United Financial Bancorp Announces Q1 Earnings, Dividend
HARTFORD — United Financial Bancorp Inc., the holding company for United Bank, announced results for the quarter ended March 31. The company reported net income of $12.7 million, or $0.25 per diluted share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2019, compared to net income for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2018 (linked quarter) of $12.2 million, or $0.24 per diluted share. The company reported net income of $15.8 million, or $0.31 per diluted share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2018.
“Despite the challenging operating environment, the United Financial Bancorp, Inc. team is focused on expanding and winning new client relationships, maintaining strong asset quality and ample capital, and providing superior customer service,” said William H.W. Crawford, IV, Chief Executive Officer and President of the Company and the Bank. “Having a talented and dedicated team of employees to serve the needs of our customers and communities continues to be a strong value proposition of the company and will protect and enhance franchise value.”
Assets totaled $7.34 billion at March 31, 2019, decreasing $16.9 million from $7.36 billion at Dec. 31, 2018. At March 31, 2019, total available for sale securities were $848.5 million, representing a decrease of $124.8 million, or 12.8%, from the linked quarter. The overall decrease was primarily due to sales of lower-yielding collateralized mortgage obligations and municipal securities at a gain during the quarter, and a portion of the proceeds were utilized to pay off maturing Federal Home Loan Bank advances. At March 31, 2019, total loans were $5.73 billion, representing an increase of $75.1 million, or 1.3%, from the linked quarter. Changes to loan balances during the first quarter of 2019 were highlighted by a $33.4 million, or 3.8%, increase in commercial business loans, a $21.1 million, or 1.1%, increase in investor non-owner occupied commercial real estate loans, a $15.6 million, or 3.8%, increase in other consumer loans, a $9.1 million, or 0.7%, increase in residential real estate loans and a $7.2 million, or 8.2%, increase in commercial construction loans.
Slightly offsetting the increased loan balances above were a $7.0 million, or 34.0%, decrease in residential construction loans and a $4.0 million, or 0.9%, decrease in owner-occupied commercial real estate loans from the linked quarter. Loans held for sale also decreased $62.6 million, or 79.5%, from the linked quarter. Total cash and cash equivalents increased $57.2 million, or 58.4%, from the linked quarter as a result of the aforementioned sale of investment securities.
Deposits totaled $5.66 billion at March 31, 2019 and decreased by $6.3 million, or 0.1%, from $5.67 billion at December 31, 2018. Decreases in deposit balances during the first quarter of 2019 were primarily due to a $97.4 million, or 5.6%, decrease in money market account balances and a $21.8 million, or 2.7%, decrease in non-interest-bearing checking deposits, largely due to seasonal outflows that are typical of commercial DDA accounts in the first quarter. Offsetting these decreases was a $61.0 million, or 7.1%, increase in NOW checking account balances and a $51.8 million, or 2.9%, increase in certificates of deposit balances.
