AMERISERV FINANCIAL INC /PA/ - Annual Report: 2020 (Form 10-K)

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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

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(MARK ONE)

⌧        ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020

OR

◻        TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM              TO              

COMMISSION FILE NUMBER 0-11204

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AMERISERV FINANCIAL, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

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Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (814) 533-5300

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

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

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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 definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “ accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

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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 mangagement’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. ◻

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

State the aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates computed by reference to the price at which the common equity was last sold, or the average bid and asked price of such common equity, as of the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter. The aggregate market value was $47,804,311 as of June 30, 2020.

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the registrant’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date. There were 17,066,164 shares outstanding as of February 28, 2021.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE.

Portions of the proxy statement for the annual shareholders’ meeting are incorporated by reference in Parts II and III.

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FORM 10-K INDEX

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PART I

ITEM 1.   BUSINESS

GENERAL

AmeriServ Financial, Inc. (the Company) is a bank holding company organized under the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law. The Company became a holding company upon acquiring all of the outstanding shares of AmeriServ Financial Bank (the Bank) in January 1983. The Company’s other wholly owned subsidiary is AmeriServ Trust and Financial Services Company (the Trust Company) which was formed in October 1992. AmeriServ Life Insurance Company (AmeriServ Life), formed in October 1987, was a captive insurance company that engaged in underwriting as a reinsurer of credit life and disability insurance. New business ceased being generated by AmeriServ Life in 2005. Since that time, the outstanding insurance policies have been running off and the final policy has expired. On September 30, 2020, the Arizona Corporation Commission approved the Articles of Dissolution for AmeriServ Life. The remaining assets of AmeriServ Life were transferred to AmeriServ Financial, Inc. and the subsidiary was formally closed on December 31, 2020. When used in this report, the “Company” may refer to AmeriServ Financial, Inc. individually or AmeriServ Financial, Inc. and its direct and indirect subsidiaries.

The Company’s principal activities consist of owning and operating its two wholly owned subsidiary entities. At December 31, 2020, the Company had, on a consolidated basis, total assets, deposits, and shareholders’ equity of  $1.3 billion, $1.1 billion, and $104.4 million, respectively. The Company and its subsidiaries derive substantially all of their income from banking and bank-related services. The Company functions primarily as a coordinating and servicing unit for its subsidiary entities in general management, accounting and taxes, loan review, auditing, investment accounting, marketing and risk management.

As a bank holding company, the Company is subject to supervision and regular examination by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities (the PDB). The Company is also under the jurisdiction of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) for matters relating to registered offerings and sales of its securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the disclosure and regulatory requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company’s common stock is listed on The NASDAQ Stock Market under the trading symbol “ASRV,” and the Company is subject to the NASDAQ rules applicable to listed companies.

AMERISERV FINANCIAL BANKING SUBSIDIARY

AMERISERV FINANCIAL BANK

The Bank is a state bank chartered under the Pennsylvania Banking Code of 1965, as amended (the Banking Code). Through 16 branch locations in Allegheny, Cambria, Centre, Somerset, and Westmoreland counties, Pennsylvania and Washington county, Maryland, the Bank conducts a general banking business. It is a full-service bank offering (i) retail banking services, such as demand, savings and time deposits, checking accounts, money market accounts, secured and unsecured consumer loans, mortgage loans, safe deposit boxes, holiday club accounts, and money orders; and (ii) lending, depository and related financial services to commercial, industrial, financial, and governmental customers, such as commercial real estate mortgage loans (CRE), short and medium-term loans, revolving credit arrangements, lines of credit, inventory and accounts receivable financing, real estate construction loans, business savings accounts, certificates of deposit, wire transfers, night depository, and lock box services. The Bank also operates 17 automated bank teller machines (ATMs) through its 24-hour banking network that is linked with NYCE, a regional ATM network, and CIRRUS, a national ATM network. West Chester Capital Advisors (WCCA), a SEC-registered investment advisor, is a subsidiary of the Bank. The Company also operates loan production offices (LPOs) in Altoona and Wilkins Township in Pennsylvania.

On January 15, 2021, the Company announced the execution of a definitive agreement whereby AmeriServ Financial Bank will acquire from Citizen’s Neighborhood Bank (CNB), an operating division of Riverview Bank, its branch and deposit customers in Meyersdale, as well as its deposit customers at its leased branch in the Borough of Somerset. Both of these locations are in Somerset County in southwestern Pennsylvania. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and satisfaction of customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the second quarter of 2021.

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We believe that the Bank’s deposit base is such that loss of one depositor or a related group of depositors would not have a materially adverse effect on its business. The Bank’s business is not seasonal, nor does it have any risks attendant to foreign sources. A significant majority of the Bank’s customer base is located within a 150-mile radius of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, the Bank’s headquarters.

The Bank is subject to supervision and regular examination by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia and the PDB. Various federal and state laws and regulations govern many aspects of its banking operations. The following is a summary of key data (dollars in thousands) and ratios of the Bank at December 31, 2020:

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RISK MANAGEMENT OVERVIEW

Risk identification and management are essential elements for the successful management of the Company. In the normal course of business, the Company is subject to various types of risk, which includes credit, interest rate and market, liquidity, operational, legal/compliance, strategic/reputational and security risk. Additionally, in 2020, the Company focused on the risks surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic which presented new challenges. The Company seeks to identify, manage and monitor these risks with policies, procedures, and various levels of oversight from the Company’s Board of Directors (the Board) and management. The Company has a Management Enterprise Risk Committee with Board of Director representation to help manage and monitor the Company’s risk position, which is reported formally to the Board, at a minimum, on a semi-annual basis.

Interest rate risk is the sensitivity of net interest income and the market value of financial instruments to the magnitude, direction, and frequency of changes in interest rates. Interest rate risk results from various repricing frequencies and the maturity structure of assets and liabilities. The Company uses its asset liability management policy to monitor and manage interest rate risk.

Liquidity risk represents the inability to generate cash or otherwise obtain funds at reasonable rates to satisfy commitments to borrowers, as well as the obligations to depositors, debtholders and the funding of operating costs. The Company uses its asset liability management policy and contingency funding plan to monitor and manage liquidity risk.

Credit risk represents the possibility that a customer may not perform in accordance with contractual terms resulting in an economic loss to the organization. Credit risk results from extending credit to customers, purchasing securities, and entering into certain off-balance sheet loan funding commitments. The Company’s primary credit risk occurs in the loan portfolio. The Company uses its credit policy and disciplined approach to evaluating the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses (the ALL) to monitor and manage credit risk. The Company’s investment policy and hedging policy seeks to limit the amount of credit risk that may be assumed in the investment portfolio and through hedging activities.

The following summarizes and describes the Company’s various loan categories and the underwriting standards applied to each:

Commercial Loans

This category includes credit extensions to commercial and industrial borrowers. Business assets, including accounts receivable, inventory and/or equipment, typically secure these credits. The commercial loan segment includes commercial loans secured by owner occupied real estate. In appropriate instances, extensions of credit in this category are subject to collateral advance formulas. Balance sheet strength and profitability are considered when analyzing these credits, with special attention given to historical, current and prospective sources of cash flow, and the ability of the customer to sustain cash flow at acceptable levels. The Bank’s policy permits flexibility in determining acceptable debt

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service coverage ratios. Personal guarantees are frequently required; however, as the financial strength of the borrower increases, the Bank’s ability to obtain personal guarantees decreases. In addition to economic risk, this category is impacted by the strength of the borrower’s management, industry risk and portfolio concentration risk each of which are also monitored and considered during the underwriting process.

