BLUE RIDGE BANKSHARES, INC. [BRBS] Filings

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023

or

For the transition period from ___________ to ___________

Commission File Number: 001-39165

BLUE RIDGE BANKSHARES, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

(540) 743-6521

Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code

Former Name, Former Address and Former Fiscal Year, if Changed Since Last Report

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ☐ No ☒

The aggregate market value of voting stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant at June 30, 2023, based on the closing sale price of the registrant’s common stock on June 30, 2023, was approximately $135,352,454.

The registrant had 19,198,379 shares of common stock, no par value per share, outstanding as of March 7, 2024.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

PART I

ITEM 1: BUSINESS

General

Blue Ridge Bankshares, Inc. (the “Company”) is a bank holding company headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia. It provides commercial and consumer banking and financial services through its wholly-owned bank subsidiary, Blue Ridge Bank, National Association (the “Bank”), and its wealth and trust management subsidiary, BRB Financial Group, Inc. (the “Financial Group”). The Company was incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia in July 1988.

The Bank is a federally chartered national bank with its Main Office in Martinsville, Virginia that traces its roots to Page Valley Bank of Virginia, which opened for business in 1893. At December 31, 2023, the Bank operated twenty-seven full-service banking offices across its footprint, which stretches from the Shenandoah Valley across the Piedmont region through Richmond and into the coastal peninsulas and Hampton Roads region of Virginia and into central North Carolina.

The Bank serves businesses, professionals, consumers, nonprofits, and municipalities with a wide variety of financial services, including retail and commercial banking, mortgage banking, government guaranteed lending, and employee benefit plan services. Banking products include checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, cash management accounts, certificates of deposit, individual retirement accounts, commercial and industrial loans, residential mortgages, commercial mortgages, home equity loans, consumer installment loans, credit cards, online banking, telephone banking, and mobile banking. Deposits of the Bank are insured by the Deposit Insurance Fund (the “DIF”) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) to the full extent of the limits of the DIF.

As of December 31, 2023, the Company had total assets of approximately $3.12 billion, total gross loans of approximately $2.48 billion, total deposits of approximately $2.57 billion, and stockholders’ equity of approximately $186.0 million.

On December 21, 2023, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”) with Kenneth R. Lehman, Castle Creek Capital Partners VIII, L.P., other institutional investors, and certain directors and executive officers of the Company (collectively, the “Purchasers”) pursuant to which the Company has agreed to issue and sell to the Purchasers (i) 60 million shares of the Company’s common stock at a purchase price of $2.50 per share and (ii) warrants to purchase approximately 29.4 million shares of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price of $2.50 per share in a private placement (the “Private Placement”), for gross proceeds of $150 million. The Company will issue the warrants to each Purchaser other than the Company’s directors and executive officers who are participating in the Private Placement. The Private Placement is subject to closing conditions and is expected to close late in the first quarter or early in the second quarter of 2024. The Company plans to use the net proceeds from the Private Placement for general corporate purposes and to reposition business lines, support organic growth, and enhance capital levels of the Bank. A complete copy of the Securities Purchase Agreement is included as Exhibit 10.15 to this Form 10-K.

On January 31, 2021, the Company completed a merger with Bay Banks of Virginia, Inc. (“Bay Banks”), a bank holding company conducting substantially all its operations through its subsidiaries Virginia Commonwealth Bank and VCB Financial Group, Inc. Immediately following the Company’s merger with Bay Banks, Virginia Commonwealth Bank was merged with and into the Bank, while VCB Financial Group, Inc., subsequently renamed BRB Financial Group, Inc., became a subsidiary of the Company (collectively, the “Bay Banks Merger”). The Bay Banks Merger added $1.22 billion in assets and $1.03 billion in deposits and expanded the Bank’s operating footprint east through the greater Richmond region, the Northern Neck region, Middlesex County, and the Hampton Roads region of Virginia.

On December 15, 2019, the Company acquired Virginia Community Bankshares, Inc. (“VCB”), the bank holding company of Virginia Community Bank based in Louisa, Virginia. Immediately following the merger of VCB into the Company, Virginia Community Bank, merged with and into the Bank. Pursuant to the acquisition, the Company acquired total assets of approximately $242.5 million and assumed total liabilities of approximately $219.2 million.

The Company, through the Financial Group, offers management services for personal and corporate trusts, including estate planning, estate settlement and trust administration, insurance products, and investment and wealth management. Employment benefit services are offered under the trade name BluePoint Benefits. The Company, through its minority investment in Hammond Insurance Agency, Incorporated (“Hammond Insurance”), offers property and casualty insurance to individuals and businesses. The Bank’s mortgage banking activities include a retail mortgage business operating as Monarch

Mortgage. The Company conducted a wholesale mortgage business operating as LenderSelect Mortgage Group (“LenderSelect”) until it was sold on May 15, 2023.

The Company has partnerships with financial technology (fintech) providers, through which it offers indirect depository services (referred to as "banking-as-a-service" or "BaaS") and indirect lending services to both consumers and businesses. Fintech companies provide technologies to enable the delivery of digital bank services, and generate interest income, fee income, and deposits, and increase the Bank’s customer reach beyond its traditional branch footprint. At the end of 2023, the Bank had active partnerships including Unit Finance (“Unit”), Flexible Finance, Increase, Upgrade, Kashable, Marlette, Jaris, and Grow Credit. Pursuant to the Unit partnership, the Bank has subpartner relationships that target certain niches of end users, where Unit provides the technology platform to access banking activities. Subsequent to the end of 2023, the Bank exited its partnership with Increase. Meeting the regulatory requirements with respect to BaaS is complex and costly; therefore, the Company anticipates it will substantially exit its BaaS activities during 2024.

As a bank holding company incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Company is subject to regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”) and the Bureau of Financial Institutions of the Virginia State Corporation Commission (the “Virginia SCC”). The Bank’s primary federal regulator is the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (the “OCC”).

The Bank’s primary source of revenue is interest income from its lending activities. The Bank’s other sources of revenue are interest and dividend income from investments, interest income from its interest-earning deposit balances in other depository institutions, mortgage banking income, gains on sales of government-guaranteed loans, transactions and fee income from its lending and deposit activities, including fintech activities, and income associated with wealth and trust management services. The Bank’s major expenses are interest on deposits and general and administrative expenses, such as employee salaries and benefits, federal deposit insurance premiums, data processing expenses, technology costs, and office occupancy expenses.

On January 24, 2024, the Bank consented to the issuance of a consent order (the “Consent Order”) with the OCC. The Consent Order replaced the written agreement entered into by the Bank and the OCC on August 29, 2022 (the “Written Agreement”) and generally incorporates the provisions of the Written Agreement, as well as adding new provisions. The Written Agreement principally concerned the Bank’s fintech operations and required the Bank to continue enhancing its controls for assessing and managing the third-party, Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering, and information technology risks stemming from its fintech partnerships. The Consent Order adds time frames by which certain of the directives are required, requires the Bank to submit a strategic plan and a capital plan, and places further restrictions on the Company’s fintech operations. The Consent Order also requires the Bank to maintain a leverage ratio of 10.0% and a total capital ratio of 13.0%, referred to as Individual Minimum Capital Ratios (“IMCRs”). As of December 31, 2023, the Bank did not meet these IMCR requirements. A complete copy of the Consent Order is attached as Exhibit 10.14 to this Form 10-K.

The Company is actively working to bring the Bank’s policies, procedures, and operations into conformity with OCC directives. In connection therewith, the Company has plans to substantially exit its BaaS fintech operations in 2024. Additionally, the Bank has added talented leadership to address the requirements of the OCC and to solidify the risk management practices of the Company.

In the first quarter of 2022, the Bank sold its majority interest in MoneyWise Payroll Solutions, Inc. ("MoneyWise") to the holder of the minority interest. Income statement amounts related to MoneyWise are reported as discontinued operations for all relevant periods.

The principal executive offices of the Company are located at 1807 Seminole Trail, Charlottesville, Virginia 22901, and its telephone number is (540) 743-6521.

The Company files annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The Company’s SEC filings are filed electronically and are available to the public over the Internet at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. The Company’s website can be accessed at https://www.blueridgebankshares.com. The Company makes its SEC filings available free of charge through this website under “Investor Relations,” “Financial Documents,” “Documents” as soon as practicable after filing or furnishing the material to the SEC. Copies of documents can also be obtained free of charge by writing to the Company’s Corporate Secretary at P.O. Box 609, 17 West Main Street, Luray, Virginia 22835, or by calling (540) 743-6521. Information on the Company’s website does not constitute part of, and is not incorporated into, this report or any other filing the Company makes with the SEC.

The Company qualifies as an “emerging growth company”, as defined in federal securities laws. For as long as it continues to be an emerging growth company, the Company may take advantage of exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies, including not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. In addition, as an emerging growth company, the Company has elected to take advantage of the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to a company that is not an issuer (as defined under Section 2(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act), if such standards apply to companies that are not issuers. This may make the Company’s financial statements not comparable with other public companies that are not emerging growth companies or that are emerging growth companies that have opted out of the extended transition period because of the potential differences in accounting standards used. The Company may be an emerging growth company for up to five years, although that status is lost sooner if gross revenues exceed $1.235 billion, if it issues more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt in a three-year period, or if the market value of common stock held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of any June 30 before that time, in which case the Company would no longer be an emerging growth company as of the following December 31. The Company anticipates losing its emerging growth status on December 31, 2024.

Market Area

The Bank currently has branches in Callao, Charlottesville, Chester, Colonial Heights, Culpeper, Fredericksburg, Gordonsville, Harrisonburg, Hartfield, Henrico, Kilmarnock, Louisa, Luray, Martinsville, Midlothian, Mineral, Montross, Orange, Petersburg, Richmond, Shenandoah, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, Warsaw, and White Stone, Virginia, and in Greensboro, North Carolina. Interstates 40, 64, 66, 73, 74, 81, 85, and 95 and ancillary major highways pass through the Bank’s trade area and provide efficient access to other regions of Virginia, North Carolina, and beyond. The Company’s primary market area stretches from the Shenandoah Valley across the Piedmont region through Richmond and into the coastal peninsulas and Hampton Roads region of Virginia and into central North Carolina. The Company’s retail mortgage operations are primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Southern regions of the United States. The Company’s guaranteed government lending and markets accessed through fintech partnerships span across the United States.

Products and Services

Mortgage Loans on Real Estate. The Company’s mortgage loans on real estate comprise the largest segment of its loan portfolio. Mortgage loans on real estate include on family residential properties, 1-4 family investment properties, home equity loans, commercial properties, and owner-occupied commercial properties. The Company also makes loans on properties under construction to qualified individuals and builders. These loans are generally for the construction period only and funds are disbursed as construction progresses and verified by the Company. Loans are for varying terms and may be at fixed or adjustable interest rates.

Residential Mortgage Loans. Residential mortgages are underwritten and documented within regulatory guidelines. The Company offers residential loan origination with such loans either sold in the secondary market or held by the Bank. Home mortgages are generally underwritten in accordance with the guidelines of agencies including the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”), Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), and Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”). These loans are then sold into the secondary market on a loan-by-loan basis to aggregators or directly to Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, and Ginnie Mae. The Bank earns origination, commitment, service release premium, pricing gain or loss, and servicing fees on each loan depending on how the loan is sold.

Commercial Real Estate Loans. Loans in this category include loans on real estate used for commercial purposes. Loans in this segment are underwritten in accordance with loan policy, which has guidelines to mitigate declines in real estate values, changes in the underlying cash flows from the properties, and general economic conditions.

Commercial and Industrial Loans. Commercial lending activities of the Company include business loans, asset-based loans, and other secured and unsecured loans and lines of credit. Commercial and industrial loans may entail greater risk than residential mortgage loans, and are underwritten in accordance with loan policy, which sets risk management standards. Among the criteria for determining the borrower’s ability to repay is a cash flow analysis of the business and business collateral.

Guaranteed Government Loans. Loans in this category provide customers access to capital that avoid many of the challenges of conventional commercial lending. Loans are generally underwritten pursuant to U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) or U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines and afford the Company guarantees under these

programs. The guaranteed portion of government guaranteed loans may be sold, in whole or in part, to secondary market buyers.

Consumer Loans. The Company’s consumer lending services include automobile lending, home equity lines of credit, credit cards, and other unsecured personal loans. These consumer loans historically entail greater risk than loans secured by real estate and also comprise a small segment of the Company's portfolio.

Consumer Deposit Services. Consumer deposit products offered by the Company include checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, certificates of deposit, online banking, mobile banking, and electronic statements.

Commercial Banking Services. The Company offers a variety of services to commercial customers, including analysis checking, cash management deposit accounts, wire services, direct deposit payroll service, online banking, telephone banking, remote deposit, fraud detection services, and a full line of commercial lending options. The Company also offers property and casualty insurance and employee benefit plans and administration.

Wealth and Trust Services. The Company, through the Financial Group, offers management services for personal and corporate trusts, including estate planning, estate settlement and trust administration, insurance products, and investment and wealth management.

Banking-as-a-Service. The Company, through the Bank, provides banking-as-a-service to its fintech partners and to their end users. BaaS is a model that provides products and banking services to nonbank fintech partners, which are, in turn, offered to a broad base of consumers and small businesses through internet-enabled connections. The Company refers to BaaS as an offering to fintech partners that generates deposits and provides payment services. The Company expects to substantially reduce its involvement in BaaS in 2024.

Fintech Lending Programs. The Company also partners with certain of the fintech providers that accommodate lending programs to both consumer and small businesses. These loans are originated by the Bank to borrowers sourced by fintech partners, and the loans are sold generally up to 30 days from origination by the Bank.

Competition

The financial services industry is highly competitive. The Company competes for loans, deposits, and financial services directly with other bank and nonbank institutions, including credit unions, located within its markets, internet-based banks, out-of-market banks, fintech companies, and bank holding companies that advertise in or otherwise serve its markets, along with money market and mutual funds, brokerage houses, mortgage companies, and insurance companies or other commercial entities that offer financial services products. Competition involves efforts to retain current customers and to obtain new loans and deposits, and differentiators include the scope and type of services offered, interest rates paid on deposits and charged on loans, and the customer service experience. Many of the Company’s competitors enjoy competitive advantages, including greater financial resources, a wider geographic presence, more accessible branch office locations, greater technology, the ability to offer additional services, more favorable pricing alternatives, and lower origination and operating costs. The Company believes that its competitive pricing, personalized service, and community involvement enable it to effectively compete in the communities in which it operates.

Environmental, Social and Governance

The Company is committed to promoting sound Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) practices through board of directors and management oversight. Management believes ESG initiatives are important to its customers, its employees, its shareholders, and the communities it serves. The Bank has installed electric vehicle charging stations at two of its branch locations. The Bank decided against renewing its membership in the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (the "Alliance") in early 2024 as part of a wider strategic review. The Company's high-level goal, to align operations and lending and investment portfolios to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040, remains in place; however, the Company has indefinitely paused dedicating resources to setting sectoral targets in line with the Alliance's guidelines.

As further discussed in the Supervision and Regulation section below, the Bank is subject to the Community Reinvestment Act (the "CRA"), under which the appropriate federal banking agency periodically assesses the Bank’s record in meeting the credit needs of the communities it serves, including low and moderate income neighborhoods. The Bank has a designated CRA officer who monitors the Bank’s compliance under the CRA.

