Item 1. Business
ITEM 1: BUSINESS
Forward-Looking Information
Some of the information in this Annual Report on Form 10-K may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of and intended to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and by Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on the Company, and include, without limitation, statements about the Company’s plans, strategies, goals, objectives, expectations, or consequences of statements about the future performance, operations, products and services of the Company and its subsidiaries, as well as statements about the Company’s expectations regarding revenue and asset growth, financial performance and profitability, loan and deposit growth, yields and returns, loan diversification and credit management, products and services, shareholder value creation and the impact of the Seacoast and First Choice acquisitions and other acquisitions. Forward-looking statements typically are identified with use of terms such as “may,” “might,” “will, “would,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “intend,” “potential,” “could,” “continue” and the negative and other variations of these terms and similar words, although some forward-looking statements may be expressed differently. Forward-looking statements also include, but are not limited to, statements regarding plans, objectives, expectations or consequences of announced transactions, known trends, and statements about future performance, operations, products and services. Because forward-looking statements are subject to assumptions and uncertainties, actual results or future events could differ, possibly materially, from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements and future results could differ materially from historical performance. Further, the ability to predict results or the actual effect of future plans or strategies is inherently uncertain. The COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to adversely affect us, our customers, counterparties, employees, and third-party service providers, and the ultimate extent of the impacts on our business, financial position, results of operations, liquidity, and prospects remain uncertain. Continued deterioration in general business and economic conditions, including further increases in unemployment rates, or turbulence in domestic or global financial markets could adversely affect our revenues and the values of our assets and liabilities, reduce the availability of funding, lead to a tightening of credit, and further increase stock price volatility. In addition, changes to statutes, regulations, or regulatory policies or practices as a result of, or in response to COVID-19, could affect us in substantial and unpredictable ways. Other factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to: our ability to efficiently integrate acquisitions, including the Seacoast and First Choice acquisitions, into our operations, retain the customers of these businesses and grow the acquired operations; credit risk; changes in the appraised valuation of real estate securing impaired loans; our ability to recover our investment in loans; fluctuations in the fair value of collateral underlying loans; outcomes of litigation and other contingencies; exposure to general and local economic conditions; risks associated with rapid increases or decreases in prevailing interest rates; changes in business prospects that could impact goodwill estimates and assumptions; consolidation within the banking industry; competition from banks and other financial institutions; the ability to attract and retain relationship officers and other key personnel; burdens imposed by federal and state regulation; changes in regulatory requirements; changes in accounting regulation or standards applicable to banks, including ASU 2016-13 (Topic 326), “Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments,” commonly referenced as the CECL model, which we adopted on January 1, 2020 and which changed how we estimate credit losses and may increase the required level of our allowance for credit losses in future periods; changes in the method of determining LIBOR and the phase-out of LIBOR; natural disasters; war or terrorist activities, or pandemics, including the COVID-19 pandemic, and their effects on economic and business environments in which we operate, including the ongoing disruption to the financial market and other economic activity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic; and other risks discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, all of which could cause actual results to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect management’s analysis and expectations only as of the date of such statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company does not intend, and undertakes no obligation, to publicly revise or update forward-looking statements after the date of this report, whether as a result of new information, future events or
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otherwise, except as required by federal securities law. You should understand that it is not possible to predict or identify all risk factors. Readers should carefully review all disclosures we file from time to time with the SEC which are available on the Company’s website at www.enterprisebank.com under “Investor Relations.”
General Development and Description of Our Business
Enterprise Financial Services Corp (“Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), headquartered in Clayton, Missouri, is a financial holding company incorporated under Delaware law in December 1994. EFSC is the holding company for Enterprise Bank & Trust, a full-service financial institution offering banking and wealth management services to individuals and corporate customers primarily located in Arizona, California, Kansas, Missouri, Nevada, and New Mexico. Our executive offices are located at 150 North Meramec Avenue, Clayton, Missouri 63105, and our telephone number is (314) 725-5500.
Our stated mission is “Guiding people to a lifetime of financial success.” We have established an accompanying corporate vision, “To be a company where our associates are proud to work, that delivers ease of navigation to our customers and value to our investors, while helping our communities flourish.” These tenets are fundamental to our business strategies and operations.
Our business objective is to generate attractive shareholder returns by providing comprehensive financial services primarily to privately-held businesses, their owner families, and other success-minded individuals. To achieve these objectives we have developed a business strategy that leverages a focused and relationship-oriented distribution and sales approach, with an emphasis on niche businesses and growing fee income, while maintaining prudent credit and interest rate risk management, appropriate supporting technology, and controlled expense growth. We believe this strategy allows us to maximize organic growth opportunities, which we supplement and enhance through disciplined strategic growth.
