First Central Savings Bank Reports First Quarter 2026 Result Highlighted by Net Income of $2.5 Million ($0.23 EPS), and Net Interest Margin Expansion by 26 basis points on a linked quarter basis

GlobeNewswire | First Central Savings Bank
Today at 7:51pm UTC

Performance Highlights

  • Net Income: Net income for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, was $2.5 million, or $0.23 per share, compared to $1.8 million, or $0.17 per share, recorded in the prior year quarter ended March 31, 2025.
  • Cash Net Income: Cash net income for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, was $2.8 million, or $0.27 per share, compared to $2.1 million or $0.19 per share, recorded in the comparable 2025 quarter.
  • Net Interest Margin and Spread: The Bank’s net interest margin increased 26 basis points to 3.52% during the quarter ended March 31, 2026, from 3.26% in the linked quarter ended December 31, 2025. The Bank’s net interest spread increased to 2.66% during the quarter ended March 31,2026, from 2.19% in the prior year quarter ended March 31, 2025.
  • Non-Interest Income Growth: Due to an increase in loan sale volume and loan sale premiums received for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, non-interest income increased by $132 thousand or 6.6% from the prior year quarter.
  • Net Interest Income: Net interest income for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, was $8.2 million an increase of $926 thousand, or 12.7%, from the quarter ended March 31, 2025.
  • Financial Performance Metrics: Return on average assets and average stockholders’ equity were 1.04% and 10.47%, respectively, for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, compared to 0.75% and 8.21% in the comparable quarter ended 2025.
  • Regulatory Capital: The Bank’s Tier 1 leverage ratio was 10.31% and the Total Risk based capital ratio was 15.75% at March 31, 2026, each above the regulatory minimum for a well-capitalized institution.
  • Strong and Stable Liquidity: The Uninsured deposits base remains stable at 20.95% of total deposits. The Bank has significant available funding capacity to provide 202% coverage of our uninsured deposits.

GLEN COVE, N.Y., April 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Joseph Pistilli, Executive Chairman of the Board, of First Central Savings Bank (“FCSB”, “the Bank”) today reported continued performance achievements for the quarter ended March 31, 2026.

Cash and GAAP Basis Earnings

The Bank’s cash earnings were $2.8 million, or $0.27 per share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, which represents an increase of $767 thousand, or 37.0%, from the prior year quarter ended March 31, 2025.

On a GAAP basis, net income for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, was $2.5 million, or $0.23 per share, compared with net income of $1.8 million, or $0.17, from the comparable 2025 quarter.

Joseph Pistilli, Executive Chairman of the Board noted, “In the first quarter of 2026, First Central continued to build shareholder value by generating strong earnings, primarily due to continued gains on non-conforming residential loan sales as well as expansion of net interest income. We increased our book value to $9.16 at March 31, 2026, an increase of $0.72, or 8.5%, from $8.44 per share at March 31, 2025. In addition, we are extremely proud of our ability to maintain a double-digit return on equity and a return on average assets above 1%. For the quarter ending March 31, 2026, our return on equity and return on assets were 10.47% and 1.04%, respectively. This represents our third consecutive quarter of double-digit returns on equity. We continue to remain cautiously optimistic about overall credit quality in our loan portfolio. In the prior quarter, management made a decision to charge off several problem loans which has resulted in our non-performing loans decreasing quarter over quarter. I am extremely proud of the management team and the Board of Directors that we have assembled at the Bank and the expertise they have in managing net interest income and asset quality during the current market conditions. Additionally, First Central Savings Bank has much to be excited about and the future is bright. We believe the Bank is well positioned for success in 2026 and for years to come.”

Paul Hagan, President and Chief Operating Officer, reflected on the Bank’s results, “During the quarter ended March 31, 2026, the Bank increased its net interest income as a result of favorable net interest margin expansion. The net interest margin expansion was primarily due to lower deposit pricing and higher yields on interest earning assets. Absent any additional Federal Reserve rate cuts in calendar year 2026, management does not expect any significant increases in our net interest margin for the remainder of the year as deposit pricing remains highly competitive. However, net interest income is expected to grow in line with planned long term growth strategy. During the quarter ended March 31, 2026, the Bank made a strategic decision to portfolio more residential loans due to changing premiums for secondary loan sales as result of the conflict in the Middle East. This resulted in lower gain on sales during the quarter but increased residential loan balances to support future interest income. Overall profitability is expected to continue to improve in calendar year 2026 through loan growth and increased loan sale income. Management will continue to rigorously manage non-interest expenses to strengthen profitability and maintain flexibility to address potential credit quality challenges.”

Balance Sheet

Total assets at March 31, 2026, were $960.1 million compared to $970.1 million as of December 31,2025. The decrease in total assets was primarily driven by lower cash balances as a result of allowing some higher cost deposits to run off. The Bank continues to originate commercial real estate and non-conforming loans while continuing to actively sell most of the non-conforming loans to the secondary market. The Bank sold $51.1 million of non-conforming loans during the quarter. As of March 31, 2026, the Bank has been able to generate a non-conforming loan pipeline of $91.1 million with a weighted average interest rate of 6.65%.

Total deposits were $820.3 million as of March 31, 2026, a decrease of $11.5 million, or 1.38%, from December 31, 2025. The Bank has been successful in maintaining non-interest-bearing deposits from our retail branches as well as from downpayment deposits for non-conforming loan originations. Year over year, non-interest-bearing deposits increased by $11.1 million or 7.73% to $155.2 million as of March 31, 2026, representing 18.9% of the total deposit base.  

Total borrowings at March 31, 2026, were $25.0 million, with a weighted average cost of 3.76% compared to $25 million and a weighted average cost of 4.18% at March 31, 2025. respectively.

The Bank’s overall average cost of funds was 2.79% for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, a decrease of 17 basis points from 2.96% from the prior linked quarter and a decrease of 49 bps compared to March 31, 2025. Management continues to be proactive in securing non-interest-bearing deposits and lower costing demand deposits in the current interest rate environment.

Loan Portfolio and Asset Quality

Total loans as of March 31, 2026, increased by $14.0 million or 1.66% to $861.1 million from $847.1 million at December 31, 2025 due to a higher balance of non-conforming residential loans and multifamily loans. Management continues to employ a strategy of concentrating its loan growth in these products, which provides the Bank with traditionally safe credit quality at acceptable credit spreads, greater liquidity and an enhanced interest-rate-risk profile. Over the past twelve months, originations of the non-conforming product amounted to $258.8 million. At March 31, 2026, the entire non-conforming loan portfolio amounted to $480.7 million, with an average loan balance of $562.2 thousand and a weighted average loan-to-value ratio of 61.7%.

As a result of the Bank’s robust non-conforming loan generation capabilities, the Bank had been able to generate additional income by strategically originating and selling its non-conforming loans to other financial institutions at premiums. The Bank expects that it will continue to originate, in the near term, for its own portfolio and, in the long term, for others, which will result in a continued increase in interest income while also realizing gains on sales of loans. For the three months ending March 31, 2026, the Bank earned $1.9 million in premiums on loans sold, net of FASB 91 fees and costs.

The Bank’s asset quality ratios remain adequate. The total allowance for credit losses at March 31, 2026, was $7.5 million, or 0.88%, of total loans held for investment as compared to $7.2 million, or 0.87%, at December 31 ,2025. At March 31, 2026, the loan portfolio had non-performing loans of $10.8 million, or 1.27%, of total loans and 1.12% of total assets as compared to $15.9 million, or 1.84%, of total loans and 1.62% of total assets at March 31, 2025.

About First Central Savings Bank

With assets of $960.1 million at March 31, 2026, First Central Savings Bank is a locally owned and operated community savings bank, focusing on highly personalized and efficient services and products responsive to local needs. Management and the Board of Directors are comprised of a select group of successful local businessmen who are committed to the success of the Bank by knowing and understanding the metro-New York area’s financial needs and opportunities. Backed by state-of-the-art technology, First Central offers a full range of modern financial services. First Central employs a complete suite of consumer and commercial banking products and services, including multi-family and commercial mortgages, ADC and bridge loans, residential loans, middle market business loans and lines of credit. First Central also offers customers 24-hour ATM service with no fees attached, free checking with interest, mobile banking, the most advanced technologies in internet banking for our consumer and business customers, safe deposit boxes and much more. The Bank continues to roll out mobile banking software products as well as our “Zelle” money transfer product to our customers. First Central Savings Bank maintains its corporate office in Glen Cove, New York with an additional six branches throughout Queens New York, one branch in Nassau County, New York, and one branch in Suffolk County, New York.

First Central Savings Bank is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and is an Equal Housing/Equal Opportunity Lender. For further information, call 516-399-6010 or visit the Bank’s state-of-the-art website at www.myfcsb.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release may contain certain "forward looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and may be identified by the use of such words as "may," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "should," "plan," "estimate," "predict," "continue," and "potential" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, estimates with respect to the financial condition, results of operations and business of First Central Savings Bank. Any or all of the forward-looking statements in this release and in any other public statements made by First Central Savings Bank may turn out to be incorrect. They can be affected by inaccurate assumptions First Central Savings Bank might make or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Consequently, no forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. First Central Savings Bank does not intend to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this release or to conform these statements to actual events.


First Central Savings Bank      
Statements of Condition - (unaudited)      
(dollars in thousands)      
  3/31/2026 12/31/2025 3/31/2025
       
Assets      
Cash and cash equivalents $33,249  $56,936  $35,928 
Certificates of deposit  4,000   4,000   3,000 
Investments available-for-sale  28,361   28,962   30,085 
Investments held-to-maturity  3,000   3,000   1,000 
       
Loans held-for-sale  10,358   16,367   17,187 
Loans receivable  850,735   830,705   866,999 
Less: allowance for credit losses  (7,458)  (7,207)  (9,144)
Loans, net  843,277   823,498   857,855 
       
Other assets  37,898   37,386   38,558 
Total assets $960,143  $970,149  $983,613 
       
       
Liabilities and stockholders' equity      
Deposits $820,265  $831,761  $850,632 
FHLB advances and other borrowings  25,000   25,000   25,000 
Other liabilities  17,390   18,433   18,125 
Total liabilities  862,655   875,194   893,757 
       
       
Total stockholders' equity  97,488   94,955   89,856 
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $960,143  $970,149  $983,613 
 


First Central Savings Bank    
Statements of Income - (unaudited)    
(dollars in thousands, except per share data)    
     
  Quarter EndedQuarter Ended
  3/31/2026 3/31/2025
     
Total Interest income $14,134  $14,279 
Total interest expense  5,899   6,970 
Net interest income  8,235   7,309 
Provision for credit losses  207   93 
Net interest income after provision for credit losses 8,028   7,216 
     
Net gain on loans sold  1,853   1,790 
Other non-interest income  292   223 
Total non-interest income  2,145   2,013 
     
Compensation and benefits  4,142   4,022 
Occupancy and equipment  934   968 
Data processing  483   482 
Federal insurance premium  147   183 
Professional fees  351   335 
Other  989   992 
Total non-interest expense  7,046   6,982 
     
Income before income taxes  3,127   2,247 
Income tax expense  645   459 
Net income $2,482  $1,788 
     
Basic earnings per share-GAAP basis $0.23  $0.17 
Diluted earnings per share-GAAP basis $0.23  $0.17 
     
Supplementary information:    
Net income $2,482  $1,788 
     
Add back non-cash items    
Provision for credit losses  207   93 
Depreciation expense  245   266 
Tax on add back of non-cash items  (93)  (73)
Cash net income $2,841  $2,074 
     
Basic earnings per share-GAAP basis $0.27  $0.19 
Diluted earnings per share-GAAP basis $0.27  $0.19 
 


First Central Savings Bank        
Statements of Income - (unaudited)        
(dollars in thousands, except per share data)        
  Quarter Ended
 Quarter Ended
 Quarter Ended
 Quarter Ended
  3/31/2026 12/31/2025 9/30/2025 6/30/2025
         
Total Interest income $14,134  $14,474  $14,939  $14,717 
Total interest expense  5,899   6,515   6,888   6,799 
Net interest income  8,235   7,959   8,051   7,918 
Provision for credit losses  207   1,020   197   1,303 
Net interest income after provision for credit losses  8,028   6,939   7,854   6,615 
         
Net gain on loans sold  1,853   3,112   2,198   2,062 
Other non-interest income  292   273   283   231 
Total non-interest income  2,145   3,385   2,481   2,293 
         
Compensation and benefits  4,142   4,114   3,963   3,938 
Occupancy and equipment  934   978   929   972 
Data processing  483   442   459   476 
Federal insurance premium  147   152   153   175 
Professional fees  351   285   349   373 
Other  989   1,050   948   993 
Total non-interest expense  7,046   7,021   6,801   6,927 
         
