The Company established a tax qualified Employee Stock Ownership Plan (“ESOP”) for the benefit of its employees, in conjunction with our 2019 reorganization. Eligible employees become 20% vested in their accounts after 1 year of service, 40% vested after 2 years of service, 60% vested after 3 years of service, 80% vested after 4 years of service, and 100% vested after 5 or more years of service, or earlier, upon death, disability or attainment of normal retirement age.

On January 8, 2019, the ESOP purchased 175,528 shares (231,047 shares adjusted for the 2021 conversion) of the Company’s common stock, which was funded by a loan from Old 1895 Bancorp. Unreleased ESOP shares collateralize the loan payable, and the cost of the shares is recorded as contra-equity account in the stockholders’ equity of the Company. Shares are to be released as debt payments are made by the ESOP to the loan. The ESOP’s sources of repayment of the loan can include dividends, if any, on the unallocated stock held by the ESOP, and discretionary contributions from the Company to the ESOP and earnings thereon.

As part of the mutual-to-stock conversion and stock offering completed on July 14, 2021, the ESOP refinanced the aforementioned loan with New 1895 Bancorp, enabling the ESOP to purchase an aggregate of 283,360 additional shares of common stock. The ESOP completed the purchase of all the additional 283,360 shares at an average price of $10.90 in the second quarter of 2022.

Compensation expense for the ESOP is recorded at an amount equal to the shares allocated by the ESOP multiplied by the average fair market value of the shares during the period. The Company recognizes compensation expense ratably over the year based upon the Company’s estimate of the number of shares expected to be allocated by the ESOP. Unearned compensation applicable to the ESOP is reflected as a reduction of stockholders’ equity in the consolidated balance sheet. The difference between the average fair market value and the cost of the shares allocated by the ESOP is recorded as an adjustment to stockholders’ equity. The Company recognized $31,000 and $49,000 in compensation expense for the three months ended September 30, 2023 and September 30, 2022, respectively, and $109,000 and $151,000 in compensation expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

The following table provides the allocated and unallocated shares of common stock associated with the ESOP.


	September 30, 2023		December 31, 2022
	(dollars in thousands)
Shares committed to be released		14,755		19,730
Total allocated shares		55,900		36,170
Total unallocated shares		439,037		453,792
Total ESOP shares		509,692		509,692
Fair value of unallocated shares (based on $7.05 and $10.00 share price as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively)	$	3,095	$	4,538