Waterbury-based Webster Financial Corp.’s third quarter earnings beat analysts’ estimates, helped by a 75 percent drop in its provisions for loan losses.

The top New England lender posted July-September income of $41.5 million, or 45 cents per share, up from $33.4 million, or 36 cents per share, a year ago.

Analysts on average had expected the company to earn 40 cents a share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Provisions for loan losses declined to $5 million from $20 million a year ago.

Net interest margin — the difference between what banks earn on loans and pay on deposits — rose 9 basis points from last year, to 3.45 percent.

Shares of the company closed at a 10-week high of $18.22 on Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange.