Performance reports

MT. LAUREL, N.J. – PHH Corp., which operates the largest mortgage bank for credit unions, reported a loss yesterday of $52 million for its third quarter, despite strong production from its mortgage unit.

MINNEAPOLIS – FICO, known until recently as Fair Isaac & Co., reported a 28% decline in fiscal fourth quarter earnings yesterday, to $17.1 million, as revenues slid 13%.

PURCHASE, N.Y. – MasterCard, one of two common stocks held by credit unions, reported a $452.2 million third quarter profit yesterday, up from a $193.6 million loss in last year’s third quarter when it made a large payment on an antitrust settlement.

NORTH CANTON, Ohio – ATM maker Diebold reported a $7.2 million loss yesterday for its third quarter, as sales slid 26% for the period.

MONETT, Mo. – Jack Henry & Associates reported a 17% rise in its fiscal first quarter earnings yesterday to $26.3 million, even while revenues declined slightly.

PHOENIX – It would seem that the state’s two largest credit unions, Desert Schools FCU and Arizona FCU, would share the same gloomy outlook as the region’s devastated economy has pushed each deep into the red, Desert Schools to the tune of $49.5 million and Arizona Federal a $41.9 million loss through the first three quarters of the year.

RALEIGH, N.C. – State Employees’ CU, which has joined the fight against excessive overdraft protection fees, is introducing its own program aimed at lowering member costs for non-sufficient funds transactions.

MADISON, Wis. — Modified loans continue to default at an astounding rate with more than half of all those modified in the first two quarters of 2008 failing within 12 months of the modification according to new figures from the Office of the Comptroller of Currency.

LAS VEGAS — The failure of Cumorah CU, the third large Nevada credit union to go under in recent weeks, is the latest indicator that the most difficult economic environment in the country has moved here from southern California.

DALLAS — Asked for their forecasts, credit union economists and analysts told Credit Union Journal they see risk of deflation in the immediate term, inflation in the longer term.

PHOENIX — Like the CEOs of the other big problem credit unions, Arizona FCU's Ron Westad has a dilemma: should he continue to reduce his size to improve his net worth ratio but also hurt his CU's chances to take full advantage of a rebound when it comes?

TAMPA, Fla. — Credit unions in this hard-hit center of Florida's Gulf Coast are slashing dividend rates, shuttering branches and raising loan rates conserve capital and to stay afloat in one of the worst economies in the country.

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio – Homeland CU said it will pay its members $1 million in a special dividend and interest rebate.

BALTIMORE – MECU of Baltimore, which pays a special dividend twice a year, said last week it will pay this season’s $1.4 million payment 30 days early to help members in their holiday shopping.

BOSTON – Federal Home Loan Banks in Boston, Seattle and San Francisco announced big third quarter losses last week, based on write-downs of their private-label mortgage-backed securities holdings, in a similar way that corporate credit unions weighed down by MBS are reporting large losses.

ALBANY, N.Y. – Federally chartered credit unions–more than 95% of the state’s 400 credit unions– are exempt from a new commuter tax assessed employers in New York City and seven surrounding counties, the state’s Tax Department ruled last week.

WASHINGTON – The FDIC Friday shut California National Bank of Los Angeles and eight smaller related banks in California, Illinois, Texas and Arizona, making a total of 115 bank failures so far in 2009.U.S. Bank of Minneapolis agreed to assume the deposits and most of the assets of the banks. The banks had combined assets of $19.4 billion and deposits of $15.4 billion at the end of September, the FDIC said.

PITTSBURGH – The Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh reported a $40.4 million third quarter loss yesterday due to write-downs on its mortgage-backed securities.

CHICAGO – The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago yesterday said it expects to record a loss of $150 million for the third quarter, due to write-downs on its private-label mortgage-backed securities.

DALLAS – Zix Corp., maker of popular e-mail encryption software, yesterday reported a third quarter loss of $657,000, down from a loss of $1.5 million for the same period last year.