The Company operates under a governance structure, starting with the chairman of the board of directors who is independent from management. Employees operate under policies approved by the Company’s or the Bank’s board of

directors and, depending on job duties, complete between 13 and 21 courses per year, covering topics such as preventing harassment, confidentiality of data, and unfair banking practices.

Human Capital Resources

The Company is dependent upon a dedicated team of employees. Management, under the direction of the Compensation Committee of the board, designs compensation, incentive, and benefit programs to ensure that the Company is competitive in attracting and retaining top talent in the market. Management believes that the Company's compensation programs offer competitive pay and benefits, including paid time off for vacation and sick leave, a 401(k) plan, health, dental, and vision plans, life and disability coverage, wellness plans, training, including tuition reimbursement, and pre-tax flexible spending accounts. Management believes that fostering an environment that values diversity, equity, and inclusion creates an organization that is able to embrace, leverage, and respect differences amongst the Company's employees and customers.

Management also believes in giving back to the communities in which the Company serves. In 2023, the Company committed approximately $310 thousand of financial donations to community and not-for-profit organizations, including first responders, colleges and universities, youth athletics, and the arts. In addition, the Company's employees donate countless hours volunteering in business associations and helping the underserved.

The Company had 507 full-time and 27 part-time employees as of December 31, 2023.

Supervision and Regulation

The Company and the Bank are extensively regulated under federal and state law. The following information describes certain aspects of that regulation applicable to the Company and the Bank and does not purport to be complete. Proposals to change the laws, regulations, and policies governing the banking industry are frequently raised in the U.S. Congress, in state legislatures, and before the various bank regulatory agencies. The likelihood and timing of any changes and the impact such changes might have on the Company and the Bank are impossible to determine with any certainty. A change in applicable laws, regulations or policies, or a change in the way such laws, regulations, or policies are interpreted by regulatory agencies or courts, may have a material impact on the business, operations, and earnings of the Company and the Bank.

The Bank is subject to the Consent Order, which requires the Bank and/or the board of directors of the Bank to, among other things, address and remediate Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering deficiencies, violations and corrective actions, enhance oversight of its third-party partnerships, submit to the OCC acceptable strategic and capital plans and adopt, implement, and adhere to various revised and expanded risk-based policies, procedures, and processes. While subject to the Consent Order, the Bank will also be required to obtain an OCC non-objection prior to onboarding or signing a contract with a new third-party fintech relationship or offering new products or services or conducting new activities with or through existing third-party fintech relationships. A complete copy of the Consent Order is included as Exhibit 10.14 to this Form 10-K. The Company is actively working to bring the Bank’s policies, procedures, and operations into conformity with OCC directives and believes its exit of BaaS fintech operations will partly satisfy the requirements of the Consent Order.

As a result of the Consent Order, the Bank is deemed to be in “troubled condition” and is subject to the following restrictions on its operations: (1) the Bank must notify the OCC prior to adding or replacing a member of its board of directors, or employing or promoting any existing employee as a senior executive officer, and (2) the Bank may not, without prior approval of the OCC and the FDIC, enter into any agreements to make severance or indemnification payments or make any such payments to “institution-affiliated parties” as defined in 12 C.F.R. Part 359.

As with other financial institutions, the earnings of the Bank are affected by general economic conditions and by the monetary policies of the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve exerts a substantial influence on interest rates and credit conditions, primarily through open market operations in U.S. Government securities, setting the reserve requirements of member banks, and establishing the discount rate on member bank borrowings. The policies of the Federal Reserve have a direct impact on loan and deposit growth and the interest rates charged and paid thereon. They also impact the source, cost of funds, and the rates of return on investments. Changes in the Federal Reserve’s monetary policies have had a significant impact on the operating results of the Bank and other financial institutions and are expected to continue to do so in the future.

Blue Ridge Bankshares, Inc.

The Company is qualified as a bank holding company within the meaning of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHC Act”), and is registered as such with the Federal Reserve. As a bank holding company, the Company is subject to supervision, regulation, and examination by the Federal Reserve and is required to file various reports and

additional information with the Federal Reserve. The Company is also registered under the bank holding company laws of Virginia and is subject to supervision, regulations, and examination by the Virginia SCC.

Under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 (the “GLB Act”), a bank holding company may elect to become a financial holding company and thereby engage in a broader range of financial and other activities than are permissible for traditional bank holding companies. In order to qualify for the election, all of the depository institution subsidiaries of the bank holding company must be well capitalized, well managed, and have achieved a rating of “satisfactory” or better under the CRA. Financial holding companies are permitted to engage in activities that are “financial in nature” or incidental or complementary thereto as determined by the Federal Reserve. The GLB Act identifies several activities as “financial in nature,” including insurance underwriting and sales, investment advisory services, merchant banking and underwriting, and dealing or making a market in securities. The Company has not elected to become a financial holding company and has no immediate plans to become a financial holding company.

Blue Ridge Bank, National Association

The Bank is a federally chartered national bank. The Bank is subject to supervision, regulation, and examination by the OCC and is required to file various reports and additional information with the OCC. The OCC has primary supervisory and regulatory authority over the operations of the Bank. Because the Bank accepts insured deposits from the public, it is also subject to examination by the FDIC.

Depository institutions, including the Bank, are subject to extensive federal and state regulations that significantly affect their businesses and activities. Regulatory bodies have broad authority to implement standards and initiate proceedings designed to prohibit depository institutions from engaging in unsafe and unsound banking practices. The standards relate generally to operations and management, asset quality, interest rate exposure, and capital. The bank regulatory agencies are authorized to take action against institutions that fail to meet such standards.

The Dodd-Frank Act

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), signed into law in July 2010, significantly restructured the financial regulatory regime in the United States and has had a broad impact on the financial services industry as a result of the significant regulatory and compliance changes required under the act.

The Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act of 2018 (the “EGRRCPA”), which became effective May 24, 2018, amended the Dodd-Frank Act to provide regulatory relief for certain smaller and regional financial institutions, such as the Company and the Bank. The EGRRCPA, among other things, provides financial institutions with less than $10 billion in total consolidated assets with relief from certain capital requirements and exempts banks with less than $250 billion in total consolidated assets from the enhanced prudential standards and the company-run and supervisory stress tests required under the Dodd-Frank Act. The Dodd-Frank Act has had, and may in the future have, a material impact on the Company’s operations, particularly through increased compliance costs resulting from new and possible future consumer and fair lending regulations. The future changes resulting from the Dodd-Frank Act may affect the profitability of business activities, require changes to certain business practices, impose more stringent regulatory requirements, or otherwise adversely affect the business and financial condition of the Company and the Bank. These changes may also require the Company to invest significant management attention and resources to evaluate and make necessary changes to comply with new statutory and regulatory requirements.

Deposit Insurance

The deposits of the Bank are insured up to applicable limits by the DIF and are subject to deposit insurance assessments to maintain the DIF. The deposit insurance assessment base is based on average total assets minus average tangible equity, pursuant to a rule issued by the FDIC as required by the Dodd-Frank Act. Deposit insurance pricing is a “financial ratios method” based on “CAMELS” composite ratings to determine assessment rates for small established institutions with less than $10 billion in assets. The CAMELS rating system is a supervisory rating system designed to take into account and reflect all financial and operational risks that a bank may face, including capital adequacy, asset quality, management capability, earnings, liquidity, and sensitivity to market risk (“CAMELS”).

On October 18, 2022, the FDIC adopted a final rule to increase base deposit insurance assessment rate schedules uniformly by 2 basis points beginning in the first quarterly assessment period of 2023. The increase is being instituted to account for extraordinary growth in insured deposits during the first and second quarters of 2020, which caused a substantial decrease in the “reserve ratio” of the DIF to total industry deposits. The FDIC has indicated that the new assessment rate

schedules will remain in effect until the DIF reserve ratio meets or exceeds 2 percent. In the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company recorded expense of $5.1 million and $1.3 million, respectively, for FDIC insurance premiums. Higher FDIC insurance expense relative to the prior period was primarily due to balance sheet growth and other factors such as lower profitability and regulatory capital levels, which increased the assessment rate.

Capital Requirements

The Federal Reserve, the OCC, and the FDIC have issued substantially similar capital requirements applicable to all banks and bank holding companies. In addition, those regulatory agencies may from time to time require that a banking organization maintain capital above the minimum levels because of its financial condition or actual or anticipated growth.

The Bank is subject to the rules implementing the Basel III capital framework and certain related provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act (the “Basel III Capital Rules”). Under the Basel III Capital Rules, banks must hold a capital conservation buffer above the adequately capitalized risk-based capital ratios of 2.50% for all ratios, except the tier 1 leverage ratio. The Basel III Capital Rules, effective January 1, 2015, require the Company and the Bank to comply with the following minimum capital ratios: (i) a ratio of common equity Tier 1 to risk-weighted assets of at least 4.50%, plus a 2.50% “capital conservation buffer” (effectively resulting in a minimum ratio of common equity Tier 1 to risk-weighted assets of 7.00%), (ii) a ratio of Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets of at least 6.00%, plus the 2.50% capital conservation buffer (effectively resulting in a minimum Tier 1 capital ratio of 8.50%), (iii) a ratio of total capital to risk-weighted assets of at least 8.00%, plus the 2.50% capital conservation buffer (effectively resulting in a minimum total capital ratio of 10.50%), and (iv) a leverage ratio of 4.00%, calculated as the ratio of Tier 1 capital to average assets ("Tier 1 Leverage ratio"). The capital conservation buffer is designed to absorb losses during periods of economic stress. Banking institutions with a ratio of common equity Tier 1 to risk-weighted assets above the minimum but below the conservation buffer face constraints on dividends, equity repurchases, and compensation, based on the amount of the shortfall.

With respect to banks, the “prompt corrective action” regulations pursuant to Section 38 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act ("FDI Act") incorporate a common equity Tier 1 capital ratio and increase certain other capital ratios. To be well capitalized under these regulations, a bank must have the following minimum capital ratios: (i) a common equity Tier 1 capital ratio of at least 6.50%; (ii) a Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets ratio of at least 8.00%; (iii) a total capital to risk-weighted assets ratio of at least 10.00%; and (iv) a Tier 1 Leverage ratio of at least 5.00%.

As of December 31, 2023, the Bank's common equity Tier 1 capital ratio was 9.09%; its Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted asset ratio was 9.09%; its total capital to risk-weighted asset ratio was 10.25%; and the Bank's Tier 1 Leverage ratio was 7.49%. The Bank exceeded the thresholds to be considered well capitalized as of December 31, 2023; however, the Bank's total risk based capital was below the capital conservation buffer as of December 31, 2023, subjecting the Bank to limitations on certain activities as previously noted.

In addition to the foregoing capital requirements, the Bank is subject to individual minimum capital ratios ("IMCRs") that are higher than those required for capital adequacy purposes pursuant to OCC directives. The Bank is required to attain and maintain a leverage ratio of 10.00% and a total capital to risk-weighted assets ratio of 13.00%, and as of December 31, 2023, the Bank did not meet these IMCRs. Until such levels are met and the Consent Order has been lifted, the Bank is deemed to be less than well capitalized, thus adequately capitalized.

In September 2019, the federal banking agencies jointly issued a final rule required by the EGRRCPA that permits qualifying banks and bank holding companies that have less than $10 billion in consolidated assets to elect to be subject to a 9% leverage ratio that would be applied using less complex leverage calculations (commonly referred to as the community bank leverage ratio or “CBLR”). Under the rule, which became effective on January 1, 2020, banks and bank holding companies that opt into the CBLR framework and maintain a CBLR of greater than 9% are not subject to other risk-based and leverage capital requirements under the Basel III Capital Rules and would be deemed to have met the well capitalized ratio requirements under the “prompt corrective action” framework. The Bank has not opted into the CBLR framework.

Dividends

The Company’s principal source of cash flow, including cash flow to pay dividends to its shareholders, is dividends it receives from the Bank. Statutory and regulatory limitations apply to the Bank’s payment of dividends to the Company. As a general rule, the amount of a dividend may not exceed, without prior regulatory approval, the sum of net income in the calendar year to date and the retained net earnings of the immediately preceding two calendar years. A depository institution may not pay any dividend if payment would cause the institution to become “undercapitalized” or if it already is “undercapitalized.” The OCC may prevent the payment of a dividend if it determines that the payment would be an unsafe

and unsound banking practice. The OCC also has advised that a national bank should generally pay dividends only out of current operating earnings. In addition, under the current supervisory practices of the Federal Reserve, the Company should inform and consult with the Federal Reserve reasonably in advance of declaring or paying a dividend that exceeds earnings for the period (e.g., quarter) for which the dividend is being paid or that could result in a material adverse change to the Company’s capital structure.

In addition, the Consent Order places restrictions on the Bank’s ability to declare or pay dividends in certain situations and requires the written non-objection of the OCC prior to any dividend or capital distribution. As a result of the Consent Order and the Company’s and the Bank’s plans to preserve capital, the Company likely will not resume payments of dividends in the foreseeable future.

Permitted Activities

As a bank holding company, the Company is limited to managing or controlling banks, furnishing services to or performing services for its subsidiaries, and engaging in other activities that the Federal Reserve determines by regulation or order to be so closely related to banking or managing or controlling banks as to be a proper incident thereto. In determining whether a particular activity is permissible, the Federal Reserve must consider whether the performance of such an activity reasonably can be expected to produce benefits to the public that outweigh possible adverse effects. Possible benefits include greater convenience, increased competition, and gains in efficiency. Possible adverse effects include undue concentration of resources, decreased or unfair competition, conflicts of interest, and unsound banking practices. Despite prior approval, the Federal Reserve may order a bank holding company or its subsidiaries to terminate any activity or to terminate ownership or control of any subsidiary when the Federal Reserve has reasonable cause to believe that a serious risk to the financial safety, soundness, or stability of any bank subsidiary of that bank holding company may result from such an activity.

Banking Acquisitions; Changes in Control

The BHC Act requires, among other things, the prior approval of the Federal Reserve in any case where a bank holding company proposes to (i) acquire direct or indirect ownership or control of more than 5% of the outstanding voting stock of any bank or bank holding company (unless it already owns a majority of such voting shares), (ii) acquire all or substantially all of the assets of another bank or bank holding company, or (iii) merge or consolidate with any other bank holding company. In determining whether to approve a proposed bank acquisition, the Federal Reserve will consider, among other factors, the effect of the acquisition on competition, the public benefits expected to be received from the acquisition, the projected capital ratios and levels on a post-acquisition basis, and the acquiring institution’s performance under the CRA, and its compliance with fair housing and other consumer protection laws.

Subject to certain exceptions, the BHC Act and the Change in Bank Control Act, together with the applicable regulations, require Federal Reserve approval (or, depending on the circumstances, no notice of disapproval) prior to any person or company acquiring “control” of a bank or bank holding company. A conclusive presumption of control exists if an individual or company acquires the power, directly or indirectly, to direct the management or policies of an insured depository institution or to vote 25% or more of any class of voting securities of any insured depository institution. A rebuttable presumption of control exists if a person or company acquires 10% or more but less than 25% of any class of voting securities of an insured depository institution and either the institution has registered its securities with the SEC under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or no other person will own a greater percentage of that class of voting securities immediately after the acquisition.

