UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

x        QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2021

o         TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from _______________ to ______________________

Commission File No. 001-39090

Provident Bancorp, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

(978) 834-8555

(Registrant’s telephone number)

(Former name, former address, and former fiscal year if changed since last report)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such requirements for the past 90 days.  YES  x  NO  o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).   YES  x  NO  o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).  YES  o  NO  x

As of May 6, 2021, there were 18,335,142 shares of the Registrant’s common stock, $0.01 par value per share, outstanding.

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Provident Bancorp, Inc.

Form 10-Q

Part I.Financial Information

Item 1.Financial Statements

PROVIDENT BANCORP, INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the unaudited consolidated financial statements.

PROVIDENT BANCORP, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the unaudited consolidated financial statements.

PROVIDENT BANCORP, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(Unaudited)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the unaudited consolidated financial statements.

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PROVIDENT BANCORP, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

(Unaudited)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the unaudited consolidated financial statements. 
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PROVIDENT BANCORP, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Unaudited)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the unaudited consolidated financial statements.

 
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PROVIDENT BANCORP, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (continued)

(Unaudited)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the unaudited consolidated financial statements.

 
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PROVIDENT BANCORP, INC.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

(1)    Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited financial statements of Provident Bancorp, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), were prepared in accordance with the instructions for Form 10-Q and with Regulation S-X and do not include information or footnotes necessary for a complete presentation of the financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). However, in the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting only of normal and recurring adjustments) necessary for a fair presentation of the financial statements have been included. The results of operations for the three-month period ended March 31, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for future periods, including the entire fiscal year. Certain amounts in 2020 have been reclassified to be consistent with the 2021 consolidated financial statement presentation and had no effect on the net income reported in the consolidated statements of income. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the annual financial statements and notes thereto included in the annual report on Form 10-K the Company filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 26, 2021.

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company, its wholly owned subsidiary, The Provident Bank (“BankProv” or the “Bank”), and the Bank’s wholly owned subsidiaries, Provident Security Corporation, and 5 Market Street Security Corporation. Provident Security Corporation and 5 Market Street Security Corporation were established to buy, sell, and hold investments for their own account. All significant inter-company balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

(2)    Corporate Structure

The Company is a Maryland corporation whose primary purpose is to act as the holding company for the Bank. The Bank, headquartered in Amesbury, Massachusetts, operates its business from seven banking offices located in Amesbury and Newburyport, Massachusetts and Portsmouth, Exeter, Bedford, and Seabrook, New Hampshire. The Bank also has two loan production offices in Boston, Massachusetts and Ponte Vedra, Florida. Our primary deposit products are checking, savings and term certificate accounts and our primary lending products are commercial mortgages and commercial loans. BankProv is a commercial bank for corporate clients, specializing in offering adaptive and technology-first banking solutions to niche markets, including cryptocurrency, renewable energy, fin-tech and search fund lending.

(3)    COVID-19

Since the distribution of COVID-19 vaccinations began in December, significant progress has been made to combat the spread of the virus and as a result, there has been an uptick in economic activity, particularly those industries that had been most heavily impacted by the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the progress, COVID-19 has caused significant disruption in the U.S. economy and has adversely impacted a broad range of industries in which the Company’s customers operate which could impair their ability to fulfill their financial obligations. It is not possible to know the full extent of these impacts as of the date of this filing, detailed below are potentially material items of which we are aware.

Congress, the President, and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”) have taken several actions designed to cushion the economic fallout. Most notably, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”), a $2 trillion legislative package, was signed into law at the end of March 2020. The goal of the CARES Act is to prevent a severe economic downturn through various measures, including direct financial aid to American families and economic stimulus to significantly impacted industry sectors. Section 4013 of the CARES Act, “Temporary Relief from Troubled Debt Restructurings,” provides banks the option to temporarily suspend certain requirements under U.S. GAAP related to trouble debt restructurings (TDR) for a limited period of time to account for the effects of COVID-19. Additionally, the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act was enacted on December 27, 2020, providing for a second round of PPP loans (“PPP-2”). Also on December 27, 2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act (“CAA”) was signed into law. Section 541 of the CAA extends the provision in Section 4013 of the CARES Act, “Temporary Relief from Troubled Debt Restructurings”, to January 1, 2022. The Federal Reserve also took actions to mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including cutting the federal funds rate 150 basis points and targeting a 0 to 25 basis point rate. In addition to the general impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, certain provisions of the CARES Act as well as other legislative and regulatory relief efforts are expected to have a material impact on the Company’s operations.

The Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Venues Act (the Economic Aid Act) amended the PPP by extending the authority of the SBA to guarantee loans and the ability of PPP lenders to disburse PPP loans until March 31, 2021. The PPP Extension Act of 2021, which was enacted on March 30, 2021, extends the PPP application deadline to May 31, 2021, and provides the SBA additional time to process applications through June 30, 2021.

Financial position and results of operations

In keeping with the guidance from regulators, the Company continues to work with COVID-19 affected customers to waive fees from a variety of sources, such as, but not limited to, insufficient funds, account maintenance, minimum balance, and ATM fees. These reductions in fees are thought to be temporary in conjunction with the length of the expected COVID-19 related economic crisis. Management continues to monitor and measure the impact on its assets and operations. In addition, the Company is actively working with COVID-19 affected borrowers, in accordance with the guidance from regulators, to defer payments, interest and fees. Management continues to monitor and measure the impact and potential future impact on operations.

Allowance for loan losses

Continued uncertainty regarding the severity and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic effects will continue to affect the accounting for credit losses, which could cause the provision for loan losses to increase. It also is possible that asset quality could worsen, expenses associated with collection efforts could increase and loan charge-offs could increase. The Company is actively participating in the Small Business Administration’s (“SBA”) Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), providing loans to small businesses negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP loans are fully guaranteed by the U.S. government; if that should change, the Company could be required to increase its allowance for loan losses through an additional provision for loan losses charged to earnings.

In accordance with guidance issued by federal banking agencies, the Company is actively working with borrowers that may be unable to meet contractual obligations due to the effects of COVID-19 by providing modifications to allow for deferral of interest or principal and interest payments on an as-needed and case-by-case basis. In order to mitigate the risk associated with these modifications the Company has incorporated covenants that require borrowers to submit quarterly financial statements, prohibit them from distributing funds to any owner or stockholder (with the exception of payroll) and also prohibit them from making any payments on debt owed to subordinated debt holders for the duration of their modification. If borrowers are unable to return to their normal payment plan following their modification period, the Company could be required to increase its allowance for loan losses through an additional provision for loan losses charged to earnings.

Valuation

Valuation and fair value measurement challenges may occur. For example, COVID-19 could cause a further and sustained decline in the financial markets or the occurrence of what management would deem a valuation triggering event that could result in an impairment charge to earnings, such as our investment securities.

(4)    Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): “Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments.” The ASU changes the impairment model for most financial assets and certain other instruments. For trade and other receivables, held-to-maturity debt securities, loans and other instruments, entities will be required to use a new forward-looking “expected loss” model that will replace the current “incurred loss” model and can result in the earlier recognition of credit losses. For available-for-sale debt securities with unrealized losses, entities will measure credit losses in a manner similar to current practice, except that the losses will be recognized as an allowance. On October 16, 2019, FASB approved a delay on the implementation until January 2023 for smaller reporting companies as defined by the SEC. The amendments in this update will be effective for the Company on January 1, 2023. Early adoption is permitted as of the fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Management is currently evaluating the impact of its pending adoption of this guidance on the Company’s financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): “Disclosure Framework-Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement.” This ASU eliminated, added and modified certain disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. Among the changes, entities are no longer required to disclose the amount of and reasons for transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, but are required to disclose the range and weighted average used to develop significant unobservable inputs for Level 3 fair value measurements. The Company adopted the provision of ASU 2018-13 effective January 1, 2020 and the adoption did not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740) - Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (“ASU 2019-12”). This ASU simplifies the accounting for income taxes and is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted. Certain provisions under ASU 2019-12 require prospective application, some require modified retrospective application through a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the year of adoption, while other provisions require retrospective application to all periods presented in the consolidated financial statements upon adoption. The Company adopted the provision of ASU 2019-12 effective January 1, 2021 and the adoption did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848) - Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting (“ASU 2020-04”), to ease the potential burden in accounting for recognizing the effects of reference rate reform on financial reporting. Such challenges include the accounting and operational implications for contract modifications and hedge accounting. The provisions in ASU 2020-04 provide optional expedients and exceptions for applying GAAP to loan and lease agreements, contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected by reference rate reform. These provisions apply to contract modifications that reference LIBOR or another reference rate expected to be discounted because of reference rate reform. Qualifying modifications of loan agreements should be accounted for by prospectively adjusting the effective interest rate and the modification would be considered "minor" so that any existing unamortized deferred loan origination fees and costs would carry forward and continue to be amortized. Qualifying modifications of lease agreements should be accounted for as a continuation of the existing agreement with no reassessments of the lease classification and the discount rate or remeasurements of lease payments that otherwise would be required for modifications not accounted for as separate contracts. ASU 2020-04 also provides numerous optional expedients for hedge accounting.

