State credit union · Baton Rouge, Louisiana · NCUA charter #68736
ESSENTIAL
Health score 57/100, grade D (Fair) - from the NCUA 5300 Call Report, 2025Q4.
- 57
- Health / 100
- $419.1M
- Total assets
- 30,534
- Members
- 9.0%
- Net-worth ratio
ESSENTIAL scores 57/100 on PlainCU's health composite from NCUA 5300 Call Report data (2025Q4). Assets $419.1M; members 30,534; net-worth ratio 9.04%; health rank #4,141 of 4,374; healthier than 5th of scored peers.
Federal Call Report extract
NCUA 5300 Call Report Masthead
#4,141 of 4,374 health · 2025Q4ESSENTIAL · health 57/100 · $419.1M · 2025Q4
- MEM 57/100
- RANK 9.0%
- PHOTO 1.68%
- BOOK -0.64%
- CHARTER $419.1M
- NCUSIF 30,534
- CAMELS #4,141/4,374
- HEALTH Rocky Mountain
- NW 68736
Call Report peers
ESSENTIAL in the assets neighbourhood
ESSENTIAL's $419.1M assets sit next to Rocky Mountain ($419.5M) on the assets neighbourhood; peer NAMES stay, and the masthead VALUES are this credit union's Call Report.
Subscribe to this credit union's financial changes (RSS) — one item per NCUA 5300 call report, no account required.
ESSENTIAL vs every NCUA-scored credit union
Where this credit union's health score sits among every federally insured CU with a scored NCUA 5300 filing
57 5th percentile higher than 5% of 4,374 credit unions
every scored credit union, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more credit unions. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NCUA 5300 Call Report aggregates · 2025Q4
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: Call Report deltas vs peers
- Strongest edge vs 1069 $100M–$500M peers is Loan-to-Share Ratio: +19.28 pp (91.48% vs 72.20%).
- Widest shortfall vs peers is Net Worth Ratio: -3.07 pp (9.04% vs 12.11%).
Peer averages are NCUA 5300 means for the $100M–$500M cohort (1069 CUs), 2025Q4 vintage - registry deltas only, not a join recommendation.
Where ESSENTIAL sits in Louisiana
- Louisiana health ordinal: #121 of 138.
- Louisiana assets place: #13 of 138.
- Louisiana membership ordinal: #13 of 138.
In-state ordinals use the live credit_unions table for LA only - ROW_NUMBER sorts match /rankings healthiest and largest, scoped to the state.
ESSENTIAL Call Report trajectory
ESSENTIAL: total assets by quarter
4 Call Report filings on this page's own vintage chain
- Assets moved +2.6% from $419.1M (2025Q4) to $429.8M (2026Q1).
- Net-worth ratio shifted -0.11 pp (9.15% → 9.04%).
Trajectory uses quarterly_financials rows already on this page - same NCUA 5300 vintage chain, not a forecast.
At 9.04%, this credit union is above the 7.0% NCUA well-capitalized threshold under PCA rules.
How the 57/100 score is built
Each segment is a pillar's weighted contribution to the composite; widths sum to 57.
- Net Worth Ratio 27.6 pts
- Delinquency Rate 14.9 pts
- Return on Assets 0.0 pts
- Member Growth 0.0 pts
- Loan-to-Share Ratio 14.5 pts
Financial Health Metrics
| Metric | Value | vs peer |
|---|---|---|
| Net Worth Ratio | 9.04% | -3.07 pp |
| Delinquency Rate | 1.68% | +0.79 pp |
| Return on Assets | -0.64% | -1.27 pp |
| Member Growth | -29.01% | - |
| Loan-to-Share Ratio | 91.48% | +19.28 pp |
Health score = weighted composite of the five NCUA ratios above. Scores based on NCUA 5300 Call Report Q4 2025 data. Peer group: $100M–$500M (1069 CUs).
ESSENTIAL quarterly book
| Quarter | Assets | Members |
|---|---|---|
| 2026Q1 | $429.8M | - |
| 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
Branch Locations (7)
ESSENTIAL operates 7 offices across 5 cities, spanning 2 states, per its most recent NCUA branch filing.
| Office | City |
|---|---|
| Towne Center-Operations Center (Main Office) | Baton Rouge, LA |
| Siegen FRC | Baton Rouge, LA |
| Towne Center | Baton Rouge, LA |
| Gonzales FRC | Gonzales, LA |
| Houston Texas | Houston, TX |
| Plaquemine FRC | Plaquemine, LA |
| Walker FRC | Walker, LA |
Source: NCUA Credit Union Branch Information, 2025Q4 filing.
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.
Cross-state Call Report peers for ESSENTIAL
Two NCUA Call Report peer sets for ESSENTIAL, both outside Louisiana so the neighborhoods are not state containment (the Nearby list above stays in-state).
Similar total assets
Nearest other-state credit unions with ≥$10M assets ($419.1M here).
Similar health score
Nearest other-state credit unions by five-factor health composite (57/100 here).
Using this data
- ESSENTIAL ranks #4,141 of 4,374 nationally on financial health and #121 of 138 in LA -- the national figure is a benchmark, not a prediction for how any specific account performs. National health rankings
- CENTRIC is a nearby credit union with a similar profile -- compare the two side by side before deciding where to bank. Compare with CENTRIC
- Rates and health both vary by institution, not just by state -- see how Louisiana credit unions compare overall before assuming this one is typical. Louisiana state overview
National and state figures are benchmarks built from NCUA 5300 Call Report data, not a recommendation for any individual account decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ESSENTIAL financially healthy?
A 9.04% net worth ratio and a 1.68% delinquency rate feed into ESSENTIAL's financial health score of 57/100 (Fair), from NCUA 5300 Call Report data as of Q4 2025. On the national health ranking (same basis as /rankings/healthiest), it sits at #4,141 of 4,374; by total assets it ranks #836 of 4,374 nationally (same basis as /rankings/largest); and #13 of 138 within Louisiana. 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 57/100, 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 9.04% exceeds 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.
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.