In addition, Section 18(c) of the FDI Act, commonly known as the “Bank Merger Act,” requires the prior written approval of the OCC before any national bank may (i) merge or consolidate with, (ii) purchase or otherwise acquire the assets of, or (iii) assume the deposit liabilities of, another bank if the resulting institution is to be a national bank. In determining whether to approve a proposed merger transaction, the OCC must consider the effect on competition, the financial and managerial resources and future prospects of the existing and resulting institutions, the convenience and needs of the communities to be served, and the effectiveness of each insured depository institution involved in the proposed merger transaction in combating money-laundering activities.

In addition, Virginia law requires the prior approval of the Virginia SCC for (i) the acquisition of more than 5% of the voting shares of a Virginia bank or any holding company that controls a Virginia bank, or (ii) the acquisition by a Virginia bank holding company of a bank or its holding company domiciled outside Virginia.

Source of Strength

Federal Reserve policy has historically required bank holding companies to act as a source of financial and managerial strength to their subsidiary banks. The Dodd-Frank Act codified this policy as a statutory requirement. Under this requirement, the Company is expected to commit resources to support the Bank, including at times when the Company may not be in a financial position to provide such resources. Any capital loans by a bank holding company to any of its subsidiary banks are subordinate in right of payment to depositors and to certain other indebtedness of such subsidiary banks. In the event of a bank holding company’s bankruptcy, any commitment by the bank holding company to a federal bank regulatory agency to maintain the capital of a subsidiary bank will be assumed by the bankruptcy trustee and entitled to priority of payment.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act

Under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991 (“FDICIA”), the federal bank regulatory agencies possess broad powers to take prompt corrective action to resolve problems of insured depository institutions. The extent of these powers depends upon whether the institution is “well capitalized,” “adequately capitalized,” “undercapitalized,” “significantly undercapitalized,” or “critically undercapitalized,” as defined by the law.

As required by FDICIA, the federal bank regulatory agencies also have adopted guidelines prescribing safety and soundness standards relating to, among other things, internal controls and information systems, internal audit systems, loan documentation, credit underwriting, and interest rate exposure. In general, the guidelines require appropriate systems and practices to identify and manage the risks and exposures specified in the guidelines. In addition, the agencies adopted regulations that authorize, but do not require, an institution that has been notified that it is not in compliance with safety and soundness standard to submit a compliance plan. If, after being so notified, an institution fails to submit an acceptable compliance plan, the agency must issue an order directing action to correct the deficiency and may issue an order directing other actions of the types to which an undercapitalized institution is subject under the prompt corrective action provisions described above.

Transactions with Affiliates

Pursuant to Sections 23A and 23B of the Federal Reserve Act and Regulation W, the authority of the Bank to engage in transactions with related parties or “affiliates” or to make loans to insiders is limited. Loan transactions with an affiliate generally must be collateralized and certain transactions between the Bank and its affiliates, including the sale of assets, the payment of money, or the provision of services, must be on terms and conditions that are substantially the same, or at least as favorable to the Bank, as those prevailing for comparable nonaffiliated transactions. In addition, the Bank generally may not purchase securities issued or underwritten by affiliates.

Loans to executive officers, directors, or to any person who directly or indirectly, or acting through or in concert with one or more persons, owns, controls or has the power to vote more than 10% of any class of voting securities of a bank, are subject to Sections 22(g) and 22(h) of the Federal Reserve Act and their corresponding regulations (Regulation O) and Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act relating to the prohibition on personal loans to executives (which exempts financial institutions in compliance with the insider lending restrictions of Section 22(h) of the Federal Reserve Act). Among other things, these loans must be made on terms substantially the same as those prevailing on transactions made to unaffiliated individuals, and certain extensions of credit to those persons must first be approved in advance by a disinterested majority of the entire board of directors. Section 22(h) of the Federal Reserve Act prohibits loans to any of those individuals where the aggregate amount exceeds an amount equal to 15% of an institution’s unimpaired capital and surplus plus an additional 10% of unimpaired capital and surplus in the case of loans that are fully secured by readily marketable collateral, or when the aggregate amount on all of the extensions of credit outstanding to all of these persons would exceed the Bank’s unimpaired capital and unimpaired surplus. Section 22(g) of the Federal Reserve Act identifies limited circumstances in which the Bank is permitted to extend credit to executive officers.

Consumer Financial Protection

The Company is subject to a number of federal and state consumer protection laws that extensively govern its relationship with its customers. These laws include the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Truth in Lending Act, the Truth in Savings Act, the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, the Expedited Funds Availability Act, the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, the Fair Housing Act, the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Service Members Civil Relief Act, laws governing flood insurance, federal and state laws prohibiting unfair and deceptive business practices, foreclosure laws, and various regulations that implement some or all of the foregoing. These laws and regulations mandate certain disclosure requirements and regulate the manner in which financial institutions must deal with customers when taking deposits, making loans, collecting loans, and providing other services. For

example, mortgage lenders are required to make a reasonable and good faith determination based on verified and documented information that a consumer applying for a mortgage loan has a reasonable ability to repay the loan according to its terms, either by considering underwriting factors prescribed by Regulation Z or by originating loans that meet the definition of a “qualified mortgage.” If the Company fails to comply with these laws and regulations, it may be subject to various penalties. Failure to comply with consumer protection requirements may also result in failure to obtain any required bank regulatory approval for merger or acquisition transactions or in being prohibited from engaging in such transactions even if approval is not required.

The Dodd-Frank Act centralized responsibility for consumer financial protection by creating a new agency, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ("CFPB"), and giving it responsibility for implementing, examining, and enforcing compliance with federal consumer protection laws. The CFPB focuses on (i) risks to consumers and compliance with the federal consumer financial laws, (ii) the markets in which firms operate and risks to consumers posed by activities in those markets, (iii) depository institutions that offer a wide variety of consumer financial products and services, and (iv) non-depository companies that offer one or more consumer financial products or services. The CFPB has broad rule making authority for a wide range of consumer financial laws that apply to all banks, including, among other things, the authority to prohibit “unfair, deceptive or abusive” acts and practices. Abusive acts or practices are defined as those that materially interfere with a consumer’s ability to understand a term or condition of a consumer financial product or service or take unreasonable advantage of a consumer’s (i) lack of financial savvy, (ii) inability to protect himself in the selection or use of consumer financial products or services, or (iii) reasonable reliance on a covered entity to act in the consumer’s interests. The CFPB can issue cease-and-desist orders against banks and other entities that violate consumer financial laws. The CFPB may also institute a civil action against an entity in violation of federal consumer financial law in order to impose a civil penalty or injunction.

Community Reinvestment Act

The CRA requires the appropriate federal banking agency, in connection with its examination of a bank, to assess the bank’s record in meeting the credit needs of the communities served by the bank, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. Furthermore, such assessment is also required of banks that have applied, among other things, to merge or consolidate with or acquire the assets or assume the liabilities of an insured depository institution, or to open or relocate a branch. In the case of a bank holding company applying for approval to acquire a bank or bank holding company, the record of each subsidiary bank of the applicant bank holding company is subject to assessment in considering the application. Under the CRA, institutions are assigned a rating of “outstanding,” “satisfactory,” “needs to improve,” or “substantial non-compliance.” The Bank was rated “satisfactory” in its most recent CRA evaluation.

On October 24, 2023, the federal bank regulatory agencies issued a final rule to modernize their respective CRA regulations. The revised rules substantially alter the methodology for assessing compliance with the CRA, with material aspects taking effect January 1, 2026 and revised data reporting requirements taking effect January 1, 2027. Among other things, the revised rules evaluate lending outside traditional assessment areas generated by the growth of non-branch delivery systems, such as online and mobile banking, apply a metrics-based benchmarking approach to assessment, and clarify eligible CRA activities. The final rules are likely to make it more challenging and/or costly for the Bank to receive a rating of at least “satisfactory” on its CRA evaluation.

Anti-Money Laundering Legislation

The Company is subject to several federal laws that are designed to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and transactions with persons, companies or foreign governments designated by U.S. authorities (the “AML laws”). This category of laws includes the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, the Money Laundering Control Act of 1986, the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, and the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020.

The AML laws and their implementing regulations require insured depository institutions, broker-dealers, and certain other financial institutions to have policies, procedures, and controls to detect, prevent, and report potential money laundering and terrorist financing. The AML laws and their regulations also provide for information sharing, subject to conditions, between federal law enforcement agencies and financial institutions, as well as among financial institutions, for counter-terrorism purposes. Federal banking regulators are required, when reviewing bank holding company acquisition and bank merger applications, to take into account the effectiveness of the anti-money laundering activities of the applicants.

Office of Foreign Assets Control

The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) is responsible for administering and enforcing economic and trade sanctions against specified foreign parties, including countries and regimes, foreign individuals, and other foreign organizations and entities. OFAC publishes lists of prohibited parties that are regularly consulted by the Company in the conduct of its business in order to assure compliance. The Company is responsible for,

among other things, blocking accounts of, and transactions with, prohibited parties identified by OFAC, avoiding unlicensed trade and financial transactions with such parties, and reporting blocked transactions after their occurrence. Failure to comply with OFAC requirements could have serious legal, financial, and reputational consequences for the Company.

Privacy Legislation

Several recent laws, including the Right to Financial Privacy Act, and related regulations issued by the federal bank regulatory agencies, also provide new protections against the transfer and use of customer information by financial institutions. A financial institution must provide to its customers information regarding its policies and procedures with respect to the handling of customers’ personal information. Each institution must conduct an internal risk assessment of its ability to protect customer information. These privacy provisions generally prohibit a financial institution from providing a customer’s personal financial information to unaffiliated parties without prior notice and approval from the customer.

In October 2023, the CFPB proposed a new rule that would require a provider of payment accounts or products, such as the Bank, to make certain data available to consumers upon request regarding the products or services they obtain from the provider. The proposed 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 and services. For banks with over $850 million and less than $50 billion in total assets, such as the Bank, compliance would be required approximately two and one-half years after adoption of the final rule.

Incentive Compensation

In June 2010, the federal bank regulatory agencies issued final Interagency Guidance on Sound Incentive Compensation Policies intended to ensure that the incentive compensation policies of financial institutions do not undermine the safety and soundness of such institutions by encouraging excessive risk-taking. The Interagency Guidance on Sound Incentive Compensation Policies covers all employees who have the ability to materially affect the risk profile of a financial institution, either individually or as part of a group, and is based upon the key principles that a financial institution’s incentive compensation arrangements should (i) provide incentives that do not encourage risk-taking beyond the institution’s ability to effectively identify and manage risks, (ii) be compatible with effective internal controls and risk management, and (iii) be supported by strong corporate governance, including active and effective oversight by the financial institution’s board of directors.

The Dodd-Frank Act requires the federal banking agencies and the SEC to establish joint regulations or guidelines prohibiting incentive-based payment arrangements at specified regulated entities that encourage inappropriate risk-taking by providing an executive officer, employee, director, or principal shareholder with excessive compensation, fees, or benefits or that could lead to material financial loss to the entity. The federal banking agencies issued such proposed rules in March 2011 and issued a revised proposed rule in June 2016 implementing the requirements and prohibitions. The revised proposed rule would apply to all banks, among other institutions, with at least $1 billion in average total consolidated assets for which it would go beyond the existing Interagency Guidance on Sound Incentive Compensation Policies to (i) prohibit certain types and features of incentive-based compensation arrangements for senior executive officers, (ii) require incentive-based compensation arrangements to adhere to certain basic principles to avoid a presumption of encouraging inappropriate risk, (iii) require appropriate board or committee oversight, (iv) establish minimum recordkeeping, and (v) mandate disclosures to the appropriate federal banking agency. The comment period for these proposed rules has closed and final rules have not yet been published.

The Federal Reserve will review, as part of the regular risk-focused examination process, the incentive compensation arrangements of financial institutions, such as the Company, that are not “large complex banking organizations.” These reviews are tailored to each financial institution based on the scope and complexity of the institution’s activities and the prevalence of incentive compensation arrangements. The findings of the supervisory initiatives are included in reports of examination. Deficiencies are incorporated into the institution’s supervisory ratings, which can affect the institution’s ability to make acquisitions and take other actions. Enforcement actions may be taken against a financial institution if its incentive compensation arrangements, or related risk-management control or governance processes, pose a risk to the institution’s safety and soundness and the financial institution is not taking prompt and effective measures to correct the deficiencies. As of December 31, 2023, the Company had not been made aware of any instances of non-compliance with the guidance.

Ability-to-Repay and Qualified Mortgage Rule

Pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act, the CFPB issued a final rule effective in January 2014, amending Regulation Z as implemented by the Truth in Lending Act, requiring mortgage lenders to make a reasonable and good faith determination based on verified and documented information that a consumer applying for a mortgage loan has a reasonable ability to repay the loan according to its terms. Mortgage lenders are required to determine consumers’ ability to repay in one of two ways.

The first alternative requires the mortgage lender to consider the following eight underwriting factors when making the credit decision: (i) current or reasonably expected income or assets; (ii) current employment status; (iii) the monthly payment on the covered transaction; (iv) the monthly payment on any simultaneous loan; (v) the monthly payment for mortgage-related obligations; (vi) current debt obligations, alimony, and child support; (vii) the monthly debt-to-income ratio or residual income; and (viii) credit history. Alternatively, the mortgage lender can originate “qualified mortgages,” which are entitled to a presumption that the creditor making the loan satisfied the ability-to-repay requirements. In general, a “qualified mortgage” is a mortgage loan without negative amortization, interest-only payments, balloon payments, or term exceeding 30 years. In addition, a qualified mortgage generally must meet certain price-based thresholds, and the points and fees paid by a consumer cannot exceed 3% of the total loan amount. Qualified mortgages that are “higher-priced” (e.g., subprime loans) garner a rebuttable presumption of compliance with the ability-to-repay rules, while qualified mortgages that are not “higher-priced” (e.g., prime loans) are given a safe harbor of compliance. The Company is predominantly an originator of compliant qualified mortgages.

Cybersecurity

In March 2015, federal regulators issued two related statements regarding cybersecurity. One statement indicates that financial institutions should design multiple layers of security controls to establish lines of defense and to ensure that their risk management processes also address the risk posed by compromised customer credentials, including security measures to reliably authenticate customers accessing internet-based services of the financial institution. The other statement indicates that a financial institution’s management is expected to maintain sufficient business continuity planning processes to ensure the rapid recovery, resumption, and maintenance of the institution’s operations after a cyber-attack involving destructive malware. A financial institution is also expected to develop appropriate processes to enable recovery of data and business operations and address rebuilding network capabilities and restoring data if the institution or its critical service providers fall victim to this type of cyber-attack. If the Company fails to observe the regulatory guidance, it could be subject to various regulatory sanctions, including financial penalties.

Effective April 1, 2022, the OCC, Federal Reserve, and FDIC issued a joint rule imposing upon banking organizations and their service providers notification requirements for significant cybersecurity incidents. Specifically, the rule requires banking organizations to notify their primary federal regulator as soon as possible and no later than 36 hours after the discovery of a “computer-security incident” that rises to the level of a “notification incident” as those terms are defined in the rule. Banks’ service providers are required under that rule to notify any affected bank to or on behalf of which the service provider provides services “as soon as possible” after determining that it has experienced an incident that materially disrupts or degrades, or is reasonably likely to materially disrupt or degrade, covered services provided to such bank for as much as four hours.

Additionally, effective December 9, 2022, amendments to the GLB Act’s Safeguards Rule went into effect. That rule requires financial institutions to: (i) appoint a qualified individual to oversee and implement their information security programs; (ii) implement additional criteria for information security risk assessments; (iii) implement safeguards identified by assessments, including access controls, data inventory, data disposal, change management, and monitoring, among other things; (iv) implement information system monitoring in the form of either “continuous monitoring” or “periodic penetration testing;” (v) implement additional controls including training for security personnel, periodic assessment of service providers, written incident response plans, and periodic reports from the qualified individual to the board of directors. Additionally, multiple states and Congress are considering laws or regulations which could create new individual privacy rights and impose increased obligations on companies handling personal data.

The Company’s systems and those of its customers and third-party service providers are under constant threat. Risks and exposures related to cybersecurity attacks are expected to remain high for the foreseeable future due to the rapidly evolving nature and sophistication of these threats, as well as due to the expanding use of internet banking, mobile banking, and other technology-based products and services by the Company and its customers. See Item 1C, Cybersecurity, in this Form 10-K for a disclosure of the Company's cybersecurity risk management practices and governance.

Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the CARES Act was signed into law on March 27, 2020 and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (“Appropriations Act”) was signed into law on December 27, 2020. Among other things, the CARES Act created the Paycheck Protection Program ("PPP"), administered by the SBA, which was extended by the Appropriations Act. Under the PPP, a total of $953 billion of relief was made available through May 31, 2021, and the money was authorized for small business loans to pay payroll and group health costs, salaries and commissions, mortgage and rent payments, utilities, and interest on other debt. The loans were provided through participating financial institutions, such as the Bank, that process loan applications and service the loans.

Future Legislation and Regulation

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 enactment of the proposed legislation could impact the regulatory structure under which the Company and the Bank operate and may significantly increase costs, impede the efficiency of internal business processes, require an increase in regulatory capital, require modifications to business strategy, and limit the ability to pursue business opportunities in an efficient manner. A change in statutes, regulations or regulatory policies applicable to the Company or the Bank could have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition, and results of operations of the Company and the Bank.

ITEM 1A: RISK FACTORS

An investment in the Company’s common stock involves certain risks, including those described below. In addition to the other information set forth in this report, investors in the Company’s securities should carefully consider the factors discussed below. These factors, either alone or taken together, could materially and adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, capital position, and prospects. One or more of these could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from its historical results or the results contemplated by the forward-looking statements contained in this report, in which case the trading price of the Company’s securities could decline.

Regulatory and Operational

The Consent Order issued by the OCC requires the Bank to devote significant resources to enhance its policies, procedures, and practices, and places additional restrictions on the Bank’s operations, and the failure to comply with any provision of the Consent Order may cause the OCC to take further action against it.

On January 24, 2024, the Bank consented to the issuance of the Consent Order by the OCC. The Consent Order replaces the Written Agreement entered into by the Bank with the OCC on August 29, 2022. The Consent Order generally incorporates the prior provisions of the Written Agreement, as well as adding new provisions. The Consent Order requires the Bank and/or the board of directors of the Bank to, among other things, address and remediate Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering deficiencies, violations and corrective actions, enhance oversight of its third-party partnerships, submit to the OCC acceptable strategic and capital plans, and adopt, implement, and adhere to various revised and expanded risk-based policies, procedures, and processes. While subject to the Consent Order, the Bank will also be required to obtain an OCC non-objection prior to onboarding or signing a contract with a new third-party fintech relationship or offering new products or services or conducting new activities with or through existing third-party fintech relationships.

The Consent Order also requires the Bank to maintain a leverage ratio of 10.00% and a total capital ratio of 13.00%. As a result, the Bank may not be deemed to be “well capitalized” for purposes of the bank regulatory framework for prompt corrective action while subject to the Consent Order. If the Bank fails to achieve and maintain such capital ratios, the OCC may deem the Bank to be “undercapitalized” under such regulatory provisions.

The Company's management and board of directors have devoted and expect to continue to devote considerable time, attention, and resources on developing, implementing, and monitoring corrective actions to comply with the terms of the Consent Order. The Company is also utilizing third-party consultants and other advisors to assist in complying with the Consent Order and noninterest expense has increased, and may continue to increase, as a result. In addition, the Company's noninterest income and deposits may decrease to the extent that the Company changes or terminates certain fintech relationships or products or is unable to successfully create new fintech relationships or products while subject to the Consent Order.

There is no guarantee that the Company will ultimately address the OCC’s concerns and comply with all of the terms of the Consent Order. Issuance of the Consent Order does not preclude further government action with respect to the Bank’s BSA/AML compliance, including the assessment of civil money penalties or other enforcement actions, if the OCC determines that the Bank has continued, or has failed to correct, the practices and/or violations described in the Consent Order or that the Bank otherwise is violating or has violated the Consent Order.
 

The Company’s fintech operations could further subject it to increased operational, compliance, and other risks that could adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition, and results of operations.

The Company’s business strategy over the past several years had included growing partnerships with fintech companies, which serve as a source of loan and deposit growth, interest and noninterest income, and technology-related solutions for the Company. The fintech BaaS partnerships have resulted, among other things, in rapid growth in the Company’s deposit base. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, fintech-related deposits accounted for $465.9 million and $690.2 million, respectively, of the Company's deposits. Of this, BaaS deposits of $371.0 million and $462.9 million were related to approximately 240,000 and 185,000 accounts of active end users as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. This rapid increase in deposit accounts necessitates enhanced operational and control systems and additional qualified personnel to oversee and manage the increased operational and compliance burdens from these accounts, including those resulting from increased account opening, suspicious activity monitoring, network security controls related to ACH and payment systems, protection of customer records and data confidentiality, and consumer compliance matters, among others. In consideration of the risk profile of fintech operations and the Consent Order, the Company plans to substantially exit its fintech BaaS relationships. If the Company is not able to timely wind down the Company's BaaS fintech activities, effectively monitor indirect lending

activities, or implement and maintain improved systems to monitor and control these additional burdens, the Company could be subject to additional supervisory actions, operational and compliance risks, and reputational harm, and could experience material adverse consequences on its business, financial condition, and results of operations.

In addition, the Consent Order places restrictions on the Bank’s ability to offer new products or services or conduct new activities with or through existing third-party fintech relationships and onboard or sign contracts with new third-party fintech relationships. Termination of any of these relationships, whether by the Bank or the fintech partner, could cause the Company’s interest and noninterest income and deposits to decrease, which could have an adverse effect on the Company’s liquidity, earnings, and capital. See “The Company’s liquidity needs could adversely affect results of operations and financial condition.”

The Company also has made and, through noncancellable commitments, may be required to continue to make investments in funds that may invest in fintech or other start-up companies, which may be unseasoned, unprofitable, or have limited established operating histories or earnings and may be more vulnerable to financial failure. The failure of these companies to perform could subject the Company to a loss of its investment or other adverse effects on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

The Company operates in a highly-regulated industry and the laws and regulations that govern the Company’s operations, corporate governance, executive compensation, and financial accounting or reporting, including changes in them or the Company’s failure to comply with them, and regulatory actions implementing such law and regulations, may adversely affect the Company.

The Company is subject to extensive regulation and supervision that govern almost all aspects of its operations. These laws and regulations, and regulatory actions implementing such law and regulations, including the Consent Order, among other matters, prescribe minimum capital requirements, impose limitations on the Company’s business activities, limit the dividends or distributions that it can pay, restrict the ability of institutions to guarantee its debt, and impose certain specific accounting requirements that may be more restrictive and may result in greater or earlier charges to earnings or reductions in its capital than GAAP. Compliance with laws and regulations, and regulatory actions implementing such law and regulations, can be difficult and costly, and changes to laws and regulations often impose additional compliance costs.

The Company faces increasing regulation and supervision of its industry. The Dodd-Frank Act instituted major changes to the banking and financial institutions regulatory regimes. Other 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 the Company in substantial and unpredictable ways. Such additional regulation and supervision has increased, and may continue to increase, the Company’s costs and limit its ability to pursue business opportunities. Further, the Company’s failure to comply with these laws and regulations, has in the past and could subject it to restrictions on its business activities, fines, and other penalties, any of which could adversely affect the Company’s results of operations, capital base, and the price of its securities. Further, any new laws, rules and regulations, and regulatory actions implementing such laws and regulations, could make compliance more difficult or expensive or otherwise adversely affect the Company’s business and financial condition.

Regulations issued by the CFPB could adversely impact earnings due to, among other things, increased compliance costs or costs due to noncompliance.

The CFPB has broad rulemaking authority to administer and carry out the provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act with respect to financial institutions that offer covered financial products and services to consumers. The CFPB has also been directed to write rules identifying practices or acts that are unfair, deceptive, or abusive in connection with any transaction with a consumer for a consumer financial product or service, or the offering of a consumer financial product or service. The CFPB has recently pursued a more aggressive enforcement policy with respect to a range of regulatory compliance matters, specifically including fair lending, loan servicing, financial institution sales and marketing practices, and financial institution consumer fee and account management practices. For example, in 2023, the CFPB brought enforcement actions against a number of financial institutions for overdraft practices that the CFPB alleged to be unlawful and ordered each of these institutions to pay a substantial civil money penalty in addition to customer restitution. Despite our ongoing compliance efforts, we may become subject to regulatory enforcement actions with respect to our programs and practices. The costs and limitations related to this additional regulatory scrutiny with respect to consumer product offerings and services may adversely affect the Company’s profitability.

The Company is subject to laws regarding the privacy, information security, and protection of personal information and any violation of these laws or another incident involving personal, confidential, or proprietary information of individuals could damage the Company’s reputation and otherwise adversely affect its business.

The Company’s business requires the collection and retention of large volumes of customer data, including personally identifiable information (“PII”), in various information systems that the Company maintains and in those maintained by third- party service providers. The Company also maintains important internal company data such as PII about its employees and information relating to its operations. The Company is subject to complex and evolving laws and regulations governing the privacy and protection of PII of individuals (including customers, employees and other third parties). For example, the Company’s business is subject to the GLB Act, which, among other things: (i) imposes certain limitations on the Company’s ability to share nonpublic PII about its customers with nonaffiliated third parties; (ii) requires that the Company provide certain disclosures to customers about its information collection, sharing, and security practices and afford customers the right to “opt out” of any information sharing by it with nonaffiliated third parties (with certain exceptions); and (iii) requires that the Company develop, implement, and maintain a written comprehensive information security program containing appropriate safeguards based on the Company’s size and complexity, the nature and scope of its activities, and the sensitivity of customer information it processes, as well as plans for responding to data security breaches. Various federal and state banking regulators and states have also enacted data breach notification requirements with varying levels of individual, consumer, regulatory, or law enforcement notification in the event of a security breach. Ensuring that the Company’s collection, use, transfer, and storage of PII complies with all applicable laws and regulations can increase the Company’s costs. Furthermore, the Company may not be able to ensure that customers and other third parties have appropriate controls in place to protect the confidentiality of the information that they exchange with us, particularly where such information is transmitted by electronic means. If personal, confidential, or proprietary information of customers or others were to be mishandled or misused, the Company could be exposed to litigation or regulatory sanctions under privacy and data protection laws and regulations. Concerns regarding the effectiveness of the Company’s measures to safeguard PII, or even the perception that such measures are inadequate, could cause the Company to lose customers or potential customers and thereby reduce its revenues. Accordingly, any failure, or perceived failure, to comply with applicable privacy or data protection laws and regulations may subject the Company to inquiries, examinations, and investigations that could result in requirements to modify or cease certain operations or practices or in significant liabilities, fines or penalties, and could damage the Company’s reputation and otherwise adversely affect its operations, financial condition, and results of operations.

The Company reached a determination to restate certain of its previously issued consolidated financial statements, which resulted in unanticipated costs and may affect investor confidence and the Company's reputation.

As described in the Explanatory Note and Note 23 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company reached a determination to restate its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures as of and for the year ended December 31, 2022 in such Annual Report on Form 10-K and the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the periods ended March 31, 2023 and June 30, 2023. The restatements were attributable to the timing of the risk rating and reporting of specialty finance loans and the determination of the adequacy of the ACL.

As a result, the Company incurred unanticipated costs for accounting and legal fees in connection with the restatement and has become subject to a number of additional risks and uncertainties. In addition, in the fourth quarter of 2023, the Company and certain of its current and former officers were named defendants in a class action complaint for violations of federal securities laws, and several other law firms have announced similar investigations with respect to alleged wrongdoings by the Company. The restatement and related actions could cause the Company’s costs to increase, affect investor confidence in the accuracy of the Company’s financial disclosures, and may raise reputational issues impacting the Company’s business.

Changes in accounting standards could impact reported earnings.

The authorities that promulgate accounting standards, including the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the SEC, and other regulatory authorities, periodically change the financial accounting and reporting standards that govern the preparation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements. These changes are difficult to predict and can materially impact how the Company records and reports its financial condition and results of operations. In some cases, the Company could be required to apply a new or revised standard retroactively, resulting in the restatement of financial statements for prior periods. Such changes could also require the Company to incur additional personnel or technology costs. For example, effective January 1, 2023, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 326, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (referred herein as “current expected credit losses” or “CECL”). CECL is generally viewed throughout the industry as the most significant change in accounting standards to affect financial institutions in decades as it fundamentally changes the

accounting for and estimation of the allowance for credit losses (“ACL”). The prior incurred loss approach was replaced by a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates. As a result, the Company has incurred additional expenses to support both the adoption and the subsequent accounting and financial reporting requirements of CECL. For more information regarding recent accounting pronouncements and their effects on the Company, including CECL, see “Recent Accounting Pronouncements” in Note 2 of the Company’s audited financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Failure to maintain effective systems of internal and disclosure controls could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operation and financial condition.

Effective internal and disclosure controls are necessary for the Company to provide reliable financial reports and effectively prevent fraud and to operate successfully as a public company. Effective internal controls also are a deterrent to fraud. Pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“Section 404”), the Company is required to include in its Annual Reports on Form 10-K management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting. If the Company cannot provide reliable financial reports or prevent fraud, its reputation and operating results would be harmed. As part of its ongoing monitoring of internal controls, the Company may discover material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in its internal controls that require remediation. A “material weakness” is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal controls over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of a company’s annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.

As part of the filing of the 2022 Form 10-K/A, the Company evaluated the effect of the facts leading to the restatement of the financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2022, on its conclusion of the adequacy of internal controls over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures. The Company concluded that a material weakness existed in the timely risk grading and placing of loans on nonaccrual status, and, thus, in the determination of the adequacy of the ACL for the specialty finance portfolio of loans, and that such material weakness did not exist in the remainder of its loan portfolio (the “2022 Material Weakness”). Although the 2022 Material Weakness was remediated in 2023 (see Item 9A, Controls and Procedures, in this Form 10-K), there can be no absolute assurances that future material weaknesses will not arise.

