Pathfinder Bancorp (PBHC -3.81%), a community banking company headquartered in Central New York, released its second quarter earnings on July 30, 2025, for the period ending June 30, 2025. The most significant news was a major credit risk clean-up, including the sale of $9.3 million in nonperforming loans. This resulted in a pre-tax loss of $3.1 million and the sharpest decline in net income in recent periods. There were no analyst estimates available for comparison. Diluted earnings per share (GAAP) came in at less than $0.01, compared to $0.47 last quarter and $0.32 a year ago. Revenue (non-GAAP) was $12.277 million. Overall, the quarter was marked by decisive risk management moves. These actions raised short-term costs but also improved the company's underlying asset quality and efficiency results.
| Metric | Q2 2025 | Q1 2025 | Q2 2024 | Y/Y Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPS (GAAP) | <$0.01 | $0.41 | $0.32 | (>100%) |
| Revenue (Non-GAAP) | $12.3 million | $12.6 million | $10.6 million | 15.8% |
| Net Interest Income | $10.8 million | $11.4 million | $9.5 million | 14.1% |
| Net Interest Margin | 3.11% | 3.31% | 2.78% | 0.33 pp |
| Efficiency Ratio (Non-GAAP) | 65.66% | 66.84% | 74.36% | (8.7) pp |
| Pre-tax, Pre-provision Net Income (Non-GAAP) | $4.2 million | $4.2 million | $2.8 million | 52.4% |
About Pathfinder Bancorp’s Business and Strategic Focus
Pathfinder Bancorp is a regional community bank with a strong presence in Oswego County, New York, holding nearly half the county's deposit share. It operates 11 full-service branches and one motor bank, focusing on personal banking, business services, and municipal clients. The company’s primary business is lending to individuals, businesses, and local governments, focusing on commercial real estate and municipal loans.
Recently, it has concentrated on expanding commercial loan products, aiming to increase higher-yielding commercial banking activity while growing a base of stable, low-cost deposits. Strategic initiatives also include improving operational efficiency, managing credit risk, and adapting to regulatory changes such as new loan loss accounting standards. These factors -- loan quality, efficient funding, and regulatory compliance -- are central to the company’s ongoing success.
Quarter Review: Credit Actions, Profitability, and Banking Operations
The defining event was the sale of a $9.3 million portfolio of nonperforming and classified loans linked to a single borrower, resulting in a $3.1 million pre-tax loss. This move came alongside net charge-offs totaling $2.6 million and an elevated loan loss provision of $1.2 million. The company commented, “These included the July 2025 sale of $9.3 million in nonperforming and classified loans associated with one local commercial relationship for a pre-tax loss of $3.1 million recorded as a lower of cost or market adjustment to loans held for sale (“LOCOM HFS adjustment”), representing $0.40 per diluted share net of tax, as well as $2.6 million in net charge offs (“NCOs”) that are reflected in provision expense of $1.2 million.” Despite these short-term hits, nonperforming loans dropped to $11.7 million (1.28% of total loans), improving both sequentially and compared to the prior year. The allowance for credit losses now covers 136.74% of nonperforming loans, much higher than the 68.98% reported in Q2 2024. These figures indicate a strengthened balance sheet, but short-term earnings felt the cost of clearing legacy risks.
On the income side, core profitability metrics held up despite the credit cleanup. Net interest income, which reflects earnings from lending after funding costs, declined slightly from last quarter due to one-time items in Q1, but was up significantly compared to a year earlier (GAAP). The net interest margin, which shows the spread between what the bank earns on loans versus what it pays to fund those loans, compressed to 3.11% from 3.31% in Q1 2025, though it remains above the level posted a year ago. The pre-tax, pre-provision net income figure, which strips out one-time credit costs and gives a view of core earnings, was flat compared to Q1 2025 but up sharply over Q2 2024; this is a non-GAAP metric.
Noninterest income, which includes fees and other operating income, was heavily impacted by the $3.1 million loan sale write-down, pushing this figure negative. Excluding this event, recurring fee sources such as debit card interchange and deposit service charges showed stability, with debit card fees rising $179,000 from the prior quarter. Noninterest expenses, which include salaries and branch operations, fell from the previous quarter thanks to lower winter costs and expense discipline, although new branch expenses and increased wages kept this figure slightly above Q2 2024 levels. The efficiency ratio, a non-GAAP measure of noninterest expense efficiency, improved to 65.66%, down notably from 74.36% in Q2 2024, reflecting better expense management.
In lending, total loans (GAAP) ended at $909.7 million, a modest decline from Q1 as some balances were moved into held-for-sale. The bank continues to prioritize commercial loans, which made up 60.4% of the total portfolio at $549.1 million. Residential and consumer loans dipped modestly but edged higher compared to Q2 2024. On the funding side, total deposits were $1.22 billion, dropping from Q1 mainly due to seasonal municipal deposit fluctuations and reductions in higher-cost time deposits. Importantly, core deposits—typically more stable and less costly—grew to 78.47% of all deposits, up from 67.98% in Q2 2024. This shift strengthens the bank's funding profile for future periods.
Capital and liquidity positions remain strong. Shareholders’ equity totaled $124.4 million as of June 30, 2025, decreasing by $483,000 or 0.4% in the second quarter, and the company exceeds regulatory requirements, with a total core capital to risk-weighted assets of 15.97%. Tangible common equity as a percentage of assets stands at 7.61%. Pathfinder Bancorp reported $124.5 million in borrowing capacity through the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York and $46.5 million in unused credit lines as of June 30, 2025, underscoring sound liquidity management. The 74.45% loans-to-deposits ratio remains below the Q2 2024 level.
The board maintained the quarterly dividend at $0.10 per share, yielding 2.61% at the period-end share price of $15.34. The dividend level is unchanged from recent quarters, signaling ongoing commitment despite near-term earnings pressure.
Looking Ahead: Management Commentary and Key Watch Points
Management did not provide specific quantitative guidance for the upcoming quarters or fiscal 2025. Instead, leadership emphasized continued focus on growing low-cost core deposits and expanding commercial lending, especially as the Central New York region benefits from new manufacturing investments. The company also highlighted the likelihood of regulatory and credit-related expenses returning to normal levels, following this quarter’s one-time charges.
Investors should continue to monitor trends in asset quality, with particular attention to any further credit cleanup costs and ongoing improvements in nonperforming loans and reserve coverage. Watch for changes in the composition and cost of deposits, the sustainability of core profitability, and lending volumes in commercial segments. The board's decision to maintain the $0.10 quarterly dividend offers a signal of stability amid short-term earnings volatility.
Revenue and net income presented using U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) unless otherwise noted.
