Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis
ITEM 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Period Ended June 30, 2025
The following discussion analyzes the consolidated financial condition of Community Bancorp. and its wholly owned subsidiary, Community National Bank, as of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, and its consolidated results of operations for the three-month and six-month interim periods presented. The Company is considered a “smaller reporting company” and a “non-accelerated filer” under the disclosure rules of the SEC. Accordingly, the Company has elected to provide its statements of income, comprehensive income, cash flows and changes in shareholders’ equity for a two-year, rather than a three-year, period and provide certain other smaller reporting company scaled disclosures where management deems it appropriate.
The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements and related notes contained in its 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC. Please refer to Note 1 in the accompanying consolidated financial statements for a listing of acronyms and defined terms used throughout the following discussion.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (MD&A) contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, regarding the results of operations, financial condition and business of the Company and its subsidiary. Words used in the discussion below such as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "estimates," “projects”, "plans," “assumes”, "predicts," “may”, “might”, “will”, “could”, “should” and similar expressions, indicate that management of the Company is making forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. They necessarily involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Examples of forward looking statements included in this discussion include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the estimated contingent liability related to assumptions made within the asset/liability management process; management's expectations as to the future interest rate environment and the Company's related liquidity level; credit risk expectations relating to the Company's loan portfolio and off-balance sheet commitments; and management's general outlook for the future performance of the Company and the local or national economy. Although forward-looking statements are based on management's expectations and estimates as of the date they are made, many of the factors that could influence or determine actual results are unpredictable and not within the Company's control.
Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by these forward-looking statements include, among others, the following possibilities:
·
interest rates change in such a way as to negatively affect loan demand, the local economy or the Company's net income, asset valuations or margins;
·
general economic or business conditions, either internationally (including due to changing tariff policies), nationally, regionally or locally, deteriorate, resulting in a decline in credit quality or a diminished demand for the Company's products and services;
·
the impact of inflation and slowing economic growth on the Company’s customers and on its financial results and performance;
·
the effect of United States monetary and fiscal policies, including deficit spending and the interest rate policies of the FRB and its regulation of the money supply;
·
changes in applicable accounting policies, practices and standards;
·
the geographic concentration of the Company’s loan portfolio and deposit base;
·
reductions in deposit levels, which necessitate increased borrowings to fund loans and sale of investment securities;
·
increases in the level of nonperforming assets and charge-offs;
·
changes in federal or state tax laws or policy;
·
changes in laws or government rules, including the rules of the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or the way in which courts or government agencies interpret or implement those laws or rules, may increase our costs of doing business, causing us to limit or change our product offerings or pricing, or otherwise adversely affect the Company's business;
·
regulatory responses to high profile bank failures increase our costs of operation, including through regulatory compliance changes and higher FDIC deposit insurance assessments to replenish the Bank Insurance Fund (BIF);
·
competitive pressures increase among financial service providers in the Company's northern New England market area or in the financial services industry generally, including competitive pressures from non-bank lenders, payment systems and other financial service providers, from increasing consolidation and integration of financial service providers, and from changes in technology and delivery systems;
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·
cybersecurity risks, including risks to our vendors, could adversely affect the Company’s business, financial performance or reputation and could result in financial liability for losses incurred by customers or others due to data breaches or other compromise of the Company’s information security systems;
·
higher-than-expected costs are incurred relating to information technology or difficulties arise in implementing technological enhancements;
·
management’s risk management measures may not be completely effective;
·
changes in consumer and business spending, borrowing and savings habits;
·
operational and internal system failures due to changes in normal business practices, including remote working for Company staff;
·
increased cybercrime and payment system risk due to increased usage by customers of online, mobile and other remote banking channels;
·
the ongoing challenges to find qualified workers to maintain a stable workforce;
·
losses due to the fraudulent or negligent conduct of third parties, including the Company’s service providers, customers and employees; and
·
adverse changes in the credit rating of U.S. government debt.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements as they speak only as of the date they are made. The Company does not undertake, and disclaims any obligation, to revise or update any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence or anticipated occurrence of events or circumstances after the date of this Report, except as required by applicable law. The Company claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements provided in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
Under SEC Regulation G, public companies making disclosures containing financial measures that are not in accordance with GAAP must also disclose, along with each non-GAAP financial measure, certain additional information, including a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measure to the closest comparable GAAP financial measure, as well as a statement of the company’s reasons for utilizing the non-GAAP financial measure. The SEC has exempted from the definition of non-GAAP financial measures certain commonly used financial measures that are not based on GAAP. However, three non-GAAP financial measures commonly used by financial institutions, namely tax-equivalent net interest income and tax-equivalent net interest margin (as presented in the tables in the section labeled Interest Income Versus Interest Expense (NII)) and core earnings (as defined and discussed in the Results of Operations section), have not been specifically exempted by the SEC, and may therefore constitute non-GAAP financial measures under Regulation G. We are unable to state with certainty whether the SEC would regard those measures as subject to Regulation G.
Management believes that these non-GAAP financial measures are useful in evaluating the Company’s financial performance and facilitate comparisons with the performance of other financial institutions. However, that information should be considered supplemental in nature and not as a substitute for related financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP.
OVERVIEW
The Company’s consolidated assets as of June 30, 2025, were $1.17 billion compared to $1.25 billion as of December 31, 2024, a decrease of 6.6%. Changes in the asset base included an increase in loans of $13.8 million. however, there was a substantial decrease in overnight deposits of $98.9 million, or 97.9%. The increase in the loan portfolio was primarily attributable to increases of $11.9 million in residential first and Jr. lien loans, $18.8 million in CRE loans, $4.1 million in commercial & industrial and $3.8 million in purchased loans, which was partially offset by a decrease of $24.7 million in municipal loans. While cash funded the increase in the loan portfolio, the decrease in overnight deposits reflects decreases in deposit balances and payoff of borrowings that matured during the first quarter of 2025.
Total deposits as of June 30, 2025, were $933.0 million compared to $1.0 billion as of December 31, 2024, a decrease of approximately $68.7 million, or 6.9%. Year to date, time deposits increased $10.1 million, or 5.4% and savings accounts increased $419 thousand, or 0.3%, while interest-bearing demand deposits decreased $44.2 million, or 14.5%, and money market funds decreased $39.1 million, or 23.1%. A decrease in deposit balances is typical in the first and second quarters of the calendar year, due in part to the timing of customers income tax obligations and the spend down of deposited funds by Vermont municipal customers prior to their June 30 fiscal year end. Borrowed funds decreased $16.8 million, or 23.1%, from December 31, 2024, due primarily to maturities in the BTFP funds, partially offset by new long-term FHLBB advances and overnight borrowings.
Total interest income increased approximately $1.7 million, or 12.5%, for the second quarter of 2025, and increased $3.3 million, or 12.7%, for the first six months of 2025, compared to the respective periods in 2024. The growth in the volume of the loan portfolio and origination of loans at higher interest rates, as well as adjustable-rate loans repricing to current market rates, helped to support the increase in interest income in both comparison periods.
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Total interest expense decreased $140 thousand, or 2.8%, for the second quarter of 2025, and increased $444 thousand, or 4.6%, for the first six months of 2025, compared to the respective periods in 2024. While the rate environment continues to put pressure on the Company’s funding costs, including competitive deposit pricing, the year-over-year increase of $1.7 million, or 26.7%, in interest expense on the Company’s interest bearing deposit accounts was partially offset by a decrease of $1.4 million, or 63.3% in interest expense on borrowed funds due to the decrease in the average volume of borrowed funds. Please refer to the interest rate sensitivity discussion in the Interest Rate Risk and Asset and Liability Management section of this Management’s Discussion and Analysis for more information on the impact that the actions of the FRB’s FOMC in regulating interest rates, and changes in the yield curve, could have on our net interest income.
The credit loss expense for the second quarter of 2025 was $407,046 compared to $331,582 for the same quarter of 2024 and $732,100 for the first six months of 2025 compared to $645,161 for the same period in 2024, resulting in increases between periods of $75,464, or 22.8% and $86,939, or 13.5%, respectively. In determining the current period credit loss expense management considers a number of factors, including loan growth and changes in balances of the loan categories within the current portfolio, changes in forecasts, historical loss rates and various qualitative factors, which management reviews and adjusts, as appropriate, in its ACL calculation to better reflect expected credit losses in the loan portfolio. Please refer to Note 5 of the unaudited consolidated financial statements as well as the ACL and credit loss expense discussion in the Credit Risk section of this MD&A.
Consolidated net income for the second quarter of 2025 increased $1.3 million, or 48.8%, to $4.1 million compared to $2.7 million for the same quarter of 2024, and increased $2.0 million, or 36.6%, to $7.6 million for the first six months of 2025 compared to $5.6 million for the same period in 2024. The increases in net interest income after credit loss expense of $1.7 million for the second quarter of 2025 and $2.8 million for the first six months of 2025, compared to the respective periods in 2024, were contributing factors to the increases in net income. This change, along with significant changes in non-interest income and non-interest expense, are discussed in the appropriate sections of this Management’s Discussion and Analysis.
Equity capital increased to $106.3 million, with a book value per share of $18.69 as of June 30, 2025, compared to $98.0 million and a book value per share of $17.24 as of December 31, 2024. Please refer to the section of this Management’s Discussion and Analysis titled “LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES” for a discussion in of the changes in the Company’s equity capital for the six months ended June 30, 2025.
On July 16, 2025, the Company's Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.24 per common share, payable on August 1, 2025, to shareholders of record on July 15, 2025.
As described in more detail below under “LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES” as of June 30, 2025, the Company’s capital ratios, and those of our subsidiary Bank, were in excess of applicable regulatory requirements.
During the first quarter of 2025, CFS Partners, in which the Company held a one-third ownership interest, agreed to redeem all the limited liability company membership and distributional interests of Guaranty Bancorp, Inc. (“Guaranty”), representing a one-third ownership interest, contingent upon, and just prior to, consummation of Guaranty’s merger with and into Bar Harbor Bankshares. That merger, and the related redemption of Guaranty’s ownership interest by CFS Partners, were completed on July 31, 2025. Under the terms of the redemption agreement, beginning March 1, 2025, Guaranty Bancorp agreed to forego its distributional interest in CFS Partners through the closing date of the redemption. Accordingly, beginning March 1, 2025, the Company’s share of the profit and loss from the operations of CFS Partners’ sole subsidiary, CFSG, increased from one-third to 50%, and effective on July 31, 2025, the Company’s non-economic membership (governance) interest in CFS Partners likewise increased to 50%. The Company does not have a controlling interest in CFS Partners and will continue to account for its investment using the equity method.
Given the Company’s northern Vermont market area, management is assessing the potential risk to the local economy from recent trade policy developments between the United States and Canada. Canada is Vermont’s largest international trading partner; many businesses that rely on trade with Canada are now at risk of experiencing increased costs, reduced sales, and a sense of uncertainty about the future. Although management continues to evaluate the potential impact on the Company’s customers, trade negotiations are on-going, and the ultimate effect on these businesses remains uncertain. In light of these challenges, the Company’s own strategic focus will be to safeguard its balance sheet while supporting its customers and communities.
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES
The Company’s consolidated financial statements are prepared according to U.S. GAAP. The preparation of such financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities in the consolidated financial statements and related notes. The SEC has defined a company’s critical accounting policies as those that are most important to the portrayal of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations, and which require the Company to make its most difficult and subjective judgments, often because of the need to make estimates of matters that are inherently uncertain. Because of the significance of these estimates and assumptions, there is a high likelihood that materially different amounts would be reported for the Company under different conditions or using different assumptions or estimates. Management evaluates on an ongoing basis its judgment as to which policies are considered to be critical and communicates all evaluations with the Company’s Audit Committee.
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The Company’s critical accounting policies govern:
·
the ACL;
·
OREO;
·
valuation of residential MSRs; and
·
the carrying value of goodwill.
These policies are described in the Company’s 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K in the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Critical Accounting Policies” and in Note 1 (Significant Accounting Policies) to the audited consolidated financial statements. There were no material changes during the first six months of 2025 in the Company’s critical accounting policies.
ACL - Management believes that the calculation of the ACL is a critical accounting policy that requires the most significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of its consolidated financial statements. In estimating the ACL, management has adopted a methodology consistent with ASU No. 2016-13 that requires that expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date that are accounted for at amortized cost be measured and recognized based on historical experience and current and reasonably supportable forecasted conditions to reflect the full amount of expected credit losses over the life of the loans at the measurement date. Further consideration is given to qualitative factors, including changes in current economic indicators and their probable impact on borrowers and collateral, trends in delinquent and non-performing loans, trends in criticized and classified assets, levels of exceptions, the impact of competition in the market, concentrations of credit risk in a variety of areas, including portfolio product mix, the level of loans to individual borrowers and their related interests, loans to industry segments and the geographic distribution of CRE loans. Management’s estimates used in calculating the ACL may increase or decrease based on changes in these factors, which in turn will affect the amount of the Company’s provision for credit losses charged against current period income. This evaluation is inherently subjective and actual results could differ significantly from these estimates under different assumptions, judgments or conditions. The Company estimates expected credit losses on OBS credit exposures over the contractual period in which the Company is exposed to credit risk via a contractual obligation to extend credit unless that obligation is unconditionally cancellable by the Company. The ACL on OBS credit exposures is recorded as a liability on the balance sheet within Accrued interest and other liabilities, with adjustments made through credit loss expense.
A modified version of these requirements applies to debt securities classified as available-for-sale, which eliminates OTTI impairment analysis and requires that if a decline in the fair value of debt securities AFS is deemed by management to be the result of credit losses rather than other factors, the credit losses on those securities is recorded through an allowance for credit losses rather than a write-down of the security. The Company’s securities portfolio is evaluated for impairment on a quarterly basis.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The Company’s net income for the second quarter of 2025 was $4.1 million, or $0.72 per common share, compared to $2.7 million, or $0.49 per common share for the same quarter of 2024, and for the first six months of 2025 was $7.6 million, or $1.34 per common share, compared to $5.6 million, or $0.99 per common share, for the same period in 2024. Core earnings (NII) were $9.9 million for the second quarter of 2025, compared to $8.1 million for the same period of 2024 and $19.3 million for the first six months of 2025, compared to $16.5 million for the same period in 2024. Interest and fees on loans, the major component of interest income, increased $1.6 million, or 13.5% for the second quarter of 2025 compared to the same period of 2024 and increased $3.2 million, or 13.3% for the first six months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. Interest paid on deposits, which is the major component of total interest expense, increased $612 thousand, or 18.2% for the second quarter of 2025 and increased $1.7 million, or 26.7% for the first six months of 2025, compared to the respective periods in 2024, driven primarily by increased deposit balances. Interest on borrowed funds decreased $830 thousand, or 65.1%, for the second quarter of 2025 compared to the same quarter of 2024 and decreased $1.4 million, or 63.3%, for the first six months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, primarily due to a decrease in average volume of borrowed funds in both comparison periods. Market pressure on deposit rates has stabilized and a decrease in wholesale funding has resulted in an improved net interest margin and net interest spread.
Return on average assets, which is net income divided by average total assets, measures how effectively a corporation uses its assets to produce earnings. Return on average equity, which is net income divided by average shareholders' equity, measures how effectively a corporation uses its equity capital to produce earnings.
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The following table shows these ratios annualized, as well as other equity ratios monitored by management, for the comparison periods presented.
Three Months Ended June 30,
2025
2024
Return on average assets
1.38 %
0.99 %
Return on average equity
15.62 %
12.27 %
Dividend payout ratio (1)
33.33 %
46.94 %
Average equity to average assets
8.82 %
8.04 %
Six Months Ended June 30,
2025
2024
Return on average assets
1.29 %
1.01 %
Return on average equity
15.05 %
12.50 %
Dividend payout ratio (1)
35.82 %
46.46 %
Average equity to average assets
8.57 %
8.07 %
(1) Dividends declared per common share divided by earnings per common share.
INTEREST INCOME VERSUS INTEREST EXPENSE (NII)
The largest component of the Company’s operating income is NII, which is the difference between interest earned on loans and investments and the interest paid on deposits and other sources of funds (i.e., borrowings). The Company’s level of net interest income can fluctuate over time due to changes in the level and mix of earning assets and sources of funds (volume), and changes in the yield earned and costs of funds (rate). A portion of the Company’s income from loans to local municipalities and from tax-exempt municipal investment securities is not subject to income taxes. Because the proportion of tax-exempt items in the Company's balance sheet varies from year-to-year, to improve comparability of information, the non-taxable income shown in the tables below has been converted to a tax equivalent basis. The Company’s corporate tax rate is 21%; therefore, to equalize tax-free and taxable income in the comparison, we divide the tax-free income by 79%, with the result that every tax-free dollar is equivalent to $1.27 in taxable income for the periods presented.
The Company’s tax-exempt interest income of $827,746 and $617,843 for the three months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively, and $1.6 million and $1.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively, was derived from loans to local municipalities of $42.4 million and $34.1 million, and tax-exempt municipal investment securities of $9.9 million and $10.3 million, as of June 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively.
The following table shows the reconciliation between reported NII and tax equivalent NII for the comparison periods presented.
Three Months Ended June 30,
2025
2024
Net interest income as presented
$ 9,894,542
$ 8,101,293
Effect of tax-exempt income
220,034
164,237
Net interest income, tax equivalent
$ 10,114,576
$ 8,265,530
Six Months Ended June 30,
2025
2024
Net interest income as presented
$ 19,332,864
$ 16,458,939
Effect of tax-exempt income
437,573
317,209
Net interest income, tax equivalent
$ 19,770,437
$ 16,776,148
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The following tables present the daily average assets and the daily average liabilities, including the average yields on interest-earning assets and average expense on interest-bearing liabilities for the comparison periods presented. Interest income (excluding interest on non-accrual loans) is expressed on a tax equivalent basis, both in dollars and as a yield/rate for the comparison periods presented. Net interest income, net interest spread, and net interest margin are also expressed on a tax equivalent basis.
Three Months Ended June 30,
2025
2024
Average
Average
Average
Income/
Yield/
Average
Income/
Yield/
Balance
Expense
Rate
Balance
Expense
Rate
Average Assets
Loans, net (1)
$ 941,386,340
$ 13,890,364
5.92 %
$ 864,882,180
$ 12,209,973
5.68 %
Taxable investment securities
153,071,042
948,048
2.48 %
166,488,058
932,209
2.25 %
Tax-exempt investment securities
9,905,691
101,786
4.12 %
10,267,118
101,786
3.99 %
Sweep and interest-earning accounts
6,167,063
71,857
4.67 %
4,343,705
54,452
5.04 %
Other investments (2)
3,421,316
58,595
6.87 %
3,179,253
63,270
8.00 %
Total interest-earning assets
$ 1,113,951,452
$ 15,070,650
5.43 %
$ 1,049,160,314
$ 13,361,690
5.12 %
Cash and due from banks
10,335,541
10,633,735
Premises and equipment
12,040,591
12,578,195
BOLI
5,345,590
5,260,952
Goodwill
11,574,269
11,574,269
Other assets
28,454,270
22,580,312
Total assets
$ 1,181,701,713
$ 1,111,787,777
Average Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity
Interest-bearing transaction accounts
$ 279,900,063
$ 1,297,716
1.86 %
$ 269,333,402
$ 1,266,535
1.89 %
Money market funds
155,127,528
952,990
2.46 %
124,253,641
737,873
2.39 %
Savings deposits
142,284,530
30,602
0.09 %
147,164,162
32,447
0.09 %
Time deposits
194,362,851
1,690,700
3.49 %
145,399,534
1,322,980
3.66 %
Repurchase agreements
46,627,866
298,057
2.56 %
29,128,815
177,871
2.46 %
Borrowed funds
40,987,385
426,758
4.18 %
103,634,110
1,255,272
4.87 %
Finance lease obligations
3,101,428
17,838
2.30 %
3,331,479
19,152
2.30 %
Junior subordinated debentures
12,887,000
241,413
7.51 %
12,887,000
284,030
8.86 %
Total interest-bearing liabilities
$ 875,278,651
$ 4,956,074
2.27 %
$ 835,132,143
$ 5,096,160
2.45 %
Noninterest bearing deposits
193,247,249
181,445,666
Other liabilities
8,947,041
5,793,166
Total liabilities
1,077,472,941
1,022,370,975
Shareholders' equity
104,228,772
89,416,802
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity
$ 1,181,701,713
$ 1,111,787,777
Net interest income
$ 10,114,576
$ 8,265,530
Net interest spread (3)
3.16 %
2.67 %
Net interest margin (4)
3.64 %
3.17 %
(1)
Included in net loans are non-accrual loans with average balances of $8,742,987 and $6,377,110 for the three months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively. Loans are stated net of unearned discount and ACL, plus loans held-for-sale and include tax-exempt loans to local municipalities with average balances of $68,794,557 and $58,625,102 for the three months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively.
(2)
Included in other investments is the Company’s FHLBB Stock with average balances of $2,356,166 and $2,114,103 for the three months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively, with a dividend rate of approximately 7.39% and 8.4%, respectively, per quarter.
(3)
Net interest spread is the difference between the average yield on average interest-earning assets and the average rate paid on average interest-bearing liabilities.
(4)
Net interest margin is net interest income divided by average earning assets.
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Six Months Ended June 30,
2025
2024
Average
Average
Average
Income/
Yield/
Average
Income/
Yield/
Balance
Expense
Rate
Balance
Expense
Rate
Average Assets
Loans, net (1)
$ 935,652,854
$ 27,301,560
5.88 %
$ 855,916,469
$ 24,019,787
5.64 %
Taxable investment securities
151,427,796
1,807,276
2.41 %
170,916,364
1,904,557
2.24 %
Tax-exempt investment securities
10,062,604
203,573
4.08 %
10,314,582
203,573
3.97 %
Sweep and interest-earning accounts
18,157,674
393,806
4.37 %
5,400,927
140,385
5.23 %
Other investments (2)
3,157,144
106,485
6.80 %
2,714,732
105,655
7.83 %
Total interest-earning assets
1,118,458,072
$ 29,812,700
5.38 %
$ 1,045,263,074
$ 26,373,957
5.07 %
Cash and due from banks
10,220,111
10,306,442
Premises and equipment
12,042,812
12,481,206
BOLI
5,335,511
5,250,400
Goodwill
11,574,269
11,574,269
Other assets
28,088,218
21,877,830
Total assets
$ 1,185,718,993
$ 1,106,753,221
Average Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity
Interest-bearing transaction accounts
$ 288,056,314
$ 2,680,558
1.88 %
$ 278,669,658
$ 2,635,415
1.90 %
Money market funds
160,696,720
2,022,522
2.54 %
122,765,982
1,366,838
2.24 %
Savings deposits
142,601,501
59,478
0.08 %
148,958,173
64,055
0.09 %
Time deposits
191,963,068
3,395,357
3.57 %
138,139,607
2,373,699
3.46 %
Repurchase agreements
46,267,496
584,016
2.55 %
31,275,434
376,762
2.42 %
Borrowed funds
36,883,171
779,565
4.26 %
90,641,242
2,181,613
4.84 %
Finance lease obligations
3,130,815
36,009
2.30 %
3,359,597
38,628
2.30 %
Junior subordinated debentures
12,887,000
484,758
7.59 %
12,887,000
560,799
8.75 %
Total interest-bearing liabilities
882,486,085
$ 10,042,263
2.29 %
826,696,693
$ 9,597,809
2.33 %
Noninterest bearing deposits
191,995,481
185,401,062
Other liabilities
9,626,584
5,375,312
Total liabilities
1,084,108,150
1,017,473,067
Shareholders' equity
101,610,843
89,280,154
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity
$ 1,185,718,993
$ 1,106,753,221
Net interest income
$ 19,770,437
$ 16,776,148
Net interest spread (3)
3.09 %
2.74 %
Net interest margin (4)
3.56 %
3.23 %
(1)
Included in net loans are non-accrual loans with average balances of $8,736,815 and $6,450,580 for the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively. Loans are stated net of unearned discount and ACL, and include loans held-for-sale and tax-exempt loans to local municipalities with average balances of $68,549,058 and $57,613,672 for the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively.
(2)
Included in other investments is the Company’s FHLBB Stock with average balances of $2,091,994 and $1,649,582, respectively, with a dividend rate of approximately 7.02% and 8.4%, respectively, for the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively.
(3)
Net interest spread is the difference between the average yield on average interest-earning assets and the average rate paid on average interest-bearing liabilities.
(4)
Net interest margin is net interest income divided by average earning assets.
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The average volume of interest-earning assets for the three-and six-month periods ended June 30, 2025 increased 6.2% and 7.0%, respectively, compared to the same periods last year, and the average yield on interest-earning assets increased 31 bps in both periods.
The average volume of loans increased over the three- and six-month comparison periods of 2025 versus 2024 by 8.9% and 9.3%, respectively, and the average yield on loans increased 24 bps in both periods. Loans accounted for 84.5% and 83.7% of the average interest-earning asset portfolio for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2025, compared to 82.4% and 81.9%, respectively, for the same periods last year. Interest earned on the loan portfolio as a percentage of total interest income was 92.2% and 91.6%, respectively, for the three- and six-month periods in 2025 compared to 91.4% and 91.1%, respectively, for the same periods in 2024.
The average volume of the taxable investment portfolio (classified as AFS) decreased 8.1% and 11.4%, respectively, during the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2025, compared to the same periods last year, while the average yield increased 23 bps and 17 bps, respectively, between periods. There were purchases of taxable AFS investment securities during the first three months of 2025, however maturities and paydowns on this portfolio in 2024 and into 2025 exceeded purchases during the same time period, accounting for the decrease in average volume year over year.
The average volume of the tax-exempt investment portfolio (classified as AFS) for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2025 decreased 0.2% in both periods, while the tax equivalent yield increased 13 bps and 11 bps, respectively. There were no tax-exempt bond purchases during the first six months of 2025, accounting for the decrease in average volume in this portfolio.
The average volume of sweep and interest-earning accounts, which consists primarily of an interest-bearing account at the FRBB, increased 42.0% and 236.2%, respectively, for the three- and six-months ended June 30, 2025, compared to the same periods in 2024. The average volume grew steadily during the last half of 2024 with the influx of customer deposit accounts, primarily municipal deposit accounts. The average yield on these funds decreased 37 bps and 86 bps, respectively, for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2025, versus the same periods in 2024.
The average volume of interest-bearing liabilities for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2025 increased 4.9% and 6.8%, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2024, while the average rate paid on interest-bearing liabilities decreased 18 bps and four bps, respectively.
The average volume of interest-bearing transaction accounts increased 3.9% and 3.4%, respectively, for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2025, compared to the same periods of 2024, reflecting moderate growth year over year. The average rate paid on these accounts decreased three bps and two bps, respectively, between comparison periods. Interest-bearing transaction accounts comprised 32.0% and 32.6% of the average interest-bearing liabilities portfolio for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2025, compared to 32.3% and 33.7%, respectively, for the same periods last year. Interest paid on these funds accounted for 26.2% and 26.7%, respectively, of total interest expense for the three- and six-month periods of 2025 compared to 24.9% and 27.5%, respectively, for the same periods in 2024.
The average volume of money market accounts increased 24.9% and 30.9%, respectively, for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2025, compared to the same periods in 2024, while the average rate paid on these deposits increased seven bps and 30 bps, respectively.
The average volume of savings accounts decreased 3.3% and 4.3%, respectively, for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2025, compared to the same periods in 2024. There was no change in the average rate paid on these accounts in the three-month period ended June 30, 2025 compared to 2024, while the average rate paid on these accounts decreased one bp in the six-month period ended June 30, 2025 compared to 2024.
The average volume of time deposits increased 33.7% and 39.0%, respectively, for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2025, compared to the same periods in 2024, and the average rate paid decreased 17 bps and increased 11 bps, respectively.
The average volume of repurchase agreements increased 60.1% and 47.9%, respectively, for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2025, compared to the same periods in 2024, and the average rate paid increased 10 bps and 13 bps, respectively, between comparison periods.
The Company utilized borrowed funds to fund loan growth and cover deposit outflows during 2023 and into the first and second quarters of 2024, but as deposit accounts began to increase, the need for these funds decreased, accounting for the 60.5% and 59.3% decrease in average volume of borrowed funds during the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2025, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2024. The average rate paid on borrowed funds decreased as well by 69 bps and 58 bps for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2025, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2024.
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In summary, between the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, the average yield on interest-earning assets increased 31 bps in both periods and the average rate paid on interest-bearing liabilities decreased 18 bps and four bps, respectively. Net interest spread increased 49 bps and 35 bps, respectively, for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2025 versus the same periods in 2024, and the net interest margin increased 47 bps and 34 bps, respectively.
The following table summarizes the variances in interest income and interest expense on a fully tax-equivalent basis for the interim periods presented for 2025 and 2024 resulting from volume changes in daily average assets and daily average liabilities and fluctuations in average rates earned and paid.
Three Months Ended June 30, 2025
Six Months Ended June 30, 2025
Compared to
Compared to
Three Months Ended June 30, 2024
Six Months Ended June 30, 2024
Variance
Variance
Variance
Variance
Due to
Due to
Total
Due to
Due to
Total
Rate (1)
Volume (1)
Variance
Rate (1)
Volume (1)
Variance
Average Interest-Earning Assets
Loans, net
$ 599,968
$ 1,080,423
$ 1,680,391
$ 1,045,494
$ 2,236,279
$ 3,281,773
Taxable investment securities
98,797
(82,958 )
15,839
135,626
(232,907 )
(97,281 )
Tax-exempt investment securities
3,712
(3,712 )
0
5,098
(5,098 )
0
Sweep and interest-earning accounts
(5,444 )
22,849
17,405
(78,345 )
331,766
253,421
Other investments
(9,490 )
4,815
(4,675 )
(16,396 )
17,226
830
Total
$ 687,543
$ 1,021,417
$ 1,708,960
$ 1,091,477
$ 2,347,266
$ 3,438,743
Average Interest-Bearing Liabilities
Interest-bearing transaction accounts
$ (18,474 )
$ 49,655
$ 31,181
$ (43,543 )
$ 88,686
$ 45,143
Money market funds
31,654
183,463
215,117
233,181
422,503
655,684
Savings deposits
(750 )
(1,095 )
(1,845 )
(2,055 )
(2,522 )
(4,577 )
Time deposits
(77,846 )
445,566
367,720
95,600
926,058
1,021,658
Repurchase agreements
13,155
107,031
120,186
26,841
180,413
207,254
Borrowed funds
(175,649 )
(652,865 )
(828,514 )
(266,412 )
(1,135,636 )
(1,402,048 )
Finance lease obligations
5
(1,319 )
(1,314 )
(10 )
(2,609 )
(2,619 )
Junior subordinated debentures
(42,617 )
0
(42,617 )
(76,041 )
0
(76,041 )
Total
$ (270,522 )
$ 130,436
$ (140,086 )
$ (32,439 )
$ 476,893
$ 444,454
Changes in net interest income
$ 958,065
$ 890,981
$ 1,849,046
$ 1,123,916
$ 1,870,373
$ 2,994,289
(1) Items which have shown a year-to-year increase in volume have variances allocated as follows:
Variance due to rate = Change in rate x new volume
Variance due to volume = Change in volume x old rate
Items which have shown a year-to-year decrease in volume have variances allocated as follows:
Variance due to rate = Change in rate x old volume
Variances due to volume = Change in volume x new rate
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NON-INTEREST INCOME AND NON-INTEREST EXPENSE
Non-interest Income
The components of non-interest income for the periods presented were as follows:
Three Months Ended
Six Months Ended
June 30,
Change
June 30,
Change
2025
2024
Income
Percent
2025
2024
Income
Percent
Service fees
$ 969,775
$ 964,181
$ 5,594
0.58 %
$ 1,856,557
$ 1,862,101
$ (5,544 )
-0.30 %
Income from sold loans
96,705
98,469
(1,764 )
-1.79 %
166,082
177,573
(11,491 )
-6.47 %
Other income from loans
331,759
278,223
53,536
19.24 %
601,927
532,824
69,103
12.97 %
Other income
Income from CFS Partners
548,308
328,598
219,710
66.86 %
797,658
622,925
174,733
28.05 %
Other miscellaneous income
112,164
102,946
9,218
8.95 %
215,096
210,901
4,195
1.99 %
Total non-interest income
$ 2,058,711
$ 1,772,417
$ 286,294
16.15 %
$ 3,637,320
$ 3,406,324
$ 230,996
6.78 %
Total non-interest income increased $286,294, or 16.2%, and $230,996 or 6.8%, respectively, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, compared to the same periods in 2024, with significant changes noted in the following:
·
The volume of loans sold into the secondary market during the first six months of 2025 decreased by $171 thousand compared to the same period last year, accounting for the decrease in income from sold loans between periods.
·
Increases in Commercial LOC annual renewal fees and residential doc fees amounting to $50 thousand and $14 thousand, respectively, account for the moderate increase in other income from loans year over year.
·
Income from CFS Partners increased between periods due in part to a strong equity market and successful retention of managed accounts, as well as an increase, commencing March 1, 2025, in the Company’s share of CFSG’s net income from 33.3% to 50%. CFSG’s income is derived primarily from asset-based fees on managed accounts and in addition, CFS Partners has a small portion of its equity capital invested in the stock market, with performance generally reflecting stock market conditions.
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Table of Contents
Non-interest Expense
The components of non-interest expense for the periods presented were as follows:
Three Months Ended
Six Months Ended
June 30,
Change
June 30,
Change
2025
2024
Expense
Percent
2025
2024
Expense
Percent
Salaries and wages
$ 2,392,661
$ 2,288,000
$ 104,661
4.57 %
$ 4,712,727
$ 4,746,000
$ (33,273 )
-0.70 %
Employee benefits
1,056,273
954,154
102,119
10.70 %
2,074,245
1,853,390
220,855
11.92 %
Occupancy expenses, net
794,451
694,230
100,221
14.44 %
1,576,307
1,416,733
159,574
11.26 %
Other expenses
Charged-off checks
563
5,471
(4,908 )
-89.71 %
(44,950 )
39,527
(84,477 )
-213.72 %
Outsourcing expense
71,243
145,503
(74,260 )
-51.04 %
187,872
285,889
(98,017 )
-34.28 %
Service contracts - administrative
184,260
201,875
(17,615 )
-8.73 %
406,331
384,639
21,692
5.64 %
Consultant services
91,241
59,709
31,532
52.81 %
182,990
119,418
63,572
53.23 %
FDIC insurance
146,714
140,531
6,183
4.40 %
344,674
296,637
48,037
16.19 %
Collection & non-accruing loan expense
5,000
90,500
(85,500 )
-94.48 %
7,000
138,500
(131,500 )
-94.95 %
ATM & debit card expense
193,358
174,727
18,631
10.66 %
374,766
339,333
35,433
10.44 %
State deposit tax
270,767
255,222
15,545
6.09 %
534,341
510,752
23,589
4.62 %
Other miscellaneous expenses
1,460,869
1,261,649
199,220
15.79 %
2,814,707
2,440,898
373,809
15.31 %
Total non-interest expense
$ 6,667,400
$ 6,271,571
$ 395,829
6.31 %
$ 13,171,010
$ 12,571,716
$ 599,294
4.77 %
Total non-interest expense increased $395,829, or 6.3%, and $599,294 or 4.8%, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, compared to the same periods in 2024, with significant changes noted in the following:
·
Although an increase is noted in salaries and wages for the second quarter of 2025, a decrease is noted year over year which reflects changes in senior leadership as well as unfilled positions in 2025.
