NewAlliance Bancshares Inc. posted higher earnings for the third quarter, likely the New Haven lender’s last as an independent pending its $1.5 billion merger with a Buffalo, N.Y. regional bank.
NewAlliance said it earned $13.9 million, or 14 cents a share, in the three months ended Sept. 30. A year earlier, the bank earned $12.6 million, or 13 cents a share.
Without $3 million in expenses related to its pending merger with First Niagara Financial Group, NewAlliance said its profits would have set a bank record.
The bank ended the quarter with $8.8 billion in assets, up from $8.7 billion a year earlier.
Meanwhile, NewAlliance declared common dividends of 7 cents a share to be paid  Nov. 16 to stockholders of record as of Nov. 5.
