AMBANC HOLDING CO INC
8-K, 1996-07-26
SAVINGS INSTITUTION, FEDERALLY CHARTERED
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<PAGE>
               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)
                         July 19, 1996


                    AMBANC HOLDING CO., INC.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
      (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its Charter)


    Delaware                  0-27306               14-1783770
(State or other          (Commission File          (IRS Employer
 jurisdiction of                No.)              Identification
 incorporation)                                         No.)


11 Division Street, Amsterdam, New York               12010-4303
- -------------------------------------------------------------------
(Address of principal executive offices)              (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (518) 842-7200
- -----------------------------------------------------------------

                                 N/A
- ------------------------------------------------------------------
  (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

<PAGE>
Item 5.  Other Events
- ---------------------

     On July 19, 1996, the Registrant issued the press release
attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 announcing its earnings for the
second quarter ended June 30, 1996.

     On July 22, 1996, the Registrant issued the press release
attached hereto as Exhibit 99.2 announcing its intentions to
commence a 10% stock repurchase program.


Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits
- ------------------------------------------

     (c)  Exhibits

     The Exhibits referred to in Item 5 of this Report and listed
on the accompanying Exhibit Index are filed as part of this Report
and are incorporated herein by reference.


<PAGE>
                           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 thereunto duly authorized.


                                        AMBANC HOLDING CO., INC.




Date:  July 25, 1996               By:  /s/ Robert J. Brittain
      ------------------------          -------------------------
                                        Robert J. Brittain
                                        President and Chief
                                          Executive Officer


<PAGE>

Exhibit                                              Sequential
Number                      Description               Page No. 
- -------                     -----------              ----------

  99.1     Press release dated July 19, 1996              6
  99.2     Press release dated July 22, 1996              8
<PAGE>

<PAGE>
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 19, 1996               Contact:
                            Robert J. Brittain, President and CEO
                            (518) 842-7200
                            Harold A. Baylor, Vice Pres. & Treas.
                            (518) 842-1445

Ambanc Holding Co., Inc., the parent of Amsterdam Savings Bank,
F.S.B., announces earnings for the quarter and the six-months ended 
June 30, 1996.

Amsterdam, N.Y. - Ambanc Holding Co., Inc. (NASDAQ - AHCI)
("Company"),  the holding company of Amsterdam Savings Bank, F.S.B.
("Bank"), today reported earnings for the quarter ended June 30,
1996, of  $510,000, or $0.09 per share, and earnings for the six
months ended June 30, 1996, of $196,000, or $0.04 per share,
compared to losses of $820,000 and $172,000 in the comparable
periods in 1995. Shares issued and outstanding on June 30, 1996,
were 5,422,250.

Prior to the consummation of the conversion on December 26, 1995,
the Company had no significant assets, liabilities or operations. 
Accordingly, the consolidated data released represents the data of
the Bank and its subsidiaries for the quarter and the six-months
ended June 30, 1995.

Results of Operations For the Three Months Ended June 30, 1996 and
1995:
- -----------------------------------------------------------------

The Company attributed its 1996 second quarter earnings
improvement, in part, to an increase in  net interest income of
$631,000, or 19.2%, to $3.9 million from $3.3 million in the second
quarter of 1995.  Also contributing to its improved earnings were
decreases in the provision for loan losses and non-interest
expenses of $683,000 and $834,000, respectively, in comparison to
the 1995 period.  The Company's efficiency ratio decreased to 65.7%
for the three months ended June 30,1996, from 81.8%  in the
comparable 1995 period.

The improvement in net interest income resulted from an increase in
average net earning assets of $43.2 million, funded primarily by
the proceeds received in the conversion and an increase in borrowed
funds.  The positive effect from the growth in average net earning
assets was partially offset by a narrowing of 14 basis points in
the Company's average net interest margin to 3.87% from 4.01% in
1995's second quarter.

The provision for loan losses declined by $683,000 to $433,000 for
the quarter ended June 30, 1996, compared to the same quarter in
1995.  In the 1995 period, the Bank decided that it was prudent to
significantly increase its provision expense based on management's
analysis of the Bank's asset quality and the level of its allowance
for loan losses.  In the 1996 period, management's analysis of its
allowance for loan losses indicated that its reserve levels were
adequate and, therefore, did not necessitate the same levels of
provision expense required in the prior year.

