Two South Jersey bank firms have reported sharply higher earnings as executives expressed optimism for the year ahead.
Cherry Hill-based 1st Colonial Bancorp Inc. on Monday posted net income of $1.7 million for the first quarter ended March 31, up from $5,000, or zero cents per share, a year earlier.
That came after Parke Bancorp Inc. of Washington Township announced record first-quarter earnings of $9.4 million, or 79 cents per share. That compared to $7.2 million, or 61 cents per share, a year earlier.
Both companies cited gains in non-interest income and lower provisions for loan losses, among other factors.
1st Colonial's improvement also reflected management changes and the addition of "revenue-producing teams," said Robert White, who arrived in February 2020 as president and CEO. The firm operates 1st Colonial Community Bank.