German American Bancorp, Inc.: Form 10-K for the period ended Dec 31, 2024

General

German American Bancorp, Inc. is a Nasdaq-listed (symbol: GABC) financial holding company based in Jasper, Indiana. German American, through its banking subsidiary German American Bank, operates 94 banking offices located throughout Indiana (central/southern), Kentucky (northern/central/western), and Ohio (central/southwest). In Columbus, Ohio and Greater Cincinnati, the Company does business as Heartland Bank, a Division of German American Bank. The Company also owns an investment brokerage subsidiary, German American Investment Services, Inc.

Throughout this Report, when we use the term “Company” and “German American”, we will usually be referring to the business and affairs (financial and otherwise) of German American Bancorp, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries as a whole. Occasionally, we will refer to the term “German American Bancorp”, “Bancorp”, “parent company” or “holding company” when we mean to refer to only German American Bancorp, Inc. and the term “Bank” when we mean to refer only to the Company’s bank subsidiary.

The Company’s lines of business include retail and commercial banking, and wealth management services. Our retail and commercial banking business involves attracting deposits from the general public and using those funds to originate consumer, commercial and agricultural, commercial and agricultural real estate, and residential mortgage loans, primarily in the Company’s local markets. These core banking activities also include the sale of residential mortgage loans in the secondary market. Our wealth management services involve providing trust, investment advisory, brokerage and retirement planning services to customers. Effective June 1, 2024, the Bank’s wholly-owned subsidiary, German American Insurance, Inc. (“GAI”), sold substantially all of its assets. Prior to the sale, GAI was a full-service agency offering personal and commercial insurance products, primarily in the local markets of the Bank. See “Business Developments” below for additional information. Financial and other information by segment is included in Note 17 (Segment Information) of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Report and is incorporated into this Item 1 by reference. Substantially all of the Company’s revenues are derived from customers located in, and substantially all of its assets are located in, the United States.

Subsidiaries

The Company’s principal operating subsidiaries are described in the following table:

Business Developments

Effective June 1, 2024, GAI, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Bank, sold substantially all of its assets to The Hilb Group of Indiana, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Hilb”), for a purchase price of $40.0 million in cash. As part of the transaction, the Bank, as the parent of GAI, may receive payments for the referral of customers to Hilb, and the Company will refrain from conducting certain insurance activities, in each case, for a period of five (5) years following closing. Prior to the sale, GAI was a full-service agency offering personal and commercial insurance products.

During June and July 2024, the Company undertook a partial restructuring of its securities portfolio by selling available-for-sale securities totaling approximately $375.3 million in book value, at an after-tax loss of approximately $27.2 million. The tax-equivalent yield on the bonds sold was approximately 3.12% with a duration of approximately 7 years. The proceeds from the securities sold were reinvested in the securities portfolio by the end of the third quarter of 2024.

On February 1, 2025, German American Bancorp completed its previously announced acquisition of Heartland BancCorp (“Heartland”) through the merger of Heartland with and into the Bancorp. Immediately following completion of the Heartland holding company merger, Heartland’s subsidiary bank, Heartland Bank, was merged with and into the Bancorp’s subsidiary bank, German American Bank. Heartland, headquartered in Whitehall, Ohio, operated 20 retail banking offices located in Columbus, Ohio and Greater Cincinnati. As of December 31, 2024, Heartland had total assets of approximately $1.97 billion (unaudited), total loans of approximately $1.56 billion (unaudited), and total deposits of approximately $1.75 billion (unaudited). German American Bancorp issued approximately 7.74 million shares of its common stock, and paid approximately $23.1 million in cash, in exchange for all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of Heartland and in cancellation of all options to acquire Heartland common stock outstanding as of the effective time of the merger. For further information regarding this merger and acquisition transaction, see Note 21 (Subsequent Events) in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Report, which Note 21 is incorporated into this Item 1 by reference.

The Company expects to continue to evaluate opportunities to expand its business through opening of new banking, insurance or trust, brokerage and financial planning offices, and through acquisitions of other banks, bank branches, portfolios of loans or other assets, and other financial-service-related businesses and assets in the future.

Office Locations

The map below illustrates the locations of the Company’s 94 retail and commercial banking, and investment offices.

Competition

The industries in which the Company operates are highly competitive. The Bank competes for commercial and retail banking business within its core banking segment not only with financial institutions that have offices in the same counties but also with financial institutions that compete from other locations in Southern Indiana, Kentucky and elsewhere. Further, the Bank competes for loans and deposits not only with commercial banks but also with savings and loan associations, savings banks, credit unions, production credit associations, federal land banks, finance companies, credit card companies, personal loan companies, investment brokerage firms, private equity and debt funds, insurance agencies, insurance companies, lease finance companies, money market funds, mortgage companies, and other non-depository financial intermediaries. There are numerous alternative providers (including national providers that advertise extensively and provide their services via e-mail, direct mail, telephone and the Internet) for trust and financial planning services offered by the Bank and the brokerage products and financial planning services offered by German American Investment Services, Inc. In addition, financial technology, or “FinTech,” companies continue their rapid growth into key areas of banking. Many of these competitors have substantially greater resources than the Company.

Human Capital

At February 20, 2025, the Company and its subsidiaries employed approximately 1,020 full-time equivalent employees. There are no collective bargaining agreements, and we consider employee relations to be good.

People come first at German American. It is through our employees, and their ties to the local community, that we are able to proudly support the communities we serve. We are deeply rooted in these communities. Engrained in our culture is a commitment to give back to the individuals, families, and businesses in our communities. We have a long history of community involvement, from both a contributory standpoint and a dedication to hands-on volunteer efforts. We believe that service to our communities, customers and each other is fun, rewarding and powerful.

German American strives to attract, develop, and retain talented individuals in every community we serve. We understand that, in order to deliver the best financial products and services to our clients, we need to invest in our team’s personal and professional success, which includes helping to create a work/life balance and providing further growth opportunities. As a result, our employees have demonstrated a desire and determination to succeed. Our culture encourages them to take initiative, accept challenges, and be collaborative to achieve performance and operating excellence for our customers, shareholders, and communities. German American’s reputation relies on integrity. Our team trusts each other in words and actions, which enables our customers to trust our brand. We value honesty, transparency, and diverse perspectives with high ethical standards in all we do.

For many years, we have annually collected feedback on employee engagement. Most recently, we have partnered with Quantum Workplace to measure employee engagement. The feedback focuses on several key metrics, including employee engagement, team dynamics, customer service, manager effectiveness, trust in leadership, future outlook, inclusion, individual needs, career growth and development and communication. During 2024, we had 70% employee participation in the survey. Once the feedback is analyzed, our Human Capital team shares the survey results with the managers and employees throughout the Company and works collaboratively to develop and implement action plans to address areas that were identified for improvement based on the feedback received. This ability to target areas for improvement has resulted in an overall engagement score of greater than 71% in 2024, which is a score demonstrating a healthy organization in employee care and compares favorably to the banking industry.

We have long been committed to comprehensive and competitive compensation and benefits programs as we recognize that we operate in an intensely competitive environment for employees. Retention of skilled and highly trained employees is critical to our strategy of being a trusted resource to our communities and customers. To help ensure we remain competitive in our compensation programs, we participate annually in market and banking compensation studies and model compensation with an external vendor for comparison. Furthering our philosophy to attract and retain talented and motivated employees who will continue to advance our purpose and contribute to our overall success, our compensation and benefits programs include: referral incentive programs, quarterly performance incentives, medical (including a digital clinic for joint and muscle care, telemedicine and behavioral health care services), dental and vision plans; a 401(k) deferred compensation plan, with matching contribution, which covers substantially all employees; flexible spending and health savings accounts; competitive paid time off “PTO” programs, including the opportunity to purchase additional PTO; and life insurance and a robust employee assistance program that supports employee well-being through personal and work-life issues. In addition, we offer supplemental benefits such as accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity policies, discounted bank services and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

We also invest in our employees’ future by sponsoring and prioritizing continued education throughout the Company’s employee ranks, including support of many bank-related certification programs and any required continuing education to support those certifications. Full-time and part-time employees are eligible for our education assistance program which covers tuition and textbooks for work-related courses taken through a community college or university. Employees are also able to participate in on-the-job learning, classroom learning, mentoring and other internal and external career development programs in order to advance or diversify their career paths throughout the organization. These programs focus on enhancing current skills, engaging and empowering our team members in their own career development and building our pipeline of leaders, bankers, commercial lenders and other financial professional roles.

We are committed to employee care and helping our employees improve their quality of life and place. As a result, we remain focused on continuous improvement throughout all departments in order to create positive outcomes and experiences for all. To support our focus on employee care, we have a paid family bonding leave program, a PTO donation program, flexible work guidelines, and career opportunities promoted throughout our footprint.

In order to develop and engage a workforce that aligns with our purpose, we regularly sponsor local community events. We believe that the well-being of our employees and their personal and professional development is furthered by our outreach to the communities we serve. Our employees’ desire for active community involvement enables us to sponsor many local community events and initiatives, including leading financial literacy classes in community schools and volunteering to enhance the arts, education, economic development, and overall community enrichment in our footprint.

Regulation and Supervision

Overview

The Company is subject to regulation and supervision by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (“FRB”) under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (“BHC Act”), and is required to file with the FRB annual reports and such additional information as the FRB may require. The FRB may also make examinations or inspections of the Company. The Bank is under the supervision of and subject to examination by the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions (“DFI”), and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”). Regulation and examination by banking regulatory agencies are primarily for the benefit of depositors rather than shareholders.

Under FRB policy and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, a complex and wide-ranging statute (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), the Company is required to act as a source of financial and managerial strength to the Bank, and to commit resources to support the Bank, even in circumstances where the Company might not do so absent such a requirement. Under current federal law, the FRB may require a bank holding company to make capital injections into a troubled subsidiary bank. It may charge the bank holding company with engaging in unsafe and unsound practices if the bank holding company fails to commit resources to such a subsidiary bank or if it undertakes actions that the FRB believes might jeopardize the bank holding company’s ability to commit resources to such subsidiary bank.

With certain exceptions, the BHC Act prohibits a bank holding company from engaging in (or acquiring direct or indirect control of more than 5% of the voting shares of any company engaged in) nonbanking activities. One of the principal exceptions to this prohibition is for activities deemed by the FRB to be “closely related to banking.” Under current regulations, bank holding companies and their subsidiaries are permitted to engage in such banking-related business ventures as consumer finance; equipment leasing; credit life insurance; computer service bureau and software operations; mortgage banking; and securities brokerage.

We are also a “financial holding company” under the BHC Act, which permits us to engage in a broader range of activities that are “financial in nature” and in activities that are determined to be incidental or complementary to activities that are financial in nature. These activities include underwriting and dealing in and making a market in securities (subject to certain limits and compliance procedures required by the so-called Volcker Rule provisions added by the Dodd-Frank Act, described below under “Other Aspects of the Dodd-Frank Act”), insurance underwriting, and merchant banking. Banks may also engage through financial subsidiaries in certain of the activities permitted for financial holding companies, subject to certain conditions. In order to continue as a financial holding company, we must continue to be well-capitalized, well-managed and maintain compliance with the Community Reinvestment Act.

As a financial holding company, we operated GABC Risk Management, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary (the “Captive”), as a pooled captive insurance company subsidiary to provide additional insurance coverage for the Company and its subsidiaries related to the operations of the Company for which insurance may not be economically feasible. On April 10, 2023, the Internal Revenue Service issued a proposed regulation impacting taxes on insurance companies under Section 831(b) of the Internal Revenue Code, both prospectively and retroactively, for a period of three years. As a result of the proposed regulation, the Company elected to decommission the Captive as an insurance company in December 2023 and subsequently dissolved the Captive as a corporation in the State of Nevada.

The Bank and the subsidiaries of the Bank may generally engage in activities that are permissible activities for state chartered banks under Indiana banking law, without regard to the limitations that might apply to such activities under the BHC Act if the Company were to engage directly in such activities at the parent company level or through parent company subsidiaries that were not also bank subsidiaries.

Indiana law and the BHC Act restrict certain types of expansion by the Company and its bank subsidiary. The Company and its subsidiaries may be required to apply for prior approval from (or give prior notice and an opportunity for review to) the FRB, the DFI, the FDIC, and/or other bank regulatory or other regulatory agencies, as a condition to the acquisition or establishment of new offices, or the acquisition (by merger or consolidation, purchase or otherwise) of the stock, business or properties of other banks or other companies.

The earnings of commercial banks and their holding companies are affected not only by general economic conditions but also by the policies of various governmental regulatory authorities. In particular, the FRB regulates money and credit conditions and interest rates in order to influence general economic conditions, primarily through open-market operations in U.S. Government securities, varying the discount rate on bank borrowings, and setting reserve requirements against bank deposits. These policies have a significant influence on overall growth and distribution of bank loans, investments and deposits, and affect interest rates charged on loans and earned on investments or paid for time and savings deposits. FRB monetary policies have had a significant effect on the operating results of commercial banks in the past and this is expected to continue in the future. The general effect, if any, of such policies upon the future business and earnings of the Company cannot accurately be predicted.

Capital Requirements

We are subject to various regulatory capital requirements both at the parent company and at the Bank level administered by the FRB and by the FDIC and DFI, respectively. Failure to meet minimum capital requirements could result in certain mandatory and possible additional discretionary actions by regulators that, if undertaken, could have an adverse material effect on our financial statements. Under capital adequacy guidelines and the regulatory framework for “Prompt Corrective Action” (described below), we must meet specific capital guidelines that involve quantitative measures of our assets, liabilities, and certain off-balance sheet items as calculated under regulatory accounting policies. Our capital amounts and classification are also subject to judgments by the regulators regarding qualitative components, risk weightings, and other factors. We have consistently maintained regulatory capital ratios at or above the well-capitalized standards.

Generally, for purposes of satisfying these capital requirements, we must maintain capital sufficient to meet both risk-based asset ratio tests and a leverage ratio test on a consolidated basis. The risk-based ratios are determined by allocating assets and specified off-balance sheet commitments into various weighted categories, with higher weighting assigned to categories perceived as representing greater risk. A risk-based ratio represents the applicable measure of capital divided by total risk-weighted assets. The leverage ratio is a measure of our core capital divided by our total assets adjusted as specified in the guidelines.

The current risk-based capital rules, as adopted by federal banking regulators, are based upon guidelines developed by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision and reflect various requirements of the Dodd-Frank Act (the “Basel III Rules”). The Basel III Rules require banking organizations to, among other things, maintain:

• a minimum ratio of “Common Equity Tier 1 Capital” to risk-weighted assets of 4.5%, plus a 2.5% “conservation buffer” (bringing the Common Equity Tier 1 Capital to risk-weighted assets ratio to a total of at least 7.0%);
• a minimum ratio of Tier 1 Capital to risk-weighted assets of 6% plus the conservation buffer (which results in a minimum required total Tier 1 Capital to risk-weighted assets ratio of 8.5%);
• a minimum ratio of Total Capital (that is, Tier 1 Capital plus instruments includable in a tier called Tier 2 Capital) to risk-weighted assets of at least 8.0% plus the conservation buffer (which results in a minimum Total Capital to risk-weighted assets ratio of 10.5%); and
• a minimum leverage ratio of 4% (calculated as the ratio of Tier 1 Capital to adjusted average consolidated assets).

“Common Equity Tier 1” (“CET1”) Capital consists of common stock instruments that meet the eligibility criteria in the new rules, retained earnings, accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”) and common equity Tier 1 minority interest.

Tier 1 Capital under the new rules consists of CET1 (subject to certain adjustments) and “additional Tier 1 capital” instruments meeting specified requirements, plus, in the case of smaller holding companies like ours, trust preferred securities in accordance with prior requirements for their inclusion in Tier I Capital.

Under the Basel III Rules, we and our bank subsidiary elected to opt-out of the requirement to include AOCI in our CET1. As a result, most AOCI items will be treated, for regulatory capital purposes, in the same manner in which they were prior to Basel III.

Although banking institutions with a ratio of CET1 to risk-weighted assets above the minimum but below the conservation buffer will technically comply with minimum capital requirements under the new rules, such institutions will face limitations on the payment of dividends, common stock repurchases and discretionary cash payments to executive officers based on the amount of the shortfall.

