State credit union · Baton Rouge, Louisiana · NCUA charter #68736
Essential
Health score 51/100 (Fair) - from the NCUA 5300 Call Report, 2025Q4.
- 51
- Health / 100
- $419.1M
- Total assets
- 30,534
- Members
- 6.9%
- Net-worth ratio
Essential - Share Insurance Coverage
Read from the 2025Q4 NCUA Call Report for charter #68736: composite supervisory bracket and risk-based capital. Full deposit-insurance coverage details in our disclaimer.
Essential - Five Health Pillars
The five bars below are this credit union's pillar-level 0-100 sub-scores. Sum the weighted pillars and you get the headline health score above - same NCUA 5300 data, no normalisation tricks applied.
- Capital (net worth ratio)71
- Asset quality (delinquency)59
- Earnings (ROA)0
- Member growth0
- Liquidity (loan-to-share)96
Weighted composite: 51/100 - each bar is the 0–100 sub-score; the composite weights them 30/25/15/15/15.
At 6.86%, this institution is below the 7.0% NCUA well-capitalized threshold.
Financial Health Metrics
| Metric | Value | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Net Worth Ratio | 6.86% | 30% |
| Delinquency Rate | 1.68% | 25% |
| Return on Assets | -0.64% | 15% |
| Member Growth | -29.01% | 15% |
| Loan-to-Share Ratio | 91.48% | 15% |
Health score = weighted composite of above metrics. Scores based on NCUA 5300 Call Report Q4 2025 data. Peer group: $100M–$500M (1069 CUs).
Historical Financials
| Quarter | Assets | Members |
|---|---|---|
| 2025Q4 | $419.1M | 30,534 |
| 2024Q4 | $391.0M | 43,011 |
| 2023Q4 | $386.4M | 46,913 |
Credit Union Details
- Charter Number
- 68736
- Type
- State
- Field of Membership
- Other
- Peer Group
- $100M–$500M
- State
- Louisiana
- City
- Baton Rouge
- Data Quarter
- 2025Q4
What This Data Says About Essential
Headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Essential is a state credit union with 30,534 members, $419.1M in total assets, and $333.2M in outstanding loans on the books as of Q4 2025. Its five-factor composite puts the health score at 51/100 (Fair), driven in part by a net worth ratio of 6.86% - relative to the 7.0% NCUA "well capitalized" threshold under Prompt Corrective Action rules. It carries charter #68736 and reports within peer group $100M–$500M, a cohort of 1069 similarly-sized institutions.
1.68% of the loan book sits 60+ days past due, the headline loan-quality read - the peer group average for $100M–$500M credit unions sits at 0.894%, so this institution is running looser than peers. Deposit deployment is captured by the 91.48% loan-to-share ratio, above the 80% band that can indicate tighter liquidity management. Return on assets stands at -0.64% on net income of $-2690770 for the period; a not-for-profit cooperative typically runs a modest positive ROA, returning surplus to members through better rates and lower fees rather than to shareholders.
Year-over-year membership changed by -29.01%. Reported quarterly to the NCUA, this data reflects the 2025Q4 Call Report period. Eligibility to join runs through the field of membership (currently: Other) - see our disclaimer before opening an account or borrowing, for NCUSIF coverage details and data usage notes.
Nearby Credit Unions in Louisiana
A look at other Louisiana credit unions, ranked by how closely their peer group and asset size match this one.
Sources & disclaimer
Source: NCUA 5300 Call Report, Q4 2025. Source: NCUA Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF), federal deposit insurance up to $250,000. Not affiliated with NCUA. For informational purposes only.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Essential financially healthy?
A 6.86% net worth ratio and a 1.68% delinquency rate feed into Essential's financial health score of 51/100 (Fair), from NCUA 5300 Call Report data as of Q4 2025. The scale: above 80 excellent, below 50 warrants closer monitoring.
How does Essential compare to other credit unions?
On PlainCU's health composite, Essential lands at 51/100, compared to a peer group average for $100M–$500M credit unions. Five NCUA-reported metrics feed that number: net worth ratio (weighted 30%), delinquency rate (25%), return on assets (15%), member growth (15%), and loan-to-share ratio (15%).
What is a credit union health score?
A credit union health score is a composite rating (0–100) that combines five financial metrics reported to the NCUA: net worth ratio (capital adequacy), delinquency rate (loan quality), return on assets (profitability), member growth, and loan-to-share ratio (liquidity balance). Scores above 80 indicate excellent financial health; 60–79 is good; 40–59 is fair; below 40 is weak.
How can I join Essential?
Membership eligibility for Essential depends on its field of membership - currently: Other. Credit unions typically require a common bond such as employer, location, or association membership. Contact Essential directly for current membership requirements and application steps.
Is my money safe at Essential?
Federal credit unions like Essential are insured by the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF), administered by the NCUA. Each individual depositor is insured up to $250,000, the same limit as FDIC-insured banks. Essential's net worth ratio of 6.86% is relative to the 7% threshold NCUA considers "well capitalized."
What rates does Essential offer compared to banks?
Credit unions like Essential are not-for-profit cooperatives, which typically allows them to offer higher savings rates and lower loan rates than banks. Nationally, credit unions average 0.25–0.50% lower auto loan rates and 0.10–0.30% higher savings yields. Contact Essential directly for current rates, or compare overall credit union vs bank rates on our rates comparison page.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Every figure on PlainCU is rendered directly from NCUA quarterly call report data, no number is typed in by an editor. Credit union figures are computed directly from NCUA quarterly call report data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.