NECB

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., July 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NorthEast Community Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: NECB) (the “Company”), the parent holding company of NorthEast Community Bank (the “Bank”), reported net income of $9.8 million, or $0.75 per basic share and $0.72 per diluted share, for the three months ended June 30, 2026 compared to net income of $11.2 million, or $0.85 per basic share and $0.82 per diluted share, for the three months ended June 30, 2025. In addition, the Company reported net income of $19.7 million, or $1.50 per basic share and $1.46 per diluted share, for the six months ended June 30, 2026 compared to net income of $21.7 million, or $1.65 per basic share and $1.60 per diluted share, for the six months ended June 30, 2025. Kenneth A. Martinek, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, stated “We are again pleased to report continued strong performance throughout our entire loan portfolio. We continue our laser focus on construction lending in high demand, high absorption submarkets in the Bronx, Rockland, Orange, and Sullivan Counties.” “Demand for construction loans throughout these submarkets continues to demonstrate robust growth and we look forward to continuing to meet this growing demand going forward. At June 30, 2026, construction loan commitments and loans-in-process outstanding increased by approximately 38.9% as compared to the second quarter of 2025, with over $883 million in total unfunded loan commitments outstanding, and representing a 30.0% increase over the amount of such total commitments outstanding at December 31, 2025.” Highlights for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2026 are as follows: Performance metrics continue to be strong with a return on average total assets ratio of 1.95%, a return on average shareholders’ equity ratio of 10.81%, and an efficiency ratio of 41.99% for the three months ended June 30, 2026. For the six months ended June 30, 2026, the Company reported a return on average total assets ratio of 1.96%, a return on average shareholders’ equity ratio of 10.97%, and an efficiency ratio of 42.81%. Asset quality metrics continue to remain strong with no non-performing loans at either June 30, 2026 or December 31, 2025, and a non-performing assets to total assets ratio of 0.00% at both June 30, 2026 and at December 31, 2025. Our allowance for credit losses related to loans totaled $4.8 million, or 0.25% of total loans at June 30, 2026 compared to $4.7 million, or 0.25% of total loans at December 31, 2025. Total stockholders’ equity increased by $10.9 million, or 3.1%, to $362.6 million, or 17.14% of total assets as of June 30, 2026 from $351.7 million, or 17.04% of total assets as of December 31, 2025. Balance Sheet Summary Total assets increased $51.7 million, or 2.5%, to $2.1 billion at June 30, 2026, from $2.1 billion at December 31, 2025. The increase in assets was primarily due to an increase in net loans of $59.4 million, partially offset by a decrease in cash and cash equivalents of $7.8 million. Cash and cash equivalents decreased $7.8 million, or 9.6%, to $73.4 million at June 30, 2026 from $81.2 million at December 31, 2025. The decrease in cash and cash equivalents partially funded the increase of $59.4 million in net loans. Equity securities increased $757,000, or 2.8%, to $27.3 million at June 30, 2026 from $26.6 million at December 31, 2025. The increase in equity securities was attributable to the purchase of $1.0 million in equity securities during the six months ended June 30, 2026, partially offset by market depreciation of $243,000 due to market interest rate volatility during the six months ended June 30, 2026. Securities held-to-maturity decreased $564,000, or 3.1%, to $17.8 million at June 30, 2026 from $18.3 million at December 31, 2025 due to pay-downs of various investment securities and an increase of $9,000 to the allowance for credit losses for held-to-maturity securities, partially offset by the purchase of $470,000 in municipal securities. Loans, net of the allowance for credit losses, increased $59.4 million, or 3.2%, to $1.9 billion at June 30, 2026 from $1.9 billion at December 31, 2025. The increase in loans consisted of an increase of $67.2 million in construction loans, partially offset by decreases of $4.9 million in multi-family loans, $2.2 million in non-residential loans, $200,000 in mixed-use loans, $69,000 in one-to-four family loans, $23,000 in consumer loans, and $3,000 in commercial and industrial loans. During the six months ended June 30, 2026, we originated loans totaling $653.2 million, which includes commitments and funded loans, consisting primarily of $606.7 million in construction loans, $25.1 million in commercial and industrial loans, $20.8 million in multi-family loans, and $675,000 in mixed-use loans. The $606.7 million in construction loans had $262.7 million, or 43.3%, disbursed at loan closing, with the remaining funds to be disbursed over the terms of the construction loans. These disbursements were offset by normal pay-downs and principal reductions as construction projects were completed and either condominium units were sold to end buyers or multi-family rental buildings were refinanced by other financial institutions. The commercial and industrial loans had $19.0 million, or 75.7%, disbursed at loan closing as of June 30, 2026. The allowance for credit losses related to loans was $4.6 million at June 30, 2026 and December 31, 2025. The allowance for credit losses related to loans had a provision for credit losses totaling $568,000 and charge-offs totaling $547,000. The provision for credit losses totaling $568,000 was due to an increase in the loan portfolio and a slight increase in the remaining terms of the loan portfolio. The allowance for credit losses for off-balance sheet commitments increased $284,000, or 32.3%, to $1.2 million at June 30, 2026 from $879,000 at December 31, 2025 due primarily to an increase of $204.2 million, or 30.0%, in off-balance sheet commitments from December 31, 2025 to June 30, 2026. The allowance for credit losses for held-to-maturity securities increased $9,000, or 7.1%, to $135,000 at June 30, 2026 from $126,000 at December 31, 2025 due to an increase in our municipal bond portfolio. Premises and equipment decreased $356,000, or 1.4%, to $25.0 million at June 30, 2026 from $25.4 million at December 31, 2025 primarily due to the amortization of fixed assets. Federal Home Loan Bank stock increased by $133,000, or 32.4%, to $543,000 at June 30, 2026 from $410,000 at December 31, 2025 primarily due to an increase in our mortgage-related assets. Bank owned life insurance (“BOLI”) increased $364,000, or 1.4%, to $26.8 million at June 30, 2026 from $26.4 million at December 31, 2025 due to increases in the BOLI cash value. Accrued interest receivable decreased $39,000, or 0.3%, to $12.2 million at June 30, 2026 from $12.2 million at December 31, 2025 due to a decrease in the yield in the loan portfolio. Property held for investment was $1.3 million at both June 30, 2026 and December 31, 2025. Right of use assets — operating decreased $360,000, or 7.7%, to $4.3 million at June 30, 2026 from $4.7 million at December 31, 2025, primarily due to depreciation of the right of use assets. Other assets increased $117,000, or 1.1%, to $11.1 million at June 30, 2026 from $11.0 million at December 31, 2025 due to an increase of $725,000 in suspense accounts, partially offset by decreases of $528,000 in tax assets and $90,000 in prepaid expenses. Total deposits decreased $80.4 million, or 5.0%, to $1.5 billion at June 30, 2026 from $1.6 billion at December 31, 2025. The decrease in deposits was primarily due to decreases in certificates of deposit of $190.8 million, or 21.2%, and savings account balances of $10.6 million, or 7.5%, partially offset by increases in NOW/money market accounts of $67.5 million, or 22.3% and non-interest bearing deposits of $53.5 million, or 19.7%. The decrease of $190.8 million in certificates of deposit consisted of decreases of $129.0 million, or 34.9%, in brokered certificates of deposit, $38.3 million, or 56.6%, in non-brokered listing services certificates of deposit, and $23.4 million, or 5.3% in retail certificates of deposit. The decrease in brokered certificates of deposit and non-brokered listing services certificates of deposit was due to management’s strategy to reduce the cost of funds by “calling” higher rate brokered deposits on their call dates and to rely less on brokered deposits and non-brokered listing service deposits. The decrease in retail certificates of deposit was due to a shift in deposits to our retail high yield money market accounts. Advance payments by borrowers for taxes and insurance increased $210,000, or 8.9%, to $2.6 million at June 30, 2026 from $2.4 million at December 31, 2025 due primarily to accumulation of real estate tax payments from borrowers. Borrowings increased $120.0 million, or 171.4%, to $190.0 million at June 30, 2026 from $70.0 million at December 31, 2025 due primarily to management’s strategy to reduce the cost of funds and lessen reliance on brokered deposits and non-brokered listing service deposits. Lease liability – operating decreased $329,000, or 6.9%, to $4.5 million at June 30, 2026 from $4.8 million at December 31, 2025, primarily due to the amortization of the lease liability. Accounts payable and accrued expenses increased $980,000, or 6.0%, to $18.6 million at June 30, 2026 from $17.3 million at December 31, 2025 due primarily to increases in accounts payable of $1.3 million, suspense account – loan closings of $322,000, deferred compensation of $291,000, the allowance for credit losses for off-balance sheet commitments of $284,000, and accrued interest expense of $107,000, partially offset by a decrease in accrued expenses of $1.0 million. Stockholders’ equity increased $10.9 million, or 3.1% to $362.6 million at June 30, 2026, from $351.7 million at December 31, 2025. The increase in stockholders’ equity was due to net income of $19.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026, the amortization expense of $1.1 million relating to restricted stock and stock options granted under the Company’s 2022 Equity Incentive Plan, an increase of $371,000 in earned employee stock ownership plan shares coupled with a reduction of $261,000 in unearned employee stock ownership plan shares, $37,000 in stock options exercised, and $25,000 in other comprehensive income. These increases were offset by dividends declared of $6.0 million and stock repurchases and excise taxes of $4.7 million. Results of Operations for the Three Months Ended June 30, 2026 and 2025 Net Interest Income Net interest income was $24.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2026, as compared to $25.1 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025. The decrease in net interest income of $424,000, or 1.7%, was primarily due to a decrease in interest income that exceeded a decrease in interest expense caused by a decrease in the yield on interest-earning assets that exceeded the decrease in the cost of funds for interest-bearing liabilities. Total interest and dividend income decreased $2.0 million, or 5.2%, to $36.1 million for the three months ended June 30, 2026 from $38.1 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025. The decrease in interest and dividend income was due to a decrease in the yield on interest-earning assets by 60 basis points from 8.11% for the three months ended June 30, 2025 to 7.51% for the three months ended June 30, 2026, partially offset by an increase in the average balance of interest-earning assets of $43.8 million, or 2.3%, to $1.9 billion for the three months ended June 30, 2026 from $1.9 billion for the three months ended June 30, 2025. Interest expense decreased $1.6 million, or 12.0%, to $11.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2026 from $13.0 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025. The decrease in interest expense was due to a decrease in the cost of interest-bearing liabilities by 43 basis points from 3.88% for the three months ended June 30, 2025 to 3.45% for the three months ended June 30, 2026. The decrease in interest expense was also due to a decrease in the average balance of interest-bearing liabilities of $16.0 million, or 1.2%, to $1.3 billion for the three months ended June 30, 2026 from $1.3 billion for the three months ended June 30, 2025. Our net interest margin decreased 21 basis points, or 3.9%, to 5.14% for the three months ended June 30, 2026 compared to 5.35% for the three months ended June 30, 2025. The decrease in the net interest margin was due to a 75 basis points decrease in the Federal Funds rate from September 2025 to December 2025 that resulted in a decrease in the yield on interest-earning assets, partially offset by a smaller decrease in the cost of funds on interest-bearing liabilities. Credit Loss Expense The Company recorded credit loss expense of $860,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2026 compared to no credit loss expense for the three months ended June 30, 2025. The credit loss expense of $860,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2026 was comprised of credit loss expense for loans of $680,000, credit loss expense for off-balance sheet commitments of $171,000, and credit loss expense for held-to-maturity securities of $9,000. The credit loss expense for loans of $680,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2026 was primarily due to an increase in the loan portfolio. The credit loss expense for off-balance sheet commitments of $171,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2026 was primarily due to an increase in unfunded off-balance sheet commitments. The credit loss expense for held-to-maturity securities of $9,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2026 was primarily due to an increase in the municipal bond portfolio. With respect to the allowance for credit losses for loans, we charged-off $520,000 during the quarter ended June 30, 2026, as compared to charge-offs of $485,000 during the quarter ended June 30, 2025. The charge-offs during the quarter ended June 30, 2026 comprised of $500,000 against a commercial and industrial loan and $20,000 against various unpaid overdrafts in our demand deposit accounts. The charge-offs during the quarter ended June 30, 2025 were against various unpaid overdrafts in our demand deposit accounts. We recorded no recoveries during the quarter ended June 30, 2026 compared to recoveries of $82,000 during the quarter ended June 30, 2025. The recoveries of $82,000 during the quarter ended June 30, 2025 comprised of recoveries from a previously charged-off unpaid overdraft on a demand deposit account. Non-Interest Income Non-interest income for the three months ended June 30, 2026 was $642,000 compared to non-interest income of $858,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2025. The decrease of $216,000, or 25.2%, in total non-interest income was primarily due to decreases of $173,000 in unrealized gain/(loss) on equity securities and $62,000 in other loan fees and service charges, partially offset by increases of $15,000 in BOLI income and $4,000 in miscellaneous other non-interest income. The decrease in unrealized gain/(loss) on equity securities was due to an unrealized loss of $122,000 on equity securities during the quarter ended June 30, 2026 compared to an unrealized gain of $51,000 on equity securities during the quarter ended June 30, 2025. The unrealized loss of $122,000 and unrealized gain of $51,000 on equity securities during the quarters ended June 30, 2026 and 2025, respectively, were due to market interest rate volatility during both periods. The decrease of $62,000 in other loan fees and service charges was due to decreases of $82,000 in loan service charges and fees, partially offset by an increase of $20,000 in ATM/debit card/ACH fees. The increase of $15,000 in BOLI income was due to an increase in the yield on BOLI assets. The increase of $4,000 in miscellaneous other non-interest income was due to increases in miscellaneous operating income during the quarter. Non-Interest Expense Non-interest expense increased $110,000, or 1.0%, to $10.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2026 from $10.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025. The increase resulted primarily from increases of $291,000 in other operating expense, $166,000 in salaries and employee benefits, and $44,000 in occupancy expense, partially offset by decreases of $247,000 in real estate owned expense, $79,000 in advertising expense, $33,000 in outside data processing expense, and $32,000 in equipment expense. Income Taxes We recorded income tax expense of $4.0 million and $4.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025, respectively. For the three months ended June 30, 2026, we had approximately $252,000 in tax exempt income, compared to approximately $210,000 in tax exempt income for the three months ended June 30, 2025. Our effective income tax rate was 29.1% for the three months ended June 30, 2026 compared to 27.6% for the three months ended June 30, 2025. Results of Operations for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2026 and 2025 Net Interest Income Net interest income was $48.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026 as compared to $49.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025. The decrease in net interest income of $555,000, or 1.1%, was primarily due to a decrease in interest income that exceeded a decrease in interest expense and a decrease in the yield on interest earning assets, partially offset by a smaller decrease in the cost of funds for interest bearing liabilities. Total interest and dividend income decreased $4.2 million, or 5.5%, to $72.