NewAlliance Bancshares Inc's quarterly profit beat market expectations, helped by a 21 percent decline in interest expense. The holding company for NewAlliance Bank reported third-quarter net income of $12.6 million, or 13 cents a share, compared with a net income of $10.9 million, or 11 cents a share, last year. Analysts on average expected for a profit of 12 cents a share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. The New Haven, Connecticut-based company said net interest income rose 5 percent to $46.3 million in the quarter.
Provision for loan losses rose 29 percent to $5.4 million. Non-performing assets were $51.8 million as of September 30, up from $36.3 million in the year-ago quarter. NewAlliance said its board authorised the filing of a shelf registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday. Shares of the company were up 3 percent at $11.09 in trading after the bell. They closed at $10.76 Tuesday on the New York Stock Exchange.