The commercial loan segment also includes Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) authorized the Small Business Administration (SBA) to guarantee 100% of the PPP loans made to eligible borrowers pursuant to standards as defined by the SBA. The SBA guarantee on PPP loans minimizes the level of credit risk associated with the loans. As a result, such loans are assigned a 0% risk weight for purposes of calculating the Company’s risk-based capital ratios. Therefore, it was deemed appropriate to not allocate any portion of the loan loss reserve for the PPP loans.

Commercial Loans Secured by Non-Owner Occupied Real Estate

This category includes various types of loans, including acquisition and construction of investment property. Maximum term, minimum cash flow coverage, leasing requirements, maximum amortization and maximum loan to value ratios are controlled by the Bank’s credit policy and follow industry guidelines and norms, and regulatory limitations. Personal guarantees are normally required during the construction phase on construction credits and are frequently obtained on mid to smaller CRE loans. In addition to economic risk, this category is subject to geographic and portfolio concentration risk, each of which are monitored and considered in underwriting.

The Company utilizes a robust and diligent risk management framework to monitor the non-owner occupied commercial real estate segment of the portfolio. This analysis considers more forward looking credit metrics such as stress test results and underwriting trend data, coupled with risk tolerance and concentration guidelines. The process is intended to allow identification of emerging risk, in part, to determine any future change to lending policy, underwriting practices or broader lending strategy prior to any indication of performance deterioration.

Residential Real Estate — Mortgages

This category includes mortgages that are secured by residential property. Underwriting of loans within this category is pursuant to Freddie Mac/Fannie Mae underwriting guidelines, with the exception of Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) loans, which have more liberal standards. A meaningful portion of this portfolio consists of home equity loans. The major risk in this category is that a significant downward economic trend would increase unemployment and cause payment default. The Bank does not engage, and has never engaged, in subprime residential mortgage lending.

Consumer Loans

This category includes consumer installment loans and revolving credit plans. Underwriting is pursuant to industry norms and guidelines. The major risk in this category is a significant economic downturn.

INVESTMENTS

The strategic focus of the investment securities portfolio is managed for liquidity and earnings in a prudent manner that is consistent with proper bank asset/liability management and current banking practices. The objectives of portfolio management include consideration of proper liquidity levels, interest rate and market valuation sensitivity, and profitability. The investment portfolio of the Company and its subsidiaries are proactively managed in accordance with federal and state laws and regulations and in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

The investment portfolio is primarily made up of AAA rated agency mortgage-backed securities, high quality corporate securities, taxable municipal securities, and agency securities. Management strives to maintain a portfolio duration that is less than 60 months. All holdings must meet standards documented in its investment policy, unless otherwise approved by the Company’s CEO or the Asset/Liability Management Committee.

Investment securities classified as held to maturity are carried at amortized cost while investment securities classified as available for sale are reported at fair market value. The following table sets forth the cost basis and fair value of the Company’s investment portfolio as of the periods indicated:

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Investment securities available for sale at:

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Investment securities held to maturity at:

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DEPOSITS

The Bank has a stable core deposit base made up of traditional commercial bank products that exhibit modest fluctuation during the year, other than jumbo certificates of deposits (CDs) and certain municipal deposits, which demonstrate some seasonality. The Company also utilizes certain Trust Company specialty deposits related to the ERECT funds as a funding source, which serve as an alternative to wholesale borrowings and can exhibit some limited degree of volatility.

The following table sets forth the average balance of the Company’s deposits and average rates paid thereon for the past three calendar years:

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The maturities on CDs of  $100,000 or more as of December 31, 2020, are as follows:

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LOANS

The loan portfolio of the Company consisted of the following:

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Secondary Market Activities

The residential lending department of the Bank continues to originate one-to-four family mortgage loans for customers, some of which are sold to outside investors in the secondary market and some of which are retained for the Bank’s portfolio. Mortgages sold in the secondary market are sold to investors on a “flow” basis; mortgages are priced and delivered on a “best efforts” pricing basis, with servicing released to the investor. Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac guidelines are used in underwriting all mortgages with the exception of a limited amount of CRA loans. Mortgages with longer terms, such as 20-year, 30-year, FHA, and VA loans, are usually sold. The remaining production of the department includes construction, adjustable rate mortgages, and quality non-salable loans. These loans are usually kept in the Bank’s portfolio.

Non-performing Assets

The following table presents information concerning non-performing assets:

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The Company is unaware of any additional loans which are required to either be charged-off or added to the non-performing asset totals disclosed above. Other real estate owned (OREO) is measured at fair value based on appraisals, less cost to sell at the date of foreclosure. The Company had no loans past due 90 days or more, still accruing, for the periods presented.

The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, (1) the gross interest income that would have been recorded if non-accrual loans had been current in accordance with their original terms and had been outstanding throughout the period or since origination if held for part of the period, (2) the amount of interest income actually recorded on such loans, and (3) the net reduction in interest income attributable to such loans.

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AMERISERV FINANCIAL NON-BANKING SUBSIDIARY

AMERISERV TRUST AND FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPANY

AmeriServ Trust and Financial Services Company is a trust company organized under Pennsylvania law in October 1992. Its staff of approximately 43 professionals administers assets valued at approximately $2.5 billion that are not recognized on the Company’s balance sheet at December 31, 2020. The Trust Company focuses on wealth management. Wealth management includes personal trust products and services such as personal portfolio investment management, estate planning and administration, custodial services and pre-need trusts. Also, institutional trust products and services such as 401(k) plans, defined benefit and defined contribution employee benefit plans, and individual retirement accounts are included in this segment. This segment also includes financial services, which provide the sale of mutual funds, annuities, and insurance products. The wealth management business also includes the union collective investment funds, the ERECT funds, which are designed to use union pension dollars in construction projects that utilize union labor. At December 31, 2020, the Trust Company had total assets of  $6.4 million and total stockholder’s equity of  $6.3 million. In 2020, the Trust Company contributed earnings to the Company as its gross revenue amounted to $9.6 million and the net income contribution was $1.5 million. The Trust Company is subject to regulation and supervision by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia and the PDB.

MONETARY POLICIES

Commercial banks are affected by policies of various regulatory authorities including the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the Federal Reserve). An important function of the Federal Reserve is to regulate the national supply of bank credit. Among the instruments of monetary policy used by the Federal Reserve are: open market operations in U.S. Government securities, changes in the federal funds rate and discount rate on member bank borrowings, and changes in reserve requirements on bank deposits. These means are used in varying combinations to influence overall growth of bank loans, investments, and deposits, and may also affect interest rate charges on loans or interest paid for deposits. The monetary policies of the Federal Reserve have had a significant effect on the operating results of commercial banks in the past and are expected to continue to do so in the future.

COMPETITION

Our subsidiaries face strong competition from other commercial banks, savings banks, credit unions, savings and loan associations, and other financial or investment service institutions for business in the communities they serve. Several of these institutions are affiliated with major banking and financial institutions which are substantially larger and have greater financial resources than the Bank and the Trust Company. As the financial services industry continues to consolidate, the scope of potential competition affecting our subsidiaries will also increase. Brokerage houses, consumer finance companies, insurance companies, financial technology firms, and pension trusts are important competitors for various types of financial services. Personal and corporate trust investment counseling services are offered by insurance companies, other firms, and individuals. In addition, some of these competitors, such as credit unions, are subject to a lesser degree of regulation or taxation than that imposed on us.

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MARKET AREA & ECONOMY

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the U.S. and global economy, as well as the local economies in which we operate, creating significant volatility and increased unemployment levels. In addition, the pandemic has resulted in temporary closures of many local businesses and/or businesses operating at reduced capacity. The return to normal operating conditions has been slow and is expected to last into the foreseeable future. The institution of social distancing requirements in many states and communities, including those in our footprint will continue. Governmental authorities have taken significant measures to provide economic assistance to individual households and businesses, stabilize the markets, and support economic growth. The economy has recently shown signs of a rebound in conjunction with further government aid, the February 2021 slowdown in Covid-19 infections, and the hope that exists because of the distribution of a vaccine. The success of the measures taken by the government is becoming apparent, but they may not be sufficient to fully mitigate the negative impact of the pandemic. The virus continues to weigh on economic activity, and many economic key indicators remain depressed. The length of the pandemic and the effectiveness of the measures being put in place to address it are not completely known. The economy and its recovery remain vulnerable. Economists say the factors leading up to the current economic slowdown, such as how fast it hit and who it is affecting, are different from previous economic downturns and may lead to a different outcome. The unfavorable impact that the pandemic has had and is having on our market area is clearly evident in the increases to the unemployment rates between years in the various core markets that we serve as noted in the following discussion.

Johnstown, Pennsylvania, where the Company is headquartered, continues to have a cost of living that is lower than the national average. Johnstown is home to The University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, Pennsylvania Highlands Community College and Conemaugh Health System. The high-tech defense industry is now the main non-health care staple of the Johnstown economy, with the region fulfilling many federal government contracts, punctuated by one of the premier defense trade shows in the U.S., the annual Showcase for Commerce. The city also hosts annual events such as the Flood City Music Festival and the Thunder in the Valley Motorcycle Rally, each of which draw several thousand visitors. The Johnstown, PA MSA unemployment rate increased from a 5.0% average in 2019 to a 9.6% average in 2020. The Johnstown, PA MSA continues to have one of the highest jobless rates among the 18 metropolitan statistical areas across the state. This, coupled with a declining population trend, creates a challenge moving forward.

Economic conditions are stronger in the State College market and have demonstrated the same improvement experienced in the national economy. The community is a college town, dominated economically and demographically by the presence of the University Park campus of the Pennsylvania State University. “Happy Valley” is another often-used term to refer to the State College area, including the borough and the townships of College, Harris, Patton, and Ferguson. The unemployment rate for the State College MSA increased from a 3.1% average in 2019 to a 5.8% average in 2020 and remains one of the lowest of all regions in the Commonwealth. A large percentage of the population in State College falls into the 18 to 34-year-old age group, while potential customers in the Cambria/Somerset markets tend to be over 50 years of age.

Hagerstown in Washington County, Maryland offers a rare combination of business advantages providing a major crossroads location that is convenient to the entire East Coast at the intersection of I-81 and I-70. It has a workforce of over 400,000 with strengths in manufacturing and technology. It also offers an affordable cost of doing business and living, all within an hour of the Washington, D.C./Baltimore regions. There are also plenty of facilities and land slated for industrial/commercial development. Hagerstown has become a choice location for manufacturers, financial services, and distribution companies. The Hagerstown, MD-Martinsburg, WV MSA unemployment rate increased from a 3.7% average in 2019 to a 6.5% average in 2020.

The Company also has loan production offices in Wilkins Township in Allegheny County and Altoona in Blair County, Pennsylvania. Wilkins Township in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania is located 15 miles east of the city of Pittsburgh. While the city is historically known for its steel industry, today its economy is largely based on healthcare, education, technology and financial services. The city of Pittsburgh is home to many colleges, universities and research facilities, the most well-known of which are Carnegie Mellon University, Duquesne University and the University of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh is rich in art and culture. Pittsburgh museums and cultural sites include the Andy Warhol Museum, the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Frick Art & Historical Center, and Pittsburgh Center for the Arts among numerous others. Pittsburgh is also the home of the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins. The unemployment rate for the Pittsburgh MSA increased from a 4.1% average in 2019 to a 9.3% average in 2020.

Altoona is the business center of Blair County, Pennsylvania with a strong retail, government and manufacturing base. The top field of employment in Altoona and the metro area is healthcare. Its location along I-99 draws from a large

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trade area over a wide geographic area that extends to State College and Johnstown. It serves as the headquarters for Sheetz Corporation, which ranks on Forbes list of the top privately owned companies. In addition to being located adjacent to I-99 and a major highway system, Altoona also has easy access to rail and air transportation. The average unemployment rate in the Altoona MSA increased from 4.2% in 2019 to 8.7% in 2020.

EMPLOYEES

The Company employed 314 people as of December 31, 2020 in full- and part-time positions. Approximately 148 non-supervisory employees of the Company are represented by the United Steelworkers, AFL-CIO-CLC, Local Union 2635-06. The Company is under a four-year labor contract with the United Steelworkers Local that will expire on October 15, 2021. The contract calls for annual wage increases of 3.0%. The Company has not experienced a work stoppage since 1979. The Company is one of an estimated ten union represented banks nationwide.

INDUSTRY REGULATION

The banking and trust industry, and the operation of bank holding companies, is highly regulated by federal and state law, and by numerous regulations adopted by the federal and state banking agencies. Bank regulation affects all aspects of conducting business as a bank, including such major items as minimum capital requirements, limits on types and amounts of investments, loans and other assets, as well as borrowings and other liabilities, and numerous restrictions or requirements on the loan terms and other products made available to customers, particularly consumers. Federal deposit insurance from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the FDIC) is required for all banks in the United States, and maintaining FDIC insurance requires observation of the various rules of the FDIC, as well as payment of deposit insurance premiums. New branches, or acquisitions or mergers, are required to be pre-approved by the responsible agency, which in the case of the Company and the Bank is the Federal Reserve and the PDB. The Bank provides detailed financial information to its regulators, including a quarterly call report that is filed pursuant to detailed prescribed instructions to ensure that all U.S. banks report the same way. The U.S. banking laws and regulations are frequently updated and amended, especially in response to crises in the financial industry, such as the global financial crisis of 2008, which resulted in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act enacted in 2010 (the Dodd-Frank Act), a statute affecting many facets of the financial industry. The Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act was enacted into law in 2018 and was designed to ease certain restrictions imposed by the Dodd-Frank Act. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) was enacted into law on March 27, 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While it is impractical to discuss all laws and regulations that regularly affect the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, set forth below is an overview of some of the major provisions and statutes that apply.

CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS

One of the most significant regulatory requirements for banking institutions is minimum capital, imposed as a ratio of capital to assets. The Federal Deposit Insurance Act, as amended (the FDIA), identifies five capital categories for insured depository institutions: well capitalized, adequately capitalized, undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized and critically undercapitalized. It requires U.S. federal bank regulatory agencies to implement systems for “prompt corrective action” for insured depository institutions that do not meet minimum capital requirements based on these categories. Both federal and state banking regulation impose progressively more restrictive constraints on operations, management and capital distributions, depending on the category in which an institution is classified. Unless a bank is well capitalized, it is subject to restrictions on its ability to utilize brokered deposits and on other aspects of its operations. Generally, a bank is prohibited from paying any dividend or making any capital distribution or paying any management fee to its holding company if the bank would thereafter be undercapitalized.

As of December 31, 2020, the Company believes that its bank subsidiary was well capitalized, based on the prompt corrective action guidelines described above. On January 1, 2015, U.S. federal banking agencies implemented the new Basel III capital standards, which establish the minimum capital levels to be considered well-capitalized and revised the prompt corrective action requirements under banking regulations. The revisions from the previous standards include a revised definition of capital, the introduction of a minimum common equity tier 1 capital ratio and changed risk weightings for certain assets. Under the current rules, in order to avoid limitations on capital distributions (including

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dividend payments and certain discretionary bonus payments to executive officers), a banking organization must hold a capital conservation buffer above its minimum risk-based capital requirements of 2.50% of total risk weighted assets.

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The capital to risk-adjusted assets requirements for minimum capital plus the applicable buffer, and the requirement to be “well capitalized,” are as follows:

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In addition, see the discussion of the community bank leverage ratio under the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act below.

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DIVIDEND RESTRICTIONS

The primary source of cash to pay dividends, if any, to the Company’s shareholders and to meet the Company’s obligations is dividends paid to the Company by the Bank and the Trust Company. Dividend payments by the Bank to the Company are subject to the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Banking Code, the FDIA and the regulation of the PDB and the Federal Reserve. Under the Banking Act and the FDIA, a bank may not pay any dividends if, after paying such dividends, it would be undercapitalized under applicable capital requirements. In addition to these explicit limitations, the federal regulatory agencies are authorized to prohibit a banking subsidiary or bank holding company from engaging in unsafe or unsound banking practices. Depending upon the circumstances, the agencies could take the position that paying a dividend would constitute an unsafe or unsound banking practice.

It is the policy of the Federal Reserve that bank holding companies should pay cash dividends on common stock only out of income available from the immediately preceding year and only if prospective earnings retention is consistent with the organization’s expected future needs and financial condition. The policy provides that bank holding companies should not maintain a level of cash dividend that undermines the bank holding company’s ability to serve as a source of strength to its banking subsidiary. A bank holding company may not pay dividends when it is insolvent.

For more information regarding quarterly cash dividends, see Part II, Item 5. Market for the Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities below.

SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 is not a banking law, but contains important requirements for public companies in the area of financial disclosure and corporate governance. In accordance with Section 302(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, written certifications by the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer are required. These certifications attest, among other things, that the Company’s quarterly and annual reports filed with the SEC do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact. In response to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the Company adopted a series of procedures to further strengthen its corporate governance practices. The Company also requires signed certifications from managers who are responsible for internal controls throughout the Company as to the integrity of the information they prepare. These procedures supplement the Company’s Code of Conduct Policy and other procedures that were previously in place. The Company maintains a program designed to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. This program includes the identification of key processes and accounts, documentation of the design of control effectiveness over the key processes and entity level controls, and testing of the effectiveness of key controls.

PRIVACY PROVISIONS

Federal banking regulators adopted rules that limit the ability of banks and other financial institutions to disclose non-public information about customers to non-affiliated third parties. These limitations require disclosure of privacy policies to consumers and, in some circumstances, allow consumers to prevent disclosure of certain personal information to non-affiliated third parties. The privacy provisions affect how consumer information is transmitted through diversified financial companies and conveyed to outside vendors. The Company believes it is in compliance with the various provisions.

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USA PATRIOT ACT

A major focus of governmental policy on financial institutions has been aimed at combating money laundering and terrorist financing. The USA Patriot Act substantially broadened the scope of United States anti-money laundering laws and regulations by imposing significant new compliance and due diligence obligations, creating new crimes and penalties and expanding the extra-territorial jurisdiction of the United States. The United States Treasury Department has issued and, in some cases, proposed a number of regulations that apply various requirements of the USA Patriot Act to financial institutions. These regulations impose obligations on financial institutions to maintain appropriate policies, procedures and controls to detect, prevent and report money laundering and terrorist financing and to verify the identity of their customers. Failure of a financial institution to maintain and implement adequate programs to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, or to comply with all of the relevant laws or regulations, could have serious legal and reputational consequences for the Company.

DODD-FRANK WALL STREET REFORM AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT

The Dodd-Frank Act was signed into law on July 21, 2010. This law significantly changed the previous bank regulatory structure and affects the lending, deposit, investment, trading and operating activities of financial institutions and their holding companies.

A provision of the Dodd-Frank Act eliminated the federal prohibitions on paying interest on demand deposits, thus allowing businesses to have interest bearing checking accounts. The Dodd-Frank Act also broadened the base for FDIC insurance assessments. Assessments will now be based on the average consolidated total assets less tangible equity capital of a financial institution. The Dodd-Frank Act also permanently increased the maximum amount of deposit insurance for banks, savings institutions and credit unions to $250,000 per depositor.

Bank and thrift holding companies with assets of less than $15 billion as of December 31, 2009, such as the Company, are permitted to include trust preferred securities that were issued before May 19, 2010, such as the Company’s 8.45% Trust Preferred Securities, as Tier 1 capital; however, trust preferred securities issued by a bank or thrift holding company (other than those with assets of less than $500 million) after May 19, 2010, will no longer count as Tier 1 capital. Such trust preferred securities still will be entitled to be treated as Tier 2 capital.

The Dodd-Frank Act created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the CFPB), a new independent regulatory agency with broad powers to supervise and enforce consumer protection laws. The CFPB has broad rule-making authority for a wide range of consumer protection laws that apply to all banks and savings institutions, including the authority to prohibit “unfair, deceptive or abusive” acts and practices. The CFPB has examination and enforcement authority over all banks and savings institutions with more than $10 billion in assets. Banks and savings institutions with $10 billion or less in assets such as the Company will continue to be examined for compliance with the consumer laws by their primary bank regulators. The Dodd-Frank Act also weakens the federal preemption rules that have been applicable for national banks and federal savings associations and gives state attorney generals the ability to enforce federal consumer protection laws.

ECONOMIC GROWTH, REGULATORY RELIEF, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT

The Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (the “Act”), which was designed to ease certain restrictions imposed by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, was enacted into law on May 24, 2018. Most of the changes made by the Act can be grouped into five general areas: mortgage lending; certain regulatory relief for “community” banks; enhanced consumer protections in specific areas, including subjecting credit reporting agencies to additional requirements; certain regulatory relief for large financial institutions, including increasing the threshold at which institutions are classified a systemically important financial institutions (from $50 billion to $250 billion) and therefore subject to stricter oversight, and revising the rules for larger institution stress testing; and certain changes to federal securities regulations designed to promote capital formation.

Some of the key provisions of the Act as it relates to community banks and bank holding companies include, but are not limited to: (i) designating mortgages held in portfolio as “qualified mortgages” for banks with less than $10 billion in assets, subject to certain documentation and product limitations; (ii) exempting banks with less than $10 billion in assets from Volcker Rule requirements relating to proprietary trading; (iii) simplifying capital calculations for banks with less than $10 billion in assets by requiring federal banking agencies to establish a community bank leverage ratio of tangible equity to average consolidate assets not less than 8% or more than 10% and provide that banks that maintain tangible equity in excess of such ratio will be deemed to be in compliance with risk-based capital and leverage requirements;

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(iv) assisting smaller banks with obtaining stable funding by providing an exception for reciprocal deposits from FDIC restrictions on acceptance of brokered deposits; (v) raising the eligibility for use of short-form call reports from $1 billion to $5 billion in assets; and (vi) clarifying definitions pertaining to high volatility commercial real estate loans (HVCRE), which require higher capital allocations, so that only loans with increased risk are subject to higher risk weightings.

In September 2019, as directed pursuant to the Act, the federal bank regulatory agencies issued final rules for a community bank leverage ratio (“CBLR”) for certain community banking organizations, which was available to use in call reports filed for the period beginning January 1, 2020 or April 1, 2020 pursuant to subsequent final rules adopted in October 2019. The CBLR framework is designed to reduce burden by removing the requirements for calculating and reporting risk-based capital ratios for qualifying community banking organizations that opt into the framework. Under the final rules, a bank or holding company is eligible to elect the CBLR framework if the institution has less than $10 billion in total consolidated assets, meets certain risk-based qualifying criteria and has a CBLR greater than 9%. The CARES Act reduced the minimum ratio to 8% beginning in the 2^nd quarter of 2020 through December 31, 2020, increasing to 8.5% for 2021 and returning to 9% beginning January 1, 2022. A qualifying community banking organization that opts into the CBLR framework and meets all requirements under the framework will be considered to have met the well-capitalized ratio requirements under the Prompt Corrective Action regulations and will not be required to report or calculate the risk-based and leverage capital requirements under the Basel III rules. The Company has not opted into the CBLR framework for the Bank at this time.

In July 2019, the federal bank regulatory agencies issued final rules pursuant to the Act simplifying several requirements in the agencies’ regulatory capital rules for banks generally less than $250 billion in assets. As directed pursuant to the Act, the federal bank regulatory agencies issued final rules increasing the asset thresholds for management interlocks between depository institutions, which became effective in October 2019. Also, in October 2019, the federal bank regulatory agencies issued final rules to, among other things, increase the threshold for appraisals in a residential real estate transaction from $250,000 to $400,000 and make conforming changes to add to the list of exempt transactions those transactions secured by residential property in rural areas that have been exempted from the agencies’ appraisal requirements pursuant to the Act.

CORONAVIRUS AID, RELIEF, AND ECONOMIC SECURITY ACT

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) was enacted into law on March 27, 2020. Federal, state, and local governments have adopted various statutes, rules, regulations, orders, and guidelines in order to address the COVID-19 pandemic and the adverse economic effects of this pandemic on individuals, families, businesses, and governments. Financial institutions, including the Company, are affected by many of these measures, including measures that are broadly applicable to businesses operating in the communities where the Company does business. These measures include “stay-at-home orders” that allow only essential businesses to operate. Financial services firms are generally regarded as “essential businesses” under these orders, but financial services firms, like other essential businesses, are required to operate in a manner that seeks to protect the health and safety of their customers and employees.

In addition, the federal banking agencies along with state bank regulators issued an interagency statement on March 22, 2020, addressing loan modifications that are made by financial institutions for borrowers affected by the COVID-19 crisis. The agencies stated that short-term loan modifications made on a good faith basis in response to COVID-19 for borrowers who were current prior to any relief do not need to be categorized as TDRs and that financial institutions are not expected to designate loans with deferrals granted due to COVID-19 as past due because of the deferral.

The CARES Act contains a number of provisions that affect banking organizations. The CARES Act provides funding for various programs under which the federal government will lend to, guarantee loans to, or make investments in, businesses. Banking organizations are expected to play a role in some of these programs, and when they do so, they will be subject to certain requirements. One of these programs is the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a program administered by the Small Business Administration (the SBA) to provide loans to small businesses for payroll and other basic expenses during the COVID-19 crisis. The loans can be made by SBA-certified lenders and are 100% guaranteed by the SBA. The loans are eligible to be forgiven if certain conditions are satisfied, in which event the SBA will make payment to the lender for the forgiven amounts. The Bank has participated in the PPP as a lender.

The CARES Act also authorized temporary changes to certain provisions applicable to banking organizations. Among other changes, Section 4013 of the CARES Act gives financial institutions the right to elect to suspend GAAP

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principles and regulatory determinations for loan modifications relating to COVID-19 that would otherwise be categorized as TDRs from March 1, 2020, through the earlier of December 31, 2020, or 60 days after the COVID-19 national emergency ends. On April 7, 2020, the federal banking agencies, in consultation with state bank regulators, issued an interagency statement clarifying the interaction between (i) their earlier statement discussing whether loan modications relating to COVD-19 need to be treated as TDRs and (ii) the CARES Act provision on this subject. In this interagency statement, the agencies also said that when exercising supervisory and enforcement responsibility with respect to consumer protection requirements, they will take into account the unique circumstances impacting borrowers and institutions resulting from the COVID-19 emergency and that they do not expect to take a consumer compliance public enforcement action against an institution, provided that the circumstances were related to this emergency and the institution made good faith efforts to support borrowers and comply with the consumer protection requirements and addressed any needed corrective action. The suspension of TDR identification and accounting triggered by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic was extended by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, signed into law on December 27, 2020. The period established by Section 4013 of the CARES Act was extended to the earlier of January 1, 2022 or 60 days after the date on which the national COVID-19 emergency terminates.

The Federal Reserve has established several lending facilities that are intended to support the flow of credit to households, businesses, and governments. One of these facilities is the Paycheck Protection Program Liquidity Facility (PPPLF) which was set up to allow the Federal Reserve Banks to extend credit to financial institutions that originate PPP loans, taking the loans as collateral at face value. On April 9, 2020, the federal banking agencies issued an interim final rule to allow banking organizations to neutralize the effect of PPP loans financed under the PPPLF on the leverage capital ratios of these organizations. Also, in accordance with the CARES Act, a PPP loan will be assigned a risk weight of zero percent under the federal banking agencies’ risk-based capital rules. The Federal Reserve had also announced the creation of main street lending facilities to purchase loan participations, under specified conditions, from banks lending to small to medium U.S. businesses. The Company has not participated in any of these facilities.

Additionally, on March 15, 2020, the Federal Reserve reduced the target range for the federal funds rate to 0% to 0.25% and announced that it would increase its holdings of U.S. Treasury securities and agency mortgage-backed securities and begin purchasing agency commercial mortgage-backed securities. The Federal Reserve has also encouraged depository institutions to borrow from the discount window and has lowered the primary credit rate for such borrowing by 150 basis points while extending the term of such loans up to 90 days. Reserve requirements have been reduced to zero as of March 26, 2020.

AVAILABLE INFORMATION

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. These filings are available to the public on the internet at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

Our internet address is http://www.ameriserv.com. We make available, free of charge on http://www.ameriserv.com, our annual, quarterly and current reports, and amendments to those reports, as soon as reasonably practical after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC.

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ITEM 1A.   RISK FACTORS

Not applicable.

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ITEM 1B.   UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

The Company has no unresolved staff comments from the SEC for the reporting periods presented.

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ITEM 2.   PROPERTIES

The principal offices of the Company and the Bank occupy the five-story AmeriServ Financial building at the corner of Main and Franklin Streets in Johnstown plus eleven floors of the building adjacent thereto. The Company occupies the main office and its subsidiary entities have 13 locations which are owned. Seven additional locations are leased with terms expiring from May 31, 2022 to June 30, 2033.

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ITEM 3.   LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

The Company is subject to a number of asserted and unasserted potential legal claims encountered in the normal course of business. In the opinion of both management and legal counsel, there is no present basis to conclude that the resolution of these claims will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

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ITEM 4.   MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not applicable.

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PART II

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

COMMON STOCK

As of February 28, 2021, the Company had 2,724 shareholders of record for its common stock. The Company’s common stock is traded on The NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol “ASRV.” The following table sets forth the actual high and low closing prices and the cash dividends declared per share for the periods indicated:

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The declaration of cash dividends on the Company’s common stock is at the discretion of the Board, and any decision to declare a dividend is based on a number of factors, including, but not limited to, earnings, prospects, financial condition, regulatory capital levels, applicable covenants under any credit agreements and other contractual restrictions, Pennsylvania law, federal and Pennsylvania bank regulatory law, and other factors deemed relevant.

On April 16, 2019, the Company announced a common stock repurchase program that called for AmeriServ Financial, Inc. to purchase up to 3%, or approximately 526,000 shares, of the Company’s outstanding common stock over a 12-month period. As of the end of the first quarter of 2020, all shares authorized under this plan had been repurchased. During 2020, the Company was able to repurchase a total of 35,962 shares at an average price of $4.20 under this repurchase program.

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ITEM 6. SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

SELECTED FIVE-YEAR CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (MD&A)

The following discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations of the Company should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements of the Company including the related notes thereto, included elsewhere herein.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020, 2019, AND 2018

2020 SUMMARY OVERVIEW:

AmeriServ Financial, Inc.’s fourth quarter 2020 net income was $692,000, or $0.04 per diluted common share. This represents an increase of $23,000, or 3.4%, from the fourth quarter of 2019 when net income was $669,000, or also $0.04 per diluted common share. For the year ended December 31, 2020, net income was $4,598,000 or $0.27 per diluted share. This performance represented a decline of 22.9% from the full year of 2019, when net income was $6,028,000, or $0.35 per common share.

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Admittedly, this has been, and in many ways continues to be, a difficult time for many of us, both in this nation and globally. But we believe the fundamental strength and resolve of the average citizen of these United States has emerged through the many challenges. The national lockdown was a shock to the fiber of our society. However, the limited re-openings that began in mid-summer were important. By the beginning of the fourth quarter, those commercial enterprises who re-opened began to revive commercial loan demand. AmeriServ experienced a growth in traditional loan products of nearly $39 million in net loans outstanding in the fourth quarter. This quickening pace we regard as a positive sign that recovery, while slow, has begun. We have also noticed the changed behavior of the American consumer as the pandemic event spread across all fifty states. All levels of government embarked on economic stimulus programs, introducing growth in the money supply for both businesses and consumers. But much of that stimulus funding went into debt reduction and even more to increase the level of deposits in banks across the U.S. Americans were unsure about the future and almost overnight, the nation of spenders became a nation of savers. AmeriServ alone found that from December 31, 2019 to December 31, 2020, its total deposits increased by $94 million, or approximately 10%, a record high for AmeriServ. The banking system was more liquid than it has been in sometime as businesses and consumers alike were concerned about an increased level of risk.

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Other positive changes began occurring. The Federal Reserve reduced interest rates and ignited a boom in home buying and residential mortgages. In 2020, AmeriServ Financial Bank closed $142 million of residential mortgage loans as compared with $60 million in the 12 months of 2019. This flood of new stimulus funds also found its way into equity markets permitting AmeriServ’s Wealth Management complex to increase the market value of its clients’ funds under management or administration, by $243 million or 11%. This total closing at $2.48 billion, was an historic record for the Wealth Management complex at AmeriServ.

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These positive developments were encouraging but we continued to be alert and active in the interests of those businesses or consumers who were struggling. Our commercial loan group actively supported certain borrowers in certain industries who remained closed or restricted. AmeriServ also participated in the Federal Payroll Protection Loan Program (PPP) in 2020 making 477 loans totaling $68.7 million to small businesses throughout the region. AmeriServ additionally has modified the payment terms for 19 commercial borrowers with loans totaling $47 million in order to assist these borrowers struggling with the pandemic event and conditions beyond their control. We monitor these borrowers continuously, along with guidance from the Federal Reserve, our primary regulator. Just as any knowledgeable team of money lenders would do, we have continued to build our allowance for loan losses to protect this Company. The PPP loans are relatively riskless because of a governmental guarantee. AmeriServ is monitoring the payment deferral loans and reporting in detail to the full Board of Directors monthly. Our goal is to provide reasonable assistance to all of our struggling customers, but also to protect the safety and soundness of this important regional franchise.

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This Company continues to exceed all regulatory capital requirements. We continue to service the payment requirements of our Trust Preferred shares and our subordinated debt issue. Our quarterly common stock dividend remains in effect, but we have ceased common stock repurchases based upon guidance provided by regulatory authorities. Additionally, we are preserving capital to support the balance sheet growth that we have experienced. Daily, we are faced with the task of balancing risk with reward. However, the risk implicit today is not primarily economic risk but rather the total impact of the pandemic, which created unplanned and new economic risks. In such times, we

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naturally fall back into the time tested financial norms of the community bank business model. This is what we believe in and is exactly what good times and bad times have trained us to do. We are encouraged by the recent positive developments which we reviewed herein. We do not believe the difficulties are over. The pandemic is still with us every day. Therefore, this Board and this Management Team must continue to be vigilant and alert. There are still too many unknowns to be explored and mitigated.

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PERFORMANCE OVERVIEW.   The following table summarizes some of the Company’s key profitability performance indicators for each of the past three years.

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The Company reported net income of  $4,598,000, or $0.27 per diluted common share, in 2020. This represents a 22.9% decrease in earnings per share from the full year of 2019 when net income totaled $6,028,000, or $0.35 per diluted common share. The Company’s return on average equity declined to 4.52% for the 2020 year from 6.02% in 2019. The resiliency of our community bank customer-focused business model was evident in 2020 as the Company dealt with the many unexpected challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Company experienced record levels of both loans and deposits as we served as an important financial resource to small businesses and consumers in our marketplace. Continuing our conservative risk management posture, we prudently built our allowance for loan losses to address increased credit risk in certain sectors of our loan portfolio which was a primary factor causing the decline in earnings between years. The good diversification of the Company’s revenue was evident as 31% of our total revenue in 2020 came from non-interest income sources which included record contributions from our strong wealth management business and active residential mortgage operation. Finally, the Company increased tangible book value⁽¹⁾ per share by 6.7% during 2020.

The Company reported net income of  $6.0 million, or $0.35 per diluted common share, for 2019. This represented an 18.6% decrease in earnings per share from 2018 when net income totaled $7.8 million, or $0.43 per diluted common share. The decline in 2019 earnings was caused by an increased loan loss provision primarily related to one large commercial loan and an impairment charge recognized on a Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) related investment.

The Company reported net income of $7.8 million, or $0.43 per diluted common share, for 2018. This represented an 139% increase in earnings per share from 2017 where net income totaled $3.3 million, or $0.18 per diluted common share. The strong growth in earnings resulted from a favorable combination of lower income tax expense, outstanding asset quality, and well controlled non-interest expense^.

⁽¹⁾ See reconciliation of non-GAAP tangible book value later in this MD&A.

NET INTEREST INCOME AND MARGIN.   The Company’s net interest income represents the amount by which interest income on earning assets exceeds interest paid on interest bearing liabilities. Net interest income is a primary source of the Company’s earnings; it is affected by interest rate fluctuations as well as changes in the amount and mix of earning assets and interest bearing liabilities. The following table summarizes the Company’s net interest income performance for each of the past three years:

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2020 NET INTEREST PERFORMANCE OVERVIEW.   The Company’s net interest income for the full year of 2020 increased by $925,000, or 2.6%, when compared to the full year of 2019. The Company’s net interest margin was 3.19% for the full year of 2020 representing a ten basis point decline from the full year of 2019. Our net interest margin performance was challenged throughout 2020 as a result of the low interest rate environment and the economic uncertainty and volatility caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As COVID-19 cases surged, government officials recommended the implementation of certain safety measures and restrictions on businesses and individuals. As a result, AmeriServ had to close its lobbies to customer traffic two separate times during the year for an extended period of time, but continued to service customers through drive up access. In spite of these pandemic related challenges, our balance sheet experienced robust growth in 2020 which caused the increase in net interest income despite the decline in the net interest margin due to pressures from the low interest rate environment. Total average earning assets increased by $62.2 million, or 5.8%, in 2020. Specifically, total loans averaged $923 million in 2020 which is $48.1 million, or 5.5%, higher than the 2019 full year average. Short-term investments averaged $29 million in 2020 which is $18.3 million, or 173.2%, higher than the 2019 full year average. Slightly offsetting the higher level of average loans and short-term investments was a decrease in average investment securities. Total investment securities averaged $188 million in 2020 which is $6.2 million, or 3.2%, lower than the 2019 full year average.

Total deposits, including non-interest bearing demand deposits, averaged $1.035 billion for the full year of 2020, which was $55.2 million, or 5.6%, higher than the $980 million average for the full year of 2019. The 2020 full year average of short-term and FHLB borrowed funds was $69 million, which represented an increase of  $5.6 million, or 8.8%. Overall, the Company’s loan to deposit ratio averaged 90.9% in the fourth quarter of 2020 which we believe indicates that the Company has ample capacity to continue to grow its loan portfolio and is well positioned to continue assisting our customers and the community given the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic is having on the economy.

COMPONENT CHANGES IN NET INTEREST INCOME: 2020 VERSUS 2019.   Regarding the separate components of net interest income, the Company’s total interest income in 2020 decreased by $2.9 million, or 5.8%, when compared to 2019. Total average earning assets increased by $62.2 million, or 5.8%, in 2020 as the increased level of average total loans and short term investments more than offset the lower level of average total investment securities. Despite the growth in average earning assets, interest income was unfavorably impacted by a decrease in the earning asset yield which declined by 50 basis points from 4.61% to 4.11%. All categories within the earning asset base demonstrated an interest income decrease between years. The average total loan portfolio yield decreased by 51 basis points from 4.91% to 4.40% in 2020 while the average yield on total investment securities decreased by 16 basis points from 3.36% to 3.20%.

Total investment securities averaged $188 million for the full year of 2020 which is $6.2 million, or 3.2%, lower than the $194 million average in 2019. The Company was selective in 2020 when purchasing the more typical types of securities that have been purchased historically as the market was less favorable for purchases, offering a lower return given the differences in the position and shape of the U.S. Treasury yield curve from last year. To somewhat offset the unfavorable market for the more traditional types of purchases, the Company has been active since March of 2020 purchasing corporate securities, particularly subordinated debt issued by other financial institutions along with taxable municipal securities. Subordinated debt offers higher yields than the typical types of securities in which we invest and is particularly attractive given the current low interest rate environment and modestly positive slope of the yield curve. Management believes it to be acceptable to increase our investments in bank subordinated debt in a gradual and diversified manner, given the heavily regulated nature of the industry combined with our intensive due diligence process and adherence to our internal guidelines for these types of investments.

Total loans reached a new record level and averaged $923 million for the full year of 2020 which is $48.1 million, or 5.5%, higher than the 2019 full year average. The growth between years was primarily related to AmeriServ’s early participation in the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 100% guraranteed Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) which remained on the balance sheet from the time of their inception through year end. During 2020, the Company processed 477 PPP loans totaling $68.7 million to assist small businesses and our community in this difficult economy. Also, the Company recorded a total of $1.9 million of processing fee income and interest income from PPP lending activity. The remaining portion of PPP processing fees totals approximately $755,000 and is being amortized into income over the time period that the loans remain on our balance sheet or until the PPP loan is forgiven at which time the remaining fee will be recognized immediately as income. Note that the level of PPP loans did decrease by approximately $10 million during the fourth quarter as we work through the forgiveness process with our customers. In late December 2020, the Federal Government passed a new $900 billion pandemic relief bill which includes $284.5 billion for the re-opening of the SBA Paycheck Protection Program. The Company is participating in this new 2021 program to continue to provide assistance to our business customers. Normal commercial lending production improved

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during the final four months of the year with commercial loan pipelines also improving to pre-COVID levels. Overall, on an end of period basis and excluding total PPP loans, the total loan portfolio grew by approximately $39.1 million since September 30, 2020. Residential mortgage loan production continued to be exceptionally strong throughout the year and reached a record level given the lower interest rate environment. For the full year of 2020, residential mortgage loan production totaled $142 million and was 139% higher than the production level of $60 million achieved for the full year of 2019. Even though total average loans increased compared to last year and loan interest income was enhanced by the PPP revenue, loan interest and fee income declined by $2.3 million, or 5.4%, for the full year. The lower loan interest income reflects the challenges that this record low interest rate environment has created. New loans are being originated at lower yields and certain loans tied to LIBOR or the prime rate reprice downward as both of these indices have moved down with the Federal Reserve’s decision to decrease the target federal funds interest rate by a total of 225 basis points since June of 2019.

Our liquidity position continues to be strong due to the significant influx of deposits that resulted from the government stimulus programs and as customers continue to be cautious and are demonstrating reduced spending activity due to the economic uncertainty. As a result, short-term investments averaged $29 million for the full year of 2020 which is $18.3 million, or 173.2%, higher than the 2019 full year average. The challenge of profitably deploying this excess liquidity resulted in management initially investing in high quality commercial paper given their short maturities and higher rates of return. However, as 2020 progressed, the yields on commercial paper experienced a steady decline, once again creating pressure to find a suitable return for our excess liquidity. This pressure was eased during the fourth quarter given the loan growth that occurred which resulted in short term investment balances returning to a more normal.

Total interest expense for the twelve months of 2020 decreased by $3.8 million, or 26.6%, when compared to 2019, due to lower levels of both deposit and borrowing interest expense. Deposit interest expense in the full year of 2020 was lower by $3.6 million, or 31.8%. Total average deposits reached a record level, averaging $1.035 billion for the year, which is $55.2 million, or 5.6%, higher than the 2019 full year average reflecting the benefit of government stimulus programs and reduced consumer spending in 2020. In addition, the Company’s loyal core deposit base continues to be a source of strength for the Company during periods of market volatility. Management continued to effectively execute several deposit product pricing decreases given the low interest rate environment and the downward pressure that the low interest rates are having on the net interest margin. As a result, the Company experienced deposit cost relief. Overall, total deposit cost, including demand deposits, averaged 0.74% in 2020 compared to 1.14% in 2019, or a meaningful decrease of 40 basis points.

The Company experienced a $255,000, or 8.1%, decrease in the interest cost of borrowings in the full year of 2020 when compared to the full year of 2019. The decline is a result of the Federal Reserve’s actions to decrease interest rates and the impact that these rate decreases have on the cost of overnight borrowed funds and the replacement of matured FHLB term advances. The total 2020 full year average term advance borrowings balance increased by approximately $11.7 million, or 22.4%, when compared to the full year of 2019 as the Company took advantage of the lower yield curve to prudently extend borrowings. The rate on certain FHLB term advances is lower than the rate on overnight borrowings. As a result, the combined growth of average FHLB term advances and total average deposits resulted in less reliance on overnight borrowed funds, which decreased between years by $6.1 million. Overall, the 2020 full year average of total short-term and FHLB borrowed funds was $69.0 million, which represents an increase of $5.6 million, or 8.8%, from 2019.

