in the average cost of borrowings to 1.92% for the three months ended June 30, 2020 from 2.09% for the same period in the prior year as a result of lower short-term interest rates.
Provision for Loan Losses. Provision for loan losses increased $1.4 million, or 795.0%, to $1.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020 compared to $181,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2019. In management’s judgment, the allowance for loan losses is at a sufficient level that reflects the losses inherent in the loan portfolio relative to loan mix, economic conditions and historical loss experience. The increased provision for loan losses for the quarter ended June 30, 2020 was impacted by the increasing concern over the pandemic’s impact on the local, regional and national economy as well as the hotel sector where it was determined necessary to build reserves. See Footnote 8 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited) for additional information.
Noninterest Income. Noninterest income increased $242,000, or 22.1%, to $1.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020 compared to $1.1 million for the three months ended June 30, 2019. The increase was primarily the result of a $334,000, or 695.8%, increase in loan sale gains and referral fees for the three months ended June 30, 2020 compared to the same period in the prior year. The increase in loan sale gains and referral fees was reflective of the Bank’s business strategy to continue to expand its product mix and capacity to sell residential loans in the secondary mortgage market. The increase in noninterest income resulting from the increase in loan sale gains and referral fees was partially offset by a $124,000 change in net equity securities fair value adjustments from a gain of $8,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2019 to a loss of $116,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2020 related to fluctuations in the market prices of the equity securities held by the Company.
Noninterest Expenses. Noninterest expenses decreased $180,000, or 3.3%, to $5.2 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2020 compared to $5.4 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2019. The decrease was primarily the result of a $191,000, or 5.9%, decrease in compensation and employee benefits for the three months ended June 30, 2020 compared to the same period in the prior year primarily due to the deferral of compensation costs related to the origination of PPP loans during the 2020 period.
Income Tax Expense. The Company recorded a provision for income tax of $174,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2020 compared to $587,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2019. The decrease in income tax was primarily the result of a decrease in taxable income as well as a lower effective tax rate for the period. The effective tax rate was 13.3% for the three months ended June 30, 2020 compared to 21.9% for the three months ended June 30, 2019.
Comparison of Operating Results for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2020 and 2019
General. Net income for the six months ended June 30, 2020 was $2.2 million compared to $4.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2019, a decrease of $2.1 million, or 47.3%. Earnings per share for the current period was $0.50 for basic and $0.49 for fully diluted compared to $0.92 for basic and $0.90 for fully diluted for the same period in 2019.
The Company’s annualized return on average assets (ROA) and return on average equity (ROE) for the six months ended June 30, 2020 were 0.45% and 3.17%, respectively, compared to 0.88% and 6.17%, respectively, for the same period in 2019.
Net Interest Income. Net interest income for the six months ended June 30, 2019 was $13.6 million, a decrease of 4.7%, compared to $14.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2019. The decrease was primarily the result of a decrease in the yield on interest-earning assets partially offset by a decrease in the cost of interest-bearing liabilities and an increase in the balance of interest-earning deposits. The net interest rate spread and net interest margin were 2.62% and 2.92%, respectively, for the six months ended June 30, 2020, compared to 2.83% and 3.17%, respectively, for the six months ended June 30, 2019.
Interest and Dividend Income. Total interest and dividend income decreased by $1.1 million, or 5.8%, to $17.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2020 compared to $18.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2019. The decrease was primarily the result of a 36 basis point decrease in the average yield on interest-earning assets to 3.76% for the six months ended June 30, 2020 from 4.12% for the same period in the prior year.
Interest income on loans decreased $695,000, or 4.3%, to $15.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2020 compared to $16.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2019. The decrease was primarily the result of an 18 basis point decrease in the average yield on loans receivable to 4.23% for the six months ended June 30, 2020 from 4.41% for the same period