Northeast Bank reported a strong quarter with $414 million in loan volume, including $74.6 million in purchased loans, $218 million in originated loans (second-best quarter for commercial real estate originations), and $121.3 million in SBA volume (up from $100 million in the prior quarter).
Net income was $18.7 million, up $4.8 million year-over-year but down $3.7 million from the previous quarter, primarily due to lower net interest income (down $2.5 million), fewer days in the quarter, and non-recurring tax and incentive compensation expenses.
SBA business showed significant growth: SBA loan originations increased from $29 million to $121 million year-over-year, and loans sold rose from $18.9 million to $73.6 million; Northeast Bank is among the top SBA lenders by units and within the top 10 by volume.
The bank increased its allowance for loan losses, particularly for SBA loans, raising the allowance by 40 basis points to about 3.6% of the portfolio; management remains positive about future growth despite regulatory changes that may temporarily slow SBA origination volume.
Looking forward, the loan origination pipeline remains strong, with $870 million in balance sheet capacity for loan pool purchases through March 2025; management expects net interest margin to normalize around 4.80% next quarter and is confident in liquidity and ability to capitalize on market opportunities.