As discussed in Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting Policies) of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Report, the Company adopted the “current expected credit losses” (“CECL”) accounting standard under GAAP effective January 1, 2020. The regulatory capital rules applicable to the Company provided an optional three-year phase-in period for the day-one adverse regulatory capital effects of adopting CECL. In addition, as a result of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, banking organizations were further permitted to mitigate the estimated cumulative regulatory capital effects of CECL for up to an additional two years. As of January 1, 2025, the adverse cumulative effects of adopting CECL have been fully phased into our regulatory capital.

Prompt Corrective Action Classifications

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvements Act (enacted in 1991) (FDICIA) requires federal banking regulatory authorities to take regulatory enforcement actions known as Prompt Corrective Action with respect to depository institutions that do not meet minimum capital requirements. For these purposes, FDICIA establishes five capital tiers: well-capitalized, adequately-capitalized, under-capitalized, significantly under-capitalized, and critically under-capitalized.

Under FDICIA, a depository institution that is not well-capitalized is generally prohibited from accepting brokered deposits and offering interest rates on deposits higher than the prevailing rate in its market. Since the Bank was well-capitalized throughout 2024, the FDICIA brokered deposit rule did not adversely affect its ability to accept brokered deposits. The Bank had no brokered deposits at December 31, 2024. Further, a depository institution or its holding company that is not well-capitalized will generally not be successful in seeking regulatory approvals that may be necessary in connection with any plan or agreement to expand its business, such as through the acquisition (by merger or consolidation, purchase or otherwise) of the stock, business or properties of other banks or other companies.

Under the Prompt Corrective Action regulations, the applicable agency can treat an institution as if it were in the next lower category if the agency determines (after notice and an opportunity for hearing) that the institution is in an unsafe or unsound condition or is engaging in an unsafe or unsound practice. The degree of regulatory scrutiny of a financial institution will increase, and the permissible activities of the institution will decrease, as it moves downward through the capital categories. Institutions that fall into one of the three “undercapitalized” categories (as such term is used in the FDICIA) may be required to (i) submit a capital restoration plan; (ii) raise additional capital; (iii) restrict their growth, deposit interest rates, and other activities; (iv) improve their management; (v) eliminate management fees and dividends; or (vi) divest themselves of all or a part of their operations. Bank holding companies can be called upon to boost the capital of the financial institutions that they control, and to partially guarantee the institutions’ performance under their capital restoration plans. Critically under-capitalized institutions are subject to appointment of a receiver or conservator within 90 days of becoming so classified.

The minimum ratios defined by the Prompt Corrective Action regulations from time to time are merely guidelines and the bank regulators possess the discretionary authority to require higher capital ratios. Further, the risk-based capital standards of the FRB and the FDIC specify that evaluations by the banking agencies of a bank’s capital adequacy will include an assessment of the exposure to declines in the economic value of a bank’s capital due to changes in interest rates. These banking agencies issued a joint policy statement on interest rate risk describing prudent methods for monitoring such risk that rely principally on internal measures of exposure and active oversight of risk management activities by senior management.

To qualify as a “well-capitalized” institution, a depository institution under the Prompt Corrective Action requirements must have a leverage ratio of no less than 5%, a Tier I Capital ratio of no less than 8%, a CET1 ratio of no less than 6.5%, and a total risk-based capital ratio of no less than 10%, and the bank must not have been under any order or directive from the appropriate regulatory agency to meet and maintain a specific capital level. As of December 31, 2024, the Bank exceeded the requirements contained in the applicable regulations, policies and directives pertaining to capital adequacy to be classified as “well-capitalized”, and is unaware of any material violation or alleged violation of these regulations, policies or directives. For a tabular presentation of our regulatory capital ratios and those of the Bank as of December 31, 2024, see Note 9 (Shareholders’ Equity) of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Report, which Note 9 is incorporated herein by reference.

Section 201 of the Economic Growth, Relief and Consumer Protection Act of 2018 (the “Economic Growth Act”) simplified the regulatory capital requirements for eligible community banks and holding companies (which would include the Bank and the Company) that satisfy certain qualifying criteria, including having less than $10 billion in average total consolidated assets and a leverage ratio (referred to as the “community bank leverage ratio”) of greater than 9%, by permitting those entities to opt-in to the community bank leverage ratio framework (the “CBLR framework”). The community bank leverage ratio is the ratio of a banking organization’s Tier 1 Capital to its average total consolidated assets, both as reported on the banking organization’s applicable regulatory filings. If this election is made, the Company and the Bank would satisfy their regulatory capital standards by calculating and reporting the community bank leverage ratio instead of the risk-weighted capital ratios and minimum leverage ratio currently required and would be deemed “well-capitalized” under the FRB’s and FDIC’s Prompt Corrective Action rules so long as they continue to satisfy the qualifying criteria of the CBLR framework. Despite this option, the Company intends to continue with its use of the existing layered ratio structure. Under either framework, the Company and the Bank would be considered well-capitalized under the applicable guidelines.

Future rulemaking and regulatory changes on capital requirements may impact the Company as it continues to grow and evaluate potential mergers and acquisitions.

Restrictions on Bank Dividends or Loans to, or other Transactions with, the Parent Company, and on Parent Company Dividends

German American Bancorp, Inc., which is the publicly-held parent of the Bank (German American Bank), is a corporation that is separate and distinct from the Bank and its other subsidiaries. Most of the parent company’s revenues historically have been comprised of dividends, fees, and interest paid to it by the Bank, and this is expected to continue in the future. There are, however, statutory limits under Indiana law on the amount of dividends that the Bank can pay to its parent company without regulatory approval. The Bank may not, without the approval of the DFI, pay a dividend in an amount greater than its undivided profits. In addition, the prior approval of the DFI is required for the payment of a dividend by an Indiana state-chartered bank if the total of all dividends declared in a calendar year would exceed the total of its net income for the year combined with its retained net income for the two preceding years, unless such a payment qualifies under certain exemptive criteria that exempt certain dividend payments by certain qualified banks from the prior approval requirement. At December 31, 2024, the Bank was eligible for payment of dividends under the exemptive criteria established by DFI policy for this purpose, and could have declared and paid to the holding company approximately $150 million of its undivided profits without approval by the DFI in accordance with such criteria. See Note 9 (Shareholders’ Equity) of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Report for further discussion.

Insured depository institutions such as the Bank are also prohibited under the FDICIA from making capital distributions, including the payment of dividends, if, after making such distribution, the institution would become undercapitalized.

In addition, the FRB and other bank regulatory agencies have issued policy statements or advisories that provide that insured banks and bank holding companies should generally only pay dividends out of current operating earnings.

In addition to these statutory restrictions, if, in the opinion of the applicable regulatory authority, a bank under its jurisdiction is engaged in, or is about to engage in, an unsafe or unsound practice, such authority may require, after notice and hearing, that such bank cease and desist from such practice. Accordingly, if the Bank were to experience financial difficulties, it is possible that the applicable regulatory authority could determine that the Bank would be engaged in an unsafe or unsound practice if the Bank were to pay dividends and could prohibit the Bank from doing so, even if availability existed for dividends under the statutory formula.

Further, the Bank is subject to affiliate transaction restrictions under federal laws, which limit certain transactions generally involving the transfer of funds by a subsidiary bank or its subsidiaries to its parent corporation or any nonbank subsidiary of its parent corporation, whether in the form of loans, extensions of credit, investments, or asset purchases, or otherwise undertaking certain obligations on behalf of such affiliates. Furthermore, covered transactions that are loans and extensions of credit must be secured within specified amounts. In addition, all covered transactions and other affiliate transactions must be conducted on terms and under circumstances that are substantially the same as such transactions with unaffiliated entities.

Other Aspects of the Dodd-Frank Act

The Dodd-Frank Act (in addition to the regulatory changes discussed elsewhere in this “Regulation and Supervision” discussion and below under “Federal Deposit Insurance Premiums and Assessments”) made a variety of changes that affect the business and affairs of the Company and the Bank in other ways. For instance, the Dodd-Frank Act (or agency regulations adopted and implemented (or to be adopted and implemented) under the Dodd-Frank Act) altered the authority and duties of the federal banking and securities regulatory agencies, implemented certain corporate governance requirements for all public companies including financial institutions with regard to executive compensation, proxy access by shareholders, and certain whistleblower provisions; restricted certain proprietary trading and hedge fund and private equity activities of banks and their affiliates; eliminated the former statutory prohibition against the payment of interest on business checking accounts; limited interchange fees on debit card transactions by certain large processors; and established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”).

The CFPB was granted broad rulemaking, supervisory and enforcement powers under various federal consumer financial protection laws, including the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Truth in Lending Act, Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Fair Debt Collection Act, the Consumer Financial Privacy provisions of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and certain other statutes. The CFPB has examination and primary enforcement authority with respect to depository institutions with $10 billion or more in assets. Smaller institutions are subject to rules promulgated by the CFPB but continue to be examined and supervised by federal banking regulators for consumer compliance purposes.

The CFPB has authority to prevent unfair, deceptive or abusive practices in connection with the offering of consumer financial products. The Dodd-Frank Act authorized the CFPB to establish certain minimum standards for the origination of residential mortgages including a determination of the borrower’s ability to repay. In addition, Dodd-Frank allows borrowers to raise certain defenses to foreclosure if they receive any loan other than a “qualified mortgage” as defined by the CFPB. Under the CFPB’s rule, a “qualified mortgage” loan must not contain certain specified features, and the borrower’s total monthly debt-to-income ratio may not exceed a specified percentage. Lenders must also verify and document the income and financial resources relied upon to qualify the borrower for the loan and underwrite the loan based on a fully amortizing payment schedule and maximum interest rate during the first five years, taking into account all applicable taxes, insurance and assessments.

The Dodd-Frank Act permits states to adopt consumer protection laws and standards that are more stringent than those adopted at the federal level and, in certain circumstances, permits state attorneys general to enforce compliance with both the state and federal laws and regulations.

The so-called Volcker Rule, which was adopted under the Dodd-Frank Act, prohibits banking entities from, among other things, (1) engaging in short-term proprietary trading for their own accounts, and (2) having certain ownership interests in and relationships with hedge funds or private equity funds (“covered funds”). Community banks like the Bank have been afforded some relief under these final rules from onerous compliance obligations created by the rules; if banks are engaged only in exempted proprietary trading, such as trading in U.S. government, agency, state and municipal obligations, they are exempt entirely from compliance program requirements. Moreover, even if a community bank engages in proprietary trading or covered fund activities under the rule, they need only incorporate references to the Volcker Rule into their existing policies and procedures. The Economic Growth Act also served to raise the threshold of banks subject to the Volcker Rule to only those with more than $10 billion in assets. Although we do not yet meet that threshold, even if we were subject to it, we do not expect that the Volcker Rule would have any material financial implications on us or our investments or activities.

On January 17, 2025, a new rule of the CFPB became effective that will require a provider of payment accounts or products, such as a bank, to make data available to consumers upon request regarding the products or services they obtain from the provider. Any such data provider would also have to make the data available to third parties, with the consumer’s express authorization, and through an interface that satisfies formatting, performance and security standards, for the purpose of the third parties providing the consumer with financial products or services requested by the consumer. Data that would be required to be made available under the rule would include transaction information, account balance, account and routing numbers, terms and conditions, upcoming bill information, and certain account verification data. The rule is intended to give consumers control over their financial data, including with whom it is shared, and encourage competition in the provision of consumer financial products or services. For banks that hold at least $850 million but less than $50 billion in total assets (which includes the Bank), compliance will be required by April 1, 2028. However, on the same day the final rule was released in October 2024, certain industry participants filed a complaint against the CFPB challenging the final rule. This legal challenge may delay or halt implementation of the final rule.

Certain Other Laws and Regulations

The Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 (the “CRA”) requires depository institutions to assist in meeting the credit needs of their market areas consistent with safe and sound banking practice. Under the CRA, each depository institution is required to help meet the credit needs of its market areas by, among other things, providing credit to low- and moderate-income individuals and communities. These factors are also considered in evaluating mergers, acquisitions and applications to open a branch or facility. The applicable federal regulators regularly conduct CRA examinations to assess the performance of financial institutions and assign one of four ratings to the institution’s records of meeting the credit needs of its community. During its last examination, a rating of “satisfactory” was received by the Bank.

In October 2023, the federal banking regulators issued a joint final rule to modernize the CRA regulatory framework. The final rule is intended, among other things, to adapt to changes in the banking industry, including the expanded role of mobile and online banking, and to tailor performance standards to account for differences in bank size and business models. The final rule introduces new tests under which the performance of banks with over $2 billion in assets will be assessed. The new rule also includes data collection and reporting requirements, some of which are applicable to banks with less than $10 billion in assets, such as the Bank. While most provisions of the final rule would have become effective on January 1, 2026, and the data reporting requirements would have become effective on January 1, 2027, the District Court for the Northern District of Texas enjoined the federal banking regulators from enforcing the CRA final rule in its entirety, extending all implementation dates, day-for-day for each day that the injunction (which was issued on March 29, 2024) remains in place. In the meantime, the existing CRA regulations will remain in effect for the Company.

In accordance with the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Financial Modernization Act of 1999 (the “GLB Act”), federal banking regulators adopted rules that limit the ability of banks and other financial institutions to disclose non-public information about consumers to nonaffiliated third parties. These limitations require disclosure of privacy policies to consumers and, in some circumstances, allow consumers to prevent disclosure of certain personal information to a nonaffiliated third party. The privacy provisions of the GLB Act affect how consumer information is transmitted through diversified financial companies and conveyed to outside vendors.

A major focus of governmental policy on financial institutions is combating money laundering and terrorist financing. The Bank Secrecy Act (the “BSA”) requires financial institutions to develop policies, procedures, and practices to prevent and deter money laundering, and mandates that every bank have a written, board-approved program that is reasonably designed to assure and monitor compliance with the BSA. In addition, banks are required to adopt a customer identification program as part of its BSA compliance program, and are required to file Suspicious Activity Reports when they detect certain known or suspected violations of federal law or suspicious transactions related to a money laundering activity or a violation of the BSA. The Bank is also required to (1) identify and verify, subject to certain exceptions, the identity of the beneficial owners of all legal entity customers at the time a new account is opened, and (2) include, in its anti-money laundering program, risk-based procedures for conducting ongoing customer due diligence, which must include procedures that: (a) assist in understanding the nature and purpose of customer relationships for the purpose of developing a customer risk profile, and (b) require ongoing monitoring to identify and report suspicious transactions and, on a risk basis, to maintain and update customer information.

The USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, or the USA Patriot Act, substantially broadened the scope of United States anti-money laundering laws and regulations by imposing significant new compliance and due diligence obligations, creating new crimes and penalties and expanding the extra-territorial jurisdiction of the United States. The U.S. Treasury Department has issued a number of regulations that apply various requirements of the USA Patriot Act to financial institutions such as the Bank. These regulations impose obligations on financial institutions to maintain appropriate policies, procedures and controls to detect, prevent and report money laundering and terrorist financing and to verify the identity of their customers. Failure of a financial institution to maintain and implement adequate programs to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, or to comply with all of the relevant laws or regulations, could have serious legal and reputational consequences for the institution.

The United States has imposed economic sanctions that affect transactions with designated foreign countries, nationals and others. These are typically known as the “OFAC” rules based on their administration by the U.S. Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”). The OFAC-administered sanctions targeting countries take many different forms. Generally, however, they contain one or more of the following elements: (i) restrictions on trade with or investment in a sanctioned country, including prohibitions against direct or indirect imports from and exports to a sanctioned country and prohibitions on “U.S. persons” engaging in financial transactions relating to making investments in, or providing investment-related advice or assistance to, a sanctioned country; and (ii) a blocking of assets in which the government or specially designated nationals of the sanctioned country have an interest, by prohibiting transfers of property subject to U.S. jurisdiction (including property in the possession or control of U.S. persons). Blocked assets (e.g., property and bank deposits) cannot be paid out, withdrawn, set off or transferred in any manner without a license from OFAC. Failure to comply with these sanctions could have serious legal and reputational consequences.

The Bank is subject to a wide variety of other laws with respect to the operation of its businesses, and regulations adopted under those laws, including but not limited to the Truth in Lending Act, Truth in Savings Act, Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Electronic Funds Transfer Act, Fair Housing Act, Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Expedited Funds Availability (Regulation CC), Reserve Requirements (Regulation D), Insider Transactions (Regulation O), Privacy of Consumer Information (Regulation P), Margin Stock Loans (Regulation U), Right To Financial Privacy Act, Flood Disaster Protection Act, Homeowners Protection Act, Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure Rule, Telephone Consumer Protection Act, CAN-SPAM Act, Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, the Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008 (SAFE Act) and the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act. The laws and regulations to which we are subject are constantly under review by the U.S. Congress, the federal regulatory agencies, and the state authorities.

Federal Deposit Insurance Premiums and Assessments

The Bank’s deposit accounts are currently insured by the Deposit Insurance Fund (the “DIF”) of the FDIC. The insurance benefit generally covers up to a maximum of $250,000 per separately insured depositor. As an FDIC-insured bank, our bank subsidiary is subject to deposit insurance premiums and assessments to maintain the DIF. The Bank’s deposit insurance premium assessment rate depends on the asset and supervisory categories to which it is assigned. The FDIC has authority to raise or lower assessment rates on insured banks in order to achieve statutorily required reserve ratios in the DIF and to impose special additional assessments.

Under the current system, deposit insurance assessments are based on average total assets minus average tangible equity. The FDIC assigns a banking institution to one of two categories based on asset size. As an institution with under $10 billion in assets, the Bank falls into the “Established Small Institution” category. This category has three sub-categories based on supervisory ratings designed to measure risk (the FDIC’s “CAMELS Composite” ratings). The assessment rate, which ranges from 1.5 to 30.0 basis points (such basis points representing a per annum rate) for Established Small Institutions, is determined based upon each applicable institution’s most recent supervisory and capital evaluations.

In October 2022, the FDIC adopted a final rule that increased the initial base deposit insurance assessment rate schedules uniformly by 2 basis points beginning with the first quarterly assessment period of 2023. The increased assessment was expected to improve the likelihood that the DIF reserve ratio would reach the statutory minimum of 1.35% by the statutory deadline prescribed under the FDIC’s amended restoration plan.

Cybersecurity

The federal banking regulators regularly issue new guidance and standards, and update existing guidance and standards, regarding cybersecurity intended to enhance cyber risk management among financial institutions. Financial institutions are expected to comply with such guidance and standards and to accordingly develop appropriate security controls and risk management processes. If we fail to observe such regulatory guidance or standards, we could be subject to various regulatory sanctions, including financial penalties. In 2023, the SEC issued a final rule that requires disclosure of material cybersecurity incidents, as well as cybersecurity risk management, strategy and governance. Under this rule, banking organizations that are SEC registrants must generally disclose information about a material cybersecurity incident within four business days of determining it is material with periodic updates as to the status of the incident in subsequent filings as necessary.

Under a final rule adopted by federal banking regulators in 2021, banking organizations are required to notify their primary banking regulator within 36 hours of determining that a “computer-security incident” has materially disrupted or degraded, or is reasonably likely to materially disrupt or degrade, the banking organization’s (i) ability to carry out banking operations or deliver banking products and services to a material portion of its customer base, (ii) businesses and operations that would result in material loss, or (iii) operations that would impact the financial stability of the United States.

State regulators have also been increasingly active in implementing privacy and cybersecurity standards and regulations. Recently, several states have adopted regulations requiring certain financial institutions to implement cybersecurity programs and many states, including Indiana, have also recently implemented or modified their data breach notification, information security and data privacy requirements. We expect this trend of state-level activity in those areas to continue and are continually monitoring developments in the states in which our customers are located.

See Item 1A. Risk Factors for a further discussion of risks related to cybersecurity and Item 1C. Cybersecurity for a further discussion of risk management strategies and governance processes related to cybersecurity.

Future Legislation and Regulation

The U.S. Congress may enact legislation from time to time that affects the regulation of the financial services industry, and state legislatures may enact legislation from time to time affecting the regulation of financial institutions chartered by or operating in those states. Federal and state regulatory agencies also periodically propose and adopt changes to their regulations or change the manner in which existing regulations are applied. The substance or impact of pending or future legislation or regulation, or the application thereof, cannot be predicted, although any change could impact the regulatory structure under which we or our competitors operate and may significantly increase costs, impede the efficiency of internal business processes, require an increase in regulatory capital, require modifications to our business strategy, and limit our ability to pursue business opportunities in an efficient manner. It could also affect our competitors differently than us, including in a manner that would make them more competitive. A change in statutes, regulations or regulatory policies applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries could have a material, adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Impact of Presidential and Congressional Elections on Recent Rulemaking

Control of the White House and the U.S. Congress shifted to the Republican Party in January 2025 following the November 2024 Presidential and Congressional elections. As a result, there has been much discussion about significant reductions in financial services regulation, potentially including amendments to the Dodd-Frank Act and other federal banking laws, and structural changes to the CFPB. In addition, changes in the leadership of the FDIC and CFPB have also been announced by the new Administration. However, the impact of such changes on the regulatory, enforcement and supervisory priorities are uncertain at this time.

Internet Address; Internet Availability of SEC Reports

The Company’s Internet address is www.germanamerican.com (http://www.germanamerican.com).

The Company makes available, free of charge through the Investor Relations - Financial Information section of its Internet website, the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K, its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, its current reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as soon as reasonably practicable after those reports are filed with or furnished to the SEC.

Forward-Looking Statements and Associated Risks

The Company from time to time in its oral and written communications makes statements relating to its expectations regarding the future. These types of statements are considered “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements can include statements about the Company’s net interest income or net interest margin; adequacy of the Company’s capital under regulatory requirements and of its allowance for loan losses, and the quality of the Company’s loans, investment securities and other assets; simulations of changes in interest rates; litigation results; dividend policy; acquisitions or mergers; estimated cost savings, plans and objectives for future operations; and expectations about the Company’s financial and business performance and other business matters as well as economic and market conditions and trends. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this Report, including statements regarding our financial position, business strategy and the plans and objectives of our management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. When used in this Report, words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “plan”, “intend”, “should”, “would”, “could”, “can”, “may”, “will”, “might” and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management, identify forward-looking statements.

Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of our management, as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to our management, and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors.

Actual results may differ materially and adversely from the expectations of the Company that are expressed or implied by any forward-looking statement. The discussions in Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” and in Item 7 of this Form 10-K, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” list some of the factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to vary materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements. Those risks, and other risks, uncertainties, and factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to vary materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statement, include but are not limited to:

• changes in interest rates and the timing and magnitude of any such changes;
• unfavorable economic conditions, including a prolonged period of inflation, and the resulting adverse impact on, among other things, credit quality;
• the soundness of other financial institutions and general investor sentiment regarding the stability of financial institutions;
• changes in our liquidity position;
• the impacts of epidemics, pandemics or other infectious disease outbreaks;
• changes in competitive conditions;
• the introduction, withdrawal, success and timing of asset/liability management strategies or of mergers and acquisitions and other business initiatives and strategies;
• changes in customer borrowing, repayment, investment and deposit practices;
• changes in fiscal, monetary and tax policies;
• changes in financial and capital markets;
• capital management activities, including possible future sales of new securities, or possible repurchases or redemptions by the Company of outstanding debt or equity securities;
• risks of expansion through acquisitions and mergers, including the possibility that the anticipated cost savings and strategic gains, are not realized when expected or at all as a result of unexpected credit quality problems of the acquired loans or other assets, unexpected attrition of the customer base or employee base of the acquired institution or branches, and difficulties in integration of the acquired operations;
• factors driving impairment charges on investments;
• the impact, extent and timing of technological changes;
• potential cyber-attacks, information security breaches and other criminal activities;
• litigation liabilities, including related costs, expenses, settlements and judgments, or the outcome of matters before regulatory agencies, whether pending or commencing in the future;
• actions of the FRB;
• the potential for increases to, and volatility in, the balance of our allowance for credit losses and related provision expense due to the current expected credit loss (CECL) standard;
• changes in accounting principles and interpretations;
• potential increases of federal deposit insurance premium expense, and possible future special assessments of FDIC premiums, either industry wide or specific to the Company’s banking subsidiary;
• actions of the regulatory authorities under the Dodd-Frank Act and the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and other possible legislative and regulatory actions and reforms;
• impacts resulting from possible amendments or revisions to the Dodd-Frank Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder, or to CFPB rules and regulations; and
• the continued availability of earnings and excess capital sufficient for the lawful and prudent declaration and payment of cash dividends.

Such statements reflect our views with respect to future events and are subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to the operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity of the Company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. It is intended that these forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. We do not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

The following describes some of the principal risks and uncertainties to which our industry in general, and our securities, assets and businesses specifically, are subject; other risks are briefly identified in our cautionary statement that is included under the heading “Forward-Looking Statements and Associated Risks” in Part I, Item 1, “Business.” Although we seek ways to manage these risks and uncertainties and to develop programs to control those that we can, we ultimately cannot predict the future. Future results may differ materially from past results, and from our expectations and plans.

Risks Related to Our Business and Financial Strategies

Economic weakness in our geographic markets could negatively affect us.

We conduct business from offices that are located throughout Indiana (central/southern), Kentucky (northern/central/western), and Ohio (central/southwest), from which substantially all of our customer base is drawn. Because of the geographic concentration of our operations and customer base, our results depend largely upon economic conditions in these areas. A favorable business environment is generally characterized by, among other factors, economic growth, low inflation, low unemployment, high business and investor confidence, strong business earnings, and efficient capital markets. Unfavorable or uncertain economic and market conditions can be caused by a decline in economic growth in the markets where we operate and in the United States as a whole; declines in business activity or investor or business confidence; limitations on the availability of or increases in the cost of credit and capital; increases in inflation or interest rates; high unemployment; commodity price volatility; natural disasters; or a combination of these or other factors.

While recent higher inflation levels have moderated, current economic conditions continue to be impacted by inflation rates that persistently remain above the Federal Reserve’s target rate and by elevated interest rates. A prolonged period of higher inflation may impact our profitability by negatively impacting our fixed costs and expenses. Economic and inflationary pressure on consumers and uncertainty regarding economic improvement could have direct or indirect material adverse impacts on us, on our customers or on the financial institutions with whom we deal as counterparties to financial transactions. Such pressures could negatively impact customers’ ability to obtain new loans or to repay existing loans, diminish the values of any collateral securing such loans and could cause increases in the number of the Company’s customers experiencing financial distress and in the levels of the Company’s delinquencies, non-performing loans and other problem assets, charge-offs and provision for credit losses, all of which could materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. The underwriting and credit monitoring policies and procedures that we have adopted cannot eliminate the risk that we might incur losses on account of factors relating to the economy like those identified above, and those losses could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

If our actual loan losses exceed our estimates, our earnings and financial condition will be impacted.

A significant source of risk for any bank or other enterprise that lends money arises from the possibility that losses will be sustained because borrowers, guarantors and related parties may fail (because of financial difficulties or other reasons) to perform in accordance with the terms of their loan agreements. In our case, we originate many loans that are secured, but some loans are unsecured depending on the nature of the loan. With respect to secured loans, the collateral securing the repayment of these loans includes a wide variety of real and personal property that may be insufficient to cover the obligations owed under such loans, due to adverse changes in collateral values caused by changes in prevailing economic, environmental and other conditions, including declines in the value of real estate and other external events.

Our allowance for credit losses may not be adequate to cover actual losses.

We maintain an allowance for credit losses for the expected credit losses over the contractual life of the loan portfolio as well as unfunded loan commitments. The Company estimates the allowance balance using relevant available information, from internal and external sources, relating to past events, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. Historical loss experience provides the basis for the estimation of expected credit losses. Adjustments to historical loss information are made for changes in underwriting standards, portfolio mix, delinquency levels, changes in environmental conditions, unemployment rates, risk classifications and collateral values. We have also included assumptions about the continued effects of the advancing stress on the economy as a result of inflationary pressures, rising interest rates and financial market volatility, and economic conditions in general, all of which are highly uncertain and for which we have limited recent historical experience to draw upon. If our assumptions and judgments used to determine the allowance for credit losses prove to be incorrect, the allowance may not be adequate. We could sustain actual loan losses that are significantly higher than the amount of our allowance for credit losses.

We could be adversely affected by changes in interest rates.

Our earnings and cash flows are largely dependent upon our net interest income. Net interest income is the difference between interest income earned on interest-earning assets such as loans and securities and interest expense paid on interest-bearing liabilities such as deposits and borrowed funds. Interest rates are highly sensitive to many factors that are beyond our control, including general economic conditions, inflationary trends, demand for loans, securities and deposits, and policies of various governmental and regulatory agencies and, in particular, the monetary policies of the FRB. Changes in monetary policy, including changes in interest rates, could influence not only the interest we receive on loans and securities and the amount of interest we pay on deposits and borrowings, but such changes could also affect (i) our ability to originate loans and obtain deposits, (ii) the fair value of our financial assets and liabilities, and (iii) the average duration of our securities portfolio. If the interest rates paid on deposits and other borrowings increase at a faster rate than the interest rates received on loans and other investments, our net interest income, and therefore earnings, could be adversely affected. Earnings could also be adversely affected if the interest rates received on loans and other investments fall more quickly than the interest rates paid on deposits and other borrowings. We maintain an investment portfolio consisting of various high quality liquid fixed-income securities. The nature of fixed-income securities is such that increases in prevailing market interest rates negatively impact the value of these securities, while decreases in prevailing market interest rates positively impact the value of these securities. Any substantial, unexpected, or prolonged change in market interest rates could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

The Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition may be adversely affected by epidemics, pandemics or other infectious disease outbreaks.

The Company may face risks related to epidemics, pandemics or other infectious disease outbreaks, which could result in a widespread health crisis that adversely affects general commercial activity, the global economy (including the states and local economies in which we operate) and financial markets. Epidemics, pandemics or other infectious disease outbreaks may result in the Company closing certain offices and may require us to limit how customers conduct business through our branch network. If our employees are required to work remotely, the Company will be exposed to increased cybersecurity risks such as phishing, malware, and other cybersecurity attacks, all of which could expose us to liability and could seriously disrupt our business operations. Furthermore, the Company’s business operations may be disrupted due to vendors and third-party service providers being unable to work or provide services effectively during such a health crisis, including because of illness, quarantines or other government actions.

In addition, epidemics, pandemics or other infectious disease outbreaks could significantly impact households and businesses, or cause limitations on commercial activity, increased unemployment and general economic and financial instability. An economic slow-down, or the reversal of an economic recovery, in the regions in which we conduct our business could result in declines in loan demand and collateral values. Furthermore, negative impacts on our customers caused by such a health crisis could result in increased risk of delinquencies, defaults, foreclosures and losses on our loans. Moreover, governmental and regulatory actions taken in response to epidemics, pandemics or other infectious disease outbreaks may include decreased interest rates, which could adversely impact the Company’s interest margins and may lead to decreases in the Company’s net interest income.

The extent to which a widespread health crisis may impact the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition, as well as its regulatory capital and liquidity ratios, will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and are difficult to predict, including, but not limited to, the duration and severity of the crisis, the potential for seasonal or other resurgences, actions taken by governmental authorities and other third parties to contain and treat such epidemics, pandemics or other infectious disease outbreaks, and how quickly and to what extent normal economic and operating conditions can resume. Moreover, the effects of a widespread health crisis may heighten many of the other risks described in this “Risk Factors” section. As a result, the negative effects on the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition from epidemics, a pandemics or other infectious disease outbreaks could be material.

The banking and financial services business in our markets is highly competitive.

We compete with much larger regional, national, and international competitors, including competitors that have no (or only a limited number of) offices physically located within our markets, many of which compete with us via Internet and other electronic product and service offerings. In addition, banking and other financial services competitors (including newly organized companies) that are not currently represented by physical locations within our geographic markets could establish office facilities within our markets, including through their acquisition of existing competitors. Financial technology, or “FinTech,” companies continue to emerge in key areas of banking. Our competitors may have substantially greater resources and lending limits than we have and may offer services that we do not or cannot provide. Many of our nonfinancial institution competitors have fewer regulatory constraints, broader geographic service areas, and, in some cases, lower cost structures. Increased competition in our market may also result in a decrease in the amounts of our loans and deposits, reduced spreads between loan rates and deposit rates or loan terms that are more favorable to the borrower. Any of these results could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. See also “Business - Competition” and “Business - Regulation and Supervision” under Item 1 of Part I of this Report.

The manner in which we report our financial condition and results of operations may be affected by accounting changes.

