Comparison of Operating Results for the Three and Nine Months Ended December 31, 2025 and 2024
General. Net income was $1.2 million for the three months ended December 31, 2025, compared to $951,000 for the same period in 2024. For the nine months ended December 31, 2025, net income was $3.0 million, compared to net income of $2.8 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2024.
Interest and Dividend Income. Interest and dividend income increased $924,000, or 14.8%, to $7.2 million for the three months ended December 31, 2025, compared to $6.2 million for the same period in 2024. The increase was primarily driven by higher yields on interest-earning assets and loan growth. These increases were partially offset by lower income on interest‑earning cash balances, including Federal funds sold, due to both lower average balances and lower short‑term market rates.
Interest income on loans increased $926,000, or 16.4%, to $6.6 million for the three months ended December 31, 2025 from $5.6 million for the same period in 2024. The average balance of loans rose $26.0 million, or 6.5%, to $422.6 million from $396.6 million. Yield on loans increased 52 basis points to 6.22% from 5.70%, reflecting loan growth and the repricing of existing loans.
Interest income on securities increased $29,000, or 5.5%, to $558,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2025 from $529,000 for the same period in 2024, due to a 13 basis point increase in average yield to 3.76% from 3.63%. The average balance of securities increased slightly to $59.4 million from $58.3 million.
Interest and dividend income increased $2.2 million, or 12.2%, to $20.5 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2025 from $18.3 million in 2024. These increases were partially offset by lower income on interest‑earning cash balances, including Federal funds sold, due to both lower average balances and lower short‑term market rates.
Interest income on loans increased $2.1 million, or 12.7%, to $18.7 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2025 from $16.6 million for the same period in 2024. The average balance of loans rose $22.0 million, or 5.6%, to $412.1 million from $390.1 million. Yield on loans increased 38 basis points to 6.04% from 5.66%. The increase in yield was driven by loan growth and the repricing of existing loans during the period.
Interest income on securities increased $124,000, or 7.8%, to $1.7 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2025 from $1.6 million for the same period in 2024, due to a 23 basis point increase in the average yield to 3.80% from 3.57%. The average balance of securities increased slightly to $60.2 million from $59.6 million.
Interest Expense. Interest expense increased $201,000, or 9.5%, to $2.3 million for the three months ended December 31, 2025, compared to $2.1 million for the same period in 2024. While average yields on certificates of deposit, IRAs and money market accounts decreased, rates on savings and NOW accounts were higher.
Interest expense on deposits increased $179,000, or 8.5%, to $2.3 million for the three months ended December 31, 2025, compared to $2.1 million for the same period in 2024. The increase was driven by higher average balances across all interest-bearing accounts, except NOW accounts and increased yields on savings and NOW accounts, partially offset by lower yields on certificates of deposit, IRAs and money market accounts.
Interest expense increased $455,000, or 7.4%, to $6.6 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2025, compared to $6.2 million for the same period in 2024. The increase was driven entirely by higher deposit costs. Interest expense on deposits increased $495,000, or 8.2%, to $6.5 million, reflecting higher average balances and increased rates on savings, money market, and NOW accounts, partially offset by lower yields on certificates of deposit and IRAs.
Total interest expense grew by less than the increase in deposit interest expense, indicating that interest expense on borrowings declined during the period. This decrease in borrowing costs partially offset the rise in deposit costs and contributed to keeping the overall increase in total interest expense below the growth in deposit-related expense.
Interest expense on deposits increased $495,000, or 8.2%, to $6.5 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2025, compared to $6.1 million for the same period in 2024. The increase was due to higher average balances and increased yields on savings, money market, and NOW accounts, offset by lower yields on certificates of deposit and IRAs.
Net Interest Income. Net interest income before provision for credit losses increased $723,000, or 17.5%, to $4.9 million for the three months ended December 31, 2025 compared to $4.1 million for the same period in 2024.
Our interest rate spread increased 46 basis points to 3.24% for the three months ended December 31, 2025, compared to 2.78% for the same period in 2024. Our net interest margin increased 43 basis points to 3.98% for the three months ended December 31, 2025 compared to 3.55% for the same period in 2024.