NOTE 9: Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities

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Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. GAAP requires that valuation techniques maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. GAAP also establishes a fair value hierarchy which prioritizes the valuation inputs into three broad levels. Based on the underlying inputs, each fair value measurement in its entirety is reported in one of the three levels. These levels are:

GAAP allows an entity the irrevocable option to elect fair value (the fair value option) for the initial and subsequent measurement for certain financial assets and liabilities on a contract-by-contract basis.  The Corporation has elected to use fair value accounting for its entire portfolio of loans held for sale (LHFS).

Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis

The following describes the valuation techniques and inputs used by the Corporation in determining the fair value of certain assets recorded at fair value on a recurring basis in the financial statements.

Securities available for sale. The Corporation primarily values its investment portfolio using Level 2 fair value measurements, but may also use Level 1 or Level 3 measurements if required by the composition of the portfolio. At March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, the Corporation’s entire securities portfolio was comprised of investments in

debt securities classified as available for sale, which were valued using Level 2 fair value measurements. The Corporation has contracted with third party portfolio accounting service vendors for valuation of its securities portfolio. The vendors’ sources for security valuation are ICE Data Services (ICE), London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) and Bloomberg Valuation Service (BVAL).  Each source provides opinions, known as evaluated prices, as to the value of individual securities based on model-based pricing techniques that are partially based on available market data, including prices for similar instruments in active markets and prices for identical assets in markets that are not active. ICE provides evaluated prices for the Corporation’s obligations of states and political subdivisions category of securities.  ICE uses proprietary pricing models and pricing systems, mathematical tools and judgment to determine an evaluated price for a security based upon a hierarchy of market information regarding that security or securities with similar characteristics.  LSEG and BVAL provide evaluated prices for the Corporation’s U.S. treasury, government agencies and corporations, mortgage-backed, and corporate categories of securities.  U.S. treasury securities and fixed-rate callable securities of U.S. government agencies and corporations are individually evaluated on an option adjusted spread basis for callable issues or on a nominal spread basis incorporating the term structure of agency market spreads and the appropriate risk free benchmark curve for non-callable issues.  Pass-through mortgage-backed securities (MBS) in the mortgage-backed category are grouped into aggregate categories defined by issuer program, weighted average coupon, and weighted average maturity.  Each aggregate category is benchmarked to relative to-be-announced mortgage-backed securities (TBA securities) or other benchmark prices. TBA securities prices are obtained from market makers and live trading systems. Collateralized mortgage obligations in the mortgage-backed category are individually evaluated based upon a hierarchy of security specific information and market data regarding that security or securities with similar characteristics.  Each evaluation is determined using an option adjusted spread and prepayment model based on volatility-driven, multi-dimensional spread tables. Fixed-rate securities issued by the Small Business Association in the mortgage-backed category are individually evaluated based upon a hierarchy of security specific information and market data regarding that security or securities with similar characteristics.

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Other investments. The Corporation holds equity investments in funds that provide debt and equity financing to small businesses. These investments are recorded at fair value and included in “Other Assets” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.  Changes in fair value are recognized in “Investment income from other equity interests” on the Consolidated Statements of Income. The funds are managed by investment companies, and the net asset value of each fund is reported regularly by the investment companies. At March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, the combined fair value of these investments was $1.63 million and $1.66 million, respectively.  These investments, measured at net asset value, are not presented in the tables below related to fair value measurements. Changes in fair value of these investments resulted in the recognition of unrealized gains of $71,000 and $59,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025, respectively.

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The Corporation also holds certain equity investments consisting of equity interests in an independent insurance agency and a full service title and settlement agency (collectively, the agencies). These investments are subject to contractual sale restrictions that only permit the sale of the investments back to the agencies themselves.  At March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, the fair value of these investments was $4.41 million and $4.43 million, respectively. These investments are recorded at fair value based on the contractual redemption value of the Corporation’s proportionate share of the agencies’ equity.  Changes in fair value are recognized in “Investment income from other equity interests” on the Consolidated Statements of Income and resulted in the recognition of unrealized gains of $301,000 and $148,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025, respectively. The Corporation’s investments in these agencies are classified as Level 2.

Loans held for sale. Fair value of the Corporation’s LHFS is based on observable market prices for similar instruments traded in the secondary mortgage loan markets in which the Corporation conducts business. The Corporation’s portfolio of LHFS is classified as Level 2.

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Derivative asset - IRLCs. The Corporation recognizes IRLCs at fair value. Fair value of IRLCs is based on either (i) the price of the underlying loans obtained from an investor for loans that will be delivered on a best efforts basis or (ii) the observable price for individual loans traded in the secondary market for loans that will be delivered on a mandatory basis. All of the Corporation’s IRLCs are classified as Level 2.

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Rabbi trust assets. The Corporation’s rabbi trust holds assets intended to be used to fund the liability associated with its deferred compensation plan. The assets held by the rabbi trust are invested at the direction of the individual participants,

generally in marketable investment securities such as common stocks and mutual funds or short-term investments (e.g., cash), and are measured at fair value. Rabbi trust assets and the associated deferred compensation plan liability are included in other assets and other liabilities, respectively, in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Corporation’s rabbi trust assets are classified as Level 1.

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Derivative asset/liability – interest rate swaps on loans. The Corporation recognizes interest rate swaps at fair value.  The Corporation has contracted with a third party vendor to provide valuations for these interest rate swaps using the discounted cash flow method. All of the Corporation’s interest rate swaps on loans are classified as Level 2.

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Derivative asset/liability – cash flow hedges. The Corporation recognizes cash flow hedges at fair value. The Corporation has contracted with a third party vendor to provide valuations for these cash flow hedges using the discounted cash flow method.  All of the Corporation’s cash flow hedges are classified as Level 2.

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The following table presents the balances of financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis. The fair value of forward sales of mortgage loans were not material to the consolidated financial statements of the Corporation at March 31, 2026 or December 31, 2025.

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Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Nonrecurring Basis

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The Corporation may be required, from time to time, to measure and recognize certain assets at fair value on a nonrecurring basis in accordance with GAAP. The following describes the valuation techniques and inputs used by the Corporation in determining the fair value of certain assets recorded at fair value on a nonrecurring basis in the financial statements.

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OREO. OREO is held for sale and initially recorded at fair value less estimated costs to sell. Initial fair value is based upon appraisals the Corporation obtains from independent licensed appraisers or recent sales of similar properties and general market conditions. Subsequently, management periodically performs valuations of the assets based on updated appraisals, general market conditions, recent sales of similar properties, length of time the properties have been held, and our ability and intent with regard to continued ownership of the properties. The Corporation may incur additional write-downs of OREO to fair value less estimated costs to sell if valuations indicate a further deterioration in market conditions. As such, the Corporation records OREO as a nonrecurring fair value measurement classified as Level 3. At December 31, 2025, OREO was comprised of a property previously used by the Bank as a branch, which was consolidated into a nearby branch in 2024.

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Collateral dependent loans. When a borrower is experiencing financial difficulty and repayment is expected substantially through the sale of the collateral, the loan is individually evaluated for purposes of estimating the allowance for credit losses and may be recorded at the fair value of the underlying collateral less estimated costs to sell. The level of the allowance for credit losses is recorded to reflect the net amount expected to be collected. The Corporation obtains an appraisal from independent licensed appraisers with relevant industry experience. When a collateral dependent loan is measured at fair value based solely on observable market prices or a current appraisal without further adjustments for unobservable inputs, the nonrecurring fair value measurement is classified as Level 2. The Corporation may adjust the appraised value based on recent sales of similar properties or general market conditions when appropriate and as such, records the collateral dependent loan where the borrower is experiencing financial difficulty as a nonrecurring fair value measurement classified as Level 3. At March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, the Corporation had no collateral dependent loans where the borrower is experiencing financial difficulty.  

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The following table presents the balances of assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis at December 31, 2025. There were no assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis at March 31, 2026.

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Fair Value of Financial Instruments

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FASB ASC 825, Financial Instruments, requires disclosure about fair value of financial instruments, including those financial assets and financial liabilities that are not required to be measured and reported at fair value on a recurring or nonrecurring basis. ASC 825 excludes certain financial instruments and all nonfinancial instruments from its disclosure requirements. Accordingly, the aggregate fair value amounts presented may not necessarily represent the underlying fair value of the Corporation. The Corporation uses the exit price notion in calculating the fair values of financial instruments not measured at fair value on a recurring basis.

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The following tables reflect the carrying amounts and estimated fair values of the Corporation’s financial instruments whether or not recognized on the Consolidated Balance Sheets at fair value.

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