ASU 2020-04 is effective as of March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022, with adoption permitted as of any date from the beginning of an interim period that includes or is subsequent to March 12, 2020, or prospectively from a date within an interim period that includes or is subsequent to March 12, 2020, up to the date that the financial statements are available to be issued. Once elected, the amendments must be applied prospectively for all eligible contract modifications. The Company is currently evaluating the effect that this ASU will have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. 

In October 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-08, Receivables (Topic 310) – Nonrefundable Fees and Other Costs (“ASU 2020-08”), to provide further clarification and update the previously issued guidance in ASU 2017-08, “Receivables - Nonrefundable Fees and Other Costs (Subtopic 310-20) Premium Amortization on Purchased Callable Debt Securities” (“ASU 2017-08”). ASU 2017-08 shortened the amortization period for certain callable debt securities purchased at a premium by requiring that the premium be amortized to the earliest call date. The Company early adopted the provisions of ASU 2017-08, effective January 1, 2017. ASU 2017-08 requires that at each reporting period, to the extent that the amortized cost of an individual callable debt security exceeds the amount repayable by the issuer at the next call date, the excess premium should be amortized to the next call date. ASU 2020-08 is effective for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2020 and early adoption was not permitted. The provisions under ASU 2020-08 are required to be applied prospectively. The Company adopted the provision of ASU 2020-08 effective January 1, 2021 and the adoption did not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

(5)    Investment Securities

The following summarizes the amortized cost and fair value of securities available-for-sale at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 and the corresponding amounts of gross unrealized gains and losses recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income:

The scheduled maturities of debt securities at March 31, 2021 are summarized in the table below. Actual maturities of mortgage-backed securities may differ from contractual maturities because the mortgages underlying the securities may be repaid without any penalties. Because mortgage-backed securities are not due at a single maturity date, they are not included in the maturity categories in the following maturity summary.

There were no realized gains or losses on sales and calls during the three months ended March 31, 2021 or March 31, 2020.

Securities with carrying amounts of $19.2 million and $21.3 million were pledged to secure available borrowings with the Federal Reserve Bank and Federal Home Loan Bank at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.

Other-than-temporary impairment assessment: Management assesses whether the decline in fair value of investment securities is other-than-temporary on a regular basis. Unrealized losses on debt securities may occur from current market conditions, increases in interest rates since the time of purchase, a structural change in an investment, volatility of earnings of a specific issuer, or deterioration in credit quality of the issuer. Management evaluates impairments in value both qualitatively and quantitatively to assess whether they are other-than-temporary.

The aggregate fair value and unrealized losses of securities that have been in a continuous unrealized loss position for less than twelve months and for twelve months or longer are as follows at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020:

Government mortgage-backed securities: The gross unrealized losses on government mortgage-backed securities were primarily attributable to relative changes in interest rates since the time of purchase. Management believes that the unrealized losses on these debt security holdings are a function of changes in investment spreads and interest rate movements and not changes in credit quality. Management expects to recover the entire amortized cost basis of these securities. Furthermore, the Company does not intend to sell these securities and it is not more-likely-than-not that the Company will be required to sell these securities before recovery of their cost basis, which may be maturity. Therefore, management does not consider these investments to be other-than-temporarily impaired at March 31, 2021.

(6)    Loans

A summary of loans is as follows:

(1)Includes $57.5 million and $41.8 million in PPP loans at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.

(2)Includes $1.7 million and $933,000 in deferred fees related to PPP loans at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.

The following tables set forth information regarding the activity in the allowance for loan losses by portfolio segment for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020: