2024 from 0.16% in the third quarter 2023 and total delinquent and non-accruing loans were down to 0.33% from 0.39%. Total non-accruing loans to total loans remains flat year over year at 0.23%.
Non-interest income was $9.7 million in the third quarter 2024 compared to $8.6 million in the same quarter 2023. Wealth management income grew 17.2% to $4.1 million compared to $3.5 million in the third quarter 2023. Assets under management grew 20% to $2.8 billion from $2.3 billion in the third quarter 2023 driven by higher security valuations and an 8% growth in the managed accounts. Mortgage banking income increased $266 thousand compared to the third quarter 2023 driven by increased margins on our held–for-sale mortgage business.
Non-interest expense was $24.8 million in the third quarter 2024 compared to $22.8 million in the third quarter 2023 driven by salary and benefits, and other expenses. Salary and benefit expenses increased 10.5%, or $1.4 million, from the third quarter 2023 driven in part by stock compensation due to a $7.21 per share increase in stock price and a lower discount on postretirement liabilities year over year. Other expenses increased to $4.2 million from $3.7 million in the third quarter 2023 primarily due to increases in media relations and corporate press releases, software expenses, and debit and ATM card expenses.
Income tax expense for the third quarter 2024 was $1.4 million compared to $3.2 million in the third quarter 2023. The decrease in taxes represents a one-time multiple year tax refund on tax exempt loan income and a state apportionment adjustment. Excluding one-time charges, our effective tax rate for the period ended September 30, 2024 was consistent with the prior year.
BACKGROUND
Bar Harbor Bankshares (NYSE American: BHB) is the parent company of its wholly-owned subsidiary, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. Founded in 1887, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is a true community bank serving the financial needs of its clients for over 135 years. Bar Harbor Bank & Trust provides full-service community banking with office locations in all three Northern New England states of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. For more information, visit www.barharbor.bank.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included in this release that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this release the words “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “may,” “will,” “assume,” “should,” “predict,” “could,” “would,” “intend,” “targets,” “estimates,” “projects,” “plans,” and “potential,” and other similar words and expressions of the future, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, but other statements not based on historical information may also be considered forward-looking, including statements relating to Company’s balance sheet management, our credit trends, our overall credit performance, and the Company’s strategic plans, objectives, and intentions. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the statements, including, but not limited to: (1) changes in general business and economic conditions on a national basis and in our markets throughout Northern New England; (2) changes in consumer behavior due to political, business, and economic conditions, including inflation and concerns about liquidity; (3) the possibility that our asset quality could decline or that we experience greater loan losses than anticipated; (4) the impact of liquidity needs on our results of operations and financial condition; (5) changes in the size and nature of our competition; (6) the effect of interest rate increases on the cost of deposits; (7) unanticipated weakness in loan demand, pricing or collectability; (8) the possibility that future credit losses are higher than currently expected due to changes in economic assumptions or adverse economic developments; (9) operational risks including, but not limited to, changes in information technology, cybersecurity incidents, fraud, natural disasters, climate change, war, terrorism, civil unrest, and future pandemics; (10) lack of strategic growth opportunities or our failure to execute on available opportunities; (11) our ability to effectively manage problem credits; (12) our ability to successfully develop new products and implement efficiency initiatives on time and with the results projected; (13) our ability to retain executive officers and key employees and their customer and community relationships; (14) regulatory, litigation, and reputational risks and the applicability of insurance coverage; (15) changes in the reliability of our vendors, internal control systems or information systems; (16) the potential impact of climate change; (17) changes in legislation or regulation and accounting principles, policies, and guidelines; (18) reductions in the market value or outflows of wealth management assets under management; and (19) changes in the assumptions used in making such forward-looking statements. Additional factors which could affect the forward-looking statements can be found in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. The Company believes the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable; however, many of such risks, uncertainties, and other factors are beyond the Company’s ability to control or predict and undue reliance should not be placed on any forward-looking statements, which are based on current
