NOTE 6: LOANS AND ALLOWANCE FOR CREDIT LOSSES

The Company adopted ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, effective January 1, 2021. The guidance replaces the incurred loss methodology with an expected loss methodology that is referred to as the CECL methodology. The measurement of expected credit losses under the CECL methodology is applicable to financial assets measured at amortized cost, including loan receivables. It also applies to off-balance sheet credit exposures not accounted for as insurance, including loan commitments, standby letters of credits, financial guarantees, and other similar instruments.

Classes of loans at March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024 were as follows:

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Classes of loans by aging were as follows as of the dates indicated.

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Loans are placed on nonaccrual status at 90 days past due and interest is considered a loss unless the loan is well secured and in the process of collection. Payments received on nonaccrual loans are applied to principal until the loans are returned to accrual status. Loans are returned to accrual status when all payments contractually due are brought current, payment performance is sustained for a period of time, generally six months, and future payments are reasonably assured. With the exception of consumer loans, charge-offs on loans are recorded when available information indicates a loan is not fully collectible and the loss is reasonably quantifiable. Consumer loans are charged-off at specified delinquency dates consistent with regulatory guidelines.

Nonaccruing loans are summarized as follows:

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No interest income was recorded on nonaccrual loans for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.

Nonaccrual loans for which there is no related allowance for credit losses as of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, had an amortized cost of $3.3 million and $2.2 million, respectively. These loans are individually assessed and do not require an allowance due to being adequately collateralized under the collateral-dependent valuation method. A collateral-dependent loan is a financial asset for which the repayment is expected to be provided substantially through the operation or sale of the collateral when the borrower is experiencing financial difficulty based on the Company’s assessment as of the reporting date. Collateral-dependent loans are identified primarily by a classified risk rating with a loan balance equal to or greater than $100,000, including, but not limited to, any loan in process of foreclosure or repossession.

The following table presents the activity in the allowance for credit losses by portfolio segment for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024. During the three months ended March 31, 2025, the Company did not record a provision expense on its portfolio of outstanding loans. During the three months ended March 31, 2024, the Company recorded provision expense of $500,000 on its portfolio of outstanding loans.

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The following table presents the activity in the allowance for unfunded commitments by portfolio segment for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024. The provision for losses on unfunded commitments for the three months ended March 31, 2025 was a credit (negative expense) of $348,000, compared to a provision expense of $130,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2024.

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The portfolio segments used in the preceding tables correspond to the loan classes used in all other tables in Note 6 as follows:

The following table presents the amortized cost basis of collateral-dependent loans by class of loans:

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Modified Loans. In March 2022, the FASB issued ASU 2022-02, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Troubled Debt Restructurings and Vintage Disclosures. ASU 2022-02 eliminates the troubled debt restructuring (TDR) recognition and measurement guidance and, instead, requires that an entity evaluate whether the loan modification represents a new loan or a continuation of an existing loan. It also enhances disclosure requirements and introduces new disclosure requirements related to certain modifications of receivables made to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty. Adoption of this ASU on January 1, 2023 did not have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations, financial position or liquidity, but resulted in additional disclosure requirements related to gross charge offs by vintage year and the removal of TDR disclosures, replaced by additional disclosures on the types of modifications of loans to borrowers experiencing financial difficulties. The Company has adopted this update prospectively. Loan modifications are reported if concessions have been granted to borrowers that are experiencing financial difficulty.

The estimate of lifetime expected losses utilized in the allowance for credit losses model is developed using average historical loss on loans with similar risk characteristics, which includes losses from modifications of loans to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty. As a result, a charge to the allowance for credit losses is generally not recorded upon modification. For modifications to loans made to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty that are adversely classified, the Company determines the allowance for credit losses on an individual basis, using the same process that it utilizes for other adversely classified loans. If collection efforts have begun and the modified loan is subsequently deemed collateral-dependent, the loan is placed on nonaccrual status and the allowance for credit losses is determined based on an individual evaluation. If necessary, the loan is charged down to fair market value less estimated sales costs.

The following tables show, as of the dates indicated, the composition of modifications made to loans to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty, by the loan class and type of concession granted. During the three months ended March 31, 2025, principal forgiveness of $7,000 was completed on consumer loans. During the three ended March 31, 2024, principal forgiveness of $14,000 was completed on consumer loans.

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The Company closely monitors the performance of loans to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty that are modified to understand the effectiveness of its modification efforts. The following tables depict the performance of loans (under modified terms) at March 31, 2025 and at December 31, 2024, respectively:

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Loan Risk Ratings. The Company utilizes an internal risk rating system comprised of a series of grades to categorize loans according to perceived risk associated with the expectation of debt repayment. The analysis of the borrower’s ability to repay considers specific information, including, but not limited to, current financial information, historical payment experience, industry information and collateral levels and types. A risk rating is assigned at loan origination and then monitored throughout the contractual term for possible risk rating changes.

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Satisfactory loans range from Excellent to Moderate Risk, but generally are loans supported by strong recent financial statements. The character and capacity of the borrower are solid, including reasonable project performance, good industry experience, liquidity and/or net worth. The probability of financial deterioration seems unlikely. Repayment is expected from approved sources over a reasonable period of time.

Watch loans are identified when the borrower has capacity to perform according to terms; however, elements of uncertainty exist. Margins of debt service coverage may be narrow, historical patterns of financial performance may be erratic, collateral margins may be diminished or the borrower may be a new and/or thinly capitalized company. Some management weakness on the part of the borrower may also exist, the borrower may have somewhat limited access to other financial institutions, and that access may diminish in difficult economic times.

Special Mention loans have weaknesses that deserve management’s close attention. If left uncorrected, these potential weaknesses may result in deterioration of repayment prospects or the Bank’s credit position at some future date. This is a transitional grade closely monitored for improvement or deterioration.

The Substandard rating is applied to loans where the borrower exhibits well-defined weaknesses that jeopardize its continued performance and are of a severity that the distinct possibility of default exists. Loans are placed on “nonaccrual” when management does not expect to collect payments consistent with acceptable and agreed upon terms of repayment.

Doubtful loans have all the weaknesses inherent to those classified Substandard with the added characteristic that the weaknesses make collection or liquidation in full, on the basis of currently existing facts, highly questionable and improbable.

The Loss category is used when loans are considered uncollectable and no longer included as an asset.

All loans are analyzed for risk rating updates regularly. For larger loans, rating assessments may be more frequent if relevant information is obtained earlier through debt covenant monitoring or overall relationship management. Smaller loans are monitored as identified by the loan officer based on the risk profile of the individual borrower or if the loan becomes past due related to credit issues. Loans rated Watch, Special Mention, Substandard or Doubtful are subject to formal quarterly review and continuous monitoring processes. In addition to the regular monitoring performed by the lending personnel and credit committees, loans are subject to review by the credit review department, which verifies the appropriateness of the risk ratings for the loans chosen as part of its risk-based review plan.

The following tables present a summary of loans by category and risk rating separated by origination and loan class as of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024.

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