N.H. banks performing well

New Hampshire banks are in pretty good shape, according to the last quarterly report of the Bank Analysis Center.

New Hampshire banks’ nonperforming loan ratio fell to less than half a percent at the middle of 2005, — one of the lowest rates in the nation and about a third of what it was three years ago. Net after-tax income was $444 billion, 63 percent higher than the previous year.

Among the top performers were Citizens Bank, Southern New Hampshire Bank and Trust and Community Bank and Trust, all of which had a return on equity of about 20 percent. At the other end of the spectrum, Monadnock Community Bank lost money and had one of the highest nonperforming loan ratios. But even Ocean National Bank’s highest nonperforming loan ratio was just under 1 percent of assets. — BOB SANDERS