Income before income taxes  3,127   3,303   3,534   1,981 
Income tax expense  645   684   733   404 
Net income $2,482  $2,619  $2,801  $1,577 
         
Basic earnings per share-GAAP basis $0.23  $0.25  $0.26  $0.15 
Diluted earnings per share-GAAP basis $0.23  $0.25  $0.26  $0.15 
         
Supplementary information:        
Net income $2,482  $2,619  $2,801  $1,577 
         
Add back non-cash items        
Provision for credit losses  207   1,020   197   1,303 
Depreciation expense  245   243   257   260 
Tax on add back of non-cash items  (93)  (262)  (94)  (319)
Cash net income $2,841  $3,620  $3,161  $2,821 
         
Basic earnings per share-GAAP basis $0.27  $0.34  $0.30  $0.26 
Diluted earnings per share-GAAP basis $0.27  $0.34  $0.30  $0.26 
 


First Central Savings Bank        
Selected Financial Data - (unaudited)        
(dollars in thousands, except per share data)        
  Quarter Ended Quarter Ended Quarter Ended Quarter Ended
  3/31/2026 12/31/2025 9/30/2025 3/31/2025
         
Asset quality:        
Allowance for credit losses $7,458  $7,207  $9,369  $9,144 
Allowance for credit losses to total loans (1)  0.88%  0.87%  1.09%  1.05%
         
Non-performing loans $10,775  $14,692  $8,361  $15,940 
Net (recovery) charge-off  (13)  3,198   -   (92)
Non-performing loans/total loans (1)  1.27%  1.77%  0.98%  1.84%
Non-performing loans/total assets  1.12%  1.51%  0.84%  1.62%
Allowance for credit losses/non-performing loans  69.22%  49.05%  112.06%  57.37%
         
Capital: (dollars in thousands)        
Tier 1 capital $100,444  $97,999  $98,042  $93,664 
Tier 1 leverage ratio  10.31%  9.86%  9.86%  9.62%
Common equity tier 1 capital ratio  14.61%  14.44%  14.14%  13.38%
Tier 1 risk based capital ratio  14.61%  14.44%  14.14%  13.38%
Total risk based capital ratio  15.75%  15.56%  15.39%  14.63%
         
Equity data        
Common shares outstanding  10,648,345   10,648,345   10,648,345   10,648,345 
Stockholders' equity $97,488  $94,955  $94,778  $89,856 
Book value per common share  9.16   8.92   8.90   8.44 
Tangible common equity  97,488   94,955   94,778   89,856 
Tangible book value per common share  9.16   8.92   8.90   8.44 
         
(1) Calculation excludes loans held-for-sale      
 


First Central Savings Bank        
Selected Financial Data - (unaudited)       
(dollars in thousands)        
  Quarter Ended
 Quarter Ended
 Quarter Ended
 Quarter Ended
  3/31/2026 12/31/2025 9/30/2025 3/31/2025
         
Other: (in thousands)        
Average interest-earning assets $947,939  $968,287  $968,888  $946,854 
Average interest-bearing liabilities  705,643   732,312   743,760   720,391 
Average deposits and borrowings  856,586   872,904   877,534   861,096 
         
Profitability:        
Return on average assets  1.04%  1.05%  1.12%  0.75%
Return on average equity  10.47%  10.79%  11.99%  8.21%
Yield on average interest earning assets 6.05%  5.93%  6.12%  6.12%
Cost of average interest bearing liabilities 3.39%  3.53%  3.67%  3.92%
Cost of funds  2.79%  2.96%  3.11%  3.28%
Net interest rate spread (1)  2.66%  2.40%  2.44%  2.19%
Net interest margin (2)  3.52%  3.26%  3.30%  3.13%
Non-interest expense to average assets 2.94%  2.81%  2.73%  2.92%
Efficiency ratio  67.88%  61.90%  64.57%  74.80%
         
(1) Net interest rate spread represents the difference between the average yield on average interest-earning assets and the  
average cost of average interest-bearing liabilities       
(2) Net interest margin represents net interest income divided by average interest earning assets    
 

Investor and Press Contact:
Joseph Pistilli Executive Chairman of the Board
Ray Ciccone, E.V.P. & Chief Financial Officer
Paul Hagan, President & Chief Operating Officer
516-399-6071

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