·
The increase in employee benefits is attributable to an increase in health insurance claims year over year under the Company’s self-insured health insurance plan.
·
The increase in occupancy expense year over year is primarily due to normal increases in contracted services, including increased expenses for plowing and sanding during the winter months as well as increases in maintenance on buildings.
·
The Company received a recovery for a $53 thousand fraudulent check during the first quarter of 2025 that was charged off in 2024, accounting for most of the decrease in charged-off checks year over year.
·
The decrease in outsourcing expense is attributable to a renegotiated contract from the Company’s core provider.
·
The year over year increase in service contracts - administrative is due to a combination of new contracts, an increase in transaction-based pricing for certain contracts, and contractual inflationary adjustment factors that are higher than historical increase adjustments. The quarter over quarter decrease is due to the timing of credits from a vendor to correct prior year invoices.
·
The increase in FDIC insurance is attributable to an increase in the assessment multiplier.
·
The increase in consultant services is attributable to an increased utilization of these services for branch network and technology projects during 2025.
·
Collection & non-accruing loan expenses were lower year over year due to the recovery of expenses associated with properties in foreclosure that were resolved.
·
ATM & debit card expenses are transaction-based and reflect increased customer activity year over year, as well as annual contractual price adjustments.
·
The increase in state deposit tax is attributable to an increase in average deposits which is used in the calculation of taxes due.
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Table of Contents
APPLICABLE INCOME TAXES
The provision for income taxes increased $276,660, or 51.0%, for the second quarter of 2025 and $384,544, or 35.0%, for the first six months of 2025 compared to the same periods in 2024, which is consistent with the increase in income before income taxes. Tax credits, which consist of credits from affordable housing investments and NMTC, amounted to $249,612 and $174,612, for the second quarter of 2025 and 2024, and $499,224 and $349,224, respectively, for the first six months of 2025 and 2024. The Company’s investment in a project during the last quarter of 2024 generated NMTC for that quarter and for the six months of 2025, accounting for the increase in tax credits between comparison periods.
Amortization expense related to the affordable housing investments and NMTC is included as a component of income tax expense and amounted to $148,890 and $149,202, for the second quarter of 2025 and 2024 and $297,780 and $298,404, respectively, for the first six months of 2025 and 2024. These investments provide tax benefits, including tax credits, and are designed to provide a targeted effective annual yield between 5% and 7%.
CHANGES IN FINANCIAL CONDITION
The following table reflects the composition of the Company's major categories of assets and liabilities as a percentage of total assets or liabilities and shareholders’ equity, as of the balance sheet dates:
June 30, 2025
December 31, 2024
Assets
Loans
$ 941,762,995
80.73 %
$ 927,940,805
74.30 %
AFS securities
158,882,445
13.62 %
159,697,420
12.79 %
Liabilities
Demand deposits
201,784,574
17.30 %
197,697,470
15.83 %
Interest-bearing transaction accounts
260,019,923
22.29 %
304,212,085
24.36 %
Money market funds
130,403,424
11.18 %
169,533,067
13.57 %
Savings deposits
143,344,871
12.29 %
142,925,828
11.44 %
Time deposits
197,413,067
16.92 %
187,276,308
14.99 %
Overnight borrowings
19,700,000
1.69 %
0
0.00 %
Long-term advances
36,100,000
3.09 %
72,600,000
5.81 %
The following table reflects the changes in the composition of the Company's major categories of assets and liabilities between the balance sheet dates, as disclosed in the table above:
Volume Change
Percentage
Assets
Loans
$ 13,822,190
1.49 %
AFS securities
(814,975 )
-0.51 %
Liabilities
Demand deposits
4,087,104
2.07 %
Interest-bearing transaction accounts
(44,192,162 )
-14.53 %
Money market funds
(39,129,643 )
-23.08 %
Savings deposits
419,043
0.29 %
Time deposits
10,136,759
5.41 %
Overnight borrowings
19,700,000
100.00 %
Long-term advances
(36,500,000 )
-50.28 %
The increase in the loan portfolio during the first six months of 2025 was primarily attributable to increases in CRE loans, and residential real estate 1 st lien loans.
The decrease in the securities AFS portfolio at June 30, 2025 is attributable to the combined effect during the first six months of the year of purchases totaling $17.1 million and a decrease of $4.2 million in unrealized losses reflected in OCI, which was more than offset by maturities of $11.3 million and principal payments on MBS, ABS and CMO investments totaling $9.9 million. In management’s view, the size of the AFS securities portfolio is appropriate and proportional to the overall asset base, as this portfolio serves a significant role in the Company’s liquidity position.
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Table of Contents
The decrease in interest-bearing transactions accounts at June 30, 2025 from year end 2024 is attributable to a cyclical decrease of $15.8 million, or 36.8% in government agency accounts for our municipal customers, a decrease of $17.4 million or 15.9%, in ICS accounts, and a decrease of $11.0 million, or 10.2% in retail deposit accounts. The decrease in money market accounts was driven by a decrease of $36.9 million, or 83.1%, in ICS accounts, and a decrease in retail money market accounts of $862 thousand, or 0.7%, as well as a decrease in municipal money market deposits of $1.4 million, or 33.8%. The increase in time deposits is attributable to an increase in brokered time deposits. In addition to the brokered time deposits, the Company used overnight deposits to cover maturities in borrowed funds during the first six months of 2025 and used those funds to cover fluctuations in aggregate deposits during the same period, enabling the Company to rely less on other sources of funding.
Uninsured Deposits
Estimated deposits in excess of the FDIC insurance level amounted to $228.3 million as of June 30, 2025 and $258.0 million as of December 31, 2024. The estimated balance of $41.1 million of uninsured time deposits as of June 30, 2025 was made up of time CDs of $37.4 million and retirement accounts of $3.7 million. Increments of maturity of these time deposits are summarized as follows:
3 months or less
$ 21,693,586
Over 3 through 6 months
14,988,138
Over 6 through 12 months
4,423,326
Total
$ 41,105,050
Interest Rate Risk and Asset and Liability Management - Management actively monitors and manages the Company’s interest rate risk exposure and attempts to structure the balance sheet to maximize net interest income while controlling its exposure to interest rate risk. The Company's ALCO is made up of the Executive Officers and certain Vice Presidents of the Bank representing major business lines. The ALCO formulates strategies to manage interest rate risk by evaluating the impact on earnings and capital of such factors as current interest rate forecasts and economic indicators, potential changes in such forecasts and indicators, liquidity and various business strategies. The ALCO meets at least quarterly to review financial statements, liquidity levels, yields and spreads to better understand, measure, monitor and control the Company’s interest rate risk. In the ALCO process, the committee members apply policy limits set forth in the Asset Liability, Liquidity and Investment policies approved and periodically reviewed by the Company’s Board of Directors (together the ”ALCO Policy”). The ALCO's methods for evaluating interest rate risk include an analysis of the effects of interest rate changes on net interest income and an analysis of the Company's interest rate sensitivity "gap", which provides a static analysis of the maturity and repricing characteristics of the entire balance sheet. The ALCO Policy also includes a contingency funding plan to help management prepare for unforeseen liquidity restrictions, including hypothetical severe liquidity crises.
Interest rate risk represents the sensitivity of earnings to changes in market interest rates. As interest rates change, the interest income and expense streams associated with the Company’s financial instruments also change, thereby impacting NII, the primary component of the Company’s earnings. Fluctuations in interest rates can also have an impact on liquidity. The ALCO uses an outside consultant to perform rate shock simulations to the Company's net interest income, as well as a variety of other analyses. It is ALCO’s function to provide the assumptions used in the modeling process. Assumptions used in prior period simulation models are regularly tested by comparing projected NII with actual NII. The ALCO utilizes the results of the simulation model to quantify the estimated exposure of NII and liquidity to sustain interest rate changes. The simulation model captures the impact of changing interest rates on the interest income received and interest expense paid on all interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities reflected on the Company’s balance sheet. The model also simulates the balance sheet’s sensitivity to a prolonged flat rate environment. All rate scenarios are simulated, assuming a parallel shift of the yield curve; however further simulations are performed utilizing non-parallel changes in the yield curve, including an inverted yield curve. The results of this sensitivity analysis are compared to the ALCO policy limits which specify a maximum tolerance level for NII exposure over a 1-year horizon, assuming no balance sheet growth, given a 200 bp shift upward and a 100 bp shift downward in interest rates.
