Stewardship Financial Corp. announced consolidated unaudited earnings results for third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2009. For the quarter, the company reported net income of $893,000, or $0.13 per diluted common share, as compared to net income of $838,000, or $0.14 per diluted common share, for the three months ended September 30, 2008. Interest income was $8,610,000 against $8,910,000 for the same period a year ago. Income before income taxes was $1,251,000 against $1,167,000 for the same period a year ago. Return on average common equity was 5.65% against 7.92% for the same period a year ago. Return on average assets was 0.56% against 0.54% for the same period a year ago. For the nine months, the company reported net income of $2.9 million, or $0.43 per diluted common share, compared to net income of $3.1 million, or $0.52 per diluted common share for the corresponding nine month period in 2008. Book value per share as on Sep. 30, 2009 was $7.60 against $7.13 as on Sep. 30, 2008. Interest income was $25,625,000 against $26,277,000 for the same period a year ago. Income before income taxes was $4,058,000 against $4,477,000 for the same period a year ago. Return on average common equity was 6.37% against 9.82% for the same period a year ago. Return on average assets was 0.60% against 0.69% for the same period a year ago. Net interest income was $17.4 million, representing an increase of 5.2%, over $16.5 million for the same period a year ago.

Stewardship Financial Corp. has declared a $0.095 per share cash dividend. Common stockholders of record as of October 15, 2009 will be paid the dividend on November 2, 2009. This represents a 5.0% increase over the fourth quarter cash dividend paid in 2008, as adjusted for the 5% stock dividend paid in November 2008. The Board also declared a 5% stock dividend to stockholders of record date October 15, 2009, payable November 16, 2009.

Effective August 3, 2009, John W. Hain Sr. has been appointed as Senior Vice President of Stewardship Financial Corp. and to the position of Senior Commercial Loan Manager/Senior Vice President of the Corporation's subsidiary, Atlantic Stewardship Bank. Mr. Hain, age 59, has over thirty years experience encompassing commercial lending, residential and commercial real estate lending, credit analysis, consumer lending and business development. Prior to joining the Corporation and the Bank, Mr. Hain has worked at Summit Bank, Roma Bank, and most recently with Susquehanna Bank.