Compliance with the requirements of Section 404, including the costs of remediation efforts relating to weaknesses, is expensive and time-consuming. The Company's inability to maintain operating effectiveness of the internal controls over financial reporting could result in a material misstatement to financial statements or other disclosures, which could have an adverse effect on its business, financial condition, and results of operations. In addition, any failure to remediate and maintain effective controls or to timely effect any necessary improvement of internal and disclosure controls could, among other things, result in losses from fraud or error, reputational damage, subject the Company to regulatory scrutiny, or cause investors to lose confidence in reported financial information, all of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial condition and results of operations.

The Company’s success depends on its management team, and the unexpected loss of any of these personnel could adversely affect operations.

The Company’s success is, and is expected to remain, highly dependent on its management team. The Company’s operations will continue to place significant demands on management, and the loss of any such person’s services may have an adverse effect upon the Company's operations and profitability. If the Company fails to retain or continue to recruit qualified employees, its operations and profitability could be adversely affected.

The success of the Company’s strategy depends on its ability to identify and retain individuals with experience and relationships in its markets.

In order to be successful, the Company must identify and retain experienced key management members and sales staff with local expertise and relationships. Competition for qualified personnel is intense and there is a limited number of qualified persons with knowledge of and experience in banking and in the Company’s chosen geographic markets. Even if the Company identifies individuals that it believes could assist it in building its franchise, it may be unable to recruit these individuals away from their current employers. In addition, the process of identifying and recruiting individuals with the combination of skills and attributes required to carry out the Company’s strategy is often lengthy. The Company’s inability to identify, recruit, and retain talented personnel could limit its ability to pursue its strategic goals and materially adversely affect its business, financial condition, and results of operations.

The Company relies on other companies to provide key components of its business infrastructure.

Third party vendors provide key components of the Company’s business operations such as data processing, recording, and monitoring transactions, online banking interfaces and services, internet connections, and network access. While the Company has selected these third-party vendors carefully, it does not control their actions. Any problem caused by these third parties, including poor performance of services, failure to provide services, disruptions in communication services provided by a vendor and failure to handle current or higher volumes, could adversely affect the Company’s ability to deliver products and services to its customers and otherwise conduct its business, and may harm its reputation. Financial or operational difficulties of a third-party vendor could also hurt the Company’s operations if those difficulties interface with the vendor’s ability to serve the Company. Replacing these third-party vendors could also create significant delay and expense. Accordingly, use of such third parties creates an unavoidable inherent risk to the Company’s business operations.

The soundness of other financial institutions could adversely affect the Company.

The Company’s ability to engage in routine funding transactions could be adversely affected by the actions and commercial soundness of other financial institutions. Financial services institutions are interrelated as a result of trading, clearing, counterparty, or other relationships. The Company has exposure to many different industries and counterparties, and routinely executes transactions with counterparties in the financial industry. As a result, defaults by, or even rumors or questions about, one or more financial services institutions, or the financial services industry generally, have led to market-wide liquidity problems and could lead to losses or defaults by the Company or by other institutions. Many of these transactions expose the Company to credit risk in the event of default of its counterparty or client. In addition, credit risk may be exacerbated when the collateral held cannot be realized upon or is liquidated at prices insufficient to recover the full amount of the financial instrument exposure due. There is no assurance that any such losses would not materially and adversely affect results of operations.

In addition, financial challenges at other banking institutions could lead to depositor concerns that spread within the banking industry. In March 2023, Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank experienced large deposit outflows coupled with insufficient liquidity to meet withdrawal demands, resulting in the institutions being placed into FDIC receiverships. In the aftermath, there was substantial market disruption and concern that diminished depositor confidence could spread across the banking industry, leading to deposit outflows that could destabilize other institutions. While public confidence in the banking system has stabilized, deposit outflows caused by reputational concerns or events affecting the banking industry generally could adversely affect the Company’s liquidity, financial condition, and results of operations.

The Company is subject to a variety of operational risks, including reputational risk, legal and compliance risk, and the risk of fraud or theft by employees, directors, or outsiders.

The Company is exposed to many types of operational risks, including reputational risk, legal and compliance risk, the risk of fraud or theft by employees, directors or outsiders, unauthorized transactions by employees, operational errors, clerical or record-keeping errors, and errors resulting from faulty or disabled computer or communications systems.

Reputational risk, or the risk to the Company’s earnings and capital from negative public opinion, could result from the Company’s actual or alleged conduct in any number of activities, including lending practices, corporate governance, and from actions taken by government regulators and community organizations in response to those activities. Negative public opinion can adversely affect the Company’s ability to attract and keep customers and employees and can expose it to litigation and further regulatory action.

Further, if any of the Company’s financial, accounting, or other data processing systems fail or have other significant issues, the Company could be adversely affected. The Company depends on internal systems and outsourced technology to support these data storage and processing operations. The Company’s inability to use or access these information systems at critical points in time could unfavorably impact the timeliness and efficiency of the Company’s business operations. It could be adversely affected if one of its employees causes a significant operational break-down or failure, either as a result of human error or where an individual purposefully sabotages or fraudulently manipulates its operations or systems. The Company is also at risk of the impact of natural disasters, terrorism, and international hostilities on its systems and from the effects of outages or other failures involving power or communications systems operated by others. The Company may also be subject to disruptions of its operating systems arising from events that are wholly or partially beyond its control (for example, computer viruses, or electrical or communications outages), which may give rise to disruption of service to customers and to financial loss or liability. In addition, there have been instances where financial institutions have been victims of fraudulent activity in which criminals pose as customers to initiate wire and automated clearinghouse transactions out of customer accounts. Although the Company has policies and procedures in place to verify the authenticity of its

customers, it cannot guarantee that such policies and procedures will prevent all fraudulent transfers. Such activity can result in financial liability and harm to the Company’s reputation. If any of the foregoing risks materialize, it could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Increasing scrutiny and evolving expectations from customers, regulators, investors, and other stakeholders with respect to ESG practices may impose additional costs on the Company or expose it to new or additional risks.

Companies are facing increasing scrutiny from customers, regulators, investors, and other stakeholders related to ESG practices and disclosure. Investor advocacy groups, investment funds, and influential investors are also increasingly focused on these practices, especially as they relate to climate risk, hiring practices, the diversity of the work force, and racial and social justice issues. Increased ESG related compliance costs could result in increases to the Company’s overall operational costs. Failure to adapt to or comply with regulatory requirements or investor or stakeholder expectations and standards could negatively impact the Company’s reputation, ability to do business with certain partners, and the Company’s stock price. New government regulations could also result in new or more stringent forms of ESG oversight and expanding mandatory and voluntary reporting, diligence, and disclosure.

The Company’s operations may be adversely affected by cybersecurity risks.

In the ordinary course of business, the Company collects and stores sensitive data, including proprietary business information and personally identifiable information of its customers and employees in systems and on networks. The secure processing, maintenance, and use of this information is critical to operations and the Company’s business strategy. The Company has invested in accepted technologies and continually reviews processes and practices that are designed to protect its networks, computers, and data from damage or unauthorized access. Despite these security measures, the Company’s computer systems and infrastructure may be vulnerable to attacks by hackers or breached due to employee error, malfeasance, or other disruptions. A breach of any kind could compromise systems and the information stored there could be accessed, damaged, or disclosed. A breach in security could result in legal claims, regulatory penalties, disruption in operations, and damage to the Company’s reputation, which could adversely affect its business and financial condition. Furthermore, as cyber threats continue to evolve and increase, the Company may be required to expend significant additional financial and operational resources to modify or enhance its protective measures, or to investigate and remediate any identified information security vulnerabilities.

In addition, multiple U.S. companies have experienced data systems incursions reportedly resulting in the thefts of credit and debit card information, online account information, and other financial or privileged data. These incursions affect cards issued and deposit accounts maintained by many banks, including the Company. These events can cause the Company to reissue a significant number of cards and take other costly steps to avoid significant theft loss to the Company and its customers. In some cases, the Company may be required to reimburse customers for the losses they incur. Other possible points of intrusion or disruption not within the Company’s control include internet service providers, electronic mail portal providers, social media portals, distant-server (cloud) service providers, electronic data security providers, telecommunications companies, and smart phone manufacturers.

The Company’s ability to operate profitably may be dependent on its ability to integrate or introduce various technologies into its operations.

The market for financial services, including banking and consumer finance services, is increasingly affected by advances in technology, including developments in telecommunications, data processing, computers, automation, online banking, and tele-banking. The Company’s ability to compete successfully in its market may depend on the extent to which it is able to implement or exploit such technological changes. If the Company is not able to afford such technologies, properly or timely anticipate or implement such technologies, or effectively train its staff to use such technologies, its business, financial condition, or operating results could be adversely affected.

Severe weather, natural disasters, acts of war or terrorism, geopolitical instability, public health issues, and other external events could significantly impact the Company's business.

Severe weather, natural disasters, acts of war or terrorism, geopolitical instability, public health issues, and other adverse external events could have a significant impact on the Company's ability to conduct business. In addition, such events could affect the stability of the Company’s deposit base, impair the ability of borrowers to repay outstanding loans, impair the value of collateral securing loans, cause significant property damage, result in loss of revenue, and/or cause the Company to incur additional expenses. The occurrence of any such events in the future and the economic impact from such events could have a

material adverse effect on the Company's business, which, in turn, could have a material adverse effect on its financial condition and results of operations.

Climate change and related legislative and regulatory initiatives may result in operational changes and expenditures that could significantly impact the Company’s business.

The current and anticipated effects of climate change are creating an increasing level of concern for the state of the global environment. As a result, political and social attention to the issue of climate change has increased. Federal and state legislatures and regulatory agencies have continued to propose and advance numerous legislative and regulatory initiatives seeking to mitigate the effects of climate change. The federal banking agencies, including the OCC, have emphasized that climate-related risks are faced by banking organizations of all types and sizes and are in the process of enhancing supervisory expectations regarding banks’ risk management practices. In December 2021, the OCC published proposed principles for climate risk management by banking organizations with more than $100 billion in assets. The OCC also has appointed its first ever Climate Change Risk Officer and established an internal climate risk implementation committee in order to assist with these initiatives and to support the agency’s efforts to enhance its supervision of climate change risk management. Similar and even more expansive initiatives are expected, including potentially increasing 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. To the extent that these initiatives lead to the promulgation of new regulations or supervisory guidance applicable to the Company, the Company would likely experience increased compliance costs and other compliance-related risks.

The lack of empirical data surrounding the credit and other financial risks posed by climate change render it impossible to predict how specifically climate change may impact the Company’s financial condition and results of operations; however, the physical effects of climate change may also directly impact the Company. Specifically, unpredictable and more frequent weather disasters may adversely impact the value of real property securing the loans in the Company’s loan portfolio. Additionally, if insurance obtained by borrowers is insufficient to cover any losses sustained to the collateral, or if insurance coverage is otherwise unavailable to borrowers, the collateral securing loans may be negatively impacted by climate change, which could impact the Company’s financial condition and results of operations. Further, the effects of climate change may negatively impact regional and local economic activity, which could lead to an adverse effect on customers and impact the communities in which the Company operates. Overall, climate change, its effects and the resulting unknown impact, could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

Interest Rate Risk

The Company’s business is subject to interest rate risk, and variations in interest rates and inadequate management of interest rate risk may negatively affect financial performance.

Changes in the interest rate environment may reduce the Company’s profits. It is expected that the Company will continue to realize income from the differential or “spread” between the interest earned on loans, securities, and other interest-earning assets, and interest paid on deposits, borrowings and other interest-bearing liabilities. Net interest spreads are affected by the difference between the maturities and repricing characteristics of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities. In addition, loan volume and yields are affected by market interest rates on loans, and there is substantial competition for new loan originations from qualified borrowers. The Company’s management cannot ensure that it can minimize interest rate risk. 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, the Company’s 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. Accordingly, changes in levels of market interest rates could materially and adversely affect the net interest spread, asset quality, loan origination volume, and the Company’s overall profitability. The Federal Reserve increased the target federal funds rate by 425 basis points during 2022 to a range of 425 to 450 basis points as of December 31, 2022 and by another 100 basis points during 2023 to a range of 525 to 550 basis points at December 31, 2023.

Market Conditions

Changes in economic conditions, especially in the areas in which the Company conducts operations, could materially and negatively affect its business.

The Company’s business is directly impacted by economic conditions, legislative and regulatory changes, changes in government monetary and fiscal policies, and inflation, all of which are beyond its control. Although the domestic and global economies have largely recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, certain consequences of the pandemic continue to impact the macroeconomic environment and may persist for some time. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic could have long-lasting impacts on certain industries due to changes in consumer behavior and business practices, including remote work and business travel. Further, the growth in economic activity and in the demand for goods and services, coupled with labor shortages, supply chain disruptions and other factors, has contributed to rising inflationary pressures, the Federal Reserve’s responsive interest rate hikes, and the risk of recession. A deterioration in economic conditions, whether caused by global, national, or local concerns, especially within the Company’s market area, could result in, among other consequences, an increase in loan delinquencies, problem assets and foreclosures, a decline in demand for the Company’s products and services, a decrease in low cost or non-interest bearing deposits, and/or a deterioration in the value of collateral for loans, especially real estate loans, any of which could result in losses that materially and adversely affect the Company’s business.

The Company may be adversely impacted by changes in market conditions.

The Company is directly and indirectly affected by changes in market conditions. Market risk generally represents the risk that values of assets and liabilities or revenues will be adversely affected by changes in market conditions. As a financial institution, market risk is inherent in the financial instruments associated with the Company’s operations and activities, including loans, deposits, securities, short-term borrowings, long-term debt, and trading account assets and liabilities. A few of the market conditions that may shift from time to time, thereby exposing the Company to market risk, include fluctuations in interest rates, equity and futures prices, and price deterioration or changes in value due to changes in market perception or actual credit quality of issuers. Any changes in these market conditions, in current accounting principles or interpretations of these principles could impact the Company’s assessment of fair value and thus the determination of credit losses associated with the securities in the investment securities portfolio, which could adversely affect the Company’s financial condition, capital ratios, and results of operations.

The Company’s investment securities portfolio, in particular, may be impacted by market conditions beyond its control, including rating agency downgrades of the securities, defaults of the issuers of the securities, lack of market pricing of the securities, inactivity or instability in the credit markets, and changes in market interest rates. For example, the Company carries its available for sale securities portfolio at estimated fair market value. As a result of rising interest rates during 2022 and 2023, the unrealized losses in the Company’s investment securities portfolio increased dramatically and thereby negatively impacted the Company’s accumulated other comprehensive income. These unrealized losses (net of income taxes) were approximately $45.1 million at both December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 compared to $3.6 million as of December 31, 2021. Such losses could be realized into earnings should liquidity needs and/or business strategy necessitate the sales of securities in a loss position, which could adversely affect the Company’s financial condition, capital ratios, and results of operations.

The Company’s mortgage banking revenue is cyclical and is sensitive to the level of interest rates, changes in economic conditions, decreased economic activity, and slowdowns in the housing market, any of which could adversely impact the Company’s profits.

