MUNSTER – NorthWest Indiana Bancorp, the parent company for Peoples Bank, has announced a 4 percent increase in earnings for 2011.

Yearly profit was $5.4 million, said David Bochnowski, chairman and CEO.

In the fourth quarter, Peoples posted net income of $1.4 million, up 24 percent on 2010. The bank announced assets of $651.7 million for its 12 offices in Lake and Porter counties.