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At September 30, 2024, the allowance for loan losses totaled $2.4 million, or 1.46% of total loans, compared to 1.45% of total loans at June 30, 2024. The allowance for credit losses on unfunded lending commitments totaled $231,000 and $224,000 at September 30 and June 30, 2024, respectively. The provision for credit losses, inclusive of the provision for unfunded commitments, for the third quarter of 2024 totaled $337,000 and was mainly attributable to commercial loan growth. Net loan charge-offs totaled $131,000 during the third quarter of 2024, compared to net charge-offs of $38,000 for the second quarter of 2024. Net loan charge-offs during the third quarter of 2024 were primarily related to three commercial lines of credit.

Investment Securities

Total investment securities were $45.6 million, or 16% of total assets, at September 30, 2024, up $2.4 million, or 6%, compared to June 30, 2024. During the first quarter of 2024, the Company sold $48.0 million of available-for-sale securities (quoted at book value) for a pre-tax loss of $5.5 million. Cash proceeds from the sales totaled $42.6 million. During the second and third quarters of 2024, the Company re-deployed a portion of those sales proceeds into fixed-rate mortgage back securities. Investment securities purchases totaled $3.0 million for the third quarter of 2024 and $4.9 million for the second quarter of 2024.

At September 30, 2024 the amortized cost and fair value of pledged investment securities totaled $35.3 million and $31.7 million, respectively. The amortized cost and fair value of investment securities pledged as collateral for borrowings through the Bank Term Funding Program ("BTFP") totaled $21.0 million and $18.0 million, respectively, at September 30, 2024. The remainder of the pledged investment securities at September 30, 2024 served as collateral for public fund deposits.

Deposits

Total deposits were $167.4 million at September 30, 2024, down $12.6 million, or 7%, from June 30, 2024. The following table sets forth the composition of the Company's deposits as of the dates indicated. The ratio of the Company's total loans to total deposits was 99% at September 30, 2024, compared to 85% at June 30, 2024.

Total public fund deposits amounted to $21.0 million, or 13% of total deposits, at September 30, 2024, compared to $31.2 million, or 17% of total deposits, at June 30, 2024. The decline in public fund deposits was primarily due to seasonal fluctuations. At September 30, 2024, approximately 74% of our total public fund deposits consisted of non-interest-bearing and interest-bearing demand deposits from municipalities within our market. The full amount of our public fund deposits in excess of the FDIC's insurance limit are secured by pledging investment securities and portions of a custodial letter of credit from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas.

Capital and Share Repurchases

At September 30 and June 30, 2024, consolidated shareholders' equity totaled $81.7 million, or 29.1% of total assets, and $81.0 million, or 27.4% of total assets, respectively.

The Company repurchased 79,400 shares of its common stock at an average cost per share of $11.75 during the third quarter of 2024, compared to 79,802 shares at an average cost per share of $11.88 during the second quarter of 2024. The shares repurchased during the third quarter were acquired under the Company's fourth share repurchase program announced in May of this year ("May 2024 Repurchase Plan"). At September 30, 2024, the Company had common shares outstanding of 4,399,127. Under the May 2024 Repurchase Plan, 93,127 shares of the Company's common stock were available for repurchase at September 30, 2024. Since the announcement of our first share repurchase plan on January 26, 2023 and through September 30, 2024, the Company has repurchased a total of 890,873 shares of its common stock, or approximately 17% of the common shares originally issued, at an average cost per share of $11.96.

Net Interest Income

The net interest margin for the third quarter of 2024 was 3.86%, up 14 basis points compared to the prior quarter. For the third quarter of 2024, the average yield on interest-earning assets was 5.60%, up 25 basis points from the prior quarter, while the average rate paid on interest-bearing liabilities was 2.66%, up 16 basis points from the second quarter of 2024.

Net interest income for the third quarter of 2024 was $2.5 million, up $84,000, or 3%, compared to the second quarter of 2024. Total interest income was up $146,000, or 4%, while total interest expense increased $62,000, or 6%, in the third quarter of 2024 compared to the prior quarter. The increase in interest income during the third quarter of 2024 was largely due to loan growth.

The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the Company's total dollar amount of interest income from average interest-earning assets and the resulting yields, as well as the interest expense on average interest-bearing liabilities, expressed both in dollars and rates, and the net interest margin. Taxable equivalent ("TE") yields have been calculated using a marginal tax rate of 21%. All average balances are based on daily balances.

Non-interest Income

For the third quarter of 2024, non-interest income totaled $620,000, up $254,000 from $366,000 for the second quarter of 2024. The Company recognized as income a $280,000 Bank Enterprise Award ("BEA") Program grant from the CDFI Fund during the third quarter of 2024.

Non-interest Expense

Non-interest expense for the third quarter of 2024 totaled $2.3 million, up $192,000, or 9%, compared to the second quarter of 2024.

Salaries and employee benefits expense totaled $1.2 million for the third quarter of 2024, up $57,000, or 5%, compared to the previous quarter primarily due to raises that became effective at the start of the third quarter.

Data processing and communication expense totaled $238,000 for the third quarter of 2024, up $100,000, or 72%, compared to the second quarter of 2024. The Company upgraded to a new core processing system in the first quarter of 2024, and we settled our initial billings from the new service provider during the third quarter of 2024.

Professional fees totaled $151,000 for the third quarter of 2024, up $34,000, or 29%, from the prior quarter. Professional fees associated with obtaining the BEA Program grant totaled $42,000 and were expensed in the third quarter of 2024.

About Catalyst Bancorp, Inc.

Catalyst Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: CLST) is a Louisiana corporation and registered bank holding company for Catalyst Bank, its wholly-owned subsidiary, with $280.6 million in assets at September 30, 2024. Catalyst Bank, formerly St. Landry Homestead Federal Savings Bank, has been in operation in the Acadiana region of south-central Louisiana for over 100 years. With a focus on fueling business and improving lives throughout the region, Catalyst Bank offers commercial and retail banking products through our six full-service branches located in Carencro, Eunice, Lafayette, Opelousas, and Port Barre. To learn more about Catalyst Bancorp and Catalyst Bank, visit www.catalystbank.com, or the website of the Securities and Exchange Commission, www.sec.gov.

Forward-looking Statements

This news release reflects industry conditions, Company performance and financial results and contains "forward-looking statements,' which may include forecasts of our financial results and condition, expectations for our operations and businesses, and our assumptions for those forecasts and expectations. Do not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risk factors and uncertainties which could cause the Company's actual results and experience to differ materially from the anticipated results and expectation expressed in such forward-looking statements.

Factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements are described under "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Supervision and Regulation" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, and in other documents subsequently filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, available at the SEC's website and the Company's website, each of which are referenced above. To the extent that statements in this news release relate to future plans, objectives, financial results or performance by the Company, these statements are deemed to be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are generally identified by use of words such as "may," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "will," "should," "plan," "estimate," "predict," "continue" and "potential" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. 

Forward-looking statements represent management's beliefs, based upon information available at the time the statements are made, with regard to the matters addressed; they are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties that change over time and could cause actual results or financial condition to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such statements. All information is as of the date of this news release. Except to the extent required by applicable law or regulation, the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statement for any reason.