SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
           
FORM 8-K
           
CURRENT REPORT
           
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
           
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November 15, 2022
           
PROVIDENT BANCORP, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
           
Maryland
001-39090
84-4132422
(State or Other Jurisdiction
(Commission File No.)
(I.R.S. Employer
of Incorporation)
   
 Identification No.)
           
 
5 Market Street, Amesbury, Massachusetts
01913
 
 
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Zip Code)
 
           
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:  (978) 834-8555
           
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
           

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

         
Title of each class
 
Trading Symbol
 
Name of each exchange on which registered
Common stock
 
PVBC
 
The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

           
 
Emerging growth company

   

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐



Item 2.02
Results of Operations and Financial Condition

On November 15, 2022, Provident Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company”), the holding company for BankProv, filed a Form 12b-25 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the Quarterly Period Ended September 30, 2022.  In the Form 12b-25, the Company indicated that it currently estimates that it will report net loss of approximately $27.5 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2022, compared to net income of $5.1 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2021.  The Company is still evaluating the actual level of losses due to the recent decline in the cryptocurrency mining industry, and such losses may exceed this estimate. The net loss resulted from a provision for loan losses for the quarter ended September 30, 2022.  During the third quarter of 2022, the volatility in Bitcoin and rising energy costs called into question the financial stability of the Company’s borrowers who hold digital asset mining loans, the collectability of all principal and interest related to these loans, as well as the value of the cryptocurrency mining rigs that serve as the underlying collateral.  These considerations, in conjunction with a partial write down on cryptocurrency mining rigs that were repossessed in exchange for the forgiveness of a $27.4 million loan relationship, triggered a detailed review of the portfolio of similarly collateralized loans. After the $27.4 million loan forgiveness, the digital asset mining loan portfolio totaled $76.5 million at September 30, 2022, of which, upon review, the Company estimates a majority to be impaired and placed on non-accrual status with significant related specific reserves.  Actual financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2022 will be included in the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained herein constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and are intended to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Such statements may be identified by words such as “may,” “will,” “would,” “intend,” “believe,” “expect,” “plan,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “continue,” or similar terms or variations on those terms, or the negative of those terms, and include estimates with respect to the level of net loss for the quarter ended September 30, 2022. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Company management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements as a result of numerous factors.  Factors that could cause such differences to exist include, but are not limited to: the effects of any pandemic disease, natural disaster, national or international war, act of terrorism, accident, or similar action or event; those related to the real estate and economic environment, including inflation, particularly in the market areas in which the Company operates; fiscal and monetary policies of the U.S. Government; changes in government regulations affecting financial institutions, including regulatory compliance costs and capital requirements; fluctuations in the adequacy of loan loss reserves; decreases in deposit levels necessitating increased borrowing to fund loans and investments; fluctuations in the value of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies; operational risks including, but not limited to, cybersecurity, fraud and natural disasters; the risk that the Company may not be successful in the implementation of its business strategy; changes in prevailing interest rates; credit risk management; asset-liability management; and other risks described in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available at the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov.
The Company wishes to caution readers not to place undue reliance on any such forward looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company wishes to advise readers that the factors listed above or other factors could affect the Company’s financial performance and could cause the Company’s actual results for future periods to differ materially from any opinions or statements expressed with respect to future periods in any current statements. The Company does not undertake and specifically disclaims any obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions, which may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.

Item 9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits
None





SIGNATURES


Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.


         
   
PROVIDENT BANCORP, INC.
 
         
DATE: November 15, 2022
 
By:
/s/ Carol L. Houle
 
     
Carol L. Houle
 
     
Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer