ESSA Bancorp, Inc., the holding company for ESSA Bank & Trust, a $1.8 billion asset institution with full service retail and commercial banking, financial and investment services, announced its board of directors declared a dividend of 9 cents per share.

The dividend is payable to shareholders of record as of March 16, and payable on March 30.For 36 consecutive quarters, ESSA Bancorp Inc. has been able to pay a dividend to its shareholders.ESSA became a public company in April 2007.Its headquarters is in Stroudsburg and has 26 community offices throughout the Greater Pocono, Lehigh Valley and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre markets.