Justin Bigham
Analyst · Piper Sandler
Thanks, Marty. Good morning, everyone. I'll be providing comments on several items with comparisons to the second quarter of 2020.
Net interest income for the quarter was $35.5 million, an increase of $1.3 million from the linked quarter. The increase was driven by a higher level of interest-earning assets, primarily loan growth, which benefited from the PPP loan program. Net interest margin was 3.22%, down 1 basis point from the linked quarter. The average yield on interest-earning assets was 3.6%, a decrease of 16 basis points from the linked quarter. Cost of funds was 38 basis points, a decrease of 15 basis points.
The margin compression we've experienced as compared to the linked quarter and prior year quarter is largely attributable to excess liquidity and elevated cash levels. The low interest rate environment and overall challenging economic environment have made it difficult to deploy cash in investment alternatives with attractive duration adjusted yields.
The decline in interest-earning asset yield was driven by elevated cash levels, coupled with the impact of a lower rate environment on commercial loans and mortgage-backed securities and the impact of a full quarter of lower-yielding PPP loans.
The impact on interest-earning asset yield of heightened federal reserve interest-earning cash and PPP loans was approximately 2 basis points and 1 basis point, respectively, when compared to the second quarter of 2020 and approximately 6 basis points and 5 basis points, respectively, when compared to the third quarter of 2019.
The decline in cost of funds was driven by lower deposit costs and wholesale borrowing costs, driven by lower market interest rates and a favorable funding mix. Provision for credit losses for the quarter was $4 million, comprised of $3.6 million of provision for loans and $461,000 of provision for unfunded commitments.
Credit losses were minimal for the second quarter in a row, with net charge-offs totaling $488,000. However, as we stated last quarter, although we remain cautiously optimistic, the long term impact of the pandemic remains to be seen. Our allowance for credit losses on loans increased to $49.4 million at September 30 from $46.3 million at June 30. The higher allowance for credit losses considers the impact of COVID-19 and the economic environment on our primary loss driver, which is national unemployment.
We used the Bloomberg economist weighted average unemployment forecast, which now forecasts fourth quarter national unemployment at 8%, which is down from 13% peak level of unemployment reached during the second quarter, which was at the height of the pandemic. We forecast unemployment out 6 quarters, and overall, the forecast is now lower than it was last quarter.
In addition, our CECL quantitative model estimates expected credit losses using a reversion to the mean of the company's historic loss rates on a straight-line basis over 2 years. Our CECL model also includes qualitative adjustment, and given the uncertainty associated with the long term impact of the pandemic on unemployment, and ultimately credit losses, we increased our qualitative factors to more than offset the decrease in the unemployment forecast in establishing the higher allowance.
The allowance for credit losses on loans to total loans was 1.38% at quarter end as compared to 1.33% at June 30. If you exclude PPP loans, the ratio increases to 1.49%, an expansion of 5 basis points from the linked quarter.
Noninterest income was $2.6 million higher than the second quarter of 2020. The key drivers were: First, net gains on sale of mortgage loans was $850,000 higher due to an increase in transaction volume and margin. Second, service charges on deposits were $774,000 higher because of our COVID relief measures of waiving or eliminating fees for the entire second quarter, most of which ended on July 9.
Third, insurance income was $538,000 higher due to the timing of commercial renewals typically received in the third quarter each year. And fourth, investment advisory fees were $192,000 higher as a result of the impact of market gains, new customer accounts and increases in existing accounts on assets under management.
While our relief programs related to waving or elimination of fees have ended, we are still seeing lower than historic levels in service charges on deposits. This is likely the result of the positive impact of stimulus programs on consumer account balances combined with changes in consumer behavior.
We continue to see strong performance from our interest rate swap program for commercial banking customers with revenue of $1.9 million in the quarter, consistent with the second quarter. We sold securities in the second quarter that we believe have a higher propensity to prepay, resulting in $554,000 of gains, down $120,000 from the linked quarter. We remain focused on managing premium risk in the portfolio and monitoring securities with increased prepayment characteristics.
Noninterest expense was $28.7 million, an increase of $2 million from the linked quarter. The largest contributors to the increase were; nonrecurring severance and real estate-related restructuring charges of $1.6 million were incurred in connection with the July announcement of branch closures and staffing reductions. $224,000 is included in salaries and benefits expense and $1.4 million is included in restructuring charges.
Computer and data processing expense was $551,000 higher, primarily due to costs related to the second quarter launch of Five Star Digital Banking. And advertising and promotion expense was $410,000 higher, also related to the launch of our new digital banking platform.
Partially offsetting these higher expenses was a $338,000 decrease in professional services expense. The decrease was the result of the timing of fees for consulting and advisory projects, including our improvement initiatives.
Income tax expense was $2.9 million in the quarter, representing an effective tax rate of 19.3%.
Moving to the balance sheet. Growth in total loans was $83 million or 2.4% from the end of the second quarter of 2020. Commercial mortgages grew 5.4%; residential loans increased 2%; and consumer indirect was up 1.5%. Commercial business was relatively flat compared to the linked quarter.
Originations in C&I continue to be soft, largely due to PPP loans and the resultant cash that borrowers have on hand. Third quarter commercial loan closings included select new financings for existing developers and draws on existing construction lines of credit.
Residential lending demonstrated continued strong performance during the quarter, largely due to increased refinance volume driven by the low rate environment. The saleable portion continues to grow, increasing $422,000 in the quarter. And as I noted before, gains on the sale of loans increased $850,000 over the linked quarter.
Total deposits at quarter end were $371 million higher than the end of the second quarter of 2020 and $779 million higher than September 30 of last year. The increase from June 30 was primarily the result of seasonality in our public deposit portfolio, combined with growth in both our reciprocal and brokered deposit portfolios. We are flushed with deposits and remain cautious of chasing yield in investment purchases.
Purchases during the quarter were focused on cash flowing, agency wrapped mortgage-backed securities with yields and dollar prices reflective of market demand for this paper. The increase from the year earlier period, primarily in demand, savings and money market accounts was largely the result of the impact of government stimulus programs, pandemic related changes in customer habits and growth in our reciprocal and brokered deposit portfolios.
Our brokered deposit portfolio was $128 million higher than the end of the second quarter and $280 million higher than September 30, 2019. In February of 2020, we entered into a long term brokered sweep arrangement as a stable, collateral free alternative funding source to reduce reliance on FHLB secured borrowings and improve our available committed liquidity. The stable funding raised through the brokered deposit relationship was utilized to pay off $100 million of higher cost FHLB term advance during the third quarter.
Decreases in the common equity to assets ratio and TCE ratio were the result of heightened federal reserve, interest-earning cash and the impact of lower-yielding payroll protection program loans. At quarter end, both ratios would have been higher than the previous period if not for these factors.
During the third quarter of 2020, the company paid a common stock dividend of $0.26 per share, returning 35% of third quarter net income to common shareholders. Management and the Board of Directors will continue to closely monitor the economic environment and business trends, and we will prudently manage capital levels going forward. There are no current intentions to reduce the dividend.
At this time, I'll turn the call back to Marty for closing remarks.