Annual Report for Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2025 (Form 10-K)

Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

The Company's primary market risk exposure is interest-rate risk and, to a lesser extent, liquidity risk. All of the Company's transactions are denominated in U.S. dollars with no specific foreign exchange exposure.

Interest-rate risk is the exposure of a banking organization's financial condition to adverse movements in interest rates. Accepting this risk can be an important source of profitability and shareholder value. However, excessive levels of interest-rate risk can pose a significant threat to the Company's earnings and capital base. Accordingly, effective risk management that maintains interest-rate risk at prudent levels is essential to the Company's safety and soundness.

Evaluating a financial institution's exposure to changes in interest rates includes assessing both the adequacy of the management process used to control interest-rate risk and the organization's quantitative level of exposure. When assessing the interest-rate risk management process, the Company seeks to ensure that appropriate policies, procedures, management information systems and internal controls are in place to maintain interest-rate risk at prudent levels with consistency and continuity. Evaluating the quantitative level of interest rate risk exposure requires the Company to assess the existing and potential future effects of changes in interest rates on its consolidated financial condition, including capital adequacy, earnings, liquidity and, where appropriate, asset quality.

The Federal Reserve Board, together with the OCC and FDIC, adopted a Joint Agency Policy Statement on interest-rate risk, effective June 26, 1996. The policy statement provides guidance to examiners and bankers on sound practices for managing interest-rate risk, which will form the basis for ongoing evaluation of the adequacy of interest-rate risk management at supervised institutions. The policy statement also outlines fundamental elements of sound management that have been identified in prior Federal Reserve guidance and discusses the importance of these elements in the context of managing interest-rate risk. Specifically, the guidance emphasizes the need for active board of director and senior management oversight and a comprehensive risk-management process that effectively identifies, measures, and controls interest-rate risk. Financial institutions derive their income primarily from the excess of interest collected over interest paid. The rates of interest an institution earns on its assets and owes on its liabilities generally are established contractually for a period of time. Since market interest rates change over time, an institution is exposed to lower profit margins (or losses) if it cannot adapt to interest-rate changes. For example, assume that an institution's assets carry intermediate- or long-term fixed rates and that those assets were funded with short-term liabilities. If market interest rates rise by the time the short-term liabilities must be refinanced, the increase in the institution's interest expense on its liabilities may not be sufficiently offset if assets continue to earn at the long-term fixed rates. Accordingly, an institution's profits could decrease on existing assets because the institution will have either lower net interest income or, possibly, net interest expense. Similar risks exist when assets are subject to contractual interest-rate ceilings, or rate sensitive assets are funded by longer-term, fixed-rate liabilities in a decreasing-rate environment.

Several techniques may be used by an institution to minimize interest-rate risk. One approach used by the Company is to periodically analyze its assets and liabilities and make future financing and investment decisions based on payment streams, interest rates, contractual maturities, and estimated sensitivity to actual or potential changes in market interest rates. Such activities fall under the broad definition of asset/liability management. The Company's primary asset/liability management technique is the measurement of the Company's asset/liability gap, that is, the difference between the cash flow amounts of interest sensitive assets and liabilities that will be refinanced (or repriced) during a given period. For example, if the asset amount to be repriced exceeds the corresponding liability amount for a certain day, month, year, or longer period, the institution is in an asset sensitive gap position. In this situation, net interest income would increase if market interest rates rose or decrease if market interest rates fell.

If, alternatively, more liabilities than assets will reprice, the institution is in a liability sensitive position. Accordingly, net interest income would decline when rates rose and increase when rates fell. Also, these examples assume that interest rate changes for assets and liabilities are of the same magnitude, whereas actual interest rate changes generally differ in magnitude for assets and liabilities.

Several ways an institution can manage interest-rate risk include selling existing assets or repaying certain liabilities and matching repricing periods for new assets and liabilities, for example, by shortening terms of new loans or securities. Financial institutions are also subject to prepayment risk in falling rate environments. For example, mortgage loans and other financial assets may be prepaid by a debtor so that the debtor may refinance its obligations at new, lower rates. The Company does not have significant derivative financial instruments and does not intend to purchase a significant amount of such instruments in the near future. Prepayments of assets carrying higher rates reduce the Company's interest income and overall asset yields. A large portion of an institution's liabilities may be short term or due on demand, while most of its assets may be invested in long term loans or securities. Accordingly,

the Company seeks to have in place sources of cash to meet short-term demands. These funds can be obtained by increasing deposits, borrowing, or selling assets. Also, FHLB advances and wholesale borrowings may be used as important sources of liquidity for the Company.

The following table provides information about the Company's financial instruments that were sensitive to changes in interest rates as of December 31, 2025 and 2024, based on certain prepayment and account decay assumptions that management believes are reasonable. Although the Company had derivative financial instruments as of December 31, 2025 and 2024, the changes in fair value of the assets and liabilities of the underlying contracts offset each other. For more information about derivative financial instruments, see Note 22 to the Consolidated Financial Statements. Expected maturity date values for interest-bearing core deposits were calculated based on estimates of the period over which the deposits would be outstanding. The Company's borrowings were tabulated by contractual maturity dates and without regard to any conversion or repricing dates.

Net Portfolio Value

The modeled non-linear response in certain declining rate scenarios reflects the impact of the prepayment assumptions, embedded optionality in mortgage-related assets, and deposit behavior assumptions used in the Company's interest rate risk models. The change in net portfolio value from December 31, 2024 to December 31, 2025, can be attributed to changes in both volume and mix of assets and funding sources. The volume of loans has increased, and the asset mix remains centered on loans. The volume of certificates of deposit has increased and both non-maturing deposits and borrowed money have increased. The volume and mix shifts in 2025 contributed to an increase in the base net portfolio value. Beyond the change in the base level of net portfolio value, projected movements in rates, up or down, would also lead to changes in market values.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

Allowance for Credit losses:The allowance for credit losses is regularly reviewed by management to determine that the amount is considered adequate to absorb probable losses in the loan portfolio. If not, an additional provision is made to increase the allowance. This evaluation includes specific loss estimates on certain individually evaluated loans, the pooling of commercial credits risk graded as special mention and substandard that are not individually analyzed, and general loss estimates that are based upon the size, quality, and concentration characteristics of the various loan portfolios, adverse situations that may affect a borrower's ability to repay, and current economic and industry conditions, among other items.

Those judgments and assumptions that are most critical to the application of this accounting policy are assessing the initial and on-going credit-worthiness of the borrower, the amount and timing of future cash flows of the borrower that are available for repayment of the loan, the sufficiency of underlying collateral, the enforceability of third-party guarantees, the frequency and subjectivity of loan reviews and risk ratings, emerging or changing trends that might not be fully captured in the historical loss experience, and charges against the allowance for actual losses that are greater than previously estimated. These judgments and assumptions are dependent upon or can be influenced by a variety of factors, including the breadth and depth of experience of lending officers, credit administration and the corporate loan review staff that periodically review the status of the loan, changing economic and industry conditions, changes in the financial condition of the borrower and changes in the value and availability of the underlying collateral and guarantees.

Note 1 and Note 5 to the Consolidated Financial Statements provide additional information regarding the Allowance for Credit losses.

Goodwill:The Company accounts for business combinations using the acquisition method of accounting. Accordingly, the identifiable assets acquired and the liabilities assumed are recorded at their estimated fair values as of the date of acquisition with any excess of the cost of the acquisition over the fair value recorded as goodwill. The Company performs an evaluation of goodwill for impairment on an annual basis, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the asset might be impaired. The evaluation for impairment involves comparing the current estimated fair value of the Company to its carrying value. If the current estimated fair value exceeds the carrying value, no additional testing is required and an impairment loss is not recorded. If the estimated fair value is less than the carrying value, further valuation procedures are performed that could result in impairment of goodwill being recorded. Management estimated the fair value of the Reporting Unit as of the measurement date utilizing four valuation approaches: the comparable transactions approach, the control premium approach, the public market peers control premium approach and the discounted cash flow approach. These approaches were all considered in reaching a conclusion on fair value. The estimated fair value of the Reporting Unit was then compared to the current carrying value to determine if impairment had occurred. It is our opinion that, as of the November 30, 2025 measurement date, the aggregate fair value of the Reporting Unit exceeds the carrying value of the Reporting Unit. Therefore management concluded that goodwill was not impaired and made no adjustment in 2025.

Income Taxes:Management's determination of the realization of net deferred tax assets is based upon management's judgment of various future events and uncertainties, including the timing and amount of future income, as well as the implementation of various tax planning strategies to maximize realization of the deferred tax assets. A valuation allowance is provided when it is more likely than not that some portion of the deferred tax asset will not be realized.

Management analyzes material tax positions taken in any income tax return for any tax jurisdiction and determines the likelihood of the positions being sustained in a tax examination. A tax position is recognized as a benefit only if it is "more likely than not" that the tax position would be sustained in a tax examination, with a tax examination being presumed to occur. The amount recognized is the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized on examination. For tax positions not meeting the "more likely than not" test, no tax benefit is recorded.

Available for Sale ("AFS") Debt Securities:For AFS securities in an unrealized loss position, management assesses whether (i) we intend to sell, or (ii) it is more likely than not that we will be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis. If either case is affirmative, any previously recognized allowances are charged-off and the security's amortized cost is written down to fair value through income. If neither case is affirmative, the security is evaluated to determine 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 any adverse conditions specifically related to the security, among other factors. If this assessment indicates that a credit loss exists, the present value of cash flows expected to be collected from the security are compared to 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, a credit loss exists and an allowance for credit losses is recorded for the credit loss, limited by the amount that the fair value is less than the amortized cost basis. Any impairment that has not been recorded through an allowance for credit losses is recognized in other comprehensive income. Adjustments to the allowance are reported in our income statement as a component of credit loss expense. AFS securities are charged-off against the allowance or, in the absence of any allowance, written down through income when deemed uncollectible by management or when either of the aforementioned criteria regarding intent or requirement to sell is met.

Pension Benefits:Pension costs and liabilities are dependent on assumptions used in calculating such amounts. These assumptions include discount rates, benefits earned, interest costs, expected return on plan assets, mortality rates, and other factors. In accordance with GAAP, actual results that differ from the assumptions are accumulated and amortized over future periods and, therefore, generally affect recognized expense and the recorded obligation of future periods. While management believes that the assumptions used are appropriate, differences in actual experience or changes in assumptions may affect the Company's pension obligations and future expense. Our pension benefits are described further in Note 15 to the "Consolidated Financial Statements."

Derivative Financial Instruments: In the ordinary course of business, the Company enters into derivative financial instruments in connection with its asset/liability management activities and to accommodate the needs of its customers. Derivative financial instruments are stated at fair value on the Consolidated Statement of Conditions with changes in fair value reposted in current earnings.