premiums may increase if the agency experience additional resolution costs.
Moreover, our future success and profitability substantially depends on the management skills of our executive officers and directors, many of whom have held officer and director positions with us for many years. The unanticipated loss or unavailability of key employees due to the pandemic could harm our ability to operate our business or execute our business strategy. We may not be successful in finding and integrating suitable successors in the event of key employee loss or unavailability.
28
Acquisition of Gibraltar
On February 28, 2021, the Company completed its acquisition of Gibraltar Bank. As a part of the transaction, the Company issued 1,267,916 shares of its common stock to Bogota Financial, MHC. The conversion and consolidation of data processing platforms, systems and customer files occurred on August 16, 2021.
As of February 28, 2021, Gibraltar had $106.2 million of assets, loans of $77.7 million and deposits of $81.6 million and operated from three offices located in Newark, Oak Ridge and Parsippany, New Jersey in Morris and Essex Counties, New Jersey.
Critical Accounting Policies
A summary of our accounting policies is described in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements included with our Annual Report on Form 10-K at and for the year ended December 31, 2021. Critical accounting estimates are necessary in the application of certain accounting policies and procedures and are particularly susceptible to significant change. Critical accounting policies are defined as those involving significant judgments and assumptions by management that could have a material impact on the carrying value of certain assets or on income under different assumptions or conditions. Actual results could differ from these judgments and estimates under different conditions, resulting in a change that could have a material impact on the carrying values of our assets and liabilities and our results of operations. Management believes that the most critical accounting policy, which involves the most complex or subjective decisions or assessments, is as follows:
Allowance for Loan Losses. The allowance for loan losses is the amount estimated by management as necessary to absorb credit losses incurred in the loan portfolio that are both probable and reasonably estimable at the relevant balance sheet date. The amount of the allowance is based on significant estimates, and the ultimate losses may vary from such estimates as more information becomes available or conditions change. The methodology for determining the allowance for loan losses is considered a critical accounting policy by management due to the high degree of judgment involved, the subjectivity of the assumptions used and the potential for changes in the economic environment that could result in changes to the amount of the recorded allowance for loan losses.
As a substantial percentage of our loan portfolio is collateralized by real estate, appraisals of the underlying value of property securing loans are critical in determining the amount of the allowance required for specific loans. Assumptions are instrumental in determining the value of properties. Overly optimistic assumptions or negative changes to assumptions could significantly affect the valuation of a property securing a loan and the related allowance. Management reviews the assumptions supporting such appraisals to determine that the resulting values reasonably reflect amounts realizable on the related loans.
Management performs an evaluation of the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses at least quarterly. We consider a variety of factors in establishing this estimate including current and forecasted economic conditions, delinquency statistics, the size and composition of the loan portfolio, geographic concentrations, and the adequacy of the underlying collateral, the financial strength of the borrower, results of internal loan reviews and other relevant factors. This evaluation is inherently subjective as it requires material estimates by management that may be susceptible to significant change based on changes in economic and real estate market conditions.
The evaluation has specific and general components. The specific component relates to loans that are classified as special mention, substandard, doubtful, or loss. For such loans that are also classified as impaired, an allowance is generally established when the collateral value of the impaired loan is lower than the carrying value of that loan. The general component covers non-classified loans and is based on historical loss experience adjusted for qualitative factors.
Actual loan losses may be significantly more than the allowance we have established, which could have a material negative effect on our financial results. See Note 1 to the Notes to the consolidated financial statements in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 for a complete discussion of the allowance for loan losses.
29
COVID-19
The Company’s business is dependent upon the willingness and ability of its employees and customers to conduct banking and other financial transactions. If the global response to contain COVID-19 is unsuccessful or the effects of the pandemic continue or worsen, the Company may experience a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Financial position and results of operations
The Company’s fee income has been and may continue to be reduced due to COVID-19. In keeping with the guidance from regulators, the Company has actively worked with COVID-19 affected customers to waive fees from a variety of sources, such as, but not limited to, insufficient funds, account maintenance, minimum balance, and ATM fees. These reductions in fees are thought to be temporary in conjunction with the length of the COVID-19 related economic crisis.
Credit and asset quality
As of March 31, 2022, the Bank had granted 172 loan modifications totaling $67.9 million, which represented 11.6% of the total loan portfolio, allowing customers who were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to defer principal and/or interest payments. These short-term loan modifications were treated in accordance with Section 4013 of the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act and, as such, are not treated as troubled debt restructurings during the short-term modification period if the loan was not in arrears at December 31, 2019. Furthermore, these loans will continue to accrue interest. Of the 172 loans to which loan modifications were granted only one one-to-four family residential real estate loan totaling $117,000 or 0.2% of net loans, is still on deferral.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company is engaging in more frequent communication with borrowers to better understand their situation and challenges faced. The extent to which industries, or the tangential impact of those industries to other borrowers or industries, are impacted will likely be in direct proportion to the duration and depth of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The CARES Act authorized the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) to temporarily guarantee loans under a new 7(a) program called the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). PPP loans have: (a) an interest rate of 1.0%, (b) a five-year loan term to maturity for loans made on or after June 5, 2020 (loans made prior to June 5, 2020 have a two-year term, however borrowers and lenders may mutually agree to extend the maturity for such loans to five years); and (c) principal and interest payments deferred for six months from the date of disbursement. The SBA will guarantee 100% of the PPP loans made to eligible borrowers. The entire principal amount of the borrower’s PPP loan, including any accrued interest, is eligible to be forgiven under the PPP if employee and compensation levels of the business are maintained and 60% of the loan proceeds are used for payroll expenses, with the remaining 40% of the loan proceeds used for other qualifying expenses.
As a qualified SBA lender, the Bank was automatically authorized to originate loans under the PPP. During 2020, the Bank received and processed 113 PPP applications totaling $10.5 million. The Bank participated in the second round of PPP loans and during the first half of 2021, the Bank received and processed 54 PPP applications totaling $6.9 million. The Bank had $1.4 million in outstanding PPP loans at March 31, 2022.
Comparison of Financial Condition at March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021
Total Assets. Total assets increased $13.3 million, or 1.6%, from December 31, 2021 to $850.7 million at March 31, 2022 primarily due to purchase of investment securities. The increase in assets reflected a $49.8 million, or 118.9%, increase in securities available for sale and a $7.3 million or 9.8%, increase in securities held to maturity, offset by a $36.0 million, or 34.3%, decrease in cash and cash equivalents and a $5.8 million, or 1.0%, decrease in net loans.
Cash and Cash Equivalents. Total cash and cash equivalents decreased $36.0 million, or 34.3%, to $69.1 million at March 31, 2022 from $105.1 million at December 31, 2021. The decrease was primarily due to $65.5 million of investment security purchases during the three months ended March 31, 2022.
30
Securities Available for Sale. Total securities available for sale increased $49.8 million, or 118.9%, to $91.6 million at March 31, 2022 from $41.8 million at December 31, 2021. The increase was due to $54.2 million purchases of mortgage-backed securities and corporate bonds with excess cash. The increase in securities available for sale reflected a $10.6 million increase in corporate bonds, a $5.1 million increase in U.S. treasury bills, a $2.8 million increase in U.S. government agency obligations, and a $49.1 million increase in mortgage-backed securities.
Securities Held to Maturity. Total securities held to maturity increased $7.3 million, or 9.8%, to $81.3 million at March 31, 2022 from $74.1 million at December 31, 2021, primarily due to $11.4 million in purchases of securities which was offset by repayments in mortgage-backed securities. The increase in securities held to maturity reflected a $929,000 decrease in corporate bonds, a $10.0 million increase in U.S. government agency obligations, a $2,000 decrease in municipal bonds and a $1.8 million decrease in mortgage-backed securities.
Net Loans. Net loans decreased $5.8 million, or 1.0%, to $564.4 million at March 31, 2022 from $570.2 million at December 31, 2021. The decrease was due to a $4.4 million, or 55.8%, decrease in commercial and industrial loans to $3.5 million at March 31, 2022 from $7.9 million as of December 31, 2021, a decrease of $3.3 million, or 1.0%, in one-to four-residential real estate loans to $316.7 million at March 31, 2022 from $320.0 million at December 31, 2021, and a decrease of $2.2 million, or 7.8%, in consumer loans to $25.6 million at March 31, 2022 from $27.7 million at December 31, 2021. This was partially offset by an increase of $1.9 million, or 1.1%, increase in commercial and multi-family real estate loans to $177.2 million at March 31, 2022 from $175.4 million at December 31, 2021, and an increase of $2.3 million, or 5.4%, in construction loans to $43.6 million at March 31, 2022 from $41.4 million at December 31, 2021. The decrease in commercial and industrial loans was due to the forgiveness and repayment of $9.2 million in PPP loans that were originated in 2020 and 2021. As of March 31, 2022, the Bank had $450,000 in loans held for sale compared $1.2 million loans held for sale as of December 31, 2021.
Deposits. Total deposits increased $22.5 million, or 3.8%, to $619.9 million at March 31, 2022 from $597.5 million at December 31, 2021 reflecting a new $20.0 million interest bearing checking municipal relationship. The increase in deposits reflected an increase in interest-bearing deposits of $18.8 million, or 3.4%, to $577.0 million as of March 31, 2022 from $558.2 million at December 31, 2021 and an increase in non-interest bearing deposits of $3.6 million, or 9.2%, to $42.9 million as of March 31, 2022 from $39.3 million as of December 31, 2021.
At March 31, 2022, municipal deposits totaled $49.1 million, which represented 7.9% of total deposits, and brokered deposits totaled $54.7 million, which represented 8.8% of total deposits. At December 31, 2021, municipal deposits totaled $31.5 million, which represented 5.3% of total deposits, and brokered deposits totaled $52.9 million, which represented 7.5% of total deposits.
Borrowings. Federal Home Loan Bank of New York borrowings decreased $7.0 million, or 8.3%, to $78.0 million at March 31, 2022 from $85.1 million at December 31, 2021, as short-term advances decreased $6.0 million and repayments of long-term advances were $1.0 million. The weighted average rate of borrowings was 1.80% and 1.69% as of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively.
Total Equity. Stockholders’ equity decreased $2.6 million to $145.0 million, primarily due increased accumulated other comprehensive loss for securities available for sale of $2.4 million and the repurchase of 182,001 shares of stock during the quarter at a cost of $1.9 million, offset by $1.4 million of net income for the three months ended March 31, 2022. At March 31, 2022, the Company’s ratio of average stockholders’ equity-to-total assets was 17.35%, compared to 17.55% at December 31, 2021.
31
Average Balance Sheets and Related Yields and Rates
The following tables present information regarding average balances of assets and liabilities, the total dollar amounts of interest income and dividends from average interest-earning assets, the total dollar amounts of interest expense on average interest-bearing liabilities, and the resulting annualized average yields and costs. The yields and costs for the periods indicated are derived by dividing income or expense by the average balances of assets or liabilities, respectively, for the periods presented. Average balances have been calculated using daily balances. Nonaccrual loans are included in average balances only. Loan fees are included in interest income on loans and are not material.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended March 31, |
|
|
|
2022 |
|
|
2021 |
|
|
|
Average Balance |
|
|
Interest and Dividends |
|
|
Yield/ Cost (3) |
|
|
Average Balance |
|
|
Interest and Dividends |
|
|
Yield/ Cost (3) |
|
|
|
(Dollars in thousands) |
|
Assets: |
|
(unaudited) |
|
Cash and cash equivalents |
|
$ |
71,541 |
|
|
$ |
29 |
|
|
|
0.17 |
% |
|
$ |
88,314 |
|
|
$ |
49 |
|
|
|
0.23 |
% |
Loans |
|
|
571,827 |
|
|
|
5,537 |
|
|
|
3.90 |
% |
|
|
574,071 |
|
|
|
5,465 |
|
|
|
3.81 |
% |
Securities |
|
|
138,798 |
|
|
|
658 |
|
|
|
1.90 |
% |
|
|
74,842 |
|
|
|
686 |
|
|
|
3.72 |
% |
Other interest-earning assets |
|
|
4,834 |
|
|
|
55 |
|
|
|
4.50 |
% |
|
|
6,039 |
|
|
|
74 |
|
|
|
4.97 |
% |
Total interest-earning assets |
|
|
787,000 |
|
|
|
6,279 |
|
|
|
3.21 |
% |
|
|
743,266 |
|
|
|
6,274 |
|
|
|
3.42 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-interest-earning assets |
|
|
50,802 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
32,171 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total assets |
|
$ |
837,802 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
775,437 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liabilities and equity: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NOW and money market accounts |
|
$ |
143,453 |
|
|
$ |
220 |
|
|
|
0.62 |
% |
|
$ |
90,461 |
|
|
$ |
109 |
|
|
|
0.49 |
% |
Savings accounts |
|
|
66,583 |
|
|
|
43 |
|
|
|
0.26 |
% |
|
|
41,892 |
|
|
|
22 |
|
|
|
0.21 |
% |
Certificates of deposit |
|
|
351,027 |
|
|
|
563 |
|
|
|
0.65 |
% |
|
|
367,036 |
|
|
|
1,133 |
|
|
|
1.25 |
% |
Total interest-bearing deposits |
|
|
561,063 |
|
|
|
826 |
|
|
|
0.60 |
% |
|
|
499,389 |
|
|
|
1,264 |
|
|
|
1.03 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Federal Home Loan Bank advances |
|
|
82,280 |
|
|
|
330 |
|
|
|
1.63 |
% |
|
|
104,449 |
|
|
|
431 |
|
|
|
1.67 |
% |
Total interest-bearing liabilities |
|
|
643,343 |
|
|
|
1,156 |
|
|
|
0.73 |
% |
|
|
603,838 |
|
|
|
1,695 |
|
|
|
1.14 |
% |
Non-interest-bearing deposits |
|
|
42,936 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
27,502 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other non-interest-bearing liabilities |
|
|
5,265 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10,307 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total liabilities |
|
|
691,544 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
641,647 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total equity |
|
|
146,258 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
133,790 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total liabilities and equity |
|
$ |
837,802 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
775,437 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net interest income |
|
|
|
|
$ |
5,123 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
4,579 |
|
|
|
|
Interest rate spread (1) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.48 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.28 |
% |
Net interest margin (2) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.64 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.50 |
% |
Average interest-earning assets to average interest-bearing liabilities |
|
|
122.33 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
123.09 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1)Interest rate spread represents the difference between the weighted average yield on interest-earning assets and the weighted average cost of interest-bearing liabilities.
(2)Net interest margin represents net interest income divided by average total interest-earning assets.
32
Rate/Volume Analysis
The following table sets forth the effects of changing rates and volumes on net interest income. The rate column shows the effects attributable to changes in rate (changes in rate multiplied by prior volume). The volume column shows the effects attributable to changes in volume (changes in volume multiplied by prior rate). The net column represents the sum of the prior columns. Changes attributable to changes in both rate and volume that cannot be segregated have been allocated proportionally based on the changes due to rate and the changes due to volume.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended March 31, 2022 Compared to Three Months Ended March 31, 2021 |
|
|
|
Increase (Decrease) Due to |
|
|
|
Volume |
|
|
Rate |
|
|
Net |
|
|
|
(In thousands) |
|
Interest income: |
|
(unaudited) |
|
Cash and cash equivalents |
|
$ |
(8 |
) |
|
$ |
(12 |
) |
|
$ |
(20 |
) |
Loans receivable |
|
|
(136 |
) |
|
|
208 |
|
|
|
72 |
|
Securities |
|
|
1,715 |
|
|
|
(1,743 |
) |
|
|
(28 |
) |
Other interest earning assets |
|
|
(13 |
) |
|
|
(6 |
) |
|
|
(19 |
) |
Total interest-earning assets |
|
|
1,558 |
|
|
|
(1,553 |
) |
|
|
5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest expense: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NOW and money market accounts |
|
|
76 |
|
|
|
35 |
|
|
|
111 |
|
Savings accounts |
|
|
15 |
|
|
|
6 |
|
|
|
21 |
|
Certificates of deposit |
|
|
(47 |
) |
|
|
(523 |
) |
|
|
(570 |
) |
Federal Home Loan Bank advances |
|
|
(91 |
) |
|
|
(10 |
) |
|
|
(101 |
) |
Total interest-bearing liabilities |
|
|
(47 |
) |
|
|
(492 |
) |
|
|
(539 |
) |
Net increase (decrease) in net interest income |
|
$ |
1,605 |
|
|
$ |
(1,061 |
) |
|
$ |
544 |
|
Comparison of Operating Results for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2021
General. Net income decreased by $1.6 million, or 53.4%, to $1.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022 from $3.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021. The decrease was due to a decrease in non-interest income of $2.0 million offset by an increase in net interest income of $544 thousand. Excluding the one-time bargain purchase gain of $1.9 million that occurred in 2021 in connection with the Gibraltar Bank acquisition, net income would have increased $300,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2022 as compared to the comparable period in 2021.
Interest Income. Interest income increased $5,000, or 0.1%, to $6.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022. The increase reflected a $43.7 million increase in the average balance of interest-earnings assets, offset by a 21 basis points decrease in the average yield on interest-earning assets to 3.21% for the three months ended March 31, 2022 from 3.42% for the three months ended March 31, 2021.
Interest income on cash and cash equivalents decreased $20,000, or 40.8%, to $29,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2022 from $49,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2021 due to a six basis point decrease in the average yield on cash and cash equivalents from 0.23% for the three months ended March 31, 2021 to 0.17% for the three months ended March 31, 2022 due to the lower interest rate environment. The decrease was also due to a $16.8 million decrease in the average balance of cash and cash equivalents to $71.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022 from $88.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021, reflecting excess liquidity as deposit growth exceeded loan growth.
Interest income on loans increased $72,000, or 1.3%, to $5.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022 from $5.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 due to a nine basis point increase in the average yield on loans from 3.81% for the three months ended March 31, 2021 to 3.90% for the three months ended March 31, 2022, offset by a $2.2 million decrease in the average balance of loans to $571.8 million for the three months ended
33
March 31, 2022 from $574.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021. The decrease in the average balance of loans reflected a higher repayment rate of residential loans.
Interest income on securities decreased $28,000, or 4.1%, to $658,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2022 from $686,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2021 due to a 182 basis point decrease in the average yield from 3.72% for the three months ended March 31, 2021 to 1.90% for the three months ended March 31, 2022. The decrease was offset by a $64.0 million increase in the average balance of securities to $138.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022 from $74.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021, reflecting the purchase of investments with excess liquidity as deposit growth exceeded loan growth.
Interest Expense. Interest expense decreased $539,000, or 31.8%, to $1.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022 from $1.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022. The decrease primarily reflected a 41 basis point decrease in the average cost of interest-bearing liabilities to 0.73% for the three months ended March 31, 2022 from 1.14% for the three months ended March 31, 2021.
Interest expense on interest-bearing deposits decreased $438,000, or 34.6%, to $826,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2022 from $1.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021. The decrease was due primarily to a 43 basis point decrease in the average cost of interest-bearing deposits to 0.60% for the three months ended March 31, 2022 from 1.03% for the three months ended March 31, 2021. The decrease in the average cost of deposits was due to the lower interest rate environment and an increase in the average balance of lower-cost transaction accounts and a decrease in the average balance of higher cost certificates of deposit. This decrease was offset by a $61.7 million increase in the average balance of deposits to $561.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022 from $499.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021.
Interest expense on Federal Home Loan Bank borrowings decreased $101,000, or 23.5%, from $431,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2021 to $330,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2022. The decrease was due to a decrease in the average cost of borrowings of four basis point to 1.63% for the three months ended March 31, 2022 from 1.67% for the three months ended March 31, 2021 due to the lower interest environment and a decrease in the average balance of borrowings of $22.2 million to $82.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022 from $104.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022.
Net Interest Income. Net interest income increased $544,000, or 11.9%, to $5.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022 from $4.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021. The increase reflected a 20 basis point increase in our net interest rate spread to 2.48% for the three months ended March 31, 2022 from 2.28% for the three months ended March 31, 2021. Our net interest margin increased 14 basis points to 2.64% for the three months ended March 31, 2022 from 2.50% for the three months ended March 31, 2021.
Provision for Loan Losses. We recorded no provision for loan losses for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and recorded a $59,000 credit for the three-month period ended March 31, 2021. Lower balances of residential loans, a more positive economic environment and continued strong asset quality metrics were the reasons for the absence of a provision during the three months ended March 31, 2022. The Bank continues to have a low level of delinquent and non-accrual loans in the portfolio, as well as no charge-offs. Non-performing assets were $1.9 million, or 0.23% of total assets, at March 31, 2022. The allowance for loan losses was $2.2 million, or 0.38% of loans outstanding and 111.8% of nonperforming loans, at March 31, 2022.
Non-Interest Income. Non-interest income decreased by $2.0 million or 85.1%, to $344,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2022 from $2.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021. Gain on sale of loans decreased $149,000 offset by a $66,000 increase in bank-owned life insurance. The decrease was primarily due to a $1.9 million decrease in bargain purchase gain recognized in the Gibraltar acquisition in 2021.
Non-Interest Expense. For the three months ended March 31, 2022, non-interest expense increased $109,000, or 3.2%, to $3.5 million, over the comparable 2021 period. Salaries and employee benefits increased $524,000, or 34.1%, attributable to adding the new Gibraltar employees and the new Hasbrouck Heights branch office. Data processing expense increased $70,000, or 33.6%, due to higher data processing expense from the merger. Professional fees decreased $115,000, or 44.3%, due in part to lower legal expense associated with the merger in 2021. The increase of other general operating expenses was mainly due to increase occupancy costs for the acquired Gibraltar Bank branches and the new Hasbrouck Heights branch office.
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Income Tax Expense. Income tax expense increased $7,000, or 1.4%, to $525,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2022 from $518,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2021. The increase was due to $109,000 of higher taxable income.
Management of Market Risk
General. The majority of our assets and liabilities are monetary in nature. Consequently, our most significant form of market risk is interest rate risk. Our assets, consisting primarily of loans, have longer maturities than our liabilities, consisting primarily of deposits. As a result, a principal part of our business strategy is to manage our exposure to changes in market interest rates. Accordingly, our board of directors has established an Asset/Liability Management Committee (the “ALCO”), which is comprised of three members of executive management and two independent directors, which oversees the asset/liability management processes and related procedures. The ALCO meets on at least a quarterly basis and reviews asset/liability strategies, liquidity positions, alternative funding sources, interest rate risk measurement reports, capital levels and economic trends at both national and local levels. Our interest rate risk position is also monitored quarterly by the board of directors.
We manage our interest rate risk to minimize the exposure of our earnings and capital to changes in market interest rates. We have implemented the following strategies to manage our interest rate risk: originating and purchasing loans with adjustable interest rates; promoting core deposit products; monitoring the length of our borrowings with the Federal Home Loan Bank and brokered deposits depending on the interest rate environment; maintaining a portion of our investments as available-for-sale; diversifying our loan portfolio; and strengthening our capital position. By following these strategies, we believe that we are better positioned to react to changes in market interest rates.