As described in greater detail below, the Company offers a broad range of business and personal banking services, including wealth management services provided through Enterprise Trust. Lending services include C&I, CRE, real estate construction and development, residential real estate, SBA, consumer and tax credit-related loan products. A wide variety of deposit products and a complete suite of treasury management and international trade services, along with our tax credit brokerage activities, complement our lending capabilities.
Building long-term client relationships – Our growth strategy is first and foremost client relationship driven. We continuously seek to add clients who fit our target market of businesses, business owners, professionals, and associated relationships. Those relationships are maintained, cultivated, and expanded over time by trained, experienced banking officers and other professionals. We fund loan growth primarily with core deposits from our business and professional clients in addition to consumers in our branch market areas. This is supplemented by borrowing or other deposit sources, including advances from the FHLB, and brokered certificates of deposits.
Specialized lending and product niches – We have focused our lending activities in specialty markets where we believe our expertise and experience as a commercial lender provides advantages over other competitors. In addition, we have developed expertise in certain product niches. These specialty niche activities focus on the following areas:
• Sponsor Finance . We support mid-market company mergers and acquisitions in many domestic markets. We market directly to targeted private equity firms, principally SBICs, and provide primarily senior debt financing to portfolio companies.
• Life Insurance Premium Finance . We specialize in financing whole life insurance premiums utilized in high net worth estate planning, through relationships with boutique estate planners throughout the United States.
• Tax Credit Related Lending . We are a secured lender on affordable housing projects funded through the use of federal and state low income housing tax credits. In addition, we provide leveraged and other loans on projects funded through the U.S. Department of the Treasury Community Development Financial Institution (“CDFI”) New Markets Tax Credit Program. In prior years, we were selected to distribute New Markets Tax Credits, and we continue to participate in the application process, as well as serve as a secured lender to other allocatees. In
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the third quarter 2021, the Company received a $60.0 million allocation from the New Market Tax Credit Program.
• Tax Credit Brokerage . We acquire 10-year streams of Missouri state tax credits from affordable housing development funds and sell the tax credits to clients and other individuals for tax planning purposes. We also have a minority ownership in a partnership that acquires, invests and sells, state low income housing tax credits. We lend the partnership money with 6 - 12 year terms and receive interest income and fee income when projects close and when credits are sold.
• SBA 7(a) . We have a team of experienced bankers in production offices across the country that originate loans through the SBA 7(a) program. These loans are primarily owner-occupied, commercial real estate loans secured by a 1st lien. These loans predominantly have a 75% portion guaranteed by the SBA. By focusing on this specific product type, we have developed an expertise that allows for speed and reliability of execution.
Specialty deposits – In addition to commercial operating accounts for our C&I customers, we offer specialty deposit accounts to customers in certain industries with complex account needs. Our focus areas include community associations, property management, third party escrow, and trust services. In addition, we service deposit accounts for customers in our specialized lending niches, including sponsor finance, tax credit and life insurance premium financing. These accounts are primarily demand accounts and have a low overall interest cost.
Fee income business – We offer a broad range of treasury management products and services that benefit businesses ranging from large national clients to local merchants. Customized solutions and special product bundles are available to clients of all sizes. In response to ever increasing needs for data/information security and functional efficiency, we continue to offer robust cash management systems that employ mobile technology and fraud detection/mitigation services. Enterprise Trust offers a wide range of fiduciary, investment management, and financial advisory services to facilitate our providing these services. We also offer international banking, card services and tax credit businesses that generate fee income.
Use of technology – Our client technology product offerings include, but are not limited to, internet banking, mobile banking, cash management products, remote deposit capture, positive pay services, fraud detection and prevention, automated payables, check image, and statement and document imaging. Additional service offerings currently supported by the Bank include controlled disbursements, repurchase agreements, and sweep investment accounts. Our cash management suite of products blends technology and personal service, which we believe often creates a competitive advantage over our competition. Technology products are also extensively utilized within the organization by associates in all lines of business including operations and support, customer service, and financial reporting for internal management purposes and for external compliance.
Maintaining asset quality – We monitor asset quality through formal, ongoing, multiple-level reviews of loans in each market and specialized lending niche. These reviews are overseen by the Bank’s credit administration department. In addition, the loan portfolio is subject to ongoing monitoring by a loan review function that reports directly to the Credit Committee of the Bank’s Board of Directors.
Expense management – We manage expenses carefully through detailed budgeting and expense approval processes and measurement of the “efficiency ratio”. The efficiency ratio is equal to noninterest expense divided by total revenue (net interest income plus noninterest income).
Growth through Acquisitions – Disciplined strategic acquisitions have contributed significantly to the Company’s growth and expansion. Most recently, on July 21, 2021, the Company closed its acquisition of First Choice and its wholly-owned bank subsidiary, FCB. First Choice operated eight full service branches in Southern California with total assets of $2.3 billion. The First Choice acquisition strengthened the Company’s commercial banking presence in the California market.
On November 12, 2020, the Company closed its acquisition of Seacoast and its wholly-owned bank subsidiary, Seacoast Commerce Bank. Seacoast operated five full-service retail and commercial banking offices in California and Nevada, as well as SBA loan production and deposit production offices in various states. Seacoast had total
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assets of $1.3 billion. The Seacoast acquisition enhanced the Company’s commercial and specialty lending verticals, while enhancing the Company’s funding profile with deposit expertise in certain specialty deposit areas.
Competition
The Company and its subsidiaries operate in highly competitive markets. Our geographic markets are served by multiple large financial and bank holding companies with substantial capital resources and lending capacity. We face competition not only from other financial holding companies and commercial banks, but also from credit unions, investment managers, insurers, brokerage firms, financial technology companies, and other providers of financial services and products. Strong competition for deposit and loan products affects the rates of those products, as well as the terms on which they are offered to customers.
Supervision and Regulation
The following is a summary description of the relevant laws, rules, and regulations governing banks and financial holding companies, including the Company. The description of, and references to, the statutes and regulations below are brief summaries and do not purport to be complete. The descriptions are qualified in their entirety by reference to the related statutes and regulations.
The regulatory and supervisory structure establishes a comprehensive framework of activities in which an institution can engage and is intended primarily for the protection of depositors, the deposit insurance funds and the banking system as a whole, rather than for the protection of shareholders or creditors. The regulatory structure also gives the regulatory authorities extensive discretion in connection with their supervisory and enforcement activities and examination policies, including policies concerning the establishment of deposit insurance assessment fees, classification of assets and establishment of adequate loan loss reserves for regulatory purposes.
Various legislation is from time to time introduced in Congress and state legislatures where we operate. Such legislation may change applicable statutes and the operating environment in substantial and unpredictable ways. We cannot determine the ultimate effect that future legislation or implementing regulations would have upon our financial condition or upon our results of operations or the results of operations of any of our subsidiaries.
The Dodd-Frank Act, by way of example, contains a comprehensive set of provisions designed to govern the practices and oversight of financial institutions and other participants in the financial markets. The Dodd-Frank Act made extensive changes in the regulation of financial institutions and their holding companies. Some of the changes brought about by the Dodd-Frank Act have been modified by the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act of 2018 (the “Regulatory Relief Act”), signed into law on May 24, 2018.
Legislative and Regulatory Actions in Connection with Global Pandemic . On January 31, 2020, the Secretary of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency due to the global outbreak of a new strain of coronavirus (COVID-19). On March 13, 2020, the President of the United States proclaimed COVID-19 as a national emergency, following the World Health Organization’s categorization of the outbreak as a pandemic. Variants of COVID-19 continue to aggressively spread globally, including throughout the United States. The pandemic and resulting travel bans, closure of non-essential businesses, social distancing measures and government responses across the country have had a profound impact on the global economy, financial markets and how business has been conducted across all industries and have affected many of the Company’s customers and clients. To the extent the economic impacts of the pandemic continue for a prolonged period and conditions stagnate or worsen, our provision for credit losses, noninterest income, and profitability may be adversely affected.
On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was signed into law. The CARES Act contains provisions to assist individuals and businesses, including the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program. The PPP provided $349 billion in guaranteed loans that are forgivable if certain requirements are met. Subsequent legislation increased the overall PPP authorization to $813.7 million through the end of the program on May 31, 2021. The CARES Act also provides certain temporary regulatory relief for financial institutions. The act permits financial institutions to temporarily suspend any determination of a loan modified as a result of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic as being a troubled debt restructuring (“TDR”), including impairment for accounting
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purposes. We elected to apply the CARES Act relief to certain loan modifications that relate primarily to short-term payment deferrals and have not classified such modifications as TDRs through the end of 2021.
The CARES Act grants potential tax relief and liquidity to businesses, including corporate tax provisions that: temporarily allow for the carryback of net operating losses and remove limitations on the use of loss carryforwards, increase interest expense deduction limitations, and allow accelerated depreciation deductions on certain asset improvements.
On March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan of 2021 (“ARA”) was signed into law. The ARA provided additional support to the economy through direct support to individuals, families and small businesses.
Financial Holding Company
The Company is a financial holding company registered under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (“BHCA”). As a financial holding company, the Company is subject to regulation and examination by the Federal Reserve, and is required to file periodic reports of its operations and such additional information as the Federal Reserve may require. In order to remain a financial holding company, the Company must continue to be considered well-managed and well-capitalized by the Federal Reserve, and the Bank must continue to be considered well-managed and well-capitalized by the FDIC, and have at least a “satisfactory” rating under the Community Reinvestment Act. See “Liquidity and Capital Resources” in the MD&A for more information on our capital adequacy, and “Bank Subsidiary - Community Reinvestment Act” below for more information on the Community Reinvestment Act.
Acquisitions: With certain limited exceptions, the BHCA requires every financial holding company or bank holding company to obtain the prior approval of the Federal Reserve before (i) acquiring substantially all the assets of any bank, (ii) acquiring direct or indirect ownership or control of any voting shares of any bank if, after such acquisition, it would own or control more than 5% of the voting shares of such bank (unless it already owns or controls the majority of such shares), or (iii) merging or consolidating with another bank holding company. Additionally, the BHCA provides that the Federal Reserve may not approve any of these transactions if it would result in or tend to create a monopoly, substantially lessen competition, or otherwise function as a restraint of trade, unless the anti-competitive effects of the proposed transaction are clearly outweighed by the public interest in meeting the convenience and needs of the community to be served. The Federal Reserve also is required to consider the financial and managerial resources and future prospects of the bank holding companies and banks concerned and the convenience and needs of the community to be served. The Federal Reserve’s consideration of financial resources generally focuses on capital adequacy, which is described below.
Change in Bank Control: Subject to various exceptions, the BHCA and the Change in Bank Control Act, together with related regulations, require Federal Reserve approval prior to any person or company acquiring “control” of a bank or financial holding company. Control is conclusively presumed to exist if an individual or company acquires 25% or more of any class of voting securities of the Company or controls a majority of the board of directors. In certain circumstances, control is rebuttably presumed to exist if a person or company acquires 10% or more, but less than 25%, of any class of voting securities of the Company. The regulations provide a procedure for challenging rebuttable presumptions of control.
Permitted Activities: The BHCA has generally prohibited a bank holding company from engaging in activities other than banking or managing or controlling banks or other permissible subsidiaries and from acquiring or retaining direct or indirect control of any company engaged in any activities other than those determined by the Federal Reserve to be closely related to banking or managing or controlling banks as to be a proper incident thereto. Provisions of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act have expanded the permissible activities of a bank holding company that qualifies as a financial holding company. Under the regulations implementing the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, a financial holding company may engage in additional activities that are financial in nature or incidental or complementary to financial activities. Those activities include, among other activities, certain insurance, advisory and securities activities.
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Support of Bank Subsidiary: Under Federal Reserve policy, the Company is expected to act as a source of financial strength for the Bank and to commit resources to support the Bank. In addition, pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act, this longstanding policy has been given the force of law, and additional regulations promulgated by the Federal Reserve to further implement the statute are possible; however, the bank subsidiary support provisions of the statute are fully effective even absent implementing regulations. As in the past, such financial support from the Company may be required at times when, without this legal requirement, the Company may not be inclined to provide it.
Capital Adequacy: The Company is also subject to capital requirements applied on a consolidated basis, which are substantially similar to those required of the Bank (summarized below).
Dividend Restrictions and Stock Repurchases: From time to time the Company may engage in stock repurchases. The Federal Reserve requires that bank and financial holding companies, where certain conditions are triggered, provide prior notice to, consult with, and in certain circumstances seek the approval of, the Federal Reserve or reserve bank staff prior to implementing a stock repurchase plan.
Under Federal Reserve policies, financial holding companies may pay cash dividends on common stock only out of income available over the past year if prospective earnings retention is consistent with the organization’s expected future needs and financial condition and if the organization is not in danger of not meeting its minimum regulatory capital requirements. Federal Reserve policy also provides that financial holding companies should not maintain a level of cash dividends that undermines the financial holding company’s ability to serve as a source of strength to its banking subsidiaries.
Dividends, repurchases and redemptions on the Company’s capital stock (common and preferred) are prohibited under the terms of the junior subordinated debenture agreements (see Note 11-Subordinated Debentures) if the Company is in continuous default on its payment obligations, has elected to defer interest payments or extends the interest payment period. Furthermore, unless dividends on all outstanding shares of the Series A Preferred Stock for the most recently completed dividend period have been paid or declared, dividends on, and repurchases of, common stock is prohibited.