2019 NET INTEREST PERFORMANCE OVERVIEW.   The Company’s net interest income for the full year of 2019 decreased by $52,000, or 0.1%, when compared to the full year of 2018. The Company’s net interest margin was 3.29% for the full year of 2019 which represented a two basis point decline from the full year of 2018. Our net interest margin performance was challenged throughout 2019 as the U.S. Treasury Yield Curve shifted downward, flattened and became inverted in certain segments, at various times during the year. The lower interest rate environment along with a lower full year average total loan portfolio balance resulted in the modest year over year unfavorable comparison for net interest income. Positively impacting net interest income during 2019 was a favorable shift experienced in the mix of total average interest bearing liabilities as the amount of total interest bearing deposits increased and resulted in less reliance on higher cost borrowings to fund interest earning assets. Total average earning assets increased by $6.7 million, or 0.6%, in 2019. Specifically, total investment securities averaged $194 million in 2019 which is $9.5 million, or 5.1%, higher than the 2018 full year average. Total loans averaged $875 million in 2019 which is $6.6 million, or 0.7%, lower than the 2018 full year average.

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Total average interest bearing liabilities increased by $31.5 million, or 3.6%, as a lower level of total average FHLB borrowings was more than offset by a higher level of interest bearing deposits. Total interest bearing deposits averaged $828 million in 2019 and increased when compared to the 2018 average by $42.7 million, or 5.4%. The 2019 full year average of FHLB borrowed funds was $63.4 million, which represented a decrease of  $14.7 million, or 18.8%. Total deposits, including non-interest bearing demand deposits, averaged $980 million for the full year of 2019, which was $19.9 million, or 2.1%, higher than the $960 million average for the full year of 2018. Overall, the Company’s loan to deposit ratio averaged 89.1% in the fourth quarter of 2019 which we believe indicated that the Company had ample capacity to grow its loan portfolio.

COMPONENT CHANGES IN NET INTEREST INCOME: 2019 VERSUS 2018.   Regarding the separate components of net interest income, the Company’s total interest income in 2019 increased by $2.7 million, or 5.7%, when compared to 2018. Total average earning assets increased by $6.7 million, or 0.6%, in 2019 as a lower level of total average loans were more than offset by an increased level of total investment securities. Also contributing to the higher level of interest income was the earning asset yield increasing by 22 basis points from 4.39% to 4.61%. All categories within the earning asset base demonstrated an interest income increase between years. The average total loan portfolio yield increased by 25 basis points from 4.66% to 4.91% in 2019 while the yield on total investment securities increased by 19 basis points from 3.17% to 3.36%.

Total investment securities averaged $194 million for the full year of 2019 which was $9.5 million, or 5.1%, higher than the $185 million average in 2018. The growth in the investment securities portfolio occurred primarily as the year progressed during 2018 and was the result of management taking advantage of the rising interest rate environment experienced during 2018 which provided an attractive market for additional security purchases. Purchases primarily focused on federal agency mortgage backed securities due to the ongoing cash flow that these securities provide. Also, management continued its portfolio diversification strategy through purchases of high quality corporate and taxable municipal securities. Investment security purchase activity slowed significantly during 2019 as the interest rate market was less favorable.

Total loans averaged $875 million for the full year of 2019 which was $6.6 million, or 0.7%, lower than the 2018 full year average. Overall, total loan originations in 2019 exceeded the prior year’s level by $50.4 million and also exceeded another strong level of loan payoffs during the year. However, because of the high level of loan payoffs received late in 2018, the full year average comparison between years was unfavorable. Loan pipelines remained strong throughout 2019. Loan interest income increased by $1.9 million, or 4.6%, between the full year of 2019 and the full year of 2018. The higher loan interest income primarily reflected the Federal Reserve increasing the federal funds interest rate in 2018. This resulted in new loans originating at higher yields throughout 2018 and during the first half of 2019 and also caused the upward repricing of certain loans tied to LIBOR or the prime rate as both of these indices moved up with the federal funds rate increases in 2018. Certain floating rate loans, however, did reprice down in the second half of 2019 as the Federal Reserve reduced the federal funds rate by a total of 75 basis points in the second half of 2019. Also, included in the favorable year over year loan interest income increase was a higher level of loan fee income by $325,000, due primarily to prepayment fees collected on certain early loan payoffs.

Total interest expense for the twelve months of 2019 increased by $2.7 million, or 23.5%, when compared to 2018, due to higher levels of deposit interest expense which more than offset a slight decrease in borrowings interest expense. Deposit interest expense in 2019 was higher by $2.7 million, or 32.5%, for the full the year which reflected the higher level of total average interest bearing deposits and certain indexed money market accounts repricing upward due to the impact of the Federal Reserve increasing interest rates during 2018. The full year average cost of total interest bearing deposits increased between years by 28 basis points from 1.07% in 2018 to 1.35% in 2019. Even though total average interest bearing deposit cost increased for the full year of 2019, the Company did experience deposit pricing relief during the third and fourth quarters of 2019 because of the Federal Reserve easing interest rates late in July, September and October of 2019. Specifically, the Company’s cost of interest bearing deposits declined by 10 basis points between the third and fourth quarters of 2019. However, the Company continued to experience competitive market pressure to retain existing deposit customers and attract new customer deposits. Customer product preference changed as well in 2019 resulting in movement of funds from non-interest bearing demand deposit accounts and lower yielding money market accounts into higher yielding certificates of deposits. Overall, total deposits grew during the year and averaged $980 million for the full year of 2019, which was $19.9 million, or 2.1%, higher than the 2018 full year average.

The Company experienced a $21,000, or 0.7%, decrease in the interest cost of borrowings for the full year of 2019. The decline was a result of the lower total average borrowings balance between years combined with the impact from the Federal Reserve’s action to decrease interest rates three times in 2019 and the immediate impact that those rate decreases

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had on the cost of overnight borrowed funds and the replacement of matured FHLB term advances. The total full year average term advance borrowings balance increased by approximately $7.3 million, or 16.3%, when compared to the full year 2018. This increase was due to the inversion demonstrated by the U.S. Treasury Yield Curve in 2019 and resulted in certain term advances costing less than overnight borrowed funds. Overall, the 2019 full year average of FHLB borrowed funds was $63.4 million, which represented a decrease of  $14.7 million, or 18.8%, due to the increase in total average deposits.

The table that follows provides an analysis of net interest income on a tax-equivalent basis setting forth (i) average assets, liabilities, and stockholders’ equity, (ii) interest income earned on interest earning assets and interest expense paid on interest bearing liabilities, (iii) average yields earned on interest earning assets and average rates paid on interest bearing liabilities, (iv) interest rate spread (the difference between the average yield earned on interest earning assets and the average rate paid on interest bearing liabilities), and (v) net interest margin (net interest income as a percentage of average total interest earning assets). For purposes of this table, loan balances include non-accrual loans, and interest income on loans includes loan fees or amortization of such fees which have been deferred, as well as interest recorded on certain non-accrual loans as cash is received. Regulatory stock is included within available for sale investment securities for this analysis. Additionally, a tax rate of 21% was used to compute tax-equivalent interest income and yields (non-GAAP). The tax equivalent adjustments to interest income on loans and municipal securities for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018 was 24,000, 24,000, and 21,000, respectively, which is reconciled to the corresponding GAAP measure at the bottom of the table. Differences between the net interest spread and margin from a GAAP basis to a tax-equivalent basis were not material.