Our financial condition and results of operations that are presented in our consolidated financial statements, accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements, and selected financial data appearing in this Report, are, to a large degree, dependent upon our accounting policies. The selection of and application of these policies involve estimates, judgments and uncertainties that are subject to change, and the effect of any change in estimates or judgments that might be caused by future developments or resolution of uncertainties could be materially adverse to our reported financial condition and results of operations. In addition, authorities that prescribe accounting principles and standards for public companies from time to time change those principles or standards or adopt formal or informal interpretations of existing principles or standards. Such changes or interpretations (to the extent applicable to us) could result in changes that would be materially adverse to our reported financial condition and results of operations.

We may be adversely affected by changes in tax laws.

Any change in federal or state tax laws or regulations, including any increase in the federal corporate income tax rate from the current level of 21%, could negatively affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Liquidity risk could impair our ability to fund operations and jeopardize our financial condition.

Liquidity is essential to our business. An inability to raise funds through deposits, borrowings, the sale of securities or loans and other sources could have a substantial negative effect on our liquidity. Our access to funding sources in amounts adequate to finance our activities or the terms of which are acceptable to us could be impaired by factors that affect us specifically or the financial services industry or economy in general. Although we have historically been able to replace maturing deposits and borrowings as necessary, we might not be able to replace such funds in the future if, among other things, our results of operations or financial condition or the results of operations or financial condition of our lenders or market conditions were to change.

Additionally, negative news about us or the banking industry in general could negatively impact market and/or customer perceptions of the Bank, which could lead to a loss of depositor confidence and an increase in deposit withdrawals, particularly among those with uninsured deposits. Furthermore, as we and other banks experienced in 2023, the failure of other financial institutions may cause deposit outflows as customers (i) spread deposits among several different banks so as to maximize their amount of FDIC insurance, (ii) move deposits to larger banks (who may be considered “too big to fail”), or (iii) remove deposits from the banking system entirely. As of December 31, 2024, approximately 22% of our deposits were uninsured and uncollateralized. A failure to maintain adequate liquidity could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The value of securities in our investment securities portfolio may be negatively affected by market interest rates or disruptions in securities markets, and could affect our liquidity.

As market interest rates have increased, we have experienced significant unrealized losses on our available-for-sale securities portfolio. Unrealized losses related to available-for-sale securities are reflected in accumulated other comprehensive income in our consolidated balance sheets and reduce the level of our book capital and tangible common equity. However, such unrealized losses do not affect our regulatory capital ratios. We actively monitor our available-for-securities portfolio and we do not currently anticipate the need to realize material losses from the sale of securities for liquidity purposes. Furthermore, we believe it is unlikely that we would be required to sell any such securities before recovery of their amortized cost bases, which may be at maturity. Nonetheless, significant unrealized losses could negatively impact market and/or customer perceptions of the Bank, which could lead to a loss of depositor confidence and an increase in deposit withdrawals, particularly among those with uninsured deposits.

In addition, prices and volumes of transactions in the nation’s securities markets can be affected suddenly by economic crises, or by other national or international crises, such as national disasters, acts of war or terrorism, changes in commodities markets, or instability in foreign governments. Disruptions in securities markets may detrimentally affect the value of securities that we hold in our investment portfolio, such as through reduced valuations due to the perception of heightened credit and liquidity risks. There can be no assurance that declines in market value associated with these disruptions will not result in other than temporary impairments of these assets, which would lead to accounting charges that could have a material adverse effect on our net income and capital levels.

The soundness of other financial institutions could adversely affect us.

Our ability to engage in routine funding transactions could be adversely affected by the actions and commercial soundness of other financial institutions. Financial services companies are interrelated as a result of trading, clearing, counterparty, or other relationships. We have exposure to many different industries and counterparties, and we routinely execute transactions with counterparties in the financial services industry, including brokers and dealers, commercial banks, investment banks, mutual and hedge funds, and other institutional clients. As a result, defaults by, or even rumors or questions about, one or more financial services companies, or the financial services industry generally, have led to market-wide liquidity problems and could lead to losses or defaults by us or by other institutions. Many of these transactions expose us to credit risk in the event of default of our counterparty or client. In addition, our credit risk may be exacerbated when the collateral held by us cannot be realized or is liquidated at prices not sufficient to recover the full amount due us.

The bank failures that occurred in 2023 highlighted the potential results of an insured depository institution unexpectedly having to obtain needed liquidity to satisfy deposit withdrawal requests, including how quickly such requests can accelerate once uninsured depositors lose confidence in an institution’s ability to satisfy its obligations to depositors. Uncertainty related to the stability and liquidity of banks has impacted the competitive landscape for deposits in the banking industry and may continue to impact competition for deposits in the future in an unpredictable manner. These possible impacts could adversely affect our future operating results, including net income, and negatively impact capital.

We are dependent on key personnel and the loss of one or more of those key personnel could harm our business.

Competition for qualified employees and personnel in the financial services industry (including banking personnel and trust and investments personnel) is intense and there are a limited number of qualified persons with knowledge of and experience in our local markets. Our success depends to a significant degree upon our ability to attract and retain qualified loan origination executives and sales executives for our trust and investment products and services. We also depend upon the continued contributions of our management personnel, and in particular upon the abilities of our senior executive management, and the loss of the services of one or more of them could harm our business.

Our controls and procedures may fail or be circumvented.

Management regularly reviews and updates our internal controls, disclosure controls and procedures, and corporate governance policies and procedures. Any system of controls, however well designed and operated, is based in part on certain assumptions and can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurances that the objectives of the system are met. Any failure or circumvention of our controls and procedures or failure to comply with regulations related to controls and procedures could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

Our methods of reducing risk exposure may not be effective.

The Company maintains a comprehensive risk management program designed to identify, quantify, manage, mitigate, monitor, aggregate, and report risks. However, instruments, systems and strategies used to hedge or otherwise manage exposure to various types of credit, market, liquidity, operational, compliance, financial reporting and strategic risks could be less effective than anticipated. As a result, the Company may not be able to effectively mitigate its risk exposures in particular market environments or against particular types of risk, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. For more information regarding risk management, please see “RISK MANAGEMENT” under Item 7 of this Report (“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”).

We are exposed to risk of environmental liabilities with respect to properties to which we take title.

In the course of our business, we may own or foreclose and take title to real estate, and could be subject to environmental liabilities with respect to these properties (including liabilities for property damage, personal injury, investigation and clean-up costs incurred by these parties in connection with environmental contamination), or may be required to investigate or clean up hazardous or toxic substances, or chemical releases at a property.

Climate change and related legislative and regulatory initiatives may materially affect the Company’s business and results of operations.

Federal and state legislatures and regulatory agencies have continued to propose and advance numerous legislative and regulatory initiatives related to climate change, including initiatives that could increase supervisory expectations with respect to banks’ risk management practices, accounting for the effects of climate change in stress testing scenarios and systemic risk assessments, revising expectations for credit portfolio concentrations based on climate-related factors and encouraging investment by banks in climate-related initiatives and lending to communities disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change. At the same time, some policymakers have adopted, or are considering adopting, requirements that constrain climate change initiatives. Ongoing legislative or regulatory uncertainties and changes regarding climate risk management and practices may result in higher regulatory, compliance, and reputational risks and costs, and may subject us to different and potentially conflicting requirements.

To the extent our customers experience unpredictable and more frequent weather disasters attributable to climate change, the value of real property securing the loans in our portfolios may be negatively impacted. Additionally, if insurance obtained by our borrowers is insufficient to cover any disaster-related losses sustained to the collateral, or if insurance coverage is otherwise unavailable to our borrowers, the collateral securing our loans may be negatively impacted, which could impact our financial condition and results of operations. Further, the effects of weather disasters attributed to climate change may negatively impact regional and local economic activity, which could lead to an adverse effect on our customers and impact the communities in which we operate. As a result, climate change, its effects and the resulting, unknown impact could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Expectations from customers, regulators, investors, and other stakeholders with respect to the Company’s environmental, social and governance practices could negatively impact our reputation, ability to do business with certain partners, access to capital, and our stock price.

Expectations from customers, regulators, investors, and other stakeholders related to the ESG practices and disclosures of companies continue to evolve. Failure to adapt to or comply with such varying expectations could negatively impact our reputation, ability to do business with certain partners, access to capital, and our stock price.

Risks Related to the Financial Services Industry

We operate in a highly regulated environment and changes in laws and regulations to which we are subject may adversely affect our results of operations.

The banking industry in which we operate is subject to extensive federal and state regulation and supervision, which vests a significant amount of discretion in the various regulatory authorities. Banking regulations are primarily intended to protect the funds of depositors, federal deposit insurance funds and the banking system as a whole, not shareholders. These regulations and supervisory guidance affect our lending practices, capital structure, investment practices, dividend policy and growth, among other things. The U.S. Congress and federal regulatory agencies continually review banking laws, regulations and policies for possible changes. Changes to statutes, regulations or regulatory policies or supervisory guidance, including changes in interpretation or implementation of statutes, regulations, policies or supervisory guidance, could affect us in substantial and unpredictable ways. Such changes could subject us to additional costs, limit the types of financial services and products we may offer, limit our ability to return capital to shareholders or conduct certain activities, and/or increase the ability of non-banks to offer competing financial services and products, among other things. Failure to comply with laws, regulations, policies or supervisory guidance could result in enforcement and other legal actions by federal or state authorities, including criminal and civil penalties, the loss of FDIC insurance, the revocation of a banking charter, enforcement actions or sanctions by regulatory agencies, significant fines and civil money penalties and/or reputational damage. In this regard, government authorities, including the bank regulatory agencies, are pursuing aggressive enforcement actions with respect to compliance and other legal matters involving financial activities, which heightens the risks associated with actual and perceived compliance failures. Directives issued to enforce such actions may be confidential and thus, in some instances, we are not permitted to publicly disclose these actions. Any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

In addition, following the negative developments in the banking industry over the course of 2023, regulators and investors may continue to focus on deposit composition, the level of uninsured deposits, brokered deposits, unrealized losses in securities portfolios, liquidity, commercial real estate loan composition and concentrations, and capital as well as general oversight and control of the foregoing. As a result, we could face increased scrutiny or be viewed as higher risk by regulators and/or the investor community, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

See “Business - Regulation and Supervision” of Item 1 above for additional information.

We are required to maintain certain minimum amounts and types of capital and may be subject to more stringent capital requirements in the future. A failure to meet applicable capital requirements could have an adverse effect on us.

We are subject to regulatory requirements specifying minimum amounts and types of capital that we must maintain. From time to time, banking regulators change these capital adequacy guidelines. For example, as a result of the Basel III Rules required by the Dodd-Frank Act, we are now required to satisfy additional, more stringent, capital adequacy standards than we had in the past. See “Business - Regulation and Supervision, Capital Requirements” of Item 1 above for additional information. We currently satisfy the well-capitalized and capital conservation standards set forth in Basel III, and based on our current capital composition and levels, we anticipate that our capital ratios, on a Basel III basis, will continue to exceed the well-capitalized minimum capital requirements and capital conservation buffer standards. However, a failure to meet minimum capital requirements could result in certain mandatory and possible additional discretionary actions by regulators that, if undertaken, could have a negative impact on our ability to lend, grow deposit balances, make acquisitions or make capital distributions in the form of dividends. Higher capital levels could also lower our return on equity.

Our FDIC insurance premiums may increase, and special assessments could be made, which may have a materially adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

Since the Deposit Insurance Fund is funded by premiums and assessments paid by insured banks, our FDIC insurance premium could increase in future years depending upon the FDIC’s actual loss experience, changes in our Bank’s financial condition or capital strength, and future conditions in the banking industry. Any such increases in our premiums and assessment fees may have a materially adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

Risks Related to Our Operations

We face significant operational risks due to the high volume and the high dollar value nature of transactions we process.

We operate in many different businesses in diverse markets and rely on the ability of our employees and systems to process transactions. Operational risk is the risk of loss resulting from our operations, including but not limited to, the risk of fraud by employees or persons outside our company, the execution of unauthorized transactions, errors relating to transaction processing and technology, breaches of our internal control systems or failures of those of our suppliers or counterparties, compliance failures, cyber-attacks or unforeseen problems encountered while implementing new computer systems or upgrades to existing systems, business continuation and disaster recovery issues, and other external events. Insurance coverage may not be available for such losses, or where available, such losses may exceed insurance limits. This risk of loss also includes the potential legal actions that could arise as a result of an operational deficiency or as a result of noncompliance with applicable regulatory standards, adverse business decisions or their implementation, and customer attrition due to potential negative publicity. The occurrence of any of these events could cause us to suffer financial loss, face regulatory action and suffer damage to our reputation.

Unauthorized disclosure of sensitive or confidential client or customer information, whether through a cyber-attack, other breach of our computer systems or otherwise, could harm our business.

In the normal course of our business, we collect, process and retain sensitive and confidential client and customer information on our behalf and on behalf of other third parties. Despite the security measures we have in place, our facilities and systems may be vulnerable to cyber-attacks, security breaches, acts of vandalism, computer viruses, misplaced or lost data, programming and / or human errors, or other similar events.

Information security risks for financial institutions like us have increased recently in part because of new technologies, the use of the Internet and telecommunications technologies (including mobile devices) to conduct financial and other business transactions and the increased sophistication and activities of organized crime, perpetrators of fraud, hackers, terrorists and others. In addition to cyber-attacks or other security breaches involving the theft of sensitive and confidential information, hackers recently have engaged in attacks against large financial institutions, particularly denial of service attacks, designed to disrupt key business services such as customer-facing web sites. We may not be able to anticipate or implement effective preventive measures against all security breaches of these types. Although we employ detection and response mechanisms designed to contain and mitigate security incidents, early detection may be thwarted by sophisticated attacks and malware designed to avoid detection.

We also face risks related to cyber-attacks and other security breaches in connection with credit card transactions that typically involve the transmission of sensitive information regarding our customers through various third parties. Some of these parties have in the past been the target of security breaches and cyber-attacks, and because the transactions involve third parties and environments that we do not control or secure, future security breaches or cyber-attacks affecting any of these third parties could impact us through no fault of our own, and in some cases we may have exposure and suffer losses for breaches or attacks relating to them. We also rely on numerous other third party service providers to conduct other aspects of our business operations and face similar risks relating to them. We cannot be sure that their information security protocols are sufficient to withstand a cyber-attack or other security breach.

Any cyber-attack or other security breach involving the misappropriation, loss or other unauthorized disclosure of confidential customer information could severely damage our reputation, erode confidence in the security of our systems, products and services, expose us to the risk of litigation and liability, disrupt our operations and have a material adverse effect on our business.

Our information systems may experience an interruption or breach in security.

We rely heavily on communications and information systems to conduct our business. Any failure, interruption, or breach in security or operational integrity of these systems could result in failures or disruptions in our customer relationship management, general ledger, deposit, loan, and other systems. While we have policies and procedures designed to prevent or limit the effect of the failure, interruption, or security breach of our information systems, we cannot completely ensure that any such failures, interruptions, or security breaches will not occur or, if they do occur, that they will be adequately addressed. The occurrence of any failures, interruptions, or security breaches of our information systems could damage our reputation, result in a loss of customer business, subject us to additional regulatory scrutiny, or expose us to civil litigation and possible financial liability, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

We are dependent upon third parties for certain information system, data management and processing services and to provide key components of our business infrastructure.

We outsource certain information system and data management and processing functions to third party providers. These third party service providers are sources of operational and informational security risk to us, including risks associated with operational errors, information system interruptions or breaches, and unauthorized disclosures of sensitive or confidential client or customer information. If third party service providers encounter any of these issues, or if we have difficulty communicating with them, we could be exposed to disruption of operations, loss of service or connectivity to customers, reputational damage, and litigation risk that could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or our business.

Third party vendors provide key components of our business infrastructure such as internet connections, network access and core application processing.

While we have selected these third party vendors carefully, we do not control their actions. Any problems caused by these third parties, including as a result of their not providing us their services for any reason or their performing their services poorly, could adversely affect our ability to deliver products and services to our customers and otherwise to conduct our business. Replacing these third party vendors could also entail significant delay and expense.

Risks Relating to Expansion of Our Businesses by Acquisition

Any acquisitions of banks, bank branches, or loans or other financial service assets pose risks to us.

