Community Heritage Financial Posts Second Quarter Loss After Sell-Off

The Middletown, Maryland-based company, parent of Middletown Valley Bank, executed the portfolio overhaul on May 18. By selling securities with a weighted average yield of 2.73%, the bank cleared the way for reinvestment at an estimated tax-equivalent yield of 5.10%. While the immediate impact was a $3.9 million after-tax loss, management maintains the shift will strengthen the balance sheet and bolster future returns for shareholders.

Operational metrics remained resilient throughout the period. When adjusted to exclude the securities loss and $337,000 in one-time retirement costs for several senior officers, the bank’s net income reached $3.0 million. Net interest margin also saw consistent gains, climbing to 3.78% in the second quarter compared to 3.37% in the same period last year. Customer deposits grew significantly, rising by $80.9 million since the first quarter, while total assets climbed to $1.2 billion. The company’s board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.08 per share, payable on August 7.