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Local banks continued to reduce the provision for loan losses in the first quarter in a sign that pandemic-related credit concerns continue to stabilize.
Brockton-based HarborOne Bank made a provision for credit losses in the first quarter, but it was not directly related to COVID-19, the bank said in a statement announcing its first quarter earnings. HarborOne’s first quarter provision for loan losses was $91,000 compared to $7.6 million for the fourth quarter and $3.7 million in the first quarter of 2020.
The first quarter provision for loan losses for the quarter ended March 31, 2021 included adjustments based on our quarterly analysis of our historical and peer loss experience rates and commercial loan growth. HarborOne said that the provision it made in the fourth quarter had included adjustments to its quarterly analysis of historical and peer loss experience rates, commercial real estate loan growth, and a $1.7 million provision related to estimated losses from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Given stabilized credit quality trends, we made no additional provision directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic in the first quarter of 2021 as loan deferrals have largely expired without significant delinquency issues, and trends in the at-risk portfolios remained positive,” the bank said in the statement.
HarborOne’s first quarter net income was $19.4 million, or $0.37 per basic and diluted share, compared to $17.6 million, or $0.33 per basic and diluted share, in the fourth quarter and $4.7 million, or $0.09 per basic and diluted share, in the first quarter of 2020.
Enterprise Bank’s first quarter provision for credit losses was $680,000 compared to $6.1 million in the first quarter of 2020. The bank said the first quarter provision resulted from an increase in specific reserves and a change in loan mix, which was partially offset by a slight decrease in core loans during the period.
Enterprise Bank had first quarter net income of $10.4 million, or $0.86 per diluted common share, compared to $4 million, or $0.34 per diluted common share, in the first quarter of 2020.
The Provident Bank had a first quarter provision for loan losses of $753,000 compared to $3.1 million in the first quarter of 2020. The bank said the changes in the provision were based on an assessment of economic conditions, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, loan portfolio growth and composition changes, historical charge-off trends, levels of problem loans and other asset quality trends.
Provident had first quarter net income of $4.3 million, or $0.24 per diluted share, compared to $1.2 million, or $0.07 per diluted share, for the same quarter last year.
“I am very proud of our first quarter’s financial results and am encouraged by the increase in economic activity we are currently seeing and expect to continue to see as more people are vaccinated against COVID-19 and businesses are able to return to normal operations,” Provident’s CEO David Mansfield said in a statement.