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026 from $76.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025. The decrease in interest and dividend income was due to a decrease in the yield on interest earning assets by 60 basis points from 8.08% for the six months ended June 30, 2025 to 7.48% for the six months ended June 30, 2026, partially offset by an increase in the average balance of interest earning assets of $39.5 million, or 2.1%, to $1.9 billion for the six months ended June 30, 2026 from $1.9 billion for the six months ended June 30, 2025. Interest expense decreased $3.7 million, or 13.6%, to $23.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026 from $26.9 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025. The decrease in interest expense was due to a decrease in the cost of interest bearing liabilities by 51 basis points from 3.97% for the six months ended June 30, 2025 to 3.46% for the six months ended June 30, 2026 and a decrease in average interest bearing liabilities of $13.0 million, or 1.0%, to $1.3 billion for the six months ended June 30, 2026 from $1.4 billion for the six months ended June 30, 2025. Net interest margin decreased 17 basis points, or 3.2%, to 5.06% for the six months ended June 30, 2026 compared to 5.23% for the six months ended June 30, 2025. The decrease in the net interest margin was due to a 75 basis points decrease in the Federal Funds rate from September 2025 to December 2025 that resulted in a decrease in the yield on interest-earning assets, partially offset by a smaller decrease in the cost of funds on interest-bearing liabilities. Credit Loss Expense The Company recorded a credit loss expense of $860,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2026 compared to a credit loss expense of $237,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2025. The credit loss expense of $860,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2026 was comprised of credit loss expense for loans of $568,000, credit loss expense for off-balance sheet commitments of $283,000, and credit loss expense for held-to-maturity securities of $9,000. The credit loss expense of $237,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2025 was comprised of credit loss expense for loans of $62,000 and credit loss expense for off-balance sheet commitments of $175,000. The credit loss expense for loans of $568,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2026 was primarily due to an increase in the loan portfolio. The credit loss expense for off-balance sheet commitments of $283,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2026 was primarily due to an increase in unfunded off-balance sheet commitments. The credit loss expense for held-to-maturity securities of $9,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2026 was primarily due to an increase in the municipal bond portfolio. The credit loss expense for loans of $62,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2025 was primarily due to an increase in the multi-family loan portfolio. The credit loss expense for off-balance sheet commitments of $175,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2025 was primarily due to an increase in unfunded off-balance sheet commitments. With respect to the allowance for credit losses for loans, we charged-off $547,000 during the six months ended June 30, 2026 as compared to charge-offs of $602,000 during the six months ended June 30, 2025. The charge-offs during the six months ended June 30, 2026 comprised of $500,000 against a commercial and industrial loan and $47,000 against various unpaid overdrafts in our demand deposit accounts. The charge-offs during the six months ended June 30, 2025 were against various unpaid overdrafts in our demand deposit accounts. We recorded no recoveries during the six months ended June 30, 2026 compared to recoveries of $434,000 during the six months ended June 30, 2025. The recoveries of $434,000 during the six months ended June 30, 2025 comprised of recoveries of $350,000 with respect to a previously charged-off non-residential mortgage loan and $84,000 from previously charged-off unpaid overdrafts on demand deposit accounts. Non-Interest Income Non-interest income for the six months ended June 30, 2026 was $1.4 million compared to non-interest income of $2.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025. The decrease of $655,000, or 31.3%, in total non-interest income was primarily due to decreases of $594,000 in unrealized gain/(loss) on equity securities and $133,000 in other loan fees and service charges, partially offset by increases of $45,000 in miscellaneous other non-interest income and $27,000 in BOLI income. The decrease in unrealized gain on equity securities was due to an unrealized loss of $243,000 on equity securities during the six months ended June 30, 2026 compared to an unrealized gain of $351,000 on equity securities during the six months ended June 30, 2025. Both the unrealized loss of $243,000 on equity securities during the 2026 period and the unrealized gain of $351,000 on equity securities during the 2025 period were due to market interest rate volatility during both periods. The decrease of $133,000 in other loan fees and service charges was due to a decrease of $226,000 in other loan fees and loan servicing fees, partially offset by an increase of $92,000 in ATM/debit card/ACH fees. The increase of $45,000 in miscellaneous other non-interest income was due to general accrual adjustments during the first quarter of 2026. The increase in BOLI income of $27,000 was due to an increase in the yield on BOLI assets. Non-Interest Expense Non-interest expense increased $371,000, or 1.8%, to $21.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026 from $21.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025. The increase resulted primarily from increases of $406,000 in salaries and employee benefits, $208,000 in other operating expense, $172,000 in occupancy expense, and $27,000 in outside data processing expense, partially offset by decreases of $277,000 in real estate owned expense, $139,000 in advertising expense, and $26,000 in equipment expense. Income Taxes We recorded income tax expense of $8.1 million and $8.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025, respectively. For the six months ended June 30, 2026, we had approximately $500,000 in tax exempt income, compared to approximately $415,000 in tax exempt income for the six months ended June 30, 2025. Our effective income tax rates were 29.1% and 27.7% for the six months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025, respectively. Asset Quality We had no non-performing assets at June 30, 2026 and December 31, 2025. Our ratio of non-performing assets to total assets was 0.00% at June 30, 2026 and December 31, 2025. The Company’s allowance for credit losses related to loans was $4.8 million, or 0.25% of total loans as of June 30, 2026, compared to $4.7 million, or 0.25% of total loans as of December 31, 2025. Based on a review of the loans that were in the loan portfolio at June 30, 2026, management believes that the allowance for credit losses related to loans is maintained at a level that represents its best estimate of expected losses in the loan portfolio. In addition, at June 30, 2026, the Company’s allowance for credit losses related to off-balance sheet commitments totaled $1.2 million and the allowance for credit losses related to held-to-maturity debt securities totaled $135,000. Capital The Company’s total stockholders’ equity to assets ratio was 17.14% as of June 30, 2026. At June 30, 2026, the Company had the ability to borrow $633.0 million from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and $8.0 million from Atlantic Community Bankers Bank. The Bank’s capital position remains strong relative to current regulatory requirements and the Bank is considered a well-capitalized institution under the Prompt Corrective Action framework. As of June 30, 2026, the Bank had a tier 1 leverage capital ratio of 17.32% and a total risk-based capital ratio of 15.31%. The Company commenced its third stock repurchase program on December 10, 2025 whereby the Company will repurchase 1,400,435, or 10%, of the Company’s issued and outstanding common stock. As of June 30, 2026, the Company had repurchased 239,894 shares of common stock under its third repurchase program, at a cost of $5.6 million, including commission costs and Federal excise taxes. About NorthEast Community Bancorp NorthEast Community Bancorp, headquartered at 325 Hamilton Avenue, White Plains, New York 10601, is the holding company for NorthEast Community Bank, which conducts business through its eleven branch offices located in Bronx, New York, Orange, Rockland, and Sullivan Counties in New York and Essex, Middlesex, and Norfolk Counties in Massachusetts and three loan production offices located in New City, New York, White Plains, New York, and Danvers, Massachusetts. For more information about NorthEast Community Bancorp and NorthEast Community Bank, please visit www.necb.com. Forward Looking Statement This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding anticipated future events and can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They often include words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” and “intend” or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” or “may.” These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the Company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements as a result of numerous factors. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results include, but are not limited to, changes in market interest rates, regional and national economic conditions (including higher inflation or recessionary conditions and their impact on regional and national economic conditions), legislative and regulatory changes, changes relating to rent regulation and housing, including recent legislative action in New York City to freeze rents on certain rent-regulated properties, monetary and fiscal policies of the United States government, including policies of the United States Treasury and the Federal Reserve Board, the impacts of tariffs, sanctions and other trade policies of the United States and its global trading counterparts, the impact of changing political conditions or federal government shutdowns, the quality and composition of the loan or investment portfolios, demand for loan products, decreases in deposit levels necessitating increased borrowing to fund loans and securities, competition, demand for financial services in NorthEast Community Bank’s market area, changes in the real estate market values in NorthEast Community Bank’s market area, the impact of failures or disruptions in or breaches of the Company’s operational or security systems, data or infrastructure, or those of third parties, including as a result of cyberattacks or campaigns, and changes in relevant accounting principles and guidelines. Additionally, other risks and uncertainties may be described in our annual and quarterly reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), which are available through the SEC’s website located at www.sec.gov. These risks and uncertainties should be considered in evaluating any forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Except as required by applicable law or regulation, the Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to release publicly the result of any revisions that may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of the statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.

Northeast Community Bancorp (NECB) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.72 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.77 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.82 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of -6.49%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this bank holding company would post earnings of $0.75 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.74, delivering a surprise of -1.33%. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates just once. Northeast Community Bancorp, which belongs to the Zacks Banks - Northeast industry, posted revenues of $25.29 million for the quarter ended June 2026, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.82%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $25.93 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates just once over the last four quarters. The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call. Northeast Community Bancorp shares have added about 17% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 8.2%. While Northeast Community Bancorp has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock? There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions. Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Northeast Community Bancorp was unfavorable. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to underperform the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.82 on $27.09 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $3.16 on $105.37 million in revenues for the current fiscal year. Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Banks - Northeast is currently in the top 31% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1. One other stock from the same industry, CB Financial Services (CBFV), is yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026. This holding company for Pennsylvania-based Community Bank is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.75 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +1.4%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. CB Financial Services' revenues are expected to be $15.5 million, up 15.1% from the year-ago quarter. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Northeast Community Bancorp Inc. (NECB) : Free Stock Analysis Report CB Financial Services, Inc. (CBFV) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

The market expects Northeast Community Bancorp (NECB) to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on lower revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended June 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook is important in assessing the company's earnings picture, but a powerful factor that might influence its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates. The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower. While management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call will mostly determine the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations, it's worth having a handicapping insight into the odds of a positive EPS surprise. This bank holding company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.77 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -6.1%. Revenues are expected to be $25.76 million, down 0.7% from the year-ago quarter. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 2.38% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period. Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Estimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction). The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only. A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP. Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell). For Northeast Community Bancorp, the Most Accurate Estimate is the same as the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that there are no recent analyst views which differ from what have been considered to derive the consensus estimate. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of 0%. On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #4. So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Northeast Community Bancorp will beat the consensus EPS estimate. While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number. For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Northeast Community Bancorp would post earnings of $0.75 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.74, delivering a surprise of -1.33%. Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates two times. An earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss. That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Northeast Community Bancorp doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release. Another stock from the Zacks Banks - Northeast industry, Fulton Financial (FULT), is soon expected to post earnings of $0.53 per share for the quarter ended June 2026. This estimate indicates a year-over-year change of -3.6%. Revenues for the quarter are expected to be $361.54 million, up 10.1% from the year-ago quarter. Over the last 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for Fulton Financial has been revised 0.6% down to the current level. Nevertheless, the company now has an Earnings ESP of -1.42%, reflecting a lower Most Accurate Estimate. This Earnings ESP, combined with its Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Fulton Financial will beat the consensus EPS estimate. The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Northeast Community Bancorp Inc. (NECB) : Free Stock Analysis Report Fulton Financial Corporation (FULT) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., June 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NorthEast Community Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company”) (Nasdaq: NECB) announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.25 per common share. The dividend will be paid on or about August 6, 2026, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on July 7, 2026. “We are pleased to increase our quarterly dividend to shareholders by $.05 per common share,” said Kenneth A. Martinek, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. “The payment of dividends continues to represent one part of our long-term commitment to enhancing shareholder value, as well as stock repurchases.” About NorthEast Community Bancorp, Inc. NorthEast Community Bancorp, headquartered at 325 Hamilton Avenue, White Plains, New York 10601, is the holding company for NorthEast Community Bank, which conducts business through its eleven branch offices located in Bronx, New York, Orange, Rockland, and Sullivan Counties in New York and Essex, Middlesex, and Norfolk Counties in Massachusetts and three loan production offices located in New City, New York, White Plains, New York, and Danvers, Massachusetts. For more information about NorthEast Community Bancorp and NorthEast Community Bank, please visit www.necb.com. Cautionary Note About Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding anticipated future events and can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They often include words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” and “intend” or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” or “may.” These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the Company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements as a result of numerous factors. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results include, but are not limited to, changes in market interest rates, regional and national economic conditions (including higher inflation and its impact on regional and national economic conditions), legislative and regulatory changes, monetary and fiscal policies of the United States government, including policies of the United States Treasury and the Federal Reserve Board, the quality and composition of the loan or investment portfolios, demand for loan products, decreases in deposit levels necessitating increased borrowing to fund loans and securities, competition, demand for financial services in NorthEast Community Bank’s market area, changes in the real estate market values in NorthEast Community Bank’s market area, the impact of failures or disruptions in or breaches of the Company’s operational or security systems, data or infrastructure, or those of third parties, including as a result of cyberattacks or campaigns, and changes in relevant accounting principles and guidelines. Additionally, other risks and uncertainties may be described in our annual and quarterly reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), which are available through the SEC’s website located at www.sec.gov. These risks and uncertainties should be considered in evaluating any forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Except as required by applicable law or regulation, the Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to release publicly the result of any revisions that may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of the statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.

Northeast Community Bancorp (NECB) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.74 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.75 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.78 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of -1.33%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this bank holding company would post earnings of $0.85 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.79, delivering a surprise of -7.06%. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times. Northeast Community Bancorp, which belongs to the Zacks Banks - Northeast industry, posted revenues of $24.93 million for the quarter ended March 2026, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.64%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $25.5 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates just once over the last four quarters. The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call. Northeast Community Bancorp shares have added about 10.4% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 4.3%. While Northeast Community Bancorp has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock? There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions. Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Northeast Community Bancorp was unfavorable. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to underperform the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.79 on $27.4 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $3.25 on $111.99 million in revenues for the current fiscal year. Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Banks - Northeast is currently in the top 35% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1. One other stock from the same industry, First Internet Bancorp (INBK), is yet to report results for the quarter ended March 2026. The results are expected to be released on April 30. This internet bank is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.08 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -27.3%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. First Internet Bancorp's revenues are expected to be $44.2 million, up 24.4% from the year-ago quarter. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Northeast Community Bancorp Inc. (NECB) : Free Stock Analysis Report First Internet Bancorp (INBK) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., April 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NorthEast Community Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: NECB) (the “Company”), the parent holding company of NorthEast Community Bank (the “Bank”), reported net income of $10.0 million, or $0.76 per basic share and $0.74 per diluted share, for the three months ended March 31, 2026 compared to net income of $10.6 million, or $0.80 per basic share and $0.78 per diluted share, for the three months ended March 31, 2025. Kenneth A. Martinek, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, stated “We are again pleased to report continued strong performance throughout our entire loan portfolio. We continue our laser focus on construction lending in high demand, high absorption submarkets in the Bronx, Rockland, Orange, and Sullivan Counties.” “Demand for construction loans throughout these submarkets continues to demonstrate robust growth and we look forward to meeting this growing demand going forward. At March 31, 2026, construction loan commitments and loans-in-process outstanding increased by approximately 37.8% as compared to the first quarter of 2025, with over $819 million in total unfunded loan commitments outstanding, and represents a 20.6% increase over the amount of such total commitments outstanding at December 31, 2025.” Highlights for the three months ended March 31, 2026 are as follows: Performance metrics continue to be strong with a return on average total assets ratio of 1.97%, a return on average shareholders’ equity ratio of 11.13%, and an efficiency ratio of 43.64% for the three months ended March 31, 2026. Asset quality metrics continue to remain strong with no non-performing loans at either March 31, 2026 or December 31, 2025, and non-performing assets to total assets were 0.00% at both March 31, 2026 and at December 31, 2025. Our allowance for credit losses related to loans totaled $4.6 million, or 0.25% total loans at March 31, 2026 compared to $4.7 million, or 0.25% of total loans at December 31, 2025. Total stockholders’ equity increased by $4.6 million, or 1.3%, to $356.3 million, or 17.59% of total assets as of March 31, 2026 from $351.7 million, or 17.04% of total assets as of December 31, 2025. Balance Sheet Summary Total assets decreased $38.4 million, or 1.9%, to $2.0 billion at March 31, 2026, from $2.1 billion at December 31, 2025. The decrease in assets was primarily due to decreases in net loans of $31.8 million, cash and cash equivalents of $5.0 million, and other assets of $2.0 million. Cash and cash equivalents decreased $5.0 million, or 6.1%, to $76.2 million at March 31, 2026 from $81.2 million at December 31, 2025. The decrease in cash and cash equivalents partially funded a decrease of $50.0 million in borrowings. Equity securities increased $879,000, or 3.3%, to $27.4 million at March 31, 2026 from $26.6 million at December 31, 2025. The increase in equity securities was attributable to the purchase of $1.0 million in equity securities during the three months ended March 31, 2026, partially offset by market depreciation of $121,000 due to market interest rate volatility during the three months ended March 31, 2026. Securities held-to-maturity decreased $150,000, or 0.8%, to $18.2 million at March 31, 2026 from $18.3 million at December 31, 2025 due to pay-downs of various investment securities. Loans, net of the allowance for credit losses, decreased $31.8 million, or 1.7%, to $1.8 billion at March 31, 2026 from $1.9 billion at December 31, 2025. The decrease in loans consisted of decreases of $16.1 million in construction loans, $14.3 million in multi-family loans, $610,000 in commercial and industrial loans, $494,000 in mixed-use loans, $258,000 in non-residential loans, $34,000 in one-to-four family loans, and $21,000 in consumer loans. The decrease in our construction loan portfolio was due to normal pay-downs and principal reductions as construction projects were completed and either condominium units were sold to end buyers or multi-family rental buildings were refinanced by other financial institutions. During the three months ended March 31, 2026, we originated loans totaling $266.1 million, which includes commitments and funded loans, consisting primarily of $244.2 million in construction loans and $21.8 million in commercial and industrial loans. The $244.2 million in construction loans had $99.5 million, or 40.7%, disbursed at loan closing, with the remaining funds to be disbursed over the terms of the construction loans. The commercial and industrial loans had $18.9 million, or 86.7%, disbursed at loan closing. The allowance for credit losses related to loans decreased to $4.6 million as of March 31, 2026, from $4.7 million as of December 31, 2025. The decrease in the allowance for credit losses related to loans was due to charge-offs totaling $27,000 and a provision for credit losses reduction of $112,000 to the allowance for credit losses related to loans due to a decrease of $31.8 million in the loan portfolio. The provision for credit losses reduction of $112,000 to the allowance for credit losses related to loans was offset by a provision for credit losses of $112,000 to the allowance for credit losses related to off-balance sheet commitments. The allowance for credit losses for off-balance sheet commitments increased $112,000, or 12.7%, to $991,000 at March 31, 2026 from $879,000 at December 31, 2025 due primarily to an increase of $140.0 million, or 20.6%, in off-balance sheet commitments from December 31, 2025 to March 31, 2026. Premises and equipment decreased $199,000, or 0.8%, to $25.2 million at March 31, 2026 from $25.4 million at December 31, 2025 primarily due to the amortization of fixed assets. Federal Home Loan Bank stock was $410,000 and property held for investment was $1.3 million at both March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025. Bank owned life insurance (“BOLI”) increased $179,000, or 0.7%, to $26.6 million at March 31, 2026 from $26.4 million at December 31, 2025 due to increases in the BOLI cash value. Accrued interest receivable decreased $152,000, or 1.2%, to $12.1 million at March 31, 2026 from $12.2 million at December 31, 2025 due to a decrease of $31.9 million in the loan portfolio. Right of use assets — operating decreased $179,000, or 3.8%, to $4.5 million at March 31, 2026 from $4.7 million at December 31, 2025, primarily due to depreciation of the right of use assets. Other assets decreased $2.0 million, or 18.0%, to $9.0 million at March 31, 2026 from $11.0 million at December 31, 2025 due to decreases of $2.2 million in tax assets, partially offset by increases of $143,000 in prepaid expenses and $57,000 in suspense accounts. Total deposits increased $9.4 million, or 0.6%, to $1.6 billion at March 31, 2026 from $1.6 billion at December 31, 2025. The increase in deposits was primarily due to increases in NOW/money market accounts of $50.0 million, or 16.5% and non-interest bearing deposits of $25.0 million, or 9.2%, partially offset by decreases in certificates of deposit of $57.1 million, or 6.3%, and savings account balances of $8.5 million, or 6.0%. The decrease of $57.1 million in certificates of deposit consisted of decreases in brokered certificates of deposit of $40.6 million, or 11.0%, non-brokered listing services certificates of deposit of $5.4 million, or 6.2%, and retail certificates of deposit of $11.2 million, or 2.5%. The decrease in brokered certificates of deposit and non-brokered listing services certificates of deposit was due to management’s strategy to reduce the cost of funds by “calling” higher rate brokered deposits on their call dates and to rely less on brokered deposits and non-brokered listing service deposits. The decrease in retail certificates of deposit was due to a shift in deposits to our retail high yield money market accounts. Advance payments by borrowers for taxes and insurance increased $572,000, or 24.3%, to $2.9 million at March 31, 2026 from $2.4 million at December 31, 2025 due primarily to accumulation of real estate tax payments from borrowers. Borrowings decreased $50.0 million, or 71.4%, to $20.0 million at March 31, 2026 from $70.0 million at December 31, 2025 due primarily to management’s strategy to reduce the cost of funds. Lease liability – operating decreased $163,000, or 3.4%, to $4.6 million at March 31, 2026 from $4.8 million at December 31, 2025, primarily due to the amortization of the lease liability. Accounts payable and accrued expenses decreased $2.8 million, or 15.9%, to $14.6 million at March 31, 2026 from $17.3 million at December 31, 2025 due primarily to decreases in accrued expense of $2.9 million and accrued interest expense of $438,000, partially offset by increases in suspense account – loan closings of $217,000, deferred compensation of $158,000, and accounts payable of $40,000. Stockholders’ equity increased $4.6 million, or 1.3% to $356.3 million at March 31, 2026, from $351.7 million at December 31, 2025. The increase in stockholders’ equity was due to net income of $10.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026, an increase of $178,000 in earned employee stock ownership plan shares coupled with a reduction of $130,000 in unearned employee stock ownership plan shares, the amortization expense of $547,000 relating to restricted stock and stock options granted under the Company’s 2022 Equity Incentive Plan, $37,000 in stock options exercised, and $8,000 in other comprehensive income. These increases were offset by stock repurchases and excise taxes of $3.6 million and dividends declared of $2.7 million. Results of Operations for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2026 and 2025 Net Interest Income Net interest income was $24.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026, as compared to $24.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025. The decrease in net interest income of $130,000, or 0.5%, was primarily due to a decrease in interest income that exceeded a decrease in interest expense caused by a decrease in the yield on interest-earning assets that exceeded the decrease in the cost of funds for interest-bearing liabilities. Total interest and dividend income decreased $2.2 million, or 5.9%, to $36.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026 from $38.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025. The decrease in interest and dividend income was due to a decrease in the yield on interest-earning assets by 61 basis points from 8.05% for the three months ended March 31, 2025 to 7.44% for the three months ended March 31, 2026, partially offset by an increase in the average balance of interest-earning assets of $35.2 million, or 1.9%, to $1.9 billion for the three months ended March 31, 2026 from $1.9 billion for the three months ended March 31, 2025. Interest expense decreased $2.1 million, or 15.1%, to $11.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026 from $13.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025. The decrease in interest expense was due to a decrease in the cost of interest-bearing liabilities by 58 basis points from 4.05% for the three months ended March 31, 2025 to 3.47% for the three months ended March 31, 2026. The decrease in interest expense was also due to a decrease in the average balance of interest-bearing liabilities of $9.9 million, or 0.7%, to $1.4 billion for the three months ended March 31, 2026 from $1.4 billion for the three months ended March 31, 2025. Our net interest margin decreased 12 basis points, or 2.4%, to 4.99% for the three months ended March 31, 2026 compared to 5.11% for the three months ended March 31, 2025. The decrease in the net interest margin was due to a 75 basis points decrease in the Federal Funds rate from September 2025 to December 2025 that resulted in a decrease in the yield on interest-earning assets, partially offset by a smaller decrease in the cost of funds on interest-bearing liabilities. Credit Loss Expense The Company recorded no credit loss expense for the three months ended March 31, 2026 compared to a credit loss expense of $237,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2025. The credit loss expense of $237,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2025 was comprised of credit loss expense for loans of $62,000 and credit loss expense for off-balance sheet commitments of $175,000. The credit loss expense for loans of $62,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2025 was primarily due to an increase in the multi-family loan portfolio. The credit loss expense for off-balance sheet commitments of $175,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2025 was primarily due to an increase in unfunded off-balance sheet commitments. With respect to the allowance for credit losses for loans, we charged-off $27,000 during the quarter ended March 31, 2026, as compared to charge-offs of $117,000 during the quarter ended March 31, 2025. The charge-offs during both periods were against various unpaid overdrafts in our demand deposit accounts. We recorded no recoveries during the quarter ended March 31, 2026 compared to recoveries of $352,000 during the quarter ended March 31, 2025. The recoveries of $352,000 during the quarter ended March 31, 2025 were comprised of recoveries of $350,000 regarding a previously charged-off non-residential mortgage loan and $2,000 from a previously charged-off unpaid overdraft on a demand deposit account. Non-Interest Income Non-interest income for the three months ended March 31, 2026 was $796,000 compared to non-interest income of $1.