Residential mortgage banking income, including mortgage service rights, represented approximately 35.0% of total noninterest income for the year ended December 31, 2023. The success of the Company’s mortgage division is dependent upon its ability to originate loans and sell them to investors. Mortgage loan production levels are highly sensitive to changes in the level of interest rates and changes in economic conditions. Revenues from mortgage banking generally are favorably impacted by decreasing interest rates and a low interest rate environment that creates the potential for mortgage loan refinancing activity. Conversely, revenues are adversely affected by rising interest rates, home affordability and inventory, increases in competitive pressures, and changing incentives for homeownership. During 2022 and 2023, revenues from mortgage banking have decreased significantly, primarily due to lower mortgage volumes as demand declined as market interest rates increased significantly during that time. Loan production levels may continue to suffer if there is a sustained slowdown in the housing markets in which the Company conducts business or tightening credit conditions. Any sustained period of decreased activity caused by an economic downturn, fewer refinancing transactions, higher interest rates, housing price pressure, or loan underwriting restrictions would adversely affect the Company’s mortgage originations and,

consequently, could significantly reduce its income from mortgage banking activities. As a result, these conditions would also adversely affect the Company’s results of operations.

The Company’s business and earnings are impacted by governmental, fiscal, and monetary policy over which it has no control.

The Company is affected by domestic monetary policy. The Federal Reserve regulates the supply of money and credit in the United States, and its policies determine in large part the Company’s cost of funds for lending, investing, and capital raising activities and the return it earns on those loans and investments, both of which affect the Company’s net interest margin. The actions of the Federal Reserve also can materially affect the value of financial instruments that the Company holds, such as loans and debt securities, and also can affect the Company’s borrowers, potentially increasing the risk that they may fail to repay their loans. The Federal Reserve increased the target federal funds rate by 425 basis points during 2022 to a range of 425 to 450 basis points as of December 31, 2022 and by another 100 basis points during 2023 to a range of 525 to 550 basis points at December 31, 2023. The Company’s business and earnings also are affected by the fiscal or other policies that are adopted by various regulatory authorities of the United States. Changes in fiscal or monetary policy are beyond the Company’s control and hard to predict.

The Company faces strong and growing competition from financial services companies and other companies that offer banking and other financial services, which could negatively affect the Company’s business.

The Company encounters substantial competition from other financial institutions in its market area and competition is increasing. Ultimately, the Company may not be able to compete successfully against current and future competitors. Many competitors offer the same banking services that the Company offers in its service area. These competitors include national, regional, and community banks. The Company also faces competition from many other types of financial institutions, including finance companies, mutual and money market fund providers, brokerage firms, insurance companies, credit unions, financial subsidiaries of certain industrial corporations, financial technology companies, and mortgage companies. Increased competition may result in reduced business for the Company.

Additionally, banks and other financial institutions with larger capitalization and financial intermediaries not subject to bank regulatory restrictions have larger lending limits and are thereby able to serve the credit needs of larger customers. Areas of competition include interest rates for loans and deposits, efforts to obtain loans and deposits, and range and quality of products and services provided, including new technology-driven products and services. If the Company is unable to attract and retain banking customers, it may be unable to continue to grow loan and deposit portfolios and its results of operations and financial condition may otherwise be adversely affected.

Consumers may increasingly decide not to use banks to complete their financial transactions, which would have a material adverse impact on the Company’s financial condition and operations.

Technology and other changes are allowing parties to complete financial transactions through alternative methods that historically have involved banks. For example, consumers can now maintain funds that would have historically been held as bank deposits in brokerage accounts, mutual funds, insurance and pension funds, or general-purpose reloadable prepaid cards. Consumers can also complete transactions such as paying bills or transferring funds directly without the assistance of banks. The process of eliminating banks as intermediaries, known as “disintermediation,” could result in the loss of fee income, as well as the loss of customer deposits and the related income generated from those deposits. The loss of these revenue streams and the lower cost of deposits as a source of funds could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

The Company’s common stock is thinly traded and a more liquid market for its common stock may not develop, which may limit the ability of shareholders to sell their shares and may increase price volatility.

The Company’s common stock is listed on the NYSE American market under the symbol “BRBS”. There is no guarantee that the Company will be able to maintain the listing of its common stock on the NYSE American in the future. Currently, the Company’s common stock is thinly traded and has substantially less liquidity than the trading markets for many other bank holding companies. In addition, there can be no assurance that a more active trading market for shares of the Company’s common stock will develop or if one develops, that it can be sustained. The development of a liquid public market depends on the existence of willing buyers and sellers, the presence of which is not within the Company’s control. Therefore, the Company’s shareholders may not be able to sell their shares at the volume, prices, or times that they desire. Shareholders should be financially prepared and able to hold shares for an indefinite period.

In addition, thinly-traded stocks can be more volatile than more widely traded stocks. Several factors could cause the price of the Company's stock to fluctuate substantially. These factors include, but are not limited to, analysts’ recommendations or projections, developments related to the Company’s business and operations, stock performance of other companies deemed to be peers, news reports of trends, concerns, and irrational exuberance on the part of investors, geopolitical uncertainty, and other issues related to the financial services industry, in general. The Company’s stock price may fluctuate significantly in the future, and these fluctuations may be unrelated to its performance and are not within the control of the Company. General market declines or market volatility in the future, especially in the financial institutions sector of the economy, could adversely affect the price of the Company’s common stock, and the current market price may not be indicative of future market prices.

Credit Risk

The Company’s credit standards and its on-going credit assessment processes might not protect it from significant credit losses.

The Company assumes credit risk by virtue of making loans and extending loan commitments and letters of credit. The Company manages credit risk through a program of underwriting standards, the review of certain credit decisions, and a continuous quality assessment process of credit already extended. The Company’s exposure to credit risk is managed through the use of consistent underwriting standards that emphasize local lending while avoiding highly leveraged transactions, as well as excessive industry and other concentrations. The Company’s credit administration function employs risk management techniques to help ensure that problem loans are promptly identified. While these procedures are designed to provide the Company with the information needed to implement policy adjustments where necessary and to take appropriate corrective actions, there can be no assurance that such measures will be effective in avoiding undue credit risk.

The Company's ACL may be insufficient and any increases in the ACL may have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

The Company maintains an ACL, which is a reserve established through a provision for credit losses charged to expense, that represents the Company's estimates of the expected lifetime credit losses on its financial assets. The ACL is necessary to reserve for expected lifetime credit losses associated with the Company's loan portfolio.

The level of the ACL reflects management’s evaluation of relevant information about past events, including historical credit loss experience on financial assets with similar risk characteristics, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectibility of the remaining cash flows over the contractual term of the financial assets. The determination of the appropriate level of the ACL inherently involves a high degree of subjectivity and requires the Company to make significant estimates of current credit risks and future trends, all of which may undergo material changes. Although the Company believes the ACL is a reasonable estimate of lifetime credit losses associated with the loan portfolio, it cannot precisely predict such losses or be certain that the ACL will be adequate in the future. Deterioration of economic conditions affecting borrowers, new information regarding existing loans, identification of additional problem loans and other factors, both within and outside the Company’s control, may require an increase in the ACL. In addition, bank regulatory agencies periodically review its ACL and may, on occasion, require an increase in the provision for credit losses or the recognition of further loan charge-offs, based on their judgment of the facts at the time of their review that may differ than that of management. Further, if charge-offs in future periods exceed the ACL, the Company will need additional provisions to increase the ACL.

Nonperforming assets take significant time to resolve and adversely affect the Company’s results of operations and financial condition.

The Company’s nonperforming assets adversely affect its net income in various ways. Nonperforming assets, which include nonaccrual loans and loans past due 90 days and still accruing interest, were $63.1 million, or 2.02% of total assets, as of December 31, 2023. When the Company receives collateral through foreclosures and similar proceedings, it is required to record the related loan to the then fair market value of the collateral less estimated selling costs, which may result in a loss. An increased level of nonperforming assets also increases the Company’s risk profile and may impact the capital levels regulators believe are appropriate in light of such risks. The Company utilizes various techniques such as workouts, restructurings, and loan sales to manage problem assets. Increases in, or negative changes in, the value of these problem assets, the underlying collateral, or in the borrowers’ performance or financial condition, could adversely affect the Company’s business, results of operations, and financial condition. In addition, the resolution of nonperforming assets requires significant commitments of time from management and staff, which can be detrimental to the performance of their other responsibilities, including generation of new loans. There can be no assurance that the Company will avoid increases in nonperforming assets in the future.

The Company’s specialty finance loans may further increase its credit risk.

As of December 31, 2023, the Company’s nonperforming loans included a group of specialty finance loans totaling $34.2 million. The Company’s ACL as of December 31, 2023 included $9.6 million of specific reserves for this group of loans. While management believes that the ACL was adequate as of December 31, 2023 and that the credit deterioration of this group of loans is an isolated event within the Company’s loan portfolio, there can be no assurance that the Company will not experience further deterioration within this group of loans or other increases in nonperforming loans in the future. These specialty finance loans are of higher risk than other types of loans originated by the Company, due to the nature of the collateral, and as such, the Company’s ability to pursue collections could be delayed or protracted. Any of these factors could cause the Company to incur charge-offs to the ACL and additional increases in the ACL, which may have a material adverse effect on the Company's results of operations and capital.

The Company’s concentration in loans secured by real estate may increase its future credit losses, which would negatively affect the Company’s financial results.

The Company offers a variety of secured loans, including commercial lines of credit, commercial term loans, real estate, construction, home equity, consumer and other loans. Credit risk and credit losses can increase if its loans are concentrated to borrowers who, as a group, may be uniquely or disproportionately affected by economic or market conditions. As of December 31, 2023, approximately 76.6% of the Company’s loans were secured by real estate, both residential and commercial, substantially all of which are located in its market area. A major change in the region’s real estate market, resulting in a deterioration in real estate values, or in the local or national economy, could adversely affect the Company’s customers’ ability to pay these loans, which in turn could adversely impact the Company. Risk of loan defaults and foreclosures are inherent in the banking industry, and the Company tries to limit its exposure to this risk by carefully underwriting and monitoring its extensions of credit. The Company cannot fully eliminate credit risk, and as a result, losses may occur in the future.

The Company has a moderate concentration of credit exposure in commercial real estate, and loans with this type of collateral are viewed as having a higher risk of default.

As of December 31, 2023, the Company had approximately $870.5 million in loans secured by commercial real estate, representing approximately 35.8% of total loans outstanding at that date. The real estate consists primarily of non-owner-occupied properties and other commercial properties. These types of loans are generally viewed as having more risk of default than residential and owner-occupied real estate loans. They are also typically larger than residential real estate loans and consumer loans and depend on cash flows from the owner’s business or the property to service the debt. It may be more difficult for commercial real estate borrowers to repay their loans in a timely manner, as commercial real estate borrowers ability to repay their loans frequently depends on the successful rental of their properties. As of December 31, 2023, the Company had approximately $71.8 million of non-owner occupied office loans, representing approximately 3.0% of total loans outstanding at that date. Cash flows to service commercial real estate loans may be negatively affected by general economic conditions, such as a sustained downturn, or in occupancy rates in the local economy where the property is located and could increase the likelihood of default. Further, when fixed rate loans originated in a time of lower interest rates near their maturity dates, a higher interest rate environment could make it more difficult for borrowers to refinance or extend their loans with the Company due to higher debt service costs. Because the Company’s loan portfolio contains a number of commercial real estate loans with relatively large balances, the deterioration of one or a few of these loans could cause a significant increase in its percentage of nonperforming loans. An increase in nonperforming loans could result in a loss of earnings from these loans, an increase in the provision for credit losses, and an increase in charge-offs, all of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

The Company’s banking regulators generally give commercial real estate lending greater scrutiny and may require banks with higher levels of commercial real estate loans to implement improved underwriting, internal controls, risk management policies, and portfolio stress testing, as well as possibly higher levels of ACL and regulatory capital, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations.

A portion of the Company’s loan portfolio consists of construction and land development loans, and a decline in real estate values and economic conditions would adversely affect the value of the collateral securing the loans and could have an adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition.

At December 31, 2023, approximately 10.5% of the Company’s loan portfolio, or $255.9 million, consisted of construction and land development loans. Construction financing typically involves a higher degree of credit risk than financing on improved, owner-occupied real estate and improved, income producing real estate. Risk of loss on a

construction or land development loan is largely dependent upon the accuracy of the initial estimate of the property’s value at completion of construction or development, the marketability of the property, and the bid price and estimated cost (including interest) of construction or development. If the estimate of construction or development costs proves to be inaccurate, the Company may be required to advance funds beyond the amount originally committed to permit completion of the project. If the estimate of the value proves to be inaccurate, it may be confronted, at or prior to the maturity of the loan, with a project whose value is insufficient to assure full repayment. When lending to builders and developers, the cost breakdown of construction or development is provided by the builder or developer. Although the Company’s underwriting criteria are designed to evaluate and minimize the risks of each construction or land development loan, there can be no guarantee that these practices will have safeguarded against material delinquencies and losses to the Company’s operations. In addition, construction and land development loans are dependent on the successful completion of the projects they finance. Loans secured by vacant or unimproved land are generally riskier than loans secured by improved property. These loans are more susceptible to adverse conditions in the real estate market and local economy.

The Company’s focus on lending to small to mid-sized community-based businesses may increase its credit risk.

Most of the Company’s commercial business and commercial real estate loans are made to small business or middle market customers. These businesses generally have fewer financial resources in terms of capital or borrowing capacity than larger entities and have a heightened vulnerability to economic conditions. If general economic conditions in the market areas in which the Company operates negatively impact this important customer sector, the Company’s results of operations and financial condition may be adversely affected. Moreover, a portion of these loans have been made by the Company in recent years and the borrowers may not have experienced a complete business or economic cycle. Any deterioration of the borrowers’ businesses may hinder their ability to repay their loans with the Company, which could have a material adverse effect on its financial condition and results of operations.

The Company’s results of operations are significantly affected by the ability of borrowers to repay their loans.

A significant source of risk for the Company is the possibility that losses will be sustained because borrowers, guarantors, and related parties may fail to perform in accordance with the terms of their loan agreements. Most of the Company’s loans are secured, but some loans are unsecured. With respect to the secured loans, the collateral securing the repayment of these loans may be insufficient to cover the obligations owed under such loans. Collateral values may be adversely affected by changes in economic, environmental, declines in the value of real estate, changes in interest rates, changes in monetary and fiscal policies of the federal government, terrorist activity, environmental contamination, and other external events. In addition, collateral appraisals that are out of date or that do not meet industry recognized standards may create the impression that a loan is adequately collateralized when it is not. The Company has adopted underwriting and credit monitoring procedures and policies, including regular reviews of appraisals and borrower financial statements, that management believes are appropriate to mitigate the risk of loss. An increase in nonperforming loans could result in a net loss of earnings from these loans, an increase in the provision for credit losses, and an increase in loan charge-offs, all of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

The Company depends on the accuracy and completeness of information about clients and counterparties, and the Company’s financial condition could be adversely affected if it relies on misleading or incorrect information.

In deciding whether to extend credit or to enter into other transactions with clients and counterparties, the Company may rely on information furnished to it by or on behalf of clients and counterparties, including financial statements and other financial information, which it does not independently verify. The Company also may rely on representations of clients and counterparties as to the accuracy and completeness of that information and, with respect to financial statements, on reports of independent auditors. For example, in deciding whether to extend credit to clients, the Company may assume that a client’s audited financial statements conform with GAAP and present fairly, in all material respects, the financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows of that client. The Company’s financial condition and results of operations could be negatively impacted to the extent it relies on financial statements that do not comply with GAAP or are materially misleading or other information that turns out to be misleading or incorrect.