Bank Subsidiary
The Bank is a Missouri trust company with banking powers and is subject to supervision and regulation by the Missouri Division of Finance. In addition, as a Federal Reserve non-member bank, it is subject to supervision and regulation by the FDIC. The Bank is a member of the FHLB of Des Moines.
The Bank is subject to extensive federal and state regulatory oversight. The various regulatory authorities regulate or monitor all areas of the banking operations, including security devices and procedures, adequacy of capitalization and loss reserves, loans, investments, borrowings, deposits, mergers, issuance of securities, payment of dividends, interest rates payable on deposits, interest rates or fees chargeable on loans, establishment of branches, corporate reorganizations, maintenance of books and records, and adequacy of staff training to carry on safe lending and deposit gathering practices. The Bank must maintain certain capital ratios and is subject to limitations on aggregate investments in real estate, bank premises, low-income housing projects, and furniture and fixtures. In connection with their supervision and regulation responsibilities, the Bank is subject to periodic examination by the FDIC and Missouri Division of Finance.
Capital Adequacy: The Bank is required to comply with the FDIC’s capital adequacy standards for insured banks. The FDIC has issued risk-based capital and leverage capital guidelines for measuring capital adequacy, and all applicable capital standards must be satisfied for the Bank to be considered in compliance with regulatory capital requirements.
In 2013, the Federal Reserve, FDIC and OCC approved a final rule to establish a new comprehensive regulatory capital framework for all U.S. banking organizations. This regulatory capital framework, commonly referred to as Basel III, implemented several changes to the U.S. regulatory capital framework required by the Dodd-Frank Act.
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The Basel III final rule established a new CET1 requirement and increased the minimum tier 1 capital requirement to 6.0%. In addition, all banking organizations must maintain a CCB consisting of CET1 capital in an amount equal to 2.5% of risk-weighted assets in order to avoid restrictions on their ability to make capital distributions and to pay certain discretionary bonus payments to executive officers. The CCB effectively increased the minimum CET1 capital, tier 1 capital, and total capital ratios for U.S. banking organizations to 7.0%, 8.5%, and 10.5%, respectively.
As required by the Basel III final rule, capital instruments such as trust preferred securities and cumulative preferred shares have been phased out of tier 1 capital for banking organizations that had $15 billion or more in total consolidated assets as of December 31, 2009, and grandfathered as tier 1 capital such instruments issued by smaller entities prior to May 19, 2010 (provided they do not exceed 25% of tier 1 capital). The Company’s trust preferred securities currently are grandfathered under this provision. However, if the Company has total assets of $15 billion and acquires another bank, or if an acquisition causes the Company to exceed $15 billion in total assets, the trust preferred securities will no longer qualify as Tier 1 instruments (but may be included in tier 2 capital).
Prompt Corrective Action: The Bank’s capital categories are determined for the purpose of applying the “prompt corrective action” rules described below and may be taken into consideration by banking regulators in evaluating proposals for expansion or new activities. They are not necessarily an accurate representation of a bank’s overall financial condition or prospects for other purposes. A failure to meet the capital guidelines could subject the Bank to a variety of enforcement actions under those rules, including the issuance of a capital directive, the termination of deposit insurance by the FDIC, a prohibition on the taking of brokered deposits, and other restrictions on its business. As described below, the FDIC also can impose other substantial restrictions on banks that fail to meet applicable capital requirements.
Federal law establishes a system of prompt corrective action to resolve the problems of undercapitalized banks. Under this system, the FDIC has established five capital categories (“well-capitalized,” “adequately capitalized,” “undercapitalized,” “significantly undercapitalized,” and “critically undercapitalized”) and is required to take various mandatory supervisory actions, and is authorized to take other discretionary actions with respect to banks in the three undercapitalized categories. The severity of any such actions taken will depend upon the capital category in which a bank is placed. Generally, subject to a narrow exception, current federal law requires the FDIC to appoint a receiver or conservator for a bank that is critically undercapitalized.
The following table summarizes the prompt corrective action categories:
Prompt Corrective Action Category Total Risk-Based Capital Tier 1 Risk-Based Capital Common Equity Tier 1 Risk-Based Capital Tier 1 Leverage Ratio
Well-capitalized 10.0% 8.0% 6.5% 5.0%
Adequately capitalized 8.0% 6.0% 4.5% 4.0%
Undercapitalized < 8.0% < 6.0% < 4.5% < 4.0%
Significantly undercapitalized < 6.0% < 4.0% < 3.0% < 3.0%
Critically undercapitalized Tangible equity / Total assets ≤ 2.0%
A bank that becomes “undercapitalized,” “significantly undercapitalized,” or “critically undercapitalized” is required to submit an acceptable capital restoration plan to the FDIC. An “undercapitalized” bank also is generally prohibited from increasing its average total assets, making acquisitions, establishing new branches, or engaging in any new line of business, except in accordance with an accepted capital restoration plan or with the approval of the FDIC. Also, the FDIC may treat an “undercapitalized” bank as being “significantly undercapitalized” if it determines that those actions are necessary to carry out the purpose of the law.