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025. The decrease of $439,000, or 35.5%, in total non-interest income was primarily due to decreases of $421,000 in unrealized gain/(loss) on equity securities and $71,000 in other loan fees and service charges, partially offset by increases of $41,000 in miscellaneous other non-interest income and $12,000 in BOLI income. The decrease in unrealized gain/(loss) on equity securities was due to an unrealized loss of $121,000 on equity securities during the quarter ended March 31, 2026 compared to an unrealized gain of $300,000 on equity securities during the quarter ended March 31, 2025. The unrealized loss of $121,000 and unrealized gain of $300,000 on equity securities during the quarters ended March 31, 2026 and 2025, respectively, were due to market interest rate volatility during both periods. The decrease of $71,000 in other loan fees and service charges was due to a decrease of $143,000 in miscellaneous loan fees, partially offset by an increase of $72,000 in ATM/debit card/ACH fees. The increase of $41,000 in miscellaneous other non-interest income was due to general accrual adjustments during the quarter. The increase of $12,000 in BOLI income was due to an increase in the yield on BOLI assets. Non-Interest Expense Non-interest expense increased $260,000, or 2.4%, to $10.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026 from $10.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025. The increase resulted primarily from increases of $239,000 in salaries and employee benefits, $127,000 in occupancy expense, $61,000 in outside data processing expense, and $6,000 in equipment expense, partially offset by decreases of $84,000 in other operating expense, $59,000 in advertising expense, and $30,000 in real estate owned expense. Income Taxes We recorded income tax expense of $4.1 million for both three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025, respectively. For the three months ended March 31, 2026, we had approximately $248,000 in tax exempt income, compared to approximately $204,000 in tax exempt income for the three months ended March 31, 2025. Our effective income tax rate was 29.2% for the three months ended March 31, 2026 compared to 27.8% for the three months ended March 31, 2025. Asset Quality We had no non-performing assets at March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025. Our ratio of non-performing assets to total assets was 0.00% at March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025. The Company’s allowance for credit losses related to loans was $4.6 million, or 0.25% of total loans as of March 31, 2026, compared to $4.7 million, or 0.25% of total loans as of December 31, 2025. Based on a review of the loans that were in the loan portfolio at March 31, 2026, management believes that the allowance for credit losses related to loans is maintained at a level that represents its best estimate of inherent losses in the loan portfolio that were both probable and reasonably estimable. In addition, at March 31, 2026, the Company’s allowance for credit losses related to off-balance sheet commitments totaled $991,000 and the allowance for credit losses related to held-to-maturity debt securities totaled $126,000. Capital The Company’s total stockholders’ equity to assets ratio was 17.59% as of March 31, 2026. At March 31, 2026, the Company had the ability to borrow $866.7 million from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and $8.0 million from Atlantic Community Bankers Bank. The Bank’s capital position remains strong relative to current regulatory requirements and the Bank is considered a well-capitalized institution under the Prompt Corrective Action framework. As of March 31, 2026, the Bank had a tier 1 leverage capital ratio of 16.76% and a total risk-based capital ratio of 15.73%. The Company completed its first stock repurchase program on April 14, 2023 whereby the Company repurchased 1,637,794 shares, or 10%, of the Company’s issued and outstanding common stock. The cost of the first stock repurchase program totaled $23.0 million, including commission costs and Federal excise taxes. The Company commenced its second stock repurchase program on May 30, 2023 whereby the Company was to repurchase 1,509,218, or 10%, of the Company’s issued and outstanding common stock. The Company terminated its second stock repurchase program on December 31, 2025 whereby the Company had repurchased 1,091,174, or 7.2% of the Company’s issued and outstanding common stock at the commencement of the second stock repurchase program. The cost of the second repurchase program totaled $17.2 million, including commission costs and Federal excise taxes. The Company commenced its third stock repurchase program on December 10, 2025 whereby the Company will repurchase 1,400,435, or 10%, of the Company’s issued and outstanding common stock. As of March 31, 2026, the Company had repurchased 196,438 shares of common stock under its third repurchase program, at a cost of $4.5 million, including commission costs and Federal excise taxes. About NorthEast Community Bancorp NorthEast Community Bancorp, headquartered at 325 Hamilton Avenue, White Plains, New York 10601, is the holding company for NorthEast Community Bank, which conducts business through its eleven branch offices located in Bronx, New York, Orange, Rockland, and Sullivan Counties in New York and Essex, Middlesex, and Norfolk Counties in Massachusetts and three loan production offices located in New City, New York, White Plains, New York, and Danvers, Massachusetts. For more information about NorthEast Community Bancorp and NorthEast Community Bank, please visit www.necb.com. Forward Looking Statement This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding anticipated future events and can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They often include words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” and “intend” or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” or “may.” These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the Company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements as a result of numerous factors. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results include, but are not limited to, changes in market interest rates, regional and national economic conditions (including higher inflation or recessionary conditions and their impact on regional and national economic conditions), legislative and regulatory changes, monetary and fiscal policies of the United States government, including policies of the United States Treasury and the Federal Reserve Board, the impacts of tariffs, sanctions and other trade policies of the United States and its global trading counterparts, the impact of changing political conditions or federal government shutdowns, the quality and composition of the loan or investment portfolios, demand for loan products, decreases in deposit levels necessitating increased borrowing to fund loans and securities, competition, demand for financial services in NorthEast Community Bank’s market area, changes in the real estate market values in NorthEast Community Bank’s market area, the impact of failures or disruptions in or breaches of the Company’s operational or security systems, data or infrastructure, or those of third parties, including as a result of cyberattacks or campaigns, and changes in relevant accounting principles and guidelines. Additionally, other risks and uncertainties may be described in our annual and quarterly reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), which are available through the SEC’s website located at www.sec.gov. These risks and uncertainties should be considered in evaluating any forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Except as required by applicable law or regulation, the Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to release publicly the result of any revisions that may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of the statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.