The Company relies upon independent appraisers to determine the value of the real estate that secures a significant portion of its loans and the value of foreclosed properties carried on its books, and the values indicated by such appraisers may not be realizable if it is forced to foreclose upon such loans or liquidate such foreclosed properties.

As indicated above, a significant portion of the Company’s loan portfolio consists of loans secured by real estate and it also holds a portfolio of foreclosed properties. The Company relies upon independent appraisers to estimate the value of such real estate. Appraisals are only estimates of value and the independent appraisers may make mistakes of fact or judgment that

adversely affect the reliability of their appraisals. In addition, events occurring after the initial appraisal may cause the value of the real estate to increase or decrease. As a result of any of these factors, the real estate securing some of the Company’s loans and the foreclosed properties held by the Company may be more or less valuable than anticipated. If a default occurs on a loan secured by real estate that is less valuable than originally estimated, the Company may not be able to recover the outstanding balance of the loan. It may also be unable to sell its foreclosed properties for the values estimated by their appraisals.

The Company is exposed to risk of environmental liabilities with respect to properties to which it takes title.

In the course of its business, the Company may foreclose and take title to real estate, potentially becoming subject to environmental liabilities associated with such properties. The Company may be held liable to a governmental entity or to third parties for property damage, personal injury, investigation, and clean-up costs, or the Company may be required to investigate or clean up hazardous or toxic substances or chemical releases at a property. Costs associated with investigation or remediation activities can be substantial. If the Company is the owner or former owner of a contaminated site, it may be subject to common law claims by third parties based on damages and costs resulting from environmental contamination emanating from the property. These costs and claims could adversely affect the Company’s results of operations.

Growth Strategy

The Company may not be able to successfully manage its long-term growth, which may adversely affect its results of operations and financial condition.

A key aspect of the Company’s long-term business strategy is its continued growth. The Company may not be able to successfully continue its growth if it is unable to identify attractive markets, locations, or opportunities to expand in the future, or if the Company is subject to prolonged regulatory restrictions prohibiting growth or expansion of its operations. The Company’s ability to manage its growth successfully also will depend on whether it can maintain capital levels adequate to support its business, maintain operational and control systems, cost controls and asset quality, comply with regulatory requirements, and successfully integrate any businesses the Company pursues into its organization. See “Regulatory capital standards require the Company and the Bank to maintain higher levels of capital, which could adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition, and results of operations” for additional factors that could affect the Company’s long-term growth.

The Company has acquired and expanded into new product lines and may, in the future, consider additional acquisitions and expansion into other businesses that it believes will help it fulfill its strategic objectives. The Company expects that other banking and financial companies, some of which have significantly greater resources, will compete with it to acquire financial services businesses. This competition could increase prices for potential acquisitions that the Company believes are attractive. Acquisitions are also subject to various regulatory approvals. If the Company fails to receive the appropriate regulatory approvals, it will not be able to consummate expansion that it believes are in its best interests.

When the Company enters into new markets or new lines of business, its lack of history and familiarity with those markets, clients, and lines of business may lead to unexpected challenges or difficulties that inhibit its success. The Company’s plans to expand could depress earnings in the short run, even if it efficiently executes a growth strategy leading to long-term financial benefits. Any of the foregoing could adversely affect the Company’s results of operations.

Liquidity and Capital

The Company’s liquidity needs could adversely affect results of operations and financial condition.

The Company’s primary sources of funds are deposits and loan repayments. While scheduled loan repayments are a relatively stable source of funds, they are subject to the ability of borrowers to repay the loans. The ability of borrowers to repay loans can be adversely affected by a number of factors, including, but not limited to, changes in economic conditions, adverse trends or events affecting business industry groups, reductions in real estate values or markets, availability of, and/or access to, sources of refinancing, business closings or lay-offs, pandemics or endemics, inclement weather, natural disasters, and geopolitical uncertainty.

Deposit levels and other funding costs may be affected by a number of factors, including, but not limited to, rates paid by competitors, general interest rate levels, regulatory capital requirements, returns available to customers on alternative investments, and general economic conditions. If market interest rates rise or the Company’s competitors raise the rates they pay on deposits, the Company’s funding costs may increase, either because the Company raises its rates to avoid losing

deposits or because the Company must rely on more expensive sources of funding. Much of the Company’s recent deposit growth has been concentrated in its fintech operations, which can be relatively high-cost and rate-sensitive. Fintech-related deposits accounted for approximately $465.9 million, or 18.2%, of the Company’s deposits as of December 31, 2023. Brokered deposits accounted for approximately $515.5 million, or 20.1%, of the Company’s deposits as of December 31, 2023. The Company’s cost of funds increased to 2.56% in 2023 compared to 0.68% in 2022. If funding costs continue to rise in future periods, as a result of reliance on higher-cost deposits, further increases in market interest rates, rates paid by competitors, or otherwise, it could reduce the Company’s net interest margin and net interest income and could have an adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows from operations.

Pursuant to the Consent Order, the Bank may not be deemed to be “well capitalized” while subject to the Consent Order, which restricts it from soliciting, accepting, renewing, or rolling over any brokered deposits except in compliance with certain applicable restrictions under federal law.

If customer deposits are not sufficient to fund the Company’s normal operations and liquidity needs, the Company may be required from time to time to rely on secondary sources of liquidity to meet withdrawal demands or otherwise fund operations. Such sources historically have included Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta (“FHLB”) advances, sales of securities and loans, and federal funds lines of credit from correspondent banks, as well as additional out-of-market time deposits and brokered deposits. The Company’s ability to access borrowings from the FHLB is dependent upon providing collateral to secure FHLB borrowings. While the Company believes its funding sources are currently adequate, there can be no assurance they will be sufficient to meet future liquidity demands, particularly if the Company experiences increasing loan demand or is unable to maintain or grow its deposit base. Further, there can be no assurance that these arrangements will be available to the Company when needed, on favorable terms, or at all, or that they will be sufficient to meet future liquidity needs. The Company may be required, among other things, to slow or discontinue loan growth, capital expenditures or other investments, or liquidate assets. If the Company is unable to access funding sufficient to support its business operations or is unable to access such funding on attractive terms, it may not be able to satisfy its obligations.

Regulatory capital standards require the Company and the Bank to maintain higher levels of capital, which could adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition, and results of operations.

The Company is subject to capital adequacy guidelines and other regulatory requirements specifying minimum amounts and types of capital that the Company and the Bank must maintain. From time to time, regulators implement changes to these regulatory capital adequacy guidelines. If the Company or the Bank fails to meet these minimum capital guidelines and/or other regulatory requirements, its financial condition would be materially and adversely affected. The Basel III Capital Rules require bank holding companies and their subsidiaries to maintain significantly more capital as a result of higher required capital levels and more demanding regulatory capital risk weightings and calculations, which could adversely affect the Company's profitability and return on equity. The Bank must also comply with the capital requirements set forth in the “prompt corrective action” regulations pursuant to Section 38 of the FDI Act.

In addition to the foregoing capital requirements, the Consent Order requires the Bank to maintain a leverage ratio of 10.00% and a total capital ratio of 13.00%. As a result, the Bank may not be deemed to be “well capitalized” for purposes of the bank regulatory framework for prompt corrective action while subject to the Consent Order. If the Bank fails to achieve and maintain such capital ratios, the OCC may, in the future, deem the Bank to be “undercapitalized” under such regulatory provisions. As of December 31, 2023, the Bank did not meet these heightened capital requirements.

In December 2023, the Company entered into agreements pursuant to which it agreed to issue and sell shares of its common stock to certain investors for gross proceeds of $150 million in the Private Placement. The Company plans to use the net proceeds from the Private Placement for general corporate purposes and to reposition business lines, support organic growth and enhance capital levels of the Bank (including compliance with the IMCRs). On March 7, 2024, the Company filed a Form 8-K with the SEC disclosing that the Company had received sufficient votes to approve the Private Placement at a special meeting of shareholders held on March 6, 2024. The Company expects the transaction to close late in the first quarter or early in the second quarter of 2024. If the Private Placement is not completed, there can be no assurance that the Company would be able to find alternative sources or means of raising capital sufficient to enhance the Bank’s capital levels and support its business, which could materially and adversely affect the Company’s business, financial results, and prospects.

Satisfying these capital and IMCR requirements also may require the Bank to limit its banking operations and/or require the Company to raise additional capital in the future to improve regulatory capital levels, which could negatively affect the business, financial condition, and results of operations of the Company.

The Company may not be able to raise capital on acceptable terms, or at all.

Access to sufficient capital is critical in order to enable the Company to implement its business plan, support its business, expand its operations in the future, and meet applicable regulatory capital requirements. The inability to have sufficient capital, whether internally generated through earnings or raised in the capital markets, could adversely impact the Company’s ability to support its operations. Further, if the Company grows its operations faster than it generates capital internally, it will need to access the capital markets. The Company’s ability to raise additional capital will depend on, among other things, conditions in the capital markets, market perceptions of the banking industry generally and the Company in particular, and the Company’s financial condition and results of operations. Economic conditions and a loss of confidence in financial institutions may increase the Company’s cost of capital and limit access to some sources of capital. An inability to raise additional capital on acceptable terms when needed could have a material adverse impact on the Company’s business, financial condition, and capital ratios.

Future issuances of the Company’s securities could adversely affect the market price of the common stock and could be dilutive.

The Company’s board of directors, without the approval of shareholders, could from time to time decide to issue additional shares of common stock or shares of preferred stock, which may adversely affect the market price of the shares of common stock and could be substantially dilutive to the Company’s shareholders. Any sale of additional shares of the Company’s common stock may be at prices lower than the current market value of the Company’s shares. In addition, new investors may have rights, preferences, and privileges that are senior to, and that could adversely affect, the Company’s existing shareholders. For example, preferred stock would be senior to common stock in right of dividends and as to distributions in liquidation. The Company’s shareholders bear the risk of future securities offerings diluting their stock holdings, adversely affecting their rights as shareholders, and/or reducing the market price of the Company’s common stock.

The Company and the Bank are subject to regulatory restrictions which limit their ability to pay dividends.

The Company’s ability to make dividend payments on its common stock depends primarily on certain regulatory considerations and the receipt of dividends and other distributions from the Bank. In consideration of the capital levels of the Bank, the Company and the Bank made the determination to preserve capital and, in October 2023, the Company’s board of directors suspended payment of dividends on the Company’s common stock until further notice. The Consent Order also contains restrictions on the Bank’s ability to pay dividends. As a result, the Company likely will not resume payments of dividends in the foreseeable future.

ITEM 1B: UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

Not required.

ITEM 1C: CYBERSECURITY

Cybersecurity threats present a significant risk to the Company. The Company is committed to protecting its assets and the personally identifiable information and other data of its customers and employees. Further, the Company understands that a cybersecurity event might have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition, results of operations, reputation, and future success in the marketplace. The materiality of any such adverse effect would be determined by the facts and circumstances of the specific incident and may include consideration of nonfinancial factors and follow on impacts. Although the Company has not experienced a material cybersecurity incident, it periodically experiences threats or is tested by bad actors, including phishing, smishing, and vishing.

The Company believes it maintains a robust cybersecurity program designed to assess and manage risks from cyber threats. This cybersecurity program, which is directed by the Chief Information Security Officer (“CISO”), is integrated with the Company’s enterprise risk and compliance programs and business continuity management program (“BCMP”). The Company's cybersecurity program leverages industry standards, such as the FFIEC Cybersecurity Assessment Tool, and is routinely evaluated for improvement, particularly due to evolving risks in this area.

Under the leadership of the CISO, the information security department is responsible for evaluating and developing the processes for monitoring, identifying, containing, and remediating the impact of cybersecurity risks, vulnerabilities, and threats. The CISO also directs technology efforts, both internally and through third-party service providers, to strengthen controls throughout the organization. Due to reliance upon third-party service providers, the Company uses a variety of

methods and tools to assess providers’ system and organizational controls related to cybersecurity threats, which includes but is not limited to proof of the provider’s independent testing of data protection controls, imposition of contractual obligations, review of vulnerability and penetration testing, and review of data protection controls such as backups, encryption standards, and disaster recovery.

The Company’s BCMP provides a structured framework for responding to actual or potential cybersecurity incidents, including escalation to the appropriate stakeholders. The BCMP is coordinated by the Business Continuity Manager, who reports to the Chief Information Officer (“CIO”), and key members of management who are embedded into the BCMP by its design. The BCMP is evaluated and tested at least annually.

The Company's cybersecurity program is subject to multiple audits throughout the year primarily using third-party audit firms that possess particular expertise, under the leadership of the Company's internal audit function.

Cybersecurity issues are brought before the Information Technology (“IT”) Steering Committee, which meets quarterly or as needed. This committee, chaired by the CIO, is composed of the CISO, Chief Operations and Technology Officer, Chief Risk Officer, Business Continuity Manager, Director of Information Technology, and Director of Internal Audit. At these meetings, committee members discuss relevant cybersecurity issues, which may include new threats, incidents, and information.

No less than quarterly, the chair of the Information Technology Steering Committee presents a summary of the Company’s cybersecurity landscape to the Company’s Enterprise Risk Management Committee of the board of directors. Additionally, the CIO presents an IT program update to the Company's board of directors, which includes cybersecurity topics.

The CIO and the CISO each have over 20 years of experience leading cybersecurity oversight, and others under their leadership have cybersecurity experience and certifications. However, the Company considers cybersecurity to be a shared responsibility and conducts periodic simulations and training for all employees. In 2024, the Company is scheduling two table-top scenario training exercises for all personnel.

For more information about cybersecurity threats that could have a material impact on the Company's business, see the discussion in "The Company's operations may adversely be affected by cybersecurity risks" in Item 1A, Risk Factors, of this Form 10-K.

ITEM 2: PROPERTIES

The Company, through its subsidiaries, owns or leases buildings and office space that are used in the normal course of business. The headquarters of the Company is located at 1807 Seminole Trail, Charlottesville, Virginia 22901 in a building leased by the Bank. The Main Office of the Bank is located at 1 East Market Street, Martinsville, Virginia 24112 in a building leased by the Bank. The Company's subsidiaries own or lease various other offices in the counties and cities in which they operate. As of December 31, 2023, the Company's employees occupied an additional 42 properties, of which 18 were owned by the Company. Additional information with respect to the amounts at which Company premises and equipment are carried and commitments under long-term leases is set forth in Part II, Item 8 - "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data", Note 5 - "Premises and Equipment, net" and Note 12 - "Leases", respectively, in this Form 10-K.

The Company’s properties are maintained in good operating condition and the Company believes the properties are suitable and adequate for its operational needs.

ITEM 3: LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

In the ordinary course of its operations, the Company is a party to various legal proceedings. As of the date of this report, there are no pending or threatened proceedings against the Company, other than as set forth below, that, if determined adversely, would have a material effect on the business, financial position, or results of operations of the Company.

In December 2023, a purported shareholder of the Company commenced a putative class action in the U.S. District for the Eastern District of New York (No. 1:23-cv-08944) Hunter v. Blue Ridge Bankshares, Inc., et al). The complaint alleges violations of federal securities laws against the Company and certain of its current and former officers based on alleged material misstatements and omissions in the Company’s filings. The complaint seeks certification of a class action, unspecified damages, and attorneys fees. The putative class plaintiff intends to file an amended complaint after the court

appoints lead plaintiff and lead counsel. The Company believes the claims are without merit and no loss has been accrued for this lawsuit as of December 31, 2023.

On August 12, 2019, a former employee of VCB and participant in the VCB Employee Stock Option Plan ("ESOP") filed a class action complaint against VCB, Virginia Community Bank, and certain individuals associated with the VCB ESOP in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia, Charlottesville Division (Case No. 3:19-cv-000450-GEC). The complaint alleges, among other things, that the defendants breached their fiduciary duties to VCB ESOP participants in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended. The complaint alleges that the VCB ESOP incurred damages “that approach or exceed $12 million.” The Company automatically assumed any liability of VCB in connection with this litigation as a result of its 2019 acquisition of VCB.

During the fourth quarter of 2023, the Company entered into a settlement agreement with the plaintiff to resolve the VCB ESOP litigation (the "Settlement Agreement"). As provided in the Settlement Agreement, the plaintiff has agreed to release the Company, the Bank, and related parties from all claims related to acts or omissions associated with the VCB ESOP, once the court hearing the case has granted final approval of the Settlement Agreement. Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, the Company has agreed to make a settlement payment of $6.0 million to a fund for the benefit of VCB ESOP participants, with $5.95 million due after final approval of the Settlement Agreement by the court. On February 22, 2024, the court granted preliminary approval of the Settlement Agreement and a final hearing is scheduled in early June 2024, at which it is expected that the court will grant final approval of the Settlement Agreement. If the court grants final approval of the Settlement Agreement, the ongoing lawsuit will be dismissed with prejudice, and all similar claims that were or could have been brought relating to the VCB ESOP will be released and barred.

The Company entered into the Settlement Agreement to eliminate the burden and expense of further litigation and to resolve the claims that were or could have been asserted related to the VCB ESOP. The Company accrued $6.0 million in the third quarter of 2023 in anticipation of this proposed settlement.

ITEM 4: MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not applicable.

PART II

ITEM 5: MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

General

The Company’s common stock is listed on the NYSE American market under the symbol “BRBS”. There were 19,198,379 shares of the Company’s common stock outstanding at the close of business on March 7, 2024, which were held by approximately 3,260 shareholders of record. The closing price of the Company's common stock on December 31, 2023 was $3.03 per common share compared to $12.49 per common share as of December 31, 2022.

Five-Year Stock Performance Graph

The following five-year stock performance graph compares the cumulative total shareholder return (assuming reinvestment of dividends) on the Company's common stock to the Invesco KBW Regional Banking ETF (NASDAQ ticker: "KBWR") and the Russell 2000® Index (ticker: "RUT") for the five-year period ended December 31, 2023. This comparison assumes $100.00 was invested on December 31, 2018 in the Company’s common stock and the comparison indices and the cumulative return is measured as of each subsequent fiscal year-end.

The performance graph above does not constitute soliciting material and should not be deemed filed or incorporated by reference into any other Company filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act, except to the extent the Company specifically incorporates the performance graph by reference therein.

Dividends

The Company paid two quarterly dividends totaling $0.245 per common share in the year ended December 31, 2023.

On October 30, 2023, the board of directors of the Company determined to suspend future quarterly dividend payments until further notice. The decision was based on the desire to preserve capital.

The dividend type, amount, and timing are established by the Company’s board of directors. In making its decisions regarding the payment of dividends on the Company’s common stock, the board of directors considers the Company's operating results, financial condition, capital adequacy, regulatory requirements, shareholders' return, and other factors.

A discussion of certain restrictions and limitations on the ability of the Bank to pay dividends to the Company, and the ability of the Company to pay dividends to shareholders of its common stock, is set forth in Part I, Item 1, Business, of this Form 10-K under the heading “Supervision and Regulation.”

Stock Repurchases

There were no repurchases of the Company's common stock during the year ended December 31, 2023.

ITEM 6: [RESERVED]

ITEM 7: MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following presents management’s discussion and analysis of the Company’s consolidated financial condition and the results of the Company’s operations. This discussion should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto presented in Item 8, Financial Statements and Supplementary Information, of this Form 10-K.

Cautionary Note About Forward-Looking Statements

The Company makes certain forward-looking statements in this Form 10-K that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements represent plans, estimates, objectives, goals, guidelines, expectations, intentions, projections, and statements of management’s beliefs concerning future events, business plans, objectives, expected operating results, and the assumptions upon which those statements are based. Forward-looking statements include without limitation, any statement that may predict, forecast, indicate, or imply future results, performance or achievements, and are typically identified with words such as “may,” “could,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “aim,” “intend,” “plan,” or words or phases of similar meaning. The Company cautions that the forward-looking statements are based largely on management’s expectations and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that are subject to change based on factors which are, in many instances, beyond the its control. Actual results, performance, or achievements could differ materially from those contemplated, expressed, or implied by the forward-looking statements.

The following factors, among others, could cause the Company’s financial performance to differ materially from that expressed in such forward-looking statements:

The foregoing factors should not be considered exhaustive and should be read together with other cautionary statements that are included in this Form 10-K, including those discussed in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in Item 1A above. If one or more of the factors affecting forward-looking information and statements proves incorrect, then actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, forward-looking information and statements

contained in this Form 10-K. Therefore, the Company cautions you not to place undue reliance on its forward-looking information and statements. The Company will not update the forward-looking statements to reflect actual results or changes in the factors affecting the forward-looking statements. New risks and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict their occurrence or how these risks and uncertainties will affect it.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

General

The accounting principles the Company applies under GAAP are complex and require management to apply significant judgment to various accounting, reporting, and disclosure matters. Management must use assumptions, judgments, and estimates when applying these principles where precise measurements are not possible or practical. The Company views these policies as critical because they are highly dependent upon subjective or complex judgments, assumptions, and estimates. Changes in such judgments, assumptions, and estimates may have a significant impact on the consolidated financial statements. Actual results, in fact, could differ from initial estimates.

Allowance for Credit Losses

The allowance for credit losses is maintained at a level believed to be adequate to absorb lifetime expected credit losses in the Company's portfolio of loans held for investment and is based on an evaluation of the composition of the loan portfolio, current economic conditions, historical loan loss experience, reasonable and supportable forecasts, and other risk factors. Loans are charged-off against the ACL when management believes the loan balance is no longer collectible. Subsequent recoveries of previously charged-off amounts (recoveries) are recorded as increases to the ACL. The provision for credit losses is an amount sufficient to bring the ACL to an estimated balance that management considers adequate to absorb lifetime expected losses in the Company’s held for investment loan portfolio. The ACL is a valuation account that is deducted from the loans’ recorded investment to present the net amount expected to be collected on the loans.

The Company uses a third-party model in estimating the ACL on a quarterly basis. Loans with similar risk characteristics are collectively assessed within pools (or segments). Loss estimates within the collectively assessed population are based on a combination of pooled assumptions and loan-level characteristics. The Company has determined that using federal call codes is an appropriate loan segmentation methodology, as it is generally based on risk characteristics of a loan’s underlying collateral. Using federal call codes also allows the Company to utilize publicly-available external information when developing its estimate of the ACL. The discounted cash flow ("DCF") method is the primary credit loss estimation methodology used by the Company and involves estimating future cash flows for each individual loan and discounting them back to their present value using the loan’s contractual interest rate, which is adjusted for any net deferred fees, costs, premiums, or discounts existing at the loan’s origination or acquisition date (also referred to as the effective interest rate). The DCF method also considers factors such as loan term, prepayment or curtailment assumptions, and other relevant economic factors that could affect future cash flows. By discounting the cash flows, this method incorporates the time value of money and reflects the credit risk inherent in the loan.

In applying future economic forecasts, the Company utilizes a forecast period of one year and then reverts to the mean of historical loss rates on a straight-line basis over the following one-year period. The Company considers economic forecasts of national gross domestic product and unemployment rates from the Federal Open Market Committee to inform the model for loss estimation. Historical loss rates used in the quantitative model are derived using both the Bank’s and peer bank data obtained from publicly-available sources (i.e., federal call reports). The Bank’s peer group utilized is comprised of financial institutions of relatively similar size (i.e., $3 - $5 billion of total assets) and in similar markets. Management also considers qualitative adjustments when estimating loan losses to take into account the model’s quantitative limitations. Qualitative adjustments to quantitative loss factors, either negative or positive, may include considerations of trends in delinquencies, nonaccrual loans, charged-off loans, changes in volume and terms of loans, effects of changes in lending policy, experience and depth of management, regional and local economic trends and conditions, concentrations of credit, competition, and loan review results.

For those loans that do not share similar risk characteristics, the Company evaluates the ACL needs on an individual (or loan-by-loan) basis. This population of individually evaluated loans (or loan relationships with the same primary source of repayment) is determined on a quarterly basis and is based on whether (1) the risk grade of the loan is substandard or worse and the balance exceeds $500,000, (2) the risk grade of the loan is special mention and the balance exceeds $1,000,000, or (3) the loan’s terms differ significantly from other pooled loans. Measurement of credit loss is based on the expected future cash flows of an individually evaluated loan, discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate, or measured on an observable market value, if one exists, or the estimated market value of the collateral underlying the loan discounted for estimated costs to sell

the collateral for collateral-dependent loans. If the net value applying these measures is less than the loan’s amortized cost, a specific reserve is recorded in the ACL and charged-off in the period when management believes the loan balance is no longer collectible.

Credit losses are an inherent part of the Company’s business. The Company has an ACL management "work group", which includes the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Credit Officer, Chief Accounting Officer, and head of the Bank's special assets group, who approve the key methodologies and assumptions, as well as the final ACL. While management uses available information at the time of estimation to determine expected lifetime credit losses on loans, future changes in the ACL may be necessary based on changes in portfolio composition, portfolio credit quality, changes in underlying facts for individually evaluated loans, and/or changes in current and forecasted economic conditions. In addition, bank regulatory agencies periodically review its ACL and may require an increase in the ACL or the recognition of further loan charge-offs, based on their judgment of the facts at the time of their review, that may differ than that of management. Additional provisions for such losses, if necessary, would be recorded as a charge to earnings.

Fair Value Measurements

The Company determines the fair values of financial instruments based on the fair value hierarchy, which requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. The hierarchy describes three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value. For example, the Company’s available for sale investment securities are recorded at fair value using reliable and unbiased evaluations by an industry-wide valuation service. This service uses evaluated pricing models that vary based on asset class and include available trade, bid, and other market information. Generally, the methodology includes broker quotes, proprietary models, vast descriptive terms and conditions databases, as well as extensive quality control programs. Depending on the availability of observable inputs and prices, different valuation models could produce materially different fair value estimates; therefore, the values presented may not represent future fair values and may not be realizable.

Derivatives

Derivatives are recognized as assets and liabilities on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets and measured at fair value. The Company’s derivatives consist of forward sales of to-be-announced ("TBA") mortgage-backed securities ("MBS") and interest rate lock commitments. The Company’s hedging policies permit the use of various derivative financial instruments to manage interest rate risk or to hedge specified assets and liabilities. The Company may be required to recognize certain contracts and commitments as derivatives when the characteristics of those contracts and commitments meet the definition of a derivative. If derivative instruments are designated as hedges of fair values, both the change in the fair value of the hedge and the hedged item are included in current earnings.

During the normal course of business, the Company enters into commitments to originate mortgage loans, whereby the interest rate on the loan is determined prior to funding (“rate lock commitments”). For commitments issued in connection with potential loans intended for sale, the Company enters into positions of forward month TBA MBS contracts on a mandatory basis or on a one-to-one forward sales contract on a best efforts basis. The Company enters into TBA contracts in order to control interest rate risk during the period between the rate lock commitment and mandatory sale of the mortgage loan. Both the rate lock commitment and the forward TBA contract are considered derivatives. A mortgage loan sold on a best efforts basis is locked into a forward sales contract with a counterparty on the same day as the rate lock commitment to control interest rate risk during the period between the commitment and the sale of the mortgage loan. Both the rate lock commitment and the forward sales contract are considered derivatives.

The market values of rate lock commitments and delivery commitments are not readily ascertainable with precision because rate lock commitments and best efforts contracts are not actively traded in stand-alone markets. The Company determines the fair value of rate lock commitments, delivery contracts, and forward sales contracts of MBS by measuring the change in the value of the underlying asset, while taking into consideration the probability that the rate lock commitments will close or will be funded. Certain risks arise from the forward delivery contracts in that the counterparties to the contracts may not be able to meet the terms of the contracts. Additional risks inherent in mandatory delivery programs include the risk that, if the Company does not close the loans subject to rate lock commitments, it will still be obligated to deliver MBS to the counterparty under the forward sales agreements.

Income Taxes

Income taxes are accounted for using the balance sheet method in accordance with ASC 740, Accounting for Income Taxes. Per ASC 740, the objective is to (a) recognize the amount of taxes payable or refundable for the current year, and (b)

defer tax liabilities and assets for the future tax consequences of events that have been recognized in the financial statements or federal income tax returns. A net deferred tax asset or liability is determined based on the tax effects of the temporary differences between the book (i.e., financial statement) and tax bases of the various balance sheet assets and liabilities and gives current recognition to changes in tax rates and laws. Temporary differences are reversed in the period in which an amount or amounts become taxable or deductible. Interest and penalties, if any, related to uncertain tax positions are reported in income tax expense in the consolidated statements of operations.

A deferred tax liability is recognized for all temporary differences that will result in future taxable income; a deferred tax asset is recognized for all temporary differences that will result in future tax deductions, potentially reduced by a valuation allowance. A valuation allowance is recognized if, based on an analysis of available evidence, management determines that it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax asset will not be realized. In making this assessment, all sources of taxable income available to realize the deferred tax asset are considered, including future releases of existing temporary differences, tax planning strategies, and future taxable income exclusive of reversing temporary differences and carryforwards. The predictability that future taxable income, exclusive of reversing temporary differences, will occur is the most subjective of these four sources. Additionally, cumulative losses in recent years, if any, are considered negative evidence that may be difficult to overcome to support a conclusion that future taxable income, exclusive of reversing temporary differences and carryforwards, is sufficient to realize a deferred tax asset. Adjustments to increase or decrease the valuation allowance are charged or credited, respectively, to income tax expense. The evaluation of the recoverability of deferred tax assets requires management to make significant judgments regarding the releases of temporary differences and future profitability, among other items. The Company concluded that, as of December 31, 2023, no valuation allowance was required on the Company's deferred tax asset.

Mortgage Servicing Rights ("MSR" assets)

MSR assets represent the economic value associated with servicing a borrower during the life of the mortgage. The assets are separate from the underlying mortgage and may be retained or sold by the Company when the related mortgage is sold. In accordance with ASC 860-50, Transfers and Servicing, MSR assets are initially recognized at fair value and subsequently accounted for using either the amortization method or the fair value measurement method. On January 1, 2022, the Company changed its accounting method for MSR assets from the amortization method to the fair value measurement method. This change in accounting method, which was an irrevocable election, was prospective in nature and resulted in an after-tax difference in carrying values of its MSR assets under the two methods at the beginning of the year. Consequently, a positive $3.5 million after-tax cumulative effect adjustment was recorded to stockholders' equity as of January 1, 2022.

Five Year Summary of Selected Financial Data