Net Portfolio Value Simulation. We analyze our sensitivity to changes in interest rates through a net portfolio value of equity (“NPV”) model. NPV represents the present value of the expected cash flows from our assets less the present value of the expected cash flows arising from our liabilities, adjusted for the value of off-balance sheet contracts. The NPV ratio represents the dollar amount of our NPV divided by the present value of our total assets for a given interest rate scenario. NPV attempts to quantify our economic value using a discounted cash flow methodology while the NPV ratio reflects that value as a form of capital ratio. We estimate what our NPV would be at a specific date. We then calculate what the NPV would be at the same date throughout a series of interest rate scenarios representing immediate and permanent, parallel shifts in the yield curve. We currently calculate NPV under the assumptions that interest rates increase 100, 200, 300 and 400 basis points from current market rates and that interest rates decrease 100 points from current market rates.
The following table presents the estimated changes in our net portfolio value that would result from changes in market interest rates as March 31, 2022. All estimated changes presented in the table are within the policy limits approved by the board of directors.
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NPV |
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|
NPV as Percent of Portfolio Value of Assets |
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|
(Dollars in thousands) |
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|
Basis Point (“bp”) Change in Interest Rates |
|
Dollar Amount |
|
|
Dollar Change |
|
|
Percent Change |
|
|
NPV Ratio |
|
|
Change |
|
400 bp |
|
$ |
126,690 |
|
|
$ |
517 |
|
|
|
0.48 |
% |
|
|
16.86 |
% |
|
|
(20.43 |
)% |
300 bp |
|
|
131,826 |
|
|
|
5,653 |
|
|
|
4.48 |
|
|
|
17.07 |
|
|
|
14.33 |
|
200 bp |
|
|
134,625 |
|
|
|
8,452 |
|
|
|
6.70 |
|
|
|
16.93 |
|
|
|
13.40 |
|
100 bp |
|
|
133,559 |
|
|
|
7,386 |
|
|
|
5.85 |
|
|
|
16.30 |
|
|
|
9.18 |
|
— |
|
|
126,173 |
|
|
|
— |
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|
|
— |
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|
|
14.93 |
|
|
|
|
(100) bp |
|
|
127,641 |
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|
|
1,468 |
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|
1.16 |
|
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|
14.68 |
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|
(1.67 |
) |
35
Certain shortcomings are inherent in the methodologies used in the above interest rate risk measurements. Modeling changes require making certain assumptions that may or may not reflect the manner in which actual yields and costs respond to changes in market interest rates. The above table assumes that the composition of our interest-sensitive assets and liabilities existing at the date indicated remains constant uniformly across the yield curve regardless of the duration or repricing of specific assets and liabilities. Accordingly, although the table provides an indication of our interest rate risk exposure at a particular point in time, such measurements are not intended to and do not provide a precise forecast of the effect of changes in market interest rates on our NPV and will differ from actual results.
Net Interest Income Analysis. We also use income simulation to measure interest rate risk inherent in our balance sheet at a given point in time by showing the effect on net interest income, over specified time frames and using different interest rate shocks and ramps. The assumptions include management’s best assessment of the effect of changing interest rates on the prepayment speeds of certain assets and liabilities, projections for account balances in each of the product lines offered and the historical behavior of deposit rates and balances in relation to changes in interest rates. These assumptions are subject to change, and as a result, the model is not expected to precisely measure net interest income or precisely predict the impact of fluctuations in interest rates on net interest income. Actual results will differ from the simulated results due to timing, magnitude, and frequency of interest rate changes as well as changes in the balance sheet composition and market conditions. Assumptions are supported with quarterly back testing of the model to actual market rate shifts.