Under the Company’s interest rate sensitivity modeling, in a rising rate environment NII initially trends upward as the short-term asset base (cash and adjustable-rate loans) quickly cycles upward while the retail funding base (deposits) lags the market. If rates paid on deposits must be increased more and/or more quickly than projected due to competitive pressures, the expected benefit of rising rates would be reduced. In a falling rate environment, NII is expected to trend slightly downward compared with the current rate environment scenario for the first year of the simulation as asset yield erosion is not fully offset by decreasing funding costs. Thereafter, net interest income is projected to experience sustained downward pressure as funding costs reach their assumed floors and asset yields continue to reprice into the lower rate environment.
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Table of Contents
The following table summarizes the estimated impact on the Company's NII over a twelve-month period, assuming a gradual parallel shift of the yield curve beginning June 30, 2025:
Rate Change
Percent Change in NII
Down 100 bps
0.2 %
Up 200 bps
-3.5 %
The estimated amounts shown in the table above are within the ALCO Policy limits. However, those amounts do not represent a forecast and should not be relied upon as indicative of future results. The ALCO model also provides alternate scenarios including a sustained flat, or inverted yield curve. While assumptions used in the ALCO process, including the interest rate simulation analyses, are developed based upon current economic and local market conditions, and expected future conditions, the Company cannot provide any assurances as to the predictive nature of these assumptions, including how customer preferences or competitor influences might change.
As of June 30, 2025, the Company had $12,887,000 in principal amount of Junior Subordinated Debentures due December 15, 2037, which bear interest at a quarterly floating rate equal to 3-month CME SOFR, as adjusted by a spread adjustment factor of 0.26161, plus 2.85%. The quarterly floating rate in effect on the debentures was 7.41% for the June 2025 payment, compared to a floating rate of 8.44% for the June 2024 payment.
Credit Risk - As a financial institution, one of the primary risks the Company manages is credit risk, the risk of loss stemming from borrowers’ failure to repay loans or inability to meet other contractual obligations. The Company’s Board of Directors prescribes policies for managing credit risk, including Loan, Appraisal and Environmental policies. These policies are supplemented by comprehensive underwriting standards and procedures. The Company maintains a Credit Administration department whose function includes credit analysis and monitoring of and reporting on the status of the loan portfolio, including delinquent and non-performing loan trends. The Company also monitors concentration of credit risk in a variety of areas, including portfolio mix, the level of loans to individual borrowers and their related interests, loans to industry segments, and the geographic distribution of commercial real estate loans. Loans are reviewed periodically by an independent loan review firm to help ensure accuracy of the Company's internal risk ratings and compliance with various internal policies, procedures and regulatory guidance.
Residential mortgage loans represented 28.2% of the Company’s loan balances as of June 30, 2025, compared to 27.4% as of December 31, 2024. The Company maintains a residential mortgage loan portfolio of traditional mortgage products and does not offer higher risk loan products, such as option adjustable-rate mortgage products, high loan-to-value products, interest only mortgages, subprime loans and products with deeply discounted teaser rates. Residential mortgages with loan-to-value ratios exceeding 80% are generally covered by PMI. A 90% loan-to-value residential mortgage product without PMI is only available to borrowers with excellent credit and low debt-to-income ratios and has not been widely originated. As of June 30, 2025, junior lien home equity products made up 14.4% of the residential mortgage portfolio with maximum loan-to-value ratios (including prior liens) of 80%. The Company also originates some home equity loans with loan-to-value ratios greater than 80% under an insured loan program with stringent underwriting criteria.
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Table of Contents
The following tables show the estimated maturities within the Company’s loan portfolio as of June 30, 2025.
Fixed Rate Loans
Within
2 - 5
6 - 15
Over
1 Year
Years
Years
15 Years
Total
Commercial & industrial
$ 4,868,092
$ 27,007,486
$ 26,695,700
$ 0
$ 58,571,278
Purchased (1)
6,348
3,148,348
8,412,056
0
11,566,752
Commercial real estate
15,756,215
8,460,478
17,867,147
1,159,603
43,243,443
Municipal
20,242,880
4,288,033
5,403,270
0
29,934,183
Residential real estate - 1st lien
296,364
2,637,506
22,597,527
58,884,238
84,415,635
Residential real estate - Jr lien
64,364
414,764
4,168,050
62,428
4,709,606
Consumer
492,588
2,028,902
25,694
0
2,547,184
Total Loans
$ 41,726,851
$ 47,985,517
$ 85,169,444
$ 60,106,269
$ 234,988,081
Variable Rate Loans
Within
2 - 5
6 - 15
Over
1 Year
Years
Years
15 Years
Total
Commercial & industrial
$ 25,524,272
$ 28,989,084
$ 8,804,139
$ 6,269,111
$ 69,586,606
Commercial real estate
2,515,318
5,414,308
115,312,946
324,507,200
447,749,772
Municipal
0
0
9,347,535
3,129,595
12,477,130
Residential real estate - 1st lien
419,955
3,183,102
16,745,979
122,750,935
143,099,971
Residential real estate - Jr lien
846,101
515,635
12,780,917
19,304,874
33,447,527
Consumer
56,961
171,276
185,671
0
413,908
Total Loans
$ 29,362,607
$ 38,273,405
$ 163,177,187
$ 475,961,715
$ 706,774,914
(1)
Consists of commercial loans totaling $6 thousand within 1 year; $2.9 million in 2 – 5 years and $526 thousand in 6 – 15 years and consumer loans of $0, $186 thousand and $7.9 million in those maturity categories, respectively.
The Company experienced solid growth in the CRE loan portfolios, which is consistent with its strategic focus on commercial lending. Commercial & industrial, purchased, CRE and municipal loans collectively comprised 71.5% of the Company’s loan portfolio as of June 30, 2025, compared to 72.3% as of December 31, 2024. The largest components of the CRE portfolio were $131.5 million in owner-occupied CRE and $165.1 million in non-owner occupied CRE as of June 30, 2025, compared to $125.5 million and 154.6 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2024.
Risk in the Company’s commercial & industrial and CRE loan portfolios is mitigated in part by government guarantees issued by federal agencies such as the SBA and RD. As of June 30, 2025, the Company had $28.1 million in guaranteed loans with guaranteed balances of $19.1 million, compared to $25.5 million in guaranteed loans with guaranteed balances of $17.2 million as of December 31, 2024. PPP loans with outstanding balances of $24 thousand as of June 30, 2025, and $43 thousand as of December 31, 2024, are included in these totals, all of which carry a 100% guarantee through the SBA, subject to borrower eligibility requirements.
The Company works actively with customers early in the delinquency process to help them to avoid default and foreclosure. Commercial & industrial and CRE loans are generally placed on non-accrual status when there is deterioration in the financial position of the borrower, payment in full of principal and interest is not expected, and/or principal or interest has been in default for 90 days or more. However, such a loan need not be placed on non-accrual status if it is both well secured and in the process of collection. Residential mortgages and home equity loans are considered for non-accrual status at 90 days past due and are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The Company obtains current property appraisals or market value analyses and considers the cost to carry and sell collateral to assess the level of specific allocations required. Consumer loans are generally not placed in non-accrual but are charged off by the time they reach 120 days past due. When a loan is placed in non-accrual status, the Company reverses the accrued interest against current period income and discontinues the accrual of interest until the borrower clearly demonstrates the ability and intention to resume normal payments, typically demonstrated by regular timely payments for a period of not less than six months. Interest payments received on non-accrual loans are generally applied as a reduction of the loan book balance.
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Credit loss expense
The credit loss expense was made up of the following components for the periods indicated:
Three Months Ended
June 30,
Change
2025
2024
$
%
Credit loss expense - loans
$ 394,622
$ 351,921
$ 42,701
12.13 %
Credit loss expense (reversal) - OBS credit exposure
12,424
(20,339 )
32,763
-161.08 %
Credit loss expense
$ 407,046
$ 331,582
$ 75,464
22.76 %
Six Months Ended
June 30,
Change
2025
2024
$
%
Credit loss expense - loans
$ 813,496
$ 669,721
$ 143,775
21.47 %
Credit loss reversal - OBS credit exposure
(81,396 )
(24,560 )
(56,836 )
231.42 %
Credit loss expense
$ 732,100
$ 645,161
$ 86,939
13.48 %
The increase in the credit loss expense on loans in both periods of 2025 compared to the same periods of 2024, was due in part to changes in the economic forecast, prepayments speeds, loan curtailments and adjustments to certain qualitative factors used in the model, as well as an increase in the volume of the loan portfolio. The increase in the OBS credit exposure for the three months ended June 30, 2025 is attributable to an increase in unfunded loan commitments under contract and the decrease in the six months ended June 30, 2025 is attributable to a decrease in unfunded loan commitments under contract.
ACL and provisions –The Company’s ACL policy provides guidance in maintaining an adequate methodology for establishing, estimating, and maintaining allowances for credit losses under ASC 326. The policy creates a measurement model to establish a proper ACL based on current expected credit losses rather than losses incurred.
The Company maintains an ACL at a level that management believes is appropriate to absorb losses inherent in the loan portfolio as of the measurement date (See Note 5 of the accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements). Although the Company, in establishing the ACL, considers the expected inherent losses in individual loans and pools of loans, the ACL is a general reserve available to absorb all credit losses in the loan portfolio. No part of the ACL is segregated to absorb losses from any loan or segment of loans.
When establishing the ACL each quarter, the Company applies a combination of significant key assumptions and methodologies, as discussed in the ACL section under Critical Accounting Policies in this MD&A and presented in Note 5 of the accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements.
The following table summarizes the Company’s credit risk ratios for the balance sheet dates presented:
June 30,
December 31,
2025
2024
ACL to total loans outstanding
1.12 %
1.06 %
ACL
$ 10,549,531
$ 9,810,212
Loans outstanding
$ 941,762,995
$ 927,940,805
Non-accruing loans to loans outstanding
0.92 %
0.90 %
Non-accruing loans
$ 8,674,342
$ 8,338,166
Loans outstanding
$ 941,762,995
$ 927,940,805
ACL to non-accruing loans
121.62 %
117.65 %
ACL
$ 10,549,531
$ 9,810,212
Non-accruing loans
$ 8,674,342
$ 8,338,166
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The following table shows the breakdown of the ACL by loan segment and the percentage of loans in each category to total loans in the respective portfolios at the date indicated:
June 30, 2025
December 31, 2024
Amount
Percent
Amount
Percent
Commercial & industrial
$ 697,125
13.61 %
$ 727,488
13.37 %
Purchased
32,580
1.23 %
22,415
0.84 %
Commercial real estate
6,760,034
52.14 %
6,487,700
50.88 %
Municipal
106,028
4.50 %
167,719
7.23 %
Residential real estate - 1st lien
2,602,099
24.16 %
2,087,034
23.50 %
Residential real estate - Jr lien
326,582
4.05 %
291,239
3.85 %
Consumer
25,083
0.31 %
26,617
0.33 %
Total
$ 10,549,531
100.00 %
$ 9,810,212
100.00 %
The second quarter ACL analysis indicated that the reserve balance of $10.5 million as of June 30, 2025, was sufficient to cover expected credit losses that are probable and estimable as of the measurement date. Included in the ACL calculation for the second quarter of 2025 are adjustments to certain qualitative factors made by management, including a decrease in the risk status of the qualitative factors for loan review in the commercial and CRE segments to reflect the strong loan review system that is in place, as discussed in Note 5 of the accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements.
Management believes that the quantitative calculation adequately captures the risk in these areas, and that the reserve balance continues to be directionally consistent with the overall risk profile of the Company’s loan portfolio and credit risk appetite. While the ACL is described as consisting of separate allocated portions, the entire ACL is available to support loan losses, regardless of category. Management’s assessment of the adequacy of the ACL is presented to the full Board for approval quarterly.
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Net charge-offs during the periods presented to average loans outstanding were as follows:
For the Six Months Ended June 30,
2025
2024
Commercial & industrial
-0.02 %
-0.08 %
Net charge-offs during the period
$ (23,104 )
$ (107,450 )
Average amount outstanding
$ 124,770,912
$ 126,491,436
Purchased
0.00 %
0.00 %
Net charge-offs during the period
$ 0
$ 0
Average amount outstanding
$ 9,558,456
$ 9,994,314
Commercial real estate
0.00 %
-0.01 %
Net charge-offs during the period
$ 0
$ (45,393 )
Average amount outstanding
$ 479,691,041
$ 427,244,969
Municipal
0.00 %
0.00 %
Net charge-offs during the period
$ 0
$ 0
Average amount outstanding
$ 68,549,058
$ 57,613,672
Residential real estate - 1st lien
0.00 %
0.00 %
Net recoveries during the period
$ 219
$ 0
Average amount outstanding
$ 223,510,841
$ 209,128,975
Residential real estate - Jr lien
0.00 %
0.01 %
Net recoveries during the period
$ 0
$ 2,415
Average amount outstanding
$ 36,512,026
$ 31,625,031
Consumer
-2.13 %
-0.81 %
Net charge-offs during the period
$ (51,292 )
$ (26,303 )
Average amount outstanding
$ 2,404,792
$ 3,236,126
Total loans
-0.01 %
-0.02 %
Net charge-offs during the period
$ (74,177 )
$ (176,731 )
Average amount outstanding
$ 944,997,126
$ 865,334,523
In addition to credit risk in the Company’s loan and investment portfolios and its off-balance sheet commitments, and liquidity risk in its loan and deposit-taking operations, the Company’s business activities also generate market risk. Market risk is the risk of loss in a financial instrument arising from adverse changes in market prices and rates, foreign currency exchange rates, commodity prices and equity prices. Declining capital markets and changes in interest rates can result in fair value adjustments to asset valuations or the need to create a related reserve or allowance. The Company does not have any market risk sensitive instruments acquired for trading purposes. The Company’s market risk arises primarily from interest rate risk inherent in its lending, deposit taking and investment activities. During recessionary periods, a declining housing market can result in an increase in loan loss reserves or ultimately an increase in foreclosures and credit-related losses. Interest rate risk is directly related to the different maturities and repricing characteristics of interest-bearing assets and liabilities, as well as to loan prepayment risks, early withdrawal of time deposits, and the fact that the speed and magnitude of responses to interest rate changes vary by product. Rapid changes in prevailing interest rates, particularly after a long period of relative stability, create a challenging interest rate environment. As discussed above under "Interest Rate Risk and Asset and Liability Management", the Company actively monitors and manages its interest rate risk through the ALCO process.
COMMITMENTS, CONTINGENCIES AND OFF-BALANCE-SHEET ARRANGEMENTS
The Company is a party to financial instruments with OBS risk in the normal course of business to meet the financing needs of its customers. These financial instruments include commitments to extend credit, standby letters of credit and risk-sharing commitments on certain sold loans. Such instruments involve, to varying degrees, elements of credit and interest rate risk more than the amount recognized in the balance sheet. The contract or notional amounts of those instruments reflect the extent of involvement the Company has in particular classes of financial instruments. During the first six months of 2025, the Company did not engage in any activity that created any additional types of OBS risk.
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LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
Managing liquidity risk is essential to maintaining both depositor confidence and stability in earnings. Liquidity management refers to the ability of the Company to adequately cover fluctuations in assets and liabilities. Meeting loan demand (assets) and covering the withdrawal of deposit funds (liabilities) are two key components of the liquidity management process. The Company’s principal sources of funds are deposits, amortization and prepayment of loans and securities, maturities of investment securities, sales of loans available-for-sale, and earnings and funds provided from operations. These sources are supplemented by short-term and long-term borrowings as needed. Maintaining a relatively stable funding base, which is achieved by diversifying funding sources, competitively pricing deposit products, and extending the contractual maturity of liabilities, reduces the Company’s exposure to rollover risk on deposits and limits reliance on volatile short-term borrowed funds. Short-term funding needs arise from declines in deposits or other funding sources and from funding requirements for loan commitments. The Company’s strategy is to fund assets to the maximum extent possible with core deposits that provide a sizable source of relatively stable and lower-cost funds.
The Company recognizes that, at times, when loan demand exceeds deposit growth or the Company has other liquidity demands, or when the Company experiences deposit outflows; it may be desirable to utilize alternative sources of deposit funding to augment retail deposits and borrowings. One-way deposits acquired through the CDARS and/or ICS programs provide an alternative funding source when needed. As of June 30, 2025, and December 31, 2024, the Company had $0 and $236 thousand in one-way CDARS deposits, and no one-way ICS deposits outstanding at either period end. In addition, two-way (reciprocal) CDARS deposits, as well as reciprocal ICS money market and demand deposits, enhance the Company’s ability to retain larger deposit balances by allowing the Company to provide FDIC deposit insurance to its customers in excess of account coverage limits through the exchange of deposits with other participating FDIC-insured financial institutions. As of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, the Company reported $2.4 million and $2.5 million, respectively, in reciprocal CDARS deposits. The balance in ICS reciprocal money market deposits was $7.5 million as of June 30, 2025, compared to $44.4 million as of December 31, 2024, and the balance in ICS reciprocal demand deposits as of those dates was $92.1 million and $109.5 million, respectively.
Additionally, the Company had brokered deposits from another source totaling approximately $19.5 million as of June 30, 2025 and $13.8 million as of December 31, 2024. This relationship has provided convenient and timely access to short-term funding that is easily accessible without any detrimental effect on the pricing of the core deposit base.
As of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, borrowing capacity of $108.7 million for both periods was available through the FHLBB, secured by the Company's qualifying loan portfolio (generally, residential mortgage and commercial loans), reduced by outstanding advances of $55.8 million and $31.1 million, respectively.
