Provision for Credit Losses on Loans. The Company recognized a provision for credit losses on loans in the amount of $39,000 and a release of credit losses of $122,000 for the three-month periods ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The increase in the allowance for the three-month period ended September 30, 2022, compared to the three-month period ended September 30, 2021, is due to a $350,000 increase in net charge offs, offset by a $29.4 million decrease in the reservable balance of the loan portfolio (excluding PPP loans) and an 0.07% decrease in the current expected credit loss percentage. The Company recognized a release of allowance for credit losses on loans in the amount of $178,000 and $593,000 for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The decrease in the release for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2022, compared to the nine-month period ended September 30, 2021, is due to a $350,000 increase in net charge offs, offset by a $29.4 million decrease in the reservable balance of the loan portfolio (excluding PPP loans) and an 0.07% decrease in the current expected credit loss percentage. As of September 30, 2022, the allowance for credit losses represented 1.17% of total loans compared to 1.24% at September 30, 2021.
Noninterest Income. Noninterest income decreased to $317,000 for the three-month period ended September 30, 2022, from $359,000 for the corresponding period in 2021, a decrease of $42,000, or 11.70%. The decrease was primarily due to decreases in other fees and commissions. Noninterest income decreased to $832,000 for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2022, from $886,000 for the corresponding period in 2021, a decreased of $54,000, or 6.09%. The decrease was primarily due to decreases in other fees and commissions and lower gains on the sale of other real estate.
Noninterest Expenses. Noninterest expenses for the three-month period ended September 30, 2022 and 2021 were $2.9 million and $2.7 million, respectively, an increase of $229,000 or 8.52%. The increase was driven by decreases in salary and employee benefits and FDIC insurance costs, offset by increases in legal, accounting, data processing and item processing services, loan collection costs and other expenses. Noninterest expenses increased from $8.3 million for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2021, to $8.5 million for the corresponding period in 2022, an increase of $229,000. The increase was driven by increases in legal, accounting, and other professional fees, and other expenses, offset by decreases in salary and employee benefits cost, FDIC insurance costs, loan collection costs and telephone costs.
Income Taxes. During the three-month period ended September 30, 2022, the Company recorded income tax expense of $20,000 compared to $242,000 for the same period in 2021, a $222,000, or 91.70%, decrease. During the nine-month period ended September 30, 2022, the Company recorded income tax expense of $76,000 compared to $439,000 expense for the same period in 2021, a $363,000, or 82.69%, decrease. The Company’s annualized effective tax rate at September 30, 2022 was 9.06% compared to 18.29% for the prior year. The decrease in income tax expense was due to lower income before taxes at September 30, 2022, compared to September 30, 2021.
Comprehensive Income (Loss). In accordance with regulatory requirements, the Company reports comprehensive income (loss) in its financial statements. Comprehensive income (loss) consists of the Company’s net income, adjusted for unrealized gains and losses on the Bank’s portfolio of investment securities and interest rate swap contracts. For the third quarter of 2022, comprehensive loss, net of tax, totaled $6,668,000 compared to a loss in the amount of $182,000 for the same period in 2021. The decrease was due to higher unrealized losses on available for sale securities, offset by higher net unrealized gains on interest rate swaps. For the nine months ended September 30, 2022, comprehensive loss, net of tax, totaled $20,604,000 compared to a comprehensive gain, net of tax, in the amount of $97,000 for the same period in 2021. The decrease was due to lower net income and higher unrealized losses on available for sale securities, offset by higher net unrealized gains on interest rate swaps.
FINANCIAL CONDITION
General. The Company’s assets decreased to $415.6 million at September 30, 2022 from $442.1 million at December 31, 2021, a decrease of $26.4 million or 5.98%, primarily due to an $8.0 million decrease in cash and cash equivalents, a $10.9 million decrease in investment securities available for sale, and a $16.1 million decrease and loans, net, offset by an $8.2 million increase in deferred tax assets, net. Loans totaled $191.8 million at September 30, 2022, a decrease of $16.1 million or 7.75%, from $207.9 million at December 31, 2021. The decrease was primarily attributable to decreases in commercial loans, commercial and industrial loans, consumer, and automobile loans, offset by an