As of March 31, 2022, net interest income simulation results indicated that its exposure over one year to changing interest rates was within our guidelines. The following table presents the estimated impact of interest rate changes on our estimated net interest income over one year:
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|
|
Changes in Interest Rates (basis points)(1) |
|
Change in Net Interest Income Year One (% change from year one base) |
400 |
|
(7.92)% |
300 |
|
(5.99) |
200 |
|
(4.09) |
100 |
|
(1.94) |
— |
|
— |
(100) |
|
(0.17) |
(1)The calculated change in net interest income assumes an instantaneous parallel shift of the yield curve.
The preceding simulation analyses does not represent a forecast of actual results and should not be relied upon as being indicative of expected operating results. These hypothetical estimates are based upon numerous assumptions, which are subject to change, including: the nature and timing of interest rate levels including the yield curve shape, prepayments on loans and securities, deposit decay rates, pricing decisions on loans and deposits, reinvestment/replacement of asset and liability cash flows, and others. Also, as market conditions vary, prepayment/refinancing levels, the varying impact of interest rate changes on caps and floors embedded in adjustable-rate loans, early withdrawal of deposits, changes in product preferences, and other internal/external variables will likely deviate from those assumed.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Liquidity. Liquidity describes our ability to meet the financial obligations that arise in the ordinary course of business. Liquidity is primarily needed to meet the borrowing and deposit withdrawal requirements of our customers and to fund current and planned expenditures. Our primary sources of funds are deposits, principal and interest payments on loans and securities and proceeds from calls, maturities and sales of securities and sales of loans. We also have the ability to borrow from the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York. At March 31, 2022, we had the ability to borrow up to $243.5 million, of which $78.0 million was outstanding and $1.5 million was utilized as collateral for letters of credit issued to secure municipal deposits. At March 31, 2022, we had $51.0 million in unsecured lines of credit with four correspondent banks with no outstanding balance.
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The board of directors is responsible for establishing and monitoring our liquidity targets and strategies in order to ensure that sufficient liquidity exists for meeting the borrowing needs and deposit withdrawals of our customers as well as unanticipated contingencies. We believe that we had enough sources of liquidity to satisfy our short- and long-term liquidity needs as of March 31, 2022.
While maturities and scheduled amortization of loans and securities are predictable sources of funds, deposit flows and loan prepayments are greatly influenced by market interest rates, economic conditions, and competition. Our most liquid assets are cash and cash equivalents. The levels of these assets are dependent on our operating, financing, lending and investing activities during any period. At March 31, 2022, cash and cash equivalents totaled $69.1 million. Securities classified as available-for-sale, which provide additional sources of liquidity, totaled $91.6 million at March 31, 2022.
We are committed to maintaining a strong liquidity position. We monitor our liquidity position on a daily basis. We anticipate we will have sufficient funds to meet our current funding commitments. Certificates of deposit due within one year of March 31, 2022 totaled $229.0 million, or 36.9% of total deposits. If these deposits do not remain with us, we will be required to seek other sources of funds, including other deposits and Federal Home Loan Bank of New York advances. Depending on market conditions, we may be required to pay higher rates on such deposits or borrowings than we currently pay. We believe, however, based on past experience that a significant portion of such deposits will remain with us. We have the ability to attract and retain deposits by adjusting the interest rates offered.
Capital Resources. We are subject to various regulatory capital requirements administered by the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. At March 31, 2022, we exceeded all applicable regulatory capital requirements, and were considered “well capitalized” under regulatory guidelines. As a result of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act, as modified in April 2020, the federal banking agencies were required to develop a “Community Bank Leverage Ratio” (the ratio of a bank's Tier 1 “equity capital to average total consolidated assets) for financial institutions with less than $10 billion. A “qualifying community bank” with capital exceeding 9% will be considered compliant with all applicable regulatory capital and leverage requirements, including the capital requirements to be considered "well capitalized” under Prompt Corrective Action statutes. As a result of the CARES Act, the ratio was temporarily reduced to 8% for calendar year 2020 and 8.5% for calendar year 2021 in response to COVID-19. As of March 31, 2022, the Bank is reporting as a qualifying community bank with a ratio of 17.67%.