All of the Bank’s capital ratios were at levels that qualify it to be “well-capitalized” for regulatory purposes as of December 31, 2021.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: The Dodd-Frank Act centralized responsibility for consumer financial protection including implementing, examining and enforcing compliance with federal consumer financial laws with
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the CFPB. Depository institutions with more than $10 billion in assets, such as the Bank, are subject to rules promulgated by the CFPB.
The CFPB has broad rule-making authority for a wide range of consumer protection laws that apply to all banks, including the authority to prohibit unfair, deceptive or abusive acts and practices. In addition, the Dodd-Frank Act enhanced the regulation of mortgage banking and gave to the CFPB oversight of many of the core laws which regulate the mortgage industry and the authority to implement mortgage regulations. Any new regulations adopted by the CFPB may significantly impact consumer mortgage lending and servicing.
The Bank is also subject to other laws and regulations intended to protect consumers in transactions with depository institutions, as well as other laws or regulations affecting customers of financial institutions generally. While the list set forth herein is not exhaustive, these laws and regulations include the Truth in Lending Act, the Truth in Savings Act, the Electronic Funds Transfer Act, the Expedited Funds Availability Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Housing Act, the Real Estate Settlement and Procedures Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act, among others. These laws and regulations mandate certain disclosure requirements and regulate the manner in which financial institutions must deal with customers when taking deposits or making loans to such customers. The Bank must comply with the applicable provisions of these consumer protection laws and regulations as part of its ongoing customer relations.
UDAP and UDAAP: Banking regulatory agencies have increasingly used a general consumer protection statute to address “unethical” or otherwise “bad” business practices that may not necessarily fall directly under the purview of a specific banking or consumer finance law. The law of choice for enforcement against such business practices has been Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act - the primary federal law that prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices and unfair methods of competition in or affecting commerce (“UDAP” or “FTC Act”). “Unjustified consumer injury” is the principal focus of the FTC Act. Moreover, the UDAP provisions have been expanded under the Dodd-Frank Act to apply to “unfair, deceptive or abusive acts or practices” (“UDAAP”), which has been delegated to the CFPB for supervision. The CFPB has brought a variety of enforcement actions for violations of UDAAP provisions and CFPB guidance continues to evolve.
Mortgage Reform: The CFPB has adopted final rules implementing minimum standards for the origination of residential mortgages, including standards regarding a customer’s ability to repay, restricting variable-rate lending by requiring the ability to repay variable-rate loans be determined by using the maximum rate that will apply during the first five years of a variable-rate loan term, and making more loans subject to provisions for higher cost loans, new disclosures, and certain other revisions. The Dodd-Frank Act allows borrowers to raise certain defenses to foreclosure if they receive any loan other than a “qualified mortgage” as defined by the CFPB.
Dividends by the Bank Subsidiary: Under Missouri law, the Bank may pay dividends to the Company only from a portion of its undivided profits and may not pay dividends if its capital is impaired. As an insured depository institution, federal law prohibits the Bank from making any capital distributions, including the payment of a cash dividend if it is “undercapitalized” or after making the distribution would become undercapitalized. If the FDIC believes the Bank is engaged in, or about to engage in, an unsafe or unsound practice, the FDIC may require, after notice and hearing, that the bank cease and desist from that practice. The FDIC has indicated that paying dividends that deplete a depository institution’s capital base to an inadequate level would be an unsafe and unsound banking practice. The FDIC has issued policy statements that provide that insured banks generally should pay dividends only from their current operating earnings. The Bank’s payment of dividends also could be affected or limited by other factors, such as events or circumstances which lead the FDIC to require that it maintain capital in excess of regulatory guidelines.
Transactions with Affiliates and Insiders: The Bank is subject to the provisions of Regulation W promulgated by the Federal Reserve, which encompasses Sections 23A and 23B of the Federal Reserve Act. Regulation W places limits and conditions on the amount of loans or extensions of credit to, investments in, or certain other transactions with, affiliates and on the amount of advances to third parties collateralized by the securities or obligations of affiliates. Regulation W also prohibits, among other things, an institution from engaging in certain transactions with certain affiliates unless the transactions are on terms substantially the same, or at least as favorable to such
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institution or its subsidiaries, as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with nonaffiliated companies. Federal law also places restrictions on the Bank’s ability to extend credit to its executive officers, directors, principal shareholders and their related interests. These extensions of credit must be made on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and collateral, as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with unrelated third parties; and must not involve more than the normal risk of repayment or present other unfavorable features.
Community Reinvestment Act: The Community Reinvestment Act (“CRA”) requires that, in connection with examinations of financial institutions within its jurisdiction, the FDIC is required to evaluate the record of the financial institutions in meeting the credit needs of their local communities, including low and moderate income neighborhoods, consistent with the safe and sound operation of those institutions. These factors are also considered in evaluating mergers, acquisitions, and applications to open a branch or facility. The Bank has an outstanding rating under CRA.
USA PATRIOT Act: The Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (the “USA PATRIOT Act”) requires each financial institution to: (i) establish an anti-money laundering program; (ii) establish due diligence policies, procedures and controls with respect to its private banking accounts and correspondent banking accounts involving foreign individuals and certain foreign banks; and (iii) implement certain due diligence policies, procedures and controls with regard to correspondent accounts in the United States for, or on behalf of, a foreign bank that does not have a physical presence in any country. In addition, the USA PATRIOT Act contains a provision encouraging cooperation among financial institutions, regulatory authorities and law enforcement authorities with respect to individuals, entities and organizations engaged in, or reasonably suspected of engaging in, terrorist acts or money laundering activities.
Commercial Real Estate Lending: The Bank’s lending operations may be subject to enhanced scrutiny by federal banking regulators based on its concentration of commercial real estate loans. CRE loans generally include land development, construction loans, and loans secured by multifamily property, and non-farm, nonresidential real property where the primary source of repayment is derived from rental income associated with the property. On December 6, 2006, the federal banking regulators issued final guidance to remind financial institutions of the risk posed by CRE lending concentrations. The guidance prescribes the following guidelines for its examiners to help identify institutions that are potentially exposed to significant CRE risk, including concentrations in certain types of CRE that may warrant greater supervisory scrutiny: total reported loans for construction, land development, and other land represent 100% or more of the institutions total capital; or total commercial real estate loans represent 300% or more of the institution’s total capital, and the outstanding balance of the institution’s commercial real estate loan portfolio has increased by 50% or more.
Volcker Rule: On December 10, 2013, the federal regulators adopted final regulations to implement the proprietary trading and private fund prohibitions of the Volcker Rule under the Dodd-Frank Act. Under the final regulations, banking entities are generally prohibited, subject to significant exceptions from: (i) short-term proprietary trading as principal in securities and other financial instruments, and (ii) sponsoring or acquiring or retaining an ownership interest in private equity and hedge funds. Revisions to the Volcker Rule in 2019, that become effective in 2020, simplifies and streamlines the compliance requirements for banks that do not have significant trading activities. In 2020, the OCC, Federal Reserve, FDIC, SEC and Commodity Futures Trading Commission finalized further amendments to the Volcker Rule. The amendments include new exclusions from the Volcker Rule’s general prohibitions on banking entities investing in and sponsoring private equity funds, hedge funds, and certain other investment vehicles (collectively “covered funds”). The amendments in the final rule, which became effective on October 1, 2020, clarify and expand permissible banking activities and relationships under the Volcker Rule.
Governmental Policies
The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are affected not only by general economic conditions, but also by the policies of various regulatory authorities. In particular, the Federal Reserve regulates monetary policy and interest rates in order to influence general economic conditions. These policies have a significant influence on overall growth and distribution of loans, investments and deposits and affect interest rates charged on loans or paid
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for deposits. Federal Reserve monetary policies have had a significant effect on the operating results of all financial institutions in the past and may continue to do so in the future.
Human Capital Management
We pride ourselves in creating an open, diverse, and transparent culture that celebrates teamwork and recognizes associates at all levels. We expect and encourage participation and collaboration, and understand that we need each other to be successful. We value accountability because it is essential to our success, and we accept our responsibility to hold ourselves and others accountable for meeting shareholder commitments and achieving exceptional standards of performance. We also believe in supporting our associates to achieve a work/life balance.
Attracting and Retaining Talent. Our goal is to offer careers to our associates; not just jobs. At December 31, 2021, we employed 1,032 regular full-time and 43 part-time associates. We also employ a small number of seasonal/temporary associates and occasionally hire independent contractors for specific projects that require a highly specialized skill set or to provide additional resources during peak times, as needed.
Our performance measures and compensation determinations are designed to ensure the proper balance of risk and reward. Performance evaluations facilitate our ongoing assessment of associates’ skills and improvements as needed. We use annual talent reviews to identify high performing associates and future potential leaders, provide insight into critical development needs and retention risks, and identify business-critical talent needs, including anticipated workforce planning challenges. Additionally, we have established succession plans to ensure continuation of critical roles and operations.
We are committed to offering a competitive total compensation package. We regularly compare compensation and benefits with peer companies and market data, making adjustments as needed to ensure compensation stays competitive. In 2021, we raised our internal minimum wage to $16 per hour to maintain a competitive total rewards package that attracts and retains top talent. This decision was made after extensive research, including reviewing the current market landscape both inside and outside of banking and financial services, and with feedback from leadership.
We also offer a wide array of benefits for our associates and their families including 401(k), medical, dental and vision benefits as well as life insurance and short-term disability for all full-time associates. Our wellness program is designed to help associates avoid illness while improving and maintaining their general health. The program offers financial rewards to associates who adopt healthy habits and participate in wellness education and health screens. Annual health screenings are provided to all associates at no charge.
Soliciting Feedback . We conduct associate surveys to ensure that we understand what is important to our associates, including their opinions on a variety of topics. We have made changes as a result of the survey results including the adoption of a volunteer time-off policy and improvements to internal communication processes. Our efforts are being recognized. For the past four years, the Bank has been included in the “Best Banks to Work for” by American Banker magazine for our dedication to employee satisfaction.
In late 2021, we conducted a survey specifically directed at gaining a better understanding of our culture and our associates’ experiences. We believe this is especially important to understand as we have grown into new markets and welcomed new associates. The survey was designed to give management insight into our culture’s strengths and opportunities. Additionally, we utilize small group setting programs, where management regularly meets with associates across the organization for informal discussion and open forum on topics that are top of mind for the attendees. Through our continued use of surveys and other forms of collecting associate feedback, we can continue to understand, grow and enhance our culture to facilitate a ‘best place to work’ environment. Eighty-two percent of our associates responded to the culture survey.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion . We believe that diversity of thought and experiences results in better outcomes and empowers our associates to make more meaningful contributions within our company and communities. We continue to learn and grow, and our current initiatives reflect our ongoing efforts around a more diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace.
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Our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Leadership Council and our Black Heritage Connections Group — are tasked with making recommendations on specific steps we can take to ensure we are driving positive change in our communities. In addition, we have several associate development programs that help to create a more inclusive environment by giving associates and other individuals of all backgrounds additional opportunities to succeed and contribute. These programs include:
• Career Acceleration Program - This trainee program allows participants to experience a wide range of assignments by rotating through the various product partners and operational areas of the Company. Upon successful completion of the program, the associate is placed in a role that aligns with their strengths and talents and helps meet the needs of our organization.
• Gateway to a Banking Career - This program provides training for jobs as tellers and customer service representatives, job interview practice and job placement assistance. It is a joint effort with two other St. Louis-based financial institutions. Upon successful completion of the program, participants receive a small stipend and are guaranteed an interview with one of the program sponsors.
• Empower & Enlighten - This program pairs our senior leaders with mid-level women and minority associates in order to foster an environment of mutual understanding, to remove generational boundaries and implicit biases, and to build the bridges that connect people to opportunity.
• Business Resource Groups - These groups bring together associates with a shared identity, interest or goal to create community and opportunities for improvement and engagement.
We track the representation of women and underrepresented minorities because we believe that diversity helps us build more effective teams and improve our client experience, leading to greater success for the Company and our shareholders. Our diversity data is monitored by the Board. We have made progress in this area, but continue to strive to further diversify our workforce and strengthen our culture of inclusion.
Focusing on a Safe and Healthy Workplace . We value our associates and are committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace. Our formal Health & Safety (HS) Policy mandates all tasks be conducted in a safe and efficient manner and comply with all local, state and federal health and safety regulations, and special safety concerns. The HS Policy encompasses all facilities and operations and addresses on-site emergencies, injuries and illnesses, evacuation procedures, cell phone usage and general safety rules.
Our priority throughout the COVID-19 pandemic is to protect the health and safety of associates and clients while remaining operational. We are abiding by federal, state and local governmental guidelines as we balance public health concerns with the needs of our business. We continue to follow our Business Continuity Plan and Pandemic Plan and have been able to successfully navigate the pandemic with no significant interruptions.
Available Information
Various reports provided to the SEC, including our annual reports, quarterly reports, current reports, proxy statements, and amendments to such reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, are available free of charge on our website at www.enterprisebank.com under the “Investor Relations” link. These reports are made available as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. Our filings with the SEC are also available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. All website addresses given in this document are for information only and are not intended to be an active link or to incorporate any website information into this document.
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