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Most Massachusetts banks have had losses so far in 2020 as the pandemic and margin pressure continue to affect earnings.

According to the FDIC’s Quarterly Banking Profile for the second quarter of 2020, Massachusetts’ 109 FDIC-insured institutions together had year-to-date net income of $1.29 billion, down 31.8 percent compared to through the period last year.

About 35 percent of banks have reported income gains this year compared to 57.4 percent at the same time last year. Gains were reported at 32.4 percent of banks in the first quarter, while 66.4 had positive earnings at the end of 2019.

FDIC Chair Jelena McWilliams said in a statement that bank earnings nationwide continued to reflect economic stress related to the pandemic. She added that the industry had remained a source of strength for the economy, including by participating in the Paycheck Protection Program.

“Nevertheless, lower levels of business activity and consumer spending – combined with uncertainty about the path of the economy and the low interest-rate environment – contributed to higher provisions for loan and lease losses, as well as a decrease in net interest margins,” McWilliams said. “Notwithstanding these disruptions, however, the banking industry maintained strong capital and liquidity levels at the end of the second quarter, which will protect against potential losses in the future.”

Net interest margin was down to 1.90 percent at the end of the second quarter, compared to 1.95 percent in the first quarter and 2.41 percent on June 30 last year.

Massachusetts institutions have seen a collective 2.31 percent yield on all earning assets this year, down from 3.18 percent at the same time last year.

The percent of unprofitable institutions is now at 11 percent, an improvement over the first quarter when 20.7 percent were unprofitable, but still more than the second quarter last year when only 2.6 percent of the state’s banks were unprofitable.

Banks said PPP, other government aid, less spending and tax deadline extensions contributed to higher deposits this year. Statewide, banks held $361.21 billion in deposits on June 30, a 16.9 percent increase year-over-year. Deposits were down compared to the first quarter of 2020, when Massachusetts banks held $402.39 billion.

Massachusetts’ FDIC-insured institutions together had total assets of almost $465.1 billion on June 30 compared to $406.24 billion on June 30, 2019. Banks in the first quarter had $534 billion in assets.

Total loans and leases were $169.25 billion, up 8 percent year-over-year from $156.64 billion.

Mergers left the state with two fewer FDIC-insured institutions. The state had 109 institutions at the end of the second quarter following acquisitions of Wellesley Bank by Cambridge Trust Co. and Melrose Bank by Cambridge Savings Bank.

The number of full-time-equivalent employees in these institutions fell to 51,588 on June 30 compared to 51,980 on March 31 and 53,659 on June 30, 2019.

Earnings Down at Massachusetts Banks, FDIC Says

by Diane McLaughlin time to read: 2 min
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