We may acquire other banks, bank branches and other financial-service-related businesses and assets in the future. Acquiring other banks, businesses, or branches involves various risks commonly associated with acquisitions, including, among other things:

• potential exposure to unknown or contingent liabilities of the acquired assets, operations or company;
• exposure to potential asset quality issues of the acquired assets, operations or company;
• environmental liability with acquired real estate collateral or other real estate;
• difficulty and expense of integrating the operations, systems and personnel of the acquired assets, operations or company;
• potential disruption to our ongoing business, including diversion of our management’s time and attention;
• the possible loss of key employees and customers of the acquired operations or company;
• difficulty in estimating the value of the acquired assets, operations or company; and
• potential changes in banking or tax laws or regulations that may affect the acquired assets, operations or company.

We may not be successful in overcoming these risks or any other problems encountered in connection with mergers or acquisitions.

Acquisitions typically involve the payment of a premium over book and market values, and, therefore, some dilution of the Company’s tangible book value per common share or net income per common share (or both) may occur in connection with any future transaction.

We may incur substantial costs to expand by acquisition, and such acquisitions may not result in the levels of profits we seek.

Integration efforts for any future acquisitions may not be successful and following any future acquisition, after giving it effect, we may not achieve financial results comparable to or better than our historical experience.

Risks Related to Our Common Stock

Our common stock price may fluctuate significantly, and this may make it difficult for you to resell our common stock at times or at prices acceptable to you.

Our common stock price constantly changes in response to a variety of factors (some of which are beyond our control), and we expect that our stock price will continue to fluctuate in the future. Factors impacting the price of our common stock include, among others:

• actual or anticipated variations in our quarterly results of operations;
• recommendations or research reports about us or the financial services industry in general published by securities analysts;
• the failure of securities analysts to cover, or continue to cover, us;
• operating and stock price performance of other companies that investors believe are comparable to us;
• news reports relating to trends, concerns and other issues in the financial services industry;
• perceptions in the marketplace regarding us, or our reputation, competitors or other financial institutions;
• actual or anticipated sales of our equity or equity-related securities;
• our past and future dividend practice;
• departure of our management team or other key personnel;
• new technology used, or services offered, by competitors;
• significant acquisitions or business combinations, strategic partnerships, joint ventures or capital commitments by or involving us or our competitors;
• failure to integrate acquisitions or realize anticipated benefits from acquisitions;
• existing or increased regulatory and compliance requirements, changes or proposed changes in laws or regulations, or differing interpretations thereof affecting our business, or enforcement of these laws and regulations; and
• litigation and governmental investigations.

General market fluctuations, industry factors and general economic and political conditions and events (including elevated inflation, interest rate changes, credit loss trends, or economic slowdowns or recessions) could also cause our stock price to decrease regardless of operating results.

Risk Management and Strategy

Our enterprise risk management program is designed to identify, assess, and mitigate risks across various aspects of our company, including financial, operational, regulatory, reputational, and legal. Cybersecurity is a critical component of this program, given the increasing reliance on technology and potential of cyber threats. Our processes and policies related to cybersecurity are focused on: (i) developing organizational understanding to manage cybersecurity risks, (ii) applying safeguards to protect our systems, (iii) detecting the occurrence of a cybersecurity incident, (iv) responding to a cybersecurity incident, and (v) recovering from a cybersecurity incident. Where appropriate, these processes and policies are integrated into our overall enterprise risk management systems and processes. For example, all of our employees with network access are required to complete information security and privacy training on an annual basis. We are continuously working to improve our information technology systems and provide employee awareness training around phishing, malware, and other cyber risks to enhance our levels of protection.

Other aspects of our cyber and information security risk management program include:

• Monitoring external and internal threats and events, managing access, facilitating use of appropriate authentication options, validating controls and programs by internal teams and independent third parties and testing various compromise scenarios that are overseen by our information security team;
• Investing in threat intelligence platforms and participating in financial services industry and government forums which track and report on cyber and other information security threats;
• Identifying those third-party relationships that have the greatest potential to expose the Company to cybersecurity threats and, upon identification, conducting additional due diligence as a part of establishing those relationships;
• Routinely performing vulnerability tests;
• Engaging independent consultants and other third-parties to assist the Company in establishing and improving its policies; and
• Conducting “tabletop” exercises with outside consultants at least annually to test the Company’s processes and policies and using feedback from those exercises to further improve our processes.

The Company also maintains insurance coverage for cybersecurity incidents as part of its overall insurance portfolio.

In the event of a cybersecurity incident, the Company maintains incident response plans to investigate, classify, respond to, and manage cybersecurity incidents that may compromise the availability or integrity of our information systems, network resources, or data. In accordance with the incident response plans, cross-functional management teams assess and assign a threat level to each cybersecurity incident. A cybersecurity incident (or incidents, if aggregated together) assigned a critical threat level is escalated to a committee consisting of the Company’s executive and certain other officers (for such purpose, the “Critical Threat Committee”) for review.

The Company has not experienced any cybersecurity threats, including as a result of any previous cybersecurity incidents, that have materially affected the Company, including its business strategy, results of operations, or financial condition. However, cybersecurity attacks and other threats to the systems, networks, products and services of the Company, its customers and vendors, and other third parties could materially affect the Company in the future. See Item 1A. Risk Factors – Unauthorized disclosure of sensitive or confidential client or customer information, whether through a cyber-attack, other breach of our computer systems or otherwise, could harm our business.

Governance

In exercising oversight over the Company’s information technology risks, including its cyber and information security program, our Board of Directors has established a Technology Committee that is led by the Company’s Chief Digital and Information Officer (“CDIO”) and is comprised of directors with technology industry backgrounds, all of the Company’s executive officers, the Company’s Information Security Officer (“ISO”) and the Company’s Chief Risk Officer. The Technology Committee receives materials on a quarterly basis to address the identification and status of information technology cybersecurity risks. Each year, the full Board of Directors also receives a comprehensive update on the Company’s cyber and information security program.

Our CDIO leads the Company’s digital optimization and information technology initiatives. He is also responsible for driving the strategy, execution and integration of all banking and nonbanking technology, information and digital initiatives in alignment with the Company’s corporate business strategy. Our CDIO assumed his current role in January 2022. Prior to that, he served as the Company’s Senior Vice President of Technology and Operations, where he lead the Company’s core processing and operations functions, and the development of technology-driven products and services. Our CDIO has over 20 years of technology and operations experience in the banking industry.

Our ISO oversees a team of employees dedicated to the prevention, detection, mitigation, and remediation of cybersecurity incidents. He joined the Company in September 2022 with more than 20 years of technology and information security experience in banking and as a consultant, and he holds a Certified Information Security Manager certification. The team of employees includes information security professionals with a range of varying cybersecurity education and experience, many of whom have substantial experience assessing and managing cybersecurity initiatives and hold various cybersecurity certifications.

The Company’s Critical Threat Committee is responsible for evaluating the materiality of a cybersecurity incident based on criteria that has been reviewed with the Board of Directors, and for determining whether there are disclosure obligations under applicable securities laws. In the event that the Critical Threat Committee determines that a critical cybersecurity incident (or incidents, if aggregated together) is deemed to be material, the Critical Threat Committee will brief the Board of Directors and oversee the disclosure process. For all critical cybersecurity incidents that are not deemed to be material, the Critical Threat Committee will notify the Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer to determine whether the Board of Directors will be notified of the critical incident during the next regularly-scheduled cybersecurity update to the Audit Committee, or sooner as circumstances warrant.

The Company’s executive offices are located in the main office building of the Bank at 711 Main Street, Jasper, Indiana 47546. The main office building, which is owned by the Bank and also serves as the main office of the Company’s other subsidiaries, contains approximately 23,600 square feet of office space. The Bank and the Company’s other subsidiaries also conduct their operations from 48 other locations in Southern Indiana, 30 in Kentucky and 17 in Ohio. Of the 96 total locations, 75 are owned by the Company and 21 are leased from third parties.

There are no pending legal proceedings, other than routine litigation incidental to the business of the Company’s subsidiaries, to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any of their property is the subject.

INTRODUCTION

German American Bancorp, Inc. is a Nasdaq-listed (symbol: GABC) financial holding company based in Jasper, Indiana. German American, through its banking subsidiary German American Bank, operates 94 banking offices located throughout Indiana (central/southern), Kentucky (northern/central/western), and Ohio (central/ southwest). In Columbus, Ohio and Greater Cincinnati, the Company does business as Heartland Bank, a Division of German American Bank. The Company also owns an investment brokerage subsidiary German American Investment Services, Inc.

Throughout this Management’s Discussion and Analysis, as elsewhere in this Report, when we use the term “Company” and “German American”, we will usually be referring to the business and affairs (financial and otherwise) of the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates as a whole. Occasionally, we will refer to the term “German American”, “Bancorp”, “parent company” or “holding company” when we mean to refer to only German American Bancorp, Inc., and the term “Bank” when we mean to refer to only the Company’s bank subsidiary.

This Management’s Discussion and Analysis includes an analysis of the major components of the Company’s operations for the years 2022 through 2024 and its financial condition as of December 31, 2023 and 2024. This information should be read in conjunction with the accompanying consolidated financial statements and footnotes contained elsewhere in this Report and with the description of business included in Item 1 of this Report (including the cautionary disclosure regarding “Forward Looking Statements and Associated Risks”). Financial and other information by segment is included in Note 17 (Segment Information) of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Report and is incorporated into this Item 7 by reference.

The statements of management’s expectations and goals concerning the Company’s future operations and performance that are set forth in the following Management Overview and in other sections of this Item 7 are forward-looking statements, and readers are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors. Actual results may differ materially from the expectations of the Company that is expressed or implied by any forward-looking statement. This Item 7, as well as the discussions in Item 1 (“Business”) entitled “Forward-Looking Statements and Associated Risks” and in Item 1A (“Risk Factors”) (which discussions are incorporated in this Item 7 by reference) list some of the factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to vary materially from those expressed or implied by any such forward-looking statements.

Any statements of management’s expectations and goals concerning the Company’s future operations and performance, and future financial condition, liquidity and capital resources that are set forth in the following Management Overview and in other sections of this Item 7 are forward-looking statements, and readers are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors. Actual results may differ materially from the expectations of the Company that is expressed or implied by any forward-looking statement. This Item 7, as well as the discussions in Item 1 (“Business”) entitled “Forward-Looking Statements and Associated Risks” and in Item 1A (“Risk Factors”) (which discussions are incorporated in this Item 7 by reference) list some of the factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to vary materially from those expressed or implied by any such forward-looking statements.

MANAGEMENT OVERVIEW

Business Developments

On February 1, 2025, German American Bancorp completed its previously announced acquisition of Heartland BancCorp (“Heartland”) through the merger of Heartland with and into the Bancorp. Immediately following completion of the Heartland holding company merger, Heartland’s subsidiary bank, Heartland Bank, was merged with and into the Bancorp’s subsidiary bank, German American Bank. Heartland, headquartered in Whitehall, Ohio, operated 20 retail banking offices located in Columbus, Ohio and Greater Cincinnati. As of December 31, 2024, Heartland had total assets of approximately $1.97 billion (unaudited), total loans of approximately $1.56 billion (unaudited), and total deposits of approximately $1.75 billion (unaudited). German American Bancorp issued approximately 7.74 million shares of its common stock, and paid approximately $23.1 million in cash, in exchange for all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of Heartland and in cancellation of all options to acquire Heartland common stock outstanding as of the effective time of the merger. For further information regarding this merger and acquisition transaction, see Note 21 (Subsequent Events) in the Notes to the

Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Report, which Note 21 is incorporated into this Item 1 by reference.

During June and July 2024, the Company undertook a partial restructuring of its securities portfolio by selling available-for-sale securities totaling approximately $375.3 million in book value, at an after-tax loss of approximately $27.2 million. The tax-equivalent yield on the bonds sold was approximately 3.12% with a duration of approximately 7 years. The proceeds from the securities sold were reinvested in the securities portfolio by the end of the third quarter of 2024.

Effective June 1, 2024, German American Insurance, Inc. (“GAI”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Bank, sold substantially all of its assets to The Hilb Group of Indiana, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Hilb”), for a purchase price of $40.0 million in cash. As part of the transaction, the Bank, as the parent of GAI, may receive payments for the referral of customers to Hilb, and the Company will refrain from conducting certain insurance activities, in each case, for a period of five (5) years following closing. Prior to the sale, GAI was a full-service agency offering personal and commercial insurance products.

On January 1, 2022, German American Bancorp completed the acquisition of Citizens Union Bancorp of Shelbyville, Inc. (“CUB”) through the merger of CUB with and into the Bancorp. Immediately following completion of the CUB holding company merger, CUB’s subsidiary bank, Citizen Union Bank of Shelbyville, Inc., was merged with and into the Bancorp’s subsidiary bank, German American Bank. CUB, headquartered in Shelbyville, Kentucky, operated 15 retail banking offices located in Shelby, Jefferson, Spencer, Bullitt, Oldham, Owen, Gallatin and Hardin counties in Kentucky through Citizens Union Bank of Shelbyville, Inc. As of the closing of the transaction, CUB had total assets of approximately $1.109 billion, total loans of approximately $683.8 million, and total deposits of approximately $930.5 million. German American Bancorp issued approximately 2.9 million shares of its common stock, and paid approximately $50.8 million in cash, in exchange for all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of CUB.

For further information regarding this merger and acquisition transaction, see Note 19 (Business Combinations, Goodwill and Intangible Assets) in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Report.

Financial Overview

Net income for the year ended December 31, 2024 totaled $83,811,000, or $2.83 per share, a decline of $2,077,000, or approximately 3% on a per share basis, from the year ended December 31, 2023 net income of $85,888,000, or $2.91 per share. Net income for the year ended December 31, 2024 included merger-related transaction costs associated with the Company’s merger with Heartland that totaled approximately $1,370,000, $1,082,000 after-tax, or $0.04 per share.

Net income for the year end December 31, 2024 was impacted by the sale of substantially all of the assets of GAI during the second quarter of 2024. The all-cash sale price totaled $40.0 million and resulted in an after-tax gain, net of transaction costs, of approximately $27,476,000, or $0.93 per share. GAI net income, excluding the after-tax gain, contributed approximately $767,000, or $0.03 per share, during 2024 compared with net income of $1,639,000, or $0.06 per share, during the full year of 2023.

Net income for the year ended December 31, 2024 was also impacted by the securities portfolio restructuring transaction whereby available-for-sale securities totaling approximately $375.3 million in book value were sold. The approximate loss on these securities totaled $34,893,000, $27,189,000 after tax, or $0.92 per share, and was included in earnings for the second quarter of 2024. The proceeds from the securities sold were reinvested in the securities portfolio by the end of the third quarter of 2024.

Net income for the year ended December 31, 2023 totaled $85,888,000, or $2.91 per share, an increase of $4,063,000, or approximately 5% on a per share basis, from the year ended December 31, 2022 net income of $81,825,000, or $2.78 per share. The increase in net income during 2023, compared with 2022, was primarily attributable to increased non-interest income, a decline in non-interest expenses (which was driven by higher expenses in 2022 as a result of the January 1, 2022 acquisition of CUB), and a lower provision for credit losses. The positive impact of those items was partially offset by a decline in net interest income resulting primarily from a reduced level of earning assets, which was somewhat mitigated by an improved net interest margin.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES

The financial condition and results of operations for the Company presented in the Consolidated Financial Statements, accompanying Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements, and selected financial data appearing elsewhere within this Report, are, to a large degree, dependent upon the Company’s accounting policies. The selection of and application of these policies involve estimates, judgments, and uncertainties that are subject to change. The critical accounting policies and estimates that the Company has determined to be the most susceptible to change in the near term relate to the determination of the allowance for credit losses, the valuation of securities available for sale, income tax expense, and the valuation of goodwill and other intangible assets.

ALLOWANCE FOR CREDIT LOSSES

The Company maintains an allowance for credit losses to cover the estimated expected credit losses over the expected contractual life of the loan portfolio. Loan losses are charged against the allowance when management believes the uncollectibility of a loan balance is confirmed. Subsequent recoveries, if any, are credited to the allowance. Allocations of the allowance may be made for specific loans, but the entire allowance is available for any loan that, in management’s judgment, should be charged-off. A provision for credit losses is charged to operations based on management’s periodic evaluation of the necessary allowance balance. Evaluations are conducted at least quarterly and more often if deemed necessary. The ultimate recovery of all loans is susceptible to future market factors beyond the Company’s control.

The Company has an established process to determine the adequacy of the allowance for credit losses. The determination of the allowance is inherently subjective, as it requires significant estimates, including the amounts and timing of expected future cash flows on individually analyzed loans, estimated losses on other classified loans and pools of homogeneous loans, and consideration of past loan loss experience, the nature and volume of the portfolio, information about specific borrower situations and estimated collateral values, economic conditions, reasonable and supportable forecasts and other factors, all of which may be susceptible to significant change. The allowance consists of two components of allocations, specific and general. These two components represent the total allowance for credit losses deemed adequate to cover expected credit losses over the expected life of the loan portfolio.

Commercial and agricultural loans are subject to a standardized grading process administered by an internal loan review function. The need for specific reserves is considered for credits when: (a) the customer’s cash flow or net worth appears insufficient to repay the loan; (b) the loan has been criticized in a regulatory examination; (c) the loan is on non-accrual; or (d) other reasons where the ultimate collectability of the loan is in question, or the loan characteristics require special monitoring.

Specific reserves on individually analyzed loans are determined by comparing the loan balance to the present value of expected cash flows or expected collateral proceeds. Allocations are also applied to categories of loans not individually analyzed but for which the rate of loss is expected to be greater than other similar type loans, including non-performing consumer or residential real estate loans. Such allocations are based on past loss experience, reasonable and supportable forecasts and information about specific borrower situations and estimated collateral values.

General allocations are made for commercial and agricultural loans that are graded as substandard and special mention, but are not individually analyzed for specific reserves as well as other pools of loans, including non-classified loans, homogeneous portfolios of consumer and residential real estate loans, and loans within certain industry categories believed to present unique risk of loss. General allocations of the allowance are primarily made based on historical averages for loan losses for these portfolios along with reasonable and supportable forecasts, judgmentally adjusted for economic, external and internal quantitative and qualitative factors and portfolio trends. Economic factors include evaluating changes in international, national, regional and local economic and business conditions that affect the collectability of the loan portfolio. Internal factors include evaluating changes in lending policies and procedures; changes in the nature and volume of the loan portfolio; and changes in experience, ability and depth of lending management and staff.

The allowance for credit losses for loans represents management’s estimate of all expected credit losses over the expected contractual life of the loan portfolio. Determining the appropriateness and adequacy of the allowance is complex and requires judgment by management about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain. Subsequent evaluations of the loan portfolio may result in significant changes in the allowance for credit losses in future periods.

The Company uses a number of economic variables in its scenarios to estimate the allowance for credit losses, with the most significant drivers being unemployment rate forecast, gross domestic product and agricultural producer price index as well as qualitative adjustments. Historical loss rates from periods where the average unemployment rate, gross domestic product and agricultural producer pricing index matches the forecast range are considered when calculating the forecast period loss rate.

Based on sensitivity analysis of all portfolios, a 0.050% change (slight improvement or decline on the Company’s scale) in all ten qualitative risk factors would have a $1,900,000 impact on the reserve allocation. The sensitivity and related range of impact is a hypothetical analysis and is not intended to represent management’s judgements or assumptions of qualitative loss factors that were utilized at December 31, 2024 in estimation of the allowance for credit losses on loans recognized on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

SECURITIES VALUATION

Available-for-sale debt securities in unrealized loss positions are evaluated for impairment related to credit losses at least quarterly. For available-for-sale debt securities in an unrealized loss position, the Company assesses whether we intend to sell, or it is more likely than not that we will be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis. If either of the criteria regarding intent or requirement to sell is met, the security’s amortized cost basis is written down to fair value through income. For available-for sale debt securities that do not meet the criteria, the Company evaluates whether the decline in fair value has resulted from credit losses or other factors. In making this assessment, management considers the extent to which fair value is less than amortized cost, any changes to the rating of the security by a rating agency, and adverse conditions specifically related to the security and the issuer, among other factors. If this assessment indicates that a credit loss exists, the Company compares the present value of cash flows expected to be collected from the security with the amortized cost basis of the security. If the present value of cash flows expected to be collected is less than the amortized cost basis for the security, a credit loss exists and an allowance for credit losses is recorded, limited to the amount that the fair value of the security is less than its amortized cost basis. Any impairment that has not been recorded through an allowance for credit losses is recognized in other comprehensive income, net of applicable taxes. No allowance for credit losses for available-for-sale debt securities was needed at December 31, 2024. Accrued interest receivable on available-for-sale debt securities is excluded from the estimate of credit losses. As of December 31, 2024, gross unrealized gains on the securities available-for-sale portfolio totaled approximately $413,000 and gross unrealized losses totaled approximately $279,166,000. The net amount of these two items, net of applicable taxes, is included in other comprehensive income (loss).

Equity securities that do not have readily determinable fair values are carried at cost, less impairment with observable price changes being recognized in earnings.

INCOME TAX EXPENSE

Income tax expense involves estimates related to the valuation allowance on deferred tax assets and loss contingencies related to exposure from tax examinations presumed to occur.

A valuation allowance reduces deferred tax assets to the amount management believes is more likely than not to be realized. In evaluating the realization of deferred tax assets, management considers the likelihood that sufficient taxable income of appropriate character will be generated within carry-back and carry-forward periods, including consideration of available tax planning strategies. Tax-related loss contingencies, including assessments arising from tax examinations and tax strategies, are recorded as liabilities when the likelihood of loss is probable and an amount or range of loss can be reasonably estimated. In considering the likelihood of loss, management considers the nature of the contingency, the progress of any examination or related protest or appeal, the views of legal counsel and other advisors, experience of the Company or other enterprises in similar matters, if any, and management’s intended response to any assessment.

GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS

Goodwill resulting from business combinations represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of the net assets of businesses acquired. Goodwill resulting from business combinations is generally determined as the excess of the fair value of the consideration transferred, plus the fair value of any noncontrolling interests in the acquiree, over the fair value of the net assets acquired and liabilities assumed as of the acquisition date. Goodwill and intangible assets acquired in a purchase business combination and determined to have an indefinite useful life are not amortized, but tested for impairment at least annually. The Company has selected December 31 as the date to perform the annual impairment test. Goodwill is the only intangible asset with an indefinite life on the Company’s balance sheet. No impairment to Goodwill was indicated based on year-end testing. Goodwill decreased $1,332,000 in 2024. This decrease was attributable to sale of substantially all of the assets of German American Insurance, Inc. For more information regarding goodwill and intangible assets, see Note 19 (Business Combinations, Goodwill and Intangible Assets) in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Report.

Intangible assets with definite useful lives are amortized over their estimated useful lives to their estimated residual values. Other intangible assets consist of core deposit and acquired customer relationship intangible assets. They are initially measured at fair value and then are amortized over their estimated useful lives, which range from 6 to 10 years.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

NET INCOME

Net income for the year ended December 31, 2024 totaled $83,811,000, or $2.83 per share, a decline of $2,077,000, or approximately 3% on a per share basis, from the year ended December 31, 2023 net income of $85,888,000, or $2.91 per share. Net income for the year ended December 31, 2024 included merger-related transaction costs associated with the Company’s merger with Heartland that totaled approximately $1,370,000, $1,082,000 after-tax, or $0.04 per share.

Net income for the year end December 31, 2024 was impacted by the sale of substantially all of the assets of GAI during the second quarter of 2024. The all-cash sale price totaled $40.0 million and resulted in an after-tax gain, net of transaction costs, of approximately $27,476,000, or $0.93 per share. GAI net income, excluding the after-tax gain, contributed approximately $767,000, or $0.03 per share, during 2024 compared with net income of $1,639,000, or $0.06 per share, during the full year of 2023.

Net income for the year ended December 31, 2024 was also impacted by the securities portfolio restructuring transaction whereby available-for-sale securities totaling approximately $375.3 million in book value were sold. The approximate loss on these securities totaled $34,893,000, $27,189,000 after tax, or $0.92 per share, and was included in earnings for the second quarter of 2024. The proceeds from the securities sold were reinvested in the securities portfolio by the end of the third quarter of 2024.

Net income for the year ended December 31, 2023 totaled $85,888,000, or $2.91 per share, an increase of $4,063,000, or approximately 5% on a per share basis, from the year ended December 31, 2022 net income of $81,825,000, or $2.78 per share. The increase in net income during 2023, compared with 2022, was primarily attributable to increased non-interest income, a decline in non-interest expenses (which was driven by higher expenses in 2022 as a result of the January 1, 2022 acquisition of CUB), and a lower provision for credit losses. The positive impact of those items was partially offset by a decline in net interest income resulting primarily from a reduced level of earning assets, which was somewhat mitigated by an improved net interest margin.

NET INTEREST INCOME

Net interest income is the Company’s single largest source of earnings, and represents the difference between interest and fees realized on earning assets, less interest paid on deposits and borrowed funds. Several factors contribute to the determination of net interest income and net interest margin, including the volume and mix of earning assets, interest rates, and income taxes. Many factors affecting net interest income are subject to control by management policies and actions. Factors beyond the control of management include the general level of credit and deposit demand, Federal Reserve Board monetary policy, and changes in tax laws.

During the year ended December 31, 2024, net interest income, on a non tax-equivalent basis, totaled $190,591,000, which was relatively stable compared to the year ended December 31, 2023 net interest income of $190,433,000.

During the year ended December 31, 2023, net interest income, on a non tax-equivalent basis, totaled $190,433,000, a decline of $10,151,000, or 5%, compared to the year ended December 31, 2022 net interest income of $200,584,000. The decline in net interest income during 2023 compared with 2022 was primarily attributable to a decline in average earning assets, driven by a reduced level of deposits which was somewhat offset by an improved net interest margin resulting from the rise in market interest rates.

The net interest margin represents tax-equivalent net interest income expressed as a percentage of average earning assets. The net interest margin for the year ended December 31, 2024 was 3.43%, compared to 3.58% in 2023 and 3.45% in 2022. The decline in the net interest margin in 2024 compared with 2023 was largely driven by an increased cost of funds and a lower level of accretion of loan discounts on acquired loans. The cost of funds increased 56 basis points year over year.

The improvement in the Company’s net interest margin during 2023 compared to 2022 of 13 basis points was primarily the result of a shift in the earning assets from the securities portfolio to higher yielding loans, which was somewhat reduced by the increasing cost of deposits as a result of the higher market interest rates.

The Company’s net interest margin for all periods presented was impacted by the accretion of discounts on acquired loans. Accretion of discounts on acquired loans contributed approximately 3 basis point to the net interest margin in 2024, 5 basis points in 2023 and 7 basis points during 2022. Accretion of discounts on acquired loans totaled $1,507,000 during 2024, $2,814,000 during 2023, and $4,341,000 during 2022.

The following table summarizes net interest income (on a tax-equivalent basis) for each of the past three years. For tax-equivalent adjustments, an effective tax rate of 21% was used for all periods presented (1).

Average Balance Sheet

(Tax-equivalent basis, dollars in thousands)

(1) Effective tax rates were determined as though interest earned on the Company’s investments in municipal bonds and loans was fully taxable.

(2) Loans held-for-sale and non-accruing loans have been included in average loans. Interest income on loans includes loan fees of $3,325, $4,316, and $6,972 for 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

The following table sets forth for the periods indicated a summary of the changes in interest income and interest expense resulting from changes in volume and changes in rates:

Net Interest Income – Rate / Volume Analysis

(Tax-Equivalent basis, dollars in thousands)

(1) The change in interest due to both rate and volume has been allocated to volume and rate changes in proportion to the relationship of the absolute dollar amounts of the change in each.

See the Company’s Average Balance Sheet above and the discussions under the headings “USES OF FUNDS,” “SOURCES OF FUNDS,” and “RISK MANAGEMENT – Liquidity and Interest Rate Risk Management” for further information on the Company’s net interest income, net interest margin, and interest rate sensitivity position.

PROVISION FOR CREDIT LOSSES

The Company provides for credit losses through regular provisions to the allowance for credit losses. The provision is affected by net charge-offs on loans and changes in specific and general allocations of the allowance. During 2024, the Company recorded a provision for credit losses of $2,775,000 compared with $2,550,000 during 2023 and $6,350,000 during 2022.

During 2024, the provision for credit losses represented approximately 7 basis points of average loans. The Company realized net charge-offs of $2,104,000 or 5 basis points of average loans during 2024.

During 2023, the provision for credit losses represented approximately 7 basis points of average loans. The lower provision recorded during 2023, as compared to 2022, was largely related to the resolution during the fourth quarter of 2023 of a single commercial borrowing relationship with minimal loss recognition for which the Company had established a significant reserve in previous periods. The Company realized net charge-offs of $2,953,000 or 8 basis points of average loans during 2023.

During 2022, the provision for credit losses represented approximately 17 basis points of average loans. The provision for credit losses in 2022 included $6,300,000 for the Day 1 CECL addition to the allocation for credit loss related to the CUB acquisition for the non-PCD loans. The Company realized net charge-offs of $2,316,000 or 6 basis points of average loans during 2022.

The provision for credit losses made during 2024 was made at a level deemed necessary by management to absorb expected losses in the loan portfolio. A detailed evaluation of the adequacy of the allowance for credit losses is completed quarterly by management, the results of which are used to determine provision for credit losses. Management estimates the allowance balance required using past loan loss experience, the nature and volume of the portfolio, information about specific borrower situations and estimated collateral values, economic conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts along with other qualitative and quantitative factors. Refer also to the sections entitled “CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND

ESTIMATES” and “RISK MANAGEMENT - Lending and Loan Administration” for further discussion of the provision and allowance for credit losses.

NON-INTEREST INCOME

During the year ended December 31, 2024, non-interest income increased $2,399,000, or 4%, compared with the year ended December 31, 2023. The year ended December 31, 2024 non-interest income was positively impacted by the net proceeds of the sale of the GAI assets that totaled approximately $38,323,000 and was negatively impacted by $34,893,000 related to the net loss recognized on the securities restructuring transaction. During the year ended December 31, 2023, non-interest income increased $1,128,000 or 2% from the year ended December 31, 2022.

(1) n/m = not meaningful

Wealth management fees increased $2,705,000, or 23%, during 2024 compared with 2023 and increased $1,635,000, or 16%, during 2023 compared with 2022. The increase in both periods was largely attributable to continued increases in assets under management due to healthy capital markets and strong new business results, as compared to the year ended December 31, 2023. Wealth management fees increased $1,635,000, or 16%, during 2023 compared with 2022.

Insurance revenues declined $5,212,000, or 54%, during 2024 compared with 2023, as a result of the sale of the assets of GAI effective June 1, 2024, with only five months of revenue being recognized by the Company during 2024. The year ended December 31, 2024 included $38,323,000 in net proceeds for the sale of the GAI assets. Insurance revenues declined $424,000, or 4%, during 2023 compared with 2022, which was primarily attributable to decreased contingency revenue. Contingency revenue during 2023 totaled $955,000 compared with $1,641,000 during 2022. Contingency revenue is reflective of claims and loss experience with insurance carriers that the Company represents through its property and casualty insurance agency.

Net gains on sales of loans increased $691,000, or 29%, during the year ended December 31, 2024 compared with the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase during 2024 compared with 2023 was related to both a higher volume of loans sold and improved pricing levels. Net gains on sales of loans declined $1,455,000, or 38%, during the year ended December 31, 2023 compared with 2022. The decline during 2023 compared with 2022 was related to both a lower volume of loans sold and lower pricing levels. Loan sales totaled $130.7 million during 2024, $109.0 million during 2023, and $168.1 million during 2022.

The net loss on securities during the year ended December 31, 2024 totaled $34,788,000 and was primarily related to the net loss recognized on the securities restructuring transaction previously discussed. The approximate loss on the transaction totaled $34,893,000, $27,189,000 after tax, or $0.92, per share and was included in earnings for the second quarter of 2024. The proceeds from the securities sold were reinvested in the securities portfolio by the end of the third quarter of 2024. The Company realized $40,000 in gains on sales of securities during 2023 compared with $562,000 during 2022. The net gains on sales of securities in 2023 and 2022 were completed as part of adjustments in allocations within the normal course of business of securities portfolio management.

NON-INTEREST EXPENSE

During the year ended December 31, 2024, non-interest expense totaled $146,377,000, an increase of $1,880,000, or 1%, compared to the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase in non-interest expenses during the year ended 2024 was in large part the result of professional fees related to the previously mentioned GAI asset sale and the merger transaction with Heartland, which totaled approximately $2,759,000. During the year ended December 31, 2023, non-interest expense totaled $144,497,000, a decrease of $9,694,000, or 6%, compared with the year ended December 31, 2022. The 2022 non-interest expenses included approximately $12,323,000 of non-recurring acquisition-related expenses for the acquisition of CUB.

Salaries and benefits declined $987,000, or 1%, during the year ended December 31, 2024 compared with the year ended December 31, 2023. The decline in salaries and benefits during 2024 compared with 2023 was largely related to the GAI asset sale. Salaries and benefits declined $901,000, or 1%, during the year ended December 31, 2023 compared with 2022. The decline in salaries and benefits during 2023 compared with 2022 was largely related to approximately $1,480,000 of acquisition-related salary and benefit costs of a non-recurring nature in 2022 related to the CUB acquisition.

FDIC Premiums increased $79,000, or 3%, during the year ended December 31, 2024 compared with 2023. FDIC premiums increased $969,000, or 52%, during the year ended December 31, 2023 compared with 2022. The increase during 2023 compared with 2022 was primarily related to an industry-wide 2 basis point increase in the base FDIC premium assessment effective January 1, 2023.

Data processing fees increased $1,131,000, or 10%, during the year ended December 31, 2024 compared with the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase during 2024 compared with 2023 was largely driven by costs associated with enhancements to the Company’s digital banking and data systems. Data processing fees declined $4,294,000, or 28%, during the year ended December 31, 2023 compared with the year ended December 31, 2022. The decline during 2023 compared with 2022 was largely driven by acquisition-related costs associated with the CUB transaction, which totaled approximately $4,982,000 during 2022.

Professional fees increased $2,572,000, or 46%, during the year ended December 31, 2024 compared with 2023. The increase during 2024 compared with 2023 was attributable to the professional fees associated with the sale of assets of GAI and the merger with Heartland, which totaled $2,759,000 for the two transactions. Professional fees declined $720,000, or 11%, during the year ended December 31, 2023 compared with the year ended December 31, 2022. The decline during 2023 compared with 2022 was primarily due to merger-related professional fees associated with the CUB acquisition that totaled approximately $1,802,000 in 2022, which were partially mitigated by increased legal and other professional fees during 2023.

Advertising and promotion expense declined $918,000, or 19%, during 2024 compared with 2023 as the Company employed a more targeted focus for sponsorships and contributions during 2024. Advertising and promotion expense increased $441,000, or 10%, during 2023 as compared with 2022.

Intangible amortization expense consists primarily of amortization associated with the core deposit intangible of acquired deposit portfolios. Intangible amortization decreased $808,000, or 28%, during 2024 compared with 2023 and decreased $871,000, or 23%, during 2023 compared with 2022. The decreases in both years were largely related to the accelerated method for which the intangible assets are amortized.

Other operating expenses increased $334,000, or 2%, during the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to the year ended December 31, 2023. Other operating expenses declined $3,864,000, or 16%, during the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the year ended December 31, 2022. The decline during 2023 compared with 2022 was attributable to acquisition- related costs that totaled approximately $3,862,000 in 2022. The acquisition-related costs were primarily vendor contract termination costs.

PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES

The Company records a provision for current income taxes payable, along with a provision for deferred taxes payable in the future. Deferred taxes arise from temporary differences, which are items recorded for financial statement purposes in a different period than for income tax returns. The Company’s effective tax rate was 19.5%, 17.1%, and 17.5%, respectively, in 2024, 2023, and 2022. The increase in effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2024 as compared to the same period of the prior year was primarily attributable to the previously mentioned sale of GAI assets and the securities restructuring transaction. The effective tax rate in all periods presented was lower than the blended statutory rate resulting primarily from the Company’s tax-exempt investment income on securities, loans and company-owned life insurance, income tax credits generated from affordable housing projects, and income generated by subsidiaries domiciled in a state with no state or local income tax.

See Note 11 to the Company’s consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this Report for additional details relative to the Company’s income tax provision.

CAPITAL RESOURCES

As of December 31, 2024, shareholders’ equity increased by $51.5 million to $715.1 million compared with $663.6 million at year-end 2023. The increase in shareholders’ equity was primarily attributable to the increase in retained earnings of $52.0 million due to net income of $83.8 million during 2024, which was partially offset by the payment of $31.8 million in shareholder dividends.

Shareholders’ equity represented 11.4% of total assets at December 31, 2024 and 10.8% of total assets at December 31, 2023. Shareholders’ equity included $183.0 million of goodwill and other intangible assets at December 31, 2024 compared to $186.7 million of goodwill and other intangible assets at December 31, 2023.

The Company’s Board of Directors previously approved a plan to repurchase up to 1.0 million shares of the Company’s outstanding common stock. On a share basis, the amount of common stock subject to the new repurchase plan represented approximately 3% of the Company’s outstanding shares on the date it was approved. The Company is not obligated to purchase any shares under the plan, and the plan may be discontinued at any time. The actual timing, number and share price of shares purchased under the repurchase plan will be determined by the Company at its discretion and will depend upon such factors as the market price of the stock, general market and economic conditions and applicable legal requirements. The Company has not repurchased any shares of common stock under the repurchase plan.

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the “IRA”), among other things, imposes a 1% excise tax on the fair market value of stock repurchased by publicly traded U.S. corporations, like the Company. With certain exceptions, the value of stock repurchased is determined net of stock issued in the year, including shares issued pursuant to compensatory arrangements.

Federal banking regulations provide guidelines for determining the capital adequacy of bank holding companies and banks. These guidelines provide for a more narrow definition of core capital and assign a measure of risk to the various categories of assets. The Company is required to maintain minimum levels of capital in proportion to total risk-weighted assets and off-balance sheet exposures.

The current risk-based capital rules, as adopted by federal banking regulators, are based upon guidelines developed by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision and reflect various requirements of the Dodd-Frank Act (the “Basel III Rules”). The Basel III Rules require banking organizations to, among other things, maintain a minimum ratio of Total Capital to risk-weighted assets, a minimum ratio of Tier 1 Capital to risk-weighted assets, a minimum ratio of “Common Equity Tier 1 Capital” to risk-weighted assets, and a minimum leverage ratio (calculated as the ratio of Tier 1 Capital to adjusted average consolidated assets). In addition, under the Basel III Rules, in order to avoid limitations on capital distributions, including dividend payments, the Company is required to maintain a 2.5% capital conservation buffer above the adequately capitalized regulatory capital ratios. At December 31, 2024, the capital levels for the Company and its subsidiary bank remained well in excess of the minimum amounts needed for capital adequacy purposes and the Bank’s capital levels met the necessary requirements to be considered well-capitalized.

The table below presents the Company’s consolidated and the subsidiary bank’s capital ratios under regulatory guidelines:

(1) Excludes capital conservation buffer.

As discussed in Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting Policies) of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Report, the Company adopted the CECL accounting standard under GAAP effective January 1, 2020. The regulatory capital rules applicable to the Company provided an optional three-year phase-in period for the day-one adverse regulatory capital effects of adopting CECL. In addition, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”), banking organizations were further permitted to mitigate the estimated cumulative regulatory capital effects of CECL for up to an additional two years. As a result, on January 1, 2022, the Company began the required three-year phase-in by reflecting 25% of the previously deferred estimated capital impact of CECL in its regulatory capital. An additional 25% was phased in on each of January 1, 2023, January 1, 2024, and January 1, 2025. As of January 1, 2025, the adverse cumulative effects of adopting CECL have been fully phased into our regulatory capital.

USES OF FUNDS

LOANS

December 31, 2024 total loans increased $155.4 million, or 4%, compared with December 31, 2023. The increase in total loans at December 31, 2024 compared with year-end 2023 was broad-based across most segments of the portfolio. Commercial and industrial loans increased $9.5 million, or 1%, commercial real estate loans grew $103.0 million, or 5%, agricultural loans increased $7.2 million, or 2%, and retail loans increased $35.6 million, or 18%.

December 31, 2023 total loans increased $189.3 million, or 5%, compared with December 31, 2022. The increase in total loans at December 31, 2023 compared with year-end 2022 was broad-based across most segments of the portfolio. Commercial real estate loans increased $155.0 million, or 8%, agricultural loans grew $6.4 million, or 2%, and retail loans increased $42.9 million, or 6%. Partially offsetting these increases was a modest decline in commercial and industrial loans of $15.0 million, or 2%, as line of credit utilization remains muted.

The Bank has certain lending policies and procedures in place that are designed to maximize loan income within an acceptable level of risk. Management reviews and approves these policies and procedures on a regular basis. A reporting system supplements the review process by providing management with frequent reports related to loan production, loan quality, concentration of credit, loan delinquencies and non-performing and potential problem loans. Diversification in the loan portfolio is a means of managing risk associated with fluctuations in economic conditions. As reflected in the table below, over the past several years (including 2024), the composition of the loan portfolio has remained relatively stable and diversified.

The portfolio is most heavily concentrated in commercial real estate loans at 54% of the portfolio in 2024, followed by commercial and industrial loans at 16% of the portfolio, and agricultural loans at 10% of the portfolio.

(dollars in thousands)

The Company’s policy is generally to extend credit to consumer and commercial borrowers in its primary geographic market area in southern Indiana and central and western Kentucky. Commercial extensions of credit outside this market area are generally concentrated in real estate loans within a reasonable proximity of the Company’s primary market and are granted on a selective basis.

The Company’s commercial real estate portfolio is well-diversified over numerous property types. The table below provides property type detail for the most significant segments of the Company’s commercial real estate loan portfolio.

The Company’s commercial real estate (“CRE”) loan portfolio is further diversified by occupancy type, with approximately 77% of the CRE portfolio being non-owner occupied at December 31, 2024 (which is 42% of the Company’s overall loan portfolio), and 23% of the CRE portfolio being owner occupied (which is 12% of the Company’s total loan portfolio). At December 31, 2023, the Company’s commercial real estate loan portfolio was diversified by occupancy type, with approximately 77% of the CRE portfolio being non-owner occupied (which was 41% of the Company’s overall loan portfolio), and 23% of the CRE portfolio being owner occupied (which was 12% of the Company’s total loan portfolio).

Commercial real estate loans are underwritten after evaluating and understanding the borrower’s ability to operate profitably and prudently expand its business. Like much of the Bank’s lending activities, the underwriting standards for commercial real estate are designed to promote relationship banking rather than transactional banking. Once it is determined that the borrower’s management possesses sound ethics and solid business acumen, our management examines market conditions and current and projected cash flows to determine the ability of the borrower to repay their obligations as agreed. Commercial real estate loans are viewed primarily as cash flow loans and secondarily as loans secured by real estate. As discussed above, the properties securing our commercial real estate portfolio are diverse in terms of property type, occupancy type, and geographic location. This diversity helps reduce the Bank’s exposure to adverse economic events that affect any single market or industry. Management will continue to monitor and evaluate commercial real estate loans based on collateral, geography and risk grade criteria.

The following table indicates the amounts of loans (excluding residential mortgages on 1-4 family residences and consumer loans) outstanding as of December 31, 2024, which, based on remaining scheduled repayments of principal, are due in the periods indicated (dollars in thousands).

INVESTMENTS

The investment portfolio is a principal source for funding the Company’s loan growth and other liquidity needs of its subsidiaries. The Company’s securities portfolio primarily consists of money market securities, collateralized and uncollateralized federal agency securities, municipal obligations of state and political subdivisions, and mortgage-backed securities and collateralized mortgage obligations (MBS/CMO - Residential) issued by U.S. government agencies. Money market securities include federal funds sold, interest-bearing balances with banks, and other short-term investments. The composition of the year-end balances in the investment portfolio is presented in Note 3 (Securities) of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Report and in the table below:

(1) n/m = not meaningful

The amortized cost of investment securities, including federal funds sold and short-term investments, increased $7.8 million, or less than 1%, at year-end 2024 compared to year-end 2023 and decreased $229.0 million, or 11%, at year-end 2023.

As previously discussed, during June and July 2024, the Company undertook a partial restructuring of its securities portfolio by selling available-for-sale securities totaling approximately $375.3 million in book value. The tax-equivalent yield on the bonds sold was approximately 3.12% with a duration of approximately 7 years. The proceeds from the securities sold were reinvested in the securities portfolio by the end of the third quarter of 2024.

The decline in the available for sale portfolio during 2023 compared with 2022 was primarily the result of the Company’s utilization of cash flows of approximately $171 million from the securities portfolio to fund loan growth and overall modest deposit declines. The decline in 2023 was broad-based across all areas of the investment portfolio. Mortgage related securities declined $85.5 million, or 10%, obligations of state and political subdivisions declined $49.3 million, or 5%, and US treasuries declined $64 million, or 100%, as compared to 2022.

As mentioned above, the Company undertook a partial restructuring of its securities portfolio in mid-2024, with the proceeds from the sales of securities being reinvested back into the securities portfolio. After the restructuring, the investment portfolio continues to be relatively balanced with agency issued mortgage related securities and collateralized and uncollateralized federal agency securities totaling $1.097 billion, or 57% of the total securities portfolio at December 31, 2024. The Company’s level of obligations of state and political subdivisions decreased to $588.0 million, or 31% of the portfolio at December 31, 2024.

(dollars in thousands)

In 2023, the Company utilized cash flows from the available for sale portfolio to fund loan growth and an overall modest decline in deposits. This cash flow utilization drove the decline in carrying value in the available for sale portfolio from 2023 to 2022, which was slightly offset by the fair value adjustments in the portfolio due to the change in interest rates. The Company’s $1.517 billion available-for-sale investment portfolio provides an additional funding source for the liquidity needs of the Company’s subsidiaries and for asset/liability management requirements. Although management has the ability to sell these securities if the need arises, their designation as available-for-sale should not necessarily be interpreted as an indication that management anticipates such sales.

The amortized cost of available-for-sale debt securities at December 31, 2024 is shown in the following table by contractual maturity. MBS/CMO - Residential securities are based on estimated average lives. Expected maturities will differ from contractual maturities because issuers may have the right to call or prepay obligations.

Maturities and Average Yields of Securities at December 31, 2024

(dollars in thousands)

A tax-equivalent adjustment using a tax rate of 21 percent was used in the above table.

CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS

In addition to the other uses of funds discussed previously, the Company has certain contractual obligations to make cash payments. These contractual obligations primarily consist of borrowings from the Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”), junior subordinated debentures, deposits, repurchase agreements, and lease commitments for certain office facilities. A summary of these payment obligations is set forth below.

(dollars in thousands)

In the normal course of business, the Company makes commitments to extend credit and commitments to sell loans, which are not reflected in its consolidated financial statements. For further information about such commitments, see Note 15

(Commitments and Off-balance Sheet Items) in Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Report.

SOURCES OF FUNDS

The Company’s primary source of funding is its base of core customer deposits. Core deposits consist of demand deposits, savings, interest-bearing checking, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit of less than $100,000. Other deposit sources include certificates of deposit of $100,000 or more. The deposit base remains diverse with stable and manageable exposure to uninsured and uncollateralized deposits of approximately 22% of total deposits.

Other funding sources include overnight borrowings from other financial institutions and securities sold under agreement to repurchase. The membership of the Company’s affiliate bank in the Federal Home Loan Bank System provides a significant additional source for both long and short-term collateralized borrowings. In addition, the Company, as a separate and distinct corporation from its bank and other subsidiaries, also has the ability to borrow funds from other financial institutions and to raise debt or equity capital from the capital markets and other sources. The following pages contain a discussion of changes in funding sources.

The table below illustrates changes between years in the average balances of all funding sources:

Maturities of certificates of deposit of $100,000 or more are summarized as follows:

(dollars in thousands)

CORE DEPOSITS

The Company’s overall level of average core deposits declined approximately $98.6 million, or 2%, during 2024 compared with 2023. The Company’s overall level of average core deposits declined approximately $622.8 million, or 11%, during 2023 compared with 2022. Competitive deposit pricing in the marketplace as well as customers actively looking for yield opportunities within and outside the banking industry are contributing factors to the decline in total deposits over the course of the past year. Throughout 2023, a meaningful level of the outflow of deposits experienced during the past year was captured within the Company’s wealth management group.