Citizens Financial Services (CZFS) came out with quarterly earnings of $2.16 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.98 per share. This compares to earnings of $1.6 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +9.09%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this bank would post earnings of $2.07 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.18, delivering a surprise of +5.31%. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates four times. Citizens Financial Services, which belongs to the Zacks Banks - Northeast industry, posted revenues of $29.8 million for the quarter ended March 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.42%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $26.43 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates three times over the last four quarters. The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call. Citizens Financial Services shares have added about 17.9% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 4.3%. While Citizens Financial Services has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock? There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions. Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Citizens Financial Services was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $1.93 on $28.9 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $7.81 on $116.9 million in revenues for the current fiscal year. Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Banks - Northeast is currently in the top 35% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1. One other stock from the same industry, Northeast Community Bancorp (NECB), is yet to report results for the quarter ended March 2026. This bank holding company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.75 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -3.9%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 4.8% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. Northeast Community Bancorp's revenues are expected to be $26.42 million, up 3.6% from the year-ago quarter. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Citizens Financial Services Inc. (CZFS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Northeast Community Bancorp Inc. (NECB) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

The Bancorp (TBBK) came out with quarterly earnings of $1.41 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.34 per share. This compares to earnings of $1.19 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +5.22%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this holding company for The Bancorp Bank would post earnings of $1.46 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.28, delivering a surprise of -12.33%. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times. The Bancorp, which belongs to the Zacks Banks - Northeast industry, posted revenues of $161.34 million for the quarter ended March 2026, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 12.03%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $175.38 million. The company has not been able to beat consensus revenue estimates over the last four quarters. The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call. The Bancorp shares have lost about 10.9% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 4.3%. While The Bancorp has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock? There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions. Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for The Bancorp was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $1.35 on $189.17 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $5.93 on $790.27 million in revenues for the current fiscal year. Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Banks - Northeast is currently in the top 38% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1. Northeast Community Bancorp (NECB), another stock in the same industry, has yet to report results for the quarter ended March 2026. This bank holding company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.75 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -3.9%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 4.8% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. Northeast Community Bancorp's revenues are expected to be $26.42 million, up 3.6% from the year-ago quarter. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report The Bancorp, Inc. (TBBK) : Free Stock Analysis Report Northeast Community Bancorp Inc. (NECB) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

The market expects Bank OZK (OZK) to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended March 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook is important in assessing the company's earnings picture, but a powerful factor that might influence its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates. The earnings report, which is expected to be released on April 21, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower. While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call, it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise. This bank is expected to post quarterly earnings of $1.46 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -0.7%. Revenues are expected to be $421.86 million, up 3.1% from the year-ago quarter. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.51% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period. Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Estimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. Our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) -- has this insight at its core. The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only. A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP. Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell). For Bank OZK, the Most Accurate Estimate is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bearish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -4.22%. On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #4. So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Bank OZK will beat the consensus EPS estimate. Analysts often consider to what extent a company has been able to match consensus estimates in the past while calculating their estimates for its future earnings. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number. For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Bank OZK would post earnings of $1.56 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.53, delivering a surprise of -1.92%. Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates two times. An earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss. That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Bank OZK doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release. Another stock from the Zacks Banks - Northeast industry, Northeast Community Bancorp (NECB), is soon expected to post earnings of $0.75 per share for the quarter ended March 2026. This estimate indicates a year-over-year change of -3.9%. Revenues for the quarter are expected to be $26.42 million, up 3.6% from the year-ago quarter. The consensus EPS estimate for Northeast Community Bancorp has been revised 4.8% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. However, an equal Most Accurate Estimate has resulted in an Earnings ESP of 0.00%. This Earnings ESP, combined with its Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Northeast Community Bancorp will beat the consensus EPS estimate. Over the last four quarters, the company surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Bank OZK (OZK) : Free Stock Analysis Report Northeast Community Bancorp Inc. (NECB) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

The market expects Northeast Community Bancorp (NECB) to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended March 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook is important in assessing the company's earnings picture, but a powerful factor that might influence its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates. The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower. While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call, it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise. This bank holding company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.75 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -3.9%. Revenues are expected to be $26.42 million, up 3.6% from the year-ago quarter. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 4.82% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period. Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Estimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction). The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only. A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP. Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell). For Northeast Community Bancorp, the Most Accurate Estimate is the same as the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that there are no recent analyst views which differ from what have been considered to derive the consensus estimate. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of 0%. On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #4. So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Northeast Community Bancorp will beat the consensus EPS estimate. Analysts often consider to what extent a company has been able to match consensus estimates in the past while calculating their estimates for its future earnings. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number. For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Northeast Community Bancorp would post earnings of $0.85 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.79, delivering a surprise of -7.06%. Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates three times. An earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss. That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Northeast Community Bancorp doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release. Among the stocks in the Zacks Banks - Northeast industry, Citizens Financial Group (CFG), is soon expected to post earnings of $1.1 per share for the quarter ended March 2026. This estimate indicates a year-over-year change of +42.9%. This quarter's revenue is expected to be $2.17 billion, up 12.3% from the year-ago quarter. Over the last 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for Citizens Financial Group has been revised 1.1% up to the current level. Nevertheless, the company now has an Earnings ESP of +0.42%, reflecting a higher Most Accurate Estimate. When combined with a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold), this Earnings ESP indicates that Citizens Financial Group will most likely beat the consensus EPS estimate. The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Northeast Community Bancorp Inc. (NECB) : Free Stock Analysis Report Citizens Financial Group, Inc. (CFG) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research