The following table reflects the Company’s outstanding advances with FHLBB as of the dates indicated:
June 30,
December 31,
2025
2024
FHLBB Long-Term Advances
FHLBB term advance, 0.00%, due November 12, 2025 (1)
$ 300,000
$ 300,000
FHLBB term advance, 0.00%, due November 13, 2028 (1)
800,000
800,000
FHLBB option advance, 4.54%, due May 15, 2026
10,000,000
10,000,000
FHLBB option advance, 4.74%, due May 26, 2026
5,000,000
5,000,000
FHLBB option advance, 3.89%, due February 01, 2027
0
5,000,000
FHLBB option advance, 4.27%, due June 07, 2027
10,000,000
10,000,000
FHLBB option advance, 3.66%, due March 26, 2027
5,000,000
0
FHLBB option advance, 3.51%, due March 27, 2028
5,000,000
0
Total Long-Term Advances
36,100,000
31,100,000
Overnight Borrowings
Correspondent Banks, 4.52%
19,700,000
0
Total Advances and Overnight Borrowings
$ 55,800,000
$ 31,100,000
(1)
Under the JNE program, the FHLBB provides a subsidy, funded by the FHLBB’s earnings, to write down interest rates to zero percent on advances that finance qualifying loans to small businesses. JNE advances must support small business in New England that create and/or retain jobs or otherwise contribute to overall economic development activities.
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Table of Contents
The Company utilized borrowing capacity during 2023 and the first quarter of 2024 under the BTFP, a temporary loan facility established by the FRB in March 2023 to provide additional liquidity to financial institutions in the wake of several high-profile bank failures. The Company’s BTFP borrowings are collateralized by U.S. Agency and U.S. Government Securities, valued at par. The BTFP ceased extending new loans on March 11, 2024. The BTFP loans matured and were repaid during the first quarter of 2025.
The Company’s advances under the BTFP as of the balance sheet dates were as follows:
June 30,
December 31,
2025
2024
FRB BTFP term advance, 4.83%, due January 17, 2025
$ 0
$ 41,500,000
The Company also has an unsecured Federal Funds credit line with the FHLBB with an available balance of $500,000 with no outstanding advances during either of the respective comparison periods. Interest is chargeable at a rate determined daily, approximately 25 bps higher than the rate paid on federal funds sold.
The Company has a BIC arrangement with the FRBB secured by eligible commercial & industrial loans, CRE loans and home equity loans, resulting in an available credit line of $66.1 million and $60.8 million, respectively, as of June 30, 2025, and December 31, 2024. Credit advances under this FRBB lending program are overnight advances with interest chargeable at the primary credit rate (generally referred to as the discount rate), currently 450 bps. The Company had no outstanding advances through this facility as of June 30, 2025, or December 31, 2024.
As of June 30, 2025, and December 31, 2024, the Company had an unsecured line of credit of $12.5 million with a correspondent bank. The Company had no outstanding advances against this credit line as of the balance sheet dates.
Management believes that the combination of high levels of potentially liquid assets, unencumbered securities, cash flows from operations, and additional borrowing capacity are sufficient to meet the Company’s liquidity and capital needs.
The primary objective of the Company’s capital planning process is to balance appropriately the retention of capital to support operations and future growth, with the goal of providing shareholders with an attractive return on their investment, while at the same time satisfying all regulatory capital requirements. To that end, management strives to deploy capital efficiently and monitors capital retention and dividend policies on an ongoing basis.
During the third quarter of 2024, the Company adopted a stock repurchase program authorizing the repurchase of up to 275,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, representing approximately 5% of the outstanding common shares. Purchases under the program may be on such terms, including price, as market conditions warrant, and may be made through open market purchases or in privately negotiated transactions, as Management deems appropriate. The repurchase authorization expires in July, 2029 unless extended, or earlier terminated, by the Board. Notwithstanding the program’s five-year term, the Board reviews and re-evaluates the program annually in light of the Company’s then current capital needs, the number and cost of shares repurchased, the number of shares remaining for repurchase under the authorization, and other relevant factors. In addition, management will confer with the FRBB regarding the program, as appropriate in the circumstances. As of June 30, 2025, 29,813 shares had been repurchased since the inception of the program, for an aggregate purchase price of $548,218.
The following table illustrates the changes in shareholders' equity from December 31, 2024, to June 30, 2025:
Balance as of December 31, 2024 (book value $17.24 per common share)
$ 98,048,205
Net income
7,585,231
Issuance of common stock through the DRIP
715,681
Dividends declared on common stock
(2,690,221 )
Dividends declared on preferred stock
(56,250 )
Repurchase of shares through the stock buyback program
(548,218 )
Change in AOCI on AFS securities, net of tax
3,288,979
Balance as of June 30, 2025 (book value $18.69 per common share)
$ 106,343,407
As described in more detail in Note 22 to the audited consolidated financial statements contained in the Company’s 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K and under the caption “LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES” in the MD&A section of that report, the Company (on a consolidated basis) and the Bank are subject to various regulatory capital requirements administered by the federal banking agencies pursuant to which they must meet specific capital guidelines that involve quantitative measures of their assets, liabilities and certain off-balance-sheet items. Capital amounts and classifications are also subject to qualitative judgments by the regulators about components, risk weightings and other factors.
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Table of Contents
As of June 30, 2025, the Bank was considered well capitalized under the standard regulatory capital framework for Prompt Corrective Action and the Company exceeded currently applicable consolidated regulatory guidelines for capital adequacy.
The following table shows the Company’s actual capital ratios and those of its subsidiary, as well as currently applicable regulatory capital requirements, as of the balance sheet dates:
Minimum
Minimum
Minimum
For Capital
To Be Well
For Capital
Adequacy Purposes
Capitalized Under
Adequacy
with Conservation
Prompt Corrective
Actual
Purposes
Buffer (1)
Action Provisions (2)
Amount
Ratio
Amount
Ratio
Amount
Ratio
Amount
Ratio
(Dollars in Thousands)
June 30, 2025
Common equity tier 1 capital (to risk-weighted assets)
Company
$ 105,757
12.07 %
$ 39,443
4.50 %
$ 61,356
7.00 %
N/A
N/A
Bank
$ 119,095
13.60 %
$ 39,419
4.50 %
$ 61,318
7.00 %
$ 56,938
6.50 %
Tier 1 capital (to risk-weighted assets)
Company
$ 120,144
13.71 %
$ 52,591
6.00 %
$ 74,504
8.50 %
N/A
N/A
Bank
$ 119,095
13.60 %
$ 52,558
6.00 %
$ 74,457
8.50 %
$ 70,078
8.00 %
Total capital (to risk-weighted assets)
Company
$ 131,103
14.96 %
$ 70,121
8.00 %
$ 92,034
10.50 %
N/A
N/A
Bank
$ 130,048
14.85 %
$ 70,078
8.00 %
$ 91,977
10.50 %
$ 87,597
10.00 %
Tier 1 capital (to average assets)
Company
$ 120,144
10.15 %
$ 47,356
4.00 %
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Bank
$ 119,095
10.06 %
$ 47,337
4.00 %
N/A
N/A
$ 59,172
5.00 %
December 31, 2024:
Common equity tier 1 capital (to risk-weighted assets)
Company
$ 100,751
11.90 %
$ 38,086
4.50 %
$ 59,244
7.00 %
N/A
N/A
Bank
$ 114,323
13.52 %
$ 38,053
4.50 %
$ 59,194
7.00 %
$ 54,966
6.50 %
Tier 1 capital (to risk-weighted assets)
Company
$ 115,138
13.60 %
$ 50,781
6.00 %
$ 71,940
8.50 %
N/A
N/A
Bank
$ 114,323
13.52 %
$ 50,738
6.00 %
$ 71,879
8.50 %
$ 67,650
8.00 %
Total capital (to risk-weighted assets)
Company
$ 125,652
14.85 %
$ 67,708
8.00 %
$ 88,867
10.50 %
N/A
N/A
Bank
$ 124,837
14.76 %
$ 67,650
8.00 %
$ 88,791
10.50 %
$ 84,563
10.00 %
Tier 1 capital (to average assets)
Company
$ 115,138
9.46 %
$ 48,690
4.00 %
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Bank
$ 114,323
9.40 %
$ 48,665
4.00 %
N/A
N/A
$ 60,831
5.00 %
(1)
Conservation Buffer is calculated based on risk-weighted assets and does not apply to calculations of average assets.
(2)
Applicable to banks, but not bank holding companies.
The Company's ability to pay dividends to its shareholders is largely dependent on the Bank's ability to pay dividends to the Company. In general, a national bank may not pay dividends that exceed net income for the current and preceding two years. Regardless of statutory restrictions, as a matter of regulatory policy, banks and bank holding companies should pay dividends only out of current earnings and only if, after paying such dividends, they remain adequately capitalized.
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ITEM 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
Omitted, in accordance with the regulatory relief available to smaller reporting companies in SEC Release Nos. 33-10513 and 34-83550.
Text extracted from the filing as submitted to EDGAR. Formatting, tables and exhibits are simplified for reading; the original document is authoritative for anything you rely on.