The Company’s ability to attract core deposits continues to be influenced by competition and the interest rate environment, as well as the availability of alternative investment products. The Company has continued to see customer movement from both interest bearing and non-interest bearing transactional accounts to time deposits due primarily to a higher interest rate environment. Core deposits continue to represent a significant funding source for the Company’s operations and represented 90% of average total funding sources during 2024 compared with 90% during 2023 and 94% during 2022.

Demand, savings, and money market deposits have provided a growing source of funding for the Company in each of the periods reported. Average demand, savings, and money market deposits declined 4% during 2024 and 12% in 2023. Average demand, savings, and money market deposits totaled $4.432 billion or 93% of core deposits (81% of total funding sources) in 2024 compared with $4.608 billion or 95% of core deposits (85% of total funding sources) in 2023 and $5.226 billion or 95% of core deposits (89% of total funding sources) in 2022.

Other time deposits consist of certificates of deposits in denominations of less than $100,000. These average deposits increased by 30% in 2024 following a decline of 2% during 2023. Other time deposits comprised 7% of core deposits in all periods presented.

OTHER FUNDING SOURCES

Certificates of deposits in denominations of $100,000 or more are an additional source of other funding for the Company’s bank subsidiary and are used as both long-term and short-term funding sources. On an average basis, large denomination certificates increased $207.1 million, or 63%, during 2024. This follows an increase of $118.8 million, or 56%, during 2023. Large certificate deposits comprised approximately 10% of average total funding sources in 2024 compared with 6% in 2023 and 4% in 2022. On an end of period basis, certificates of deposits in denominations of $100,000 or more increased $111.6 million, or 23%, during 2024 following an increase of $284.7 million, or 147%, during 2023. As previously discussed, customers seeking higher yield opportunities were a contributing factor to growth in this category of the Company’s funding sources.

The Company had no brokered deposits as of December 31, 2024 and 2023. The Company participates in a reciprocal deposit program. Reciprocal Deposits totaled $96.8 million at December 31, 2024 and $77.9 million at December 31, 2023.

FHLB advances and other borrowings represent an important source of other funding for the Company. Average borrowed funds decreased $14.4 million, or 7%, during 2024 following an increase of $51.8 million, or 33%, during 2023. Borrowings comprised approximately 4% of average total funding sources during 2024 and 2023 compared with 3% in 2022.

The bank subsidiary of the Company also utilizes short-term funding sources from time to time. These sources consist of overnight federal funds purchased from other financial institutions, secured repurchase agreements that generally mature within one day of the transaction date, and secured overnight variable rate borrowings from the FHLB and the Federal Reserve Bank. These borrowings represent an important source of short-term liquidity for the Company’s bank subsidiary.

The Company’s bank subsidiary is authorized by its Board to borrow up to $1.25 billion at the FHLB, but availability at December 31, 2024 was limited to approximately $470 million based on the then pledged collateral and outstanding borrowings. In addition, the Company had a borrowing capacity of approximately $595 million at the Federal Reserve Bank as of December 31, 2024, based on the then pledged collateral. The capacity for borrowings from the FHLB and the Federal Reserve Bank could be increased, in each case, by the Company pledging additional available collateral. The Company’s Asset/Liability Committee closely monitors the availability of these sources as part of its overall oversight and management of the bank subsidiary’s liquidity.

Long-term debt at the Company’s bank subsidiary is in the form of FHLB advances, which are secured by the pledge of certain investment securities, residential and housing-related mortgage loans, and certain other commercial real estate loans. See Note 8 (FHLB Advances and Other Borrowings) of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Report for further information regarding borrowed funds.

PARENT COMPANY FUNDING SOURCES

The parent company is a corporation separate and distinct from its bank and other subsidiaries. For information regarding the financial condition, result of operations, and cash flows of the Company, presented on a parent-company-only basis, see Note 18 (Parent Company Financial Statements) of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Report.

The Company uses funds at the parent company level to pay dividends to its shareholders, to acquire or make other investments in other businesses or their securities or assets, to repurchase its stock from time to time, and for other general corporate purposes. The parent company does not have access to the deposits and certain other sources of funds that are available to its bank subsidiary to support its operations. Instead, the parent company has historically derived most of its revenues from dividends paid to the parent company by its bank subsidiary. The Company’s banking subsidiary is subject to statutory restrictions on its ability to pay dividends to the parent company. See Note 9 (Shareholders’ Equity) of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Report, which is incorporated herein by reference. The parent company has, from time-to-time, supplemented the dividends received from its subsidiaries with borrowings. For details related to borrowings, see Note 8 (FHLB Advances and Other Borrowings) of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Report.

At year-end 2024, the Company had available to it a $15 million revolving line of credit facility that will mature on September 24, 2025. Borrowings are available for general working capital purposes. Interest is payable quarterly at a floating rate based upon term SOFR rate plus a margin payable in respect of any principal amounts advanced under the revolving line of credit. There was no outstanding balance as of December 31, 2024.

RISK MANAGEMENT

The Company is exposed to various types of business risk on an on-going basis. These risks include credit risk, liquidity risk and interest rate risk. Various procedures are employed at the Company’s subsidiary bank to monitor and mitigate risk in the loan and investment portfolios, as well as risks associated with changes in interest rates. Following is a discussion of the Company’s philosophies and procedures to address these risks.

LENDING AND LOAN ADMINISTRATION

Primary responsibility and accountability for day-to-day lending activities rests with the Company’s subsidiary bank. Loan personnel at the subsidiary bank have the authority to extend credit under guidelines approved by the Bank’s board of directors. The executive loan committee serves as a vehicle for communication and for the pooling of knowledge, judgment and experience of its members. The committee provides valuable input to lending personnel, acts as an approval body, and monitors the overall quality of the Bank’s loan portfolio. The Corporate Credit Risk Management Committee comprised of members of the Company’s and its subsidiary Bank’s executive officers and board of directors, strives to ensure a consistent application of the Company’s lending policies. The Company also maintains a comprehensive risk-grading and loan review program, which includes quarterly reviews of problem loans, delinquencies and charge-offs. The purpose of this program is to evaluate loan administration, credit quality, loan documentation and the adequacy of the allowance for credit losses.

The Company maintains an allowance for credit losses to cover management’s estimate of all expected credit losses over the expected contractual life of the loan portfolio. Management estimates the required level of allowance for credit losses using past loan loss experience, information about specific borrower situations and estimated collateral values, along with reasonable and supportable forecasts, judgmentally adjusted for economic, external and internal quantitative and qualitative factors and portfolio trends. Economic factors include evaluating changes in international, national, regional and local economic and business conditions that affect the collectability of the loan portfolio. Internal factors include evaluating changes in lending policies and procedures; changes in the nature and volume of the loan portfolio; and changes in experience, ability and depth of lending management and staff. Allocations of the allowance may be made for specific loans, but the entire allowance is available for any loan that, in management’s judgment, should be charged-off. Loan losses are charged against the allowance when management believes the uncollectibility of a loan balance is confirmed.

The allowance for credit losses is comprised of: (a) specific reserves on individual credits; and (b) general reserves for certain loan categories and industries, and overall historical loss experience; based on performance trends in the loan portfolios, current economic conditions, and other factors that influence the level of estimated credit losses. The need for specific reserves are considered for credits when: (a) the customer’s cash flow or net worth appears insufficient to repay the loan; (b) the loan has been criticized in a regulatory examination; (c) the loan is on non-accrual; or, (d) other reasons where the ultimate collectability of the loan is in question, or the loan characteristics require special monitoring.

The following table indicates the breakdown of the allowance for credit losses for the periods indicated (dollars in thousands):

The Company’s allowance for credit losses totaled $44.4 million at December 31, 2024 compared to $43.8 million at December 31, 2023. The allowance for credit losses represented 1.08% of period-end loans at December 31, 2024 compared with 1.10% of period-end loans at December 31, 2023.

The Company adopted ASU No. 2016-13, Financial instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326) on January 1, 2020. The Company added $9.4 million to the allowance for credit losses in conjunction with the closing of the CUB acquisition on January 1, 2022 related to the CUB loan portfolio. Of the increase in allowance for credit losses for the CUB portfolio, $6.3 million was recorded through the provision for credit losses on “Day 1” under the CECL model for non-PCD loans. The Company also acquired $29.9 million in PCD loans (at time of acquisition) for which the company recorded a credit adjustment of $3.1 million which was included in the allowance for credit losses.

The Company realized net charge-offs of $2,104,000, or 0.05% of average loans outstanding, during 2024 compared with $2,953,000, or 0.08% of average loans outstanding, during 2023 and $2,316,000, or 0.06% of average loans outstanding, during 2022.

Please see “RESULTS OF OPERATIONS - Provision for Credit Losses” and “CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES - Allowance for Credit Losses” for additional information regarding the allowance.

NON-PERFORMING ASSETS

Non-performing assets consist of: (a) non-accrual loans; (b) loans which have been renegotiated to provide for a reduction or deferral of interest or principal because of deterioration in the financial condition of the borrower; (c) loans past due 90 days or more as to principal or interest; and, (d) other real estate owned. Loans are placed on non-accrual status when scheduled principal or interest payments are past due for 90 days or more or when the borrower’s ability to repay becomes doubtful. Uncollected accrued interest is reversed against income at the time a loan is placed on non-accrual. Loans are typically charged-off at 180 days past due, or earlier if deemed uncollectible. Exceptions to the non-accrual and charge-off policies are made when the loan is well secured and in the process of collection. The following table presents an analysis of the Company’s non-performing assets.

(dollars in thousands)

The following tables present an analysis of the Company’s non-accrual loans and loans past due 90 days or more and still accruing.

(dollars in thousands)

(dollars in thousands)

Non-performing assets totaled $11.1 million, or 0.18% of total assets, at December 31, 2024 compared to $9.2 million, or 0.15% of total assets, at December 31, 2023 and compared to $14.3 million, or 0.23% of total assets, at December 31, 2022. Non-performing loans totaled $11.1 million, or 0.27% of total loans, at December 31, 2024 compared with $9.2 million, or 0.23% of total loans, at December 31, 2023 and compared with $14.3 million, or 0.38% of total loans, at December 31, 2022.

Total non-performing loans increased in 2024 as compared to 2023; however, there is no significant loss exposure on this increase. The decline in the level of non-performing commercial and industrial loans and leases during 2023 was primarily attributable to the resolution of a single commercial borrowing relationship with minimal loss recognition for which the Company had established a significant reserve in previous periods.

For additional detail on individually analyzed loans, see Note 5 (Loans) of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Report.

Interest income recognized on non-performing loans for 2024 was $724,000. The gross interest income that would have been recognized in 2024 on non-performing loans if the loans had been current in accordance with their original terms was $1,040,000. Loans are typically placed on non-accrual status when scheduled principal or interest payments are past due for 90 days or more, unless the loan is well secured and in the process of collection.

LIQUIDITY AND INTEREST RATE RISK MANAGEMENT

Liquidity is a measure of the ability of the Company’s subsidiary bank to fund new loan demand, existing loan commitments and deposit withdrawals. The purpose of liquidity management is to match sources of funds with anticipated customer borrowings and withdrawals and other obligations to ensure a dependable funding base, without unduly penalizing earnings. Failure to properly manage liquidity requirements can result in the need to satisfy customer withdrawals and other obligations on less than desirable terms. The liquidity of the parent company is dependent upon the receipt of dividends from its bank subsidiary, which are subject to certain regulatory limitations explained in Note 9 (Shareholders’ Equity) of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Report. The subsidiary bank’s source of funding is predominately core deposits, time deposits in excess of $100,000 and brokered certificates of deposit, maturities of securities, repayments of loan principal and interest, federal funds purchased, securities sold under agreements to repurchase and borrowings from the Federal Home Loan Bank and Federal Reserve Bank.

Interest rate risk is the exposure of the Company’s financial condition to adverse changes in market interest rates. In an effort to estimate the impact of sustained interest rate movements to the Company’s earnings, the Company monitors interest rate risk through computer-assisted simulation modeling of its net interest income. The Company’s simulation modeling monitors the potential impact to net interest income under various interest rate scenarios. The Company’s objective is to actively manage its asset/liability position within a one-year interval and to limit the risk in any of the interest rate scenarios to a reasonable level of tax-equivalent net interest income within that interval. The Company’s Asset/Liability Committee monitors compliance within established guidelines of the Funds Management Policy. See Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk section for further discussion regarding interest rate risk.

The Company’s exposure to market risk is reviewed on a regular basis by the Asset/Liability Committee and Boards of Directors of the parent company and its subsidiary bank. Primary market risks which impact the Company’s operations are liquidity risk and interest rate risk.

The liquidity of the parent company is dependent upon the receipt of dividends from its subsidiary bank, which is subject to certain regulatory limitations. The Bank’s source of funding is predominately core deposits, maturities of securities, repayments of loan principal and interest, federal funds purchased, securities sold under agreements to repurchase and borrowings from the Federal Home Loan Bank and the Federal Reserve Bank.

The Company monitors interest rate risk by the use of computer simulation modeling to estimate the potential impact on its net interest income under various interest rate scenarios, and by estimating its static interest rate sensitivity position. Another method by which the Company’s interest rate risk position can be estimated is by computing estimated changes in its net portfolio value (“NPV”). This method estimates interest rate risk exposure from movements in interest rates by using interest rate sensitivity analysis to determine the change in the NPV of discounted cash flows from assets and liabilities. NPV represents the market value of portfolio equity and is equal to the estimated market value of assets minus the estimated market value of liabilities.

Computations for measuring both net interest income and NPV are based on a number of assumptions, including the relative levels of market interest rates and prepayments in mortgage loans and certain types of investments. These computations do not contemplate any actions management may undertake in response to changes in interest rates, and should not be relied upon as indicative of actual results. In addition, certain shortcomings are inherent in the method of computing both net interest income and NPV. Should interest rates remain or decrease below current levels, the proportion of adjustable rate loans could decrease in future periods due to refinancing activity. In the event of an interest rate change, prepayment levels would likely be different from those assumed in the modeling. Lastly, the ability of many borrowers to repay their adjustable rate debt may decline during a rising interest rate environment.

The Company from time to time utilizes derivatives to manage interest rate risk. Management continuously evaluates the merits of such interest rate risk products but does not anticipate the use of such products to become a major part of the Company’s risk management strategy.

The table below provides an assessment of the risk to net interest income over the next 12 months in the event of a sudden and sustained 1% and 2% increase and decrease in prevailing interest rates (dollars in thousands).

Interest Rate Sensitivity as of December 31, 2024 - Net Interest Income

The above table is a measurement of the Company’s net interest income at risk, assuming a static balance sheet as of December 31, 2024 and instantaneous parallel changes in interest rates. The Company also monitors interest rate risk under other scenarios including a more gradual movement in market interest rates. This type of scenario can at times produce different modeling results in measuring interest rate risk sensitivity.

The table below provides an assessment of the risk to NPV in the event of a sudden and sustained 1% and 2% increase and decrease in prevailing interest rates (dollars in thousands).

Interest Rate Sensitivity as of December 31, 2024 - Net Portfolio Value

The above discussion, and the portions of MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS in Item 7 of this Report that are referenced in the above discussion contain statements relating to future results of the Company that are considered “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements relate to, among other things, simulation of the impact on net interest income from changes in interest rates. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied therein as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including those risks and uncertainties expressed above, those that are described in MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS in Item 7 of this Report, and those that are described in Item 1 of this Report, “Business,” under the caption “Forward-Looking Statements and Associated Risks,” which discussions are incorporated herein by reference.

Disclosure Controls and Procedures

As of December 31, 2024, the Company carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of its principal executive officer and principal financial officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of its disclosure controls and procedures. Based on this evaluation, the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures are effective in timely alerting them to material information required to be included in the Company’s periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. There are inherent limitations to the effectiveness of systems of disclosure controls and procedures, including the possibility of human error and the circumvention or overriding of the controls and procedures. Accordingly, even effective systems of disclosure controls and procedures can provide only reasonable assurances of achieving their control objectives.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting in Most Recent Fiscal Quarter

There was no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the Company’s fourth fiscal quarter of 2024 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

The management of the Company is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Company’s internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. The Company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that: (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the Company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. Management assessed the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2024. In making this assessment, management used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) in the 2013 Internal Control-Integrated Framework. Based on our assessment and those criteria, management concluded that the Company maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2024.

The Company’s independent registered public accounting firm has issued their report on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. That report is included in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data of this Report under the heading, Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.