<PAGE>
The decrease in non-interest expenses was primarily attributable to
a decline in losses and write-downs on real estate owned of
$680,000.  In the second quarter of 1995, the Bank significantly
increased its losses and write-down expense based on actual
expenses incurred and management's estimations of lower fair
values, less disposal costs.  Management's estimations of the fair
value of the Bank's repossessed assets were based on various
factors, which included appraisals, actual sales, and offers to
purchase such properties or properties similar in nature to the
repossessed properties held by the Bank.  A similar analysis in
1996 did not indicate that additional write-downs were required as
was the case in 1995.  Also contributing to the decrease in
non-interest expenses was a decline in the FDIC/BIF deposit
insurance expense of $177,000 due to the minimum annual premium
assessment of $2,000 currently applied to well-capitalized
institutions.

Results of Operations For the Six Months Ended June 30, 1996 and
1995:
- -----------------------------------------------------------------

The improvement in net income of $368,000 for the six months ended
June 30, 1996, to $196,000 was the result, in part, of an increase
in net interest income of $899,000, or 13.4%, to $7.6 million
compared to $6.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 1995. 
Also contributing to the improved earnings was a decrease in
non-interest expenses of $608,000, or 9.9%, to $5.5 million from
the comparable six month period in 1995.  The Company's efficiency
ratio was reduced to 65.6% for the six months ended June 30, 1996,
from 70.0% in the same period a year ago.  These positive factors
were partially offset by an increase in the provision for loan
losses of $777,000 due entirely to a $1.5 million charge taken on
March 31, 1996, pertaining to the Bank's aggregate lending
relationship of $3.6 million with the Bennett Funding Group, a
company that filed for Chapter 11 on March 29, 1996.

The improvement in net interest income was attributable to an
increase in average net earning assets of $76.9 million funded
primarily by the proceeds from the stock conversion.  The positive
effect derived by the growth in average net earning assets was
partially offset by a decrease in the average net interest margin
to 3.89% for the six months ended June 30, 1996, from 4.15% in the
same period of 1995.

Earnings were also positively affected by a decline in non-interest
expenses of $608,000, or 9.9%, to $5.5 million.  The primary reason
for the decrease was a decline in losses and write-downs on real
estate owned of $778,000 for the same reasons as stated above for
the three months ended June 30, 1996.  Also contributing to the
decrease in non-interest expenses was a decline in the FDIC/BIF
deposit insurance premium of $352,000 Ambanc Holding Co., Inc. is
a newly formed unitary savings and loan holding company.  The
Company's primary subsidiary, Amsterdam Savings Bank, F.S.B.,
operates nine banking offices in Montgomery (4), Saratoga (2),
Fulton (1), Schenectady (1), and Albany (1) counties in New York. 
The Bank's deposits are insured by the FDIC through the Bank
Insurance Fund (BIF).


<PAGE>
                      AMBANC HOLDING CO., INC.
            Selected Consolidated Financial Information 

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                           June 30       December 31
                                            1996             1995
                                         -----------     -----------
                                              (In Thousands)
Selected Financial Condition Data:
- ----------------------------------
<S>                                      <C>              <C>
Total assets                             $ 458,988        $439,365
Loans receivable, net                      258,801         249,991
Mortgage-backed securities                 132,685          53,033
Investment securities                       43,862          21,389
Due from brokers                                 0          18,128
Deposits                                   305,355         311,239
Total borrowings                            74,370               0
Due to brokers                                   0          46,880
Total equity                                74,822          76,015


<CAPTION>
                                    For the Three      For the Six
                                    Months Ended       Months Ended
                                      June 30,           June 30,
                                   ---------------   ----------------
                                    1996    1995      1996     1995
                                   ------  -------   -------  -------
                                              (In Thousands)
Selected Operations Data:
- -------------------------
<S>                                <C>     <C>       <C>      <C>
Total interest income              $7,590  $ 6,426   $14,538  $12,698
Total interest expense              3,681    3,148     6,943    6,002
                                   ------  -------   -------  -------
Net interest income                 3,909    3,278     7,595    6,696
Provision for loan losses             433    1,116     2,061    1,284
                                   ------  -------   -------  -------
Net interest income after
  provision for loan losses         3,476    2,162     5,534    5,412
Fees and service charges              169      166       330      313
Net gain(loss) on sales and
 redemptions of investment
 and mortgage-backed securities         0        1       (98)       1
Other non-interest income              83       89       154      226
                                   ------  -------   -------  -------
Total non-interest income             252      256       386      540
Total non-interest expense          2,855    3,689     5,519    6,127
                                   ------  -------   -------  -------
Income(loss) before taxes             873   (1,271)      401     (175)
Income tax provision                  363     (451)      205       (3)
                                   ------  -------   -------  -------
Net income (loss)                  $  510  $  (820)  $   196  $  (172)
                                   ======  =======   =======  =======   
</TABLE>

<PAGE>
                   AMBANC HOLDING CO., INC.
                Selected Financial Ratios and Other Data

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                       For the Three       For the Six
                                       Months Ended        Months Ended
                                         June 30,             June 30,
                                    ------------------   ------------------
                                     1996       1995      1996       1995
                                    -------   --------   -------   --------

Performance Ratios:

<S>                                 <C>       <C>        <C>       <C>
Return on assets                      0.47%    (0.97)%     0.09%    (0.10)%
Return on equity                      2.74    (11.72)      0.52     (1.23)
Interest rate spread during period    2.94      3.49       2.93      3.81
Net interest margin during period     3.87      4.01       3.89      4.15
Efficiency ratio                     65.73     81.77      65.60     70.00
Ratio of operating expense to
    average total assets              2.62      4.35       2.58      3.55
Ratio of avg. interest-earning
    assets to average interest-
    bearing liabilities             131.10    113.51     133.91    109.15


<CAPTION>
Asset Quality Ratios:                   June 30, 1996   December 31, 1995
- ---------------------                   -------------   -----------------
<S>                                     <C>             <C>
Non-performing assets to total assets
    at end of period                        3.65%             2.74%
Non-performing loans to total loans         6.37              3.51 
Allowance for loan losses to
    non-performing loans                   32.88             30.10
Allowance for loan and real estate 
    owned losses to non-performing 
    assets                                 26.19             21.99
Allowance for loan losses to
    loans receivable, net                   1.65              1.05

Capital Ratios:
- ---------------
Equity to total assets at end of
    period                                 16.30             17.30
Average equity to average assets           17.68              8.30

Other Data:
- -----------
Number of full-service offices                 9                 9
</TABLE>


<PAGE>
                       FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact:
- --------
Robert J. Brittain, President & C.E.O.
(518) 842 - 7200
(518) 842 - 7500 (FAX)


   AMBANC HOLDING CO., INC. ANNOUNCES STOCK REPURCHASE PROGRAM
   -----------------------------------------------------------

Amsterdam, N.Y., July 22, 1996 --  Ambanc Holding Co., Inc.
(NASDAQ: AHCI) announced its intention today to repurchase up to
10% of its outstanding shares in the open market during the period
July 23, 1996 to December 31, 1996.  The shares will be purchased
at prevailing market prices from time to time during the repurchase
period depending upon market conditions.

Robert J. Brittain, President & C.E.O. of the Company, indicated
that the Board of Directors approved the repurchase program in view
of the current price level of the Company's common stock and the
strong capital position of the Company's subsidiary, Amsterdam
Savings Bank, F.S.B.  Mr. Brittain stated that "we believe that the
repurchase of our shares represents an attractive investment
opportunity which will benefit the Company and our stockholders. 
The repurchased shares will become treasury shares and will be used
for general corporate purposes."

Over the past three months, the Company's shares traded between
$9.38 and $9.88.  At June 30, 1996, the Company had $459.0 million
in assets, stockholders' equity of $74.8 million, and 5,422,250
shares issued and outstanding.


                             -END-



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