Note 6 – Loans Receivable and Allowance for Credit Losses (Continued)

Allowance for Credit Losses

The Company engages a third-party vendor to assist in the current expected credit loss (“CECL”) calculation and has established an internal governance framework to oversee the quarterly estimation process for the allowance for credit losses (“ACL”). The ACL calculation methodology relies on regression-based discounted cash flow (“DCF”) models that correlate relationships between certain financial metrics and external market and macroeconomic variables. Following are some of the key factors and assumptions that are used in the Company’s CECL calculations:
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methods based on probability of default and loss given default which are modeled based on macroeconomic scenarios;

a reasonable and supportable forecast period determined based on management’s current review of macroeconomic environment;

a reversion period after the reasonable and supportable forecast period;

estimated prepayment rates based on the Company’s historical experience and future macroeconomic environment;

estimated credit utilization rates based on the Company’s historical experience and future macroeconomic environment; and

incorporation of qualitative factors not captured within the modeled results. The qualitative factors include but are not limited to changes in lending policies, business conditions, changes in the nature and size of the portfolio, portfolio concentrations, and external factors such as competition.

‎The allowance for credit losses is aggregated for the major loan segments, with similar risk characteristics, summarized below. However, for the purposes of calculating the reserves, these segments may be further broken down into loan classes by risk characteristics that include but are not limited to regulatory call codes, industry type, geographic location, and collateral type.

Residential one-to-four family real estate loans involve certain risks such as interest rate risk and risk of non-repayment. Adjustable-rate residential real estate loans decrease the interest rate risk to the Bank that is associated with changes in interest rates but involve other risks, primarily because as interest rates rise, the payment by the borrower rises to the extent permitted by the terms of the loan, thereby increasing the potential for default. At the same time, the marketability of the underlying properties may be adversely affected by higher interest rates. Repayment risk may be affected by a number of factors including, but not necessarily limited to, job loss, divorce, illness and personal bankruptcy of the borrower.

Commercial and multi-family real estate lending entails additional risks as compared with one-to-four family residential real estate lending. Such loans typically involve large loan balances to single borrowers or groups of related borrowers. The payment experience on such loans is typically dependent on the successful operation of the real estate project. Loans secured by commercial and multi-family real estate are generally larger and involve a greater degree of risk than one-to-four family residential mortgage loans. The borrower’s creditworthiness, as well as the property’s continued viability and cash flow potential are of primary concern in commercial and multi-family real estate lending. Commercial loans secured by owner occupied properties involve different risks when measured against one-to-four family residential and non-owner-occupied commercial mortgage loans. Cash flow on owner occupied properties is often dependent on the success of the business operation contained within the subject property. The success of such projects is sensitive to changes in supply and demand conditions in the market for commercial real estate as well as general economic conditions.

Cannabis related loans include commercial and multi-family, construction, and commercial business loans to borrowers involved in the cannabis industry and have the risks inherent in such loan types discussed herein in addition to risk inherent in this industry. While medical use cannabis and recreational use businesses are legal in numerous states, including our primary markets of New Jersey and New York, such businesses are not legal at the federal level and marijuana remains a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Federal prosecutors have significant discretion and there can be no assurance that the federal prosecutors will not choose to strictly enforce the federal laws governing cannabis. Any change in the federal government’s enforcement position could potentially subject our borrowers to criminal prosecution and other sanctions, which would have a material adverse effect on their businesses. Cannabis-related loans present greater repayment and credit risk than similar loans to borrowers outside the cannabis industry. Cannabis-related businesses are generally not able to seek protection under federal bankruptcy law, which may limit a borrower’s ability to reorganize its obligations in the event of financial distress and increases the risk that the Bank will not recover the full amortized cost of a loan upon default. In addition, providing banking services to cannabis-related businesses subjects the Bank to enhanced obligations under the Bank Secrecy Act and related anti-money laundering regulations, including specialized customer due diligence and ongoing monitoring requirements, and the filing of suspicious activity reports specific to marijuana-related accounts. Compliance with these heightened requirements increases the Bank’s operational costs and regulatory risk. These factors, combined with the industry’s sensitivity to state regulatory and pricing volatility, may result in higher loss severities on cannabis-related loans as compared to the Bank’s other loan segments. During the three months ended September 30, 2026, the Company transferred a substantial portion of its cannabis-related loans to held for sale in connection with its planned exit from the cannabis banking business. As a result, cannabis-related lending exposure at September 30, 2026 was significantly reduced compared to prior periods, though we are required to continue to value these assets on our balance sheet at the lower of cost or fair market value as loans held for sale.

Construction lending is generally considered to involve a greater degree of risk compared to other forms of commercial lending due to the concentration of principal in a limited number of loans and borrowers and the effects of the general economic conditions on developers and builders. Moreover, a construction loan can involve additional risks because of the inherent difficulty in estimating both a property’s value at completion of the project and the estimated cost (including interest) of the project. The nature of these loans is such that they are generally difficult to evaluate and monitor. In addition, speculative construction loans to a builder are not necessarily pre-sold and thus pose a greater potential risk to the Bank than construction loans to individuals on their personal residence.

Commercial business lending, including lines of credit, is generally considered higher risk due to the concentration of principal in a limited number of loans and borrowers and the effects of general economic conditions on the business. Commercial business loans are primarily secured by inventories and other business assets. In many cases, any repossessed collateral for a defaulted commercial business loan will not provide an adequate source of repayment of the outstanding loan balance. The Bank has further segregated its commercial business portfolio into commercial business express loans that carry higher risk relative to other commercial business loans. The Bank had originated commercial business express loans to support small business owners coming out of the COVID crisis. The portfolio consists of a large number of loans with a majority of the loans carrying a balance of $250,000 or lower. These loans were generally originated to provide businesses with expedited access to capital. As a result, the loans may involve characteristics that differ materially from the Bank’s traditional commercial business lending activities and may carry a higher risk profile relative to other commercial business loans. In many cases, these loans are unsecured and were underwritten using processes tailored to address borrowers’ immediate liquidity needs, which may not have involved the same level of financial analysis and ability-to-repay assessment typically applied to the Bank’s broader commercial business loan portfolio. Accordingly, this portfolio is subject to heightened repayment risk and may be more vulnerable to adverse economic or borrower-specific developments than the Bank’s traditional commercial business lending portfolio.

Home equity lending entails certain risks such as interest rate risk and risk of non-repayment. The marketability of the underlying property may be adversely affected by higher interest rates, decreasing the collateral value securing the loan. Repayment risk can be affected by job loss, divorce, illness and personal bankruptcy of the borrower. Home equity line of credit lending entails securing an equity interest in the borrower’s home. In many cases, the Bank’s position in these loans is as a junior lien holder to another institution’s superior lien. This type of lending is often priced on an adjustable rate basis with the rate set at or above a predefined index. Adjustable-rate loans decrease the interest rate risk to the Bank that is associated with changes in interest rates but involve other risks, primarily because as interest rates rise, the payment by the borrower rises to the extent permitted by the terms of the loan, thereby increasing the potential for default.
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Note 6 - Loans Receivable and Allowance for Credit Losses (Continued)

Other consumer loans generally have increased credit risk because of the type and nature of the collateral and, in certain cases, the absence of collateral. Consumer loans generally have shorter terms and higher interest rates than other lending. In addition, consumer lending collections are dependent on the borrower’s continuing financial stability and thus are more likely to be adversely affected by job loss, divorce, illness and personal bankruptcy. In many cases, any repossessed collateral for a defaulted consumer loan will not provide an adequate source of repayment of the outstanding loan.

The following tables set forth the activity in the Company’s allowance for credit losses on loans for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2026, and the related portion of the allowance for credit losses that is allocated to each loan class, as of September 30, 2026 (in thousands):

(1) Excludes Cannabis related loans.

(2) Includes Commercial and multi-family, Construction, and Commercial business loans to borrowers involved in the cannabis industry.

(3) Excludes Business express loans.

(4) Includes Home equity lines of credit.

(1) Excludes Cannabis related loans.

(2) Includes Commercial and multi-family, Construction, and Commercial business loans to borrowers involved in the cannabis industry.

(3) Excludes Business express loans.

(4) Includes Home equity lines of credit.

The increase in the allowance for credit losses on loans during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2026 is primarily due to additional reserves within the commercial and multi-family segment following the Company’s review of that portfolio that concluded in the third quarter of 2026. In addition, for the nine-month period, additional reserves within the commercial business segment were the result of continued credit deterioration within that portfolio.

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Note 6 - Loans Receivable and Allowance for Credit Losses (Continued)

The following tables set forth the activity in the Company’s allowance for credit losses on loans for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025, and the related portion of the allowance for credit losses that is allocated to each loan class, as of September 30, 2025 (in thousands): 

(1) Excludes Cannabis related loans.

(2) Includes Commercial and multi-family, Construction, and Commercial business loans to borrowers involved in the cannabis industry.

(3) Excludes Business express loans.

(4) Includes Home equity lines of credit.

(1) Excludes Cannabis related loans.

(2) Includes Commercial and multi-family, Construction, and Commercial business loans to borrowers involved in the cannabis industry.

(3) Excludes Business express loans.

(4) Includes Home equity lines of credit.

Note 6 - Loans Receivable and Allowance for Credit Losses (Continued)

The following table sets forth the activity in the allowance for credit losses on loans and amount recorded in loans receivable at and for the year ended December 31, 2025. The table also details the amount of total loans receivable that are evaluated individually and collectively, and the related portion of the allowance for credit losses that is allocated to each loan class (in thousands):

(1) Excludes Cannabis related loans.

(2) Includes Commercial and multi-family, Construction, and Commercial business loans to borrowers involved in the cannabis industry.

(3) Excludes Business express loans.

(4) Includes Home equity lines of credit.

Note 6 - Loans Receivable and Allowance for Credit Losses (Continued)

The following tables present the activity in the allowance for credit losses on off-balance sheet exposures for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2026 and 2025.

The following table sets forth the delinquency status of total loans receivable as of September 30, 2026: