The Company’s efficiency ratio was 50.1% for the three months ended June 30, 2026, as compared to 47.6% in 2025, notwithstanding our continued investment in resources (both technology and people) to support future growth, lead acquisition initiatives, excellence in client service, enhanced risk management, and costs associated with our flagship Los Angeles branch. The adjusted(1) efficiency ratio was 47.6% excluding the previously noted $1.1 million in merger related costs.
The effective tax rate was 28.4% for the second quarter of 2026, as compared to 22.0% in the prior year quarter. The increase was primarily due to certain discrete tax benefits related to share-based compensation in the prior year quarter.
Year-to-Date 2026 vs. 2025
Net income for the six months ended June 30, 2026 was $25.2 million, or $2.89 per diluted share, compared to $23.3 million, or $2.70 per diluted share for the same period in 2025. Returns on average assets and equity for the current six months were 2.10% and 16.94%, respectively, compared to 2.38% and 18.93% for the same period of 2025. Excluding after-tax merger costs and accelerated stock compensation expense totaling $2.5 million, adjusted(1) net income, diluted earnings per share, return on average assets, and return on average common equity were $27.7 million, $3.18, 2.31% and 18.64%, respectively.
Net interest income increased $12.9 million, or 22.7%, to $69.8 million, due to growth in average interest earning assets totaling $430.6 million, or 22.5%, to $2.34 billion, funded with low-cost core deposits from our regional business development teams and existing relationship banking efforts. Our net interest margin increased 1 basis point to 6.00%, led by growth in higher yielding commercial loan production nationally. Average loan yields decreased 2 basis points to 7.82% while average loans increased $395.6 million, or 27.7%, to $1.82 billion (average litigation related loan growth totaling $380.3 million, or 44.5%). Loan interest income increased $15.1 million, or 27.2%, to $70.7 million with $15.3 million related to growth in average loan volumes, led by litigation related commercial growth, offset by $192 thousand due to a decrease in average loan rates. Average securities decreased $1.8 million to $328.6 million with yields increasing 5 basis points to 3.82%. Average deposits increased $388.6 million, or 22.7%, to $2.10 billion, led by increases in litigation related escrow or IOLTA, commercial money market, and noninterest bearing commercial demand deposits totaling $256.9 million, $92.8 million, and $30.5 million, respectively. Our cost of deposits, including noninterest bearing demand deposits, increased 5 basis points to 1.01% due to changes in deposit composition.
The provision for credit losses was $5.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026, a $575 thousand increase from the comparable period in 2025, primarily due to management’s revaluation of credit risk in our loan portfolio subsequent to certain charge-offs and related credit downgrades in both periods, offset by provisioning for primarily commercial loan growth. In 2026, there were $4.7 million in charge-offs related to two multifamily loans to the same sponsor. As of June 30, 2026, our allowance to loans ratio was 1.30%. Based on management’s evaluation of current credit risk in our commercial real estate and commercial portfolios, management believes the allowance for credit losses is adequate at June 30, 2026.
Noninterest income totaled $12.8 million in the current six months, an increase of $110 thousand from the same period in 2025. Payment processing income was $10.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026, an increase of $250 thousand from the same period in 2025 as growth in payment processing income has been muted, primarily due to changes in our overall merchant risk profile and merchant composition. Payment processing volumes for the credit and debit card processing platform increased $854.3 million, or 4.4%, to $20.2 billion while transaction volume totaled 289.9 million for the current six months. ASP fees totaled $2.2 million, an increase of $706 thousand from the same period in 2025, a direct result of the average balance of OBS sweep funds. During the second quarter 2025, we recognized a $432 thousand gain on the sale of a fintech investment.
Noninterest expense increased $8.0 million, or 23.5%, to $41.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026. This was primarily due to increases in employee compensation and benefits, merger related costs, data processing, advertising and marketing, and occupancy and equipment costs. Employee compensation and benefits costs increased $4.5 million, or 22.4%, primarily due to increases in year-end salaries, stock grants and related stock-based compensation, staffing, regional BDO incentive pay (sales commissions), and year-end bonus accruals. The increase in BDO incentive pay is directly correlated to our litigation related/commercial loan and related core commercial deposit growth, attracting full-service commercial banking clients nationally. Due to the departure of two board members for personal reasons in the first quarter of 2026, we incurred compensation charges related to accelerated stock grant expense totaling $398 thousand. In connection with the Signature merger, we incurred merger related costs (advisory, legal, accounting, valuation, and other professional or consulting fees, as well as general administrative costs) of $2.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026.
Data processing costs increased $792 thousand due to increases in core banking processing volumes and the continued implementation/improvement of technology supporting client relationships and lead acquisition initiatives (CRM platform, digital marketing, business development, and lending) as well as overall risk management across all platforms. Advertising and marketing costs increased $340 thousand, as we continued to grow our brand, targeting digital marketing platform, and expand our thought leadership in our national verticals. Occupancy and equipment costs increased $300 thousand primarily due to costs associated with the operation of our Los Angeles branch which opened in late 2025.
| (1) | See non-GAAP reconciliation provided at the end of this news release. |